Help – Should I use Createspace or KDP for my paperback? #indieauthors #writers

Posted on May 30, 2018 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

In the next day or so I will be setting up the paperback version of my new book, The Sentinel’s Reign. It will be the third book I’ve published since 2015.

The first two paperback went through Createspace, which I have found easy and straightforward but being in the UK I would prefer to be able to get a local proof copy and not wait on shipping time and have to pay so much for postage etc. It will also be cheaper to buy my own stock without having to add on overseas postage.

I’ve heard good and bad about the KDP print books and I’m reluctant to take the plunge now. Is it worth it? Should I go for it and switch the other two books over too?

I’m reaching out to those indie authors who have made the switch to ask what you think. Was it easy? Would you recommend it?

Or perhaps, like me, you’re unsure or you’ve decided to stick with Createspace. I would love to know what other indie authors are doing about their print books and if you have any advice to share. I’m sure many people are having the same doubts and we can help each other.

Updates giveaways and pre-order info #amwriting #indieauthor #fantasy

Posted on May 29, 2018 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

The first of my updates is on the appearance of my blog. I’ve finally been able to update the header with all three of my books. It’s a great feeling to see them altogether. The Cover Collection have done a wonderful job on all three covers and the banner.

It’s officially 1 month before The Sentinel’s Reign is published – 29th June 2018, which is so exciting. I’ve just finished reading it through and have a couple of small changes to make before the ARC is ready to send out to reviewers. Please get in touch if you are interested.

Don’t forget you can already pre-order you copy here The Sentinel’s Reign

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There are just a few hours left to enter the giveaway to win a signed paperback or ebook of The Lost Sentinel. Please follow the link and enter up to 7 times.

Rafflecopter giveaway

Yesterday The Lost Sentinel received a brilliant review from Sofia – A Book. A Thought blog. She said; The world building is incredible, it’s my favorite aspect of the book and I think it’s the best achieved. The descriptions are exceptional, without doubts.

Please click on the review link to see what else she had to say in her 4 star review.

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Finally as this is an update post, the latest on the Czech translation of Visions of Zarua is that it will be published in the Fall 2019! This is such an exciting time for me, and perhaps it will lead on to bigger and better things. I certainly hope so!

#Tuesdaybookblog 4 star #bookreview of The Lost Sentinel #fantasy

Posted on May 29, 2018 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

Today I’m really happy to share this 4 star review of The Lost Sentinel from Sofia on her blog A Book. A Thought.

via Double Short Reviews: The Lost Sentinel by Suzanne Rogerson & Freefall Summer by Tracy Barrett

The Lost Sentinel Paperback & ebook #giveaway #fantasybook #heroic #fantasy

Posted on May 23, 2018 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

To celebrate the upcoming release of my new book, The Sentinel’s Reign, I wanted to run a giveaway for Book 1 in the Silent Sea Chronicles – The Lost Sentinel.

Please enter for the chance to win either a signed paperback or an e-book. There are up to 7 ways to win!

Here’s the link to the Rafflecopter giveaway running until 30th May 2018. Please reblog and share this with everyone you know.

The magical island of Kalaya is dying, along with its Sentinel. With the Kalayan people turning their back on magic, can Tei help the exiles find their new Sentinel before it’s too late?

I will contact the winners by email after 30th May 2018. Good luck!

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#Tuesdaybookblog The Sentinel’s Reign Pre-order now and call of help #indieauthor #fantasy

Posted on May 22, 2018 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

The Sentinel’s Reign is due out on 29th June 2018, but you can pre-order your copy here. It is book 2 in the heroic fantasy series Silent Sea Chronicles.

At present I don’t have plans to run a blog tour, but I would love as many bloggers as possible to post about The Sentinel’s Reign before, during and after its release. Please get in touch and I can send you the promotional bits beforehand.

I am also looking to send out ARC copies if anyone would like to review Book 2 in the series (books should be read in order, but please get in touch to discuss).

My last request for help is that I am tweaking the blurb, so I would love your help to make this really appealing to new readers.

Blurb

The new Sentinel’s reign is doomed to failure unless Tei can prevent the Kalayan people from plunging into war.

With the new Sentinel initiated and the magic restored on Kalaya, the future is thriving for Tei and the exiles. But Rathnor’s plans for war soon escalate and thwart any chance of a peaceful life.

Brogan’s position on the Assembly becomes tenuous as rumours circulate that he is an exile spy.

Farrell is recovering from an attempt on his life and is more determined than ever for his people to build a home on Stone Haven. But the council have their sights set on Kalaya and Farrell struggles to steer them away from the temptation of war.

As trouble festers within and outside forces gather against them, can the exiles keep their hold on the magic, or will this spell the end of Kalaya and its people?

The Sentinel’s Reign is a heroic fantasy. If you like character-driven adventures then you will love The Sentinel’s Reign.

This is the second book in the Silent Sea Chronicles and should be read in order.

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Thank you for your help. I will be running a belated paperback and e-book giveaway for Book 1 – The Lost Sentinel in the next few days so keep an eye out for news of that.

The Sentinel’s Reign #Preorder now #CoverReveal #fantasy

Posted on May 18, 2018 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

The Sentinel’s Reign – Book 2 in the Silent Sea Chronicles will be published on 29th June 2018. You can preorder it here!

Blurb

The new Sentinel’s reign is doomed to failure unless Tei can prevent the island and its people from plunging into war.

With the new Sentinel initiated and the magic restored on Kalaya, life is looking good for Tei and the exiles. But Rathnor’s plans for war soon escalate and thwart any chance of a peaceful life.

Brogan’s position on the Assembly becomes tenuous as rumours spread that he is an exile spy.

Farrell is recovering from an attempt on his life, and is more determined than ever for his people to build a life on Stone Haven. But the council have their sights set on Kalaya and Farrell struggles to steer them away from the prospect of war.

As trouble brews within and outside forces gather against them, can the exiles keep their hold on the magic, or will this be the end of the island of Kalaya and its people?

You can preorder on Amazon here

Add it to your Goodreads bookshelf here

Now this is the moment I have been waiting for! Here is the beautiful cover of The Sentinel’s Reign…

I love it, I hope you do too. Let me know in the comments.

And if you missed Book One in the series here’s the details.

The magical island of Kalaya is dying, along with its Sentinel. With the Kalayan people turning their back on magic, can Tei help the exiles find their new Sentinel before it’s too late?

Goodreads

Amazon book link

WWW Wednesday Reading update #amreading #tbr

Posted on May 16, 2018 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

I’m been very busy working through edits over the last few weeks so my reading has been a bit slow.

I thought I’d use WWW Wednesday for a reading update and to get me focused again. You can take part too by answering these questions;

What are you currently reading, What have you just read, What will you read next and link your blog post to ‘Taking on a world of words‘ You can also see who else is taking part.

What I’m currently reading

Sparrow by Michael Morpurgo

I needed something short to read and my daughter suggested this. I haven’t read any Morpurgo before, but I’m enjoying it so far. It’s based on the Joan of Arc story.

I am also reading an ARC for Jesper Schmidt – How to write fantasy book descriptions, but I don’t have the cover to display just yet. 25% in and so far, so good. I think this could really help fantasy writers.

What I’ve just read,

Here’s my review of Ninja School Mum

What I’m reading next.

Last time I took part in WWW Wednesday I had hoped to finish a couple of trilogies, but I’d forgotten about my monthly book group reads. With my lack of time I’m having to reconsider what books I can fit in. In the next month I need to read Senlin Ascends, which I’m really excited about as it was my choice for book group.

And I still hope to read book 3 Magic Borne to finish Ian Troy’s story,

In the next few days I will also be reading my own book The Sentinel’s Reign (book 2 of Silent Sea Chronicles) prior to its publication at the end of June. Cover reveal and pre-order links coming very soon!

I think that is plenty of books to be getting on with. What are you reading?

The Lost Sentinel – Suzanne Rogerson

Posted on May 16, 2018 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

Here is a recent review of The Lost Sentinel on Nana’s Fantastical Reads. Please go check it out.

Nana's fantastical reads

The Lost Sentinel by Suzanne Rogerson is an independently published fantasy book that sparked my interest. I was intrigued by the concept of a magic that connects the people to their land and the consequences that ensue when the magic-wielders are being persecuted. Sadly, it wasn’t easy for me to connect to the characters and understand their development since we have three perspectives and a lot of time jumps that make the connection difficult.

Goodreads summary:

The magical island of Kalaya is dying, along with its Sentinel. With the Kalayan people turning their back on magic, can Tei help the exiles find their new Sentinel before it’s too late?
Kalaya is controlled by the Assembly – set up to govern but now under the control of Rathnor, who is intent on persecuting those who have magic, many of whom have taken refuge in the Turrak Mountains.
Tei has been raised…

View original post 1,069 more words

#tuesdaybookblog #bookreview Ninja School Mum by @Lizzie_Chantree

Posted on May 15, 2018 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

I am reviewing Ninja School Mum by Lizzie Chantree.

The Blurb

Obsessive-compulsive school mum, Skye, is a lonely elite spy, who is running from her past whilst trying to protect the future of her child. She tries hard to fit in with the other parents at her son’s new school, but the only person who accepts her unconventional way of life is new mother, Thea.

Thea is feeling harassed by her sister and bored with her life, but she suspects that there is something strange about the new school mum, Skye. Thea has secrets of her own and, although the two become unlikely friends, she hesitates to tell Skye about the father of her own child.

Zack’s new business is growing faster than he could have dreamed but, suddenly, he finds himself the owner of a crumbling estate on the edge of a pretty village, and a single parent to a very demanding child. Could he make a go of things and give his daughter the life she deserved?

When three lives collide, it appears that only one of them is who they seem to be, and you never know who the person next to you in the school playground really is.

My Mini Review

The cover is very cool. I love the colour contrast and the silhouette. It drew me in to find out more and the premise of the story really appealed. Who can resist a spy story!

There is a lot to like about this book. The characters are colourful and have plenty of secrets between them. Skye, Thea and Zack are well drawn and likeable, though you know they have secrets and you have to read on to find out what is really going on.

The spy part of the plot is important, but perhaps not featured enough. I would have loved to relive some of the backstory through flashbacks.

One of my favourite parts were the unusual business ideas; Skye starts up a self-defence class for children to avoid the school bully, while Zack runs Cloud Climb on his estate, which also sounds like a great idea if you like heights!

For me there were a few issues with this book. The chapters are told from each character’s viewpoints, which I liked, but I did find there were times when we head hopped between characters thoughts. This confused the narrative and I was sometimes left wondering who had been thinking what.

There is a lot of back story that needs to be revealed to the reader, which is understandable for the plot and as I mentioned above I think we could have used a few flashbacks to get the information across in a more involving way. I also thought some of the scenes in the present could have been shown more as there was too much tell and character reflection on things that had just happened. I think the book could have, and should have, been longer – I certainly wouldn’t mind spending longer with these characters and really get to know them better.

There are a few twists towards the end, some of which took me by surprise – always a good thing. But for me the ending was underwhelming and I would have liked something more dramatic for these great characters.

I rate this book 3.5 stars. Why not check it out on goodreads and see what others have to say.

#CoverReveal The Exercise of Vital Powers by Ian Gregoire @lonelyboy1977 #fantasy

Posted on May 14, 2018 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

Today I’m really pleased to share the cover reveal for Ian Gregoire’s book, The Exercise of Vital Powers. This is the second edition of his book and will be available to preorder very soon.

I think you will agree the cover is stunning and could well be in the running for my favourite cover of the year. So here it is…

The Blurb

Some Lessons Must Be Learned The Hard Way

Since its inception, The Order has been dedicated to the prevention of the misuse and abuse of magic. For seven decades this mandate has guaranteed peace and stability throughout The Nine Kingdoms. But a potential threat to the peace has emerged, and its source is much closer to home than the leadership of The Order may realise.

Arrogant, manipulative, confrontational and angry. Undesirable qualities in a person at the best of times, but more so in a young woman born with the power to bring kingdoms to their knees. Kayden Jayta, precocious apprentice of The Order, is all these things and more, yet wholly unwilling to acknowledge and rectify her many troubling traits.

Unbeknown to anyone, Kayden’s resolute determination to join the ranks of The Order is born of a secret that puts her priorities at odds with the precepts of the organisation, setting her inexorably on a collision course with the most powerful institution in The Nine Kingdoms.

If Kayden is to be dissuaded from walking the path she has chosen, averting tragic consequences in the process, two unanswered questions must be answered: What is the dark secret guiding Kayden’s actions? And, why has a legendary figure within The Order, with a secret of her own, taken undue interest in Kayden’s future?

Expected Publication

The Exercise Of Vital Powers is due to go on sale from Monday 2^nd July 2018, in ebook and paperback editions. Pre-orders will be open in June via all the usual online retailers.

Add To Goodreads

Background about the book

Ian Gregoire’s debut fantasy novel was self-published with no fanfare in the spring of 2017. On a whim, he entered the book into the SPFBO competition organised by Mark Lawrence two weeks later, and was just as surprised as everyone else when The Exercise Of Vital Powers was selected as Kitty G’s first semi-finalist. The book subsequently garnered a number of positive reviews, culminating in a place on the longlist of nominations for Best Self-Published Novel in the inaugural BookNest Fantasy Awards.

Originally written and published as a stand-alone novel, the soon to be released second edition of The Exercise Of Vital Powers is now book one of a five book series called Legends Of The Order. Readers who missed out the first time around will now have the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the book’s precocious protagonist before she returns in the sequel, coming soon.

About the Author

The reclusive Ian Gregoire is a taciturn introvert residing somewhere in London, where he was born and raised. Of all life’s diversions, reading and writing are the only ones he ever deemed worthwhile enough to be passionate about. This eventually led to his belated decision to pursue his true calling in life as a fantasy and science fiction author. His debut novel, The Exercise Of Vital Powers, is just the first of many books he intends to inflict upon an unsuspecting world.

On the occasions he steps out of his reading and writing comfort zone, Ian has a fondness for computing, melancholy music, retro gaming, and Asian Cinema. Ian also loves peace and quiet, something that is in frustratingly short supply in his life.

Ian can currently be found (or not) living the life of a hermit somewhere in London, continuing his quest to become your future favourite fantasy and science fiction author. To find out more about him and his ongoing publishing journey be sure to visit his official online hangouts.

Website | Blog | Newsletter

Social Media

If you still need to be convinced to pick up this book, here’s some praise for the first edition;

“I don’t know what I was expecting, really, but I don’t think I was expecting such an engaging, well thought out story from a self-published debut novel I had never heard of before…” Kristen (Superstardrifter)

“I don’t pretend to be the most well read person, but I found this to be completely unique, and I loved it! I felt very engaged right from the start, and somehow became even more engaged by the end.” Kim (The Writing Process)

“I love reading about flawed characters, and the development that Kayden shows through the course of the novel is impressive.” Rachel (The Perspicacious Bookworm)

“Overall, TEOVP, being a debut work, is a good book that every fan of character-driven fantasy should try to read.” Lukasz (Goodreads)

“Gregoire has done an amazing job of creating a feeling of tension throughout, while leaving us guessing as to what will happen next, or even how the outcome will turn out.” Dianne (Tome Tender)

“…this book was sneaky amazing.” Angelica (The Effervescent Bookworm)