#Audiobook #bookreview The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss #tuesdaybookblog

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

Note – This is my first audio book review.

Author: Patrick Rothfuss

Title: Name of the Wind – Book 1 Kingkiller Chronicles

Genre: Fantasy

Type: Audio

Length: TOO LONG! 28 hours

Narrator: Rupert Degas

Blurb:

Told in Kvothe’s own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen.

First Impressions:

I chose The Name of the Wind as my first audio book as I really wanted to read it, but couldn’t face a book of that magnitude for the few hours I have set aside for reading.

My husband dubbed the book ‘Long of the Wind’ this should have been an indication of what was to come.

Narration style:

For me it was hard listening to a man doing a woman’s voice, though so far there has only been one woman in the book – Kvothe’s mother. Rupert Degas softens his voice for this role, and also to make his voice sound younger for Kvothe as a child. It sort of worked, but as the story dragged on, I became annoyed listening to it.

Summary:

It is a very long book… but nothing happens. It is brilliantly written with lots of details, but I want a book to go somewhere and this did not. I guess Patrick Rothfuss’s slow writing style is not for me.

Final Thoughts:

I did not listen to the whole book, though I really tried. I stopped at chapter 19. It was so boring I kept leaving the room forgetting I was listening to it. I have no inclination to pick up the book to find out what happened. I’m sorry to say that I just didn’t care for the main character or what happened in his past.

Recommend to: Insomniacs and readers who enjoy slow building epics.

Rating: 2 stars.

***

I really wanted to give audio books a try, maybe starting with this one was a mistake. Or maybe audio books are just not for me and I am being unfair to the author. I shall be listening to ‘Girl on a Train’ next and will post a review on that soon.

Has anyone got any suggestions for a good audio book?

Birthday #ebook #giveaway results

Posted on May 21, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

I have picked a name to receive the free ebook of Visions of Zarua and contacted the winner this morning. Well done Em on Keystrokeblog, I really hope you enjoy Visions of Zarua.

I appreciate all the lovely birthday wishes I received and I’m sorry if your name didn’t get picked.

There will be another chance to win some free copies of the ebook in two weeks time. Brook Cottages are running a Book Blitz day for me on Saturday 4th of June and there will be a Rafflecopter giveaway as well. I hope you can join me for that.

Have a brilliant weekend everyone. Happy reading.

Birthday #Giveaway – #ebook copy of Visions of Zarua

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

To celebrate my birthday today and the 6 month birthday of my book, I thought I’d run a mini giveaway. Just leave a comment below and share this with all your friends. I’ll pick a name out of a hat (or something similar!) Friday evening 20th May. The more responses I get, the more names I’ll pick. Join in my birthday celebration now.

***

See what others have been saying about Visions of Zarua on Amazon and Goodreads.

‘It’s so lovely to read a book that is a stand alone completed tapestry… I definitely recommend you give this book a try as it’s a real all in-one fantastical adventure story.’

‘Wonderful fantasy meets mystery!’

‘Dark sorcery with slithering secrets… Visions of Zarua casts a shadow of excitement giving the fantasy genre a nice little jolt.’

‘Thrilling and dark fantasy novel… from the very first chapter I was hooked. Overall I just love this book… I can’t wait to read more of the author’s work’

‘Enjoyable read with a hint of classic “who dunnit”…’

‘A brilliant read… would recommend to anyone who likes murder, mystery and of course fantasy’

‘The perfect amount of epicness… one of those fantasy books that can please any reader’

‘If you want a great book that takes you away from the monotony of daily life, then this is the book for you’

‘Gripping, well written story…the intertwined stories kept me gripped until the end. I recommend, even if you’re not a fantasy fan!’

‘…putting this book down, because of the non-reader-friendly-world I live in, made me unhappy. Mrs Rogerson deserves standing ovation for her debut novel… I will applaud with pride and appreciation. Visions of Zarua was simply a story that I love.’

***

Two wizards, 350 years apart. Together they must save the realm of Paltria from Zarua’s dark past.

An ancient darkness haunts the realm of Paltria. Apprentice wizard Paddren is plagued by visions of a city on the brink of annihilation. When his master Kalesh dies in mysterious circumstances, the Royal Order of Wizards refuses to investigate. Helped by his childhood friend, the skilled tracker Varnia, and her lover Leyoch, Paddren vows to find the killer. The investigation leads Paddren down a sinister path of assassins, secret sects and creatures conjured by blood magic. But he is guided by a connection with a wizard from centuries ago – a wizard whose history holds the key to the horror at the heart of the abandoned city of Zarua. Can Paddren decipher his visions in time to save the Paltrian people from the dark menace of Zarua’s past?

Sample chapters are available on Smashwords Amazon UK Amazon US

Don’t forget to comment and share.

Thank you.

Visions of Zarua – 6 months since publication day #WWWblogs #Indie

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

I can’t believe it’s been 6 months since I self published my first novel, Visions of Zarua. Here’s my summary of the good and bad of self publishing.

Background:

The ebook went live 16th November 2015 and the paperback went live 14th December 2015.

I had pre-orders in place for the ebook so sales were very good on the first day, and a few days after as well.

First thoughts:

I was terrified, excited and nervous, but looking back I was also completely naïve thinking life would change for me overnight. I wasn’t expecting an instant hit, but I did think things would move faster than they have.

My favourite things about publishing:

1.Sharing my book with the world. 2. Calling myself a published author. 3. Seeing the reviews from people who have taken a chance and bought my book, and also from those reviewers I’ve contacted directly. 4. I still adore my book cover and love looking at the poster I have above my desk.

I’ve had some wonderful reviews on Amazon and Goodreads – I wish I could share each review here, but will have to satisfy myself with sharing a few of my favourite quotes instead.

‘It’s so lovely to read a book that is a stand alone completed tapestry… I definitely recommend you give this book a try as it’s a real all in-one fantastical adventure story.’

‘Wonderful fantasy meets mystery!’

‘Dark sorcery with slithering secrets… Visions of Zarua casts a shadow of excitement giving the fantasy genre a nice little jolt.’

‘Thrilling and dark fantasy novel… from the very first chapter I was hooked. Overall I just love this book… I can’t wait to read more of the author’s work’

‘Enjoyable read with a hint of classic “who dunnit”…’

‘A brilliant read… would recommend to anyone who likes murder, mystery and of course fantasy’

‘The perfect amount of epicness… one of those fantasy books that can please any reader’

‘If you want a great book that takes you away from the monotony of daily life, then this is the book for you’

‘Gripping, well written story…the intertwined stories kept me gripped until the end. I recommend, even if you’re not a fantasy fan!’

I’m very happy with these stats so far – 5 x 5 star and 4 x 4 star reviews on Amazon. 5 reviews and 7 ratings on Goodreads.

Least favourite part of self publishing:

Trying to get noticed when you have a non existent marketing budget and very little clue on what works best.

Methods of advertising I’ve tried:

Discounted ebook price – I tried this twice. Over Christmas the reduced price resulted in a handful of sales and the second one just before Easter resulted in a couple of sales.

Goodreads Giveaways – Good and bad. Visions of Zarua is on over 800 bookshelves because of the giveaways. The worldwide giveaway was much more successful than UK only, attracting 2062 people. However the postage costs involved are high and I haven’t sold any books because of the giveaway as far as I can tell.

Facebook Ad – I received a handful of new followers on FB, but no book sales.

Mslexia magazine Ad – No sales.

Goodreads Ad pay per click – Paid $10 which is used up as people click the ad. So far my ad has supposedly been seen by over 4K people but no clicks and no sales.

Anyone have any suggestions for other places to advertise?

Unexpected benefits of self publishing:

I started a blog to have an online presence, but I’ve found I really love blogging. I’ve met lots of interesting people through blogging and because of it I’ve also become a reviewer via Rosie’s Ambers book review team. I’ve been able to share my photos and rediscovered my love of photography. I’ve also shared recipes and places I love through the #AtoZ blog challenge and #WordlessWedneday photos.

Final thoughts:

It’s a lot of work for very little gain and the hard work doesn’t stop at publication. I haven’t had a pay cheque yet, though I still need to declare myself as self employed.

Knowing all this, I would still do it again. It’s a wonderful feeling to publish your own book and even better when a review tells you someone enjoyed it. There aren’t many better feelings to be had, although a million pound publishing deal wouldn’t go amiss.

News:

I’m running a one day book blitz via Brook Cottages on Saturday 4th June with a Rafflecopter giveaway. Please join in and share if you get the chance.

Call for help:

If you have read Visions of Zarua, would you consider leaving a review on Amazon, goodreads, smashwords or any books sites that you normally use. It really helps my credibility as an indie author and helps others decide to buy my book. I also love to read your feedback.

If you are inspired by these wonderful reviews to pick up a copy of Visions of Zarua, here are some purchase links:

Amazon UK Amazon US Kobo Smashwords

Goodreads

Now if I ever hope to publish my next book, I have to finish writing the damn thing. Please leave any comments and suggestions you might have and I’ll get back to you.

#Tuesdaybookblog Visions of Zarua by Suzanne Rogerson #bookreview

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

I am very pleased to share this 4 star review of my novel, Visions of Zarua.

Book Savvy Reviews

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction

Pages: 472

Published by Suzanne Rogerson on November 16th, 2015

Amazon

Goodreads

Two wizards, 350 years apart. Together they must save the realm of Paltria from Zarua’s dark past.

An ancient darkness haunts the realm of Paltria.

Apprentice wizard Paddren is plagued by visions of a city on the brink of annihilation. When his master Kalesh dies in mysterious circumstances, the Royal Order of Wizards refuses to investigate.

Helped by his childhood friend, the skilled tracker Varnia, and her lover Leyoch, Paddren vows to find the killer.

The investigation leads Paddren down a sinister path of assassins, secret sects and creatures conjured by blood magic. But he is guided by a connection with a wizard from centuries ago – a wizard whose history holds the key to the horror at the heart of the abandoned city of Zarua. Can Paddren decipher his visions in time to…

View original post 360 more words

Update from Suzanne Rogerson Fantasy Author

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

First off the price promo on the ebook / kindle has ended, but the pricing has gone wrong on Amazon, so it’s still at a bargain price for a short time. If you fancy a dark and thrilling read that keeps you hooked from beginning to end, check out Visions of Zarua.

It’s already got 6 great 4 & 5 star reviews on Amazon, but I would love to get some more. If you have read and enjoyed it, I would really appreciate it if you could spare a few moments to rate and review it on Amazon uk/us, goodreads, or whatever format you feel comfortable with. Getting discovered is all about the reviews. Plus I love reading the feedback, it lets me know all the stress and sleepless nights have been worth it.

The UK Goodreads Giveaway for Visions of Zarua has finished and a winner has been picked at random. It wasn’t as successful as the worldwide giveaway, but I was still very pleased to see 192 entered and that currently Visions is on over 800 peoples bookshelves to read. Of course, I didn’t time the giveaway well, finishing during the long bank holiday weekend means I can’t post the winner their prize until tomorrow.

I am shortly to embark on the April A-Z Blog Challenge, where I will blog everyday, except Sunday’s. My theme will be Crafts, but will also cover writing, editing, foraging and possibly a little magic!

My work in progress has to take a back seat for a few weeks during the Easter Hols and while I prepare for the A-Z blog challenge. I’m still determined to publish the first book in the Bloodlines series during 2016 and can’t wait to start working on the cover art etc. I’m really excited about self publishing the second time around, doing cover reveals and creating some pre-order excitement. Plus, I also hope to send out a few advanced review copies, and maybe do a blog tour beforehand. These are all things I didn’t know about the first time around. Self publishing is still a big learning curve, so if anyone has any advice, I’m happy to receive it.

Finally, I have also just joined Rosie Amber’s team of reviewers. Over the last few months I’ve really enjoyed writing reviews of the books I’ve enjoyed, and it’s great to have the opportunity to join a team of well established reviewers.

For those of you interested in picking up Visions of Zarua at its bargain price, here are some links, amazon smashwords nook

Thanks for reading.

Visions of Zarua giveaway update and price promo continues

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

A quick update.

The UK Goodreads Giveaway for Visions of Zarua finishes on 24th March (US time). That’s just two days left to enter. Please help me spread the word and enter if you fancy winning a signed paperback of this debut epic fantasy.

‘Two wizards, 350 years apart. Together they must save the realm of Paltria from Zarua’s dark past.’

The price promo for kindle and ebook is running for a few more days so you can download a copy now for only 99p / $1.99 etc. amazon smashwords nook

Thanks for your support.

Enter to #win #epicfantasy Visions of Zarua in the #Goodreads #Giveaway

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

Top reviewers say;

‘Thrilling and dark fantasy novel that really keeps you gripped from beginning to end!’

‘The perfect amount of epicness.’

Two wizards, 350 years apart. Together they must save the realm of Paltria from Zarua’s dark past.

Apprentice wizard Paddren is plagued by visions of a city on the brink of annihilation. When his master Kalesh dies in mysterious circumstances, the Royal Order of Wizards refuses to investigate. Helped by his childhood friend, the skilled tracker Varnia, and her lover Leyoch, Paddren vows to find the killer. The investigation leads Paddren down a sinister path of assassins, secret sects and creatures conjured by blood magic. But he is guided by a connection with a wizard from centuries ago – a wizard whose history holds the key to the horror at the heart of the abandoned city of Zarua. Can Paddren decipher his visions in time to save the Paltrian people from the dark menace of Zarua’s past?

***

I’ve decided to run another Goodreads Giveaway, though I’m limiting it to the UK. Sorry to everyone else, I just wanted to have a UK winner this time. I will run another giveaway in the future though.

The giveaway runs 10th – 24th March and 1 lucky winner from the UK will receive a signed paperback.

If you are intrigued by the blurb and fancy a bargain, I’m running a price promo on Visions of Zarua. Ebook only 99p / $1.99 available. amazon smashwords nook

Click Goodreads Giveaway to enter now.

Please share and spread the word.

Today’s Featured Author – Suzanne Rogerson

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

I’m very pleased to be the featured author on Into Another World’s blog this week.

Into Another World

Please welcome to my blog author Suzanna Rogerson. Her book, Visions of Zaura, is currently special for $1.99 for a limited time.

Interview

Please tell us about your current release?

Visions of Zarua is my debut fantasy novel, which I self-published in November 2015.

The novel focuses on the interlinking stories of two wizards who live 350 years apart. The first is an apprentice wizard named Paddren who’s been plagued by visions of death ever since he was a boy. The second wizard, Jago, is a junior wizard who lived 350 years before Paddren’s story begins. Jago returns to Zarua after a five year absence to find a dark undertow sweeping through the city. But the Elders refuse to believe Zarua is under threat, a mistake that has far reaching consequences.

Both wizards must fight to save the realm of Paltria from the dark menace of Zarua’s past.

How did…

View original post 2,311 more words

Visions of Zarua 99p / $1.99. My #Mslexia Ad & Subscriber Spotlight in #WritingMagazine

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

Two days ago I received the new Mslexia magazine and was very happy to see my ad for Visions of Zarua at the top of their noticeboard on page 12.

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If you can’t read my blurry picture, the ad states ‘Visions of Zarua by Suzanne Rogerson. Paddren is plagued by visions of a city on the brink of annihilation. When his master dies investigating the visions, Paddren vows to find the killer. His childhood friend, the skilled tracker Varnia, and her lover Leyoch agree to help. They’re guided by a wizard from centuries ago – a wizard whose history holds the key to the horror at the heart of the abandoned city of Zarua. Can Paddren decipher his visions in time to save the Paltrian people from the dark menace of Zarua’s past?’

Then today, I received my Writing Magazine and right in the centre is my piece in the Subscriber Spotlight section.

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(Hopefully this picture is a little easier to read.)

These magazine pieces have come at the perfect time to drum up a bit of interest in Visions of Zarua as I have just set up a kindle and ebook price promotion of 99p / $1.99. I’m hoping this will help persuade people to take a chance on my debut epic fantasy.

Available to buy here: amazon smashwords

I’m looking into ways to advertise this price promo, so any tips you can offer will be very welcome.

I also have news of another Goodreads Giveaway. This time I’ve limited it to the UK, but I will do another worldwide giveaway in the future. The giveaway runs from 10th to 24th March, so I will be shouting about it nearer the time.

Please share and help spread the word.