No-No words.

How many times have you written a sentence and looked at a word which really has no right to be there? I’m guilty, and when it comes to editing my books (as I'm doing at the moment with my two new ones) I am still amazed at the number of redundant words or bad words I strip out before I’m pleased with the resulting manuscript. We can easily avoid problems created by these words or phrases if we take more care. I’m not an English teacher so please bear with me, but I know what I like to read and I’ve comprised a list of my favourite no-no words. This is all a bit of fun by the way...I’m sure I still use most of them too many times but here goes:

• about
• am
  
• all
• a lot
• almost
• always
• as
• anxiously
• and
• appears
• basically
• believe
• due to (because)
• eagerly
• each & every
• every
• feel(s)
• finally
• firstly, secondly etc
• frequently
• got
• had
• however
• interesting
• is
• just
• kind of
• like
• lot, or lots
• looks
• merely
• move(d)
• nearly
• necessitate
• need
• never
• nice
• not
• often
• on account of (use because)
• only
• per
• previous
• plus
• quite
• rather
• really
• seems
• sigh
• so
• somewhat
• sort of
• suddenly
• that
• “the public”
• Then
• there
• totally
• try
• used to
• Utilise (use is better)
• Very
• Was
• Were
• Whatsoever
• Would

I’ll bet that you all have your own favourites. Why not drop me a line and I’ll add them to these and then we’ll all be on the way to having that definitive list of no-no list words!

This past week has been simply fantastic, culminating in, ‘The Surgeon’s Blade’ being #3 in the UK’s Sunday Mail Weekend Live Magazine - just behind The Hunger Games! Fame at last!

Thank you for your superb support everyone and as a thank you ~- please make sure you download you free copy of The Assassins’ Village today! Thanks again and have a great break over the Easter Weekend.

Faithx

Moving Swiftly On:

Well it looks like the summer is drawing to a close and we writers have to turn our sights to the forthcoming autumn and winter. There’s going to be lots of things happening in the next few months…

I’ve just finished writing my next Diana Rivers Mystery Drama: Children of The Plantation and it will be released on Amazon in the next week or so – final editing pending. For my regular readers, I believe you’ll enjoy this as much as my other two novels, perhaps more so as the mystery and clues are quite subtle. I’ll let you all know asap once it’s in print and there’ll also be a paperback for those who still prefer the feel and smell of paper!

During the next few weeks I’m going to be VERY busy as I’m featured all over the place. Quite how this has turned out I don’t quite know but it’s very exciting. Here is a little list of some of what’s to come:

** SEPTEMBER 2 – 5 ONLY ***

The first ever INDIE BOOK BLOWOUT – To celebrate this exciting event, I’ve reduced the price on my book: Echoes of Life and Love to only 99¢!

Yes, it’s a weekend to remember! To score dozens of FANTASTIC indie books for only 99¢, visit indiebookblowout.com. While you’re there, register to win a brand new Kindle & up to $ 100 in Gift Cards (entry form on the site).

You can purchase Echoes of Life and Love for only 99cents or 49pence here.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

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2nd September I’m the featured author on DailyCheap Reads.com (the US site). DCR is featuring:  The Assassins’ Village at the bargain price of $3.45/£2.14 from 4pm US central time.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Please click on your copy to buy now!

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5th September I’m the featured author on the whizzo author Glen Gamble’s website. Please take a look at his website; full of interesting author interviews and reviews of some great books. http://www.glenngamble.com

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5th September I have been chosen by Frugal Reads to represent  them as Frugal Find of the Day. Again, I’m delighted to say, The Assassins’ Village has been chosen by Frugal Reads for book content, style, brilliant reviews and price. Another excellent reason to click and download your copy!

Amazon US

Amazon UK

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For those who want to meet me I’m taking part in at least four book signings before Christmas. The first is at the Happy Valley Fair on 17th September. Come and claim your paperback copy of either The Assassins’ Village or The Crossing (2nd edition).

25th October Limassol Ladies book signing at 10 am.

6th November Winter fair at The Computer Shop, Trimiklini – time TBA

9th December featured on Speak without interruption/Speak at night

I’ll fill in more details as things become more finalised. (Remember you can purchase your copy of either The Assassins’ Village or The Crossing in paperback form, from either The Book Depository – link  http://bit.ly/oCON7U  or from Amazon.)

So a bust time ahead – but exciting and just the way I like it!

Happy reading and many thanks to all of you who have given me such wonderful support by reading ,reviewing, commenting on my website/blog, messages of friendship and of course buying my books! Bless you all1

Faithx

A Silver Lining at the Magic Teapot

Good morning or evening depending on where you are in the world. I say this every week – but where does the time fly?  0730 hours saw me frantically pulling on clothes, brushing my teeth, feeding the cats and endeavouring to eat a bowl of breakfast cereal; remembering we’re off to a party later this afternoon AND I still have a weekend blog post to write. And I confess I’ve not given it much thought.

After scanning Facebook, I noticed a fellow author Lia Fairchild asking what we all did for a living if not a full time writer- my initial response was ‘who has time for a job?’ For me this week has been particularly hectic and fraught at times.

We’ve had two different groups of friends staying for two nights on separate occasions. Don’t get me wrong, I love my friends and enjoy them to stay, but it necessitates extra house cleaning, laundry, shopping for food/drink and preparing some tasty meals –just for starters. I found myself sneaking off on odd occasions to check Facebook, Twitter and see how my books were faring (well!), but felt really guilty especially when the husband called me sad and to stop neglecting my friends. OK,OK.

Then we’re still suffering from the explosion that recently rocked Cyprus when 98 tankers of ‘impounded’ explosives detonated from a bush fire. Every day sees us with one or more power cuts  lasting for about three hours at a stretch – no electricity, no telephone, no internet. Apparently there is another pile of ‘arms’ lying in an army camp not from my village – are these stored properly? I have my doubts…

I was the featured author in Ereader News Today, on Thursday. This entailed more work, letting friends and fans know and sending out tweets and a blog – I apologise now if I overdid it but I thought I had to strike while the iron was hot, and judging by the sales it was well worth it!! The Assassins’ Village has soared on Amazon.com.

On top of that, with no air con or fans to keep us cool in temperatures well into the 100’s, I am plagued by the husband as he goes over new material for his gig on the 30th! Apparently he has a couple of numbers included  in the programme that I am expected to sing with him – er yes, I enjoy and regularly act on stage but I’m not so keen on singing in front of a large audience on my own, and I don’t know how to get out of it. Help - any answers please?

So you could say, well what a bummer of a week!

But wait a minute… going back to Lia’s question, I am ‘officially’ retired. My time is pretty much my own and yes, I have some commitments but I can mostly do what I like – acting, writing, walking, hashing, partying, reading John Locke’s new book on ‘how to sell a million books’.

Having friends to stay was great in itself and they all bought the new paperback edition of The Assassins’ Village, for their friends as well.

OK. So we have no power at times, but this gives me three hours at a stretch when I can’t do anything else much but crack on with novel number three, Children of The Plantation. Already I’ve written an extra 30,000 words and I’m getting near my first major edit.

As for the husband, well he’s performing at The Magic Teapot. This is going to be packed with friends, fans and summer visitors, most of whom have not yet seen or bought my new paperback! OK so I’ve got to sing, but I’ll have a captive audience!

So, I have to say that for me, everything that’s happened this week has a silver lining. What about you? Have you had a good week?

Thanks everyone for reading this and supporting me – you’re great!

Faithx