Ellwyn’s Blog

Seumas Gallacher’s: Strangely, I’m Still Here

Available on Amazon

Synopsis:

Fact is often more incredible than fiction.

Seumas Gallacher has survived long enough to savour places, characters and events for more than forty years in the Far East and the Arabian Gulf.

He started life in Scotland, travelled far and wide as a wannabe Trainee Master of the Universe, but the Universe had other plans for him.

From a career in banking, he escaped to become a corporate trouble-shooter.

He discovered the joy and torture of becoming a wordsmith, writing five best-selling crime novels, a book of poetry, and being hyper-active on social media.

‘Strangely, I’m Still Here’ is his story.

Author Bio:

SEUMAS GALLACHER escaped from the world of finance years ago, after a career spanning three continents and five decades.

As the self-professed ‘oldest computer Jurassic on the planet’ his headlong immersion into the dizzy world of eBook publishing opened his eyes, mind, and pleasure to the joys of self-publishing.

As a former businessman, he rapidly understood the concept of a writer’s need to ‘build the platform’, and from a standing start began to develop a social networking outreach, which now tops 30,000 direct contacts.

His first four crime-thrillers, in what has become the ‘Jack Calder’ series, THE VIOLIN MAN’S LEGACY, VENGEANCE WEARS BLACK, SAVAGE PAYBACK and KILLER CITY have blown his mind with more than 90,000 e-link downloads to date. The fifth in the series, DEADLY IMPASSE, was published in the third quarter 2016. When he reaches the 100,000 sales/downloads mark he may indulge an extra Fried Mars Bar to celebrate.

He started a humorous, informative, self-publishers blog, never having heard of a ‘blog’ prior to that, was voted ‘Blogger of the Year 2013’ and now has a loyal blog following on his networks. He says the novels contain his ‘Author’s Voice’, while the blog carries his ‘Author’s Brand’. And he’s still LUVVIN IT!

Reading Challenge 2020

Reading Challenges have become very popular over the years. They’re a huge social talking point among readers and writers. As any introvert will tell you, if you want to strike up a conversation with them, ask them what they’re currently reading and you’ll earn yourself a worthy literary conversation.

As a mother, teacher and author, I think swapping Reading Challenge Lists is a wonderful way for friends, family and like minded individuals to connect and have meaningful conversations.

If you’re looking to add more books to your own To-Read List, (A-hem, coughs in a please-notice-me-but-I-don’t-want-to-be-rude-about-it sort of way) I just happen to have a few that might interest you or your children.

Kamla Chung and the Creepy Crawlies

Kamyla Chung and the Classroom Bully

Captain Hook: Villain or Victim?

Happy Reading!

Interview With The Old Bookshop Of Bordentown

The Old BookShop Of Bordentown is the 8th stop on my Independent Book Store tour. In an effort to bring awareness of how vital these places are, I’m interviewing the great folks who manage them.

Located in historic Bordentown City in central New Jersey, The Old Bookshop of Bordentown are purveyors of out of print and antiquarian books. They have titles that cater to history buffs, sports and erotica fans, aspiring thespians, gardeners and religious folk.

But wait, there’s more!

Their inventory also includes fantasy titles like Eragon, George R. R. Martin’s epic saga Game of Thrones as well as Manga, mysteries, an expanding entertainment section and a children’s room. It’s bookworm heaven!

Don’t worry if your book budget is limited, the Old Bookshop has many discounted titles, some as low as a $1.00. (FYI: if you check out their Facebook page you may find even more savings.)

Their doors are open Wednesday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday from  12:00 pm  to 4:00 pm.

Doug, the owner of The Old Bookshop Of Bordentown, was kind enough to answer a few questions about his store and the value it adds to his community of readers. 

Hi, Doug, welcome to Angel Kiss Publications. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview.

Thank you for having me.

What motivated you to open (or work at) an Independent Book Store?

I’ve been a book collector since I was about 14 years old. After spending a career on Wall Street and with a large amount of books, many in storage, I began to consign material to a cooperative shop in the late 1990s.

Once I got fed up with commuting to New York City from the Princeton, NJ area and decided I’d rather watch my two little sons grow up, we opened a shop in Freehold, NJ.

The bookselling trade is rewarding in ways other than financial (it’s not particularly remunerative).

I like to think, however, that we’re providing a valuable service–books give people pleasure, knowledge, sometimes comfort, and help to expand horizons.

Can you tell us a little about Old Bookshop Of Bordentown?

The Old Book Shop of Bordentown is a general used and out-of-print bookstore with vintage and rare editions as well. Most of the stock on our shelves is priced under $10 (though we also carry material that runs into the thousands of dollars).

We sub-specialize in New Jersey books (naturally) and have the largest section of New Jersey titles in the state. We carry general history, American history (American Revolution, Civil War and WWII), fiction and literature (geared more toward the classic authors like Austen, Hemingway, Virgina Woolf, Tolkein, etc).

We also have sections on art, architecture, music, theater, movie and TV, cooking, antiques, etc.

There are some 10,000 books on our open shelves and we also have an online inventory of some 9,000 titles.

What’s involved with running an independent bookstore?

Nowadays a small independent operating in a brick-and mortar open location has to be in a place where the cost of location operation is low enough to stay in business. This is very difficult in New Jersey.

In order to pay the rent, one usually gives up any significant walking traffic. For example, if I were in Princeton where there is a large walking population during the days and evening, my rent would be 5 to 10 times what it is here—and I’d be out of business within 90 days.

Acquisition of inventory is also a critical issue—what do you carry and from where do you get it?

We don’t buy inventory directly from publishers or from overstock houses (except for a few very local history titles). We can’t compete with Barnes and Noble in terms of prices or customer volume on that material.

We buy from individuals (people who are moving, down-sizing), estates, historical societies or libraries who are deaccessioning material, etc. One big advantage to having an open shop is that you get buying opportunities that you would not otherwise.

As with any such business, it’s always a bit of a guessing game — hopefully what we buy will interest our customers. Sometimes it is and sometimes we have things in inventory for years.

Is competition with online retailers difficult?

Competition with other online retailers is always an issue. Certain ones, Amazon particularly but eBay as well, are a headlong dive to the bottom of the barrel. Anyone with a cardboard box of books in their garage and a computer can be a “bookseller”.

That hugely increases supply and buyers on these sites usually are looking for the cheapest possible item—and they’re often disappointed with the actual item when it arrives (or so a number of customers have always told me). They are the world’s low-end yard sales.

How do small bookstores compete with Amazon and Barnes & Noble?

All that having been said, you have to deal with the devil. We sell on Amazon and it in fact makes up a significant percentage of our monthly revenues. We get a greater number of orders through them than through any other sales channel, but the orders are also almost always for lower priced items—and there is absolutely zero customer loyalty as they are hysterical about keeping sellers and buyers from communicating directly.

Barnes & Noble is not a competitive factor for us as we don’t deal in new books. We’re signed up as vendors for out of print stuff with them but rarely get an order.

Barnes & Noble is not a competitive factor for us as we don’t deal in new books. We’re signed up as vendors for out of print stuff with them but rarely get an order.

What makes your store unique?

We try to offer a bit of everything so that folks who come in can hopefully find things they didn’t know they wanted when they came in.

We also have a whole room full of books for children and young adults—everything from baby picture books to Nancy Drew, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and even more mature titles for teens.

I feel strongly about getting books into the hands of children at an early age—that’s what my mom did with me and my sister when we were little. 

What are your biggest sellers?

Our single biggest seller over the years since we’ve been here has been the Harry Potter series. We sell the hardcovers for around $7 and the paperbacks for around $3.

J. K. Rowling has, in my opinion, done more to advance literacy than anyone else in the last half-century.

We sell lots of New Jersey books—Pine Barrens and Jersey Devil stuff is popular given our geographic location. American history is a good seller as well.

In terms of adult fiction and literature, our steady sellers have been Jane Austen, Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, J. R. R. Tolkien and more recently Neil Gaiman, George R. R. Martin and Chuck Palahniuk.

There’s always a run on books with current TV and movie tie-ins like Game of Thrones.

Do you have promotions throughout the year?

Not really. We coordinate more with the big events here in Bordentown: the Cranberry Festival in October, the Holiday Chocolate Walk and the Valentine’s Day Chocolate Walk. Those events provide us with a ready-made crowd.

Do you have author book signings?

We’re too small to do it effectively. The only exception is for local authors that put out local history books or general interest things—we have two local authors who have published children’s books and we’ve had signings with them. We schedule those sessions during the bigger two events as mentioned above so they get good exposure.

What advice would you give to authors just starting out?

Don’t give up your day jobs.

The current publishing environment is extremely competitive as writers have many more venues than just traditional hard-copy publishers.

Yes, it’s easier to get your stuff out there via the innumerable online venues but it’s incredibly difficult to actually get eyeballs on your work.

And if you want to get an authentic following, don’t write books about growing up, issues with your parents/siblings/spouses, or your views on the cosmos, or poetry.

Write something that may be unique, write local history, develop and write children’s book characters.  In terms of fiction, try young adult and have a plan for books two, three and more in case you catch lightning in a bottle. Then you might have a shot.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you and your store?

The same thing I say to consumers about all small local businesses: “Use ‘em or lose ‘em”.

We welcome everyone to come in and browse, poke around the shelves, try something new or just pick up a copy of an old friend. Just picking up a $2 or $3 paperback or hardcover helps pay the rent and keep us open.

Want to read The Great Gatsby (another of our most steady sellers)? Try finding a paperback copy at B&N for less than $15. We sell them for $3 or $4.

What are some of your favorite books/authors?

I enjoy historical mysteries set in the Middle Ages, the Victorian Era, and the colonial period, so we usually have a good selection of those.

I’ve also been a Sherlock Holmes fan since I was a teenager, so we have a nice selection of that material.

My favorite 20th century American author is John Steinbeck (I think The Grapes of Wrath was the greatest 20th c. American novel) so we have lots of his books.

Do you have a website/Facebook page, etc?

Our website is oldbookshopofbordentown.com and on Facebook find us as Old Book Shop of Bordentown.

Thank you, Doug, for spending time with us and sharing your story. We wish you and the Old Bookshop of Bordentown continued success and lots of luck!

Interview With Author Robin Goldblum

By way of introduction, here is Robin Goldblum’s bio:

Robin Goldblum has had her nose stuck in a book for as long as she can remember, and crafting words in to stories followed.

During her formative years, she won a National Scholastics Award and had the honor of reading her story at the Library of Congress.

As the editor of her college literary magazine, she found organizing writers to be much like wrangling wendigos!

Robin had to take a difficult break from writing as she fought through the rigors of veterinary school and developing her career. She won for being the Best Veterinarian in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 2019.

Yet, when the urge to write overwhelmed her, she let the words pour out of her. Today, she lives with her wonderful husband and their three beautiful, but rambunctious, children and a library packed with books.

Now that you’ve been introduced to Robin, let’s get to know her a little better.

Hello, Robin, welcome to Angel Kiss Publications and thank you for agreeing to do this interview.

Thank you for having me.

What inspired you to be a writer?

It all started with a love of reading and stories. It was very exciting when I discovered I could craft my own stories.

Is writing your full-time profession?

No, I’m a veterinarian professionally.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a kid, and I even attempted to write a novel in middle school! In college, I was the co-editor and contributed numerous pieces to the campus literary magazine.

I had to put my writing on hold during veterinary school and as I established my career, but the urge to write returned several years ago.

Have you won any awards?

I won 2 awards for short stories in high school. One of them was first place in the National Scholastic’s Writing Contest and I got to read my story at the Library of Congress.

That’s amazing!

How many books have you written?

One full length novel and one novella

Which genres do you write?

These two are western horror romance stories.

What do you find most challenging writing for these genres?

I had to do lots of research on the Wild West!

What are you working on now?

A science fiction/romance novel that jumps between the dreams of an unconscious man living in our world of the past and the woman he loves trying to protect his sleeping body in an apocalyptic world invaded by aliens.

Where do you find inspiration for your characters?

Real life heroes, characters in books, movies and TV, and a little bit of myself.

What has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work? Holding my printed book that I’d worked so hard on for so many years in my hands.

What advice would you give to authors just starting out?

Just keep plugging away. It is so much work to write a book, but it is so satisfying once you get to the end.

Is there anything else you’d like your readers to know about you?

As well as being a writer, I adore being a veterinarian. I won Best Veterinarian in Bucks County, Pa.

Congratulations!

What message are you sharing in your books?

Keep away from wendigos!

What are your favorite books?

So many! The Stand by Stephen King, Watchers by Dean Koontz, Star Trek: TNG- Imzadi by Peter David, My Life by Golda Meir, Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton and more!

If you could create an author’s group with writers from any time period, who would you invite?

Stephen King, Edgar Allen Poe, Robin McKinley, Peter Beagle, Mary Shelley

Who has influenced your writing the most?

Dean Koontz, because he started me on my love of horror books. I love his writing style of switching between different characters to tell the story.

When you’re not writing where can we find you?

Playing with my children.

A movie producer wants to turn your book into a movie, and you get to make a cameo. What would you do in the movie?

I want to be a wendigo!

An elf named 12-25 approaches you. He’s sneezing, wheezing, coughing and there’s a strange tattoo of a snoring dog on his cheek. What do you do?

I feel like this is a trick or inside question that is going over my head, but I’ll roll with it. I’d start with a physical exam.

As I am unfamiliar with the species, I’d hope the patient would fill me in on details of afflictions that would cause his clinical signs and possible remedies to treat him.

Of course, I’m a curious person and would ask about the snoring dog tattoo. I could tell this elf all about snoring dogs and ask if they have Pugs and Bulldogs where he comes from!

Do you have a website/Facebook page, etc?

www.Robin Goldblum.com

On Facebook, find me at Robin Goldblum’s Books

Where can we find your books?

All of my links are available on my website, as well as the link to my free novella. The main location is on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Kisses-Gruesome-Bites-Romance-ebook/dp/B07VCLSHNH.

Thank you, Robin, for spending time with us and sharing your story. We wish you continued success and lots of luck!

Available on Amazon.

Sheriff Bill is horrified when he finds a viciously mangled corpse just outside town limits.

Jane is busy keeping her students calm while hysterical rumors blow through Morely like tumbleweed. The local tribe claims the dead are being possessed by cannibalistic demons called Wendigos. Calvin is skeptical until a Wendigo tries to eat his brother. Then it’s not just a myth anymore.

The whole town begins to panic.

Calvin and Jane desperately try to find a solution together. Townspeople fall prey to deadly bites, jealousy and fear. The inconvenient passion between Calvin and Jane could prove just as dangerous as her husband’s drinking sprees.

Shots are fired, friendships are shattered and love is found. As the danger comes closer, the townsfolk need to band together for their survival. Or are they already doomed?

Interview With Author Tasha Madison

Tasha Madison has a B.A. from the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication at Washington State University, an M.B.A. from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and a J.D. from Seattle University’s School of Law.

She is a Huntsville, Alabama transplant from Seattle, Washington. She loves all things Jane Austen. She is also a sucker for Shakespeare and Sherlock Holmes.

As a Communications professional with over 15 years of experience, she has been a desktop publisher, a journalist and a copy editor.

Now that you’ve been introduced to Tashsa, let’s get to know her a little better.

Hello, Tasha, welcome to Angel Kiss Publications.

Thank you for having me.

What inspired you to be a writer?

I’ve always had a hearty appetite for the written word, even from a very young age. I was a very avid reader as a child. I would stay up late at night, trying to read the next chapter with my flashlight, long after my mom told me it was time for bed. My love for writing started with poetry and prose, and quickly blossomed into a passion for storytelling.

Is writing your full-time profession?

Not yet, but I hope it will be one day.

How long have you been writing?

I first started writing in the third grade. By the fifth grade, I wrote my first novella. I still have it! By the eighth grade, I wrote my first novel. So, I started writing pretty early.

How many books have you written?

Fabric of a Generation is my debut novel.

Which genres do you write? 

YA and historical fiction.

What do you find most challenging writing for these genres?

YA fiction is challenging because I like to tackle important issues in my writing. So, my endeavor is to thread valuable YA discussions and experiences into the pages of my writing while maintaining authenticity.

Historical fiction can also be intimidating, especially if you are writing a novel based on a true story or inspired by the lives of historical actors. Authors of historical fiction bear the burden between remaining true to the story/time period and true to themselves and the creativity of  their craft. The two don’t always coexist peaceably, so it is important to find balance.

What are you working on now?

My work-in-progress is a historical fiction novel about an ancient civilization.

Where do you find inspiration for your characters?

I find inspiration from so many things … my personal experiences, people I know, have met, or simply observed, locations I’ve visited, activities I enjoy, etc. Bits and pieces come from a multitude of places and then I weave them together to create an interesting character.

What has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work? 

I recently had a young adult reader say that she loved my book and tell me that she stayed up all night so that she could find out what happened next. She said she read my book in 24 hours. There’s nothing more satisfying than having your target reader understand and appreciate your work.

What advice would you give to authors just starting out?

Research! Research! Research! Research your novel’s topic. Research your craft. Research the publishing industry. Writing is fun but, after the manuscript is finished, it has to be edited and refined. Then, it has to be formatted, distributed, and marketed. Writing is only one small piece of the puzzle. So, do your homework!

Is there anything else you’d like your readers to know about you?

Apart from the fact that I own the entire collectible set of Lord of the Rings, complete with my very own Gollum statue? No, not really.

What message are you sharing in your books?

My characters face serious and often daunting obstacles. So, my message boils down to hope. Hope for the future … hope for the possibility that something great can still happen in spite of past struggles, failures, and fears. I want to share hope with the world!

What are your favorite books?

I was completely obsessed with the Nancy Drew mysteries growing up. Now, I read across several fiction genres as well as nonfiction. As a result, my favorite book is usually whatever I am reading at the time.

If you could create an author’s group with writers from any time period, who would you invite?

Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Carolyn Keene, Agatha Christie, Maya Angelou, and Langston Hughes.

Who has influenced your writing the most?

Definitely Maya Angelou. The ability she had to use her pen to empower and move people beyond words should be every writer’s goal.

When you’re not writing where can we find you?

In the craft store buying scrapbooking and cardmaking supplies!

A movie producer wants to turn your book into a movie and you get to make a cameo. What would you do in the movie?

I’d totally be the Stan Lee “extra” in my movies … a part of the movie but only a quick, humorous addendum to the storyline.

An elf named 12-25 approaches you. He’s sneezing, wheezing, coughing and there’s a strange tattoo of a snoring dog on his cheek. What do you do?

First, I would ask if he was okay (because I’ve got manners after all), and then I would inquire about who he is and from where he came.

Do you have a website/Facebook page, etc?

Yes, you can reach me online here …

Website: www.TashaMadison.com

Instagram: @thetashamadison

Twitter: @theTashaMadison

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theTashaMadison

Where can we find your books?

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JlQtAe

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2KXDOGO

… and practically anywhere where books are sold …

Thank you, Tasha, for spending time with us and sharing your story. We wish you continued success and lots of luck!

Miranda dreams of disappearing. That and torturing her younger brainiac of a brother. To sidestep the risk of personal vulnerability (and her much-hated history class), she plays soccer or skips school by escaping to her favorite magic shop whenever she gets the chance.

As her truancy creates a rift between her ambitious TV producer mother and misunderstood stay-at-home dad, Miranda begins to covet the unknown destiny of strangers and questions whether she will ever have one of her own worth living.

Miranda’s relationships are laced with the strychnine of blame, envy, and doubt. So, when she finds a mystical shawl in the attic, she thinks all her dreams have come true! Her discovery initiates a free fall through time. As she navigates through the hilarious, treacherous, and heartbreaking road to maturity, the strained relationship between her and her mother ignites a troubled path to selflessness and compassion.

Can she use her present circumstances to help redeem herself from her past mistakes? If Miranda cannot find her way back home, she might be forever stuck in time.

Anyone seeking a coming-of-age tale with an addicting family saga that explores life lessons on money, love, and relationships will enjoy the rabbit-hole adventures of this book.

Buy this historical fantasy today to discover Miranda’s journey through time!

I Should Have Written A Book By: Tom Grannetino

Available On Amazon

Book Summary:

William Grannetino served in the US navy during World War II. From the day he landed on Omaha Beach to the morning he sailed out of the Pacific theatre for the last time, he was surrounded by violence, trauma, death, and a comradery unparalleled in civilian life.

Through the pen of Grannetino’s son, readers are provided a glimpse of a sailor’s gut-wrenching realities of war as he relates details about little-known landings that happened ahead of the initial D-Day assault and unique facts somehow lost in history.

Compelling descriptions of street to street fighting in the city of Caen, the urgency of rushing military support to the Battle of the Bulge, and the terror of Kamikaze attacks in the Pacific, transport readers right to the battle zone.

From the jubilation over the end of hostilities to the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Tom Grannetino has captured his father’s stories and crafted an historical and deeply personal account of one man’s experiences in the Second World War….

About The Author:

Tom Grannetino credits his father, William, for his strong work ethic and technical abilities, which have brought him great success in the construction industry as a craftsman and construction superintendent.

He also spent years listening to his dad tell stories about his experiences in the US Navy during World War II. After hearing his father lament numerous times, “I should have written a book,” Tom decided to write the book himself for his children, grandchildren, and anyone else with an interest in military and US history.


Tom describes himself as a religious person who is committed to his church, where he occasionally fills in for his Pastor leading worship and delivering the sermon.

He and his wife, Kathleen, live in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, and have two daughters and five grandchildren, with whom Tom loves to share quality time with. Tom enjoys studying theology, traveling, hunting, fishing, and watching both golf and football.

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