Marvin's Curse doing okay!

My Young Adult/Adult paranormal e-book is doing nicely. I have had some lovely reviews, mostly 5 star which is fab. You can still grab it on Amazon or Smashwords for a mere £1.99 - less than a pint! Makes a good summer read.

 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marvins-Curse-ebook/dp/B00DCDC1OA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374483905&sr=8-1&keywords=marvin%27s+curse 

Honestly, it's not THAT scary!

                                          

EEEEEEEKKKK! Marvin's Curse cover edited!!!!

Have you spotted why?

The wonderful international multi million selling author, Herbie Brennan, has read Marvin's Curse and loved it! I'm over the moon with the fabulous quote he has given me, part of which is shown on the updated cover.

'This is a teen novel like none you’ve ever read before — unusual, archetypal, compelling, thrilling, action-packed, satisfying,  and, if you’ll pardon the pun, haunting. A marvellous book full of unexpected twists, turns and high imagination. I couldn’t put it down.'

You can find out more about Herbie here:
http://herbiebrennansbookshelfblog.blogspot.co.uk/

A fab 5 star review !!

Marvin's Curse will surely take the Young Adult world by storm! It truly is a whirlwind of intriguing adventure at every turn. You can't but help fall in love with Marvin, the young teen psychic who has all the makings of an abnormal teen, and although he suffers from a family tragedy he is deeply disturbed by his gift. He is deeply drawn into a very strange world of the Paranormal by a mysterious girl who leads him to find an amazing discovery of a dark underworld.With great vivid descriptions you feel as though you are right there in this dark and evil town. Here he will become a hero and find love with a very special ghost.

Debra Edwards knows how to capture the eerie tale of the Paranormal and entwine great heart warming scenes here. I felt myself, laughing, crying and not being able to put this one down. She's got lots of tricks up her sleeve in this one.This was a very smooth read, and as a Children's Reading Specialist, this would be at the top of my list.I hated to see this one end, and I hope to see Marvin continue on in a sequel.


 Thank you, Lorraine!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B00DCDC1OA/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

Wonderful review from CD

Another review popped up today which is fab! This time from CD on Goodreads.

  CD Baxter

 As usual I read what's available at Amazon - Two Chapters!

Since I absolutely enjoyed - Ghost Whisperer the television series that all but left too soon after only 5 seasons. Created by John Gray and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt - I have been trying to find something similar in books to satisfy my cravings of the paranormal.

Yes, I have read the many books by various authors that were mass produced to fulfil the lost of this wonderful television series. But to tell the truth it was a bit of rehashing from said series.

This morning, I have found something new and fresh - yes, it is along the lines of 'Ghost Whisperer' and in the written words, similar to Charlaine Harris' character Harper Connelly (which by the way is a story that has been abandoned by Ms Harris - it's been said nothing else will be written for this - sad!) - and now in comes Debra J Edwards with Marvin's Curse - please give her the title of Number One Best Selling Author? - I'm not kidding nor joking...

The first Chapter made me laugh over three times! And it hits close to home since I've lost my own father at the teenage years and I wish dearly that I could see him from time to time to have a chat since there were so many unfinished business between him and myself.

So Marvin may feel cursed but I would take his place any day! The loss of someone very close to you and a situation at home that makes things worse are one fantastic way to get away from it all! A wonderful story which leaves me wanting to read more chapters - two was like a bite of a delicious dessert you start enjoying and then it's taken away from you...

Marvin draws - I wrote stories - still do LOL!

I just met this character and within these two chapters I have a concept of what his life is like. I sincerely hope that Debra considers making his story into a series and hopefully see it on the BBC maybe sometime soon?

That would be something I tell you - so give it a go it's worth every word from just the two preview chapters - imagine what the remainder will be like - ooh I'm imagining - absolutely lovely I resolve!

Will put this on my list of favourites to catch at my local book store as a thoroughly enjoyable read!

Sincerely,


CeDany
BB



http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/668211106

Previous Marvin covers part 3!

                                                a                                                                                 b

So, two more previous applicants for the job of being Marvin's Curse book cover. First up is cover a. Loved the angel and was able to play around with the colour quite a bit. Tried blue tints and purple which worked well. Only real reservation was the roofs of what could be a bandstand (?) were in the background to the bottom left of the picture. I couldn't find a way round this without cropping the picture within an inch of its life! It was a no!
And cover b... I liked the soft focus around the corners of the picture and in many ways the angel was more how I had envisioned it in the graveyard. But... didn't have that 'Oh, god! I've had enough' feel about it now whereas weeping angels do have that (yes, weeping angels again). So it was backbenched -  permanently!

Website new look!

Lovely husband has now updated the website and it looks really cool! I'm very much a lover of black and of course, purple! We've added in the ivy from the cover of Marvin's Curse which I really think adds something to the overall look. Tab colours have also been changed to fit in. A new feature is that reviews given have now been added to each book, something I'd left off before. Not sure why? Really pleased with the new look, gives a much cooler look to the site, don't you think?



www.purpleraypublishing.co.uk

Interview on Little Hyuts

Monday, July 8, 2013

Indie Author Week - Debbie Edwards

Today's Spotlight Author is Debbie Edwards who has self-published her first YA Paranormal novel, titled Marvin's Curse.

Debra J Edwards is a full time teacher and part time writer living in Surrey. She hopes that this will be reversed soon and this will then read; Debra J Edwards is a full time writer and part time teacher!

Her series of Aggie Lichen books tell the story of a gang of feisty tooth fairies trying to save their world. They are both funny and ridiculous. I mean, teenage tooth fairies indeed.

Based completely on the author's earlier work placement as a teenage tooth fairy, the stories convey an air of realism as the characters deal with bullying, sibling rivalry and, of course, good against evil!

Debra has now finished writing Marvin's Curse. Marvin's Curse is her 4th novel and her first piece of YA paranormal writing.

Debbie can be found on:

TWITTER / FACEBOOK / WATTPAD / GOODREADS / WEBSITE

Welcome to the Spotlight Debbie! Lets talk about your novel, Marvin's Curse. Is there one character in your novel that you feel the most passionate about? 

It has to be Marvin himself. I felt so sorry for him as I created his character. He’d lost the father he’d worshipped and was still so grief ridden a year later when the story began. Having lost my parents, I felt his anger at the world. Imagine being a teenager, with all the emotional and physical changes that come with it, losing your beloved dad, gaining an unwanted step-dad – surely that was enough for anyone? Then the author throws a curved ball and ‘gifts’ him with being able to talk to the dead. Oh, and let’s move him to a house near a graveyard just to make it more interesting! It doesn’t scare him. Marvin is never scared, but he just can’t help ‘putting his foot in it’ – a little tactless, shall we say. I just want to cuddle and reassure him!

What aspect about Marvin was the most difficult to envision? The easiest?

The most difficult aspect was him being a 17 year old boy. Now I’ve been seventeen, but not a boy. I had to try and put myself in a boy’s shoes; How would he think? How would he talk? What would his interests be? I had to cross check with my husband, who luckily had been both seventeen AND a boy! Phew! Also, I ran things past some brothers of students I know to ensure I was thinking along the right lines. 

The easiest aspect was how he looked and spoke! As Marvin developed, I had actor Jay Baruchel playing him, kind of geeky like in Sorcerer’s Apprentice. In that film, I liked how Baruchel portrayed Dave and so moulded Marvin in a similar way.

During the birth of your novel, was there any point where Marvin took an unexpected turn?

This is a tricky one to do without spoilers! The whole book is about the changes Marvin goes through at this difficult time. I can say that he changes quite dramatically in many ways. Without giving anything away… He has always avoided girls, they make him nervous. Meeting Stella changes that gradually over the book. He learns to trust her, sees her as a friend rather than a girl. We also see the heroic side to him to when he is thrown out of Moghador, leaving Stella behind. He was quite selfish, an introvert before, now the reader starts to see the other side to Marvin. Now Marvin starts to see it too! 

If Marvin suddenly sprang from the pages, what questions would you have for him/her?

How are you and Stella going to cope in the human world?

Will you be returning to Moghador to attend to ‘unfinished business’?

How are things with your step-dad now? Have you returned home?

Before we get to my last question I want to share with readers a bit about Marvin's Curse.

How would you handle the dead? After losing his dad, 17 year old Marvin finds he can see and talk to the dead, an inherited 'gift'. Bonus, you might think, but Marvin hates it. It makes him different and he just wants to be 'normal'. He meets Stella in the graveyard that backs onto the house he's just moved into. 'My name is Stella, Stella McCartney. It says so inside my trousers.' (!?!) 

A mysterious business card reveals that Stella has lost her memories and all signs point to Moghador, a gateway to hell where a pawnbroker holds the answers. And Stella is DEAD! She just doesn't know it... yet! 

Marvin's Curse can be purchased on:

Amazon

Smashwords

Is there a particular passage or scene from your novel that you feel embodies Marvin the best? 

I think this bit shows his rudeness/tactlessness so well.

‘Look, this always goes a certain way,’ said Marvin, trying not to stare at her. ‘You want me to do something. I refuse to do it and then send you away.’

‘What if I don’t want anything?’

‘Sorry?’

‘What if I don’t want anything from you?’

‘Well, that would be a first! First time in a year that any sp…’ He stopped suddenly. No unfinished business? They always have unfinished business! Oh god! She doesn’t know. She doesn’t know she’s dead. A slight panic came over him. How the hell was he going deal with this? Within seconds he had his answer.

‘Do you see a light?’ he asked, pushing his hands towards the sky. ‘Do you see a very bright light?’

‘At this time of day?’ said the girl. ‘Don’t be stupid!’

No, she definitely doesn’t know.

‘And you’re sure that there’s nothing that you want. Nothing you need to find out. Nothing you need to have finished…’

She stared at him, widening her eyes. ‘Just this conversation!’ She turned to leave, but Marvin was quick to jump in front of her.

‘Hey!’ he said as she stopped walking. ‘Sorry, I’m just not good with sp… er, people.’

‘Understatement! You are rubbish with people!’ 

Thanks so much for sharing this with us! Its been great having you here. I look forward to giving Marvin's Curse a read in the near future!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chapter 6.4 now on Wattpad.

Another section of Chapter 6 has now been uploaded to Wattpad for anyone who is following Marvin and Stella's escapades in Moghador.

Will Stella get her memories back from the evil pawnbroker, Old Kedigan or will they return to the graveyard empty handed??


 Join the Wattpad community to read, vote and chat with readers and writers for free.


http://www.wattpad.com/20378863-marvin%27s-curse-chapter-6-4#.Udm32G0kyRk

A 5 Star Review for Marvin's Curse!!!!!

By Geneva at Amazon.co.uk

'Incredible

When I got this book I have never been so excited to read new pages once again.

I loved the main character Marvin and Stella, the story line is so beautiful and seat gripping until the last page.
It was hard to put this down, but when I did I still felt drawn to reading just one more chapter which ended
up being the rest of the book.
The characters have their own personality which seems so realistic that you can relate to them as being real
and as if you have known them for ever.

"Marvin a teenager with the gift of seeing spirits, moves to a new town with his mother and step-dad after his father's death,
tormented by spirits ever lasting requests he finds himself troubled when he moved next to a graveyard, where he meets Stella
a confused and eccentric teenage girl who seemed to have lost her memories, from which Marvin makes a plan to help this mysterious girl.
Which leads Marvin into a world of mystery and adventure."

I love the way it was written it gave the reader a good sense of detail and realistic views, I loved this book until the very last page,
every chapter opened up a new adventure and an unexptected journey with the most adorable characters, and will put this in my top 10 best books ever read.

150% recommend ths to anyone who likes supernatural stories.'

Thank you so much, Geneva!

Part 2: More previous contenders for Marvin's Curse book cover

So, part 2 of the book cover search and here are a couple more covers that I played with.

Yes, another weeping angel, but bear in mind that Marvin needs to find the entrance to the underworld hell known as Moghador, and the map is leading him straight towards the graveyard angel! Also, the fact that hearing and seeing ghosts made Marvin quite distraught is relayed perfectly through the pose of the angel. But for me the image seemed too large and light. The bushes in the background also seemed to detract from the angel itself.  Again, seeing it sitting on the YA bookshelf in a bookstore was also giving me problems so goodbye to this one!

This next one I quite liked. The way the vibrant blue works so well with the black background and the eerieness of the graveyard made it a good contender for the final cover. The tree in the foreground stood out well and flowing branches added to the spookiness. Unfortunately, AGAIN, it didn't seem to fit with others of its genre. And, that is so important. I really couldn't have the book looking so different from other YA novels. Perhaps as a black and white photo, this might have worked better.

Authonomy website

 I joined this site some years ago when Marvin's Curse was just a glint in my eye. I've decided to have another go with it although I'm having a few teething problems navigating the site. Here's what they say they are:
An online community of discovery where writers become authors. Help great books get published.

Well, we shall see! Books on here can be added to a watchlist, added to a bookshelf and voted on with possibility that publishers, Harper Collins, may choose to review your book.


Nothing ventured...

http://authonomy.com/books/53981/marvin-s-curse/

Quiz on Goodreads

Why not have a read of the first chapter of Marvin's Curse on Goodreads then take the quiz! Just for fun!

http://www.goodreads.com/quizzes/28261-a-quiz-for-ya-paranormal-book-marvin-s-curse

Previous Covers for Marvin's Curse

A little late, I suppose, but I thought it might be good to post the other contenders for the cover of Marvin's Curse. There are a few so I'll post some over the next few days and see what you think! Did I make the right choice???? A reminder of the chosen cover.

I liked this one of the weeping angel, but couldn't work on the colour with my limited experience. I did like the way the wings were so full and the way the angel was positioned to the front of the shot.

With this one, I liked the openess of the photo. There was still the all important angel to the left of the photo, but more space to allow the title and author name to fit in easily. The colours worked, the blues and black together, but it didn't have that feel that YA books had on bookstore shelves. I didn't want to go to the typical black cover, but there was a need for the book to sit comfortably with others of it's genre.

3 out of 4 stars for Marvin's Curse!

Another review in, and it's not bad, from the Online Book Club.

Reviewer Casper says, 

'The book alternates between a full blown horror story and black humour: more than a few of the characters are obvious comedians, or even caricatures, and some of the dialogue and Marvin's asides can be quite amusing. There are times when Ms Edwards creates real edge-of-the-seat suspense and she follows this up with vivid descriptions of the nauseating conditions that Marvin encounters which are quite repulsive - in the nicest possible way.

The author is certainly not afraid to touch on some pretty profound subjects on the way: life, death, loss, grief, and different ways of dealing with bereavement feature in the first few chapters. A strong secondary theme in the book is the relationship between step-parent and step-child, and the pressures this puts on the family, especially when mixed up with the usual teenage angst. Poor Marvin certainly has more than his fair share of problems to work his way through, but, as the adventure forces him to mature and take on responsibilities, some of his fondly held illusions are shattered and he realises the truth about many things including his own faults.'


Full review can be found here:
http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13607

KFC Snackbox Versus Marvin's Curse!

I have discovered that at £1.99, a KFC Snackbox is the same price as my YA novel Marvin's Curse! But! My book is definitely more tasty and pretty sure it will last a whole lot longer. Why not add the Pepsi for just 99p as you read it through...


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marvins-Curse-ebook/dp/B00DCDC1OA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371824340&sr=8-1

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/325225

 And how about sharing this with people you may (or may not) know??
https://www.facebook.com/events/151627771695285/

Local produce and craft market

So, I had a stall at the local market yesterday. It was a nice day, weatherwise, although the wind did threaten a bit. Lots of different stalls ranging from charity to jewellery sellers so a good mix.

I sold lots of books, which was great. I was also pleased to shift some of the books my dog had scrateched up when he'd been spooked by fireworks and attacked a box of books!
I spent a lot of time talking to people. It's amazing how writers attract writers. I met a lovely lady, Jillian, who has just published her book and discovered that we both used the same Yorkshire based printers, YPS.

I also attract other people... A lady who insisted on calling Marvin's Curse, Mary's Curse, a man who kept telling me that the bookstore, Waterstone's, was just on the corner, plus another man who kept asking how a dog could damage books while his wife suggested I cut off the dog's head to stop him!

And the Mayor of Sutton stopped by! We shared a joke as he remembered me from before when he didn't buy a book. He didn't buy one this time either!

Senior School Visit

So the possibility of a senior school visit has appeared on the horizon. It will be the first time I'd have given an event linked to the new book so lots to think about!

I think I might use the trailer as a way in, as an intoduction - or I could make a trailer about myself...

Talk about the choice of cover, the reason behind it - could look at the other covers I designed too.

Being gifted like Marvin - was it a curse? What would be a 'gift'?

I could... do some stuff on graveyards... that could be fun! Look at different statues etc. Do spooky stuff...

Any suggestions????

Craft Market

I'm looking forward to the local craft and produce market in Sutton on Saturday. I took part last year in a similar event and sold quite a lot of Aggie Lichen books.
One of the nice aspects of being outside on a stall, is that you get to chat to people passing by. Usually, not about writing, but about Sutton itself.
We met the mayor last year and photos taken too for the local paper.It's a great way of showing off local talent too. More towns should have this kind of thing. It just brings something different to town centres and creates community too. I wonder if other towns offer this?

I'm going to have a hard job pushing 'Marvin's Curse' as it's an e-book. Any suggestions?

Marvin's Curse book trailer still getting some views and up to 186 as of today. I wonder if anyone reading my blog has taken the plunge and created their own trailer?

Where I write

So, I thought I'd give you a little look at where most of the writing takes place. The study also serves as a library come DVD storage centre. Lots of folders, dictionaries, pencils, diary and a large pile of brand new notebooks.

Yes, it's a bit messy - well, actually, I tidied up for the photo!

And just a few of the books I still have to read. Oops, no, I think I've read most of these. Lots of YA/kids books here. Also, lots of paranormal going on. Any surprises?

Hello USA!

A big shout out to my blog viewers in the US! Hi and thanks for stopping by the blog. Hope you like what you see. If not, let me know what you want to see more of! Have a good day!

Wattpad Reads

Wattpad reads of the first six chapters are up to 296 which is fab! If you want a sneaky peek of what Marvin has instore, here's the link!

http://www.wattpad.com/story/3921672-marvin%27s-curse

Hiya!

Благодарите Вас моим российским зрителям блога! Хороший видеть Вас здесь!

BOOK TRAILER FEEDBACK

So 164 people have now seen the book trailer for Marvin's Curse... and what did you think?

Was the music a good choice?
Was it too long/too short?
How about the pictures - good choice, too scary/not scary enough?
Timing?
And the phrases? Enough information?  Did they make you want to buy the book?

I'd be really interested to hear any feedback you have on this.

Marvin's Curse now available in all e-book formats and PDF!! Just £1.99 ($2.99) Please share with anyone, friends, family, little old ladies, dogs, cats...

Or the spooky man will get you....

 AMAZON:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marvins-Curse-ebook/dp/B00DCDC1OA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371824340&sr=8-1&keywords=marvin%27s+curse

SMASHWORDS:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/325225

How to make a book trailer!

 For those of you who would like to have a go at this, here are some basic ideas as to what I did. I used Windows Movie Maker to make mine and it was free (apart from an image I had bought for my book cover). It does takes a while, but it was really good fun to do.
Have a look on YouTube at other book trailers to get an idea of what yours could be like. Aim for no longer than two minutes in total. Here's mine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpNB65nYyRM
 

1. Familiarise yourself with the Movie Maker program by using/importing images in from your own files, adding bits of music you might have in files.

2.Choose your photos. Think about the type of photos you could use. This will probably be the most time consuming part. You can get free royalty free pictures online. I got mine from here: http://www.dreamstime.com/free-photos  You'll need to download them and save them into a folder.

 3. Choose your music. Remember to think about the age and genre you are writing and how the music will help to get across your message. I found free royalty free music here: http://teknoaxe.com/cgi-bin/home.pl Obviously, you can choose from a different site, just be sure it is free to use and royalty free. Download your music and save to your folder.

4. Now for the actual making. I googled 'How to make your own book trailer' and this site came up.
 http://kingdomelectlady.hubpages.com/hub/Create-Your-Own-Book-Trailer-Free
It was really useful and gives lots of other ideas as to what to do.

Take your time and enjoy the process. Sit back and watch your book trailer!

Great Interview!

Just seen the great interview put up by Vinny at the Awesome Gang website. Have a look!


http://awesomegang.com/debra-j-edwards/

Debra J Edwards

by Vinny O'Hare

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Surrey, Uk in a rambling Victorian house with my non-writer husband and boisterous staffy, Buster.
I have written three other books which are published on Amazon and various other sites. The first book, Aggie Lichen; Pilp Collector is followed by Arty’s Revenge then Hero Required.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book is a YA paranormal novel called ‘Marvin’s Curse’. I have been inspired by many YA books, mostly to do with fairies and angels, not psychics and ghosts, which is what my book is about. I think that in many ways I wanted to come away from vampires and werewolves too and so looked for something different. I have been told that it reminds people of ‘The ghost of Thomas Kempe’ by Penelope Lively. I don’t know as I haven’t read it – perhaps I should…
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Er, depends on what is unusual… Writing while watching T.V., scribbling in the car (obviously not while driving!), waking up and scribbling on pad by the bed. No, perfectly normal habits for a writer…
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Herbie Brennan (Faerie Wars) is my hero. I loved his faerie books so much. He very kindly gave me a wonderful quote for my first book after reading it himself.
J R R Tolkein – what’s not to like here. Probably the start of my love affair with fantasy.
What are you working on now?
I’m Working on ‘Rae Gandos – Dragon Slayer’ at the moment. It’s a YA book which is a cross between The Hunger Games and Buffy the Vampire Slayer !? Only into chapter two at the moment, but loving every minute of writing it!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think you have to get to as many websites as possible that promote books. Obviously, this one is a great place to start! That’s why I’m here! Also, look for book blogs to review your work as that is sooo important.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep everything you write – seriously. You just never know when you’re going to dig up that character you threw away last year. Also, back things up (er, not like me and have everything on one stick) memory sticks etc. Keep going – how many times do we hear that, but it’s true. If your book is good it will sell, simple!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing and don’t give up.
What are you reading now?
I’m reading The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa. It’s the last of four in the Iron Fey series and I shall be sad to see the end of the characters when I finish the book.
What’s next for you as a writer?
To continue with my new book and to carry on with promoting the latest book out, ‘Marvin’s Curse’ on different sites and blogs.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Lord of the Rings! All three. Has to be!
Author Websites and Profiles
Debra J Edwards Website
Debra J Edwards Amazon Profile
Debra J Edwards Author Profile Other Bookseller
Debra J Edwards’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Book Trailer News

An incredible 115 views of the Marvin's Curse book trailer have been registered on Youtube.  I've been asked a lot about the images used, mostly the man's head that pops up. I've been told it's a bit scary! Good! That's what I wanted. Thanks to everyone who clicked on it and special thanks to those who have shared it with their friends & followers! Best played loud with head/earphones!

Trailer figures

Pleased that the book trailer for Marvin's Curse has had over 70 views so far. Not gone viral by any means, but still means that the word is getting out about the book which is the whole point of producing the trailer. I will be going into detail about how it was made next week, but for now, let me leave you with it.

Turn the sound up! It needs loud!

FIRST MARVIN REVIEW!!

First review for Marvin's Curse is in and it's 5 stars!! 

'I decided to not read this book until after I finished my exams, because after having a free preview of the first 5 chapters, (Wattpad) I knew that I wouldn't be able to stop reading it. I felt in the mood to read a good book however, as a break from revision, so I went for it. Having read other books by the author I knew I was in for a treat.

I was unable to put it down. It was so gripping I read all of it in one sitting. The book is such an original story. Though there are thousands of books in the same sort of genre, I have never heard of anything like this book. It was so unpredictable the whole time, and I love that in a book. Every time I turned a page, I found something new which allowed me to piece more of the story together.

I really connected with the main characters, and actually sobbed at some points. The book was just so good I cannot describe to you how pleased I am that I read it.

I would thoroughly recommend this book to any one. I think it would be impossible to read the book and not be extremely pleased that you did so! It's quite rare to find a book that grips you so much that you can't put it down until you finish it but that is what this book did to me!

It was incredible'

Emily 27

Marvin's Curse out now!

SO... Marvin's Curse is now available on Amazon for £1.99 or on Smashwords for $2.99. YEAY!!
It's taken a while to get there as they need different formats in order to reach all the different e-readers. I do hope you'll pick up a copy and more importantly. let me know what you think - good or bad!

Book trailer at last!!

Book trailer so far!

It has been an exciting few days, sorting out the book trailer and I feel I'm almost there. This is the first screen that will show and it comes across as quite eerie which it was I was after. Still have some bits to tidy up and all in all it has been a steep learning curve, but really good fun.

Wattpad

This site is proving really useful for trying out Marvin's Curse on readers before launching the whole book. Here, readers can scan through different genres of sample chapters or whole books to see what they like. Marvin's curse has been read by 169 people so far which is very pleasing.

http://www.wattpad.com/story/3921672-marvin%27s-curse

Judging a book by its cover!

At last I've decided on a book cover for Marvin's Curse and thought I'd blog about the process.

When I finished my first book, Aggie Lichen; Pilp Collector, I was desperate to 'get it out there' and paid very little attention to the cover. Why would it matter? What was inside was more important! Oh, so wrong. I messed about in Word using a background of purple and then added basic shape stars to it. The stars were filled with silver and spread all over the front and back covers. I found a nifty font for the title and my name and bingo! Well, in school, where I was at the time teaching, it went down well, but after a while I decided that the cover wasn't saying anything about the book. It didn't give the reader any kind of insight as to what was inside and when compared to other books of this genre it was just plain dull. I found an illustrator, one of my daughter's graduate friends, and a new cover was designed for all three books in the series as they emerged.

Now you think I might have learnt a lesson with my new YA book, MARVIN'S CURSE, but things have changed considerably tech wise in the last ten years. I've used a photo/draw package to develop the cover. I looked more into it, paid more attention to what other books looked like in this genre and this time found advice on the web to guide me through it. The most difficult part was finding an image I really liked and that was somehow connected to the story. Images, while possibly royalty free, are not usually free and have licences to be purchased. Surpisingly, there are millions of images to choose from and they need not be too expensive. I did find one, but after waiting for the owner of the image to come back to me with a price I gave up and started again. The image I have used, The Angel of Grief by Meletios Verras, has an extended licence for resale ebook and printed book use and cost 50 credits, around £35, from the site 123RF. After payment, the image was immediately ready for download and I can go back and download again if needed. Personally I think that's a good buy, but remember I don't own that image. It's copyrighted and I just have a licence to use it for my book.
For the rest of the cover, I have played around with different fonts, colours and shadows. I've added flowery bits from art on the internet which didn't require licencing. If I print the book, I'd like to pick out the flowery bit in relief, with the stem possibly in silver. At the moment though, I'm just going to release it as an ebook and see how things go. I'd possibly go for POD instead of using my own printer, but that's a blog post of the future!

Chap 5 Marvin's Curse

Chapter 5 of Marvin's Curse now on Wattpad.

http://www.wattpad.com/17813349-marvin%27s-curse-chapter-5#.Ua21T5wQOrg

Another giveaway! 5 signed copies up for grabs. Please review if you win!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Aggie Lichen

by Debra J. Edwards

Giveaway ends June 24, 2013.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Second book Kindle freebie!

The second book, Arty's Revenge, will be available on Kindle for free over the next five days starting 16th May.

Here's the Amazon link for the download. Grab it while you can!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aggie-Lichen-Pilp-Collector-ebook/dp/B007SXTOXQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1368641609&sr=8-5&keywords=aggie+lichen

Giveaway!!

With the Goodreads giveaway now closed, I was pleased to see that 845 readers entered to win one of five signed copies of the first book! Congratulations to the winners who have all been notified! Your books are winging their way to you! Enjoy!

KINDLE PRICE CUT!

Aggie Lichen; Pilp Collector - the first 'Aggie' book - is now on Amazon for £1.02 for the Kindle edition. Won't be for long so snap it up!!

Cornerstones WOW Comp 2013

Although 'Marvin's Curse' didn't make the longlist... 'We thought that you may be pleased to know that you did in fact make the First Round of 32 entrants selected out of over 400, which I hope you will agree, is quite an achievement.'

GIVEAWAY

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Aggie Lichen; Pilp Collector

by Debra J. Edwards

Giveaway ends May 15, 2013.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

I have been trying out various sites etc to promote the now finished Marvin's Curse. I joined one, Wattpad, last October, but really didn't quite know how it worked - to be honest, I'm still not sure. Uploaded four newly edited chapters of Marvin and received a lovely comment.

Absolutely the best story I have read on WattPad, and believe me

I have read a lot of writing on this site, I loved it.

This came after an agent rejection so cheered me up no end and

now it has been read 34 times by viewers. It's free to join. 

Have a look!

SCBWI conference - Winchester

Wow! Another amazing conference. How do they do it, I wonder? Celia Rees!! Celies Rees for goodness sake AND Debi Gliori!!! Yes, Debi Gliori!! Then I have a breakout session with Justin Somper, author of 'Vampirates'! I have been left feeling more than a little inspired, I can tell you! (God, I love exclamation marks!)

And... then there were all my wonderful scoobie friends - old and new. We shared the ups and downs of our writing, celebrated the highs and lows of publishing, ate lots of cake and drank lots of coffee. Bliss!

Had a lovely time at Ewell Castle Junior School this week. What great kids! I spent about 50 minutes with Years 3/4 and then Years 5/6 and they were so receptive. They laughed at my silly anecdotes from my younger years and were astounded to find out that one of my books was around 50, 000 words long. And to cap it all, I sold 40 books which was fabulous!! I should also mention that the staff offered coffee and somewhere to sit quietly before hand. Very important!
I also had to call in to High View Primary School as they had an order of 14 books for me. All in all, a good week, bookwise!

I send out around 300 emails a week to schools offering free author talks and receive perhaps one or two replies. Now, very much like closing the door after the horse has bolted, I have an idea for reeling in some more schools. When I take part in book signings I often talk to pupils from schools I haven't yet visited. Now, if I had a card ready for them to hand to their teacher, something on the lines of:

(name) met a real author today at Waterstone's Sutton. (He/She) thought that your school (School name) might like a free author talk from the author, Debra J Edwards. (followed by a little bit about me and the books).

After the horse has bolted - well, I have probably given around 50 talks already! Still some ideas are slow to form...

Other ideas gratefully received!

I love signing in Waterstone's Sutton, as you probably know. I get a table and chair and am left to get on with it, which suits me just fine. Other authors might like to be 'attended' to, but I find it makes me work even harder to secure a sale, especially in Sutton which is my home town. Outside of Sutton, though, I do liked to be looked after with the occasional coffee or 'How's it going?'. I think that's down to the unsureness of where you are if the town is alien to you.
Friday's Sutton signing was not a great success in terms of book sales, but it did enable me to chat with people who were on the same planet as me. I had great fun exchanging book reads with a lovely lady called Natalie. We'd read very similar books and had similar favourite authors. I think I made her late back to work from her lunch break. Sorry, Natalie!
Also, the signing gave me a chance to talk to some local primary school pupils, some of whom I had met on author visits to their schools. Others were kind enough to want me to visit their schools and will be talking to their teachers about having a free author talk. I had a great chat with Siobhan of St Mary's, Carshalton, who bought a book and was eager to get me to come in and talk to her fellow pupils.
And finally, a lady from Egmont Publishing, Linda, was drawn to my table by my book covers. Now that especially pleases me as I am self-published and self-published covers are usually criticised heavily. I rattled on relentlessly about what I do as a self-published author and my book sales. Also tried to pitch my latest book, Marvin's Curse, but failed miserably although she did go away with my card!
I think what I'm trying to get across with this post is that it's not all about book sales when doing a signing event. I'm the first to get hung up on how many books were sold, but there are so many other opportunities at events like this. I just need to keep reminding myself!!

Review

In Hong Kong and received this lovely, but unexpected comment on my books from Geneva Martell:

'Hope you remember me from Sutton, i'm glad I saw you because as soon as I got home I absolutely loved the books.

As I started reading the first few chapters of "Aggie Lichen:Pilp collector" I have to admit it was very hard to put the book down, I wanted to know what was going to happen and i had to know before i could sleep well.

I love all the characters escpecially Aggie she is a very bubbly and funny character because the way she treats her sister and that she is very bossy and ready to get the job done herself. Gilbert just made me laugh every time he moaned about something making all the other characters angry at him, I did not expect the 'smell' but thats what kept the story funny.
I really loved how you described the sprites and every other creatures, the picture I got in my head of every moment was great.

On the second book I did not expect that from Victor at all and of course Aggie and Arty in "Aggie Lichen:Hero required" it was unexpected, a very creative and excellent book.

Was very easy and enjoyable to read, a lot of description in place.
Also Debra you better get back writing because I am waiting for a new book to come out
This is one of my favourite collections.

Thank you Debra for giving me the opportunity to read an excellent book. '

Kindle Freebie

Well, over 300 people downloaded the freebie Kindle edition of Aggie Lichen; Pilp Collector. If you are one of those, I'd be grateful for a review of the book which , hopefully, you enjoyed.

Aggie is back on Amazon, but no longer a freebie. Arty's on there too!

Notes

Marvin's Gift is starting to form in my head now. Made notes, just as real writers do, and can actually see a plot coming through. Rather pleased with myself that I had laid down the main idea in my last book without even knowing!!

Old Kedigan's revenge ...

Returning to Moghador ...

Now comes the problem of time to write ...

Smashwords

So here's Aggie at Smashwords. Just about to put a price on her ...

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/140896

Editing, Kindle, Smashwords and stuff!

So with Aggie on Kindle already, it's now time to get Arty ready for his first outing into the world of ebooks. Some editing to do first then it's on. Be good to see Hero follow pretty soon afterwards.
Have sold my soul to the devil - also known as Smashwords. Have put Aggie on there as a freebie while I test the water. Will be putting on at a decent price soon then Arty will follow.
Still no sign of Marvin, which is a good thing really. Gives me time to clear out cupboards, sort the recycling, tidy the study etc.
Have changed reading from Linger to Magyk! tried really hard with linger, but just needed aa bit more colour and excitement. Angie Sage does it so well!

Marvin's Curse

Did you miss me?
I have been slaving over the 321 editorial comments from my editor over the last few months. At last, I have finished and the book is now back in the safe hands of editor Lucy. As much as I love Marvin. I was so glad to see him go! I find editing so difficult, like walking through treacle! I'm hoping that the corrections are made have improved the book, but as always, I'll just have to wait and see!
Starting to think about 'Marvin's gift' as a sequel although I have been asked by some readers to write another 'Aggie Lichen' book ... Decisions, decisions ...

Amanda Hocking

Last night I was so lucky to be invited to attend a very informal event with Amanda Hocking!! If you haven't heard of her, she is the twenty seven year old American writer who has sold over a million copies of her ebooks. Amanda went down the normal route of trying to find an agent/publisher, and when that didn't happen she decided to self-publish her work as ebooks. She has now signed a seven book deal worth a seven figure sum! She was lovely to talk to, and really honest and down to earth. The lovely Chloe and Bella from Mcmillan supplied us with pizza and fizz, and of course free books! A fabulous evening in all. You can find out more about Amanda on http://www.panmacmillan.com/author/amandahocking

Reviews

I need to be more pro-active about getting reviews so, if you have read any of my books ... and enjoyed them ... would you please be kind and review it/them on Amazon etc for me. Thanks.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/276-9005011-0277723?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=aggie+lichen&x=0&y=0

Book events

Have just finished the last of my Christmas book signings and so pleased! Have sold lots of books and met some fabulous people too. Many thanks to all the book stores and readers who bought my books. Merry Christmas!

Edits

Well, the MS is back from Lucy with 327 comments. I've already made lots of changes, but still a long way to go. Have moved the finishing line to beginning of March as no way can I get it done any sooner!

Waterstone's Sutton

Home from home! I just love signing at Waterstone's Sutton! There's no fuss. I just get on with talking to people in the hope they might want to buy my book. The staff are so suppportive and always check to see if things are going okay. They build me up by telling me that I'm their best selling local author with little signs by my books saying just that! Just love it!

Okay, let's skip to the SCBWI agent's party.
A good turn out of SCBWI members and lots of lovely literary agents. Some of them seemed to be after exactly what I hade written; Marvin's Curse. So after introductions and questions I decide to approach one of them. I wait patiently in line for my turn, wishing the other writers would just hurry up, after all, it was my work she wanted, not theirs.
So my turn comes ... and my mouth goes into involuntary spasms. I spout something out about a boy who sees and speaks to ghosts; she's not impressed. So I try harder, too hard. 'W-What if he had mental health issues?' I babble. Well, to say the colour drained from her cheeks would be an understatement. 'Have you ever tried writing a pitch?' she says. Oh, god. Beam me up Scottie.

catch up

At last. I have been trying to access my account for sooo long. So here I am. I'm back and here's a quick catch up
- several author signings at schools completed
- lots of signings at bookstores
- eldest daughter married
- new website up and running
- grandson started school
- Marvin re-edited by Lucy Cuthew
- attended SCBWI agents party

And lots, lots more

Will start filling in the details ...

SCBWI Conference

Just returned from SCBWI conference and am full of ideas from the inspirational speakers I heard. I really do need to get on with editing Marvin, but school work getting in the way as usual! Found the critique meeting useful and will be putting some of the ideas into practice, but certainly not all of them. Made new friends, Kathy and Mel, and met up with lots of Facebook friends too. A great weekend in all.

Cornerstones report

So here I am, report in hand, looking through all the things that may need changing. It's amazing how when you write a book you just don't see the blatantly obvious - well, I don't.
One thing that came up was using too many other words for 'said' as it disturbs the flow of the reading. I can see that, but in school we are always on at children not to just use 'said' which puts me in a dilemma. We have lessons on, 'how many words can you find to replace 'said'', words to make your writing more 'interesting'.
Hmmm!

Marvin

After a long hard think, Marvin will be renamed as 'The Curse'. It sounds quite dramatic and relates well to the plot of the story. I keep thinking about covers to and have been playing with colours, shapes etc. I am hoping that it will be published mainstream, but I suppose there is always a chance that I will need to self-publish again.

Final stab

I have decided to send 'Marvin' off to Cornerstone's to see if they can give me some pointers seeing as no publishers have been interested.
I'm also thinking that if this doesn't work it may be time to throw in the towel. I'll still write, but for me. Sometimes you just have to be realistic!

Marvin

Marvin, the seventeen year old in my current book, is still moving along at a pace - snail's pace to be honest. Finding time to write has always been difficult and seems all the more so now. I have to just keep plugging away and hope I will eventually come to a natural end - that's the book, not me!

A surprise review from an Authonomy member

'It's easy to see that this is from the pen of an accomplished writer. It may be a simple child's story, but the imaginativeness and inventiveness place it far higher than that. Creating languages that can be read by humans but are easily seen to be foreign is just genius. Using language in such a creative way is exactly what sparks the minds of adults and children alike.'


If only a publisher could look at it like that ...

Red House Children's Book Award

The new book 'Hero Required' has been nominated for the Red House Children's Book Award!!

It is the only award voted for by children which makes it very special.

If you have read the book and would like to vote for it, here's the link;

http://www.redhousechildrensbookaward.co.uk/nominate-books-for-2010-award.html

Did you know that the inspiration for the background of the all book covers is Prague? Not sure what tooth fairies are called in the Czech Republic ...

Having a good week so far.
Wholesalers have just sent through an order for 102 books!

Also sold lots of books at a school talk today!

Had a good week so far as books go. Sold 62 which is brilliant!

Tomorrow I'm at Watertone's Alton, Hants. I'm hoping there are lots of people about who would quite like a novel about teenage tooth fairies! Let's hope they are all open minded!

I'm loving having the set of books to offer people. The three books look stunning together - thanks to Tara, of course!

If anyone's is around north London on Saturday, pop in and see me in Waterstone's Finchley Road branch. I shall be signing copies of my books from 11-3pm.

Talking of signings, I've had a lot of interest just lately. Lots of signings up to Christmas at W H Smith branches as well as Waterstone's which is great. I just need to make sure I sell lots of books because, as we know, they won't move if I'm not there!!

Wish me luck!

RANT

I need to rant!

After trailing round Waterstone's branches for three years, they still won't stock my books centrally because my books won't sell if I'm not there. I don't have the budget to compete with the likes of mainstream publishers. All I have is my family to help market my work. How on earth can I reach the nation like other publishers do?

They keep books in their stores that have probably stay on the shelves for years yet won't give mine a chance even though I have probably outsold many of their 'mainstream' authors if the figures were tallied.

Instead, I must continue to peddle my books through weekly bookstore signings and school talks.
I love writing, but sometimes ...

Books have arrived!!

Seven boxes of Hero Required were delivered today! Brilliant! These are for my talks and book fairs. rest will be delivered to wholesalers as needed so that the world can read the final part of the trilogy ... unless there's a comeback novel. Well, Take That did alright ...

Still no book!

Well, sadly, I am still waiting for the third book to be delivered. the printers have promised that it will be in the next few days. Just hope the distributors don't start getting ratty with me!

On the good side I have lined up five book signings for the autumn with Waterstone's and W H Smith's - hopefully the books will be here by then!