tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306802446913632382024-02-01T23:05:04.293-08:00The Carcharodon Book BlogThe Carcharodon Book Blog: An Independent Book Reviewer!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04306814481507843280noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330680244691363238.post-17651743953168324002017-03-01T00:28:00.003-08:002017-03-01T00:28:24.582-08:00We've Moved!<a href="http://carcharodonbooks.com/">That's right! We've moved! As much as we've loved blogger in the time that we've been here, it's time to move on to bigger and better things. You can now find us over at carcharodonbooks.com, our own dedicated website with services on offer, such as Evaluations and Editing. Please come and join us!</a><br />
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<a href="http://carcharodonbooks.com/">And don't worry! If we have already reviewed your book through this blog, the review has been transferred over to our new website.</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04306814481507843280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330680244691363238.post-73157920852121423732017-02-24T20:48:00.000-08:002017-02-24T20:49:07.926-08:00Interview with James Hartley (Author of "The Invisible Hand: Shakespeare's Moon, ACT 1")<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #232323; font-family: "arial";">We sat down with independent young adult, historical fiction author, James Hartley, author of </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); color: #232323; font-family: Arial;">"The Invisible Hand: Shakespeare's Moon, ACT 1"</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #232323; font-family: "arial";">, to talk about his writing and ask his advice for new authors. We'll also be giving away some fantastic prizes! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #232323; font-family: "arial";">See our review for<i> "The Invisible Hand"</i> <a href="http://carcharodonbooks.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/the-invisible-hand-shakespeares-moon.html">here.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>Tell us about yourself? (Family, Pets, Lifestyle, Hobbies.)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">My name´s James and I´m 43 years old. I live in Madrid, in Spain, but I was born in Liverpool in the north of England. I´m married to a lovely lady called Ana and we have two kids, Carmen, who´s 7 and Matty, who´s 5. I have two brothers, Ben, who´s a teacher, and Dan, who´s a school headmaster. My mum still lives near Liverpool. I´m a teacher here in Madrid and I have a pretty ordinary life. I like reading and football. I like running. I don´t have any unusual hobbies apart from writing, which for anyone reading this will be pretty normal but for some people is unusual!</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>When did you start writing?</b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">I´ve always written, as long as I can remember.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>Tell us about your book/series?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">This book – and series – is about children at a boarding school who become involved in the plot of Shakespeare´s plays. Each book is based on a different Shakespeare play. The first is Macbeth. The idea is to have fun with the plays but also have the ongoing stories of the characters at the school and the history of the school itself being told. It´s not a normal school, let´s put it that way.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>Do you have any advice for budding writers?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">The usual. Keep writing, keep reading, learn to accept criticism and take advice. Be honest with yourself. Be very, very patient: if you´re in this, you´re in this for the long haul. Make sure you enjoy the process – actually writing. Make it fun. Don´t chase trends. Believe in yourself. Keep getting up and going forwards.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>What is your literary bible? What piece of literature has helped you become the person you are today?</b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Probably the Enid Blyton kids books. Incredible imagination and storytelling. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>How do you get in the mindset for writing?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">I don´t. I sit down and do it. It´s discipline.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>How often do you write?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">I try to write every day. Every weekday, at least.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>How much do you write in one sitting?</b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">These days, a chapter. If I have longer and feel good, maybe two.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>What’s the best thing about writing?</b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">The trance-like, sleep-like state where time disappears. Also, reading it back, when it´s good, and getting that smile on your face.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>What is the hardest thing about writing?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Not being able to accurately communicate what you want to communicate in the way you want to say it.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>Where do you get your ideas from?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Everything. Dreams, chats with people, other books, posters, walks, films – everything and everywhere.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>What was the inspiration for your book? (Your currently featured book.)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Being taught Macbeth very, very well when I was at school. The play has stayed with me for years – it has everything. I wanted to pass on some of the passion I felt for it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>How has writing impacted your personal life?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Not hugely. I´m not a precious writer. The only time I really notice it is if I´m trying to finish something or write something and someone interrupts me but these days my family are used to the “wait!” shout. They laugh at me. But there´s nothing worse than interruption when you´re just getting something down, especially the end of a chapter or a good exchange of dialogue.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>What are you currently working on?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">The next book in the series, based on Romeo and Juliet.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>Who is your inspiration as an author?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">There are a few. I used to think I would love to be a proper artist. I mean, a proper author-artist, who put books first in their life and screw everything else, but I think it was a pose. It´s not me. But I love reading about those types of writers. I also think all writers love the stories of the poor buggers who wrote what are now considered classics and were totally ignored in their day. Kind of keeps you going that sort of story.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>Do you have a life motto/catchphrase?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">A few, depends on the day and mood! The Beckett one, “fail better” is grim and funny. “Life is what happens when you´re busy making other plans,” from a John Lennon song is good, too. I´m a firm believer in Murphy´s Law. Can´t think of any now which aren´t vulgar. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>What is your favourite colour?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Blue. I used to think it was because of Everton, who are the better football team in Liverpool, but now I think I just like it. The colour of the sea and sky. Beautiful colour.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>Favourite animal?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">The sloth. Majestic beast. In no hurry to do anything but gets things done.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Favourite television series at the moment? </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Maybe any Martin Scorcese ones. Works of art. I took the kids to see Rogue One and enjoyed that too, much more than the one before it.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>Favourite book(s)? Why?</b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda. Has it all.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>First adult book you remember reading?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Jeffrey Archer, probably. Kane And Abel.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>What is a book you enjoy that is the same genre as your book? (Your currently featured book.)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Don´t know, really. More a short story, The Monkey´s Paw by W W Jacobs.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">You win prize money of one million dollars, what do you do with it?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Hopefully, travel and pay off mortgages, etc, and give to charity or good causes, but I´d also be scared. That sort of money arriving at one time is not a great thing. You immediately create a gulf between yourself and everyone around you and you suddenly become unsure of people´s motives. Money is a thing to be wary of, not to worship in my experience.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>What’s number one on your bucket list?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Learn to fly and maybe even have a small plane. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>How do you relax the best?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">In Córdoba, Spain, where my wife´s family come from. Gorgeous city, great family, lots of fun and just a brilliant place to switch off and recharge, and drink beer.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">What’s your idea of a day off?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Lazy morning, exercise if I feel like it, nice lunch, siesta, good film, drinks out, nice dinner, a good</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> book or other leisure past-time.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">What is something in your life you would go back and redo?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Loads of stuff but I don´t believe in all that. Your “mistakes” got you here. If you want to do something, do it, or try to do it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Do you have an irrational fear? If so, what is it?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Heights. I´m not sure if it´s irrational, though. I shake and go weird. Don´t like twigs or leaves on the floor, either, as I lived in Thailand for a bit and most leaves and twigs were living things.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>"The Invisible Hand"</i> can be purchased on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Hand-Shakespeares-Moon-Act-ebook/dp/B01N4R541U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487993991&sr=8-1&keywords=The+invisible+hand+james+hartley">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-invisible-hand-james-hartley/1124590406?ean=9781785354991">Barnes & Noble</a> and iBooks (through the App store).</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">See the hype on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32021810-the-invisible-hand">Goodreads</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><u>Giveaway!!</u></i></b></span></div>
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To celebrate the release of "The Invisible Hand" today, we're happy to announce a giveaway coinciding with the release. Entry is simple, and can be done one of two ways (or both for multiple entries):</div>
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- 1st prize, a signed copy of "The Invisible Hand" and an awesome, engraved, stylus pen. </div>
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- 2nd prize, a stylus pen. </div>
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1) Follow our page, then like and share our post on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SharkBookBlog/?fref=nf" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and answer <i>"What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?"</i></div>
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2)<i> </i>Follow our page on <a href="https://twitter.com/SharkBookBlog/status/835348833936629760" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, then like and Retweet our post, reply with your answer <i>"What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?"</i></div>
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Two winners will close on Sunday the 5th of March, at 00:01 (GMT+11). Winners will be drawn shortly thereafter. This competition is drawn from most creative responses, so be creative in your answers! This competition is in no way sponsored or endorsed by Facebook or Twitter. Postage NOT paid by winners. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10936935875148624257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330680244691363238.post-9482620565815970202017-02-21T12:56:00.000-08:002017-02-21T13:17:14.573-08:00The Invisible Hand: Shakespeare's Moon, ACT I - by James Hartley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Hartley has provided a perfect gateway for children and teenagers to experience Shakespeare from a young age. Shakespeare isn’t remedial literature and certainly difficult at times, but with a strong character and a realistic environment, Hartley has created a conduit that gently introduces complex themes that parallel the life of a young teenager. While some of Shakespeare’s more severe themes are sacrificed to appeal to a more juvenile audience, a strong sense of mystery, a time-travelling twist and an unexpected conclusion come together to satiate the reader’s expectation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The historical aspects of the story resonate strongly, and with each shift back to Shakespeare’s past, I found myself giddy with anticipation. Hartley’s simplistic prose captures the aesthetics of an ancient world with surprising ease, and scenes of endurance flow with a nature flair that left me in awe. Timeless scenes from Macbeth are reiterated with hypnotising exposition, and some curious and titillating theories—such as the reason behind Lady Macbeth’s lack of children, and the motive of the three witches—are proposed to keep the gears in the reader’s mind turning. These theories add relevance to the narrative, and with the focus on a younger audience, they offer a critical point of view that will encourage readers to think outside of the box, a mandatory skill when approaching Shakespeare.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Although the modern school scenes are grounded in out reality, the castle itself is no less mysterious. When Hartley takes the reader on an expedition through the school, there is a reminiscent quality that harkens back to Rowling’s Harry Potter, which offers moments of tranquility between the madness of the past. A small romance also blossoms between the two core characters, and it’s sweet sprinkle of sugar that adds just enough to the story without taking away from the focal narrative.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">At the risk of nitpicking, I have two minor complaints I must bring to the table. Firstly, I would have loved for more time to have been spent in the past, delving into extended Shakespearean elements. Secondly, the age of the characters while in our world is far too limiting. At the tender age of thirteen, they are allowed to be more curious toward their mysterious circumstances, though it also stretches the imagination too thin. Sam, our main protagonists, often acts far wise than any adults around him. Perhaps if they had been a few years older, with a little bit of expected maturity, it wouldn’t have caused such a dissension. I understand their ages are intended to reflect the target audience, which keeps this issue a minor one, and it never reacts corrosively upon the rest of the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The conclusion was excellent, and while I was convinced I had unravelled the inevitable twist early on, I was still taken by surprise—a rarity for a young adult novel. It was emotional and shocking, and one of the better cliffhangers I’ve ever ever read. The epilogue also offers a charming and poignant taste of the narrative to follow, and I have to be honest: I’m excited! Hartley has established a complex and intriguing world with many threads neatly woven together, and his adept ability to tell a convincing frame story should allow future instalments to impress in all the right ways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">This book earns four stars easily, with full stars for its great World Building, Story and Writing Style. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10936935875148624257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330680244691363238.post-56063516796303231492017-02-08T13:38:00.004-08:002017-02-08T13:43:51.786-08:00Interview with David Duane Kummer (Author of "My Abigail")<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We sat down with Independent Horror Author, David Duane Kummer, Author of <i>"My Abigail"</i>, to talk about his writing, ask his advice for new authors, and most importantly, what would he do with a million dollars in prize money. </div>
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See our review for <i>"My Abigail"</i> <a href="http://carcharodonbooks.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/david-duane-kummers-my-abigail-is.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i><b>Tell us about yourself?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">My name is David Kummer, and I'm from a small river town called Hanover in Indiana. I've used it as the basis for many of my books. I like to play basketball and run in my free time, as well as stay in shape. And of course, I love hanging out with my girlfriend and with my family! Besides that, I do a lot of writing and time-wasting.</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><b>When did you start writing?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I started writing when I was about 5 or 6, mainly because I just wanted to write stories. Instead of playing with action figures, I created them in my mind and gave them names and stories, writing all of these down. Quite fun.</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><b>Tell us about your book/series?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I mostly write horror novels, but my first fantasy novel was </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Enden. </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">It's in a fiction world that I created, and a project that I've been working on since the day I picked up a pen (not a keyboard; I was too young.) I finally completed it, and it makes me very happy that after all those years I wrote the book I've been dreaming of.</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(4, 51, 255); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><b>How do you get in the mindset for writing?</b></i><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Mostly, it consists of music and answering a few emails, then after </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">that</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">, I get straight to writing. The will comes pretty easily. The hard part is making sure I do it </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">every day</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">.</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i><b>How much do you write in one sitting?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I write a chapter, or 2,000 words, every sitting. During the editing phases, I try to take about three weeks fixing the mistakes I see, so my writing time disappears for that amount of time.</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i><b>What made you want to write in the first place?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">As I said, when I was little I liked to be in charge of the story and of the characters. That continued to my middle-grade years, as I would read books and want to write my own. So I did!</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(4, 51, 255); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><b>How has writing impacted your personal life?</b></i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Being known as an author has changed everything for me, and especially how I relate to people. I try to be as friendly as possible because I've seen how a couple moody sentences can really hurt people! Being an author has let me understand people more and strive to see both sides of every issue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><b>Do you have any advice for budding writers?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">My advice would be to enjoy every moment because they pass by very quickly. Enjoy every word you write and edit. And especially remember the people you meet, because authors and readers are some of the nicest people in the world!</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-kerning: none;">What is your literary bible? What piece of literature has helped you become the person you are </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">today?</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">J.K. Rowling's </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Harry Potter </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">series especially helped me with dialogue, and with making my book simple yet elegant. If anything has affected me like that has, I can't think of it.</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(4, 51, 255); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><b>Who is your inspiration as an author?</b></i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">J.K. Rowling and C.S. Lewis were the main ones because they were the first authors that I really devoured their works.</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><b><i><u>Now for our fun questions!</u></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><b> What’s a historical time period you would love to have lived in?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I would have loved to see the Middle Ages because I am super fascinated with them. Live in it? No way. But viewing it in real-time would have been super cool.</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><b>Favorite television series at the moment? Why?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Sherlock on BBC is definitely my favourite. I love Sherlock Holmes. Books, movies, the whole package. It's a great series, and the newest remake is even better than most of the older ones!</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><b>You win prize money of one million dollars, what do you do with it?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I buy a couple ads to help sell my books and save most of it in the bank. I'd probably buy a lot of Twizzlers and coffee drinks. Yep. That's what I'd do.</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><b>What’s your idea of a day off?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Not working out, sitting around and watching Monk (television show), and probably shooting basketball a bit still because I enjoy that.</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><b>Additionally, is there anything you would like to say to your fans?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I really love my fans, and if any of you want to get in touch feel free to email me at </span><a href="mailto:davidkummer7@gmail.com" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(18, 85, 204);">davidkummer7@gmail.com</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">. Thanks so much for this opportunity Carcharodon Books, and keep up the great work with this website!</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">My Abigail can be purchased on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Abigail-Psychological-David-Duane-Kummer-ebook/dp/B01BCYKY8U" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and iBooks (through the App store).</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">See the hype on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29234030-my-abigail" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>!</span></div>
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<i><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Once you start, you’ll devour it in one sitting. You’ll be terrified. Your stomach will churn. You’ll fall in love and have your heart ripped out. Kummer does it all. This is one of the few Young Adult Fictions I’m very proud to recommend. You won’t regret it."</span></i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10936935875148624257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330680244691363238.post-9226417830936882642017-02-03T15:56:00.001-08:002017-02-03T15:59:42.915-08:00My Abigail - By David Duane Kummer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">David Duane Kummer’s <i>My Abigail</i> is simply outstanding. Kummer’s narrative is very reminiscent of an early Stephen King story, but it’s the author's age that steals the show. His style is breathtaking and far beyond the normal abilities of his age.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">My Abigail is a coming-of-age story. It follows young teenager, Caleb Jackson, as he struggles to find his place within the world and within his own mind. As a rule, I generally don’t read Young Adult Fiction, as I find most books in the genre boasting stale characters and tired storylines that have been done to death. My Abigail is of a different breed though. While Caleb doesn’t necessarily have a place within the world, he doesn’t seek a place either. He never complains about his life, and although there’s a strong sense of Tim Burton’s darkness in the world around him, Caleb accepts that he can’t change the world. This is a welcome change for the genre. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Caleb’s love for his best friend, Abigail, is the driving force beyond the story. It’s a love of undying passion and heart-wrenching sadness. This isn’t a typical teenage crush, however, but rather a bond of bona fide friendship that breathes real. Caleb very clearly loves Abigail; she’s beautiful to him in every way. Kummer narrates their scenes together with a poignant touch, and as their relationship grows, you’ll feel a little flutter yourself and remember your first crush. This isn’t a romance novel, though. Abigail has a deep, dark secret, one that will tear out Caleb’s heart and tug at the reader’s own heart strings</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">The strongest aspect of this story is the tension. My Kindle was shaking in my hands on more than one occasion. Many of the characters were intimidating, and they touched my nerves in all the right ways. There are no stock characters here—no cardboard characters standing in a stadium. Everyone is real, and that’s exactly what makes them terrifying.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Kummer’s habit of breaking many clichés helps <i>My Abigail</i> to stand on its own. For example, Caleb lives with his aunt and uncle for reasons we’re not explicitly told, except that there was a fire. Most stories would wedge in the age-old trope of the dead parents, but there are hints to suggest that his parents could still be alive, and he is merely staying with other family members for financial reasons. Likewise, Kummer also discard the nerd cliché, with the token nerd with a love for reading is described to be far more presentable and attractive than their typically gangly, ill-dressed counterpart. It was certainly refreshing to a see a young author try a different tact.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">The big twist is revealed two-thirds into the story, rather than at the end, and it is this moment that sells this novel. Once this revelation is divulged to Caleb and the reader, the story kicks into overdrive and continues to a dramatic and heart-throbbing conclusion. There’s a lot of emotion that leaps out from the page, and the first-person reflections and limited information only exacerbated the raw moments.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">If you have a free evening and you’re in the mood for a thriller, this is a mandatory read. Once you start, you’ll devour it in one sitting. You’ll be terrified. Your stomach will churn. You’ll fall in love and have your heart ripped out. Kummer does it all. This is one of the few Young Adult Fictions I’m very proud to recommend. You won’t regret it.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10936935875148624257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330680244691363238.post-5824339071412078612016-04-29T13:18:00.000-07:002016-04-29T13:18:33.614-07:00I Saw Him First: A Rocky Isle Romance, Book One - By Penny Harmon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">I Saw Him First</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"> is a brilliant example why independently published stories can sometimes trump those that have been professionally published. In my travels, I have passed many 'higher' Romance novels that seem to forget what it's really like to be in love. It's often too perfect, with characters so entranced with each, holding themselves so much like Barbie and Ken that I feel many authors have forgotten what it's like to be in love. A fresh, down-to-earth perspective, such as what Penny Harmon has written, is exactly what the genre needs to revitalise itself from the stereotypical Mills and Boon ideology. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Harmon doesn't treat her characters like gods; she actually allows their flaws to sway their decisions on the occasion. They can be impulsive, bossy, jealous, naive and—without realising it—high-maintenance to each other. Yet they also have good traits, with meshes well with the bad to create believable, three-dimensional characters who are refreshing to read. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px;">The first entry in <i>A Rocky Isle Romance</i> follows Mallory, a once rebellious teen who has returned home to take over her family business. She's such a fantastic and real character that I couldn't help but connect with her straight away. Her love interest is Michael, who has come to her home island on a writer's retreat, to escape the chaos that is New York. Naturally, they cross paths very quickly and feel a possible connection, but Mallory also finds herself in a friendly race with her friends to hook and reel-in his attention.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Each of the core female character contrast with one another, yet they are all so engaging. Of course, I had my few favourites of the group, but you couldn't help loving each all them. Being the first book in the series, I can't wait to see how each of them go in their ventures, and not just in the man-hunting department, as a few of them had careers just starting to bloom. I can't wait to see more on Ashley, as—although a good character—was very quiet, and unlike the others, we didn't learn too much about her besides her choice of a very different career. I also really want to see where Megan and Emily go; they had very, very interesting threads. I enjoyed seeing small glimpses of what's to come while reading Mallory's tale, and based upon the epilogue, I have a strong idea where things are going, but I'm intrigued to see how Harmon pens with tentative future. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px;">And the twist at the end? Whoa. <span class="spoilerContainer" style="background-color: transparent;">I had my suspicions that there was going to be a pregnancy, but when once it became ectopic, my heart just sank. I was gut-wrenched alongside her, and almost shed a tear as she was taken into surgery. The emotions afterward were so raw and visceral—I just loved it, some really strong and passionate storytelling.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px;">I would recommend this book to any female in need of a good romance story. The way the characters are written makes you feel that they are your friends too, so this would be a perfect choice for a bookclub to share amongst your own friends. It's not a solo story; it's a story of a group of friends experiencing romance together, so it should be shared as such. If you don't have a book club though, don't let it hold you back, these ladies will be all the friends you need. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>I Saw Him First</i> easily earns itself five out of five stars! </span></div>
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10936935875148624257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330680244691363238.post-29887399455391307882016-04-26T07:34:00.001-07:002016-04-27T12:17:51.506-07:00Lust, Money & Murder, Book One - By Mike Wells<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This book has opened my eyes into the wonderful world of crime and espionage—I need to read more crime! I was long under the impression that all crime books are slow 'whodunnits', however, this seems so wonderfully different. Not a single moment in this book is boring! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This story has a perfect sense of pacing that is so rare with big, overarching stories. Everything that was written and published was necessary to the plot, even little details would eventually tie in to the larger picture. All of the pieces of this puzzle just seemed to fit so perfectly together. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The character of Elaine was also beyond loveable! She's not quite squeaky clean, but she's not all rough and nasty. I initially had my suspicions about her; when I first came across the story, it seemed to be a serious, revenge plot. You know the type: Girls father dies because of some crime, prompting the girl to embarks upon a world-wide mission as a cop to bust the baddies, finds love along the way, kicks some serious ass, and everything wraps up nicely. This is <u style="font-weight: bold;">not</u> the case with "Lust, Money & Murder". Actually, the revenge storyline is very minute compared to the criminal shitstorm that we see brewing near the end of the novel. All I can say is thank you Mike Wells for making Elaine human—we need a lot more humans in literature.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">The counterfeit money details were also done very, very well. Enough detail to keep me really interested, but never too much where I felt as if I was drowning in a sea of currency. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="line-height: 21px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="line-height: 21px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="line-height: 21px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(No coins though ... )</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="line-height: 21px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="line-height: 21px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><img alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="500" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1452201953ra/17660970.gif" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="500" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="line-height: 21px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="line-height: 21px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Congratulations, Mr Wells. Independently published authors often get a lot of bad reputation because of amateur writers who believe their first drafts are up to the standard of Stephen King. Many are too scared to even sample unsolicited stories, and I don't blame them, for I've across a number of ... questionable self-published works in my reading days. This book, however, casts a new spotlight of hope into that dark cavern, exemplifying to readers that there are many gems hidden in the rough, you've just got to search. Good luck in the rest of your publishing adventures! I'll certainly be following along.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="line-height: 21px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="line-height: 21px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">"Lust, Money & Murder" earns a solid 5/5 stars and has earned a permanent place on my favourites shelf! </span></span></span></div>
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- Crystal Dawn </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10936935875148624257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330680244691363238.post-61979086648547789742016-04-24T10:17:00.000-07:002017-01-28T13:45:42.215-08:00Our Mission Statement and Review Requirements<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;">Welcome to the Carcharodon Book Blog! Here we are dedicated to uncovering and promoting Independent Publications from Self-Published Authors and Indie Publishing Houses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7TzY1MgdEj9VDj4xGlFZEzCvjGJC8No_nnHwid1OyO2Cwr35G1yD53LkYrfq6QeT8Ul06YQNzNl1f5TYtqSs6kV3ybKSAIWAXkmWkuQwfqFeC2Jppma5ibzCsQ3e-GIxTEEb94X1l7us/s1600/Carcharodon+Publishing+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7TzY1MgdEj9VDj4xGlFZEzCvjGJC8No_nnHwid1OyO2Cwr35G1yD53LkYrfq6QeT8Ul06YQNzNl1f5TYtqSs6kV3ybKSAIWAXkmWkuQwfqFeC2Jppma5ibzCsQ3e-GIxTEEb94X1l7us/s1600/Carcharodon+Publishing+Logo.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We love devouring your books!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"></span><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We believe in the value of unsolicited writers and understand the near-impenetrable barriers of the mainstream publishing industry. The 21st Century has come though, and with the advent of the internet, prospective authors now have an avenue to publish their individual works that many traditional publishers might deem "unsaleable", not for the quality of prose, but rather for a number of marketing reasons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And we are here to support them!</span></div>
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<h2 style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Our Rating System</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At Carcharodon Books, we have devised a simplified rating system of five stars, with each individual star deriving from five core categories:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Characters</b></i> — Are all of the characters well-developed, three-dimensional beings? Does the reader feel a solid connection to them? Are secondary characters necessary to the plot? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>World Building</b></i> — Does the author convey a believable world? Is enough information given about the character's surroundings? Does the world feel alive and fully-functioning?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Story</b></i> — Is the story enjoyable? Is it unique or derivative?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Execution</b></i> — Does the narrative flow naturally? Do events unfold in a timely manner?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Writing Style</b></i> — Is the prose mature and entertaining? Are metaphors used effectively?</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Half-stars will be rewarded for a moderate rating in a particular category, but when posting to larger book review sites, such as Goodreads and Amazon, we always round up!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We do not deduct stars for the occasional editorial gaff. Did you know that even an experienced proofreader will only identify approximately 97% of errors, even in solicited publications? If we happen to notice a couple of errors, we will inform you personally so you can rectify them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Submission Rules</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Naturally, there are a few rules and regulations that we need to enforce so that both parties can be happy with the final outcome. </span></div>
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<li style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our first and foremost priority is to Independent Authors. Therefore, we currently <b><u>do not</u></b> accept solicited publications from mainstream publishers. We only accept Independent Publications, either by Self-Published Authors or via an Independent Publishers. We exist to help the little guy!</span></li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Your book <b><u>must</u></b> be in a published form, or be a <b><u>maximum of three months</u></b> from a tentative release date. This is to ensure that prospective authors do not abuse our system to receive a complimentary edit or proofread.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>Reviews a</u></b><b><u>re final</u></b>. However, we understand how devastating a negative review can be upon the marketing capability of your book, so we will not publish a review with a score of two stars or less on this blog or previously discussed websites. We will correspond with you privately and supply constructive feedback on what we believe can be improved upon. A polite review will still be posted on our respective, personal Goodreads accounts. </span></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">Good reviews will be posted to our Blog, personal Goodreads page, Amazon, and up to two websites of your choosing, so long as it is not an over complicated process. (Suggestions include Barnes&Noble and iBooks).</span></li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We reserve the right to reject your book from being reviewed <b><u>at any time</u></b>, though we will endeavour to read and review all books we receive. If for whatever reason, we decide not to move forward with a review of your book, we will inform you directly. Please be aware that sending us a hard copy of your book does not guarantee a review.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We <b><u>do not</u></b> accept monetary incentives for reviews. Offering payments <b><u>will not</u></b> push your book up through the queue.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please be aware that at any time we may be inundated with book reviews. We will try to give you a rough timeline for when to expect your review, but this date <u style="font-weight: bold;">is not</u> final. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We accept books in the following formats: Hard Copy, PDF, ePub, Mobi. Audiobooks are also acceptable.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We accept <u style="font-weight: bold;">all</u> genres!</span></li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please contact us with a query letter (via email) before sending your whole book.</span></li>
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<h4>
Submission Format</h4>
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For all queries and submissions, please contact:<br />
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<li>carcharodonbooks [at] gmail [dot] com</li>
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When sending your initial query letter, please format your email Subject Line as follow:<br />
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<li>"Query [Book Title/Author Name]"</li>
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Please include the following details in your query letter:</div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">An introduction (Just tell us a bit about yourself!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">A brief summary of your book, including the <b>Title</b>, <b>Genre</b> and <b>Word Length</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The release date of your book/or the tentative release date if your book is not yet published</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Any relevant links, such as your Amazon or GoodReads page</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The First Chapter/The First 20 pages (Please embed this in the body of you email.)</span></li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04306814481507843280noreply@blogger.com0