The Masquerade Crew

Buffer The following is syndicated from the blog of Greta van der Rol and is post here with permission. The honesty or dishonesty of reviews has been the hot topic of the month, with many people expressing opinions on sock puppets and purchasing reviews, as well as the practice of writing scathing negative reviews on books with the express purpose of driving down a book’s ranking. The fact is that practices such as these won’t go away. Where there is a potential for profit, you will find corruption. I can’t see much point in being outraged. I don’t know about you, but I stopped taking much notice of book reviews a loooong time ago. A review is somebody’s opinion, no more, no less – even if it’s honest. That’s just as true of prestigious literary awards like the Archibald or the Booker. Frankly, I can just about guarantee that if a book’s won one of those, I probably won’t like it. And that’s just a matter of taste. So how do I choose books? I do what I did in the days befor...

Buffer Synopsis and Author Bio : A collection of poems from the front-line of urban life, the cabs of lorries and the bluebell woods of mortality. Oscar Sparrow was born in 1949 as the sonic boom of jets and babies began to draw a new world map of umbilical vapour trails. He was brought up on cod liver oil and National Health orange juice. As the colour red leached its way out of the map of the British Empire, Oscar attended a die-hard Church school designed to create noble savages to serve what was left of the savage Nobles. The Eleven Plus exam revealed that he could not even count to eleven and he became a mechanic, labourer, truck driver, boxer and poet. He read Wordsworth and Ford Cortina manuals in a lorry cab near both Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

Buffer Circus Clowns A short story by Lori Fetters Lopez Twitter: @fetterslopez Website: www.lostinthewriting.net Until I stumbled across an article about him in the paper, I never realized how much Walter Dodge and I are alike. That’s why I’ve decided I can no longer live here, in this house, this life, this town. I am joining the circus.

Buffer Synopsis : Interpol cop, Anna Leyton, spirals down into a hopeless vortex of sexual and emotional passion as she fights to keep her professional cool. Who is deceiving who in this fast moving ride across continents? What motivates her art loving prize-bull of a lover Freddie La Salle? The power of love and trust stands against greed and crime as conflicting forces grapple for that knockout punch.

Buffer Synopsis : What's a girl to do when her summer lover wants forever? Haunted by dark memories of her parents' volatile marriage, artist Kay Browning keeps her heart locked behind a free-spirit facade and contents herself with the comfortable affair she has every summer with easygoing photographer Nate Quinn. The only trouble with her plan? This summer Nate's come to Lake Mohave to claim the lover he can't let go. He's done with the endless traveling and settling for temporary homes and temporary loves. Kay's always been more than just a vacation fling, and now he must convince this woman, who sees love as a course to certain heartbreak, to take that leap of faith and learn how safe love with the right man can be.

Buffer Gangster Written by M. Jones Genre: Science Fiction Book Synopsis From the dark, basement speakeasies of 1926 Chicago, to the decadent parties of the Hollywood elite, psychopathic Clara slices her way through various people across America in her quest for fame. Brought along for the whirlwind ride of her murderous rampage, her enigmatic alien companion patiently waits for the opportunity to find his own target, a former friend set for assassination. He doesn’t understand Clara’s random need to destroy, but then, he is new to this strange, human landscape of murderers and victims. He can’t wait to simply do his job and leave this vicious world behind. Humans. They’re a bloodthirsty lot.

Buffer Tell everyone a little bit about yourself. Hi, all! I’m a mom, a wife, a translator of mainly (but not exclusively) Young Adult fiction (English to Dutch) and, of course, a reader. I’ve studied English language and literature at the University of Leiden and for five years I’ve been employed as an editor and editor-in-chief of various trade publications, including one that featured lots of gadgets, games and hardware. As much fun as that was, I’ve now set up shop as a translator, working from home. Some books I’ve translated: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, Cinder, The Immortals series and various books in the Charmed franchise. I hope to have the time and inspiration soon to start writing, too.

Buffer The following is syndicated from the blog of James Wymore and is posted here with permission. I was five chapters into my book when I realized I was making a mistake. After writing my last book in third person single character limited, I forgot that most commercial fiction books are not limited to a single character. So I had to go back and switch two of the chapters to be from the POV (point of view) of different characters.

Buffer The Village Fete A short story by Phyllis J. Burton Twitter: @PhyllisBurton Website: http://www.phyllisburton.com/ The morning of the Steeple Norford Annual Village Fete dawned miserably. The skies were leaden and the persistent rain slanted down upon the colourful marquees and stalls which were dotted around the green. The Union Jacks and gaily coloured bunting that had been hung with care the day before, now drooped sorrowfully in sodden strands.

Buffer Why do I always underestimate how long it will take me to do revisions? — Mardi Ballou (@MardiBallou) August 28, 2012 The above tweet from more than a month ago got me to thinking about the journey a writer takes. So, I asked the following question. What has surprised you about writing? — The Masquerade Crew (@MasqCrew) September 21, 2012

Buffer We no longer live in the 20th century when authors and readers were separated so much that communication between the two almost never occurred. The line between the two has nearly been eradicated. There is, however, one barrier that still exists. Most of the time a reader can not dictate how a story will progress.

Buffer Since Tomorrow by Morgan Nyberg Genre: Post-apocalyptic Dystopia, Speculative Fiction Synopsis In this full length novel Morgan Nyberg takes the reader to the West Coast of Canada, where the city of Vancouver has been transformed by climate change, pandemic, economic collapse and earthquake into "Town", a squalid, lawless place inhabited the desperate, the diseased and the dying. Taking advantage of this state of affairs is the formidable Langley, who grows poppies to produce "skag", a crude form of opium. Langley has amassed enough power to control a small private army. Now he is determined to acquire Frost's farm for himself. Recklessly opposing Langley is Frost's fearless but impulsive granddaughter, Noor. Excerpt They stopped – the three wagons and their drivers, the guards, the four dogs - at the cusp of the bridge. Already the noise of the market reached them. Shouts. Shrieking. The workhorse that was harnessed to the lead w...

Buffer The following is syndicated from the blog of JeanNicole Rivers and is posted here with permission. For me, an important aspect of writing is being able to convey a huge message and story without a huge manuscript. Nothing aggravates me more than reading a 400 page book that was OK, but could have been written with half the words. In my writing, I try to make everything mean something and I try to show several things about my characters without just listing everything that I want my reader to know about them. Here are some of the small ways that I give my characters big personality.

Buffer The following is syndicated from the website of Robert P. French and is posted here with permission. Well of course, book publishing is not dead but, without doubt, it is terminally ill with no cure in sight. Taking off my author’s hat, I have been looking at publishing with my business eyes. The publishing industry exists solely to connect the work of an author with the eyes of a reader and, for traditional publishing, the supply chain from author to reader is a long one. It looks like this: Author→Agent→Publisher→Printer→Shipper→Book Distributor→Shipper→Bookstore→Reader.

Buffer The following is syndicated from The Mad Reviewer and is posted here with permission. Yet another ethical dilemma for reviewers and authors. Most people consider me either ridiculously calm or emotionally stunted.  Either way, I don’t get angry very often and on the rare occasion I do, it’s generally very mild.  However, there are two things that make me furious to the point of being irrational: bullying and paid reviews.  The former is neither here nor there on this blog, but the latter is an issue that has cropped up frequently these last few weeks.  Somehow I think you can guess my stance on paid reviews, but I’ll tell you anyway: I AM ABSOLUTELY, UNEQUIVOCALLY AGAINST AUTHORS PAYING REVIEWERS TO WRITE GOOD REVIEWS. (Yes, I’m shouting.) Accepting money for a good review is unethical on the reviewer’s part and laughably pathetic on the author’s.  There is only one scenario I can think of in which money for a review is accep...

Buffer Have you heard about The Indie Retweet House? It's a place — a forum — to share your best tweets with others in the house. Sign up and share in the fun. Another advantage: I retweet all of the tweets in the house (as long as you link to an actual tweet).

Buffer The practice of criminal defense law is said to be a jealous mistress. I can verify this from my own experience. I practiced law for more than thirty-three years and I have been a District Judge for just over seven. My experience has taught me that a criminal law practice is demanding; that it is challenging; but more than anything else, it can never be mastered or conquered. Every case is different and somehow unique. There is never just another murder case, just another client, just another verdict. In fact, it is clear to me that when virtually every other aspect of our lives is delivered to the control of computers, the criminal law and trials will still be left to the human experience—to juries and judges, and yes, lawyers.

Buffer The following is syndicated from Sarcasm and Lemons, a book blog and is posted here with permission. ARC Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas TITLE: Throne of Glass AUTHOR: Sarah J. Maas PAGES: 416 FORMAT: Netgalley ARC ISBN: 978-1599906959 BUY IT: Amazon

Buffer Note : This list will automatically update as new posts are added, so this is a good post to bookmark to keep an eye on this blog. Or you can sign up for updates in your email, which you can do 1 of 2 ways. 1. Click HERE , then click on Get The Masquerade Crew delivered by email . 2. Use the Email Sign Up form on the right sidebar ----------> Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner

Buffer The following is syndicated from the blog of JeanNicole Rivers and is posted here with permission. Days ago I was reading an article discussing the dissatisfaction of several fans of the book, “Hunger Games”, with the casting of African American actors/actresses in the recently released hit film based on the book as some of their favorite characters: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/26/hunger-games-racist-tweets-rue_n_1380377.html

Buffer While watching TV a while back, I got to thinking about what shows would make a good book series. Of course, the obvious answer would be any of the crime shows. Any mystery series, especially those that involve murder, already emulate such shows. I have seen books for CSI, and I'm sure if there are any others out there, they do well (though perhaps not best sellers). But what about Falling Skies ?

Buffer The following is syndicated from Mark Brandon Allen's blog and is posted here with permission. One of the many facets of Fantasy and Science fiction is a somewhat newcomer called Steampunk. It originated as a full blown subset of speculative fiction in the late 1970s, although its origins can be traced back to the likes of Jules Vern. Even though many works now considered seminal to the genre were published in the 1960s and 1970s, the term Steampunk originated in the late 1980s as a tongue in cheek variant of cyberpunk. Several works of fiction significant to the development of the genre were produced before that time including Titus Alone by Mervyn Peake, published in 1959, which anticipated many of the tropes of today’s Steampunk adventures.

Buffer The following is syndicated from Rosie's Renegade Humor Blog and is posted here with permission. Last month, I attended the National Society of Newspaper Columnists (NSNC) Conference in Macon, Georgia. The theme of the event was “Macon Whoopee.” Every year, the NSNC holds its three-day Conference at a different city in the United States. A local Conference Chair is elected, and attendees get to see the most interesting places in the vicinity. It is a gathering of members: bloggers, book authors, magazine writers, newspaper columnists and contributors, poets, and newbies. The format is usually the same. We have workshops, panel discussions, keynote speakers, visits from local politicians, contest awards, and scholarship awards.

Buffer The following is syndicated from Writing Off the Rails and is posted here with permission. Not writing everyday is one thing that will surely kill your novel, but you may be shocked at how many people are still doing it. If you use the seven tips in this post, it’s guaranteed to help you build a daily writing process - one that will help you consistently write on your blog or your novel.

Buffer Have you heard about The Indie Retweet House? It's a place to share your best tweets with others in the house. Sign up and share in the fun.

Buffer The following is syndicated from Tima Maria Lacoba's blog and is posted here with permission. Only a couple of days ago I posted a funny little story on here about some of the less-than-responsible behaviour of P-platers on our roads - with apologies to all the responsible teenage drivers out there. And originally I planned to post a blog once a week, so this one is a bit premature. Let me explain.

Buffer The following is syndicated from the blog of Harry Leslie Smith and is posted here with permission. I am straddled between two universes: one of light and hope, the other of eternal darkness. This essay was originally published in The Globe and Mail Newspaper. It happens most afternoons: Just before I nod into the haze of a geriatric nap, my mind teases me with recollections from a former life. With my eyes closed, the images develop in my imagination like photos taken by an instant camera. They are from 40 years ago, but they remain as vivid as the aroma of my morning coffee.

Buffer Blood And Guitars Written by Heather Jensen Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Book Synopsis When Aurora meets Trey, a famous singer and musician, she's only hoping to get her fill of human blood for the week. The last thing Aurora expects is for Trey to make her feel alive for the first time since she was, well, alive. It begins with a casual painting lesson at her art studio, The Waking Moon, and quickly turns into a forbidden romance. Aurora is forced to hide her true identity from Trey, while keeping her relationship with the human a secret from other vampires in her Brood. Trey's band is recording a new album and with Aurora as his muse, Trey is writing songs like never before. After being hired by their record label to paint the cover of the new album, Aurora has a legitimate reason for spending so much time with Trey and his band mates. Aurora can't deny the unexpected connection she has with Trey, which is fueled by glimpses into his emotions every...

Buffer The Homicide Chronicle Defending the Citizen Accused Written by Ralph Shamas

Buffer Always free on Amazon.com Cover links to Amazon.com NO EXIT The Apple Grove Gang Written by Hamilton C. Burger

Buffer Dark Mind Written by Jennifer Chase Genre: Mystery, Thriller Book Synopsis A Serial Killer Plagues an Island Paradise Vigilante detective Emily Stone continues her covert pursuits to find serial killers and child abductors, all under the radar while shadowing police investigations. Emily searches for an abducted nine-year-old girl taken by ruthless and enterprising slave brokers. Following the clues from California to the garden island of Kauai, she begins to piece together the evidence and ventures deep into the jungle. It doesn’t take long before Emily is thrown into the middle of murder, mayhem, and conspiracy. Locals aren’t talking as a serial killer now stalks the island, taking women in a brutal frenzy of ancient superstitions and folklore. Local cops are unprepared for what lies ahead. In a race against the clock, Emily and her team must identify the killer before time runs out.

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Buffer Since I'll be rolling out a new, hopefully improved advertising program soon, I wanted to get a message out to everyone who has donated to the Masquerade Crew. I've sent emails to every donor through the email address you provided to Paypal but have only been in communication with a few of you. Between now and the time the new advertising program rolls out, I'm trying to make sure I settle accounts with each donor by either promoting your book, website, or a service you provide.

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Buffer One of the biggest challenges an Indie author faces is getting their book in front of others. This is where marketing and promotion come into play. But, it's more than just getting your book in front of potential readers. That's easy to do. Just tweet your book all day, everyday. (Which doesn't work, by the way.) An author can be on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads — every imaginable platform out there — and they will still face the challenge of catching someone's attention. Not only are there thousands of other authors out there trying to do the same thing — there are countless other distractions in this 21st century. So, with all of this in mind, I'm going to offer a new marketing strategy for authors. I will get their books in your email inbox. But not just any ol' book. The genres you want to read.

Buffer Tell everyone a little bit about yourself. I’m an avid-reader, who loves to write, dance, and laugh…I always have a smile on my face – which is highly contagious…I can’t fathom a day without music…I love to make others smile …I thoroughly enjoy spending time with my family…and I try to always live life to its absolute fullest…never miss a moment… Who are some of your favorite authors? Books? My favorite author of all-time is Jane Austen, hands down – Pride and Prejudice being my favorite of her works. I have always delighted in the works of C. S. Lewis, Shakespeare, Twain, and Poe, even. Love meaningful, well-written poetry. Love Old Lit, but totally digging a lot of newly established, as well as up & coming, authors. In more recent reads – I absolutely adore Cassandra Clare.  

Buffer After some negative feedback, I decided a while back to take out the Scroller Ad. Some readers were having a hard time finding the blog post (even though all they had to do was scroll down just a bit). In any case, I don't want to forget the ones who have donated, some of whom specifically wanted placement in the Scroller Ad. They are being featured in this blog post and may be featured in other areas as well. Stay tuned.

Buffer Maggie's Fall By Ricki Wilson Genre: Contemporary Western

Buffer Here's a recent dialog exchange between me and my wife. "Got another $50 donation yesterday," I told her. She furrowed her brow and said, "Really?" You see, my wife doesn't see this blogging venture as anything more than a hobby. I report to her about the balance of my Paypal account, and it surprises her every time.

Buffer Arrogance of an android by Lisa Wilton Twitter: @ltwilton Facebook: HERE Website: HERE The noticed android walks past the wondering chamber. Inside, Lara is frantically trying to finish the sequence of wondering but noticing the android distracts her and she loses grip of the wonder. Hopeless and desperate, she places her hands on the panels once again.

Buffer We follow back all writers. I wish I could follow every writer on Twitter, but the only way that's going to happen is if enough writers follow me back. Writer — Indie Scribe — my goal is to help you, and the best way I can do that is to connect with you on Twitter. That's where all my marketing focus is, and networking with writers is one of the best things a writer can do. Why?

Buffer The School Gates by Nicola May Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction

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Buffer Kade's Dark Embrace By Kym Grosso Genre: Paranormal Romance Book Synopsis After a series of girls are ritualistically murdered on the cold streets of Philadelphia, seasoned detective, Sydney Willows, is forced to work with sexy, alpha vampire, Kade Issacson. While working the case, Sydney finds herself inexplicably drawn to Kade, fighting the passion she feels towards him. Kade, determined to solve the case and mete out justice, is captivated by the independent, fiery detective. As he attempts to protect her from a very real murderer, Kade grows concerned that the beautiful, but very human detective, could easily end up dead should she tangle with supernatural forces that are beyond her control. The investigation leads them into a dark and dangerous world, deep in the heart of New Orleans, where together, they search for the perpetrators of the Voodoo killings. Sydney soon becomes the target of the killer and ends up fighting for her life and love in the...

Buffer Storm Of Arranon By Robynn E Sheahan

Buffer Dust to Blood Red Slaves By Tonya Cannariato

Buffer So You Want to Sell a Million Copies? By Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar