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Would you like a free eBook in exchange for a review?

 

Solomon's Secrets 

by Amy C Fitzjohn

Dunhaung, China 1908 – An archaeologist discovers an ancient temple, but the legendary library rumoured to be at its heart is what he really wants to find.

The present - Archeologist, Dr Sasha Blake is studying a replica of an ancient manuscript when she is offered sponsorship by a wealthy silk trader, Jon Solomon, to locate the original and four powerful rings that accompany it.  

But her investor is hiding terrible secrets.  When Sasha becomes Solomon’s next victim she wants revenge. 

She agrees to be the bait in a web of conspiracy set up by a covert organisation, The Agency, and Agent Tom Sheridan is her only ally.

Can Sheridan and Blake find the manuscript in time to stop Solomon, or are they about to fall into his trap?

Solomon's Secrets is available on general release on Amazon now, but get it FREE here:


If you're looking for something new to read and would like to help an indie author out, email me: amy@tomcatdesigns.co.uk
This offer expires 31st October 2014 - so hurry!

 

Crowds, BBQ's and Sunshine...

Crowds, BBQ's and Sunshine... and no, I'm not talking about the World Cup. In fact, I've been actively avoiding it!

This week, my seven actions for  

 

Operation Author: 365 Actions to Becoming a Successful Author

Have involved keeping the momentum going with the crowdfund, continuing to serialize Solomon's Secrets and finding ways to write outside so that I can enjoy sunshine and BBQ's in a rare week long spell of good weather in England. #SolomonsSecrets

I wrote a guest blog for Bristol Books Blog this week on Crowdfunding, offering tips to other writers considering this route to publication

Read the guest post here

I've been talking with a local publisher and have just over a month and under £300 still to raise to get Solomon's Secrets published. Please support me, so I can support a local publisher and a local crowdfund start up, get my book independently published and in local bookshops.

• Signed paperbacks are £10 (inc P&P)
• Kindle books are £3

http://bit.ly/SolomonsSecrets_Fund



I've been experimenting with audio and recorded the first chapter on SoundCloud

Listen to the prologue here

I have continued to serialize Solomon's Secrets on here and I have also put the first 6 chapters on a downloadable file on my website

Download the first 6 chapters here

I've made some miniature manuscripts that I'm going to guerrilla market around Bristol. Look out for these little books. I've already left one in The Lounge on North Street.

Look out for these in Bristol

I've also been writing the old fashioned way this week. Sitting in the garden or in one of Bristol's lovely parks, with a notebook and writing passages for the next book in the Sheridan and Blake Mysteries series, Gabriel's Game.

And finally, this week I have also released the second edition of The Bronze Box.

The kindle version is out now and the paperback proof has been ordered.

You can still get the first edition in Paperback at the moment, but only until the proof has been approved.  

The kindle version of the first edition is already out of publication. So if you want to own a rare book, warts and all, get in there quick! 

If you'd like a signed copy of this rare paperback, please email me. I have four left in stock and will sign a copy and post it to you for £10 (inc. P&P).


The Second Edition of The Bronze Box features a new epilogue, I've corrected the errors that slipped through the editing process and there is new cover art.

 You can also get copies of both The Bronze Box and Solomon's Secrets via the crowdfund.

Look out for more chapters of Solomon's Secrets being serialized here and please spread the word.

I'm off to enjoy the sunshine in Bristol and have a BBQ later!
 
Thanks for reading and supporting me.

E-Books, cake and flights of fancy... Operation Author, 365 actions

It's week 7 of my operation author project:
 

Operation Author - 

365 Actions to Succeed as an Author

My first action is to put a call out...

I'd really love to hear from anyone who blogs about books or is happy to review books.  

A free e-book in exchange for a review anyone?

With no news in my day job about whether our project to support start ups in Bristol will continue from April, we're now all in redundancy consultations. 

I'm trying not to let it be too depressing and see it as an opportunity to follow my dreams to earn a living through writing and supporting others with their creativity.  The trouble is, my dreams are still just flights of fancy and a month is not enough time to turn them into something tangible!

It's somewhat ironic that the only comprehensive free support for new businesses is Bristol, Outset Bristol, is in danger of closing resulting in at least one of it's staff considering self employment as their favoured option?!

I've been working frantically to have something to launch with if the worst should happen. It's exhausting!

This week, my writing platform endeavours have been:

Day 2 - I followed up a contact that a colleague gave me and found this really great blog:

http://womanontheedgeofreality.com/2012/11/13/101-book-marketing-ideas-for-authors/

Thanks  Linda Parkinson-Hardman

 

My next action is to follow up her invitation for an interview.  Look out for it...

Day 3 - I've been making up marketing material for the events I have coming up.  Thanks to the creative talents of Graham Morse - here's a flyer for the workshop I'm running on Wednesday 5th March - 'Why Marketing your Book is Like Making a Pizza: A Marketing Workshop for Writers'

I'm both excited and nervous about doing the workshop.  I really want it to be a success.

Day 4 - I entered The Bronze Box into the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest.  Wish me luck, it's the first competition I've entered for my writing :-S

Day 5 - I have had another article published in Prowess 2.0: Women in Business.  

I really enjoy business writing, it fits so seamlessly with my day job experience and my love of writing.  It's something I'd like to do more of.  

Can anyone suggest any leads or contacts for me? 

I'm really passionate about supporting independent business and especially underrepresented groups in enterprise, one of which is women.  I'm keen to guest blog, write articles, speak at events etc.

The last couple of days of this week I've been preparing for the book event I'm hosting at The Hydra Bookshop in old market, Bristol on Saturday 22nd Feb from 4pm to 6pm.

I've made up some flyers for Solomon's Secrets to display at the event:

Yesterday I made an epic and absurdly chocolaty fridge cake for the event. Here's the Recipe:

2 x small value Madeira Cakes 

8 x large bars of milk chocolate - the better quality the nicer the cake (I really hate cooking chocolate)

1 x grab bag of Malteasers

4 bags of Milky-bar buttons

4 generous Tablespoons of butter

couple of handfuls of chopped nuts

couple of handfuls of raisins

a few handfuls of mini marshmallows 

Crumble the cake into a big mixing bowl. Melt the chocolate and butter.  Stir the chocolate into the cake. Stir in the Milky-bar buttons and allow them to melt a little in the warm chocolate for a marbled effect.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Turn the mix out onto a large baking sheet lined with foil or cling film. Compact the mix into the tray to form a block. Refrigerate overnight then cut into squares.

I decorated it with bronze sugar spray and gold sugar balls before cutting it up.

I'll be giving away the squares at the book event so if you are in Bristol, UK come and get some.

 

What else do you think I could do this week to reach out to more people?