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(In the spirit of streamlining this website, I am systematically moving archived book reviews and other posts to this section, then deleting the archive.)Blue Hearts of Mars, by Nicole Grotepas, is a science fiction, YA romance about a seventeen-year-old girl and an android that fall in love. The girl (or young woman rather), Retta, goes to school and works to support her family. She encounter’s a boy who exposes a world of prejudice and unfairness. Androids are a crucial part of society and Mars would never have been colonized without them. They are so human in appearance that most pass as humans. This gives rise to an interesting question: can an android have a soul? They are thinking, feeling, living entities with the capacity for love…They are also smarter and stronger. It is not surprising that some humans fear and resent them and would not want their daughters (or sons) dating them. The boy, Hemingway, seems the less powerful character, even though he has perfect memory and superhuman strength. But Retta makes all of the hard choices and stands up for what is right. I mention this because Hemingway fades in and out of the picture, allegedly to protect Retta from the perils loving and android will bring. This is good, honorable, and realistic because human / android relationships are taboo in this story. Fine.  Retta is the protagonist after all, so she should be center stage. I guess what I am trying to say, is that I like Retta better than Hemingway in this story.I enjoyed Blue Hearts of Mars quite a bit. The book description sounded interesting and I was curious, though I almost passed on the book because Hemingway, as a character name, jolted me. Once I started reading, however, the name stopped distracting me and I began to like both the name and the character. One of my favorite scenes is when Retta tells off other students in her class, choosing to stand up for her teacher who many believe is an android. This demonstrates her strong values and willingness to take risks. Retta stands up to her friends, her boss, and her father. I would recommend this book for fans of science fiction, YA romance. If a reader is seeking hard science fiction about the colonization of Mars, this may not be the right book. The depiction of life on Mars is entertaining and the moral and social issues concerning androids that can pass for human (and some believe to have souls) is thought provoking.I obtained a free copy of this book through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. I am glad I did.

(In the spirit of streamlining this website, I am systematically moving archived book reviews and other posts to this section, then deleting the archive.)A Game of Thrones begins with a mysterious attack north of The Wall and establishes that something supernatural or perhaps magical is threatening the world. With the prologue out of the way, the Starks are introduced (and six dire wolves) and the story moves into the family drama and political intrigue that make up the scaffolding that the (many) characters live and play on.   What makes the book so enjoyable? It is easy to suspend disbelief. People in the story believe in magic, but rarely experience it. The lives of most people, even the nobles, are desperate and survival is hard earned. Martin has an excellent command of world building, down to the smallest detail. He writes dialogue that  seems effortless and natural. Characters stay true to who they are and point of  view is controlled, which is no small task with the multitude of main characters in the book.Since  so many people have read the first book or at least seen the HBO series, I am  not going to worry about spoilers. When Eddard Stark dies, I  knew this book was different. I had been trying to decide who was the main character, and was  leaning toward Eddard. I liked Eddard, I respected Eddard. Everyone in the story  depended on Eddard. But the plot demanded he die, and he did. As I came to truly believe that Martin had the courage to slay any character, I started making bets with myself as to who would live and what they would do. Currently I don’t think that Daenarys or Tyrion can be offed. But I have read all five books and been wrong about many other major characters. In this book, the stakes are real.A Clash of Kings – George R.R. MartinA Storm of Swords – George R.R. MartinA Feast for Crows – George R.R. MartinA Dance with Dragons – George R.R. MartinI have listened to these audio book three times and purchased the Kindle version. I strongly recommend this book and plan to write a review after I read it again.

One of my writer friends and Twitter superstar, Lilo Abernathy, was chosen by Amazon for the much coveted Kindle Daily Deal. Her book, The Light Who Shines, will be featured for one day only at a price of $1.99. So Why am I writing a blog post about another writer’s work?First, she’s a great writer. Second, she’s very supportive of other authors. Here is the book description from Amazon:When Supernatural Investigation Bureau agent Bluebell Kildare (a.k.a. Blue) arrives at the scene of the crime, it’s obvious the grotesquely damaged body of the deceased teenage boy was caused by far more than a simple hit and run. Using her innate sixth sense, Blue uncovers a powerful magical artifact nearby. She soon discovers it acts as a key to an ancient Grimoire that was instrumental in the creation of the Vampire breed and still holds the power to unravel the boundaries between Earth and the Plane of Fire.Blue and her clever wolf Varg follow a trail that starts at the Cock and Bull Tap and leads all through the town of Crimson Hollow. Between being sidelined by a stalker who sticks to the shadows and chasing a suspect who vanishes in thin air, the case is getting complicated. If that isn’t enough, Dark Vampire activity hits a record high, and hate crimes are increasing. However, it’s Blue’s growing feelings for Jack Tanner, her magnetic Daylight Vampire boss, that just might undo her.While Blue searches for clues to nail the perpetrator, it seems someone else is conducting a search of their own. Who will find whom first?Danger lurks in every corner, and Blue needs all her focus in this increasingly dangerous game or she risks ending up the next victim.Reviews:The Light Who Shines has 154 reviews, with a 4.7 star average. Not bad for a debut book!From Amazon:”The book abounds with action, supernatural creatures and tinges of sexiness . . . and will please readers looking for a gun-toting, magical hero who’s independent yet yearning for companionship.””Bluebell Kildare, a Gifted human with blue eyes and a streak of blue hair, fights crime as a member of the Supernatural Homicide Investigation Unit . . . An often enjoyable delve into urban fantasy.””As much as she’s defined by her butt-kicking attitude, Kildare is complex, confident and introspective . . . She has the ability to sense souls.”—KIRKUS”Bottom Line: Excellent novel . . . Highly recommended and will be continuing with the series, great new world.”—Douglas C. Meeks, Amazon Top 500 ReviewerAs a writer, I wish Lilo Abernathy the best. I’ve just started reading the book, so I can’t give a review yet, but I will in a future blog post.

Photo obtained from JoshHayesWriter.com What are some elements of good, entertaining fiction? For me the list starts with compelling characters, conflict, suspense, and a setting exotic enough that I’d like to go there and have an adventure. Hayes put all these pieces into the story, and I want to see more of these characters and this place they have found. I obtained this as a free advanced reading copy in return for an honest review, and thought I knew the gist of the story before I began, but I was delighted and surprised by the end and can’t wait to read the next installment. I wish I had thought of the science fiction Neverland concept. This series is going places, and should be full of fun. I recommend this story for fans of science fiction / action adventure genres.You can learn more about Josh Hayes and his works on his web page, Josh Hayes Writer.com. He is an active member of the indie writing community and does a lot more than just promote his own books. His site is full of author interviews and book reviews. In fact, I am going to try and get an interview set up up with him soon.Second Star: Breaking Through Kindle Link (I like to use Amazon to see other reviews, download a free samples, and make purchases.)
Josh Hayes, author of Second Star: Breaking Through

Five years of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes, including countless lessons and sparing matches brought me to a goal I’ve pursued for a long time. When I first became interested in BJJ, there were no instructors in the region. Royce Gracie was dominating the UFC and the martial arts community was scrambling to reinvent itself. It took several years before qualified instructors started opening schools in the area, and I trained at several.I stopped and started several times, bowed to the responsibilities of work and family again and again.  Now that I have moved from white belt to blue belt, I feel a stronger obligation to attend class regularly. The past three weeks have been excuse-busting tests of dedication and logistical skills.  With the exception of being sick, I have made every class I set out to attend. Training three days a week will not make me the top grappler in my rank, but should give me the skills to proudly say “I am a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blue belt.” What does this have to do with writing? This web site is named Scottmoonwriter, after all.I always believed that living a responsible, adventurous, and  productive life helps any writer. At the same time, the competition is fierce, especially for indie writers. There are days I wish I could do nothing but write, read, and work on my craft.That way lies madness, like as not. After family and God, there are only a few things that matter to me. Like most writers, I often test the patience of my family and give my faith less work that it deserves. I’m only human. Maybe God didn’t put me on this Earth just to write, maybe he did. My fiction is meant to entertain. I don’t write to push a social, political, or religious message, in case you were wondering.When I write, when the story is growing naturally, I feel complete. I don’t worry about the through-line or the moral premise or the plot structure. Each time those issues push to the forefront, the process seems more like work–and I do it because I strive not just to express my creativity, but for professionalism.When I am on the mat, sparring or learning a new technique, there is no opportunity to worry about getting the oil changed in the car or paying bills. There are days when I get submitted time after time and wonder why I put myself through the ego crushing abuse. Just like writing or anything else, there are moments when the work put in seems crazily out of proportion to the reward gained.Over time, progress is realized.That is a reward. The journey is a reward. At least I am not sitting around.Earning a rank in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a lot like publishing a novel. Certain expectations come with the accomplishment. I am about to have a birthday, and each year I set goals. So here is my resolution. I will write when it is time to write, train when it is time to train, and never take the people I care about for granted. Without them, it is all meaningless.

Everyone likes #free, right. There was a time, let’s say 2012, when Indie authors were using Kindle Direct Publishing free days to promote books. I was new to the realm of digital self publishing, and gave it a try. The result was about 18,000 downloads of Dragon Badge, an urban fantasy crime thriller, and over 2,000 actual sales. I thought it was pretty neat, since I was ecstatic to have people reading my first book! (Well, not the first I wrote, but the first I published on KDP. I’ve been writing for over thirty years.)Dragon Badge also received fifty-three (53) reviews, with a 4.1 star average. Heady stuff. I assumed all my books would get reviews quickly. Enemy of Man currently has thirteen (13) reviews with a 4.4 star average. I’d like to have more.We know everyone likes free, but maybe deeply discounted is also good?The first thing I noticed when I published Enemy of Man, was that it immediately out sold Dragon Badge. There may be no way to understand the reason, but I think it is a factor of genre and the larger readership of science fiction. To be honest, Dragon Badge doesn’t fit neatly into urban fantasy or crime thriller, but I digress. I also think I learned a lot about writing during Enemy of Man, and the use of a professional editor helped a bunch. (Dragon Badge and Dragon Attack were proofread and edited by several individuals, including a trusted reader with a baccalaureate degree in English literature and a doctorate in education. Dragon Badge is scheduled for a serious re-write and at least one round with a professional editor before I start on book three of the series.)And now to the point of this post; I didn’t do much in the way of free days for Enemy of Man. Why? All the book marketing blogs (and books–I’ve spent a small fortune on “how to market your ebook” material) suggested that the free day strategy had outlived it’s functionality. The biggest problem with giving away free books is that many people, myself included, tend to download more than can be read in a life time.I still have more reviews for Dragon Badge than Enemy of Man. The later book has sold more copies with less promotional effort, but lacks reviews. Were the free days the secret to getting book reviews? Have people become exhausted with reading and reviewing so many independent authors? I’m not sure I will ever have the answer, but I do know I have at least a hundred books on my Kindle account that I won’t have time to read. It is safe to assume many other readers are in the same situation.So where does that leave an indie title?The alternative to glutting the market with free books seems to have become the Countdown Deal. Amazon actually has a Countdown Deal Page, which is more than can be said about free books. I am keen to learn if KDP Free Days or Countdown Deals will boost Kindle Unlimited (KU) downloads of Enemy of Man and Son or Orlan…and dare I say it, the next two books in the series which should be done in 2015.During the last two months, Kindle Unlimited sales have accounted for half my income. Occam’s Razor would suggest that KU must be part of my marketing plan. I think either Free Days or Countdown Deals would increase visibility and improve KU performance as well.Shall I go with Free Days?Or try a Countdown Deal?The winner is, a KDP Countdown Deal starting on October 16th at $0.99. This is the first discount I have done for Enemy of Man for several months. It hasn’t been free for a year. I hope this works.I hope this get some reviews.Several things have changed in my marketing plan during 2014. I spent a significant amount of money on an Orangeberry Blog Tour and a few other promotional sites with good reputations. I have not tried Book Bub, because I was saving that for the day when the series is complete. At that point, I plan to really follow the author marketing best practices and get serious about writing as a career. The results of spending money to promote have been decent. I think having a larger back list will make each dollar spent more effective. So the big change is this; I save ninety percent of my profit for editing and book cover design. What does this mean for Enemy of Man in the free day / Kindle Unlimited experiment?I need your help. Please share the news of the Enemy of Man free day with anyone you know who likes science fiction. October 16th, 2014 Enemy of Man will be $0.99 for a limited time.ENEMY OF MAN – sampleSON OF ORLAN – sampleDRAGON BADGE – sampleDRAGON ATTACK – sampleDIE LIKE A MAN – sample

Yes, I must admit, I am fanatical about George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series. How fanatical? I just spent $40 on maps and ordered The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire). Now I have to quit eating out for at least a week.Totally worth it.For the last two years I have developed the habit of Googling Westeros maps as I work my way through Mr. Martin’s books again and again, and I am telling you the world is hard to make sense of on a smart phone screen. I haven’t yet obtained my collection of hardback copies. I have all of the Game of Thrones books in audio and ebook formats. Starting next month, I plan to buy a hardback Song of Ice and Fire book a month. Had I done this earlier, I would not have as much confusion with the maps as I sometimes do while driving and listening to the story.Anyway, I am anxiously awaiting my copy of The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire). I pre-ordered. I also just learned that J. R. R. Tolkein was a devout Catholic. How did I not know that?

Illyrio reminds me so much of Varys that I had to check and see if they were ever in the same place in the story. Both men are morbidly obese, cunning, and far more agile than they appear. Do you remember Butter Bumps, the court fool who danced, sang, and did handstands despite sporting a build reminiscent of Varys, or Illyrio for that matter. We all know that Varys is a master of disguise. It might be good to remember that he was a master thief in his youth, a skilled cat burglar as it were.In a Dance with Dragons, Tyrion spends quite a bit of time with Magister Illyrio, and he also knows Varys. So my curiosity must be misplaced, but for a time, I wondered if Varys had time to bounce back and forth between Westeros and Pentos, assuming multiple identities and scheming to topple kingdoms. But alas, it seems that is impossible. But still, I always think of Varys during scenes with Illyrio, and vice versa. 

Photo credit http://www.jaykristoff.com Kinslayer: Book Two of the Lotus War series took Japanese Steampunk farther than the first book (Stormdancer). There were more characters and plot lines. I liked the first book better, but only a little bit. As second books go, this one is worth a read. The visual, auditory, and even olfactory detail of the lands of Shima really is impressive. Every character has something at stake–lives to be lost, honors to regain, sacrifices to make. Kinslayer fits the type of things I read, in that there is danger and death, and the violence involved is not watered down with cliches or falseness.Mortal combat is not pretty. Kristoff makes that very clear. I’m good with that. Lately, I’ve become fatigued with war and violence in fiction. By the end of the book, I was ready for a break. Having said that, I recommend reading it, or listen to it as I did. (I really love audiobooks.) Jennifer Ikeda does a fabulous job narrating Kinslayer (as she did Stormdancer). As someone who has listened to hundreds of audiobooks, I feel like I’m qualified to make a recommendation. Kinslayer is worth the time. I plan to listen to Stormdancer, Kinslayer, and Endsinger when the third book comes out.I would have liked to see more of Budo and Yukiko, and the Gaijin. When they came on the scene in this book, I started to see new landscapes opening up. And there were some interesting settings and characters. I hope for more of the world beyond Shima in the next book.What do you think of Japanese steampunk? I’m dying to know.

Have you ever heard of the Amazon Top Reviewers? I have, because I’m an author who would desperately love to get their attention, especially if they decide the like my books. A lot of marketing gurus will make a fuss about finding the right reviewer and then sending a polite email asking if they would like to review your book. This is definitely a good practice, or so it seems. Many authors have had good luck. The Amazon Top Reviewers are serious about what they do. They want readers to mark their reviews as useful, which would suggest they would only give honest reviews.I am taking a short break to daydream about all of the top one hundred finding my book and giving Dragon Badge, Dragon Attack, Enemy of Man, Son of Orlan, and Die Like A Man five star reviews.Ah, that was a nice fantasy.Perhaps I would have more luck if I sought reviews (as every book marketing expert suggests). Unfortunately, there is only so much time in a day and I enjoy making up stories more than marketing best practices. Which brings us to the reason we are here today, good reader. I recently left a review for Kinslayer: Book Two of the Lotus War series by Jay Kristoff. Book reviews for traditional and indie authors is something I do whenever I can. Just now, I saw that forty-five people have found my recommendations helpful. Cool beans! My Amazon Reviewer Rank is…not “Top” to say the least. Currently, I’m sitting at 95,717.There are a lot of people doing a lot of reviews! That’s great. To reviewers everywhere, good work! Keep it up! Writers love you.

Last week I purchased several UFC fights from the local video store, because they were on clearance and I can’t bring myself to invest in pay-per-view. I wish I could, because I really want to see UFC 178 on September 27. There’s going to be some interesting contests.Meanwhile, I DVDs of the events months and years after they occur. Combined with occasional visits to the UFC website, I am slowly reacquainting myself with the world of MMA. It is the only sport I watch. I used to look for rowing, but good luck finding live coverage. The fight between Alexander Gustafsson and Jon Jones in UFC 165 help reignite my interest in the sport. Gustafsson came into the match as a serious underdog. It was his title shot, and Jones’ chance to make history by defending his title for the fifth time, a new record. Gustafsson put on an amazing show, taking down Jones for the first time and controlling the match (I thought). As far as I can tell, Jones was awarded the decision based on the number of leg strikes. One thing was evident, it was one of the best fights in history.Another DVD I picked up for $5 was Ronda Rousey: Breaking Ground. She is an Olympic Judo champion that has opened up the UFC for women fighters. She is one of the top fighters requested by sponsors, and the Ultimate Fighter 16 is dedicated to women competing for the straweight title. I was able to catch part of the first episode and it looks like there is quite a bit of talent.Rousey fights in a different weight class, and seems unbeatable. She is the master of the Judo takedown and arm bar.Watching such inspirational fighters always makes me want to train (and secretly dream of cage fighting, though I’m too old to do it for more than something to check off my bucket list). This means I spend time watching fights, instructional DVDs, training at my local BJJ gym, and generally working out and daydreaming of greatness.I’m not extremely competitive. I like to spar and have been to a few tournaments with mediocre results. If I have any natural talent, it is for writing. But there’s no law against dreaming, and if it helps me get in shape and gives me the tools to defend myself and others, then it must be a good thing. This is all part of balancing life with writing. In the long run, I hope it will make me a better writer and a better person.The question is, can an independent writer compete without dedicating every waking moment to the craft of fiction and the job of marketing?

Welcome to the latest stop on the It Takes All Kinds of Characters blog tour.In the previous episode, as it were, military science fiction author Britt Ringel reveals the creation of his primary protagonist, Garrett Heskan. As an avid reader of the series, starting with This Corner of the Universe, I can attest that Heskan is a classic character worth cheering for. Not without flaws, Heskan leads his crew through situations and space battles that keep me on the edge of my seat. I particularly enjoy his awareness of his shortcomings and his determination to strive onward no matter the personal cost.Garrett Heskan is a true professional of the Brevic Navy.Author Britt Ringel was kind enough to invite me on this tour, so I’d like to share some thoughts on my most popular character, Kin Roland. (For this post, I have omitted the questions and gone straight to the answers.)The character of Kin Roland evolved from the organic, seat-of-the-pants writing style I followed at the time. I actually wrote Enemy of Man in about six weeks as a screenplay, then later novelized it with major expansions and revisions. Starting his story life as a tough former soldier trapped on a hostile planet with survivors of various shipwrecks, he was pitted against an alien hunter that blamed him for destroying his home world. So Kin’s character developed in the crucible of conflict. He had to survive a deadly world plagued with extraterrestrial storms and protect a local village from a creature that made Aliens and the Predator look simple.With each supporting character, Kin’s motivations and conflicts grew. So far, readers have enjoyed the first two books, Enemy of Man and Son of Orlan.The story takes place at shipwreck with a wormhole anomaly looming in the upper atmosphere. Kin has been hiding on the planet, working as the security officer, for about nine years. Why is he hiding? Well, there was this issue with him failing to destroy the home world of the Reapers. He’s a tough veteran, but balked at genocide, deciding the Reaper’s couldn’t leave their planet in the state of ruin it was left in. Maybe it wasn’t the best decision, but it is his cross to bear.There are a few important things a reader considering this series might be interested in, namely that Kin Roland went from hero to outlaw with one decision. He’s competent, brave, and completely loyal to those he has given his protection. He fights for what is right, despite his many flaws.The obvious conflict in the first two books, is survival against long odds. However, Kin is also put in another difficult moral decision. There is an alien princess that maintains a zone of protection around Crater Town. He needs to bring her back, but doing so will put her in danger from Droon, Earth Fleet, and her peoples ancient enemies. Once he learns more about her past, he has to wonder if this young woman deserves his life or if she has a hidden agenda that will endanger everyone he holds dear. Of course, she might be saving the entire human race.Enemy of Man and Son of Orlan are available in ebook and paperback book format through Amazon and CreateSpace. The third book, King of Hellsbreach, is shaping up to me my most exciting release yet. I can’t wait to share it. It should be complete this fall, and released in early 2015.Thanks for stopping by. Please check out the blog stops by Britt Ringel, Mark Bordner and other authors.