Consumed with guilt, Bryce had been drifting away from his wife of ten
years. Until one evening when he was about to cheat on her, he came to
realise that he was about to do would not resolve anything. Leaving the
woman behind in the hotel, he races home in a thunderstorm.
Bryce
could not have foreseen that not only was the storm about to force
him to face up to his failures, but it would also bring into perspective
that things in his marriage might not have been all that simple to
start off with.
House bound by circumstances, the Sinclairs have to
face the facts, and decide if their future would continue on the same
path or separate ones?
This story is also available as part of the Storm Anthology Volume II
Download/Buy
The Cutting Horizon
Wednesday 7 May 2014
Tuesday 6 May 2014
Interview: STORM Author Carmen Botman
The Icarus Curse was inspired by my genuine interest in how we as human beings are destroying our planet. The changing of the seasons is an actual tangible example that we’re all currently experiencing. I also watch a lot of Doomsday Preppers.
Dahlias and Daisies: I think the release of a notorious gangster not too long ago, and the escalating gang violence in certain communities is what led me to write this story. The story is not far-fetched and although completely fictional, I’m sure there would be people out there that would relate.
2. Tell us what your stories are all about.
The Icarus Curse is about Shiloh Reed, the protagonist in the story, who discovers, after the earth has been virtually destroyed, that she inadvertently holds the key to the restoration of the planet. The fate of humanity rests on her shoulders alone.
Dahlias and Daisies is a story about survival, both physical and emotional, about rising up against the odds and living the life you are meant to live, no matter where you’re from or what you’ve been through. Both my stories have strong, female protagonists in them. Girl power!
3. What excited you about taking part in the STORM anthology?
I have never belonged to a writing group before this. I had known for a long time that this is what I want to do with my life and having the support of the group, it just made the task a lot less daunting and seem much more ‘do-able.’ I thought the theme itself was fantastic and I am always up for a challenge. The fact that my name will be on an actual book as a contributing author is still unbelievable.
4. What is your next project about and when can we expect it to be published?
I am working on a YA fantasy/adventure series called The Ternion Series. Book one, The Kindling, is complete and at present I am still deciding how to go about getting it ‘out there,’ in the great big world. It is a full-length novel and I am about two-thirds of the way with the second book. So, watch this space.
5. What is your biggest challenge in writing?
My biggest challenge is my strange mixture of overconfidence and self-doubt – simultaneously. I’m sure many other writers feel this way as well. I get an idea and think it’s absolutely brilliant; that it will take the world by storm (excuse the pun) and then halfway through or at the end, I’ll look at it and wonder what the heck I was thinking! And then I have flashes of my manuscript being rejected and retreat until another brilliant idea hits me and I start the process all over again.
6. How do you deal with this challenge?
I’m still working on it. Basically I pep talk myself into manuscript submissions and tell myself upfront that they’ll probably say no, so that when it happens I don’t feel too bad about it. But I just read an article by Jeff Goins recently about this exact thing – apparently I’m doing it all wrong! Lol. So, let’s just say it’s (I’m) still a work in progress.
7. What advice would you offer to other authors having to deal with this same challenge?
Just go for it. Develop a thick skin. Trust me, feeling totally confused about your status as an author or even getting rejected by publishing houses is MUCH better than not even trying at all. You will seriously regret not trying, so if this is what you really want to do, then suck it up and do it.
8. Please explain to my readers your writing process and how you manage your life to accommodate your writing.
All stories start with an idea. If I have the basis for a story, I ask myself ‘what if’ questions about the characters and the scenes in my head. I always try and plot something out in the beginning, even if it’s only an outline, and then I completely disregard these as the story unfolds. I generally allow the characters to take me where they need to go. I work full-time, so I spend at least 9-10 hours out of the house every day. I do the cleaning, cooking, washing, ironing, etc. as well. My husband is currently working and studying, so there are many balls to keep in the air, but lo and behold, I manage. See my blog post about this very question.
You can find all Carmen's books on Smashwords
Monday 5 May 2014
Cover Reveal: STORM Volume II by the Pretoria Writers' Group
► STORM Volume II: Contemporary fiction, South African fiction is available at Smashwords a reduced price until 31 May 2014.
Author Blog Hop: Nomanono Isaacs
Nomanono Isaacs is a South African
born published author of Escaping Apartheid: A Letter to My Mother. She is a grandmother to two lovely Beings. A
seven year old granddaughter, and a two year old grandson. She is mother to two
wonderful daughters: an actress and a singer songwriter.
She is currently putting together a plan for working with six children
in schools on what she calls ‘A Love Project.’
She has been writing poetry for many
years and would be putting these together for publication in due course. She
currently has one poem on YouTube called ‘Never Succumb’ and plans on
having more poems there! She is also currently working on her first novel!
She loves travelling, especially
cruising, and intends on travelling to many more places!
When she left South Africa she lived
in Swaziland, Botswana and Uganda before settling in England, in the UK, where
she currently lives.
You can learn more about Nomanono at:
Website: http://nomanono.com/
FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/ nomanonoisaacsauthor
Book reviews on: http://tinyurl.com/ppm92kr and http://t.co/SGqVSGt8CY
Sunday 4 May 2014
Cover Reveal: STORM Volume I by the Pretoria Writers' Group
► STORM Volume I: Fantasy, Science Fiction and Dystopia is available on Smashwords at a reduced price until 31 May 2014
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