Linda Acaster

Writers never stop learning

2012-01-21T18:46:00.001Z

At least they shouldn’t. The industry is moving so fast that it’s difficult to keep abreast of all we need to, but that doesn’t mean we should disappear into our comfort zones and plug our ears. More than any other time in the last century we have to be all things to all people – writer, editor, distributor, promoter – it’s almost as if we’ve returned to a more technologically advanced 19th

Talking the Writing

2012-01-09T23:41:00.000Z

Seaside Radio, local to Holderness where I live, were good enough to offer a joint interview with myself and Crime writer Penny Grubb. Much to our surprise the interview was video, not audio. Our interviewer, Paula Coomber, was after a loose chat with plenty of frivolity. I'm not sure this was quite what she bargained for, but all three of us enjoyed our afternoon, and it sure beats being shut in

Being interviewed for Radio - by Video!

2012-01-06T22:38:00.001Z

I know it's already 6th, but it seems hardly two minutes since I was watching London's fireworks on the television and saluting in the New Year. My work life has been busy right across the festive period. People seemed to clear their desks in my direction before they broke up for Christmas. As a result there are various things in the pipeline, to be revealed as they mature. The first was a

Unexpected Christmas Gifts

2011-12-23T23:48:00.001Z

Just when I thought I'd be cutting back to concentrate on the family, I hear from The Review Girl blog. An interview and ebook giveaway that had been requested some time ago has been chosen to be the site's Christmas Special -woo-hoo! As well as interesting info about my novels, writing in general, and...er...what I did in Iceland... five copies of Reading A Writer's Mind: Exploring Short

Festive Frivolities

2011-12-21T23:37:00.002Z

Well, the Christmas Newsletter has been well received and the lucky winners of free ebooks have been drawn; the ebooks will be winging their way tomorrow. Did you enter? Did you know about it? Ah, you should sign up (right) for my Newsletter. There's been a sudden surge of mostly unexpected marketing. Torc of Moonlight is featured on Dave White Books and my novels have a mention in the

Old Tom Pie

2011-12-03T13:06:00.001Z

The nights draw in, the skies are clear, the wind keen. Time to bake Old Tom pie.I'm not sure how this translates to those outside the UK. Here an Old Tom refers to a mangy male cat of a certain age and disposition, but I hasten to add that the meat used in this pie is beef, not feral puss. The Old Tom is the Real Ale used to moisten the meat mixture and give it a cracking taste. It is a dark ale

An Indie author's work is never done

2011-11-16T11:24:00.001Z

When I was print published I had no say in the design of covers, or of anything else. By the time I, the mere author, was allowed into the loop, the decisions had been made and I was expected to smile nicely and rubber stamp them. As far as the publishing house was concerned, its decisions were set in stone. Now as an Indie, I have the opportunity to alter or augment my book covers, change the

Remembrance Sunday

2011-11-13T12:49:00.001Z

It's a bare field in November. Next year's crop is leafing; a hedge and line of thin trees show on the horizon. The field is situated off a narrow lane connecting two East Yorkshire villages, Atwick and Bewholme. Nothing extraordinary. Vehicles pass it every day. It hardly merits a glance. Just after midnight on Sunday 20 February 1944, Halifax bomber HX351 NP-S lifted off from RAF Lissett,

The 11th of the 11th

2011-11-11T11:55:00.001Z

Remembrance Day - the 11th of the 11th - isn't just to remember the dead of the two world wars, or even of the wars and 'police actions' since the beginning of the 20th century. It is also to remember the returned, from the Somme, Monte Casino, Malaya, right up to Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. A single day, a single date, is to remind us that young men and women are returning to their homes

That was the month that was

2011-11-07T23:15:00.001Z

Ever felt your life was disappearing down the tubes? Yes, yes, I know that it happens to us all at some point, but it still came as a bit of a shock when it happened to me. I'm busy; I can't be doing with it! But that's been half the problem. So goodbye October and... ...welcome dreary November. NaNoWriMo - (Inter)National Novel Writing Month - has passed me by, again, but I have friends I'm

Interviews & Reviews!

2011-10-03T22:38:00.001+01:00

Today I'm being interviewed across at Close to the Bone by a curmudgeonly individual called Old Seth. And he didn't provide biscuits! What are blog interviews coming to? Anyway, we chatted about both Torc of Moonlight and Reading A Writer's Mind... as well as what I think of ebooks and my reading habits, or lack of habit. Why do people always think you should have a favourite author? Am I the

Thanks to my knights on Eastgate

2011-09-28T23:17:00.000+01:00

There's nothing like living in a small town for people coming to your aid in a time of trauma. I'd like to thank the young man and the woman with the dog, and everyone else who showed concern when I decided to audition for a starring role in Swan Lake across Eastgate crossroads - either that or I was attempting to make a leap for an imaginary try line with my shopping. All I could think of as the

Guest Blogging + 5 star Review for Reading A Writer's Mind...

2011-09-17T21:59:00.001+01:00

I have a guest post today on Stuart Aken's blog, and the fantastic man has not only read the book in very quick order, but has given it a cracking in-depth review which closes with... "...I place this one alongside the excellent Dorothea Brande's book ['Becoming A Writer'] ...and Stephen King's 'On Writing', both of which have been formative in my writing..." Who could ask for better? Check it

Guest Blogging with "Reading A Writer's Mind"

2011-09-16T23:35:00.000+01:00

Ooh, it's beginning to happen! My first guest posting has gone live on Toni V Sweeney's blog. Drop by and chat, or leave a problem for me to solve . I'll be dropping in all weekend. And talking of weekends, my first #SampleSunday for the new book will be ready. Do call back!

Remembering

2011-09-11T22:35:00.000+01:00

Remembering the day. Remembering the horror. Remembering the bravery. Remembering the survivors who remember every day.

It's Live! Launch Day Offer: "Reading A Writer's Mind...

2011-09-04T20:58:00.000+01:00

That caught me unawares. I only uploaded to the Amazon Kindle Store late yesterday evening. I hadn't expected it to go live until tomorrow. It's been live on the Smashwords site for a couple of days and should be filtering through to the Barnes & Noble store, the Apple i-Bookstore, the Sony store, and the rest, in the next couple of weeks. Reading A Writer's Mind: Exploring Short Fiction - First

Reading a Writer's Mind: Exploring Short Fiction - First Thought to Finished Story

2011-08-27T10:32:00.000+01:00

Those with sharp eyes will have noticed the work-in-progress meters nestling way down the right-hand column. After far too many delays my non-fiction writers' aid is nearing upload and the cover is available, so I thought I'd give it its first airing. Covers for non-fiction are worse to visualise than even fiction. I wanted something striking, that would remain striking at thumbnail size as

La Scala Short Story Competition - Closes 15 September

2011-08-25T22:56:00.000+01:00

Following my allowing characters from Torc of Moonlight to chat directly to readers outside the confines of the novel, I thought I'd mention that it will soon be the final chance to enter this year's La Scala Short Story Competition. La Scala is a leading equestrian photography studio in East Yorkshire, England, but its annual short story competition is open to submissions world wide for its

Torc of Moonlight - Introducing Characters - The Other

2011-08-07T23:13:00.000+01:00

Ebooks: up, Up, and Awaaaay...

2011-04-20T09:31:00.000+01:00

It's been news all round lately. Yesterday, Scott Nicholson across on Indiebooksblog.blogspot was good enough to spotlight Torc of Moonlight and so I checked across on Amazon to find that it had been ranked on both sites: on Amazon UK #42 and on Amazon US #60 in the Ghosts category. Yay! While I was there I noticed that it had gained another in-depth 5* review, this time from another writer

#SampleSunday 19: Beneath The Shining Mountains Chapter 3 Pt4

2011-04-17T09:01:00.000+01:00

Sundays seem to arrive with alarming regularity. Let's hope they continue to! Please Tweet this sample and if you are enjoying the continuing story, take a moment to leave a message. To bring readers up to date, Moon Hawk has caught Winter Man's attention, but her plan to marry him has had unforeseen consequences. Instead of taking her in his arms, he's joined a raid against the Shoshone,

Interesting who you meet in the ether…

2011-04-13T08:00:00.002+01:00