It’s that time of year again!

Every July, Smashwords has a huge, mega sale. And every July, I enter my books into it.

Go pick them up.

And once you do, since it’s the Smashwords July Sale, take some time to browse. Find some new-to-you authors. Check the discounts on books I’ve featured here or over at The Rock of Pages, THE home of Rock Fiction. Books are available in all formats, so don’t be shy because you think you can only buy from this vendor or this online bookstore or whatever. A Smashwords book will work on your reader.

Once you’ve done that, the next step is the best, simplest one: sit down somewhere comfy and start to read. Grab a beer, a glass of wine, a citronella candle, a poolside lounger… you name it. Have some fun. Don’t like a book? Delete and move on to the next!

But love it or hate it, always remember that one of the best things you can do is to leave a review. At Smashwords, at the retailer you usually get your books from, on a blog, over at a social reading site like GoodReads. After all, we authors aren’t making any money off our free books, and the books that are reduced in price bring a reduced royalty, too.

Reviews help authors in so, so many ways. Even if you say, “This was a great read. Highly recommended.”

But, of course, if you want to write more but are struggling, drop me a line. I’ll tell you what: If you want to work with a real wordsmith and former pro reviewer to leave a review for a book you like, tell me you’re reviewing a book you picked up at the Smashwords July Sale, and I’ll slash my rates. Not down to free, but slashed nonetheless.

Because reviews are that important. And so is helping you learn to craft a good review, and to feel good about what you write.

So. A slew of free books. And a pro helping you say thanks to the authors in the most helpful way possible.

Go have a great July, everyone!

So it came to my attention that a Featured New Book post had shown up with the funky formatting I’ve struggled with since the website’s redesign. (If anyone is a website maintenance person, who can help work on the site on a regular basis without charging me two arms, a leg, and my firstborn, holler.)

The funky formatting meant you couldn’t read Hans’ reply to the famed one-question interview.

So here’s the link.

Or better yet, here’s Hans’ answer:

Eagle, by ABBA
This was not an easy question to answer and and I’ve been tossing and turning over this for a long time, as the story of the book is not very pop or rock even. I’ve contemplated pieces from Mozart’s Requiem (too somber as it is) to Beethoven’s Fifth (too majestic and pompous) to glamrock (too duh!) before I finally settled on a song.

I ended up settling on this particular song from my favorite musical group (yeah, I am THAT old), because the lyrics do speak to some of the core beliefs expressed in the book, and lyrics are as important to a good song as the cover is to a good book. Fallen Angels obviously can’t fly, but the question the book raises is what it takes to make them fly again, and the eagle from the song does: “high, high, what a feeling to fly over mountains and forests and seas, and to go anywhere that I please, a symbol of hope and above all freedom.” And it is the freedom that our fallen angels need more than anything else to be able to soar and fly once again.

But the eagle also symbolizes Haakon, who’s traveled far, who’s seen the world, who’s got great stories to tell.. Listen och enjoy one of my favorite songs from Sweden’s greatest music export ever, and enjoy a corny 70s music video!

And the book description:

In an isolated mountain town in Norway, Haakon dreams of traveling the world, pursuing adventure, seeing great places, finding love. His very first trip to London with friends from university offers much promise, yet soon after tragedy strikes. Still young, and mourning the loss of his lover, Haakon is not ready to give up on his dream, so when a rich Englishman offers him the chance to join him on a tour of the world, Haakon takes it, daring to believe that his dream is finally coming true: but at what price?

The Fallen Angels of Karnataka is a novel filled with adventure, life’s hard-learned lessons, loss, despicable evil, and finally, love and redemption.

A remarkable story that will have readers hooked until the end. Denny Patterson, Vital VOICE Magazine

 

You know you need a copy. I sure do!
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