There’s nothing like an old friend when it comes to one of life’s most comforting friends, and Maria Savva definitely fits the bill around here. Not only a fellow music lover, Maria and I share a love for many, many bands.

Remember a few weeks back, when I was impressed we had a three-peat author in the Featured New Book Spotlight? Maria puts that to shame — she’s here for her fifth time. I kid you not.

The new book is called Far Away in Time.

Purty cover, huh?

So, Maria, what song makes you think of your book?

Echo Beach, by Martha and the Muffins

Although none of the stories were inspired by the song, when I finished writing the story ‘Far Away In Time’, I think I may have leaned more towards that title because it reminded me of the song by Martha and the Muffins. I’ve always loved that song, especially the intro, the saxophone, and the bit at the end ‘Far away in time’! It’s always conjured up a sense of nostalgia when I hear it.

When I realised that the title I’d chosen had a connection to the song, I noticed that one of the other stories had the word ‘Echoes’ in it and another had ‘Beach’. That gave me the idea to find out some more about the actual song and see if I could add a few links to the song throughout the book.

I looked on Wikipedia and found out some facts e.g. the names of the people who wrote the song, the name of the beach that possibly inspired the song etc. I then added a few bits to some of the stories.

For example, I have a character called Martha in the story ‘A Sign’, and many of the other characters in the book are named after the people who wrote the song or sang it at some stage e.g. Toyah.

I also have a character whose job is an ‘office clerk’ in ‘Echoes of her Dreams’, just like the person the song was written about.

When you read the book, perhaps you’ll spot some of the other links! 🙂

Need a summary?

Our lives are a series of stories, and we are the characters with the starring roles. The memories, regrets, secrets, and struggles that fill these pages are at once unique and relatable. These stories belong to us all.

Eight unforgettable tales reaching out to a place Far Away In Time…

Buy a copy — Amazon only, though.
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon FR
Amazon DE
Amazon IN
Amazon AU
Amazon BR
Amazon IT
Amazon ES
Amazon MX
Amazon JP
Amazon CA

Want a gander at the book trailer? Sure you do!

Connect with Maria:
My website
Facebook Page
Twitter

I’ve spoken so often of my association with the group at Bestseller Bound that I’m surprised you all haven’t come and joined me over there. We’d love to have great authors who are committed to the idea that the success of one is the success of all.

Today’s featured author is Maria Savva, one of the founding authors of Bestseller Bound. She’s got a new book out, and it’s one I’m curious to see in its finished state. It’s dark, very dark, and it’s well named. This book has haunted me since I closed the file.

Without further ado… Maria, what song makes you think of your book?

How Will I Laugh Tomorrow… by Suicidal Tendencies.

This song features in the book; well, the title is mentioned. It’s one of the songs Nigel Price, the protagonist, is listening to in his car before an event that changes his life forever. It’s like after he hears this song, that’s the turning point. And, it is also a song that plays at the end of the novel, evoking memories of the past. The question for the reader with this book is how much of it is reality and how much of it is imagined? That brings to mind the lyrics: “Sometimes I got to think to myself is this life or death,
Am I living or am I dead?”

In my opinion, although he commits a crime, I feel that Nigel is a victim too and have tried to show this in the book. I think the lyrics:

“And I tried to tell you but not a word I say
Cried out so loudly but you just covered your ears
I gave you all the signs but you ignored my tears”

could apply to Nigel. There were signs that he would end up doing what he did, or something similar. No one in his life seemed to be able to stop that from happening.

The following verse in particular, reflects Nigel’s frame of mind throughout most of the book:

“search for personality, I look for things I cannot see
Love and peace flash through my mind,
pain and hate is all I find
Find no hope in nothing new
and I never had a dream come true
Lies and hate and agony, through my eyes that’s all I see”

It’s a dark book, and Nigel’s emotions are dark. The line, “How will I laugh tomorrow, when I can’t even smile today?” just sums up everything that Nigel is feeling.

Originally, I used the song “Born to be Wild” as the song Nigel was playing before the life changing event happened. But one day I was listening to “How Will I Laugh Tomorrow…” and I posted a link to Twitter. One of my Twitter friends tweeted and said how much he loved this song and that it was probably his favourite ever. It started me thinking how much I had always loved this song, and when I went back to editing Haunted, which I was in the process of doing at the time, it suddenly occurred to me that this song would be perfect because the angry dark tone of the lyrics really suited Nigel’s state of mind.

Buy links!
Amazon UK

Amazon.com

Lulu.com

Connect with Maria — you’ll be glad you did!
My website

Twitter

Facebook Author Page

I’ve known Maria Savva for a couple of years now. She’s really cool, very grounded, and is into the BEST music out there. She’s from the UK, so catching her on Twitter can be tough. She’s got a soft spot for Rock Fiction and connects to more authors than I do, which makes me not like her so much sometimes. And she writes like a dream.

So, of course, when she released her new book, Coincidences, I HAD to ask her what song makes her think of her book.

Maria, take it away:

Searching by Joe Satriani (link is to a fan-made video)

Coincidences is all about Alice’s search for her father, who left home when she was a baby, so the title of the tune ‘Searching’ is very fitting. It’s an instrumental, which I think goes well with them theme of the book because Alice does not really tell anyone about much of the things that lead up to her deciding to search for her father, it all stays in her mind, unspoken. The tune contains some uptempo parts, and also more brooding and melancholic melodies which reflects Alice’s changing moods in the book: sometimes she feels very excited at the prospect of finding her father, but then at times, she is let down and disillusioned. There are also parts of the tune that sound, to me, almost like inner conflict, which is what Alice has to face up to in the course of her search for her father.

Joe Satriani??? I TOLD you Maria’s into the best music ever!

Book blurb:

Secrets, lies and coincidences abound in this story of a young girl looking for her father. Alice, now twenty-one years old, is determined to find her father who left home when she was just a baby, despite a warning from her mother that she should not look for him. Her mother’s secretiveness over the subject is because of the guilt she feels about keeping the truth from Alice. It will take all of Alice’s courage to persevere in her search. There are doubts and uncertainties at every turn. Coincidences is a story about following your dreams and staying on the path no matter how difficult the circumstances may become.

Yes? Yes!

Go pick this one up and connect with Maria via the following links. You won’t be disappointed!

Amazon UK
Amazon.com
Lulu.com

My website
Twitter
Facebook Author Page

So WHAT if today’s the last day of September. Rocktober begins in less than 24 hours, and I am EXCITED. I’ve got posts scheduled to go here and over at Rocks ‘n Reads.

Come join the fun, will ya? Celebrate the collision of music and books however you see fit. Come on back here or over to the West of Mars Fans page over at Facebook and share what you’re up to. If you’ve got a link, leave it and I’ll add it to this post. No link? Who cares, so long as you’re rockin’ with me!

Oh, and since I’m nice and kind and stuff, check out the price discounts on my books, at Smashwords and Amazon. All month long — just to make sure YOUR Rocktober rocks along with mine.

Friends Rocking with me:
Misty at The Top Shelf hosts Jeremy Wagner for a guest blog post.
Jill Elizabeth at All Things Jill Elizabeth is giving away a copy of Voice.
Mary at BookHounds found a book called Metal Rules the Globe. I think these authors are smart.
Not out yet, this is one to covet. A graphic novel about the Sex Pistols. Mary at Bookhounds brings us this goodness, too.
My friend Maria Savva is joining the fun.
Necromancy Never Pays reviewed Trevor’s Song. And what a review it is!
More from Mary at Bookhounds — a mystery box giveaway!
Misty at The Top Shelf has decided to interview musicians about their favorite books. Check out the first in this new series, featuring Derek Martinez.
Julia Smith at A Piece of My Mind does a Five for Friday with a shoutout to me and Wylie Kinson.

ETA: I forgot to mention this one! I’m over at Quackers and Tease today, giving away a free download of Trevor’s Song. Even if you’ve already got a copy, why not help spread the word? My royalty statements will thank you!

To celebrate Groundhog Day and Punxy Phil not seeing his shadow (guess those vibes I sent as we drove home from our sledding weekend took hold), Lulu is offering a 20% off sale today (the second) and tomorrow (the third) only.

Here’s the link to my Lulu page. If you’re an author with a Lulu page, link it up in the comments and I’ll include it here.

If you’re a reader who still loves the print (versus the e-book), go! Buy! Have at it!

Use coupon code NOSHADOW305.

Check out these authors and add ’em to your shopping cart:
Paul Mansfield Keefe
My good friend Maria Savva