It's official. We're doing it. Third annual Horror Book Fest here we come. Last year's event was fun. We expect this year's fest will be even better. We're keeping the same venue because it worked nicely. But the presenters are all new. Not saying what we have lined up yet. But soon. Very, very soon. And let's just say, that picture you see, it's a hint.
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I was born with an interest in ghosts. As a kid, if a story had a ghost in it, I wanted to hear it. In putting my talk together, I realized four things influenced and developed this interest.The first is a short story titled “Georgie.” Georgie is the original friendly ghost. The tale was in my beloved childhood anthology, “The Tall Book of Make-Believe.” I must have read that story a hundred times. I started naming pets Georgie, too.
Another influence is a poem titled “The Highwayman.” In it, lovers are willing to die for each other and in doing so become ghosts who will be together for all eternity. To my young mind, ghosts were romantic. In sixth grade, my class had to memorize the poem, “The House with Nobody in It.” We had to punctuate it correctly, too. But that’s not the point. The second stanza of the poem laments that the house “wouldn’t be so lonely if it had a ghost or two.” Once again, ghosts are viewed as something positive. And finally, as a thirteen-year-old, I read “Rebecca.” If you know the story, you know there is no ghost per se in the book. But Rebecca is such a force to be reckoned with, her memory haunts the living. The book haunted me. Maybe I love to be haunted and that’s what I try to do with my novels: write stories that will haunt the reader. I’ve been asked to come back to Menifee and give my “Ghosts in Literature” talk in September. Of course, I said yes. I had fun updating this trailer. Better pictures. Enjoy. Since I write in the paranormal genre, October seems to be the perfect month to market. The truth is, you have to market every month, but October is great fun. So, I have book signing events set up for every weekend. Last weekend was a craft fair in Barstow. I guess they had their lowest turnout of foot traffic ever. But, I'll tell you. With airshows and chili cook offs and a lot of other events going on in the area, a craft fair still attracted a few. Saturday was better than Sunday. Three different people bought Bouquet of Lies, which is not a paranormal novel. The next day, after taking a look at the book, a lady returned to tell me she really liked what she saw and bought The Secret of Lucianne Dove, Chapel Playhouse and The Accordo -- even though scary is not her thing. Even without a lot of book sales, it's good to stay visable, hand out cards and stay active. Next weekend is The Desert Rocks show in Hesperia. I'm look forward to it. Marketing books is hard work. Thinking outside the box a friend (Michael Raff) and I formed Nevermore Enterprises to market our books. One of the results is Horror Book Fest, a celebration of the horror/paranormal genres. We put on our first festival last year and did it again this year, bigger and better. On the slate was Julie Adams, a wonderful actress who is well known for The Creature from the Black Lagoon. But she has done so much more than that. She has an amazing body of work. We also had E Van Lowe who is an award winning writer. Attendance was bigger this year and we had six book vendors in addition to me and Michael. Because Michael and I shot videos for the event, we almost literally lived this event for nine months. You can see more pictures of the event at www.horrorbookfest.com Horror Book Fest is almost here! It was listed as the number one thing to do in our area this weekend. I'm excited to debut my video "Norman Loves Lavinia" which is based on a scene from my book The "Accordo." If you like horror and the paranormal and haven't read it, read the reviews. See if you might like to give it a try. I love this review. It's thoughtful, funny and gave me good insight into how to improve my writing for next time. Official Review: Dreamer of Downing StreetPost Number:#1 by bookowlie » 03 Sep 2015, 12:53
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dreamer of Downing Street" by Roberta L. Smith.] 3 out of 4 starsReview by bookowlieShare This Review A psychic, a murder, and Denver in 1944! The Dreamer of Downing Street by Roberta L. Smith certainly caught my attention. It is a prequel to the author’s Mickey McCoy series and categorized in the Crime/Mystery/Thriller Fiction genre. Ever since he was a child, Franklin “Frank” Powell has had “knowings” or psychic thoughts. He also can hear what other people are thinking. When he grows up, he puts these talents to good use, setting up shop as a psychic. Thankfully, he uses his gift to try to stop bad acts in advance. With the help of his friend Mike, a policeman, Frank investigates a decades-old crime in order to exonerate his mother. Add a few ghosts, a parolee brother, and a complicated love life to the mix and the stage is set for this historical mystery. Frank is a likeable yet flawed character. His crush on a tavern proprietor, Dinah, and his caring for his clients gives him a grounded, realistic feel, despite his supernatural abilities. He also has a few cute quirks, such as saying “La la la” over and over to drown out the voices in his head. The minor characters are given a clear backstory and personality so that you feel like you know them well. The only exception is Frank’s girlfriend Winnie, who I didn’t get a good sense of. It seemed like she was just inserted in the story here and there. The author’s casual writing style is peppered with sophisticated phrasing and a subtle, dry humor. I like that Mike gains information at different points, but is not a sidekick in an overwhelming way. In fact, Frank finds more on his own through his psychic talents and the help of two ghosts. The author doesn’t hit the reader over the head with the cliché of a policeman friend as a plot device. The Denver setting is a subtle backdrop. There are scattered references to hiking places, the Old Mill Tunnel of Love fire, and a few streets and buildings, but overall I didn’t really get a distinct sense of place. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it allows the reader to focus on the plot. It did take me a little while to get into the plot due to the jumps between time periods and subplots. The story begins with a vignette from Frank’s childhood and then jumps forward to 20 years later. Then Frank leaves his body for a long passage and goes back in time to chat with Mrs. Tabor, a troubled woman he met as a child. After a few chapters, the time period stayed constant for longer stretches. The main storyline is inventive, not only the crux of it but all the neat little details. Frank is able to know when a familiar ghost is in the room as the temperature drops significantly and the scent of tobacco fills the air. I also enjoyed the way the author reveals the initial clues, alternating between actual childhood memories and psychic thoughts. The pacing is slow at times. The side stories about Dinah, Frank’s client Bessie, his ex-wife, and Mrs. Tabor are interesting. However, these subplots often throw the central storyline off track. I found myself wondering, “When are we going to get back to the mystery?” Frank’s mother and brother are sitting in jail and almost forgotten on the back burner for a long period. During large chunks of the book, Frank’s “house ghost” keeps the mystery from completely falling off the radar, but just barely. This book has earned 3 out of 4 stars. In spite of the busy plot, I enjoyed the story. There are several neat twists that made me smile or sit up with a jolt, although the “few-too-many” turns became a little dizzying in the last third of the book. Mystery readers and anyone who appreciates quirky characters and benevolent ghosts will find this a worthwhile read. As for the naysayers, Frank would say, “La la la.”
I have a print book giveaway going through September 14, 2015.
Goodreads Book GiveawayThe Dreamer of Downing Streetby Roberta L. SmithGiveaway ends September 14, 2015. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. On Tuesday, July 14, 2015, at 11:30 am, I'll be giving my talk at the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce about my two times great grandfather's experience in the American Civil War. The talk lasts about a half an hour. I hope those of you who are interested in this topic and live close will be able to attend. The photo I've included with this post is well known. My grandfather was a member of the 124th Illinois Regiment and was part of the fight at this site during the Siege of Vicksburg. The Chamber's address is 16010 Apple Valley Rd., Apple Valley, CA |
Here goes . . .I write novels. I've written screenplays, short stories, newsletters, business communications and articles. I'm not great at thank you notes. My sister is, but she doesn't know it. I'm not much for blogging. Don't have something to say worth reading everyday. But this is a blog and we'll see what turns up. Archives
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