I’m so excited to be one of the many tour hosts sharing information about Deer Among Wolves!
Deer Among Wolves(A World in Ruin Book 1) by Rebecca Fernfield Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Survival
An extinction-level plague was only the beginning
Sixteen years have passed since an unstoppable plague ripped through the world killing billions.
A few desperate, mis-matched groups of men, women, and children found their way to a small town and learned how to survive, then thrive.
Now death is stalking them once more!
Newly appointed First Officer, Jude Sinclair, is under pressure when death follows a group of struggling survivors into town.
As the townsfolk sicken then die after a short, painful illness, Jude is desperate to learn how to stop the disease and save the town from extinction.
Deacon Carlisle lost everyone he loved to the plague and then ruthless survivors, now all he wants is to protect his new family and escape the infected town, but the unthinkable happens when his son disappears.
With the sickness claiming lives, and the boy missing, Jude and Deacon must rely on their own ingenuity to discover the truth, and save everyone they love.
Does Jude have what it takes to protect the town from its invisible enemy?
Can Deacon rise to the challenge of saving his son?
What is the truth behind the deaths and the boy’s disappearance?
‘Deer Among Wolves’ is book 1 in ‘A World in Ruin’, a series of action-packed and intriguing tales of life after the apocalypse.
British author, Rebecca Fernfield, is a lapsed medievalist who spends her days plotting the overthrow of evil regimes and devising intricate plans to rescue their victims. She’s also given to flights of fancy about the end of the world and what she’d do if supermarkets suddenly ran out of chocolate, wine and other essentials. She lives among the flatlands of the Humber estuary where Vikings and Saxons once fought and where, sometimes, on foggy mornings, you can still hear the echoes of clashing swords.
I’m excited to welcome James Murdo, author of ‘Siouca Remembers‘ to my blog today.
Author James Murdo
Let’s start by finding out a little bit about you…
Where do you call home?
London, UK. Brought up mostly in Highgate but I’ve lived all around. I’ve also just received Irish citizenship (very topical).
What is your family like?
Brilliant, argumentative (at times) and understanding. I’m fortunate to have a great family and we’re all very close.
If it doesn’t bother you, can you let us know what your childhood home looked like?
We moved from a flat to a house when I was 5. I remember the flat being enormous with the biggest garden imaginable. Turns out, it was tiny. The house we moved to was great – near parks, good transport, and more importantly, my siblings and I had our own bedrooms (finally!). Only thing that bothered me was the central heating. I can assure you it never ever worked.
Do you have any hobbies, other than writing? What do you enjoy doing?
Exercise, rock climbing, increasingly healthy eating (intermittently punctuated by periods of regression), comedy…
What is your greatest dream?
To go to space. I’m ambivalent about going to another planet in comparison with living in space itself. I wish I’d studied Asteroid Mining.
What is the most terrible thing that ever happened to you?
Family illnesses.
What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?
I became enamoured with reading during a family holiday when I was very young. Everyone else was out in the sun, but I was captivated. I devoured anything, although I had an affinity for ghost stories. My older sibling bought me “The Algebraist” (Iain M Banks, my favourite author who I often bang on about) from a local bookshop for an early birthday, precipitating my love of sci-fi, my degree (Physics), and a significant part of my mindset.
Who is your role model?
A lot of people, but – apologies for the cliché – my parents.
What is your greatest fear?
Day-to-day, spiders.
Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hard-covers or audio-books?
Used to prefer paperbacks (or hardbacks), tried e-books and found my reading experience unchanged. I understand some people are averse to them, but for me, they work. I like volume and instant reading gratification; I don’t like waiting for books to arrive. I am still waiting to be fully converted to audio-books, I love the good ol’ radio too much.
What is your opinion of novellas?
I prefer lengthier books as I like to become completely immersed for as long as possible, and I read very fast. Some say I skim, and that would be fair.
Have you ever read a book just based on its cover?
Of course.
What is your favorite film based on a book?
LOTR. Looking forward to more.
What is your favorite book genre at the moment?
Space opera!
What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara. My mother recommended it. Paperback actually!
If you could invite any four (4) celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why?
Not to cop out, but there would be so many, and this would depend on what second of the day I thought about it, the weather, the news, so much. Sorry. Da Vinci definitely, though. He’d make it every time. Probably a Neanderthal too, although fame-wise, not sure…
Let’s shift somewhat and talk about your latest story.
What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or fewer words, what would you say?
‘Siouca Remembers’: A cerebral part-space opera, part-epic fantasy spanning time and space. A first contact story twisted and on steroids.
Is the above book part of a series?
Short answer, no. It’s part of the ‘Wanderer Universe’, of which there are currently 6 books. There’s the ‘Wanderers series’ (currently consisting of 3 sequential books: Gil’s World, Searching the Void, Infinite Eyes), and 3 independent/standalone books (Long Paradise, Fractured Carapace, Siouca Remembers).
Did you listen to any particular songs while writing your book(s)?
Lots that happen to appear on the radio, some that I reserve when trying to write chapters in a certain style, and often silence.
How did you come up with the title for your book(s)?
I thought about it for a long time, solicited the opinions of family and beta readers. Siouca is an important character.
In your latest novel, who is the lead character and can you tell us a little about him/her?
I have a few, some AI, some biological, and some in between. My style of writing is mosaic-like which can take some getting used to, but everything always comes together in a satisfying conclusion (I hope). That’s why I like to caveat that it’s “cerebral sci-fi” – not to toot my own horn, but to emphasise the multiple storylines. I sometimes also say “hard sci-fi”, although I’ve found that term can be a little ambiguous and not too well known amongst readers.
What’s a positive quality that your character is unaware that he or she has?
For Siouca – respect for life.
Will readers like or dislike this character?
Like. Probably.
What first gave you the idea for your latest book?
Lots of different things inspired me. Irodiel (one of the characters) was part-conceived following a dream.
Let’s talk now about your writing process.
What is your writing style like? Are you a pantster or a plotter?
It varies, but I only have the vaguest plots. Anything more is a waste of time for me, as I constantly alter and re-write them when I have new exciting ideas. I like to keep most of the plotting in my head – which somehow works out alright.
Have you come across any specific challenges in writing or publishing? What would you do differently the next time?
The writing itself – it comes in clumps and I need to be inspired (internally). I’m envious of writers who talk about aiming for 1,000 or 10,000 words a day. For me, the story comes when it comes.
Are you a self-published/Indie author or did you publish through a traditional publishing company?
Self-published/Indie.
If you’re a self-published/Indie author what made you go that route instead of the traditional publishing route?
A few factors, but for simplicity: time and expedience.
What’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
Write more, worry about promotion less. I still need to follow that advice.
What advice would you give someone who wants to start writing?
Don’t think, just do.
Where can your readers follow you? Please list links to any applicable websites and/or social media accounts.
As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Young Adult selections for March 2020!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the cover image, the title or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
When you purchase a book using a link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission.All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Fiction selections for March 2020!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the cover image, the title or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Vekkia Rechargeable 6 Warm LED Book-Light, 3000K Eye-Care Easy Clip on Lamp Reading in Bed, 3 Brightness, Up to 60 Hrs, 2.1 oz Light-weight. Perfect for Bookworms
When you purchase a book using a link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission.All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Young Adult selections for February 2020!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the cover image, the title or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
#1 One of Use Is Next
by Karen M. McManus
In this sequel to “One of Us Is Lying,” a deadly game of truth or dare via text now plagues the students of Bayview High.
When you purchase a book using a link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission.All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Fiction selections for February 2020!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the [BUY IT HERE] button.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
#1 Little Fires Everywhere
by Celeste Ng
An artist with a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo upends a quiet town outside Cleveland.
Winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Nine people drawn to trees for different reasons fight for the last of the remaining acres of virgin forest.
When you purchase a book using a link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission.All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
THE INSTANT #1 BESTSELLER IS NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK!
FEATURED ON 60 MINUTES and FRESH AIR
“So surprising and moving and true that I became completely unstrung.” – The New York Times
Named a best book of the year by: TheNew York Times, NPR, TIME, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Entertainment Weekly, Southern Living, Publishers Weekly, BookPage,A.V. Club, Bustle, BuzzFeed, Vulture, and many more!
JOHN GREEN, the acclaimed author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, returns with a story of shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.
Aza Holmes never intended to pursuethe disappearance of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Pickett’s son Davis.
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.
I knew nothing about this book, other than what was stated in the Amazon description, when I started reading it. It was a book club selection and probably one I wouldn’t have picked for myself otherwise. With that said, I am very glad I read it. I enjoyed it way more than I expected to.
STORY (★★★★★): In a nutshell, this story is about Aza Holmes, a young girl who suffers from a mental disorder that keeps her trapped in an inward spiral of her own thoughts, as she struggles to live a normal life. We get to see a glimpse into Aza’s life, watching/reading as she learns new things about herself and life, pushes her best friend away, finds love, looses love, and fights internally to decide what is right and what is wrong.
There is also a secondary storyline weaved throughout Aza’s story, that is of the missing billionaire. Ok, maybe it isn’t so much about him, but more about the two sons he has left behind; Davis and Noah. Davis, a long-lost friend of Aza’s and Noah, his little brother, are living in a mansion alone because their mother abandoned them when they were younger and their father has disappeared.
John Green is a wonderful storyteller. He knows his characters inside and out. The way he writes Aza is so detailed its as if he is literally in her head. Or, maybe it’s the other way around. The way he ties the two storylines together is seamless and beautiful. I think there could have been more about the missing dad, allowing us to relate to that family a bit more, but he gave the reader, and Aza, just enough to understand what the boys were going through and how to react.
WRITING (★★★★★): John Green’s writing style is fluid and easy. His chapters flow from one to the other with little, if any, breaks. Everything feels cohesive and complete. I think I read this one over a five-day period in about three sittings. I have no complaints about his style and would definitely pick up another book. In fact, I have my eyes on Paper Towns next.
CHARACTERS (★★★★): I loved the characters of Davis and Noah, honestly, I wanted to get to know them more. Aza, the lead character, was very well written, but I couldn’t relate to her in any way. Her anxieties and OCD behaviors were so realistic and well developed, but her constant negative self-talk and obsessions with her inner thoughts drove me a little crazy. Maybe that was the plan… maybe the author wanted the reader to feel a little trapped in Aza’s constant thought spiral, trapped so that we could experience what she feels. However, for me, her thought spirals were the reason I’d put the book and take a break. I needed a little time away from the negativity, second guessing, and often disturbing thoughts.
APPEARANCE (★★★★): I have the paperback, and it is a pretty simple cream-colored cover with large black lettering and an orange spiral. Again, I probably wouldn’t have picked this one up and read it, if it hadn’t been for book club, the cover just doesn’t really pull me in. The cover just doesn’t do justice to the story inside.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
“Your now is not your forever.”
“Anybody can look at you. It’s quite rare to find someone who sees the same world you see.”
“No one ever says good-bye unless they want to see you again.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John Green (Photo from Author Amazon Page)
John Green is the award-winning, #1 bestselling author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, Will Grayson, Will Grayson (with David Levithan), and The Fault in Our Stars.
His many accolades include the Printz Medal, a Printz Honor, and the Edgar Award. John has twice been a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and was selected by TIME magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
With his brother, Hank, John is one half of the Vlogbrothers (youtube.com/vlogbrothers) and co-created the online educational series CrashCourse (youtube.com/crashcourse). You can join the millions who follow him on Twitter @johngreen and Instagram @johngreenwritesbooks or visit him online at johngreenbooks.com.
John lives with his family in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Also by John Green
Click on the cover image to read the book’s description and purchase your copy!
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As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Young Adult selections for January 2020!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the cover image, the title or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
When you purchase a book using a link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission.All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Fiction selections for January 2020!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the cover image, the title or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Nine people drawn to trees for different reasons fight for the last of the remaining acres of virgin forest.
When you purchase a book using a link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission.All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Fiction selections for December 2019!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the cover image, the title or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
When you purchase a book using a link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission.All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Nina Soden 