An Interview with Author Matt Drabble, Winner of The Full Moon Awards Horror Prize

Matt Drabble is the winner of The SPR Full Moon Awards 2014 Horror Prize. Matt lives in Wales and has written several horror fiction novels. His winning book Gated, the terrifying story of a couple who move into an American gated community to find solace – only to find hell, is out now.

Tell us about your winning book
“Gated” is a story about examining what perfection would be like in reality and what price we would be willing to pay for it. I think that the saying about the grass always being greener is very apt wherever we […]

Cate Baum2014-11-03T09:11:52+02:00November 3rd, 2014|Categories: Interviews|Tags: Horror Book Reviews|

Looking For A New Book Reviewer At SPR!

We are looking to recruit a part-time, freelance, professional book reviewer with the following qualifications:

1. Professional experience of at least 2 years at a PR 4 or above blog or magazine reviewing books with a minimum of twenty books reviewed – please send links to your profile

2. University – level qualification in English or associated major such as creative writing or publishing

3. First language/native English, i.e. you were born speaking English (in any country)

4. Able to write in US English according to Merriam-Webster and Chicago Manual of Style

5. You can do this job at home, […]

Cate Baum2014-11-01T04:59:39+02:00November 1st, 2014|Categories: News|

Review: The Vagabond’s Son by L.F. Falconer

the vagabond's son The Vagabond’s Son:Prelude To A Legacy by L.F. Falconer follows Adalanto, the son of vagabond Laramato, a pixie-like being from a people called the Piskitian, made with special powers and pointed ears and eyes. When Laramato sells Adalanto’s mother to an ogre, Adalanto must fend for himself and survive a merciless childhood to be strong enough to carve a life for himself. Watched by She, the Creator of these “sprites” on the Fifth Planet, i.e. Earth, he will be pushed down a path by this Fate who created him to discover his destiny, as the Creators vie for position by […]

Cate Baum2014-10-31T07:55:36+02:00October 31st, 2014|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Winners of The SPR Full Moon Awards Announced!

We are happy to announce the winners of the 2014 Full Moon Awards! In the next few weeks we will be featuring these books in our reviews and interviews section. In the meanwhile, please take a look at the lucky authors!

Horror

Winner – Matt Drabble – Gated

Michael and Emily move to Eden Gardens, a US gated community that offers “Heaven on Earth and Twice as Nice”. The people are warm and friendly and welcome them with open arms. The town is a beautiful throwback to a bygone age, where the sun always shines and the sky’s always blue.

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Cate Baum2019-04-12T14:12:25+02:00October 31st, 2014|Categories: Features|Tags: SPR Book Awards|

Eight Ways To Be A Rockstar Author

be a rockstar author

In a time of blogs and tweets and quick shots of how to, ten tips, why you, why you shouldn’t, what this means, etc. ad nauseum, it’s not enough to write a book and try and blog about it. Now, you have to own your stage. In other words, you need to be a rockstar when it comes to representing yourself online. What exactly is a rockstar author?

In Gillian Flynn’s bestselling novel “Gone Girl”, Tanner Bolt, the ‘rockstar’ lawyer hired by Nick Dunne suspected of killing his wife Amy, is having a conversation with Nick.

‘Juries love

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Cate Baum2014-11-01T04:55:55+02:00October 27th, 2014|Categories: Features|

Review: Walking Up A Slide by Daley James Francis

Dumped years ago by his college sweetheart Lila, and slightly lazy in his job going nowhere as a local hotel waiter in the same town he grew up in, Jason Chapman embarks on a quest chasing The One That Got Away when Lila sends him a wedding invite.

With no “plus one” to take along, he must spring into action with only his parents and slightly raucous and laddish best mates to assist him into firstly finding a date for the looming wedding so he doesn’t look desperate in order to impress and woo Lila out of her intended marital […]

Cate Baum2019-01-22T17:58:53+02:00October 25th, 2014|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Men's Fiction Book Reviews|

Ten Ways To Publicize Your Book You May Not Have Thought Of

You’ve tried putting your book on all the usual sites, getting reviews and talking about it on forums and still you aren’t getting the sales you imagined. What can you do to improve this situation? Here are ten lesser-known insider ways to publicize your book.

1. Engagement, engagement, engagement

engage

It’s not going to be enough to rock out a load of reviews and post your book on all the usual websites. It’s akin to spreading your wares very beautifully on a market stall that nobody can see. You’re going to have to get in deep with forums, groups and reading […]

Cate Baum2019-02-03T09:04:29+02:00October 23rd, 2014|Categories: Features|Tags: Book Promotion Articles|

Creative Commons Licensing For Authors

Recently there has been a lot of discussion about whether self-published authors need to use Creative Commons licenses for their work. This quick guide should explain how CC licenses work and when you should and should not use them.

Creative Commons is a non-profit organization that has one goal: To utilize the possibilities for access the Internet gives content creators, and that includes you.

Free, easy-to-use copyright licenses provide a simple, standardized way to give the public permission to share and use your creative work — on conditions of your choice. CC licenses let you easily change your copyright terms

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Cate Baum2021-07-30T05:20:19+02:00October 22nd, 2014|Categories: Features, Resources|