A New Hashtag: #TuesdayBookBlog

Most Twittering bloggers know about the benefits of 'blog share' days; it all started with Rachel Thompson and her fabulously successful #MondayBlogs.  Now, there is also #wwwblogs on Wednesday (Wednesday women writers), #SundayBlogShare, #ArchiveDay on Saturday, and probably others, too.

Since Rachel started #MondayBlogs, she's been battling against people using it for book promotion; her view is that you have six other days of the week to promote your books, but #MondayBlogs is about the writing itself ~ in other words, blog posts about anything other than your book!  The rule is: no book promotion of any sort on #MondayBlogs, not even third party reviews.

Because there are so many avid readers, writers and book bloggers out there who understand the benefit of blog share days, Rosie Amber's Book Review Team is introducing a new hashtag on Tuesdays, for book posts only ~ #TuesdayBookBlog.

Photo by Barb Taub

As anyone who starts a hashtag knows, the main difficulty involved is dealing with 'hashtag abuse' ~ tweeters who spot a popular hashtag and add it to any tweet, whether relevant or not.  We will do our best to limit this, but do feel free to draw anyone's attention to the rules, if you feel moved to!

The guidelines for #TuesdayBookBlog:

DO post:

• Blog posts only!
• Book reviews ~ either for your own books, or other people's, or reviews you've written on your own blog.
• Author Interviews ~ yours or others'.
• Cover reveals ~ yours or others'.
• Upcoming/new releases ~ yours or others'.
• Articles or guest posts about books/writers ~ you/yours or others'.

DO NOT post:

• Anything that isn't a blog post
• Blog posts that aren't about books/writers.
• Porn.
• Blatant promotion of an existing publication that isn't a proper article - in other words, a blog post consisting of nothing but the cover of the book, Amazon blurb and buy links.  This was one of the ways in which #MondayBlogs was abused, after people were told they couldn't use the hashtag for tweets with Amazon links; they simply stuck their Amazon links in a blog post.  Not cricket!!!

To get the most out of #TuesdayBookBlog:

• Retweet others on the hashtag and spread the word.  Hashtags only work if you do your bit, too!
• The power of Twitter is in the retweet, more than the tweet.  Hashtag retweets are never guaranteed, but do remember that the more you do, the more you are likely to get back. A while back I came across this as a Twitter rule: "An RT is better than a TY".  In other words, a retweet back is a better way of saying 'thank you for the retweet' than a tweet saying 'thank you for the RT' ;)
• We hope you will enjoy using #TuesdayBookBlog, and look forward to seeing you there :)

The Z Files: Louise Marley ~ Virgo

Astrology ~ a bit of fun, a load of rubbish, or something to take seriously?

I invited around 70 writers/bloggers to write a piece about whether or not they're typical of their zodiac sign, and how its traits affect their writing life ~ if at all...

Has your favourite writer been featured yet?  Links to all previous posts at the end of this one :)

 A thirteenth part of the Novelistas, Louise Marley is also a very helpful Virgo!  She writes romantic comedy and romantic suspense, sometimes a combination of the two, and is lucky enough to live in Wales with a view of Snowdon from her window - that'll be me with the green face:)  As we're getting near Hallowe'en I'd like to make a special mention of Louise's ghostly book, Something Wicked (click for Amazon link).

Please do tell us about your Virgo-ness, Louise :)

"Sometimes I feel being born under the sign of Virgo was some kind of cosmic joke. You see, I don’t think I’m a typical Virgo at all. Virgos are supposed to be organised and I’m the most disorganised person I know. I’ve never been on time in my entire life, including to my own wedding. But I’ve never missed a deadline either – although there was that one manuscript which went off at two minutes before midnight … So I suppose you could say being conscientious was a typical Virgo trait."

(nb: my experience of Virgos is that they are either very tidy and organised or the complete opposite!)

"Then there’s the whole ‘Virgos are tidy’ thing. My study looks like a tornado blew through it*, possibly because my idea of filing is to dump everything into a pile on the floor and just keep stepping over it. Virgos don’t mind repetitive and nitty-gritty tasks? Ha! I find repetition boring, and when I’m bored my attention wanders and I begin to dream in plots – resulting in missed appointments and burnt dinners."

"Are there any Virgo traits I will admit to? Well, there’s likes to be of service to others, because I do love to offer help and advice (whether people want it or not) and I’m very loyal. It might take me forever to decide whether I like you, but when I do I’m afraid you’re stuck with me. I’m also very honest. Um, too honest, actually. Don’t ever ask me what I ‘really’ think, unless you really, really want the answer. It’s a wonder I have any friends at all. Curiously enough though, none of them are Virgos … 

Famous Virgos? Two of my favourite singers, Beyoncé and Pink, and one of my all-time author heroes, Stephen King!"

Louise is very Virgoan on Twitter where she retweets and shares the posts of others generously.  She is a frequent blogger, and posts lots of articles about castles and places she visits, in Wales and around, with luverly pictures!  See her blog HERE.

I've already used Stephen King for a previous Virgo; instead, I'll make up the Virgo light women's fiction trio with Louise :)

Here is many chick lit lovers' favourite, Marian Keyes....

....and author of that 1980s classic, Lace, amongst others ~ Shirley Conran

Who's next?  A blogging Capricorn :)

Previous Posts:

Leo and Aries: Terry Tyler and Julia Proofreader

Leo: Anne Goodwin, Alex Johnson

Aries: Cynthia Harrison

Gemini: John Privilege, Shelley Wilson

Aquarius and Capricorn: Nicky Black

Aquarius: Cathy Ryan, Lynda Renham

Sagittarius: Rachel Amphlett, Wendy J Lennox, Katrina Mountfort

Virgo: Elizabeth Ducie, Barb Taub

Pisces: Maria Savva, Sacha Black

Scorpio: Robert Leigh, Catherine Hokin, Jenny Twist
Taurus: Valerie Poore

Cancer: Katie Oliver, Mark Barry,

Libra: Joanne B

The Z Files: Robert Leigh ~ Scorpio

Astrology ~ a bit of fun, a load of rubbish, or something to take seriously?

I invited around 70 writers/bloggers to tell me how typical of their star sign they are, and how its traits affect their writing life ~ if at all...

Has your favourite writer been featured yet?  Links to all previous posts at the end of this one :) 

Lots of people go 'ooh...!' when someone reveals that they're a Scorpio:) Those who know about such things might give the Scorpion a suggestive wink, or instantly put up their guard... certainly some characters in the terrific Retribution Trilogy by Robert Leigh need to watch their step.  Robert's an excellent writer, I've read the first two of this trilogy (they're both stand alones, no connection to each other at all) and very much look forward to the third ~ you can read my reviews of Any Man Joe and Kill Line HERE (contains Amazon links), and also his other publication, about the coffee trade in Ethiopia.  The Z Files is not essentially about book promo, but I could rave for the North East about Any Man Joe, in particular.

Hello, Robert, and welcome to The Z Files ~ please tell us about your Scorpio self!

Scorpio:

Sensual, intense, deep thinking, loyal, philosophical... but can also be cruel, dogmatic, possessive, jealous.

"Having now read over these traits for the seventh time, and considered them for a week, I would say yes, I am probably an intense thinker who has a habit of getting a little lost in deep thought. Philosophical thinking gets in the way of self-promotion. I can’t bear people trying to sell me things, so I find myself blocked by the ‘do unto others’ dogma. I really need to have a word with myself about that. 

I don’t think I’m a cruel person, but I will openly admit to cruelty to characters. I hope I never have the Breakfast of Champions moment, when my characters appear and say, ‘Rob, seriously, what the f&%k…?’  I don’t think I have created a possessive character yet, but I am certainly possessive of them – even the bad ones. I suppose I just want them to be happy." 

"Loyalty doesn’t seem to mean a lot these days, and I’ve noticed that its very concept is deemed scoff-worthy by many. So maybe loyalty between people is fading, but I think writers have to be loyal to the work. It’s the only way it ever gets done…. And there we see my dogmatic streak. 

Sensual I will leave for now in the hope that life throws me enough experiences down the line so I can explore the topic more fully at a later date.

Jealousy – oh dear, yes, in my youth, I was a horribly jealous person - particularly when it came to the successes of others. I’ve found myself less green-eyed as I’ve become older. It’s definitely a subject I’d like to write about in the future."

"Intensity – God yes. I bloody love it. The more intense the better. Much like anger, I see it as fuel. As a project runs onto the home straight, the intensity builds to a point where I shut everything else out. My girlfriend, family, friends – none of them get a look-in. I zone out completely, nothing but pages and keyboards. The only colours I see are the bright fluorescents of highlighter pens. It’s addictive – or at least it is to me.  I’ll admit it’s probably not healthy."

That was all fairly Scorpion, I think you'll agree ... Thanks Robert; you can follow him on Twitter where you'll see another black and white photo of him with his eyes hidden (how Scorpio is that!), and you can take a look at his three books on Amazon via the link in the introductory paragraph.

I chose two ostensibly very different Scorpio writers, though maybe they have a few things in common (and with Robert, maybe...).

.... first, the man whose work explores human psychology in the troubled 

atmosphere of 19th-century Russia ~ Fyodor Dostoevsky

.. and music/media journalist unafraid of airing his opinions, 

who also writes novels about 'new men' ~ Tony Parsons

 

Up Next:  An exceedingly helpful Virgo!

Previous Posts:

Leo and Aries: Terry Tyler and Julia Proofreader

Leo: Anne Goodwin, Alex Johnson

Aries: Cynthia Harrison

Gemini: John Privilege, Shelley Wilson,

Aquarius and Capricorn: Nicky Black

Aquarius: Cathy Ryan, Lynda Renham

Sagittarius: Rachel Amphlett, Wendy J Lennox, Katrina Mountfort,

Cancer: Katie Oliver, Mark Barry

Virgo: Elizabeth Ducie, Barb Taub,

Pisces: Maria Savva, Sacha Black

Scorpio:Catherine Hokin, Jenny Twist,

Taurus: Valerie Poore

Libra: Joanne B

The Z Files: Rachel Amphlett ~ Sagittarius

Astrology ~ a bit of fun, a load of rubbish, or something to take seriously?

I invited around 70 writers/bloggers to write a piece about how typical they are of their sign, and how its traits affect their writing life ~ if at all...

Has your favourite writer been featured yet?  Links to all previous posts at the end of this one :)

Zipping over on a long haul flight from Australia, in true Sagittarian traveller mode (in fact, her Twitter bio says 'traveller at heart'!), is thriller and suspense author Rachel Amphlett.  Rachel's new book, Three Lives down, is now available for pre-order HERE, or on Nook,  Barnes and Noble, Kobo and iTunes ~ sadly no link for the last one as I haven't got a clue how to find things on there!  I've bought it recently, as someone who has already read it told me that it's stunningly good ~ watch my book review blog :)

 
Now, Rachel, please take the pack off your back and tell us what being a Sagittarius, that most fortunate and optimistic of signs, is like for you ~
 

"I laughed when I read the opening line to this one. (NB: Rachel refers to the list of traits I sent to all contributors)

"From playing in a band, to running a pub, to starting a new career in radio, to emigrating halfway round the world from the UK to Australia, to starting another new career as an author – yeah, that takes optimism, and a sense of adventure.  

It helps to keep a sense of humour, too, especially when life isn’t so much handing you lemons as chucking well-aimed ones at your head.

Am I a philosopher? I definitely think too much, and crave the stimulation that comes from learning new skills. 

To me ‘carefree’ sounds a bit too irresponsible; I’m more of a calculated risk-taker. I like to weigh up all my options, do my homework, and then pick the best one. I never purchase anything on impulse. OK, maybe the odd guitar or book…"

"I’d like to think that I’m generous and sincere. People that know me understand that if they’ve got me for a friend, they’ve got me as a friend for life. I’ll fight their corner for them, help them out of a tight spot wherever possible, and am usually the one they turn to for a shoulder to cry on, and I wouldn’t change any of that for the world. 

Finally, I do think I have an eagerness for life and everything it chucks at me. I love the fact I can go anywhere, do anything, whenever I want. I think too many of us forget sometimes how lucky we are to be able to have that freedom."

The last sentence is very Sagittarianly philosophical, of course :)  You can follow Rachel on Twitter and read about her suspenseful thrillers on her website  ~ ooh, look, and when you click on, you can claim a free copy of her book, Under Fire!

Rachel's new book, Three Lives Down.

 

I hope I've chosen suitable December born writers to hike the Sagittarian mountain trail with Rachel ~

... travel writer and all round fab guy, Bill Bryson...

...and trendsetting Sex and the City creator, Candace Bushnell!

 

Up Next: Scorpio

Previous Posts:

Leo and Aries: Terry Tyler and Julia Proofreader

Leo: Anne Goodwin, Alex Johnson

Aries: Cynthia Harrison

Gemini: John Privilege, Shelley Wilson

Aquarius and Capricorn: Nicky Black

Aquarius: Cathy Ryan, Lynda Renham

Sagittarius: Wendy J Lennox, Katrina Mountfort

Virgo: Elizabeth Ducie, Barb Taub

Pisces: Maria Savva, Sacha Black

Scorpio: Catherine Hokin, Jenny Twist
Taurus:  Val Poore

Cancer: Katie Oliver, Mark Barry
Libra : Joanne B 

The Z Files: Maria Savva ~ Pisces

Astrology ~ a bit of fun, a load of rubbish, or something to take seriously?

I invited around 70 writers/bloggers to write a piece about whether or not they're typical of their sign, and how its traits affect their writing life ~ if at all...

Has your favourite writer been featured yet?  Links to all previous posts at the end of this one :) 

Look what I've reeled in with my bait today ~ a big welcome for  Pisces novelist and short story writer, and one of the nicest and most helpful people I've met on Twitter, Maria Savva.  She has recently rewritten one of her first novels, and it's also been revamped and republished:  A Time To Tell.  You can find it on Amazon along with its very Piscean cover!

So, Maria, float out from behind that coral, shake off the seaweed and tell us about your Piscean self!

Creative, intuitive, artistic, musically inclined, soft, malleable, forgiving.... but also weak, can live too much in fantasy world, prone to escapism sometimes in form of drink or drugs, can be dishonest, but live so much in fantasy world that they believe own lies.

"I’ve always been interested in astrology. When I was a teenager I read “Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs” and it really made sense to me, so since then I’ve leaned towards believing that there’s some truth in it all. I even made my own birth chart once. I know that I have a Leo moon and that my rising sign is Taurus."

"I think I’m a fairly typical Piscean. I’ve always been quite shy, which is a typical trait. Creativity has always been a major thing for me. I loved art at school and, of course, creative writing. I’d say I’m very intuitive and tend to follow my feelings more than anything else. I have a wild imagination and I admit I probably do live too much in a fantasy world. I am a dreamer. I can totally believe something for ages and then have a ‘wake up’ moment realising it was not at all true. It’s Neptune’s influence, apparently—the planet that rules Pisces and is the master of illusion. I love having such a vivid imagination as it lends itself well to writing fiction, but it can sometimes mean the line between reality and fantasy in my own life sometimes becomes blurry. It’s fine though, as I’ve never been much of a fan of reality! :)"

I think Maria even looks Piscean - ooh look, and she's sitting by the sea!  You can find out more about her and her numerous books on her website (there are several novels of assorted genres, and she's written short story collections of her own, as well as contributing to various anthologies), and follow her on Twitter, where she is a great retweeter and supporter of others' work.  And let's not forget her music blog on the UK Arts Directory!

I was a bit stumped when choosing famous Pisces writers for Maria, as her work goes across the board (thus, the mutable fish), so I chose two completely different ones:

....Victorian poet, born in County Durham, Elizabeth Barrett Browning

.... and American chick lit author Emily Giffin:)

Coming next time: Sagittarius

Previous Posts (click on the writer's name to view):

Leo and Aries: Terry Tyler and Julia Proofreader

Leo: Anne Goodwin, Alex Johnson

Aries: Cynthia Harrison

Gemini: John Privilege, Shelley Wilson

Aquarius and Capricorn: Nicky Black

Aquarius: Lynda Renham, Cathy Ryan

Sagittarius: Wendy J Lennox, Katrina Mountfort

Cancer: Mark Barry, Katie Oliver

Virgo: Elizabeth Ducie, Barb Taub

Pisces: Sacha Black

Scorpio: Catherine Hokin, Jenny Twist

Taurus: Val Poore
Libra:  Joanne B