See Lizzie Read's 5 Minute High Five with N.E.David Pt. 1

Hello Readers!!,
        I have an exciting new post for you today! An Interview with Author N.E. David, author of such novellas as Feria, Carol's Christmas, and A Day at the Races!
     You may have noticed that the title says "5 Minute High Five". This is because the format for interviews has changed! From now on (unless special circumstances dictate otherwise) I will ask authors 5 questions that should only take readers 5 minutes to read! :) You may also have noticed that it says "Part 1". That is because Mr. David has agreed to do 2 interviews for See Lizzie Read! In part 1, I asked Mr. David about himself, his blog, his writing career, and more so that you could get to know him! Here's what he said:

1. You started writing at 21, but changed to financial services as a career for many years. What made you decide to return to writing?

     A. Yes, I did start writing at 21 but it was never a career choice at that time. And the truth is, I made a complete hash of it first time round and made some fundamental mistakes - which I intend not to repeat now. So I took a step back and then the need to earn a living got in the way and it was another 33 years before I got back to it. But it was the desire to pick up where I'd left off that got me going again - and I knew it was time to pack up Financial Services when I found the most interesting thing in Money Marketing was the Sudoku.

2.You have a blog on your website devoted to your journey to becoming a recognised author. What do you hope readers will learn/glean from your blog?

     A. The idea that readers of my blog should learn/glean anything from it has never occurred to me - I have no desire to 'teach' anyone anything - and I suppose I must apply the same philosophy as I do about my other writing. My main concern is to entertain and I have no personal or political message to convey. My readers must take what they will from my blog as they do from my books, be that inspiration or, sometimes, disgust or depression. I have no desire to change their view of the world, only to help them see it.

3. Your novellas cover a wide range of subjects. Where do you find inspiration for your stories?
     A. Mostly by observing what goes on around me - there's so much to tell! I went to a Writers Group meeting recently and sat next to a very pleasant lady who said she was determined to be a writer but didn't know what to write about. I don't think I could be a writer if I didn't have something I deperately wanted to say. Sometimes I burst with ideas and I can't wait to get them down on paper. I do have an 'ideas' file with odd things in it eg. a newspaper article about a WWII soldier's bag found preserved in the desert with a letter in it; an Order of Service for a funeral; a photograph of two people walking along the promenade in 1950's Weston-Super-Mare. My great regret is that I will never have the time to write all their stories.

4. Where do you hope to see yourself in the next few years in respect to your writing career?
     A. The short answer to that is - published. The long answer involves being able to set down the eight novel length pieces I have in my head while I still have time. Four of these are written in some form or another and I hope to have the first of these available next year. I'm currently working on the second. The novellas are a bit of fun and not to be taken too seriously - starters if you like while the main course is yet to come.

5. What advice would you give to a young writer on how to start their own writing career?

     A. It would be presumptious of me to give anyone advice. All I can tell you is that you will know inside yourself whether you want to write or not and if so, you should do it. If you're young and starting out, think carefully about genre. I think there are some genres you can write for at an early age. I personally found it impossible to write literary fiction at 21 because I hadn't done enough, hadn't read enough and hadn't practised writing enough. Here I am all those years later and it's still difficult. Now we're back to question one!


     There you have it readers! An inside look at the mind of Mr. N.E. David! I'm willing to bet that now you're wondering about part 2. Well, In Part 2 I am going to talk with Mr. David about one of his holiday novellas, Carol's Christmas. With Christmas on its way in just about 6 weeks, you may want to purchase this book, or any of Mr. David's other novellas, for your loved ones as gifts, or just as an early present to yourself! Either way, you're sure to love them!

A special thanks to Mr. N.E. David for taking time out of his busy schedule to do an interview!

Until Next time,
               Lizzie <3

To buy N.E. David's books:

http://www.nedavid.com/books/


Follow Mr. David on Twitter!:

www.twitter.com/NEDavidAuthor

Or visit his website and follow his blog!:

http://www.nedavid.com




**See Lizzie Read is now on FACEBOOK! Have a look at the new page devoted to the blog at www.facebook.com/SeeLizzieRead !**

The Champion by Carla Capshaw!

Hello Bookworms!

     I have finished a wonderful book and I just had to share it with you all!! It’s called The Champion and it is written by Carla Capshaw. This particular book is set in ancient Rome and it is one of three of Mrs. Chapshaw’s books that are set in that time period. But don’t panic, they are three separate stories not three parts of one story. J

Summary:

TIberia the younger, or Tibi, is the second daughter of Tiberius. Tiberius wanted a son and He didn’t get one. As a result, it seems that Tibi cannot earn anything but her father’s scorn. Now that Tibi is older, it is time for her to be married. Marriage is, supposedly, one of the few things that Tibi could do to “be of use” to her family. However, after four failed engagements, Tibi’s father has lost his patience with her and has decided to make her become a priestess in the temple so that she can “be of some use” to the family. Tibi would rather risk death than to become a temple priestess to a false “goddess” that she has never really believed in….so she does. Tibi makes a run for it earning herself death threats from her father. Tibi knows her father’s temper and that he really might go through with it. Tibi needs a champion. Desperate, Tibi turns to the only person who might shelter her until her christian cousins are in town…Alexius, champion gladiator of Rome. Can a frightened girl from a violent home trust a man known for killing and maiming others in the Coliseum? What happens next is more than Tibi bargained for and more than she had ever dreamed possible. 

Review:

            Readers this book is amazing!!! You will NOT be sorry you read it!! This is the first Carla Capshaw book I have ever read and I have been instantly transformed into a Carla Capshaw Fan!! Mrs. Capshaw’s fast paced plot line and colorful characters will keep your eyes glued to the page and your mind racing! And not only is Mrs. Capshaw a master at love stories, but at suspense also! I can confess that I would read 100 pages at a time and not even realize how much time had passed because I was so engrossed in what was happening in the book! I stayed on the edge of my seat! I give The Champion 5 bookmarks and strongly recommend it to all looking for a good, old fashioned love story that will keep you guessing! The Champion by Carla Capshaw is without a doubt, one of the best new romantic stories released in any genre!

 

To buy "The Champion" by Carla Capshaw:

Books-A-Million:
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Champion/Carla-Capshaw/Q442244062?id=5362413321527

 

Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Champion-Love-Inspired-Historical/dp/0373828799

Carla Capshaw LOVES to hear from her readers! Readers are encouraged to go to www.carlacapshaw.com or write to her at Carla@carlacapshaw.com

Other Books By Carla Capshaw:
http://www.carlacapshaw.com/books.html

Until next time,

                    Lizzie <3

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

Hello bookworms!,
            I have a new book review for you today! I recently read Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell and I wanted to share it with you all!


Summary:
       Cranford is a town run by "amazons". There are hardly any men in the town and the women like it that way. But how can a town survive with only women in it during a time when men own and run everything and marriage is the primary means of stability for women? Well the women of Cranford have figured it out. As in all small towns, everyone knows everyone's business. So what do a death, a mysterious conjorur (Signor Brunoni), and a missing brother have to do with the ever proper, yet sometimes odd, ladies of Cranford? Find out by reading Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell!

Review:
    I truly enjoyed Cranford. I originally became interested by watching the Cranford series with Dame Judi Dench in it on PBS. After finding out that Cranford was in fact a book, I wanted to read it. So, the first opportunity I had to buy a copy, I did.
    The story is really good. It is told from the point of view of a frequent visitor to Cranford as if she were retelling the events to another person. The narrator relates one tale of the ladies of Cranford after another in chronoligical order. While a story about the day to day life of one group of people can be a touch boring at times, the major events, which are many and fairly close together, are really very interesting and funny. The final few surprises will shock you and warm your heart. While Mrs. Gaskell's writing isn't as spell-binding as Jane Austen or Daphne Du Maurier, Cranford is a great book for a rainy day. I personally give it 4 bookmarks and recommend it as a read.

To buy Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell:

Books-A-Million:
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Cranford/Elizabeth-Cleghorn-Gaskell/9780141439884?id=5486900245639

Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Cranford-Elizabeth-Gaskell/dp/1619492075/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348690068&sr=8-1&keywords=Cranford+book


To Purchase Cranford on DVD:
*The DVD is actually a compilation of more than one of Mrs. Gaskell's novels. It features a wonderful cast who play the characters exactly as you picture them in the novel! It's truly wonderful! I greatly recommend it!

PBS:
http://www.shoppbs.org/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=cranford&origkw=Cranford&sr=1

How to Choose a Good Book!

Hello Bookworms,
            My mother and I go to bookstores together a lot. She's the one who taught me to love reading and now we share this hobby together by going to bookstores together and recommending books to each other. When she and I begin to look through the shelves, it doesn't matter how big the store, within a few minutes I've already found at least one book I want to purchase and read and my mother can't figure out how I manage to do it.
           Once, We were at a used bookstore together and when she realized I had three books already, my mother asked "How do you find books so easily?!" I had never really thought about it before. Since then, I have examined the book-finding process and found a few easy things that can help anyone find a good book easily.

1. Brainstorm a Little:
              Walking into a bookstore and seeing all the thousands of books on thousands of subjects can be intimidating if you don't have any idea what you want to look for. When you're feeling overwhelmed, try taking a moment to brainstorm. Start a mental list of subjects you like whether it be horse back riding, princes and princesses, sports, cars,  and etc. This will help you to decide what the content should be about.

Other things to think about when brainstorming may be:
            Do you like fiction or nonfiction?
            Do you like modern day settings or settings from the past?
            Do you like love stories, horror stories, mysteries, or etc.?

This will help you find out what type of storyline/plot in which you would be most interested.

For Example:
        I know that I like love stories set in the past, usually around the 1800's. I also know that I am NOT interested in sports stories or horror stories. So, when looking, I already know that I will pass up the sports and horror stories and even love stories that are set in modern times. By doing this I've already narrowed the choices down a lot to help me select a book.

2.Pay attention to cover art!
       Cover art will help you in selecting a book. The art is made to illustrate something about the main points of the book. For Example:

 

This cover of the Gossip Girl Novel "I Like it Like That" shows me that the story is most likely set in modern times. I can tell that from the style of dress, the activities that the girl's are engaging in, and the style of the room/sink that is visible in the picture. Since I am looking for a love story set in the 1800's or so, I'm probably going to put this book down without even reading the summary on the back cover.

 

On the other hand, If I did not know anything about Jane Austen or Pride and Prejudice, I could tell by this cover art that there is most definitely a love story. Not only that, but I can tell by the style of dress that this particular love story is set in the past. I will most likely want to stop and take the time to read the summary on the back of this book to see if it interests me further.

 

3. Read the Summaries on the Back:

        Just because the book has cover art that catches your eye doesn't mean you're going to like the book at all. Make sure that once you've picked up the book that looks like it fits your criteria, you read the summary that's printed on the back cover (or on the inside front cover for some). This will tell you more about the book. You may find that the book you're interested in is actually the second or third book in a series. If that's the case, you may want to look for the first book instead to keep from being lost or ruining surprises from the first book. Also, you may realize that the book isn't as interesting as the cover made it seem because there's no hint of any major event(s), conflict(s), or suspense to come. In that case, you may decide you don't want that particular book after all. However, if you're still interested after reading the summary, it's a good indicator that you'll like the book and you may want to give that one a try.

 

4. Trust Yourself!

         We love our friends and family, but we do not always love the same things they do. I cannot tell you how many times some one has come to me, handed me a book, and said "I think you would really love this book. It's so great." and when I took it home and  attempted to read it, I couldn't stand it! You know you and what you like and don't like! Others can help you by recommending books, but if you know for a fact that you cannot stand the subject matter of the book they are suggesting, then don't go out and buy your own copy of it. :)

 

 

       These are just a few simple tips to help keep you from spending cash for books that you can't stand after the first few pages. Using these tips will certainly not keep you from reading a boring or annoying book, but it will help you read much less of them saving you time and money that you can use on books you'll really enjoy! :)

 

                                      Until next time,

                                                   Lizzie <3

Reading: A Cheap Hobby!

Hello Bookworms!,
            With unemployment on the rise and the economy the way it is, many people are searching for cheaper entertainment. Good news! Reading can actually be cheap entertainment!

             Obviously you're thinking, "Reading isn't cheap! Have you seen the cost of new books lately?? $25.00 for a new book!!" Well, I have seen the price of books and I'm here to show you that there are ways to read as many books as you want without destroying your budget.

1. Shop used books:

    There are many shops that sell used books. Thrift stores, Goodwill, there are even whole stores dedicated just for used books. Peruse the shelves and see what's there. You'll be amazed. I've found M.C. Beaton books for $7.50, hardback.

    Used bookstores are even better than bookstore chains in some ways because many of them contain little treasures like out-of-print books.

2. Go to your local library:

    Libraries are a great resource for cheap books. First of all, a library card usually costs a low annual fee. So for a few dollars once a year, you have unlimited access to all their books for the year. OR if your library doesn't require a card for you to come in and browse you can sit and read a book right there for no charge.

      Another way to get cheap books at the library is to attend library book sales. I recently went to one myself. There were 4 long tables crammed full of books! Everything from Nicholas Sparks novels to John Grisham Novels to the Twilight series. Nearly all of the books were in fantastic condition and the more books you picked up the bigger the discount! I bought several books for less than $10 dollars!

3. Shop the discount aisles at major chains:

    Don't be fooled into thinking that because the book is on the bargain shelf means the book isn't good. Quite the opposite is true. Since chain bookstores are always getting new shipments of books, books that are there for very long will be discounted and moved to the bargain shelf. For example, I recently bought a Karen Kingsbury novel Like Dandelion Dust and several of the major classics such as Emma and Persuasion by Jane Austen and Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell. At that's just the tip of the iceburg. You can find all genres of books on these aisles and usually they are well organized.

   
4. Book-Swaps:
    You've probably heard of doubling your wardrobe by having clothing swaps with your friends. Well, to double your library of books have book swaps with them too! gather your friends and tell them to bring books that they've already read and want to exchange for another book they want to read. This swap is better than swapping clothes anyway because you'll never have to worry if a book is "in your size". ;)

    Don't want to swap your books? Then try having the loaning system. You can borrow a book from a friend, read it, and give it back to them and vice versa. Not only will it give you access to more books for free, it will open up more topics of conversation between you and your friends because you can discuss the books amongst yourselves.

swapping books is a growing trend with swapping parties, large organized swapping events, and even online swapping sites.

      See? Reading really can be one of the cheapest hobbies around. Reading will allow you to travel to worlds you've never imagined and learn about subjects you never knew existed without ever paying airfare or tuition costs! And by using these simple techniques, you'll be able to read to your heart's content without breaking the bank!

Until next time!,

         Lizzie <3

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Hello Bookworms!!,

            I have a really awesome book for you guys this time! Its Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier and I promise if you read it, you’ll love it!

Summary:

            Maximillian De Winter is a bachelor again. His wife tragically died a year ago. When he finally leaves Manderly, his home, searching for how to live again he meets an extremely shy young lady. In an incredibly short period of time, she becomes the new Mrs. de Winter. Mrs. de Winter, mistress of Manderly. The thought is frightening but wonderful. But how do you replace someone who was perfect at what she did? Rebecca, the first Mrs. de Winter, was adored by all, especially Mrs. Danvers her maid. How do you run a house when the head maid hates you? How do you build a relationship with a man who is haunted by the memory of his first wife? How do you build any relationship when you’re as painfully shy as the new Mrs. de Winter? Everyone keeps comparing the two Mrs. de Winters. “The new Mrs. de Winters is so different from the old one,” they all say. How long can a woman hold out being compared to someone she never met? What happens if she can’t?

Review:

            I LOVED this book!!!!!!!! The twists and turns in this book will keep you guessing until the end! Ms. Du Marier’s book is a masterpiece! I stayed up til midnight to finish this book because the more you read the faster the story goes until it finishes on a spectacular high note! Readers, I give this book 5 bookmarks! It is an absolute MUST READ!  Men and women alike will enjoy Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier!!!

To buy Rebecca by Daphne Du Maruier:

Books-A-Million:

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Rebecca/Daphne-Du-Maurier-Dame/9780380778553?id=5362413321527

Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Daphne-du-Maurier/dp/0812416503/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344977405&sr=8-1&keywords=Rebecca+by+Daphne+Du+maurier

Death of a Dreamer by M.C. Beaton

Hello Bookworms,
       I have another review for you today! Its a book for the mystery lover in you! It's called Death of a Dreamer by M.C. Beaton! and I can tell you, I loved it so much I have already purchased another book by this author!

Summary:

            Hamish Macbeth is a highland police officer with a knack for crime solving. But Hamish prefers the quiet life. That’s why he stays is his quiet town with his two interesting pets Lugs, his dog,  and Sonsie, a mountain lion. The villagers have their suspicions about the unmarried cop and his weird pets but he keeps them safe so they accept him. Hamish doesn’t like new comers to the village. They cause trouble. But when Effie Gerard, a local artist, comes to town to sell her art, he feels like maybe he can accept a newcomer or two every once and a while. When an artist named Jock Fleming comes to town, he thinks he can definitely get used to it…especially when Jock’s drop dead gorgeous agent Betty Barnard comes in for a visit. But the quiet is soon interrupted when one artist is murdered and the other is suspected of being the murderer.

Review:

            Death of a Dreamer is the 22nd installment in M.C.Beaton's Hamish Macbeth mysteries but the first novel by M.C. Beaton that I have ever read and I was not disappointed. It usually takes me a little while to get into a crime novel, but Beaton’s writing hooked me instantly. In fact within two weeks of finishing this story I went out and bought another book in the Hamish Macbeth Mysteries series! I give Death of a Dreamer 5 bookmarks and recommend it to everyone!!!!!!

To buy Death of a Dreamer by M.C. Beaton:

Books-A-Million:
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Death-Dreamer/M-C-Beaton/9780446618137?id=5362413321527

Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Death-Dreamer-Hamish-Macbeth-Mysteries/dp/0446618136/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343060940&sr=1-1&keywords=death+of+a+dreamer+m.+c.+beaton