#AtoZChallenge 2015 Reflections Post @AprilA2Z

Welcome to my 2015 #AtoZChallenge Reflections post.

My theme was all about characters from books I’d read, plus each day I ran a book title challenge. I encouraged readers to think up book titles using the alphabet letter of the day in their titles to photos I gave them. The audience participation was fun and added another dimension to my posts.

I had a great tour visiting lots of really different blogs I would never normally find. Each day I gave links to 5 randomly chosen bloggers also taking part from the sign up list. Some folks never made it to the challenge or dropped out which was a little disappointing when visiting.

I really enjoyed taking part in little extras like giveaways, chances to have my name in a book, etc

Every year I take part in the challenge my followers increase and my site traffic improves it’s a great community to be a part of.

The easiest blogs to visit for me are other WordPress bloggers because I’m set up with WordPress myself and it makes commenting easy, the same will be said by those who use BlogSpot, they’ll find navigating another Blogspotter easier, there are also many other styles of blogs out there. Do you tend to visit other like minded blog styles or do you enjoy the challenge of seeing a different blog?

I’m not a great one for the stats, but another blog I read inspired me to check mine out for April and I found I had 5651 views with a daily average of 188, not bad for a month’s haul.

@rosieamber1

Here are links to some blogs I enjoyed throughout the tour;

Hilary over at Positive letters taught me all about Cornwall http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/

Elizabeth Hein had a wonderful tour posting all about the Galapagos islands https://scribblinginthestorageroom.wordpress.com/

Diane Coto at FictionZeal.com had a great mystery book theme

Alison Williams gave us writing Tips https://alisonwilliamswriting.wordpress.com/

Luccia Gray chatted about books and authors http://lucciagray.com/

Here are links to all my posts for those who want to catch up.

A for Anne Haddon – An Englishwoman’s Guide To the Cowboy by June Kearns http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sw

B for Beynn Firehand – Eyes Of The Enemy by Kelly Hess http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sy

C for Charlee Montague – Boot Camp Bride by Lizzie Lamb http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sA

D for Dermot Finnegan – Secrets Of The Heart by Adrienne Vaughan http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sC

E for Emily Braden – Dreaming Of Love by Melissa Foster http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sE

F for James Finn – Business As Usual by E.L. Lindley http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sG

G for Garnet Sullivan – The Devil, the Diva and The Deep Blue Sea by Margaret Langstaff http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sI

H for Rose Haldane – Ignoring Gravity by Sandra Danby http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sK

I for Isabella Lanchester – Last Child by Terry Tyler http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sM

J for John Steel – Rise of The Phoenix by Phill Syron-Jones  http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sO

K for Kate Wolsley – The Orchid Tree by Siobhan Daiko http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sQ

L for Lottie Brinkley – Stable Mates by Zara Stoneley http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sS

M for Matthew Hopkins – The Black Hours by Alison Williams http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sU

N for Nin – Marked for Magic by Daisy Banks http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sW

O for Rose O’Carroll – I Listened To My Heart by Rosemary Gallagher http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6sY

P for Mrs Parish – Motherlove by Thorne Moore http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6t0

Q for Quetzalcoatl – The Obsidian Mirror by K.D Keenan http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6t2

R for Rhe Brewser – Death In A Dacron Sail by Noelle Granger http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6t4

S for Samuel – The Broken Angel by Monica La Porta http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6t6

T for Tiola Oldstagh – Sea Witch by Helen Hollick http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6t8

U for Uther Pendragon – The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6ta

V for Vince Crow – Trading Vincent Crow by D.C.J Wardle http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6tc

W for Sergeant Winston Windflower –  A Twist Of Fortune by Mike Martin http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6te

X for Xania – Humming by Rachel McAlpine http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6tg

Y for Yvette – The Mystery Box by Eva Pohler http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6ti

Z for Joss Zebediah – Yesterday’s News by Sam Cheever http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6tk

Letter Z April A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge

Day 26 April A to Z Challenge my theme is characters from books I’ve read plus some audience participation.

Letter Z is for Joss Zebediah from Yesterday’s News by Sam Cheever

Yesterday’s News is a fun cosy mystery with a couple of great ghosts. Anna Yesterday owns an antique shop in small town Crocker Indiana. Two resident ghosts are linked with the shop and their dialogue is superb. Language from yester-year with a full glossary of words at the beginning make their colloquialisms amply fit their characters. For instance;

“The boy’s a grafter. He’ll hornswoggle ya faster’n I can spit tobacco into that pan over there”

The storyline follows the discovery of an old newspaper story, which has been covered up by the townsfolk and when Anna begins some sleuthing to find out the truth she upsets more than one local. It’s not just the ghosts that appealed to me, there is Pierce an autistic young man and I was rather taken by Mrs Baker’s fierce family loyalty and hard working beliefs.

With the help of ex-cop Pratt Davies, Anna digs deep into Crocker’s past and exposes a dirty tale that many would rather forget. A well written story which left me smiling, sign me up for more.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

For my audience participation I’m asking readers to create book titles using the letter Z for the picture below.

A book title and cover picture can often make or break a book sale. Is a book cover eye-catching? Does the book title appeal to the reader?

Have fun creating book titles from my own pictures, you might even think about a genre they could fit.

Leave your answers in the comments below and I’ll choose my favourites.

Randomly chosen fellow blog challengers for you to check out

http://doorwaybetweenworlds.com/

http://hungarykum.blogspot.co.uk/

http://rachelridlermumonamission.blogspot.co.uk/

http://mycreativelyrandomlife.blogspot.ca/

http://djinniaandtheenglishlanguage.blogspot.co.uk/

As part of this blog tour we are asking people to leave comments each day on the posts they read, thank you.

Letter Y April A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge

Day 25 April A to Z Challenge my theme is characters from books I’ve read plus some audience participation.

Letter Y is for Yvette from The Mystery Box by Eva Pohler.

I really didn’t know what to expect from this book. It’s a mystery thriller with many different emotions running through it. Yvette and her family live in Texas. They share a fence with a cranky women they’ve nicknamed Cruella she moans when their dog barks and the kids are too noisy. One day a mystery package arrives and Yvette discovers it belongs to Cruella.

Cruella’s real name is Mona and when Yvette deliveries the package she finds a strange lonely woman who has a tale to tell. Mona invites Yvette to her house and begins a spine chilling story. Yvette becomes hooked by the tale and Mona drip feeds her instalments each day. However all Yvette’s instincts are on high alert, something’s not right.

A second story evolves, Yvette’s life is mundane and she’s becoming estranged from her husband. Memories of her childhood and relations with her mother surface as the book continues. Yvette is appalled by Mona’s tale but each day she’s left on a cliff edge and like a drug she wants to hear more. But who is Mona? She tells Yvette about the Taliban spy’s lover and her relationship with Professor Ahmed Jaffar.

Yvette believes Mona may have suffered from the Stockholm syndrome. Feelings of affection of a kid-napping victim for their captor. With the family away camping Mona’s tale comes to a shocking end. One which makes Yvette flee, but running won’t keep Yvette and her family safe.

I was never sure if Mona could be trusted or not, and like Yvette my instincts saw red. This was a very clever tale which turned eerily sinister.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

For my audience participation I’m asking readers to create book titles using the letter Y for the picture below.

A book title and cover picture can often make or break a book sale. Is a book cover eye-catching? Does the book title appeal to the reader?

Have fun creating book titles from my own pictures, you might even think about a genre they could fit.

Leave your answers in the comments below and I’ll choose my favourites.

Randomly selected fellow challenge bloggers for you to visit.

http://thedogladysden.com/

https://shailajav.wordpress.com/

https://blogarhythmblog.wordpress.com/

http://writeonsisters.com/

http://bish-randomthoughts.blogspot.co.uk/

As part of the tour we ask that readers leave comments on blog posts, thank you

Letter X April A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge

Day 24 April A to Z Challenge my theme is characters from books I’ve read and some audience participation.

Letter X is for Xania from Humming by Rachel McAlpine

Humming is a contemporary tale set in Golden Bay New Zealand. Golden Bay is found on the northeast coastline of the South Island. The story is set in the small community of Petitport and the story begins in 2001. Ivan is an artist, Jane runs a café, they have a relaxed open relationship. Ivan can constantly hear a humming noise and the search for it’s cause drives him to distraction.

Much of the community is brought together by a Tai Chi class that meets regularly. Xania has just returned from a year in Argentina studying Tai Chi under master Shan, she has returned to find many of her previous classes have dissolved under the unsatisfactory tutelage of Luna. Xania is expected to raise money for a Tai Chi centre in Auckland and must raise the funds for her Argentinian masters. The plans involve getting Ivan to paint pictures to raise funds for the centre.

Ivan likes being the centre of attention and plunges into deep depression when things don’t go his way, Jane panders to his artistic needs, but as his fiftieth birthday approaches he finds Jane stifles his artistic vibes. He is flattered by attentions he gets from Xania and other members of the Tai Chi group, which blindly lead him to involvement in illegal trading of protected species.

Xania’s passions for a healthy lifestyle are extreme as is her love of Argentina and the Tai Chi world. Through-out the book we read one sided e-mails to her former lover in Argentina as she makes a case for the Auckland centre. The situation almost hints at a cult style influence as Xania opens bank accounts and gives a finale sacrifice for the cause.

Jane and Ivan’s relationship runs hot and cold as they both battle with distractions. Ivan fails to understand Jane’s own artistic passion for her café and her pickles and preserves, nor does he appreciate the lengths she goes to tolerating his whims. Other members of the Tai Chi group also go through relationship challenges which conclude at the end.

This is quite a compelling read, the search for the source of the hum draws you in and the relationship issues keep you reading. Ivan is unpredictable and Xania is extreme enough to raise your eyebrows.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

For my audience participation I’m asking readers to create book titles using the letter X for the picture below.

A book title and cover picture can often make or break a book sale. Is a book cover eye-catching? Does the book title appeal to the reader?

Have fun creating book titles from my own pictures, you might even think about a genre they could fit.

Leave your answers in the comments below and I’ll chose my favourites. – sorry bit of a random pic today folks.

Randomly chosen bloggers taking part in the challenge for you to visit

http://www.keepthetailwagging.com/blog/

https://notapunkrocker.wordpress.com/

http://www.weigandchris.com/

http://auntyamo.com/

http://barkingalien.blogspot.co.uk/

As part of the challenge we encourage readers to leave comments, thank you.

Letter W April A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge

Day 23 April A to Z Challenge my theme is characters from books I’ve read plus some audience participation.

Letter W for Sergeant Winston Windflower from A Twist Of Fortune by Mike Martin

A Twist Of Fortune by Mike Martin

A Twist Of Fortune is a piece of crime fiction set in and around Grand Bank Newfoundland, Canada. Sergeant Winston Windflower is a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. This is the fourth book about the sergeant. The book opens with Windflower’s girlfriend, Sheila, being taken away in handcuffs at a community protest about the closure of the local fish plant.

Winter is making itself know in this part of the world and Windflower and his small team must patrol and close the highways as necessary when the snowstorms blow through. During one storm there is car accident, Michael Ridgeway a local pharmacist is killed. After the storm has cleared and the car is recovered a second body is found, that of local outlaw biker Frankie Fallon. Post mortems produce evidence of opiate and narcotics abuse .

Windflower and his team find themselves working with other officers to solve a much wider drug ring. Meanwhile the Mayor has a fatal heart attack and the local community is shaken up once more.

This book is a leisurely stroll through some of Canada’s wild places, where no one can hide from the effects of crime. We get an insight into the communities and people who choose to live away from the bright lights of the cities.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com or Indigo

For my audience participation I’m asking readers to create book titles using the letter W for the picture below.

A book title and cover picture can often make or break a book sale. Is a book cover eye-catching? Does the book title appeal to the reader?

Have fun creating book titles from my own pictures, you might even think about a genre they could fit.

Leave your answers in the comments below and I’ll choose my favourites.

Randomly chosen challengers for you to visit today

https://silviatomasvillalobos.wordpress.com/

http://www.thriftshopcommando.blogspot.co.uk/

https://wisethesimpleblog.wordpress.com/

https://lilypadheart.wordpress.com/

http://dreamsofnyssa.blogspot.co.uk/

As part of the challenge we encourage readers to leave comments, thank you.

April A to Z Challenge week 4 Sunday round-up #AtoZChallenge

The April A to Z Challengers have now been blogging their way through the alphabet for 4 weeks.

My own challenge has been using the theme of characters from books I’ve read plus I’ve been doing some audience participation involving creating book titles.

Here are links to this weeks posts is you missed them.

Letter Q http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6t2

Letter R http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6t4

Letter S http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6t6

Letter T http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6t8

Letter U http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6ta

Letter V http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6tc

Letter V April A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge

Day 22 April A to Z Challenge my theme is characters from books I’ve read plus some audience participation.

Letter V is for Vince Crow from Trading Vincent Crow by D. C. J Wardle

Trading Vincent Crow is a book of British dark humour. Don’t let the title put you off. We first meet Vincent Crow employed in a lowly job as kitchen pot-washer in a pub called “The Carrot and Jam Kettle” in the Midlands of England; it’s New Year’s Eve. Vowing not to be stuck in this job forever Vince decides it’s time to aim higher, he’s got a trade-up plan to better himself in life.

Through luck and keeping his eyes open to opportunities, his head on his shoulders and his strict three month trade-up rule Vince finds himself as; a bar-man, a factory worker, a London hotel receptionist, a temporary hotel manager, a London cabbie, a Porsche driving Chauffeur, a Pub manager and ends his year with an offer to run a business in Asia.

I did find the first part of the book a bit slow, it pre-dates the internet boom and the social networking of today, but once Vince got to London, the book picked up and had me chuckling along. The black-market world of the foreign Europeans and their scheming hard-working ways to make money poked fun at the more gullible Westerners. I particularly warmed to Vince’s Nan when he came home and her colourful language, plus there is a delightful episode with a Tiger in Asia.

A quick read and definitely one with a few giggles along the way.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

For my audience participation I’m asking readers to create book titles using the letter V for the picture below.

A book title and cover picture can often make or break a book sale. Is a book cover eye-catching? Does the book title appeal to the reader?

Have fun creating book titles from my own pictures, you might even think about a genre they could fit.

Leave your answers below in the comments and I’ll choose my favourites.

Some randomly chosen challenge bloggers for you to visit today

https://embarkwithmythoughts.wordpress.com/

http://nonnarose2.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.kferrin.com/

https://kaapitimes.wordpress.com/

http://infinitefreetime.com/

As part of the blogging challenge we ask readers to leave comments, thank you.

Letter U April A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge

Day 21 April A to Z challenge my theme is characters from books I’ve read plus some audience participation.

Letter U for Uther Pendragon from The Arthurian saga by Mary Stewart.

I read this series when I was a teenager, and it has stayed with me today. One day I’ll go back and read them again. Here is the book description.

Who was Merlin? Was the famed magician of Camelot & King Arthur’s court really a sinister, all-powerful being from another world? Was he truly a Prince of Darkness? Or was he a man with the passions of other mortals? A man with unique intelligence & unusual gifts? Why was he so feared? How did he come by his occult powers? Why was the crystal cave so important to him?
5th century Britain is a country of chaos & division after the Roman withdrawal. Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess who will not reveal to her son his father’s true identity, Myridden Emrys–or as he would later be known, Merlin–leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents & visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man’s-son, taking him from prophesying before the High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon & the conception of Arthur–king for once & always.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

For my audience participation I’m asking reader to create book titles using the letter U for the picture below.

A book title and cover picture can often make or break a book sale. Is a book cover eye-catching? Does the book title appeal to the reader?

Have fun creating book titles from my own pictures, you might even think about a genre they could fit.

Leave you answers in the comments below and I’ll choose my favourites.

Here are some randomly chosen challenge bloggers for you to visit today

http://nobackhome.com/

http://beajayblock.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.michelletranwrites.blogspot.co.uk/

http://lisa48317.blogspot.co.uk/

https://eriksbates.wordpress.com/

As part of the challenge we are asking readers to leave comments, thank you.

Letter T April A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge

Day 20 April A to Z Challenge my theme is characters from books I’ve read plus some audience participation.

Letter T is for Tiola Oldstagh from Sea Witch by Helen Hollick

Sea Witch is a swashbuckler historical fiction tale set in the 1700’s around Captain Jesamiah Acorne. He’s a notorious pirate who sails the seas around the Caribbean, Southern US states and across to Cape Town in South Africa.

This is a time of Dutch East Indian trade-boats, Spanish galleons laden with Mexican treasure, English traders and privateers. Ships took months to cross the oceans, explorers where sailing around the world and opportunities to become rich were often at the mercy of the sea.

Beneath the seas lives Tethys a spiritual being from the beginning of the world, she sees all, knows all about the oceans, she can whip up a storm and take down a ship at will claiming the lives of all those aboard. Disturbed from above by the annoying sounds of cannon fire Tethys investigates and becomes aware of a man with a golden acorn hanging from his ear, she understands the connection to an ancient tree and likes what she sees. There is also another being with a gift who nudges at the outer periphery of her existence.

Tiola Oldstagh is travelling from England to Cape Town with her guardian, when they are attacked by pirates. Unsuccessful this time Tiola gets her first glimpse of a man who destiny will bring to her again. At just fifteen Tiola is wise beyond her years with her skills in the use of “craft” she’ll go to great lengths to be with the one her soul desires.

It’s been years since I read any pirate adventures and this one did not disappoint, it brought all the atmosphere of the great wooden ships, creaking into the rolling oceans, sails flapping in the winds. Dangers of the open seas and the realistic harbour-side towns which sprang up to meet the needs of the ocean going sailors. I look forward to reading the next adventure for Captain Jesamiah Acorne.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

For my audience participation I’m asking readers to create book titles using the letter T for the picture below.

A book title and cover picture can often make or break a book sale. Is a book cover eye-catching? Does the book title appeal to the reader?

Have fun creating book titles from my own pictures, you might even think about a genre they could fit.

Leave your answers in the comments below and I’ll choose my favourites.

Here are some randomly chosen challengers for you to visit today

http://untetheredrealms.blogspot.co.uk/

http://melinmidlothian.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/

http://marymontaguesikes.blogspot.co.uk/

https://anabelsblog.wordpress.com/

During the challenge we are asking people to leave comments on blogs, thank you.

Letter S April A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge

Day 19 April A to Z Challenge my theme is characters from books I’ve read and some audience participation later.

Letter S is for Samuel from The Broken Angel by Monica La Porta

The Broken Angel is book three in the Immortal series, a stand alone novel it was still lovely to re-acquaint myself with some of the characters from the first two books. The books are set in and around Rome and combine chic modern Italy, romantic scenery and a paranormal world.

Book three is about Samuel, a fallen Angel who gave up his responsibility for the souls of new-borns in their journey from the womb to mortal life, all because he fell in love with a human. A Human who rejected him once he’d made his decision and left Samuel shunned for all eternity. Now Samuel is a liaison officer between the paranormal species working at the Immortal Council Headquarters in Rome.

Given a new assignment Samuel must look into Vampire blood-dealing issues. He runs into trouble on the streets where he comes across youngsters high on vampire blood. Disguised as a cripple Samuel is rescued from the fight by Martina Colonna, a human and a lawyer who knows Samuel from her local gym. They are often sparring partners and Samuel has a secret crush on Martina. She’s called the police and they both end up in hospital.

Struggling not to reveal his true identity Samuel is desperate to protect Martina from her violent ex-husband who turns up to discharge Martina, more problems at work pull Samuel away, but he is determined to keep Martina as safe as he possibly can as events in the paranormal world begin to spiral out of control and old adversaries rise again.

I really like this series and Monica writes with finesse from the freshly baked pastries to the La Perla lingerie and the romantic Umbrian countryside. Another winner in my eyes.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

For my audience participation I’m asking readers to create book titles using the letter S for the picture below.

A book title and cover picture can often make or break a book sale. Is a book cover eye-catching? Does the book title appeal to the reader?

Have fun creating book titles from my own pictures, you might even think about a genre they could fit.

In case the picture has you puzzled this is a sunken or beached boat.

Leave your answers in the comments below and I will choose my favourites.

Today’s randomly chosen blog challengers for you to visit.

http://nfromn.blogspot.co.uk/

http://jenelleschmidt.com/

http://www.davidpowersking.com/

https://storytellermary.wordpress.com/

http://wanderlust-soma.blogspot.co.uk/

During the challenge we are asking readers to leaves comments, thank you.