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For all of the readers of Night Reader Reviews I have a big announcement to make. Night Reader Reviews has entered into a publishing partnership with Smashbomb, an online review site. As Smashbomb doesn't focus on just book reviews I recommend everyone to check it out. https://smashbomb.com/ Aside from the new links and badges on my page I assure my readers that this partnership will not in any way lessen the content you see from me.

BOOK GIVEAWAY ALERT for The Evil that came to Denham

BOOK GIVEAWAY ALERT 

John Ulrich, the author of The Evil that came to Denham, in partnership with Austin Macauley Publishing has authorized the giveaway of three copies of The Evil that came to Denham. To enter the giveaway please follow these simple steps: 

1) Like, Share, and Comment on the Facebook post, tagging 3 friends.

2) Follow Night Reader Reviews https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews/ 

and 

Austin Macauley Publishinghttps://www.facebook.com/AustinMacauleyUSA/

The Evil that came to Denham by John Ulrich is an amazingly creepy book about a house where a massacre took place. Check out Night Reader Reviews on Facebook, Blogger, Goodreads or Smashbomb for the full review.  

*This giveaway will run for two weeks as all Night Reader Review giveaways do. So be sure to sign up before 02/03/2020. Winners will be announced by 02/05/2020 at the latest. All winners will be requested to provide their address in a privet message. All costs will be covered by Austin Macauley Publishing.*

Review: The Evil that came to Denham by John Ulrich

The Evil that came to Denham by John Ulrich is based on a real story that I doubt many people have heard of. This story is The Denham Massacre in 1870 where all seven members of the Marshall family were brutally murdered. If this is something that interests you I invite you to read on.

The narrator tells the story of his parents in their first house in Denham. Christine (the narrator's mother) comes from an extremely proper family. Her father is extremely controlling and abusive while her mother is religious and believes that her husband’s behavior is the will of God. Neither one of Christine’s parents approves of John, her boyfriend (and the narrator's father) because he is a garbage collector and doesn't come from money. It is their dislike for John and the mistreatment of Christine that pushes John to quickly find a home of their own.

John comes across a home for rent called Harridons at Cheapside Lane in Denham in the paper. After making the proper arrangements John, Christine, and their friend Dave happily rent the house. The happiness is short-lived as Christine is soon the first to hear the disembodied screams of women and children. It quickly becomes clear that there is more to this house than the three originally though. It takes a long talk with a priest and the landlords before they learn the truth behind the house. A horrible massacre many years before has stained the very land the house sits on and has left behind some very unhappy sprits.

I enjoyed the style of the storytelling used. When someone in the main story is telling another character a story about something else that happened in the past it is written like a flashback. The entire thing flows wonderfully without any jarring transitions. What I did not like was how just about everyone is accepting of what was going on in the house. Naturally, I expected more people to be skeptical of the paranormal happenings. This isn’t so much a problem as it is an odd observation.

This is an adult horror book that could be acceptable for slightly younger readers, such as those still in high school. One of the big issues is the fact that there is a fair amount of vivid gore scenes that some younger readers may find disturbing. Readers should also be prepared for a relatively long novel. I rate this book 3 out of 4. While not my favorite book its was still wonderful. A great read for any time of the year but especially around Halloween as this one truly was creepy. The fact that it is based on a true story adds to the creepy level even more.

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The Evil that Came to Denham | Book| Austin Macauley Publishers

Review: Ronaldo: The Vixen Peterson Workshop by Maxine Sylvester

Ronaldo: The Vixen Peterson Workshop is another amazing book by Maxine Sylvester. It is short, fun, and carries some wonderful messages to its readers. Read it as a stand-alone book or part of the series, either way, this is one book you don’t want to miss.

Ronaldo and Rudi take readers to the North Pole as they take part in The Vixen Peterson Workshop, focusing on teamwork. The young reindeer are all put into teams and as it happens Ronaldo’s team gets the one cadet that no one wants, Cupid. Poor Cupid is a sweet reindeer with a wonderful attitude, but a terrible flyer. All the members of Ronaldo’s team look to him for guidance with hopes that they may still win the race at the end of the workshop.

Ronaldo befriends Cupid and tries his best to help her. Finally, he discovers why Cupid has so many problems with flying and can help her correct the issue. As luck would have it Ronaldo has a score throat the day of the big race and is unable to lead his team. He gives up his position to Cupid which builds her confidence even more.

I loved how Ronaldo not only befriends Cupid and tires to help her but also stands up for her, even when she is not around. There are very few people who will do something like that anymore and it is a lesson that everyone needs to learn, especially children. It is a rare occurrence that I can truly say there is nothing that I did not like about this book. In previous Ronaldo books I have mentioned that I don’t like the fart jokes and while I could still do without them, they have become a common occurance in this series that I have come to expect.

Just like the rest of the series, this book is great for elementary students. There may be a couple of words that they need help with but overall it shouldn’t be a problem. Alternatively, it would be great for parents to read to their children. I rate this book with a perfect 4 out of 4 once again. This book is wonderful. The story is fun, yet packed full of strong messages. It offers many learning opportunities for children and discussion points for parents.

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Interview with Anne Hampton author of The Two Worlds of Geratica Series

Interview Questions for Anne Hampton author of The Two Worlds of Geratica Series

About The Two Worlds of Geratica

There are currently three books out for this series and the end of the third book hinted at a fourth. When do you expect the fourth book to be released? How many books total do you expect there to be in this series?

That's a good question to start with. I actually finished writing this original 'Geratica' series in May 2016 and there were four books in total. Austin Macauley eventually published the first two in 2017 and the third in 2018. The fourth obviously concludes the series and I hope to publish it soon. But in fact since then, I have written a prequel and a sequel, which again I will endeavour to make available as soon as possible. So if you have enjoyed the series so far, then I can confirm that there is more!

How much did you have to research to write these books, especially with all the political stuff involved?

Actually, I didn't really do much of that at all! I'm not really a strongly political person, though I follow events up to a point. I am quite interested in history and did get a grade A 'O' Level in the subject. (That shows my age – it was the very last year that there such exams, before they were fully replaced by GCSEs!). Growing up when I did in Britain, a certain woman was the dominant political figure and I suppose in the series Linda Radcliffe could be seen as comparable. I have incorporated some things from our history within the books, but of course it is set on a different world where the people have adopted what they want from their scanning of Earth. So to a certain extent I allow myself some artistic license and don't claim it to be strictly an accurate portrayal of our politics.

The first two books were a bit larger than the third. How long did it take you to complete writing each one?

This is true. In fact I originally conceived of a series of three books, but as I progressed through writing the first, the beginning gradually grew to become a book in itself! Therefore it became two volumes. I wrote the books quite quickly. The first two took about six months each and the third about three and a half.

Was there any specific reason for the names that you gave the characters?

No not really. The names were just what came out of my head. I suppose we in Britain famously had a Queen Victoria, but I assure you that the queen of Geraticai with the same name was most definitely NOT based on her!

What compelled you to write The Two Worlds of Geratica series?

I had several ideas and much of the basis for the story, such as the main characters and their setting, as well as the slight element of fantasy and science fiction, had been in my head for a very long time. It took a while to find a way to bring it all together, so that I had a story which I felt could work. Also, most fiction tends to reflect a society in which men are sexually dominant, which admittedly probably still appeals to a significant proportion of women, but I wanted to find a way in which the roles could be reversed and I could write in that manner. Some women might prefer it and as a man I feel that there is not enough to cater for the sort who like a stronger (yet still feminine) woman.

At the beginning of the books you mention that this is just a “what if” scenario. Do you feel that women should have a more dominant role in society or are you more of an advocate for equality? (Feel free to skip this question if you would like)

Indeed, I did mention that. I should say first of all that Anne Hampton is a pseudonym and I am in fact male! I do feel that society can often be better if women play a prominent role, though I don't necessarily advocate them getting priority treatment, regardless. Of course in the series, Geratican society (which is a fantasy) has traditionally been female dominated due to their world having been created that way by a live female sex at its core, though they retain their femininity. Whether that could be achieved in our own real world is a question, and I don't support one sex's complete domination over the other, whichever one – but I'd like to hope that Geratican women could show how their sex can be strong as well as feminine.

Some Geratican men are trying to gain a more prominent role themselves and to gain suffrage. If I was a man living there, in all honesty I would probably in some ways be quite content with their traditional way (which many of them are), though at the same time as their society evolves like any other, and particularly if the education system expands to include all of them for the first time, then they may begin to gain more equality – and deservedly so.

I did also indicate that I wasn't necessarily saying that I agreed with every traditional Geratican view. To make it clear, I am not advocating the kind of disciplining of children that is practiced there, and whilst some might infer from elements of my writing that I am of a strongly right wing persuasion, I am in truth fairly liberal minded. In fact the main character of Alexandra Radcliffe, whilst not being entirely the same as me in every respect, does have a lot of me in her. Her overall personality and general outlook is probably in line with my own, although she is meant to be more intelligent. She is traditionalist and conservative minded like her mother, who is a very dominant woman, but also more liberal. Centre right liberal perhaps?

Where did the inspiration for this specific series come from?

I think I've covered that in an earlier question. The inspiration for the hamlet where the Radcliffes live came loosely from an area not far from where I grew up. It was always in my mind.

If you had to go back and start over with the series is there anything that you would change?

When you go back over a book after it has been published, there will always be some things that you might wish to change. I think that your writing improves the more you do. Some say that they can always tell when a book is an author's debut novel. I don't think that my first two books were bad, considering. I wouldn't really make any major changes to the plot, though there might be one or two minor alterations here and there to the text in order to make things more strictly accurate or clearer. I apologize too if there were too many exclamation marks! I was mindful to try and cut them down from the next book onward. Sometimes it was just that the characters were expressing humour – it wasn't always that everybody was simply shouting at each other!

Where did the name Geratica come from?

I just made it up!

What is your favorite part of the series to date?

About Writing

What made you decide to start writing?

Various reasons. I had always wanted to write a novel and possibly a series. I enjoyed writing as a young child (I remember once having a piece read out by the teacher in my last year of junior school and still have a short mystery/adventure story written in class there, but I didn't really have the time for it as I got older and then went into office work as a career. Then in my mid forties I was given early retirement on medical grounds and this gave me an opportunity to finally put my head down and write something which I might be able to get published.

What do you use when you wright (for example do you use a computer, have a special pen or notebook)?

I use my personal computer. Though during a writing period, if I am away from it for a period of time, then I might write on paper until I am back and can type it up.

Do you start writing with a specific story or plot in mind or do you just “go with the flow”?

I start off by making a few basic notes regarding the plot line and maybe who the characters are. I keep these with the computer and then just begin typing away. I roughly follow the plot that I've outlined, but sometimes other things develop as I go, so that's when “going with the flow” can apply. Very often for a while before I've started a novel, I've already had certain situations and character dialogue thought of in my head, so its a case of getting it down in a text.

Writers are often belied to have a Muse or something that they draw inspiration from, how do you feel about that?

Since completing the original 'Geratica' series, I usually find that an idea for another story comes gradually. Sometimes it takes a while for me to definitely decide that it might work. But once I have, then that tends to be when I find “The Muse”.

About Anne Hampton

What do you like to do in your free time when you are not writing?

I like listening to music (the Geratica series do have some popular music references in them), reading, watching some sports (snooker being the main one) and DVDs – perhaps now even some youtube! - and nice food and drink. I'm rather a shy and somewhat introverted person, and my interests are often quite solitary and quiet – I live alone and only have a very small immediate family. I enjoy my own company, but that's not to say that with the right person I won't enjoy theirs too!

What is your stance on physical books vs. e-books? How do you feel about audio-books?

All of my published books have been physical as well as e-books, but with the number of authors who cannot get stocked in bookstores and rely on online sales, then e-books are an important addition.

Audio books seem to be all the rage at the moment, so that's something to be considered too. Maybe people prefer to listen to a book as they do other things, rather than sit down and read. Maybe they don't have the time to read. Perhaps for whatever reason, people are simply not reading as much anymore.

Self publishing seems to be a major part of the future – especially for new authors who cannot get a traditional contract.

What font do you like the most? What font do you like the least?

I generally use Times New Roman. I'm not really an expert on fonts!

What was your favorite book as a child? What is your favorite book today?

It's difficult to pick one. As a young child I read quite a lot of Enid Blyton – 'The Famous Five' – etc! As I got older, some of Alan Garner of Susan Cooper and Frederick Forsyth. C.S. Lewis's 'The Last Battle and J.R.R. Tolkiens' Lord Of The Ring' trilogy and 'The Hobbit'. More recently I've read several of Wilbur Smith's, Philip Pulman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy, Terry Brooks's 'Shannara' series, Christopher Paolini's 'Inheritance Cycle' and even from the past, Winifred Watson's 'Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day'. I also read non-fiction.

What is your favorite quote (from anything/anyone)?

“My Daddy said to me, 'Son, you've always gotta shoot first and ask questions later.' I'd have liked to asked him why, but I had to shoot him first...” - I believe John Wayne said it as a walk on part in an old edition of 'Rowan And Martin's Laugh In' probably before I was born, which I saw in a highlights programme many years later. It rather sums up the stupidity of fighting with guns.

In school what was your favorite subject? Least favorite?

My favourites would probably have been History and English. My least favourite would most definitely have been Games and anything to do with playing sport.

What was your childhood like?

It was largely happy and not particularly remarkable – though school wasn't something I particularly enjoyed. It got better as time went on. I ended up not doing too badly academically – but perhaps not as well as I should have.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

As well as my Geratica series, there is also another novel of mine published in another fantasy theme, called 'The Book And The Ring'. Again I have followed it up with another as yet unpublished work.