Martin Murphy's Comments

Hi Martin,

I just posted the latest edition of What I Am Reading.

http://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profiles/blogs/what-i-am-reading-11

Hope you enjoy!

Hi Martin, I will paste Elizabeth's website link here as well...

http://efoshee.weebly.com/thrilling-peek.html

There you go :-)

Hi Martin!

It was great hearing from you again the other day :-)

Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that the latest edition of What I Am Reading is up.

http://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profiles/blogs/what-i-am-reading-9

Hope you enjoy the book review and maybe you can even stop by Elizabeth's page and let her know :-)

Thanks Martin,

Lance

Okay Martin,

Let me know when you get that author blog post up and running. I would like to check it out. Glad you have your brother to help out.

I have not read the Alex Cross novels yet. Are those the ones that are/or have been made into films? The Maximum Ride series is a lot of fun, but I think they are actually geared toward junior high to early high school readers. But, then again, so were the Harry Potter books and I loved those too.

Take care, Martin. I will let Marilyn know you send your best.

4-LAN

Martin,

How have you been? How is the novella coming along?

Thanks for finding the time to read some of my book. I am glad you are enjoying it.

Actually, before I started writing Blood and Fire: The Vampire/Dragon Wars, I had been reading the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. That is where I got the idea for the short chapters and fast pace. Patterson also likes to end chapters with cliff hangers and I tried to do that in places too.

I know it is an unusual style for the fantasy genre. I guess I wanted to see if that kind of story telling would work in a dark fantasy. A lot of books in the genre can get quite wordy and it is not uncommon to see fantasy novels approaching the one thousand page mark.

I tried to be more concise in my world building and character development. I do like having test readers to give me feedback and let me know what works and what doesn't.

The chapters do get a bit longer as you get further into the book. I hope by that time you are vested enough in the characters and planet Draconos that it will enhance the story instead of detract from it.

Thanks again, Martin. I look forward to your feedback when you finish. Though, you won't actually finish because you only have half the book.

Take care,

Lance

Hi, just finished your book, loved it!  The story is unique, I like the way you make the reader care about the characters.  My Kindle battery died when I was almost done and I had to go get my laptop and finish it because I just had to know what was going to happen next, and I wasn't going to wait!  Keep up the good work, looking forward to the novella.  I love dark fiction.  Are you a Dean Koontz fan?  I see hits of his style in your writing.

Glad to hear it, Martin. 

Marilyn just started Soul Lifter last night when I finished. She is a member of this site, also. Her last name is Mc Caskey if you would like to friend her.

I will have her post her review both here on TBMN and on Amazon when she finishes.

Hope you enjoy the rough draft of Blood and Fire: The Vampire/Dragon Wars. I have had about a dozen test readers so far. I am particularly interested in knowing if the reader can follow the story/does it make sense? Is it interesting enough to captivate your attention or do you find your mind wandering. Do the initially short chapters (James Patterson style) work? Or are they too abrupt and fragmented-leaving you confused. Is there enough character development for the protagonists? 

Okay, thanks again, Martin.

Best wishes,

4-LAN

Martin,

I just finished reading Soul Lifter and posted my review on my blog here on TBMN.

I hope you are almost finished with your novella. I would like to read more of your stuff.

Great story!

4-LAN

Martin,

I stayed up until almost midnight reading Soul Lifter last night. This morning I have made it past the half way point. Really good stuff. It definitely hooks the reader-wanting to find out what is going on.

I have gotten to the point where Kamil is cleared and it has come out that he has a brother. I still want to know what is up with the mysterious German guy and how Strong's memories and guilt over his dead sister is going to play out in the further development of his character.

I hope that some how, if he is able to fit all the pieces together with Kamil's help, that the evil brother will be apprehended. I suspect that he may also have been the one that raped Strong's sister and led to her eventual suicide. If that is the case, then maybe Strong can get some closure and peace in his own mind.

Yes, Martin, if you have the time check out some of the other books by authors on this site. I don't know what your reading preferences are, but all my reviews are for books in the genres of fantasy, horror and science fiction. Your book you classify as what?-dark fiction? I have a broad definition of what I consider horror-many times I lump thrillers and murder mysteries in that genre.

If you would like to check out my incomplete novel, I have it posted as a word doc in the content section of my page here on the Book Marketing Network. It is only a rough draft and my girlfriend/editor/typist has some of her notes in with the text of the novel. She color codes as to make is easier for us to discern which is which. It is entitled Blood and Fire: The Vampire/ Dragon Wars. Some would probably label it as dark fantasy-I prefer to think that is crosses the genres of fantasy and horror. Hope you enjoy.

Thanks again Martin,

4-LAN

Martin, 

Just bought Soul Lifter for $2.99 on amazon. It was sent to Marilyn's Kindle, but I am reading on her cloud player on my laptop. On Chapter 3 right now. Will post my review when I am finished.

4-LAN

Martin,

Good to hear from you again! I hope you had a splendid holiday and an eventful new year so far.

I did finish reading Tim Flanagan's book, The Moon Stealers, and have already posted my review of it.

Also, I went back through the link you had provided me and reread the free portion of Soul Lifter. I was also looking for a price on your book, but did not see one. Since just receiving your message this morning, I went back to survey it more closely. I finally noticed that it was amazon uk and that I had to click on amazon.com for purchases in the states.

$2.99 is still a reasonable price. I do want to read your book. The Kindle belongs to my girlfriend and linked to her account on amazon. I will ask her if she can purchase your book so that I might read it and post my review.

I have just finished another book by a writer here on TBMN by the name of Danny R. Collins. It is entitled Swords of Gehenna and is a science fiction western. I posted my review on my blog. His book is free for viewing on Authonomy.

Do not worry, Martin. I have not forgot about Soul Lifter. Money is a little tight for us, so I have been working on those books that are available for free. Marilyn has also just downloaded Steve Downes novel, Cosmogonic Marbles, onto her Kindle. It reads very much like The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

I do hope you understand and I appreciate your patience,

4-LAN

aka

Lance

Martin,

Will do. If you get a chance to explore the members on this site, please do so. I have come across quite a few talented writers, such as yourself.

Happy Holidays to you and yours,

Lance

Thanks Martin,

I did read the first three chapters and am quite intrigued. I severely hope that Kamil is not the assailant of the poor, unsuspecting girl. I would rather suspect that this mysterious man hanging out at the bus station has some kind of shape shifter ability, or at least mind altering power, that would make him resemble the African youth.

I did just have my girlfriend buy Tim Flanagan's book, The Moon Stealers, and so will be reading that first. However, I think that Soul Lifter will be next on my list.

Thanks again,

Lance