Jane Hunt Writer – Jane Hunt Writer

Writing Journey

Something New – Jane Hunt Writer.

Posted on January 3, 2015 by jolliffe01

I decided it was time for a change. I hope you like my new blog theme. I’ve tried out several today as you may have noticed if you’ve visited my website but this is my favourite. What do you think?

I have kept my pages and most of my widgets but over the next few days I’ll be updating my content.

The Dragon Legacy Series

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Writing Journey

Happy New Year 2015

Posted on January 1, 2015December 31, 2014 by jolliffe01

Blogging Community, Book Review, Writing Journey

Book Reviews – How Important Are They?

Posted on July 19, 2014July 19, 2014 by jolliffe01

So typically as the holiday season starts in the UK there were thunderstorms and rain last night and when I woke up this morning it was still raining. I don’t know about you but when the weather is grey and miserable my mood mirrors it, even if I have nothing to be unhappy about. Yet when its sunny I am happy and the day has never-ending possibilities. Is this just me or are you like this too?

Anyway onto the real subject of this post, book reviews and how important are they?

I come to this debate from two viewpoints; I am an avid reader and book reviewer and a new author who knows how difficult it is to get reviews for my own book but does this matter? It’s still selling with the small number of reviews I have but I can’t help but think it would sell so much better if it had more reviews on Amazon , Amazon UK and Goodreads but is this really the case? 🙂

Yet as a reader and book reviewer I rarely read other people’s reviews before I read a book. I rely on personal recommendations from my writer friends or the book blurb. Many of the books I read and review are sent to me by the author or through NetGalley as these are often advanced reader copies (ARC) I rely entirely on the book blurb to pick my next read.

Do you read the reviews before you buy a book or is it the cover and book blurb that make you take the plunge?

My book reviews are popular because they are quotable. Snippets can be included on Twitter, Facebook and Google +, which help draw attention to the book that is being marketed. Book reviews are now important marketing tools. If they are positive they assist book promotion and help authors and publishers judge the popularity of different story brands.

Leave a comment below to let me know what you think. 🙂

Click here if you want to check out my book reviews.

Click here if you want to check out my book ‘The Dragon Legacy’ to read and review

Happy Weekend. 🙂

Read the 1st page of ‘The Dragon Legacy’ on Books Go Social

3* Review: Wolf Sirens – Forbidden – Discover the Legend – Tina Smith

Posted on June 24, 2014June 24, 2014 by jolliffe01

My Friday Read a couple of weeks ago was the first of the Wolf Sirens books by Tina Smith – Forbidden – Discover the Legend.

This is a paranormal romance aimed at young adults with elements of romantic suspense.

The Mystical Bond, the Fatal Allure … of Hunter & Prey
Misunderstood seventeen year old Lila Crain unwillingly moves to the foreboding town of Shade, prepared to face her punishment – Shade High. But she can’t begin to anticipate the life-altering events that lie in wait for her.
The dark and charismatic Reid has a wolfish grin and amber eyes that would make any girl blush and he has his sights set on the new girl in school. Reid’s stunning friends – including icy top dog Sam – invite Lila into their clique. Suspicious, yet flattered by their attention, she lets down her guard and answers the intriguing call like a moth to a flame.
Thrillingly introduced to the local nightlife by the enigmatic group, Lila finally feels like she belongs. But her newly found friendships threaten to turn sour when she unwittingly develops feelings for the leader’s off-limits boyfriend, Sky. Tensions rise further when a quirky local named Cresida warns Lila to stay away from the clique at all costs. Undeterred, she is irresistibly drawn to uncover the truth behind their mysterious lifestyle. Lila unwittingly starts off a chain of events that will forever alter fate for both hunter and hunted as she learns they have been waiting for her…
Inspired by the legend of the femme fatale goddess, Artemis.

My Review

Written for young adults ‘Forbidden’ is the first in the ‘Wolf Sirens’ series. The legend of the Angel and the Wolf intrigues me but the preface’s description of the legend’s effect on Shade is too detailed. This interesting information would be better drip fed into the story through the characters, making it easier to absorb.

The first half of this book didn’t compel me but I persevered and found the second half more to my taste. I appreciate this book is aimed at young adults and first love and this definitely came across when Lila is torn between two potential lovers. The first person point of view limits the potential of this story because we only see things through Lila’s eyes and I would like to know what the men in her life were thinking and the mysterious Cresida.

There were some interesting twists in this story which made it suspenseful and I liked Lila. I would love to see how she progresses into her destiny.

If supernatural wolves are your thing and you enjoy reading about popular paranormal themes you should read this. I am hooked enough to try book two in the series ‘Wolf Sirens: Fever.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Forbidden: Discover the Legend by Tina Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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Wolf Sirens – Forbidden – Discover the Legend Tina Smith – Friday Read

Posted on June 6, 2014 by jolliffe01

My Friday Read is the first of the Wolf Sirens books by Tina Smith – Forbidden – Discover the Legend.

This is a paranormal romance aimed at young adults with elements of romantic suspense.

The Mystical Bond, the Fatal Allure … of Hunter & Prey
Misunderstood seventeen year old Lila Crain unwillingly moves to the foreboding town of Shade, prepared to face her punishment – Shade High. But she can’t begin to anticipate the life-altering events that lie in wait for her.
The dark and charismatic Reid has a wolfish grin and amber eyes that would make any girl blush and he has his sights set on the new girl in school. Reid’s stunning friends – including icy top dog Sam – invite Lila into their clique. Suspicious, yet flattered by their attention, she lets down her guard and answers the intriguing call like a moth to a flame.
Thrillingly introduced to the local nightlife by the enigmatic group, Lila finally feels like she belongs. But her newly found friendships threaten to turn sour when she unwittingly develops feelings for the leader’s off-limits boyfriend, Sky. Tensions rise further when a quirky local named Cresida warns Lila to stay away from the clique at all costs. Undeterred, she is irresistibly drawn to uncover the truth behind their mysterious lifestyle. Lila unwittingly starts off a chain of events that will forever alter fate for both hunter and hunted as she learns they have been waiting for her…
Inspired by the legend of the femme fatale goddess, Artemis, Wolf Sirens is a compelling gothic masterpiece of paranormal romance.

Look out for my review next week

Writing Journey

Is It Just Me?

Posted on June 2, 2014 by jolliffe01

I didn’t understand other people’s preoccupation with coffee until I started writing full-time. Now I run on auto-pilot, until I’ve sipped my first cup. 🙂

I work at home doing something I love, ‘writing’ so Monday doesn’t hold the same gloomy significance, it once did, when I was part of the working treadmill.

Today was an exception. I thought toast would be a nice accompaniment to my coffee and I put some under the grill. I didn’t get distracted, something I usually do and checked it after a couple of minutes. It was almost done but it not quite. I returned it to the grill and started to feed Jazz, Oby and Tom their breakfast.

Five minutes later I remembered my toast.It was actually worse than the picture suggests I scraped it prior to this. Finally I managed to get my now lukewarm coffee and charcoal toast, not quite the breakfast I planned. Still the day can only improve? So is it just me, or does your toast burn, metaphorically speaking, the minute you take your eye of the ball?

At least my beautiful oriental poppy has opened despite being parted from the plant by a passing ‘little darling’. Maybe Monday won’t be so bad after all. 🙂

Writing Journey

Writing In Different Genres – Jane Hunt

Posted on June 1, 2014 by jolliffe01

I love reading all genres of romance as well as mystery and thrillers. So I suppose, it’s not surprising that for my third book I decided to switch genres from paranormal/fantasy romance to romantic suspense. I’m half way through writing ‘The Dangerous Gift’ which is set in Texas. ‘Strange and life threatening events occur when Jennie Taylor is bequeathed a share of the ranch she grew up on, after the untimely deaths of the owners.’

Snake ring — THE REVENGE MASQUERADE

I am enjoying this change of genre but I have noticed similarities with my two previous stories in The Dragon Legacy series, both of which contained an integral sense of mystery and suspense, even though the characters were mainly supernatural.

I also started writing a historical novel late last year with distinctly Gothic influences and I would love to complete this as my next project. If I succeed that will be three books all in different genres.

I know many of you who read my blog are writers, what do you think? Do you prefer to stick to one genre or like me do you seek more variety? If you already write books in more than one genre, do you write under the same name or have a pen name?

Comment below and let me know. 🙂

Spring Bank Holiday Morning Walk with Jazz and Oby

Posted on May 26, 2014June 28, 2014 by jolliffe01

DSCN0220 — Jazz

DSCN0219 — Oby

After a typical UK Bank Holiday weekend – wet. Today dawned dry and sunny so we decided to take the dogs Jazz and Oby on an early morning walk. They had such fun I thought I would share a few photos with you. 🙂

They are impatient to start their walk…

There were lots of pretty wildflowers to see on the walk but Jazz and Oby didn’t want to hang around.

Come on Jane stop taking photos and less run :-) — Come on Jane stop taking photos and let’s run and play 🙂

These sticks taste good Oby.

DSCN0308 — Quick Vince is going without us. Run!

And finally its a rest in the sun back at home

Great walk 🙂

Inspiration, Writing Journey

Places To Find Inspiration- My Contemporary English Country Garden

Posted on May 21, 2014May 21, 2014 by jolliffe01

We’ve been in our new house for about two and a half years now and this is the third time we’ve remodeled the garden. The main reason being we had an enormous garden at our former house and I miss it. 😦 even though a smaller less time-consuming garden was one of the reasons we moved to a new house on a small village estate. For the first couple of years it was okay we planted lots of pretty flowering shrubs and sat back and enjoyed them but then at the end of August last year we adopted Oby 🙂

One large dog in small garden was fine but two and we knew major alterations were needed.

The grass or should I say mud patch needed to be taken up and replaced with patio and decking.

The plants were the next project they needed to be in raised beds to combat against dogs doing what dogs do. 🙂 My clever husband created planters for my fruit trees: Plum, Cherry and Apple and raised beds for my Roses, Lilies, Lavender, Poppies and Rosemary and Thyme. I will probably paint them but for now I just plan to enjoy them.

Next on the list is extending the garden into the large driveway to give the dogs more room to play. I should point out that we live on the edge of numerous trails and a country park, again one of the reasons for moving to this location and they have plenty of places to run.

Now when I’m writing I can see the lovely flowers out of the window. I’ll leave you with a few photographs of the flowers I can see at the moment.

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