Happy 2019!

 SamSkyborne_Blog  No Responses »
Jan 142019
 
Happy New Year for 2019

Happy New Year for 2019Here is wishing you a fantastic 2019, wherein all your dreams come true and you go on many adventures both in person and in good stories.

First, I give you my round up of 2018:

Last year was a cracking year for me. I deliberately use the word cracking and as the word suggests, there were both positives and negatives.

On the downside, reality bit in the form of a number of health scares, both for myself and a couple of people very close to me. That anxiety and stress is not something I would wish to go through again and I really hope that with the dawn of the New Year we will rise to happier and healthier times. Thank you to my lovely close friends and family for your support during those difficult days.

On the upside…

In the early summer, I spent a delightful long weekend at “Camping Out” in the beautiful Devon countryside. Such good fun among really friendly people and definitely an experience I can recommend. I was there last year, flogging my wares and enjoying light-hearted conversation in some pretty good UK sunshine. Look out for me and my books in the market on the last day again this year.

The middle of the year was marked by the usual LFEST weekend shenanigans, this time in Llandudno, Wales. Sadly, last year there were no author panels to be seen, but I have it on good authority that the good lesbian authors of the UK will be back in 2019, reading from their latest novels, signing books and partaking in this wonderful weekend’s activities, once more to be in Wales.

LFEST coincided with the publication of my third Sam Skyborne novel — a psychological thriller called “Alice” (http://Dukebox.life/Alice). This is the second of my PI Toni Mendez adventures and is set in the lovely Cape Town. I am very proud of this novel. The feedback and reviews I have had and its reception by you, my lovely readers, has really wowed me. Thank you!

At the end of August, I had the privilege of participating in my first EllCon (European Lesbian Literary Conference), held in Bristol. What a fantastic event! It was well attended by a number of the best lesbian writers, who I had the honour of meeting and appearing with on a few panels. They were all were absolutely fantastic – so helpful and supportive of new writers. This is truly a community that I am proud to be part of.

From Ellcon, I flew out to Lesvos, to spend a few weeks in the sun in beautiful Skala Eressos while I crunched out the first draft of my next book. It was a truly wonderful few weeks of early rises and hard but fruitful work, followed by a rewarding swim in the crystal Aegean and a couple of hours of basking in the glorious sunshine. During the Sappho International Women’s Festival I had the privilege of reading at the wonderful Karolina’s fantastic Wine Women and Word evening – always a fabulous experience.

On my return, I was proud to participate in the first Lesbian Author Panel at Tower Hamlet’s Idea Store’s WriteIdea Festival — another very memorable and rewarding experience – shared with talented authors Clare Lydon and Veronica Fearon: so there was a little bit of everything for the lovely lesbian fiction audience.

Each one of these events has been a complicated and enriching mixture of fun, laughs, effort and most importantly lessons learnt. All, I hope, helping to make me a better author and a better indie “authorpreneur”.

In the autumn, I also had the great good fortune of having all three of my books win awards in the (New York City) NYC Big Book Award and in addition, Risk also took a finalist award in the National Indie Excellence (NIEA) Awards. I have been shy of submitting my books for any awards or competitions before this. I guess we all have our insecurities and my worry that they might not be good enough held me back. Now, however, I am absolutely delighted with this recognition for my stories!

I want to send a very big thank you to everyone, in particular my readers, who have advised, supported and in their own way contributed to helping me along on this exciting journey. I think it is worth it, and I appreciate every comment and every suggestion.

Finally, once again, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or with feedback on my books, my website or my blogs. I really look forward to hearing from you.

And, if you are not already on my mailing list, and you’d like to hear about any promotions and news, then please subscribe here: http://Dukebox.life/Subscribe

I hope you have a truly fabulous 2019 and may all the stories you read be good ones!

Kind regards,

Sam Skyborne x

 

Count Down Deal – Ends TODAY!!

 #FriFreeB, Alice, Promo, SamSkyborne_Blog  No Responses »
Dec 152018
 
Alice Count Down Deal on Amazon

Alice Count Down Deal on Amazon

A little reminder that the COUNTDOWN deal for “Alice: A Sleeping Monkey’s Lie“, my award-winning psychological thriller ends today!

Don’t miss out! Get your Christmas copy now. http://Dukebox.life/Alice_Promo

Thank you to all those lovely readers who have celebrated with me so far by reading Alice during the past few days. I am humbled and overwhelmed by how many wonderful emails and reviews I have received already. THANK YOU!

http://Dukebox.life/Alice_Promo

“Alice” – Celebratory Count Down Deal

 #FriFreeB, Alice, Promo, SamSkyborne_Blog  No Responses »
Dec 112018
 
Alice Count Down Deal Promo on Amazon

Starts Tuesday 11 December on Amazon!

Alice Count Down Deal Promo on Amazon

Alice Count Down Deal Promo on Amazon

 

Alice: A Sleeping Monkey’s Lie


Winner of the “NYC Big Book Award – Distinguished Favorite”

I am so thrilled!!
So … to celebrate this award I’m running a special Count Down deal on Amazon this week.

Get your copy at http://Dukebox.life/Alice_Promo!

 
 

“RISK” – October Count Down Deal!

 Newsletter, Promo, Risk, SamSkyborne, SamSkyborne_Blog  No Responses »
Oct 232018
 
Risk - NIEA Finalist Awards WINNER

Starts Tuesday 23 October on Amazon!

Risk - NIEA Finalist Awards WINNER

Risk: Three Crime-fighting Women Risk All for Love, Lust and Justicve.


Winner of the “National Indie Excellence Award – Finalist

Get your copy at http://Dukebox.life/Risk!

 
 

A Great Anniversary

 Alice, Newsletter, SamSkyborne_Blog  1 Response »
Oct 102018
 

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The publication date for “Alice”, my new psychological drama set in Cape Town, South Africa, really could not be any more fitting. I couldn’t have planned this better if I’d tried, and believe me I did try! I had great ideas about how I was going to publish “Alice” towards the end of 2017. But, no matter how much effort and sheer will and determination I mustered, I could not, for some reason, get “Alice” to progress any faster than it has. And that has been a good thing too, because now publishing “Alice” can coincide with and mark the momentous occasion of my 20 year anniversary of leaving South Africa – to go backpacking in Europe and get a bar job in London!

I never intended to leave South Africa permanently on that day, all those years ago. I was just going on a round-the-world trip abroad, to see what the world outside SA was like. So my reason for not having returned yet…? Well, I’m still looking for that bar job and unless I find an agent or a publisher soon, I will have to redouble my efforts in that regard!

Despite having been away for two decades, my heart has never really left South Africa. It is a beautiful country with so much to offer despite its troubles and challenges of the past, present and near future. Every few years I return gladly, to visit my friends and family and relish in the familiar landscape, sunshine, and fresh sea breeze – a pet hate from when I was young and living in the path of the brisk South Easter.

And when I now have the pleasure of meeting a fellow South African abroad, regardless of how long they have been out of the country, there is an instant, unbreakable, visceral bond because they know, they feel and understand in their bones what it means to be South African — something impossible to explain.

The one thing that saddens me when I return to the UK is that I’m unable to share my beautiful country and all that is has given me with my foreign friends. If I won the lottery, that is what I would do: take all my friends on an extended trip to Cape Town, Camps Bay, up the garden route, through game parks, to Victoria Falls, peep in at Kimberly, stop off at Bloemfontein, and venture up to Namaqualand….

In many ways, writing and publishing “Alice” is an attempt to do just that in the smallest, humblest of ways. By telling a story set in Cape Town, Camps Bay and the Cape Flats I hope to give my friends and readers a tantalising glimpse of my beautiful and complex country and what it’s like to live there.

Although the characters, businesses, organisations and legal entities in my book are entirely fictional, most of the locations are based on and inspired by existing places. Later, I aim to write a post giving a little insight into my research trip to Cape Town last year, with some photographs and images that inspired the fiction.

So, until then, be sure to get your copy of “Alice” here: >> http://Dukebox.life/Alice

 

 

Alice: Review

 Alice, Newsletter, SamSkyborne_Blog  No Responses »
Aug 142018
 

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Just received this wonderful review on Amazon. Thank you Ellie!

“I loved this book! A really compelling and original plot, full of twists and turns that you won’t see coming. Most of the action takes place in Cape Town, SA, and the writer really brings the city, culture and landscape to life throughout the novel. The characters are well-drawn and develop in really interesting ways – I found myself very quickly invested in their fate and keen to read the book as quickly as possible to find out what happens to them! This book is an excellent, character-driven thriller that will keep you guessing right up until the last page!!”

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To find out more about “Alice: A Woman’s Flight for Freedom” and get your copy look here http://dukebox.life/Alice

To be notified of early updates and new releases please join my contact list here: http://Dukebox.life/Subscribe

Free “Simulation” Sample now available

 SamSkyborne_Blog  No Responses »
Jan 222018
 

I am very pleased to say I finally managed to get a sample sorted of Simulation!!

You can get the details of how to download it below.

Happy reading!!

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Simulation – Free Sample!

The Dawn of a Superhero

A Lesbian action adventure superhero romance!

For Adults ONLY!

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Sam can manage the grueling physical trials, but will her heart survive? Captain America meets a lesbian twist in this gripping sci-fi adventure.

Set in a dystopian future when, after a decade of war, the United Kingdom is on its knees, ruled by strict martial law and where any ‘deviant’ behaviour is punishable in a manner worse than death–the perpetrators are forcefully ‘reset’. Samantha Fielding, an emotionally scarred war hero, struggles to adapt to ‘normal’ life so she enlists in a top secret scientific research programme. Here, not only is she pushed way beyond her physical and emotional limits in order to unleash powerful and potentially lethal dormant human abilities, she also finds herself dangerously falling for the principal scientist, Dr Victoria Henderson – risking everything.

Get your Sample here:



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“An Absolutely Wonderful Book” – Amanda
“A real page-turner!” – Miss E. Mumford
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“Wow! What a mesmerizing page turner” – Geraldine Robertson-Brown
“Kick-ass and definitely someone I’d like to meet” – Alice
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“This is a very atmospheric and compelling read…” – Anny
“This is a great read, full of tension, a good plot.” – Wayne


Or Buy NOW:

Large Print Copy of Sim
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More Reader Reviews

Note: If you too enjoyed the book, please let me know!! And join my VIP mailing list to be notified about any new releases.

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Loved it!

“Wow just finished your novel-brilliant. Never read anything like it… Really got drawn into the characters and intrigue of the plot – can’t wait to read the next installment. I’m off to Cornwall soon too! A lighthouse will never look the same again.” – A Reader

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Good pacing, interesting storyline

Although I found the start a little slow and I wasn’t quite sure where it was going, it soon took off and ripped along at a good pace. I warmed to Sam once she and Victoria met and the real crux of the story came through, and I thought the ending was really good, especially as it hinted at more to come from these characters. A good debut. – Angela

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Buy this book!

This is a great read – a real page turner with believable and engaging characters and a gripping storyline, set in an all too possible uncomfortable future. I loved it and can’t wait for the next book in the trilogy. Sam’s my kind of hero! A great debut. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author. – Amazon Customer.

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kick-ass and definitely someone I’d like to meet

A gripping futuristic story.. Sam is my new hero. She’s hot, kick-ass and definitely someone I’d like to meet. Can’t wait for the next instalement! – Alice.

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I loved this, couldn’t put it down once I started …

I loved this, couldn’t put it down once I started it. Beautifully written, intriguing plot and very real characters. Looking forward to finding out what happens next! – Lily.

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Wow! What a mesmerizing page turner

Superbly well written, a real page turner… I vow you’ll not be able to put it down until finished. Truly believable characters and ones you warm too. Don’t let its category of Lesbian Fiction, put you off, its all subtle and tastefully executed. Hopefully like me you’ll end up wanting more… Definitely a sequel waiting to be written….. Even better a film. – Gerry Bell.

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A real page-turner!

I read this book from start to finish in one sitting – I couldn’t put it down! The plot is truly original, particularly in the genre of lesbian fiction, and is full of unexpected twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. The characters are well drawn and compelling and the relationships are very believable. A really great read! – Ms E Mumford.

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The very graphic prologue sets up the backstory brilliantly, and the contrast of locations from rural Cornwall …

This is a very atmospheric and compelling read with a wide range of characters from the very loveable to the very scary indeed. The very graphic prologue sets up the backstory brilliantly, and the contrast of locations from rural Cornwall to the intimidating futuristic research laboratory creates a world that is simultaneously now and not now, here and not here. The narrative whips along at a furious pace and keeps you guessing, the characters are complex, and when the book ends I was wondering what happens next? I’m really looking forward to reading the next part of the trilogy. – Anny.

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If you’re a fan of sci-fi, superheroes, science or lesbian novels then you should go read this book

The character of Sam is very well written and at times I felt like I was right there with Sam, seeing what she was seeing, hearing what she was hearing and feeling what she was feeling. I loved the little twist at the end, I really wasn’t expecting it but I was glad that it happened.

Overall a very well written story with two fantastic characters that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about. If you’re a fan of sci-fi, superheroes, science or lesbian novels then you should go read this book, even if you’re not you should read it. – Planet Nation.

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A great read with a mixture of angst and happiness

Whether or not we are living in a simulation right now .who knows..but this was an exciting read with an easy ability to identify with and warm to the main characters.I hope this will be followed with another story extending the futuristic journey of Sam and Victoria 🙂 For I believe the basis of this book may well run parallel with our true world. – Amazon Customer.

As indie authors it is very hard to spread the word about the books we have spent time and toil creating for our readers. Please help us by telling others whom you think might be interested in my books about them.

 

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