Friday 15 June 2012

Party with us! Follow Party, Friday 22nd June 6pm

We're having a party!

True to form we'll be having a right royal shindig on Friday 22nd June at 6pm.... the only catch, is that it's online.

Do you have a blog? Would you like more followers?

The number of followers you have on your blog can be a visible indication to potential readers, PR professionals and marketers that your blog is worthy of their interest.

Join us next Friday for our very first Follow Party. To join, simply visit this facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/431283483559070/431346170219468/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity

Leave us a link to your blog and we'll add you to the Guest List!

Come back to the Facebook page next Friday. An hour before the party starts, the full list of attendees will be posted up on the event page. Each guest then visits and follows every blog on the list - which should only take around half an hour, dependent on the length of the guest list, and should result in a substantial increase in your own followers.

This is not a private event - feel free to invite any bloggers that you know. Remember, the more guests we have, the better for your followship numbers.

Oh, one last thing... bring a bottle!

See you there,

Charlotte

PS: Please note that we will be holding a similar event for those in parts of the world for whom this time is inconvenient. It would be helpful to know what the demand for a second event would be, so if you like the sound of this, but don't want to get up at 3am, let us know below.

Thursday 14 June 2012

Fifty Shades of.... pink?!

With the Shades of Grey trilogy dominating the book charts at the moment, we sent our Fifty Shades Virgin (as in, she hasn’t read the books) on a quest to find out why these saucy books are just so sellable. Charlotte Castle reports.


I have a friend who is an Ann Summers Rep.  She makes a bit of pocket money and has a monthly giggle selling crotch-less knickers and Rampant Rabbits to tipsy women at hen parties. Recently though, she’s noticed a new trend. “No sooner than I’ve got my first edible bra out of my product bag and they’re all asking me about Shades of Grey – and enquiring whether I stock feathers and whips.”

It’s what the sex industry is calling ‘The Grey Effect’ and its sweeping through society from an unusual starting point – the 30 – 40 year old female reader.

The first book, Fifty Shades of Grey, follows Ana, a virginal literature student and her growing relationship with the handsome but troubled Billionaire, Christian Grey, who educates her in the ways of love and passion in his Red Room of Pain – a bondage dungeon in his apartment.

But come on. Surely this is just porn? The written version of 1970’s porn films - which also boasted a flimsy plot (“Oh! Derek! I didn’t realise you were cleaning the windows. Oh! And look! My sister has just arrived! Well since you’re all here….”) surely any pretence at literature is a farce?

“It’s a love story” says Christina Glynn, a 30 year old Health Care Assistant from London, with the passionately defensive tones I’ve come to expect from fans of the series. “I suppose on the surface the sexual content, could be used for a cheap thrill, if that was the case then the reader isn't really following the story. The sex scenes are about trust - both characters breaking down their own barriers and discovering love for the first time. The story deals with the characters battling with their own emotions and feelings, and discovering firsts together - albeit on different levels. It is by the far the most graphic and passionate book I have encountered, but truthfully that’s just at surface level.”

Yet just as Christina was beginning to sell it for me, the best-selling author Matt Shaw added his views. “Filthy, yes. Dull, absolutely.  The author needs to learn new adjectives to describe feelings. There are only so many times a person can look at someone through their lashes and blush."

Ouch.

Antonia Hopkins, 31 of Windsor added, “The filth side gets a bit boring in all honesty, I found myself skipping through the parts where they have sex after the first few times! I did feel compelled to finish them all though [the books] as I had to find out what happened.”

Hmm.

It seems that the Shades of Grey series, just like sex and love, have an intensely personal and individual effect on each person. I think the only thing I can do is download it and read it. You never know - my next purchase just might be a riding crop.

Fifty Shades of Grey is available to download for e-readers from Amazon, here.

Thursday 7 June 2012

WIN AN ENTIRE KINDLE LIBRARY!

That's right, we're giving away an entire ONE HUNDRED titles to just one reader - that's 100 novels and memoirs, all published between 2008 and 2012. An entire library, straight to your Kindle or e-reader!


In order to be in with a chance to win this amazing prize, you will need to:

1.  Follow this blog - (see to the right.)

2.  Share this link on Facebook: http://www.kingsofkindle.blogspot.co.uk/

3.  And Tweet a link to the following TWO blog posts: http://www.kingsofkindle.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/sexwithout-strings-with-shows-like-sex.html
http://www.kingsofkindle.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/division-of-damned-have-vampires.html

4.  Finally, comment below to let us know that you have entered.

The lucky winner will be drawn at random on 7th July 2012. Two runners up will each receive an e-copy of Hooking Up by Jessica Degarmo and Division of the Damned by Richard Jones.

Get networking and good luck!!






Terms & Conditions
Winners will be picked at random from entrants who have commented below this post. Kings of Kindle will message the winners via the Kings of Kindle blog and reserve the right to check that the above requirements have been carried out in order to validate the claim. Likewise the two runners-up. The prize will be delivered within 14 days of the winner being announced. The winner agrees to have their name posted on the blog - photograph is optional. Kings of Kindle and their associates Taylor Street Publishing and That Right Publishing reserve the right to withold the prize from claimants who are unable to prove that they have fulfilled the necessary requirements as outlined in points 1-4 above. Staff and relations of Taylor Street and That Right Publishing and writers, moderators and relations are unable to enter this competition. No cash alternative will be offered and the books must be delivered in e-format. The titles given as a prize are non-transferable or negotiable. The accompanying photograph is used for illustrative purposes only and does not include titles that are involved in this promotion.


This promotion is in conjunction with Taylor Street Publishing and That Right Publishing.

Wednesday 6 June 2012

Can Free Ever be Faaabulous?


Like many people, we at Kindle Castle are feeling the pinch. It seems nobody has any spare cash these days and buying books has become a bit of a luxury – whereas before, for avaricious readers like ourselves, a weekly book was as normal and as essential as washing up liquid.


There is, of course, the library – and certainly those institutions need supporting as much as possible. But here in England it’s raining… and hey, we own a Kindle!


One of the main complaints against e-readers, perpetuated by the bigger, older, traditional publishing houses, is that due to the ‘free-for-all’ ease of publishing, the quality of books are un-policed, meaning that Amazon has become a quagmire of sub-standard writing and illiterate ranting in which the ‘good’ books (ie the ones that the big publishers want to sell for £8 or £9 in electronic format) sink and are lost.


We see their point. But looking through the Top One Hundred in the UK Kindle downloads today, it was interesting to see a number of entirely free books making it into the charts. Furthermore, they all have excellent star ratings and their reviews suggest that they are as highly regarded by their fans as books by the big hitters.


So. It’s raining, we’re skint and we have a virtual library of free books in the palm of our hands. We don’t even have to take them back! We downloaded the following, and will give our thoughts next week. In the meantime, if you’ve checked out these titles and have anything to say about them, let us know - and if you know of any juicy little freebies we should be shouting about, get in touch.

Scary Mary - by S.A Hunter.

This looks like something of a cross between 'Ghost Whisperer' and the Stephen King's 'Carrie'. So far, not very original, but it has four and a half stars and many satisfied customers shouting about it. And it's free. Did we mention it's free? We'll let you know what we think about Mary as soon as we've all met her.

Never Buried - Edie Claire

Despite the slightly Nancy Drew feel to the cover, this again had mostly good reviews. Personally we're feeling a little bit dubious about this, as for a crime novel to work the plot needs to be really tight - but hey, that's what we're here for. Selflessly testing out books so that if they're bad, you don't have to. You never know, could be the next PD James. As ever, we'll let you know.



That's it, for now. We've got reading to do....


Friday 1 June 2012

SEX WITHOUT STRINGS? Jess Degarmo talks dirty with us.


Big treat for us at Kings of Kindle today. We got in contact with Jess Degarmo, author of 'Hooking Up' and 'How to Meet a Guy at the Supermarket' and we were royally chuffed when she agreed to be interviewed.

Hey, Jess! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed today.

You're welcome!


Your second novel, ‘Hooking Up’ is out now and quickly gathering great reviews. Tell us a bit about it.

Well, in a nutshell, it’s about a young woman, Caitlin, who has just been left by her boyfriend of ten years. She goes out to a bar with her best friends to take her mind off of things, and one of her friends suggests that what she needs is a one-night stand to help get over her ex. At first, Caitlin scoffs at the idea. After all, who wants sex without emotion? But eventually, overcome with loneliness, she follows through with it. There’s just one problem: how did Caitlin end up with the only guy in town who wants more than a one-night stand?


Hmm... your first novel, ‘How to Meet a Guy at the Supermarket’ was also about the dating game – albeit in an unorthadox way… so...um….. how’s your love life!?

Pretty darn good, and I didn’t have to go to a supermarket to find him! My husband and I met at school fifteen years ago. We’ll celebrate our fourteenth wedding anniversary this September. I get questions from people all the time asking whether my husband minds that I’ve written about meeting a guy at the supermarket, but honestly, it’s mostly fiction. There may be some parts that are true, but I’m not telling!


Okay - we won't force you. Clearly woman have far more sexual freedom than they did pre the 1960’s. Do you feel it’s a level playing field for men and women now, or are women still treated differently to a man for having, say, a one-night-stand?

I think it’s more of a level playing field than it was, but I also think there are still some double-standards.  I think TV shows like Sex in the City have glamorized casual sex a bit, but I’m thinking that guys have more of a problem with us having it than women do. Of course, I could be completely wrong. I’ve been off the shelf for a long time!


So, tell us about your worst ever date!

Uh, that would have to be when I met my date at the bowling alley and assured me that his parole officer said it was fine to stay out a bit past curfew, just this once. I was so glad I brought my own car!


Priceless. And the best?

It would have to be when my husband and I went to the Outer Banks for the first time in 2008. We went to this little pub that was tucked behind a shopping plaza and had the best burgers and crab legs ever. No kids, no obligations, just time with each other. It was amazing.


Ah yes, kids. You’re a busy mum, author, country music DJ and lead singer of a classic rock band. How on earth do you fit it all in and do your kids think you are the coolest mother ever?

Well, I don’t do housework, for starters! No, actually, I just carve the time out. I actually have more time now than I have in a while. While I wrote my first three books, I was also in college part-time and holding a full-time job as well. It was pretty crazy, but it’s amazing what people can accomplish if they set their mind to it. I didn’t have a lot of free time, and the writing was wherever, whenever I could manage it. There were a lot of long, sleepless nights when I’d be frantically typing. As far as my kids go, no, I’m just Mom. I’m the same Mom as always--the one who makes them clean their rooms, brush their teeth, eat their vegetables. But we’re close, and I hope we’ll always stay that way.


(Pehaps Jess's next book should be about how to train your husband to do housework - we'd be fascinated how she managed to do that!)What would be your advice to any aspiring novelists out there?

Oh, boy! That’s a loaded question! I think the key is to learn. Learn all you can about your subject matter and the writing process itself. Study up on different publishers and ways of publishing.  And network! There are a lot of great author networking sites out there, such as www.authonomy.com and www.thatright.ning.com, to name a couple. You’ll learn so much about the whole publishing process simply by asking people who have already been there, done that. But I think the most important thing to do is to love it. Writing is so many different things to so many people. It can be therapeutic, even cathartic, to get your innermost thoughts on paper. Go for it, and have fun!


Great - we'll check those out. And finally, what would be your advice for any woman looking for love?

Um, avoid the freezer section unless you’re wearing a padded bra?

Seriously, love is what you make it. Don’t be afraid to try new things, especially if the old things aren’t working to your satisfaction. And really, I think the key to finding love is finding yourself first. If you truly understand yourself as a woman, you’ll have a much easier time figuring out which person is the perfect fit for you.


Thanks, Jess. (And we agree, the smuggling peanuts thing is not a good look....)



Jessica’s brand new novel ‘Hooking Up’, which we enjoyed enormously, can be bought from Amazon, as can her last novel, How to Meet a Guy at the Supermarket.