My Hearts & Talons tour kicks off tonight (or this morning, depending on where you are in the world) with a fabulous, five-star review by Keren Hughes at Gothic Angel Book Reviews. Read the full review here.
Confession time: Keren and I are good friends, not that this review is in any way biased… she wrote this review after reading The Blood She Betrayed two years ago, only hours after we randomly met on Twitter. I was an aspiring, uncontracted author; she had started her own review website. We connected in our first conversation because Max first sees Shahkara as a Goth Angel, which shadows the name of Keren’s website.
Keren had soon read my book blurb and begged me to send her a copy of The Blood She Betrayed. I threw caution to the wind and did. Fortunately, she fell in love with my story and characters, so much so that she posted me my first-ever fan mail – by genuine snail mail from the United Kingdom to Australia! Unreal! I still keep her card, pictured above left with some of my The Blood She Betrayed swag, on my author’s desk (left).
Every writer encounters tough times before they become a published author. For me, I remember hunting for an agent last year and receiving a letter back from one who graciously spent the time in writing back to me (not to be sneezed at), but she said she could not represent me because ‘too much happened in my book’ and ‘my 
hero came across as sleazy’. Sleazy? My Max? But I’ve always valued genuine editorial advice and I was soon on the internet to Keren (not because she wasn’t my only friend who had read the book, but I knew she was the only friend who could be impartial) and I asked her if I needed major rewrites on Max and the rest of my plotline. No, she insisted, she’d loved Max just the way he was (to pirate Darcy’s words from Bridget Jones’ Diary). I did edit and polish my manuscript a lot more, but kept my characters and plot, the heart of my story, the same.
Keren’s reassurances were gold because I soon found other professionals who believed in my manuscript, including The Vampire Diaries’ New York Times bestselling author LJ Smith and Clan Destine Press Publisher Lindy Cameron.
To kick o
ff my Hearts & Talons Tour, pop over to Keren’s Gothic Angel Book Reviews website and have a read. I am visiting a number of different blogs during my Hearts & Talons Tour and will try to check in each day and let you know where I’m at.
Don’t forget my FaceBook eBook launch party is tonight. Log on here for an invite. I’m sure there will be more news later in the day. Until then, Happy Reading, Happy Living. Cher x
PS: Keren has since written her own novel, Stolen, and just gained a contract with Limitless Publishing. Congratulations, Keren! You can find out more about Stolen here.
Aw this is the loveliest post, Cher. I do love Max and Shah so much, I just need the paperback in my hands and I can have a good old cry. I seriously am SO frickin proud of you. Never stop believing and always shoot for the stars. I remember the day I sent you my review, I was so nervous I didn’t do your remarkable book justice.
You are my friend, but without bias I can say there should be film rights optioned for your book mi’lady! Let’s see Max and Shahkara come to life on the big screen.
I love Max. I love Shah. I love their first story. But most of all, I love you!
Aw, now I’m crying too! Thankyou, my Gothic Angel for loving my book – and hosting me as part of my Hearts & Talons *hugs* <3
PS: I’ll post the paperback to you as soon as it’s hot off the press and I’ve had time to sign and post it to you, Keren <3
Totally, Karen. I saw Cher’s story come alive like a movie flickering across my mind as well. I’ll calling it. Film rights for The Heart Hunter Series.UM, how does one go about attaining those. Here’s to a smashing success of your novel, Cher, and lets hope somebody in the movie biz notices you.
Jacqui Read
*HUGS* thanks Jacque. Publisher, agent or myself can negotiate rights, but I don’t have an agent yet (haven’t really had time of late to submit to one) and I don’t have the contacts yet. I’m hoping The Blood She Betrayed becomes so popular in the cybersphere that it demands the attention of film producers xoxo