Book review of great debut novel, WANDERER SCORNED by Natasha Woodcraft

As an author, it is a real honour to be asked to read and review another author's work.  So many authors have helped me on my writing journey, it only feels right to do the same.  This is the first 'Blog Tour' that I have taken part in and this book is a definite MUST READ.

In the 70’s I remember watching episodes of the TV detective series, Columbo, starring Peter Falk.  At the start of each episode, a murder took place, then the whole story plot was how Columbo would track down and reveal the killer.  The viewer always knew how the story would end, but the series was a huge success due to incredible storytelling.

The debut novel from Natasha Woodcraft, called ‘Wanderer Scorned’ is an adaptation of the story of Cain and Abel from the Bible.  If you aren’t aware, Cain killed his brother, Abel.  So, just like an episode of Columbo, the end is already known and will require a high standard of storytelling, if it is going to grip your attention.  Natasha Woodcraft achieved this beyond my expectations.

Why do I say beyond?  Well, it is of course Biblical Fiction, which I used to say is my least favourite genre of writing, but I am rapidly changing my thinking on this.  This story is extremely well researched, skilfully composed and clearly directed by the Holy Spirit.  On top of all of that, it made me see things and consider things in a new light.  Not that it was a distraction from the Biblical facts, indeed, it was the opposite, it brought an already known story alive.

The names of the main characters have been changed to Kayin and Habel, which helps to remind you that it is a work of fiction.  The theme of murder is popular in stories, perhaps because we all have the potential in us.  Really though, this story is all about relationships, family and our human frailty.  Written in the first person, the author places you into Kayin’s head.  You hear his thoughts and feelings, allowing you to realise that he is not a monster. 

We are all capable of pride, envy and jealousy, with the possibility for it to overpower and consume us.  This story follows Kayin’s devolution and dysfunctionality.  In the world today, we all too often hear of dysfunctional families, yet this is not a modern issue.  Cain was the first offspring of Adam and Eve, who were punished with banishment from the garden.  When we look at Cain or Kayin, we find that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree (no pun intended). 

 

Throughout history, Cain has had a bad reputation and is regarded as sinful and evil, yet this story will remind you that Cain (or Kayin) is first and foremost a hardworking human being with feelings.  This makes the whole storyline, woven with Biblical and historic facts to be believable and plausible.  The murder scene and aftermath do not disappoint, plus the scenes with the serpent or tormentor are superb.  Most of all this story, for me, reminded me that we must give God our best in everything that we do.

The main story is sandwiched between a prologue and epilogue, which is set at a party several generations after the killing.  Kayin arrives during the prologue to tell his story.  The epilogue leaves you knowing that there is more to come, more stories and more books.  I’m not sure how many books will be in the Wanderer series, but if they are as good as this one, I want to read them all and I highly recommend this outstanding debut.  The book has a well-deserved 5 stars from me.

Brendan Conboy is the author of 9 published books including his fascinating autobiography, The Golden Thread.  In 1986, Brendan invited Jesus into his life and God blessed him with the gift of rhyming words.  He used that gift as a Christian Rap artist for 25 years and has written 3 poetry books including the entire Book of Psalms in Rhyme.  He has 3 published novels - Issues, Invasion of the Mimics and Legacy of the Mimics.  Visit Brendan's website HERE. 

What do you do with a great book review?

As a writer, I value all reviews and appreciate the time that a reader has taken, first to read my book and then to spend time writing, then posting a review on Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub or anywhere else.  So, what do you do with a great review?  Here are a few thoughts.

1.       Say thank you.

2.       Mention it and copy and paste it to your social media, with a link to buy the book.

3.       Add it to your website, with a link to buy the book.

4.       Make a video of yourself reading the review and post it on Youtube, Instagram and TikTok, with a link to buy the book. 

5.       If the review is big enough, use it as a blog, which is exactly what I am doing here.

I recently asked for people to read a free PDF version of my novel, ‘The Invasion of the MIMICS.’  If you would like a copy just email me here bmconboy@gmail.com

The rest of this blog is the review and I would love to know what you think of it?  Does it make you want to read the book or grab the FREE PDF and review it yourself?

 

                Review of – ‘The Invasion of the MIMICS by Elaine Venning

For a book to tick all my boxes, first of all, it must be well written with a flowing style that is both descriptive and imaginative.  Secondly, it should hang together in a plausible manner, and not jerk from one aspect to another in a haphazard manner.

Add to that characters of substance, full of human insight and pathos where there is an unfolding narrative progressing them through the story in a believable way, whatever hoops the author has his people jump through. 

Lastly, a good plot that incorporates twists and turns and keeps me puzzling away to the end of the tale is the refining dimension that will have me read from cover to cover, even if I do like to sneak a peek at the conclusion first.

This is one such book.  It opens in what for a moment seems to be our modern world gone mad, painting a grim picture of oppression and a stark reality that I hope none of us ever have to endure. It then rapidly introduces us to Gideon our young hero and then a little later a sad scientist locked in his experiments in a way that raises the question of what alienates human beings from their surroundings and each other.  How do we lose what really matters?  What is evil?

These are not the only difficult and relevant questions lurking behind the covers.  It asks how we can find hope in dark times, how to discover solutions in the face of adversity and great complexity as well as continue to become ever more caring and responsible.  Who indeed is Trenchant and can he save our hero from impending disaster?  What is the Pneuma and will it change him into being a better person? Do not be surprised if you find yourself asking these deeper questions too.

The early, chilling touch of snow which numbs more than the senses, gives a touch of horror that never quite tips over into a climate change postulation.  Instead, it brings to life the nightmare of an underlying menace threatening many peoples with no seeming way out.

This boys’ own adventure rattles along at a fast pace without missing important details and it has moments of fun with races and much globe-trotting that is not just limited to this earthly sphere.  There is even a hint of romance round the edges that leave a suggestion that this is not a lone book but an epic saga taking us through the making of our hero and on into a whole new dimension just asking to be explored by each of us in the days ahead.  Expect more to follow.

I commend this book to you but be warned.  Once you start reading you’ll want to know what’s coming next!

                                                         View the book onAmazon here.

 COMING SUMMER 2022

Brendan Conboy has an Advanced Diploma in Digital Marketing level 5 He is a creative Christian; digital marketeer, podcaster, film producer, poet, and author of 8 books, including 'The book of PSALMS in Rhyme.'  He lives in Stroud Gloucestershire.  There are 'self-made men' and 'God-made men', Brendan is the latter.  An associate speaker with Christian Vision for Men.  A member of the Association of Christian Writers and Evangelical Alliance.

Click here to visit Brendan's website

Where is Your Website? - Ideas to be better seen.

Do you have a website?  How often are you asked this?  Do you ever ask it of others?  A contact in America recently asked if she could stock my books in, supposedly 4 shops.  I sent her all of my info and asked her for her website, she didn’t have one and said she has physical shops.  Really?

Many people now regard having a website as ‘doing it right, in a professional manner’ so we need to make sure that we invest into our websites.  I always say that a website is like a shop window, it needs to be visually attractive and convey your message quickly.  It is now said that the online attention of the average person is 8.25 seconds, so make the most of that time.

If your shop window isn’t right, people will drift on past your shop.  Marketeers use techniques to make you find, stop, stay and shop, so how does your window, your website manage to do this? 

Can you remember the day that your website first went live?  Did you shout, “Hooray, we are alright now.”  Have you, since then, realised that having a website is only the start and that you need to do far more work so that people can actually find you.

As an author, I often Google another author’s name so that I can visit their website, only to find out that they don’t have one or if they do have one, Google doesn’t find it.  So I’d like to now share with you a few tips to improve your website, if you don't already know these. 

Time to get excited

 

1.  SEO (search engine optimization) – Yes, this is still a thing and yes, it still works.            

·         70% of marketers see SEO as more effective than PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising.

·       Longtail keywords have 3-5% more click through than generic searches. (Use key content from pages)

2.    2.  Backlinks – Make sure that your website appears on as many other websites as possible.       I have 8 books on Amazon and in the description for each one, you can find my website’s         author landing page. 

• 91% of pages fail to see traffic due to lack of backlinks
• Top results on Google have 3.8 more backlinks

3.     3.  Mobile optimised – have you checked that your website works properly on a mobile               phone or tablet?  How often have you viewed a website on your phone, only to find the             content in a jumble, uncoordinated mess?

• By 2025 it’s estimated that 73% of internet users will access via mobile only.
• Nearly 24% of the top million websites are NOT mobile friendly.
• Only 30% of small businesses have mobile friendly websites

4.     4.  Secure site – Check to the  left of your website URL, is your site secure?  Does it bother         you if it isn’t?  It should.   

• 46% of users will not do business with you if your website is not secure.

5.     5.  Links out – Do you have links to buy your books? Don’t just tell people to go to Amazon,         include links.  Crawl Bots like links and they will find you easier, plus your customers can         buy easier.

6.     6.  Blog – This helps to keep your website alive and current.  Crawl Bots like sites that are            regularly updated.  

•       A blog helps to make your site easier to find and can actually help to rake in up to 126% more sales.  
•      Even updating and republishing old blogs with new content and images can increase  traffic by up to 106%

7.     7.  Newsletter – Do you have a Newsletter page?  This works in the same way as a Blog, in         that it keeps your site alive.  Linked with this, do you have a Pop-up Newsletter sign up             (with or without free offer)?  This tool will help to grow your audience faster than waiting for       someone to find the sign up form.

      8.  Video – If you are not using video on your website, you will be losing out.

• Videos grab 82 percent of all internet traffic. 
• Every single day, over 500 million hours of video is consumed on YouTube.  Video is 50x more likely to grab organic traffic.

1  9.  Social Links - How many social media platforms are linked?  A simple Twitter feed will           keep your site active and more visible to the Bots.

9. 10.  Branding – Do you have an easily identifiable look? - Logos, fonts, colours & images

1111.  Email Signature - Include branding and your website at the foot of your emails.  This               should be your first backlink.

I realise that this is a longer blog than usual, but hope that you find this useful.  Oh, by the way, if you don’t believe it works, try Googling my name and check out the first search engine results page (SERP).

If you need help understanding any of this, please just let me know. 

Brendan Conboy has an Advanced Diploma in Digital Marketing level 5 He is a creative Christian; digital marketeer, podcaster, film producer, poet, and author of 8 books, including 'The book of PSALMS in Rhyme.'  He lives in Stroud Gloucestershire.  There are 'self-made men' and 'God-made men', Brendan is the latter.  An associate speaker with Christian Vision for Men.  A member of the Association of Christian Writers and Evangelical Alliance.

Click here to visit Brendan's website

How do you cope with disappointment?

We are all different and cope with disappointment in different ways and if we are honest, we all face disappointment at times in our lives, such as:

> The ‘A’ grade student who gains a ‘B’ in their exam may feel that they could have done better and they start to chastise themselves. 

> The author who slaves away over a manuscript, only to face rejection after rejection from publishers.

> The couple who are desperate to have a baby, IVF has failed several times and they have been told that there is no hope.

I try not to ever give up, to always have hope and to remain positive, but it only takes one piece of straw to break the camel’s back.

I waited for three years on the transplant list for a new kidney.  During that time, I was called four times, only to be stood down and faced extreme disappointment.  Eventually, on my fifth call, the operation went ahead and I was given a kidney from someone that had just died.  I had the joy of that situation, but in the same event, a family suffered great disappointment, heartache and loss.  That was nearly three years ago and on 23^rd February I will once again celebrate my kidney-versary.

My latest disappointment is to hear today, that my shoulder surgery has been cancelled (again) for tomorrow.  This is the fourth cancellation in 18 months and I’ll be honest, it hit me hard.  It left me feeling flat and deflated, with the wind knocked out of my sails.  I felt my black dog (depression) snap at my ankles, as the dark clouds once again descended over me.  Can you grasp where I was at?

The title of this blog is ‘How Do You Cope with Disappointment?’  In the case of my latest disappointment, I could easily have allowed it to consume me, to rob me of my life and my creativity.  Instead, after a few hours of behaving like Eeyore, I wrote about it.  I wrote this blog and I shared my struggle and pain, I talked to you now reading this and I felt the joy creep back into my heart, albeit very slowly.

You may be facing your own disappointment right now and struggling with your own giants.  I know that it’s hard and that you may feel abandoned, rejected, hurt, in pain, at a loss, grieving, confused, angry, the list goes on and on.  If you are struggling, you don’t have to do it alone.  YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  Talk to a friend, a relative, a colleague, someone that you can trust or do as I do, write it down, share it and move on.

On my podcast, I’ve been chatting to various Christians who have struggled with brokenness, but found peace and comfort in being creative.  It has help them all in so many ways.  So, what is the best way to handle disappointment?  For me, it’s talk about it and create.  What about you?  I’d love to know.

Brendan is a creative Christian; a digital marketeer, podcaster, film producer, poet, and author of 8 books, including 'The book of PSALMS in Rhyme.'  He lives in Stroud Gloucestershire.  There are 'self-made men' and 'God-made men', Brendan is the latter.  An associate speaker with Christian Vision for Men.  A member of the Association of Christian Writers and Evangelical Alliance.

Click here to visit Brendan's website

Are You in the CLEAN-UP CREW?

Kanye West (https://www.kanyewest.com/), says, “We came into a broken world and we are the clean-up crew.

We all go through some form of brokenness at some point in our lives and we will all respond differently.  Death is the obvious brokenness and we will all face it, ultimately our own, but prior to that, the death of those that we know.  Some struggle to recover from grief, but as Christians, as the clean-up crew, we can do whatever we can do to support.

I have many creative friends who tell me that it is because of their brokenness that they are creative.  They use creativity to channel their pain, their hurts, and their loss.  They do this, in the hope that their creations will bring comfort to themselves and others.  This is the reason why I create, to impact lives and bring about change.  To bring change is the role of the clean-up crew.

As an author, a poet, and a film producer, I want every book, every poem, and every film to bring change.  Often, we will never know about those that our work has touched and inspired, but we still create, because God made us that way. 

Over the last 7 years, I have become even more creative, creative in new ways, with new ideas and I have been led by God, but also inspired by others.  Who are you inspiring and who is inspiring you?

The more creative people that I meet, with a story of brokenness; the more I want to help them in some way.  I want to help them tell their story and to share it with the world.  I’ve lost count of the times that I’ve helped other authors with publishing or marketing knowledge.  I love to empower others and to share my knowledge, as I have blogged about before here.

My latest creative, supportive venture is a brand-new podcast that will launch soon.  It’s called ‘The Creative Christian Chat Show’ aka DOG in the POD.  If you are wondering why the DOG in the POD part, well, my surname means, ‘Son of Yellow Dog’.  You can learn more about my name in my blog, ‘What's in a Name?’

When I told a friend about my podcast, his comment was, “I thought film was your thing?”

“No”, I told him, “Message is my thing.”  Isn’t it strange how people see one aspect of our creativity but miss the bigger picture?  I know my role in the ‘clean-up’ crew and I am a Message Bringer. Do you know your role?

The first series of my podcast is currently in production and it is called, ‘Creative in Brokenness’.  I have been overwhelmed by the response from people that want to come on the show and I am humbled by their stories.  Please get in touch if you would like to join me on the show for a creative chat.

VISIT MY PODCAST HERE

Brendan is a creative Christian; a digital marketeer, podcaster, film producer, poet, and author of 8 books, including 'The book of PSALMS in Rhyme.'  He lives in Stroud Gloucestershire.  There are 'self-made men' and 'God-made men', Brendan is the latter.  An associate speaker with Christian Vision for Men.  A member of the Association of Christian Writers and Evangelical Alliance.

Click here to visit Brendan's website

Do You Want FAME?

I spent over 30 years of my life working in charity (and still do some).  I was a Youth Worker and one of the founders of a great youth charity in Stroud, Gloucestershire.  As a result of my work, many years ago, the charity’s Patron suggested that he should nominate me for an OBE.  As the Patron was a Lord, I knew that there would be a good chance of success, but I turned him down, saying, “I don’t need that.”

Looking back, I now say that, “I didn’t want that”, you see our minds can change, I now realise that fame can be useful.  Years later, someone else suggested that they nominate me for the same award and I thought to myself, “That would be nice.”  As far as I’m aware, he didn’t do as he said, and I was a little disappointed.  Now, when the new year honours are announced, I think to myself, “That could have been me.”

I used to believe that if we received our thanks on earth then we wouldn’t have any in heaven.  So, what made me change?  Why is it important to be known by many?  Well, as a writer, there is the obvious point, that more people might buy your books, but that shouldn’t be the main reason.

I recently watched a film on Netflix called, ‘Another Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood’ (starring Tom Hanks).  This is the story of a Presbyterian minister and children’s TV presenter, Fred Rogers.  Mr. Rogers (as the children know him) is interviewed by a journalist, Lloyd Vogel, and Lloyd asks, “What is it like to be famous?”

Fred responds with, “Fame is a four-letter word, like face, fast, same, and flat.  It’s not about being famous, it’s what you do with fame that makes a difference.”  The more widely we are known, the bigger the difference that we can make and we call that marketing.  Any author needs a bit of that.

Another point that Fred makes in the film is, he asks Lloyd a question, “What do you think is the most important thing in the world for me right now?”

Lloyd shrugged his shoulders and Fred answered, “Talking to you Lloyd.”  The point that Fred was making was, where ever you are, be there.  My friends, how often have you been somewhere, but your mind is elsewhere?  Writer friends, how often have you sat down to write, only for your thoughts to drift away to nowhere?

So, do I want to be famous?  I want my books and films and the message contained within to speak into people’s hearts.  I don’t care if they remember my name or not, but I do pray that my words will bring them hope, freedom, and change.  Then it will be another beautiful day in the neighbourhood.

Brendan is a Christian filmmaker, poet, and author of 8 books, including 'The book of PSALMS in Rhyme.'  He lives in Stroud Gloucestershire.  There are 'self-made men' and 'God-made men', Brendan is the latter.  An associate speaker with Christian Vision for Men.  A member of the Association of Christian Writers and Evangelical Alliance.

Click here to visit Brendan's website

Journey into the UNKNOWN?

Photo: Chris Buckwald - Unsplash.com

Amongst other things, I am an author and a film producer.  I use those skills to communicate a message, a story, or share some information.  You will not be at all surprised to hear then, that I love watching films and that one of my favourite scenes is from, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  Towards the end of the film, Indiana (the hero) has to step off of a cliff edge into a ravine.  He has to take a huge step off faith and following his father’s instruction, that is what he does.  He steps, yet does not fall.  As he changes his perspective, the previously invisible bridge is now seen, stretching out across the perilous ravine.

As we all start a new year, for many, we may feel like Indiana Jones as we step out into the unknown.  The last two years of pandemic have brought so much uncertainty for so many and as humans, we need a balance between certainty and uncertainty.  We can all make plans for the year ahead, which helps to establish a level of certainty, but plans can change, brought about by the unexpected disruptions of life.  Nevertheless, we adapt, we press on towards the goal, we finish the race and just like Indiana Jones, we follow our Heavenly Father’s instructions.

I am usually a very good planner, though, this year I am struggling.  The reason for my struggle; I have surgery planned for 11th January to rebuild my shoulder.  I've been waiting since an accident in June 2020 and it's been postponed several times, all for various reasons.  It is likely that it will be postponed again. So, I journey into the unknown (feeling like the intrepid explorer) and I write what I can, when I can, however God leads me.  I still expect to publish 3 more books this year.  This is despite the unknown, despite the pitfalls and the barriers.  I set SMART targets and know that despite hindrance, I will achieve.  How do I know this?  Well, God always sends the encouragers to bring balance to the hindrance.  They come in the form of friends, family, and especially other writers. The family of the Association of Christian Writers (ACW) is the greatest encourager.  Though many members are the same as me, with their own struggles, they always find time to motivate, support, and push each other on. I was inspired to write this blog after reading a blog by Wendy H. Jones and now I will commit to putting my plans for the year into writing.

Whatever you are planning for this year, I pray that it brings you happiness, hope, and joy.

Brendan is a Christian poet and author of 8 books, including 'The book of PSALMS in Rhyme.'  He lives in Stroud Gloucestershire.  There are 'self-made men' and 'God-made men', Brendan is the latter.  An associate speaker with Christian Vision for Men.  A member of the Association of Christian Writers.

Click here to visit Brendan's website