Monday 6 August 2018

Fairest Son Release Tour



About the Book

The Fair and Foul courts of the fey folk have long yearned for one to bring them together in peace, but hopes are dashed when the fairest prince and the prophecy concerning him are laid to ruin. Burdened with shame and sorrow, the prince flees to the cold mountains far above the forests and lochs with nothing but animals and goblins for company.
When a human huntress stumbles upon him in her search for a legendary predator, their fates are intertwined. But she hides deadly secrets, and if he dares to trust her, he may risk the doom of both courts to an ancient evil...
A novella retelling of Snow White

Buy it on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732430608/
Buy it on the Author's Website https://www.hsjwilliams.com/product-page/fairest-son-mobi 



About the Author
From the beginning, H. S. J. Williams has loved stories and all the forms they take. Whether with word, art, or costume, she has always been fascinated with the magic of imagination. She lives in a real fantastical kingdom, the beautiful Pacific Northwest, with her very own array of animal friends and royally loving family. Williams taught Fantasy Illustration at MSOA. She may also be a part-time elf.

About the Artist
Irina Plachkova is an acclaimed artist, freelance illustrator, and fashion designer, better known as PhantomRin. You can find more of her work at phantomrin.tumblr.com.


Sunday 7 January 2018

2017

Happy New Year folks!

It seems pretty crazy to be entering January again. It feels like it was only October yesterday.

It's been a big year for me, I've done a lot, though I still feel like I haven't done anything.

I did however, keep a diary/colouring calender this year. So be prepared for a detailed post.

January: 

Also known as: The Month of Pain. I got braces. It wasn't great. However, I've now become an expect in picking nice colours for my bands (blue's a favourite).

The books of January were lots of Adrian Plass and the Maze Runner books (super weird and badly written :( ). I also read Smiley's People by John le Carre, excellent if a little on the adult side.

Big highlight however, was watching the Pirates of the Caribbean for the first time. I seriously love that movie. I could never have realised how awesome and hilarious it was.


February: 

A fun month, with lots of costume planning for a big party coming up next month.

Nothing exciting book wise, but I went to see Hidden Figures at the cinema, which let me tell you, is a really good movie.

We had a pleasant holiday down in Forster, with regular beach walks and plenty of photography.

This one's mine :)


March:

Had Mum's birthday, followed by a majestic dress-up party a couple weeks later. I went as Rey in a pretty awesome costume if I do say so myself.

We also watched Series of Unfortunate Events on Netflix, it was quite accurate and it's style was perfect. I'm looking forward to watching the next season this year.
The cinema movie of the month was Beauty and the Beast.


Book wise I read one of the best books ever! My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman. I re-read that so many times. It's so good. Everyone needs to read it right now!
Mum's Party with me (right) as Rey

April:

April started off in Sydney with a Bill Johnson and Grahame Cooke conference. As any of you who know the two would imagine, it was pretty epic.

An exciting point for me was getting a phone. It's got pretty much no space, but it's cool anyway. I like to rotate Skyrim and Tardis backgrounds ;).

Movie wise, I watched the rest of the Pirates of the Caribbean (Loved 'em), Guardians of the Galaxy 2 near the end of the month (another awesome movie) and the The Crown on Netflix.

For books I read A Man Called Ove (Fredrik Backman strikes again) and downloaded a sample of A Game of Throne which covered at least a third of the book, and made me have to immediately go borrow the actual thing. It was... an interesting book, I'd read it again but I could never recommend it to anyone because of the content.

May:

My favourite month of the year, surprise, surprise.

Had Dad's birthday and my own, for which I hosted a fairy tale murder (Who bumped off Goldilocks? It wasn't me).




We had a pleasant Mother's day, with a peaceful train trip down to Sydney in which I read more of the Song of Ice and Fire series (They're pretty big books let me tell you.)

And of course, being 15, I immediately starting watching some things I'd been waiting for for a while. A.K.A. Sherlock. I watched the first episode on my birthday and then one a week afterwards. Finished all four seasons pretty quickly, though not quickly enough for my liking :).

Me and Dad added to the monthly cinema streak with Dead Men Tell No Tales, which I quite enjoyed, though it wasn't quite as good as the others.

On the last day of the month I began a Certificate 4 in Screen and Media through TAFE online. It's been pretty intense since then trying to get assignments in on time, but I'm proud to say I've passed them all so far.

June:

Was the month I went to the Supernova Comic Con. It was awesome, we saw Chris Hemsworth and I met Brandon Sanderson, bought some Tolkien daggers. You can read my post about it here.

Wonder Woman. One of the best movies ever. We went to see it as a family, and I will never regret it. It was wonderful in all possible ways.

On the way back from the Comic Con however, I borrowed a tv series from my uncle. It introduced me to a heckin long show that I absolutely adore now. Doctor Who. From June to now, I've made it through 7 series and a 50th anniversary in record time. I'm hoping to catch up before the lady Doctor begins airing. Best show ever.

For books I finished a Song of Ice and Fire (didn't realise the author hadn't written all that much... apparently he writes a book every five years, so I'm not really hopeful about the release date of the next one..) and a lot of Sherlock.

I also Beta read Lightporter by C.B.Cook, a fun superhero novel coming out in March.

The last thing in an epic month was our family getting a new car. It's pretty cool, a seven-seater so we can have friends over with ease.




July:

Two more birthdays this month, and another awesome trip to Sydney. This time it was the International Sherlock Holmes exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum. It had a mystery to solve (and I did) and props from the various Sherlock Holmes films (mostly the RDJ movies - still awesome - but some from the show too.)

The movie of the month was definitely Spiderman, I went to see it with a friend and we both loved it. The acting is awesome, and the plot took me by surprise.

I also discovered a wonderful series, The Two Monarchies - first book Spindle by W.R.Gingell. They are an extremely fun series that I will read again and again.

August:

A big month for fun books, first and foremost Murder on the Orient Express (take a guess why I was reading that one.) followed by watching said book in the cinemas (stunning movie with amazing actors and epic cinematography).

I also bought myself Time Lord Fairy Tales, a fun collection of rather short sci-fi retellings of fairy tales - some of the quite obscure actually - with the occasional appearance of my favourite blue box.

More books to add to the list where The Dire King (been highly anticipating that one for a while :), more W.R.Gingell, The Night Manager by John le Carre, and the discovery of another new series called The Hawk and His Boy (first one's free, buy it.)

For movies there was Murder on the Orient Express as I mentioned earlier, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - which I enjoyed, but was disappointed with the changes they made to one of my favourite characters (Peter Gwillam), the Netflix series Anne with an 'E', and A Man Called Ove.

One of the best things that happened that month was Shine Women's Conference, with fun speakers and empowering messages.

However, on a different note, I also lost my Granddad, a wonderful calm man, who will be sorely missed.

September:

In September I got one of my cousins to introduce me to Dungeons and Dragons (which is not evil by the way, it's just a genre of game), and I spent lots of time making hundred of characters and reading through the rather confusing rule books.

But the biggest thing for the month was a trip up to the Gold Coast. We stayed at the Gold Coast for a week, and spent nearly every day visiting the various theme parks. I had my first rollercoaster ride, and then several more 'cause they're quite fun. The parks we visited were Movie World with lots of rollercoasters, Wet'n'Wild, and Sea World - where we saw dolphins and patted hilarious sting rays.

The only new book that stood out for me was Wonder. It was a very sweet book, and very well written. I'd recommend it to people of all ages.


This photo's also mine :)

October: 

In October I got involved in our local production of the musical Annie. I was part of the backstage crew, and I spent many late nights behind the curtain, watching the musical over and over again. It was tiring, but I'd do it again for sure.

Another big thing that month was getting glasses. I have yet to wear them for very long or remember them at all most days, but I also got sunnies, so it's all good.

Speaking of props and costumes, I also discovered an easy and awesome looking prop idea: sanding back and painting Nerf guns. I made several, and they look amazing and Steampunk-y.

For books and movies, in that order, Dracula was an amazing read, I would never have guessed how well written and interesting it was. I always thought it would just be some Gothic weird book. It wasn't. Then there was Thor Ragnarok. Hilarious is the best word for it really, favourite Thor movie so far :D.




November:

Was the month I got a job. I am now a paid employee of a major retail store. I wouldn't say the work is fascinating, but the people are nice, and the pay's pretty good. I bought a laptop in a couple of weeks, it's what I'm writing this post on now.

Work and assignments pretty much took up most of my time, other than that not much really happened that month.

December:

Christmas season! Play all the carols! Set up the Christmas tree! Work...

I found a new writing program that month, 4TheWords. It's pretty fun, I wrote one and a half novels it was so fun.

The Last Jedi was a great movie, crazy plot twist and a really good story. And that last battle on the mineral planet... stunning.

In regards to books, I read the Court of Thorns and Roses series because. They're all right. Kind of. Quite gross actually. I preferred a Song of Ice and Fire - same level of grossness, but better writing and characters.

We had lots of time with relatives, with a cousin down for a week, a mini Christmas with one side of the family, and then off to Sydney with the rest of the family.

Christmas was fantastic as usual, and it was followed by a trip down to Thredbo in the Snowy Mountains, where we all spent the rest of the year, meeting up with some friends we hadn't seen for four years.  We went on bush walks across the mountains, went bobsledding at high speeds, and all enjoyed a concert on New Year's Eve. It was sad to say goodbye to our friends, but hopefully it won't be as long this time round.




Altogether, I'm quite happy with this year, it had its highs and lows, but I learnt a lot, and I had a lot of fun.

I'm looking forward to the next year.

What about you? How's your year been?

Thanks for reading, and have a Happy New Year.

Wednesday 21 June 2017

Supernova Comic Convention




So a while back I discovered the San Diego Comic Con and was very jealous. But after some research I found that Australia also had a comic con: Supernova, and it was in Sydney! 
So I questioned my relatives there and discovered that they went every year. I, of course requested to come with next year - and last weekend I did. 
It was amazing and enormous, with guests and stores from all around the world (Actually, mainly Australia and USA). 
I went to a Q & A session with Chris Hemsworth, and got some books signed by Brandon Sanderson. 
I also watched an interesting workshop from Weta were a man was turned into a rather hairy Dwarf. 'Twas an awesome weekend.







Thursday 21 July 2016

Twinepathy Blog Tour


Hello Readers! 

Today I have a special guest, the author C.B.Cook  to celebrate the release of her new book, Twinepathy

Albany York has a secret.

Albany and her twin sister, Brooklyn, have spent years successfully hiding their telepathic connection. But when a girl falls unconscious at their doorstep, the girls learn that they might not be the only people in the world with extraordinary powers and that a memory thief is on the loose. As the twins try to help the girl find her memories, they discover that the superhero world might be bigger—and more dangerous—than they ever imagined.

C.B. Cook is just a girl trying to find out where her King is guiding her, while writing the stories of the people she creates, the worlds she wants to live in, and the adventures she dreams about. Also known as a mysterious creature called an "author". She's a Christian and a home school graduate dedicated to changing others’ lives through the power of the written word.



You can find C.B. at her blog, The World of the Writer
And now for an interview with the author herself! 

1. When did you start to write? 
I started to write when I was in fourth or fifth grade. My first story that was more than a few pages was actually a horse story that was very cheesy and will probably not see the light of day.

2. What is your favourite part of the writing process? 
Definitely exploring the characters. I love to see how their pasts and their current situations affects their personalities, and it's always intriguing when you factor in superpowers to the mix. 

3. What is your favourite genre? 
While I'm new to the superhero genre, both reading and writing, I have to say it's a new favorite of mine. But before I found that, I'd have to say my favorite genre was spy stories or mystery. Both of those are ones that I love to read!

4. Who is your favourite character to write? 
This is a hard question! I have to say, I really enjoy writing about Jen. She's a really complex character, and her power's really intriguing.

5. Tell me about a tea party with ten characters (yours or other peoples). Ohhhh! This is one of the best questions ever!!!! Okay, let's see... I would invite Blaze and Maddie from Twinepathy, for sure. Westley from The Princess Bride would be invited, and so would Thorne from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer (certainly one of my favorite characters ever). Then I'd invite Aragorn and Sam from The Lord of the Rings, and also Sherlock Holmes for sure. And then some Brandon Sanderson charries: David from Steelheart and Kelsier from Mistborn. And, finally, I'd bring along Jen (from Twinepathy) for some sanity.

And how it would all go down? After everyone arrived (with Thorne fashionably late), I'd serve the tea and tea cake cookies and such, with extra for Sam, of course, since hobbits have such big appetites. Of course, I'd bring donuts for Blaze. I'm sure he and Thorne would get into a snark war, with David throwing in some terrible metaphors about pandas or something, with Sherlock Holmes on the side making snide observations until they gang up on him. Westley and Aragorn might get into a sword fight, which I would definitely encourage (I'd just want to see it!), and I can imagine Maddie throwing something at Blaze with her powers and Kelsier asking her if she's a Misting. And then the two of them would probably start messing with the others by moving their drinks or stealing their food. And the whole time, Jen would just be smirking and commenting on the scene to me.

I'd just be laughing my head off in a corner. :D

Thanks so much for these great questions, Jemma!!! I really enjoyed answering them, especially the last one. :D


Thank you C.B!

Blog tour schedule:



Thanks for reading! 

Thursday 7 July 2016

Bookish Book Lover Tag

                 


Hello dear readers!  
Recently I was tagged by the fantastic Blue at To be a Shennachie for the Bookish Book Lover Tag. Thank you!


1) What Book Are You Currently Reading?
  I am currently reading Sourcery by Terry Pratchett. A book about a hopeless wizard called Rincewind. It's not my favourite so far, but it might improve.
  I'm also reading the Ghostfaces by John Flanagan, but I'm not really enjoying it


2) What’s The Last Book You Finished?
  The most recent book I finished would be The Woman Who Died a Lot by Jasper Fforde. 
It was very cleverly done if a touch confusing at times. 


3) Favorite Book You Read This Year?
  *Sweating* I don't know how to choose! A Tale of Two Cities maybe?  My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry? Or maybe one of the two Jackaby books? I simply can't decide!

4) What Genre Have You Read Most This Year?
  Probably either Fantasy or Mystery. I'm not entirely sure.


5) What Genre Have You Read Least This Year?
   Non-Fiction. I only read one, Wartime Princess.


6) What Genre Do You Want To Read More Of?
   Mystery :) . Even though I've read a lot, I'd still like to read more.


7) How Many Books Have You Read This Year, And What’s Your Goal?
  I've read eighty-one books this year, not counting re-reads. Altogether I've probably read around one hundred and twenty. I plan to read one hundred and fifty new books this year.


8) What’s The Last Book You Bought?
  Stars Above , a collection of short stories by Marissa Meyer. It's set in the Lunar Chronicles universe. Some stories were great, others a bit repetitive.


9) What Book Are You Saving Up To Buy Next?
  I'm not actually saving to buy anything at the moment. I have some Amazon credit burning a hole in my pocket and I'm thinking of a book to buy. I might get the first book in the Wingfeather Saga. It looks rather amusing and I've been meaning to get it for a while.


10) How Many Books Did You Check Out Last Library Visit?
   Three; Roald Dhal's Dirty Beasts, Sourcery and Moving Pictures.


11) What’s A Book You Can’t Wait To Read?
  Five Magic Spindles (so soon!), and Ghostly Echoes (not soon enough :( ). 


12) What’s A Series You’d Recommend to Everyone?
  The Chronicles of Narnia, The Tales of Goldstone Wood and Artemis Fowl. 
  (I don't know if The Lord of the Rings counts, but I recommend that to!)


13) Who’s An Author You’re Hoping Writes More?
  A E Stengl and K. M. Shea. And myself, but I stubbornly refuse to write. Silly me. 


14) A Few Books Your Heart Adores?
  The Tale of Desperaux, and the Chronicles of Narnia. (I have so many favourite books that I'm taking this question to mean sweet books that I love)


15) What Series’ Coming Conclusion Makes You Sad?
  The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. Luckily I still have a couple left to read. There's another one to but I simply can't seem to remember it. 


16) What Books Are On Your Wish-List?
  I believe the list is around a hundred books, but featuring majorly are those of question eleven and anything by A E Stengl. 


And now we come to a close and I must tag some others. I will tag Alison, and as I am not entirely sure who else is reading, I invite you to tag you self and tell me in the comments.

The rules are: 
Use the banner,  answer the questions, use lots of book covers, tag your bookish friends!

Thanks for reading! And thanks again to Blue 





Thursday 2 June 2016

1 year of blogging

Hi everyone!

This post is about 3 weeks late. I meant to write it on the 21st of May, my birthday. I didn't (as you can probably tell).

I have now had this little blog for a year! The Sherwood Storyteller is named after my love of Robin Hood and writing. Thank you everyone who's commented!

I can't believe it's June already! May was a busy month, practically all the birthdays in our family are all in the same month.

I purchased an awesome series of books and read them in two days. A series called Jackaby, which is a mix of humour, mystery and is awesome. I'd recommend it to anyone around 14+ (the murders are rather gory).

I also went to see a screening of The Shakespeare Tribute from Stratford-upon-Avon, were lots of famous British actors led by David Tennant acted out scenes from plays.

Have a good month!

Wednesday 13 April 2016

The Earth is full tonight...

Hello readers!

Recently I've been re-reading one of my favourite series, The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. (Thank you Ghost Ryter for introducing me!)
I was in one of those moods where there's only one book you feel like reading. So I got out my kindle, reserved a few at the library and got to work. After hours of reading I've re-read Cinder, Cress (twice) and Winter. Me and Mum are still waiting for Scarlet (She's reading them for the first time :D)           (     Update: Mum just bought Scarlet! Thank you!          )

Now with a severe case of book hangover I shall attempt to review them.


Cinder (book 1, Cinderella) 

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Cinder shows excellent writing skills with an intriguing plot. Set in Beijing after the fourth world war, the book has a very futuristic feel. The rich drive 'hovers' and there are androids for every need. Well, nearly every need. Marissa Meyer does a great job of making you feel in the city with the characters, despite the fact that it's centuries into the future. I couldn't exactly relate to Cinder, but she's in pretty extra-ordinary circumstances and was still an awesome character. (I loved Iko and Peony :)) The romance part was well done and didn't gross me out at all :). It was a bit quick but not so much to be ridiculous. Luckily, unlike the original fairytale, the whole point of the story is not the romance. It's a story of a brave mechanic dealing with a despicable stepmother and a manipulative queen attempting to destroy the peace of the world.  




Kai and Cinder