Monday 3 December 2012

Chasing Pavements Christmas Offer

***** NEW LOWER PRICE FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON - SEE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR DETAILS *****


It was very stupid but it was also very true. Mukti was in love with him and she didn’t even know his name.

To introverted and socially withdrawn singer and songwriter Jamie, life has no meaning unless childhood love Sarah returns to him.  Roaming through life without living it, shutting the world out, he has long since given up on a potential career in music.

It is only when he meets the unexpectedly inspirational Mukti, who instantly falls in love with him, that Jamie is lured out of the black hole he has banished himself to for years.  Suddenly, his creativity knows no bounds and he feels torn - he has to see her, but what will she make of his tortured soul? Little does he know that Mukti has her own secrets and is just as troubled a soul as he is.  Her name translates as ‘freedom’ in her native tongue Bengali, but she is anything but free.

Torn between his unconditional love for Sarah, and his undeniable need for Mukti, Jamie’s life is in far more chaos than ever before.  And when his estranged mother Tanya becomes intent on sabotaging his relationship with Mukti, Jamie stands to lose the two women he cannot live without.

Set in contemporary London, Chasing Pavements is a unique love story between two unique characters who will stay with you after you have turned the last page.


~ What Others Have Said About Chasing Pavements ~

"Neha Yazmin's novel grips you from start to finish.  There are so many things I love about this novel.  Jamie's creativity.  Mukti's determination.  Twists and turns with every chapter.  But most of all, I love that you see the characters grow and develop.  When you reach the last page, it feels like you've been on a long journey with them - yet it's a journey that you want to do all over again!" *****

~~~

"This is not your typical chic lit book.  There is no sloppy romance and no mushy words.  This is truly a one of a kind book.  Little by little the story was told to me and it was told perfectly.  I cannot believe this is Neha’s first book.  It is perfect.  This is definitely a must read." *****

~~~

"Chasing Pavements is like one of a kind.  I loved the book.  It touched me in such a way that I felt lost for a while without having Jamie and Mukti in my life.   I can't believe that this is the author's first book; the way it's written is excellent.  I was captured from the beginning of the story.  A must read." *****

~~~

"Unputdownable.  I loved the London setting. The story is well told.  Neha has a way with descriptions that make the scenes really vivid.  The songs were a great mechanism to add to the story telling.  I look forward to reading Neha's other work but I hope I don't have to wait too long!" *****


***** NEW LOWER PRICE FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON *****

Apple iBookstore US & UK
&
Amazon US & UK
   

Saturday 10 November 2012

Spotlight on: Chasing Pavements

Chasing Pavements ~ A Contemporary Romance Novel by Neha Yazmin


To introverted and socially withdrawn singer and songwriter Jamie York, life has no meaning unless childhood love Sarah returns to him.  Roaming through life without living it, shutting the world out, he has long since given up on a potential career in music.

It is only when he meets the unexpectedly inspirational Mukti that Jamie is lured out of the black hole he has banished himself to for years.  Suddenly, his creativity knows no bounds and he feels torn - he has to see her, but what will she make of his tortured soul?

Little does he know that Mukti has her own secrets and is just as troubled a soul as he is.  Her name translates as ‘freedom’ in her native tongue Bengali, but she is anything but free.

Torn between his unconditional love for Sarah, and his undeniable need for Mukti, Jamie’s life is in far more chaos than ever before. And when his estranged mother Tanya becomes intent on sabotaging his relationship with Mukti, Jamie stands to lose the two women he cannot live without...

Set in contemporary London, Chasing Pavements is a unique love story between two unique characters who will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.


~ What Others Have Said About Chasing Pavements ~

"Neha Yazmin's novel grips you from start to finish.  There are so many things I love about this novel.  Jamie's creativity.  Mukti's determination.  Twists and turns with every chapter.  But most of all, I love that you see the characters grow and develop.  When you reach the last page, it feels like you've been on a long journey with them - yet it's a journey that you want to do all over again!" *****

~~~

"This is not your typical chic lit book.  There is no sloppy romance and no mushy words.  This is truly a one of a kind book.  Little by little the story was told to me and it was told perfectly.  I cannot believe this is Neha’s first book.  It is perfect.  This is definitely a must read." *****

~~~

"Chasing Pavements is like one of a kind.  I loved the book.  It touched me in such a way that I felt lost for a while without having Jamie and Mukti in my life.   I can't believe that this is the author's first book; the way it's written is excellent.  I was captured from the beginning of the story.  A must read." *****

~~~

"Unputdownable.  I loved the London setting. The story is well told.  Neha has a way with descriptions that make the scenes really vivid.  The songs were a great mechanism to add to the story telling.  I look forward to reading Neha's other work but I hope I don't have to wait too long!" *****



Read an excerpt at the Amazon Kindle Store here, or download the first 25% of Chasing Pavements for free from Smashwords here.

Wednesday 31 October 2012

E-Book Giveaway - Chasing Pavements & More

For a chance to win a free Kindle copy of my book Chasing Pavements, follow/attend the e-launch party of my friend Susan Buchanan's new book The Dating Game, released Friday, November 2nd.  Sooz is giving away 50+ e-books in total by various authors, so make sure you enter!

Here's where to enter the raffle on her blog:
http://susancbuchanan.blogspot.co.uk/2012_11_01_archive.html

Thursday 11 October 2012

Book Review - Poison Blood Series (Book 1-2)

The following book reviews were posted on Smashwords


Book: Poison Blood, Book 1: Revelation
Author: Neha Yazmin
Reviewer: Smashwords Customer
Rating: 5 stars
Download for Free: Apple iBookstore US and UK, B&N Nook Store, Sony Reader Store, Kobo, Diesel and Smashwords


"I don't know what blood tastes like to a human.  I'd never even licked a tiny drop of it from a pricked finger, let alone suck on a bleeding cut.  The shedding of blood, my own, or anyone else's, always made me scream or panic in fear and revulsion.  Now it's my only food source." 

Elisia Dalton, more commonly known as Ellie, is not a typical teenaged vampire.  She still has her humanity and conscience.  Her human memories and growing pains.  And the same distaste for blood.

Still reeling from the secrets she uncovered before she was turned into a vampire by the mysterious immortal Christian, Ellie is also finding it hard to come to terms with what she has become.  And the revelations keep coming.

Book one of the Poison Blood series reveals why Ellie is not like others of her kind.



I've now read Poison Blood 1 and 2 – both of which I loved and read each in less than 24 hours.  I was gripped and Neha had me turning the e-pages!  I am definitely hooked on the Poison Blood Series and now eagerly awaiting Book 3!

So let's start with Poison Blood 1 – I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I had read Neha's first novel Chasing Pavements which I loved so I thought I'd give Poison Blood a try even though part of me was unsure whether yet another vampire story was worth telling...  It definitely was!

Yes like another reviewer has mentioned, Neha takes some inspiration from the Twilight saga in terms of vampire mythology – Neha unashamedly embraces this and I knew what to expect as I has read it in her Author Q&A – yet that's really where the similarity ends.

Let’s be clear: this is not fan fiction.  There is so much more to the vampire world that she creates, and she really does create a 'world' – with its own rules and justice system.  Obviously this is a world that (unknowingly to most humans) co-exists with our world – that becomes important later on, and I'm sure it will further develop in the Poison Blood Series, as the two worlds, human and vampire, inevitably collide – but really this is a character driven story.  In fact this is where the similarity to Chasing Pavements arises – of course the story is entirely different – but Neha's characters’ depths are what drive her stories, each with their hidden secrets of course.

This is the story of Ellie, a seemingly ordinary teenage girl – who fights with her parents and hangs out with her friends – until one day she is created as a vampire. Ellie is not a typical vampire – she hates the taste of blood and abhors the thought of harming human life.  There is more to Ellie than even she knows…

Book 1 of the Poison Blood Series really is about the ‘Revelation’ (it’s good!).



~~~

Book: Poison Blood, Book 2: Absolution
Author: Neha Yazmin
Reviewer: Smashwords Customer
Rating: 5 stars
Download for Free: Apple iBookstore US and UK, B&N Nook Store, Diesel, Sony Reader Store, Kobo and  Smashwords  


“I don’t know what being in love is like for humans. It never happened to me, not really. I only thought it did. Thought it for a long time. Almost half a century. But it feels as though I’ve known for longer that I’d been wrong." 

Being a senior official at The System, the vampire world’s governing body, Christian routinely assigns secret missions to his agents. As The System’s most powerful immortal, he also takes responsibility for some of the trickier tasks himself.

When he stumbles upon a project that was kept secret from him, Christian decides to investigate. Why was he not told about this vampire that his employer wants to recruit? Why can’t he get anywhere near this elusive immortal?

Soon, he discovers that this is no ordinary vampire that he is hunting. And when he is suddenly overwhelmed by a rush of strange emotions, Christian is left even more perplexed. Is any of this related to Ellie?

Book two of the Poison Blood series answers some of the questions raised in book one while asking many more.



I’ve been waiting for PB2 and it did not disappoint!  This time the narrative is from the point of view of Christian.  He is the vampire that created Ellie, but there isn’t much more to him… or is there?

I was surprised to find how much I liked reading things from Christian’s point of view.  It suddenly brings a whole new perspective to the events of PB1 and you get to learn a lot more about the way the vampire world works.  There were times when I hated him.  He enjoys the blood-lust of his kind and has no remorse for killing his victims.  But there were also times when I found myself empathising with him.  It appears that Ellie had affected him in a big way, long before he drank her blood.  Possibly he has been changed forever.  There is big problem now though – Christian’s way of ‘helping’ Ellie is likely to do more harm than good...

I’m eagerly awaiting PB3 to find out what will happen next!  I’m really hoping Christian does not get his way – but then I don’t want Ellie to get her way either!  Oh the dilemma!  Cannot wait for PB3!!!


Wednesday 10 October 2012

Book Review - Rae Wilder Novels


Today's book review was written by me.

Book: Rae Wilder Novels #1-3 (Glamour, Compel, Enchant)
Author: Penelope Fletcher
Rating: 4 stars
Available via: All major e-book retailers and also author's website

Rae Wilder has problems. Supernatural creatures swarm the earth, and humanity is on the brink of extinction. Stalked by a handsome fairy who claims she is like him, demonkind, Rae thinks maybe it was a mistake breaking the rules by going over the Wall into demon territory. 

Plunged into a world of dark magics, fierce creatures, and ritual sacrifice, she is charged with a guarding a magical amulet. The changes to her mind and body are startling, but rather than accept her purpose she struggles against who she is destined to be. Throw in a big lust for a vampire who can't keep his hands off her, and life starts to get complicated. 

Rae is forced to make the ultimate choice: to live and die human, or embrace her birth-right and wield magics that could turn her into something wicked, a force of nature nothing can control.


Confession 1: The first three Rae Wilder novels were the first independently published e-books I'd ever read.

Confession 2: Up until then, I was pretty much oblivious to the rise in the indie e-book market.  As an aspiring author, working on my book
Chasing Pavements, I should have been hyper-aware of this new trend in the market.  Even worse is the fact that it was a friend of mine, one who hardly reads books (well, most of my friends hardly read books!), that alerted me to this exciting avenue available to unsigned writers.  Very poor form on my part!

I won't be too harsh on myself though -
Chasing Pavements wasn't a planned project and until I started writing it, I hadn't been in author-mode for years. 

Anyway, the year was 2012, the month March, my manuscript for
Chasing Pavements constantly being edited and re-edited, when I became aware of how easy it had become to self-publish our writing.  After some Google searches, I came across e-book distributor Smashwords.  I can't remember exactly, but I think I stumbled upon Demon Girl (now renamed Glamour) by indie author Penelope Fletcher through one of the searches on the site - perhaps on the first page of the highest-rated free e-books chart?  The cover and synopsis grabbed me and the favourable reviews on the book page enticed me to download the book.

From the very first chapter, the book had me hooked!  And after the introduction of the vampire, I knew there was no turning back - I was going to read the entire series!  The author creates the kind of world you want to jump into, and introduces characters that you instantly develop a connection to.  I finished it in two and half days and wished it was longer!  I would have liked to have spent a bit more time with Rae at Temple, learned more about her day-to-day life as a Disciple before discovering her real identity and destiny.

The story continues in book two, Compel (previously Demon Day), and is probably my favourite out of the first three novels.  With so many supernatural creatures, we really were spoiled!  The author explores these intriguing species in detail and doesn’t brush past them in order to focus on the main characters, so you are not left wondering about their roots and origins.  When I finished the third book Enchant, (previously Demon Dark), I couldn’t believe that I had to wait for another book to find out how Rae's story ends.  At the same time, Rae is one of those characters, and this is one of those series where you don’t mind having the story extended.

Monday 1 October 2012

Poison Blood, Book 2: Absolution

My new book is out now.  Details below:

“I don’t know what being in love is like for humans. It never happened to me, not really. I only thought it did. Thought it for a long time. Almost half a century. But it feels as though I’ve known for longer that I’d been wrong."

Being a senior official at The System, the vampire world’s governing body, Christian routinely assigns secret missions to his agents. As The System’s most powerful immortal, he also takes responsibility for some of the trickier tasks himself.

When he stumbles upon a project that was kept secret from him, Christian decides to investigate. Why was he not told about this vampire that his employer wants to recruit? Why can’t he get anywhere near this elusive immortal?

Soon, he discovers that this is no ordinary vampire that he is hunting. And when he is suddenly overwhelmed by a rush of strange emotions, Christian is left even more perplexed. Is any of this related to Ellie?

Book two of the Poison Blood series answers some of the questions raised in book one while asking many more.

*** Download this e-book for free from Smashwords. ***

Friday 28 September 2012

Cover Reveal - Poison Blood, Book 2: Absolution

Right, PB2 is set to release next week, yay :) 

As with PB1, the second book in the Poison Blood series will be published via Smashwords and Amazon, and then become available at the other e-book retailers in the following few weeks.

So.... pop on over to the PB2 book page to view the cover!



Monday 17 September 2012

Book Review - Poison Blood, Book 1: Revelation

Today's guest book review was posted on Amazon.co.uk and Smashwords.com

Book: Poison Blood, Book 1: Revelation
Author: Neha Yazmin
Reviewer: Smashwords/Amazon customer
Rating: 5 stars
Download for Free: Apple iBookstore US and UK, Smashwords, Diesel  

"I don't know what blood tastes like to a human.  I'd never even licked a tiny drop of it from a pricked finger, let alone suck on a bleeding cut.  The shedding of blood, my own, or anyone else's, always made me scream or panic in fear and revulsion.  Now it's my only food source."

Elisia Dalton, more commonly known as Ellie, is not a typical teenaged vampire.  She still has her humanity and conscience.  Her human memories and growing pains.  And the same distaste for blood.

Still reeling from the secrets she uncovered before she was turned into a vampire by the mysterious immortal Christian, Ellie is also finding it hard to come to terms with what she has become.  And the revelations keep coming.

Book one of the Poison Blood series reveals why Ellie is not like others of her kind.


Coming to terms with her new life is hard for Ellie.  She is a moody seventeen year old, living rough on the streets of London.  Still hurt from the revelation of her mother’s secret, Ellie longs for a childhood that she never had. Oh yeah, and did I mention she is a vampire?

I have to admit I was sceptical at first.  Being a novel about vampires, my first thought was ‘I hope it’s not another Twilight knock-off!’  But actually I was pleasantly surprised.  This is definitely not a soppy vampire romance novel!  If anything, it is a coming-of-age story.  It is her past that Ellie finds difficult to come to terms with, not her present.  But if she wants to move on in her new life, her past is the very thing that she has to accept…


I don’t want to give too much away, but as usual with Neha Yazmin’s novels, things are never as they seem.  Just as Ellie comes to terms with one secret, she finds out that her mother was hiding so much more.  Much much more!


I really enjoyed reading this novel.  I loved the way the puzzle pieces of Ellie’s life unfold.  Just as you think you have a grip on what’s happening, Neha drops more bombshells to keep you guessing (and the pages turning!).  If I have one complaint, it is that Book 1 ended just as I was really getting into it.  I hope that Book 2 is released soon.   I have a taste for blood - Poison Blood that is!  Please publish the next book soon!

Saturday 8 September 2012

Arranged Book Review #1


Rewind back a couple of months, back to my July 21 post on how book reviews can form an important marketing tool for your books.  If you remember, I said arranging a few reviews is definitely a task worth doing.  I still stand by that.  Well, I would, wouldn’t I, since the first arranged review for Chasing Pavements was posted today on A Novel Review, and I couldn’t be happier with it?  I want to thank Charlotte the reviewer at this great book review blog for agreeing to read and review my book, and am delighted that she enjoyed it and wrote a lovely review for it.

Whether this leads to a bucket-load of sales or not, it has definitely given me a sense of satisfaction.  Authors write for their readers, and if their stories are received well, then it goes a long way in boosting our morale, inspires us further.  What really moved me were the lovely words Charlotte wrote in her e-mail a few days earlier, when she informed me the review would be posted today.  It was truly amazing to read the e-mail, thank you Charlotte!  Its messages like these that make me glad I published Chasing Pavements.


As always, here are my favourite parts from it: 

"This is not your typical chic lit book.  There is no sloppy romance and no mushy words.  This is truly a one of a kind book...  Little by little the story was told to me and it was told perfectly...  I cannot believe this is Neha’s first book.  It is perfect.  This is definitely a must read."


Chasing Pavements is available to purchase from Amazon Kindle Store US and UK, as well as Apple iBookStore US and UK, Barnes & Noble Nook Store, and other e-book retailers.

Friday 7 September 2012

Book Review - The Pineville Heist

Today's book review was submitted by Tara Clare

Book: The Pineville Heist
Author: Lee Chambers
Reviewer: Tara Clare
Available via: Amazon

Seventeen year old Aaron stumbles into the aftermath of a five million dollar bank heist gone wrong. Hiding under a canoe, Aaron partially catches the murder of one of the robbers. In the chaos he sneaks away with the money and heads straight for the closest place of safety, his high school. Terrified, Aaron tells his shocking tale to Amanda Becker, his drama teacher, but it doesn't take long for one of the psychotic robbers to show up. In the locked down school the pair are relentlessly pursued in a quest to get the money back and wipe out the evidence.

The Pineville Heist is based on the award-winning screenplay by Lee Chambers and Todd Gordon. Script consultants included a (former) Senior VP of Production at Universal Pictures and the author of the Screenwriter's Bible.

Intrigue… murder… an adrenaline filled fight for survival. The Pineville Heist is a #1 Best Selling Thriller for young adults by award-winning writer and director Lee Chambers. An action packed novel that young adult readers will find hard to resist, as they identify with the protagonist, Aaron. Your average, every day boy on that transverse journey from childhood to adulthood.

A journey that also incorporates the difficulties experienced between child and parent, as painfully illustrated between Aaron and his father; Aaron having no real understanding of his father’s business dealings; and his father having no understanding of his son’s interest in the ‘softer’ appreciation of the arts that his mother instilled in him; a fact that is magnified even more acutely following the death of his mother.

Aaron also suffers the difficulties of fitting in, as every school kid experiences; however in Aaron’s case, this is exemplified by the difference of Aaron having a wealthy and privileged upbringing, while his school friends’ families are at the mercy of the Pineville Mill surviving, the mill owned by Aaron’s father.

During a school visit, Aaron overhears the Sheriff and Deputy discuss a bank robbery that occurred in the small town of Pineville that morning. Aaron realises he may have seen the robbers and their van after being thrown out of the car, by his father, following a heated argument. Aaron divulges this information to his two closest friends and they decide to skip class to search for the stolen money.

Having been provided this opportunity of proving himself to his father, Aaron is determined to return the money from the bank robbery; money he has no hesitation in believing is his father’s, money that will go towards saving the town’s mill and keep the towns folk employed.

The boys come across the robbers’ hiding place in the woods, however are quickly disturbed by their return. The boys flee. Aaron finds safety under an upturned canoe, where he witnesses the first of a series of murders and discovers one of the satchels of money. Escaping the scene, Aaron frantically heads for the safety of his school where he confides in his young drama teacher, Amanda Becker. The safe sanctity of school doesn’t last long as one of the psychotic robbers hunts him and the money down.

The fight for survival that ensues facilitates the development of Aaron’s character further as he has to make decisions to save his own life and that of Miss Becker, who it is alluded he has (as every school boy experiences) a slight crush on.

The clever use and astute poignancy of the fighting scene using Hamlet props: a scene showing the “softer” arts turn into testosterone battle for survival, the turning point perhaps of child becoming a man!  Just one of the many heart riveting scenes of this fast paced novel.

Also for movie lovers, The Pineville Heist is currently in the process of being made into a movie, starring Booboo Stewart (Seth Clearwater), from Twilight.

Already receiving rave reviews and recently being honoured as a finalist in the 2012 International Book Awards (in the Young Adult Fiction category), The Pineville Heist is sure to reach cult status among the young adult audience it is intended.