Ding Dong Bell, The Kitten in the Well

When I began reading author Dorte Hummelshoj Jakobsen’s latest short stories, I wasn’t sure what I would encounter (other than an intriguing read) since the title referred to a kitten and a well.

What I found was a charming and suspenseful story that brought smiles and a touch of heartache. It’s a story easily read in a short time that leaves you wanting more.

Ursula Abbott is an elderly lady with a good number of cats living on the farm of Vernon Alnwick in the village of Knavesborough, Yorkshire. When Rev. George Gershwin visits with her, she seems to think she will soon be evicted from her house. Believing in Alnwick’s kindness, the good reverend thinks nothing else about it.

Days later Ursula’s son comes and removes all the cats from his mother’s home due to complaints of the smell. Within days, Ursula is discovered dead in her bed of an apparent heart attack.

When the kitten belonging to the reverend’s daughter goes missing, a search turns up nothing. A short time later, a smell fills their house and a handyman has to be called in to discover the cause of the odor.

As Rev. Gershwin puts the pieces together, a chilling discovery is made.

DING DONG BELL, THE KITTEN IN THE WELL is a fast read that draws you in quickly. The characters are refreshing and well-developed. 

The author’s descriptions and eye for detail places the reader in the middle of the action. The setting is a charming English countryside that envelops the reader transporting them to a different place and era. The author weaves a tale of suspense with humor for a well-balanced story.

This is a fast-moving story you don’t want to miss. 

Ding Dong Bell, The Kitten in the Well by Dorte Hummelshoj Jakobsen, A Gershwin and Penrose Mystery, Candied Crime, @2014, ASIN: B00JHMN7B6, Digital Download, 995 KB, 20 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you’re having a great week. What’s on your reading list for this week?

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Author Dorte H. Jakobsen on E-Booking It

I’m delighted to welcome author Dorte Hummelshoj Jakobsen back to Thoughts in Progress today as the special guest blogger as she makes a stop on her virtual book tour for her second release.
 
Dorte, who is also a fellow blogger, recently published her second e-book, LIQUORICE TWISTS. It’s categorized as mystery and detective short stories. It’s a collection of 20 flash fiction stories (from 100 to 2,500 words). While her first volume, CANDIED CRIME DJ’S DAIM STORIES VOLUME I, was crime for fun; these may be called ‘her darker materials.’

As e-books and self-publishing is gaining more and more attention, Dorte was kind enough to explain about ‘E-booking it’ for me and offer a special treat for those dropping by to read her post.

First, I´d like to say thank you to Mason for your kind invitation to visit you during my blog tour.

The established book business seems to have figured out that e-books have come to stay, and while some regard the new technology as the doomsday of the paper book, others embrace it and imagine that in a few years, writers will neither need agents nor traditional publishers.

But does self-publishing your works in the form of e-books mean you are slumming it, that your books are not good enough for the traditional market so now you are struggling desperately to earn a few cents despite lack of talent? Or are e-book writers the pioneers about to conquer the world of the reader anew?

As usual, the truth is probably somewhere in between. Lately we have heard titillating accounts of writers who self-publish their books and sell millions of copies, but my experiences may be closer to what you should expect if you are no Stephen King or James Patterson.

After several years of writing I have learnt to live with - and admit - the fact that I have not landed the big contract yet. In the beginning each rejection felt like a personal defeat, but they did not make me give up writing. So today I know I have much more to offer my readers, better plots, more credible characters and far better language. Yet, even though I am a Scandinavian, I am just not the next Stieg Larsson. I don’t write thrillers at all so even though I write just as well as several crime writers in my part of the world who had their debut before the financial crisis, it is next to impossible to find a publisher who dares take on a traditional crime novel from the pen of an unknown writer.

So for me it was a rather spontaneous decision to take things in my own hands. In February I published CANDIED CRIME, my first volume of flash fiction, forty-eight hours after getting the idea. You might call it a trial run, something I did to find out if anyone would want to buy my stuff. This time I have tackled things a bit more professionally, preparing the launch of LIQUORICE TWISTS in advance, making a proper cover and arranging a blog tour.

Do I expect to gain wealth and fame in the next few months? No, not exactly. I expect that I will sell more copies this time round, and I quite enjoy not having to ask anybody before I publish. I have not given up the goal of publishing paper books via a traditional publisher yet, however. I am still doing what I can to find an agent for my mystery novel, THE COSY KNAVE, set in a Yorkshire village. I would like the feel of security, knowing that my book was in professional hands, leaving me time to write instead of spending lots of my resources selling the stuff.

But if I don´t succeed - well, there is always that tempting self-publishing button. Doing everything my way is hard but also fun, and the idea does not scare me any more.

If I have made any of you curious, you might want a free taste of my writing style. During the launch period of LIQUORICE TWISTS (May and June) I offer free copies of HEATHER FARM, a short story which is a bit unusual for me because it contains elements of the supernatural and lots of romance.

You can find the story here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/55375. And the free coupon code is EP59D.
Dorte, thanks for including Thoughts in Progress on your blog tour. It’s always fun to have you guest posting. I think the world of self-publishing is opening lots of doors for authors, but also giving readers the opportunity to find new authors they might not have otherwise.

Just a little background on Dorte, who teaches English at upper secondary level. In her spare time she reads and writes crime fiction in English and Danish, and in 2010 she sold her first flash stories to American magazines and publishers. For more on Dorte and her writing, check out her blog DJ’s krimiblog.

What are your thoughts on e-books and self-publishing? If you’re a writer, have you given it a try yet?                

**Sorry that I won’t be able to drop back by today and will still be away from the internet for a bit more. Thank you for your continued support for this blog and especially your concern and caring for my mother-in-law. She continues to improve and we are slowly getting into a routine that will make things easier. She is getting a little stronger each day and her attitude continues to be good. She is ready to get out and work in her flowers. Again, thanks so much. I hope to have several book reviews for you in the coming days. 

Author Dorte H. Jakobsen Visits

It’s my pleasure to welcome author and fellow blogger Dorte Hummelshoj Jakobsen as the special guest blogger here today at Thoughts in Progress as she ventures out to promote her recently release.

Dorte just recently self-published her first book, CANDIED CRIME. DJ´S DAIM STORIES VOL I. Thanks to Dorte I finally have an international giveaway I can share with everyone. Dorte is graciously giveaway 3 electronic copies of CANDIED CRIME to some lucky visitors commenting on her post between now and 8 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, Feb. 16. Be sure to include your e-mail address in your comments if it’s not included in your profile.

Dorte has stopped by today to answer some questions about your writing and her recently release.

Thank you very much Mason for opening your doors to an obscure crime writer from tiny Denmark! I really appreciate what you and other members of the blogging community do for indie authors like me. 
 
I am a Danish teacher of English, and in my spare time I read, review and write crime fiction. I am 49 years old - at least for a few hours.

I sold a few flash fiction stories to American magazines and publishers last year, and one week ago I published "CANDIED CRIME. DJ´S DAIM STORIES VOL I" via Smashwords.
 
I think the title says it quite clearly; this is crime fiction for fun - thirteen very short stories, lots of quirky characters and unexpected twists. Adverse affects: occasional snorts and giggles, but hardly any nightmares.
  
Mason - What inspired you to write these cozy flash fiction stories?

Dorte - I participated in an online writing course two years ago (in Danish), and when I had finished ten short writing tasks, I realized that what I had just learnt was called flash fiction in the English-speaking world. Before that I had never considered writing anything shorter than novels, but many of my virtual class mates thought my characters were funny and liked my twists, and when I began to publish some of them in English via my blog, I developed a small groups of readers who asked for more fun. It is still my ambition to write and publish crime novels, but right now it feels good to have some texts out there - and see that people actually download the free sample or buy the whole collection.
 
Mason - What was the easiest thing about self-publishing and what was the most difficult?

Dorte - Well, it took some hours to format the texts, but what struck me was that the whole process went so much smoother than I had expected. I used Smashwords´ free style guide and when I thought my file was okay, I just pushed that button - and realized I had happened to publish a book! Not a perfect copy, mind you, and I promise I will be more thorough and professional when I publish my next collection - and hopefully avoid ´white-hared´ women or other embarrassing typos. All in all, I am so impressed by Smashwords´ professional and user-friendly publishing platform. THIS IS EASY, FOLKS - IF YOU HAVE A NOVEL OR COLLECTION OF STORIES, JUST TRY IT! It´s much simpler than you can imagine.
 
And something that went even smoother - I sent a short e-mail to a local journalist, asking if they were interested in my venture. They filled a whole page, and when the regional radio and TV stations saw that, they called me and asked very politely for reviews - because e-books are a new phenomenon in Scandinavia. My, free radio and TV spots for the big fish in the local goldfish bowl!
 
Mason - Is there one author in particular that has influenced your writing and if so, how?

Dorte - Now, if I say P.D. James and Ruth Rendell, it might sound as if I compare my work to theirs. But though I have read thousands of crime novels over the years, there is something about the traditional British crime story that makes me return for more. More series, more authors. I can´t help it, I am an incorrigible Anglophile. (I am not even sure I want a cure).
 
As "CANDED CRIME" is cosy crime, I might mention the wonderful British television series "Midsomer Murders" and Inspector Tom Barnaby as another source of inspiration. Talk about quirky characters and mushroom collectors!
 
Mason - Do you keep to a certain schedule or location when writing?

Dorte - As I use a laptop, I can write anywhere so I have written most of my stories in our living room, surrounded by my family who are either reading or watching television. I wish I could say I had a schedule, but I work part-time and have to put my teaching first. Besides, I suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, so I have days or sometimes even weeks when I am unable to write a word. On a good day I try to write for an hour or two, and if I can hit the one-thousand-word mark, I consider it a good day.
 
Mason - What can readers expect next from you?

Dorte - If only I could say a novel, but I think it is more likely that it will be a second volume of "DAIM STORIES", this time some that are more serious in tone than "CANDIED CRIME" (some of my dark materials). 

 
Dorte, thanks so much for guest blogging here today and providing the giveaway. You have given me a great appreciation for e-books and mushrooms (you’ll find out why in her book).

Now for a bit more information on Dorte. She teaches English at upper secondary level. In her spare time she reads and writes crime fiction in English and Danish, and in 2010 she sold her first flash stories to American magazines and publishers. For more on Dorte and her writing, check out her blog DJ’s krimiblog. And BTW, tomorrow - Saturday, Feb. 12 - is her 50th birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DORTE!!!                     

Sunday Salon: Sharing Two Books

Do you get to read as much as you’d like to?

I don’t. There are so many wonderful books out there and I just keep finding more when I should be reading what I already have. But, that the fun part, isn’t it?

It’s Sunday Salon and another week is gone. It’s time to gather around our computers, relax with a cup of our favorite beverage, and compare books we’ve enjoyed.

The books I share today were unexpected finds and not in my TBR stack.

CANDIED CRIME, DJ’S DAIM STORIES, VOL. I 

by Dorte Hummelshoj Jakobsen

Fellow blogger and Danish author Dorte H. just recently had a collection of her cozy/humorous flash fiction published as an e-book.

CANDIED CRIME is a volume of 13 short stories that will have you saying, “ahh,” “hmmm,” and laughing out loud.

I sat down to read one story and had finished half the book before I realized it. They are humorous stories of mushrooms, misunderstanding, a woman’s love for her dog, and red slippers to mention a few.

With works like CANDIED CRIME, I have a better appreciation of e-books. According to Dorte’s blog, she is  thinking of a second volume featuring her more serious flash fiction - can’t wait. This is a fun read.

Dorte H blogs at DJ’s Krimiblog

Candied Crime, DJ’S Daim Stories, Vol. I by Dorte Hummelshoj Jakobsen, Smashwords, @2011, e-book, 48 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This e-book was provided to me by the author. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

OVER IN AUSTRALIA: AMAZING ANIMALS DOWN UNDER by Marianne Berkes

This delightful children’s book came to my attention through my work with the newspaper. The book features the wonderful illustrations of Jill Dubin of Atlanta, GA.

Australia is home to a number of unique animals. OVER IN AUSTRALIA introduces children to these animals in an enjoyable and educational way.

The book features 10 Australian species. However, a mysterious ‘hidden’ animal has been added to each animal’s page by Illustrator Dubin. Dubin uses cut-paper illustrations and includes tips for youngsters on how to create their own.

In addition, there is a fact or fiction section and information on each of the amazing animals including the hidden ones.

The book is geared toward youngsters ages 3 to 8 and will have them learning while enjoying this pleasant read which is done in a rhyming style.

Over in Australia: Amazing animals Down Under by Marianne Berkes, Illustrated by Jill Dubin, Dawn Publications, @2011, ISBN: 978-1-58469-136-5, Paperback, 32 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

What did you read this past week? Was it something unexpected or was it in your TBR stack?