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The Gift Maker ~ Mark Mayes ~ Tracey-anne's Book Review

A beautiful poetic fairy tale

Wow, my expectations of an introduction to something magical were met, exceeded even, in this fabulous debut novel.

The story begins with the character Thomas receiving a gift, mysteriously delivered. Later he finds out that his friend Liselotte also received a gift. Both approach the enigmatic boxes quite differently. They embark on a journey, though not together, and are soon followed by a friend called Johann. From this point, certain experiences cause the characters to re-evaluate the world around them as well as within and their lives are never the same.

Lyrical storytelling captures the essence of life and higher powers in this wonderful novel. Author, Mark Mayes, gives pause for thought while gently and cleverly revealing qualities of Otherworldliness with sublime substance using metaphors and symbology.
Certain imagery will remain with me forever as will passages due to Marks artistry of combining elements of deeper thinking with vivid description, which are masterful.

This book tantalises the senses with different perspectives, all rich and diverse. You can't help but get drawn in and philosophise with the characters who are well-developed and constant. Throughout the book, we learn more about their individual journeys and true purpose within the magical multi-faceted world created. The story keeps you guessing and turning the pages.

I love the way Mark interprets the world around him and one can't help but admire the artistic poetry in which he captures it all in written form. Not an easy task to tie down these elements in a comprehensive way that isn't overpowering or bewildering. This book is an absolute treasure. I really feel that it would make a spectacular movie. A visual delight.

How important are ambitions, hopes, and desires, for both yourself and the world? What about purpose and freedom? These are thoughts which we all have on some level but are they significant or important enough to follow blindly as we often believe?
Find out for yourself in this very different and clever novel.

Thank you, Urbane Publications & NetGalley for Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Love and light,

Trace

xoxo

Book Stuff. How important is a book blurb?

Often it is the editor or some other person from the publishing house who writes the book blurb/jacket description. The publisher usually has a better idea of what elements of the story will most appeal to readers who pick up the book at a glance.

Below is an example of how important it is to get the blurb right. A professional reviewer and author, Christina Philippou, gave ACoPF a wonderful 5-star rating and listed it in among the top 10 books of 2015 on her blog - Wow! But this shows how the blurb can give a wrong impression that could ultimately repel potential readers ~

'From the blurb, I expected a kind of ‘Twilight for adults’. What I got was intricately-imagined fantasy, suspenseful action, two beautifully interwoven love stories (not the kind of paranormal love triangle I was anticipating), and a lot of well-crafted drama. Brilliant – I want more!'

Read HERE

In hindsight, I should've definitely re-written the book's blurb - shown below:

‘Every Unknown is a Beginning’

Bea lives a simple life residing in a South London second-hand bookshop. It had been an especially difficult year, first with Bea’s uncle dying, then splitting up with Brandon, her philandering, druggie boyfriend. The shop's trivial daily conversations, local faces and calm were all she desired, but that was all about to change.

No-one expects to bump into supernatural beings, let alone two opposing sects of a forgotten race. Bea’s quiet existence turns into turmoil as she slowly starts to unravel a secret past. A lost history in which love, revenge, betrayal, magic, power and karma are not mere cycles of a soul, but a sacred journey upon a web of many possibilities.

The future is not set in stone and the choices that Bea makes ripple through the cosmos. As the secret unfolds she realises that no matter what form your soul takes there are consequences for one's actions in which time has no relevance – we call it karma, they call it Vororbla.

Will she cope with the heartbreak and truths before her?
What would you do if your very existence came into question?
Join Bea as she uncovers the truth of her past via A Carpet of Purple Flowers.

To something like this, perhaps?

Discover a new fantasy world with a unique love story.

'Four Souls & Three Hearts' 

No-one expects to bump into supernatural beings, let alone two opposing sects of an otherworldly race. Bea’s quiet existence as a bookshop owner in SW London turns into turmoil as she starts to unravel a lost history. Reality quickly becomes blurred with folklore, and as the secrets unfold, she realises that no matter what form your soul takes, there are consequences for past actions in which time has no relevance – we call it karma, they call it Vororbla.

What would you do if your very existence came into question? 

Hmm. I'm going to work on book two's.

FICTION BLURB TIPS - T K. H

Note that the goal of the blurb is NOT to summarise the book. Rather, the goals are to:

• Implicitly reveal the genre or subject. This should reinforce the message conveyed through the title and visually by the cover.
• Entice the reader to look inside.

That’s it!

Here is a fiction blurb checklist:

• Be concise. Did you say anything that was unnecessary?
• Arouse curiosity. Did you give anything away? Does it read like a summary?
• Genre. If strangers can’t read the blurb and guess the precise sub-genre or have some idea as to the content, your blurb has miserably and utterly failed to be an effective sales tool.
• Engage. You need to draw interest immediately; most customers won’t be patient and let you build things up (true of your Look Inside, too). Come out swinging with your best stuff, but also pack enough punches so that you can engage interest throughout. When you run out of punches, stop writing your blurb.
• Flow. Check that it flows well. A hiccup, such as when a reader has to stop and figure out how to correctly parse a long idea, is like stumbling on your way to the cash register.
• Spellcheck, aisle three. If you can’t get the spelling and grammar right in a hundred words or so… Look, it’s not an option. You have to get it right.
• Vocabulary. It needs to match your target audience. Words they don’t understand can scare them away (but if such words are common in the prose, you also don’t want to create false expectations).
• Research. Do your homework. Check out blurbs of successful books similar to yours.

Feedback. Ask for opinions on your blurb. Before you publish, this can help you generate buzz.

Did you know Amazon has 30,000,000 different books to choose from? Wow! 

Love and light,

Trace

xoxo

"The veil between the worlds is thin"

A lovely review for

'A Carpet of Purple Flowers'

Book One

This is a most entrancing and captivating story. Bea, as the central character, weathers every emotional storm you can imagine, and as we get to know her, we feel for her plight, and one is torn on her behalf as she herself is torn, between two men, two identities, two realms of reality.

Bea is living a fairly ordinary life, running a small, somewhat esoteric, bookshop in London, left to her by her much-missed uncle. Into her somewhat muted existence burst beings from another realm, and why they are so interested in her gradually becomes apparent.

Tracey-anne McCartney introduces us to a richly-detailed and dramatic cosmology drawn from Irish folktales, mythology, and magic, and it is by virtue of this age-old relationship between the world of the Sidhe and that of humans that we find ourselves drawn in most strongly. It is the skilful, often humorous, blend of supernatural and spiritual elements with that of ordinary life; the hopes and disappointments of the ordinary person, as experienced by Bea, which makes this novel so charming, and makes us experience Bea’s emotional maelstrom as our own. We want the best for her, even if deciding what that may be seems near impossible.

The final scene in Coldfall Woods is magnificently achieved, and the writing overall has the right balance of lyricism and restraint and is peppered with moments of levity when appropriate. The narration allows one not only to viscerally experience the events described but also to be privy to the internal life of the principal characters, sensing their doubts, their confusion, their pain and joy – Bea's in particular.

The finale does not give up all the secrets hinted at during the novel. Who exactly is Jonathan? What does Bea’s future hold? And other questions, which I will not pose here for fear of spoiling the many surprises and revelations this artfully-plotted novel offers us en route.

A Carpet of Purple Flowers is an original, entertaining, and sophisticated blend of romance, the paranormal, and the spiritual.

~ By Mark Mayes 

Mark has a new book release set for 2017 ~ More HERE The Gift Maker 

Mark has published numerous stories and poems in magazines and anthologies in the UK, Eire, and Italy, and in particular, has had several stories published in (or accepted for) the celebrated Unthology series (Unthank Books). His work has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service. He has been shortlisted for literary prizes, including the prestigious Bridport Prize.

In 2009, Mark graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in English (Creative Writing and Critical Practice) from Ruskin College, Oxford.

Currently living in South Wales, Mark is also a musician and songwriter, and some of his songs may be found here: HTTPS://SOUNDCLOUD.COM/PUMPSTREETSONGS

Thank you, Mark. ;o) 

*A Carpet of Purple Flowers* ‪#‎book‬ Available at ‪#‎WHSmith‬ travel stores ~ Amazon ~ Urbane Publications ‪#‎NewRelease‬

No-one expects to bump into supernatural beings, let alone two opposing sects of a forgotten race. Bea's quiet existence turns into turmoil as she slowly starts to unravel a secret past, a lost history in which love, revenge, betrayal, magic, power and karma are not mere cycles of a soul, but a sacred journey upon a web of many possibilities. The future is not set in stone, and the choices that Bea makes ripple through the cosmos. As the secret unfolds she realises that no matter what form your soul takes there are consequences for your actions in which time has no relevance - we call it karma, they call it Vororbla. 

   

                                 Wolfgang Miessner                                        Elena Esina

Helmut Newton

love and light

Trace

xoxo

Guest Post via 'A Lover of Books' blog - Win a copy ~ 'A Carpet of Purple Flowers'

https://aloverofbooks.wordpress.com

Sonya of 'A Lover of Books' blog kindly invited myself and others to attend her marvelous Halloween blog party. She has been a very attentive host. We were fed, watered and kept amused for hours with some really interesting posts. 

Please pop over and enjoy the Samhain spirit! :o) 

We would love to meet you there! 

You can find Sonya HERE ~

Facebook
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Twitter

Blog

***Competition***

Matthew Smith of Urbane Publications is giving away 5 copies of
‘A Carpet of Purple Flowers’.
To enter just leave a comment on Sonya's blog post HERE telling her what you think of the cover.

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open worldwide.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 14th November 2015.

The winners will be randomly chosen and notified within 7 days of the closing date.  Their details will be given to Matthew Smith who will send out the prizes.

Post Excerpt:

This is the last post of this event.  Tracey-anne McCartney has recently had her debut novel, ‘A Carpet of Purple Flowers’ published.

The ramblings of a debut author

~ Slipping through the veil of worlds on All Hallows Eve/Samhain

Merry meet at the time of year when the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest.

The old year has passed and sunset on Samhain marks the beginning of the Celtic New Year. So what better time to introduce my very own new beginning ~ A Carpet of Purple Flowers.

I believe that a certain magic is carried from our soul through to our creations – be it a piece of art, dance, poetry or form of storytelling, etc. With this belief in mind, I hope that I can spread a little magic your way.

Read more HERE

A super thank you, Sonya. I feel extremely honoured to have been a part of your amazing Halloween Event. I'm still whizzing through your blog on my broom, parking up by every post. Truly amazing blogging ~ Big hugs  ((( <3 nbsp="" p="">

love and light,

Trace

xoxo

It all started with the feeling of dread...Book Excerpt 'A Carpet of Purple Flowers'

It all started with the feeling of dread...

Chapter 1

Leave the Past Where It Belongs

Walls and shutters were scrawled with neon graffiti that blinded every time a car sped past. Bea averted her eyes from the glare on hearing a cab driver scream at a drunk for throwing a beer can too close to his car. She watched it roll, rattling across the road, until disappearing into a pile of litter that lay by an over-turned bin. She rested her head against the frame of a bare window above the Victorian bookshop. Here, nothing surprised her, it was to be expected, living in one of the worst parts of South London. Perhaps that’s why she never truly felt like it was home. She wanted nothing more than to go to bed, crawl under the covers and settle down for the night with a mug of sweet tea and a good book, consolation for being stupid, too ready to please, as usual.
All day she’d mentally tormented herself for agreeing to attend Leanne’s party, and now it was too late to cancel. She didn’t want to see Brandon, her ex. The man she had successfully avoided for six months. Damn him! Of course he’ll show up. After all, he’s the birthday girl’s brother. Bea sighed, and the closeness of her warm breath on the cold glass caused an area of the window to mist up. She ran her slender finger over the damp blur of condensation, producing a squeaking sound as she casually drew a large question mark.

Images for inspiration purposes only.

Read more HERE ~ http://www.traceyannemccartney.com/book-excerpt.php

The Weekend "Dark Times" Ft. Ed Sheeran [Official Lyrics]

love and light

Trace

xoxo

WB YEATS

Magical Strokes of a Pen

William Butler Yeats is one of Ireland’s greatest poets and was a giant of the literary world in the late 19th and early 20th century. 

He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923, which was the pinnacle of his career. 

WB YEATS was a magician as well a writer, a member of the secret society, The Golden Dawn. The stories in *The Secret Rose* revolve around men who must spend themselves in service to this rose, the symbol of mysticism, through love, battle, excess, patriotism or the search for transcendent wisdom. 

The linked stories stories provide a way to understand Yeats deepest personal beliefs, the strange things he did with his life, his relationship with Ireland and the occult. And the part allocated to his muse, Maud Gonne.

Maud Gonne

Irish Fairy and Folk Tales 

A Treasury of Irish Myth, Legend and Folklore: 

Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry 

IN THE SEVEN WOODS

Being Poems Chiefly of the

Irish Heroic Age

by W. B. YEATS

The Celtic Twilight

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (or, more commonly, The Golden Dawn) was an organization devoted to the study and practice of the occult, metaphysics, and paranormal activities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Known as a magical order, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was active in Great Britain and focused its practices on theurgy and spiritual development. Many present-day concepts of ritual and magic that are at the centre of contemporary traditions, such as Wicca and Thelema, were inspired by the Golden Dawn, which became one of the largest single influences on 20th-century Western occultism.

The Golden Dawn system was based on hierarchy and initiation like the Masonic Lodges; however women were admitted on an equal basis with men. The "Golden Dawn" was the first of three Orders, although all three are often collectively referred to as the "Golden Dawn". The First Order taught esoteric philosophy based on the Hermetic Qabalah and personal development through study and awareness of the four Classical Elements as well as the basics of astrology, tarot divination, and geomancy. The Second or "Inner" Order, the Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis (the Ruby Rose and Cross of Gold), taught proper magic, including scrying, astral travel, and alchemy. The Third Order was that of the "Secret Chiefs", who were said to be highly skilled; they supposedly directed the activities of the lower two orders by spirit communication with the Chiefs of the Second Order.

Influences on Golden Dawn concepts and work include: Christian mysticism, Qabalah, Hermeticism, Ancient Egyptian religion, Theurgy, Freemasonry, Alchemy, Theosophy, Astrology, Eliphas Levi, Papus, John Dee & Edward Kelly, Enochian magic, and Renaissance grimoires, as well as Anna Kingsford & Frederick Hockley.

The foundational documents of the original Order of the Golden Dawn, known as the Cipher Manuscripts, are written in English using Trithemius cipher.

According to the records of the Order, the manuscripts passed from Kenneth R. H. Mackenzie, a Masonic scholar, to the Rev. A. F. A. Woodford, whom British occult writer Francis King describes as the fourth founder (although Woodford died shortly after the Order was founded).

The order claimed its pedigree from coded documents in Dr Wynn Westcott's possession; these claimed the group was a branch of a German Rosicrucian Order. They outlined five Masonic rituals, which were expanded upon by Mathers. It is highly likely that these papers were forged by Westcott, and it was this accusation that later led to the break up of the order.

(Goddess and Septagram)

In 1901, W. B. Yeats privately published a pamphlet titled Is the Order of R. R. & A. C. to Remain a Magical Order? After the Isis-Urania temple claimed its independence, there were even more disputes, leading to Yeats resigning.

The encyclopedic text The Golden Dawn, by Israel Regardie, has been the most intensively used source for modern western occult and magical practice.

The Golden Dawn had some very influential people within its ranks. W. B. Yeats, Aleister Crowley, Constance Wilde, Algernon Blackwood, Arthur Machen, A. E. Waite, Annie Horniman, Florence Farr, Gerald Kelly and Maude Gonne were all members. There was also a rumour that Wallace Budge, who was in charge of Egyptology at the British Museum, was also involved, although this has never been verified.

Her Secret Rose (2015) - Orna Ross

I've spent years writing a trilogy about the true-life love triangle that was Yeats's relationship with the Gonne women: Maud and Iseult, mother and daughter. Her Secret Rose (2015) is the first book of the three.

Yeats made a myth (and a poetic career) out of his unrequited love for Maud but this novel goes behind the poetic myth. As its opening page says, "When looked at from the woman’s side of the bedsheet, most tales take a turning. This one more than most." 

"A delicate balance of fact and fiction which kept me riveted from beginning to end." TheBookBag.co.uk

Packed with emotional twists and surprises, Her Secret Rose is closely based on the letters, journals and notebooks of these two fascinating people. It's a novel of secrets and intrigue, passion and politics, mystery and magic and surprise -- and tells the story of what was going on it Yeats's life in the turbulent years leading up to the publication of his mystical stories.

"...Ross has ransacked (her word) the best scholarly sources for her facts and ingeniously knitted a complex tale of betrayal, revenge, suspense, murder mystery — and surprise."

The Irish Independent.

love and light,

Trace

xoxo

Urbane Party! June 2015.

Party Time

The writing world: 'Urbane' party. 

What an amazing evening, filled with wonderful people and fabulous conversations.

Through the main entrance and off to find the elusive 'Black Door' of the speakeasy 'Barts'. 

Below - Words from the website…

Barts is a late-night, cocktail bar set in the 1920s prohibition era, run by Chicago gangsters who have set up in London. Uncle Barts’ gangsters are operating their bootlegging activities from this hidden bar within one of the many apartments located on Sloane Avenue. In order to avoid detection from the cops, this hidden speakeasy has been dressed up as the private apartment of the ever elusive proprietor ‘Barts’ – ‘Uncle Barts’ to those that know him best.

 On finding the door and gingerly entering, cartoon strip walls and a pair of scrutinizing eyes greeted me. I smiled, and like magic, another door opened...I was in! 

 Inside, I was greeted with Rosé - Perfect! :o) 

My nerves quickly disappeared on seeing a room filled with friendly, smiling faces.

 Cocktails anyone?

More photos of the event (author names) can be found HERE

This was my first 'author' experience away from the cyber world, excluding of course, the initial signing/meetings with Matthew. I'll admit, I felt a little apprehensive in the days leading up to the event, but honestly, everyone was so amazing that those nerves completely vanished . What a great bunch of people 'The Urbane Family' are. That's the collective term we use for Matthew's ingenious publication that connects us all, a team of friendly people that genuinely care and support each other. Urbane has an extremely promising future and displays collaboration at it's finest! I feel humble to be a part of this magical process and happy that I listened to my heart, which led me here. :o)

Please, feel free to drop Matthew a line if you have a manuscript/book idea that you've been itching to discuss. He's a great guy and doesn't bite, honest :o)

Matthew's email is on the website HERE

'A Carpet of Purple Flowers' website is HERE

Love and light,

Trace

xoxo