Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – Author Update – Reviews – #magicalrealism Sian Turner, #Blogging #Authors Anne R. Allen, #History Mike Biles

Welcome to the Friday edition of the Cafe and Bookstore with reviews for authors on the shelves.

The first author with a recent review is Sian Turner for her  latest release Sweet Erin

About the book

A book for anyone who has ever been eleven years old.

Erin Fitzwilliam-Beaumont hates her friendless life at secondary school until a mysterious app brings Carys Bowen into her life. The new friends are struggling to face their own demons when a surprise announcement from Carys brings a remarkable new dimension to the girls’ already unconventional friendship.

Will Carys help Erin find the fresh start she desperately needs, and can Erin help Carys restore her crumbling relationship with her father?

One of the recent reviews for the book

East Sussex 5.0 out of 5 stars More than a book about friendship  Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2020

This delightful book is compelling in so many ways: not only do we have a front-row seat to Erin’s life, challenges, and attitudes, we are treated to humorous family anecdotes, an underlying mystery, and well-chosen metaphors. I stayed up late one night to finish it! The story line is unlike any other I’ve read – a wonderful and inventive book!

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US

Also by Sian Turner

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US – Follow Sian: Goodreads – Website/Blog: Sian Turner Author WordPress – Facebook: Sian Turner Author – Twitter: @SianTurner1066

The next author today is Anne R. Allen with a review for her non-fiction guide – The Author Blog: Easy Blogging for Busy Authors

About the book

Book Authority named The Author Blog to the “Best Blogging Books of All Time” in September 2019. It’s a fun, easy-does-it guide to simple, low-tech blogging for authors who want to build a platform, but not let it take over their lives.

An author blog doesn’t have to follow the rules that monetized business blogs do. This book teaches the secrets that made Anne R. Allen a multi-award-winning blogger and one of the top author-bloggers in the industry.

And you’ll learn why having a successful author blog is easier than you think.

Here are some things you’ll learn in this book:

*How an author blog is different–and easier to maintain–than a business blog
*What authors should blog about at different stages of their careers
*Choosing the right blog topics for your genre and audience
*How one type of blogpost can build your platform quickly
*Basic SEO tips that don’t make your eyes glaze over with tech jargon
*How to write headers that will grab the attention of Web surfers
*How to keep your audience by learning the tricks of content writing
*Essential blog and social media etiquette rules
*What happens to your blog when you die?

One of the recent reviews for the book

Barbara Johnson Witcher, author of Heirs Of Abraham4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully helpful!  Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2020

I have always avoided writing a blog but I do know it is an important marketing tool for an author. So I decided to sample Anne’s book. Immediately I bought it and have become a believer. She has taken what seems like a complicated thing and made it doable with easy steps. I’m going to start blogging. If you’re an author you should too.

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

A selection of other books by Anne R. Allen

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK –  follow Anne on: Goodreads – blog:  Anne R. Allen – Twitter: @annerallen

The final author is Mike Biles for his historical guide. A Bit About Britain’s High Days and Holidays.

About the book

High Days and Holidays are special occasions, celebrations, or commemorations. They occur throughout the year, some wanted, some not, some remembered more than others. In days gone by, the passing year was marked by seasonal or religious feast days of one sort or another; in some respects, they still help define our calendar.

A Bit About Britain’s High Days and Holidays explores a baker’s dozen of Britain’s notable occasions and traditions, from New Year onward, the things we associate with them and the stories behind each one. If you’ve ever wondered who Valentine was, where Christmas crackers come from, or thought about the Easter bunny (and who hasn’t?), A Bit About Britain’s High Days and Holidays is for you. And, whilst this book is not just for Christmas, it does include an A-Z of the festive season. A couple of recipes have been thrown in for good measure too, as well as an agenda for your hosting your very own Burns’ Supper. Oh – and at the end is an extensive list of Britain’s Big Days and events that normally form part of Britain’s Year – through Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

So, if you’ve ever been baffled as to why some Brits do some of the things they do, or have even questioned why you do them yourself, this little book might help. Occasionally lighthearted, fascinating and useful, once you’ve read it, keep it handy to refer to when needed.

A recent review for the book

mrs d.5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting and entertaining read. 5 stars  Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 January 2021

A great read about the origins and quirks of the things and events which we know and love in Britain, as well as those which you didn’t know so much about! Definitely worth a read.

Head over to buy the book: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US

Also by Mike Biles

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon UK – And : Amazon US – Follow Mike on : Goodreads – Website: A Bit About Britain – Twitter – @bitaboutbritain

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will be leaving with some books.. thanks Sally.