Tag Archives: book reviews

Samantha Remains Free In The Kindle Store Until Monday 2 June 2014

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My short story, Samantha, which has received 5 4 star reviews, remains free in the Amazon Kindle store until Monday 2 June. Samantha tells the story of a young woman forced into prostitution in the city of my birth, Liverpool. Can Sam escape the clutches of her brutal pimp, Barry or will she end her miserable existence in the murky waters of Liverpool’s Albert Docks.

For interviews with Barry O’connor, the pimp who ruthlessly exploits Sam and other girls, please visit http://newauthoronline.com/2014/02/14/have-you-ever-interviewed-one-of-your-characters/. For an interview with Samantha please go to http://newauthoronline.com/2014/02/16/have-you-ever-interviewed-one-of-your-characters-interview-with-samantha/. For links to reviews of of Samantha and my other books please visit http://newauthoronline.com/reviews-of-my-books/.

My collection of short stories, Sting In The Tail also remins free in the Kindle Store until Monday 2 June. For reviews of Sting In The Tail please go to http://newauthoronline.com/reviews-of-my-books/

Free book promotion

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My collections of short stories ‘Sting in the tail and other stories’ and my short story ‘Samantha’ will be free in the Kindle store from the 29th May until the 2nd June.

For Samantha please visit http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BL3CNHI/ref=r_soa_w_d for the US and http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BL3CNHI/ref=r_soa_w_d for the UK

For Sting in the tail and other stories please visit http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DFK6R54/ref=r_soa_w_d for the US and http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DFK6R54/ref=r_soa_w_d for the UK

A Thank You

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My collection of short stories, Street Walker And Other Stories was free, in the Kindle Store from 25 February until 1 March. During the free promotion Street Walker was downloaded a total of 84 times (well give or take a download either way as I find it difficult to read the sales reports in KDP Select. Am I the only one who has this difficulty)! Irrespective of whether the number of downloads was 84, 83 or 85, many thanks to everyone who downloaded Street Walker. I hope you enjoyed reading my book and I would love to hear what you thought of it. Thank you also to all who reblogged the free promotion bringing it to the attention of a wider audience. The mutual assistance of bloggers is one of the great things about social media!

You can find Street Walker And Other Stories here, http://www.amazon.com/Street-Walker-other-stories-Morris-ebook/dp/B00HLRNDP4

Have You Ever Interviewed One Of Your Characters – Interview With Becky From The First Time

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I have published two previous posts containing interviews with characters from my story, Samantha, http://newauthoronline.com/2014/02/14/have-you-ever-interviewed-one-of-your-characters/. Today I am interviewing the leading character from my story the First Time, a young graduate named Becky who enters the world of prostitution in order to clear her debts.

 

 

Interview

 

Me: “What is your earliest recollection?”

 

Becky: “Collecting bluebells with my grandfather. I remember the sun was shining, the birds singing and I was so happy to be with my grandfather. Those memories are incredibly precious”.

 

Me: “It sounds as though you had a happy childhood?”

 

“Becky: “Yes, I was surrounded by people who loved me. Mummy and daddy doted on me. Both of them  read to me, I grew up in a house full of books which is why, I guess I ended up reading English literature at university”.

 

Me: “much of the research into why people enter into prostitution appears to indicate that they suffered childhood abuse or some other trauma. From what you have told me about your childhood it doesn’t appear that you fit in with this stereotype”.

 

Becky: “You mean what is a nice middle class girl like me doing working as a prostitute?”

 

Me: “Not to put to fine a point on it, yes”.

 

Becky: “I ran up a huge credit card debt. There was no way, as a part-time barmaid I would ever be able to clear it. One of my friends, Julie worked as an escort and, in desperation I asked her to help me to enter the sex industry, as a prostitute which she did by introducing me to one of her clients, Mike”.

 

Me: “Didn’t you consider turning to your family for help?”

 

Becky: “No, mummy and daddy would have been so disappointed in me. They brought me up to live within my means, not to borrow accept for a mortgage. If you can’t afford it then you should save up for it or do without. That is there philosophy. I would have died of shame if  they had found out about my debts”.

 

Me: “What do you think their reaction would be if they found out that their daughter was working as a prostitute?”

 

Becky: “they would be horrified! Christ I would die of shame if they found out, that will never happen though.  I live in London and mummy and Daddy live in York”.

 

Me: “Do you feel that you have a choice in prostitution?

 

Becky: “If I haden’t entered sex work I would have had a huge credit card debt and it would have been impossible for me to live as all my money would have gone in paying off my card. I wasn’t physically compelled to become an escort but I had no other choice given the state of the jobs market”.

 

“Me: “do you enjoy your work?”

 

Becky: “What kind of a question is that?! I hate being treated like a piece of meat. Some men are nice and, of course it’s easier if the man is polite and converses with you rather than grabbing you as soon as you come through the door, doing the deed and then throwing you out in 30 minutes or so, but no I don’t enjoy being treated as a sex object”.

 

Me: “Can you see yourself giving up working as an escort?”

 

Becky: “I’d like to but, although I hate the work I like the money. You can make thousands a month if you work as an independent escort as you don’t have to give a percentage to the escort agency. I’ve seen girls who hate the work but love the money. I’m afraid that I may end up like one of them”.

 

Me: “Many thanks for talking to me Becky”.

 

—

 

For a review of The First Time please visit https://cupitonians.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/the-first-time-book-review/

Update to my ‘Reviews of my books’ page

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I have just updated my ‘Reviews of my books’ page to include yet another review for Samantha and also the recent review I received for The First Time.

For the reviews page please visit: http://newauthoronline.com/reviews-of-my-books/

Book Review: Samantha By K Morris

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I was delighted to receive the below 4 star review of my story Samantha

“Samantha is the first book that I have read by this author but I can assure you that it won’t be the last. From the first page he had me captivated as I

followed the journey of Samantha, a troubled girl from a privileged background who finds herself out on the streets through no fault of her own. The author’s

attention to detail throughout the book is excellent and the characters were all easy to identify with.

 

Although Samantha is a short book, it is nonetheless a very satisfying read and I very much look forward to more works by this author.”

For the review please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R1I8EMOV3SFDLM/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00BL3CNHI&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=341677031&store=digital-text

Book Review: 12 Days The Beginning By Jade Reyner

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I am not usually a lover of erotica (forgive the pun)! But, having read “12 Days The Beginning”, by Jade Reyner I can highly recommend it to you. The book is far more than a work of erotic fiction (although lovers of erotica will not be disappointed)! Reyner also deals movingly with the issue of domestic violence so anyone looking merely for erotica will be disappointed (although, as I said above there is plenty of steamy writing for those who enjoy the genre).

Elise Grayson is trapped in a deeply unhappy marriage. She coasts along supported by her best friend until she meets Vaughan Granger at an office party. There is an immediate attraction there and Elise is soon drawn into a world of passion and danger.

I will be buying the sequel.

 

For “12 Days The Beginning” please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/Twelve-Days-Beginning-Jade-Reyner-ebook/dp/B00CLFHWS0

Trolling Along

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On 6 December I published a post regarding trolling and, in particular it’s pernicious effect on book reviews, http://newauthoronline.com/2013/12/06/when-does-a-book-review-become-trolling/. I have, today received a comment on my post by a person who argues for (as he puts it) “the utility of internet flamers and trolls”. I do not agree with the premise of his article. It is, however well expressed and in the interests of encouraging debate I have linked to it here, http://pop-verse.com/2013/11/27/the-utility-of-internet-flamers-and-trolls-or-why-you-should-go-fuck-yourself-2/.

In my experience internet trolls are rarely (if ever) interested in promoting genuine debate whether about books or other topics. They are frequently people with a variety of problems who rather than confronting their own inadequacies choose rather to spew bile on the internet while hiding behind false identities. In the article linked to above the writer contends that different rules apply in the virtual as opposed to the real world. I can’t agree. Good manners should not cease merely because one is hiding behind the anonymity of a keyboard.

Many trolls exhibit behaviour which if demonstrated by children would result in those concerned being reprimanded. Indeed we expect children to exhibit childish traits but it is profoundly sad when grown men and women behave like kids in the playground.

Reviews

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It is wonderful to receive feedback on my writing and I am grateful to those people who have left reviews on Amazon for Samantha and Sting In The Tail. People have busy lives and it isn’t always easy to find the time to review books (I know from my own experience that this is the case. I have often meant to leave a review but have not always got round to doing so). If you have downloaded any of my books and have not left a review, I would love to know what you thought of my work. Please do consider leaving a review. Many thanks, Kevin

(For my Amazon author’s page please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/K.-Morris/e/B00CEECWHY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0).

When Does A Book Review Become Trolling?

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Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. The old saying seems particularly apt when discussing the issue of trolling and, more specifically it’s relationship to book reviews. For anyone unfamiliar with the term, a troll is an individual who makes comments in order to provoke conflict. Here we are not talking about a reader who provides a 1 or 2 star review and furnishes a reasoned explanation for his/her perspective on the work. Authors may not like such reviews (although one can learn from constructive criticism), however they can not be considered as constituting trolling. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and the taking of offence at the expression of opinions with which authors (or anyone else) may disagree is not a valid reason for labelling such expressions as trolling.

Genuine trolling is, however sadly alive and well on the internet. Take, for example the following review and the comments generated by it, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/499148682. The reviewer takes a positive delight in ripping the author’s work apart. It is, to the reviewer a source of considerable hilarity to point out grammatical errors (real or imagined). He appears to revel in making his followers laugh and laugh they do in response to the reviewer’s tearing apart of the author’s work. What should be a serious forum for discussing literature degenerates into an arena in which the reviewer and his/her followers rip their quarry apart. Blood sports are banned or curtailed in many countries but they remain alive and well on the internet.

As a libertarian (with a small l) I am wary of banning activities. There is a thin line between a person expressing their strong objection to a book and an individual deliberately looking to stir up conflict for the sake of so doing. However it strikes me that forums such as Goodreads need to look at whether they have strong enough measures in place to prevent, so far as is possible, unproductive and often vicious attacks on authors.

(Disclaimer: I have not read the book in question nor am I acquainted with it’s author).