Josiah Stubb Wins Silver in the 2014 AUTHORSdb Book Contest

Thank you to all who voted for Josiah Stubb in the 2014 AUTHORSdb Book Cover Contest. It's quite an honour.

FINAL ROUND!!! - Josiah Stubb - 21014 AUTHORSdb Book Cover Contest

IT'S THE LAST DAY TO VOTE!!
Please vote for this magnificent cover by artist, Peter Fussey, for the final round of the AUTHORSdb Book Cover Contest. Follow the link, sign in (anyone can vote,) write a word or two about the cover, and click on the stars (fifth ones, please) of the categories of their rating system. There, you're done.
Thank you!
http://authorsdb.com/cover-contest/16436-josiah-stubb

AUTHORSdb Book Cover Contest - Final Round!!!

Aileen Aroma has done a wonderful job of promoting her authors, as seven - count'em seven! - have made it to the final round of the 2014 AUTHORSdb Book Cover contest in their separate  categories.
Voting ends on the 21st!!

"Please Vote for ALL 7 AUTHORS!
They made it to the Finals in the 2014 Cover Contest!
Now let's go get them the win!!!
You do need to sign in, in order to place your vote.
Once signed in give EACH AUTHOR A LIKE, A TWEET and then
CLICK ON SUBMIT YOUR VOTE!!
They will ask you to leave a short comment and then rate on Overall Impression, Artistic Impression, Relation to the Genre, Is the Design worth a Thousand Words and Title & Author Name (Please click on ALL 5's)
Then click submit!
Tag your friends and share this post to help them win!
Thank you for your continuous support"
‪#‎aromasauthors‬
1. Dennis Higgins
http://authorsdb.com/cover-contest/16616-steampunk-alice
2. Scott Eder
http://authorsdb.com/cover-contest/16508-knight-of-flame
3.C.W. Lovatt
http://authorsdb.com/cover-contest/16436-josiah-stubb
4. Stephanie Osborn
http://authorsdb.com/…/16512-a-case-of-spontaneous-combusti…
5. Brae Wyckoff
http://authorsdb.com/cover-contest/16510-the-dragon-god
6. Aaron Paul Lazar
http://authorsdb.com/cover-contest/16484-spirit-me-away
7. AR Von
http://authorsdb.com/cover-contest/16504-lady-s-destiny

Josiah Stubb - AUTHORSdb - Coming Up Next Week

Just a heads up to let you know that Josiah Stubb has made the cut for the final round of the AUTHORSdb Book Cover Contest. Voting begins Sunday the 14th, and ends the following week, on the 21st, so you can expect to receive a link and a harangue from me asking/begging/pleading for your support.

I thank you...

Josiah Stubb: The Siege of Louisbourg

From the best-selling author of The Adventures of Charlie Smithers.

"C.W. Lovatt possesses incredible talent, and it is my unreserved opinion that Josiah Stubb: The Siege of Louisbourg deserves a prominent place on any history buff's bookshelf." ~ The Winnipeg Review

"Fans of C. S. Forster's Horatio Hornblower and Bernard Cornwell's Richard Sharpe will love it!"

It is 1758 and The Seven Years War is raging. The military might of the British and French empires collide in a desperate bid to control the key strategic Fortress of Louisbourg and, in turn, Quebec and French-held North America.

One man caught amidst the bloodshed is the young grenadier, Josiah Stubb. Raised by a whore amidst poverty and incest, Josiah seemed doomed from birth to a life in the gutter. His attempt to leave his sordid past behind leads him to Louisbourg, but it comes back to haunt him in the form of a gifted officer, battling his own inner demons.

As the siege blazes towards its inevitable bloody climax, will Josiah live to overcome the formidable obstacles that keep him chained to his past, or will his aspirations for a better life die with him on the brooding shores of Ile Royale?

 

 http://mybook.to/josiahstubbl

 

 

 

The Adventures of Charlie Smithers

Harry Flashman, step aside, old son. Make way for Charlie Smithers.

The time is the nineteenth century. The place, the Serengeti Plain, where one Charlie Smithers – faithful manservant to the arrogant bone-head, Lord Brampton (with five lines in Debrett, and a hopeless shot to boot) – becomes separated from his master during an unfortunate episode with an angry rhinoceros, thereby launching Charlie on an odyssey into Deepest Darkest Africa, and subsequently into the arms of the beautiful Loiyan…and that’s where the trouble really begins.

Maasai warriors, xenophobic locals, or evil Arab slavers, the two forbidden lovers encounter everything that the unforgiving jungle can throw at them.

"A truly engaging read that will keep anyone’s attention from the hilarious beginning until the last word. I highly recommend this 5 star novel." ~ Chapters & Chats

 http://mybook.to/tacs

Josiah Stubb - A Review - Short and Very Sweet

Seeing as how there's a lull while they tabulate all the votes to see who advances in the AUTHORSdb Book Cover Contest, I'd best take advantage of the time to catch up on all the other things that have been going on. I posted earlier about the "Voices" launch, and now I get to indulge myself further by posting this lovely vignette of a review of Josiah Stubb. This was really wonderful, not only for the five stars et al, but because she posted a glowing review on Goodreads and Amazon in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia, and all of them worded differently!

Thank you, Judy. I very much appreciate the time and bother it cost you to post them all.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Historical Novel., November 17, 2014

By 

Judy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Josiah Stubb: The Siege of Louisbourg (Kindle Edition)

One of the best Historical Novels I have read. So well researched and written one is able to feel, see, hear the action and
become involved in the battle.... I was "hooked" from the first chapter....

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

 

 http://mybook.to/josiahstubbl

Voices - Photos From The Launch

The following are images from the launch of Volume #14 Issue #2 of the literary journal, "Voices," on Friday.

 This is the display of Volume #14, Issue #2 of Voices. It really is quite beautiful, as most of the covers are, and are provided by local artists.

 At the top, Voices' editor, Maurice Guimond, starts things off. Next is yours truly leading off the readings with an excerpt from my contribution, "Incomplete."

More of me as Amber experiments with the zoom.

 Afterward, these are all the contributors who did readings. A relatively small number, as the Spring issue usually includes all those who placed in their Write On the Lake Competition, the Fall issues are invariably much smaller.

Maurice and I. Maybe you can tell that I was already haranguing him about my submission for the next issue. But then, we writers really are a shameless lot, aren't we?

Josiah Stubb - Video - Youtube

I mentioned earlier that my friend, Alec Hawkes, had made a small video for Josiah Stubb. At the time, it was only accessible on Facebook, but it has since been posted on Youtube, for everyone to see. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbRdML5n9xI

Don't forget to give it a like, and leave a comment.

A little bird also tells me that he might be cooking up something else. Should this rumour prove to be true, you'll be the first to know.

Thank You

I just want to say a very heartfelt thank you for everyone who voted for Josiah Stubb in the semi-final round of the AUTHORSdb Book Cover Contest. It received more votes in one week than in the 4 1/2 months since the cover was posted on their site.
Thank you all so much!.....And brace yourselves: if it makes it to the finals, we get to do it all over again!!!

A Simply Superb Video of a Bygone Era

If you're on Facebook you'll absolutely love this. My good friend, Alec James Hawkes, has taken a stab at promoting my book, "Josiah Stubb," for the AUTHORSdb Book Cover Contest. But don't watch it solely for that, it's a work of art in its own write, reminiscent of a bygone time (note Heart of Oak playing in the background)
https://www.facebook.com/n/?video.php&v=1737705353120418&aref=230757764&medium=email&mid=adaf208G26b514c0Gdc11584G1dG5ea4&bcode=1.1416688862.Abk_fzUb6Q12hXkO&n_m=clovatt%40xplornet.ca

Story - Incomplete - Now Out in Voices #14 - #2

I'm especially pleased with this latest edition of Voices, and not just because of the beautiful cover design, either. I've been trying to get my latest contribution, "Incomplete," included for the past three years, but it kept getting bumped because of space issues...and because I kept winning their Write on the Lake Competition, so it wasn't all bad, I suppose... ;) Now it's finally made it.

To purchase your own copy, follow the link. Paypal is accepted. http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lakewinnipegwritersgroup.com%2Fvoices.html&ei=Xd9wVNL5NafjsAS89YG4DA&usg=AFQjCNGJsLw33VjmHdLgCi8FIg19tirclw&sig2=FnPyIyOigDwDQgoiLtueVQ&bvm=bv.80185997,d.cWc


I think that many people will get a lot out of this story, writers certainly will. So, without further ado:

                              Incomplete

Josh was bone tired by the time he pulled into his yard, the day having already taken a heavy toll. What with the electricians not having enough boots on the ground and the flooring applicators mysteriously lost somewhere out in the ether, not to mention his one and only carpenter, apparently understanding the workings of a builder’s transit about as much as he did the handling of the space shuttle (thereby guaranteeing that all the grid lines laid out today would have to be re-laid again tomorrow) Josh had a pretty good idea that a shot or two of whiskey was going to go down rather well. Trouble was, there was still work waiting for him, so those shots would have to be deferred for a while.

 A story comes into his mind. A man, alone in his yacht circumnavigating the globe, arrives at a primitive south sea island populated by beautiful, scantily clad women, and fiercely savage warriors. Cannibals? Headhunters? Perhaps. He would have to make some notes. Not now though. There was too much in the way.

He switched off the truck’s ignition and climbed down from the cab, the greenery of the yard and tranquility of birdsong lost on him. Such luxuries would have to wait for a better frame of mind.

A furry patch of orange burst out of the woodlot bordering his property, closely followed by an even furrier patch of mottled charcoal, both loudly demanding attention. This morning seemed a lifetime ago, but he vaguely remembered checking the weather and deciding that Mr. Jinx and Belinda could stay out for the day.

“Hey you guys.”

At the sound of his voice, two tails came up like flagpoles with shepherd’s crooks at the end.

“Ya get a mouse?” Josh asked, expending precious energy to bend down to stroke Jinx’s silken coat. He fancied he could hear his spine crack in the process. “How ‘bout you, Bel? Any luck in the mouse end of things?”

Neither cat volunteered any information; possibly because there was some concern it might interfere with their rations for dinner. Instead, they bounded up the steps to the back door, clamouring to be let in.

“Alright, gimme a sec.” Josh fumbled with his keys and found the one for the house. “You’re not the only ones who had a hard day, y’know.”

Bart stood alone in the middle of Main Street, Stetson pulled low over his eyes to protect them from the sun’s reflection off the storefront windows. He loosened the heavy Colt in its holster just as the saloon doors swung open and the lone, dark-clad figure stepped out on the street to face him. It was time to clean the slate, time to take revenge for what had been done to Jennie…

When the door swung open both cats more or less boiled over into the kitchen, making a beeline for their bowls. Dipping their faces in and finding both empty, they turned to him with the same surprised expressions they wore at this point every day, and sent up a generous chorous of protest.

“Okay, okay! I’ll be right with ya.”

Wearily, Josh went to the fridge and took out the can of food and gave each a generous dollop. After checking they had sufficient water, he went into his study and emptied the contents of his shirt pockets onto the desk.

Note pad, pocket calculator, memo recorder, a couple of pens and a carpenter’s pencil. On top of these, he unclipped a measuring tape and cell phone from his belt; layer by layer, shedding himself of the day.

Keeping with that theme, he went into the bedroom and shucked off his clothes. Naked now, he traversed the short distance to the bathroom, turned on the faucet in the tub, then back two steps to switch on the fan. The water now flowing hot, he flipped the knob for the shower; each movement a carefully choreographed economy of time and energy, perfected from long practice.

As always, the shower helped, although at first, the shampooing and lathering were nothing more than additional chores needing attention. Afterwards, when he stood first with his lower back and then his head under the spray, he increased the hot water and allowed himself the luxury of  precious seconds while he let the pulsating jets massage his lower lumbar region, then his scalp. The heat helped his back somewhat, but whether or not it increased the blood flowing to his brain, he couldn’t say for certain, but he believed it did, and every bit helped.

A woman is jogging through the park late at night. She isn’t aware of a malevolent presence hidden in the bushes ahead. Instead, her mind is on the mysterious dark stranger she’d met earlier in the subway. She had thought Daniel had died in that horrible plane crash three years ago…

But the clock in his brain refused to be silent. With evident regret, he switched off the water, and grabbed the towel from its ring on the wall. While he dried himself, he thought about a shave, but decided it could wait for a better day. He didn’t want to invest so much time doing what was not strictly necessary. With luck, there might be some left for himself when the day finally ended.

Post apocalypse. A man and a woman are the last two people on earth. The future of humanity depends upon them. They know each other from before – from their particularly hostile divorce. Would mankind be saved? Interesting…

Back in the bedroom, he slipped into a pair of shorts and t-shirt before returning to his office and switching on the computer. While waiting for it to come online, he opened the green hardcover diary, turned to the correct date, and began making entries.

He wrote the name of the project at the top of the page, the letters scurrying toward the indecipherable in his haste to get them on the page, “Job #442.” Underneath, on the left-hand side, he listed the names of his crew in a column: Gord, Rick, Thomas, Denny, Lou and Sam. Last, he wrote ‘Me’.

From the middle drawer of his desk he drew a sheet of paper titled ‘Labour Breakdown’, at the same time clicking the mouse of his computer to the Start menu, then up to the Email icon.

A man treads water in shark-infested seas. He has a knife and telepathic powers. He sends a cry for help to his frantically searching wife. All the while storm clouds are gathering to the west, carrying with them the psychotic hit man the CIA has sent to silence him…

There was a moment’s hesitation when the cursor seemed to settle of its own accord on Office Word. Weary understanding of what that ‘W’ symbolized flickered in his mind. That was the insulated place, the place where the stories were, the place where he could become centered instead of flying off in the hundred different directions that so accurately defined his every normal day.

‘Normal’. Christ, the word held no meaning.

His mind gave an irritated wrench, and he moved the cursor up to Outlook Express and clicked on that. Wishful thinking was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

Back to the Labour Breakdown, a long list of duties, each with a corresponding code number in the margin beside it, all of which was supposed to represent his crew’s responsibilities for the entire project; although that was seldom ever the case. Just by looking, Josh could tell it had been a good long while since, whoever had made up this list back in Winnipeg, had run a job….if he had ever run a job, that is.

Extraterrestrials were invading the earth with the intention of capturing all women capable of child-bearing. Laser blasts from their giant ships scar the earth, atomizing all who dare defy them. Only Lenny Torino, and his newly discovered knowledge that he was a coward, stood in their way…

His pen hovered over the page to the right of Gord’s name while his eyes impatiently ran down the column of tasks. Layout, layout, layout…where the hell was ‘layout’? Finally his diminished mental faculty understood. Of course there was no layout. That was something that should never have been their responsibility. Only the new wing was ready to go, and the surveyors were either too busy, too lazy, too stoned or too couldn’t-give-a-damn to show up when they were supposed to. Whatever the reason, they hadn’t been on site.

“Layout….layout,” he thought. “We layout the lines so that we…can…excavate!”

Excavation was on the list, the code number 131 typed neatly beside it.

Josh scribbled the numbers beside Gord’s name with an exasperated scrawl. He was damn good and sure there was no code number for ‘Botching the Layout’. The hours so wasted would have to be back-charged to the surveyors. Given the number that was eventually going to take, he could visualize a fight shaping up somewhere down the line; but no use worrying about that now. On to the next.

A soldier comes home from war. His body is unscathed, but he shows the symptoms of some dark and mysterious mental trauma. Post traumatic stress? His wife wants to help him, but he finds it impossible to explain. Only by accompanying him on his journey through his past will she ever truly understand, and thereby have any hope of saving both him and their marriage…

Beside Rick’s and Thomas’ names, he penned ‘141’ from memory. Cribbing was second nature, and he tacked on an extra half hour for each. There wasn’t often very much he could do for good service, but he tried to whenever possible.

Beside Denny and Lou he wrote ‘Absent’, his irritation causing the letters to be stilted and crimped. Maybe their excuses were legit, but he didn’t think he was being uncharitable when he allowed that they probably were not. Lou was young and had yet to learn the meaning of commitment, while the sides of Denny’s nose were an intricate pattern of burst blood vessels; then, too, there were mornings his hands shook as if he’d become a palsied old-timer overnight. An alcoholic was seldom an asset on a construction site. Trouble was, Denny had experience – loads of it – and these days you didn’t just toss that out the window without thinking about it good and hard. Still, just like the surveyors, all the experience in the world didn’t amount to a hill of beans when you were home sleeping it off while others took up your slack. He’d have to make a mental note to have a word with him – that is, whenever the bastard decided to make a showing.

Beside Sam’s name, he inked ‘105’ which was code for ‘Labour For Site Services’ which was, in turn, code for ‘Clean Up’, but that was only because there wasn’t anything on that list that even remotely resembled ‘Dog Fucking’.

A husband and wife try to bring together the tattered edges of their marriage. There has been an infidelity, a meaningless affair. Will the strength of their commitment be sufficient to overcome the obstacles? Will the third party stand aside and allow it?

Beside ‘Me’ he scribbled ‘101’ for ‘Supervision’ although that wasn’t strictly true, either. Several hours throughout the day had been spent hauling heavy metal doors over broken ground into the almost completed first phase. That was supposed to have been Denny’s and Lou’s job for the day, and was also why his back felt like a psychopath had been at it with a dull axe.

Next, on to the sub trades.

He wrote ‘JP Electric’, then beside it, “rough-in G.L.’s A.0 – A.2.” indicating the task and location which had been that trade’s work area today, beside which he listed the number of men in their crew. He did the same for the plumbers and the masons. Beside the flooring contractor he put ‘?’, and with cynical humour thought of Jimmy Durante saying, “Good night flooring fellas…wherever you are!”

His eyes flicked to the clock on the wall. Seven-thirty – oh hell!

Two young lovers are starting their lives together. The world seems to be their perfect oyster, but no one is aware that, even now, an ICBM is arcing into the stratosphere. Its deadly nosecone lowers its point until it is directed squarely at their home from thousands of miles away…

Josh closed the diary and replaced his copy of the breakdown in the desk’s drawer before focusing on the computer’s monitor. Perhaps he would get lucky and have maybe a half hour to jot some ideas down in his ‘Incomplete Stories’ file.

Oh, damn! There were at least a dozen emails sitting there, waiting. The very boldness of their letters – unopened messages – seemed ominously hostile.

“Okay,” he thought wearily, “best get started.”

Arthur Hawking draws his saber, willing the wind into the Golden Swan’s sails. At last, the Dark Ship is in sight. Also, at long last, is his vengeance upon Don Pedro. So too are the arms of the lovely Juanita….

He clicked on the message from the head office secretary. This should be good. You never knew what she was going to send.

What it was, in fact, was a notice that it was that time of year again, and a complete list of inventory was ‘requested’ to be sent in. Useless red tape, in other words. Somehow he would have to find the time to compile a list several pages long and send it in so that it could be pigeon-holed and never read.

Next.

Jane felt the rounded firmness of her belly with quiet happiness. Her world was so complete. A devoted husband, a career that she loved, and now this child; there was only one dark secret that threatened to destroy everything…

The architect wanted site confirmation of the dimension between gridline 17 and the existing brick face.

Josh clicked on the ‘Reply’ icon and typed, “I believe I sent you that information last Tuesday. Please check your files.” It wouldn’t do any good, of course. The architect was a spineless creature who spent most of his time – and generous amounts of others – doing nothing more constructive than making sure his ass was covered. Nothing would do but that everything had to be checked, re-checked and re-checked again regardless of how long it all took…until the next site meeting, and the schedule was being discussed. Then wasted time was very much the focus, except by then it would be Josh’s problem, not the architect’s.

He skipped past the next one. It was from his sister out in Calgary and would have to wait.

The first two people, Adam and Eve. In their genes and personalities lie the seeds of all the complicated creatures we have become and will continue to become. What sort of people were they? What sort of people will we be, say, a thousand years into the future?

Then there was one from Jim, the young man at the office with whom he liaised. His was a query about a bill the mechanical people had received for cleanup and to which they where now strenuously objecting. Josh clicked on ‘Reply’ and laconically typed, “They couldn’t be bothered to bring a broom,” before pushing ‘Send’. It was a small thing, but they’d been giving him attitude lately. It seemed these guys were just too good to clean up after themselves. Which was fine, let them give him all the attitude they wanted, just as long as they understood that, one way or another, it would have to be paid for. Fair? Who gave a damn? He needed to stay on top - there was no use his showing up for work if he couldn’t; when money talked, everyone paid attention.

Dorian struggles through the heavy drifts. Behind him, the trail left by his snowshoes is filled in by the howling blizzard almost as soon as it is made. He’s so tired that stretches of time go uncharted in his mind, but he knows that to sleep is to die. He has to get the message through to General Amherst – the Americans are on the Chateauguay…

The next six emails were a forwarded running commentary between the electrical and mechanical engineers, something about a two-phase switch for the ACU. Not an item to require immediate attention, but best to keep it in the back of his mind. Engineers could siphon off time like parasites siphoned off the very life of their host – usually over the most inane things. On second thought, he picked up his memo recorder and flipped the ‘Hold’ button. “Remember to have a word with Sparky vis-a-vie ACU switch.” Maybe it wasn’t immediate, yet it was best to have a talk with the electrical foreman just to make sure. The unit wouldn’t be ready for some time yet, but it was a good idea to know when a deadline for a decision needed to be reached.

The drums sounded, and the banners came up, waving boldly in the freshening breeze. The Old Guard – Napoleon’s brave ‘Mustaches’ – were coming, and all that was left to stop them was young Lieutenant Crawford and the few broken remnants of the 30^th…

The next one was a cc’d inquiry from the owner asking a price differential from steel doors to wood.

Jesus-fucking-Christ! It never failed.

Josh clicked on ‘Forward’ and then on the estimator’s address. Best send this while the ache in his back was still good and fresh.

First he typed, “What the fuck?!” and studied it wistfully for a moment before hitting ‘Delete’. It would have been sweet, but not productive.

“Be generous with the zeros on the bottom line.” He wrote instead, “The steel doors are going in tomorrow.”

The last one was from his boss. Even before he opened it, he knew what it was going to say. It was about that time – he got the same message every project.

“There is serious concern over labour costs. Please review work progression and release any employees deemed expendable.”

What the hell did that son of a bitch think he was doing all day, every day?! Did the cheap shit think he was the only one concerned about dead weight? Okay for him, sitting in his air conditioned office, looking at impersonal sheets of numbers. Let him get down in the mud and get his hands dirty. Let him get to put faces to the names, then see what he says.

After the plane crash, Rory was lost in the barrens with only the dog for a friend. Outside of the fire’s glow, hungry wolves circled in the darkness. Thoughts of home and safety plague him throughout the night; but when he slumbers, with death luring him seductively in the wings, it’s visions of Annie’s face hovering before him that continue to bring him back to the world of the living…

He didn’t bother sending a reply. Instead, he clicked on ‘New Mail’ and Jim’s address at the office. In the subject line he typed the job name and number, and then, as an afterthought, cc’d the boss as well.

“It was expected that Tuscan Flooring would be on site today. However, such was not the case, nor were my phone calls returned. This is extremely detrimental to the schedule at this time. Please contact Trent at Tuscan and stress the importance of having his crews show up when requested.” Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn’t; it was a crap-shoot.

After pushing ‘Send’, he clicked on ‘New Mail’ again, and once more entered the same addresses.

The assassin waited patiently in the shadows behind the curtains, the lamplight reflecting off the steel of his rapier. Soon the beautiful Lady Emma would come into the room, and he would strike; but while he waited, thoughts coursed through his mind. Was it too late, after all of the evil he had seen and done, to have found love at last?

“I have grave reservations about the low numbers of qualified electricians on site. J.P. Electric is falling behind on all fronts, threatening interference with other trades. I have spoken to their foreman, and repeatedly called their head office, but without success. I believe a letter from your office might be of some help.” It wouldn’t, of course. He already knew it was useless; the schedule, unreasonably tight to begin with, was doomed to fall seriously behind. The electricians he wanted didn’t exist, but the effort had to be made.

Josh paused to stretch - trying to will the ache in his back to go away – before clicking on the message from his sister. He glanced at the clock and saw, with a sinking heart, it was now well past eight.

Lizzy’s message was long and rambling. Starting with an inquiry as to why she hadn’t heard from him in so long before veering off to the nightlife in Calgary, her job, her divorce, and this new guy she was seeing. Several paragraphs later, she ended with the hope that all was well with him, and not to be such an asshole and write more often.

He sent her a short note of apology and how good it was to hear from her, but that he was tired and would get back to her later. A crippling fatigue had set in, making even this simple message a chore. By the time he was finished, it was eight-thirty.

McCurdy had never liked tele-marketers. With the onset of his madness, he decided to make it his life’s work to track each and every one of them down, to steal into their homes late at night, and drive a wooden stake through their hearts while they slept…

He went to the kitchen and popped a plastic container of left-over lasagna into the microwave. After pouring himself a glass of dry red wine (the longed for shots of whiskey now forgotten) he took his meal and settled down in front of the television to catch the last of the evening news.

Trouble in the Middle East (who would have thought?), native blockades in BC and Ontario. The economy was in the toilet (again, what a surprise!) and record-breaking layoffs were recorded across the country from the previous month.

 Aruk, the polar bear, stood on the rapidly melting ice floe hundreds of miles from shore. Food was scarce, survival doubtful. His only hope was Jack Storm, a young marine biologist serving on the ice-breaker, Wilfred Laurier, with his beautiful but mysterious colleague Marie Tremblay…

 Through it all, unable to detach himself completely from the day, he chewed his food with unconscious haste while his mind revolved continuously around the problems at work. The stories of pain and suffering he saw on television were viewed unsympathetically, each forgotten in turn as soon as the next one played across the screen.

With the end of the news, he switched off the set. Gathering up the remnants of his meal, he went into the kitchen and put his dish and wineglass in the sink. By the time he’d prepared a pot of coffee – ready for the next morning’s flip of the switch – his bed was calling to him like a long lost lover. Jinx and Bel, apparently heeding the same call, had already preceded him.

He couldn’t help feeling that it had been a day stolen from his life. Tomorrow, it would have to be done all over again, and then again, and yet again.

On his way to the bedroom, he passed the doorway to his office and half-thought of his ideas file waiting impatiently in the depths of the computer’s hard drive – the fanciful but sane place where the real madness could be left behind.

No…not today…way too tired….maybe tomorrow.

Besides, his mind was as barren as a desert.

                                        The End

                                                                        CW Lovatt – 09/02/09

Josiah Stubb - AUTHORSdb - LAST DAY TO VOTE!!!!

LAST DAY!!! Please vote for this amazing book cover, created by artist, Peter Fussey, for the semi-final round of the AUTHORS db Book Cover Contest. Follow the link, scroll down until you see the five stars, and click the fifth one. It certainly deserves to be in the final round; in fact it deserves to win, but today is the last day, and we desperately need your vote!
http://authorsdb.com/books/2014-book-cover-contest/2014-book-cover-semi-finalists-end/action-adventure-semi/josiah-stubb

Seven Semi-Finalists - 2014 AUTHORSdb Book Cover Contest

Here's a great array of covers from books written by some awesome writers (ahem!) All of us are represented by the fabulous Aileen Aroma, and all have made it to the semi-final round in their categories of the 2014 AUTHORSdb Book Cover Contest, which, I'm here to tell you, is no easy feat. Please vote. They're not only great writers, but great people as well.

PLEASE SHARE THIS POST & TAG YOUR FRIENDS
Click on EACH link below, scroll down until you see the "5 stars" and click on the 5th one.
Please leave a comment on each link as well
Thanks for your continuous support
1. Scott Eder
http://authorsdb.com/…/science-fiction-fant…/knight-of-flame
2. Whit McClendon
http://authorsdb.com/…/science-fiction-fantas…/mage-s-burden
3. Stephanie Osborn
http://authorsdb.com/…/sci…/a-case-of-spontaneous-combustion
4 Brae Wyckoff
http://authorsdb.com/…/science-fiction-…/1674-the-dragon-god
5. Aaron Paul Lazar
http://authorsdb.com/…/mystery-thriller-susp…/spirit-me-away
6. Chuck Lovatt
http://authorsdb.com/…/2…/action-adventure-semi/josiah-stubb
7. AR Von
http://authorsdb.com/…/2014-boo…/romance-semi/lady-s-destiny

Josiah Stubb NEEDS Your Help!!!! - 2014 Authorsdb Book Cover Contest

Some of you might remember my haranguing you to vote for Josiah Stubb for the 2014 authorsdb book cover contest, in the Action Adventure category. You'll be pleased to know that he's made it to the semi-finals. Now they've given me ONE WEEK (yikes!) to garnish enough votes to get him to the finals, so I have to put my haranguing hat on again.

Same procedure as before: Please follow the link, scroll down until you see the five stars, and click on the fifth one. http://authorsdb.com/books/2014-book-cover-contest/2014-book-cover-semi-finalists-end/action-adventure-semi/josiah-stubb

Please, share this with your friends, the guy behind the counter at your local convenience store, your member of parliament (where applicable,) the person next to you at a red light on an intersection, the policeman that's writing you a ticket for holding up traffic, and anyone else you can think of. It would be very much appreciated...by me. They, on the other hand, might have a different POV, but still...

One other thing: comments are appreciated, too. You have to sign in for that, but it takes, like, a nano-second, and it helps keep the book at the top of the list, and easier to spot for the idle scroller.

Thanks very much!

I've already mentioned the part about my being included on the cover, haven't I? I just think that's so cool!

This Is Just One More Part About Being A Writer That's Just Sooooo Cool!!

One of the really neat things about being a writer, that I'd really never considered before, is the part about getting in touch with all of you excellent people out there. Sometimes that's expressed by simply buying my books; I mean, that's such a cool thing to try to get my head around - people actually spending their hard earned money to read my stuff; then there are those wonderful folks who write a review, which is always so very gratifying, and sorely needed. Then, a few months ago, when Kelly Matthews and I agreed on a trade: a signed copy of 'The Adventures of Charlie Smithers' in exchange for an actual blanket from the Maasai Mara, I was pretty much over the moon. Here's a photo I took in mid-September:

I couldn't have been happier with the trade - Like, I had an actual blanket woven with a genuine Maaisai pattern to decorate my office. But then, as if that wasn't enough, Kelly (whose father-in-law actually lives on the Mara) decided to send me these as well:

The figurines are named after characters in the book: Musa and Loiyan, and will hold a place of honour on the little work table beside my desk. The little knitted blanket, Kelly informs me, is for my cat, Barney. I know that he'll appreciate it as much as I appreciate the blanket and figurines. I'll admit that I'm not the most thoughtful person, maybe that's why it feels so humbling to come across someone who is.

Thank you, Kelly. Very much!

My Podcast Interview With Host, Karen Vaughan

Well, what do you know, I managed not to speak through my nose after all! Check out my interview with host, Karen Vaughan. Follow the link, and click on the little cloud on the right that offers to download. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rrradio/2014/11/11/writers-round-table-rrr

My Links For November, 2014

Amazon Author's Page: http://author.to/CWLovattamazon

FB Author's Page:  https://www.facebook.com/tacscwl

 Twitter: @tacscwl on Twitter

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/c.-w.-lovatt 

   

Amazon: http://mybook.to/josiahstubbl 

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21481392-josiah-stubb?from_search=true

LibraryThing:  https://www.librarything.com/work/14897318/107949278

 
Amazon: http://mybook.to/tacs
GoodReads: The Adventures of Charlie Smithers

 

GoodReads: Wild Wolf's Twisted Tails

Amazon: http://mybook.to/wwtt

Charlie Smithers - Pretty Freakin' Surreal!

I thought that this was kinda cool: Charlie Smithers is ahead of my idol, George MacDonald Fraser. Actually, that's pretty freakin' surreal! Patrick O'Brian, on the other hand... But hey! At least I'm on the same page!

Best Sellers in Historical African Fiction

• Top 100 Paid

• Top 100 Free

1.

The Commodore: Aubrey/Maturin series,...

by Patrick O'Brian

4.8 out of 5 stars   (32)

Kindle Edition

£5.44

7.

The Adventures of Charlie Smithers

by C W Lovatt

4.7 out of 5 stars   (18)

Kindle Edition

£1.53

8.

The Complete McAuslan

by George MacDonald Fraser

4.9 out of 5 stars   (54)

Kindle Edition

£4.66

Live Interview Coming Up

Write this down on your calendar: Tuesday, November 11th at 3:00 PM (CST) you can tune in and listen to yours truly wax voluble during an interview with host, Karen Vaughan. Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogtalkradio.com%2Frrradio%2F2014%2F11%2F11%2Fwriters-round-table-rrr&h=7AQHEz9Rm

Josiah Stubb - HNS Review - An Interesting Social Commentary

I had a feeling that when I wrote Josiah Stubb it might prove to be a bit controversial, and so it's turned out to be. The following is the review it received from the Historical Novel Society. The reason why I'm including it here is that I find it an interesting social commentary - not about Josiah's times, but about ourselves. What I mean is that, while this unnamed reviewer took exception to a few "graphic scenes of incest, rape, forced prostitution, and more..." claiming to be overwhelmed by it, no mention, whatsoever, was made about the equally graphic battle scenes filled with blood and carnage, which is, by far, the greater tragedy. The silence in this area leads one to believe that this greater tragedy is acceptable while the other is not.

I have no problem with the reviewer not liking Josiah Stubb - I know it's not for everyone - I just think that it's interesting why, and what that may say about us as a society.

Josiah Stubb: The Seige of Louisbourg

By C. W. Lovatt

Find & buy on

1758 Louisbourg, Canada. It’s several years into the Seven Years’ War, and Britain has brought its military might to Louisbourg to lay siege to its famous, and supposedly impregnable, fortress. Should it fall, it might prove the key to French Canada.
Josiah Stubb, a young grenadier, must face the bloodshed ahead while fleeing the evils and denigrations that were his childhood. Having been raised by a whore who in turn taught him to sell his own body, he is eager for a new life and new opportunities. But it all catches up with him when an officer whom he had admired instead forces him back into his old role. As the siege rages on, Josiah must face down both the enemies without and the demons within.
This novel is well-written, and Josiah proves to be a sympathetic character. I was looking forward to my first foray into historical fiction set in this era. Marketing blurbs on this book compare it to Forester’s Hornblower or Cornwell’s Sharpe. But that’s only if you add in graphic scenes of incest, rape, forced prostitution, and more. Though Lovatt portrays this all as tragic and it’s meant to make the reader sympathize with Josiah, it proved far too much for this reviewer. I cannot recommend it, which is a shame. Lovatt is a talented writer.