Goodreads in 2012

Goodreads had an amazing year in 2012 and almost doubled in size. With over 20 million reviews being shared on the site it's solid proof that book lovers are out there in force and getting more and more active about sharing their reading experiences.

Take a look at this infographic to see which book was the most reviewed of the year, what the most requested book of 2012 was and various other snippets from the Goodreads year.

For a larger sized graphic visit the Goodreads blog

Which book did you most enjoy reading this year? 

What's on your to-read list for 2013?

                                                                                                                                   

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Review: Brush with Angel's Wings by Ruth Reid

Title: Brush with Angel's Wings
Author: Ruth Reid
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 978-1-59554-789-7

Reviewed by Jo Linsdell

"He doesn't plan to stay Amish. She doesn't have a plan.

Then an angel draws their hearts toward God . . . and each other.

A buggy-racing champion, a hardworking field-hand, and a terrible cook, Rachel Hartzler does not fit her Amish community's standards for an eligible bride. Hurt by their rejection and still grieving the loss of her brother, Rachel is ready for change.

She's not, however, ready for Jordan Engles. Rachel's father hired him to help tend the fields so Rachel can learn to cook and sew, thus increasing her chances of finding a husband. She can't understand why her father doesn't want her help and blames Jordan for trying to replace her beloved brother.

Jordan plans for his time on the Michigan farm to be short. Before his mother passed away, he promised her he'd give her Amish roots a chance. Upon her death, uncertain about what else to do, he came to stay with his Uncle Isaac in Hope Falls. He's curious why his mother left the community she obviously loved. But it doesn't take Jordan long to conclude that the strict lifestyle and the three hour church services are not for him.

But there isn't just human interaction at play. Nathaniel, an angel of God, sees the potential in Jordan and Rachel's hearts from heaven's perspective. His goal is to shepherd them toward the path of healing and love.

When tragedy strikes, then strikes again, this angelic being is sent to guide them toward the healing and abundant life promised in God's Word - if only they will listen."

Brush with Angel's Wings was the quick, easy read I expected it to be. With love, death, friendship, and struggles between good and evil this book contains a lot of food for thought. If you like Amish fiction or books about angels this book is for you.

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Review: Diavolino by Steve Emmett

Title: Diavolino

Author: Steve Emmett

Publisher: Etopia Press

ISBN: 13: 9781936751945

Reviewed by Jo Linsdell

The chance to build a dream home on a private island in Italy's most beautiful lake offers architect Tom Lupton the fresh start he's been yearning for. But when he arrives with his family on Diavolino, he finds the terrified locals dead set against his arrival. The island, whose very existence has been shrouded in secrecy for half a millennium, has a dark history that no one cares to remember, and as the locals' opposition to Tom grows, so grows a brooding evil that will lead them to the very doors of hell...

I wasn't completely convinced at the start of this book but the more I read the more I liked it. By the time I got towards the end I couldn't put it down. Once the action started it was fast paced and had me hooked.

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Review: APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur - How to Publish a Book by Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch

Title: APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur - How to Publish a Book 
Authors: Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch
ASIN: B00AGFU5VS

Reviewed by Jo Linsdell

"In 2011 the publisher of one of my books Enchantment, could not fill an order for 500 ebook copies of the book. Because of this experience, I self-published my next book, What the Plus!, and learned first-hand that self-publishing is a complex, confusing, and idiosyncratic process. As Steve Jobs said, “There must be a better way.”

With Shawn Welch, a tech wizard, I wrote APE to help people take control of their writing careers. APE’s thesis is powerful yet simple: filling the roles of Author, Publisher and Entrepreneur yields results that rival traditional publishing. We call this "artisanal publishing"--that is, when writers who love their craft control the publishing process and produce high-quality books.

APE is 300 pages of tactical and practical inspiration. People who want a hype-filled, get-rich-quick book should look elsewhere. On the other hand, if they want a comprehensive and realistic guide to self-publishing,APE is the answer."

This book is my new self publishing bible. Packed full of info and tips but presented in a way that it's easy to follow and understand. This book will be invaluable to anyone even thinking about self publishing but the third section will also be useful for any authors regardless of the route they have taken. I'll be referring to this book again and again.

                                                                                                                                   

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Best of 2012

2012 has been an amazing year for the Writers and Authors Project. The community has grown considerably with a huge increase in posts on the Facebook page and here on the blog. Not to mention the interactions that have been created with the new additions to the W&A network (Twitter and YouTube).

The blog now gets, on average, nearly 10,000 page views a month and more and more readers are taking the time to leave comments on the posts and share the content via their social media sites. I'd like to see this trend continue and grow in the new year and hope that interactions via the Facebook, Twitter and YouTube profiles will also continue to increase strengthening even more the sense of community here at Writers and Authors.

It has been my pleasure to host writers and authors during this year for guest posts and I think you'll agree that there has been some excellent content shared on the blog.

There has also been some excellent interviews through out the year and I hope you've enjoyed discovering more about these authors and their books as much as I have. 

I've been taking a look back over the year and rereading some of the posts. I hope you too will click through some of the posts from 2012. To give you a starting point I thought I'd share the 3 most viewed posts from this year with you.

1. Get out of your comfort zone! (540 views) http://writersandauthors.blogspot.it/2012/01/get-out-of-your-comfort-zone.html
2. How to write the perfect blog post (346 views) http://writersandauthors.blogspot.it/2012/11/how-to-write-perfect-blog-post.html
3. Facebook Groups for Writers (304 views) http://writersandauthors.blogspot.it/2012/10/facebook-groups-for-writers.html

Which was your favourite post from this year?

The most viewed video on W&A TV was the October episode of the W&A TV Show where my guest was +Virginia Lori Jennings and I took a closer look at Facebook fan pages and how to optimise them. You can watch the episode here.

I've already got some great posts lined up for you in 2013 but would love to know what topics you'd like to see covered here so I can make the blog even better. I think it would be useful for future guest bloggers to know what you're interested in knowing more about too so please share your feedback in the comments section of this post.

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CWL: Yesterday’s News by Sam Cheever

Title: Yesterday’s News

Author: Sam Cheever

Genre: Paranormal Mystery

ISBN: 978-0-9838239-7-1

Purchasing links: 

http://www.samcheever.com/yesterdaysnews.html

Book blurb:

Antiques can be a fascinating business. Especially when you’re dealing with a desperate politician, a sexy ex-cop, and a couple of “spirited” companions.

Anna Yesterday owns Yesterday’s Antiques in small town USA. When she finds an old newspaper clipping lining the drawer of an antique dresser, she realizes she’s never heard the ugly story of rape and suicide detailed on the yellowed newsprint. So she starts to dig, and her sleuthing exposes an ugly cover-up that casts the residents of Crocker, Indiana into danger and intrigue, and leaves them with a corpse.

Author bio:

I write mystery, romantic suspense and fantasy/paranormal/sci-fi at a variety of heat levels, including Young Adult under the name si decker. I like to mix a little fun, a little magic, and a little real-life spice to create my fictional characters. My fun-loving creations fight their way through a dizzying array of dangerous challenges without letting little things like dangerous bad guys, angry, manipulative gods, evil dark world denizens, or killing Furies dampen their zest for life and hot love!

In my real life, I live on a hobby farm in Indiana with 11 dogs, 2 horses, and one husband. Not necessarily in that order. Yeah...11 dogs...what can I say, I'm a dog-aholic!

Links: 

Facebook 

Twitter 

Goodreads 

Blog

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CWL: White Mountain by Sophie E Tallis

Title: White Mountain

Author: Sophie E Tallis

Genre: Epic Fantasy

ISBN: 9781908208095

Purchasing links:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mountain-Darkling-Chronicles-Sophie-Tallis/dp/1908208090/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349353501&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.de/The-Darkling-Chronicles-White-Mountain/dp/1908208090/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349353523&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-Darkling-Chronicles-Sophie-Tallis/dp/1908208090/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349353539&sr=8-1

Book blurb:

The Darkling Chronicles begin.

The last wizards in the world are being murdered by a changeling of terrifying strength. The most powerful of them all is nearly drained of all his powers, leaving him a withered and dying husk of a man. Now, he must travel the world, escorted by his ancient friend and last of the dragons, to find this evil and destroy it, saving himself and the fate of all from an enemy intent on cleansing the planet and destroying humanity.

Author bio:

Sophie E Tallis, originally from a sleepy village north of Bristol, currently lives in the Cotswolds with her family and her two enormous white wolves. She has worked as a full-time teacher of young children for the past 14 years, but her first passion has always been for writing stories, which she has done since she was a child. A painter and artist, she divides her time between writing, teaching and her artwork. She loves to go to Dartmoor, stargaze and buy yet more bookcases for her growing library! When asked what her interests are, she usually smiles and replies, "EVERYTHING!"

Links:

http://www.safkhetpublishing.com/books/fantasy/9781908208095/TDC1.html

https://www.facebook.com/FantasyEpic

https://twitter.com/SophieETallis

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sophie-e-tallis/3a/413/870

http://sophieetallis.wordpress.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15752087-white-mountain-the-darkling-chronicles-book-1

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CWL: The Adventures of Cecilia Spark – the Brimstone Forest by Ngaire Elder

Title: The Adventures of Cecilia Spark – the Brimstone Forest

Author: Ngaire Elder

Genre: Juvenile Fiction (4-9yrs), action and adventure.

ISBN: 13: 978-1478172000

Purchasing links:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1478172002     

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1478172002  available in all Amazon's stores.

Book blurb: 

Cecilia’s bug-hunting adventure in the garden takes an interesting turn.  Trapped by a witch, can she outwit her captor? Along the way, in Brimstone Forest, she meets a dragon and Troglosauruses  … but can she find her way home?  Suitable for 4–9-year-old boys and girls. Illustrated novel. Illustrator Peter Maddocks. The first book in the new children’s series, The Adventures of Cecilia Spark.

Author bio: 

Ngaire Elder

I was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland.  I spent most of my childhood playing outside with my  brother and my imaginary friends and feasting on my granny’s homecooking. I can remember the magpie that followed me around my garden one summer, and the day my grandpa found the wild bunnies that I had captured and hidden in my bedroom.  

After leaving school, I went to college and university (part-time) and embarked on a career in the health and safety sector, qualifying in 1993.  

I met my husband through my work and we have  4 children.  

Now, I spend my time looking after my family, taking care of our collection of animals (3 dogs, 1 cat, 2 horses, 2 pigs, 3 ferrets and a budgie), nurturing the kitchen garden, learning Spanish, speaking Spanish and writing.

I currently live in Spain.

Links:  

www.ceciliaspark.com 

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CWL: The Mystic Accountants by Will Macmillan Jones

Title: The Mystic Accountants

Author: Will Macmillan Jones

Genre: Fantasy / Humor

ISBN: 9781908208088

Purchasing links:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Mystic-Accountants-Banned-Underground/dp/1908208082/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340635511&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Mystic-Accountants-Banned-Underground/dp/1908208082/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340635519&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.de/The-Mystic-Accountants-Banned-Underground/dp/1908208082/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340635493&sr=8-1

Book Blurb:

Amped up with Dragon Breath - The Mystic Accountants

Just when they thought that life had returned to normal after defeating a dark wizard in the Lake District, Chris and Linda get a letter, followed by a knock on the door. Their friends are back, and they're in trouble - again.

In the mist-haunted Dwarf Mansion, the Banned Underground has played another gig. But this time the feedback has blown the Throne of the Mountain King apart, and the Banned must find a replacement on pain of, well, pain. The junior dark lord is out for revenge, if his satnav doesn't keep him from following the band. Grizelda, the off-white witch and occasional aunt to the teenagers, is busy with some mad monks who want to conquer the world starting with Wales. Maybe Dai, the drunken dragon can help? Will the Tuatha stay out of the pub long enough to render assistance? If not, Jailhouse Rock looms for the Banned Underground…

The Mystic Accountants, the second book in the Banned Underground series, is a unique mix of fantasy and Terry Pratchett-style humor for the rock generation and their kids. Different from other comedic fantasies, it parodies the touring music scene, bureaucracy, taxation and with its tongue-in-cheek slapstick humor, witty puns and word games.

Author bio:

Will Macmillan Jones lives in Wales, a lovely green verdant land with a rich cultural heritage. He does his best to support this heritage by yelling loud encouragement at the TV when Wales plays international rugby. Having been an accountant for much of his working life, he now writes in a desperate attempt to avoid terminal atrophy of his brain. A fifty something lover of blues, rock and jazz, he has achieved a lifetime ambition by extending his bookcases to fill an entire wall of his home office.

Links:

http://www.safkhetpublishing.com/books/fantasy/9781908208088/TBU2.html

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Banned-Underground/222107091139685

https://twitter.com/macmillanjones

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/will-macmillan-jones/36/24a/656

http://willmacmillanjones.wordpress.com/

http://www.thebannedunderground.com/

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CWL: Italian for Tourists by Jo Linsdell

Title: Italian for Tourists

Author: Jo Linsdell

Genre: Non fiction/ Language

ISBN: 13: 978-1409278269

Purchasing links:

Amazon.com
Lulu.com
BarnesandNoble.com
itunes.com
Waterstones.com

Book blurb:

Italian For Tourists: Pocket Edition is a basic guide to the Italian language covering phrases and words most needed by tourists. It includes all the words and phrases a tourist is likely to need during their stay in Italy as well as a pronunciation guide and a map of Italy.

Author bio:

Jo Linsdell is a best selling author, award-winning blogger and freelance writer. A recognised thought leader in the world of book marketing she is also the founder and organiser of the annual online event Promo Day.

Originally from the UK she moved to Rome, Italy in 2001 where she lives with her Italian husband and their two young children.

She is currently working on another children's picture story book called Fairy May that is scheduled for release on 1st February 2013 and The Writers and Authors Guide to Social Media that will follow shortly after.

Links:

http://www.JoLinsdell.com

http://www.Facebook.com/JoLinsdell

http://www.Twitter.com/JoLinsdell

https://plus.google.com/101828877006458875410
http://www.youtube.com/jolinsdell
it.linkedin.com/in/jolinsdell

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CWL: For the Love of Quinn by Tammy Dennings Maggy

Title:  For the Love of Quinn 

Author: Tammy Dennings Maggy

Genre:  Erotic Contemporary Romance

ISBN: 13: 978-1619265943

Purchasing LInks:

http://www.bookstrand.com/for-the-love-of-quinn 

http://www.amazon.com/Quinn-Forever-Publishing-Allure-ebook/dp/B005V221WW/ref=tmm_kin_title_0  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/for-the-love-of-quinn-tammy-dennings-maggy/1106910327?ean=9781610346672

Blurb:

Quinn Lee Hollis is a forty-three-year-old veterinary surgeon who has reached a crossroads in her life. Stuck in a loveless and emotionally abusive marriage, she decides that she has had enough and vows to cut loose and enjoy herself in Las Vegas with her sister.

There she meets and falls in love with two men. Both bring out the fire and passion in her that she has longed for her whole life. Steve Eischer is a Vegas tycoon who wants to fulfill her every fantasy, and Jake Hartley is a classic bad boy who awakens desire in her so strong that it nearly destroys her.

Both Steve and Jake have claims on her heart, but only one can share a connection so strong that nothing can keep them apart.

Author Bio 

As far back as I can remember I have had two dreams: become a veterinarian and a world famous author. So far I achieved the first one and have enjoyed a wonderful career as a small animal veterinarian, but something has always been missing. I’ve never stopped writing That has never been an issue. The problem was getting up the nerve to actually finish one of my novels and submit it to a publisher. What a scary thought to send a stranger something I had poured my heart into. Would they like it? Would they see the characters the way I saw them in my head? Writing For the Love of Quinn was like giving birth to my first child. I had to let my characters go to see if they would take off, and boy have they ever!

Having grown up in Michigan and now living in Northern California, I have had the privilege to experience life in a small town and a big city. Everyone who I’ve met along the way has influenced my writing in one way or another. Their experiences as well as my own help make up the characters I hold near and dear to my heart. Helping them find the loves of their lives as well as fulfilling a few fantasies along the way, is just frosting on the cake!

Links:

Behind Closed Doors http://authortammydenningsmaggy.wordpress.com/

Sassy Vixen Publishing http://sassyvixenpublishing.blogspot.com/ 

Not Enough Time in the Day http://tammydenningsmaggy.blogspot.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/dochappycamper

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Author.TammyDenningsMaggy

Triberr http://triberr.com/profile/?pid=26337

Pinterest http://pinterest.com/dochappycamper/

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CWL: Organize for A Fresh Start by Susan Fay West

Title: Organize for A Fresh Start: Embrace Your Next Chapter in Life
Author: Susan Fay West
Genre: Non fiction/home and life organization
ISBN:13: 978-1440308529

Purchasing links: 

http://www.amazon.com/Organize-Fresh-Start-Embrace-Chapter/dp/1440308527; http://books.google.com/books/about/Organize_for_a_Fresh_Start.html?id=iNxkhrm2mmYC;http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/organize-for-a-fresh-start-susan-fay-west/1031027411

Book blurb: 

Big life changes? In limbo? Not sure what’s Next? Reorganize. Gain some control. Come out of the fog. Organize for a Fresh Start. Changes and life transitions often leave us with unbalanced schedules and homes full of items we’re not sure we want anymore. How can you make room for your new interests and responsibilities while honoring your past? Transform your home and schedule so they perfectly meet your current needs – reflecting who you are becoming and what you value now. Inside you’ll find: Step-by-step advice for decluttering and reorganizing every room in your home: what makes home feel like home, after all this change?  Tips for where to start and how to stay motivated – before, during and after your life changes; Reflective questions and exercises – helping you to make “no-regrets” decisions and sustain the changes you make ; Time management and scheduling strategies for before, during and after your life changes 

Author bio:

Sue West lives on a lake with her lifelong friend, Donna, her Entlebucher Swiss Mountain dog, Sanford (born in the same year as her organizing business), a gaggle of geese, one lone lake turtle, and a few other animal friends. In a period of roughly eighteen months, she struggled through more than a few major life changes and transitions, and came out quite happy on the other side. Organizing was a key player along the way of course. And so it became her passion to assist others at midlife and beyond, to move on from change, taking the best along for the journey into the next chapter of life. Sue owns Space4U, Organizing Services, LLC, independently. She is a Certified Organizer Coach® and Certified Professional Organizer®. Through organizing services, classes, and organizing coaching, Sue works with people in their second half of life to downsize, organize, and simplify their life, their belongings, and their time. Her specialty is supporting clients through change and transitions, such as downsizing, loss of a partner/spouse, health issues, adult ADHD diagnosis, caregiving, the empty-nest stage, pre-retirement, and into retirement. She also holds specialty certificates in life transitions, ADHD, and chronic disorganization from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is currently pursuing her level three certification from the ICD. She has an MBA from Babson College, Massachusetts, and a BA from Smith College, Massachusetts.

Links: 

http://www.OrganizeForAFreshStart.com   https://www.facebook.com/SueWestOrganizingCoach

http://www.linkedin.com/in/suewestspace4u 

http://twitter.com/#!/Space4U 

www.OrganizeNH.com

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