Sep 25, 2014

He For She

This week, actress and all-round class act Emma Watson gave a speech in front of the UN. You can see the video here:


You can read the full transcript here.

This brought tears to my eyes. I am so thankful, after watching so much misogynist hate be spread across the internet lately, to see the rise of a new, and inclusive, feminist movement. Inclusive is the important word here. When I first watched this speech, it struck me that Watson is right. We can't expect feminism to succeed if there's any semblance of an impression that it's about hating men. Because yes, men suffer from patriarchy too. Not as badly as women, but it's still our problem as well. And we need to help fix it.

I'm constantly learning more about what it means to be a feminist. And while it should not have taken the birth of my daughters to make me realise just how much work where was to be done in order to build a united world where gender no longer leads to discrimination, it did, and so here I am. I am not a model feminist. I'm not sure I'm a model anything. I'm just one person who wants to do his best to help. I want a world where my daughters, where all daughters, and all sons, can have the same goals and aspirations.

I want to see women able to express an opinion without being threatened for it. Where men can cry and not be made fun of. Where parents receive equal work benefits to let them spend time with their newborn children, regardless of gender.

I've joined HeForShe. I am a feminist.

Emma Watson asks "If not me, who? If now now, when?"

Who? Me.

When? Now.

How? In everything I teach my children. In everything I share with my friends and family. And in every book I write.

Sep 23, 2014

Interview

Today I'm being interviewed by Christina Rose Asay, answering questions about my latest book, Memory War.

Sep 18, 2014

Memory War Blog Tour: Good Stories End with a Beginning

This is pretty much the last day of the Memory War Blog Tour, and while it's been a much faster run than previous tours, I hope it's still been a chance to see a little more about the series.

For my final blog post on this tour, I'm visiting Thomas R Manning, to talk about endings and beginning.

Sep 16, 2014

Memory War Blog Tour: Reincarnation, the Ultimate Afterlife?

Following a strong first week, the blog tour continues! Today I'm visiting Audrey Lockwood's Keys To YA blog, where I'm taking a look at one of the most important supernatural elements of the Memory Wars Trilogy: Reincarnation.

Sep 11, 2014

Blog Tour: The Streets of New York

Today is the 13th anniversary of the terror attacks against America in 2001, which saw the Pentagon hit and the towers of the World Trade Centre in New York destroyed.

I think it's appropriate, then, that I talk about the streets of New York, and what they mean in Memory War, on Ellen Brickley's Pink Tea and Paper blog.

Sep 9, 2014

Blog Tour: Anatomy of a Showdown

Today is the first day of the Memory War Blog Tour, and to kick things off, I'm visiting Janice Hardy's Fiction University to discuss what goes into writing the perfect showdown between the hero and the villain.

Sep 4, 2014

Memory War Blog Tour

In a couple of days I get to officially launch Memory War, and I can't wait! The books arrived this week, and the venue is all sorted out. I've had some difficulty getting launches organised before, so it's refreshing that this one has been such smooth going. I hope everyone enjoys it, and more importantly I hope everyone enjoys the book.

From next week, then, I'll be running my blog tour, stopping in the following places:

Janice Hardy's Fiction University - Anatomy of a Showdown, September 9th

Pink Tea and Paper - The Streets of New York, September 11th

Keys to YA - Reincarnation: The Ultimate Afterlife, September 16th

Thomas R Manning - Good Stories End With a Beginning, September 18th

Nonsensical Essentials - Author Interview, September 23rd

Sep 2, 2014

Memory War Release Day

This is it, the day I've been waiting for. And hopefully the day all of you have been waiting for. Those of you who haven't yet bought it for Kindle can now order Memory War in print.

This weekend I'll be hosting the book launch, and celebrating the completion of the story that started my writing career.

Today I've got a Release Day Blitz, arranged for me by the awesome Bewitching Book Tours. And following this we'll be kicking off the Memory War Blog Tour, where I'll share my thoughts on the Memory Wars trilogy, and the world you've all allowed me to share.


(Please note that due to time zone differences, it may take a while for each post to show up)

Guest blog - Meet Nathan Shepherd
Urban Fantasy Investigation

Guest blog - Reincarnation, the Ultimate Afterlife?
VampChix

Interview
Diane's Book Blog

Spotlight
Lisa’s World of Books

Guest blog - Meet Elena DeSantis
Aly's Miscellany

Guest blog - Meet Athamar
Fang-tastic Books

Interview
Roxanne’s Realm

Interview
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom

Interview
Pembroke Sinclair.  

Spotlight
Book Purses & Reviews

Spotlight
The Word at My Fingertips

Spotlight
Book Club Sisters 

Spotlight
Books Direct

Spotlight
Mila Ramos - The Jade Mystique

Spotlight
CBY Book Club

Spotlight
Illuminite Caliginosus

Spotlight
Mythical Books

Spotlight
3 Partners in Shopping Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!  http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com