Reader's Favorite Just Reviewed Awake In Hell!

Book Review
Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

Join Louise Patterson’s life in Hell, literally, in Awake in Hell by Helen Downing. What a hilarious version of Hell from one dead woman’s point of view. I should not be saying this, but Hell doesn't sound so bad; that doesn't mean I want to go there, though. Hell is not as we often picture it –- not according to Awake in Hell, at least. The protagonist actually has a job down there. Louise Patterson is a woman who seems to cope with life in a world where all humans strive –- or not –- to avoid. Some readers may find it hard to get used to the vulgarity of the language in the beginning chapters, but once they get past that, I can guarantee that readers will have fun reading Louise’s wacky adventure in Hell.

Helen Downing has written something different than my usual reading. By no means that this novel is preachy, but depending on each reader, the religious aspect of the story, which is in the Christian perspective, may or may not be a comfortable matter. Nevertheless, this is not a flaw but just a matter of how open-minded you are. Personally, I consider this story as spiritually wise, charming, and funny as hell (no pun intended). I love the plot and the characters, and the prose is flawless. Ironically, this book about Hell does make me hopeful and see my life in a new perspective. On the whole, readers will laugh and learn something from Awake in Hell.



You can see the review at Reader's Favorite!

Today I'm with Tony Schumacher, a fabulous author with a great story....



1) First, I would love to welcome you and thank you for taking the time to tell my readers about your current project. Can you begin with a little background? Where are you from, a story about growing up? How you became a writer?


Firstly I’d like to say thank you for being so nice as to ask me! I’m from Liverpool, England, where

everyone looks like a Beatle (I look like John or maybe a borderline Ringo (it’s the nose)). A story

from growing up would have to be something I’m writing about at the moment which is being found

in a cupboard by my grandfather. I know it sounds like I was being badly treated by my parents but I

wasn’t! I used to sit in dark cupboards apparently and create imaginary worlds where I would talk to

people and pretend to be somebody else.

I don’t sit in cupboards anymore (most of the time) but I do create imaginary worlds and pretend to

be someone else.



2) And let's talk about your current book. Tell us all about it! (Including where to get it!)


I’m useless at marketing, which is a shame because it now seems that every author needs a degree

in it. I always think of my current book as the one I’m writing, but seeing as you can’t buy that yet

I’ll have to say it’s Rear View Mirror. The book is a compilation of stories from when I drove a taxi in

Liverpool for a couple of years. I’d just come out of a very dark time (not in the cupboard) and found

myself literally at the bottom of the ladder. I’d quit my job as a policeman, lost my house, the baby

boy I’d thought was mine and the wife I loved dearly all in the space of two weeks. I was pretty low

to say the least. To make ends meet I found myself driving the cab until I managed to pull myself

together, I thought it was just going to be a stop gap, but over time I realised that I found myself

amongst the lost and lonely, the lovers and the louts that live in the night time of Liverpool.

I started to write about them and over time I got happy again and you got a book to buy on Amazon.

My author page is here: Tony Schumacher Amazon



3) And can you include your favorite line or paragraph from the book?


My favourite line has to be the first line of the first story “My father died not wanting to make a

fuss.” I could have spent years trying to write about my Dad, years trying to describe his personality,

trying to tell the reader how much he loved his family and how hard he worked for them. But that

one line sums him up completely, he knew he was dying and didn’t want to scare the people who

were kneeling around his chair.

That’s love.

4) What genre do you write in and why?


Rear View Mirror is a compilation of true stories, but I don’t think you could describe them as such,

the book is about me, my time on the streets, but it isn’t autobiographical. It’s about a place and a

time, it’s funny, it’s sad, it makes people cry, it made me cry when I wrote it, but it is also warm. If I

had to describe its genre I couldn’t, best thing I can say is that it’s a little bit of me for you.



5) Share with us a little of your process. Do you write during the day? at night? With background noise? In silence? From an outline? off the cuff? etc...


I write mostly of the afternoon and early evening, very recently my dear old dog Boo died (this is

turning into a country and western song!) but while he was sstill with me I used to write after his

afternoon walk. I found it a lovely way to slip into writing mode. One thing I would advise anyone

looking to start writing is to get a dog, they are great listeners and always give you an excuse to go

and have some thinking time.

I sometimes like a bit of BBC Radio Four on but recently I’ve found I’m sitting in silence. I have no

idea how people write in coffee shops, I’d be too busy listening to conversations around me.






6) Who is your favorite author? Your favorite book?


My favourite author at the moment is Robert Crais. His ability to mix humour and tension is in my

opinion second to none. His character’s are warm, the kind of people you’d like to know, and yet

they are flawed, sometimes broken, but always believable.

My favourite book? Oh wow, that’s a tough one, after saying my favourite author is Crais I’m going

to confound it by saying my favourite book is one I’ve not read in more than thirty five years. It’s

called “My Pal Spadger” by Bill Naughton. I read it as a kid and it was the first book I ever read and

then re-read straight away. I’ve an old copy on my shelf I bought a few years ago but I’m scared to

read it in case it’s not as good as I remember.

7) Can you give us one marketing tip that you feel best promoted your book?


Trust me, you don’t want to marketing tips off me. But, if you insist, it would be to find as many

blogs that you can looking for guest posts, that’s the only thing that shifts them for me. Either that

or bribe a celebrity to say they like it; I’m still working on that one though.


8) Now for a little daydreaming...Hollywood just called and wants to turn your book into a movie!! And you get to cast the lead characters! Who would you pick? and Why?


Me, because then at least I’d know my family would go and see the movie.


9) Now I'm going to steal a question from my book "Awake In Hell". If you could ask God himself one question, what would it be??


Do dogs go to heaven? Because I miss my best friend.


10) Are you currently writing full time or do you still have a "day job" ? What are the pros and cons of whichever one you are?


I’m just tipping into full time writing, I do a few other things, a little radio stuff and the odd bit of

freelance writing and I’m praying someone is going to pick up my just finished new book Jacob’s

Treasure. It’s out there with agents at the moment so fingers crossed!



11) Are you happier today than you were yesterday? Let us know what makes you happier than anything else in the world!


I am happier, a lot happier than I was. What makes me happiest? Walking on the West Shore beach

at a little place called Llandudno with my girlfriend Christina watching the sun set, The wind blows

hard there and you can feel it rip the city layers off you and carry them away, if you ever see us there

please come over and say “hello”.



Tony's answers to my questions revealed a sense of humor and a great point of view on life! His book will show you even more of that talent!! Go get it here!


http://www.amazon.com/Tony-Schumacher/e/B007RWGFNK


Thank you so much! And please come back for more I'm Tellin Helen!!

New Reviews on Amazon!!

Here are two new reviews on Amazon.com AND two reviews from Amazon.co.uk! Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to write a review!!!!



4.0 out of 5 stars A Christian sermon wrapped in a wacky adventure, June 15, 2013
By Resmai - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Awake In Hell (Kindle Edition)
A very fun read, but be warned: it seems to be honestly Christian, and by that, I mean it asks the reader to believe in a Christian God. It gets downright preachy at the end, with platitudes like, "Everything happens for a reason," and "We are all part of the grand tapestry of God's plan." If those phrases turn your stomach, chunks of this book will not sit well with you. To certain readers, this book will probably come across as wise and spiritual. To others who don't believe in a supreme being, it may strike you as it struck me - a kind of sad and familiar rationalization of modern Christianity that ignores serious theology (and logic) in favor of feel-good, New Age togetherness.

So, why four stars? Because, gosh darn it, it is still quite a fun romp. Up until the end, when it begins to take itself so seriously, it's amusing to see this particular rendition of Hell. There is a lot of mystery and I kept reading to see what kind of crazy situation the heroine would get into next. I actually couldn't put it down and read it through in one sitting. If you're not totally turned off by the preachy aspect, give it a try. It's every bit as interesting as the premise makes it sound!




5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, May 28, 2013
By Wendy A. W. Rezac - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Awake In Hell (Kindle Edition)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was a very quick read. Made me laugh out loud a few times! I chose it for my bookclub book this month.

FROM THE UK

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful 13 Jun 2013
By Jane Hills
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I started the book and just couldn't leave it alone. Wonderfully written and with the right amount of humour. A great persons view of hell.....


5.0 out of 5 stars A very original take on the hereafter! 3 Mar 2013
By Riter88
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a very humorous look at what happens when you end up down under and we're not talking Australia although the temperature is far higher. This Hell has opposite values to the ones we're taught are good and wholesome while we're alive and kicking and while Helen Downing's heroine tries to work out what she's done to deserve this fate, an even more bizarre set of events befalls her and all because she can't resist being helpful to her Hellish inmates. A riveting read.

Today I sit with Kenneth Weene, a veteran Indie author....



1) First, I would love to welcome you and thank you for taking the time to tell my readers about your current project. Can you begin with a little background? Where are you from, a story about growing up? How you became a writer?


Growing up in New England, Massachusetts and Maine, I spent more time reading than playing. Very early on I knew that I loved books and wanted to become a writer. Of course, I didn’t; I became a psychologist instead. Why? To explain that I’d have to go through the hundreds of house I spend in psychoanalysis. On the other hand, you could read Memoirs From the Asylum and get some idea. While not autobiographical, there is certainly enough truth in it for you to get some perspective.

I was pretty good at helping people solve their life problems, but I took it too seriously. Result: BURNOUT! We, my wife and I, moved to Arizona, where I started casting about to find a good way to use my time, of which I suddenly had lots. I had already started writing poetry and some short essays. I joined the local state poetry association and wrote more.

There were a few short stories hanging around in my computer, nothing too serious. I found them in the directory and worked on them. I was having fun. I thought about getting published, maybe writing those novels I had dreamed of as a kid, but there was something holding me back. I realized it was the internalized parent, what some shrinks call an Imago. I had to get “his” permission. My solution was to put together an anthology of my writing and publish it through a vanity press. Songs For My Father set me free. Since then I’ve been a writing machine, or perhaps a writing fool.



2) And let's talk about your current book. Tell us all about it! (Including where to get it!)


My most recent book is Tales From the Dew Drop Inne. Set in Albuquerque, Dew Drop is a group of interconnected stories about the men and women who hang out at a neighborhood bar. Sometimes funny and sometimes sad, but always very human tales of people desperately trying to hang on to the ladder, this didn’t start out to be a book. The first chapter was written at the request of the editors of a new, local literary magazine. Then a friend asked me for a piece of flash fiction for a site; I figured that I’d recycle the characters and setting. Well, with two chapters under my belt, it was just too easy and too much fun to not keep going. It is available in print from Amazon or by order through almost every bookstore and online book service. Dew Drop is also available in Nook and Kindle; and – this is great – it will soon be available in audio.

Here’s a trailer for the book. http://mediasuite.multicastmedia.com/player.php?p=aat76pv9



3) And can you include your favorite line or paragraph from the book?


This is the beginning of Chapter 6 - Picnic

Some days are just too good to have a hangover. This one started with the light that came around the shades and the smell and feel of the air that came through the window. It was a crisp, comfortable air that made me want to breathe. Then there were the sounds—especially the calls of the birds. Strange how on some days all you hear is the caw of angry crows and on others, like this one, there are sweet songs and contented coos. I could even hear the insects, not annoying buzzes and hums, but productive insects scurrying about their day.
Days like that are enough to make a drunk want to puke, or maybe, just maybe, do something out of the ordinary.

4) What genre do you write in and why?


I consider my genre to be literary fiction, which means I give more thought to character, and language than I do to plot. Not that plots aren’t important, they are; but once I have the plot in mind, it’s all about those literary qualities.



5) Share with us a little of your process. Do you write during the day? at night? With background noise? In silence? From an outline? off the cuff? etc...


I try to get some writing time mornings, but the very best time is when I wake with a sudden need, most typically in the middle of the night. Those times I can write for a couple of hours and then wander back to bed. Invariably, the next morning I am delighted with the results.

As for sound: Typically I prefer silence or just background noise. Once in a great while I will listen to music. Usually that’s because I am trying for a particular rhythm in my words and the music helps establish it.







6) Who is your favorite author? Your favorite book?


My favorite author is Kurt Vonnegut, but he didn’t write my favorite book. That honor goes to jointly to Vonnegut for Slaughterhouse Five, Tim O’Brien for The Things They Carried, Paul Harding for Tinkers, and Joseph Conrad for The Heart of Darkness.



7) Can you give us one marketing tip that you feel best promoted your book?


Guest blogging is one of my favorites. I don’t have my own blog; although I am in the process of setting up a group blog with a bunch of authors who co-market with me. I prefer bringing my fans to the host page, hopefully helping get word of that blog out; and in the process I get my name and writing out to new potential fans – a win-win.

By the way, that co-marketing is a good idea, too. We post for one another on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else we can. Another win-win idea.


8) Now for a little daydreaming...Hollywood just called and wants to turn your book into a movie!! And you get to cast the lead characters! Who would you pick? and Why?


I don’t. Long ago I was told that was a very bad idea when it came to actually dealing with movie companies. Picking talent is mostly about marketing, not about artistic merit or authorial vision. That said, having seen him in White Lightin’, I would love to see Edward Hogg in Memoirs From the Asylum; he brings a special something to the notion of craziness.

Since I’m lollygagging, why not add Sally Field or Carrie Fisher in the movie version of Widow’s Walk—two women who could truly bring the tormented intensity of Mary Flanagan to the screen.



9) Now I'm going to steal a question from my book "Awake In Hell". If you could ask God himself one question, what would it be??


Funny that you ask this question right after I’ve been talking about Widow’s Walk; it is, after all, a novel of faith and spirituality. In the spirit of Mary’s self-torment, I would ask, “Are we closer to you when we suffer and try or when we enjoy and allow ourselves to love? Which is the path you ask of us?”



10) Are you currently writing full time or do you still have a "day job" ? What are the pros and cons of whichever one you are?


I’m retired, so writing is what I do—not so much for a job as for a way of life. Of course I want those royalties and that recognition, but the best thing of all is to know that I have shared a good story with yet another reader.



11) Are you happier today than you were yesterday? Let us know what makes you happier than anything else in the world!


Every year I make the same New Year’s resolution: to be happier this year than I was last. At least for the last eleven years that I have been retired and writing, I have been able to keep that resolution. Things just keep getting better. Of course I can’t travel as much as I used to and it takes me longer to do many things; but life is good.

As to what my greatest pleasures are, there are so many. Spending time with my wife, talking with my son, getting together with friends, reading a good book, listening to classical music, watching a great play or movie, eating a good meal, and of course writing.

As Patrick Dennis says in Auntie Mame,” another of my favorite books, “Life’s a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death.”



Don't you just love these answers? I'm sure you'll also love his books! Please go get them!!



Kenneth Weene website is http://www.kennethweene.com

Author’s page on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=books&field-author=Kenneth%20Weene

He's also on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for those wishing to connect.


Thank you so much! And please come back for more I'm Tellin Helen!!


This will be reprinted in my Newsletter from Hell! Click Here to Subscribe!!

Beach Reading!

Headed to the beach? GET YOUR FREE KINDLE VERSION of Awake In Hell Monday June 10- Wednesday June 12! Sure it's hot outside, but it's not as hot as it is in Hell!! Enjoy your summer with a free Kindle version of Awake In Hell by Helen Downing!

CLICK HERE

DelawareScene.com: Local Author Night - Meet Helen Downing, Dover Public Library

Put this on your calendar!!

DelawareScene.com: Local Author Night - Meet Helen Downing, Dover Public Library

I'm Tellin Helen - Paul Grzegorzek talks about Crime, Brighton, and of course, His New Book!!

Today I sit with Paul Grzegorzek and discuss a little life, a little writing, and we do a bit of daydreaming together....



1) First, I would love to welcome you and thank you for taking the time to tell my readers about your current project. Can you begin with a little background? Where are you from, a story about growing up? How you became a writer?


Despite my surname I was born and raised in Sussex. I've lived in Brighton for the last 17 years or so, and in 2003 I joined the Police, working first on response in Brighton, then LST (the riot squad) and finally the intelligence unit, where I worked on undercover drug operations. During my time in the police, I met Peter James and began to help him with his novels, going through them for authenticity and also showing him the "darker side" of Brighton. We were sat in a cafe at the bottom of Sydney Street when he saw his first heroin deal and I thought he was going to die of excitement!

I've written since I was a kid, starting off with terrible poetry, but I hadn't written for years when I met Peter. In return for my help on his books, he would suffer hours of me coming up with ideas for TV shows, and eventually I came up with an idea and he said to me "it's great, but write it as a book and if it's good enough it'll be easy to sell for TV".

I took his advice, and a year later I'd finished my first novel, a terrible crime/vampire/secret society story that will never again see the light of day *shudder*.

Shortly after I left the police in 2008, I sat down for 15 days and did nothing but write, completing my first crime novel, The Follow.

I got an agent immediately, and The Follow was pushed out to publishers. I got some great feedback, but many of them were saying that it was just a little too much like Peter James and that maybe I should write about a different town.

So I wrote a trilogy of action thrillers set in the US, but had no joy with them either

Being stubborn, I went back to writing about crime in Brighton, which is where my most recent release comes in.



2) And let's talk about your current book. Tell us all about it! (Including where to get it!)


The latest book is called When Good Men Do Nothing. It's a race against time style crime thriller involving Sussex Police's only firearms positioning forensics specialist, Rob Steele. He's a detective sergeant in Brighton CID, brought in to investigate a shooting in Brighton.

The case takes an interesting turn, however, when MI6 get involved, sending an agent down to assist with the investigation. Soon Steele and his MI6 counterpart, Merrington, are racing against the clock to find and stop a group of terrorists seemingly hell-bent on turning Brighton into a bloodbath of epic proportions.

It was a lot of fun to write, and had received some outstanding praise from readers and other authors alike.

It's available on Kindle, as is The Follow, link below.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Good-Men-Nothing-ebook/dp/B00ACIJOE8/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1353781607&sr=1-2



3) And can you include your favorite line or paragraph from the book?


Hard to pick a favourite, but this one comes to mind...

The receptionist looked up with a glare, taking in the tear-streaked face and long dirty coat and dismissing her as an NFA. ‘There’s a queue love, you’ll need to wait at the back like everyone else has.’ Gemma shook her head and summoned up the courage to speak. ‘I need the police,’ she whispered, then repeated it louder. The receptionist shook her head. ‘This is a hospital, not a police station.’ Her eyes narrowed as if remembering something and she looked to her right for a moment then back at Gemma. Pulling a picture off the wall, she held it up and squinted at it. ‘Here, you’re not Gemma Hallett are you?’ Gemma squeezed her eyes shut as fresh tears fell and she nodded. ‘Are you okay?’ The woman asked, concerned now. ‘No I’m not,’ Gemma whispered, ‘and I really need you to call the police now.’ And she opened her coat to display the vest they’d forced her into, rigged with enough explosive to bring the entire hospital crashing down around her.

4) What genre do you write in and why?


I write crime fiction. Being an ex police officer, I have oodles of material already in my head, and I think that reading something written by someone who's bled on, fought with and been surrounded by the criminal underworld brings a realism that you just can't achieve any other way.



5) Share with us a little of your process. Do you write during the day? at night? With background noise? In silence? From an outline? off the cuff? etc...


I'm a seat of the pants writer. I have a vague outline, then I just let my fingers take over and see where I go. I do most of my planning, such as it is, in the shower. It's a great place to think with no distractions! I tend not to have music on unless I really need to evoke a particular mood, and then I'll carefully choose a piece and play it on repeat until that scene is done. I usually write during the day at weekends as my wife is at work and I'm in the house alone, but I've been known to write in the evenings, three o'clock in the morning, or generally any time inspiration hits me and I'm not too tired to type!



Helen's comment: I'm always surprised at how many folks say they develop plot lines or work out plot problems in the shower!!


6) Who is your favorite author? Your favorite book?


That's a really tough one. I don't often read crime, I prefer to read scifi and fantasy. My favourite fantasy author recently is Brandon Sanderson, and the book is The Way of Kings, but I've also recently read Revenge of the Tide and Human Remains (both crime) by Elizabeth Haynes and i have to say that they're absolutely superb.



7) Can you give us one marketing tip that you feel best promoted your book?


Social media and networking. It's still the best free option until you can get some good reviews under your belt. There's also a fantastic crime novel review site called best crime books to read, and I accidentally hijacked their facebook page but offered a review copy of The Follow as an apology, only to get an absolutely glowing review!


Helen's comment: Hijacked their website? My curiosity is piqued...


8) Now for a little daydreaming...Hollywood just called and wants to turn your book into a movie!! And you get to cast the lead characters! Who would you pick? and Why?


I'd pick Clive Owen for Rob, and probably Amelia Warner for his partner, Nat. They both have the same qualities as the characters, and I think they fit the way I see them pretty well too.



9) Now I'm going to steal a question from my book "Awake In Hell". If you could ask God himself one question, what would it be??


Why is it that some people are just wired to hurt other people and take enjoyment out of doing so?



10) Are you currently writing full time or do you still have a "day job" ? What are the pros and cons of whichever one you are?


Still in the day job. The pros are that I know exactly how much money I've got coming in every month and my job is interesting and occasionally exciting, the cons are that I can't write when I get sudden creative urges or ideas during the week. I've just submitted another novel to my agent, and I'm reliably assured that it's my best yet, so hopefully that will change fairly soon!



11) Are you happier today than you were yesterday? Let us know what makes you happier than anything else in the world!


No, I was happier yesterday. The sun was out, I was a day further away from going back to work and I was buzzing with ideas...


I think hearing the reaction of someone who's just fallen in love with one of my books is pretty high in the happy-stakes, but to be honest, walking along the beach in Turkey, hand in hand with my wife on a warm summer evening, is about the best feeling in the world :)


Helen's comment: Aren't you the sweetest Paul!!



Well Folks - Hope you loved meeting Paul as much as I did!! Don't forget to pick up his book WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING today! Here it is again...






Thank you so much! And please come back for more I'm Tellin Helen!!


This will be reprinted in my Newsletter from Hell! Click Here to Subscribe!!