Synopsis:
Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who’s imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house. When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden pathway where she encounters Ryder, a charismatic, but perplexing stranger.
With the help of a magical paint set, and some crystal wizard stones she discovers the truth about a shocking curse that has destroyed her family’s happiness.
About Marjorie Mallon:
I am a debut author who has been blogging for three years at my lovely blog home Kyrosmagica: https://mjmallon.com. My interests include writing, photography, poetry, and alternative therapies. I write Fantasy YA, middle grade fiction and micro poetry – haiku and Tanka. I love to read and have written over 100 reviews: https://mjmallon.com/2015/09/28/a-z-of-my-book-reviews/
My alter ego is MJ – Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheroes! I was born on the 17th of November in Lion City: Singapore, (a passionate Scorpio, with the Chinese Zodiac sign a lucky rabbit,) second child and only daughter to my proud parents Paula and Ronald. I grew up in a mountainous court in the Peak District in Hong Kong with my elder brother Donald. My parents dragged me away from my exotic childhood and my much-loved dog Topsy to the frozen wastelands of Scotland. In bonnie Edinburgh I mastered Scottish country dancing, and a whole new Och Aye lingo.
As a teenager I travelled to many far-flung destinations to visit my abacus wielding wayfarer dad. It’s rumoured that I now live in the Venice of Cambridge, with my six-foot hunk of a Rock God husband, and my two enchanted daughters. After such an upbringing my author’s mind has taken total leave of its senses! When I’m not writing, I eat exotic delicacies while belly dancing, or surf to the far reaches of the moon. To chill out, I practise Tai Chi. If the mood takes me I snorkel with mermaids, or sign up for idyllic holidays with the Chinese Unicorn, whose magnificent voice sings like a thousand wind chimes.
WEBSITE / COLLABORATIVE BLOG / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM / GOODREADS / FACEBOOK / TUMBLR
And now Marjorie Mallon:
My motto is to do what you love! Stay true to your heart’s desires, remain young at heart, and inspire others to do so, even if the odds are stacked against you like black-hearted shadows.
Recently, I had a conversation with my eldest daughter which really struck a chord with me. She is working in South Korea teaching English as a Foreign Language, following her dream to travel, teach and live abroad. I so admire her adventurous spirit. During this conversation she mentioned that studying English Literature at degree level had almost killed her love of reading. Can you imagine? How could this be? The course had been so analytical that it had dissected the pleasurable aspect of reading; emotion had been hung, drawn and quartered. Reading and writing should be about expressing our deepest emotions and passions. There have been countless occasions when I have cried when reading a book. The emotional response should be paramount, whether we respond by laughing, crying, exclaiming, or screwing up our faces in horror or disgust.
I am so thrilled to say my daughter has now re-discovered her love of reading. Thank heavens! A love of creativity is both a popular pastime and a career choice in my family. My youngest daughter Georgina is a keen photographer, following in her great uncle’s and her grandfather’s footsteps. (They ran the successful photographic business Ingram & Co in Edinburgh before the Second World War.)
Georgina’s wonderful photographic portrait of Elise Hackney, portraying my main character, Amelina. Interview with my character: https://mjmallon.com/2017/08/20/mj-interviews-amelina-the-curse-of-time-bloodstone-sundayblogshare/
Samantha Murdoch, https://samanthamurdochblog.wordpress.com kindly gave me permission to use her son Alex’s photography to promote my black cat character Shadow:
And here’s a close up of the wonderful Bloodstone crystal photography which appears on the spine of my paperback, via Samantha too.
Dr John C Taylor OBE gave me permission to use his wonderful images of The Corpus Christi Chronopage in my book. http://www.johnctaylor.com/the-chronophage/
When I read I enter a precious world, the domain of the author’s imagination. What a wonder and privilege it is to enter that realm. It has been a delight to read extensively and to review too. To date I have written over a hundred reviews. Now that I am a debut author the boot is on the other foot. Not, that I was ever a hard-nosed reviewer! It is the strangest experience reading reviews written about my book! Some of which fill me full of delight, some less so. But, that is the price an author pays. Not everyone will love an author’s book, whether their current novel is a bestseller or not. Even best-selling books are blighted by reviews which tumble mercilessly below four stars! Reading is and always should be a personal and subjective affair.
Recently, I received a review which said: ‘Enjoyable novel’ ‘This book has a complex mix of themes running through it, and at times my head did spin as I tried to keep up.’ Another reviewer remarked that: ‘This is a brilliant book for young adults interested in magic, supernatural, paranormal, fantasy and myth. I found it highly readable and the author’s imagination is phenomenal, as is the fluency of her language and the dazzling way she describes the curious events and characters in her story.’
Readers’ opinions will differ and that’s what makes reading and writing so unique, special and wonderful. I urge you to support a debut author by reading and reviewing The Curse of Time – Book 1 – Bloodstone. It is (as one reviewer states,) ‘a clear labour of love.’
International Giveaway:
A £35 Amazon Gift Card
(or equivalent to £35 for an International winner either by gift card or if not possible and if it’s not possible the cash equivalent.)
Thank you to Marjorie Mallon for being a guest on my blog today! It was truly an honour!
Pick up a copy of this novel from your favourite retailer or from the following link!
Thank you for hosting me on your blog. 🙂
You’re very welcome. Xx