Random Thoughts: What Astrology Taught Me About Writing… The Time Is Now

Love of writing

Before I started to write this post I had to step out into my garden and take a deep breath.  It’s late 11pm but I’m in a random reflective mood, I’ve not blogged in months so here goes some random thoughts…I can’t believe the journey I have been on this last year, personally and as a writer.  For a year in August I’ve been editing a magazine and writing non-fiction. During this time I’ve had the pleasure of going back to Astrology, as I have written to horoscopes for Concision Talk Magazine. I fell into Astrology, Tarot and all that good stuff when I was about sixteen, that’s another blog post. Anyway, as you read this now in June 2018 Mars the planet of action, determination, goals, motivation war and conflict has gone retrograde. This basically means moving backwards from an Earth’s perspective, during this time it’s when we are forced to revisit old ground, anger can come out for some depending on circumstances, it’s not a time to start new ventures things come to completion normally.  Also, it’s a time of focusing directed energy as Mars’ forceful motivation, determination and ass-kicking energy is in full force!

The interesting thing about a planet’s retrograde is that is happens in a ‘house of life’ for us all, depending on your birth chart where exactly. For me when I pulled up my chart on the 26th June the day the planet went into retrograde until the end of August, the retrograde is happening in my 5th house, the house that’s linked to creativity, romance, children, life’s pleasures and enjoyment.  This told me, this is the house I need to go back to creativity, what I love and look at old projects.

What is even more interesting about a Mars retrograde is that it happens every twenty-six months roughly, if you look back at the dates and times for yourself personally, you’ll have an idea of lessons you need to learn in your own life, or themes in your life etc. For me the retrograde from 2010 were largely based around my marriage, the home and family and creativity. You’re not going to believe this, I looked at my Astrological birth charts during the retrograde periods as far back as 2010, in 2016’s retrograde I realised I wrote my first novel, got my first publishing deal and that novel turned out to be an award winning novel, the retrograde took place in my 4th house of life which is connected to the family, home, recent past and your foundations.  ( Back then I was not following Astrology as I once did all my life, and had no idea this transit was happening in these areas). However, I was going through some shit! Massive changes which lead to me being free to write and so I did…  just before the current retrograde Mars almost two years later I started to write another romantic suspense, sent over three chapters to an agent who requested the full book from me, this was in late 2017 early 2018. I moved country  just as she come back to me, and had the magazine going so writing fiction slowed. If I’m honest, I never really could get into writing the fiction again I was loving the non-fiction of the magazine. Now, under this Mars retrograde in my 5th house of creativity, romance and life’s pleasures  clearly I’m being pointed to go back and prompted not miss the chance with the agent who is interested in my work…  write that damn book. I also, really miss my ‘home’ of fiction writing, you can take the editor out of the writer but you can’t take the writer out of an editor is how I feel. I found it so enlightening and awaking this week to study Astrology and notice  that during the last Mars retrograde, I wrote my first full 90k word novel during the exact three months it took place! Every day I wrote, like a crazy woman forget editing… and it showed LOL. I just wrote and later down the line polished the book.

Astrology teaches you so much in life! ‘As above so below’…. my break from fiction writing is clearly over as of this month. I’ve set the challenge, Mars’ retrograde will unleash the fiction writer in me again, and yes you better believe that agent is going to snap up my book like it’s the best thing she’s read this year!  I am I’m going back to that manuscript I feel a stronger writer… even if I was badass before *wink.

People check your birth charts see what this Mars retrograde can mean for you, if you believe in all that ‘mombo jumbo’ it really can move you to where you are meant to be! If you have no clue how to do it, I’ll do it!  It will take me like two seconds to pull up a chart using your birthday, location of birth and time of birth just email me! Don’t miss out on any opportunity or where you are meant to be when these cosmic changes transit, remember as above so below! The time is now!

 

Book Review + Book Tour: ‘Go Home Afton’ Suspense, Crime Fiction 4 GREAT stars! @AuthorBrent @AuthorBrent

Tour Banner.jpg

Go Home, Afton

Length: Novella
Series: Afton Morrison, Book 1
Release Date: June 25, 2018
Format(s): eBook
eBook Price: $0.99
Tagline: We all wear masks.

Book Blurb:

We all wear masks, and Afton Morrison is no exception.

A small-town librarian with a dark side, Afton, twenty-six, has suppressed violent impulses her entire adult life. Impulses that demand she commit murder.

Blending her urges with reason, Afton stalks a known sexual predator, intending to kill him. But her plan, inspired by true crime and hatched with meticulous care, is interrupted by a mysterious figure from her past. A dangerous man that lurks in the shadows, watching, threatening to turn the huntress into the hunted.

Go Home, Afton is the first of four parts in a new serial thriller by author Brent Jones. Packed with grit and action, The Afton Morrison Series delves into a world of moral ambiguity, delivering audiences an unlikely heroine in the form of a disturbed vigilante murderess.

Kim’s Review 4 Great Stars

I’ve been hiding away for a while,  I’ve not blogged in ages but one thing I have been doing is reading and writing! I snapped up the chance to read and review the first part of this series mainly due to the blurb and gene. ‘Packed with grit and action’ will always be a book with ‘Kim’s read’ all over it…. so let’s get into the review. Thank you to R & R Book Tours for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book in record time, I was drawn in from the first few pages. What I really enjoyed while reading was the style in which the story is narrated. Yep, first person from the crazy character’s POV. I find if done well I’ll be hooked and I was, Afton is one crazy b*tch  and her altar ego is even worse in such a good way! I have a feeling due to the nature of this story she is meant to leave readers feeling this way, personally I say hats off to the author for resonating with readers like this. His writing style and creativity is  very GOOD. As a male writer portraying a crazy lady there were no stereotypes, or anything that made me as a female reader think ‘where does this guy get his thought process or inspiration about females from?’ The worst thing is when a crazy character is not really that convincing. Afton is strange….  well done author!

I also really liked the development of the other characters especially Tia, the air head who crosses paths with Afton the reason I won’t say to give spoilers. What I enjoyed was the contrast in character between Afton and Tia, there was a third female also the mother of a young boy, she was a totally different female character also. I enjoyed the variation. The storyline was engaging for me as a reader I did want to know what happens next, it kept me turning pages.

Go Home Afton is an interesting read as you can’t really place where it’s going to end up, at one point I thought I could see what’s coming. I was trying to stay one step ahead with how talented writers tend to write in this genre, and I was WRONG LOL the author totally lost me and I could not second guess his creative storyline. The ending left me with my mouth open like ‘where is part two at?’ Because, I was really engaged and never expected it to end as it did on the cliff hanger! When my phone pinged with the second book sent through from the book tour company,  I’d be fibbing if i said, I never fist punched the air a little in excitement. Yes, I will read part two and three if there is one as I really do need to know ‘ who dun it’… there’s one dead body, blood on the floor, a motive from a character I briefly met and know very little about, evidence has gone missing, one character saw ‘who dun it’ but how will they prove it?  It all seems like a recipe for a rather excellent suspense, crime thriller series. I’m excited. 🙂

So, why not 5 full stars?… in all honesty backstory did it for me, I understand Afton’s issues due to how she is portrayed which is great, but I would have loved to have experienced how, why, when of certain things that happened to her that have  put her in the place she is now, the trauma. Maybe this is in part two, I’ll read it and find out! For just .99$ I’d recommend that crime fiction, suspense and thriller lovers grab a copy on Amazon. Really well executed suspense thriller Brent, keep going!

 

Meet The Author

Author Pic.jpg

Bio:

From bad checks to bathroom graffiti, Brent Jones has always been drawn to writing. He won a national creative writing competition at the age of fourteen, although he can’t recall what the story was about. Seventeen years later, he gave up his career to pursue creative writing full-time.

Jones writes from his home in Fort Erie, Canada. He’s happily married, a bearded cyclist, a mediocre guitarist, and the proud owner of two dogs with a God complex.

 

Links:

Twitter https://twitter.com/AuthorBrentJ

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBrentJ/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorbrentj/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/AuthorBrentJ

Website https://authorbrentjones.com/

Conscious Talk Magazine Issue # 3 On Sale Now! + Free Copy & Giveaways

June Complimentary Issue Giveaway.jpg

Morning guys! Another fantastic issue out. The team and I are proud to also announce as part of World Environment Day ,together with the magazine distributor Magzter we have a massive discount on one year subscriptions, until the 6th June just $13.00! Grab a free copy and if you subscribe you could win $500.00.

I want a free copy click here.