Interview with author - Irene Helenowski

Good afternoon people,
Sorry for the delay, it has been chaos in my house lol. I am doiis a short courses and looking at voluntary work. Amongst normal house things.

Here is the interview with author Irene Helenowski. Enjoy :-)

Question 1 - Were books a prominent part of your childhood?

I really loved the ValueTale series by Dr. Spencer Johnson & Ann Donegan Johnson, especially the one on Marie Curie was my favourite, of course.


Question 2 - Can you remember your favourite books as a child? If so can you name them?

I always was fascinated by Thumbelina by Hans Christian Anderson. She always managed to stay strong and perservre despite being so tiny.


Question 3 - Would you advise children to pick up a book? Can you recommend any?

Of course! I think they should read whatever they want, whatever gets them reading.


Question 4 - How did you stumble into writing?

I just finished my biostatistics dissertation and thought about doing something completely different, but the more I wrote the more I realised that my science fiction was influenced by my statisitical research. I talk about this in my blog - out of this dimension - www.helenowskiirene.wordpress.com


Question 5 - Is writing still a passion for you?

Yes, I would hope so but I'm still figuring out what to write next.


Question 6 - How did you come up with the idea for Order of the Dimensions?

I have watched several specials on the multi verse theory on the discovery and science channels and had begun to wonder  - what it'd be like if we had a totally different life in another dimension, if such dimensions exist.


Question 7 - Which character in your book do you most identify with?

Well I recieved my doctorate in the not so distant past like Jane, Iwork in a medical centre like Maggie, but I mostly identify with Tina, she is at a crossroads in her life, I don't want to say anymore and spoil the story.


Question 8 - At the start, did you already know there would be more than one book?

I had no idea. I thought about maybe a second book, the third came to mind much later.


Question 9 - Are any of the characters based on people you know?

I think I could relate every character having traits of several people I know.


Question 10 - Does your day job interfere with editing and creating a book?

As my day job, I work as a biostatistcian at an academic medical centre in Chicago. It is a demanding job and sometimes I work into the evenings and on weekends but I still make time and write whenever I can.


Question 11 - Do you ever think inter dimensional travel will be possible?

I've read some works from DR's Michio Kaku & Brian Greene. I have interviewed several physicists and they all think it  may be plausible. So if people actually working in that field think it is possible, then why not?


Question 12 - If you met another you, what is the first thing you'd say?

I would ask her - what does she do? Where does she live? And does she have a family? Basically everything I've ever wondered about my life in another dimension.

Question 13 - One piece of advice you'd give your younger self?

Save more money - book promoting can get expensive.


And the final question - 


Question 14 - Any advice you'd like to give to any young budding authors out there?

Just write whatever comes to mind and have fun with it.



Thankyou Irene for the fascinating interview and for taking time to answer the questions.

The order of the dimensions is now available on Amazon, here are the link - 

http://www.Amazon.co.uk/Order-Dimensions-Irene-Helenowski-ebook

This is the first of the trilogy, enjoy, I know I did.

Going to take a break and finish something I'm working on, the next blog should be late July, I will be reviewing Final orders, after that its the end of the blog until such time as I am asked to do a book review. I will however start keeping up to date with my personal blog on a monthly basis. Have a fantastic day people :-)

Nadine x x x

Review - Revised Orders by Irene Helenowski

Good morning/afternoon/evening to all.

Has it really been over a year? Time flies I guess.
Before I begin the review - at this moment I have a stonking headache, which means the review may not be as detailed, but that's part of the fun, you will have to purchase the book and dive into the adventure :-).

So at the end of Order of the dimensions we saw Jane back in her own universe and the naughty Antin gone for good but is he???

Revised orders begins as Jane is celebrating her graduation, she has the man of her dreams Randy and children.
Her friend Amber wants to show Jane her birthday surprise which is at the lab.
After showing Jane, all hell breaks loose, Jane is again caught in the mighty web of Anton and how he wants the universe to be. She escapes from one dimension to another, not quite knowing if this is the dimension she belongs in. Jane is not sure how she will escape, will she escape? Will Anton get his way? What will become of Randy?
I'm intrigued with Anton, he is still his usual self but in revised orders he has more character and depth, there's more than meets the eye.


This book is a cross between Dr who James Bond and Stargate.
A most intriguing read that will keep you guessing to the end. The characters are well thought out, the visual impact this book gives you will blow your mind, very well written by an author that will one day be among the likes of - J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer and James Patterson.

A super cosmic read that will leave you wondering - are you in the right dimension?

Personally the trilogy begs the question - what would we be like in another dimension and what would we do with that knowledge?

I rate this book 4.9/5 the closest to perfection, it has thrills, spills, mayhem, a villain (with charming qualities.) A female lead, all I can say is - well done.


Here are the links, one is lulu where you can purchase the book, it should be available on Amazon within 2-3 weeks. Also there are the links to Irene's twitter and Facebook pages. Available as paperback edition.

Lulu - www.lulu.com/shop/irene-helenowski/revised-orders/paper

www.Facebook.com/OrderofTheDimensions

www.twitter.com/OrderofTheDimen

Hopefully in the next 10-14 days I shall be posting an exclusive interview with Irene Helenowski, talking books, childhood and order of the dimensions trilogy.

Within 28 days my final review will be published so watch out for the review of - Final orders.

Review - Belong to you By Vi Keeland

Good afternoon people, hope all is well?

Below are the links to the books on Amazon UK & Amazon USA.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belong-You-Cole-Novel-ebook/dp/B00BUTCXLE/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

http://www.amazon.com/Belong-You-Cole-Novel-ebook/dp/B00BUTCXLE/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t


Just a little experiment first - a run down of the characters in the book.

Sydney - female lead character, shy, lost, hopeful, smart and sensitive.
Sienna - (Sydneys best friend) outrageous, fun, speaks her mind, loyal and fun.
Jack - male lead character, sharp, controlling, a gent, tall, jealous, smouldering and has a past.


Onto the review.

The book begins as Sydney and her best friend are on the plane home from the honeymoon. It was supposed to be Sydney and her partner's honeymoon but they split up and Sienna persuaded Sydney to go on the already booked honeymoon to have some fun.
We then get taken back to the start of the honeymoon. Whilst there Sydney and Sienna meet Jack and a group of his friends who are there for a stag party.
Things slowly start to heat up between Sydney and Jack, Sydney is trying to think of this as just a rebound, but finds she is starting to fall for Jack, but does Jack want the same? Is he falling for her? Or is it another notch on the bed post?

Then it really begins to sizzle and things really heat up between the two characters. Will it really last? Or will it simply fade into the background and become a distant memory for both Sydney and Jack?

Upon return Sydney goes back to her normal life, trying to forget about Jack but without success. It is then he re-appears, wanting to take her in his arms and stay there forever.
Again how will it work out? And Sydneys dream has just made an appearance, will a long distance relationship last? Or will it fall apart?

This book has everything, romance, fights, some hot scenes and a great storyline. Can't wait until the next book comes out in July, it is called 'Made for you.'

This has to be 5 out of 5 and caution over 18's only with this book. A delight to read.

Thanks again to Vi Keeland.

Book review - Order of the dimensions By Irene Helenowski

Hello people,
I do hope all is well?

Finally another book review, I do apologise for the delay, it has taken me longer than expected to finish this book. At the end of  the review you will find a link to the book, in fact I will put it both here and at the end of the review.

Here is the link - http://www.lulu.com/shop/irene-helenowski/order-of-the-dimensions/paperback/product-20389319.html


Okay now for the review.

I'm not usually a sci-fi fan, mainly because I cannot for the life in me get my head wrapped round the concept, usually being too complicated.
'Order of the dimensions' however, changed my way of thinking. although full of complicated scenarios and scientific theories/terms, once you get passed the first few chapters things start to fall into place.

The first few chapters establish the background, lifestyle and present situation of the main character Jane. Jane seems like an unlikely heroine, but due to circumstances that arise, she has to take that role in order to get back to where she was.
Within this book there are many different dimensions which play out different scenarios based upon decisions that either the characters take or didn't take, thus a different outcome.
Jane is a science whiz and finds Dr. Zelov quite creepy, her insinct proves right for he is there not only to take over the world and mould it into what he sees it as, but all the other dimensions too.
Jane loves Randy, who for her is her one true love, the one she wishes to be with for the rest of her life.
Her life gets turned upside down by Dr Zelov, catapulting her into crazy and dangerous alternate universes, most of them run by Zelov, how does she escape? You will have to read for yourself to find out the result.
Will she ever get back to her own time? Will Zelov get what he wants? And what will Jane do for her loved ones?

This book is for me rated at 4.1 out of 5, a very good read, a very challenginf read but please do persevere as the rewards far outweigh having to put the book down. Not easy to follow at first but once you get into the swing and basic grasp of the concept you are away and into the story. The story is believeable and makes you wonder, how many of ourselves exsist in alternate realities? And what are they doing?


Again here is the link http://www.lulu.com/shop/irene-helenowski/order-of-the-dimensions/paperback/product-20389319.html

Next time I will be reviewing 'Belong to you' By Vi Keeland.

Thankyou to the author Irene Helenowski for allowing me to review the book and keeping patience with me, as the book took longer to read than I had expected.

Book review - First thing I see by Vi Keeland

Okay, hello people.
Before we approach the review, I'd like to say I read this book 'First thing I see' four times, twice as a critic, in order for me to see it from a neutral viewpoint, it was then I realised I must also read this as a reader, just an ordinary everyday reader, so I read the book twice more, but as a reader rather than a critic. So this review will (obviously) be seen through both the eyes of a critic and an avid reader.

Here is the review -

'First thing I see' By Vi Keeland is an amazing rollercoaster ride.
The introduction of Hope (the main character) and her best friend Shauna are good. From the off you can feel something is going to happen, like a spark, it needs a source.
It feels as if we are at the beginning of someone's new life, a fresh start from a possible bad time from another town/city.
The big question is - will it all go plan? Or will it divert to another station?
The introduction of the main male character is good, this makes Hope go weak at the knees, so much so she can't stop thinking about him.
Both Hope and Kennedy meet once again in the hotel bar, it is at this point you can feel the build up of tension and attraction. This was very well executed.
There is even more tension when Kennedy all but seeps her away from her best friend, in order to take her out for desert.
From here things start to simmer, but there is an element of apprehension from both characters, Kennedy because he is a shrewd calculating bussiness man and Hope because her past is the one thing holding her back.

The bond between these two characters grows and grows, but as it does so, complications from their past starts to catch up on them.
Will both of them survive? Will they finally open up? And where will their relationship end up?

As a reader this is heartbreaking and heart-warming, the characters are complex but that is due to their past, the characters are life like and stand out as a beacon for both love, life and letting go of something that consumed them for so long.
I cannot tell you enough, how much I love this book. It had me laughing, crying, smiling and cheering for Kennedy and Hope.
As always there's a naughty character and this happens to be Hope's stepmother - Candace, who is complicated, selfish, loathing and down right nasty. Kennedy deals with her, with such ease, it is funny to see how he handles her.


This book has an erotic element, but it isn't over the top, it is the perfect balance.
Over the past 18 months erotic novels for me, have been a part of my reading material.
But like I say this book has the perfect balance of comedy, love, erotica, tears and beauty.


I would certainly give this 4.8 out of 5, obviously there are little niggles, but these are minor and do not disrupt the flow of the story over-all.

Here are the links to the book -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Thing-I-See-ebook/dp/B00AWXY3HG/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

http://www.amazon.com/First-Thing-I-See-ebook/dp/B00AWXY3HG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1360673360&sr=1-1&keywords=first+thing+i+see+by+vi+keeland

Interview with Author Vi Keeland, author of 'First thing I see.'

Yes I am back up and running, full steam ahead. Don't know how long for, but this is a brilliant ride.

I'd like to welcome Vi Keeland, who so kindly allowed me to interview her about her book, influences and top tips/advice.
The review of 'First thing I see' will be available tomorrow to read, with links to the book in both the USA & the UK Amazon site. Aswell as me posting the links after this interview.


Here is the interview -

Q1 - Do you think writing was a calling?

I do! Writing a book is something I’ve always wanted to do. Unfortunately, I didn’t give in to the urge until six months ago. By day, I am an attorney, so writing is part of my every day life, just not the type of writing that you will find in First Thing I See .

Q2 - Who are your influences?

I really wish I could say Emily Bronte or James Joyce, but if I’m being honest, the only time I’ve read the classics was when they were assigned in school. I’ve always been a smut reader. When I was a teen I found Danielle Steel and underlined the racy parts from Judy Blume’s Deenie. Last year I was hooked on Fifty Shades, Sylvia Day and Kristen Ashley. You definitely won’t find War and Peace on my kindle!  

Q3 - Greatest author, in your view?

I would probably vote for C.S. Lewis for greatest author. But in erotica, my favorite author is Sylvia Day. John Grisham also never fails me, if I am in the mood for a legal suspense.

Q4 - Top 5 favourite books?

Chronicles of Narnia, Wizard of Oz, Fifty Shades of Grey, Hopeless and Memoirs of a Geisha.

Q5 - What inspired you to write this story?

E.L. James! I found Fifty Shades of Grey inspiring for more than the obvious reasons. In my opinion, she brought erotica to mainstream and, after reading her story, I was inspired to write mine! My husband was also a great inspiration; he encouraged me to do it and had more faith in me than I did.

Q6 - How long did it take to write and edit?

It took me about three months to write and edit it. Then I let it sit for two months and went back and did a clean read for a final edit. I needed some time before I could do a final edit because I was too close to the characters and couldn’t find my errors.

Q7 - Did you find the whole process difficult?

The writing was the fun part, the marketing and networking is the difficult part. I found the self-publishing feature of kindle really easy and was pretty shocked at how I could find my work on Amazon is less than a few hours!

Q8 - For this book, did you do any research? If so, what research?

I didn’t really do any special research for writing this book. All of my research time was spent on how to market the book and get it out into the public.

Q9 - What advice would you give budding authors?

Do it! Don’t put it off! But join some groups on bookblogs and goodreads and talk to other authors that are out there in your genre. They have great advice to share and most are happy to help. Learn who your target audience is and then learn how to market to them! My target audience uses twitter and I didn’t even really know how twitter worked!

Thankyou Vi for your wonderful interview, I wish you all the best and success for your book.

Look out for the review of 'First thing I see' tomorrow.

Below are the links to Vi Keeland's book 'First thing I see.'

http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Thing-I-See-ebook/dp/B00AWXY3HG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1360603849&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/First-Thing-I-See-ebook/dp/B00AWXY3HG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1360603973&sr=1-1&keywords=first+thing+i+see

Letting people know, in 2wks interviews from authors etc will be no more

Just a quick tihng to say that in 2 weeks time, the interviews slot on this blog will be no more.
This is to do with the fact I have no authors to interview after that period.

So thankyou to everyone of the authors so far that have given up their time to be pestered by me lol.

If by some chance I do manage to rope in some more authors, the interview side of the blog will continue, but I doubt it somehow.

So as of 2 weeks, the blog will be once a week on a Saturday for book reviews and my memories of fave childhood books. Interviews will cease and I am very upset by that, but hey ho we live and move on I guess.
I've tried asking for authors/poets etc but so far no takers, I asked on twitter, facebook, I even asked around but to no avail.

So far it has been a magical but short ride through peoples minds, thoughts and habits :-)

If anyone does know of anyone author/poets who would like to be bugged by me for a bit, please come forward and let me know. Many thanks xxxxx