Here is one of the latest testimonials by a reader of Darwin’s Paradox on Amazon.com:
“I was lucky enough to recieve a signed copy of the novel from my Auntie in Canada and struggled to put it down from the moment I got it in the mail!
Nina writes in such a way that you are transported from your chair directly into the story. Her selection of language and delicate descriptions enable you to envisage every location in exquisite detail, keeping you fully involved with the action from cover to cover. By the closing chapters I felt as though I knew the characters on a personal level; as if I knew them in the real world! Again, another brilliant skill that Nina has developed through her career.
The main story itself is quite possibly one of the best I have had the pleasure to read.
I found myself up until the early hours of most mornings reading chapter after chapter in a bid to uncover more of Ms Crane’s story! All I can say is that if you like a good Sci-fi read then ‘Darwin’s Paradox’ shouldn’t be missing from your shelves!”–Toby Rottner, UK
Thanks, Toby! We’re very glad you enjoyed Darwin’s Paradox.
Angel of Chaos, its prequel, follows the story of how Julie Crane got to where she was in Darwin’s Paradox. It’s a medical eco-thriller not to be missed by fans of Julie Crane.
Some good friends of Nina were strolling along the Seine in Paris France recently and were lured into a quaint bookstore on the Left Bank, Shakespeare and Company. The independent bookstore lies just across the magestic Notre Dame Cathedral on Ile de la Cite and steps away from the trendy cafes of Place St. Michel.
Shakespeare and Company resides in a building that served as a monastery in the 16th century. It’s located on Rue de la Bûcherie and serves as both a bookstore and a reading library, specializing in English-language literature. The bookstore was opened by George Whitman under Le Mistral then changed to its current name in honour of an earlier store which closed during World War II. The bookstore served as a focal point for
Darwin's Paradox in Shakespeare and Company
literary culture in Bohemian Left Bank Paris. Customers have included the likes of Henry Miller and Richard Wright. The store was a base for many writers of the Beat Generation like Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso and William S. Burroughs. Whitman’s daughter, Sylvia, now runs the shop and regular activities include Sunday tea, poetry readings and writers’ meetings.
The bookstore houses young writers, known as “tumbleweeds”, who earn their keep by working in the shop for a couple of hours each day. The current store is named after and in honour of an
Autographed copy of Darwin's Paradox on the shelf
earlier store which closed during World War II. George Whitman calls the bookstore “a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore”. The bookstore includes sleeping facilities, with 13 beds, and Whitman claims as many as 40,000 people have slept in the shop over the years.
As Nina’s friends pored over the eclectic assortment of international and local English and French books they stumbled upon a copy of Darwin’s Paradox! They had to take a picture and here it is.
Are you looking to get published? What’s stopping you?
Join me for a FREE Webinar through Writer’s Digest University on how to improve your writing and succeed in getting published.
I join journalist and editor Vernon Oikle on “Toolkit Talks“, a conversation in which we share great tips on how to get published. We answer some commonly asked questions provided by Writer’s Digest Magazine editors; questions faced by writers getting started as well as those finding their career stagnating. Learn some of the secrets writers use to jumpstart and keep their career in upward motion. Get the answers you need to get published.
What’s the difference between a writer who publishes and one who isn’t publishing? It’s often not talent or storytelling ability; it’s more often attitude, organization and drive. For instance, do you suffer from any of the following?
You have cool ides but have trouble getting started
You’ve been writing forever but can’t finish
Time & schedules are getting in the way
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Join my free webinar where I answer frequently asked questions that came straight from Writer’s Digest! Questions that will help you get published:
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What are the elements of a strong hero? What are the elements of a strong villain?
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For those of you waiting to purchase my DVD set of “The Writer’s Toolkit“, a 3-set DVD collection based on “The Writers Toolkit” workshops, your wait is soon over! These three major workshops cover ”How to Get Started and Finish”, “Craft of Writing” and “Marketing” your writing. The DVDs will be available shortly for purchase on the Passionate Writer. Here’s what students of “The Writer’s Toolkit” said:
“I felt inspired to look at my writing again…I found my ideas unlocked, problem areas exposed and strengths endorsed.”–Jane Morrell
“Nina was very relaxed, informal, very knowledgeable and interesting…She gave a lively presentation and gave lots of examples to relate to.”—Lauren Seaton
“Nina encouraged me to actually start my novel. She is very good, easy to understand.”—Patricia Slauenwhite
“Nina was engaging and inspiring… I was able to use specifics that were discussed to immediately improve my writing.”—Susie Buck
“I found what I had been searching for a long time.”—Candice Croft
“What you’ve done for me, Nina, is you’ve just opened up a whole new world. You’ve shown me how to put soul into my books … You’ve transformed me from what I considered an oddball to somebody special and for that it’s worth a fortune.”–Hectorine Roy
Nina recently gave three substantial workshops for aspiring writers in the South Shore area of Nova Scotia, based on her Aurora Award-nominated writing guidebook, “The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now“. Held at the Bridgewater Library, Nina engaged and challenged students in an actively participated workshop to hone their skills as successful writers. Students participated in writing exercises, and had their stories, query letters and ”elevator pitches” critiqued.
Her workshops, covered by Vernon Oikle in the South Shore Now, included:
Workshop No. 1, which was titled “Getting Started … and pet vitamin supplements
Finishing". In this session, Nina shared the strategies and techniques she used to write, finish and successfully publish while serving as a full-time scientist, teacher and mother. The workshop reviewed common misconceptions in the writing and publishing industry and provided practical strategies to help aspiring authors succeed.
Workshop No. 2, "The Art and Science of Craft", covered several models of storytelling, and examined the interrelationship of plot and theme, setting and character in a book's overall story arc. Nina explored the language of page-turning writing with examples on the use of the five senses, power verbs, use of dialogue and other writing techniques that will transform your page into a compelling read.
Nina enjoys answering a question
Workshop No 3, "The Science and Magic of Marketing", focused on a different but critically necessary creative process in an author's writing and publishing career - revision, marketing and promotion.
Response to Nina's workshops was very positive. Here are some of the things students had to say about Nina and her workshops:
"Nina was engaging and inspiring in a low-key way, no hype, practical, good humour. This was a really pleasant and helpful experience. I was able to use specifics that were discussed to immediately improve my writing."--Susie Buck
"Nina was very knowledgable, relaxed, personable, unpretentious."
"I enjoyed it. I was intrigued. Nina put her heart into her workshop."--Darlene Tong
"I found what I had been searching for a long time."--Candice Croft
"What you've done for me, Nina, is you've just opened up a whole new world. You've shown me how to put soul into my books ... You've transformed me from what I considered an oddball to somebody special and for that it's worth a fortune."--Hectorine Roy
The series of workshops were filmed as part of "The Writers Toolkit" series and will be available for sale shortly. Go to www.ninamunteanu.com or www.ThePassionateWriter.com for news on availability and cost of these DVDs.
Here is one of the latest testimonials by a reader of Darwin’s Paradox on Amazon.com:
