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The Stories of Scott D. Southard

  • In Jerry’s Corner
  • A Jane Austen Daydream
  • Permanent Spring Showers
  • Megan
  • Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare
  • The Dante 3
  • Me Stuff
  • Man Behind the Curtain
  • December 16, 2013

    Celebrating Jane Austen’s birthday with My Jane Austen Book Club

    Austen_vert_compl02I was thrilled to be asked to contribute to My Jane Austen Book Club‘s celebration of Jane Austen’s birthday! For those that are fans of Jane Austen and don’t know it, it is a great site and has been a good friend and supporter to my novel A Jane Austen Daydream since its publication.

    Over the course of the day, authors and fans have been sharing their insights and feelings towards Ms. Austen with a new post each hour. And for those interested in inspiration, regency, or simply the power of the written word, these entries are a great read. Some are fun, some are very serious, and some are  quite moving. You should check them out by scrolling through the site. Truly, there is something for everyone there.

    For me, my entry can be read via this direct link… and it includes a flying DeLorean.

    A Jane Austen DaydreamMy own tribute novel to Ms. Austen, A Jane Austen Daydream, can be purchased in print ($13.46) or as an eBook for the outrageously low price of $3.99 for Kindle. You can find it on Amazon here (http://amzn.com/B00CH3HQUU).

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  • December 5, 2013

    Book Sale on Kindle! The gothic MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH… is only 99 cents! Check out an excerpt!

    Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare, Cover

    “For now, let me warn you of the morbid and sad tale ahead of you. This is a
    tale filled with horror, dark passages, ghostly apparitions, and deaths I would
    give my last shilling to forget.”

    For a limited time (and just in time for holiday shopping and holiday travels), my novel MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE is on sale on Amazon!

    The eBook version is only 99 cents and the print version is only $9.89! If you enjoyed my other books (like A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM) or are curious about my fiction or simply want to read something new, different, and unlike anything you will find… well… anywhere, this is for you!

    Honestly, this is not a book for everyone and I adore it for all of its madness. It is the kind of book as a reader I would love to discover lost and dusty on a library shelf. My goal in it was to break down the idea of storytelling and see what remains in the ruins of it… with a lot of humor, romance, horror and mystery roped in as well.

    You can find the novel on amazon here (http://amzn.com/B00CXSDEBE).

    If you would be interested in kicking the tires first, there is an excerpt below and more via the page for the book on this site here. (more…)

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  • November 28, 2013

    Jane Austen! Demonic Castles! Time Travel! Dragons! This Black Friday Consider a Southard Novel…

    When I sit down to write a book, my first goal is always to give my readers something new. So much of what you find on bookstore shelves can feel like a cookie-cutter recipe for a tale. Add a twist here, build to a love story here, sprinkle some comedy… That is not what you will find in one of my novels.

    This Black Friday, and in your holiday shopping, consider one of my novels for your readers. You can find excerpts, reviews, interviews, and more information on each of the books via their pages on this site.

    A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM
    Available in print ($13.46) and eBook ($3.99) from Madison Street Publishing via Amazon.com here.

    A Jane Austen DaydreamAll her heroines find love in the end–but is there love waiting for Jane?

    Jane Austen spends her days writing and matchmaking in the small countryside village of Steventon, until a ball at Godmersham Park propels her into a new world where she yearns for a romance of her own. But whether her heart will settle on a young lawyer, a clever Reverend, a wealthy childhood friend, or a mysterious stranger is anyone’s guess.

    Written in the style of Jane herself, this novel ponders the question faced by many devoted readers over the years–did she ever find love? Weaving fact with fiction, it re-imagines her life, using her own stories to fill in the gaps left by history and showing that all of us–to a greater or lesser degree–are head over heels for Jane.

    “I consider this novel one of the best not only in regency era literature, but also in mainstream fiction.” -NovelTravelist.com

    MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE
    Available in print ($9.71) and as an eBook ($3.99) via Amazon.com here.

    Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare, CoverThe cursed and foreboding McGregor Castle is the most terrifying and haunted location in all of the British Empire. Only a brave (or foolish) soul would consider visiting it, let alone staying within its walls for five days. In other words, a perfect dare for a man like Maximilian Standforth!

    Maximilian Standforth, famed playboy aristocrat and private detective, is a genius with dangerous tastes. With Bob (his trusty carriage driver, biographer, and body guard) and Maggie Collins (actress, spy, and maid) by his side, Maximilian will experience horrors and madness unlike any seen before. For it is at McGregor Castle that the team will discover more than they ever could imagine in this very experimental and genre-breaking thriller.

    “Playing with traditional style and plot ingredients but introducing enough surprises and originality this book was great fun to read.” -Christoph  Fischer Books

    MY PROBLEM WITH DOORS
    Available in print ($15.38) on Amazon.com here and as an eBook via Google Play ($9.99) here.

    My Problem With DoorsJacob’s life changed in a single moment when, as a toddler, he walked through his bedroom door only to find himself in the office of a British officer in Capetown, 1870. This would begin a thirty-year journey which would take him from ancient to future civilizations, and innumerable places and times in between. Through all of his travels, Jacob seeks for the purpose of his predicament, the significance of his life with all of its joys and suffering, loneliness and impermanence.

    “This is a most compelling book. It pulls you in to a fascinating concept from the beginning…. I give this book 5 stars.” -The Voracious Reader

    MEGAN
    Available in print ($15.51) on Amazon.com here and as an eBook via Google Play ($9.99) here.

    MeganMegan Wane is caught in a life of dull dreariness. She goes to work in a dead end job with a boss she can’t stand, and comes home to a silent apartment with only a standoffish cat for company. She can only get away through her imagination. And there, in her thoughts, there exists a fairy-tale kingdom with wizards and dragons. A place called Prosperity, where she is both a princess and a hero. On this day, both Megan’s external reality and her interior world will suffer tragedy that will turn her life upsidedown and shake her to the foundation. Can Megan turn disaster into deliverance?

    “I am very impressed with how Mr. Southard has interwoven the two world’s of Megan. It is very artfully crafted with vivid descriptions. ” -S. M. Nystoriak, Writer’s Block

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  • November 12, 2013

    “A definite read for all Jane Austen Fans!” Laura’s Little Book Blog reviews A Jane Austen Daydream

    A Jane Austen DaydreamToday A Jane  Austen Daydream was reviewed by the popular book site Laura’s Little Book Blog! Here is an excerpt from the review:

    I instantly took [to] this novel, it is written extremely well and it was almost like Jane Austen herself had written it; it was written so adeptly to the period and I instantly fell in love with Jane’s character.

    The author states from the beginning that this is a work of fiction and not a biography and I mean this in a nice way, but I instantly assumed it would be fictional and not biographical, although it would have been a very clever attempt by the author considering Jane Austen passed away nearly 200 years ago! So this is the authors imagining of what Jane Austen’s life would have been like and I easily could have  believed this really was what Jane Austen was like.

    An Illustration from AustenYou can read the rest of the review here.

    A Jane Austen Daydream can be purchased in print ($13.46) or as an eBook for the outrageously low price of $3.99 for Kindle. You can find it on Amazon here (http://amzn.com/B00CH3HQUU). I hope you will enjoy it as well.

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  • November 3, 2013

    “Wonderfully Written” New review for A Jane Austen Daydream

    121610-brock-persuasionI just found this great new review of A Jane Austen Daydream on Cindy Wade’s blog The Writer BackBlogger.

    Here is an excerpt from it:

    At times I felt as though Scott knew something everyone else didn’t. As if he had been there personally and was sharing her life with his readers.

    I cannot remember when last a book evoked such strong emotions within. I laughed out loud and cried really hard and was shocked, excited, disgusted and sometimes perplexed.

    I couldn’t put this novel down until the charming end after which I sat down with a cup of tea and started my very own daydream.

    A Jane Austen DaydreamYou can read the rest of the review here.

    A Jane Austen Daydream can be purchased in print ($13.46) or as an eBook for the outrageously low price of $3.99 for Kindle.

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  • November 1, 2013

    Discover A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM

    A Jane Austen Daydream

    “I consider this novel one of the best not only in regency era literature, but also in mainstream fiction.” -NovelTravelist.com

    Need a book for this November? A future gift idea? Something new and different for those that feel they have read it all before?

    A Jane Austen Daydream (published by Madison Street Publishing) is a book for the “Janeites” to the everyday reader. It reimagines a new adventure for Jane, something she might’ve wanted but never got… with a very surprising and daring new twist.

    “…Lovely, thought-provoking novel. Fans of Austen will adore this book.” – Lori Nelson Spielman, author of The Life List.

    You can discover about this fun book via links on this site!

    • There are two exclusive excerpts available (here and here). In one Jane discovers her destiny, and in the other she works to fight the fates.
    • There are a series of different articles on its creation from finding its inspiration (Visiting Austen), to the courage needed to attempt it (Braving Austen), the writing of it (Finding Jane’s Voice), and, finally, the gift behind its creation (Austen in Stealth).
    • There are also interviews and reviews by different literary sites, readers, and authors. You can learn more via the main page for the book here.

    “…quick paced novel unlike any you can ever have read, which injects new ideas and possibilities into the world of Jane Austen.” -The Jane Austen Centre

    A Jane Austen Daydream can be purchased in print ($13.46) or as an eBook for the outrageously low price of $3.99 for Kindle.

    “A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM by Scott Southard, a fictionalized account of Jane’s life, is a book that should be placed on the shelf of every book-loving fan of Jane Austen because she’s absolutely “alive” on the pages of this book.” -Julie Valerie’s Book Blog

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  • October 18, 2013

    “Challenging the Fates” My Jane Austen Book Club presents A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM (excerpt and introduction)

    An Illustration from AustenToday, I’m honored to have my novel A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM showcased on the popular Jane Austen site My Jane Austen Book Club.

    “Challenging The Fates” is a new introduction on the inspiration of A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM.

    Here is an excerpt from the beginning:

    The fates gave Jane Austen a bum rap.

    Yes, she is remembered as one of the most important writers in all of literature, defined for generations what it means to be in love and have a successful relationship, and inspired countless writers and genres. That is all fine and very good, but that is now… for us.

    For Miss Austen’s reality, she died young (only 41) in a cottage in a small village where she was living with her sister and mother and her books were published anonymously. Sadly, it is hard for us to even know her that well, with the destruction of many of his letters and writings by her sister. After that, we have to rely on a biography written by her nephew that seems more concerned with the family’s name as compared to the truth of this great person.  She joins Shakespeare in our mystery-lost genius category, the ones we only have our hopes and dreams to point to for truth.

    Also, on My Jane Austen Book Club is an exclusive excerpt from the novel!

    It is Chapter II from Volume I, in which Jane gets some rather surprising news. Something is afoot and her life will never be the same afterwards… You can read this new introduction and fun excerpt on My Jane Austen Book Club here. I hope you enjoy it!A Jane Austen Daydream

    A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM is published by Madison Street Publishing and can be purchased in print or as an ebook for the outrageously low price of $3.99. It is available for the Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.

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  • September 17, 2013

    “…head over heels” An Interview With The Booknatics About A Jane Austen Daydream

    From PersuasionRecently, I had the pleasure to be interviewed by The Booknatics about my new book A Jane Austen Daydream. They also shared some of their thoughts on the work, which I found very flattering. You can read the interview and their thoughts on my latest novel here.

    Here is part of my reply to a question about the process of creating the book:

    Honestly, it took many years before I even had the courage to write the book!  For a long time,  A Jane Austen Daydream was my Mount Everest, and I would jump to any other project than take it on. It was my wife that argued for me to get on with it, believing wholeheartedly in the project and idea. She definitely earned the dedication in it! I read a few biographies, of course, but I wanted Jane’s own stories and words to direct the plot and the characters and the dialogue. So while I have people from her actual life in it, when it came to mapping the book out, it was definitely more fiction than fact in the end. And then I had to put some of my own plot points in so even the Austenites would be surprised.

    (On a side note, one of the fun questions I had to answer was who I would cast to play Jane Austen if the book was ever made into a TV mini-series or a movie. While I am still happy with the two actresses I reference in the article, I want to add a new name;  my new first choice for Jane- Catrin Stewart. For those that watch Doctor Who, she plays Jenny Flint and definitely would make a phenomenal Miss Austen.)

    A Jane Austen DaydreamYou can read the interview here. If you would like to learn more about A Jane Austen Daydream, you can do so on this page for the book (here). A Jane Austen Daydream is available via Amazon (here), where you can find it for the low price of $3.99 for eBook and $13.46 for print.

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  • August 29, 2013

    New WKAR Book Review: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

    Current StateTo commemorate the 200th anniversary of its publication and as part of the #AustenInAugust events taking place online, this week’s book review is on none other than Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice!

    You can listen to the stream of my book review via this link (http://wkar.org/post/book-review-200th-anniversary-pride-and-prejudice) or read below, after the jump.

    Also, as noted in an earlier post, I have an article on Jane Austen and my inspiration for my Miss Austen in  A Jane Austen Daydream on the website RoofBeamReader.com today. You can also enter to win an autographed copy of A Jane Austen Daydream. You can learn more here.  (more…)

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  • August 13, 2013

    New WKAR Book Review: The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman

    Current StateI have a new book review on WKAR’s radio show Current State!

    This time it is on The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman.

    If you would like to learn more about this new novel, Spielman also gave an interview on the show, which you can hear by clicking this link (http://wkar.org/post/local-author-explores-relationships-dreams-and-goals-life-list), or you can find it on Amazon here.

    My review of the novel can be heard via this link (http://wkar.org/post/book-review-lori-nelson-speilman-s-life-list) or read below after the jump.

    (more…)

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