The Breadwinners - an epic family saga set in South Africa

Just4kix · 10-03-2010, 02:21 PM

Now doing a limited promotion of a FREE PDF version on my website. Hope you'll drop by. SORRY - FREE PROMOTION HAS ENDED.

www.just4kix.jimdo.com

Hi,
This is the Amazon review of The Breadwinners. It is presently selling at $0.99

This review is from: The Breadwinners (Kindle Edition)
Love, passion, family rivalries and ruthless business dealings combine to make `The Breadwinners', by South African Indie writer, Jan Hurst-Nicholson, a totally absorbing family saga.

The novel explores the lives of three South African families, each involved in the bakery industry. It spans three generations and is set against a backdrop of 20th century world events.

Similar novels of the family saga genre often feature families whose wealth has been generated through banking, multi-national corporations or genealogy. Hurst-Nicholson, who was previously employed in research and technology in the South African baking industry, has stuck to the adage: write about what you are familiar with, and her experience has added a refreshing authenticity to her description of the setting. This is further supported by the use of colloquial terms, the meaning of which is generally clear from the context or by using the Kindle dictionary.

Characterization is one of this novel's strong points and each of the many characters is fully fleshed out. There are some excellent examples of imagery, concise descriptive detail and a strong emphasis on characterization through verbs not adjectives, or 'show not tell'.

If a fault or blemish had to be identified, it might be the somewhat abrupt ending of the novel. While it was appropriate, I was left hoping for more and I sincerely hope the author is considering a sequel.

If you enjoy the work of Barbara Taylor Bradford, Belva Plain and Catherine Gaskin then you will enjoy `The Breadwinners' as well.

An enjoyable and engrossing read. Five stars.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Breadwinne...tt_at_ep_dpi_1

Just4kix · 10-10-2010, 11:58 AM

The Breadwinners has just been tweeted as a bestseller by hotsellingbooks.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Breadwinne...6726243&sr=1-1

rhadin · 10-10-2010, 04:10 PM

Is it available at Smashwords? A lot of us do not own Kindles and cannot use Kindle files. Others simply refuse to buy from Amazon. And yet others both do not own a Kindle and refuse to buy from Amazon. IOW, there are a lot of people who might be interested but aren't Amazon/Kindle folk.

Just4kix · 10-15-2010, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhadin

Is it available at Smashwords? A lot of us do not own Kindles and cannot use Kindle files. Others simply refuse to buy from Amazon. And yet others both do not own a Kindle and refuse to buy from Amazon. IOW, there are a lot of people who might be interested but aren't Amazon/Kindle folk.

Hi Richard,
I would love to be able to make it available in other forms, but Smashwords require you to have a PayPal account for payments, and South Africa does not allow you to receive money via PayPal because of tax tracking.

They have just permitted one bank to allow payment in dollars, but it is not the bank I use and it would cost a fortune to change banks. I would have to sell an enormous number of books to make it worthwhile.
I investigated selling via Barnes & Noble, but they require you to have an account with them and a US credit card and if you live outside of the US I don't know how you could organise that.

Sorry.
If you read this link you will see why other authors are wary of Smashwords.
http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/...k-distributor/

Just4kix · 10-16-2011, 10:15 AM

Sorry, free promotion has closed.

rhadin · 10-17-2011, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just4kix

FREE pdf The Breadwinners - an epic family saga set in South Africa

Now doing a limited promotion of a FREE PDF version on my website. Hope you'll drop by.

www.just4kix.jimdo.com

How about offering it in ePub at your website?

Just4kix · 10-21-2011, 08:43 AM

Hi,
Thanks for your suggestion.

Unfortunately I can't publish through ePub as I don't live in the US, and I can't publish through Smashwords as I can't receive PayPal payments.

If I offer a free ebook through Amazon they charge me an extra $2 for the Whispernet charge.

The only way I can offer a free book is a PDF on my website.

Just4kix · 11-20-2011, 08:32 AM

If you're looking to settle down with a good long read over the holidays, you might like to try The Breadwinners.

For a FREE pdf (limited time) visit my website www.just4kix.jimdo.com

carpetmojo · 11-21-2011, 12:01 PM

Thank you Jan, I look forward to tackling these - thanks for your generosity !

DustyDisks · 11-21-2011, 02:51 PM

Thanks for the reads, is is very nice of you!

Just4kix · 11-25-2011, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

Thank you Jan, I look forward to tackling these - thanks for your generosity !

You're welcome. Hope you enjoy the read.

Just4kix · 11-25-2011, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DustyDisks

Thanks for the reads, is is very nice of you!

You're welcome. Hope it makes a good stocking filler

Just4kix · 03-30-2012, 01:05 AM

Thrilled to announce that The Breadwinners has made it to the quarter finals of the 2012 ABNA contest.

These are the reviews that got me through.

ABNA Expert Reviewer

What is the strongest aspect of this excerpt?

I thoroughly enjoyed this excerpt. Charles is a conflicted man, a flawed hero, and the author nimbly renders the inner conflict regarding his seduction of Hilde and his pride in the resultant paternity, as well as his lovelorn abjection. Character development is pitch-perfect. The narrative tension is growing steadily. The pace and rhythm is lyrical, and the local color/environment is vivid. This author knows how to write an entertaining and substantial narrative.

What aspect needs the most work?

The excerpt is convincing, compelling me to continue to read. There are one or two turns of phrase that are not fresh, and could be considered cliche, such as "piercing blue eyes," and "a warm glow through his body." However, these are not glaring errors within the context of the entire excerpt.

What is your overall opinion of this excerpt?

From what I have read, this is ready to be published. I was hooked from the first page by the writing and by the character of Charles. The author pays attention to detail and local color, creating an environment of dimensional characters and conflicts. The prose is muscular and the mood and tone are spot-on. Moreover, I was intrigued by secondary characters, for example the obese Benjamin, who fears the potential violence of his father. There is nuanced foreshadowing here. The author is also portraying the prejudices of South Africa with subtlety. I would certainly want to read the rest of this story.

ABNA Expert Reviewer

What is the strongest aspect of this excerpt?

The writing style is solid and only enhances the story. The characters are being developed fully with some of their strengths and flaws already apparent. The plot is moving along nicely. There is the slightest foreshadowing but the reader doesn't know fully what to expect in the battle between the bakeries.

What aspect needs the most work?

Be careful to avoid stock characters--especially in the supporting women roles.

What is your overall opinion of this excerpt?

A well written beginning with interesting and very human characters already in the midst of a potentially explosive conflict. The exotic setting only adds to the story and doesn't detract. I am intrigued and would most definitely continue reading the novel.

10-03-2010, 02:21 PM	#1
Just4kix Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 365040 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Durban South Africa Device: none	FREE pdf The Breadwinners - an epic family saga set in South Africa Now doing a limited promotion of a FREE PDF version on my website. Hope you'll drop by. SORRY - FREE PROMOTION HAS ENDED. www.just4kix.jimdo.com Hi, This is the Amazon review of The Breadwinners. It is presently selling at $0.99 This review is from: The Breadwinners (Kindle Edition) Love, passion, family rivalries and ruthless business dealings combine to make `The Breadwinners', by South African Indie writer, Jan Hurst-Nicholson, a totally absorbing family saga. The novel explores the lives of three South African families, each involved in the bakery industry. It spans three generations and is set against a backdrop of 20th century world events. Similar novels of the family saga genre often feature families whose wealth has been generated through banking, multi-national corporations or genealogy. Hurst-Nicholson, who was previously employed in research and technology in the South African baking industry, has stuck to the adage: write about what you are familiar with, and her experience has added a refreshing authenticity to her description of the setting. This is further supported by the use of colloquial terms, the meaning of which is generally clear from the context or by using the Kindle dictionary. Characterization is one of this novel's strong points and each of the many characters is fully fleshed out. There are some excellent examples of imagery, concise descriptive detail and a strong emphasis on characterization through verbs not adjectives, or 'show not tell'. If a fault or blemish had to be identified, it might be the somewhat abrupt ending of the novel. While it was appropriate, I was left hoping for more and I sincerely hope the author is considering a sequel. If you enjoy the work of Barbara Taylor Bradford, Belva Plain and Catherine Gaskin then you will enjoy `The Breadwinners' as well. An enjoyable and engrossing read. Five stars. http://www.amazon.com/The-Breadwinne...tt_at_ep_dpi_1 Last edited by Just4kix; 03-30-2012 at 01:09 AM. Reason: update

10-16-2011, 10:15 AM	#5
Just4kix Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 365040 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Durban South Africa Device: none	Sorry, free promotion has closed. Last edited by Just4kix; 03-30-2012 at 01:12 AM. Reason: free promotion has closed

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10-10-2010, 11:58 AM	#2
Just4kix Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 365040 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Durban South Africa Device: none	The Breadwinners has just been tweeted as a bestseller by hotsellingbooks. http://www.amazon.com/The-Breadwinne...6726243&sr=1-1

10-10-2010, 04:10 PM	#3
rhadin Literacy = Understanding Posts: 4,833 Karma: 59674358 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: The World of Books Device: Nook, Nook Tablet	Is it available at Smashwords? A lot of us do not own Kindles and cannot use Kindle files. Others simply refuse to buy from Amazon. And yet others both do not own a Kindle and refuse to buy from Amazon. IOW, there are a lot of people who might be interested but aren't Amazon/Kindle folk.

10-21-2011, 08:43 AM	#7
Just4kix Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 365040 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Durban South Africa Device: none	Hi, Thanks for your suggestion. Unfortunately I can't publish through ePub as I don't live in the US, and I can't publish through Smashwords as I can't receive PayPal payments. If I offer a free ebook through Amazon they charge me an extra $2 for the Whispernet charge. The only way I can offer a free book is a PDF on my website.

11-20-2011, 08:32 AM	#8
Just4kix Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 365040 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Durban South Africa Device: none	If you're looking to settle down with a good long read over the holidays, you might like to try The Breadwinners. For a FREE pdf (limited time) visit my website www.just4kix.jimdo.com

11-21-2011, 12:01 PM	#9
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	Thank you Jan, I look forward to tackling these - thanks for your generosity !

11-21-2011, 02:51 PM	#10
DustyDisks Old Fart In Training Posts: 534 Karma: 2742476 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Gladewater, Texas Device: K3+3g/KFHD 7"/Nexus 7/Nexus 7.2	Thanks for the reads, is is very nice of you!

03-30-2012, 01:05 AM	#13
Just4kix Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 365040 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Durban South Africa Device: none	Thrilled to announce that The Breadwinners has made it to the quarter finals of the 2012 ABNA contest. These are the reviews that got me through. ABNA Expert Reviewer What is the strongest aspect of this excerpt? I thoroughly enjoyed this excerpt. Charles is a conflicted man, a flawed hero, and the author nimbly renders the inner conflict regarding his seduction of Hilde and his pride in the resultant paternity, as well as his lovelorn abjection. Character development is pitch-perfect. The narrative tension is growing steadily. The pace and rhythm is lyrical, and the local color/environment is vivid. This author knows how to write an entertaining and substantial narrative. What aspect needs the most work? The excerpt is convincing, compelling me to continue to read. There are one or two turns of phrase that are not fresh, and could be considered cliche, such as "piercing blue eyes," and "a warm glow through his body." However, these are not glaring errors within the context of the entire excerpt. What is your overall opinion of this excerpt? From what I have read, this is ready to be published. I was hooked from the first page by the writing and by the character of Charles. The author pays attention to detail and local color, creating an environment of dimensional characters and conflicts. The prose is muscular and the mood and tone are spot-on. Moreover, I was intrigued by secondary characters, for example the obese Benjamin, who fears the potential violence of his father. There is nuanced foreshadowing here. The author is also portraying the prejudices of South Africa with subtlety. I would certainly want to read the rest of this story. ABNA Expert Reviewer What is the strongest aspect of this excerpt? The writing style is solid and only enhances the story. The characters are being developed fully with some of their strengths and flaws already apparent. The plot is moving along nicely. There is the slightest foreshadowing but the reader doesn't know fully what to expect in the battle between the bakeries. What aspect needs the most work? Be careful to avoid stock characters--especially in the supporting women roles. What is your overall opinion of this excerpt? A well written beginning with interesting and very human characters already in the midst of a potentially explosive conflict. The exotic setting only adds to the story and doesn't detract. I am intrigued and would most definitely continue reading the novel.