Friday, May 27, 2016

Shadow of the Void by Nathan Garrison



INSIDE THE BOOK

 


Title: Shadow of the Void 
Author: Nathan Garrison 
Publisher: Harper Voyager Impulse 
Genre: Dark Fantasy 
Format: Kindle/Paperback
 
With comparisons to N.K. Jemison, Michael J. Sullivan, and Joe Abercrombie, readers have fallen in love with The Veiled Empire, the first book in The Sundered Worlds trilogy. Now, Nathan Garrison takes the story to the next level Shadow of the Void.

The Veil has fallen . . . and the gods have been woken.

For many, a new dawn has risen, as freedom from the tyrannical Emperor Rekaj has created a land replete with opportunities. But for those who had lived outside the Veil for generations, the sudden appearance of a new nation is not cause for celebration--it is the cause for war.

Yet, even as the political machinations of men and mierothi and valynkar start to manifest on a global scale, there are a few playing their own games. Whether it's the powerful combination of Vashodia and Jasside trying to carve out a country for those freed from the Veil, or the warrior Mevon and assassin Draevenus forming an unlikely alliance in search of the dark god Ruul, the world is in chaos...which might be exactly what some are counting on.

Continuing where Veiled Empire left off, Shadow of the Void shows us how individuals can shape their own destinies, but not necessarily control them.  

ORDER INFORMATION
 
HarperCollins
Amazon
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MEET THE AUTHOR

    Nathan Garrison 

 I have two great boys and an awesome wife who is way more supportive of my writing efforts than I deserve. I love playing guitar (the louder the better), cooking (the more bacon-y the better), playing board/video/card games with friends and family, and reveling in unadulterated geekery. Born in 1983, I’ve been writing stories since my dad bought our first family computer. I grew up on tales of the fantastic. From Narnia and Middle-Earth to a galaxy far, far away, I’ve always harbored a love for things only imagination can conjure up. I count it among the greatest joys of my life to be able to share the stories within me. 

  For More Information Visit Nathan’s website. 
 Connect with Nathan FacebookTwitter    


Death in Devon by Ian Sansom



Inside the Book:



Title: Death in Devon 
Author: Ian Sansom 
Release Date: May 10, 2016 
Publisher: Witness Impulse 
Genre: Mystery/Crime 
Format: Ebook/Paperback/Hardcover


Love Miss Marple? Adore Holmes and Watson? Professor Morley’s guide to Devon is a story of bygone England; quaint villages, eccentric locals—and murder…

Swanton Morely, the People’s Professor, sets off for Devon to continue his history of England, The County Guides. Morley’s daughter, Miriam, and his assistant, Stephen Sefton, pack up the Lagonda for a trip to the English Riviera. Morely has been invited to give the Founder’s Day speech at All Souls School in Rousdon. But when the trio arrive they discover that a boy has died in mysterious circumstances. Was it an accident or was it murder? Join Morely, Sefton, and Miriam on another adventure into the dark heart of 1940s England. A must-read for fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and Charles Todd, there’ll be plenty of murder, mystery, and mayhem to confound.  photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpgB&N photo addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png Witness Impulse

Meet the Author:

Ian Sansom is a frequent contributor and critic for The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The London Review of Books, and The Spectator and a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4. He is the author of nine books including Paper: An Elegy, and the Mobile Library Series.  

Monday, May 23, 2016

Cover Talk: Am I Going To Be Okay? by Debra Whittam





Title: Am I Going To Be Okay? Weathering the Storms of Mental Illness, Addiction and Grief
Author: Debra Whittam
Publisher: Turning Point International
Pages: 253
Genre: Memoir/Women’s Psychology/Applied Psychology

Am I Going To Be Okay? is an American story with a universal message. Ms. Whittam traces her history in the form of stories about her all too human, and sometimes unhinged family; she throws a rope to the little girl living there, and in adulthood, is able to pull her out to safety, bit by bit.
Her history is peopled with folks from a different time, a time before therapy was acceptable, 12 steps unimaginable and harsh words, backhands and even harsher silences can be spun to appear almost normal. She writes of a mother who would not or could not initiate love nor give it without condition, and a father, damn near heroic at times, abusive at others, a survivor with his head down and his sleeves rolled up.
Ms. Whittam approaches her past with the clear-eyed tough but sensitive objectivity necessary to untangle the shame from the source. She speaks of the people that affected her life so deeply with an understanding of their time and place in American culture; a family not far removed from immigrant roots when men carried their own water, emoted misplaced anger, and with fresh socks and food found on the trail, were confident, unflinching and at that same time tragical- ly failing to the little ones they ignored.
Like many of us, details notwithstanding, Whittam responded by numbing, running and gunning. Alcohol gave her hope, soothed a crushed soul for a time and wrecked her on a train, until finally she had the courage to accept it wasn’t working for her anymore. It was time to stop drinking and take inventory and accountability. It was time to accept, forgive and move forward. She healed where she was broken.
It is in the telling of this story that Whittam teaches us the difference between just surviving and surviving well, the importance of shared introspection and a careful eye on the wake we leave behind in our actions. Her story is a guide to surviving abuse and addiction. It is also about witnessing and dealing with the shrinking faculties of aging parents in the unavoidable circle of life. Finally, she offers a realistic sense of hope, forgiveness and a life we can shake hands with.

For More Information

  • Am I Going To Be Okay? Weathering the Storms of Mental Illness, Addiction and Grief is available at Amazon.
  • Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Talking Book Covers with Debra Whittam

My book, “Am I Going To Be Okay?  Weathering the Storms of Mental Illness, Addiction and Grief” is a memoir/self-help book written by a life.  Without blame or harsh ‘tell all’ format I write about my life growing up with my family, mostly my mother and I, interwoven with all of the untreated mental illness, untreated addiction and unacknowledged grief that flows through everyone’s family tree. 

What I explore, as the oldest of five children, is the impact of adults acting like little monsters on those children.  There are only two messages we get when we are young from these rampages.  Either there is something wrong with us or we’ve done something wrong.  We are too young to understand what is happening isn’t about us. 

The only place I felt safe from harm was at my grandparent’s farmhouse in Esperance, New York.  This is beautiful countryside in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains about 30 miles from Schenectady, New York.   Much of my first six years of life were spent at my grandparents centering on my Grandma Cecelia Neadle.  I felt safe and love by her. 

At the age of eight I experienced my first loss when she died, leaving me with no one to rely on at an age where I didn’t even understand I needed it.  But I did as my parents had just had a set of twins when I was six and within 15 months had a boy.  There was no way out of the hell of vicious arguments over money, horrific stress of my father not able to get along with anyone at work and my mother’s extremely unstable moods.  There was too much for either of them to handle with no one to rely on except themselves.

No one ever talked about those who passed away and were beloved to us.  No one ever does still. 

During visualization meditations I always will be brought back to the farm.  Either outside under the big tree out front or inside in the back bedroom where my parents were set up for the first eight months of my life.

Jude Moreo, my editor, and I went through photos from stock.com looking for what would be an inspiration for my cover art.  Judi found a young girl holding a red umbrella and it all started from there!

Please tell us about your book cover below:

Once Judi found the photo of a young girl holding a red umbrella we realized it fit with the concept of ‘Weathering the Storms of Mental Illness and so on.

Judi takes art lessons from a famous artist, Jeff Tift, in the state of Washington.  She thought of him immediately.  She spent a great deal of time sharing my story with him, stressing the importance of the farm and the countryside I grew up in.  My parents built their own home and moved in when I was two, yet the love and safety I found at the farm has stayed with me.  Judi knew it and gave what she knew of me to Jeff.  He is an amazing wildlife artist with breathtaking art from the areas of the North West where he hikes and wanders. 

Jeff contacted me to send as many photos of the farm that I could.  He used those for reference as well as what he had in mind as he created my remarkable cover art.  This painting goes completely around the book from front to back.  It is as if Jeff had visited the area as he captured it completely.

The young girl with the red umbrella struggles in the storms with the farm a constant in the background.  The painting is a snapshot of the story and meaning of my book.

I loved it from the first concept drawings he sent.  I will include the cover art from my book flyer.

I have the original painting in my living room.  It is my story on canvas.


About the Author

Debra Whittam is a licensed, practicing mental health therapist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who specializes in addiction, anxiety and depression, grief and loss. Whittam is passionate about her work in all areas of her specialties, especially addiction. Working in a detox unit for over three years before beginning her own private practice, Whittam realized, while counseling patients in the life and death arena of the detox unit, how much the loss of a beloved through death or a relationship impacted those struggling with addiction.
In this memoir, Whittam skillfully infuses her memories, stories and professional insights to remind us that the most important relationship we will ever have is with ourselves. She splits her time between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York and Paris, France. Am I Going To Be Okay? Weathering the Storms of Mental Illness, Addiction and Grief is her first book.
For More Information
 

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Cover Talk: DARK MONEY by Larry D. Thompson



Title: DARK MONEY           
Author: Larry D. Thompson
Publisher: Story Merchant Books
Pages: 420
Genre: Legal Thriller
DARK MONEY is a thriller, a mystery and an expose’ of the corruption of money in politics.

Jackson Bryant, the millionaire plaintiff lawyer who turned to pro bono work in Dead Peasants, is caught up in the collision of money and politics when he receives a call from his old army buddy, Walt Frazier. Walt needs his assistance in evaluating security for Texas Governor Rob Lardner at a Halloween costume fundraiser thrown by one of the nation’s richest Republican billionaires at his mansion in Fort Worth.
Miriam Van Zandt is the best marksman among The Alamo Defenders, an anti-government militia group in West Texas. She attends the fund raiser dressed as a cat burglar---wounds the governor and murders the host’s brother, another Republican billionaire. She is shot in the leg but manages to escape.
Jack is appointed special prosecutor and must call on the Texas DPS SWAT team to track Van Zandt and attack the Alamo Defenders’ compound in a lonely part of West Texas. Van Zandt’s father, founder of the Defenders, is killed in the attack and Miriam is left in a coma. The authorities declare victory and close the case---but Jack knows better. The person behind the Halloween massacre has yet to be caught. When Walt and the protective detail are sued by the fund raiser host and the widow of the dead man, Jack follows the dark money of political contributions from the Cayman Islands to Washington to Eastern Europe, New York and New Orleans to track the real killer and absolve his friend and the Protective Detail of responsibility for the massacre.

For More Information

  • Dark Money is available at Amazon.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.


 Larry D. Thompson Talks About His Cover DARK MONEY

The cover for DARK MONEY was designed by Buffalo Creative Group.

I submitted a page and a half synopsis of the book and in a matter of weeks received two proposed cover. I chose one of them. The cover features a costume ball mask with blood dripping from it. Certainly, it is eye-catching, the kind of cover that would cause a reader to want to pick up the book. The mask idea comes from the opening scene. It’s a political fund raiser shortly before Halloween where everyone is to come in costume. It is a DARK MONEY fundraiser and the symbolism of the mask is obvious. With certain of these political organizations, the government does not require the donors to disclose their names. All of the funds are veiled by a curtain, and no one can look behind it to see where the funds come from. As to the blood, there is an assassin at the fundraiser who kills one person and critically wounds the governor of Texas. Jack Bryant, the protagonist, must then lead the manhunt to find the killer and the person who paid for the attack. So the bloody costume mask works very well to draw the reader into the story.

Larry D. Thompson was first a trial lawyer. He tried more than 300 cases throughout Texas, winning in excess of 95% of them. When his youngest son graduated from college, he decided to write his first
novel. Since his mother was an English teacher and his brother, Thomas Thompson, had been a best-selling author, it seemed the natural thing to do.

Larry writes about what he knows best…lawyers, courtrooms and trials. The legal thriller is his genre. DARK MONEY is his fifth story and the second in the Jack Bryant series.
Larry and his wife, Vicki, call Houston home and spend their summers on a mountain top in Vail, Colorado. He has two daughters, two sons and four grandchildren.

For More Information

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Book Cover Junkie Interviews Urban Fantasy Author Christine Amsden

Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, which scars the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams. Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success.

Social Media Links:
·Blog

Check out Christine's latest book, Kaitlin's Tale at Amazon OmniLit.

Interview:

Tell us about your book! What is it about and what inspired you to write it?

I first met Kaitlin, Cassie's best friend, in Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective, she came with a theme song: “Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places.” She slept with Jason in that very first book, a one-night stand that resulted in her son, Jay. But it might surprise fans of the series to know that I never, not even for a split second, considered a real romance between Kaitlin and Jason. Not because there's anything wrong with Jason – he's my tragic hero. But they're not right for one another. They never were.

To tell you the truth, Kaitlin wasn't supposed to get her own book. She was a secondary character in the Cassie Scot series who I originally thought would have a minor, mostly behind-the-scenes romance alongside Cassie. But Kaitlin, much like Madison (from Madison's Song), became too big for a footnote in someone else's book. She demanded her own story.

When your characters start ordering you around, you have no choice but to listen. And really, it was a relief, because I honestly had no idea who would be right for Kaitlin. I love her, but she's – well, let's face it, she's a bit self-destructive. Case in point: a one-night stand with a vampire hunter she knew would be leaving town the next day and who she would likely never see again. And that was hardly her worst relationship. She's been used and abused, and has convinced herself that in the world of romance, she the woman who “knows the score,” the one the hero discards in favor of the real heroine.

Still, a girl can dream. Kaitlin wants a fairy tale, and I wanted that for her too.

So why Matthew Blair, of all people? Fans of the series will recognize that name from Mind Games, when he tried to manipulate Cassie into marrying him. He was the villain of the piece. But he was never evil in the classic two-dimensional sense. And in fact, the more three-dimensional I made him, the more I realized that for the right woman, he could be exactly what she needs.

Kaitlin is a loyal, kind-hearted, damaged woman with a buried past. Who better to help her heal than a telepath? Who else would even get to know the real her?

As you can see, Kaitlin's Tale was not the inspiration of a moment. The story developed in the back of my mind over at least 5 years while I wrote the rest of the Cassie Scot series.

Tell us about your publishing process. What was it like? Did you go indie or the traditional way?

I've been publishing with Twilight Times Books (a small, traditional publisher) since book 1, Touch of Fate, in 2005. They've made it as easy as it can be (which is still extremely difficult) and have made me feel cherished as an author.

How did you choose the title for your book? Did it come to you right away, before you started writing the story, or did it come later?

I chose Kaitlin's Tale as the title for this book when I chose Madison's Song for the title of my previous release. Both books tell the story of a character left behind in the Cassie Scot series – in Madison's case, her amazing musical gift lent itself to a title. In Kaitlin's case, the fact that she's always looked for a fairy tale romance drew me to her title.

Tell us about the cover design process.

Did you have a basic idea of what your book cover would be like?

I didn't have a clue what the cover would look like when I started out. I never do. To tell you the truth, the fact that I am legally blind makes this visual step a real challenge for me. It's so important, but I've seen so few book covers … I usually download audiobooks from the library for the blind!

Who is your cover designer and how did you find him/her?

My publisher found Tamian Wood, who also did the cover art for Madison's Song, but her initial ideas for Kaitlin's Tale kept misfiring. They were just boring – a woman in the foreground, nature in the background, nothing that said Kaitlin's Tale to me. I wanted something magical, but as we continued brainstorming, our biggest challenge was in finding a stock photo of a blonde woman running away.

Finally, I decided to borrow a friend's camera and a neighbor's daughter and take a picture myself! After that, it all came together beautifully.

How was your experience working with the designer?

It was a good experience overall. With Madison's Song, she came up with a great idea right out of the gate and I had little input. This time, it took more back and forth, but the more we brainstormed, the better the picture became until finally, I feel like this is the best cover I've ever put out!

What has been the readers’ response to your cover?

Beautiful! Magical!

What tips would you give to authors who are looking for a cover designer?

Know the cover art in your genre. And have an idea of what you want.

Anything else you’d like to say about your book?

It's amazing! And no, I'm not biased at all. :)


Seriously, though, I hope you'll give Kaitlin a chance. My recommendation is to start with the Cassie Scot series. Kaitlin's story can stand alone, but you'll understand more of who she is and where she came from if you read the books in the order I wrote them. The love interest, Matthew, also appears in the original Cassie Scot series. (Though you probably won't like him there! He has a redemption arc in Kaitlin's Tale.)

Monday, May 16, 2016

In Too Deep by Kristina Matthews


Inside the Book:



Title: In Too Deep
Author: Kristina Matthews
Publisher: Lyrical Shine
Genre: Romance
Format: Ecopy

Oh, baby!

For the first time in her life, adventure reporter Miranda Wilde has a plan that doesn’t involve scaling mountains or swimming with sharks. Miranda is about to do something scarier—she’s about to become a mother. Determined to deliver the news to her unborn baby’s father, Miranda arrives in Swift River to find the rugged resort owner with whom she shared an unexpectedly sexy weekend. Except Carson Swift is out of town—on his honeymoon—leaving his twin brother in charge. It’s all Miranda can do not to fall apart in Cody Swift’s strong arms….

Miranda is the only woman who ever tempted Cody to settle down, which is exactly why he doesn’t reveal that he’s the twin who shared those soul-searing nights with her. Cody knows Miranda needs more than a rough-edged river guide to give her the life she deserves. Then he learns Miranda is carrying a baby—his baby—and he’s ready to stake his claim. But can he prove his heart is in the right place—and that this is one adventure they’re meant to have together, for a lifetime?    

amazon (1)

Meet the Author

Krista-Matthews

Kristina Mathews doesn’t remember a time when she didn’t have a book in her hand. Or in her head. But it wasn’t until she turned forty that she confessed the reason the laundry never made it out of the dryer was because she was busy writing.

While she resigned from teaching with the arrival of her second son, she’s remained an educator in some form. As a volunteer, parent club member, or para educator, she finds the most satisfaction working with emergent and developing readers, helping foster confidence and a lifelong love of books. She proudly tells her students she writes romance novels that they can read when they’re older.

Kristina lives in Northern California with her husband of more than twenty years, two sons and a black lab. As a veteran road tripper, amateur renovator, and sports fanatic, she hopes to one day travel all 3,073 miles of Highway 50 from Sacramento, CA to Ocean City, MD, replace her carpet with hardwood floors, and someday throw out the first pitch for the San Francisco Giants.

For More Information

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Saturday, May 14, 2016

"Off-the-Grid – Always?": Guest Post by Mystery Author jd daniels

I’m one of those writers who is compelled to write by her muse.  For years, I lived a life as Super Mom and Super Mom.  When my kids were in junior high, I went back to complete my college degree.  I got my undergraduate degree, then my masters.  When I was offered a fellowship to pay for doctoral work, I grabbed it.  I began teaching writing.  While doing this, I free wrote with my students at the beginning of each class to loosen up their imaginations.  That practice changed my life.  My muse or demon, whichever you want to call her, broke free and I mean FREE!  It was a physical, emotional and mentally painful experience.  I’ve been writing ever since.  I guess she was in some kind of coma all those early adult years—now she won’t be denied.

 I published my first poem before earning my Masters. I couldn’t believe it that complete strangers who published a literary journal had read my words and thought them worthy of being put in print for others to read.   I ended up receiving my doctorate from Drake University with a book-length manuscript of my own poetry. Content to know they had been accepted by a committee of five distinguished professors, I never attempted to look for a publisher for the collection.  I was also too busy using a journal to try to figure out what had happened to me while freewriting with my students. Of course I feared I was insane.  One night it dawned on me, I was a writer—one who had a muse who had been so seriously abused, she’d escaped into a coma. I relaxed.

I had a mentor in college who said, “Run don’t walk from academia.”  I followed his advice and used my degree to travel, to teach, and to keep my muse free for writing.  Through the years, I wrote and published poems and short fiction in several literary journals, both in print and online while teaching in various universities in the U.S. and in Turkey. Being an adjunct professor at the college level kept me financially afloat.

Once I returned from teaching overseas, I used money from my divorce settlement to buy a house where I lived in half of it while rented out the other to cover the mortgage, insurance and property taxes.  One day, the daughters of my ninety-nine year old neighbor who had just died, stopped me when I was taking out the garbage and asked if I wanted to buy her tiny, fixer-upper bungalow—because of its condition, the asking price was $31,000. The bank gave me a construction loan.  I didn’t have to pay the first payment for three months.  I spent that time with the help of an artsy, talented carpenter friend of mine fixing the leaking roof and interior damage. Two weeks before the first payment was due, I had a tenant.   This house I still consider my retirement plan.  Adjuncts of course have no pensions or whatever else full-time workers get. That house secured me financially.  Now I could concentrate on becoming an author.

I spent and still spend much time and work learning the craft of novel and mystery writing. I will be the first to admit I’ve made the mistake more than once to send out a manuscript when it wasn’t fully evolved. That was part of my learning curve.

I’ve had two agents who were not able to find publishers for my books. Receiving grants from the Iowa Arts Council and my college to research and write The Old Wolf Lady, a Biography was rewarding.  The copious hours and money spent attempting to land a traditional book publisher on my own brought no knock on my door. This didn’t stop me writing and publishing small pieces or continuing the work at learning my craft.  I attended conferences.  Gave a few readings. Tried not to become cynical.
One day on the tennis court (Yes, exercise is a part of my writer’s life.  I am a good boss, after all) I met a woman who with another writer had started an independent press in 2002.  She read my work, liked it and invited me into the Savvy Press corral. Along with Savvy Press’s imprints Gowanus Books and SAGA SF I’ve published with them ever since.   

If a traditional publisher knocked on my door and wanted to publish my work, would I say yes?  Of course, if the traditional publisher had a great reputation and track record and the contract was good enough.  Traditional publishers have more resources and more money to devote to promoting their authors.  They also give advances.  Independent presses are for the off-the-grid writer who is resourceful and can figure out ways to promote their work without the help of those advances.  
Title: QUICK WALK TO MURDER
Genre: Mystery
Author: J.D. Daniels
Publisher: Savvy Books
Purchase on Amazon
Quick Walk to Murder opens with the murder of the son of a local crab fisher folk family. Young Jessie Murphy, an artist from Cambridge, MA who solved a homicide the previous season on the island, joins forces with two quirky, but savvy locals in hopes of bringing the murderer to justice. In her search for the reasons behind the murder, Jessie uncovers hidden—and frighteningly disturbing—relationships between the victim and many of his acquaintances.  Among them? A local crab fisherman who secretly hired the young man, the victim’s girlfriend and her over-protective brother, the victim’s college roommate, an adviser at college, a psychic, the victim’s mother and two strangers who show up on the island with badges.  With no shortage of suspects, Jessie launches a pulse-quickening investigation that  leads her to death’s door. But through her own power of reasoning and feisty Irish refusal to not finish a job once begun, Jessie uncovers a startling, surprising ending.
About the Author:
jd daniels is a mystery writer who divides her time between Southwest Florida and Iowa City, Iowa. She has also lived, written prose and poetry, and taught writing at the college level in Boston, Massachusetts and Ankara, Turkey.  She’s published five books, receiving an Iowa Arts Grant for her biography and reached the top of a best seller list for her book of poetry. Over the years, she has worked as a college professor, an aerobics instructor, a bartender, a restorer of historic homes, a landlady and has learned the art of carpentry, dry walling and bookmaking.  Quick Walk to Murder is the second release in the Jessie Murphy mystery series.   Through Pelican Eyes, the first Jessie Murphy mystery, was released in 2014.
Links:

Friday, May 13, 2016

The Pitchfork of Destiny by Jack Heckel

 


The Pitchfork of Destiny

Title: The Pitchfork of Destiny 
Author: Jack Heckel 
Release Date: May 17, 2016 
Publisher: Harper Voyager 
Genre: Mythology 
Format: Ebook/Paperback

Life in the Kingdom of Royaume has been happily ever for King William Pickett and his fiancee, Lady Rapunzel. But when Volthraxus, the Great Dragon of the North, returns looking for the love of his life, the Great Wyrm of the South, it becomes clear that some fairy tales never end.

After Volthraxus discovers his love was slain by the newly crowned king, he seeks his revenge by kidnapping Rapunzel. Once again, Will teams up with Edward Charming, the only man in all the kingdom with the skill, ego, and dashing good looks to fight a dragon. Our heroes fates depend on finding a weapon re-forged in dragon blood the Pitchfork of Destiny.

But as the two set off after the dragon, Charming s bride, Lady Elizabeth, falls into the clutches of a mysterious sorcerer known as the Dracomancer, who has his own plans for Royaume."

   photo addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpgB&N

Meet the Author:

Jack Heckel's life is an open book, actually, the book you are in all hope holding right now (and if you are not holding it, he would like to tell you it can be purchased from any of your finest purveyors of the written word). Beyond that, Jack aspires to be either a witty, urbane, world-traveller who lives on his vintage yacht, The Clever Double Entendre, or a geographically illiterate professor of literature who spends his non-writing time restoring an 18th century lighthouse off a remote part of the Vermont coastline. Whatever you want to believe of him, he is without doubt the author of the premier volume of the Charming novels, Once Upon a Rhyme. So, no matter what rumors you might hear about Jack, particularly those spread by either litigious dwarves or litigious dwarfs, ignore them, because he is currently working on a sequel. Because more than anything, Jack lives for his readers.

Despite whatever Jack may claim, in reality, Jack Heckel is the pen name for John Peck and Harry Heckel.
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Tuesday, May 10, 2016

The Lady Who Drew Me In by Thomasine Rappold

Inside the Book:

The Lady Who Drew Me In
Title: The Lady Who Drew Me In
Author: Thomasine Rappold
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance
Format: Ecopy

Daisy Lansing’s ability to transfer images from people’s thoughts onto paper was a novelty she used to trot out to amuse her friends. But when her “entranced drawing” begins to cause serious trouble for her guardians, she is banished to the country and forced to marry a man twice her age. After the joyless wedding, Daisy is determined to bury forever the strange skill that upended her life. However, she soon finds herself a widow and in dire financial straits. Suddenly, her curse may be her one chance at true independence.

Jackson Gallway’s reputation as a rogue has far surpassed his success as a lawyer. In the wake of yet another scandal, he decides to head west. But before he can escape Misty Lake, Jax makes a promise to find an elusive killer. When he encounters a lovely young artist with an unusual talent that could help him in his search, what he finds is something neither of them can escape . . .
amazon (1)

Meet the Author

 
A three-time RWA Golden Heart nominee, Thomasine Rappold writes historical romance and historical romance with paranormal elements. She lives with her husband in a small town in upstate New York that inspired her current series. When she’s not spinning tales of passion and angst, she enjoys spending time with her family, fishing on one of the nearby lakes, and basking on the beach in Cape Cod. Thomasine is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Capital Region Romance Writers. Readers can find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter: @ThomRappold.
 

Monday, May 9, 2016

Discount of the day: Daughter of the Sun (Cult of the Cat series, Book 1) only $.99!


Title: Daughter of the Sun (Cult of the Cat series, Book 1)
Author: Zoe Kalo
Genre: YA mythological fantasy/paranormal
Word count: 93,000 words / 330 pages
Official Launch: May 1, 2016

Only $.99 until Wednesday May 11th (regular price $4.99)

Get your copy on Kindle today!

Daughter of the Sun, Book 1 - blurb

Sixteen-year-old Trinity was born during a solar eclipse and left at the doorsteps of a convent along with a torn piece of papyrus covered with ancient symbols. Raised by nuns in the English countryside, she leads a quiet life until she’s whisked away to the Island of Cats and a grandmother she never knew.

But before they can get to know each other, her grandmother dies. All that Trinity has left is a mysterious eye-shaped ring. And a thousand grieving cats. As Trinity tries to solve the enigma of the torn papyrus, she discovers a world of bloody sacrifices and evil curses, and a prophecy that points to her and her new feline abilities.

Unwilling to believe that any of the Egyptian gods could still be alive, Trinity turns to eighteen-year-old Seth and is instantly pulled into a vortex of sensations that forces her to confront her true self—and a horrifying destiny.

What readers are saying….

“This was an amazing story!” –Hot Off the Shelves

“This book was so super good! Great writing, great characters, great plot. Very immersive reading experience.” –Awesome Book Assessment

“Wow- this book was a stunning, magnificent adventure! Very well written and full of intricate details, I was immediately drawn in and just absolutely did not want to put this one down... The intrigue just leaves you racing through the pages to find out what will happen next! I absolutely, completely enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what happens in the next one!” –The Recipe Fairy

“The way [Zoe Kalo] writes cats into the book is astounding. Every little quirk, mew and lick is incredibly authentic. I love it when a writer is skilled at writing about the animals in the character’s story, it makes it more warm and fuzzy, no pun intended.” –Samantha Writes

“Daughter of the Sun is an intriguing young adult mythology read full of mystery, magic, action, and history… [it] kept me flipping pages like an addict.” –Fishing for Books

“Oh my God. This is definitely a ‘something.’ This concept and the plot is soooo unique and weird and fascinating that I did not want to put this down. I literally breezed through this one…. This book was an overdose of kitty love.” –Grape Fruit Books

“If you are looking for a Young Adult Fantasy book that is different from the norm, then look no further. Daughter of the Sun is full of Egyptian mythology, with layer upon layer of mystery just waiting to be uncovered.” –Archaeolibrarian

About the Author
A certified bookworm, Zoe Kalo has always been obsessed with books and reading. Reading led to writing—compulsively. No surprise that at 16, she wrote her first novel, which her classmates read and passed around secretly. The pleasure of writing and sharing her fantasy worlds has stayed with her, so now she wants to pass her stories to you with no secrecy—but with lots of mystery…
A daughter of adventurous expats, she’s had the good fortune of living on 3 continents, learning 4 languages, and experiencing a multicultural life. Currently, she’s working on a Master’s degree in Comparative Literature, which she balances between writing, taking care of her clowder of cats, and searching for the perfect bottle of pinot noir.
Connect with Zoe Kalo on the web: www.ZoeKalo.com / Facebook / Twitter