Author Spotlight: A.J. Calvin

Website • Twitter • Facebook

A.J. Calvin is a science fiction/fantasy novelist from Loveland, Colorado. By day, she works as a microbiologist, but in her free time she writes. She lives with her husband, their cat, Magic, and a fairly large salt water aquarium.

When she is not working or writing, she enjoys scuba diving, hiking, and playing video games.

Are you indie or traditionally published? What made you decide to take that route?

I chose to indie publish for several reasons. First and foremost, I retain control of my work.

I was pursuing the trad route for another series for several years, but grew tired of hearing the canned response of “I have x fantasy projects at this time and can’t take on another.” (The feedback for said series was largely positive, too, so this was frustrating.)

But after doing more research, I’ve learned there are a growing number of trad published authors who are switching to indie for various reasons. The trad publishing world doesn’t seem to be what it once was.

The freedom indie publishing gives authors is incredible, and now that I’ve released a couple books in that manner, I don’t think I’d change it for the world. (And that other series I mentioned above? I’m working on a release plan for it starting 2023.)

Tell us a fun story about your publication journey!

In 2020, I published a standalone urban fantasy (Hunted). It was dedicated to my two best friends.

One of them texted me to tell me she started reading it, and I was excited (and terrified) of what she would think.

A couple days later, I received another message: “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU DID THIS TO ME!!!” I knew immediately what she was referring to… I may have killed off a certain character that happened to be her favorite…

She loved the book, and we laugh about that exchange now.

How about a horror story about your author life?

I wrote a blog about my worst experience about a month ago. Lesson learned: There are scam publishers in the world, and authors need to stay away from them.

This is the link to the blog post here: https://ajcalvin.net/a-cautionary-tale-about-a-vanity-press/

This particular horror story was resolved 2 weeks ago. I’m so glad it’s over!

What do you think is the best thing about being an author?

I love storytelling, and to create new worlds is amazing. When others enjoy immersing themselves in those stories and worlds, it’s incredible.

Who do you think you inspire? If not, who and what do you want to inspire?

I believe I inspired one of my cousins to pursue writing, just by doing so myself.

I’d like to think I can inspire others to share the stories of their hearts. Some of the best books I’ve read are those that don’t fit the traditional mold.

What keeps you up at night?

The voices in my head. By that, I mean the characters from my stories – I’m awake at 3am more times than I’d like to admit, thinking about scenes or passages that I need to update or am planning to write.

What character archetype would you be if you were a character in a book, movie or TV series?

Probably the stubborn skeptic… It’s the scientist in me.

If you were a character in a book, movie or TV series, what would be your catchphrase or famous line or popular expression?

“That’s not how it works…” (One of my coworkers recently told me I say that a lot)

What food or drink best describes you?

I love good home-made mac and cheese (not the kind from a box.) I’m not sure what that says about me, but it’s one of my favorites.

If you were cursed to only be able to sing ONE song in karaoke for the rest of your life, what would you like it to be and why?

Rise Above This by Seether. It’s one of my all-time favorite songs and helped me get through some rough patches in life.

What else do you enjoy doing other than reading and writing?

Hiking, scuba diving, and nature photography

What do you consider as your weakness as a writer, and what have you done to overcome it?

I’m impatient – and not only in my writing. I’ve learned to outline my writing projects before I begin. That process forces me to pause and consider important events/details, and I believe my writing is much better for it.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Dan Simmons, Katherine Kerr, Raymond Feist, Dean Koontz, and more recently, Halo Scot.

Any book recommendations?

Here are my top 5 that I’ve read this year (so far and they’re not in order):

  • The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams by Halo Scot
  • The Martian by Andy Weir
  • Bits & Pieces by Dawn Hosmer
  • The Teeth in the Tide by Rebecca F. Kenney
  • These Violent Nights by Rebecca Crunden

Anything else you want to tell your fans, our readers, and the writing/reading/blogging community at large?

I have several releases this 2022.

  • April 30: The Ballad of Alchemy and Steel (a novella related to The Relics of War series)
  • July 19: The Talisman of Delucha (book 2 of The Relics of War) December, date TBD: War of the Nameless (book 3 of The Relics of War)

In 2023, I plan to begin releasing my 4-book series, The Caein Legacy. In the meantime, I’m writing another series, The Mage War Chronicles. I plan to start releasing those after The Caein Legacy is out. More information about each series is available on my website.

Chosen for advanced training by the god of war himself, Vardak is considered a paragon amongst his people, the Scorpion Men. Yet his position and training come with a cost: He must serve the whims of the god, with no questions asked. Only days after his training is complete, he is sent far away from his desert homeland in order to act as the protector of the Fire Maiden’s mortal daughter, Janna.

Janna has been tasked with the recovery of a magical relic known as The Moon’s Eye, but she has little worldly experience to guide her. The Immortals deem the relic’s recovery imperative, for it alone can combat the rise of the Soulless—those sworn to the fallen, nameless god of death. The Soulless are ruthless and powerful, and eager to wage war upon the land in order to appease the god they serve.

Though Vardak is skilled in battle, he must lead Janna through several perilous areas in order to reach the relic she seeks, pushing his abilities to the limit. Unbeknownst to the pair, the Soulless raise an army and begin their conquest, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. Will they secure The Moon’s Eye before all is lost, or will the relic itself prove to be their undoing?

Genre: Epic/High Fantasy
Purchase Links: Book Funnel

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New Release: Sair Back, Sair Banes by Anthony Engebretson

Sair Back, Sair Banes by dark and speculative fiction writer Anthony Engebretson is out now from Ghost Orchid Press! This story was inspired by his fear of large bodies of water, particularly lakes, which gave him a macabre interest in legends and stories about creatures living in them.

You can learn about Anthony and read more of his work via his WordPress blog Raccoon Alley. You can also find him on Twitter at @AnthonyJEngebr1.

A dark shape now stood in those choppy dark waters. A horse. A black one, large as she’d ever seen, with a mane that poured down its neck.

Genevieve hoped a trip to the Scottish village of Fonniskie would help her reconnect. But her vacation turns out to be less than relaxing: the nearby loch holds a dark secret, and Genevieve finds herself haunted by a relentless pursuer whose obsession means he will do anything to possess her—even kill.

Blending ancient folklore with modern alienation, Anthony Engebretson’s eerie debut novella will make you question what it really means to be human.

GENRE: Folk Horror Novella
PUBLICATION DATE: 17 May 2022
PUBLISHER: Ghost Orchid Press

Amazon | Ghost Orchid Shop | Other Retailers

Review

So, Scotland. A dreamy and romantic place in my imagination, with medieval castles and breathtaking scenic spots… and now it has shape-shifting water horses thanks to this novella, LOL. I’m not even quite as enthusiastic to travel there anymore, as I’ve always had a fear of what’s lurking beneath giant bodies of water myself. Nessie’s one thing, I think, because it’s gotten so popular. But traveling to remote places…

I suppose that’s what makes Anthony’s story so effective. You can see it come alive on the pages and easily imagine it happening to you. (God forbid!) And I’m not sure what’s worse – how haunted Genevieve, the protagonist, was after her encounter in Fonniskie, or the way people can get literally, physically stuck on kelpies.

If you’re a fan of folklore and horror, then this read is perfect for you. It’s short but delightful, in the spine-tingling kind of way.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommended Listening: As I mentioned in my open call for books to review, I’ll now be adding a song to my reviews! It’ll be one that either sums up the book for me, or what I’d imagine in a trailer were it a movie… or maybe even an original inspired by it 😉

Got a book you’d like me to review or an author you’d like me to feature? Drop me a line! 💕 You can also subscribe to my newsletter for free short stories, special offers, and writing opportunities.

Author Spotlight: Erika McCorkle

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Erika McCorkle is an avid world-builder and consumer of all things fantasy, whether that be books, video games, or anime. She has been developing the Pentagonal Dominion for 22 years and figured it was about damn time to publish her books. She has a Bachelors of Science in Biology and works as a laboratory technician on the graveyard shift at her local blood bank, which qualifies her as a vampire.

Are you indie or traditionally published? What made you decide to take that route?

I’m with Shadow Spark Publishing, an Indie publisher. I chose to go indie because the publisher and other authors at SSP were passionate about my stories regardless of content or word count. I did not see the point in searching for an agent when my stories were wanted there. I’ve maintained a significant amount of creative control over my novel, which features queer and sexually explicit content that a trad publisher would likely try to tone down.

Tell us a fun story about your publication journey!

The best part of publishing has been making the friends I made along the way. I love the community on Twitter. Before we joined Shadow Spark, I was friends with Valerie Storm and A.D. Wills, and we were all supporting each other on our journeys to publication. I was doubtful that all three of us would get in, so when the reveal happened, I was ecstatic.

How about a horror story about your author life?

A book touring service once criticized my cover for having white and “a fairy” on it, even though my book is for adults. They went on to lecture me for paragraphs about how adult books should be dark. They suggested making the white parts black… as if that wouldn’t be a huge insult to me and my artist. Yikes!

What do you think is the best thing about being an author?

The best part is when my stories touch another person’s soul in a meaningful way. When someone gushes over my beautiful characters. When someone cries over a painful scene. When someone wants to toss the book because my villain is so despicable. All these bring me immense, incalculable joy.

Who do you think you inspire? If not, who and what do you want to inspire?

I hope to inspire readers who want a truly unique fantasy experience featuring a world which is striving to bring equality, equity, and justice to all its people. While it starts off with problematic societies, in the end, good shall prevail. I want to show readers what a world of hopes and dreams made real would look like.

What keeps you up at night?

Vampirism. As a creature of the night, this is my playtime.

What character archetype would you be if you were a character in a book, movie or TV series?

The hot and utterly irredeemable villain.

If you were a character in a book, movie or TV series, what would be your catchphrase or famous line or popular expression?

The world shall belong to me!

What food or drink best describes you?

Pina Colada. Adult (alcoholic), fruity, and if you like me, I’m the love that you’ve looked for; Write to me and escape

If you were cursed to only be able to sing ONE song in karaoke for the rest of your life, what would you like it to be and why?

Joke’s on you, I already can’t sing anything at karaoke. My voice is that of a banshee and anyone who hears me sing is the one who has truly been cursed.

What else do you enjoy doing other than reading and writing?

Playing video games, watching anime, playing tabletop RPGs. In all these, though, the common theme is ‘fantasy.’ If I can engage in a fantasy story, I’m all in.

What do you consider as your weakness as a writer, and what have you done to overcome it?

In general, I’d like to become better at writing prose. I feel like my writing is functional, but not yet *beautiful*. I’d like to reach a point where I like my writing for the words, not just the content.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Gene Wolfe, Ryukishi07, Robert Jordan, Ursula K. Le Guin

Any book recommendations?

If you’re tired of the same old stories from trad publishing, read indie. A Sea of Pearls and Leaves by Rosalyn Briar. The Living Waters by Dan FitzGerald. Skein of Fates by Leslie Ann Moore. These are stories that do things and go places trad publishing fears to tread.

Anything else you want to tell your fans, our readers, and the writing/reading/blogging community at large?

My books were written for adults who enjoy spicy content, but also intense fantasy worldbuilding. I would love for you to give my books a chance IF you are into both things I listed. People who balk at sex scenes or who believe worldbuilding should be sparse should think twice before committing. However, if these are things you like? My books are going to rock your world. Nobody does worldbuilding the way I do.

On one of the many planes of the Pentagonal Dominion, priestess Calinthe trades in information, collecting valuable secrets for her demonic employer. Calinthe has a secret of her own: she’s intersex, making her a target for the matriarchal slavers of the Ophidian Plane whose territory she must cross in her search for hidden knowledge. But thanks to her friend Zakuro’s illusions, Calinthe presents as a woman—a comfortable, if furtive, existence in a world determined to bring her to heel.

But when, instead of a mere secret, the priestess uncovers an incalculably powerful artifact, Calinthe finds herself in a high-stakes negotiation with the same matriarchs who sought to enslave her. On the table: Calinthe’s discovery, a charm powerful enough to transform a mortal into a god… against a secret so deadly it could quell all life on every plane of the dominion. If Calinthe plays her cards perfectly, she and Zakuro could escape Ophidia wealthier than either of them ever dreamed possible.

But if she plays them wrong… …she’ll learn slavery in her pursuers’ hands is a fate far worse than death.

Genre: Epic Fantasy
Purchase Links: Amazon

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Author Spotlight: Sakinah Baksh

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Sakinah Baksh is an introverted insomniac of an author who started writing in the heatwaves of Marrakesh, Morocco, after being subjected to book-deprived boredom for several tortuous months. She hasn’t stopped writing ever since. When she isn’t working full time, she usually writes dark, emotional, genre-bending stories, enjoys reading webtoons, and watches anime and Korean or Chinese drama series that mess with her feelings.

Her dream is to connect with the world via her stories, make her readers feel a little less lonely than they were before, and be the best introverted author possible.

What made you decide to publish independently?

Years ago, probably around 2012, I sent out query letters to agents but in the end that method didn’t work for me. I was too impatient and didn’t like the idea of waiting around only to be rejected over and over again because my stories failed to fit a marketable mould. Even if it was the only way to get published, I just wasn’t keen on the idea so I stopped not long after I started. I salute everyone who has the patience and the heart to keep querying.

A while later, I found out self-publishing was a thing and weighed its pros and cons against those of traditional publishing. I liked the amount of creative control offered by self-publishing and wanted to try publishing a novella series that probably wouldn’t have been accepted by traditional publishers anyway due to its length and my writing style. So I decided to become an independent author and I’ve been doing whatever I can to be a successful one in the future.

What has been your most unforgettable experience (good or bad) as an author?

Prior to releasing Don’t Disappoint Me: Volume One, I got a different job and moved to a workplace that was local to me. After I published my first book, I found out a colleague from my old workplace had mentioned my book in the company newsletter which was emailed to everyone working there (over a hundred people, I believe!). Some of my other colleagues bought my book as a result and contributed to the number of sales I had following my first book launch. No matter what happens, I’ll always remember that and feel grateful for their delightfully unexpected support.

Who do you think you inspire? If not, who and what do you want to inspire?

I don’t know if I inspire anyone but I like to write characters with traits that aren’t conventionally acceptable or attractive in the hope that more people relate to them and feel better about being who they are in real life without shame.

Disclaimer: this doesn’t include evil/malicious traits. I don’t want anyone to become like the villains in my stories, even if there’s sometimes a fine line between them and my protagonists. Heh heh.

What character archetype would you be if you were a character in a book, movie or TV series?

I think I’d either be an Outlaw or an Explorer … or perhaps a blend of the two.

From what I understand, the Explorer is a character who tends to be curious, restless, and driven to push the boundaries of the status quo and explore what they don’t know. And the Outlaw often thinks and acts independently, and is usually considered a rebel who doesn’t abide by the demands of society.

What kind of animal character would you be in your story, and why?

Surprisingly, despite my childhood and ongoing fascination with them, the presence of animals in my stories tends to be symbolic. I wrote stories with animal characters when I was younger but most of my new stories don’t really have flesh and blood animals. However my online serial, Darkling, features mythological-type creatures so I’d probably be a werewolf-vampire hybrid.

If you were not doing what you are doing now, what activity or hobby would be keeping you busy?

Alongside reading and watching Asian shows/anime as I do now, I would probably be a lot more active. To be honest, I think I’d be a lot healthier physically if I wasn’t an active writer. I used to enjoy biking to work and I like walking with a set destination in mind so I’d likely cycle a lot and go for walks more often. I also love eating cake so I’d definitely bake more too. Maybe I wouldn’t be much healthier after all. Heh heh.

What do you consider as your weakness, and have you done anything to overcome it?

Following on from my answer above, I struggle to balance my work life, my writing goals, and personal habits that positively affect my physical, mental, and spiritual health. Time seems too short and I don’t always have the energy to maintain that balance. However, ticking off achievements on a list satisfies the high achiever who sleeps in my head so I write checklists daily in my diary to wake them up.

These checklists include small tasks that help me improve myself or aid my overall well being in some way, such as drinking apple cider vinegar or my writing goal for that day. By doing this, I hope to continue my self development and feel great about my progress at the same time, even though I don’t always tick all the boxes every day. It helps me keep track of myself and my habits too, both good and bad!

Anything else you want to tell your fans, our readers, and the writing/reading/blogging community at large?

Hmm … In life and writing alike, a lot of emphasis is placed on perfection. People strive to live or write the perfect story. While I think it’s good to have writing goals and focus on being a better person than you were yesterday, I think it’s also important to take note of two things.

One, you don’t have to do anything to be ‘enough’ and two, it’s impossible to be a perfect person or a perfect writer. So maybe keep climbing up the rope to reach the best version of yourself if you’re not satisfied with who you are at the moment but be careful not to hang yourself with it in the process. 

Don’t Disappoint Me: Volume One

Tiro Kaelyn is the most beautiful person she’s ever seen … with a beautiful heart to match. Vix knows she shouldn’t stalk him. She knows she shouldn’t stare at his pictures on social media. She knows that she shouldn’t follow him online. She knows she definitely shouldn’t stalk him in person at work. But a little obsession never hurt anyone. Until it does. And Vix realises she’s made herself the next target.

Don’t Disappoint Me: Volume Two

Vix has never been known for her beauty. If anything, she’s always been the brains behind the outfit. One of the smartest people in the room. But she’s done something stupid. A mistake that has led her into the hands of someone who has both brains and beauty. Into a fight she’s not sure she can win. And Vix is slowly starting to learn just how easy it is for some people to get away with murder.

Purchase Links: Amazon (both volumes) • Universal Purchase Link (volume one only)

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Book Blitz: Life After A Death by Trina Machacek

Check out this new memoir by author Trina Machacek, Life After A Death.

The Widow Road Is…
Excruciatingly painful, a daily adventure into the unknown.
As exciting as going to the dentist and finding you’ve a second set of wisdom teeth.
THEN…

As the days come and go and go and come things get… What do they get? Easier? Calmer? No. They get weird.

Becoming a one instead of half a twosome is not what you bargained for? You find yourself really alone, a lot?

You need a cheerleader. You need to hear you are going to live again. You need hope.

With all the courage of a kitten coming out of the box for the first time, and seeing the world in a new light, Trina found widowhood wasn’t all that bad. Oh there will be bad. Its life there will always be bad and mad and sad.

That’s exactly when Trina will buck you up with, “you got this.”

GENRE: Memoir / Grief / Humor
PUBLICATION DATE: 3 May 2022

Available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Born in 1955, married in 1976, widowed in 2018. Trina is finding this last path as another challenge to tackle with all the gusto it took her to start her self-syndicated national newspaper column “Is This You?” when she started it in 2012. Or writing her books, “They Call Me Weener” and “Life After A Death.” Hop aboard her widow train and become, as she says, “The best dang widow on your block.” ‘Course she laughs and points out she is the only person on her one mile square block in Diamond Valley, Nevada. Connect with her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrinaMachacekAuthor

Book Blitz Organized By R&R Book Tours

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Author Spotlight: Candice Zee

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Goodreads

Candice Zee is a middle-grade and YA fantasy writer who first dreamed the idea of The Munchkins as a child while playing make-believe with her brother in Wilkes-Barre, PA. She is an early childhood teacher with an M.Ed. in Elementary Education and has taught for over twelve years in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and primary grade classrooms. Like Casey Munch in her book series, she is passionate about creating a more just and equitable world. She savors vegan food, loves board games and podcasts, relishes horror movies and novels, devours social science nonfiction, spontaneously belts out tunes from musicals, and does some of her best writing while drinking coffee at 1 AM. She lives in Cleveland, OH with her wife Dana and their dog companion Solstice. The Munchkins is her debut novel. More information about her book series and the characters can be found at www.munchkinsbooks.com.

Are you indie or traditionally published? What made you decide to take that route?

indie. I didn’t want to wait to go through the long traditional publishing process and I wanted more creative freedom in designing my book.

Tell us a fun story about your publication journey!

When I first started writing The Munchkins, it was probably back in 2012 or ’13, and it started out just for fun. I didn’t have any intention to publish it, so I wasn’t too serious about working on it, and I’d write bits and pieces here and there. At some point though, I decided it was too good not to publish, and then I got more serious and banged the story out rather quickly. I’d go into a zone and spend whole weekends doing nothing but writing, staying up all hours of the night, only coming up for air to eat (and sometimes I’d forget to eat). I know this sounds cliche, but I felt like something was writing through me. I’d type out the words before I could even think of them. I wrote so much that I actually wrote the first and second book together. At one point I looked at the word count and realized I was well over 300,000 words. That’s when I decided to split it into two different books and write a series.

How about a horror story about your author life?

The biggest horror story I have is realizing how much time, money, and resources go into marketing and publicizing your book when you’re an indie author. I quickly discovered that writing a book is a cakewalk compared to marketing. I come home after work each night and spend hours, often staying up till the wee hours of the morning, just working on promoting and advertising my book. And you have to be careful because I also found there are a lot of scammers out there waiting to take advantage of new authors.

What do you think is the best thing about being an author?

Being able to take characters that you created and fell in love with and bring them to life for the world to see and also have the chance to fall in love with.

Who do you think you inspire? If not, who and what do you want to inspire?

I think I probably inspire my Pre-K and school-age students. At least I work to try to inspire them each day. I hope one day I inspire other writers.

What keeps you up at night?

All the suffering and injustice in the world.

What character archetype would you be if you were a character in a book, movie or TV series?

Probably the idealist or activist.

If you were a character in a book, movie or TV series, what would be your catchphrase or famous line or popular expression?

I’d probably just randomly break out into song since I do that a lot.

What food or drink best describes you?

coffee with soy creamer or a vegan baked good.

If you were cursed to only be able to sing ONE song in karaoke for the rest of your life, what would you like it to be and why?

Wow, that’s hard! Probably something from Les Mis like I Dreamed a Dream.

What else do you enjoy doing other than reading and writing?

I love to go out and eat and find new vegan dishes to try, watch movies (especially horror movies) and stream TV series, listen to my favorite podcast The Majority Report while playing Candy Crush, play board games, do puzzles, sing show tunes, color, and spend time with my friends and my wife Dana and our dog Solstice.

What do you consider as your weakness as a writer, and what have you done to overcome it?

Keeping the word count down! Like I said, I had to split my book up into two books because the word count was so high. But just getting the word count down to a reasonable level for the first book was very hard. I must have gone back through it easily 100 times, spending countless hours cutting material and editing, just to get the word count down. I think that’s the hardest part of the writing process because you have to make some really tough decisions about what stays and what goes, and when you’re so connected to the story and the characters, you want to keep it all but you can’t. I plan to write more succinct sentences and find ways to tighten up the language.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Stephen King, Dean Kootz, John Saul, Margaret Atwood, Naomi Klein, Daniel Quinn, Barbara Ehrenreich, Suzanne Collins, and Brad Warner, to name a few.

Any book recommendations?

I’m reading this book right now called Do Better: Spiritual Activism for Fighting and Healing from White Supremacy by Rachel Ricketts, and it should be required reading given everything that is happening right now in the current political climate, especially with censoring teachers and trying to stop them from teaching kids history and about social justice.

Anything else you want to tell your fans, our readers, and the writing/reading/blogging community at large?

Please support indie authors. Many of the traditional avenues of promotion and publicity are closed to indie authors, so the support you give them helps them so much more and means a lot. If you want to be an author yourself, go for it, and don’t let anything stop you.

Gold Award Winner of Teen Category in the 2021-2022 Reader Views Literary Awards

The Munchkins “has all the “ingredients” for a fantastical, magical, YA story that also caters to adults who absolutely love the Potter-esque world that happens maybe twice in a lifetime.” – Reader Views

Thirteen extraordinary children with mysterious powers.

Their loving and protective father.

And a sociopathic neighbor who knows them better than they know themselves.

When Capricorn Munch and her twelve siblings appear outside a children’s home, no one, including themselves, knows who they are or where they came from. At ten years old they stop aging, as she and her siblings develop powers that gift them with incredible abilities, like healing wounds and manifesting objects. They keep these powers secret and their adoptive father restricts their use. Capricorn strives to live a normal life, blissfully playing with her favorite sisters, witty and bold Allie, empathic and wise Breezy, and giddy and sweet Hazy.

But now a sudden threat has intruded on their carefree lives: Their next-door neighbor, a man who calls himself Big Boss. Capricorn watches fretfully as Big Boss encroaches on her family like a malevolent force, feeding hostility between her siblings and causing them to be reckless with their powers. Capricorn knows Big Boss is plotting something sinister and can only pray it doesn’t end in ultimate doom for her and her family.

Genre: Upper Middle Grade / Young Adult Dark Fantasy
Purchase Links: Amazon • Universal Purchase Link

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Author Spotlight: Stacey Upton Bracey

Website • Facebook • Instagram

Stacey Upton Bracey is a produced writer of dark fantasy/historical books, screenplays, and plays. She earned a BS in Speech from Northwestern University. She and and her husband have raised three lovely people and have a beloved rescue dog who saved them from a house fire. She swims with a master’s team and is a vegetarian. She loves to write, read books and makes great pie.

Stacey’s play Like Kissing Moonlight is getting a Regional Premiere in June at the Mesquite Arts Theatre in Texas, and she will also be directing it. The other play she wrote and directed, Wait Until Dark, has just completed its run at the Garland Civic Theatre and has been highly successful, with rave reviews from Broadway World and others.

Her latest book, On the Patrin Path, is out now.

Are you indie or traditionally published? What made you decide to take that route?

Indie. I like the control I have over all aspects of my book, and taking responsibility for my own success. I look in the mirror when I want to talk to the boss.

What do you think is the best thing about being an author?

I love telling stories, and my family is grateful that I have an appropriate place to put my dramatic tendencies, ha. I love touching people, making them feel.

Who do you think you inspire? If not, who and what do you want to inspire?

I like to think my characters are identifiable to readers — and that they give them hope that love will conquer all, no matter how dark the road.

What keeps you up at night?

Too much coffee.

What character archetype would you be if you were a character in a book, movie or TV series?

I would totally be the cleric, doing a few spells, advising the MC, and wielding a quarterstaff when necessary. The one who becomes the best friend after a while and survived.

What food or drink best describes you?

A pot of vegetable soup you can add your own extras to. Nourishing, warm, and made with love. Adaptable.

What else do you enjoy doing other than reading and writing?

Walking, swimming, pet rescues, and baking.

What do you consider as your weakness as a writer, and what have you done to overcome it?

I am impatient, and want to leap ahead in both my story telling and in the success of my books. Keeping a steady, do-able pace in my writing is healthier for me (I like to write about 2000 words a day.) I also need to learn a lot of new skills in the area of marketing and ads… still a mystery to me.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Leigh Bardugo, Laurie Forest, Naomi Novik, V.E. Schwab, Stephen King, Nora Roberts, Jay Kristoff, Neil Gaiman

Any book recommendations?

Am currently recommending Jay Kristoff’s Nevernight Trilogy. Its got a great anti-heroine, and is amazing storytelling. Dark, though. Like dark-dark.

Anything else you want to tell your fans, our readers, and the writing/reading/blogging community at large?

I solemnly swear to always finish my book series in a timely manner. For example, all five of the Tales of Darkwood dark fantasy/twisted fairy tale series (Best described by a fan as “if the Brothers Grimm and Stephen King had a baby, it would be these books.”) will be out and published in 2022. Three books are already out, the most recent one last May 10th. It makes me crazy to wait to see what happens next as a reader, so… gotta keep ’em coming for the fans.

Henna never asked to have visions…

…then they upended her life.

When young Henna foresees her brother’s hunting accident, her mother makes her promise to tell no one of her gift. But in a small village nothing is secret for long, and witch hunts are on the rise. After Henna defiantly helps heal fugitives on the run, she finds her own life is forfeit.

Condemned by her own family, will she find a way to escape?

You’ll love this twist on Little Red Riding Hood and its brave heroine. Get yours now.

Genre: Dark Fantasy / Historical Fantasy
Purchase Links: FREE NOVELLA

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Release Blitz: Forbidden Rendezvous with The Devil by Isra Sravenheart

USA Today Bestselling author Isra Sravenheart is pleased to present
her latest release, Forbidden Rendezvous with The Devil!

Check out the amazing cover and blurb below!
Also, get to know the author with Isra’s bio and social media links.

USA Today Best-Selling Author Isra Sravenheart brings us into the intense world of Tristan Roseblood. A vampire with a dark past only trouble is when Sabine stumbles into it, she too becomes entwined in his chaos. A paranormal romance jam-packed with suspense and intrigue and two charming vampires to boot.

“Trust me. Actually. Don’t.”

Sabine Nevemone has just moved to the small quaint town of Gloomvale to start a new life after being dumped by narcissistic boyfriend Oliver Rein.

Sabine has landed herself a job at Bad Brews coffee house, where she is working for the handsome rogue Tristan Roseblood. A mysterious handsome devilish vampire who always gets what he desires.

At first, Sabine could not believe her luck that she’s gotten a job so fast but things in Gloomvale aren’t all they seem. Tristan is a powerful man and he knows it.

Sabine is reluctant to comply when Tristan forces her to come on an errand with him, which almost results in both her and Tristan getting killed because an old enemy catches up with Tristan. Tristan patches Sabine up telling her she’s in a very dangerous world and it would be best if she got out of town for her own sake. Sabine refuses to leave. This proves to be a fatal mistake on her part.

“You can’t get close to me. Get out while you can. I’m not a good match for a sweet thing like you. Trust me. Actually, don’t.” He warns her.

The only trouble is now Sabine is in too deep. She’s falling for him. Hard. But when Tristan rebuffs Sabine and she falls straight into his mysterious brother Laurence’s arms, it can only spell disaster for all concerned. Sabine then gets herself in real trouble when she’s bitten on her way home. Will Tristan find her in time or will she die alone?

Get your copy here: https://books2read.com/fobiddenrv

Meet USA Today Bestselling Author, Isra Sravenheart

Website:

https://israsravenheartblog.wordpress.com

Social Media Links:

Book Tour: Peripheral Visions and Other Stories by Nancy Christie

We’re celebrating the second anniversary of Nancy Christie‘s award-winning collection of short stories, Peripheral Visions ✨ Read on for more info!

What do you do when the hand that life deals you isn’t the one you wanted?

In Peripheral Visions and Other Stories, the characters choose to play the best game they can with the cards they’ve received. For some, it’s making the most of the circumstances in which they find themselves, even if it’s not the life they planned. For others, it’s following an unconventional path-not the easiest course or the one that others would take, but the one that’s right for them. But they never lose hope that life will get better if they can just hold on.

Peripheral Visions and Other Stories was a finalist in the 2021 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, a finalist and Bronze Award winner in the 2020 Foreword INDIES competition, a finalist in the 2020 N.N. Light Book Awards (short story), and won second place in the Florida Writers Association 2018 Royal Palm Literary Awards (RPLA) competition, with three of the stories having also earned contest placements.

“Each of these stories emotes a different emotion yet allows the reader to ponder what they have just read. There wasn’t a one I didn’t thoroughly enjoy. This is rare in a collection and all the credit goes to Nancy Christie. She breathes life into the characters, and they leap from the page. The pacing of each story is perfect as each story moves at a different pace. The writing is superb… reminds me of Alice Munro and her short stories.” NN Light—5+ stars

Amazon | B&N | Smashwords | Bookshop | Walmart

GENRE: Anthology / Women’s Fiction/ Contemporary Fiction
PUBLICATION DATE: 5 May 2020

About the Author

Nancy Christie is the author of two award-winning short story collections: Traveling Left of Center and Other Stories and Peripheral Visions and Other Stories—both published by Unsolicited Press. Christie’s third short story collection, Mistletoe Magic and Other Holiday Tales, will be published in 2023 by Unsolicited Press.

Her short stories have appeared in numerous literary publications including The Saturday Evening Post, Goat’s Milk, Commuter Lit, Ariel Chart, Page & Spine, One Person’s Trash, Two Cities Review, Talking River, Edify Fiction, Toasted Cheese, Wanderings, The Chaffin Journal and Down in the Dirt, among others, with several of her stories earning contest placements.

Christie has also authored three non-fiction books: the inspirational/motivational book, The Gifts of Change (Atria/Beyond Words) and two award-winning books for writers: Rut-Busting Book for Writers and Rut-Busting Book for Authors (both by Mill City Press).

The founder of the annual “Celebrate Short Fiction” Day, Christie is the host of the Living the Writing Life podcast. A member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) and Florida Writers Association (FWA), Christie also teaches writing workshops at conferences, libraries and schools nationwide.

Nancy Christie | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Book Tour Organized By R&R Book Tours

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Cover Reveal: The Obsidian Eyes of Klief by Alex Robins

Cover Reveal with Escapist Book Tours

Thanks for joining us today for the cover reveal of Alex Robins‘ The Obsidian Eyes of Klief, the fourth book of the fantasy series The War of the Twelve, coming out next month from Bradypus Publishing. Behold this beauty! 😍

Every Truth Has Its Cost.

War ravages the troubled lands of the nine Baronies. The once-great cities of Arelium, Kessrin, and Talth are forever scarred by the passage of the greyling tide, their graveyards filled with the corpses of those who fought and died on their blood-stained walls.

Surrounded and exhausted, the fragile alliance of men must wager all on a final, daring plan: to find and destroy the creatures’ leader, an enigmatic entity known as the weaver. One of the Twelve, Makara, may hold the key to the weaver’s location, but he too is missing, lost somewhere in the remote Barony of Klief.

The tattered remains of the human armies have no choice but to follow Makara’s trail north, pursued by a relentless horde of greylings. At their head rides Zygos, his god-like intellect transferred into the body of the traitor Praxis.

The town of Klief beckons, as friend and foe alike are drawn to its dim light. It is here, before its golden gates, that the War of the Twelve will be decided.

It is here that an ancient evil will rise…

And heroes will fall.

GENRE: Fantasy
INTENDED AGE GROUP: Adult
PAGES: 408
PUBLICATION DATE: 30 June 2022

Universal Link | Amazon | Goodreads

About the Author

Alex Robins was born in Norwich, England back when it was still trendy to wear lycra tracksuits and bright pink headbands. Norwich School Library was where he first discovered his love of reading, an old converted undercroft packed to the rafters with books. The first fantasy series he read was The Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis & Tracey Hickman, quickly followed by The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and David Eddings’ The Belgariad.

At the age of twelve Alex moved across the channel to Nantes in France. Speaking very little French, the first few years were difficult and sometimes lonely as he scrambled to get a grip on the intricate grammar and vocabulary of the French language. His taste in books branched out from epic fantasy to science-fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and historical fiction, but he always came back to his favourite fantasy authors when looking to escape the outside world.

After degrees in agronomy, project management, and computer sciences, Alex founded his own company dedicated to online voting. He met his wife during a game of badminton and they spent several years getting trounced in various regional tournaments before getting married. Alex now lives in the sunny Loire Valley in western France, surrounded by imposing castles, sprawling vineyards, and two children. After reading fantasy books for the last thirty years he decided to write one. The Broken Heart of Arelium is his first novel, and the first in the War of the Twelve series.

Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Facebook

Cover Reveal Stops

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