Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts

Monday, November 21, 2016

BLOG TOUR: The Time Traveller's Resort And Museum by David McLain


New Release by David McLain!

Title: The Time Traveller's Resort and Museum

Author Name: David McLain

Illustrator: Felix Eddy

Genre(s): Time Travel, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure, Romance, Comedy, Steampunk

Release Date: November 17, 2016

Publisher:  Mirror World Publishing 

Follow the Tour:

Review: This is a fascinating read. I felt for poor Alice at the beginning, as she had no idea she was a time traveller and had to adapt to that information as well as deal with the death of her friend Malcolm.  I love her pet, Grendel, and his little "Nark!" noises. 

Alice is on the run from the police as the prime suspect in Malcolm's murder, which makes being able to time travel a blessing in disguise, as well as a necessity in attempting to find the actual murderer.

There is a lot of humor in this story, as well as mystery and adventure.  You will find a lot of historical periods throughout the story, as well as a cute romance. It is a little lengthy, but it is well worth the read.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this novel, with no expectation of a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. 

Rating: Five stars

About The Time Traveller's Resort and Museum:

“If you need to know men's secrets
Or if there's something you need to find 
If you want to see the dinosaurs 
Or the insides of your mind.
If you want to watch the earth begin,
Or see what the apocalypse will leave behind,
You need to thank Alice Anderson,
For Alice is the mother of time.”

That was how the rhyme went. Every time traveler knew it. Everyone that is, except of course, for Alice herself, since she hadn’t invented time travel yet. Since returning to London, Alice’s life has been turned upside down. She’s been accused of murder and lost her position in the scientific community. Her only ally in this journey is a strange man who seems to think that Alice may be about to open up a strange new world of possibilities, but is probably not telling her everything he knows.

Read an Excerpt:

“Hello,” Alice said, with a certain degree of reluctant enthusiasm.

“You sound American,” an annoyed voice on the other end of the line said.

Alice dropped her bag. “I've been in New York for three years,” Alice said. “You're lucky I don't sound like I'm from the Bronx.”

It was Alice's sister, Wendy, giving what by her standards was a remarkably warm and friendly greeting. “You're lucky I don't steal your passport while you’re here and force you to teach Electrical Engineering at the University of the Orkneys. Electrical Engineering, that's what you do, isn't it?”

“You do realize that I just spent an entire evening in a metal tube, sitting on a very small seat that appeared to have been made from rocks confiscated from terrorists at security?”

“Terrorists use rocks these days?”

“Well, they're harder to spot going through metal detectors, aren't they?”

Ending a sentence with a question apparently sounded appropriately British and Wendy seemed to ease up a little.

“How was the flight, then?” she asked.

“I believe I aged three years,” Alice answered, looking for the way to the exit. “Do you want to have a drink?”

“Is that a rhetorical question?”

“In America, it's considered polite to ask.”

“I believe that the University of the Orkneys has early tenure.”

Wendy took pride in her absolute loathing of all things American. She saw Alice's decampment to New York as nothing less than a complete betrayal.

“Would you mind if we met in at my hotel?” Alice asked, trying to sound as if this were a polite request and not a desperate plea.

“I don't know,” Wendy said. “There aren't going to be a lot of randy outer-space types there, are there?”

“It's an astronomy conference,” Alice insisted. “Not a Sci-Fi convention.”

There was the unmistakable sound of pursing lips on the other end of the phone. “What hotel are you staying at?” Wendy asked.

“The Kensington.”

Wendy thought about it. “I'll meet you, but let's meet somewhere else. There's a pub down that way that I've had my eye on.”

“Wendy–”

“I have to drive in all the way from Brixton. You can walk a hundred metres out of the hotel lobby.”

Alice sighed. She decided not to point out that in fact she had come quite a bit farther than hundred meters. “What's the name of the place?” she asked.

“The Gristle and Thorn,” Wendy said.

Alice spotted the word “EXIT” on the far side of the hall. “Couldn't find any place with a ghastlier name? Was the ‘Skull and Crossbones’ already booked?”

“Just meet me,” Wendy insisted, and for a moment, she did her best to sound kind. “I've missed you.”

It has been said that all journeys begin with a single step, and while it might seem that Alice's journey began all the way back at JFK, in actuality the first step of Alice's journey began with a decision. It was not a big decision, not the kind of thing that would strike a historian as a significant chapter in the decline and fall of the Western Empire, but for Alice Anderson, it was the equivalent of crossing the Rubicon. It was the simplest thing really – a choice of restaurants.

“The Gristle and Thorn it is,” Alice said, picking up her bag again and shuffling through the crowd.


Meet the Author:

David McLain is the author of the two novels: Dragonbait, and The Life of a Thief. His stories have been published in the anthologies Metastasis, Penny Dread II, and the Doctor Who Anthology Time Shadows, as well as over two dozen magazines. He has been featured on NPR's Off the Page and the History of England podcast. He lives in New York.

Connect with David McLain: 






Meet the Illustrator: 

Felix Eddy graduated Magnum Cum Laude from Alfred University. She is the author and illustrator of A Bestiary Alphabet, and has illustrated several book covers and children's books. You can find out more about her at www.felixeddy.com


Purchase Links:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING: 




AMAZON.COM: 

AMAZON.CA: 

KOBO: 

BARNES & NOBLE: 

Chapters.Indigo: 

Thursday, October 20, 2016

BOOK TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Between Heaven and Hell by David Burnett



NEW RELEASE
One war….
Opposing sides…
It’s a recipe for heartbreak.
In a war that pits Lucifer against the Army of Heaven, it’s a recipe for disaster.

The lives of Adryel and Ramael, two young angels who are in love, are altered forever when God determines to create humans.

His decision is met with scorn from Lucifer, one of the archangels. The humans, he asserts, will cause evil and chaos throughout creation. God’s proposal, he says, is flawed. As Lucifer debates the plan’s merits with another archangel in Palace Square, their discussion turns into argument. Argument leads to insults, rocks are thrown… and battle lines are drawn.

Ramael is second in command of the Army of Heaven. His loyalty never waivers.

Adryel casts her lot with Lucifer. Swayed by his arguments, she leaves Ramael and all else she holds dear. She wages war for Lucifer’s cause and, refusing to renounce him, is exiled in hell. From there, she tempts the humans to join their cause.

Adryel yearns to tell Ramael her love for him has not dimmed. She will risk any punishment, even hell’s lake of fire, in order to speak with him. But how can he return her love when she has done more to thwart God’s plans for humanity than have all of the other angels in hell combined?

Review: I am a huge fan of this author, but I have to say this book is totally different from anything I've read by him in the past. The description fascinated me, so I decided to take a chance on it, and I'm glad I did.

Although it starts out a bit slow for my taste, once the action starts it just keeps going and going. We get a very interesting take on Heaven, Creation, Hell, angels, etc.

Adryel is a young angel who, during Lucifer's rebellion, finds herself caught in the middle...and when she believes her mate, Ramael, has died, she casts her lot firmly with Lucifer and has to pay the price. When she discovers Ramael is still alive, will she be able to make amends and to get back to him?

While I have trouble, as a Christian, accepting some of the concepts the author chooses to embrace with the angels and Heaven (it all seemed too human and Earthly to me), I was able to put that aside and enjoy the story merely as a wonderful work of fantasy. The characters are very well developed, their relationships are complex and emotional, and the plot is action packed.

If you are a fan of this author and/or good fantasy stories, I would highly recommend adding this book to your reading list.

**I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which was provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

Available to buy from....

About the author
David Burnett lives in Columbia South Carolina, with his wife and their blue-eyed cat, Bonnie. The Reunion, his first novel, is set in nearby Charleston.

David enjoys traveling, photography, baking bread, and the Carolina beaches. He has photographed subjects as varied as prehistoric ruins on the islands of Scotland, star trails, sea gulls, a Native American powwow, and his grandson, Jack. David and his wife have traveled widely in the United States and the United Kingdom. During one trip to Scotland, they visited Crathes Castle, the ancestral home of the Burnett family near Aberdeen. In The Reunion, Michael's journey through England and Scotland allows him to sketch many places they have visited.

David has graduate degrees in psychology and education and previously was Director of Research for the South Carolina Department of Education. He and his wife have two daughters.

Find the author on the following sites...


Follow the Book Tour
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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.
NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY
Win a $20 Amazon.com Giftcard or Paypal Cash
(winners choice)
Open Worldwide
Ending on Friday 11th November at 11.59pm EST


Enter Below and Good Luck !!
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Tuesday, October 18, 2016

BOOK TOUR: The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret (The Last Timekeepers #2) by Sharon Ledwith


Only a true hero can shine the light in humanity’s darkest time.

Book Details:

Title: The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret

Series:  The Last Timekeepers, Book 2

Author Name: Sharon Ledwith

Genre(s): Middle Grade, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, WWII

Release Date: October 17, 2016

Publisher:  Mirror World Publishing 

About The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret:

Fourteen year-old Jordan Jensen always considered himself a team player on and off the field, until the second Timekeeper mission lands him in Amsterdam during World War Two. Pulled into the world of espionage, torture, and intolerance, Jordan and the rest of the Timekeepers have no choice but to stay one step ahead of the Nazis in order to find and protect a mysterious book.

With the help of the Dutch Resistance, an eccentric baron, Nordic runes, and an ancient volume originating from Atlantis, Jordan must learn that it takes true teamwork, trust, and sacrifice to keep time safe from the evils of fascism. Can Jordan find the hero within to conquer the darkness surrounding the Timekeepers? If he doesn’t, then the terrible truth of what the Nazis did will never see the light of day.

Read an Excerpt:

“I wonder what else is down here.” Drake beamed his cell phone across the basement, hitting jars of jams, pickles, and relishes. His stomach growled.

Jordan pulled the cheese from his pocket and handed it to Drake. “Trade you for your phone.”

“Best. Trade. Ever.” Drake passed his phone to Jordan.

Jordan walked over and grabbed a jar of pickles off the dusty shelf. At least they wouldn’t arrive at the baron’s place hungry. He hoped his uncle had managed to stop Amanda’s bleeding. His hand tightened over the jar, the ridges of the lid cutting into his palm. A scrape from behind the shelves made Jordan jump.

“Hello?” he asked, pushing jars aside. He flashed the cell phone into the small, dark area.

“Who ya talking to, Jordan?” Drake asked with his mouth full of cheese.

“Shhh, Drake.” Jordan listened. Hearing nothing, he shrugged and turned back around.

“I thought I heard—” Jordan stopped and pointed the phone at Ravi. His jaw dropped. “A-Are you serious, Sharma?”

Drake spat out his cheese, snorting with laughter.

“Is there a problem?” Ravi asked, tying the bowtie of his tuxedo.

“You look like a penguin with attitude!” Drake slapped his knee.

“Say what you want, but I’m glad we didn’t hit the cleaners on the way to school now,” Ravi replied, pulling down his sleeves, “or else I wouldn’t have these dry clothes.”

Jordan chuckled. Suddenly, he heard a door creak open, followed by heavy footsteps squeaking down the stairs. Panicking, Jordan stuffed Drake’s phone in his track suit jacket’s pocket and waved Drake over by the shelves. Drake slipped behind Jordan just in time, before the small light bulb above the bottom of the stairs clicked on. Jordan swallowed hard. There, staring directly at Ravi was a portly man in a blood-stained apron. Tufts of blond hair sprouted from the sides of his balding head. His brown trousers were pulled up past his waist, making him resemble an evil garden gnome. In one of his hands, he held a huge butcher knife, its blade flecked with blood.

Wielding the knife, the man pointed at Ravi. “Who are you?”

Ravi licked his thick lips nervously. “The name’s Bond. James Bond.”

Review: I enjoyed the prequel to this series, as well as the first actual book of the series, so was excited to get the opportunity to read this one. When I learned that it would deal with WWII, I was even more interested, as that is a period of history I have always had an interest in and love to read about it.

I was definitely not disappointed by this story. The timekeepers group get themselves into some suspenseful, frightening situations with the Nazis and with their time traveling nemesis, Crowley.  They work with the Dutch Resistance, including two people who are very important to their teacher, Melody. 

This story seemed to focus on Jordan, even though all the teens had major parts to play in solving the mystery and fulfilling their mission. He finds himself facing situations where he has to make decisions which  could take him out of his comfort zone. Will he step up and be the "hero" or will he continue to think inside the box and do what he has always done?  You'll have to read the book to find out!

A great story for teens, or for adults who enjoy well-written YA fiction.

**I received a copy of this book from the author and Mirror World Publishing. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.**

Rating: Four stars

Purchase Links:

Mirror World Publishing: 


Amazon:  

Amazon.ca: 

KOBO: 

Barnes & Noble: 

Meet the Author:

Escape to the past and have a blast.


Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZON AUTHOR page for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, GOOGLE+, and GOODREADS. Check out THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS TIME TRAVEL SERIES Facebook page.

Connect with Sharon Ledwith:

Sharon’s Website: www.sharonledwith.com


Sharon’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/seledwith


Twitter: @sharonledwith: https://twitter.com/sharonledwith





Amazon Author U.K. Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B0084DUHJO




Wednesday, September 7, 2016

COVER REVEAL: The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret (The Last Timekeepers #2) by Sharon Ledwith


Welcome to the cover reveal for Sharon Ledwith's upcoming new novel, The Last Time Keepers and the Dark Secret.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Title: The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret

Series:  The Last Timekeepers, Book 2

Author Name: Sharon Ledwith

Genre(s): Middle Grade, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, WWII

Release Date: October 17, 2016

Publisher:  Mirror World Publishing (http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com) 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are you ready to see the cover?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret:

Only a true hero can shine the light in humanity’s darkest time.

Fourteen year-old Jordan Jensen always considered himself a team player on and off the field, until the second Timekeeper mission lands him in Amsterdam during World War Two. Pulled into the world of espionage, torture, and intolerance, Jordan and the rest of the Timekeepers have no choice but to stay one step ahead of the Nazis in order to find and protect a mysterious book.

With the help of the Dutch Resistance, an eccentric baron, Nordic runes, and an ancient volume originating from Atlantis, Jordan must learn that it takes true teamwork, trust, and sacrifice to keep time safe from the evils of fascism. Can Jordan find the hero within to conquer the darkness surrounding the Timekeepers? If he doesn’t, then the terrible truth of what the Nazis did will never see the light of day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read an Excerpt:

“I wonder what else is down here.” Drake beamed his cell phone across the basement, hitting jars of jams, pickles, and relishes. His stomach growled.

Jordan pulled the cheese from his pocket and handed it to Drake. “Trade you for your phone.”

“Best. Trade. Ever.” Drake passed his phone to Jordan.

Jordan walked over and grabbed a jar of pickles off the dusty shelf. At least they wouldn’t arrive at the baron’s place hungry. He hoped his uncle had managed to stop Amanda’s bleeding. His hand tightened over the jar, the ridges of the lid cutting into his palm. A scrape from behind the shelves made Jordan jump.

“Hello?” he asked, pushing jars aside. He flashed the cell phone into the small, dark area.

“Who ya talking to, Jordan?” Drake asked with his mouth full of cheese.

“Shhh, Drake.” Jordan listened. Hearing nothing, he shrugged and turned back around.

“I thought I heard—” Jordan stopped and pointed the phone at Ravi. His jaw dropped. “A-Are you serious, Sharma?”

Drake spat out his cheese, snorting with laughter.

“Is there a problem?” Ravi asked, tying the bowtie of his tuxedo.

“You look like a penguin with attitude!” Drake slapped his knee.

“Say what you want, but I’m glad we didn’t hit the cleaners on the way to school now,” Ravi replied, pulling down his sleeves, “or else I wouldn’t have these dry clothes.”

Jordan chuckled. Suddenly, he heard a door creak open, followed by heavy footsteps squeaking down the stairs. Panicking, Jordan stuffed Drake’s phone in his track suit jacket’s pocket and waved Drake over by the shelves. Drake slipped behind Jordan just in time, before the small light bulb above the bottom of the stairs clicked on. Jordan swallowed hard. There, staring directly at Ravi was a portly man in a blood-stained apron. Tufts of blond hair sprouted from the sides of his balding head. His brown trousers were pulled up past his waist, making him resemble an evil garden gnome. In one of his hands, he held a huge butcher knife, its blade flecked with blood.

Wielding the knife, the man pointed at Ravi. “Who are you?”

Ravi licked his thick lips nervously. “The name’s Bond. James Bond.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meet the Author:

Unearthing the uncanny one book at a time.


Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.

Connect with Sharon:









Author's Website: http://sharonledwith.com/


Sunday, May 22, 2016

From A Broken Land IThe Broken Throne #1) by William R. Herr



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BOOK INFORMATION
Series: The Broken Throne
Genre: Fantasy
  • Hardcover: 408 pages
  • Publisher: Mechanicsburg Press (February 10, 2016)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1495186903
  • ISBN-13: 978-1495186905

Synopsis: Something in the mist is alive—or is it the mist, itself?
Kiranae is a girl in flight, carried through the mists to escape a marriage she cannot abide. Gidon is a simple messenger, sent on a mission he is never expected to survive. Through coincidence, fate, or something stronger, they are brought together—bound to each other.
But, deep within the shadows and mist, a wicked and threatening force watches them. Gidon must protect the girl, his men, and himself from a force and presence he cannot explain. Together, they are thrust into war, intrigue, and impossible love, never realizing that their lives are part of a larger, and darker, plan.
Review: This book reminds me of George R. R. Martin's work. The world-building is fabulous--deep and intense. Everything about it is well-developed: religions, races, clothing, cultures, etc. You can fully immerse yourself in this world in no time.

There is much action in this book, which will keep you turning pages to see how it is going to play out.  Seeing as how this is the first book in a series, not all of the action gets tied up by the end, so there are cliffhangers to keep you waiting for the next release.

You can tell from this book that this world has MANY more stories to tell, and I look forward to reading them. 

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars
Excerpt
 The Mist moved, and the world moved with it. It drifted between trees and along well-worn pathways, across rivers and the chatter of brooks, and through hamlet and city alike. It was everywhere and nowhere, both substance and absence, a bond of translucence which coiled without respect to power or privilege. It molded futures and caressed memory without care to time and distance. All things were within the mist’s grasp, and within it, everything was.

·       The shadows drifted with the wide tendrils of the mist, then through and between the burning remains of buildings, until they found their quarry. There, Gidon, a young soldier and emissary of the church, looked down at a victim of the blight, and pushed away his revulsion. The young soldier was tall, a full head above his fellow guardsmen, had they ever cared to compare, and his dark brown hair was cropped short to his shoulders. Like others in the guard, he was strong, fit and commanding in stature—the church would accept nothing less.

·       Cardinal Richmond looked down over the village outside the walls. As the Ustadin said, “He is as prepared as I can make him.” Around Gidon, the shadows moved and danced. They gibbered in the wake of the overheard word.
Give him to them. Send him.  Let him die.

·       “This blight has not only struck here. It is creeping through our lands like a breath of wind, and falls before it.” The Cardinal shook his head. “The College has dealt with these horrors in the past, and survived it. I am sending you to find one of their memberships, and convince him to aid us.”

·       The Countess glanced to the princess Kirnae, her niece, who sat across from her. The girl was too tense for rational action. Her hair was purposefully unkempt, and her clothes meticulously soiled. Even so, the girl’s demeanor was too proper, too refined.  She bore herself as a girl accustomed to comfort, rather than the harsh life of the peasant she pretended to be.

·       Four swords scraped quietly against leather sheaths as the soldiers drew their weapons. Footfalls approached with slow, careful deliberation through the forest, and a lone figure distinguished itself from the darkness of the mist. “Halt!” The lead soldier called out. “Who goes there?”

·       Gidon flicked the blade sideways. The blade easily cut through the uniform and skin of the man to his right, and the soldier fell to the ground with a scream. The leader raised his weapon to attack again, and Gidon pivoted on his right foot. He brought the sword around in a wide arc to slice through his attacker’s uplifted weapon and arm.

·       Gidon drank deeply from his mug, and set it down, empty. He stood, and addressed Renault in what he hoped was an official manner. “Seer Renault, I was sent to find either yourself, or another of your order, to relay prayers for assistance. The church requests your aid, as well as that of your college. The blight has risen and threatens all within the Mistwood and beyond, to the shores of the Hammat. Together, the Sidhea and Hammat can defeat the blight.”

·       The Tenant struck Gidon with the back of his left hand, against the temple. Gidon struggled to keep his feet. “Quiet you. Orders are orders. You do what you’re told and you don’t get to decide how to follow them. And since you take orders from me now, you do what I tell you.”

·       Gidon caught his breath. The girl was not what the Sidheans might call beautiful, if he even knew what that meant, but the image of her shocked through him like a cold wind.  Her hair was wild and dark. Her dress and tunic were stained from travel. Still, something about her drew his eye and held his attention. It might have been the subtle curve of her hip, or the firm grip she held on the pommel of her dagger. Regardless, he found her stunning.

·       “You don’t think, that’s your problem.” The Tenant gestured with the hilt of his broadsword at Kira, and she flinched away from it. That sword was brutally large. “I’ll decide if she’s dangerous or not.” She watched him glance to the Mistwood with distrust, then back at her. “They’ve been following us, watching us this whole time. I say she’s a Sidhean spy.”

·       “I stand to her defense”
The Tenant sneered, and said, “You don’t have the right to it.”  He glanced at Renault. “Actually, he does.” The Seer’s voice was somber. “Tenant, if Gidon wished to stand to her defense, you have to face him.” He glanced at Gidon and then at Kira.

About the author
 photo image006_zpslcf6pjxp.png
Never content to settle for the mundane aspects of life, William R. Herr’s life has been nothing short of a grand adventure. 
Born in Santa Monica, California, the child of a British mother and a German-American father, Herr had a quite unconventional experience growing up. Traveling with his parents across America, he learned to love to read, starting first with the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs. From there young William moved on to the Oxford English Dictionary, the Analects of Confucius, Tolkien, Heinlein, and Asimov.
“When I didn’t have my nose in a book,” says Herr, “I was either building some wild new invention, or destroying something as I tried to test it. There may have been some miserable failures at sports during that period, but I admit nothing.”  Early on though he was recognized for his skills as a writer, winning a writing contest and cementing his ambition of becoming a wordsmith.
After a stint at a junior college, Herr spent some time in Europe before returning to the United States where he landed a job as News Director at WHGB-AM in Harrisburg, PA. In his spare time, he wrote his first play. Then it was back to school to work at the college newspaper, before transferring to the prestigious University of Iowa Writing School. It was there that Herr continued to hone his writing skills, writing his first published piece (Jeremy & February, published 1996 in Likewise Magazine, London), and producing his first play (The White Room) at No Shame Theater.  He also found time to play chess with Kurt Vonnegut and spent the rest of his free time “over a typewriter.” But before he graduated he got married and had a child, making the insecurity of the writing life even more of a challenge.
To make ends meet Herr has done everything from digging ditches and shoveling cow manure to working in the corporate world (which may not be that far a stretch).  He also learned everything there is to know about computers and became a master swordsman, competing in the SCA. Herr worked for five years at Mindspring Networks, but found that environment far too stressful and claustrophobic. And since he had acquired a CDL, he opted for the freedom of the highway and became a full time trucker, a job he still maintains.  Herr is an adventurer at heart and has not only jumped off a 500 feet cliff, but has also worked for a while in the rodeo.
He is the author of The Collective, and From A Broken Land is Book One of The Broken Throne series.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Frightfully Ever After by Nick DeWolf

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BOOK INFORMATION
Genre: Urban paranormal fantasy
  • Paperback: 254 pages
  • Publisher: Fey Publishing (June 4, 2015)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0692458190
  • ISBN-13: 978-0692458198

Synopsis: "Do you know what the difference is between a fairy godmother and a witch?"

"What?"

"Not a goddamn thing."

Fairies and dragons are real, and live alongside giants, goblins and trolls. Fairy godmothers exist. The woodsman, that one from the story books? Yeah, he’s real too. They’re all out there, living in the world, right under your nose.

But they’re not alone. There’s another side to the coin. Witches are real. Monsters are real. Things that slither through shadows and bite at your skin are real.

The big bad wolf is very real.

And poor Anastasia – she was born with magical royal blood. She should have been a princess, but grew up under the thumb of a vicious crime boss. She’s lived a life of pain, fear, and violence. In a desperate attempt to get away, she will find herself surrounded by all those things she thought never existed.

Good, bad, and evil.

FRIGHTFULLY EVER AFTER is a slow burn urban fantasy with guns, horror, sex, and monsters. People get hurt. People get killed. People get eaten. And only the toughest get to live Happily Ever After.
 


Review: This is definitely not your average fairy tale for children! It is more a combination of Disney and Stephen King--it has elements of fairy tales, but it also has drug dealers, shoot outs, sex, and lots of bloody violence. 

As I've always been a fan of the original, dark tales told by the brothers Grimm, this was a book that was right up my alley. I'm not a fan of the profanity and the graphic violence (hence only 4 stars instead of 5), but the overall story was intriguing enough to keep me reading in spite of those drawbacks.

One of my favorite things about the characters is that the good guys and bad guys weren't easily discernible. Just like in real life, some people seem to be on one side in the beginning, and as the story evolves, their real character emerges.

I would love to see Grimm, Inc. become an ongoing book series so we could learn more about the various folks in the company!

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

Friday, May 13, 2016

COVER REVEAL: This Night Sucks by Elizabeth J. M. Walker

I am excited to present the cover for Elizabeth J.M. Walker's upcoming novella,

This Night Sucks!



First, here is what This Night Sucks is all about:

Lana is a high school senior enrolled in Vampire Education – a class to teach students about the very real presence of vampires in the world. Lana and her classmates don’t really expect to meet up with any undead bloodsuckers. Vampires are a lot like other scary things that supposedly exist but you hope you’ll never come across: nudist colonies, mad cow disease, and your parents’ sex life.

What is part of Lana’s everyday reality is navigating through one last year of high school while desperately trying to be less nerdy. She still loves spaceships, fantasy novels, and cat stickers, but she also recently got her braces removed, grew boobs, and is working on the makeup thing. She never expected her crush-of-a-lifetime Pete to even notice her – let alone ask her out on a date.

The date is going great until Pete’s ex-girlfriend Katy shows up, all bloody and pissed off. Lana quickly realizes that Katy is not just her ordinary bitchy self – she has been turned into a vampire. After a near death experience, Lana learns that she is changing into a vampire too.

Lana needs answers, and the only way to get them is to find the vampire who started the chain of events – and to find him before sunrise...

Are you ready for the cover?


Book Details:

From the author of She Dreamed of Dragons

Title: This Night Sucks

Author Name: Elizabeth J.M. Walker

Genre(s): Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Vampires, Comedy

Release Date: June 17, 2016

Publisher: Mirror World Publishing

Meet the Author:


Elizabeth J. M. Walker lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She has always loved books and writing. As a teen she discovered zines, which inspired her to publish her own litzine of odd fairy tales for over a decade.

She Dreamed of Dragons is her first novel.

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Monday, April 18, 2016

COVER REVEAL: Black Lightning by K.S. Jones

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for K.S. Jones' upcoming release

Black Lightning!!

Book Information:

From the award-winning author of Shadow of the Hawk

Title: Black Lightning

Author Name: K.S. Jones

Genre(s): Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Length: Approx. 136 pages

Release Date: May 17, 2016

ISBN eBook: 978-1-987976-12-0
ISBN Paperback: 978-1-987976-11-3

Publisher: Mirror World Publishing

Are You Ready for the Cover?


About Black Lightning:

Life moves on — no matter what...

Following his father’s puzzling disappearance and his mother’s death, ten-year-old Samuel Baker goes through the motions of living in a world turned upside down. He wears an Apache talisman, a long ago gift from his father, in hopes its promise of strength and guidance is true. But what he truly wants is the power to bring his parents back.

Heartless Aunt Janis is elated at the prospect of becoming Samuel’s legal guardian. She is sure an orphan boy will elicit such an outpouring of public sympathy that her husband will win his Senate bid by a landslide. But when Grandpa Tate arrives, things don’t go as expected, especially when black lightning strikes!

Read an Excerpt:

Samuel stood beside his mother’s rain-speckled casket. He had cried his tears dry, so there was no point in trying to find more.

“Chin up, young man,” Aunt Janis said as her fingers nudged Samuel’s jaw upward. “Death is just part of life, and our photographer needs a good picture of you for the newspapers.”

A camera flashed, leaving Samuel’s red and swollen eyes burning as if stung by the sun instead of grief.

So many important days had come and gone without his father, but surely he would come home today, wouldn’t he? Samuel closed his eyes. He pretended his father was beside him holding his hand. They had a right to hold hands, he told himself. Not because he was ten, but because it was his mother’s funeral. Two years had passed since his father left, never to be seen again. Vanished, was the word his mother had used. Into thin air, she’d said.

“Take that silly thing off.” Aunt Janis flicked Samuel’s wood and bead necklace.

“No,” he said and shook his head. “My dad gave it to me.” It was a pinewood tile, the size of a domino shaved nickel-thin, which hung from a leather cord around his neck. Burned onto the front side of the wood was a lightning bolt. Its flipside bore the blackened imprint of a tribal dancer. It had a turquoise nugget and a shiny black hematite bead strung together on each side. His father had given the talisman to him with a promise: It will guide you and give you strength when you need it most.

Today, dressed in a black suit and starchy white shirt, Samuel wore it in hopes the promise was true.

As mourners gathered, Samuel’s friend Brian came to stand beside him. “Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” Samuel answered without taking his eyes off the casket.

“Is that the necklace your dad gave you? You don’t usually wear it.” Brian’s wire-rimmed glasses slid down his straight arrow nose. He pushed them back up the bridge with one finger until they encircled his eyes again. “Can I see it? I promise I’ll give it right back.”

“It’s not a necklace.” Samuel pulled the leather cord off over his head, mussing his overgrown blond hair. “It’s a talisman.” He handed it to Brian. “My dad said it would help me, but it hasn’t done anything yet. I think it was just one of his stories. It’s probably just an old piece of scrap wood with a couple rocks tied to it.”

Brian shrugged after examining the piece then he handed it back to Samuel. “I think it’s cool. You should keep wearing it anyway.”

Nodding, Samuel hung the talisman around his neck again, but this time he dropped it down beneath his shirt where it was no longer visible. It felt warm against his skin.

“Has anybody told you where you’re going to live now?” Brian asked.

“Probably with Aunt Janis and Uncle Jack.”

Brian frowned. He kicked the tip of his shoe into the muddy soil. “They live so far away. Why can’t you just stay here and live with Mrs. Abel? She doesn’t have any kids.”

Mrs. Abel was their fourth grade teacher. She had plainly stated to all who would listen that her job was to teach the proper use of the English language to children who behaved properly. A babysitter, she had said, she was not. Today, she stood in the rain with the other mourners, eyeing the ground where the hem of her long, gray dress lay caked in mud. Tufts of brown hair jutted out from under her pink plaid scarf. Even though she stood a few feet from him, she had not spoken to Samuel since his mother’s death. Few people had. Everyone had words for Aunt Janis and they talked to Uncle Jack, but no one but Brian and a few classmates had spoken to him. Maybe talking to an orphan was harder than talking to a normal kid.

Praise:

“If you’ve forgotten the magic that lives in a child’s heart, this book will remind you. Black Lightning is a rare and beautiful mythic journey about one boy’s struggle with paralyzing grief and the powerful bonds that can carry a person through this world and beyond...” W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O’Neal Gear USA TODAY and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling authors of People of the Thunder

Meet the Author:

Everyone has a story. Tell it so well that the world listens!


Karen (K.S.) Jones grew up in California, but now lives in the beautiful Texas Hill Country northwest of San Antonio with her husband, Richard, and their dogs Jack Black, Libby Loo, and Red Bleu. Black Lightning is her first middle-grade novel. She credits her love of fantasy to the early influences of authors J.R.R. Tolkien, Jules Verne, and H.G. Wells. Her award-winning first novel, Shadow of the Hawk, a Young Adult Historical, released in 2015.

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