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BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY: The Brittle Riders by Bill McCormick

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After humans circumvented anti-AI laws and made new species
to fulfill roles of menial laborers, sex slaves, and shock troops those
creations eventually rose up and killed every man, woman, and child on the
planet. This is the world if Frankenstein’s monsters ruled the Earth.

The Brittle Riders

Book One

by Bill McCormick

Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy

In a far future, Earth had already been visited by an alien
race called the Sominids, who came here for the express purpose of drinking and
having sex with everyone they could. When one of their infamous parties
resulted in the moon being cut in half and killing everyone who happened to
live there, they quietly left. Their encounter with the Sominids had taught the
human race many things, primarily that faster-than-light travel did not exist.
Denied the stars, the human race began to dwindle in numbers and terminate all
of their space programs.

 A thousand years later, a scientist named Edward Q. Rohta
circumvented anti-AI laws, laws which had been on the books for millennia, by
creating organic creatures to provide manual labor. Instead of dying after ten
years, as promised in the company brochure, they would develop flu-like
symptoms and go into hiding. Eventually, fed up with the mistreatment they
suffered at the hands of humans, they rose up and killed every man, woman, and
child on the planet. This is the story of what happens next. The Brittle
Riders; Apocalypses are funny that way.

 A very unique tone and world, reminiscent of GUARDIANS OF
THE GALAXY meets a MAGNIFICENT SEVEN/DIRTY DOZEN – type setup, but with a look,
flavor, and lexicon all its own. In a world where studios and streamers are
looking for IP that’s expansive, both narratively and in terms of ancillary
possibilities (prequels, offshoots, video games, etc.), (The Brittle Riders)
certainly seems to offer up a number of possibilities. – Garrick Dion –
Producer

 

What is something unique/quirky about you?

As well as being an author, I have been a stripper and a nude model. Although not all at the same time. Publishers get weird about that stuff.

Who is your hero, and why?

This may sound trite, but my wife is my hero. She’s taken all that life could throw at her and come out stronger and more loving than you could imagine. We didn’t meet until I was fifty years old. And I knew that day I couldn’t lose her, that she was going to mean everything to me.

What kind of world ruler would you be?

A fun, inclusive one. I believe in God, and I believe that God is love, so I’d want a planet that would be secure and pleasant for everyone. I couldn’t imagine kicking innocent humans off our planet, so I’d do all I could to ensure there were safe places for all. I’d definitely be leading the “tax the rich” flotilla. I have no problem with people getting wealthy, but hoarding wealth at the expense of the rest of the planet is on my “do not do” list.

What do you do to unwind and relax?

I like to cook. I’m actually not half bad at it. While comfort food is my go-to when I’m cooking for myself, I can whip up a meal worthy of anything a chef at a five-star resort could muster. The first time I cooked for my wife, we’d barely been dating two weeks, I knocked out a Pork l’Orange with a citrus gravy for the potatoes and asparagus. She swooned and told her friends and random strangers that I could “throw down” in the kitchen. I also love to read. Not just sci-fi, but non-fiction, biographies, and anything else that catches my eye.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’d been writing non-fiction for years, but that was always tied in with my radio shows or other things. But I knew I’d arrived when I was sitting in a bar one day, and I introduced myself to a dude sitting next to me, and he said, “The writer?” Why, yes, Venom (his nickname), that’s me.

Do you have a favorite movie?

Wizards by Ralph Bakshi. Up until then, fantasy movies were testosterone-driven affairs. Manly men with swords saving damsels in distress or fighting something and then saving the damsel in distress. So, seeing a movie with a female narrator, two evenly matched antagonists, a scantily clad damsel who could take care of her own damn self, evil characters who changed sides, and was unafraid to add politics to the mix, was revelatory to this young mind.

Which of your novels can you imagine being made into a movie?

Trick question: I have had several companies nibbling around The Brittle Riders. To the point we now have a tone reel for investors, a pitch book for those who haven’t read the novel, and a complete script that has been vetted by industry professionals.

BILL McCORMICK is an award-winning and critically acclaimed
author of several novels, graphic novels, and comic book series, and has
appeared in numerous anthologies. He began writing professionally in 1986 for
the Chicago Rocker Magazine in conjunction with his radio show on Z-95 (ABC-FM)
and went on to write for several other magazines and blogs. He wrote a twisted
news & science blog at WorldNewsCenter.org. It provided source material for
his weekly radio show on WBIG 1280 AM, FOX!, which aired from 10/2010 to
8/2022. Bill is a big fan of music and this rainbow-haired goddess who married
him just for fun. You can find out more about him at BillMcSciFi.com.

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BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY: Devil in the Desert by Russel James

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In 1942, Major Ray Hawkins must assemble a unit of civilians and military to keep the Nazis from releasing a desert djinn against the Allied forces in North Africa. They will have to employ conventional warfare and unconventional witchcraft to accomplish the mission.

Devil in the Desert

Office of Supernatural Directives Book 1

by Russell James

Genre: Historical Horror

It is 1942 and a secret group within the Nazi SS is on the hunt for objects of the occult, hoping to harvest their power for wonder weapons to win the war. Its leader, Gruppenfuhrer Karl Weitz, has more than military might behind him. He has recruited the Ochre Witch, an Eastern European sorceress capable of adapting what they seize to serve the Reich’s needs.

Only one team can stop the Axis powers from winning World War II. Army Major Ray Hawkins is tasked with creating the Office of Supernatural Directives to stop these fanatics. He assembles a team that includes a female WASP pilot, an enlisted man with a passion for language and puzzles, a mysterious American ex-pat from the French Foreign Legion, and a young Romany woman who will need to embrace the mystic Gypsy teachings she’s spent her life despising. Their first mission unfolds in Tunisia, where Weitz and the Ocher Witch plan to release a djinn the locals call the Devil in the Desert. It wields the power to spread debilitating fear. If Major Hawkins and his band cannot stop the djinn, it will sow panic among the Americans and Rommel’s Afrika Korps will crush the invasion force. But Hawkins’ new team has many weaknesses, and Weitz and the Ocher Witch will exploit every one of them to win.

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John paced back and forth a few yards from his truck, uncertain what to do.

Through his connection to the djinn, John knew it had been at work on Rommel all day.

Had that given the Allies enough time to take the initiative and turn the tide? He had no idea what the logistics were to get a routed army from the defense to the offense. But he knew the power of the American fighting spirit, and once the djinn stopped crushing it, that had to count for a lot.

“You have no idea what you are doing,” a raspy woman’s voice said.

He looked up to see a ghostly figure of the Ochre Witch floating a foot off the ground a few yards away. Her cape swirled at the edges though there was no breeze.

How could she find me? John thought. Daciana’s hex bag…

…was in the German uniform shirt I’d shed.

“I warned you that you were walking into your own execution, and now you have. You can’t control the power the ring wields. It wasn’t made for the weak, the ignorant. Can’t you feel it burning you away inside right now?”

John did feel weak. He attributed it to hunger or lack of sleep. Was the power of the ring chewing him up inside? He could imagine his organs darkening and shutting down.

“Weitz could barely manage it,” she said. “And you know you aren’t half the man he is. If someone chopped your fingers off, you’d be crying in a corner, not fighting back like he did. This thing will consume you soon, and leave a shriveled corpse behind.”

“Then I guess I’ll die saving American lives,” John said.

“I’d rather not wait for that to get my ring.”

John ran for the side of the truck where he’d abandoned his Axis uniform in a pile. He grabbed the shirt with the hex bag in the pocket.

The witch rushed toward him. But at several feet away, she slammed to a stop like she’d hit an invisible wall. She looked confused, then enraged. She pressed forward again, but got no further. She snarled in fury. Then she closed her eyes and raised one hand. She reopened her eyes.

“A hex bag? That’s what stopped me back at that estate as well. Found some protection, have you?”

John smiled in relief. “A little.”

“You will find it is very little indeed.”

The witch backed off and swept her hands across the ground before her. She uttered a few lines of an unintelligible incantation.

The sand at his feet shifted. A yellow scorpion several inches long emerged. It flexed its pincers at him. The stinger on its curled tail quivered.

Then a wide arc of sand surrounding him stirred. An army of scorpions crawled to the surface. A yards-wide writhing carpet of pincers and stingers blocked any escape.

“Your hallucinations can’t hurt me,” John said.

“These aren’t hallucinations.”

A scorpion scrambled forward and jumped on the toe of his leather boot. John stomped it with his other heel. Scorpion splattered all over his shoes. The insects were indeed real.

“One sting is painful,” the witch said. “A hundred would be living hell. For the few moments you stayed alive, that is.

Russell R. James was raised on Long Island, New York and spent too much time watching Chiller, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, and Dark Shadows, despite his parents’ warnings. Bookshelves full of Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe didn’t make things better. He graduated from Cornell University and the University of Central Florida.

After flying helicopters with the U.S. Army and a career as a technical writer, he now spins twisted tales best read in daylight, including horror thrillers Dark Inspiration, Q Island, and The Playing Card Killer. He authored the Grant Coleman Adventures series starting with Cavern of the Damned and the Ranger Kathy West series starting with Claws. He resides in sunny Florida. His wife reads his work, rolls her eyes, and says “There is something seriously wrong with you.”

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BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY: Surviving the Summit Conference by Jon Kaczka

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Everyone can achieve success through the Summit Conference.

They just need to follow one rule:

There’s no escape.

Surviving the Summit Conference

by Jon Kaczka

Genre: Horror

Everyone can achieve success through the Summit Conference. They just need to follow one rule: There’s no escape.

In the luxurious and prestigious Beburoa Hotel, the Summit Conference promises to help attendees achieve their dreams.

Meet five unlikely individuals who have come to the conference. An Asian American single mom with a talent for social media hopes to launch a corporate marketing career. An unemployed dad is determined use his new MBA to leave behind his impoverished upbringing in a West Virginia trailer park. And a trio of influencers, including a fake televangelist, a thrill-seeking rock climber, and a laid-back stoner, accidentally stumble into the conference. Little do they know, the conference is a trap set by the enigmatic Chairman, Abigor, to manipulate and exploit them. As Abigor’s deadly intentions come to light, the attendees must confront their deepest fears and fight for their survival. Don’t miss out on this heart-pumping and suspenseful read. Find out who will survive the Summit Conference from hell.

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What inspired you to write this book?

I used to go to a lot of conferences for work, and I didn’t like it. While I don’t mind traveling for vacation, I realized I don’t like traveling for work. Also, I heard some stupid stuff at these conferences. Usually, 90% of the conference was focused on professional development, but 10% of the conference was a circle jerk. The exact ratio varies, depending on the conference, but there’s always a chunk of time devoted to people patting themselves on the back and saying how smart they are. Eventually, I started to imagine being trapped at a never-ending conference as a type of torture. And of course, the conference in Surviving the Summit Conference is 99% circle jerk. I’m the kind of person who has an overactive mind, but that doesn’t mean I’m naturally productive. When I let my mind wander, I tend to overthink every aspect of my life and make myself miserable. But it can be fun to focus my attention on imaginary problems. Like, how can I draw from my own life and experiences to make an awful conference that will make fictional characters miserable? Writing Surviving the Summit Conference was a fun way to externalize my anxiety. It was strangely cathartic to write about fictional characters getting brutally murdered. I spent a lot of time writing while on business trips. I wrote on airplanes. I’d go to a conference during the day, and then in the evening, when other people are at a reception, I’d sit in my hotel room and write my book. Parts of the book are inspired by stupid things I heard people say at conferences. Parts of the scenery were inspired by my surroundings. There’s at least one description of a carpet that was simply me describing the carpet in my hotel room as I typed.

Jon Kaczka is the author of Surviving the Summit Conference. 

He lives in Maryland with his wife and daughter.

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BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY: Half a Faerie by Toni Cabell

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When a hunky, human rock star stands up at his best friend’s wedding, he never expects to encounter vampires, werewolves, and the woman of his dreams. But she’s not what she seems… she’s half a faerie.

Half a Faerie

Faeries of Door County Book 1

by Toni Cabell

Genre: Clean Paranormal Romantic Comedy

When a hunky, human rock star stands up at his best friend’s wedding, he never expects to encounter vampires, werewolves, and the woman of his dreams. But she’s not what she seems… she’s half a faerie.

Will Rossi was the male half of the hottest singing-songwriting team in the country, until his ex-partner split up their act and left a trail of unflattering stories in her wake. With paparazzi hounding him and creditors harassing him, Will desperately needs a change of luck. Traveling to the Midwest for his buddy’s wedding isn’t the lucky break Will had in mind—until he meets the wedding planner—and now he can’t stop thinking about Cassia Spellman. Whatever it takes, Will must see her again, but first he’s getting his eyes examined—because everyone in her quirky town appears to have fur, fangs, or wings. Single mom Cassia has her hands full raising her faerie daughter and planning weddings for Door County’s supernatural population. The last thing she needs is Will Rossi in her life, with his velvety brown eyes and stubbled jawline. Besides, she can’t fall for him anyway—he’s human, she’s half faerie—and the elder council would never approve. Since Cassia and Will could never be together, she’s determined to stop thinking about him. Why can’t Rossi the Rocker just take a hint and go away? If you’re looking for sweet, slow-burn romance with swoony kisses, second chances, and funny, heartwarming characters, don’t miss the Faeries of Door County, a clean paranormal romance series for fans of K. M. Shea and Dusty Rose. Set in the same interconnected world, each book is a happily-ever-after standalone story that can be read in any order.

Praise for Half a Faerie:

“The perfect blend of Hallmark Christmas movie with small town fantasy… If you enjoy supernatural characters, small town charm (think Gilmore Girls) and a romance as sweet as the first sip of hot chocolate on Christmas morning, then you need to treat yourself to this book!” (Cynthia, Goodreads Review) “From the very first line, I wanted a plush blanket and some hot chocolate while I escaped into this world! The vibes are sweet and cozy and I absolutely adored it… Have snacks on hand when you read because the meals Toni described in this book had me drooling!” (Beth, Goodreads Review) “This story was filled with swoony moments, holiday cheer, magical creatures, delicious food, and lots of happy weddings. The characters were so relatable and the added moments of humor was so much fun! I cannot wait to read book 2!” (Sarah, Amazon Review) “A fun Christmas read with plenty of weddings, second chances, and a town full of supernatural creatures. It was sweet with just the right amount of angst and some interesting thoughts on how to move on from a relationship that feels like it stole everything from you.” (Abigail, Amazon Review)

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“Here, allow me.” I send half a dozen snowballs whizzing after the boys’ retreating backs. “Well done!” Cassia’s uncle chuckles. “They’ll be ready for hot cocoa soon enough.” Cassia scoops up some snowballs and dashes after a couple of lads attempting an end-run around us. I chase after her, ostensibly to lend a hand with the snow fight, but mostly to stay near her. She tosses her snowballs at the two boys, hitting both in the back. Laughing, they quickly disperse. Cassia pulls her arm back again, spins around, and lets loose another snowball that lands squarely in my face. She’s hit me on purpose! I’m momentarily stunned as icy water blurs my shades and drips into my eyes. I decide to milk this opportunity for all it’s worth. “Foul ball!” I cry, clutching my face. Cassia runs up to me. “Oh, Will, I’m so sorry! I was aiming for your chest. Are you okay?” Shielding my face with one hand, I turn away, moaning. As Cassia tries to pull my hand away to inspect the damage, I bring my other hand up and shove a fistful of snow inside the back of her jacket. Cassia yelps, “Cheater!” and gives me a push. I topple backward into a snowbank. Cassia loses her footing and falls down on top of me. She’s so stunning in this moment, with snowflakes on her eyelashes and her cheeks flushed with cold, I’m rendered speechless. I wrap my arms around her waist and hug her to myself. My pulse is pounding so hard I’m sure she must feel it through the layers of winter clothing. Our noses are nearly touching, and my breath becomes ragged. Her lips part, probably in surprise, as I tilt my head and gently kiss her. The warmth of her mouth against mine ripples through me like a heat wave. As I lean in to deepen the kiss, a pile of wet snow lands on our heads. Cassia breaks free of my arms and jumps up, shaking the snow out of her long, honey-colored hair. She points at someone behind my head, scoops up some snow, and shouts, “Jake! You’re gonna pay for that!” Jake laughs. “Not if you can’t catch me.” A low moan escapes from me as Cassia runs off, chasing after her brother, who clearly doesn’t want me chasing after his sister. If Cassia doesn’t have a word with Jake soon and tell him to butt out, I will. A short while later our team is declared the winner, and everyone troops back to the Sit for a Spell Café, stomping boots on the mats near the entrance and pulling off sodden mittens and caps. I pause to take a sniff. Mingled with the delicious aroma of chocolate, cinnamon, and butter, I detect the not-so-pleasant odor of damp dog fur. I quickly scan the café but find no huge sled dogs on the premises. I see the gargoyles have changed positions though; now they’re leaning forward, their noses wrinkled, as if they, too, detect wet canines close at hand. I notice Jake, who scratches his neck as he nods in my direction. I set my jaw and give him a curt nod in return. Jake may be the mayor of Riddle Hill, but there’s nothing he can say or do that’ll dissuade me from pursuing Cassia Spellman.

Toni is a closed door author. She writes clean fantasy and sweet paranormal romance stories featuring sassy women, swoony heroes, twisty plots, and happy endings.

Her novels have won multiple awards, including six B.R.A.G. Medallions, Silver & Bronze Medals in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards, and two Gold Medals in the Global Book Awards.

She makes her home in a small village along the shores of Lake Michigan with her handsome husband.

All Toni’s books are appropriate for teens and adults.

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BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY: The Spiral of Life by Francesca McMahon

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Eilean’s life wasn’t easy and now she has to save a God – great

The Spiral of Life: An Old Gods Story

Eilean in the Otherworld Book 1

by Francesca McMahon

Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy, Mythology

The first lesson Eilean MacAlistair learned in blacksmithing: First, you harden, and then you temper.

Otherwise, your metal will break. The same is true with life. A few years back, Eilean didn’t temper herself, and she broke someone. Badly. Hospital badly.

Her family had to flee Scotland because of her, but now they’ve returned, and 17-year-old Eilean’s life feels like a forge with the temperature rising around her. Mamó is sick, her family is straining at the seams, and magic is real!

An Otherworld has been calling to her from beneath Loch Lomond.

When she answers, Eilean discovers a world of blacksmiths in ballgowns, cruel cyclopses, and chronically critical kelpies.

Because she didn’t have enough problems to deal with already.

Will Eilean be able to temper herself against everything in this strange new world, and withstand the weight of her past? Or will she break once again?

Find out in the first adventure of Eilean in the Otherworld, The Spiral of Life, a young adult fantasy inspired by Celtic folklore.

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She was about to slip on her shoes when something strange happened. Her pendant, the spiral around her neck, grew warm. Eilean stopped what she was doing, stood upright, and reached up for the necklace. It didn’t feel warm to the touch now. Thinking she was imagining things, she slipped her shoes onto her cold feet and grabbed her socks and Mamó’s sweets. Heading up the bank, trying to ignore the chafe of her shoes, Eilean felt her necklace grow warm again. She stopped in place. “That’s… weird,” she mumbled, reaching up to hold the wood once more. Eilean glanced around, trying to figure out if she was just feeling an out-of-place warm breeze. That was when she noticed it. The fog had spread. Before, it had been at a distance, only covering a few of the smaller islands on the farthest side of the loch. Now it had spread to the beach, dancing over the stones and heading up the pebbled bank toward her. Like it was trying to swallow her up. “What the—” Eilean started, until she was cut off by a cry. “Help!” Eilean, immediately alert, searched the beach for the voice. Nothing. “Help me! Help!” the small voice cried, followed by the sound of frantic splashing. Eilean squinted through the fog. In the distance, about two hundred yards from the shore, a pair of hands raised into the air, waving madly. The wet head of hair appeared above the water again. The hands belonged to a struggling child. “Shit!” Eilean cried, searching for someone nearby who could help. Where the hell had he even come from? “Help—” The voice cut off. Eilean whirled around, and for a horrifying second, she couldn’t see the kid anymore. They came splashing to the surface again, clearly panicked. She had no choice. Dumping her items and throwing off her shoes again, she charged forward. Ignoring the stinging of the stones against her feet, Eilean leaped into the water. Unlike before, she submerged herself fully in the loch. Her entire body screamed at the sharpness of the icy waters by sending a wrack of shivers up and down her skin. Christ. Balls. Fack! she thought as she swam through the bone-chilling cold of the loch. The kid’s screaming and splashing were getting closer, but so was the strength of the fog. She could barely see a foot in front of her. Eilean stopped swimming, unable to continue in fear that she could end up heading in the wrong direction. “Kid!” Eilean shuddered out through her chattering teeth. “Shout for me!” She bobbed in place, turning frantically in every direction. “Where are you?” Nothing. Oh, God, I can’t have been too late, Eilean thought. They were shouting for me up until I stopped. Then, she felt something touch her foot. Yelping in surprise, Eilean stared down at the water beneath her. She couldn’t see a thing, the water too dark to see through, but she knew something had touched her. Could the kid be underneath already? Eilean threw her chin over both shoulders, hoping for a sign that she was close. Nothing happened. No call for help, no ripple in the water. Nothing. “Crap,” she muttered as she looked down at her reflection in the water. “Crap.” Eilean took a deep breath, then dove. The waters of Loch Lomond had never been the clearest. While one could make out details that were in close proximity, without proper diving equipment, it didn’t make much difference. But this time, it was as if Eilean had plunged into a room where all the lights had gone out. It was a terrifying feeling. She kicked her legs and searched as low and wide around as she could manage. Eilean held an arm out in the hopes of feeling anything but eventually the need for air forced her to swim back up to the surface. Just as she took her first breath, readying to dive back down again, something grabbed her foot and held on for dear life. Eilean was so surprised she almost forgot to panic. She swallowed a great gulp of frigid water as the kid pulled her farther under. Kicking and thrashing, Eilean tried to remove their grip as best she could. She even tried to reach down and pry them off her leg. Nothing worked. Her last thought as the distant light above her faded into darkness cried out through the cold. I’m not ready to die.

Francesca McMahon was born in Oxford, England, to a Scottish father and an Essex mother. They gained a B.A. in Creative Writing at Edge Hill University and was shortlisted for the university’s Dame Janet Suzman Playwriting Award in 2019. Since graduating, Francesca has worked consistently in publishing while working on her writing of fantasy, horror and romance fiction, as well as various tabletop RPGs and screenplays. As a queer person, their work is dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community, and she hopes that they will all find a home in her imaginary worlds.

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BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY: The Mark of the Salamander by Justin Newland

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 THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

The Mark of the Salamander

The Island of Angels Book One

by Justin Newland

Genre: Historical Fiction

1575: Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder. Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.

Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.

The Mark of the Salamander is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

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My historical fiction novel, The Mark of the Salamander, was published in October 2023. It’s the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels, which tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era. Book two is out in October, 2024, and is entitled The Midnight of Eights. This blog tells the story of the unusual fate of the good ship Elizabeth, one of the fleet of five vessels that set sail from Plymouth in England in 1577 to sail around the world. The fleet was commanded by Sir Francis Drake, while the Elizabath was captained by John Wynter. This was a voyage into the unknown, because no one on board had sailed around the world before. Only the Portuguese navigator, Ferdinand Magellan, had managed that feat, and that was some fifty years previously. So, rather than reveal his true intentions, Drake told the crew they were embarking on a trading voyage to Egypt, or the Levant as it was known then. This was to allay any fears the men might have about the real dangers they would face. But by the time they crossed the Atlantic from Africa to South America, the game was up, and Drake had to reveal the true aim of the expedition. The little fleet over-wintered in Patagonia, which is towards the southern tip of South America. There, like Magellan before him, Drake had to put down a mutiny amongst his crew, and executed one of the gentleman adventurers, an aristocrat named Thomas Doughty. Also while in Patagonia, Drake scuttled two of his supply ships before attempting to cross the Straights of Magellan, aka Cape Horn (see image). Because this was the meeting point of the waters of two huge oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific, the seas there are notoriously treacherous, On 20 August, 1578, Drake set sail to traverse the Straights with three vessels, the Golden Hind, the Elizabeth, and the Marigold. They hit ferocious storms. The Marigold and her 29 crewmen was lost. Aboard the Golden Hind, the crew claimed that they heard the cries of the doomed seamen. In the Elizabeth, John Wynter passed through the Straits of Magellan, but on 7th October, 1578, a terrible storm arose and they lost contact with the rest of the fleet. Wynter later claimed that he had never lived through such a terrible tempest. Not only did he turn around, but, unbeknown to Drake, who thought he was lost, he retraced his steps and sailed all the way back to England, arriving in Plymouth in June 1580. At first, he received a hero’s welcome, but only because the populace who had come to greet him believed that he was Francis Drake, and had succeeded in circumnavigating the globe. The rumours about the real reasons for Wynter’s about-turn have rumbled on for centuries. Some claimed that Wynter took advantage of circumstances to head back to England because he could not get along with Drake, a situation brought to a head “… after what happened to Thomas Doughty.” It was said that his decision persisted “full sore against the mariners’ minds.” So much for Captain John Wynter, captain of half a circumnavigation. Images: Cape Horn Drake’s passage

 

JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism.

Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (ISBN 9781789014860, Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.

His second book is a historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (ISBN 9781789015829, Matador, 2018), and is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.

The Coronation (ISBN 9781838591885, Matador, 2019) is an historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.

The Abdication (ISBN 9781800463950, Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.

His latest is The Mark of the Salamander (ISBN 9781915853271, Book Guild, 2023) and is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it tells the epic tale of England’s coming of age.

The second in the series, The Midnight of Eights (ISBN 9781835740 330, Book Guild, 2024), charts of the uncanny coincidences that culminated in the repulse of the Spanish Armada and is due for publication in October.

Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin gives talks to historical associations and libraries, appears on LitFest panels, and enjoys giving radio interviews.

He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

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BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY: Twisted Fates by Adam J. Ridley

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 With his newfound powers, can the new Legacy Wizard save the man he
loves, or will a backward turn of the Wheel of Fortune cost him
everything?

Twisted Fates

A Tales From the
Tarot Book

by Adam J. Ridley

Genre: LGBTQ M/M
Paranormal Romance

With
his newfound powers, can the new Legacy Wizard save the man he loves,
or will a backward turn of the Wheel of Fortune cost him
everything?

In a world where the Wheel of Fortune
spins their destinies, two souls collide in a whirlwind of magic and
desire.

Damian, an ordinary taxi
driver, is thrust into an extraordinary fate when a mysterious ring
transforms him into a legacy wizard, bound to the eternal struggle
between light and darkness.

Owen, a young lawyer, is drawn
into Damian’s world as he untangles the legacy left by Damon’s
predecessor.

When their paths intertwine, a
dangerous attraction ignites, threatening to unravel the delicate
balance Damian must uphold.

With newfound powers at his
command, can Damian protect Owen or will all hope for love and
balance be lost to the darkness?

Twisted Fates is a standalone MM romance novel as part of
the multi-author collaboration Tales from the Tarot. This book is
based on the major arcana card The Wheel of Fortune.

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**Don’t
miss the rest of the Tales From the Tarot books!**

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them on Amazon

 

After
years of writing romance under the pen name Blake Allwood, I decided
to pursue my other genre passion, fantasy and science fiction. Adam
J. Ridley is the reality of that pursuit.

My husband of 28 years and I
have had an adventurous life. We’ve had many businesses, we’ve
raised over twelve foster children, two of which we adopted, and had
at least two professional careers.

To say we are people who seek
experiences is an understatement.

As I’ve grown older, my
passions seem to be better reflected in my imagination. Fantasy,
urban fantasy, and science fiction all allow me to escape into
worlds that transcend life. I’ve always been a major lover of
fantasy writing and started reading it at a rather young age.

My husband and I travel
full-time now in our RV (caravan for those not in the United States.)
We’ve been doing this since 2017 and y’all, we love it.

Please join me on Facebook, and
other social media sites. I work hard to be easily accessible to my
readers, cause you all are the reason for all the lovely work!

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Amazon 


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BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY: Pirates in Hell anthology

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Black heart buccaneers face fiery seas, monstrous krakens, and the wrath of the Devil himself!

Pirates in Hell

A Heroes in Hell Anthology

created by Janet Morris

Genre: Dark Fantasy Pirate Anthology

Avast, ye readers! Here be Pyrates! Feast yer eyes on the cursed treasures before you! Hoist the skull ‘n’ crossbones! Walk the plank with hell’s sorest losers! Join the damnedest buccaneers and privateers ever to sail infernal seas. Here be twelve tales of piracy spun by Janet Morris, Chris Morris, Nancy Asire, Paul Freeman, Larry Atchley Jr, Rob Hinkle, Michael H. Hanson, Joe Bonadonna, Andrew P. Weston, S.E. Lindberg, and Jack William Finley. Corsairs, freebooters and plunderers shiver their timbers and meet their fates as the devil’s dupes learn why the deeper in hell you go, the colder it gets.

The depths of hell chill the boldest sinner as damned souls learn why the deeper in hell you go, the colder it gets.

Inside you’ll find: Bitter Business – Janet Morris and Chris Morris Pieces of Hate – Andrew P. Weston Evil Angel –  Janet Morris and Chris Morris Who’s a Pirate Now? – Nancy Asire Curse of the Pharaohs – S.E. Lindberg Lir’s Children – Paul Freeman Unholiest Grail – Larry Atchley, Jr. The Bitter Taste of Hell’s Injustice – Jack William Finley Serial Recall and Beautiful Tortures – Michael H. Hanson Drink and the Devil – Rob Hinkle The Pirates of Penance – Joe Bonadonna Muse of Fire – Janet Morris and Chris Morris Hell Hounds (excerpt) – Andrew P. Weston

**On Sale for Only $2.99 for September Only!**

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Larry Atchley Jr. is a writer of primarily science fiction, fantasy, horror, and poetry. His other interests include Qi-Gong Kung Fu, British Humour, hiking, mountain biking, everything about tea, sword fencing, traditional archery, reading and collecting books, and playing harmonica and guitar. He is a crewmember of the piratical poetry and musical performance group The Seadog Slam and is frequently a guest author at various literary conventions and other events. He is a contributing author to Janet Morris’s Heroes in Hell series. You can read his blog, The Short Pale Writer in the Long Black Coat, at http://www.larryatchleyjr.wordpress.com.

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What is something unique/quirky about you? I perform with a group called Seadog Slam, in which myself and the other members dress in pirate garb and recite our original pirate and adventure poetry at various events. Tell something about yourself, and how you became an author. I started writing stories and poetry when I was around 13 years old. I’ve always had a vivid imagination, and entertained myself most of the time, either reading, writing, or spending time in nature, hiking, bicycling, or in boats on lakes. I started thinking about trying to publish some of my work during my early 20s, but nothing came of it at the time. It wasn’t until my late 30s that I got more serious about wanting to be a published author. I attended some writing workshops to try to hone my skills and see if my writing might have a chance of being publishable. My goal was to have a short story published before I turned 40. In the Fall of 2010, when I had just turned 39, I happened to start corresponding with author and editor Janet Morris online, through commenting on her posts regarding her latest novel The Sacred Band, which she had written with her husband Chris Morris. I had been a big fan of her Sacred Band of Stepsons characters from the Thieves’ World shared world anthology series and the spin-off novels about them that Janet wrote. When she found out I was a writer of many years, though unpublished, she told me that she and Chris were going to bring back the Heroes in Hell shared universe series, with the first book being an anthology of short stories by several authors, and they were looking for more writers to submit stories, and asked if I would write and submit a story for consideration in the first book titled Lawyers in Hell. She accepted my story, my first-ever to be published, when the book was released in the Summer of 2011, just about 3 months before my 40th birthday. Who is your hero, and why? My Dad, Larry Atchley Sr. is my hero. He has always been there for me when I needed him most, and he has always been a wonderful, loving father. He has done a lot to help various members of our extended family as well. What inspired you to write Unholiest Grail?  When I found out that there was going to be a Pirates in Hell volume, I knew I had to write a story for it. As I mentioned before, I am in a pirate performance group, so Pirates and their history and stories are something I have always been interested in. I knew right away that I would choose Henry Morgan for my main pirate character, and my story would deal with his legendary appetite for alcohol. In Hell, the damned cannot get drunk, and it would really chafe Morgan not to be able to get inebriated, so I came up with the idea of a magical chalice that would allow the damned to get drunk. Morgan would want to find it before anyone else. I also felt that having had my own share of trouble with alcohol on and off throughout my life that I could lend some personal perspective to the story and that might serve as a cathartic exercise. Tell us why your story is a must read.  Well it has action, adventure, pirates, vikings, the founder of the Church of Satan, and a surprise twist ending. If that’s not enough to make it extremely interesting, then I don’t know what is. What is your advice to new authors? Keep writing and improving your craft. Read a lot, and in a wide range of subjects, but get to know the genre or subject you want to write for especially well. It’s never too late and you’re never too old to become published. Don’t listen to your inner demon critics, and don’t let anyone cause you to feel like you aren’t good enough to write and be published.

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Choice of print or ebook copy of Pirates in Hell, $10 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner each!

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BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY: The Bluff by Bonnie Traymore

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 A crumbling bluff, two unsolved homicides, and a woman on the edge.
Haunted by her husband’s untimely death, Kate must navigate
treacherous waters and leave Crest Lake and her tragic past
behind…before it all unravels.

The Bluff

by Bonnie Traymore

Genre: Psychological
Thriller

“A riveting, pulse-pounding, adrenaline
rush of a thriller. Do not miss this book!” -Noelle W. Ihli,
author of Gray After Dark

“Gripping
and full of surprises, The Bluff
is a clever psychological suspense with layered characters and an
atmospheric setting. Traymore masterfully ratchets up the tension
little-by-little until the shocking,
explosive end.” –Tracey
Devlyn, USA Today bestselling
author

“What do you
have to lose, Kate?” Ryan asked me, as we stood on the bluff
looking out on Lake Michigan.

Turns out, almost
everything.

When I first moved
from Manhattan to this small town six years ago, I worried about many
things. I worried about finding a job. I worried that I’d be bored.
I worried that my relationship with charming photographer Ryan
Breslow was moving too fast. But I never worried about whether the
ground beneath my feet would crumble—both literally and
figuratively.

My marriage didn’t
go as I’d imagined. A year ago, Ryan met his untimely death in a
car accident that’s still under investigation. Isolated and alone,
all I wanted was to sell my home and leave Crest Lake and its painful
memories behind.

But with my home
inching ever closer to the edge of the crumbling bluff, the property
has become unmarketable. All of us on the lakefront have lost chunks
of property, and tempers are at a boiling point about what to do
next.

And now, on the
evening of a contentious vote about how to fix this pressing issue,
my nemesis on the shoreline committee has been murdered. I know how
it looks, but it’s not what it seems. I have to get my plan passed
and cash out.

Because I have
secrets.

And they won’t
stay buried forever.

**On
Sale for Only .99cents for a limited time!**

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Bonnie
Traymore is the award-winning, Amazon best selling author of
page-turner mystery/thrillers that hit close to home. Her books
feature strong but relatable female protagonists. The plots explore
difficult topics such as jealousy, infidelity, murder, and the impact
of psychological disorders, but she also includes bits of romance and
humor to lighten the mood from time to time. She’s an active status
member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of
America.

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COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY: Nightmare Retreat by Hayley Lawson

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 Unlock the Nightmare…

Nightmare Retreat

Shadows of the Past
Book 1

by Hayley Lawson

Genre: Horror

Uncover the Secrets of Fear: Join the Nightmare Retreat by Clear
Path Corporation

Clear Path Corporation (CPC) welcomes
you to a serene weekend getaway at our secluded cabin in upstate New
York. Join Nathan and Ethan Stone, along with their friends Ruby,
Olivia, and Liam, as they embark on what promises to be a relaxing
retreat. Appearances can be deceiving, however, and all is not as it
seems. As their weekend begins, so does a new experiment in
terror.

Before the group can settle in, they realize that
something sinister is afoot. After a disturbing encounter at a local
convenience store, their cabin has mysteriously disappeared, along
with the road. As they hike through the fading light toward their
destination, an ominous symbol carved into a tree seems to warn of
something strange to come. Follow along as their tranquil escape
devolves into a harrowing ordeal.

Clear Path Corporation’s
scientists have meticulously orchestrated every chilling detail to
challenge the subjects’ resolve and sanity. CPC’s patented
immersive experience will push the group to its limits, testing their
resilience when facing old fears and unearthing new terrors. Will
they decipher the dark secrets we’ve woven into the very fabric of
the forest, or will they succumb to the precisely crafted horrors
that await them?

Join us for the CPC Nightmare Retreat
Experience, where ingenuity, loyalty, and the unyielding will to
survive are put to the ultimate test. Are you ready to confront the
unknown and explore the limits of fear?

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 Hayley Lawson is an English author who currently resides in New York.
When she’s not writing, she spends her time watching movies and
hanging out with her family.

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$10
Amazon giftcard – 1 winner (WW),

Nightmare
Retreat Swag Pack – 2 winners (US only)

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