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Wednesday, June 30, 2021

YA Supernatural Cozy Mystery Author Kimberly Wylie: How I became an author + giveaway

How I became an author

Although I wrote a few short stories as a kid that were well-received by both classmates and teachers, becoming an author wasn’t my Plan A when I was younger. My first major in college was Aviation Science. I wanted to become a pilot. However, living on my own and paying for college made flight school very cost-prohibitive. So I transitioned into working full-time, eventually becoming an IT headhunter. However, my love for writing was always flitting around the back of my brain. I had notebooks filled with starts of stories and lists of potential story ideas. Yet I never had the time to devote to actually writing.

As luck would have it, the recruiting company I was working with in New York needed a new website. I offered to take on the task of writing the content for the developer. This was a group of IT guys—very smart when it came to coding, not so much when it came to communication including writing. They were happy someone had volunteered. No one even questioned if I was a proficient writer or even knew the difference between a colon and a semicolon.

As soon as the site was live, clients started asking about it.-Most importantly to me, they asked who wrote the content. Before I knew it, I had several freelancing gigs writing everything from web content to marketing materials to patent documentation. Eventually, I had so many freelancing clients, I left my position as a recruiter and started solely freelancing.

Over the past twenty-plus years, I’ve written such a variety of material—magazine articles, blog posts, screenplays, video voice-over scripts, and even content for a comic book series. When people used to ask me, “What do you write?” my standard answer was, “Whatever pays.”

However, the one thing I wasn’t writing was stories I really wanted to tell.

A couple of years ago I made the decision to change that. I slowly cut back my clients until, in November 2019, I started my own publishing company—Cypress Canyon Publishing. My intention was to use it as a platform to finally listen to that muse I had locked away for far too long. I came across a few exceptional manuscripts early on and was once again diverted away from writing. But once those came to market, I focused on my writing once more, and one of the stories that had been playing out in my mind for more than a decade—Zombies for Everyone—finally came to life.

Zombies For Everyone (A Jenna Sutton Supernatural Cozy Mystery Book 1)
by Kimberly Wylie
June 30, 2021
Genre: Supernatural Cozy Mystery
Jenna Sutton is nothing like the iconic vampire slayer of TV fame.

She’s the antithesis of a cheerleader. She’s not peppy. And she sucks at gymnastics. She has nothing in common with the fictional Buffy, other than being blonde and in high school...

Oh, and occasionally she kills vampires for a living as well as other things that go bump in the night.

Following an attack on an English teacher at a nearby school, it becomes clear this wasn’t an ordinary coyote bite. The gray-green Lichtenberg-like webbing of streaks making their way up Ms. Pruett’s arm can mean only one thing—zombies.

But this isn’t a normal zombie attack. The victims seem to be hand-picked.

Can Jenna complete her investigation without the school administrators figuring out she’s actually a high school student from another school? Will Jenna be able to find out who’s behind these attacks before a full-scale zombie outbreak overtakes the town? And, perhaps most importantly...
Why did her best friend kiss her after all of these years?


**Use Coupon Code SILVER10 for 10% off any purchase at the author's website!!**

Excerpt:
I got up and walked over to Ms. Pruett. I pulled back the covers covering her left hand. It was fine—healthy and whole. Five slightly chubby fingers. Not one of them gnawed on.

“Sorry,” Mr. Pringle said quietly, “the other hand.”

I walked around the bed and pulled back the sheet covering her right hand. Before I even got to her hand, I could see the greenish-gray marks trailing up Ms. Pruett’s forearm. The Lichtenberg figures looked like delicate ferns tattooed into her flesh but were slowly creeping up her arm and would eventually seek out her heart. Her hand was covered in a bandage, but I was sure if I were to remove it not only would I find two missing fingers, but the hand would be almost entirely green-gray, with blackened tissue necrosis starting already nearest to the bite wound.

Definitely a zombie bite.

Crap.


About the Author

Website-FB-TwitterKimberly Wylie loves to write books about murder, mystery and mayhem.

Kimberly has been a full-time freelance writer and editor for more than twenty years. She has worked for both large publishing houses and small, boutique publishers, as well as magazines, Fortune 500 companies, and hundreds of private clients. When people asked her, “What do you write?” Her standard answer was always, “Whatever pays.”

For the last two years, Kimberly has focused on finally writing what she wants to write. During COVID, she published an award winning cookbook—The Ambergris Caye COVID Relief Cookbook. This book was featured in Forbes, won a Gourmand International award, and helped provide more than 20,000 meals to the residents of the island of Ambergris Caye, Belize. She’s also recently published a children’s picture book—Carl the Misunderstood Crocodile—and is donating profits to a local wildlife conservation and rescue group. Zombies for Everyone: A Jenna Sutton Supernatural Cozy Mystery is Kimberly’s first foray into her favorite genre—Cozies!

When not writing, you can find Kimberly enjoying the sunshine, the beach or the reef, from her home on Ambergris Caye. She lives there with her husband and the best English Cream Golden Retriever in the world—Coco.

Giveaway
$25 Amazon gift card , Jenna Sutton Swag Bag – 1 winner each!
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Excerpt: Blood and Shadows (Ancient Dreams Book 2) by JP Roth

Blood and Shadows (Ancient Dreams Book 2)
by JP Roth
June 24, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Romance
It’s a strange thing to wake up dead, knowing you are standing in the center of unchangeable destiny—strange, yet acceptable. When the moment holds the death of someone you love—that’s where the rules of destiny deserve to be broken.

Cara Wynter read a book that told her stories of another place, a forgotten time. As she read, she remembered the man she loved—the dark stranger in her dreams, re-lived her own death in his arms. Now, he is in front of her, wanting her, loving her, desperate to save her, even from herself.

From the dark halls of Hades to the hidden mountains of Transylvania, Cara finds herself falling yet again for the man who once traded his soul to save her own. Spells, witches, mythical creatures, and ancient, avenging gods threaten her daily. Terrifying, emerging powers and twisted murders—are her new normal. The horrors she tried for years to ignore, come for her with a vengeance, dragging her into a hidden world of fantasy, and magic.


Drake closed his eyes, I thought in denial of it all. “Aphrodite told me it would be like this. In my mind she whispered of your return. She always knew what I would do, it was her love spell after all— she knows the strength of it. She knew I would always love you too much to say no. She knew I would be the one who kills you every time.”

“I don’t care if I die. I am not afraid of dying. Just don’t leave me living like this.”

On the mountain the howl of the wind rose, and the color of my soul bends with the untouched snow. In the chapel I brought his face down to mine. “Please,” I begged, letting him see the desire of my heart in my eyes. “Please, Drake, let me be with you... let me be with you, even if it’s only for thirteen more days.”

“I can’t do it,” he groaned, but I felt it in my bones, and knew it in my heart the second he caved. On the mountain I saw Arias gasp, then sigh as if she knew what was coming. In the chapel Drake went to his knees and pulled me with him. Suddenly, it felt like he pushed a giant shard of glass in my brain. I shook in his arms. Our foreheads were pressed together, and light started to gather in between us, blue streamers of

effervescence, that made a music I could never describe.

On the mountain, Drake holds my dead body, his cheek against mine.

I hear a wheezing pop and feel Drake flinch. He turns, frowns when he sees the arrowhead buried in his shoulder. He rips it out of his flesh, blood splashes my cold, grey body. He kisses my forehead, then turns to face Ares, who rushes toward us. No peasant garb for this god now—his armor blazes like supernova.

“What have you done?” shouts Ares. Crimson light shoots from the sword in his hand, and his ringing voice quakes the banks of ice. He looks at Aphrodite in astonishment, then a dull, dawning horror darkens his eyes. Ares leaps from Atheon’s flaming back. Where he lands, the ground splits, jets of water break free of the shifting cracks, and spray the sky.

“It is not what I have done!” shouts Drake.

In the chapel Drake knocked Legux to the floor and laid me on the stone table. I tugged at the hem of his black, cotton t-shirt, he whipped the material over his head, and threw it to the ground. Blue light spilling from the sword touched his skin and made him a creature of fantasy. My fantasy—my world. I felt his hand hot on my naked thigh. The glow growing between us intensified.

On the mountain, rage twists Ares’s handsome face. He walks to his goddess on shaking legs. The second he reaches out his hand to touch her lips, I realize boy-Draken had been dead right. Androsia never had a chance at this god’s heart. “You have killed her,” whispers Ares. On his cheeks I see the silver sheen of tears.

“I have not killed her,” Drake spits out each word. “She is sleeping. I pray she never wakes.”

Ares moves to my dead body. He reaches out a hand to touch a lock of my hair, deep sorrow in his eyes, sorrow I think for both of us. Drake screams the scream of a man gone mad. Blindly he swings Legux, I see the tip of the blade nick Ares’s on his neck—this cut is deeper than the last, and the cut does not close. It bleeds like a severed vein. Ares stares down at his blood, eyes wide, jaw dropped. I wonder if he is fascinated by the blood, or just that someone would dare to draw it. “You cannot mean to fight me, Draken?” I hear the pain and shock in Ares’s voice. “We are brothers,” he gasps. “I don’t want to fight you, I won’t. I never meant for it to come to this. Walk away. You are stepping in the middle of an endless war.”

“You took her! I saw you give her to Aphrodite,” spat Drake, and I saw death in his eyes. “You killed her!”

“I was not under my own power,” pleads Ares. I know he is not lying. I remember Limbo and all it told me. In the chapel we breathed to the rhythm of the throbbing lights.

Drake’s mouth was on my waist, I gasped when I felt his teeth graze my hip bone. Shivers tightened my skin. My pesky nightgown was in the way, I sighed when he lifted it over my head. The blue lights wrapping us in ribbons of moving particles were warm, and glistening. I looked down at my naked body, my hands flew up to cover my breast—a sudden wash of shyness taking control of my limbs. When he kissed my fingers, and said my name, I knew it was the sound of all his prayers.

About the Author:
Website-FB-Twitter
Instagram
Author, dreamer and wild child extraordinaire: JP Roth is an American Novelist, and owner of Rothic comics, founded in 2012, through which she has produced and published five of her original series. JP Roth in California with her beautiful family, and their adorable Bichon Frise. Her days are spent writing fanciful stories, walking on the beach, and attending comic conventions across the globe. While JP Roth enjoys travelling to exotic locations, she admittedly prefers to stay home, wrapped in a soft fluffy blanket, drinking tea and penning her next novel.

Book Review: The Devil and the Heiress (The Gilded Age Heiresses #2) by Harper St. George

The Devil and the Heiress (The Gilded Age Heiresses #2)
by Harper St. George
June 29, 2021
Book 2 of 3: The Gilded Age Heiresses
Genre: Scottish historical romance
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley 
Sparks fly when a runaway heiress bargains with a devilish rogue to escape a marriage of convenience.

No one would guess that beneath Violet Crenshaw's ladylike demeanor lies the heart of a rebel. American heiresses looking to secure English lords must be on their best behavior, but Violet has other plans. She intends to flee London and the marriage her parents have arranged to become a published author--if only the wickedly handsome earl who inspired her most outrageously sinful character didn't insist on coming with her.

Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, has a scheme of his own: escort the surprisingly spirited dollar princess north and use every delicious moment in close quarters to convince Violet to marry him. Christian needs an heiress to rebuild his Scottish estate but the more time he spends with Violet, the more he realizes what he really needs is her--by his side, near his heart, in his bed.

Though Christian's burning glances offer unholy temptation, Violet has no intention of surrendering herself or her newfound freedom in a permanent deal with the devil. It's going to take more than pretty words to prove this fortune hunter's love is true....

Nouveau riche Americans, the Crenshaw family, have taken temporary residence in London. Like many families in their position, the Crenshaws seek to solidify their position among the upper echelon of society. Without titles, however, their social position remains begrudgingly but politely tolerated by the long-established elite. As luck would have it, the Crenshaws have daughters -- highly desirable daughters of a marriageable age. Marriage to a titled gentleman would open doors for the Crenshaws in both business and society. There’s only one problem. The Crenshaw daughters aren’t exactly willing brides. They’re smart and independent and unwilling to be led like lambs to the slaughter without a fight.

The Devil and the Heiress is the delicious follow-up to book one, The Heiress Gets a Duke. August Crenshaw has left London with her suitor Evan Sterling, Duke of Rothschild. Still in London, younger sister Violet Crenshaw spends her days writing while eschewing the matrimonial machinations of her parents. Violet is determined to become a published author. She does not wish to marry for her family’s benefit. At least not now.

Christian Halston, Early of Leigh is a rake with a truly sinful reputation. Violet is both intrigued and repelled by the dark and handsome Leigh, he’s the inspiration for Violet’s fictional character, Lord Lucifer after all. Leigh is devious and calculating and has his sights firmly set on Violet. When Violet is backed into a corner, Leigh is only too eager to set a dastardly plan in place. The earl offers Violet an escape, promising to safely deliver from her parents and would-be husband to a remote writing retreat. Only Leigh has no intention of letting Violet go.

And so connection is born in a carriage. Delightfully agonizing days pass while Violet and Christian become inextricably entwined. The romantic tension is truly intoxicating. While Christian is devious, he’s ultimately redeemable. He’s confident and assured and never intimidated by a woman’s intelligence or need for independence. His position on the outskirts of polite society makes him the perfect partner for a headstrong, woman with ideas and aspirations.

I adore this series. St. George masterfully builds addictive angsty tension. Her characters are appropriately contemporary in a period setting, making them relatable and relevant. I cannot wait for the next installment.

Review: The Heiress Gets a Duke (The Gilded Age Heiresses Book 1)

Five Sheep






Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:
Harper St. George was raised in the rural backwoods of Alabama and along the tranquil coast of northwest Florida. It was a setting filled with stories of the old days that instilled in her a love of history, romance, and adventure. By high school, she had discovered the historical romance novel, which combined all of those elements into one perfect package. She has been hooked ever since.

She lives in the Atlanta area with her family. She would love to hear from you. Please visit her website at www.harperstgeorge.com and connect with her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/harperstgeorge.

Monday, June 28, 2021

WTF-ery with Urban Fantasy Author Louis Corsair + giveaway

If you can dream it up, Louis Corsair, we will post it! We love all 31 flavors of crazy.

I keep picturing Baskin-Robbins. That’s where we get that reference. Except today, there won’t be ice cream.

Unless you buy me some.

Okay. No ice-cream. When the folks at I Smell Sheep told me that, I took it to mean I could do something odd, a little weird, revealing, embarrassing. About. Me.

Yes! But, 31 is really long, so I’ll flip it around.

So, here’s 13, very quick, very odd flavors of Louis Corsair! Only one is a lie.

-I once held enough explosives in my hands to kill me and the people around me. Spoiler alert: I didn’t die.

-The peacock in this photo would come by my job and harass me.
-Moments after I took this cat’s photo, we got into a fight and he nearly took out my eye; he missed by a centimeter. (his name is Rasputin)
-I once helped Emilia Clark evade a cloud of paparazzi waiting for her outside LAX. She didn’t think I could do it, but I know a few secret ways around security! (she’s also very short)

-While out on a blind date, the Jägermeister people approached us and asked to take a photo of us drinking a shot of the stuff so they could use it in an ad; I won’t show the photo here, but it was a bad blind date (and you can see it in the look of sheer horror on my face).

-For a period of six months, I lived in my car. That wasn’t so bad, since it was a brand new Pontiac Firebird! I also drove said Firebird over 130 miles an hour down a desert road that was known for the many fatal accidents that occurred in it.

-I spent a month in the former Yugoslavia, living in a tent, without showering; we had to take a sh** in a communal toilet and at the end of the day, I had to burn the sh** with fuel. God, I wish this wasn’t true!

-I got my first French kiss when I was six years old, and my second one moments after, and the same with my third, fourth, etc. She was older and wanted to practice.

-Me and the guy in this photo used to swim on luggage for the fuck of it. Ha! Hahaha!
-I had a ten-minute phone conversation with a prison inmate who wanted me to help him get access to his bank account; his bank card wasn’t working and he was trying to get a new one; I hung up after I figured out that what I was doing was probably illegal.

-I have received more than one chain letter in my life (the physical kind). They said god-awful things would happen to me and those I cared about if I didn’t mail them out to others. I thought they were hilarious and started collecting them. I don’t know what happened to them.

-The first vehicle I ever drove was a military one, which had no tires or a steering wheel; my supervisor lied about me having a driver’s license too because he didn’t want to drive.

-On that note, the place where I learned to drive that military vehicle had roads that were riddled with landmines. Despite being an inexperienced driver, I stayed within the paved parts of the road! I didn’t really have a choice…

That’s all folks! And you know what? I forgot which one of those was a lie. Ah, well. It’s hard to believe all that nonsense happened to me anyhow.

I’m glad you stuck by until the end. Now, I can honestly say I smell sheep too.

Har!

LC
Blogger: Louiscorsair.blogspot.com

The Quantum of the Past: Redux! (An Elohim Trilogy Novel)
by Louis Corsair
December 2020
 Genre: Urban Fantasy / Dark Fantasy
549 pages
ISBN: B08J5BGHV4
ASIN: B00IQX0WXI
Number of pages: 633
Word Count: 166,000 words
Cover Artist: Ravven Kitsune
A mentally unstable army war veteran, Miles Trevor, seeks to redeem himself by helping a Sprite return to her magical home world and fulfill her destiny.

The Past that haunts Miles Trevor is relentless, with even its most fundamental fragment...

Iraq war veteran, Miles Trevor, has survivor's guilt after living through an insurgent attack that killed the rest of his platoon, but left him unharmed. Now, he wants nothing more than to return to the military and be a part of the mission once again. Yet, his mind is crumbling; he sometimes hallucinates, seeing the soldiers who died that day. With madness looming in the shadows, the army will never grant him his wish.

So, when the supernatural--in the form of a teen Sprite named Kendra--offers him a chance for redemption, he takes it. All the girl wants is to go home to a magical city called Lusphera to fulfill her holy destiny, and find out why her father wants to stop her.

But with Miles losing his grip on sanity, he may not be the best man for this task. In fact, he may be her biggest threat...



Excerpt
THE BATTLE OF THE RAVEN MOUNTAINS
As the questers and the nomads drew their weapons, the roars of the mountain lion clansmen stopped. And they could hear hushed movement everywhere, concealed by the darkness. This chilled Miles’ bones more than the night cold ever did.

And then the mountain lion clan dove out of the darkness and attacked and the wild men and questers fought them with apprehension, for they still thought them allies. And in the thick confusion, the puma-men in the host betrayed them; they leaped onto their former comrades and murdered anyone they attacked.

Another burst of mountain lion warriors attacked from the slopes above and from those below. They were in tight packs and tore apart anyone unfortunate enough to meet them alone, even the bear warriors. But the questers and the nomads caught on and began a hasty defense that mutated into a counter-attack.

Kendra flew high above them and summoned a ball of light as bright as a small sun and as large as her body. This allowed Zan and Draxel to use their power. The two Shadow Walkers were like gophers popping in and out of shadows, slashing the traitors to pieces.

And although Raza was of their same race, he fought unlike them. This warrior leaped from place to place, his agility equal to the puma and mountain lion men, piercing some with the spear, some with the pearl-handled knife; his every move economical, his every strike precise. And sometimes, when a difficult party faced him, he sank into the shadows with them and emerged later, but alone. How like a dancer he was then, the ancient Symphony of Conflict guiding his steps. He was a glory to behold--proud Achilles would fear this man!

The light helped the others as well. Trinath, son of Holgoth, held the Staff of the Waterborne over his head and it glowed like a star, which caused Kendra’s light to fire glowing spears that neutralized many enemies.

And the Tsörs unleashed their weapons. Through the air flew a Hrät here and there and they always caught some cat lunging and they kept their Hrüms in hand for any who dared come within arm’s length of them and the sickening tunks and chunks of sharpened metal on flesh and bone made these weapons red, red with death.

And Polk used the claymore for its edge and weight, chopping and piercing. Next to him, Lord Pharos used the advantage he had in the air and Thunderbolt whistled with calculated and nobler assaults that were no less deadly.

And the wolf-men howled with passion and created their own packs and they met puma and mountain lion clansmen and their ferocious battles were gory displays of tooth and claw as friendships and alliances were forgotten and survival of the fittest reigned.

Miles, Lord Pharos, and Hyman created a triple wall around Kendra when she descended. The captain shouted off more orders and the elk and deer men formed a circle around them with bears intermixed and it alarmed them to see how few were left. Fortunately, the holy sword released wall after wall of electricity that augmented the crack and thunder of Hyman’s pistol shots.

Together they held back wave after wave of the traitors. And then, as suddenly as the battle had begun, there came a hush.

“They won’t attack now,” said Hyman, his pistol in one hand and the silver saber in the other. “We destroyed their only advantage, surprise. But methinks it best if we leave this place.”

“The trees!” said Tsör Florentina. “We can retreat to the Woods of Uzra Doren.”

“Problem is we gotta reach dem,” said Polk, his claymore red and his makeshift armor showing off fresh dents and claw marks.

They started back down cautiously, in a giant circle of strength. The furious sounds of their footsteps were the only talk between them and their eyes were ever-vigilant, using what remained of Kendra’s light. And many wondered where the teeth and claws would come from and if they would be fast enough to stop them.

The most maddening aspect of this retreat was that the mountain lion and puma men began to feast on the fallen and on those too injured to move with the retreating army; the desperate pleas of the victims would become high pitched and then stop all at once. And the traitors were not shy about the sounds they made as they ate or about launching stripped bones onto the trail--this new carnage made some of the elk and deer men nervous and a few trembled and gave out calls of alarm.

About the Author:
website-Goodreads
Louis Corsair is an eight-year veteran of the United States Army. Currently living in Los Angeles, California, he spends his time reading books, going on walks, writing, and enjoying the occasional visit to the beach—while trying to earn an honest buck. As a Los Angeles writer, he feels the weight of famous Los Angeles novelists, like Raymond Chandler, John Fante, Nina Revoyr, among others.


In 2021, he hopes to finish the Elohim Trilogy and its connected novels, including The Wizards Collide, and Apotheosis: Book Three of the Elohim Trilogy.

Tour Giveaway
1 digital set of all the ebooks in this series
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, June 27, 2021

New Release: Lightning Woman (Wolves of the West) Author: Linda Thomas-Sundstrom + giveaway

Lightning Woman (Wolves of the West)
by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom
June 28, 2021
*This book is also in Kindle Unlimited (KU)*
Are the ghosts of Macy Lyons' past stronger than the promise of a future with her new lover?

Macy Lyons is a respected member of the wolf pack housed in an old Arizona tourist attraction. Her special Were abilities make her a good scout, and also enable her to see the ghosts that haunt the desert. When those ghosts lead her to a visiting lawman from another state, she must find out why...and if those ghosts have a hand in shaping her future.

Florida detective Logan Carter has chased a criminal all the way from Florida to Arizona and now can use the help of the secretive wolf pack housed at Desperado to find the crazy werewolf he seeks. But will his attraction to Desperado's beautiful she-wolf scout help or hinder his mission in a landscape so different from his own?

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom is an award-winning author of over 40 books in the realms of Paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and fantasy. She has been published by Kensington Publishing, HarperCollins/Harlequin Nocturne and Desire, and GothicScapes.


GIVEAWAY
2 ecopies (US only) of

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Celia’s Comic Review: Inkblot – Who runs reality? A cat, of course!

Inkblot Volume 1 (issues #1 – 6)
April 7, 2021
Writers/Artists: Emma Kubert & Rusty Gladd
Publisher: Image Comics
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: T
A powerful sorceress must attempt to correct her greatest mistake—the creation of a magical cat that can travel through time, space, and the seven realms of reality. The cat threatens to unravel the fabric of the universe, doesn’t care, and just won’t listen!


As a total cat person, it was my utmost pleasure to read Inkblot, Volume 1. Kubert and Gladd do an excellent job of setting up their world, delivering the backstory in an engaging and visually stunning manner, and providing a fun inciting incident with the creation of the cat, after which the time-travelling adventures begin. Their blurb nicely sums up what’s what, so let’s talk about my favorite bits of the volume.
1. The Cat!
What can I say? I love this mischievous, time-traveling, reality-bending critter. A simply drawn black cat, the dark color has it leaping out at you from the panels while at the same time it continually explodes with personality. Though all it can say, in true cat fashion, is “Mow,” this one simple sound conveys a universe of emotion. This is a testament to the stellar talent of the creators. They nailed the mystery of the species, and I eagerly turned pages to see what the crazy kitten would do next and where it would take us…
2. Time Travel
I’m always a fan of a good bit of, as the tenth Doctor says, a bit of “wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff,” and thanks to the wanderlust of our feline friend, we’re moved through various points in time to bear witness to events, some with and some without the main character sorceress present. As the creators say, “the timeline is a ruin, as it would be if handled by the elastic moods of a cat,” and it is certainly entertaining to experience as a reader.
3. The Seeker, aka The Bookworm
Sister of the king Xenthos Voidbreaker, the Seeker is thousands of years old and tasked with recording the history and adventures of her many sorcerer siblings. She spends all her time in the library of the Living Castle, experimenting with and studying magic, and documenting and documenting and documenting… until one night she falls asleep, spills some ink, and voila! Instant cat! As a character, she’s both a competent narrator and a take-charge protagonist with some fun quirks, such as the way she swears. Instead of foul language, she busts out with amusing little ditties like “fairy farts” and “sweet suckleberries.”
4. Bonus Material: “Tales from the Kube”
At the end of the volume, there’s an extra story from Kubert & Gladd, detailing their collaborative process. It’s both a fascinating read and a visual delight. And yes, there’s more black-cat goodness, as well.

In short, dear comic readers, if you enjoy surreal, time-travelling fantasy tales with beautiful art - and cat! - this comic is for you.

5 Sheep




Guest Reviewer: Author Celia Breslin
Celia writes urban fantasy and romance, and likes to spend tons of time reading comics, binge-watching fantasy/sci-fi TV and movies, and playing video and board games with her family.

Friday, June 25, 2021

YA Fantasy: The Relic Trilogy by Claudia Blood + giveaway

Company Assassin (The Relic Trilogy Book 1)
by Claudia Blood
January 15, 2021
Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy
It’s Duff Roman’s eighteenth birthday, but no one is lighting candles.

Turning eighteen in the orphanage on Kalecca means starvation for those who aren’t hired into a Family. Outside the Family compounds lies the jungle. And in the jungle lies death. And Relics—the only real currency on Planet Kalecca.

The orphans are Duff’s family, and he’s sacrificed everything to keep the orphanage running, even his chance to move on. Now, at eighteen, he has no choice but to leave. Without him to bring in extra money, the orphans will starve under the Company’s control. Duff's only chance to save them is to find a spot on an independent crew and hopefully find a Relic to sell.

A seemingly chance encounter with Z, leader of the most feared independent crew offers Duff his opportunity to score a Relic. And offers Z a chance to relieve the guilt he feels over his past.

But a company assassin has plans to lay waste to Duff's future, and the orphanage as well.

Excerpt 1 CA:
Chapter 4: Matilda
Matilda sat at the table and threaded the needle. The demon alarm still buzzed in the background. She’d given the kids their assignments and tried to act as normal as possible. She didn’t want them worried about Duff or the demons since even the orphanage had company supplied protections. As long as they stayed in the orphanage, they should be fine.

Miss CuddleBug, Sheila’s doll, needed some surgery. Usually this sort of activity would calm Matilda. She checked her nails and saw the distinctive purple at the base that meant her nanites were activated. She took a deep breath and used the mantras her father had taught her.

Peace is within my reach.

Breathe and breathe again.

“Will Miss CuddleBug be well?” Sheila stood on her tip-toes to see her dolly on the table.

“I’ll get her fixed up.” Matilda stroked Sheila’s hair. Sheila’s complexion grayed. Matilda snatched her hand back. She had to be careful with the little ones when she was this worked up. The nanites in her system would kill them.

Horizon Found (
The Relic Trilogy Book 2)

Time Rift (
The Relic Trilogy Book 3)

About the Author

Website-FB-TwitterClaudia Blood’s early introduction to Dungeons and Dragons, combined with her training as a scientist and a side trip into the world of IT set her up to become an award-winning author of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Juggling her roles as a wife, mom, and pet wrangler doesn’t leave much free time, but what Claudia has is filled to the brim with creating sci-fi and fantasy novels loved by a wide range of readers.

Giveaway
$50 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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Funky Werepigs and Sheep!

Gregory Hall (comedian/radio show host/author/unicorn eater, AKA The Funky Werepig) and I met online about a decade ago!

He recently moved his Funky Werepig show to Youtube and invited me to have lunch with him (via Zoom) to shoot the s*** and talk books.

If you care to watch, we spent about 20 minutes being silly. And I spent most of it nervously eating! Then the last 5 minutes of the show I do a quick three-book review!



About the author:
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Amazon
Gregory L Hall has a long history in comedy and theatre. He is a national Telly Award winner and creator of the Baltimore Comedy Fest as well as dozens of original works for stage and video/film. His biggest claim to fame during these years is that he was once hugged by Pat Morita, Mr. Mijagi of The Karate Kid. We should pause an extra moment to realize just how awesome that is.

As a writer, his stories have appeared in numerous publications including Shroud, Alien Skin, and Necrotic Tissue as well as anthologies such as OLD SCHOOL, DEATH BE NOT PROUD and CHRISTMAS IN HELL.

His novel 'AT THE END OF CHURCH STREET' has received great critical acclaim, sales that have led him to purchase many Happy Meals, and has changed how tourists view Orlando. Stoker Award-winning author Joe McKinney said of the goth thriller "This is the kind of debut authors dream of..."

Gregory is also the host/producer of the popular live radio show The Funky Werepig. You can join fellow piggie petters every Friday night on the TMV Cafe.

His short story collection WEREPIG FEVER gives high fives and disco hip bumps to decades worth of comedy, horror, suspense and even romance work, including his underground cult favorite 'Dracula's Winkee'. The foreword was written by the great author Andersen Prunty, who may or may not have been held at gunpoint.

Gregory continues to be on his best behavior so that his wife and children do not vote to lock him out of the house. The weekly re-evaluations occur every Monday so check back often.

Thursday, June 24, 2021

New Release: To Hell and Back: A Demon Romance (Sin Demons Book 4) by Harper A. Brooks & Mila Young

To Hell and Back: A Demon Romance (Sin Demons Book 4)
by Harper A. Brooks & Mila Young
June 24th, 2021

Genre: Paranormal Reverse Harem
Editor: Dara Horcasitas
Cover Designer: Phoenix Premade Designs
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR
They were trying to get back to Hell... But Hell showed up at our door.

None of us expected a visit from the devil himself, but after Lucifer comes a-knocking, we know things are about to heat up fast.

According to the demons, the only way to protect me is to bind us all together. Forever. Something I’m not sure I’m even willing to do. But with Greed’s ring still on my finger and Lucifer’s sights set on making me his next play thing, what other choice do I have?

When I’m dragged to Hell against my will, I’m determined to find a way topside again. But the darkness within me is enjoying this deadly vacation a little too much, and my powers only seem to grow the longer I stay.

My demons will risk it all to save me from eternal damnation.

But after going to Hell and back, will I still be the same in the end?

The epic and alluring demon romance continues with To Hell and Back! Don't be left in the dark. 1-click to get your copy today!

To Hell and Back is book four in the Sin Demons Series.


Book 1

About the Author:

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Reader Group
Harper A. Brooks lives in a small town on the New Jersey shore. Even though classic authors have always filled her bookshelves, she finds her writing muse drawn to the dark, magical, and romantic. But when she isn't creating entire worlds with sexy shifters or legendary love stories, you can find her either with a good cup of coffee in hand or at home snuggling with her furry, four-legged son, Sammy.

She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
RONE Award Winner
USA TODAY Bestselling Author
International Bestselling Author

About the Author:
Bestselling Author, Mila Young tackles everything with the zeal and bravado of the fairytale heroes she grew up reading about. She slays monsters, real and imaginary, like there's no tomorrow. By day she rocks a keyboard as a marketing extraordinaire. At night she battles with her mighty pen-sword, creating fairytale retellings, and sexy ever after tales. In her spare time, she loves pretending she's a mighty warrior, cuddling up with her cats, and devouring every fantasy tale she can get her pinkies on.

TV Show Review: Sweet Tooth (Netflix)

Sweet Tooth
Jun 4, 2021
Creators: Jim Mickle, Beth Schwartz
Exec. Producers: Jim Mickle, Beth Schwartz, Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Amanda Burrell, Linda Moran
Cast: Christian Convery, Nonso Anozie, Adeel Akhtar, Stefania LaVie
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Network: Netflix
Ten years ago "The Great Crumble" wreaked havoc on the world and led to the mysterious emergence of hybrids -- babies born part human, part animal. Unsure if hybrids are the cause or result of the virus, many humans fear and hunt them. After a decade of living safely in his secluded forest home, a sheltered hybrid deer-boy named Gus (Christian Convery) unexpectedly befriends a wandering loner named Jepperd (Nonso Anozie). Together they set out on an extraordinary adventure across what's left of America in search of answers -- about Gus' origins, Jepperd's past, and the true meaning of home. But their story is full of unexpected allies and enemies, and Gus quickly learns the lush, dangerous world outside the forest is more complex than he ever could have imagined. Based on the DC comic book series by Jeff Lemire.

Based on the comic book of the same name, Sweet Tooth takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a virus wiped out most of the human population and caused the emergence of hybrid babies born half-human, half-animal. Because of this, many humans fear these hybrids and hunt them. Sweet Tooth revolves around Gus, a half-human, half deer child left alone after his father dies from the virus. Gus finds what he believes is a photo of his mother and the word “Colorado” written on it. As Gus journeys across what is left of America searching for answers, he quickly learns that surviving in the world outside of his old home is a lot more complicated than he thought.

I’ll admit that I was very skeptical about this story for many reasons. It’s pretty far outside my preferred wheelhouse for one. But curiosity got the better of me, and I binged this 8 episode series and was pleasantly surprised. Sweet Tooth is way out there in terms of fantasy, magic, and believability, even for fiction. Suspending what you think you know and what you readily accept for this comic book/fantasy story is definitely your best bet. It would make a great family movie/binge night pick while also opening up an opportunity to have discussions with kids about people who are different.

I was not aware of Sweet Tooth before the series came out. I had no idea it was a comic until recently, so I can’t say if it’s true to the source material or not, but I can say that the casting choices added to it the likability of the story. Each actor brought to life their part of the story and made their character relatable to the audience.

So overall, whether it’s your preferred wheelhouse or not, I highly recommend Sweet Tooth.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Sheep







Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Cover Reveal: The Shadow Queen (The Wolfrik Trilogy, #2) by K. Rea

The Shadow Queen 
(The Wolfrik Trilogy, #2)

by K. Rea
July 22nd 2021
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy
A SMOLDERING COURT.
A DIVIDED PEOPLE.
A WARNING FROM THE GODDESS.

With the Court of Shadows in ruins, Evelyn Wolfrik has one goal – to rebuild.

After an encounter with the God of the Forest himself and a summons from the Court of Light, Evelyn’s future seems anything but certain.

Leaving the forests, her pack, and fledgling Court behind, Evelyn travels to the white mountains of the Court of Light. Deep in the mountains, navigating not only a frigid court but also challenges and trials she never could have foreseen, she risks losing more than just her crown.



About the Author:
K. Rea is a part-time romance writer and full-time mom. When she isn't writing or playing with her daughter, she's reading and crafting. She lives with her husband and family in Florida.


Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Interview: Urban Fantasy Author Jayme Phelps (Devil's Intern) + giveaway

What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?
Definitely Meghan Ciana Doidge, Rachel Caine, Kim Harrison, Genevieve Cogman, Cassandra Clare, Gina Lamanna, Shannon Mayer, Ransom Riggs, Mary Janice Davidson and Charlaine Harris

How long have you been writing?
A little over a year.

Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?
They all come as I write. I like to think that I am a plotter because I like an outline, but truthfully most of it just comes out on the page, including the characters. They sort of just pop up as I need them, kind of like watching a movie unfold in my head.

What do you think about the current publishing market?
I think the current publishing market is interesting. I didn’t really know anything about writing books or publishing before 2020, so I’m still learning, but there’s so much more to the whole process than I ever would have thought.

I had no idea that there are multiple “paths to publishing.” I just thought that you had to query publishers or agents and you would get published or not. I think that it’s pretty cool to have so many different ways to publish a book. But for me personally, I didn’t want to self-publish because I wanted someone else to think that my work was worthy too. It’s weird how much I value that validation.

Crazy thing is that I pitched my book on Twitter just to see if someone would be interested in the idea the day after I finished the first draft. I had no idea that it would be something that people would want and get me a publishing deal. I think really, I just feel lucky that my book got picked up so quickly by a publisher.

Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?
Ummm yes!!! I have been a reader my entire life, in fact I read at least 2 books a month and my favorite genre is the one I write in, Urban Fantasy.

Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
Both. I think that there’s something to be said about the emotion that music evokes and when I’m listening to music I find myself writing full scenes based solely on how the song made me feel. However, most of the time I write in silence because I need my fingers to keep up with my thoughts as the story flows.

Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?
Well, right now I’m writing one at a time, though I do have two series that I’m working on, both of them part of the same universe.

A day in the life of the author?
It definitely varies. Right now I’m sort of between projects as my first book launches and my second book is in the beta stage. So, I would say, I spend a lot of time on putting together book teasers and posts, Then I spend time on social media doing “marketing”, and finally I work on editing or new projects like the outline for book 3.

Advice they would give new authors?
Write a full draft as quickly as possible. I know that it’s tempting to want to edit as you go but a lot of times that leads to more editing than actual writing, so finish the first draft and then edit. Also put your work out there. It’s scary and not everyone is going to like it, but it’s truly the best way to get better.

What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first? What are common traps for aspiring writers?
I definitely start my stories with an outline. I think that it makes the process go faster. Though I don’t give it a lot of details, I know where the story starts and I have a good idea of how it will end, so I like to just put down the big events in the order I see them happening. Then I connect the dots so to speak, moving from on event to the next using as many chapter as it takes to get there.

I think that one common trap for aspiring writers is to never finish a full draft or to keep doing the same thing again and again even if it’s not working. Some people need an outline but don’t use on and some people don’t need one but put one together and try to force themselves to follow it anyway. I think that it’s important to remember that you will always find something that needs to be edited, but if you never finish the book then you can’t publish it, and it’s important to remember that it’s okay to try something different.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?
It takes me around 2-3 days to outline a book and then 3-4 weeks to write a first draft of the story. Then I use another week to do content edits and spelling and grammar checks before I send it out to beta readers for their initial thoughts.

Devil's Intern
by Jayme Phelps
June 8,2021
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Anna Westfall is in her own personal Hell on Earth. After making a deal with the Devil she was sentenced to a place where she is loathed by Witches and Warlocks for being a soulless. So, when she then ends up on house arrest for beating up magical law enforcement, she’s had enough.

Now, all she wants to do is go back to her old life, and when her boyfriend tells her that there’s a way out she goes in search of answers. However, without any guidance she ends up messing the whole thing up. To make matters worse the Devil himself shows up with a new deal for freedom.

It all seems like smooth sailing until her new roommate decides to trade her own soul. Now Anna has to decide whether to save her friend or save herself. With new power comes new opportunity.


About the Author
Website-FB-TwitterJayme Phelps is a wife and a mother of three boys who works as a full-time Educational Sign Language Interpreter. In her spare time, she enjoys baking (specifically cupcakes), painting, and of course writing books!

She lives in Albuquerque New Mexico where the best time of year is the first week of October when the sky is filled with hundreds of hot air balloons, and the best food is smothered in green chile.

Giveaway
$25 Amazon (WW),
Swag pack that includes T-shirt,stickers, poster & book marks (US only)
- 1 winner each
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!