GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ I Smell Sheep: December 2021

Thursday, December 30, 2021

FREE: A Very Shifter Holiday Boxed Set by Sedona Venez

Get this FREE boxed set!
A Very Shifter Holiday Boxed Set
by Sedona Venez
Nov. 26th, 2021
Genre: Shifter Romance, Holiday Romance
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Love growly shifters? Get this FREE boxed set!

Lots of shifters in EVERY standalone book! Included:

GRUMPY SPECIAL OPS BEAR: EPISODE 1
In the wilderness, love knows no bounds.

Bear-shifter Fergus is an alpha who specializes in the art of war. With danger lurking around every tree, it is his desire to capture the leader of a renegade wolf-shifter pack that drives him.

Until temptation arrives in the form of the captivating, feisty human Trinity.

BEAUTY AND THE ALIEN BEAST
After being abducted from Earth by alien slavers, Ella is rescued by a hot alien warrior who flees with her into the hostile wilderness of his home planet. While he seems to want to protect her, the inability to communicate with her savior leaves Ella uncertain about where they stand and how she will manage to get home.

BREAKING THE STORM
Stormy lived her life in fear of falling in love. For the women in her family, it’s a death sentence for whoever holds their heart. Then, she met Knox.

Is the love between this bad boy rockstar and his curvy witch powerful enough to break her family’s dark curse?

GUNNER
When Gunner returns home from war, he discovers that he can’t go back to the way things were. He now carries a dark secret that threatens to consume him, and if he doesn’t learn to control his inner beast, it will destroy any chance of happiness.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
Two gorgeous bear shifters, and one woman who gave up on the idea of true love a long time ago…



About the Author:

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Text "SedonaVenez" to 33222
USA TODAY Bestselling Author Sedona Venez lives in New York City with her hot ex-military hubby--hooah--and their fur babies. She loves writing sizzling, sexy intricate stories about strong but broken characters who push limits, overcome their fears, and risk it all for love.

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Excerpt: Ancient Vendetta (Ancients Rising Book 4) by Katie Reus

Ancient Vendetta (Ancients Rising Book 4)
by Katie Reus
December 28, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Romance
His responsibility is to his pack, his people—the territory of New Orleans.

When the world devolved into chaos and fire, Alpha wolf King kept his territory from collapsing. Now, every day it seems there’s a new challenge—rogue witches, treacherous vampires, evil dragons. But his biggest threat is Aurora. Unique, magical, a female who sees him, the male, and not simply the Alpha in charge. But she’s thrown up so many walls that he’s afraid he’ll never be able to break through to the woman behind them. When the most dangerous threat they’ve ever faced ravages the city he’ll need her at his side—to defeat it, and then claim the woman who already owns him, body and soul.

But she makes him want more.

After being held captive for a year, Aurora has embraced her freedom. For the first time in her life she’s living away from her older sister in a new territory. A new world. She’s made friends and is helping New Orleans get back on its feet. But she’s far from the woman she used to be. Even so, she can’t fight her ever present and growing attraction to King. Except she’s afraid she’s broken, that she’ll never be able to have a normal relationship again—that she can’t handle being an Alpha’s mate. When an evil linked to his past threatens to tear them apart and destroy the city, she must set her fears aside and find the courage to follow her heart—and the wolf who’s already won it.

Author note: Though part of a series, this book may be read as a stand-alone, complete with HEA.

EXCERPT
She tried the front door and it was unlocked, which actually surprised her.

“Not open,” Mac’s deep, rumbly voice called out from the back about a second before he stepped out from his workshop. His eyes widened when he saw her.

And he stood there looking like deer in headlights. Good.

“Adeline,” he began.

“A text? Seriously? You blow me off with a freaking text,” she snapped out, her boots stomping forward of their own volition. That burning fire that had spent days kindling was licking up her spine now as she worked up a good head of anger.

He closed his eyes briefly as he moved toward her. “Look, it’s not what you think.”

“Really? It’s not what I think? You didn’t send me a dismissive, crappy text about an hour before our date? After spending all that time together and becoming…friends.” Or she’d thought they had. Obviously she was wrong. “So you didn’t blow me off after all that? And then ignore me right in front of people on Main Street?” It was quite literally possible there was actual steam coming out of her ears right now.

Guilt flickered across his expression for a moment but then his face went carefully neutral. “Look, I didn’t know how else to handle it. I just don’t think we should see each other. I shouldn’t have ignored you and I should have called, but—”

She’d took another step forward, hands on hips, when the front door behind her swung open with a bang.

She jumped and turned to find some guy stalking in. He had on heavy-looking boots, jeans, a short-sleeved T-shirt, and there was a chain hanging from his back pocket attached to his belt. And he had some ugly-looking tattoos on his arms. Prison tats.


About the Author:
Katie Reus is the New York Times, USA Today, and IndieReader bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Moon Shifter series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it. However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. Her book Avenger’s Heat recently won the Georgia RWA Maggie Award for Excellence in the fantasy/paranormal category.

Cover Reveal: Monstrous by Harper A. Brooks

Monstrous

by Harper A. Brooks
Feb. 24th, 2022
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Cover Designer: Sarabatdesigns
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR
The dark voices aren’t real, they say.

They tell me it’s all in my head.

But the monsters want to play, you see.

So they’ll come for me in my bed.


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

Monday, December 27, 2021

Book Review: Annihilation Road (Torpedo Ink Book 6) by Christine Feehan

December 28, 2021
480 pages
All paths lead to destruction in the new Torpedo Ink novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

Savin “Savage” Pajari is convinced he’s not worth a damn thing. He’s not like his brothers. He’s a sadistic monster, a killer—a man no woman could truly love. So it completely throws him when a stranger risks her life for his, pushing him out of the way and taking the hit that would have sent him six feet under. If he had any kind of sense, he’d leave her alone, but Savage can’t get the woman with a smart mouth and no sense of self-preservation out of his head. With one kiss, he’s lost.

Seychelle Dubois has spent her entire life not feeling much of anything, until Savage comes along and sets her whole body on fire. Kissing him was a mistake. Letting him get close would be a catastrophe. He’s the most beautiful—and damaged—man she’s ever met. He has a way of getting under her skin, and what he’s offering is too tempting to resist.

Seychelle knows so little about Savage or the dangerous world of Torpedo Ink, but his darkness draws her like a moth to a flame. Loving him could mean losing herself completely to his needs—needs she doesn’t understand but is eager to learn. But what Savage teaches her could destroy her.

Savage runs with a biker gang known as Torpedo Ink. They are, in fact, more like family since they all went through something very horrible as children. They have each other's backs and celebrate when a member finds their one person. Savage is a killer and a sadist, but he's that way because the people who kidnapped him and killed his family made him that way. He never thought he'd find a woman who would love him because he's very broken.

Seychelle has a gift that lets her heal people somewhat or at least help them live longer if they are very sick. She can also feel what they are feeling and help if they are anxious, mad, or other emotions. She's a singer but there's a guy who thinks he controls where and when she can sing and she's not happy about it. So when some of the guys of Torpedo Ink ask her to sing at their club, she says she'll think about it.

Seychelle runs into Savage when she spots him trying to save a child from getting hit by a vehicle, but he's not gonna make it out of the way in time until she pushes him out of the way and gets hurt herself. Savage can't believe someone risked their life for him so he goes to the hospital to see her and is instantly attracted to her, which doesn't ever happen to him. He tries to leave her alone because he knows he's broken, and any woman he ends up with will have to deal with his demons.

They spend time together, and Savage is pretty upfront with her about what he needs, but she knows because she catches glimpses of what he does when the rage in him gets to be too much, and he needs a release. Each member of Torpedo Ink was trained from a young age to be killers, and their paranormal gifts were honed, and they were trained to use them, which helped them survive the hell they were put through. Now they seek out pedophiles so they can save the child victims and kill the offenders. That's what they've been doing in some of the other books. Unfortunately, all of the members are a little messed up mentally because of how they were raised and the abuse, torture, and hell they went through as children.

Seychelle has made enemies of a couple of different guys because she wasn't easily persuaded and helped a woman in trouble, and now a couple of guys have her in their sights. So while Savage and Seychelle are getting to know each other better, the club members are also keeping her safe.

This is the 6th book in the Torpedo Ink series, and I have been looking forward to this book the most because Savage seems the most broken. He's a sadist. His nickname is whip master for a reason. There will actually be two books just about Savage because one book couldn't do him justice. I'm looking forward to that one as well, even though I feel it will be more in-depth regarding Seychelle and Savage's relationship and how he's "training" her to like and accept the pain that he needs.

This book and this series isn't for everyone. The guys can be crass, rude, and rough because they use a lot of bad language and can be quite graphic. Because of all these things, I wasn't sure that this series would be for me. But I just keep coming back to read each book because I've gotten to know these characters and what they've been through and how hard they've tried to put the torturous childhood they had to some use, and when they find that one person they were meant to be with, it's nice to see them get a little happiness in their lives for once.

This isn't an easy read, but Savage is so much more than a sadist. He's also a guy who cares a lot about his club members. We get to see what his gift is and how he's been using it without them even knowing it. After that bombshell explodes, we see why Savage is so full of rage and in need of an outlet to release it. I would definitely read this series in order; otherwise, you might be a little lost.

I give this book 5 out of 5 sheep!






Mary Kirkland
Dark Thoughts Blog


About the Author:
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I write every day and have done so since I was old enough to pick up a pen. (I spent a lot of time getting in trouble at school for writing instead of doing the things I was supposed to do.) Once I create my characters, I try very hard to have them react to situations as they really would. Sometimes I have preconceived ideas of what I would like them to do, but they don't mind me, because it would be out of character for them. They take on a life of their own. Sometimes when I throw difficult situations at them in the hopes I'll get a certain reaction and they don't do what I want, I complain bitterly to my husband and he laughs at me. Still, it is important to me to have them be real, not perfect people, so they make mistakes we lesser mortals might make.

Sunday, December 26, 2021

Character Interview with Roger the woodchuck, (Gateworlds Earth – Athanator #1 by Gillbert Troll).

Earth is in (im)mortal danger. Only one man can help. One man and a chicken.

Notice: we must explicitly state that no unicorn-tiger hybrids were harmed during the making of this interview. Do not believe the false media! Only believe the side who has a woodchuck named Roger.

We asked Roger the woodchuck five hundred questions about the book and his role and career. Here are the few answers we could interpret:

Interviewer (I): Dear Roger, could you describe yourself to our readers?
Roger (R): No.

Roger proceeded to walk out and then returned with a pastrami sandwich in an hour. He then answered the question stating he is Roger the woodchuck, and people should know him by now.

I: Have you read Gateworlds Earth – Athanator, and if yes, how did you like it?
R: Yes, I have read it. (Roger, at this point, stared out the window for half an hour before answering.) It is a book.

I: And?
R: It has a wonderful woodchuck character. He is intelligent, handsome, strong and modest. He should get a book of his own. But, unfortunately, the other creatures and people in the book are not comparable to the woodchucks’ greatness. They are alright, though in their own non-woodchuck way.

I: And did you like the story?
R: Which story?
I: The story Gateworlds Earth – Athanator describes. How was it?
R: It tells the truth and nothing but the truth. Although the greatness of dragons in some scenes are greatly exaggerated. They are, of course, incomparable to woodchucks, you know. There are many things dragons cannot do that a woodchuck can. When was the last time a dragon chucked wood for example?

I: I confess I do not know. On this note: who are your favourite characters besides yourself in the book?
R: Besides myself … that is hard... Well, I liked the chicken.

I: You liked the great Catherine? What was it you liked about her?
R: Well. (Roger looked around as if scared.) She said she would punch me if I did not, so what I can say, I like her.

I: Now that the first installment of the book is out and you have gained fame, what do you think your next role will be?
R: It is uncertain at the moment. My agent, who is a greater sphinx, is trying to get me the best possible roles. Maybe something with Clooney could work. She is the best combination of intelligence, finesse and life-threatening charm. She will come up with something.

I: As a final question, do you have any message for our readers?
R: Never light your pipe on a red-coloured boat named Betsy during a typhoon 56,7 miles of the shores of Manila. Bad things can happen if you do. I had to learn that the hard way.

I: Thank you for that, mister Roger, it was a pleasure.
R: Thank you, my good human. Thank you.

If you would like to read more about Roger, a chicken named Catherine, and a platypusbear you can catch up on their tales here:

Gateworlds Earth - Athanator - Book 1
by Gillbert Troll
December 6, 2021
335 pages
Earth is in (im)mortal danger. Only one man can help. One man and a chicken.

When a smug but mighty talking tree asks him to retrieve one of the rune crystals of the Multiverse Gate Earth, John Zelm "Athanator" decides against his better judgment that he will do as he is told and recover the guard rune to save the planet. As the balance of the multiverse itself might be at risk, he is helped by powerful allies such as a chicken and a platypusbear.

Can John save us, or are we dead already? You must read the book NOW to find out! Otherwise, it might be too late!

A book by Gillbert Troll, who is in the process of making the renowned multiverse bestseller: "How to start great and meaningful conversations with dark elves."

If you buy the book now a troll will or will not be named after you somewhere in the multiverse!

About the Author:
A book troll. No relation at all to Internet-Trolls! I am tall, dark, and trolly. I have an MSc in Business and a doctorate in Dragon Mythology. Gillbert, as I like to refer to myself, loves to cook, sail, visit new countries and planets, and discuss business strategies in his free time. I have a beautiful elf wife and and cute dragon children.

Likes: Chocolates/sweets/pastries, cute puppies, and kittens.
Dislikes: Absence of chocolates, puppies and kittens, things that want to eat or kill me, meteors heading towards Earth 
Hobbies: World domination (I do not have other hobbies because this fills up all my free time)
Work: No, thank you!
I used to be a management consultant, but now I have values. I write mostly fiction such as corporate strategy and sometimes dramas as a political correspondent.
Favorite quote: “Omnium rerum principia parva sunt”.
I have no idea what it means …

Saturday, December 25, 2021

Book Review: Skull Full of Kisses by Michael West

Skull Full of Kisses
by Michael West
Love and evil know no bounds! Turn the page and enter a world of shadow, as Michael West brings together his most disturbing short stories--twisted tales of forbidden desires and ghoulish deeds, where nightmares manifest in the most mundane and unlikely of places... The basement of a Japanese restaurant, where a seductive creature promises comfort to a lonely hitman, if only he will set her free... A ruined city, where survivors of a natural disaster have become prey to something unnatural... An Indiana farmhouse, where a frightened child attempts to fool the Angel of Death... And the darkest regions of space, where a man fights to protect the woman he loves from invaders only he can see... Ten reasons to lock your doors. Ten reasons to keep the lights on. Ten reasons why you may never sleep again.
Praise for Skull Full of Kisses 

"(Michael West) gave me nightmares!" ~Anne Boedeker, E! -Entertainment Television 

"This is damned serious stuff, and it's scary, suspenseful, and sweat-inducing; but more importantly - perhaps most importantly - it's all disturbing as hell, and cannot be easily forgotten." ~Gary A. Braunbeck, author of Coffin Countyand Mr. Hands (on Dark Harvest) 

"Michael West proves himself to be a masterful storyteller, flawless in building momentum, and his skills in characterization match or even often surpass some of the most successful writers in the business." ~Nicholas Grabowsky, author of Halloween 4: the Return of Michael Myers, and The Everborn (on The Wide Game)
Michael West is a horror writer. I know that’s a simple statement but it actually carries a lot of weight. And something that West obviously takes a lot of pride in. In his ten story collection, SKULL FULL OF KISSES, West takes us through different lands and even different times, each one with a nightmare all its own.

There are demons. Ghosts. Aliens. Serial killers. Dinosaurs…freaking dinosaurs. West makes the reader feel like we’re glued to the old late-night horror show on television. I couldn’t wait to get to the next story to see what other monster was waiting for me. What wicked twist was going to grab me and get my heart pounding in my chest? Okay, sure, I guessed a few of the surprise endings, but the journey was more than enough.

As passionate as the creativity is in this collection, West equally proves to be a skilled writer. His stories are tight, no wasted words with excellent pacing. Here is a writer who knows his craft and it allows him to cut loose and have fun with his horror. Even his title shows how playful West is--it comes from the fact at conventions West actually has a skull full of chocolate kisses for fans.

If there is a flaw with the book, it’s in the actual printing itself. My print copy had sections where the print was faded and difficult to read. Hopefully, this isn’t common in other copies but it did distract me and pull me from the stories. Other than that, the quality was top-notch; formatting, blurbs (of which there are plenty), a back section of ads, and a cover that catches the eye.

I had read a few West stories as they’ve appeared in various magazines but it wasn’t until this collection that I was able to see his versatility. In just these ten stories there are traditional campfire horror, Asian horror, Sci-Fi, erotica, Lovecraftian beasts, and splatterpunk gore. Each one is polished to a point, impossible to see any rough patches during West’s career over the years. But what stands out most to me is the pure passion.

Michael West is a horror writer. If you are a fan of the genre, you’ll be happy he has shared this with us.


5 Sheep





Guest Reviewer: Belle Bivdavo

About the author:
Website-FB-Twitter
Michael West is the bestselling author of Cinema of Shadows, Spook House, The Wide Game, Skull Full of Kisses, and the critically-acclaimed Legacy of the Gods series.   He lives and works in the Indianapolis area with his wife, their two children, and their dog, King Seesar.

His children are convinced that spirits move through the woods near their home.

Friday, December 24, 2021

Merry Christmas!

 

2nd Funky Werepig Kasey Lansdale annual Holiday Special

The Funky Werepig Show
Season 2: episode #13
There's only one reason for a show title this damn long--- pizzazz!

KASEY LANSDALE is back to team up with your favorite Werepig. Laughs, hugs, songs, and a huge Christmas surprise announcement!

The whole gang is here. JJ Glamour rereleases his famous prison album. Legendary horror host Grody Wales swings by. And Kasey's duet with Alexander Rodriguez makes this holiday unforgettable.

So pull up a chair, my friends. Everyone is welcome in the No Pants Zone!

Kasey Lansdale
American country music singer-songwriter from Nacogdoches, Texas. Lansdale is also known for her work as an author, editor, actress, and producer, as well as host and founder of the East Texas Songwriter's Workshop.


And...

EW and the TMV Cafe Radio
We are TMV Cafe Radio, home to the Best Independent Music Artists around! Our vision is to "Tell the world about such great Independent Music Artists."

Watch the show HERE!

Keep an eye out for the December I Smell Sheep book recommendation!

*Sharon was Greg's guest on the last show of season one! If you want to see me acting derpy you can watch here:

The Funky Werepig
Once a live internet radio show. Kind of like Animal House meets Larry King. Now a YouTube show. And no one knows what the hell Animal House or Larry King are. So throw your pants in the air like you just don't care!

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Book Review: The Demon, The Hero, and The City of Seven (A Mal & Reg Novel of Widdershins Book 1) by A.E. Kincaid

The Demon, The Hero, and The City of Seven (A Mal & Reg Novel of Widdershins Book 1)
by A.E. Kincaid
December 14th, 2021
Genre: Fantasy/ Humorous Fantasy, satire, parody
Sometimes a little bad can do a lot of good.

What happens when good and evil collide?

They yell, “Ouch!”

When you’re a demon who’s been magically connected to a human for eternity, life is bound to be annoying. But when that human is also an inept hero who tosses his lunch whenever he gets stressed out? Breaking the connection becomes priority one.

Plus, there’s a mystery at the heart of their bond that needs unraveling. When the magical object that bound them broke, it weakened the barrier between Widdershins and the Underworld. The duo hopes to find a wizard in the City of Seven who will be able to help with both problems.

Follow along as our demon, Lord Malgon and our hero, Sir Reginald make themselves unwelcome with fairies, humans, dwarves and giants—all while racing to get to the City of Seven before Mal’s supremely evil brother.

In this debut humorous fantasy adventure novel, Kincaid pairs an endearing cast of characters with expert world-building and laugh-out-loud dialogue. The Demon, The Hero, and The City of Seven will leave a Mal and Reg-shaped stamp on your heart.

When I started reading this book, I couldn’t place the writing style. Was it beginner’s prose? Urban fantasy? Definitely not novel-like. Then about 10% into the read, it hit me what was familiar. It read like a bedtime fable you might tell your children (only longer). Once upon a time, there was a demon and a Hero…..yes, that’s it.

Heralded as comic relief, I didn’t necessarily laugh aloud but found myself smiling and drawing comparisons to the British TV series with David Tennant and Michael Sheen. Two ends of the spectrum personalities magicked to be bound together for life unless they can repair a broken stone.

Their journey to find help with the Grand Wizard is fraught with frustration and many perils that they have to escape. Giants, dwarves, spiders….ughhh. As I read, I could see the kid’s reactions and the storyteller’s embellishment.

Of course, there is an underlying life lesson here too. Can people have good influences on each other if spending time together even with insurmountable differences? You’ll have to pick this one up to find out…maybe get a new story to tell at storytime.

I enjoyed this book as soon as my correct mindset kicked in, and I looked at it for what I thought it to be.

Getting 3.5 “good omen” sheep.





JeanieG

Excerpt
In my 550 years of existence, I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone who exasperates me more than Sir Reginald P. Asstradle, the ersatz Hero of Widdershins. When he speaks, I imagine drop-kicking him off a cliff. When he snores, I fantasize tossing him into a fiery volcano.
Don’t get me wrong—he’s a good lad. For a human, anyway. But when you are magically entangled with another being in such a way that putting just a few yards’ distance between the two of you triggers the spell to physically smash you back together? That can wear on anyone’s nerves. Like my nerves, for example. Right now.


About the Author
By day I am the Creative Director at a branding studio in Iowa. By night I write humorous fantasy novels. In between I drink coffee to keep up with a small human, and try to convince my cat she’s not as great at dictation as she thinks she is. The Demon, The Hero, and the City of Seven is my first published novel.

Book Tour Schedule
December 20th
R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com
Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com
Balancing Books & Beauty (Review) https://balancingbooksandbeauties.wordpress.com/
B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
*Jessica Belmont (Spotlight) https://jessicabelmont.com/
December 21st
The Write Start (Interview) https://www.thewritestart.net/
Bunny’s Book Reviews (Review) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/
December 22nd
@hoardingbooks.herdingcats (Review) https://www.instagram.com/hoardingbooks.herdingcats/
The Livi Chronicles (Review) https://livibrooksbooks.wixsite.com/website
December 23rd
Sadie’s Spotlights (Interview) http://sadiesspotlight.com/
@2manybooks2littletime (Review) https://www.instagram.com/2manybooks2littletime/
I Smell Sheep (Review) http://www.ismellsheep.com/
Liliyana Shadowlyn (Review) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/
December 24th
@librarybookmum_budgettale (Review) https://www.instagram.com/librarybookmum_budgettales/
@gryffindorbookishnerd (Review) https://www.instagram.com/gryffindorbookishnerd/
Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com
Sophril Reads (Spotlight) http://sophrilreads.wordpress.com


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Tuesday, December 21, 2021

A Cry in the Moon’s Light by Alan McGill + author reading of Chapter One



A Cry in the Moon's Light (A Cry in the Moon's Light Book 1)
by Alan McGill
October 30, 2021
Genre: Historical Horror Fantasy
In a time of castles, muskets, and hideous creatures of the night, a beautiful woman travels across the treacherous Dark Forest to be by the side of her dying grandmother. With only a young carriage driver to protect her, she must use her wits and all of her courage to cross the wild country—and to evade the mysterious beast who stalks her.

What follows is a tale full of horror, mystery, and romance: gruesome murders at a village hidden deep in the forest, a castle that holds dark secrets, and a black wolf leading a deadly pack. Nothing is as it seems, and this journey has only just begun. The beautiful lady in the carriage will learn that only love can defeat evil, but is it love or danger that cries out to her in the deceitful light of the moon?


Father Daniel's Compendium of the Undead (A Companion Novella to A Cry in the Moon's Light)
Father Daniel and his Right Hand of God Order are a secret society fighting hideous creatures of the night. Gathering relics and creating weapons for decades at a place called The Forge. The Forge was built at the face of a silver mine below the Abbey on Feldberg mountain. The monks there compiled this Compendium at the Abbey in hopes it may help you understand the story that is A Cry in the Moon’s Light. Dispelling myths, retelling legends and digging deeper into the characters and places you love from the story. There are over 75 illustrations from various artists along with detailed descriptions and some spoilers where the past and future collide! Everything you need to fight evil.

About the Author
Website-Podcast
Alan McGill is an American author who lives in an old farmhouse with a clowder of cats. Alan was close to his grandparents, who grew up during the Great Depression. They were married young and remained together until his grandmother's passing. His grandfather served in the Navy during WWII and was a gifted storyteller who wove humorous tales about tough events. 

Alan grew up listening to these stories of right and wrong and watching fictional heroes--such as the Lone Ranger, Adam West's Batman and Captain America--stand up to bullies and protect those who count not protect themselves. This inspired him to always do what was right in his own life and shaped his love of storytelling. 

He is a multi genre author whose debut novel, A Cry in the Moon's Light, combines horror, romance, and mystery. As with all his books, A Cry in the Moon's Light centers on characters who strive to do the right thing regardless of the adversity they face. The book focuses on the theme of love--a pure and deep love that defeats all evil.

Monday, December 20, 2021

Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza! The Romance Novel Formula by Alicia Leigh + giveaway


I grew up in a haunted house, so seeing ‘spirits’, ‘shadows’, and even my dead cat walking around was nothing new to me. Even so, when I visited America, I thought the ghostly realm had stayed behind in Australia. Not so!


After a grueling day, during which my flight had been delayed and the airline lost my baggage, I finally arrived at my hotel in Asheville, North Carolina.

As soon as I closed the hotel room door behind me, a figure materialized before me. It was a woman in 1800s clothes. She wore a burgundy outfit with a matching wide-brimmed hat that had a huge feather sticking out from it. I didn’t feel a threatening vibe from her, but I was tired and annoyed from the day, so I said out loud “I’m not in the mood for this” and she immediately vanished. I never saw her again but got shivers every time I was in the room.

Do ewe believe it? Ewe should!

Is there a secret formula for writing a successful romance novel?

The Romance Novel Formula
by Alicia Leigh
7th December 2021
Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: A.K. Leigh
ISBN: 9781973593553 (Amazon)
ASIN: B09J48ZHJF
Paperback – app. 200 pages
Word Count: 24,000 words
Cover Artist: Sarah Paige (Opium House Creatives)
Backed by research and professional expertise, The Romance Novel Formula provides everything you need to take you from idea to first draft of your breakout romance novel.

Join best-selling romance author and academic researcher, Alicia Leigh, as you discover:

*How to take your love interests on the “lovers’ journey” – inclusive of ALL types of romantic relationships: ménage, alien, LGBTQI, polyamory, etc.
*A unique five-act structure to make your story easy to write and manage.
*The specific story “beats” exclusive to the romance genre (and which other books on writing typically exclude).
*The story and character arcs necessary to classify your book as romance.
*How to avoid stereotypes by focusing on archetypes.
*Popular romance tropes.
*Essential writing techniques.
*Advice on dialogue.
*The most common writing mistakes . . . and how to avoid them.
*Goal, motivation, and conflict.
*Fear, need, and flaw (what are they, and do you need them?).
*Much more!

Complete with checklists and over 30 writing exercises, The Romance Novel Formula is the new essential romance writing guide for aspiring and experienced writers, plotters and pantsers, and professional researchers.

Excerpt:

“Romance novels are written to a specific formula.” The number of times I’ve heard this insulting and patronizing phrase throughout my career as a romance writer would fill its own book! Yet, regardless of urban legends and popular culture tales, the simple fact is this: There is no romance novel formula.

Let me repeat that with emphasis: There is no romance novel formula.

Now, it might seem like I have contradicted the title of this book by saying that. However, there is more than one way to write a romance novel. This book is intended as a guide to assist you while giving you the freedom to find your own version of a formula.

While there is no set formula per se, there is a structure you can follow that will aid you in writing your breakout romance novel. This structure isn’t used solely by romance writers. Different forms are used by all novelists (see, for instance, books such as Story, Save The Cat! Writes a Novel, The Plot Whisperer, and Story Engineering, which have a variety of formulas, guides and suggestions). In that regard, writing a romance novel is almost the same as writing any other novel. I say almost because the romance genre has necessary inclusions that are applicable to it alone. This applies to every genre. These are called genre conventions.

Whether you are a novice or a seasoned writer, this book can lead you through the quagmire of structure and help you find the unique path for your characters to follow on what I call the lovers’ journey.


About the Author:
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Alicia Leigh is a bestselling non-fiction author, international-selling romance author, identical triplet, writing coach, and hot chocolate addict.


She uses her postgraduate degrees in counseling from the Australian College of Applied Psychology and editing from Macquarie University to create believable, three-dimensional characters. Her certificates in forensic science and forensic anthropology from the University of Strathclyde add layers to the realistic crime elements in her stories. She has completed her master’s degree in writing at Swinburne University and is currently embarking upon her PhD in Creative Arts (writing) at Central Queensland University.

When not writing, reading, coaching, studying, or enjoying nature, she can be found having fun with her three gorgeous children (plus one laid-back dog and one hypersensitive guinea pig).

She is active on social media and encourages readers and writers to interact with her there. She writes romantic fiction novels under the pseudonyms A.K. Leigh and Leigh Hatchmann.

You can become a “loveleigh” by visiting:

www.fallinlovewithleigh.com

*Fall in love … with Leigh*

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Is there a secret formula for writing a successful romance novel? Find out in The Romance Novel Formula, the new romance writing guidebook by Alicia Leigh
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