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Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Unraveled: A Gothic Fantasy Romance (A Kingdom of Beasts and Ruins book) by Abbey Fox

Unraveled: A Gothic Fantasy Romance (A Kingdom of Beasts and Ruins book)

by Abbey Fox
Sept 9, 2025
Genre: Gothic Beauty and the Beast Retelling in Fantasy Setting
  • Enemies to lovers
  • Found family
  • Forced proximity
  • Touch her and die
  • Female friendships
  • A Beauty and the Beast retelling
  • Slow-burn
  • Morally Gray MMC
Some micro-tropes:
  • His familiar/pet loves her more
  • Feisty FMC
  • Bookish FMC

Everyone knows to never look a fae in the eyes, yet no one warned me he would hide behind the mask of a beast.

Death awaits those who get caught in the Wild Hunt, and only a magical veil protects the people of Penumbra from the monsters coming for them. So when a beast threatens to destroy the veil, Mia Clementine must break her vows of sorcery and use her magic to fight him, or risk losing everyone she loves.

But the beast isn’t what he seems, and now the fae king owns her soul. Dragged into his mythical land, she must unravel the curse that turned him into a monster in order to regain her freedom—or die trying.

The longer she stays in his world, the more irresistible her feelings for him become. Hate turns into passion, and newly discovered truths test her loyalties, forcing her to choose to save her people or the fae world she’s grown to love.

If you like Howl's Moving Castle and ACOTAR, then you will love this gothic Beauty and the Beast retelling in a fantasy setting.

Triggers:
It contains strong language; explicit, consensual sex scenes; and violence typical for the genre. There is also a bit of a horror element, manipulation and kidnapping.

Amazon

About the Author:
Instagram
Abbey Fox loves to write action packed Fantasy Romance stories, with ass-kicking heroines, swoon-worthy heroes and a healthy dose of spice. Sometimes, when she should be crafting new worlds and putting her characters' lives in danger, she is tending to her plants and painting her favorite characters. 

To connect with Abbey, you can follow her in her Instagram account @abbeyfoxauthor or subscribe to her newsletter for all the latest info. 

https://www.abbeyfox.com/newsletter-sign-up

Tuesday, September 2, 2025

Must Love Libraries and Libations (Moonshine Hollow Book 2) by Maisy Magill

We’re touring Must Love Libraries and Libations this week! If you love cozy fantasy, romance, and magic, this one’s for you!


Must Love Libraries and Libations (Moonshine Hollow Book 2)
by Maisy Magill
August 26, 2025
Genre: Cozy Fantasy Romance Enemies to Lovers
  • Forced Proximity
  • She Falls First, He Falls Harder
  • Grumpy/Sunshine
  • Magical Library & Cozy Small Town
  • Protective Alpha with Hidden Soft Side
  • Magical Mishaps
  • Tiny Dragons (aka Bookwyrms!)
  • Found Family & Positive Female Friendships
  • HEA Guaranteed
  • She’s planning the party of the year.
  • He’s 1000% done with her sparkly ideas.
One grumpy gargoyle. One sunshine half-elf. And one epic clash that will go down in Moonshine Hollow history.

Half-elf Primrose Windsong is a walking ray of sunshine who's never met a celebration she couldn't make sparkle. As Moonshine Hollow's most beloved party planner, she specializes in turning ordinary events into magical memories. When the village elders hire her to plan the library's 111th birthday bash, she's ready to pull out all the stops: enchanted cupcakes, ethereal decorations, and flower-scented fireworks that'll light up the night.

There's just one massive problem. The library's intimidatingly gorgeous—and incredibly grumpy—gargoyle guardian is having none of it.

Erasmus has spent decades protecting the ancient tomes and mischievous bookwyrms of Moonshine Hollow's magical library. The brooding gargoyle prefers his books properly bound, his silence undisturbed, and his temperamental magical tomes safely contained. Primrose's glittery plans? Absolutely not happening.

But when every argument between them ends with flushed cheeks and sizzling glances, maybe there’s more to this crackling tension than meets the eye.

Will love bloom among the ancient scrolls, or will the library's magical hijinks spell chaos for them both?

Must Love Libraries and Libations is book 2 in the enchanting cozy fantasy Moonshine Hollow series, but each novel in the series can be read as a stand-alone.

Perfect for lovers of steamy fantasy rom-com, romantasy, and cozy fantasy romance with a dash of spice! Fans of Heather Fawcett, J Penner, and Tee Harlowe will devour this super cozy but very passionate tale.


 
About the Author:
Maisy Magill writes cozy fantasy romances where magic meets small-town charm. Her stories blend enchanting worlds with spicy love stories, perfect for readers seeking an escape into magical communities where romance blooms alongside lifelong friendships.

When not crafting her next tale, Maisy embraces the cottagecore lifestyle that inspires her writing—tending to her garden, experimenting in the kitchen, or settling in with a cup of tea and a good book. Her stories invite readers to slow down and discover worlds where love and magic intertwine.

IG: @authormaisymagill @rrbooktours
Tags:
#rrbooktours #rrbtMustLoveLibrariesandLibations​T​our #maisymagill #moonshinehollow #cozyfantasyromancebooks #cozyfantasyromance #cozyfantasyreads #cozyfantasybooks #cozyfantasy #fantasyromance #fantasyromancebooks #​b​ooktours

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Urban Fantasy: Bitten Vampire (The Bitten Chronicles) by Brogan Thomas

I don't think we'll ever get sick of vampire fantasy!

We're celebrating the release of Bitten Vampire this week. Get your copy on August 28th!



Bitten Vampire (The Bitten Chronicles)
by Brogan Thomas
August 28, 2025
Genre: Vampire Urban Fantasy
Fans of slow-burn romance, supernatural suspense, and underdog heroines — meet your next obsession
  • Standalone
  • Strong Heroine
  • Fated Mates
  • Middle-Aged Heroine
  • Slow Burn, No Spice Romance
  • Supernatural Mystery
  • Betrayal & Revenge
  • Found Family
  • Second Chance at Life
Shattered by fate, transformed by blood. Can a feisty, middle-aged psychic survive her new life as a vampire—without losing herself?

Winifred “Fred” Crowsdale thought life couldn’t get worse after a decade-long relationship ended in humiliating betrayal. Then, her rambunctious husky chewed through a door, prompting her furious landlord to kick them out—and ban them from every rental in town. Her only hope? A mysterious, sentient house that offers them a home.

But Fred’s luck takes a deadly turn when a food-delivery gig in the Vampire Sector goes wrong… leaving her with fangs, an insatiable thirst, and a kill-on-sight warrant from the ruthless vampire court. Now she must fight to control her new supernatural powers while staying one step ahead of relentless hunters—and a dangerously enthralling vampire who wants her for himself.

Can Fred harness her evolving psychic gifts, protect her beloved dog, and outrun the lethal slayers?

Bitten Vampire is the high-stakes second standalone book in The Bitten Chronicles urban fantasy series. If you love underdog heroines, unexpected paranormal twists, slow-burn romance and action-packed suspense, sink your teeth into Brogan Thomas’s pulse-pounding new tale.


About the Author:
 Brogan lives in Ireland with her husband and their eleven furry children: five furry minions of darkness (aka the cats), four hellhounds (the dogs), and two traditional unicorns (fat, hairy Irish cobs). 

In 2019 she decided to embrace her craziness by writing about the imaginary people that live in her head. Her first love is her number-one favourite furry child Bob the cob, then reading. When not reading or writing, she can be found knee-deep in horse poo and fur while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

BOOK TOUR ORGANIZED BY:

R&R BOOK TOURS

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Tales From the Cursed Edge (Dark Stories of Swords and Sorcery: An Edge Weaver Anthology) + giveaway

Step beyond the threshold of safety and discover what lies beyond . . . the Cursed Edge.

Six gripping tales of courage, sacrifice & redemption await on the precipice between salvation and damnation.

Tales From the Cursed Edge (Dark Stories of Swords and Sorcery: An Edge Weaver Anthology) 

Created by Marie Ito
Stories by Michael Magistro, James Andrews, W.E. Wertenbeger, 
Rob D. Smith, Jack Finn, JP Wilder, Chris Mason
May 15, 2025
Where light fails, heroes are forged in darkness. 

Six gripping tales of courage, sacrifice, and redemption await on the precipice between salvation and damnation. Each story draws you deeper into a world where magic flows like blood and monsters prowl the shadows.

Journey with unlikely heroes thrust into extraordinary circumstances—a mundane worker transported to a realm of danger and destiny, a mighty king confronting the terrible price of power, a battle-hardened mercenary facing the ghosts of his past, a loyal emissary venturing into enemy territory with nothing but faith, two companions racing against time to prevent an ancient evil’s return, and a lone holy warrior seeking divine aid against a darkness that threatens all creation.

These tales explore the moments that define us: when fear must yield to courage, when ordinary souls rise to extraordinary challenges, and when the darkness seems insurmountable, but the flame of hope refuses to die.

From master storytellers Michael Magistro, James Andrews, W.E. Wertenberger, Rob D. Smith, Jack Finn, JP Wilder, and Chris Mason comes an anthology that will transport you to lands where magic and monsters reign, and where heroes are forged in the fires of adversity.

Step beyond the threshold of safety, and discover what lies beyond . . . the Cursed Edge. 


The Savage Rat Lord by Michael Magistro:
A young fast-food worker falls into another world and finds his true calling in a desperate village.

Denmýr by James Andrew:
A powerful warrior king faces dark truths about his family’s bloody legacy and his ancestral sword. 


The Many Mouths of the Endless Night by W.E. Wertenberger & Rob D. Smith:
A mercenary confronts childhood guilt in a city where rat-controlling street urchins stalk the night.

The Last Emissary by Jack Finn:
A desperate kingdom sends its final messenger to a usurper’s court in a last attempt to end a brutal war. 


The Black Altar by JP Wilder:
Two companions discover a dark artifact tied to an ancient cult seeking to open a forbidden gateway.
 
Heroes Never Die by Chris Mason:
A lone paladin, survivor of a sacred order, embarks on a quest to reclaim divine power against cosmic horror.






Michael Magistro is a Clovis, California-based author with deep roots in the vibrant Bay Area. When not managing regional operations for a Fortune 150 company, Michael channels his passion into crafting compelling narratives that explore themes of redemption, legacy, rebirth, and the enduring search for hope in the darkest of times. Outside of his professional and creative pursuits, he enjoys powerlifting, devouring a wide range of media, and cherishing moments with his family.

James Andrews is a full time artist and designer living in the Northeastern United States. This is the first step in his journey as an author and he has many more stories to tell. When he's not sculpting dragons, drawing comics, or writing, he spends all the rest of his time with his golden retriever and his cat.

W.E. Wertenberger is a writer of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Crime fiction. He grew up in Northern Ohio and currently lives and works in Kentucky. His most recent work has appeared in Savage Realms Monthly and Cirsova Magazine.
X

Rob D. Smith wanted to weave tales as soon as he plucked his first Fantastic Four comic book off the grocery store spinner rack. He honed his imagination with scribbled drawings in notebooks creating intricate stories where he learned that his imagination was far greater than his art skills. Words became his way of exploring the weird worlds in his mind. Since then, he has had wide success in the crime, horror, fantasy, and weird fiction genres.

Jack Finn is a folk horror author and member of the Horror Writers Association. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and two clever dogs. His debut novel, The Seven Deaths of Prince Vlad (Anuci Press, 2024), explores dark and thrilling themes. In 2025, Jack’s werewolf duology—Prey Upon the Lambs (April) and The Desolation of Hunters (September)—will be released by Anuci Press, along with They Come When You Are Asleep, an anthology of his short stories (Velox Books). His work has appeared in notable horror collections, including Doors of Darkness, Horroscope 4, Twelve Months of Horror, and more. 


JP Wilder also known as JP Vile, is a versatile author and academic specializing in fantasy, science fiction, and pulp genres. Best known for his Crusader series and Hunter Caine Pulp Stories, Wilder delves into themes of war, honor, betrayal, and redemption through action-packed storytelling. He has contributed essays and introductions to the Edge Weaver Classics series, covering iconic works like A Princess of Mars and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Wilder also explores historical mysteries and survival strategies in his academic works. Holding an MBA and an MFA in Creative Writing, he enriches his narratives with profound historical depth.

Chris Mason is a fantasy and sci fi writer hailing from Jackson, Mississippi. He is the author of The Stars Fell (Science Fiction), as well as The Dark Rider (Dark Fantasy). A fan of epic storytelling centered around good versus evil, he can usually be found gaming on his couch with his cats, Quincy and Rocky, or traveling in search of new inspiration.


Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Choice of print or ebook copy of Tales From the Cursed Edge,
$25 Amazon giftcard 

– 1 winner each!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, August 14, 2025

Trouble in Heaven: A Novel by JC Worthington, R.G. Ryan

In the beginning The Alpha created the heavens and the earth. This story takes place before that.


Trouble in Heaven: A Novel
by JC Worthington & R.G. Ryan
11-17-2024
Genre: Fantasy / Fiction / Spirituality
Publisher: Made for Success
In the beginning The Alpha created the heavens and the earth. This story takes place before that.


Shamayim. A perfect place, filled with perfect beings, all living in perfect peace. It was as The Alpha had always imagined it to be in unfathomable ages past. But when Son of the Dawn, his highest created being, chose to follow his own selfish ambitions—going so far as to boast about taking The Alpha’s throne—there was trouble.

Michael and Gabriel, chief amongst The Alpha’s seven archangels, had been close to Son of the Dawn to the extent of being inseparable. When he chose to rebel, attempting to persuade angels under Michael and Gabriel’s direct command to join him, it felt like betrayal. But that didn’t come close to the pain they felt when he took a third of the angelic host and left, for he wasn’t just leaving Shamayim and The Alpha…he was leaving them. When he finally declared all-out war against the Realm, the betrayal was complete.

Committed to honoring the freedom of choice He had embedded within each of His created beings, The Alpha watched sorrowfully as consequence followed consequence with Son of the Dawn growing ever more bold in his revolt. Believing that there was nothing The Alpha could create that he couldn’t corrupt, his rebellious stain began to spread throughout The Alpha’s creation. What had been meant for timeless tranquility had now dissolved into trouble…Trouble in Heaven.


About the Authors

J.C. Worthington
Website-Facebook
JC Worthington, author of the Trouble Series, is a ministry leader and teacher, driven by his love of God. His imaginative storytelling blends timeless biblical truths with untold stories, taking readers on a mind-bending journey to explore the mysteries woven into Scripture. 

R.G. Ryan
Twitter-Goodreads
R.G. Ryan started writing seriously following a long and satisfying career in the music industry as a songwriter, recording artist, arranger, producer and director of A&R for a couple of record labels. As a songwriter he has over one hundred and fifty songs in publication worldwide and has produced over one hundred album projects. He is the author of the Jake Moriarity series of thrillers, The Voices In My Head (the biography of late Las Vegas entertainment icon, Danny Gans), and the popular Snapshots At St. Arbuck's series. He lives with his first wife on the coast of somewhere beautiful. Can sing a little.

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

YA Dystopian Fantasy: Shadowed Skies by Haley Cavanagh + excerpt

Shadowed Skies
by Haley Cavanagh
March 25, 2025
Genre: YA Dystopian Fantasy Romance | YA Science Fiction |
Publisher: Our Street Books
ISBN: 978-1803417721
ASIN: B0DV31JXS2
Number of pages: 208
Word Count: 60,000
Cover Artist: Lapiz Digital Services
Hunted for their blood. Fighting for their future.

In the shadowed aftermath of global destruction, humanity’s hope takes flight on the wings of the Evol-humans. River Shaw, secluded in his high-altitude sanctuary, seeks solace after a life scarred by loss. His quiet existence is disrupted when Delene Fairborne, fleeing captivity and a dark past, crashes into his world.

Together, they find strength in their unique abilities, resisting the sinister forces that hunt them for a cure only their blood can provide. As love blossoms amidst the chaos, they face a ruthless scientist hell-bent on harnessing their power. Shadowed Skies is a tale of survival, sacrifice, and soaring hope, where two souls, bound by destiny, fight for a world on the brink. Dive into a world where love flies against insurmountable odds.

Excerpt:
I wake to a muscular, silent figure looming over me, his wings casting unnerving shadows. Intelligent dark eyes scrutinize me from his smooth, brown face framed by cropped black hair and raven quills. He’s been around the block.

My guard shoots up. I’d stand, but my body’s too weak from the climb. “Your nest, huh? Sorry, I didn’t see your name on it.”

“It’s carved right over there.” He points past me to the rockface. My eyes travel over the stone, where he’d etched River in craggy letters. The carved name is so tiny I didn’t notice.

“Now you’re supposed to tell me your name. That’s how this goes.”

I blink. “Delene Fairborne. Listen, would you mind if I–– ow,” I scrape against the wall and suck air through my teeth. I clamp my eyes shut.

“Are you okay?”

I shrug the blanket off, and my injured wing flops lamely near my shoulder. River’s eyebrows lower, and he comes closer.

“Let me look.”

He stows his serrated hunting knife, presents empty hands, and crouches to examine my injury. “Relax. I won’t hurt you. Let’s see the damage.” He’s gentle, avoiding the wound and handling my feathers softly. He lightly touches the bandage.

“Dr. Lytle runs the Stockade, the underground bunker and lab where the humans imprison and experiment on our kind. His men hunted me down and shot me with a crossbow as I tried

to escape. The wound is still healing––I changed the bandage earlier, but without a spare set of clothes, I had to tear strips off my pants to re-dress it.”

“Hmm.” He examines the back with a frown. “There’s an exit wound.”

“Yeah, I pulled it out.”

“Well, that was stupid of you. You could have died if those goons pierced a blood feather.”

My temper flares. “Oh, as opposed to leaving it in. I’d rather take my chances, thanks.” My voice is hostile, though I’m grateful for his help. I still don’t know who he is or what he wants, and my mother warned me to be on my guard.

River sits back on his haunches, sighs, and meets my eyes.

“Doesn’t look good. How long have you been here, kid? A day or so?”

“I’m no kid. I’m seventeen.”

“Well, I’m eighteen. So, you’re a kid.”

“By what, a few whole months?” I snicker. “Okay. If a kid free-climbed in the pitch-black up a hundred-foot cliff to get here, I guess I’m a kid.”

After examining the wound, he says, “The damage looks fixable. Let’s clean this well to prevent infection.”

“I’ve cleaned the wound.”

“Clean deeper,” he admonishes. “I don’t have antibiotics, but I’ll try to get some. Or at least honey. Honey heals.”

He hesitates before retrieving water, then takes a rag from his pouch and soaks the cloth. With the knife still in hand, he comes closer.

“Look … You seem all right, but I’m a lone wolf. I operate solo. You have a target with a big ‘X’ on your back. I feel bad for you. I do. But you know how it is with our kind.” He gives me a blatant look, so here’s your cue to leave.

“Gee, I’d kindly vacate the premises, but I can’t fly.”

He rubs the back of his neck, agitated. “The valley’s full of drones. And they’ve got at least a dozen soldiers combing the forest.”

“I’m sorry.” I shift my eyes down. “You never asked for any of this.”

“None of us did,” he waves me off. “The soldiers are here.

I’m screwed either way.” He pauses and assesses me. “Stay the night. Then after that, I’m sorry, but you need to find somewhere else to hide.”

The night might be all I need. “Thank you.”

About the Author:
Website-FB-Twitter 
Blog-Pinterest-Instagram 
YouTube-
Goodreads
Haley Cavanagh is a military veteran, wife, and mother. She is a multiple award-winning and best-selling author and the two-time recipient of the League of Utah Writers Silver Quill Award in 2020 and 2024. Haley is an alumna of Columbia College, a musical theater nut, and she loves to dive into any book that crosses her path. Haley resides with her family in the United States and enjoys spending time with her husband and children when she’s not writing. She loves to hear from her readers and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.

Monday, August 4, 2025

Fantasy/Comedy: Gods Galore Series by Rupert Stanbury


Gods Galore (Gods Galore Series Book One)
by Rupert Stanbury
28 October 2021
Genre: Fantasy / Comedy
Publisher: Troubador / Matador
ISBN: 878-1800465305
ASIN:B09KM9JV2S
Number of pages: 344
Cover Artist: Dave Hill
The Olympian Gods have made it to the 21st century AD. We may not have heard much about them in the last two thousand years, but they’re still controlling what we humans are up to – or at least they think they are.

The reality is that the Gods are like us – they’ve got problems!

Zeus is still Top God on Mount Olympus, but he’s got issues with many of the younger gods. His brothers, Hades and Poseidon, have issues with themselves – they’re getting too set in their ways ruling the Underworld and the Seas; they probably need a job change.

But help is at hand from an unexpected source – we humans.

It’s surprising what a dose of good common sense can do for even the most powerful of the gods, especially when it comes from a couple of teenagers!

Amazon

The Four Horsemen (Gods Galore Series Book Two)
by Rupert Stanbury
Genre: Fantasy / Comedy
17 April 2023
ISBN: 979-8366008495
ASIN: B0C2Q4G268
Number of pages: 337
Cover Artist: Tim Stringer
The Four Horsemen is the second book in the Gods Galore series about the Olympian Gods in the 21st Century AD.

The gods are still trying to control what we humans are up to. Unfortunately, they’re not being particularly successful. The world is experiencing both plague and famine which Zeus and the Gods’ Council never approved. What’s going on?

Athene’s determined to find out, but before she can get going the God of War initiates an attack on Poseidon’s realm. It’s now all out conflict and the gods are taking sides – one side, in particular.

Wherever there’s a fight, Hebe’s involved. She soon signs up to an army regiment which is full of soldiers even smaller than she is. But war these days involves brains and not just brawn and there’s plenty of both ready to be deployed in this fight!

Amazon

Pimlico People (Gods Galore Series Book Three)
by Rupert Stanbury
28 October 2024
Genre:Fantasy / Comedy
ISBN: 979-8338117200
ASIN: B0DL5XTHMH
Number of pages: 339
Cover Artist: Tim Stringer
Pimlico People is the third book in the Gods Galore series about the Olympian Gods in the 21st Century AD.

The Goddesses Artemis and Hebe are staying in Central London to obtain a better understanding of the lives of ‘normal’ people.

To their surprise, they soon encounter a plot to blow up a foreign embassy. Add to that a sophisticated operation involving the theft of valuable paintings from a major art gallery, and the two goddesses begin to question what a ‘normal’ life is all about.

Meanwhile, in the Underworld Cerberus encounters another dog who, amazingly, only has one head! How will they get on?

Amazon 

EXTRACT FROM PIMLICO PEOPLE – THE PARK
The location for this extract from Pimlico People is St James’s Park in Central London.

The reference to Blefuscu and Lilliput are to two islands in Gulliver’s Travels where people are only about six inches tall. The people of these islands are often in conflict with each other.

Both Iris and Hebe are Greek goddesses. Cerberus is a three-headed dog living in the Underworld. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders is a Lilliput army regiment; Rach is also from Lilliput. Finally, Slasher and others are swans living in the park.


As this small armada was making progress, exciting things were beginning to unfold on West Island where four Blefuscu commandos still remained, together with a couple of swans. None of them knew precisely what their role was, other than to be ‘back-up’, so they just rested on the ground expecting to have a quiet time until their comrades returned. They were therefore surprised to hear a paddling noise from the lake and even more surprised when a large black dog with three heads emerged. All these heads had the same face which bore a remarkable resemblance to the Goddess Iris.

The dog raced along the ground towards the commandos. It snarled and growled as it moved at speed, its three mouths spitting out saliva and showing a large number of very sharp teeth. The commandos tried to get up and run, but the dog was on them before they could get away. They were by now all terrified and started to scream.

“Give us a Mars bar or I’ll bite yer bums!” they heard, but it made no difference because the dog decided not to bite their bums; instead, it proceeded to kick them all into the water.

“Help!” screamed one of the commandos. “I cannot make ze swim! Help!”

The two swans were nearby in the lake and, considering themselves pretty tough, didn’t run away, but instead tried to help the commandos. However, the three-headed dog launched itself from the bank and landed on top of one of the swans. It gave the white bird a number of painful bites and used its powerful front paws to thump the swan in all sorts of sensitive places. Eventually, its victim was so battered and bruised the black dog left it floating on the lake.

The other swan by now had decided he wasn’t quite tough enough to take on a manic three-headed dog and had started swimming away. Unfortunately, it was now the next target for the Iris-Cerberus look-alike who, despite being a four-footed canine, could out-swim any of the St James’s Park swans. The dog soon caught up with the fleeing swan, jumped on its back and meted out the same treatment as it had given to its companion. Having left the second swan equally battered and bruised, the dog swam back to the Blefuscu commandos, who were still flailing around in the water. Three sets of jaws each took hold of a commando at the same time and then proceeded to toss them back onto the island. They were soon joined by their final companion as they lay moaning and groaning on the ground. At this stage the three-headed dog turned round and began to swim towards Duck Island.

The next minute a miniature boat arrived at West Island, having travelled along the length of the lake near the north bank. It had a silent motor, specially designed by Rach’s Special Projects team. A number of Argyll and Southern Highlanders disembarked, went over to the four Blefuscu commandos, tied their hands behind their backs while at the same time taping their mouths. They were put into the boat which set off on its return journey, again along the north side of the lake.

xxxxx

Meanwhile back on the lake, the adjutant and his three commandos were rapidly approaching the south-west corner of Duck Island. The commandos had already taken out a number of hand grenades while the adjutant was readying a bomb to create a Big Boom when Slasher became aware of something in the water approaching him at speed. Suddenly he jerked and let out a honk as he realised he was looking at a giant swan, which was at least five times bigger than him with a neck ten feet high. Interestingly, this swan had the Goddess Hebe’s face, although Slasher would not have been aware of that. He didn’t have time to let out another honk because the giant swan’s head swiped his own, knocking him on his side. He managed to right himself only to find that his adversary didn’t just have webbed feet, but also forearms with bright red boxing gloves which started bashing his head and thumping his body. After a short while the boxing gloves went under his belly and then threw him backwards into the air. When Slasher landed back in the water and his head resurfaced, he found he was due another good beating and bashing until he was left in an even worse condition than his two comrades who’d been attacked by the three-headed dog near West Island.

Slasher’s four Blefuscu commandos had fallen into the water shortly after the altercation with the giant swan had begun. Fortunately, they could all swim, but they did a lot of shouting for help. All their bombs and grenades had also fallen into the lake, so they were now useless, but this didn’t seem to matter. Getting to dry land was their key objective now. Creating a Big Boom at the Lilliput Embassy was no longer high on the agenda.

The other four swans and their commandos behind Slasher were soon aware that matters weren’t going to plan. They tried to move away from the giant swan and turned back towards West Island. However, they didn’t get very far because the giant swan hadn’t taken long to deal with Slasher and began chasing after them. It soon caught up with the two in the rear and gave them both the same treatment it had given Slasher. The other two, who were in the lead for a brief while, thought they’d got away, until one of them was hit very hard by a three-headed dog swimming directly at it with the force of a torpedo. As the swan tried to right itself while it’s four commandos were flailing around in the water, the three-headed dog jumped high into the air. It landed on the back of the final swan, again knocking its commandos into the water before starting to rough up the bird.

While the giant swan and the three-headed dog were having fun beating up Slasher, Spike, Spanka, Scorcher and Smog, the pelicans had stopped chanting “Oggy, Oggy, Oggy” from the lakeside. They got into the water and started looking for the commandos who were splashing around. When they found them, they gently picked the small men up in their beaks and carried them to Duck Island. They were joined by more miniature boats manned by members of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders as well as the Lilliput Embassy’s security staff. Rach was also hovering overhead on her scooter, shining a powerful torchlight on the lake and calling out whenever she found one of the flailing commandos.

  


About the Author:
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Rupert Stanbury is a Cambridge University graduate. He was born in Manchester in the North of England but has lived most of his adult life in Central London.

He has always been an avid reader and in recent years decided to take up writing himself. His books have one overriding objective which is TO MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH!

His first book, Gods Galore, was published in November 2021 and this was followed by The Four Horsemen, in April 2023. His latest novel, Pimlico People, was published in October 2024. All three books are a mixture of fantasy and comedy about the Olympian Gods in the 21st Century.

Friday, June 6, 2025

Humorus, Gaslamp Fantasy: Potions & Prejudice (Moonflower Witches Book #1) by Tee Harlowe

It's release week for Potions & Prejudice by Tee Harlowe! If you love cozy fantasy and all the cottagecore vibes, you're going to want to grab this beauty right away! Did we mention there's also a sentient cottage?

Potions & Prejudice (Moonflower Witches Book #1)

by Tee Harlowe
June 3, 2025
Genre: Cozy Fantasy
Enemies to lovers
He falls first
Slow burn
Cottagecore
Cozy fantasy
Only one closet

Witch hates warlock.

Warlock hates witch.

Warlock falls for witch.

. . . Things get very, very complicated.

Elspeth Moonflower just wants to cast a spell. Unfortunately, that’s impossible due to a curse her grandmother cast that forces every witch in her family to marry before using magic. As a result, Elspeth and her sisters are outcasts, helping their mother run her traveling apothecary shop—while she complains that her daughters are all magicless spinsters.

When their cart breaks down and strands them in the charming village of Thistlegrove, Elspeth’s older sister meets a handsome warlock who’s smitten. If only the warlock’s best friend wasn’t completely insufferable. Draven Darkstone is broody, arrogant, wealthy—a perfect example of why Elspeth never wants to marry. But for the sake of her sister, she needs to be nice.

Which is hard when all Draven does is glower at her. It’s even harder when the glowering turns to longing glances. It’s downright impossible when he kisses her.

Little does Elspeth know, the line between love and hate just got thinner.

The low-stakes fantasy of Legends and Lattes meets the romance of Bridgerton in Potions & Prejudice, a spicy cozy fantasy romance with a grumpy sentient cottage, an anxious miniature dragon, and all the cottagecore vibes.




About the author

website
Tee Harlowe writes paranormal and fantasy romance focused on strong and determined women. After years spent traveling, Tee settled down to start writing her own adventures and is now living out her dream. When not writing, Tee can be found wrangling her children, attempting to bake, and losing to her husband at pretty much every game they play.


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Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Cover Reveal: Daemones ex Machina by Russell Anders - Cyberpunk / Fantasy

 

Daemones ex Machina
by Russell Anders
Release Date: July 23rd, 2025
Genre: Cyberpunk/Urban Fantasy Fiction
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
If you make a deal with the Devil, don’t forget to read the fine print.

Three operatives find themselves on the run after a corporate sabotage job goes awry. Now, their predatory employer, a heavyweight weapons-tech firm, wants its elite A-team dead at all costs. Jon is a smooth-talking charmer. Friedrich is a hacker prodigy. And Guion is the ice-cold tactician who keeps them all in line.

Backs against the wall, the men strike separate infernal pacts to stay alive. They vanish into the urban badlands of New York’s Five Hives, vowing to lie low and figure out why they’ve become targets. Meanwhile, Jon suspects there’s an insidious evil possessing his friends, and he wonders if they all got more than they bargained for.

Amid an escalating war between local gangs and the firm’s private shock troops, the fugitives uncover a conspiracy that threatens to destroy everyone they know and love. But can they stop the destruction before their inner demons seize control?


About the Author
Website-FB- Instagram
Goodreads- Bluesky
At the age of four, Russell Anders started telling stories, often interrupting his mother during bedtime reading to ask, “Then what happened?” She always answered, “You tell me,” and his imagination conjured fantastical tales of dragons and dinosaurs.

He gravitated toward a career as a technical writer and writing coach for software companies. He also briefly served as a columnist for Dragon Magazine. One of his favorite hobbies includes tabletop role playing, especially as the game master. And yes, he's as cruel to the characters in his games as he is to the characters in his books; his players love him for it.

Russel lives with the constant canine companionship of whip-smart but goofy Sigurd, an English Mastiff (the best breed ever).

Daemones ex Machina is his debut novel.


Thursday, April 24, 2025

Romantasy: The Secret Girl: Book One of The Lonely Raven Trilogy by Erika Fair

The Secret Girl: Book One of The Lonely Raven Trilogy
by Erika Fair
February 11, 2025
Publisher: Clay Bridges Press
Fallon has received premonitions since she was a child—visions that have driven her to steer countless strangers and acquaintances from looming dangers. But these powers have come at a great cost. After enduring heart-wrenching losses during her teenage years, Fallon has lived a solitary life for over a decade, her only anchor being her childhood best friend.

That is, until a series of intense premonitions draws a group of new people into her life, people who start to feel like family. But something deeper is stirring. The raven tattoo on her wrist has begun to tingle, and a raven has started appearing in her visions. Worse still, Fallon is haunted by the memory of someone from her past, someone she loved, and she believes abandoned her—a person to whom the raven seems inexplicably tied.

As the visions grow more urgent, Fallon must decipher their meaning to protect those she cares about. But the question lingers: Is the raven a guide or a harbinger of doom?

In this gripping first installment of “The Lonely Raven Trilogy,” Fallon must face the shadows of her past to safeguard the future of those she loves—and discover whether the raven is an ally or a threat.





About the Author
Website-FB-Blog
Instagram-Goodreads
Erika Fair was born and raised in Texas, where she lives with her husband and son. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin and stayed in Austin as long as she could. When she is not forcing her favorite music upon her family or writing, she can usually be found hiking or planning future travels. “The Secret Girl” is her first novel.

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

The Story Behind The Story: Places of Power by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Hi Sheepsters...

I have just released a book that I started in 1995 while traveling through the UK because it recently, as before, whispered the story to me. No plotting necessary.

I had jotted the story down on a series of paper napkins at several pubs in England and Scotland... and had a good start, when I rediscovered those napkins a while ago and wrote the whole thing down as it was supposed to be.

Places of Power derives from a group in the UK known as The Dragon Project, who in the late 1900s studied standing stones and ancient sites, monitoring with their equipment. There were no cell phones then, or modern day ghost-hunter equipment that would have been helpful back then in understanding why these ancient sites are said to hold power and energy. So my book picks up on things as they were in 1995 and all of the sites are real sites that can be found on any map.

The only thing I added to a mostly non-fiction tale, are the characters themselves. All of the research on England's King Arthur were factual at the time.

Places of Power leads readers on a merry chase between ancient sites, and what might happen to people there who really pay attention to their surroundings, and could just have more in their lineage than most folks.

I have included a few photos of the sites in the book. I hope you enjoy following the tale of one woman who feels things more than most, and meets a handsome, sympathetic tour guide who tries to comprehend what's going on.

   
 

1. Stonehenge 2. stones - Trethevy Quoit photo 3. UK portal 4. Tintagel castle from the air

Happy reading!

Linda

Places of Power
by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom
April 2, 2025
Genre: Arthurian Fantasy, Magic Romance
Morgan Faulkner is a young historian used to living life through the pages of old books and the stories her father has told her. Her specialty, as was her father’s, is early British centuries, the times and legends of the Arthurian sagas.

Following in her father’s footsteps, Morgan has vowed to find the missing link in the Arthurian sagas that her father had always sought, which makes her ripe for the seemingly spontaneous meeting with John MacQuarrie, an attractive tour guide who could possibly soften the intense loneliness she feels. . . if she’d let him.

But she hears whispers on the wind as she stands on the cliffs. . . Or does she?
Those whispers compel her to dig deep inside herself for ways to get on with the research.

Or maybe those whispers hint of something else? Something to come?

Amazon-BN-KOBO-APPLE-Smashwords


About the Author:
website
Linda Thomas-Sundstrom is an award-winning author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy, with books from Kensington, Amazon Montlake, Harlequin Nocturne, and GothicScapes.

Linda lives in the west and swears she has "paranormal" in her DNA. A teacher by day and a writer by night, Linda delivers gothic, supernatural fare, both contemporary and historical, and invites you to come on this wild ride with her.

Called gothic, dark, atmospheric, sophisticated, spell-binding, delicious and even yummy, Linda's writing might just incite your passion for the paranormal.

Linda is also part of the urban fantasy trio "GothicScapes."

You can find Linda on Facebook at facebook.com/LindaThomasSundstrom.

Monday, April 7, 2025

Lost and Stolen Gods (Labyrinth of Gods, #1) by Debbie Cassidy

Lost and Stolen Gods (Labyrinth of Gods, #1)
by Debbie Cassidy
April 4th 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Gods aren’t born, they’re made.

I should have died the same night that a monster murdered my grandmother, but I was saved, stolen from my world, and thrown into a realm ravaged by an endless war between ancient gods called Asura.

I’m told that I’m a demigod, that there are others like me, brought to this world to replenish their dwindling numbers. They want us to prove we’re worthy of ascension and fight alongside them.

I don’t give a damn about their war. All I want is vengeance on the monster that killed my only family. A monster from their world. And if the only way to kill it is to become a god, then I’m all in.

But the path of ascension is paved with dangerous tests, culminating in a lethal trial called the labyrinth of gods.

Only an ancient fire elemental has the power to help me survive it.

His wicked mouth sets my pulse racing, and his dark threats turn my blood to ice. Charismatic and terrifying, he attracts and repels me in equal measure, and I have no doubt he’d snap my neck in a heartbeat if freed from the magical bonds that compel him to aid me.

He hopes to be my undoing, and if I’m not careful I may not make it to the labyrinth alive.

To claim the vengeance that I desire, I’ll need to protect my body and shield my mind, but most of all, I’ll need to guard my heart.

Enter an Otherworldly realm filled with gods, monsters, and mystical beings. Opposites attract and love and conflict collide, in this forced proximity romance.

Goodreads-Amazon


About the Author:
website
Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head – in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.

Sign up to her newsletter to grab a free short story, and stay up to date on new releases: http://www.subscribepage.com/f6u2k8 Or join her reader group on Facebook to stay in the know: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1759595307697738/