National Talk Like Shakespeare Day
But the coolest thing Shakespeare did was come up with a good insult. So go check out this Shakespeare Insult Generator and let us know what you got!
Thou roguish rump-fed measle!
Friday, April 22, 2022
Thursday, April 21, 2022
Fantasy in Black Coloring Books by N. D. Jones + giveaways
Spread Your Wings and Fly
Black Women Fairies Coloring Book
Fantasy in Black Book 1
by N.D. Jones
Black Women Fairies Coloring Book
Fantasy in Black Book 1
by N.D. Jones
Genre: Fantasy, Self-Care, Coloring Book
Spread your wings, cast your eyes to the sky and take flight.
Soar.
See.
Feel.
The ecstasy of freedom, the joy of self-love.
The Fantasy in Black adult coloring book series celebrates representation. Fairies, angels, mermaids, visual diversity matters.
Relax and enjoy 12 gorgeous coloring book pages of black women as fashionable fairies. Dressed in African-inspired clothing, these fairies are proud, confident, and powerful.
Just Like You.
There is a unique black woman fairy design for each month of the year, as well as 12 coloring pages with inspirational quotes by black women. Beautify your world, share your magic, and rejoice in your self-care.
Be UnBound
Black Men Angels Coloring Book
Fantasy in Black Book 2
The adult coloring book series celebrates representation.
Fairies, angels, magicians, visual diversity matters.
Awaken. Stretch. Soar.
Away from stereotypes and shadows and toward self-actualization.
From an ancient African warrior to a 1960s freedom fighter to a contemporary Tai Chi practitioner, there are unique angel designs of Black men from different periods of time and walks of life.
Angel of Confidence, Angel of Dignity, Angel of Family, each stress-relieving angel coloring page reflects a defining value of Black manhood.
The Beauty of Black Mermaids
Fantasy in Black Book 3
The Fantasy in Black adult coloring book series celebrates representation. Fairies, angels, mermaids, visual diversity matters.
Explore the ocean depths of the Enchanted Kingdom of Reef, where mermen race hippocampi and mermaids commune with water dragons. Enjoy a leisurely swim with graceful marine turtles after visiting Queen Seirus's majestic palace. When the sun's rays stream through the crystalline ocean, you will discover soft clam beds perfect for napping and treasure coves ideal for reading.
So, relax and enjoy 17 detailed underwater scenes of merfolk and 8 nautical-themed frames with inspirational quotes. These beautiful Black mermaids and mermen don't follow the tide. Instead, they define themselves, swimming against the stream and creating waves. Reef is their kingdom, but the world is their oyster.
Dive in.
Stress-relief fun awaits.
About the Author
N.D. Jones, Ed.D. is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. In her desire to see more novels with positive, sexy, and three-dimensional Black/African American characters as soul mates, friends, and lovers, she took on that challenge herself. N.D. has authored several paranormal romance and fantasy series, as well as a coloring book and self-care journal series.
N.D. is also the founder of Kuumba Publishing, an art, audiobook, eBook, and paperback company that is a forum for creativity, with a special commitment to promoting and encouraging creative works from authors and artists of African descent. Her teenage daughter created the image design for Kuumba Publishing, while her son has written a role-playing game using original characters from a new paranormal romance series and her husband manages the company—making Kuumba Publishing a true family affair.
Spread your wings, cast your eyes to the sky and take flight.
Soar.
See.
Feel.
The ecstasy of freedom, the joy of self-love.
The Fantasy in Black adult coloring book series celebrates representation. Fairies, angels, mermaids, visual diversity matters.
Relax and enjoy 12 gorgeous coloring book pages of black women as fashionable fairies. Dressed in African-inspired clothing, these fairies are proud, confident, and powerful.
Just Like You.
There is a unique black woman fairy design for each month of the year, as well as 12 coloring pages with inspirational quotes by black women. Beautify your world, share your magic, and rejoice in your self-care.
Book Trailer:
Be UnBound
Black Men Angels Coloring Book
Fantasy in Black Book 2
The adult coloring book series celebrates representation.
Fairies, angels, magicians, visual diversity matters.
Awaken. Stretch. Soar.
Away from stereotypes and shadows and toward self-actualization.
From an ancient African warrior to a 1960s freedom fighter to a contemporary Tai Chi practitioner, there are unique angel designs of Black men from different periods of time and walks of life.
Angel of Confidence, Angel of Dignity, Angel of Family, each stress-relieving angel coloring page reflects a defining value of Black manhood.
Book Trailer:
Fantasy in Black Book 3
The Fantasy in Black adult coloring book series celebrates representation. Fairies, angels, mermaids, visual diversity matters.
Explore the ocean depths of the Enchanted Kingdom of Reef, where mermen race hippocampi and mermaids commune with water dragons. Enjoy a leisurely swim with graceful marine turtles after visiting Queen Seirus's majestic palace. When the sun's rays stream through the crystalline ocean, you will discover soft clam beds perfect for napping and treasure coves ideal for reading.
So, relax and enjoy 17 detailed underwater scenes of merfolk and 8 nautical-themed frames with inspirational quotes. These beautiful Black mermaids and mermen don't follow the tide. Instead, they define themselves, swimming against the stream and creating waves. Reef is their kingdom, but the world is their oyster.
Dive in.
Stress-relief fun awaits.
Book Trailer:
About the Author
N.D. Jones, Ed.D. is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. In her desire to see more novels with positive, sexy, and three-dimensional Black/African American characters as soul mates, friends, and lovers, she took on that challenge herself. N.D. has authored several paranormal romance and fantasy series, as well as a coloring book and self-care journal series.
N.D. is also the founder of Kuumba Publishing, an art, audiobook, eBook, and paperback company that is a forum for creativity, with a special commitment to promoting and encouraging creative works from authors and artists of African descent. Her teenage daughter created the image design for Kuumba Publishing, while her son has written a role-playing game using original characters from a new paranormal romance series and her husband manages the company—making Kuumba Publishing a true family affair.
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
Author Dane Cobain: A Day in the Life of a Professional Writer
A Day in the Life of a Professional Writer
I’m a night owl, so I agree with him.
I normally wake up at around 11 AM and check my phone to see if anyone’s booked a consultation call with me, because my slots open at 12 PM. If I’ve got a call, I’ll get up. If not, there’s a good chance I’ll go back to sleep for a bit.
When I finally get up properly at around 2 PM, I get dressed, make a cup of coffee and start work. I use a variant of the Pomodoro Method that I call The Schedule. Basically, I work in 45-minute loops. For the first 15 minutes, I tidy my house, do stuff on my computer like marketing and checking my emails and spend the rest of it writing. The remaining half an hour is dedicated to working on my freelance clients.
Freelancing
As a freelancer, I do pretty much anything relating to writing. That includes everything from ghostwriting and editing books to working on blog posts and website copy, with specialisms in marketing, publishing and technology. I also offer coaching to people who are publishing their first books.
When I’m working, I’m usually simultaneously watching YouTube videos or Netflix, although I’ll sometimes put a vinyl record on as well. I can work in silence, but I’d prefer not to.
I work pretty much every hour I can, in part because I bought my first house in September of last year and so I still need to squirrel away extra cash for my mortgage, renovations and the inevitable massive tax bill that comes from being self-employed.
Because of that, I work at The Schedule from 2 PM until about 8 PM, generally stopping to make some food at about six. On Mondays and Thursdays, I also take part in Q&As over Zoom in which I work alongside some other coaches to answer any questions that out writing students have.
I also try to get out in the garden while the sun is shining, even if it’s just to water my plants. This is the first time I’ve ever had a garden of my own and I’m trying to grow fruits, herbs and vegetables. I work out there on my laptop from time to time, too.
In the evening
In the evenings, I switch things up a bit and also spend some time shooting and editing videos for my YouTube channel, Dane Reads. I’m a serial multi-tasker and so when I’m editing videos, I’m usually responding to comments or working on my eBay store at the same time.
Most days, I play guitar and sing for half an hour or so, too. I try to do that before 9 PM out of consideration to my neighbours, and I just pick out whatever I feel like playing from a huge list of cheat sheets. Sometimes I cover other bands, and sometimes I play songs that I wrote myself.
Because I’m a workaholic, I’ll basically keep at it for as long as I can stay awake. Most days, I’ll work until about 2 or 3 AM, doing a mixture of my freelance work and trying to crack on with my work in progress.
There are some exceptions to this schedule, but it really depends. At the weekend, I sometimes perform my music at open mic nights or play with my band, The Ilk. I hang out with my friends from time to time as well, although given that most of my friends are members of the local music scene, I mostly just see them at concerts.
Bedtime
Once it’s time for me to go to bed, I put Peep Show on the TV and cuddle up with my cat (Biggie). I normally multi-task by practicing languages on Duolingo while simultaneously reading a bedtime book, which is my name for a book that I read a book at a time each evening. They’re usually books like collections of letters that I don’t find interesting enough for them to be my main read.
Unfortunately, I’m a serial insomniac, perhaps because I never stop working. I quite often find that I can’t sleep, in which case I get back up and do another loop of productivity before trying again. Perhaps it’s no wonder that my sleep is so screwed.
My life might not sound particularly exciting, and perhaps it isn’t. That’s the reality of being a writer, especially when you’re trying to make a name for yourself and to break through in a competitive industry.
Becoming one of the 0.1% of writers who’s able to make a living takes three things: talent, hard work and a little bit of luck. I’m in my early thirties at the moment and so I still have the energy it takes to work 80-hour weeks, but I won’t be able to do that forever.
That’s part of the reason why I’ve been working so hard since the start of the pandemic. The goal is to front-load as much as possible, putting in the hours now so that I can start to scale back over the next ten years or so. It’s a long-term plan, but I’m getting there.
Oh, and did I mention that if you buy one of my books, you’ll be helping me to live the dream?
by Dane Cobain
Veterinarian Tom Copeland takes a job at a factory farm called Sunnyvale after a scandal at his suburban practice. His job is to keep the animals alive for long enough to get them to slaughter. But there are rumours of a strange creature living beneath the complex, accidents waiting to happen on brutal production lines and the threat of zoonotic disease from the pigs, sheep, cows, chickens and fish that the complex houses. Suddenly, disaster rocks Sunnyvale and cleaners, butchers, security guards and clerical staff alike must come together under the ruthless leadership of CEO John MacDonald. Together, they’ll learn what happens when there’s a sudden change to the food chain. Bon appétit.
His releases include No Rest for the Wicked (supernatural thriller), Eyes Like Lighthouses When the Boats Come Home (poetry) Former.ly (literary fiction), Social Paranoia (non-fiction), Come On Up to the House (horror), Subject Verb Object (anthology), Driven (crime/detective), The Tower Hill Terror (crime/detective), Meat (horror), Scarlet Sins (short stories), The Lexicologist’s Handbook (non-fiction) and The Leipfold Files (crime/detective).
His short stories have also been anthologised in Local Haunts (ed. R. Saint Clare), We’re Not Home (ed. Cam Wolfe), Served Cold (ed. R. Saint Clare and Steve Donoghue) and Eccentric Circles (ed. Cynthia Brackett-Vincent).
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Excerpt: Myracles In the Void (Myraverse Book 1) by Wes Dyson + giveaway
by Wes Dyson
April 12. 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy
There once were two children,
a girl and a boy.
One could create,
the other, destroy.
Within every heart lies the power to bond or break.
On an isolated port of floating garbage called Hop, Gaiel Izz and his sister, Lynd, never imagined they’d be able to change anything…
Not their nasty neighbors, not their hungry bellies, and especially not their missing father.
That will change when they discover the power of myracles — magic that either creates or destroys.
As the brother and sister set across Esa to bring their family back together, this power will either unite them or shatter their entire world to pieces.
It will all come down to what truly lies within their hearts…
Create or destroy?
Book Trailer:
Excerpt from Myracles in the Void by Wes Dyson
Unforgiving Hop
THE RED TIDE is COMING!
Water Level Low.
SPRYT Sightings Highly Expected.
Un-luck + Disaster To All Who Encounter. BLOCK EVERY OPENING.
— Mayor Tanning
What a delightful sign to have hanging in front of one’s home — a mix of “watch out” with “you’re on your own.” But that’s living in Hop for ya, a’kay?
As a floating port in the middle of the sea, there weren’t any roads to or from Hop. On their own, indeed. But it wasn’t always so lonely. Fifty years ago, Hop was a bustling pitstop for the hundreds of trade ships sailing across the Domus Gulf every year. A place to “hop” from one side of the gulf to the other. Being a travel hub made it bursting with exotic goods and fresh ideas. But the wild waters of the gulf were hard to predict, and they only seemed to grow more dangerous over time. One shipwreck was enough to send thoughts and prayers, but after ten and twenty ships washed back blown to bits, it started to nip at the prof‐ its. Soon traders found alternate land routes that may have taken longer, but at least weren’t so death-y.
Practically overnight, Hop and its people were forgotten like a used hanky in a puddle. Trapped on a floating port amid the unforgiving sea, a stagnant idea stuck to them — anything made would just be unmade. What was to stop anything they worked hard to build from falling to pieces like Hop did? Nothin’ lasts but salt in yer ass became the most graffi‐ tied words on the splintering streets, a series of long planks called “Boards.” Was there any point in shining your shoes, doing your hair, brushing your teeth? They would all end up dirty, tasseled, and yellow. Undone, eventually. Was there any point in building relationships, then? Nothing lasts but the salt in their asses, indeed.
Unforgiving Hop
THE RED TIDE is COMING!
Water Level Low.
SPRYT Sightings Highly Expected.
Un-luck + Disaster To All Who Encounter. BLOCK EVERY OPENING.
— Mayor Tanning
What a delightful sign to have hanging in front of one’s home — a mix of “watch out” with “you’re on your own.” But that’s living in Hop for ya, a’kay?
As a floating port in the middle of the sea, there weren’t any roads to or from Hop. On their own, indeed. But it wasn’t always so lonely. Fifty years ago, Hop was a bustling pitstop for the hundreds of trade ships sailing across the Domus Gulf every year. A place to “hop” from one side of the gulf to the other. Being a travel hub made it bursting with exotic goods and fresh ideas. But the wild waters of the gulf were hard to predict, and they only seemed to grow more dangerous over time. One shipwreck was enough to send thoughts and prayers, but after ten and twenty ships washed back blown to bits, it started to nip at the prof‐ its. Soon traders found alternate land routes that may have taken longer, but at least weren’t so death-y.
Practically overnight, Hop and its people were forgotten like a used hanky in a puddle. Trapped on a floating port amid the unforgiving sea, a stagnant idea stuck to them — anything made would just be unmade. What was to stop anything they worked hard to build from falling to pieces like Hop did? Nothin’ lasts but salt in yer ass became the most graffi‐ tied words on the splintering streets, a series of long planks called “Boards.” Was there any point in shining your shoes, doing your hair, brushing your teeth? They would all end up dirty, tasseled, and yellow. Undone, eventually. Was there any point in building relationships, then? Nothing lasts but the salt in their asses, indeed.
Website-InstagramWes Dyson is a creative marketer and dog-daddy of four Pomskies living in Western MA. He loves classical music and earthy, grass-tasting tea.
Connect with Wes Dyson by visiting WesDyson.com or @Wes.Dyson on Instagram
Monday, April 18, 2022
99 cent Pre-order: Born of Shadows and Magic A Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Boxset + giveaway
A Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Boxset
May 3, 2022
As myths, legends, and ancient tales rise from the shadows, these heroes and heroines are left to face the darkest challenges of them all.
Life’s hard enough as a paranormal. Shifters, vampire, elementals, witches, fae… we all have our weakness, our curses, our wars to wage and battles to fight.
But being a hybrid or a halfling, things just get worse. We don’t fit in anywhere, our powers are thwarted or out of control, and everyone wants us dead.
Can we overcome these trials…or are the odds stacked too high against us? We’ll risk it all—even our lives—to find out. And hope we don’t die trying.
This paranormal and urban fantasy romance anthology includes 19 brand new, never before published novels from today’s bestselling authors and exciting up-and-coming talent!
Including all new stories by….
Kira Nyte
Fiona McArthur
Renee Hewett & Mandy Rosko
Cassidy K. O'Connor & Sheri Lyn
Krista Ames
Stephanie Hansen
Mia Ellas
Fatima Fayez
Ryan Southwick
C.A. King
Charlie Nottingham
Emma B. Layne
Mireille Chester
Ruby St. George
K. Rea
Cherron Riser
Marissa Nofer
Shana Vernon
Victoria C. Taylor
The Archangel’s Deal by K. Rea
Nora would do anything to protect her sister and avoid the Pit—even take a deal from the one archangel she despises.
A Fire Awakens by Mireille Chester
All she wanted was to find the guy terrorizing Midtown; instead, she found a magical underground war going on right under our noses.
Faust University by Emma B. Layne
A college freshman turned rumored chosen one must save her university when an ancient demon returns and possesses one of their own.
Magic in the Shadows by Cassidy K. O'Connor & Sheri Lyn
All of a sudden, she has a twin, magic, and apparently doesn’t even belong in this realm. Let’s hope they don’t expect her to save the world, too.
The Angel’s Fury by Mandy Rosko and Renee Hewett
A vigilante hell-bent on revenge, a reincarnated angel in a fragile human body, and a mission to right the wrongs of the past. What could go wrong? Turn out, everything.
… and many more!
One Click to preorder your copy today!
**Preorder now for Only .99 cents!!**
Featuring:
by C.A. Gray
Adrenaline is the cure for her body, mind, and soul.
If she ignores the call of her ancestors, death is sure to follow. If she puts aside the desires of her heart, it’s guaranteed to break.
A mild-mannered teacher by day.
A rogue vigilante by night.
A cop with an agenda.
Two hearts intertwined by fate.
This magic-wielding hybrid isn’t holding back when it comes to justice or love, but can she have both?
Website-FB-TwitterI was diagnosed with clinical depression after the loss of my mother, father and husband within three years of each other; all to cancer. 24/7 in-home care, coupled with the loss I felt, left its mark on my psyche.
Depression takes up a lot of my life. Reading and writing are the only things I have found that help (in connection with regular medication), even if only for a short time. To escape to a different world can make a big difference in my mood in real time.
To put things in perspective, when I was at my lowest point, I couldn't open mail, talk on the phone, or even drive to the store. Walls of sadness surrounded me. As they closed in, tears would fall. There didn't need to be a reason or trigger.
People ask me why I started writing. My answer is simple: I wanted to create a world into which other people with similar problems could escape. I wanted to share the one place that had helped me for many years.
I have always said that as long as one person finds a little bit of happiness out of my books, I am, in my opinion, an accomplished author. The same is true for every writer out there. Please don't ever let anyone tell you different.
I read books as well as write them and have visited the worlds many different authors have created. Those worlds not only make me feel better, but give me the strength to face real life again. I want to thank everyone who writes—I want them to know they are making a difference.
Fast forward to today...
C.A. King, USA Today Bestselling Author has over 60 books available across multiple fantasy sub-genres.
Giveaway
$20 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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