Cover Reveal: Londinium (P.A.W.S. Saga 4)

Today I have a delightful treat for you, my minions, with the reveal of the brand new book cover for the next book in the P.A.W.S. Saga, Londinium. This book series is paranormal fantasy and is written by the talented author, Debbie Manber Kupfer.

The cover was created by the hugely talented Rachel Bostwick who also made the cover for the new box set of P.A.W.S. books (1 to 3) that is now available on Amazon.

So, without further ado, drum roll please...

Isn't that a terrific cover?


The P.A.W.S. Saga continues with Londinium.

Here's little snippet from the book.

“The pea soup has spoken,” said Caradog. “You are destined for Londinium.”
“Londinium?” asked Miri.
“It was the ancient city from which London sprang. The P.A.W.S. Institute of Londinium is the oldest in the world. It started before the city of today existed and straddles the old and the new.
Unfortunately, today it is run by a fool.”

Join Miri as she continues her journey through Umbrae and Londinium with the help of werecats, wild warlocks, an old dog, a duck, and a whole lot of pea soup.

Londinium (The P.A.W.S. Saga 4) on presale now. 

Need to catch up?

 You can do that all in one place with a brand new box set of books 1 to 3.

Now available on Amazon.

Horror Bites: Alice's Scars

Today I bring you a featured book spotlight from HorrorAddicts.net with an Alice-inspired story by Adam L. Bealby. Enjoy...

HorrorAddicts.net launches its Horror Bites series!

Horror Bites: Alice’s Scars by Adam L. Bealby

When he met Alice, he wasn't prepared to go down the rabbit hole. His love for her pushes him into the uncomfortable realization she might be mad. He wants to keep her safe, but what if that’s not what Alice wants?

“Adam Bealby has written a mini masterpiece that explores mental illness, drug addiction, and real life horror.”

~David Watson, The All-Night Library

Horror Bites: Alice’s Scars

Just 99 cents at Amazon.com

******************************************************

A look inside…

Alice’s Scars

BY ADAM L. BEALBY

When I first met her she was Katie, soon to be Alice. It was her first day at Uni, my second, and her scars intrigued me. They lined her cheeks like tribal markings and the way she caked her face in foundation, you could tell they were forever on her mind. It helped, of course, that she was a beautiful Goth girl. I wanted to save her, share her pain, kiss her, and fuck her, too. I asked her what she kept in the drawstring purse around her neck.

“Money,” she said dismissively, turning away to talk to someone else at the bar.

She disappeared soon after. I only found out later how drunk she got, how she spent the rest of the night over a toilet bowl with Jackie holding her hair clear of her mouth. Her first and last run-in with alcohol. Alice had too much else going on in her life to get any more screwed up.

I dogged her all through freshers’ week. Instead of dorms, she’d been accommodated in a little house just off campus. A new friend I met lived there too, so it was an easy thing to fall in with her motley crew, drawn together by circumstance as we were. I became a regular in their kitchen, smoking weed and trying too hard—as we all did—to be quirky and cool.

We struck up conversation over a jar of pesto. I didn’t know what it was and she couldn’t believe it. I strung it out, made it appear I was more ignorant than I actually was, and I got her laughing. When I said her pesto looked like rabbit food she blushed, right through all that paint and powder.

“You don’t know the first thing about rabbits,” she said, and she showed me what was in her drawstring purse. It was a tiny white rabbit’s foot. It freaked me out and yet I felt even more attracted to her. It was my in, a secret shared. Looking at the severed foot I felt myself getting hard and I had to sit down for fear she’d notice.

She ran away that evening. We were all stoned and a bit drunk, talking about our parents, being glib, critical, or overly generous. She burst into tears and ran out of the kitchen and into the night, not even bothering to put her shoes on. We made an extravagant show of hunting for her, shouting her name up and down the street. Pete the Poet, as we later christened him, came out to help from next door. The way John shouted Katie’s name in his Irish accent, Pete thought we’d lost a cat. We had a good laugh about that.

But it wasn’t funny when we found Katie. She was hunkered down by the bushes on a bit of common area at the end of the row.

“Katie? What are you looking for?” I asked as we gathered round in a concerned hub.

“He was here,” she muttered. She’d been pawing at the dirt. Her fingers were black. “I saw him, but he got away from me.”

“Who was here, Katie?”

She looked up. The glare from a passing car lent her eyes a lustrous sheen.

“Alice. Call me Alice from now on, okay? Do you know what time it is? The days all seem to blur into one.”

******************************************************

Adam L. Bealby writes fantasy, horror and weird fiction for both adults and children. His short stories and comic work have been published in numerous anthologies, including Spooked (Bridge House Publishing), Pagan (Zimbell House Publishing), Darkness Abound (Migla Press), Once Upon a Scream (HorrorAddicts.net), Sirens (World Weaver Press), World Unknown Review Vol. 2, rEvolution (MiFiWriters) and Murky Depths magazine. He lives in Worcestershire, UK with his wife and three children, and a harried imagination. 

Catch up with his latest ravings at @adamskilad.

Once Upon a Scream, featuring “The Other Daughter” by Adam L. Bealby

Once Upon a Scream…there was a tradition of telling tales with elements of the fantastic along with the frightful. Adults and children alike took heed not to go into the deep, dark woods, treat a stranger poorly, or make a deal with someone-or something-without regard for the consequences. Be careful of what you wish for, you just might get it. From wish-granting trolls, to plague curses, and evil enchantresses, these tales will have you hiding under the covers in hopes they don’t find you. So lock your doors, shutter your windows, and get ready to SCREAM.

HorrorAddicts.net

for Horror Addicts, by Horror Addicts

Listen to the HorrorAddicts.net podcast for the latest in horror news, reviews, music, and fiction.

HorrorAddicts.net Press

www.horroraddicts.net

Book Spotlight: Addict (The Cassie Tam Files #1)

Today I have a book spotlight, for the cyberpunk/crime noir novel Addict (The Cassie Tam Files #1) by Matt Doyle. Plus, there's an excerpt from the book. Enjoy!

Addict (The Cassie Tam Files #1) by Matt Doyle

New Hopeland was built to be the centre of the technological age, but like everywhere else, it has its dark side. Assassins, drug dealers and crooked businessmen form a vital part of the city’s make-up, and sometimes, the police are in too deep themselves to be effective. But hey, there are always other options …
For P.I. Cassie Tam, business has been slow. So, when she’s hired to investigate the death of a local VR addict named Eddie Redwood, she thinks it’ll be easy money. All she has to do is prove to the deceased’s sister Lori that the local P.D. were right to call it an accidental overdose. The more she digs though, the more things don’t seem to sit right, and soon, Cassie finds herself knee deep in a murder investigation. But that’s just the start of her problems.
When the case forces Cassie to make contact with her drug dealing ex-girlfriend, Charlie Goldman, she’s left with a whole lot of long buried personal issues to deal with. Then there’s her client. Lori Redwood is a Tech Shifter, someone who uses a metal exoskeleton to roleplay as an animal. Cassie isn’t one to judge, but the Tech Shifting community has always left her a bit nervous. That wouldn’t be a problem if Lori wasn’t fast becoming the first person that she’s been genuinely attracted to since splitting with Charlie. Oh, and then there’s the small matter of the police wanting her to back off the case.
Easy money, huh? Yeah, right.

Addict is available at these sites:

Amazon

NineStar Press

Smashwords

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

Apple Store

Author Website

Excerpt from Addict

I always did like Venetian blinds. There’s something quaint about them in a retro-tacky kinda way. Plus, they’re pretty useful for sneaking a peek out the front of the building if I feel the need. That’s something that you just can’t do with the solid, immovable metal slats that come as a standard in buildings these days. That said, a thick sheet of steel is gonna offer you a damn sight more security than thin, bendable vinyl, so I keep mine installed. Just in case.
Another round of knocking rattles the front door, louder this time than the one that woke me.
The clock says 23:47, and the unfamiliar low-end car out front screams “Don’t notice me, I’m not worth your time,” which makes for the perfect combo to stir up the paranoia that the evening’s beer and horror-film session left behind. This is my own fault. My adverts are pretty descriptive in terms of telling what I do: lost pets, cheating partners, theft, protection, retrieval of people and items, other odds and sods that the city’s finest won’t touch…I’ve got ways to deal with it all. That’s right, I’m a real odd-job gal. The one thing that I don’t put in there are business hours. The way I see it, even the missing pet cases usually leave me wandering the streets at half-past reasonable, so what’s the point in asking people to call between certain hours?
More knocking, followed this time by the squeak of my letter box and a voice. “Hello? Cassandra Tam?”
It’s funny, really. For all the tech advances that the world has made, no one has been able to improve upon the simple open-and-shut letter box. I stumble my way through the dark and wave dismissively at the frosted glass. The light switch and the keypad for the door lock are conveniently placed right next to each other on the wall to the right of the door, sowelcoming my apparent guest is a nice, easy affair. The lock clicks a moment after the lights flood the room, and I pull the door open.
“Cassie,” I say, turning and skulking my way back into the room. “Or Caz. Drop the Tam.”
I hear a sniff behind me, and the lady from the letter box asks, “Are you drunk?”
“If I pass out in the next five minutes, then yes,” I reply, turning the kettle on. I’d left it full, ready for the morning, but I guess this is close enough. “Take a seat at the table. Would you prefer tea or coffee? I’d offer beer, but since I reek of it, I guess I must’ve finished it.”
Footsteps creep unapologetically across the room, and a chair squeaks on the floor. Good. If you can’t deal with a snarky response to something, don’t say it all, and if you can deal with it, then as far as I’m concerned you don’t need to apologise.
“Coffee,” the lady says. “So, do you always see potential clients in your underwear, or is it just my lucky day?” Her voice has a slightly playful edge to it, but with a sarcastic kick to round it off.
The business portion of my apartment comprises entirely of a small open-plan room separating my kitchen from my living room. And by open plan, I mean an allotted space that encroaches on both territories but is conveniently large enough to house what I need. Or, in other words, a table, four chairs, and nothing else. Since filing went near entirely digital, filing cabinets have pretty much become obsolete, so the two that I found dumped outside the building when I bought the place currently live in my bedroom, and contain a mix of quick access work stuff and personal files I’d rather not have floating on the net. Most things, though, I store electronically, the same as everything else.
I rarely use the business table to eat, read, or any of that junk, so until this evening it’s been entirely empty for a good few weeks. The lady sitting there now is studying me, I can see, and probably wondering if this was a mistake. Whatever she may have expected, a Chinese-Canadian gal of average height in a cami top and a loose pair of sleep shorts most likely wasn’t it. For what it’s worth, though, I’m studying her just the same. She’s a lithe-looking thing, dressed in a casual pair of jeans and a plain black fitted top under a leather jacket. If the metal plugs running down her shaven head like a shiny, rubber-tipped Mohawk weren’t a giveaway for what she is, the light scarring punctuating the outer edges of her pale blue eyes certainly would be. She’s a Tech Shifter, and like most of her ilk, she looks like a punk rocker gone cyborg.

 ~*~

 Author Bio

Matt Doyle lives in the South East of England and shares his home with a wide variety of people and animals, as well as a fine selection of teas. He has spent his life chasing dreams, a habit which has seen him gain success in a great number of fields. To date, this has included spending ten years as a professional wrestler, completing a range of cosplay projects, and publishing multiple works of fiction.

These days, Matt can be found working on far too many novels at once, blogging about anime, comics, and games, and plotting and planning what other things he’ll be doing to take up what little free time he has.

Website: www.mattdoylemedia.com

Join the October Frights Blog Hop!

WELCOME TO THE 2017 OCTOBER FRIGHTS BLOG HOP SIGNUP

The Ghoulish Blog Hop Celebrating All Things That Go Bump In The Night

This wonderful event of dark and devilish things happens from October 10th-15th and is open to paranormal and horror authors.

• Participants are asked to join our Facebook Group. If you would like to participate, but cannot join the group, please leave a comment or email me (you can find my email in any of the guideline pages here on the blog).
• The hop theme is any and all things creepy or spooky; a Halloween type theme.
• Either blogs or websites are acceptable; as long as you can post easily visible content you can join the hop.
• Participants can post daily, semi-daily, or run one post for the entire hop, your choice.
• Posts can be stories, poems, excerpts, book spotlights, photo montages, general ramblings about spooky stuff, etc. 
• Graphics are available via the Facebook group, (or email if you cannot join the group) and we ask you use at least one in your blog hop posts.
• All signups will be through Inlinkz and the embed code or link MUST be added to your blog hop posts or blog/website (code and link will be available once the signup begins). Be aware the embed code may not show in the Blogger editor; be sure to check the preview to see if it has embedded properly.
• Promotion of the blog hop is mandatory, how you promote is up to you.
• If you signup, posting on October 10th is MANDATORY.  Sites with no October Frights content (and I mean content, not just a graphic) by October 11th will be culled from the hop.
• If you would like to hold a contest or giveaway during the hop, feel free! A planned Mega Rafflecopter Book (plus swag) Giveaway is also being organized through the Facebook Group.

If you are a horror or paranormal author, and would like to participate please signup through the InLinkz widget. Just click the Add Your Link button and fill out the form (for name you may use your author name or the name of your blog/website).

Enchantments And An Interview With Author Claire Plaisted

Today I have a delightful interview with author Claire Plaisted and a look at her newly released book, Enchantments. Enjoy!

First, the interview...

 Interview With Claire Plaisted

Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself?

My name is Claire Plaisted. I was born and grew up in England, though the last 26 years I have lived in New Zealand with my husband and three children.

I am a Multi genre author and Indie Publisher.  I fell into writing in 2012 quite by accident whilst researching for a Family History Book for a client. This book is yet to be published.

My Publishing Business – Plaisted Publishing House Ltd., has just celebrated 3 years. I love to help other indie authors and have several anthology groups along with two magazine groups to assist with marketing. It’s a blast and everyone is so friendly in the groups

My hobbies are Family History Research, Reading, Walking.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

Enchantments was first published in an Anthology in 2015. It was always meant to be published as a book in its own right.  Since then the story has been re-edited, updated with cover and teasers made.

The story is about seven young adults aged 21. Some know who they really are, and others don’t.  The story starts with Farron which is written in first person. She has dreams which make her restless, she receives impossible messages which disappear as fast as they arrive. Farron is one who doesn’t understand the world she is about to become involved with.

Each character is a Chosen One. They are given Animal energy to help save the human world from the Shadow Master and his minions.

How long have you been writing, and how many books have you published to date?

I have published twenty-six books in various genres. I have one series called Garrett Investigations Bureau which I am updating at present. A novella series under a pen name (Beth Bayley) and a children’s series called Girlie Adventures (About a blue ladybug). This last series also raises funds for various different charities worldwide.

Do you have a favourite character? If so, why?

I adore Yuri. He is a security guard in my Garrett Investigation Bureau Series.  He is amazing. About 6’7”, African American, muscular and has a Russian father. He is funny, cool and I want to hug him and gaze deep into his gorgeous coffee brown eyes

Why did you write this book? What was your inspiration?

I wrote this book to see if I could write a YA Fantasy. I had no idea what would happen or if my muse would speak to me.  What I ended up with is a book about training young adults how to save their world.

Other than that, I tend to say the muse spoke and I wrote down what they told me too.  I have no real clue where the stories come from. I’d never anticipated being an author.  These days I do what the muse tells me… well when they aren’t away on their summer holidays in the northern hemisphere—sunbathing. I’ll catch up with them soon and put them all back to work.

What did you find most challenging about writing your book?

Editing has always been the biggest challenge—which is why I am updating a lot of my already published books. I have learnt so much from so many wonderful Indie Author friends, it has been an amazing journey. I now have a process I go through. I use Grammarly, Pro Writing Aide and Stylewriter.  I also read the manuscript as an eBook which—for me anyway, makes errors jump out.  My manuscripts will never be perfect to everyone due to the mixed English I use. However, they take you away to another world or place and give great enjoyment.

Do you have a favourite author, or writing inspiration?

I love C S Lewis and his Narnia Series. I also love some of his quotes. The best one being about writing a children’s book for children of all ages.  To me this means children from one – one hundred.  I still re-read his stories today and learn something new each time.

How do you research your books?

Google is a good friend. However, I have various places and people I can turn to for help, depending on what I want to know. For historical I belong to several research group where I can reach out for information. For guns and fight scenes I will ask friends who are knowledgeable about various situations. Sometimes I will watch movies or ask my son—who has black belt in taekwondo, to act out the actions so I can write them and make sure they work.

Are you working on another book?

I have to many book drafts to count.  I have two more books of my own to get out this year prior to Christmas. I also have four clients’ books on the go right now along with two anthologies to do and my monthly magazine. Most of this keeps me busy and happy.

Books to watch out for are:

Girlie and the Ninja Ladybugs – book 4

Ghostly Writes Anthology 2017

Ancient Relics – book 6 of Garrett Investigation Bureau

Children’s Fairly Tale Anthology 2017

Enchantments will also have another four books in the series…Well if the muse comes home.

And now for the book...

Enchantments by Claire Plaisted

The Shadow Realm had found a gap in space and time, a place where they could observe the Human world before they claimed it as their own.

Farron is one of seven chosen to embark on an epic adventure against the Shadow King and his evil Realm; but how can seven Humans fight against the perils of the Shadows of Death?

Because they're not really Human...

First born sons and daughters of the Bul'ith, Farron and the others must accept the truth and the animal energies they are given, heed the words of their trainers and defeat the Realm of the Shadow King if they ever wish to restore their world.

You can find Enchantments on Amazon

Meet the Characters who will keep the human world safe from the Shadow Realm.

They thought they were human…and though their DNA was similar and they each had human ancestry their lives were about to change…so you could live.

Farron – Bul’ith – British living in America

Praxel – Bul’ith – American with Egyptian Ancestry

Briar – Bul’ith - American

Ruben – Human American with European heritage

Fleur – Bul’ith – French Canadian

Mitsuoshi – Bul’ith – Japanese heritage

Maxwell – Bul’ith – New Zealander with British & Maori Blood

Bunita – Bul’ith - Indian

Meet their Trainers and the Animals they will be matched with.

Qwain and the Wolf

Quawn and the Falcon

Ngaire and the Cheetah

Avron and the Black Bear

Avrain and the Anaconda

Nikau and the Komodo Dragon

Kendrall and overall leader and the Wild Boar

Meet the Shadow Master and be careful of his minions…They are daring and act quicker than most can move. Their claws could grab your ankles at any moment and suck your soul.

About the Author

Claire Plaisted lives in Rotorua, New Zealand with her family. Rotorua is one of the main tourist stops for a cultural Maori experience with lots of things to do, be it walking, cycling, museums, spa days etc.

Claire is an Multi Genre Indie Author, with side lines in genealogy where she researches and formats family history books for clients. Claire also developed a business to help Indie Authors self-publish, assisting over thirty clients so far.

Claire has published twenty-six books.  Two are short stories, six are part of a series which is called ‘Garrett Investigation Bureau.’ She has one adult fantasy, one children’s mythical story. Along with six contemporary romance novellas under her pen name ‘Beth Bayley.’ Claire has a children’s book series called Girlie Adventures. The first three are now available. ‘Girlie and the War of the Wasps,’ ‘Girlie and the Quest for Pedi’s Family and ‘Girlie’s Circus Adventure. They are adventure story for children from four years upwards. Each one sold gives 40% to a charity. The first book is, in essence about healthy eating and the book will help raise funds for ‘Chasing a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes.’

Claire's Links:

www.claireplaisted.wordpress.com
www.twitter.com/rotosis1
www.amazon.com/author/claireplaisted  
www.amazon.com/author/bethbayley 
https://www.instagram.com/rotosis 

www.billionaireromances.wordpress.com

www.facebook.com/claireplaistedauthor

www.facebook.com/garrettinvestigationbureau

www.facebook.com/girlieadventures

www.facebook.com/billionaireromances

www.plaistedpublishinghouse.com
www.facebook.com/plaistedpublishinghouse
www.facebook.com/groups/indiepublishingnews