Thursday 15 December 2022

Book Spotlight: Faeted Mates

 

Today I have a spotlight on the PNR boxset, Faeted Mates. Enjoy.


Faeted Mates: A Paranormal Romance Boxset


They aren’t nice, and they aren’t trying to get along.

The fae, shifters, and humans of this world are not one big happy family, and in this massive collection of new fantasy romance tales from 19 authors, their worlds are about to collide. There won’t just be danger; there will be an all out war.

Whether meeting shifters, witches, engaging in duels, stolen brides and arranged marriages, or navigating the worlds of magic that are at war with worlds of man, these books from today’s New York Times, USA Today, and new and upcoming authors are sure to blur the lines between the seelie and unseelie.

Now only one question remains: Can our heroes and heroines prove that love knows no difference between the winter and summer courts before they tear each other apart?

Join the Wyld Hunt and explore the mystic forces of Faery as fate calls unlikely lovers to each other with primal magnetism. This collection includes academy romance, enemies to lovers, urban fantasy, retold classics, friends to lovers, and all new fare.


This fantasy series is perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Holly Black, and K.F. Breene and features full-length fantasy romance stories of various heat levels.


Authors included in this set are: Reina Torres, Rianne Thaxton, Cassidy K. O'Connor, Gracen Miller, Terri A. Wilson, Riley Hunt & Amelia Grey, Jamie Dalton, Christopher D. Schmitz, Victoria C. Taylor, Breezy Jones, Adalynd Grayves, A.M. Mason, Brenda Lore, Tori Kellett, C.A. Varian, and Jonathon Mcelhaney.


Check it out here: Faeted Mates: A Paranormal Romance Boxset



Tuesday 3 May 2022

Interview with Horror Author Nick Roberts

 Today, I have an interview with horror writer, Nick Roberts, author of The Exorcist's House. Enjoy.


Interview with Horror Author Nick Roberts


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

I was born and raised in West Virginia. As the often-invisible middle child, I think my creativity manifested out of necessity. As early as I can remember, I was drawn to the darker side of art. It was quite the effort to get my hands on a horror movie or a Stephen King novel or an elusive episode of Tales from the Crypt at a young age, but I managed.
My own creative output consisted of monster drawings and scary stories. By the time I was 12, I had a film review published in a national magazine. The fact that I was in seventh grade and writing a review for the R-rated film, Red Dragon, and praising Sir Anthony Hopkins’ diabolical turn as a cannibalistic serial killer for Teen Ink Magazine tickles me to this day.
My writing was sidelined from ages 16 to 25 due to my preoccupation with partying which quickly spiraled into full-blown drug addiction. West Virginia’s beauty, economy, and population has been decimated by the ongoing opioid epidemic. I was one of the lucky ones who survived. It took a lot of trial and error, but I finally got straightened out. I enrolled at Marshall University and earned a BA in English, an MA in Teaching, and I’m currently finishing my Ed.D. in Leadership Studies.
It was during this time that I also cracked open the laptop and wrote my first short story in over a decade. I haven’t slowed since then. Although I’m married with young children, still in a doctoral program, and working as an English teacher, I still make the time to write. It’s a compulsion that I’m grateful to have. Chaos is my default setting, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.



Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

 
My new book is called The Exorcist’s House. It takes place in the nineties and begins with a family from Ohio purchasing an old farmhouse in rural West Virginia to flip. Once they get there, they discover something sinister within a secret room in the basement. There’s a well inside harboring an ancient evil waiting to be freed. The family finds out that the previous owner was an exorcist, and his work was far from over.


How long have you been writing, and how many books have you published to date?
 
I’ve always written as a hobby, but I’ve been writing for publication since early 2019. That’s when I made it a discipline. To date, I’ve had several short stories published in various magazines and anthologies, and two novels published. I’m currently finishing my doctoral dissertation, so most of my current writing has been academic.

 
What do you enjoy most about writing in the horror genre?
 
Horror is inherently an engaging genre in the same way that comedy is. Both genres elicit a physical response whether that is a scream or laughter. My love of horror is akin to riding a roller coaster. That rush of adrenaline brings me fully into the present moment. I want to do that for my readers. I want them to pick up one of my novels and temporarily forget about everything else going on in their world. First and foremost, I want to entertain them. If I can’t write an effective story, then whatever embedded meaning/metaphor/moral will stay buried.
I know I’m onto something when I’m writing a scene that gives me the creeps. That’s when I get that giddy feeling. I instantly revert to being a kid, hiding in my hallway closet waiting to burst out and scare my sisters.


What did you enjoy most about writing your book?
 
I enjoyed writing Daniel and Nora’s conversations with each other. From their first scene together, they just had this playfulness that took over. I was on autopilot writing that stuff. Plus, the fact that they had been married for over a decade and were still into each other was refreshing.
One goal I had going into this book was to make it lighter between the scares. Obviously, the horror must horrify, but I find it easier to shock the reader when they’re invested in the characters and lulled into a false sense of comfort. My previous novel, Anathema, started dark and just got relentlessly bleaker. This was intentional and the only way to tell that story with those themes.


Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas originate? Do you have a certain writing routine?

Ideas are all around us—we just have to look for them. As I type this, I am sitting in bed with my MacBook. If I tilt my head slightly to the left, I’m looking into a dark closet beyond the foot of the bed. What’s in there? I know what’s there if I get up and turn the light on: hanging clothes, shoes, a laundry basket. But from this angle, this far away with no light on inside, it is an open abyss. What could be in there? Did something just move? Did I just hear it breathe? Is it smiling at me?
Or I look out the window to my right at my neighbor’s house. The guy looks normal enough. I know his name. We nod heads when we pass each other on dog shit walks. But what does he really do once he shuts that front door? Is it even his house? I haven’t known him that long. The original family could be bound and gagged in the basement. At least he’s considerate enough to walk their dog.
There are always ideas, but if I don’t have the discipline to put my ass in the seat every day and commit to the craft, those ideas remain fantasy. I write my novels during summer vacation from teaching. My day starts with exercise, breakfast, and a shower. Around 10 or 11 AM, I take my MacBook and go to my basement and write for about an hour to an hour and a half, aiming for a minimum of 1,000 words per day. Any deviation from this routine throws off the rest of my day, and it all hinges on strategically avoiding my children.


Do you have a favourite author, or writing inspiration?
 
My all-time favorite authors are Stephen King, Cormac McCarthy, Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Clive Barker. I’m late to the Paul Tremblay/Stephen Graham Jones/Grady Hendrix party, but I’m diggin’ it so far.


How do you research your books?
 
It depends on the topic. I was writing a short story about a hunter who accidentally shot a child, and I needed to know what kind of legal charges the guy would face. My lawyer and police friends helped with that one. With my first book, I needed to know specific veterinary drugs and doses, so I spoke with my veterinarian. With The Exorcist’s House, I dove deep into The Bible and Milton’s Paradise Lost. I also had a local pastor and a paramedic check some scenes for accuracy.


What do you like to do when you're not writing? Any hobbies?

I love to read, watch movies, exercise, and spend time with my wife and kids. A Cuban cigar on the back deck isn’t a bad way to kill an hour either.



About the Author

Nick Roberts is a resident of St. Albans, West Virginia and a graduate of Marshall University. He is an active member of the Horror Writers Association and the Horror Authors Guild. His short works have been published in The Blue Mountain Review, Stonecrop Magazine, The Fiction Pool, Haunted MTL, The Indiana Horror Review, and anthologies by publishers, such as J. Ellington Ashton Press and Sinister Smile Press. His novel, Anathema, won Debut Novel of the Year at the 2020-2021 Horror Authors Guild Awards. His second novel, The Exorcist's House, will be released May 6, 2022 by Crystal Lake Publishing. 




Follow him at:


Saturday 23 April 2022

The Pixel Project: Giving the Devil His Due Book Spotlight


Today I have a special book spotlight for you.

The Pixel Project recently released a charity anthology, Giving The Devil His Due, under their Read For Pixels program which has been published in partnership with Running Wild Press. 100% of the net proceeds from the sales of the anthology will go towards supporting The Pixel Project’s anti-violence against women programs, campaigns, and resources.


Giving The Devil His Due



What if a young girl had the power to stop her tyrannical father from battering her mother ever again?


What if a student had a secret weapon to end sexual assault by her predatory professor permanently?

What if a housewife had unusual means to get back at her controlling husband and walk away from her marriage alive?

In Giving the Devil His Due, The Pixel Project’s first charity anthology, sixteen acclaimed fantasy, science fiction, and horror authors take readers on an unforgettable journey to alternative worlds where men who abuse and murder women and girls meet their comeuppance in uncanny ways.






Featuring stories from Stephen Graham Jones, Christina Henry, Peter Tieryas, Kelley Armstrong, Linda D. Addison, Hillary Monahan, and more, Giving the Devil His Due presents sixteen stories that will make you think about the importance of justice for the victims of gender-based violence, how rare this justice is in our own world, and why we need to end violence against women once and for all.





Special Edition (available until May 25th)

Amazon

Goodreads









Regular Edition (Available starting May 25th

Goodreads








You can also check out a recent video interview I did with one of the authors in the anthology. Angela Yuriko Smith.



The Pixel Project – An Introduction

The Pixel Project is a complete virtual, volunteer-led global 501(c)3 nonprofit organisation whose mission is to raise awareness, funds and volunteer power for the cause to end violence against women through campaigns, initiatives, projects, and programmes at the intersection of social media, new technologies, and popular culture/the Arts.

We are a worldwide coalition of grassroots activists and volunteers who strongly believe that men and women must take a stand together for the right of women and girls to live a life free of gender-based violence. Our team, our allies, and our supporters use the power of the internet to mount a global effort to raise awareness about and hopefully mobilise communities around the world to get involved with ending violence against girls and women.

We work to generate conversation by tearing down taboos and creating safe online spaces to generate discussion about VAW among both men and women. We also run virtual campaigns and projects that challenge expectations and inspire activism by getting the global community actively involved with the cause using social media, pop culture and the Arts.


The Pixel Project – http://www.thepixelproject.net

The Giving The Devil His Due homepage – http://bit.ly/GivingTheDevilHisDue

Sexual Assault Awareness Month – https://www.nsvrc.org/saam/history



Thursday 14 April 2022

Character Interview With Darthorn From Illusional Reality

Today I have a character interview with Darthorn, Warlord of Senx from the novel, Illusional Reality by Karina Kantas. Enjoy.




The Interview


1. When did you decide to take the powers of the Changlins, or was that a lifelong goal?

“Lifelong goal?  You humans retain a strange tongue.  I have desired for this power for much duration.”
 

2. What is your hope for your heir, Kovon?

“Kovon will evolve into a superior warlord. He will rule over the Tsinian queen.”


3. What would you do if you woke up and saw that the Darkeye was missing?
“Ha! You know naught.  One cannot enter the cavern without demise.”


4. Once you have the power of the Changlins, what are your plans?

“The Tsinians will be under my command. I will rule such an army. The Outlands are vast. There is much to ascertain. “
 

5. Have you ever considered getting rid of the Tsinian’s Oracle so you can attack easier?

Stands up from the chair and growls. "Why you speak of such, foolish human." He takes his seat again and breathes deeply. “The Oracle is a vision bestowed upon a Tsinian from the generation of Zeniths.  If I slay the one with the gift of Sight another will appear. You believe it is so effortless.?” Laughs loudly.


6. What are you prepared to offer the Dark Force in return for it giving you dark sorcery?

His eyes darken. “Anything.”


7. What would the world be like if you obtained the power you seek?

“If? This will come pass. Are you concerned?  He smirks. “Enough. I have replied to your tedious queries. Depart with haste and do not linger in Senx.”


Character Bio: 


Darthorn is the Warlord of Senx. He rules his kinsmen justly, but he desires for the power of the Changlins, sacred monolith stones that are housed in Tsinia. It is said that the Tsinina’s powerful gifts are bestowed on them by the Changlins and he believes if he could kill their prophesised saviour, Thya, then he would have nothing to stand in his way of getting the power he believes he rightfully deserves. Darthorn has signed a treaty between the two lands on the understanding that Thya, the rightful heir of Tsinia, will wed his son, Kovon, Prince of Senx.












Illusional Reality is an award-winning YA fantasy PNR duology.
Book 1 Illusional Reality: https://books2read.com/u/b6OZ8E
Paperback: http://bit.ly/IRpaperback
Also available in Audiobook:  https://www.audiobooksnow.com/audiobook/illusional-reality/5221102/
















Book 2 The Quest:  https://books2read.com/u/bW9Bo7 
Paperback: http://bit.ly/TQPPAM 







Author Bio:

Karina Kantas is a bestselling author with 14 titles covering most fiction genres, including thrillers and award-winning young adult fiction. She is also an award-winning filmmaker with numerous awards for her documentary and short films.

You can check out Karina Kantas here: http://linktr.ee/karinakantas


Tuesday 5 April 2022

Spotlight: Dino-Rift Audiobook Release

Today, I bring you a look at the audiobook for the thrilling sci-fi time travel novel, Dino-Rift by Derek Borne. Enjoy.

A gateway to a prehistoric world.

For years, SauraCorps has kept its existence confidential while touting themselves as a run-of-the-mill dinosaur museum. For two Utah teens, Kamren and Vivienne, a care-free night to themselves quickly turns into a daunting trek through an exotic, unfamiliar time.


🄳🄸🄽🄾-🅁🄸🄵🅃

🄱🅈

🄳🄴🅁🄴🄺 🄱🄾🅁🄽🄴


𝙇𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙍𝙊𝘼𝙍𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠!


Grab your audio here:


ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪꜰᴛ.

ᴀ ɢᴀᴛᴇᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴘʀᴇʜɪꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴄ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ.

ʟɪꜱᴛᴇɴ ᴀꜱ ᴇxᴛʀᴀᴏʀᴅɪɴᴀʀʏ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ɪꜱᴀʙᴇʟʟᴀ ᴛᴜɢᴍᴀɴ ʙʀɪɴɢꜱ ᴛᴏ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴋᴀᴍʀᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴠɪᴠɪᴇɴɴᴇ'ꜱ ᴅᴀᴜɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʀᴇᴋ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴀɴ ᴇxᴏᴛɪᴄ, ᴜɴꜰᴀᴍɪʟɪᴀʀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀʀɴ ᴡʜᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴜᴛᴀʜ ᴛᴇᴇɴꜱ ꜱᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ʜᴏᴍᴇ... ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ.




Want to learn more about 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙑𝙊𝙄𝘾𝙀 behind Dino-Rift’s audiobook?

Isabella Tugman is a Voice-Over Talent, Actor, and Singer based in Phoenix, AZ. With a life-long passion for books and storytelling, it's fitting that Izzy's first words were "Read Me a Book." Now she's thrilled to use her talents to read to others as an audiobook narrator.  When she’s not pursuing her career goals, Izzy loves to sing, dance, read, practice yoga, play video games, travel, and indulge in spicy foods. An animal lover, she has two cats and two small dogs that might as well be cats.

Find her on FB, IG, Twitter and TikTok: https://linktr.ee/izzyvoiceover

Website: IzzyVoice.com


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