Between the Pages Book Chats: Jeff Bacon

 In the coming weeks, I'll be posting selected interviews from my podcast here on the blog. Enjoy.

Here's a chat with fantasy author Jeff Bacon about his series, The Darkside of Good.

Interview with Author F. P. Spirit

Today I have another interview, this time with fantasy author F. P. Spirit. He stops by to talk about writing fantasy and about his books. Enjoy.

Interview with F. P. Spirit

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

 I’m a sci-fi/fantasy fan from back before it was cool to be a geek. I grew up on Star Trek, Tolkien, Asimov, and Piers Anthony. These days I’m a software developer by day and a writer whenever I can fit in the time (which is not as much as I’d like.) I have a very understanding wife and two sons of whom I’m extremely proud. We also have a dog who is the center of attention in our household. On top of that, I try to game with friends as often as possible and keep in shape as best I can (which is not an easy task at all these days.)

  

Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

My latest book is titled “City of Tears.” It is the first novel in my next series, “Rise of the Thrall Lord.” The book follows the further exploits of the characters from the “Heroes of Ravenford,” though things take a far more serious turn.

In this installment, demons have once again crawled up from the Abyss, undead are roaming the earth, and someone has appeared who can exert control over dragons. All these signs point to the possible return of the dread Thrall Masters, a group of mega-powerful mages who nearly decimated the world over a century ago.

City deals with the first of these major encounters: a tower harboring enormous power, shrouded in mist, surrounded by an ancient city that has fallen under a terrible curse. All who once lived there walk the earth as undead, ruled by the former empress of the once great Naradon empire.

 

Of all the books you've written, do you have a favorite? 

My favorite would probably be City. Writing is a craft that can always be improved upon. I’ve learned a lot over the last ten years, and thankfully my writing has improved along with it. My first few novels were full of action, adventure, and humor. I did put quite a bit of effort into character backgrounds and development. However, I could have used more character introspection. This new book delves not just into the character’s minds, but truly captures their emotions and underlying motivations.

  

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

It's a toss-up between Lloyd and Seth. Lloyd is the most genuine character you will ever meet. In some ways, he is the archetypical hero - athletic, good looking, always doing what's right. However, he is also quite modest and shy. Seth, on the contrary, is an extremely sarcastic character. His shady past makes him distrustful of everyone. He is also inclined to say whatever he is thinking without holding back. He's that voice in everyone's head that never gets expressed in real life.

 

 Why did you decide to write in the fantasy genre? 

I’ve always loved fantasy and a few years back we started role playing with family and friends. A number of amazing and amusing characters resulted from those sessions and I wanted to share their adventures with as many folks as I could. Little did I realize the long road I had ahead of me. After many iterations of world building, character development, and weaving together of plot lines, the Ruins on Stone Hill was finally born.

  

What is the hardest part of writing fantasy fiction? 

There are a couple of things, but the foremost is making up an entire world. Fantasy fiction often takes place in a completely different world from ours. Building that world requires a lot of work if it is going to be believable for the reader. There has to be rules, especially where magic is concerned, places, travel, races, creatures, and the like that need clear cut definitions. That world also should have a history. Defining that history can take months of painstaking work to map out. 

 

Did anything surprise you about the process of writing your book? 

The way that characters “talk” to you. Well-developed characters tend to have a mind of their own and tend to disrupt your plans as your writing. I've often hit a road block where a character will tell me "no way am I doing that!" It's just not in their nature. I have to then learn to write around it or change the plot point to fit the character.

 

 Do you have a favorite author, or writing inspiration?

David Eddings is probably my favorite author. I love the way he combines a large cast of characters and how they interact with each other. Tolkien is of course the father of fantasy and one of my favorites. I also love Piers Anthony. His Apprentice Adept series is one of my all-time favorites. On the Sci-Fi side, I've always loved Asimov. I cut my teeth, so to speak, on the original Foundation series. Heinlein and Niven are also two favorites. 

 

What advice would you give beginning writers?

Write, write, and write again. Never stop. Never give up. There's always room to grow as a writer. The key, though, is to write about things you love. The passion you feel as you write will translate into your stories and to your readers.

  

Ruins on Stone Hill (Book One: Heroes of Ravenford)

 

What do you get when you mix an elf, a gnome, a halfling, and a warrior? Magic, mayhem, and loads of sarcasm. 

Glolindir thought he knew all about magic until he came face to face with his very first monster. He only survived thanks to: 

Lloyd, the gallant spiritblade as talented as he is reckless.
Seth, the mysterious halfling whose knives are nearly as sharp as his tongue.
Aksel, the quiet gnome whose very touch can heal.

Unfortunately, that was just the beginning of their troubles. The little town of Ravenford is in desperate need of heroes. Before Glo and his friends know it, they are up to their necks in monsters and worse.

It all comes to a disastrous head when they confront a dark force in the ruins outside of town. Outclassed and overpowered, the only thing that can save them now is their wits and a bit of luck.

 

Ruins on Stone Hill is available at Amazon

 

F.P. Spirit writes high fantasy fiction inspired by the likes of Tolkien, Eddings, Brooks, and Piers Anthony. An avid science fiction fan, he became hooked on fantasy the moment he cracked open his first copy of Lord of the Rings in high school. When he is not writing, F.P. is either spending time with his family, gaming, doing yoga, or walking the dog.

A long-time lover of fantasy and the surreal, he hopes you enjoy his fun contributions to the world of fantasy and magic.

For more on F. P. Spirit and his books check out these sites:

 

Author’s Website

Goodreads

Facebook Page

Twitter

Pinterest

Instagram

Bookbub

 

 

 

 

Book Spotlight: Death is for the Living

Today I bring you all a new book spotlight on the vampire fantasy novel, Death is for the Living by J C Steel. Enjoy.

Death is for the Living by J C Steel

...when ‘here be monsters’ doesn’t only mark the unknown.

By day, Cristina Batista is a deck girl on a Caribbean charter yacht, with all the sun, smiles, and steel drum music that entails. By night, she and her crew hunt the monsters that prey in the dark: the powerful vampire clans of the New World.
Unfortunately, Cristina’s past is hunting her in turn - and it’s catching up. Without her partner, sometime pirate, sometime lordling, and ex-vampire, Jean Vignaud, Cristina wouldn’t simply be dead. She’d be something she fears far more.
Cristina and Jean are experienced, motivated, and resourceful. One faction wants them despite it. The other wants them because of it.

Death is for the Living is available at:

Amazon

Smashwords

iBooks

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

Author Bio

J C Steel was born in Gibraltar and raised on a yacht around the coasts of the Atlantic, and is an author, intermittent martial artist, and introvert. In between the necessary making of money to allow the writing of more books, J C  can usually be found stowing away on a spaceship, halfway to the next galaxy.

J C writes sci-fi and UF adventure set on planets and in places parked just a little off-parallel to this one. Most of the characters have been broken at least once and got back up to eviscerate someone with the broken edges. The books aren't written to Grade 6 level, none of the characters could find PC with a GPS, and reviews divide evenly between "but it was so complicated!" and "Awesome!"

Book Spotlight: The Dragon's Seamstress

Today I have a lovely treat with a book spotlight on the novel The Dragon's Seamstress (book five in the Antique Magic series) by Juli D. Revezzo.

The Dragon's Seamstress by Juli D. Revezzo

Since Caitlin and Trevor vowed to assist the Otherworld and opened their enchanted antique shop, they’ve seen many strange things. But now, someone comes in looking for a mundane item: kitschy “witches” brooms. Has their magical life returned to normal?

As the couple prepares to host a family gathering, fate intervenes and something they've never seen before roars into their life: A creature out of Welsh legend and fantasy: A blundering, somewhat underdeveloped dragon—if one can call a dragon blundering. Forced to undertake his unique challenge, Caitlin and Trevor are perplexed by his demands, but the magical beast is certain only they can help him.

Doing so might unlock an ancient hidden secret—or destroy them.

You can find on The Dragon's Seamstress on Amazon or Goodreads

The Antique Magic series

The Artist's Inheritance (Antique Magic #1) 

Caitlin's Book of Shadows (Antique Magic #2) 

Drawing Down the Shades  (Antique Magic #3) 

Mourning Dove Locket (Antique Magic #4) 

The Dragon's Seamstress  (Antique Magic #5)

About the Author

Juli D. Revezzo loves fantasy and Celtic mythology and writing stories with all kinds of fantastical elements. She is the author of the historical romances, Courting the Stationmaster's Daughter, House of Dark Envy, steampunk romances, Vesta's Clockwork Companions and Watchmaker's Heart, and the fantasy Gothic romance Lady of the Tarot, The Dragon Seamstress, part of the Antique Magic paranormal series,  and much more. She is also a member of the Independent Author Network and the Magic Appreciation Tour.

Website and blog: http://www.julidrevezzo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julidrevezzo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/julidrevezzo
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/juli-d-revezzo

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5782712.Juli_D_Revezzo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julidrevezzo/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/julidrevezzo
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Juli-D.-Revezzo/e/B008AHVTLO

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/julidrevezzo

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jewelsraven

Book Spotlight: The Rose Queen: Book 1 of the Rose Trilogy

Today I have another book spotlight for you. This time it is the fairy tale fantasy, The Rose Queen, Book 1 in the Rose Trilogy, by Alison McBain. In addition to a peek at the book, there's a short excerpt. Enjoy!

The Rose Queen: Book 1 of the Rose Trilogy by Alison McBain

The Beast doesn't always wait for Beauty. Sometimes Beauty IS the Beast.

Princess Mirabella is betrothed to a repulsive old man a year after her mother's death. She refuses the marriage, only to find out her betrothed is a sorcerer as well. He takes his revenge by transforming her into a savage and frightening beast, giving her an ultimatum: she has three years to solve the mystery of her curse—or die.

Exiled to her mother's estate to hide the scandal, Mirabella learns that the sorcerer was not alone in keeping secrets. Her grandfather was murdered before Mirabella was born, and her mother's death is looking less and less as if it came from natural causes. The only point in common to all their ruined lives: her father, the king.

Faced with a conflict between saving her family and saving her own life, the choices Mirabella makes will change the future of the kingdom—and magic—forever.

The Rose Queen: Book 1 of the Rose Trilogy is available on Amazon

EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 1:

When she was sixteen, Mirabella attended the last ball her mother, the queen, would organize. Although Mira’s beauty was maturing, she was not yet done with the plumpness of youth. Between now and her eighteenth year, she would grow five more inches. At eighteen, she would be the tallest of all the women and taller than a number of the men of court. She would come eye-to-eye with the king, although his stature was greater simply due to the height of his crown.

But at sixteen, something about her was not yet complete.

It was attractive, that unfinished quality in her. At her mother’s ball, one could tell where the princess stood merely by the number of suitors hovering around one spot. Overwhelmed by the crowd, she had learned by that time to smile coyly and say little. She donned indifference like armor, and without intending it, her distant and cool demeanor became her trademark. What would they all say if they knew she felt shriveled up inside under the constant attention?

Because she didn’t say much, Mira listened. Since childhood, she’d had the knack of paying attention to multiple conversations at the same time. She could be at a crowded gathering like this ballroom, and still distinguish each voice around her. Even as she smiled at her companions, she was mostly paying attention to the conversation now taking place behind her.

“Him? What would the king want with him?”

“Called him from there, you know. The queen said—”

“Country buffoon. Did you know that when he made his bow, he neglected to—”

“Not surprising. What do you expect, letting in riffraff? And look at those clothes—”

She couldn’t help but turn to look for the subject of the conversation.

The person they spoke of seemed alone despite the hordes of people who swirled around him, like a pebble untouched in a stream. His clothes were a touch less elegant, less polished, as if he had spent money frugally and been cheated of the finest materials. It aped the latest style, but was not quite the thing. There was something about him, though, that spoke to her.

His features were forgettable, but his eyes—they were dark and miserable in the crowd.

She managed an introduction and, a touch belatedly it seemed, he asked to escort her around the ballroom. She glanced to each side, at the bodies of suitors piled up around her, and raised one perfect eyebrow at him in conspiracy. “Thank you, sir,” she replied and was granted his smile.

She heard a ripple of whispers after them, but it was unlikely she would ever see this country lord again, and so she didn’t worry about what impression she might be making. For a moment, she breathed more easily in the man’s ostracized presence. He said almost nothing, and it was a definite improvement over the ceaseless prattle of the admirers left behind.

And for a moment, she felt… not alone. Or if alone, it was a shared aloneness. She could be a solitary creature and take comfort with another’s pain in the midst of the crowd.

When the man made his final bow, she felt she had done a good service to rescue him and keep him company. Maybe someone might do the same for her someday.

About the Author

Alison McBain is an award-winning author with more than seventy short stories/poems published in magazines and anthologies, including Flash Fiction Online, Abyss & Apex and On Spec. Once in a while, she puts on her Book Reviews Editor hat for the magazine Bewildering Stories or interviews authors and other creatives on her website, www.alisonmcbain.com.

Interview With Author Shane Wilson

Today I have another interview, this time with fantasy author Shane Wilson. He stops by to chat about his writing and his latest novel, The Smoke in His Eyes. Enjoy.

An Interview With Shane Wilson

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

Sure! I never really know where to start with this and say something interesting, but we will give it a shot. My brain has always had me in interesting situations. I put myself through college as a mobile disc jockey—DJ Biscuit. I directed a play for a local theater in college—Neil Simon’ Fools. I started publishing short stories and poetry in graduate school (shout out to Valdosta State University), and my first low-fantasy/ magical realism novel, A Year Since the Rain, was published by a small press in 2016.

Why did you decide to write in the low-fantasy/ magical realism genre?

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately because of my coursework in my MFA program. Low-fantasy and magical realism are not genres that get a ton of buzz right now. All of the low-fantasy genres are getting beat up by our big brother, Fantasy (with a capital F). Hard fantasy is having a big moment right now—Lord of the Rings is getting another adaptation and Game of Thrones is one of the most successful shows on television right now. The one low-fantasy genre that is doing well in publishing right now seems to be urban fantasy. There is clearly a cultural desire for fantastical stories.

That being said, I suppose I started writing the particular brand of fantasy that I write because of what I read in graduate school. I had a professor who was really into reading and teaching Salman Rushdie novels. I ended writing about his novels Midnight’s Children and Fury for my Master’s thesis. I was just exposed to a lot of magical realism, and I studied that aesthetic and the kinds of stories that genre can tell, and I fell in love.

What do you enjoy most about writing in the low-fantasy/ magical realism genre?

The thing that drew me to the genre to begin with was the hybridity of the genre. I have always loved gritty realism, and I have also always enjoyed more speculative works. I grew up on Star Wars and Goosebumps. Finding a genre, like magical realism, where gritty realism intersects with the magical and mystical was a revelation.

I love the idea that I can tell stories about people and places that feel very real, and then I can plunge those people and places into something other-worldly. I think it allows me to get at some interesting things about human nature that I couldn’t get to in a story that was all the way in one genre or the other.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

Certainly! The Smoke in His Eyes is about this young guy—a musical prodigy who is technically proficient at guitar and who also has some intense visions that seem to strike at random. He starts making music with this girl in one of his classes at the university. She pushes him to write something original, which ultimately highlights his insecurities. The two musicians go their separate ways and he meets this mysterious visual artist who teaches him how to take his wild and unruly visions and translate them into art.

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

The inspiration for the novel was publishing my first novel. My first novel was largely an accident, but when it was done, I thought I should probably see if someone might like it, so I started to pitch it and I found a publisher for it. I will forever be indebted to the guys at Snow Leopard Publishing for giving my little story a chance. It gave me confidence and assurance.

But the longer it was out, the more I started to wonder: who am I? I’m just some guy who sat at a computer long enough to write a novel. Anybody could do that if they wanted to, right? So what makes me special? And what makes my book special enough to assume that anyone would actually want to read it? From that line of questioning, I arrived at the inspiration for The Smoke in His Eyes. The inspiration, then, was wondering about art and artists and why we feel the compulsion to create and ultimately share that creation with the world. The book explores the different reasons people make art and the different places we derive our inspirations.

What did you enjoy most about writing your book?

I love the journey of the writing, ya know? I love to sit down and see the blank page. It’s terrifying, for sure, but it’s also a really exciting time. I like the experience of the story. I am a pantser for sure—I do very minimal plotting before things get started. I know who my protagonist is, and I have some idea about central plot and the decisions he or she will have to make, and I have some idea about where I want to end up. The stuff in the middle is usually a surprise, and it’s a journey that I thoroughly enjoy taking.

What advice would you give beginning writers?

One of the most common reactions to someone finding out that I’m a writer is: “Oh, yeah! I’ve always wanted to write a book.” I’m sure you get that, too. I think we all do. What I tell those people is the same thing that I tell anybody else who I think might actually be serious about wanting to write a book: write it. If you want to write, write. That is the only advice I can give, and it is advice that has been given a million other times in more interesting ways by people more qualified than me. But you either have a story you believe in or you don’t. Park your ass in the chair and write. None of us really know what we are doing our first time at bat. The only way to figure it out is to try.

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

When I first started writing this book, I decided to try my hand at the guitar. I had never played before. I mean, I played piano when I was a kid, but I didn’t stick with it the way I should have. But I had this idea for a guitarist. I decided I needed to know at least something about what playing guitar felt like before I wrote about it and came off like some jackass who didn’t know what he was talking about. So, I started teaching myself guitar. I’m still not an expert, to be sure, but I’ve really enjoyed it. I play some shows around town these days, and I write songs when the inspiration strikes. Guitar has really given me a nice emotional outlet.

Beyond guitar, I enjoy some pretty basic stuff—video games and movies and the like. A lot of my free time is spent working on my MFA these days. That has also been a huge boon to my thinking and creativity.

What’s your next project? Any upcoming book secrets you care to reveal?

I have a third novel drafted and awaiting revision. This third novel is set in the same world and on the same timeline as the first two novels. I am currently working on branding these stories together, so folks can look for more information on that mythology and that world in the near future.

You can find Shane's latest book, The Smoke in His Eyes, at Amazon

About the Author

Shane Wilson is an author of magical realism stories. His debut novel, A Year Since the Rain, was long-listed for the 2017 Southern Book Prize. His follow-up novel The Smoke in His Eyes is available now from GenZ Publishing.

Shane is the winner of the 2017 Rilla Askew Short Fiction Prize. His short story "The Boy Who Kissed the Rain," is nominated for a 2018 Pushcart Prize. He has been published in Conclave, Tethered by Letters, and the Stonepile Writers' Anthology, Volume III, and he is a contributor for New York Journal of Books. He is currently at work on a new novel.

Website  Blog  Twitter  Facebook  Instagram

Book Spotlight: A Mighty Rolling Thunder

Today I bring you a spotlight for the newly released post-apocalyptic/urban fantasy, A Mighty Rolling Thunder by talented author Kerry Alan Denney. Plus, there's a Raffecopter giveaway for a chance to win an ebook of this release!

So enjoy my minions...

A Mighty Rolling Thunder by Kerry Alan Denney

Spring, 2024: Two spirit hordes break through from another dimension, and make half the world’s population vanish. The spirits possess the survivors, dividing them into two groups: those who fight to retain their humanity, and marauders who destroy everything in their paths.

Artist Livi DeSilva is fleeing from possessed killers when she meets Conor McLain, a man suffering from amnesia. Outnumbered and outgunned, Livi and Conor team up and fight off homicidal lunatics and ruthless gangs, only to end up cornered by their deadliest foe: billionaire Victor van Danz, a psychopath who commands the new world’s dark forces. Victor craves immortality, and kidnaps Livi. He believes that when he kills Livi in front of her collection of canvases and absorbs her life energy, he will transform into a god.

With only Conor, two amazing dogs, and a band of plucky children to aid her, Livi must harness the power of the spirits inside her and use it to defeat Victor—or die in the clutches of a madman.

A Mighty Rolling Thunder is available at:

Amazon

Goodreads

A Mighty Rolling Thunder Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Trailer

Author Bio:

Colleagues and readers have dubbed Kerry Alan Denney The Reality Bender. The multiple award-winning author of the paranormal/ supernatural thrillers Marionettes (June 2016), Soulsnatcher (April 2014), Dreamweavers (August 2015), and the critically-acclaimed post-apocalyptic sci-fi/ horror thriller Jagannath (Permuted Press, February 2015), as well as numerous published short stories, Kerry blends elements of the supernatural, paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror in his work: speculative fiction at its wildest and craziest. With joy, malicious glee, and a touch of madness, he writes reality-bending thrillers, even when the voices don’t compel him to.

On July 24, 2015, Jagannath became a #1 Amazon bestseller. On March 31, 2015, Soulsnatcher won 2nd Place as 2014 Book of the Year in The Drunken Druid’s International Book Award competition. Kerry's novels have received numerous rave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and Jagannath and Soulsnatcher each received a rave blurb from New York Timesbestselling author James Rollins.

For more information and to contact Kerry, go to http://www.kerrydenney.com