Hexborn by A.M. Manay

Jamie Marchant Posted on by 21

 

Meet my guest, A. M. Manay, and read about her exciting my novel.

The Society of Hexborn

Something is rotten in the kingdom of Bryn.  The society in Hexborn, my new fantasy novel, is riddled with injustice of various kinds.  Shiloh, our heroine, learns this from a young age.

From Hexborn:

“Why is it against the law for bastard wizards like us to get married and have children?” Shiloh asked Brother Edmun, her voice piping up without warning, as was her wont.  They had heretofore been eating their midday meal in silence.  The eight-year-old nibbled at a piece of cheese as she awaited his answer.  She had little appetite, as she had been recently unwell, but she knew her teacher would scold her if she refused to eat.

“It matters not for you.  The hexborn are as barren as the Deadlands,” Edmun replied, sounding irritated at the interruption.  He immediately returned to his dinner, missing the cloud that passed over his student’s face.

“I know.  But if I weren’t going to be barren?” she countered patiently.  She knew from experience that, no matter how annoyed her teacher was by a question, if she persisted, he would answer it.

“The nobility doesn’t want magical abilities to spread throughout the whole population,” Edmun explained, as though it were obvious to anyone with any sense at all.  “So, they do not generally permit us half-bloods to procreate.”

“Why not?”

“Why not? Why not?  Did your fever melt your brains, child?  Because they don’t want to lose their power over the peasantry!  If every idiot in the kingdom could make proper use of a wand, what would give the noblemen absolute power over their landfolk?  What poor farmer would be content to grow turnips all day if he could cast spells like an earl instead? 

“They give us just enough prestige and wealth to make us better than the rabble, so we will spend our lives willingly serving the nobility’s interests.  But they sure as hell don’t want us passing our meager treasures along to our children when they can take it back for themselves instead before our bodies are even cold.”

Shiloh cocked her head thoughtfully.  “Is the nobility’s thirst for power also the reason that I’m the only child in our village you have taught how to read?”

“There she is!  There’s my girl!” he cried.  “You had me worried for a moment.  Listen to me, poppet.  Everything our betters do, they do for wealth and for power.  Every law the crown makes.  Every custom the noblemen enforce.  Every little reward they give to the likes of us for helping them keep what they have.  You bow and scrape, and you thank and obey, but you don’t let your mind go to sleep.  You keep your eyes and ears open.  You look for the reasons behind the pretty words, the favors, the gifts.  You look out for yourself.  You act for your own advantage.  You don’t get complacent.  And . . .”

“And what, Master?” Shiloh prompted him.

“And you never, never trust them.”

***

You see, the ruling elite of the country possess the ability to do magic, and they are determined to keep that power confined to noble hands.  Any commoner who shows a shred of magical talent is forced into religious or government service and forbidden from having children in order to prevent the spread of such gifts through society.

The most gifted of those children, most of whom are the bastard offspring of noblemen, are invited—commanded, really— to attend the Royal Academy, studying alongside noble children and obtaining posts at court.  Those children, being born out of wedlock, are given a last name based upon the region of the kingdom in which they are born.  Most of the professors at the Academy were once such children.  Commoners with magical ability are, essentially, glorified slaves to the court or to the church.  Those without such talents labor under the boot of those who do.

The country of Bryn is only fifteen years removed from a ruinous civil war in which a brother and a sister fought for their father’s throne.  The sister, Alissa, who lost her battle for power when she was killed in the last days of the conflict, is now known as “The Usurper.”  The dark magic used in the battles that raged for several years have left swaths of destroyed land behind, and the kingdom is only beginning to recover from its wartime losses.

The winner of the war, King Rischar, is much his sister’s inferior in every way.  Greedy and lazy, he is easily swayed by his advisors and makes governing decisions primarily out of self-interest.  Lords jockey for favor, and they have no care for those they might injure in the process.

It is in this environment that the characters in Hexborn live and work, attempting to make their way within an unjust system fraught with trouble and intrigue.

I hope you are interested enough to want to learn more about the world I have created.  Please head on over to Kindle Scout and nominate Hexborn for publication.  Remember, if you nominate Hexborn and it is chosen, you automatically receive a free copy of the ebook when it is published!  Thanks much to my host and to you all, and happy reading.

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Bio

A.M. Manay is an award-winning fantasy author in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is also a former inner-city chemistry teacher, a wife and mother in a multi-racial family, a lover of comic book movies, a Lupus warrior, a Clerk of Session, and a 9Round enthusiast. She loves to write page-turning stories with complex, diverse characters who inhabit interesting worlds.

 

 

 

 

Book Link for Scout Campaign

https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/2Q22TVKET6NES

Author Links for A.M. Manay

Email: ammanay@gmail.com

Website: www.ammanay.net

Blog: http://ammanaywrites.blogspot.com/

Facebook: facebook.com/ammanaywrites

Twitter: @ammanay

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For anyone who leaves a comment EVERY DAY of her blog tour, you will go into a drawing for an autographed paperback of her YA FANTASY NOVEL:  “HEXBORN.”

This tour sponsored by 4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com.

Sunweaver Releases Today

Jamie Marchant Posted on by 1

Release Day Party for Sunweaver by Ryan Mueller

A good friend of mine is releasing his new novel today. You ought to check it out.

The sun is dying. The world has turned to ice. Only the Sunlord can keep humanity alive.

Deril was supposed to be the next Sunlord, following in his father’s footsteps. But it doesn’t matter how much Deril trains. He is no savior, just an ordinary Sunweaver, powerful but useless. But then Fireweavers kidnap his father, intending to use his Sunlord powers to free their mad god. Now Deril must infiltrate a secret Fireweaver organization and earn their trust. If he doesn’t, the mad god will kill all Sunweavers. Driven insane by centuries of imprisonment, he may even finish what he started…and destroy the sun entirely.

Rella is a Fireweaver living in secret. When her powers are discovered, she must flee to the frozen wasteland Fireweavers call home. There, she’ll come face-to-face with her family’s darkest secrets and with the plot to free the mad god. She has the chance to stop it, but first she’ll have to decide if she can support Sunweavers, the people who executed her mother. The people who would do the same to her without a thought.

Kadin is Lightless. He has no Sunweaving or Fireweaving talent. Sold into slavery by his abusive father, he struggles to survive under his cruel master. But when Kadin manifests strange abilities, he begins to suspect he isn’t as powerless as he once thought. He may even be the key to stopping the mad god’s return…but only if he first conquers the anger and darkness within him.

An excerpt follows below. If you like want you read, you can purchased the book by clicking below or on the picture above.

Excerpt

Chapter 1: The Missing Sunlord

The sun was dying, and Deril could do nothing about it.

He shivered in the chill air, looking up at the dim white sun, at the gray sky that mirrored his mood. Closing his eyes, he began his daily prayer to Aralea.

Please, Aralea, grant me the powers of a Sunlord. Let me follow in my father’s footsteps. I can’t keep living like this. The expectations, the failure, the looks people give me in the corridors—it’s all too much. I feel like I’m going to break under the pressure. Why did you keep these powers from me?

Deril had tried too long to keep his anger concealed. He no longer cared. Aralea had done little to help him, little to help anyone in Tarileth. She deserved his anger.

Please, if you can’t make me a Sunlord, give me some way I can prove myself. Some way I can make a difference. That’s all I ask. When he finished praying, he was nearly in tears.

He opened his eyes and shivered again despite the chamber’s Sunlamps. The world could not survive on Sunlamps alone. That much was obvious. It needed Deril’s father, needed Deril. Fifteen years he’d trained alongside his twin brother Karik. Fifteen years and neither of them was a Sunlord.

They had failed, and their failure would doom the world.

At the open door, Deril passed his friend Tiran, one of the temple’s Sun Guards. Tiran wore a golden surcoat lined with fur. Deril avoided his friend’s gaze, hoping he could also avoid the shame burning within him.

Tiran put a hand on Deril’s shoulder. “Did you find luck with the goddess?”

Deril barked a laugh. “I think you already know the answer to that.”

“You’ll find your powers one day.”

The encouragement sounded false, but Tiran was only trying to be a good friend. The kind of friend Deril didn’t deserve, for he brooded too often and spent most of his time obsessing over his training, hoping he’d missed something that would unlock his powers.

Hoping for a dream that seemed more elusive every day.

“Perhaps I will,” Deril said. But never in the history of Tarileth had a Sunlord come into their powers after age twenty, and Deril was twenty-five.

“You don’t believe that,” Tiran said.

“It isn’t easy to live with this burden.”

“Maybe you need to do something different with your training,” Tiran said, following Deril through the stone corridors. “Are you sure your father hasn’t missed something?”

“It doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t be this hard.” Deril thought of all the evenings he’d spent in the temple’s library, reading every book they had on Sunweaving theory. It was possible that no one knew as much about Sunweaving as he did. So the fault had to lie with him.

It didn’t matter what anyone said. Deril was not a Sunlord.

“I hate seeing you like this,” Tiran said. “You used to be much happier.”

“I was a child back then, and I thought I would come into my powers one day.” Deril shook his head. “I don’t know how Karik manages to stay so upbeat. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he doesn’t care about being a Sunlord. But how can he not care?”

“I’m sure he cares,” Tiran said as they rounded a corner. He was about to say something else, but then a scream came from a nearby corridor, followed by a low rumble. Deril started toward the sound, hanging close to the golden-brown walls. A series of faint vibrations echoed, growing ever softer. What in the core was happening?

Tiran clutched at Deril’s arm. “Be careful. You’re too important to risk yourself.”

Too important. That was the last thing he’d call himself, the last thing he deserved to be called. He rushed through the temple’s wide stone corridors, Tiran at his side. The rumble didn’t sound again; the vibrations had ceased.

They rounded a corner and came upon the bodies of two Sun Guards, who lay on the floor in pools of blood, their heads resting a few feet away. They’d been guarding the Sun Chamber, where Deril’s father was using his Sunlord powers to strengthen the sun.

If something had happened to Deril’s father—

No. His father had to be alive. He was the only Sunlord left.

Tiran grasped Deril’s shoulder. “Stay out here.”

“No. We can defend ourselves better if we stick together.”

“All right,” Tiran said, but he frowned as he pushed through the heavy stone door, entering the Sun Chamber. Deril followed, offering a silent prayer to Aralea—more for his father’s safety than his own.

The chamber was empty.

At its other side, a gaping hole had opened in the wall. There was no blood on the floor, but someone had kidnapped the Sunlord, taking advantage of the weakness he experienced after fueling the sun for a few hours.

But who would kidnap the Sunlord? Without him, humanity would die.

“We need to inform Captain Hanir,” Tiran said.

“I’m going after them. There might still be a chance to save my father.”

“No,” Tiran said. “You don’t know what you’re facing.”

“We don’t know what they intend either. If they’re Fireweavers, they might be crazy enough to do anything, even kill him. We can’t take that risk. You inform Hanir. I’m going.”

“Well, I can’t stop you,” Tiran said. “But please be careful.”

“I’ll do what I can.” Deril raced to the other side of the Sun Chamber, then through the hole in the wall.

The temple stood on a flat portion of a small mountain overlooking the city of Hyrandel, so whoever had kidnapped Deril’s father had to go down the mountain. In addition, dozens of Sun Guards patrolled the perimeter of the temple grounds, and a wall surrounded the temple.

How could anyone get through?

 

Laura Thompson, an elf or at least someone who writes about them

Jamie Marchant Posted on by  

Welcome to Laura Thompson, a fantasy writer in the know. Please read about her and check out her work if she intrigues you.

Laura Thompson grew up in a small town on an island that sits in the middle of Lake Champlain in Vermont. She has been writing short stories since the young age of seven and has been an avid reader for longer than that. Although Laura is an adult she admits her imagination is still as active as it was as a child only now, instead of using it to create make believe games she harnesses it through writing.  Her first novel was written and completed at the age of sixteen while taking a creative writing class and although not published Laura still feels it was the first step on her path of becoming an author. Laura started writing the Elven Quest Series in 2007, “I had not written for pleasure in a long time and one day the characters from The Burden of Destiny entered my mind and wouldn’t leave. I had no choice but to sit down and write their story. Two years and over 800 pages later both stories are finished and I’m so excited to share them with the world.”  Laura holds her Masters in Higher Education Counseling, has a BA in Sociology and co-wrote the published ethical theory model entitled Key Factors in Making Ethical Decisions Model, a chapter in the textbook: Ethical Decision Making for the 21st Century Counselor (Counseling and Professional Identity) by Donna S. Sheperis and Stacy L. Henning. Laura currently resides in Massachusetts with her husband Daniel, wonderful son William and cat Luna.

The Burden of Destiny

Humans are “primitive, unintelligent, and highly emotional.” Luckily that’s only half of Isobel’s problem…

Dark beasts and terror are coming. Fourteen year old Isobel is warned that only her special instincts and abilities can save her villagers from extinction caused by evil creatures called the Carachi, possibly sent by her mother’s killer. To save her people and preserve her safe world, Isobel must cross the bridge from her childish mind to reality and accept that she cannot escape her destiny.

Legends are steeped in truth and there is much to learn about the secrets of the world in which Isobel lives. After learning of her family’s secret past and her own magic abilities and with the help of her friends and a wise mentor she will leave her childhood home in Greenhill to forge new bonds with an ancient race that has been hidden for centuries, and try to persuade them to emerge once again and fight for her people. Their existence and the elements that provide her world with harmony depend on it. If successful, Isobel will have the chance to confront her mother’s killer. But, if she fails, the world could fall into darkness forever.

Full of adventure, The Burden of Destiny follows a young heroine’s quest to find her place and save her people. This young adult fantasy novel will inspire the younger generation by addressing the meaning of trust, duty, loss, love, and the importance of preserving the world in which we all belong.

Interview

  1. Tell us a little about yourself?

 

I come from a small town in Vermont, which I believe inspired much of my book. I have been a fan of fantasy for a long time, but forgot how much I loved it until I read Harry Potter as an adult. I was then hooked on it again and started reading tons of fantasy novels before deciding that I wanted to write one of my own. I am a simple girl that loves reading, writing, spending time with family, and spending time in nature.

2. What made you want to become a writer? I

have always loved writing and was writing stories at the age of 7. In high school my dad wrote a play called Seniors about relationships between older people, like the ones he grew up with, his parents, aunts and uncles etc. Our town did a production of the play and he received a standing ovation. I was so proud that all of the people in the audience were applauding my father’s words that came from his own heart and mind. I decided then that I wanted to write something of my own and have the courage to share it with others.

3. Of all the characters you have created, which is your favorite and why?

This is super tough, I love them all. I feel that the main character, Isobel is somewhat of a mirror image of me when I was young, so I identify with her greatly. However, I love the antagonist Madeara, she has so much more to her story that will be revealed in the upcoming books and I loved writing her back story.

4. What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Editing! I am long winded by nature so having to go back and cut out pieces of the story was very difficult to do and took a lot of time.

5. Do you have a day job in addition to being a writer?  If so, what do you do during the day?

Yes I do. I work for a global corporate bank as a Global Governance Officer. I am a mentor in their mentoring program and a member of two committees, one that creates programs for employee engagement and one that approves grants for our foundation which gives grant money to nonprofits that support education for under privileged youth.What is your favorite writing tip or quote?

6. Tell us a little about your plans for the future.  Do you have any other books in the works?

Absolutely! I have 3 other Elven Quest books almost ready to be published, the second one will be out next year. I have also been writing a YA drama that I hope to publish next year as well. I am also now offering training workshops for other writers as a writing coach, as well as freelance editing for other others works. The next one will be released in 2018.

I also  just started a free writers support group called Wise Warrior Writers on Facebook. You can find it here:

7. If you could live in any period in the past or future, which would it be? Why?

I’ve always been fascinated by Europe in the 1600’s. Elizabeth the 1st was my favorite queen to read about. I think I would want to go back to that time period and see what it was really like.

8. If you could shift into any animal, which would you chose? Why? If you were going to be permanently changed into an animal? Would you still pick the same one? Why or why not?

I think I would choose something like a sea otter that spends time near water and loves to swim but can also stay on land if necessary. If I were to permanently change to an animal I would want to be a sea bird that has the ability to fly, swim and live on land.

Where can we find you online? (please cut and paste links):

Blog: https://lauraethompsonauthor.blogspot.com/

Website: https://lauraethompson2.wixsite.com/mysite-1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraEThompsonauthor15/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauraEThompson6

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Laura-E.-Thompson/e/B01JTS0MMO/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1503020071&sr=1-2-ent

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-burden-of-destiny-laura-e-thompson/1123969620;jsessionid=0CCC922F0BE6333A25929C5F25A309FC.prodny_store01-atgap04?ean=2940158405136

Others: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/645261

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30737780-the-burden-of-destiny?from_search=true

My email: lauraethompson@outlook.com

Excerpt

They scoured the area on foot and eventually Isobel found a few trees that had been knocked over by a heavy storm that were lying on top of one another and created a small wall. They tied the horses to some large trees out of sight and sat behind the tree wall. They held their weapons and didn’t speak.

The others ate a few pieces of meat, but Isobel waved it away to focus instead on listening for the sound. Hours passed and the rumble would disappear and then reappear without warning—closer it seemed. Then it would disappear for a long time and just when she began to think she had imagined it, she would hear it again for a brief moment or two. Just long enough to put her senses on high alert. It was in the middle of one of those long stretches of silence that Isobel began to think that maybe the creatures making the noise had retreated. The same time that thought passed through her mind, she heard a terrible screeching sound above her. All three of them jumped and peered into the treetops.

Isobel saw movement on a branch above them. She strained her eyes and happened to make out the dark shape of the raven. It peered down at her, and although she couldn’t see its evil eye, she could feel its hatred. It screeched again, and then they heard large heavy footsteps very close by. They heard branches breaking under the weight of heavy legs and the snort of heavy animal like breathing.

“Oh no. What is that?” Mauve whispered.

“It’s them. Carachi I think,” said Isobel. “I told you I didn’t imagine it.”

They had no more time for words, however, because all too soon they were surrounded. They heard the creatures searching all around them, coming closer and closer.

 

If you like what you’ve read, share what you think in the comments. Also, Laura’s book can be purchased by clicking below.

A Wild and Unremarkable Thing Book Tour & Giveaway

Jamie Marchant Posted on by  
A Wild and Unremarkable Thing
by Jen Castleberry
Genre: YA Fantasy
Fifteen years have passed since a Fire Scale scorched Cayda’s village.
Fifteen years of beatings, of bare kitchen cupboards and sloppy
swordplay. Fifteen years of biting her lip for her father’s cane
while her younger sisters did the same for the grimy patrons of the
village brothels. Fifteen years of staring steadfastly after beauty
in an increasingly ugly world.
Now, with hair shorn and breast bound, Cayda marches into the Summer
Alps as Cody, a hopeful Champion seeking a dragon-slayer’s reward,
with the full weight of her family’s survival on her shoulders.
But the road between poverty and prosperity is rife with beasts,
betrayals, and baser temptations. Sensible Cayda soon discovers that
she is not the only Champion with her eye on the prize, or the only
one wearing a disguise.
With monsters, gods, and royalty hot on her heels, Cayda must ask
herself if victory is worth sacrificing her identity for – or her life.
A Wild and Unremarkable Thing pits girl against dragon in a stunning
blend of Greek mythology and medieval lore. Readers will not quickly
forget the diverse cast or the thrilling, sexy ride!
Jen Castleberry resides in Virginia Beach with her husband and pets. Her
background is in Communications and Animal Welfare. All of her pets
are named after superheroes!
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

Christmas in Pennsylvania

Jamie Marchant Posted on by 2

I just returned from a trip to Pennsylvania with my husband and son for the holidays. We spent Christmas with my in-laws who now live in an assisted living center in Youngsville, PA. It was frigidly cold and snowy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas was good, but less fun. Unfortunately, Tim’s parents aren’t doing well. Tim’s step-dad is well into his 90s and has become very frail. He was a strong, active man into his late 80s, and it was disconcerting to see him so frail. I’m afraid he will not be with us much longer. Tim’s mother is physically well, but has deteriorated markedly mentally. She is confused a good deal of the time. Tim has a hard time seeing his parents like this.

After Christmas, we went to Philadelphia for several days to ring in the New Year. We spent a wonderful 3 days in Philadelphia. I’m so glad we went. Jesse is 21 now, and we are not likely to get many more opportunities to travel with me like this. We arrived in Philadelphia late on January 28th. Then on the 29th we went to see the historic sites. Tim and I had both seen them before, but Jesse had not.

Tim and Jesse in front of the Liberty Bell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesse and I at Independence Hall

Tim and Jesse signing the Constitution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the 30th, we went to visit the Aquarium. As a young child, Jesse was fascinated with Aquariums. When we lived in Long Beach, we had an annual pass to the Long Beach Aquarium, and I took him a couple of times a month. He no longer has that child-like fascination, but we still had a good time.

Jesse at the Aquarium. Philadelphia skyline behind him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite day was the 31st, which we spent at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We start out all together, but Tim wanted to rush through so that he had time for another museum. Jesse and I preferred not to rush. Jesse and I are very compatible travelers. We like to do about the same amount of sight seeing at the same speed. We thoroughly en joyed our time together at this stunning museum.

Jesse at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Jesse and Tim before Tim rushed off

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me with Mary Cassatt

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesse with a still life that mocks still lifes. Look at it closely

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That night we went on a dinner cruise to party in the New Year with food, drinks, dancing, and fireworks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, it was a fantastic trip that I am so glad we took. I cried after we dropped Jesse off back in Birmingham. I love that kid and miss him terribly.

Fire Book Blast

Jamie Marchant Posted on by 2

GENRE: Fantasy

The thrilling conclusion to the Knights of Av’lor trilogy!

 

Trapped on Av’lor and left for dead by her betrayer, Kathryn’s unrelenting determination is the only thing that might overcome the invading Zahkrinon army.

 

With the portal destroyed and the Zahkrinon army fast approaching, Kathryn and Lanclor have no choice but to focus on the survival of the Knighthood before they can consider rescuing Rachel. Unexpected events threaten their victory and the combined Av’lorian and Earth forces struggle to survive as their numbers dwindle.

 

They find the Zahkrinon are more dangerous than they had ever imagined.

 

Excerpt

The tides of the battle turned for the worst when the dark elves used their own physical Shields to brush aside the brownwings’ assault and brought their hidden weapons to bear. A bow and arrow was such a simple weapon and normally wouldn’t penetrate Kate’s physical Shield, but the dark elves had worked some type of magic into the arrows with a devastating effect.

Similar to the daggers used in the assault at the castle, the arrows drove through the knights’ armor like a hot knife through butter. Knights fell like mown wheat around her and Hal was the only thing that kept the arrows from Kathryn. Hal had jumped in front of her just as the dark elves had fired. He staggered backward and she wrapped her arms around him from behind. His weight was too much for her to bear and she toppled backward with him on top of her.

Kate could barely breathe under Hal’s impressive mass and tried without success to move his weight to the side. Her wings ached in protest and she tried to go through her mental list of spells to come up with a solution. She could still see the battle going on and the dark elves turned their attention back to the Royal Guard. The elves raised their bows and prepared to fire.

About the Author

Sam Rook lives in Vermont with her husband and two children. Her passion for fantasy novels began in high school with her desire to write following shortly thereafter. Software engineer by day, fantasy author by night, she strives to give her readers a chance to enjoy worlds that transport them away from the stress of everyday life.

Website: www.samrook.com

Buy links:

Amazon
Kobo
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

Giveaway

Sam will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Holiday Sale

Jamie Marchant Posted on by  

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Solstice or none of the above, what better way than a good book to make the seasons bright.

Now through December 25th, all of my books are on sale.

Paperbacks 15-20%

All Kindle editions $1.99

Buy the paperback as a gift and get the Kindle edition free for yourself.

Just Click the links below and join the Party.

 

To see all of my books, click here.

Or click on the cover of the individual book you’re interested in to go straight to its page.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Too Book Tour

Jamie Marchant Posted on by 8

GENRE: Sci-fi/Fantasy

Telepathy creates as many problems as it solves, as most of the members of the secret organization x0 would admit. When new member Lola discovers another group of telepaths with a completely different approach, those problems multiply at the speed of thought.

 

Soon, Lola’s family and friends are in danger. Lucky for her, she’s not your average budding psychic. Each person with whom she is close has a special gift of their own. That’s good, because it’s going to take every power they possess to keep this other group from succeeding with their plan to eradicate x0.

 

Excerpt

As soon as Ariel heard her mother’s voice, she knew that it was a bad time for a phone call.

“Honey, I’m in the cell lot at the airport, waiting to pick up Zane. Is everything okay?”

“It’s fine mom.”

“Good. I’m here with Teddie and Xuha in the car, and Zane’s going to text us any second, once he’s gotten his bag. There’s a ton of traffic. Talk later?”

“This is quick. I’m bringing two people with me to Houston, mom, to join us for Christmas.”

“You’re what??”

Then, with less irritation.

“Wait, is one of them this young man you went to Turkey with?”

“I wish. These are two friends of mine from Ireland, mom, and it’s kind of long story.”

Lola took a breath and reached out to her daughter. She got that Ariel wasn’t particularly happy about this either. She got that Ariel felt bad about springing it on her parents. She got that these two would not be dissuaded from coming. And she got that they, too, had abilities that could be useful in the days ahead.

“Right.”

“Did you just read my mind, mom?”

“An emergency decision, dear. This is not good timing for guests, as you well know, but we’ll make the best of the situation. When do you get here?”

“We’ll be there Friday.”

“You do know that Teddie has people coming too, right? c3 people. They get here on Tuesday.”

“It’s all going to be okay mom.”

“Are you telling me that as a psychic, or as my daughter?”

Lola heard Ariel laugh.

“Just as your daughter, mom. Our futures over the next couple months could not be more confusing. Maybe there will be more clarity once I get there. I hope so.”

The phone bleeped with a text message. Lola said a quick goodbye as she made her way into in the mass of cars trying to pick up holiday travelers.

She did her best to avoid those pulling in and out of parking and those loading overstuffed luggage into car trunks, sucking in her breath and hitting her brakes as a small child darted out in front of her. A traffic cop whistled and motioned at her to keep moving. Where the hell was Zane? He had clearly texted her, but now he was nowhere to be seen.

“Do you see Zane?”

“No,” Teddie said. “But I see Xuha.”

“Of course, dear. That is not helpful. Look outside the car, please.”

“I am, mom. I see Xuha standing over there on the curb.”

Lola squinted where Teddie was pointing. A young man wearing Zane’s jacket but looking remarkably like a taller Xuha was waving at them with a pleased grin on his face.

“Oh for God’s sake,“ Lola muttered. “This is no time for comedy.”

Xuha stared at his double for a second, a strange look on his face. Then he broke into a grin of his own as he jumped out of the car to help Zane with his bag. The two of them climbed into the back seat laughing. Zane’s features quickly dissolved into his own.

“Thought I’d start my visit off with some of that absolute honesty you’ve been insisting on, mom,” he said. “Might as well have some fun, right?”

“Can you do me?” Teddie asked.

“Of course, but it’d be better with a wig. You’d be surprised how much difference hair makes.”

Lola glanced in the rearview mirror as Zane began to resemble Teddie.

“Would you like to be bright pink?” he asked.

“Oh please! No wait, lime green.”

“Sorry, I can’t do colors I don’t have pigments for,” he explained. “You’ll like the pink, trust me.”

Lola heard Teddie squeal with delight.

“This could be the longest Christmas holiday ever,” Lola muttered, as she merged onto the highway that led home.

About the Author

Sherrie grew up in Western Kansas thinking that there was no place in the universe more fascinating than outer space. After her mother vetoed astronaut as a career ambition, she went on to study journalism and physics in hopes of becoming a science writer.

She published her first science fiction short story long ago, and then waited a lot of tables while she looked for inspiration for the next story. When it finally came,  it declared to her that it had to be whole book, nothing less. One night, while digesting this disturbing piece of news, she drank way too many shots of ouzo with her boyfriend. She woke up thirty-one years later demanding to know what was going on.

The boyfriend, who she had apparently long since married, asked her to calm down and  explained that in a fit of practicality she had gone back to school and gotten a degree in geophysics and had spent the last 28 years interpreting seismic data in the oil industry. The good news, according to Mr. Cronin, was that she had found it at least mildly entertaining and ridiculously well-paying  The bad news was that the two of them had still managed to spend almost all of the money.

Apparently she was now Mrs. Cronin, and the further good news was that they had produced three wonderful children whom they loved dearly, even though to be honest that is where a lot of the money had gone. Even better news was that Mr. Cronin  turned out to be a warm-hearted, encouraging sort who was happy to see her awake and ready to write. “It’s about time,” were his exact words.

Sherrie Cronin discovered that over the ensuing decades Sally Ride had already managed to become the first woman in space and apparently had done a fine job of it. No one, however, had written the book that had been in Sherrie’s head for decades. The only problem was, the book informed her sternly that it had now grown into a six book collection. Sherrie decided that she better start writing it before it got any longer. She’s been wide awake ever since, and writing away.

Author Social Media Links

Twitter: @cinnabar01
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Number46Ascending
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/5805814.Sherrie_Cronin
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Sherrie-Cronin/e/B007FRMO9Q
Blog: 46ascending.org/

Book is available for pre-order for $2.99

https://www.amazon.com/One-Too-Ascending-Sherrie-Cronin-ebook/dp/B077NYTNSJ
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-too-sherrie-cronin/1127552938
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/one-too

Giveaway

Sherrie will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Goddess of the Wild Thing Book Tour & Giveaway

Jamie Marchant Posted on by 1
Goddess of the Wild Thing
by Paul DeBlassie III
Genre: Paranormal Thriller
Goddess of the Wild Thing is a dramatic tale of one woman’s spiritual
journey where magical happenings, unexpected turns of fate, and
unseen forces influence her ability to love and be loved. Eve
Sanchez, a middle-aged woman and scholar of esoteric studies,
encounters a seductive but frightening man who introduces her to a
supernatural world in which the wicked powers of a surrogate mother’s
twisted affection threaten love and life. In the mystic realm of
Aztlan del Sur, Eve and three friends struggle with whether bad love
is better than no love and discover that love is a wild thing.
Paul DeBlassie III, Ph.D. is a depth psychologist and award-winning writer
living in his native New Mexico. He specializes in treating
individuals in emotional and spiritual crisis. His novels, visionary
thrillers, delve deep into archetypal realities as they play out
dramatically in the lives of everyday people. Memberships include the
Author’s Guild, the Depth Psychology Alliance, the International
Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and the
International Association for Jungian Studies.
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

The One Apart Virtual Tour

Jamie Marchant Posted on by 3

Genre: Paranormal

Publisher: Justine Avery

Date of Publication:  December 4, 2017

ASIN: B076B7RDWY

Number of pages: 568

Word Count:  109k

Cover Artist: Oishii Designs

Only one obstacle stands in his way of enjoying a normal life. He remembers—every life he’s lived before.

Tres is about to be born… with the biggest burden any has ever had to bear. He is beginning again—as an ageless adult trapped in an infant body.

He and his teenage mother face life filled with extraordinary challenges as they strive to protect, nurture, and hide how truly different he is. But Tres alone must solve the greatest mystery of all: who is he? The answer is linked to the one question he’s too afraid to ask: why am I?

In his quest, Tres discovers that all is considerably more interconnected and dynamic than he could ever imagine—and fraught with far more danger. He cannot hide from the unseen threat stalking him since his birth.

Life as he knows it—as all know it—is in peril. And Tres is the only one aware.

Interview

  1. Tell us a little about yourself?

 

I’m one of those that loves to read—anything, really—and always wanted to write, but went along with the adults that believed writing isn’t actually a career or something that makes money to live off of but that is more of an ambitious dream that’s nice to just think about…. like, maybe it’ll happen for some folks once they’ve long retired from their “real career” and can sit around doodling with words on paper.  But my urge to write stories, to tap into that other realm where stories come from, kept compelling me decade after decade through different jobs, world travel, different creative ventures.  I’d focus on “being a writer” in spurts, but never get to the point of getting my writing actually out there for others to judge or read or consider publishing.  Finally, one day, the urge to be the writer I was meant to be was so strong, that I just started doing it.  I wrote and wrote, published, gained an audience, and voila!  I’m really a writer.  It took me a lifetime, it seems, to realize others with the best of intentions are the ones that hold dreamers—all artists?—back, and we just have to realize that we’re the ones that make writing—or any other art—a “real” career.  All we have to do is sit and do it.  And thankfully, all those years that could’ve detracted from my writing, actually added so many crazy experiences that really add to the realism of my writing, the wealth of imaginative story ideas, and my unique “voice” now.  And, as it turns out, I was actually writing all that time: the inner me was finding ways to write, write, write in any job or venture I was involved in… even down to super-long “story” emails to friends.  J

2. Tell us something about how you write? i.e. are you a plotter or a pantser? Do you have any weird or necessary writing habits or rituals?

I’m a proud pantser!  My process is very simple: start with a tiny story idea, the simpler and less-detailed, the better.  Then, I start writing the story from the beginning. I never know how my stories are going to end up—and for me, that’s the whole fun of it. That’s why I write! Every story’s an adventure, a mystery, an experience waiting to unfold. That’s the whole appeal for me. If I’m not having fun writing a story, I imagine no one else is going to enjoy reading it. No outlines exist for my stories. My stories aren’t planned; they’re dreamed. At most, I may get flooded with ideas for a story while writing it, then have to keep up by jotting them all down and maybe needing to put them in chronological order to refer to them later. But I’ve found I’m not happiest with even “fun ideas” in a little list to write into the story; that’s when creative writing turns into academic writing, for me, with a pre-determined end goal, and all the fun is sucked out of it.

3. Do you think people have misconceptions about the speculative fiction? Why do you think it is a worthwhile genre?

Unfortunately, there is that crazy competition among genres—or “genre” vs. “literary.”  And everyone wants to categorize all art and put it in neat little boxes with all kinds of limitations for the artists and their art.  It’s all insane.  And there are definitely strange views of what speculative fiction is, what its limits are, or whether it’s actually “literature” or has any value.  More insanity.  Of course speculative fiction has value, and it’s incredibly worthwhile to pursue.  It’s art, it’s creative, it offers the same expansion of our minds, the introduction of new ideas, much needed escape, discovery of other views and perspectives and people, teaches tolerance, acceptance, etc. that all creative pursuits do.  The world needs it, and the more of it, the better.  And speculative fiction has long been known to be the genre of storytelling that predicts the future, prepares us for it or warns us about it, or prompts our imagination to think of creative ideas that make our daily lives better right now.

4. What gives you inspiration for your book?

For The One Apart, I woke up one morning with just one interesting sentence in mind as an idea for a brand-new story: “he remembered everything.”  It felt really impactful, like the fact that this person remembered “everything” was a big deal, that it wasn’t supposed to happen, something went wrong, or maybe, someone would be really upset to discover this person did remember everything.  That was it.  And that’s my favorite part of writing.  I love having no idea what the story is and just writing to uncover it.  I wrote two scenes from that idea and set it aside because I was hoping to write a short story and I knew this idea was “a long one.”  And two years later, when I sat down to start writing my first novel, I picked up this story idea again. I knew this one was the idea to run with.

5. Titles have always been extremely difficult for me. How do you come up with yours?

Usually, a single phrase or theme will stand out as I’m writing or after I’ve finished a story: something poignant that just happens to represent or sum up the whole story well, or its tone.  Sometimes, there’s a few of these to choose between, and then, when it comes to a novel, you don’t want to “share” the title with other books previously published, so you might have to strain a bit harder to come up with more “perfect” titles that aren’t already used “out there.”  That happened for me with The One Apart.  The novel’s ending wrote its perfect title, but then I found that exact title was already used by about seven other books just on Amazon!  So, I had to choose among the other ideas I had.

6. What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?

I write to explore ideas and satiate my own curiosity.  I publish to share the story with others for your own enjoyment.  When it’s in your hands, it belongs to you.  There’s no intended lesson or meaning or ulterior motive; the novel is for you to interpret, for you to explore and discover.  So, I hope you enjoy the heck out of the adventure of reading it!

7. You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do? Would you do the same thing if the challenger were an ogre? Why or why not?

I accept the duel, but dictate that the choice of weapons is mine alone.  I choose pillows!

If the challenger was an ogre, they wouldn’t offer a duel, they’d just attack!  And at that point, I’d wake up.  J

Excerpt

Tres felt his body abruptly drop around him with overbearing weight, encapsulating him once again.

The mental images, the overpowering memories, finally faded. Only an ominous stillness remained.

Every cell within him began to twitch, infusing with energy—even as he felt immobile. Every joint, tendon, and bone ached under the pressure of being alive.

A deep sadness engulfed him. He pondered possible reasons. And, just as quickly, he was distracted by the presence of his own simple thoughts.

Thoughts. He realized his own thinking.

This mind—certain of its own newness—desired to explore, feel, do, be. Tres opened his eyes—tried to open his eyes. He found his eyelids fused shut.

He opened his mouth. Thick, warm syrup seeped inside his swallow. Intense fear washed over him, even as he knew exactly where—and how—he was.

Oh, no.

Tres was aware, more aware than any had ever been. In this moment, he knew everything—and yet, nothing.

He was beginning again.

About the Author

Justine Avery is an award-winning author of stories large and small for all. Born in the American Midwest and raised all over the world, she is inherently an explorer, duly fascinated by everything around her and excitedly noting the stories that abound all around. As an avid reader of all genres, she weaves her own stories among them all. She has a predilection for writing speculative fiction and story twists and surprises she can’t even predict herself.

Avery has either lived in or explored all 50 states of the union, over 36 countries, and all but one continent; she lost count after moving 30-some times before the age of 20. She’s intentionally jumped out of airplanes and off the highest bungee jump in New Zealand, scuba dived unintentionally with sharks, designed websites, intranets, and technical manuals, bartered with indigenous Panamanians, welded automobile frames, observed at the Bujinkan Hombu Dojo in Noba, Japan, and masterminded prosperous internet businesses—to name a few adventures. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree that life has never required, and at age 28, she sold everything she owned and quit corporate life—and her final “job”—to freelance and travel the world as she always dreamed of. And she’s never looked back.

Aside from her native English, Avery speaks a bit of Japanese and a bit more Spanish, her accent is an ever-evolving mixture of Midwestern American with notes of the Deep South and indiscriminate British vocabulary and rhythm, and she says “eh”—like the Kiwis, not the Canadians. She currently lives near Los Angeles with her husband, British film director Devon Avery, and their three adopted children: Becks, Sam, and Lia. She writes from wherever her curiosity takes her.

Avery loves to connect with fellow readers and creatives, explorers and imaginers, and cordially invites you to say “hello”—or konnichiwa.

www.JustineAvery.com
Twitter: @Justine_Avery
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JustineAvery

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