The Importance of STEAM for Young Children by Lydia Lukidis – Guest Post

April 9, 2024 By 1 Comment

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Lydia Lukidis who is celebrating the release of DANCING THROUGH SPACE: DR. mAE JEMISON SOARS TO NEW HEIGHTS. Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of the book.

The Importance of STEAM for Young Children

I love writing nonfiction not only because of my own everlasting curiosity, but also, to help children understand themselves and the fascinating world we live in. That’s why so many of my children’s books are STEAM based. (STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.)

There are many benefits to STEAM. Some include fostering critical thinking and problem solving while cultivating imagination and innovation. It’s possible to distill complex scientific theories and relay them to children in easy to grasp and fun ways.

I’m excited to announce my latest nonfiction narrative picture book, Dancing through Space: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights illustrated by Sawyer Cloud and published by Albert Whitman. Most people know that Dr. Mae Jemison was the first African American woman to fly to space, but many may not know that she also has a deep passion for dance. This provides the hook for my book: the intersection of dance and science. That’s why I structured the book as a dual narrative that features and dance. As the story unfolds, the two worlds merge together, illuminating how art and science are both essential parts of our world.

What do I hope children will retain from this book?

First off, dream big and persevere to overcome all obstacles. The words “no” or “can’t” are simply not in Dr. Mae Jemison’s vocabulary and she’s a true inspiration.

Secondly, I’d like to gently remind children that they don’t necessarily have to follow one path in life, that it’s possible to pursue multiple passions. That concept mirrors my own life as I studied science early on then switched to the arts, thinking these disciplines were distinct. But as the years went by, I realized these realms are in fact connected.

It’s an honor to write for children and be a small part of their own journey.
To help celebrate the launch of my new book, I’m hosting a giveaway of Dancing Through Space! Simply comment on this blog post. Good luck! (US entries only)

About the Author: Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was shortlisted for a Silver Birch Express (Forest of Reading) award, THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award, and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.

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A Cure for Spring Fever by Barbara Robinson – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

April 8, 2024 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

For centuries, Gamekeepers have used their magical abilities to create a buffer between the creatures who dwell in the enchanted forest and the sleepy coastal town that sits in its shadow. When Gamekeeper Stan Ross’s magic begins to fail, he must find out what went wrong, then fix it before the two worlds collide. His hit or miss magic has already led to a few close calls so he journeys to the Sacred Isle searching for answers and advice. Finding a cure proves elusive—until Stan encounters a kitchen witch who captivates him body and soul. Lynnette Peters is healing from her own wounds, however, and it isn’t clear whether she’s ready to open herself to the possibility—or the peril—of love.

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

“So, you want a dozen doughnuts?” she asked.

“No, I’m sure they’re delicious, but even I can’t eat twelve doughnuts in a one day. I meant to say I would like one doughnut today, and tomorrow I will come back for another, and so on, until I’ve had a chance to try them all. As a bonus, each time I come in, we’ll get to know
each other just a little bit better.”

Taken aback by his brazen self-confidence, she asked, “And you have decided that getting to know you is a bonus for me?”

“Of course,” he said and flashed another smile. “Just as it’s a bonus for me to get to know you. We didn’t have an opportunity to get to know each other back on the Isle, but we have a chance to do it now. We already know each other’s names, and we’re working on finding out
what my favorite doughnut is. How about you tell me one thing about yourself?”

“I own a café and bakery shop.” She gave a pointed look at the two cars that just pulled into the little parking lot outside her storefront. “One thing about me is that I’m very busy in the mornings.”

“I take your point,” he said, nodding his head with a serious demeanor. “Perhaps I’d best go away and rethink my strategy. I’ll take a Maple Dip for the road, and a large double-double. My brain always works better with sugar and caffeine in the mix.”

Handing him a little paper bag with a Maple Dip doughnut inside, she couldn’t help wondering what he would do next. He didn’t show up the next morning, and Lynnette wondered if he’d already lost interest in his little game. Despite insisting that she was too busy to stand around flirting in the mornings, she found herself watching the window, and listening for the sound of truck tires on gravel throughout the day.

About the Author:

Barbara Robinson is an author of contemporary and historical romance set against a backdrop of magical realism. She is a deep thinker and tea drinker who finds inspiration in myths and folktales, poems and ballads, and academic writing on a variety of subjects. Diagnosed with autism and giftedness as an adult, she enjoys exploring themes of neurodiversity and opposing character perspectives in her writing.

She is an avid gardener and lover of nature who works out plot lines and character sketches while nurturing her garden, walking in the woods, or sitting by the shoreline watching waves. She is known for world building that features rich and immersive detail, supported by meticulous research and careful observation.

Barbara lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, in the shadow of ancient mountains that lie along the Bay of Fundy coast. These rugged vistas shape her story settings, while providing the perfect backdrop for life with her husband, her hounds and her dragon (Pogona Vitticeps). She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of King’s College and a Master of Arts at Dalhousie University, and she recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing from the Humber School for Writers (Humber College, Toronto).

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The Background of the Book by Amanda McCabe – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 8, 2024 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Amanda McCabe will award a prize pack containing a selection of Regency DVDs, teas, and signed copies of her books to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Background of the Book

Hello, and think you much for hosting me here today!! I hope you love Eleanor and Frederick and their world of Regency Bath, England in The Earl’s Cinderella Countess as much as I loved writing them. It’s a city I would love to visit again…

You asked about the background of the book, and strangely the inspiration came from a non-fiction story of World War II I read. The Marriage Bureau by Penrose Halston was on a Kindle sale one day, and I thought it sounded fascinating—two ladies who set up a matchmaking business during World War II. It was such a fun read, learning about how they were able to intuit if people might be right for each other, and how fulfilling it was to help make a little happiness in a difficult time. I wondered if that idea might work in other time periods, and so my “Matchmakers in Bath” series was born!

Of course, matchmaking in the 1810s was very different from, say, Match.com (thankfully!!). Most people met through family connections, things of that sort, but Ella and Mary St. Aubin in my book decide to help those are a bit—different. They have strange hobbies or unusual personalities for their time, or they really want true love. This agency is for them! (I also have always had a soft spot for Emma Woodhouse, though Ella and Mary are better at making matches than she was!!). I also have no sisters of my own, and love writing stories where there is a family relationship like that.

Another inspiration was Bath itself. It is one of my favorite places to visit, with its cobbled streets, beautiful, honey-gold Bath stone buildings, and sense of history. (Plus there is a great sweet shop just behind the Abbey, and I adore my sweets!)

So that is how this book came about! Would you be a good matchmaker? What’s a town that’s inspired you?

Enjoy this friends-to-lovers romance set in Regency Bath

The one match

She doesn’t want to make…

The Earl of Fleetwood was Eleanor St. Aubin’s first love, but being a mere vicar’s daughter held her back from admitting her feelings. Now she’s a successful matchmaker, and the prospect of finding Frederick the wealthy wife he needs to settle his inherited debts is a nightmare come true! But returning from war, Frederick’s facing nightmares of his own. Eleanor feels compelled to help him, but could she ever be his Cinderella countess?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Staring down at the sparkle of the glorious view before her, Eleanor stumbled a bit as she descended the carriage steps. Fred caught her before she could tumble down, lifting her high for an instant as she held tight to his shoulders, staring up in wonder at his familiar, unfamiliar, beautiful face.

He slowly, ever so slowly lowered her to the ground, a gentle slide, his gaze never leaving hers. Eleanor didn’t want to let him go, yet the chatter of Penelope and Mary as they made their way up the path, the chirping song of the birds, pulled her back into the real world again.

She stepped back, flustered. “Thank you. So clumsy of me.”

“The last thing you could ever be, Ella, is clumsy,” he said hoarsely. She noticed him running his damaged arm, as if he had wrenched it and didn’t want her to notice. She felt so shy and awful that he had to worry about such things now! Her strong, funny old friend.

They walked together behind Penelope and Mary and the footmen, toward a spot where they could spread out their picnic with the glorious view all around them. Eleanor lost herself in the chatter, the wine and laughter, and soon felt easy again, as if she was with the old Fred and she the old Eleanor, reading poetry in the Moulton Magna summerhouse.

But they were not those people still, not really, and there was a new, taut awareness she could not deny. He was at the other end of the blanket, far from her reach, yet Eleanor was achingly aware of him at every moment. As they finished their repast, and grew quiet and drowsy in the sunlight, he glanced toward her and smiled.

“Shall we walk a bit, Ella?” he asked, popping a last strawberry into his mouth. “I fear if I sit here any longer, I’ll quite go to sleep in this delightfully warm sun.”

About the Author: Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen–a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject…)

She’s never since used algebra, but her books (over 100 so far!) have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Santa Fe with two rescue dogs, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many books and royal memorabilia collections.

When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network–even though she doesn’t cook.

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Where Ideas Come From by Dana King – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 5, 2024 By 9 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dana King will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Where Ideas Come From

It’s kind of a running joke with writers that one form or another of “Where do ideas come from?” is their least favorite question. I saw the late Robert B. Parker tell this story many years ago:

Parker and Elmore Leonard both had books come out the same week. Both were booked onto the same early morning local talk show. In the Green Room before going on, one of them commented (I forget which) that he hoped he wasn’t asked where he gets his ideas; the other agreed.

They went on camera and the first thing the perky hostess did was ask Leonard where he gets his ideas.

“Utica,” he said, straight-faced. “There’s a little shop off the main drag. We all get our ideas there.

Unfazed – or inattentive, take your pick – the interviewer turned to Parker. “What about you, Mr. Parker?”

“Same place.”

It’s a funny story if only for the rap on morning TV hosts. I can also see why writers with the footprints of Leonard or Parker would tire of that question, as for most writers it’s the simplest thing in the world.

Well, I don’t have footprints anywhere near that big and I’m not tired of talking about it, as I have things to say some readers have found interesting in the past.

Think of the imagination as a muscle and, like any other muscle, the more it is exercised the more useful it becomes. Writers use their imaginations all day, every day, in a manner and at a level most readers never have to fuss with. So ideas eventually come easier to us.

But where do they come from? The truth is, anywhere. I have generated story ideas from these sources:
• Current events
• True crime stories
• Social media
• Court cases
• Fiction (TV/movies/books) where I think the story might have been better had it gone in a different direction. (Changing the names and circumstances. I’m endorsing creativity here, not plagiarism.)
• Fiction (TV/movies/books) that could serve as backstory for something I’d like to write. (Same plagiarism warning applies.)
• Song lyrics, especially country songs. (Case in point: I have a story in the upcoming edition of Dark Yonder magazine based on the song “Bartender Blues” sung by George Jones.)
• Discussions/arguments
• Walks
• Showers
• (Breaking news: As I was working on this post, it occurred to me the current “Shohei Ohtani’s translator has a serious gambling problem” story could have legs for me.)

The point is, ideas are everywhere; we’re practically tripping over them. I come up with a few good ones a week, and I am far from the most creative person I know. Coming up with the idea is the easy part. The hard work lies in making two decisions:

1. Is this something I want to dedicate a year of my life to? You don’t want to get six months down the road and realize you’re sick to death of this idea and have no stomach for finishing it. Don’t kid yourself. Authors fall out of love with ideas all the time.

2. Is this an idea that lends itself to my skill set? I write hard-boiled crime fiction, so I am not likely to do well with a time-travel romance, or even a mystery where a cat solves the crime. Nothing wrong with those kinds of stories; they’re just not in my wheelhouse. I discard quite a few ideas every year because, while I like the premise, as I noodle it out I realize someone else could write that story better.

I was at a conference several years ago and heard the following story. I’d tell you who the writers were but there had been some drinking done and who I thought it was said it wasn’t him, so I’m leaving names out altogether. The story holds up without them.

Anyway, two well-known authors who are good friends were having dinner. Author A gets to talking about an idea he has. Author B loves it, wishes he’d thought of it, good luck with the book.

A few months go by. They’re at dinner again and Author B asks how the book is coming. A says, “It’s not. The more I get into it, the more I realize it’s not for me.”

B asks if it’s okay if he gives it a shot. A gives his blessing, B rips through the book without difficulty, and it does well for him.

Here’s the thing: legally, B did not have to ask permission. You cannot copyright an idea, only what you do with it. For those of you old enough to remember the Twentieth Century, the classic TV show The Sopranos premiered January 10, 1999. On March 5, 55 days later, the movie Analyze This came out. Both are stories about mob bosses who see psychiatrist. I suppose the end results could be more different, but not much and still be based on the same idea.

Ideas are crucial; there can be no fiction without them. What’s more important is execution. What experienced writers have going for them that newbies do not is a better-developed ability to figure out quickly which of the multitude of ideas clamoring for attention they want to live with, and which suits them best. As with most things, experience is the best way to avoid a bad decision and, as we all know, experience most often comes from bad decisions.

I never said it was easy.

Nick Forte has lost his detective agency and makes ends meet doing background checks and other paperwork. He pays for everything else through jobs he takes for cash and without any written contract. What starts out as a simple investigation into a traffic accident exposes Forte to people who have truly lost everything and have no viable hope of reclaiming their lives. That doesn’t sit well with Forte, leading him and his friend Goose Satterwhite to take action that ends more violently than anyone expected.

“The return of Chicago private detective Nick Forte, the tough protagonist of two Shamus Award nominated novels, is well worth the wait. Nick’s latest escapade Off The Books—the first in nearly six years—will surely earn additional praise for the acclaimed series.”
-J.L .Abramo, Shamus Award-winning author of Chasing Charlie Chan.

“Nick Forte reminds me of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser: a PI with a finely tuned sense of justice who doesn’t take anyone’s s***. Any fan of hardboiled detective fiction is in for a helluva ride.”
–Chris Rhatigan, former publisher of All Due Respect Books

Enjoy an Excerpt

I told Jason Worthington I’d find his daughter in a week. I surfed the internet and searched flophouses, cathouses, bar rooms, pool rooms, jails, hospitals, morgues, and SRO hotels. Found her in a pay-by-the-hour motel at 10:48 p.m. two days after her father and I spoke.

Worthington would have preferred me to find her alive.

Cindy’s body was warm, the spike still in her arm. She looked as if she’d fallen asleep waiting and didn’t hold my tardiness against me.

I did what any real-life professional investigator would do, and what no fictional private eye would even consider.

I called the police.

The cops kept me at the scene half the night, at the station until dawn. They asked the same questions both places and got the same answers.

“Why were you there?”

“Her father asked me to find her.”

“Why was the father looking for her?”

“My guess would be to keep what happened from happening. You’ll have to ask him yourself to be sure.”

The usual bullshit.

I called Worthington on my way out of the police station. Told him I had news but would prefer to deliver it in person. I didn’t suppose I needed to tell him anything after that, but it wouldn’t hurt to allow him time to prepare before I scarred the rest of his life.

He answered the door already dressed for work. Navy suit, white shirt with French cuffs, gold links. His tie was blue with small designs, maybe horses, gathered in a perfect four-square knot. Red suspenders. A suit coat hung from the newel post behind him. His forehead gleamed beneath a silvery hairline. His teeth were as white and straight as a Klan meeting.

About the Author:Off the Books is Dana King’s sixth Nick Forte private investigator novel. Two of the earlier books (A Small Sacrifice and The Man in the Window) received Shamus Award nominations from the Private Eye Writers of America. Dana also writes the Penns River series of police procedurals set in a small Western Pennsylvania town, as well as one standalone novel, Wild Bill, which is not a Western. His short fiction appears in numerous anthologies and web sites. He is a frequent panelist at conferences and reads at Noirs at Bars from New York to North Carolina.

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Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for April 3, 2024

April 3, 2024 By 1 Comment

Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.

Books on my TBR the longest

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Helluland by C.R. Lindström – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 28, 2024 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddes Fish Promotions. The author will award a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.


A GIFT AWAKENING. A LEGEND REVEALED.

In a remote corner of the Arctic, unexplained phenomenon haunt an isolated community. Several people have disappeared, and somehow young Erika Holstrom knows why. Still reeling from the loss of her mother, she escapes to university, only to be followed by unsettling visions of the future.

When a Russian submarine vanishes in the far North, Erika’s nightmares suggest the answers lay buried deep in her family history. Now, just as the melting polar ice releases its sinister secrets, Erika and her friends are in a race against time to convince the sceptical authorities what is really happening in her Arctic homeland, before it’s too late.

Will they succeed, or is the frozen North lost forever…

Enjoy an Excerpt

Erika moved to the music, allowing the rhythm to guide her. She watched Michelle from the corner of her eye, trying to process what had just happened and how she felt about it.

Danger.

Erika hesitated while the others kept dancing. Something terrible was about to happen, but what? She scanned the room. Erika could see Sandra and Nicole had moved towards the corner of the dance floor with their French-Canadian boys. She looked up to see a giant speaker hanging from the ceiling by silver chains. Erika desperately tried to clear her head.

She shuffled towards Sandra, Michelle following her with a dance move.

Danger.

Erika’s senses honed in on the speaker chains. They were going to give way. She had to act now. Masking her actions as a drunken stumble, she slammed into Sandra, sending them both into a row of chairs beside the dance floor. As they hit the ground, the chains holding the dangling speaker broke, sending the huge piece of equipment crashing to the ground. Sparks flew from the massive box. Several people nearby screamed, pushing themselves away from the electrical calamity. The music stopped.

From her position under a pile of chairs, Erika could hear Michelle calling out to Nicole. “Gibson, where are Holstrom and Bruster?”

<>About the Author:C.R. Lindström is a debut author with a passion for lore and history.

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Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024 By 1 Comment

Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.

An Interesting Story about Family or a Friend

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Background/inspiration of the book by Mark Towse – Guest Post and Giveaway

March 25, 2024 By 9 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Background/inspiration of the book

To get straight into this, it’s me on the pages of this book: the same upbringing, the same claustrophobic and uncomfortable environment, all dictated by my iron-fisted mother. If I left crumbs on the counter or a cup next to the sink without washing it, my life would not be worth living. And God forbid if someone parked outside our house or started playing loud music. In those cases, the day, possibly week, would be ruined. My mother even uttered the words, “When will the chaos end?” at one point, thus the multiple references in the story. Nobody would believe how bad it was. My teachers often asked my parents if everything was okay at home. “Oh yes,” my mother would sing like butter wouldn’t melt. My dad was just a shell, much like the character in Chasing The Dragon.

So there you go, that’s really the inspiration for the Simon Dooley character.

Writing this, as you might imagine, was at once painful and cathartic. It brought back a lot of rough memories and a cocktail of emotions encompassing anger, disappointment, alienation, and loneliness. I was never allowed friends around, regardless of the number of times I spent at their houses. This invited further alienation, making me feel even more alone.

When things got really bad, I imagined myself as a superhero—pure escapism but a portal into a different world where I wasn’t meek and vulnerable. That’s where Reformo comes into the equation.

That said, it was vital that our wannabe hero was flawed throughout each chapter. I didn’t want him to become two-dimensional just because he wore the cape. I’ve seen that too many times in the movies.

Initially, the harder her tries, the harder he fails. Being more than a little naïve, he assumes people will get behind him and his message of bringing hope back to town. But people have given up hope, fearing to tread outside when the sun goes down. I think those initial interactions Reformo has with the residents are the most hilarious exchanges in the book. He’s just trying his best, but the pushback and the general reception he receives… priceless.

Life is imperfect, and so are we.

This is a traumatized man-child just doing his best. One thing is for sure: people are falling in love with Reformo.

A town on its knees, dread’s bony fingers wrapping around its throat and squeezing, death rattles soon to follow.

Drugs, filth, and a lack of human decency are starving it of hope.

Introducing Simon Dooley, our trauma-driven wannabe superhero, the relentless voice of his dead mother pleading with him to “end the chaos.” Dressed in a leotard and armed only with a dozen dog poop bags, Simon’s plight will find him falling in love and going head to head with the seediest characters walking the streets.

The town needed a hero… it got Reformo.

Enjoy an Excerpt

It’s happening. It’s finally happening.

I strip off in front of the full-length mirror, part self-admiration for my new frame and part sorrow for the shy and squeamish young boy who first walked the corridors of the youth detention centre.

Okay, not The Rectifier. What then? Captain Justice has been done, you muppet! The Shadow? Nope. Been done, too. The Silhouette? Too jazzy. Unable to wait any longer, the hairs bristling on the back of my neck, I carefully lift the costume from the bed and slip my arms through.

Oh, yes!

It’s as though electricity runs through my veins. I feel alive, reborn. I feel—

“I’m a superhero.”

About the Author:Mark Towse is an English horror writer living in Australia. He would sell his soul to the devil or anyone buying if it meant he could write full-time. Alas, he left it very late to begin this journey, penning his first story since primary school at the ripe old age of forty-five. Since then, he’s been published in over two hundred journals and anthologies, had his work made into full theatrical productions for shows such as The No Sleep Podcast and Tales to Terrify, and has penned fourteen novellas, including Nana, Gone to the Dogs, 3:33, and Crows. Chasing The Dragon is his debut novel.

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Belega by Dianne Hartsock – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

March 21, 2024 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dianne Hartsock will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


The Karthagans have regained their ancient powers of manipulating nature, but at the price of madness. In their lust for control, they’ve destroyed their island and most of their race. They come now to Belega, where one of them, Camron, seeks domination over the known world. The Mage has come from the northern continent of Sennia to bring peace but finding his strength no match for the coming struggle, he passes his abilities on to Natan, who only desires a simple life.

Now only Natan has the ability to stop Camron, but the personal cost is more than he imagines. It is only with the combined strength of his friends, his Karthagan lover, Kavi, and his deep desire to bring lasting peace to the earth, that he finds the courage to overcome Camron and restore balance to the world.

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

“We must go before Mazzo becomes impatient,” Niko warned him, and Natan struggled to a crouch. He motioned to the strange red glow at the mouth of the cave and gave Niko a questioning look.

Niko hung his head. “He’s gone too far.”

The muttered words filled Natan with dread. He feared he’d soon learn what had caused the aura of despair that lingered in the grave. For grave it was. He could smell the bodies under the loose soil.

Niko led him outside. Night had fallen, and Natan stood blinking at the scene that met his eyes, not sure what it meant. A huge bonfire had been lit in the center of the clearing, the men gathered in a circle around it. Mazzo stood close to the fire in robes of silver and black. Natan faltered, but the prick of Niko’s blade at his throat told him he’d find no help there. Niko shoved him, and he walked with leaden feet toward the fire.

“Have you come to repent?” Mazzo asked in sonorous tones.

Natan looked at him in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

Niko’s sharp hiss reminded him too late not to speak. With an angry roar, Mazzo stepped closer. Excitement glittered in his eyes.

“Silence,” he spat out. “The sorcerer is not to speak. Or should I call you Mage?” His voice turned deadly. “Are you our teacher then? A wise one? Arrogance! No matter. We’ll soon cure you of that.” He turned to the others and opened his arms. “Behold the transgressor, the perverter of nature.” He nodded sharply as men grabbed Natan. “Take him.”

Natan struggled violently, but the men merely laughed and painfully twisted his arms, while Danul replaced Niko with a knife to his throat. They dragged him close to the rushing flames. Stripping his shirt, they then tied him between two saplings by the wrists. He stood too close to the fire. Heat poured from the flames and reddened his skin. Sweat broke out on his face, and he grew faint as he breathed in the searing air. Mazzo approached him, and Natan couldn’t take his eyes off the iron tongs the man held in his trembling hands.

“Don’t worry, my boy,” the man crooned and caressed Natan’s hot face. “We shall save you. Those others—” He nodded toward the open grave. “—were weak. They died in sin. But I can feel the strength in you.” He placed an open palm on Natan’s chest. “I can also sense the dark magic in you.”

He turned from Natan and removed a burning stick from the bonfire with the tongs. He blew lightly on the end, watching the black smoke curl into the air.

“Never fear.” He moved closer. “We shall burn it out of you.”

About the Author Dianne grew up in one of the older homes in the middle of Los Angeles, a place of hardwood floors and secret closets and back staircases. A house where ghosts lurk in the basement and the faces in the paintings watch you walk up the front stairs. Rooms where you keep the closet doors closed tight at night. It’s where her love of the mysterious and wonderful came from. Dianne is the author of m/m romance, paranormal/suspense, fantasy adventure, the occasional thriller, and anything else that comes to mind.

She now lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. Dianne says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee in her hands, which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

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Greystone by B.L. Ryan – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 20, 2024 By Leave a Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. B L Ryan will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

All Mouse could remember about her father was sitting on his lap while he told her stories. She wished she could remember what he looked like. When she hangs a white pendant that belonged to her father in her bedroom window, this wish becomes the key to great adventure in another world. A gate appears with a dragon twirling in the air above a colourful garden on the other side of the gate. Zeeta, the royal dragon, greets Mouse and invites her into the garden. The garden is part of Sweet Water holding, home to Lady Jane, who is the seer for Prince Ruler Jared.

As Mouse and Zeeta struggle to complete a quest, Mouse searches for her father. Their journey takes them across the plains of Norlanda and south to the Border Mountains.

The seers have foretold that a far traveller will appear and lead Norlanda against its enemies. This does not seem likely, as Norlanda is prosperous and peaceful at this time. Meanwhile, dark forces gathered in the Border Mountains have recognized the presence of Mouse in the lines of destiny and have started to move towards her.

How will the presence of a child, a far traveller from another world, affect the destiny of this world?

Enjoy an Excerpt

King Henry regarded Jared impatiently.

“It has come to my attention that you and members of the Royal Guard have taken up with all manner of disreputable people. I have been told that you visit mead houses and the common rooms of guild holdings throughout Greystone City.”

“The Royal Guard are not responsible,” said Jared.

“No, they are not!” His father slammed his hand on the table.

The King’s scribe, sitting in the corner, jerked and dropped one of his ink brushes. It fell off the desk and rolled across the floor. He knelt and picked it up quietly.

“I had hoped Captain Hawke would subdue your more eccentric tastes in companions!”

“Are not the common folk my people?” Jared asked. “That is not the issue,” said the King, his voice rising with irritation.

“You disappear with Zeeta for days at a time. It is time you acted as the future King of Norlanda.”

“Father, how else can I know this Kingdom and its people?”

“An excellent sentiment!” the King said. He pressed both hands on the table and leaned forward. “A grand tour would give you a chance to meet some of your other loyal subjects as well as suitable maidens.”

Jared’s jaw tightened; his grey eyes narrowed. “I would meet only the maidens the Council deemed suitable,” he returned shortly.

The King glared at him. “You have a life of great privilege and responsibility. By the grace of the Etu, your life belongs to this land and its people.”

“By the grace of the Etu, I would not ask for such a life,” his son returned tersely.

The King signaled the scribe to leave the room and came around the table to stand by his son. He tried to speak reasonably. It had been a long day. He was not feeling well, and he knew his temper was not helping. He placed a hand on his son’s shoulder.

About the Author:Born in Saskatchewan, Betty has lived in several areas across Canada, from Ottawa to Vancouver Island while growing up. Her fondest memory as a child is of her father building a tent trailer and her mother sewing yards and yards of canvas for the tent. The family travelled across Canada and down the eastern seaboard of the United States for several summer vacations.

Betty worked as a drawing office assistant in Oxford, England, for almost two years before returning to Canada to work as a topographical clerk in Edmonton, Alberta. She pursued a BSc. in Agriculture with a major in Horticulture from the University of Alberta. While raising her children, Betty worked as an Office Manager for a non-profit society and took writing courses at night school and from the Institute of Children’s Literature, Connecticut.

The garden has always been a source of inspiration and joy for Betty, as are all the beloved cats and dogs who have walked into her life. Betty believes stories are the foundation of our life. The stories we enjoy, the stories we tell ourselves, our children and others, reflect how we view the world around us. She enjoys writing fantasy for the youth genre because she feels there is still so much of the wonder of life, and the attitude that anything is possible, from this age group.

Greystone is her first novel. She is currently working on the sequel, Greystone: A New Beginning.

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