Stellar Heir by Scott Killian – Spotlight and Giveaway

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

Jael Ked’Korhva hadn’t anticipated becoming the galaxy’s most wanted.

He hadn’t planned on picking up a strange alien artifact, either, but once it was clasped around his wrist, Jael was granted extraordinary abilities. His senses were heightened, his reflexes faster, and he could now regenerate from damage that would spell the end for others, which was a boon, considering he was just a derelict scavenger.

That was until forces from every corner of the stars wanted Jael’s artifact for themselves, and they’ll stop at nothing to take it back. What initially appears as a boon swiftly transforms into a weighty charge. Yet, it’s a charge Jael accepts without hesitation, understanding the catastrophic potential should the relic fall into the wrong hands.

Prodded onward by visions of an ancient ally and a mysterious enemy, Jael becomes a pivotal piece in a vast interstellar play of power and dominion.

An action-packed space opera, perfect for science fiction fans of Sun Eater by Christopher Ruocchio or The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Jael’s world shifted, reality melting away as the woman’s touch transported his consciousness across the vastness of space. The galaxy unfurled before him, countless stars and vibrant worlds.

A creeping darkness emerged from the fringes, seeping into the cosmic fabric like spilled ink. Jael watched in horror as the void engulfed entire star systems, extinguishing their light with terrifying efficiency.

Planets that once teemed with life withered under the encroaching shadow. Lush forests crumbled to ash, oceans boiled away, and sprawling cities crumbled into dust. The screams of billions echoed across the vacuum, abruptly silenced as the darkness consumed them.

Stars flickered and died, snuffed out like candles in a gale. Nebulae collapsed, their swirling colors fading to a dull, lifeless gray. The galaxy’s spiral arms now resembled dark skeletal fingers reaching into nothingness.

As the last remnants of light faded, Jael found himself suspended in an endless, inky void. The darkness was not still, but writhed and pulsated. Shapeless entities, darker than the blackness surrounding them, twisted and coiled through the emptiness.

The woman’s voice echoed in his mind, “This is the future that awaits if you fail. The enemy comes, and with it, the end of all things.” She moved in close and placed a hand on his cheek. “Find me on Dusrist before it is too late.”

As the woman began to fade, behind her, another figure began to materialize. A shadow Jael hadn’t thought about in years.

Jael’s breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding against his chest. The figure’s face slowly came into focus—a sharp jawline, weathered by time and countless wars, gray, ashen skin, a tell-tale sign of genetic alteration and eyes that Jael would never forget. Those predatory, multi-pupiled eyes that had haunted Jael’s nightmares since he was a child.

About the Author: Scott Killian grew up in California where he consumed every bit of sci-fi and horror media he could find. Delving deep into the works of Thomas Harris, Stephen King and H. P. Lovecraft to name a few, those dark portals in his mind were opened and his obsession with the macabre began. Story telling, in any form, is his greatest passion.

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Where Do Ideas Come From? by Eliza Hampstead – Guest Post and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author 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.

Where Do Ideas Come From?
It’s a tricky question because ideas come from so many places—life experiences, dreams, conversations, and even random thoughts that pop into my head. But if I’m being completely honest, for me, a lot of my stories start with one very specific idea: a spicy scene full of tension between two characters.

That’s how The Nephilim’s Fate began. Before I had any concept of the world, the plot, or even the characters’ full backstories, I had this vivid scene in my mind. It was charged with chemistry, unspoken desire, and an insurmountable conflict between two people who clearly couldn’t be together. The scene was so compelling that it made me wonder, “Why can’t they be together? What’s stopping them?” That simple, burning question set the entire book into motion.

For The Nephilim’s Fate, that initial scene was the one where Alissia and Nate meet for the first time. There’s an undeniable pull between them, but they can’t act on it—something ancient and powerful stands in their way. That one moment made me ask myself a series of questions: Why can’t they kiss? What is this force keeping them apart? Why would it matter if they did? And just like that, the characters’ backgrounds and the world they lived in started to take shape.

I quickly realized that Nate had to be a Nephilim, a being part-angel, part-human. But what about Alissia? She felt like she needed to be a witch, someone who could balance Nate’s power with her own magic. But again, why could Nephilim and witches not be together? That’s when the idea of an ancient text came into play—a law forbidding their union. But why was that law created in the first place? Who wrote it, and what would happen if they defied it?

From those initial questions, an entire world was built, layer by layer. The history of the Nephilim, the witches, and their centuries-long feud unfolded before me. I created a conflict that went beyond just a forbidden romance—it became a battle of ancient magic, powerful prophecies, and a looming threat to both worlds.

I think that’s the beauty of starting with a spicy, tension-filled scene. It’s like a spark that ignites the whole creative process. You don’t need to have every detail figured out from the beginning. You just need that one intense moment, that one central conflict, that makes you curious enough to dig deeper, to ask yourself more questions. What started as a simple “Why can’t they kiss?” became a full-blown love story set in a world of magic, danger, and destiny.

Every writer’s process is different, but for me, ideas often come from exploring the emotional and physical tension between characters. Once that connection is there, the world and the plot start to build themselves. All it takes is a single scene—the right amount of conflict, desire, and intrigue—and suddenly, I’ve got an entire story in front of me, just waiting to be written.

She will find a way, even if it leads to a war between Heaven and Hell.

In the heart of London, Alissia’s ordinary life takes a thrilling turn when she is attacked by bloodthirsty vampires. When Nate, the man she dreamed about for years, swoops in to save her, her reality shatters as she discovers a shocking truth: she’s a witch, and he’s a Nephilim. But their love is cursed, forbidden by ancient laws that threaten to tear their world apart.

As old rivalries resurface and dark secrets come to light, Alissia and Nate must confront their deepest fears and fight for their love, even if it means igniting a war between Heaven and Hell.

With unforgettable characters, steamy romance, and gripping plot twists, this captivating new fantasy series by award-winning author Eliza Hampstead delves into a world of angels and demons, forbidden love, and the inexorable power of fate.

If you crave the intensity of Shadowhunters with an added dose of spice, don’t miss out on this spellbinding series!

Enjoy an Excerpt

Letting the magic come to me in the same way it had begun in the park, I smelled pine needles and mushrooms. At that moment, I wanted to push to get it deeper, but I forced myself to stay relaxed and let it flow through me while I told the plant how terrific it would be outside. Sun, water, and CO2 for photosynthesis, all were waiting for her if she would come out of the soil, and that my magic would help her grow faster, that she doesn’t have to wait any longer. The feeling of earth magic got stronger, and the inner picture before me was bathed in green. I said the words of the spell. After that, I focused again on the plant, imagining how the seed germinated, how the sprouting fought its way to the surface, how the seed leaves opened, sheeting the seed coat, and how the first leaves developed and opened.

Suddenly, I heard clapping. Losing my concentration, I opened my eyes. Umbra stood before me, a broad smile on her face.

“You did it!”

I frowned for a second before I looked down. The seedling stood before me, the seed coat next to it on the soil. Exactly how I had imagined it. I put my hand in front of my mouth, tears welling in my eyes.

“I did it. I did it!” I jumped up and down, clapping my hands. I was a real witch! I could do magic, after all! Full of joy, I embraced Umbra and circled her around while we both laughed.

About the Author: Award winning author Eliza Hampstead, a scientist by training, lives with her family in the UK. When she’s not writing, she spends her time as a geek. Playing all sorts of games (board games, video games, RPGs) and being a big fan of medieval history are only a few of the many hobbies she has. Passionate about fantasy, she’s always planning her next adventure.

Sign up for Eliza’s newsletter to get exclusive updates on new releases, behind-the-scenes author news, and exciting extras like character interviews, maps, playlists, and bonus chapters that bring the books even more to life!

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Top Five Books of All Time by M. Laszlo – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. M. Laszlo 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.

Top Five Books of All Time

Little Pictures of Japan

This book was published by the Book House for Children in Chicago, and it’s an anthology of profound and beautiful haikus from the Shogun era mixed with lovely sketches by Katharine Sturges. This book makes me happy and at peace as no other book can do. Here’s a personal favorite: ‘The end of autumn/And some crows/Perched upon a withered branch.’ By the way, that haiku was written by Basho—arguably Japan’s greatest poet.

Stranger in a Strange Land

Heinlein’s most famous novel has to be on this list. It isn’t just a great, thought-provoking science fiction work. The story quite obviously parallels the Gospel. And that was why it was so fun to read the work: the reader is constantly toggling between Heinlein and whatever the evangelist, always trying to compare and to contrast the two very different messianic tales. Perhaps my favorite scene is the one in which nothing much happens. Jubal Harshaw is at home one night and looks out at his backyard and softly-lit swimming pool. For a moment, he studies the Martian, Valentine Michael Smith, and wonders if he doesn’t resemble Michelangelo’s David—right down to the ‘puppyish’ hands. The writing is beautiful, suffice it to say.

Hesiod’s Works and Days

Read this one in English translation. Loved it. Hesiod records all the basic primordial myths regarding the creation and the rise of humankind. And he writes in the most poetic and lucid way. The story of Pandora’s Box might seem misogynistic to some, but even so, it’s a beautiful tale. And what about the story of Prometheus? Has anyone ever come up with a better idea than to write a book purporting to explain the origin of fire? And has anyone ever come up with a more interesting character than Prometheus? I don’t think so.

The Three Musketeers

Read this one in English translation, too. Normally, it offends me to read a book that makes warfare and violence seem like fun; nevertheless, The Three Musketeers will have to be the proverbial exception to prove the rule. The plot is riveting. No other book can compare. Let’s not forget that according to Aristotle nothing is more important than mythos or plot. The book reminded me of the biblical books of Samuel, too. Still, everything is reversed. In Scripture, young David is loyal to the clergy, and the statist, Saul, is the villain. In the work by Dumas, Dartagnan is loyal to the state—and Cardinal Richelieu is the evildoer.

Frankenstein

Speaking of Prometheus, how can we forget Mary Shelley’s masterpiece? Perhaps the best thing about it is that it’s a triumph of point of view. Everyone gets a say—both the Modern Prometheus and the Creature, too. It seems to me that the best horror stories tend to vary point of view. Perhaps that’s because when we are frightened we notice different, erroneous things than others do. Our imagination runs wild. Who knows. One other poignant thing: the Creature longs for a companion. In some respects then, the book is about loneliness itself.

Obsessed with learning the origins of the cosmos, the actual meaning of life, and the true purpose of civilization, a fine Scotsman named Fingal T. Smyth dedicates himself to the study of Plato’s most extraordinary ideas. Convinced of Plato’s belief that humankind possesses any and all innate knowledge deep within the collective unconscious mind, Fingal soon conducts a series of bold, pioneering occult-science experiments by which to resolve the riddle of the universe once and for all. However, Fingal forgets how violent and perilous the animal impulses that reside in the deepest recesses of the unconscious mind. And when Fingal unleashes a mysterious avatar of his innate knowledge, the entity appears as a burning man and immediately seeks to manipulate innocent and unsuspecting people everywhere into immolating themselves. Now, with little hope of returning the fiery figure into his being, Fingal must capture his nemesis before it destroys the world.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Autumn, 1907: late one morning, some kind of torrid, invisible beast seemed to wrap itself all around Fingal T. Smyth’s body. Each one of his toes twitching fiercely, he exited the castle and scanned the distant, Scottish Highlands. Go back where you came from. As the entity wrapped itself tighter all about his person, Fingal blinked back his tears. I’m melting, I am. Aye, it’s the heat of fusion.

Gradually, the beast’s heartbeat became audible—each pulsation. At the same time, too, the illusory heat of transformation emitted an odor as of oven-roasted peppercorns dissolving in a cup of burnt coffee.

Over by the gatehouse, Fräulein Wunderwaffe appeared—the little German girl wearing a plain-sewn robe and square-crown bowler. In that moment, she no longer seemed to be a sickly child of seven years: her inscrutable expression resembled that of a wise, indifferent cat.

Perhaps even some kind of lioness. Fingal cringed, and he recalled a fragment of conversation from three weeks earlier.

“She suffers from a most unnatural pathology, an anguished, maniacal obsession with cats,” Doktor Hubertus Pflug had explained. “Ever since the poor girl was a baby, she has always regarded it her fate to one day metamorphose into a glorious panther, for she believes herself to be ein Gestaltwandler. Do you know this word? It means shapeshifter and refers to someone who possesses the power to take the form of anything in nature.”

The heat radiated up and down Fingal’s spine now, and his thoughts turned back to the present. Aye, it’s a change of phase. I’m melting into a chemical compound. Despite all, he greeted the girl and willed himself to flash a grin.

About the Author

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M. Laszlo is an aging recluse who lives in Bath, Ohio. Rumor holds that his pseudonym is a reference to Victor Laszlo, a character in the classic film Casablanca. On the Threshold is his first release with the acclaimed, Australian hybrid house AIA Publishing. Oddly, M. Laszlo insists that his latest work, On the Threshold, does in fact provide the correct answer to the riddle of the universe.

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Stellar Heir by Scott Killian – Book Cover and Giveaway

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

Jael Ked’Korhva hadn’t anticipated becoming the galaxy’s most wanted.

He hadn’t planned on picking up a strange alien artifact, either, but once it was clasped around his wrist, Jael was granted extraordinary abilities. His senses were heightened, his reflexes faster, and he could now regenerate from damage that would spell the end for others, which was a boon, considering he was just a derelict scavenger.

That was until forces from every corner of the stars wanted Jael’s artifact for themselves, and they’ll stop at nothing to take it back. What initially appears as a boon swiftly transforms into a weighty charge. Yet, it’s a charge Jael accepts without hesitation, understanding the catastrophic potential should the relic fall into the wrong hands.

Prodded onward by visions of an ancient ally and a mysterious enemy, Jael becomes a pivotal piece in a vast interstellar play of power and dominion.

An action-packed space opera, perfect for science fiction fans of Sun Eater by Christopher Ruocchio or The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey.

About the Author: Scott Killian grew up in California where he consumed every bit of sci-fi and horror media he could find. Delving deep into the works of Thomas Harris, Stephen King and H. P. Lovecraft to name a few, those dark portals in his mind were opened and his obsession with the macabre began. Story telling, in any form, is his greatest passion.

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How to Handle Negative Criticism by Katie Groom – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author 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.

How to Handle Negative Criticism

As a writer — or any creative — it is tough to take criticism because our art is so connected to us. It’s something that we create from within our own minds, so it really is a part of us. I used to be very susceptible to negative comments, but then I started to live my life within two — I don’t know; I wouldn’t quite call them motivational quotes, so maybe — modes of operation.

1. Don’t take criticism from someone whom you wouldn’t take advice from.
2. The subtle art of not caring what others think.

The first one of these is quite simple. If I was a surgeon, I wouldn’t take advice from a math teacher about how to perform a highly specialized surgery, so I wouldn’t take their criticism on my surgery skills either. In a similar vein, if someone has never written a book or, even more unbelievably, has never read a book, I’m not going to take their criticism either.

Now, if the person offering the criticism is someone that I’ve built a relationship with — someone that I have grown to trust and respect, then while the negative criticism may sting, it is surely coming from a place of caring and respect as well. That certainly makes it easier to take, after a period of reflection.

The great thing about any criticism is that we can decide how to take it, even if that means letting it go. Sometimes we get criticism that we just decide isn’t for us. For example (and to be honest, one of my favorite bits of negative criticism that I’ve received), a reviewer once stated that my book was “all rom — no com”, and I chose to laugh about this and remind myself that perhaps my sense of humor didn’t mesh with theirs. While I remember this criticism — and apparently I can’t let it go hahahaha — I’ve chosen to embrace it.

The second bit of advice (if you want to take it; not required, of course) has a little bit more work to it. The first part is making a list of anyone whose opinion you truly care about. Truly. Not the random cashier in the grocery store that you group the items on the cash register belt for so that he thinks you’re the best customer ever to come through the line. People that make a real impact on your life, such as your children, spouse, partner, parents, siblings, or best friend — people like that. People that if they told you that they were disappointed in you, it would crush you. My list consists of eight people. Eight. That’s right, a single digit number. And, for me, those people would only be disappointed if I was doing something unethical, illegal, intended to hurt someone, or against my own core beliefs.

You take that list of people, and you add to it “things I am required to do for my job”, because your job is your livelihood. If you lose that, you may not be able to eat or have shelter or other essentials, etc. Sometimes we have to do things for our job, and that’s just the facts. (Just as long as it isn’t unethical, illegal, intentionally hurting someone else, or against your core beliefs).

The rest of the world goes in a second column.

So any time you have to make a decision and you are on the fence of doing what you really want to do, think about whether the people on your short list would be disappointed in your decision; think about if making that decision would cost you your job. If the answers to these two questions are “no”, then do what you want.

Then all of the negative comments about your decision goes back to that first piece of advice — “don’t take criticism from someone whom you wouldn’t take advice from”. So, at that point, who cares? Your short list isn’t disappointed, and you have your livelihood, so… you’ve begun to master the subtle art of not caring what others think about you. You have started living life as your authentic self.

Reunited with his mate Zoie and having taken revenge on some of his immortal enemies, werewolf Hugh has new goals for revenge and justice: Ruin the lives of his remaining foes and end their reign.

The powerful Council of the immortal world has been imprisoning those who oppose them. But now, Hugh is one of the Council and perfectly poised to take the Council from the inside with the help of Zoie and their friends.

While Zoie is busy working on her witchcraft—studying and practicing so that she can protect her loved ones, Hugh probes for the secrets that have kept them in power for so long.

Investigating both openly and in secret, Hugh uncovers more than just the public terror. Even without the mock trials, those who disagreed with the Council often found themselves in the dark, lonely purgatory of being a gargoyle. Trapped and awake for all of eternity, in a rapidly expanding graveyard that ages all who enter.

Even immortals have things they fear more than death.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Visibly, yet quietly, annoyed, Hugh stood with his arms folded over his chest and a deep frown on his face. Still, this was his duty. Hugh held his place just off of the stage in the center of Nightbrooke.

The stage. That’s all it was, in his opinion. Everyone avoided even stepping on it when it was empty. Not out of respect, but out of fear. The only performances ever held on this stage were to overflow those who traveled through the underground world, secret from all mortals, with the certainty that if they put one toe-—one hair, one breath—out of line, they would be punished.

This place—Nightbrooke; Tenatoria; El Reino Mágico—

whatever it was called where that particular inhabitant was originally from—was intended to be a sanctuary for supernatural beings. It was supposed to be a safe place where they could be whatever they were without having to hide it. But this stage showed that this wasn’t sanctuary for everyone.

The only people who wanted to be on that stage were Hugh’s fellow council leaders. He had no desire to ever step foot on those ancient wooden boards, held together by even more ancient magic.

That’s why he hung off to the side. The others, however, relished these moments. Anything to see the fear in the eyes of the people they felt were a lower status than them.

Reon, King of the Abyss—the man who thought he was the King of Everything—was babbling on and on about the alleged crimes that the person before him had committed. He stood proudly on those wooden boards holding a scroll. He was nearly floating above the boards with joy. Hugh could hear Reon’s flutter from where he stood.

The difference between the two of them was a constant tension on the Council. They debated on opposite sides of every decision, to the point where Reon asked if Hugh was opposing him intentionally and just for the sake of being contentious.

About the Author: Katie Groom grew up in rural Pennsylvania, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from PITT and her master’s in Employment and Labor Relations from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In 2016, she decided to move to Alabama in order to avoid as much snow as possible (and to advance her career in Human Resources).

When she isn’t working, Katie enjoys reading, writing, jokingly critiquing movies and TV, and campaigning that the plural of moose should be meese. She also loves to take in live music (especially Hanson) and traveling, with the goal of reaching each of the continents. Katie’s favorite pastime, however, is spending time with her beloved Shih tzu, Delta.

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The Hardest Part of Writing by K.M. Warfield – Guest Post and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. K. M. Warfield will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The hardest part about writing is….

Finding the time.

I know a lot of people will say to schedule it. To make that an event that cannot be interrupted. To force yourself to sit down and write for x many hours a day at a certain time. That doesn’t work for me.

And I don’t think it works for a lot of other authors.

I work a full-time job. I have a house to take care of, bills to pay, cats to feed, and a husband who needs time with me as well. I have to take a bath. Sleep. Eat. Have time with friends.

I also have the oh so fun trifecta of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Which means there’s days where the best I can do after work is take care of ME. Even if that means a 3-hour nap or doing nothing beyond sitting on the couch and playing games on my tablet.

Forcing myself to write makes it harder. I’ve tried. And I feel insanely guilty when months go by and I don’t bother to open a file. I have to be in the right frame of mind or it’s a struggle. Not a small one, either. Honestly, some days it feels like I’m trying to climb Everest while wearing a tank top and shorts. It’s not going to happen.

I’ve learned to be okay with that.

Am I envious of those who can sit down at a certain time every day and write? Absolutely. But each of us has our own process. There’s no right or wrong way to get a story out of your head. What works for me won’t work for another author, and vice versa. But the book is better when I don’t force it to come out. I’m better as a person. Don’t get me wrong. I’d love to write daily. I’d love to be able to afford being a full-time novelist. I love those times when the words are flowing, my hands are flying across the keyboard, and my mind is so focused on the scene at hand that I can watch it like a movie in my mind. Doing that for one, two, even three hours straight is intoxicating.

I also know I need to rest and managed me as much as my characters. There is nothing wrong with that.

Thia Bransdottir is shunned for being half Fallen, a race feared by many. She tries to disguise her lineage, but her lilac eyes make it impossible. When her Father is killed, she is taken to the cloister to be a servant of her faith. Jinaari Althir is sworn to protect Thia from the disgraced half of her heritage. Under his holy vows, he must keep others from killing her for their prejudice and using her for her power. He must succeed, there is no room for failure. Trust for someone like Thia is difficult.

Jinaari may say he is there to protect her, but can he truly do his best when he knows she is of the Fallen? Will Thia stay safe in order to fulfill her purpose or is she fated to die for her origins?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Thia let out a scream as an arm circled her waist, lifting her off the ground momentarily. Her hood fell back, her pale blonde hair blowing in the stiff wind. “Consorting with the Fallen now, Althir? I didn’t think you were this kind of ‘honorable’.” A male voice sounded in her ear.

She twisted her body, struggling to free herself. Whoever held her tightened his grip, forcing her closer to him.

“Let her go, Alesso. This is bigger than any grudge you have. The Gods are involved.” Thia snapped her head up at Jinaari’s voice. His sword was out, his eyes looking at her captor.

Thia’s heart hammered in her chest as fear set in. “Where were the Gods when my family was taken, Althir? Maybe this witch knows how to find them. I won’t know until I ask.” Alesso’s body shifted as he changed his stance.

“She’s part of my task, Alesso. You were there when it was given to me. Put revenge aside long enough to obey Garret’s will.”

What did Father Phillip teach me? After one of the acolytes tried to grab me that first week after Papa died? Pushing down her fear, Thia slammed her foot onto Alesso’s. He screamed in surprise; his arm relaxing. Breaking free, she ran toward the captain. The captain gestured toward her as the sound of swords meeting rang out. She stopped as she got to him, turning to see Jinaari and Alesso fighting.

About the Author: Born in the late 1960’s, K. M. has lived most of her live in the Pacific NW. While she’s always been creative, she didn’t turn towards writing until 2008. Writing under the pen name of KateMarie Collins, she released several titles. In 2019, the decision was made to forge a new path with her books. The Heroes of Avoch series, along with a new pen name, is the end result.

When she’s not writing, she loves playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends, watching movies, and cuddling up with her cat. K. M. resides with her family in what she likes to refer to as ‘Seattle Suburbia’.

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LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: Crushing by TR Simmons

Thanks for joining us on our 17th anniversary scavenger hunt! There are two ways to enter to win and it’s easy to play– first read the blurb below, then answer the question on the first Rafflecopter. You might win a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC (along with other prizes). Follow and visit authors’ social media pages on the second Rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC (along with other prizes)!

Atarah is a high school tomboy and a stellar athlete, but of below average height and beauty.
This is a problem when everyone’s physical attributes and popularity are ranked by an AI computer called Big Social.

Atarah has five days before the Crush-it dance to find her secret admirer and become popular or she will have little chance of acceptance to a top university and their romantic reality shows.

A cryptic message warns Atarah that Big Social’s selfish protocols for human happiness are killing Earth. A plan to subvert the AI will require Atarah to find true love on the night of the dance.

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LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: Jason Cole

Thanks for joining us on our 17th anniversary scavenger hunt! There are two ways to enter to win and it’s easy to play– first read the blurb below, then answer the question on the first Rafflecopter. You might win a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC (along with other prizes). Follow and visit authors’ social media pages on the second Rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC (along with other prizes)!

In a world, in the not too distant future, news is streamed through smart contact lenses. Liam Baron is a corporate spy managing debt and family obligations in his own unique way. Together with his partner, Keema, they can slip in, copy what they need and disappear without anyone knowing they were there.

But when his sister contracts an emerging disease his next job is personal. He must risk everything to steal the treatment she helped develop. Liam must take on a ruthless pharmaceutical company to save his family and millions of others. He must decide who to trust as he races against the clock.

In a society under heavily surveillance can Liam maintain his cover?

 

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What Would I Tell a New Author? by Shelly Campbell – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What Would I Tell a New Author?
Thanks so much for having me as a guest on Long and Short Reviews!

Being an author is a mercurial thing. You live in a state of flux. When you’re drafting, it’s singular work, just you, the characters in your head, and that blank page itching for you to fill it with words. Yet when editing time comes, your story transforms into a collaborative effort with back and forth feedback between you and your editors.

If you are querying, publishing often feels like a never-ending loop of hurry-up and wait, but if you’re on a deadline, it’s just hurry up.

You will have positive feedback that lifts you up like few things can, and one-star reviews that bring you right back down to earth again.

There’ll be the highs of cover reveals, release days, and book-signings, but also the doldrums that inevitably come after.

Some days the words flow like rapids and others, you’re stuck in the swamp of writer’s block. First drafts that read like hot garbage. Polished manuscripts that just sing.

I guess what I’m saying to new authors out there is that this is a rollercoaster ride, so hang onto something. Better yet, hang on to someone, multiple someone’s—preferably other authors who are marathon riders. Because it is a marathon.

Your book might not catapult out of the gate. Mine haven’t. They’re all on that slow clackity sort of climb. And that’s okay. My stories will find readers who’ll cherish them, all in good time. Yours will to. And whatever part of the rollercoaster ride your on, I’d love to grab hold of your hand and scream along with you. Just don’t puke on my shoes, okay?

When we were children, they told us monsters weren’t real. They were dead wrong.

It’s just a closet door with a skeleton key, but when David opens it, he unlocks a gateway to a sinister world that’s bent on destroying everything and everyone he loves. Some doors are better left closed.

Embark on a thrilling journey with the Dark Walker Series, and be transported into an interdimensional tale of monsters, lies and self-discovery. Where the terror of darkness is real and the line between ally and enemy is as thin as a blade.

“Equal parts coming of age story and otherworldly horror, Gulf probes the depths of loneliness, loss of identity and childhood trauma. It is a true treat for fans of the genre and had me clutched in its razor-clawed hands from the first word to the last.” -C.M. Forest author of Infested

*****

Seventeen-year-old David is fading from his world, like a Polaroid picture in reverse. He longs to feel connected to something bigger.

When his brothers discover the new extension at the rental cottage comes with a locked door, David finds the key first. Expecting to claim a bedroom, he opens a dimensional gateway instead, exploring abandoned versions of his world in different timelines, 1960s muscle cars alternating with crumbling cottages.

Except now the dimensional bridge won’t close, and something hungry claws the door at night. David scours for clues to break the bridge, but each trip to the other side makes him fade more on his. Even if he succeeds, he risks severing his connection to his own world, and dying on the wrong side, forgotten.

*****

There are doors that open to other worlds, but it’s no fairytale on the other side.

I thought otherworldly monsters bent on devouring my whole world starting with my family trumped everything. Turns out, I was wrong. My world’s only one of thousands facing annihilation from the maneaters that tried to eat me alive. Charlie saved me, rolled into my life on a motorcycle, and rescued me.

Problem is, I’m the Embassy’s property now. They’re the interdimensional agency tasked with stemming the flow of ravenous aliens into our universe, but they seem more interested in studying me. I crashed a gateway in a way they’ve never seen. The Embassy wants to replicate that. I think they want to use me as a war weapon.

If I don’t convince Charlie to help me escape, I’ll be an Embassy science experiment for the rest of my short life, or worse, eternally trapped in the dark hell that fills the spaces between worlds.

Enjoy an Excerpt from GULF

Certain my family is gone, I cross to the five-panel in two strides, twist the key into the lock, and push the door.

It doesn’t open.

Of course it doesn’t, idiot. It’s still hung like a closet door. It opens out, not in.

I pull.

Mirror.

That’s the first thought that strikes me as I take in the exact duplicate of the living room I’m standing in. Same green, crushed velvet sofa bed sagging behind me. Identical chipped melamine cabinets. Same painted windmills on the porcelain tile backsplash—wait.

No me.

No reflection of me. Tentative as Alice in bloody Wonderland, I pull the black skeleton key from its hole and crane my head through the doorway. No dirty breakfast dishes, but when I look over my shoulder, there’s still stacks of egg-yolk spackled tin plates beside our sink. Crumpled under one arm of the hide-a-bed is my plaid blanket, but the one in front of me is empty. Looks dusty.

“What the hell, Everett?” This is creepy.

The ole bugger’s built an exact mirror image of the room next door. Where on earth did he find the twin to that green monster of a couch? There’s even a spring beckoning through the same spot in the back cushion.

Got an eye for detail, hasn’t he?

Same woodstove too, only this one has a cold, crusty frying pan on it. I can still feel the heat on my back from ours across the wall.

The pine planking creaks under my next step, and I jump and then smile, but I’m pretty sure it ends up as a snarl. An odd feeling consumes me whole, the one I had just before Sam Ren and his gorilla wingmen beat the piss out of me behind the Dairy Queen. A curdled sense of approaching doom slithers through my lungs.

Get out.

Primal instinct presses me back a step toward the door, but I hold fast there, like a dumbass, like I waited while Sam Ren eased toward me in the Dairy Queen parking lot.

Shaking out my hands and hissing through my teeth, I scan the room trying to identify what’s wrong, because something is. Something is very wrong, and it’s not just the duplicate room, or the draft emanating from here at night. It takes a few seconds to pin it down. The out-of-place thing. My throat spasms when I see it. I swallow and shift to the balls of my feet.

“Window,” I whisper.

About the Author: At a young age, Shelly Campbell wanted to be an air show pilot or a pirate, possibly a dragon and definitely a writer and artist. She’s piloted a Cessna 172 through spins and stalls, and sailed up the east coast on a tall ship barque—mostly without projectile vomiting. In the end, Shelly found writing and drawing dragons to be so much easier on the stomach. Shelly writes speculative fiction ranging from grimdark fantasy, to sci-fi and horror. She’d love to hear from you.

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Gulf and Breach are both available to read for free on Kindles Unlimited.

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Advice for a New Writer by Dennis Scheel – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dennis Scheel will award a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Advice for a New Writer

I want to tell new writers to just keep writing. It can be hard and if you’re a perfectionist, you might feel self-critical and have trouble accepting the ideas you are putting down on the page, but a first draft is a huge milestone and you’re never going to get there if you keep fixating on the specifics. A draft can always be adjusted, changed, and developed upon, but it’s only effective if you can get a complete draft written. Forget about the word count, grammar, and times where you feel like you can’t think of the right word for the sentence. You can refine everything once you’ve written the story once. The things you need to change to improve the draft becoming even more clear when you’ve written through the story once.

Of course, you’ll get stuck sometimes, so you’ll occasionally need to wait for inspiration to strike. I’ve had ideas come to me when I’ve least expected it. Sometimes, you just need to step away and wait for something to come to you by doing something else. Some of my best ideas have come to me when I’m not even trying to come up with anything, such as while I’m taking a shower, out walking, or trying to fall asleep at night. So don’t be afraid to give yourself breaks and wait for inspiration to come when you’re stuck. Often times, if you try to force the story to come together when you’re just not feeling it, it’ll make your writer’s block worse. But my editor once gave me some really good advice: if you’re not sure how your character would act in a given situation, just ask them what they’d do!

Additionally, I’d tell new authors that becoming self-published comes with its pros and cons. For example, it allows you to maintain complete control over your stories and the rights to your books, but it also makes you responsible for all the book’s marketing, e-book formatting, and design-choices, such as the book’s cover. Formatting the book determines how many pages it will turn out to be, which also affects the size of the book’s cover and spine. These sorts of challenges would normally be a publisher’s responsibility, so you become accountable for them if you choose to self-publish.

Will it end in peace or a silvery dose of fate?

Henna’s manipulation knows no bounds,
Denida is still the object of her prophecy, while Lucifer, God, and Gabriel remain in her sights.

Having seen her son, Nina is more determined than ever to bring him back from Henna’s world of dead souls. Meanwhile, the Darkness runs rampant across the Underworlds and on Earth as Lucifer’s grief over Heavani’s death overwhelms him.

Everyone has their own goals and ends, but one thing is inescapable: the bright silvery path that Henna willed.

Can these characters escape destiny’s hold on them, or will they become pawns in Henna’s quest for revenge?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Den, Denida’s human form, trotted from his grandparent’s house with a smile painted across his face. He admired the sunny sky before skipping down the road, humming to himself.

He’s barely grown. Odin clenched his scepter. “We have to do it within one week.” He glared in through a window, then turned to Loki. “I’ll leave the task to you; don’t fail me.”

Loki chuckled. “Why bother? They’re lowly humans.”

“I want to expedite Henna’s prophecy. We have waited in this world long enough. This is your chance to show me that I can rely on you, Loki.”

“But what I still don’t understand is: why? Isn’t that kid Henna’s chosen one?”

Odin adjusted his grip on his scepter. “His soul form is, not the boy, but certain events must fall into place to achieve Henna’s desired outcome, instead of a less desirable one.”

“Understood.” Loki smirked.

“You must use dark magic to kill the boy’s grandmother within one week. I can’t specify how important that is.”

Loki’s eyes widened. “To frame Lucifer?”

Odin sighed. “Aren’t you attentive today.” He leaned closer to Loki. “Correct.”

About the Author: Wring about myself… oh, the horror!

As a Christmas Child, I believe magic is everywhere, especially during the winter, and I try to weave that magic into my stories. After all, my firm belief in karma and destiny has shaped who I am, so it should guide my stories, as well.

I was born and raised in Denmark, but faced many challenges during my life, one of which was my inability to write my stories in Danish! I’ve had my stories brewing in my head since I was a child and struggled for years to express them properly. After recovering from a diabetic attack that left me hospitalized, I managed to find my writer’s voice in English, and am thrilled to now have the ability to share my tales with you.

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