Night of the Hawk by Lauren Martin – Guest Post and Giveaway

February 4, 2025 By 8 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Lauren Martin 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.

“Ten things people don’t know about me” I immediately think, “have I told people everything about me now that I put out this book?”

Poetry is so vulnerable and I think mine is certainly direct. That said, my life as a shaman has required very private seeking and ritual. I spent years fairly nomadic seeking spiritual answers. I’ve become habituated to living in two different worlds and one which is very difficult to share. So the process of writing work that expresses my deepest joys, pains and regrets feels very exposed. But I have found it deeply rewarding to meet so many other thoughtful writers and readers who have either been moved by my words or have shared their own convictions. The world is full of people trying to be better and understand themselves. Even if we are told otherwise.

Ifá. Nature. Illness. Love. Loss. Misogyny. Aging. Africa. Our wounded planet. In this sweeping yet intensely personal collection, Lauren Martin tells the untold stories of the marginalized, the abused, the ill, the disabled—the different. Inspired by her life’s experiences, including the isolation she has suffered as a result both of living with chronic illness and having devoted herself to a religion outside the mainstream, these poems explore with raw vulnerability and unflinching honesty what it is to live apart—even as one yearns for connection.

But Night of the Hawk is no lament; it is powerful, reverential, sometimes humorous, often defiant—“Oh heat me and fill me / I rise above lines”—and full of wisdom. Visceral and stirring, the poems in this collection touch on vastly disparate subjects but are ultimately unified in a singular quest: to inspire those who read them toward kindness, compassion, and questioning.

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A SEA OF KISSES

One kiss to
Make me stay
Two to
Start the day
Three and
I’m on my way.

About the Author:

Screenshot

Lauren Martin is a psychotherapist, poet, and a devoted Ìyânífá. Born in Boston and spending many years in New York and Paris, she currently lives in Oakland, California. Lauren studied psychology, photography and poetry at Sarah Lawrence College. She spent years writing without submitting her work due to a long shamanic journey, which led her to both Ifá, and to the writing of several books (including this collection of poems.) The upcoming publication of Night of the Hawk (SheWrites Press, 2024), reflects a deeply personal experience of illness, isolation and true shamanism.

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Embracing Failure by Hannah Jordan – Guest Blog and Giveaway

February 3, 2025 By 11 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN gift card.

Embracing Failure
The worst part of being a writer, for me, has always been the rejection. As a parenting blogger, I had internet trolls comment on my actual life, but that’s the price you pay for putting your words into the world. Over time, I grew a thick skin.

As a romance author, it’s my stories and characters that face criticism. No matter how thick I believe my skin to be, a critical review still hurts. I read them anyway. I want to continue to improve as a writer, so I read the comments and reviews—even the ones that break my heart a little.

At some point in my writing journey, I received this little nugget of wisdom:

If you’re not failing, you’re not striving.

Fearing failure keeps us from taking (or better yet making) opportunities. If every risk you take ends with success, you’re probably not reaching high enough. If only my friends and family read my novels, I wouldn’t have to worry about hurtful reviews. But then I wouldn’t be sharing my work with people beyond my social circle.

The second piece of advice that completely changed my view of rejection was this:

No doesn’t mean never. It means not this or not now.

Keep in mind, this one is specific to writing. If you ask someone out and they say no, move on. But if you submit to an agent and they say no, chances are they’ll consider a query from you for a different manuscript. They aren’t saying no to you. They’re saying no to the work because it’s either not what they want or not at a time they want it. The same goes for presses and publications. Often, you’re closer to an acceptance than you think.

For better or worse, rejection is an inherent part of a writer’s life. You have to learn to embrace it. Keep trying. Keep getting rejected. There’s a point where the dreamers stop and the gritty keep going. Learn from your mistakes, especially the ones that gut you, and move on.

When Rowan’s two-year marriage ends with a crash, she returns home to Peace Falls, VA, riding shotgun in her sister’s 1990 Cadillac hearse. Everything about her is damaged: her heart, her pride, her bank account, and her spine—thanks to a tourist, a Segway, and finding her husband getting busy with her boss. But Rowan is determined to reclaim her career and city life as soon as she recuperates and lands a new job.

Caleb “Cal” Cardoso didn’t notice wallflower Rowan in high school, but the former football star, and Peace Falls’s newest physical therapist, can’t take his eyes off the stunning redhead now. Too bad he’s sworn off relationships. After his last hookup purposely tanked his online reputation, Cal stands to lose his job if a single patient leaves his care. Which is why he can’t let Rowan switch to another practitioner, despite the friction between them, and why he definitely can’t act on his growing attraction.

Rowan agrees to remain Cal’s patient if he helps her younger brother train for football tryouts. Though Cal hasn’t touched a football since the accident that killed his best friend, he agrees, and as Cal helps heal Rowan’s body, she begins to heal his heart.

For You I’d Break is a small town romance with a hefty dash of spice, a HEA ending, and a cast of memorable characters, including a goth sculptor who secretly loves to decorate cakes, a fearsome-looking felon with a heart of gold, a hothead with a sweet side, a karma-devoted barista who collects damaged pets and first dates, and a lovable dog with more emotional sense than everyone put together.

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Being a wallflower makes you thirsty, so parched for attention your heart feels brittle. Then after years—or in my case a lifetime—someone finally sees you. The exquisite feeling seeps deep, the attention saturating your life. So, you jump, headfirst. The red flags go unnoticed. Declarations of love tossed as lightly as petals. Maybe you marry him, like I did. Maybe you bloom in domestic bliss with a house in the suburbs and two adorable kids. Maybe a dog. Bare minimum a pet turtle.

I wasn’t so lucky.

After two years of marriage, instead of house hunting in the outskirts of DC, I was riding shotgun in my sister’s 1990 Cadillac hearse, headed back to Peace Falls, VA, with everything I owned stuffed where a coffin ought to be.

I’d cried so much in the past three hours, I could barely make out the foothills rising in the distance. My throat was raw. Crumpled tissues littered the floorboard, and lint covered my leggings.

The tears surprised me. Apart from a couple of late-night phone calls to my mother after I left the hospital, I’d held it together pretty well. I was too busy tying up the loose ends of my life in DC to feel anything but stressed. The moment Poppy arrived to drive me home, the tears started and built with every box, bag, and lamp we slid into the hearse.

About the Author Hannah Jordan grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia but wound up in South Jersey after falling in love with her complete opposite. She’s got all the degrees of a “serious” fiction writer but only smiles when she’s writing romance.

She lives with her husband and two daughters in a picturesque town outside of Philadelphia where she enjoys reading in all genres, especially the spicy ones, and confusing people with her half-Southern, half-Northern accent.

The first book in her Peace Falls Small Town Romance Series, For You I’d Break, launched July 17, 2024.

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Tarnished by Erica Rose Eberhart – Spotlight and Giveaway

February 3, 2025 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Erica Rose Eberhart 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.

In the struggling city of Braewick, a determined 20-year-old gate guard named Ailith MacCree longs for a chance at financial stability and adventure. Little does she know, her wish is about to come true. She accepts a mission from Princess Greer that promises both: escort Princess Caitriona to the Endless Mountains to meet the enigmatic hermit for a great financial reward. Ailith jumps at the opportunity and bids goodbye to all she’s ever known. But as they journey together, Ailith discovers that Caitriona holds a dangerous secret-she possesses powerful magic in a kingdom where magic is outlawed.

Ailith and Caitriona face mysterious attacks and supernatural challenges. But as they delve deeper into the treacherous landscape, Ailith learns of Caitriona’s tragic past and the dark curse that threatens her very existence.

With rebellion brewing in Braewick, and the oppressive king hot on their trail, Ailith must not only navigate her growing feelings for Caitriona, but also fight against relentless foes. As they race against time to stop the curse, Ailith and Caitriona uncover shocking truths about their kingdom, their families, and themselves.

Will their burgeoning romance survive the trials ahead? Can they break the curse and save their homeland from tyranny? Join Ailith and Caitriona on a thrilling quest filled with magic, danger, and heart-pounding adventure. Fans of high-stakes fantasy will not want to miss this epic tale.

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“I see the way you look at her. I see how she looks at you. You know that even at the end of all of this, if all goes according to plan, you’ll never be able to be near Ailith again, don’t you? After all of this, father wants to marry you off and will have her head. We’ll have to ensure she can live peacefully far from Braewick. She’ll be gone from our lives.”

“Does the sun love the moon?” Caitriona interrupted. She looked at Ailith’s sleeping form and everything within her yearned to reach forward and touch her. She was like a moth to a flame, pulled so immediately the sensation was bewildering. “Even though they’re often apart, they still manage to share the sky every once in a while.”

About the Author: Erica Rose Eberhart grew up in the Catskills region and spent many formative years in both Eastern Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia. She now resides with her family and cat in the Finger Lakes region of New York. A technical editor by trade, she has a Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing. Erica has written stories since she was able to write sentences and has found comfort in fantasy her entire life, whether by consuming fantastical stories or creating her own. Beside the comfort of books, Erica adores nature walks, crocheting, embroidery, cats, baking and autumn. You can follow her many adventures on social media @ericaroseeberhart. Tarnished is her first published novel.

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Where do ideas (for writing projects) come from? by Jonathan Weeks – Guest Post and Giveaway

January 31, 2025 By 7 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jonathan Weeks will be awarding a $25 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 (for writing projects) come from?

There are a variety of ways you can “turn your brain on” and generate creative energy. Though it works a little differently for everyone, here are a few simple suggestions to get started:

GO FOR A WALK

Being outside on a warm, sunny day or even on a cool, foggy night can produce a stream of conscious thought. The brain reacts dramatically to setting and tone. Harness those thoughts into something useful.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU

Have you ever tried just sitting in a public place and discreetly watching others? You will notice a lot of very interesting details. This might trigger some useful associations.

TAKE ON A NEW HOBBY

It’s never too late to pick up a new skill or engage in a new activity. Learn how to play a musical instrument. Get involved in an arts and crafts project. Take some photos of subjects that interest you. Get your creative powers flowing.

YOU CAN’T HAVE OUTPUT WITHOUT INPUT

No great idea is created in a vacuum. Exposing yourself to the creativity of others will enhance you own abilities. Read books. Watch movies. Listen to music. Be an active, not a passive watcher or listener.

THE POWER OF DREAMS

Some of my best ideas have come to me in dreams. But those ideas are fleeting. Dreams typically fade from our consciousness within minutes of waking. If you feel so inclined, keep a sleep journal near your bed and write your dreams down in it when you wake up. There may be a brilliant idea buried somewhere beyond the wall of sleep.

There is no right or wrong way to shake out a good idea. Whatever works for you is fine. Don’t be afraid to try something unusual. Ernest Hemingway often wrote standing up, believing it kept him clear and alert. Leonardo da Vinci slept in brief intervals throughout the day, claiming that it increased his productivity. Ideas come from outside and within. You need to be prepared to grab them when they present themselves.

Good luck!

Mays’s spectacular catch in 1954, Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off homer in 1960, and Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit blast in 1988 are just a few of the memorable moments that have dominated highlight reels. The outcome of the Series has not always been terribly surprising—especially during the late 1940s and early 1950s when the Yankees captured five consecutive championships, breaking their previous record of four straight titles from 1936 to 1939. But despite its predictability at times, the Fall Classic has taken many unexpected turns. The 1906 Cubs lost to the weak-hitting White Sox after establishing a new regular season record for
wins. The 1955 Dodgers avenged seven prior October failures with an improbable victory over the seemingly invincible Yankees. And in 1969, the Mets finally shed their image as “loveable losers,” dethroning the powerful Orioles. In more than a century of World Series plays, a number of similar scenarios have emerged; twenty-two of those stories are told in Shocktober.

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To understand why members of the White Sox conspired with gamblers to throw the 1919 World Series, one must take into account the financial climate of baseball in the early-20th century. Players weren’t paid exceptionally well (at least in comparison to today). Before the advent of free agency, owners held most of the advantages when it came to negotiating contracts. Players were more or less stuck with the clubs they had signed with until team executives decided it was time to get rid of them. Typical deadball stars were minimally educated and rough around the edges. In their free time, many gravitated to bars and pool halls, where men of questionable integrity could be found. Some players developed relationships with members of the underworld—especially bookmakers who were willing to tamper with the outcome of games in order to turn a profit.

Ty Cobb, one of the biggest names of the era, was paid $20,000 in 1919—equivalent to about $348,000 today. No one else was making that much at the time—not even Babe Ruth. Pitcher Eddie Cicotte, at a little over $9,000, was the highest paid member of the Chicago conspirators. The others were earning significantly less.

A common misconception among contemporary fans is the idea that Chicago team owner Charles Comiskey was a nefarious miser who drove his men to commit the crime of the century. Multiple myths have persisted regarding Comiskey’s penny-pinching ways—the most salacious being the story about how he delivered a case of flat champagne to his players as a World Series bonus in 1917. Other fallacies have been handed down over the years.

In reality, Comiskey was prone to acts of generosity. He allowed a number of Chicago organizations to use his ballpark for free and gave out complimentary grandstand tickets to school children. During World War I, he donated a significant portion of his annual income to the Red Cross. While it’s true that he could also be frugal, charging players for laundry fees, he actually paid his men pretty well. The White Sox Opening Day payroll in 1919 was among the highest in baseball.

While the specific motivations of each conspirator have been endlessly debated, it’s safe to assume that the primary incentive was financial gain. By his own account, it was first baseman Chick Gandil who approached gamblers with the idea of a fix. At the time, the club was divided into two social cliques with tension existing between the two. The educated players fell under the influence of Ivy League graduate Eddie Collins. The rest of the joiners cast their lot with Gandil—a former boxer with an attitude toward authority. Shortstop Swede Risberg played a major role in the fix as well, helping Gandil lure other players (ones who could be trusted to keep their mouths shut) into the fold. Boston-based bookmaker Joseph “Sport” Sullivan convinced New York underworld kingpin Arnold Rothstein to bankroll the plot. Others involved included “Sleepy Bill” Burns (a former pitcher) and Abe Attell (a former featherweight boxing champion). Both were associates of Rothstein’s.

About the Author: Jonathan Weeks has written several sports biographies and two novels, one of which was a posthumous collaboration with his late father. He grew up in the Capital District region of New York State and currently works in the mental health field.

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Bullets and Dandelion by Gail Koger – Spotlight and Giveaway

January 30, 2025 By 6 Comments

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

My name is Tess Reynolds, and I’ll admit few people would think I’m a badass Army sniper called the Scorpion. Afterall, women snipers were unheard of in 1990. People look at me and see a petite blonde who is cute as a button. My father calls it my natural camouflage.

My time in the Middle East has been full of unforeseen complications. I have a rogue CIA agent trying to kill me and I caught the attention of a Force Recon Marine by the name of Alexander Stone. Wowzer! He’s hot but he’s also the biggest jackass I have ever met. To make things even more interesting, I need the Jackass’s help to stay alive.

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My jaw dropped. Three naked men were floating in the shallow water. They all had dog tags and looked to be American, probably the Force Recon team. My gaze locked on the biggest guy. Yowzer! He made my heart go pitty-pat. Too bad a thick, black beard covered his face. His body was utter perfection. He had to be at least six-feet-seven, with a massive chest, bulging biceps and heavily muscled thighs.

My gaze froze on his groin, and I suddenly knew what Sally meant when she said a guy was hung like a stallion. Would that thing even fit? Since Pops never allowed me to date, I had zero experience with men. Never been kissed and the one kid that tried ended up with a busted jaw: courtesy of my father.

C’mon handsome, roll over and show me your butt.

A coyote howled.

I frowned. There weren’t any coyotes in the Koh-i-Baba Mountain range or were there? I quickly surveyed the area. Nothing moved and there was no sign of any critters. I turned my attention back to the lake and my stomach knotted. It was empty. Somehow, they knew I was here. One of their scouts must have spotted my footprints.

Damn, I wasn’t in any shape to go up against a Force Recon team. I could always ask them for help, but since I was the Army’s secret weapon, that might get me booted.

About the Author: I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea what a real emergency is. Take this for example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone I took up writing.

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If I’d never heard of me, would I read my books? by

January 29, 2025 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a digital copy of A Lilli By Any Other Name to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

“If I’d never heard of me, would I read my books?”
Absolutely, and without hesitation! I’ve always been drawn to stories that sweep me away into new worlds, where romance and adventure go hand in hand, and characters leap off the page. That’s exactly what I strive to create in every book I write. Whether it’s historical romance, western romance, paranormal romance, or erotic romance, each of my stories is designed to ignite the imagination, stir the emotions, and offer a deeply satisfying escape.

Historical romance has a timeless allure. There’s something magical about stepping into another era, whether it’s a glittering ballroom, a windswept castle, or the bustling streets of a bygone city. My historical romances are steeped in rich details that bring the past to life, but it’s the love stories at their core that truly shine. They are tales of resilience, hope, and passion, set against a backdrop of societal constraints and challenges that test my characters in unforgettable ways.

In my western romances, I explore the rugged beauty and raw grit of the Old West, a time and place where survival demanded strength, courage, and determination. My heroes and heroines are tough yet vulnerable, battling the harsh realities of frontier life while finding love that softens their edges and makes them whole. These stories are full of adventure, danger, and tender moments that show how love can thrive in even the toughest of circumstances.
For readers who crave the extraordinary, my paranormal romances are filled with magic, mystery, and a touch of the unknown. These stories invite readers into worlds where the impossible becomes real, where supernatural forces collide with human desires, and where love transcends the boundaries of the ordinary. They’re perfect for anyone who dreams of being swept away by the fantastical while staying grounded in deeply human emotions.

And for those who appreciate stories that push boundaries and embrace the complexities of desire, my erotic romances explore intimacy, vulnerability, and passion with honesty and depth. These are tales that delve into the multifaceted nature of relationships, offering a blend of sensuality and heartfelt emotion that lingers long after the last page.

Ultimately, I write the books I would love to read. Stories that balance heart-pounding romance with well-developed characters and immersive settings. I believe in creating journeys that not only entertain but also touch the soul, whether through the bravery of my characters, the intensity of their connections, or the sheer beauty of their love stories.

If I came across one of my books without knowing the author, I’d be drawn to it immediately. The promise of love, adventure, and emotional depth is something I cherish as a reader, and it’s the same promise I strive to deliver in every story I write. My books are for anyone who wants to escape into a world where love conquers all and where every journey is as unforgettable as the characters themselves.

Bartered to Viscount Hudson Becker by her father, Lady Lavinia Holbrook escapes her arranged marriage and travels to her Godmother, the Duchess of Chauncy to seek asylum. Determined to put men and marriage behind her, she is unprepared for the duke’s interest or his heated kisses. The Duke of Chauncy believes love is a weakness and refuses to take a bride despite his mother’s scheming. When the duchess makes a wager he will marry by Christmas, he considers the matter a lark. Until Lavinia gets under his skin, and he rethinks his position on love and happy ever afters.

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The door to her chamber opened with a rush of warm air. A hearty fire crackled on the hearth as she strolled inside and sank onto the bed. Her tight bodice would be too uncomfortable to sleep in and she sat up with a groan to work the lacing of her gown. She must mention to the duchess she would require a lady’s maid since she abandoned Margret in Waterdown with her veil and wedding slippers. Her mood lightened at the thought, and her bodice came off with a tug. Her petticoats followed, and Lavinia removed her slippers and stockings with a loud yawn. Her stays followed, and then, with a shrug, she removed her garter and slipped into bed in her chemise and pantalets.

The crisp, clean sheets were magic against her tired flesh, and with another lusty yawn, she closed her eyes and received the fright of her life.

“I am, of course, delighted with your unexpected presence in my chamber, and although you cannot stay, you may offer my gratitude to my mother for sending you.”

Lavinia froze and turned her head toward the deep voice coming from the direction of the hearth. Panic surged through her as she grappled with the realization that a man occupied her chamber.

“What?” Her eyes widened as they settled on the imposing figure of the Duke of Chauncy reclining in a brocade chair clad in nothing but a pair of form-fitting black trousers.

Oh God, what had she done?

About the Author: Virginia Barlow has been a dreamer her whole life. She loves reading, traveling, and roses. She will dive headfirst into any romance she can get her hands on in any genre. Although her first love is Regency Romance and always will be. Something about the era calls to her soul like a siren’s song rising from the depths.

She loves to write steamy romances whether fantasy, historical, or contemporary, all are liberally spiced with adventure and sensual, seductive heroes. Her heroines are just as compelling with equal parts intelligence, sass, and backbone. They give as good as they get whether saving their man’s life or responding to his heated kisses, they’re all in.

The most important thing in Virginia’s life is her family, and spending time with them. When she is not bouncing a grandbaby in her arms or handing out popsicles, she is writing and dreaming up her next love story. Virginia has published fifteen romance novels with another two on the way and has half a dozen more circling around inside her head eager to make their debut.

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The Mark of the Unseen God by Benjamin Patterson – Guest Blog and Giveaway

January 28, 2025 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Benjamin Patterson 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.

Hi, my name is Benjamin Patterson, a medieval fantasy author from Queensland, Australia. I write low-order, clean fantasy. Here are my five musts, every fantasy story should include.

1. Adventure – Adventure defines the genre in my opinion. Characters should be discovering new worlds, encountering foreign creatures and having their minds blown every other chapter. Whether those new worlds and creatures force themselves upon the protagonist’s doorstep, or the protagonist embarks on an epic quest in strange lands, it does not really matter. As long the adventure is there in some shape or form.

2. Impossible Odds – The greatest fantasy novels feature near undefeatable enemies. Readers are get halfway through the story and wonder how the goodies will survive, let alone win.

3. Suffering – Nobody wants to read a story where everything goes right. Fantasy must be hard on its characters. The anguish they endure must be horrific, their suffering unbearable. It makes their eventual victory so much sweeter when they’ve paid the ultimate price.

4. Romance – Now remember, I’m a clean fantasy author. That does not mean romance should be ignored. Great fantasy includes a compelling love story. The inclusion of a love interest elevates the stakes and tugs on the heart strings. It imbues the story with extra context. Fantasy thrives on the extra story threads.

5. Sword-fighting – I might be alone on this one, but to me, sword-fighting is a must. As a youngster, I fell in love with Zorro, The Princess Bride and The Scarlett Pimpernel. These are all great swordsmen. There’s nothing better than a duel to the death, and you’ll never convince me otherwise.

So there it is. That’s my list. You might be screaming at the page right now, saying “but where’s the magic? The fae? The elves?” If that’s the case, please include your musts in the comments. I’d love to know what else I’ve missed.

Look to the hills with dread: Salmmonaksa has arrived. His armies swarm like a plague of locusts. As the emperor prepares for his final assault, the Home City trembles. Overrun by desperate refugees, the monarchs have gathered to plot their defence. High King Eldilin is back at the helm, but there’s no food and no answers.

Princess Kathryn has not given up hope. Lying on a cot in her room is the man destined to save the realm. They desperately need him, and for the prophecies to prove themselves true, but he will not wake no matter how much she prays. Even if he did, he cannot do it alone. Many more will die, that is certain.

The Mark of the Unseen God is the final instalment of the Markulian Prophecies, a refreshingly original tale set in a breathtaking medieval world. To rid realm of evil, everything will be required. There is no peace without sacrifice, and no love without loss. May who they are and what they have be enough.

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Footsteps. The prisoner must have heard them because he looked up and squinted. Oh, what a wretched expression on his face. Somebody was out there in the darkness, but he could not see them. She was safe back here, out of his sight. Out of his reach.

Secure in her anonymity, she revelled in his pathetic appearance, his arms stretched out and clasped in irons, his legs chained to a bolt hole in the floor. The remnants of his meagre ration stained the front of his tattered shirt. The way the moonlight whispered down from the grate above and circled about him, one could have been mistaken to think he was a showman, a figure of fame, the centre of a play or musical. Alas, he was wrecked, thin, a character pitiable above all men. Once respectable, now despised … and rightly so.

About the Author: Benjamin Patterson lives in North Queensland, Australia with his wife and four children. When not writing, arguing with pilots or volunteering, he’s battling a life-controlling addiction to sport, an addiction his poor wife has discovered is easily passed from father to sons.

The Mark of the Unseen God completes his first fantasy trilogy. He hopes you enjoyed reading it as much as he enjoyed writing it. Writing is not easy. Without the encouragement of friends and family, the series would never have made it to print.

Though the series has sold well, Benjamin remains about one million book sales short of his goal. You can help him fulfill his goal, and encourage him to finish his next writing project, by writing rave reviews in every forum available and catching up with him on his social media sites.

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Hijinks, Hitchhikers and Mayhem by Gail Koger – Spotlight and Giveaway

January 27, 2025 By 13 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Gail Koger will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

All Casey wanted was to have hot, mind-blowing sex with Hothar, her soul mate. That little fantasy went up in smoke when she’s stuck babysitting a cowardly witch who is the galaxy’s only hope of survival.

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My gaze fixed on a tall, brawny warrior dressed in a spiffy black uniform striding across the landing pad. God, why did he seem so familiar? I eyed his short hair and beard. He didn’t look Coletti. Maybe he was one of Zarek’s mercenaries. I mentally scanned him, and my jaw dropped. “Oh, my God. Hothar?”

The warrior stopped and turned to face me.

My affectionate companion had turned into a cold-eyed stranger. My stomach tied in knots; I walked over to him. “What happened to your warrior’s braids?

“I cut them off.”

Color me confused. Braids were an important part of a Coletti warrior’s identity. “Why?”

“I went undercover as an Avicii mercenary.”

Which explained his brown eyes. “And the beard?”

“It hides my Coletti features.” Hothar’s gaze roamed over me. “You have not been eating properly.”

“Gee, I wonder why?”

“I must go. Zarek awaits me.”

Talk about a slap in the face. Was he that eager to get away from me? “Who do you think told me where you were? Should I call you War Commander now or will Hot Lips still do?”

The muscles in Hothar’s jaw bunched. “I do not answer to Hot Lips.”

“Don’t I get a hug, Hot Lips?”

Hothar’s hands fisted. “I gave my word to Zarek that I would not touch you.”

“Well, I didn’t.” I wrapped my arms around him. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“And I you.”

Pain squeezed my heart at his cool, impersonal tone. He didn’t sound like he had missed me at all. His body remained stiff and unyielding. My God, he hadn’t even smiled at me. I took a step back and smacked his chest. “You’ve changed your mind about us. That’s why you never wrote or called or linked with me.”

About the Author: I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea what a real emergency is. Take this for example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone I took up writing.

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Coming Up with Titles by L.T. Getty – Guest Post and Giveaway

January 24, 2025 By 5 Comments

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

Coming Up With Titles

Coming up with Fantasy Titles is easy! Just pick a format:

1) A _______ of _________ ; if you’re feeling dangerous making it a little longer:
2) A ________ of ________ & _________
Or go with Good Old Classic
3) ___________ of the ___________

Switch around “of” to “and” as needed or like a good boomer add a “The”, then pick from the following list:

Moon
Sword
Throne
Ash
Fire
Wolf
Prince
Sea
Crown
Midnight

I’m kidding. These are popular formats. Famous examples include:

1) The Wheel of Time; Tower of Obsidian; The Sword of Truth
2) A Court of Thorns and Roses; A Song of Ice and Fire; A Ballad of Snakes and Songbirds
3) The Lord of the Rings; Gardens of the Moon; Faith of the Fallen

Again kidding – Tower of Obsidian isn’t famous.

Whether we’re talking about an individual book or are coming up with a series name, you usually need something relatively short and punchy, unique and memorable. Why short? Because it will get a nickname otherwise and, while I have no problem using ACoTaR and TLotR, those are famous, if you’re not careful it’ll be that book with the dragons and it had red. Also, it may be listed with the series title, and again, these are famous, but A Song of Ice and Fire: A Dance with Dragons or The Wheel of Time: Fires from Heaven; but it’s more common for books for young readers, such as Harry Potter & the Philosopher’s Stone or Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief. I don’t know how much you care about covers but, I’d like the title not to be completely crammed in there.

The first thing I would consider if this is going to be a standalone or a series and figure out if you want a running theme. For instance, I have another series called Rogue Healer, and the format follows Person’s Something: Witchslayer’s Scion, Magus Gambit, Titan’s Ascent, and the working title for the next in the sequence is Hawk’s Flight, but that might change. I like having meaning about what’s going on in the story, so it’s not uncommon for me to be drafting and come up with a title midway or even after I have a working draft.

I had several considerations when naming A Fable of Wood and String. My father pointed out The Puppet Master was already taken and not at all original, but that was always my intended name for the duology as a whole and never each book. Several contenders included Songs Foxes Sing, Of Shepherds and Foxes, and my first solid one I came up with was A Ballad of Wood and String – music plays an integral part of the story – but The Hunger Games launched a new book/movie in 2023 (The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), so I decided that would sound too much like piggy-backing, so I changed Ballad to Fable. I wouldn’t begrudge anyone else if they chose not to do this, but my niece also is not a fan of The Hunger Games, so I wanted to distance myself between the two.

I considered A Jig of Wood and String but it didn’t sound right. To me, etymology is important, and a Fable is usually a short morality tale often featuring talking animals. It has other definitions though:

fable
noun
1. a short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters; apologue: Aesop’s fables.
the fable of the tortoise and the hare;
Aesop’s fables.
2. a story not founded on fact:
This biography is largely a self-laudatory fable.
3. a story about supernatural or extraordinary persons or incidents; legend:
the fables of gods and heroes.
4. legends or myths collectively:
the heroes of Greek fable.
5. an untruth; falsehood:
This boast of a cure is a medical fable.
6. the plot of an epic, a dramatic poem, or a play.
7. idle talk:
old wives’ fables.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/fable

Most of these work, so one could argue which one I meant. It’s a work of fiction (2), but that’s using it in the vaguest way possible. I’d argue foremostly it’s also the plot of an epic (6) and about supernatural events (3), so the fact that the foxes talk are a bonus.

Wood & String has several meanings. The first and most obvious is that marionettes are traditionally made of wood (and plaster, glass, etc) and are controlled by string. The second is the mandolin Lily plays and uses is again made of wood and strings. Finally, there’s the dynamic between the fox and the jorogumo. The jorogumo spins a web of lies and deceit and catches her victims. In this case she turns them into marionettes and controls them via strings. The fox on the other hand’s normal domain is the woods. This implies a game between two supernatural creatures with human beings in the balance.

So how does one start coming up with names? This is the case whether you’re trying to come up with a business name or even for chapters. Practice. Take a book or show you love and come up with something else that would work in a pinch. It’s not as easy as it first appears, but if you practice, I promise it’ll get easier. Look up words similar to the ones that the author/creator has already used and see if you can evoke a similar mood or theme or, consider if you wanted to go for a complete rebrand. How would you do it differently?

How are you at coming up with titles? Any trends you love, others you wish would go away? Comment below.


Would it hurt you to just do as you’re told?

The O’Connell siblings live in the shadow of their parent’s past, held back by obligation to keep the people of Stagmil safe when their father has to lead the non-hunters of their village to drive off a wyvern.

Lily doesn’t trust the stranger who calls herself Madeline when she staggers into the pastoral lands. The puppeteer seems to take an interest in Lily’s talent with the family mandoline, and she teaches Lily new music. Lily’s had songs stuck in her head before, but nothing like this.

Twins Seth and Tiffany however can’t wait for their father to return so they can get on with the shearing. Seth should at least be helping hunt the wyvern, and Tiffany wants to take her best friend Molly and head to the nearest city and see the world.

The twins and several other villagers are lured by song into the woods and transformed into marionettes: Seth breaking free before he can be strung, and Lily tainted in a way she doesn’t understand. They have the skills to track the woman down, but to restore Seth to his body, and rescue Tiffany and the others?

Tracking the woman takes them far from the familiar woodlands they know, across the sea to an enchanted castle, where in an effort to rescue their sister they’ll learn something much more sinister than turning folk into puppets is going on. They’ll get help, of course, but not from who they expected.

After all, last Seth checked, foxes are only supposed to have the one tail.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The figure in black started to play something else, and the other’s eyes widened. Tiffany shouted something, and they all reached for the soft wax of the candle but didn’t know what they were doing. In the haste of grabbing the candle, it was knocked to the ground.

Seth ignored his companions and nocked his bow. “Stop what you’re doing or I’ll shoot!”

The figure seemed undeterred. Seth knew he was about to commit murder, but he didn’t care and he wouldn’t leave Louis or any of them to whatever that doppelganger was, and this thing was obviously part of this plot. He loosed the arrow, and the figure only stopped playing to bat it away with the sword hidden under the cloak. Impossible, Seth thought, nocking another with a second between his fingers for quick redraw. He might not be the finest archer—but at this range he didn’t have to be, and no one could deflect arrows in succession for long.

Someone screamed. It looked like Rebecca was caught in a web when she tried to bolt from the glen between two trees. Seth unsheathed his long knife and went to help her, but the figure of Not-Lily appeared, taking off her face and standing near Rebecca. The face was completely blank underneath; Seth let out a surprised gasp before she replaced that face with something with six red eyes, two in the normal place with another four running up her forehead.

Then he saw it—her—grow. The lower half of her body swelled and became massive, bulbous, like the back half of a centaur; her body remained about the same size, but rather than fur and four legs, shimmering black hair and eight legs protruded from the torso, longer at the bend than Dale was tall. She towered over Rebecca. A giant spider . . . woman? There was something eerily feminine about it, a sort of terrible beauty that froze him when his instincts told him to move. She stepped over Rebecca, barrelling down on Seth. He loosed another arrow at her head, but she dodged and shot out webbing from her hands that knocked him backwards, pinning him to the grass. More spider silk flew and pinned his arm to the grass.

Seth tried to wriggle free the monster chased after Dale, and to Seth’s horror, caught him with long strands at his wrists, and wrangled him like a marionette. Dale wriggled against the webbing and she dragged him back, and it seemed that he was transforming in the shadow, shrinking and becoming . . . something else. Seth unbuttoned his over shirt to try to free himself.

Dale was reduced to the size of a doll, and the spider had shifted him to a web in the canopy before going after Tiffany. Brigid flailed between two trees, seemingly stuck in a giant web.

Louis cut Seth free and thrust the bow into Seth’s hand. He shouted something and Seth realized that if he got her attention, there wouldn’t be another time. Louis released his sling in the dark. Seth couldn’t see the rock’s trajectory but the spider reeled, leaving Tiffany and moved with intent on the pair of them. They darted in opposite directions, and by luck the creature honed in on Louis, giving Seth enough time to fire. The arrow bounced off the creature’s bulbous body.

Out of the corner of his eye, Seth thought he saw a fox or coyote dart from the bush and bound through the grass. It ran behind the mandolin-playing creature and bit it in the butt. Suddenly there were two people, but Seth couldn’t watch them.

Seth let loose another arrow, narrowly missing the torso, and shouted at the others to run—he wasn’t sure who it had now, was it Rebecca or Molly? The light was too poor for him to be certain, but whoever the spider held she was shrinking fast.

The creature turned, six red and black eyes focused on Seth, and came down on him with full force. Seth found his limbs caught by two bands of silk and forced above his head, and he was hoisted into the air. He locked eyes with Louis who was looking not only smaller, but . . . wooden. Against his control, Seth raised his hands to his ears and removed the wax, and sound same rushing back.

About the Author L.T. Getty is a Manitoba Paramedic. She received her degree in English in 2006 from the University of Winnipeg, and has gone on to write several novels. Her latest title, Titan’s Ascent, is a sword and sorcery forthcoming from Champagne Books for 2025.

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Climbing A Mountain: How Authors Actually Make Books by Paul G. Wright – Guest Blog and Giveaway

January 20, 2025 By 10 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Paul G. Wright 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.

Climbing A Mountain: How Authors Actually Make Books

To the average person, writing a book might seem straightforward. The author gets an idea, jots down some notes, locks themselves in a room for a few weeks, and emerges with a manuscript. Then they call in an Editor—basically a “Superwriter”—who marks it up with a red pen, and after a few corrections, the book is ready to send to a publisher.

Simple, right?

Well… not exactly.

The media loves the romanticized image of the inspired author burning the midnight oil and mailing their dream story to a publisher who immediately turns it into a bestseller. It’s a great fairy tale, but the reality of writing is a bit more complex. It’s not magic—it’s work.

Take my latest book, Line of Sight, for example. It started with a cool idea. A spy trying to retrieve an invisibility formula from a master criminal. But the idea was just the beginning. To build a believable world, I needed research. Lots of research. I don’t work for the CIA, so I called friends with relevant experience. A police officer, and a Marine Corps veteran for starters. Their expertise helped me understand law enforcement, military protocols, and the nuances that make a spy story credible.

Next, I tackled the invisibility formula. What would it be? How would it work? I consulted a science-fiction-loving colleague, along with a family friend who’s a scientist and inventor. Through these conversations, I crafted a plausible mechanism for the formula and a world where it could exist.

Then came the characters. The heart of any story. Writers like to talk about “character creation,” but here’s the truth: we draw inspiration from real life. Characters aren’t carbon copies of people we know, but they are influenced by personalities, quirks, and moments we’ve observed. Just as a musician draws inspiration from existing melodies, writers shape their fictional characters from the experiences they’ve had with real people.

But how do you actually write the thing? The answer is, little by little. Writing a book is like tackling a big work project. You research, assemble a team (your characters), and set a schedule. Most writers outline their story, break it into manageable pieces, and commit to showing up every day.

Some days, the words flow effortlessly. Other days, you want to delete everything and escape to a bar. But, just like any big project, you keep going. You pour a fresh cup of coffee, sit down, and keep typing until the manuscript is done.

Yes, there’s imagination involved, and moments where the words seem to come from nowhere. But at its core, writing a book is a project. You take an idea, flesh it out with help from others, populate it with characters inspired by real life, and then you write. Day by day, page by page, until you’ve climbed to the top of the mountain.

And submitting the manuscript? Well, that’s another blog!

It is 1995, and intelligence operative Lora Chandler, a.k.a. Agent Vogel, is tasked with investigating the claim that Professor Simon Blackmarr has cracked the invisibility problem. A mission that leads her back to the half-forgotten beach town of Lancaster, Florida. Home to estranged love interest, and newspaper reporter Richard Davis. Her feelings for him have never really died, and matters become even more complicated when Vogel learns that Blackmarr’s breakthrough is legitimate. A scientific discovery that —in the wrong hands — could alter the balance of global power. The stakes become even higher when the professor is abducted from the university, forcing Vogel back into the shadowy realm of espionage to find out who and why. It will take all the skill and cunning Lora Chandler possesses to stop a threat that could have devastating consequences for her personal life — and the world at large.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The file lay in easy reach, on the conference table. The letters LMAR printed across the front. In another moment she would have it. She reached out.

“I think not.”

Mason. He was like a cat, with more lives.

“You think wrong,” said Vogel.

Mason’s hand slammed down on the folder, inches from hers. Their eyes met—his with that same arrogant smirk she’d seen a hundred times before, his dark hair perfectly in place. As always, he was impeccably dressed, his wine-red tie in a flawless knot. Vogel couldn’t deny it—under different circumstances, she might . . . But no, he was an international criminal and a murderer. And he kissed like a college freshman. The lines were drawn.

Mason looked at her through steely eyes. “Vogel,” he said coolly, “why do we always seem to have this same discussion?”

Vogel smirked. “Because, Mason, you’re terrible at losing.”

Mason nodded. “A character flaw, I’m afraid, that is permanent.”

She snatched the file away as Mason lunged for her. Instinctively, her hand went for her gun, and she pointed the sleek black barrel directly at his head. He froze, a smile playing across his face.

“Now let’s be practical,” Mason said. “There’s no way out.”

“You always say that.”

A door opened and men in dark fatigues entered, holding assault rifles. Mason’s henchmen. She should have known. They stood on either side of him, with their weapons trained on her like spiders. Vogel counted six in all.

Mason eyed her. “Really, Vogel. I mean, what are your options? Why don’t you just hand that over and we can all sit down?”

A bead of sweat ran down her back. Her shoes were tight, and she hadn’t showered since Wednesday. She felt gross. This was taking longer than expected. They were on the thirtieth floor, standing in front of a series of plate glass windows. Mason was right. There was no way out.

It was then she heard the roar of the helicopter.

About the Author: Paul G. Wright is a native of Atlanta, GA. He has worked as a newspaper journalist, freelance writer, and screenwriter. He studied acting at the Warehouse Actors Theater and earned his degree in filmmaking from Columbia College Hollywood, in Tarzana, CA. He currently resides in the Atlanta area with his wife and their cat Dusty.

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