This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author 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.
You don’t have to be a writer to know the angst of reading a bad review. I’ve worked in restaurants and own a business which sells oysters around the world. I work tirelessly to produce a food which is the best of the best and confidently send out over 1 million oysters every year, proud of what me and my team have produced. Even so, I still see the odd review calling my oysters rubbish or not fresh. It’s hard to read as I know their review isn’t a true reflection of what I’ve farmed. It can be even harder not to respond to their review.
But that’s the thing, never respond.
As a newly published writer I was buzzing from the thought of seeing my book on bookshelves, but also seeing people having not only read my book but be happy to take the time to review it. I did a Masters in Creative Writing and I know how hard it was to take the time to read friends’ creative pieces, let alone give feedback. So, if someone is willing to take the time out of their day to read something I’ve written, well, that was humbling and amazing.
I forgot that some people would be taking the time out and then wishing they hadn’t.
I read my first bad review around friends because they were able to make light of it and also put it in perspective. They reminded me that I have a lot more great reviews than bad ones and also, no-one will ever avoid a bad review. Sometimes, people will just think what you create isn’t very good.
And that’s okay.
I don’t want to experience a wave of bad reviews, but sometimes the bad ones help with keeping you grounded and reminding you that writing is a skill which takes patience and practice. A bad review helps sharpen the skills.
Well, I tell myself that after I have little sob.
It is the year 2030, and the Roman Empire never fell. Emperor Nero II rules half the world, but half the world is not enough for the unpredictable Emperor.
Britannia is a Roman outpost. London Bridge is lined with crucified bodies. The streets are patrolled by soldiers in high-speed, horseless chariots. Nero views Britannia as a vital but fractious asset for his planned invasion of the Republic of Indigenous America.
Boatman King was born out of rage. A rage that propels him to try and destroy the Empire. He’s not alone: he leads clandestine rebels fighting to drive the Empire from Britannia. These rebels are his weapon, which he hopes will obliterate Nero and the entire Empire.
Rebellion, though, comes at a steep price. Olivia, Boatman’s wife, is caught and crucified on London Bridge by Nero’s son, Maximus, who is intent on flushing Boatman from hiding.
Instead, Maximus draws Maverick ‘The Beast’ Kirabo, Boatman’s fearsome second-in-command, a champion gladiator who now fights for Rome’s dismay, not their entertainment.
Enjoy an Excerpt
“Soldier Gallus and Soldier Marius, I need you to accompany me to my home.” Both soldiers saluted and followed Faust to his chariot. Faust climbed on and sat down at the rear. Gallus remained standing whilst Marius fired the engine. The bulletproof glass roof closed over the soldiers’ heads and sealed the chariot. They sped off away from London Bridge going south to Augustus Park where Faust’s house was situated.
Within fifteen minutes Faust was striding through his front door, gun drawn and Gallus and Marius flanking. The town house had three floors, six bedrooms in total and an airy, open-plan ground floor. Each soldier took a floor and searched. They quickly cleared the rooms, finding no-one present and nothing out of the ordinary to report.
They convened in the kitchen, and Faust holstered his gun.
“Maybe we beat them to it?” said Marius.
Faust grunted and didn’t bother to respond. He knew something wasn’t right in the house but could quite place it. He needed to walk through and check it off. He’d only searched the ground floor but something didn’t make sense.
“I need you both to stand guard outside. Anyone so much as approaches the house suspiciously I want you to shoot them. If anyone is allowed access to the house without my permission, I will crucify you both upside down. Understand?”
Both men nodded and saluted and left the house to take sentry out the front.
About the Author: 
Tom was born in Essex and at 4 months old he and his identical twin were adopted into an oyster farming family. Tom now runs the business as generation eight of Haward oyster farmers. He has a fiancée, baby daughter and a cockapoo.
Tom has an MA in Creative Writing and has loved telling stories since he was a child, whether verbally or through prose.
The Path of Chaos is his debut novel. He is also working on a six episode comedy screenplay and tweets passionately about his family’s industry and the challenges it faces.
Buy the book at Amazon.
Wielding a trio of enchanted Elven weapons to battle a dark wizard and a legion of diabolical dwarves, Tristan is faced with the impossible choice between saving the woman he loves or defending his endangered kingdom. Inexplicably compelled to remain in the sacred forest where he hears the voice of her heart, the heir to the throne of Cornwall incurs the wrath and scorn of his army when he decides to hunt for his captive mate.
Doctor Anna Hastings is no stranger to disasters, having spent much of her career as an aid worker in conflict zones around the world. Yet when an electrical phenomenon known as an EMP brings down the power grid, Anna faces catastrophe on a scale she never imagined. She must learn what it means to be a doctor in a world deprived of almost all technology.
Linda Naughton has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. She is the author of several novels, children’s books, and the blog Self-Rescuing Princesses. A proud geek and gamer girl, she enjoys sci-fi, disaster movies, and role-playing games. She is a software engineer, paramedic, and mother of two.
The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I
The Shining Citadel – The Light Beyond the Storm – Book II
The Stolen Tower – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book III
Not long after their move into Blackstone, married couple Mitch and Buck begin to witness strange sightings of shadowy figures, physical manifestations and inexplicable events taking place in the former Sheppard family estate nestled in the Northern Poconos of Pennsylvania. Through séances, they learn from the spirit of Jedidiah Sheppard that he has not been able to cross over into the afterlife because the truth behind his sudden disappearance in 1965 has never been solved. During this journey, Mitch and Buck and an eccentric psychic, Gladys Munch aka Madame Fortunesta, encounter interference from the spirit of a Lenape medicine man, Mesingwe Medeu, who protects Jedidiah’s spirit. Mitch and Buck eventually realize that they must find Jedidiah’s remains and let the authorities discover through modern detective work the evidence needed to try and convict the murderer. But is it too late for Jedidiah’s spirit to find eternal peace?
After twenty-five years in higher education, Patrick Field traded in teaching and textbooks to pursue his passion of writing spine-chilling fiction. Holding a Ph.D. in Anatomical Sciences and Neuroscience, his experience informs his writing, a unique blend of scientific knowledge with supernatural storytelling.
Following the exodus from rising floodwaters, the surviving descendants of those who came to create a society on a planet far from Earth have struggled to rebuild within the remains of an ancient temple. Now, as disease and an unfamiliar environment threaten to destroy them yet again, everyone seems to have an opinion about what to do next.
Benjamin, a speculative fiction author, ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time.
Young boy Hatsukoi leaves his village to become a monk, only to find monastic life incredibly boring. With a new-found name and a new-found friend, Hatsukoi travels the countryside and plays tricks at the expense of corrupt, irate, greedy, and ignorant people. Nobles of all ranks—from petty governors to crown princes—fall victim to the boy’s wit and cunning.
‘Ryū’ means ‘dragon’ in Japanese, and ‘Zhong’ can be translated from Chinese as ‘flute’. This amalgam of languages represents the fusion of cultures that characterises the writings of Ryū Zhong.
From the outside, Alex has a perfect life. She has a partner who loves her, gets good grades in school, excels at most sports, and has a big heart. From the inside, Alex’s life is anything but perfect. She hasn’t spoken to her father in years. She’s hiding the fact that her once-best-friend now-romantic-partner Theo is trans and nonbinary from her homophobic mother. Bullies are harassing her and Theo at school, taunting and shoving. It’s all becoming too much for Alex to bear.
Born and raised in New England, Phoenix has always been a creative – whether it’s painting or writing. From a very young age, Phoenix has envisioned and created characters, writing them into existence and exploring them through visual arts. Having graduated to first-time short story author, Phoenix is embarking on a journey towards novel writing as they finally bring characters they’ve known for years into the world. Phoenix is neurodiverse and intersex and hopes to bring more representation to both topics with their writing. They believe in creating relatable characters that people can find themselves in and empathize with.
