Stick It Out: Advice for New Writers by Taylor Hohulin – Guest Blog and Giveaway

November 28, 2018 By 10 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Taylor Hohulin will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Stick It Out: Advice for New Writers

After five years of self-publishing, I have five novels, two short stories, a nonfiction, and a whole stack of blogs to my name. I don’t necessarily consider myself an expert on the topic, but I think I’m past that “new writer” phase, too.

Any time someone asks me the best advice I’d give to new writers, the thing I keep coming back to is this three-word phrase: Stick it out. Writing is a long game, and it’ll feel disproportionate at times. After all, I can read a really good paperback in a couple weeks, but to write one? Give me at least a year. And chances are, if I want it to be even more readable, even more un-put-down-able, I need to spend even longer.

So I’ll say it again: Stick it out.

When every word you write feels forced, every scene contrived, and every character flat, stick it out. Your job is not to have a perfect piece of fiction ready for the presses after day one. Your job is to bring that little project another step closer to completion. You will likely sit down at your computer hundreds of times over the course of writing a book, but only once will you get up from a truly completed manuscript. Every other time, you’ll walk away from something incomplete and broken. But don’t let that discourage you. Stick it out.

When it seems like you’ve been writing the same story forever and you still have so far to go, when you just want to be done with it already and have a nice paperback trophy for your bookshelf, stick it out. Remember what I said about the long game? You’ll spend a lot longer hammering away at the keyboard, dreaming up settings and characters and plot twists than you will holding that finished paperback. At least, I hope you will. And that’s good, right? You started writing because you liked to write. Don’t let the excitement of a completed project distract you from the pure joy of telling a story. Don’t rush to finish a project just for the sake of having a finished project. Stick it out.

And when you find a gaping plot hole, when suddenly it’s the dead center of act two and your story isn’t fresh and fun anymore, when a sparkly new idea rears its gleaming head, stick it out. You won’t always love the book you’re working on, and that’s okay. When you get those shiny new ideas in the middle of a dull and old project, write them down and save them for later. Let them marinate while you’re working on a project that was once a shiny new idea to you. If you keep chasing every exciting new plot idea that pops up, you run the risk of never finishing anything, of never seeing that you can take an idea that’s lost its luster and, in spite of what you think in the moment, turn it into something you’re proud of. Keep coming back. Keep making that project a little more beautiful. Stick it out.

So that’s what I have for you. Maybe not very in-depth, but it’s a mentality that’s helped me. Writing isn’t a sprinting hobby; it’s a marathon. And I guess that’s a good thing. If you love something, wouldn’t you want it to require you to spend lots of time with it?

Brendan Cobb calls it tar, but there might be as many names for it as cities left standing.

To some, it’s known as filth, or blight. Others call it the Black God in reverential whispers. Whatever name it takes, the effects are the same. Cities left in ruins. People turned into monsters. Living infections with no known cure. The best anyone can do is avoid it, but even that gets harder the more it spreads.

Brendan survives this waking nightmare by trading salvage for shelter and for repairs to his cybernetic arm, until a newcomer arrives, convinced Brendan is the key to ridding the world of tar once and for all. Reluctantly, Brendan and his mechanic join the newcomer on a journey across the desolate highways of a ruined world, where he learns the true history of the tar…and of the dark power inside him, which grows stronger every day.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Tiger Stripe barked something harsh and insistent, but Brendan barely heard it. He’d descended into a place ruled by impulse and instinct. Coldness enveloped him as his legs pumped, pulling the tunnel in the debris ever closer.

Tile exploded a few inches from Brendan’s feet, an errant shot from Tiger Stripe’s blaster. He did not fire again—a wise decision, considering Brendan was running toward the only way out. The last thing anyone needed was a collapsed tunnel.

Just as Brendan wondered if he would escape, a sound roared behind him, speeding closer at an alarming rate. Metal joints pistoned over and over, faster than any human could move on his own.

Brendan glanced back. The kid with two mods in place of his legs was sprinting after Brendan. The slender prosthetics looked more like they belonged on an insect than a human. As the thought crossed his mind, a single word cut through the coldness that surrounded him. The salvagers were chanting.

“Grasshopper! GRASS! HA! PER! Grasshopper! GRASS! HA! PER!”

Grasshopper leaned forward as he ran, with an expression equal parts grin and grimace. Brendan didn’t want to fight him here, not with four other salvagers waiting to join. It would be cleaner if he could separate them and take them one by one.

None of these things occurred to Brendan as thoughts. They were instincts, like don’t touch a fire, or don’t breathe underwater. They passed through his mind in an instant, registering deep within his very core.

About the Author: Taylor Hohulin is a radio personality by morning, a science fiction author by afternoon, and asleep by 9:30. He is the author of The Marian Trilogy, Tar, and other genre-blending works. He lives in West Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife, where they are owned by a dog and a cat.

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The book will be on sale for $0.99 at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.


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My Take On Critique Groups by David Allan Hamilton – Guest Blog and Giveaway

November 15, 2018 By 9 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

My Take On Critique Groups

So you’ve written a poem or a short story or a chunk of your novel and you’ve heard it’s important to get some feedback from experienced writers to make sure you’re on the right track. You find a meet up group of writers in your neighborhood getting together to critique each others’ work, so you gather your courage and head on down.

When you get there, you find there are twenty people in the room. The organizer says each person who wants to share has no more than 5 minutes, and any and all feedback must be given concisely in order to get everyone through.

When your turn comes, you begin reading your short story—a wonderful science fiction story about a mutant humanoid in a post-apocalyptic world. Within moments, you hear some people talking over there, someone else getting up and leaving to get a soda, someone else anxiously tapping their foot, and before you know it the organizer stops you because you’ve run out of time.

No one has much to say about your story, because they don’t know you, but there’s always that one guy who has advice for everyone, and he’s the one that comes down on you like a load of bricks, suggesting that the world doesn’t need another post-apocalyptic story featuring mutants and whatnot, and that your lead character is flat and your setting is boring.

Has this ever happened to you?

Unfortunately, it can be a common occurrence and the problem is that as writers, we rely on feedback as we go along. We need a group of other writers or readers to let us know whether the story makes sense or not, because we ourselves lose that objective view of things.

The question is: how do you find a group of writers that’s going to be encouraging, open, fair, kind, and helpful?

I have to admit, as an introvert, I’m not big on groups for anything. I prefer individual sports and activities for the most part, and don’t enjoy hanging out with a lot of rowdy extroverts. So perhaps I’m a bit biased when it comes to groups. That said, I also know how important it is to read your work as your writing, to get that instant feedback. I learned that lesson twenty years ago when I wrote my first novel. I had a target of 75,000 words for this novel, and I plotted it out, got myself a regular writing time, and put down 60,000 words or so. Then, I read the story back to myself and I realized my protagonist was a jerk. Oh boy. This would either require a major re-write or a major flush job. I ended up putting it away and it has not seen the light of day since!

That’s the kind of problem you could encounter if you do all your writing in complete isolation.

So, if we agree that our stories will be strengthened through a discussion with a writing group, where can you find one that will actually be helpful?

For starters, stay away from meet up groups. You don’t know these people and they don’t know you, so there’s absolutely no trust involved at all. Another group to stay away from is your friends and family (with some exceptions). They will generally love whatever you write, so you won’t get helpful feedback from that group either. But, you don’t need a lot of other people to get started. In fact, you don’t even need other writers. What you really need are active readers who understand plotting and character development. One or two of your friends or family may fall in to this group. If they do, and you want to share your story with them, be sure to tell them exactly what you’re looking for: what parts of the story work, which ones don’t, and are there any suggestions for making the story more effective?

The other thing I would do is join a writing workshop or course. You’ll often find like-minded writers there, and because you generally meet several times, you’ll come to know the others and figure out which ones you can trust. Approach them and see if they’d like to get together for a discussion of writing. Set the ground rules before hand, and you’ll enjoy a very helpful get together.

America has splintered into various independent republics after a brutal civil war. Against this backdrop, space exploration is on the cusp of new technological breakthroughs. Jim Atteberry, a mid-30s English professor at City College in San Francisco, spends his free time listening for alien signals on the amateur radio astronomy bands. His life as a single parent to his precocious daughter is turned upside-down when he hears an intelligent cry for help from the Ross 128 system and realizes we are not alone. This signal unleashes a chain of events pitting Jim and his brilliant, mysterious colleague Kate against a power-hungry scientist with his own secret agenda. Jim must learn the truth about the signal, the strange disappearance of his wife Janet, and the meaning of true love before it’s too late in this first contact thriller.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“How long does it take a subspace signal to travel from Ross 128 to Earth?” he asked.

The machine responded verbally. “Twenty-two minutes, 13.4 seconds with current subspace technology.”

Atteberry recorded the time on his notepad, then looked at the screen. “Is there any history of alien signals coming from Ross 128?”

“Negative. Although in 2017, unknown signals from that system were received at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo. They were later dismissed as Terran satellites.”

Ghost signals. That happened sometimes due to the multitude of satellites orbiting Earth back then, and now around the moon and Mars. Signals would bounce and echo off them all the time, like ripples in a pond bouncing off rocks and plants.

“Speculate as to the origin of this signal if it’s a ghost.”

“Ready.”

“Proceed.”

“If the signal is a ghost, it is most likely an artifact of the Second American Civil War circa 2070. The Northern Democratic States and the Confederate States often used ghost signals as decoys to confuse enemy communications.”

So that’s it, Atteberry thought, he’s been chasing old civil war ghosts. Yet the question of subspace remained, and, as far as he knew, neither side in the civil war used the emerging FTL technology. It wasn’t sufficiently developed until after the new republics separated.

“What is the likelihood that these Ross 128 signals are satellite ghosts?”

“0.02 percent.”

“What’s the probability the true source is the Ross 128 system itself?”

“74.8 percent.”

Atteberry leaned forward on his workbench and realized the results were inconclusive. “What’s the probability that these signals are naturally occurring… a pulsar or a quasar for example?”

“Zero percent. The signals are artificially produced with slight variations in pattern frequency, suggesting unknown transmission methodology.”

“Human?”

“Improbable. There are no known humans in the Ross 128 space.”

Atteberry feared asking the next question; he swallowed hard. “Alien?”

“99.8 percent probable.”

About the Author:David Allan Hamilton is a teacher, writer, and multipotentialite. He is a graduate of Laurentian University (BSc. Applied Physics) and The University of Western Ontario (MSc. Geophysics). He lives in Ottawa where he facilitates writing workshops and teaches. When not writing, David enjoys riding his bike long distances, painting, and knitting.

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Until We are Free by TM Blayte – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

November 2, 2018 By 6 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. TM Blayte will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Nyl Jayms is tasked with kidnaping the Elder princess, to force her brother, the king, to negotiate with humans. The alternative is a war that could lead to the annihilation of both humans and Elders.

A Rider Council faction, led by Nyl’s father, is opposed to any negotiations. They will do anything, including sabotaging his assignment, to trigger a war.

Nyl and his team have to outsmart the king’s elite Royal Guard, to get to the princess, and somehow stay one step ahead of the faction opposed to negotiations. Everyone will be forced to re-evaluate ideology they were raised with, as an impending war looms ever closer.

Join these elite teenage rebel warriors on a journey of war, betrayal, and political scheming, in Until We Are Free. In this debut novel from TM Blayte, faces of friends, family, allies and enemies will blur. Loyalties will be tested, until the determination to be free becomes the only thing that matters. After all, does one person’s freedom mean another person’s oppression?”

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

“To another point of business.” Dad says. “We need you to guard the prisoner.”

“What?” The exclamation comes from both me, John, Churchdoor and Green.

“That is ridiculous!” Churchdoor says. “They are children!”

“Remember,” Dad says. “There are people who don’t want this to work. We cannot trust our own. These kids are the best substitutions.”

“Do you think these kids can hold their own if an army of RG converge on them?!” John asks, a note of derision in his voice.

“Well,” Dad raises his hands, “today, they apparently managed to pull off this impossible mission without any help, John. Without a drop of external help. They grabbed one of the most securely guarded people in the kingdom and evaded the most elite security force in the kingdom. If we ever want to assassinate the king, we have our dream team. Surely, surely, watching the girl won’t be a challenge after what they did today.”

“But these kids are supposed to get their assignments soon. We can’t keep them locked up in guard duty.” Green says, pen not moving where he’s supposed to be taking notes. “If anything, today proves we need more of their kind in the field, Grandmaster.”

“Absolutely not!” Govinda pipes up. “These children did use unorthodox methods today to begin with. They went around throwing steam bombs on the mansion. They drove like monkeys, catching everyone’s attention. I believe a video of that horrendous driving almost found its way on ViewCloud. Eryque took care of that thank goodness. Doesn’t your Camp teach people how to drive, Blessing?”

Moyo scowls. “You are one to talk about driving. I’ve never met a Govinda who can drive in my entire life.”

Unimpressed by this response, Govinda continues, “Furthermore, they allowed the two RG men to go. Those two can now identify Nyl and Tamira any place in the world. Not only them. The Garage manager can identify the dead kid and make a connection. Almost the entire kitchen staff knows Nyl’s face. The people supplying Mansion needs can identify Tamira. After looking at all the surveillance cameras around the kingdom, I dare say I’m surprised the RG isn’t breaking down this door, looking for them.”

Govinda looks down at the paper in his hand, “This is part of the report RG made, which Eryque managed to get a hold of. Listen:

Report by Royal Guard Agent L Brothers . . . etc. Five human teenagers of the following descriptions wanted. Tall, heavyset male human, with dreadlocks, black of skin. Tall, muscular male human, with short hair, black of skin. Short human female, with short blond hair, white of skin. Average height male human, black hair, believed to be an albino. And the dead kid they have obviously. Need I say more?”

About the Author: Aspiring journalist by day, reader by night, and author somewhere in between, TM Blayte is the author of Until We Are Free. He is published by Alban Lake Publishing. He is also the author of short works such as: Till Death Do Us Part, The Last Children, and The Power of Legend. T’s biggest dream is to … Nah, it’s personal!

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Buy the book from Infinite Realms Bookstore. The Power of Legend is available for free reading on T’s blog.


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Background to Queen Mary’s Daughter by Emily-Jane Hills Orford – Guest Blog and Giveaway

October 26, 2018 By 5 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Emily-Jane Hills Orford will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Background to Queen Mary’s Daughter

I have a passion for Scotland and everything Scottish. Its people exude an intense aura of mystique and romance. I mean, men in kilts, rugged, tough, strong. Scottish women in long robes with plaids wrapped around them or draped elegantly over their shoulders. And the landscape: lush fields and forests, rocky edifices and grand lochs. Mystery everywhere you go: Loch Ness monster, haunted castles.

For me, Scotland is part of my heritage. My grandmother (Gran) instilled in me a powerful love of the country where she was born. We read together, mostly about Scotland: Mary Queen of Scots, Rob Roy MacGregor (the Robin Hood of the north). She insisted we were descended from both, but then all Scots claim a link to the Stuarts (Stewarts) and the MacGregors.

When I was old enough, Gran and I traveled together. A lot. One special trip took us to Scotland where we traced Gran’s childhood memories. We also followed the trail of Mary Queen of Scots. We had been enjoying a number of novels and biographies about the ill-fated queen and Gran ignited my interest by telling me about ancestors who helped in the queen’s escape from her prison at Loch Leven Castle. There is so much mystery and romance surrounding Queen Mary; so many unsolved myths and legends. I always wanted to write about Queen Mary, but I didn’t want to write a biography, which has been done many times over, and I didn’t want to write a pure historical fiction novel, because I felt Jean Plaidy and others had already done a wonderful job portraying the romantic lore that surrounded this queen and her country. I kept reading new stories about Queen Mary, but it wasn’t until the Brexit debacle and the ongoing desire of the Scottish people to separate from England, that I started looking more closely at the stories around Queen Mary. I knew she had given birth, prematurely, to twins while imprisoned at Loch Leven. History records that the babies died at birth and were buried on the island where the castle sat. An interesting footnote states that the location of the burial and the babies’ remains have never been found. Another myth, unsolved legend? I started thinking, ‘what if?’ What if there had been another heir to the Scottish throne and Scotland never did amalgamate with England and Ireland? And my story unfolded.

There is a sequel in the works. “King Henry’s Choice”. King Henry from the future appears at the very end of “Queen Mary’s Daughter”. He has something to share, but never really gets the opportunity. Another Scottish time travel alternate reality.

I can’t shake this passionate love affair I have with Scotland. I’m sure there are many others who feel the same. Even though I’m only one-quarter Scottish, I am very proud of that one-quarter. As the saying goes, “there’s those who are Scottish and those who want to be Scottish.” I’m a bit of both, I guess.

There are so many possibilities that affect the course of history. One change, one small item overlooked, can make a world of difference, not only in a person’s life, but in the history and well-being of an entire nation. And then there are those multiple scenarios of what if? What if King James VI of Scotland didn’t succeed in amalgamating Scotland with England? What if there had been another heir to the throne of Scotland? One who would secure its independence? Would Scotland have remained free and independent and a nation of its own well into the twenty-first century? And would Scotland, this independent version, make its own decision to join the European Union when its southern neighbor was choosing to pull away?

Queen Mary’s Daughter presents another plausible timeline, one that incorporates both historical fact and fiction with the endless possibilities of time travel.

Enjoy an Excerpt

As the wind picked up, blowing her deep red, unruly curls helter-skelter over her face, Mary Elizabeth’s eyes focused on her hands. She stretched out the left hand, revealing the old ring that sat on her baby finger. It was a tiny ring and it only fit on the one finger. At the same time Gran bestowed the heirloom gift on her granddaughter, she had shared her story of the ring, at least as much as she was willing to share. The ring had been in the family for generations and only the firstborn daughter of the firstborn daughter (and so on and so on) could wear it. The ring was her connection to a past she wasn’t sure she believed in, a past that had been shared from one generation to the next. Or was there more? Was there a story her grandmother never managed to share?

What would she find at Loch Leven Castle? The clues had to be there. But the boy said it was mostly ruins, crumbled walls and tumbled stones, except for the tower. Queen Mary’s tower. What could she possibly unearth to collaborate Gran’s story? And she only had two weeks to do it. She couldn’t afford more time away from work. Even though it was a poorly paid entry level job, she didn’t want to risk losing it.

A glow emanated from the ring on her outstretched hand. She felt a warmth spread up her arms. The wind picked up, violently tossing her hair in every direction, swishing her coat ends like laundry hanging loosely on a clothesline. She faced into the wind, allowing its vicious impact to draw her forward. She took a step, then another, until she felt the cold wet of the lapping waves of the loch splash over her feet. The water was cold; it jolted her back to reality. What was she doing walking into the loch? What was the strong pulse pulling her forward? She allowed her eyes to glance out across the loch, now almost obliterated by the darkened storm that raged all around her.

“Miss.” She heard a voice from behind her as the power continued to drag her into the loch.

“Miss!” A hand gripped her arm, yanking her back toward the dry shore. “Miss!” The hands tightened their hold as she tried to pull away, tried to return to the loch. A scream pierced the air. She didn’t know where the scream originated. It sounded like it came from across the water.

It also sounded like it came from deep within herself.

Another scream and everything went black.

About the Author: Emily-Jane Hills Orford is an award-winning author of several books, including Gerlinda (CFA 2016) which received an Honorable Mention in the 2016 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, To Be a Duke (CFA 2014) which was named Finalist and Silver Medalist in the 2015 Next Generation Indie Book Awards and received an Honorable Mention in the 2015 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards. She writes about the extra-ordinary in life and her books, short stories, and articles are receiving considerable attention.

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Writing for an Anthology by Jae El Foster – guest post and giveaway

October 19, 2018 By 8 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The authors will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Three’s Company
by Jae El Foster
As a reader, I know that I am in great company with the two other brilliant writers in the anthology Enchanted Fairy Tales. Lynn Hubbard and Miriam Newman both crafted such enjoyable, mesmerizing stories that I humbly bow to them.
When the call for submissions was released for Enchanted Fairy Tales, I was in the promotional stages of another anthology – Kings & Queens – and I jumped to the opportunity of the call. However, I was unsure of what to write or how to go about it. As a child, I had been privy to the classic bedtime fairy tales, and like most American children, I endured my fair share of Disney’s fairy tale remakes. Professionally, however, my writing life has always been a contrast to those childhood stories.

My focus with writing falls into multiple genres; I write what the muses tell me to write. Usually, it is horror, thrillers, contemporary, or something along those lines. I’ve enjoyed tackling romance and comedy, and it has always been a great experience to craft these tales. Yet, I will admit; I found the idea of writing a fairy tale quite daunting.

Naturally, when you’re writing a story for a call for submissions, you don’t know who else is submitting or what anyone else is writing. You don’t want to copy; you want to stay original, which means tapping into that creativity and blending the most memorable aspects of the fairy tale genre into one strong, adventurous tale.

I had to go back to my childhood and recall the things that had always stood out for me in fairy tales. There had always been a princess in peril and a prince destined to save her. There was usually a wicked stepmother that caused the princess’s peril. Fairy godmothers came to mind, as did powerful witches. I believe Walt Disney’s influence made me add a lovable animal sidekick to that list. Aside from all of these aspects, you have to remember the basics – there is usually true love’s kiss, and a happily ever after. And, if you’re crafty enough, you can work in the all powerful slaying of the dragon.

Tell me that this isn’t a daunting task.

Did I mention that when I write, I love nothing more than a daunting task?

When we take in these story dimensions and add to it the restraints of a word count, the intensity of the task grows even greater. Again, one does not know how many other authors are submitting works, how many will be accepted, and how long each will be. A guarantee is that a novel-length story will not be accepted into an anthology. It will either be flat-out rejected, or a publisher might ask that it be submitted differently as a stand-alone project, but it will not be in an anthology.

On the opposite hand, a piece of flash fiction would not encompass everything needed to build the story and complete it.

Now, there is the distinct possibility that I set myself up for things that become bigger than they should be, and there is the possibility that I over-think things and go into too much detail or take an extra turn here and there that extends the story.

In my opinion, none of these things are bad.

For my contribution to DCL Publications’ anthology Enchanted Fairy Tales, I went with a long-form short story in ‘To Adventure.’ With it, I was able to include each of the fairy tale elements that I had hoped for – everything from the cursed princess to my own special version of the slaying of the dragon – and I was able to do it in a way that kept the story moving only swiftly, accurately, and with a steady flow.

When I received news from my editor on who would be included in the anthology with me, I was both pleased and excited. I drafted some early promos for each of our contributions, as well as some ‘now available’ promos when the book was released. Both Lady Lynn and Lady Miriam are wonderful women and talented authors and I was – and am – privileged to be in their company with Enchanted Fairy Tales.

The anthology bug is a contagious one. In November, I will be included in a DCL Christmas anthology titled The Greatest Gift of All. I will be alongside DCL seasoned author Kristi Ahlers, as well as two authors who are new to the DCL family – Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe and Roxy Q. Reise. There is even a little surprise in the anthology for our wonderful readers who have enjoyed the Dark Castle Lords for over a decade now.

As if that isn’t exciting enough, I’m helping steadfast DCL’s Valentine’s anthology called Queens of Hearts. The call for submissions for this anthology is still open and will remain so until November 16. For any authors interested in submitting, I’ve included the full call on my website at www.jaeelbooks.com/submissions. We love hearing from new and seasoned authors and are seeking fresh stories from new faces to join our current participating authors for Queens of Hearts.

Writing for an anthology is a wonderful, challenging task, and I invite all authors who have considered it to take on that challenge, embrace it, and conquer it.

Remember always to do good things.

The Gingerbread Man- A Scrumptious Erotic Fairytale
by Lynn Hubbard

Once upon a time there was a girl named Penelope. Food was scarce those days, and she had to walk miles looking for roots or berries to eat. After a long, hot morning Penelope was tired and hungry. A delicious scent led her to a cabin deep in the woods. She followed it in anticipation of having all her needs filled.

The Legend of M’Rith
by Miriam Newman

By 1844, an increase in the human population of Ireland has forced Fae inhabitants from their lush green homes in the East to the spare, bare terrain of the West–except for one. M’Rith, half fairie and half elf, has been bidden by her Queen Mother to remain in the forest, promising her a mortal man to love. Kieran, the village blacksmith, has lost his wife and lives in the same painful solitude as M’Rith, but he is a worker of iron that can mortally wound a fairie lover.

To Adventure
by Jae El Foster

There is a black plague crossing from kingdom to kingdom, placed upon a slumbering princess by her wicked stepmother, and only with true love’s kiss can the spell be lifted. Will the plague encompass all before that kiss can be sealed, or will the power of true love make itself known to the handsome Prince Harold, providing him with the adventure of a lifetime?

Enjoy an excerpt from To Adventure by Jae El Foster

“I thank you for your time, but I must depart now. I have my horse with me, and it is going to storm soon.”

“That thunder does not mean rain,” she said in a cryptic tone.

“Well, I cannot chance that. Thank you again.”

Prince Harold turned from her and walked to the curtain. This time, Madame Howell did not stop him. He pulled the curtain open and stepped outside, looking up to the sky. Surely enough, the sky was clear, the moon was full, and thousands of stars glistened down upon him.

He saw the young man with the scruffy beard standing alone by the fire. Letting his encounter with Madame Howell remain behind him, locked inside that tent, he approached him.

“Hello again,” he said, stepping up to the young man. “I never did get your name.”

“That is because I never told it to you,” the young man answered.

“Well… may I know your name?”

The young man looked at him and smiled. His smile was less than comforting though. It made Prince Harold uneasy once more.

“I have been called many names,” he told him in a voice that was uncanny and dark. “My favorite has been Mephistopheles.”

Refusing to lose his smile, Prince Harold backed away slowly, placing his hands up before him. “I have heard that name,” he said in a nervous tone. “I think perhaps you shared in too much of the wine tonight, but regardless of that fact, I must be going. My horse awaits me.”

Lynn Hubbard: Lynn Hubbard is a Historical Fiction author. She has been writing for over ten years and has eight books. Most of which are westerns. Lynn is fascinated by the Old West and her books portray when life was simpler. When, people worked hard, and sweated to make an honest living. And when justice wasn’t always blind.

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Miriam Newman: Fantasy poetry driven by myths and legends has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I was published in poetry before catching the romance writing bug. I bring that background to my writing along with a lifelong addiction to horses, an 18 year career in various areas of psychiatric social services and many trips to Ireland, where I nurture my muse. My published works range from contemporary fantasy romance to fantasy historical, futuristic, science fiction and historical romance. Currently I live in rural Pennsylvania with a “motley crew” of rescue animals.

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Jae El Foster is an author with whom you question going to bed with at night, but you dare to venture beneath the sheets with him anyway. As the venture concludes, you are perhaps romanced by it, or perhaps you are frightened by it. Don’t worry, because you are always satisfied by it. Despite the title or genre of the book, Jae El sets out to please you with climatic and unexpected conclusions that will make you tremble with emotion. Hop aboard the Jae El train and give it a good ride.

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Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Guest Blogs, Science Fiction/Fantasy

The Three Poisons by John Molik – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 3, 2018 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be giving away a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn host.

It’s 2025. An evil cabal known as the Horsemen are looking to colonize space with advanced technologies that have been kept hidden from humanity. A dark faction wants to destroy life as we know it. An artificially intelligent computer must learn love to save mankind, but is there enough time?

Enjoy an excerpt:

Aria shrugged. “I don’t know. What is a feeling, General?” She glared at him with the emerald green eyes of nuclear fire. It was if some arcane form of transmission left those glowing orbs and entered deep into the soul of the general.

He shook slightly and had to break eye contact. “Uh, well, I feel…Jesus, what the hell did you just do?”

“It wasn’t me.” She stood up and slowly walked over to the general, put both her hands on his shoulders, then spoke to him. “It was Zeus.”

“Zeus?” Saavilieu questioned. “What do you mean?”

She turned to him and did the same thing with her eyes. “Hi, Martin” Her voice sounded slightly phase-shifted. “I want you to know that I love her.”

Everyone in the room became extremely agitated.

Rosenthal got up and approached her. “Aria! Are you alright?” He grabbed her upper arms.

“Mike, what are you doing?” Her voice sounded feminine and normal again. She looked at his hands on her arms. “Not here, naughty boy.”

A few of the guys shook their heads. Rosenthal became very flustered and stepped back. “No, Aria.”

She began laughing.

Ralph Porter tried to get them back on track. “Please, everyone.” He pointed. “Aria, please, if you could just please sit down.”

She gave him a demure smile. “Sure thing, General.” Sashaying across, she seated herself, then pulled up her earlobe exposing the tiny jack port while looking at Saavilieu. “OK, Martin. Stick it in, baby.” She giggled. “And please be gentle.”

Saavilieu nervously got up. “Gentlemen, please, if you may just give me about three minutes. That should be enough time to reveal it all.”

They all nodded.

Martin plugged a wire from a small black device into Aria’s jack port and flicked through some commands on the device’s touch screen. Within seconds, a holographic projection appeared on the wall. It was like looking into somebody’s dreams—absolutely chaotic, meandering, and phantasmagorical. There were voices out of phase, images, screaming, giggling, yelling, everything. Wes Craven couldn’t produce anything more horrific than this. Everyone squirmed in their seats except Mike Rosenthal. He grinned.

About the Author: I grew up in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, and currently reside with my wife in Christchurch, New Zealand. We have two kids, Jared, 20, and Lauren, 18.

My passion for writing began when I was a student at UC Davis and worked as a feature writer for the California Aggie newspaper. Having been nominated for a Brasler Prize (National Scholastic Press Assoc., 1986) for a feature on genetic engineering, I later found the inspiration to write again. In 2013, I began outlining my first thriller, The Fiduciary Delusion, which became the first novel in the Horsemen trilogy. I love to read techno-thrillers, science fiction, and action and suspense novels. Some of my favorite authors include: Philip K. Dick, Kurt Vonnegut, Lawrence Sanders, Robin Cook, and Clive Cussler.

My interests include science, information technology, speculative fiction, existential philosophy, health, and both Western and Eastern holistic medicine. On many occasions, I have also been witnessed strumming guitars, tickling the ivory piano keys, and writing music. In addition, I can be regularly found at the gym lifting weights, or trudging up hills, sea kayaking, and getting out and about enjoying the beautiful, wild outdoors.

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Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Kobo.


Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

Alien Contact for Runaway Moms by Edward Hoornaert – Spotlight and Giveaway

September 6, 2018 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When her abusive lover tries to take custody of her baby, Audra flees where even he can’t follow: the aliens’ forbidden cities underneath Kwadra Island.

But can the safety she wants for her daughter survive a search party, violent alien criminals—and the love of an emotionally damaged Kwadran?

Enjoy an Excerpt:

The Kwadran let out a sigh before plopping to the damp ground beside her. She cringed away from him.

“Frightened, lost little cheechako. Look up there. Go ahead, look.”

No matter how she stared, though, she didn’t see an eight-foot oval ventilation shaft into the hillside. No illicit backdoor into a safe haven in the now-abandoned underworld where Kwadrans had holed up when the environment of their alternate Earth went bad.

“What do you see?” he asked.

She had no reason to play his game. Also no reason not to. “Okay, okay. I see an overgrown granite cliff. A bunch of trees, half of them dying—your forest isn’t adapting well to this Earth. Some bright red berries. A bunch of bushes. And a guy I don’t trust.”

His eyes twinkled. She was hard-pressed not to smile.

“Notice anything about the bushes?” he asked.

“They’re, you know…bushes, okay?” Stroking the downy blond hair atop Roxie’s head, Audra looked again. “I have no idea what kind they are, if that’s what you’re after.”

He waited. Though this conversation was weird, it didn’t feel threatening, so she looked uphill again.

And after several seconds, she saw something.

Something invisible.

A hundred feet uphill, shrubs were bending to and fro as though in a stiff breeze—yet she felt no wind. Feeling like Lewis and Clark exploring the wilderness, she licked her forefinger and held it up in all directions. No breeze.

“It’s wind from the ventilation shaft’s fans!” She was inordinately pleased with herself, even though she didn’t care what this guy thought. Obviously.

The twinkle spread from his eyes to his whole face, revealing a different man underneath his impassive, unresponsive exterior. He was the opposite of Kwadra Island. Its buried cities were old and abandoned, but his buried features were young and full of life. For a second—maybe two—she was so startled by the change that she yearned to trust him.

About the Author: Edward Hoornaert is not only an author of science fiction, romance, and non-fiction, he’s also a certifiable Harlequin Hero; he inspired N.Y. Times bestselling author Vicki Lewis Thompson to write her favorite Harlequin Desire, Mr. Valentine, which was dedicated to him. In the past, he wrote contemporary romances for Silhouette Books, but these days he writes science fiction adventures—usually with elements of romance. In addition to novelist, he has been a teacher, technical writer, salesman, janitor, and symphonic oboist.

After having 30 different addresses in his first 28 years, his rolling stone slowed in the mountains of British Columbia and stopped in Tucson, Arizona. His high school sweetheart has been his wife for more years than he has fingers and toes to count. Ed and Judi have three sons, a daughter, a mutt, and the Milky Way Galaxy’s most adorable grandsons.

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Buy the book at Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, or Kobo.


Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Science Fiction/Fantasy

Five Tips for Creating Effective Characters in Fantasy Novels by Taylor Hobbs – Guest Blog and Giveaway

September 5, 2018 By 9 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Taylor Hobbs will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

5 Tips for Creating Effective Characters in Fantasy Novels
Cloaked. I want to share some insights about character creation that I learned while writing this debut fantasy romance novel.

1. What’s in a name? Make sure you pick a name you love for your main character, because you will be reading/writing/thinking about it (and if you’re anything like me, talking to them) for months. Also, make sure it isn’t a name you are embarrassed to say out loud when people ask about your novel. You might think Sha’ri’jaca Liha’n looks cool on paper, but try pronouncing it with a straight face.

2. Mirror, Mirror. Please don’t introduce your character by having them examine themselves in a mirror. It’s okay that we don’t know exactly what they look like right away. Everyone will have their own interpretation of your main character when you sprinkle details in throughout the book. Bring your characters to life in the reader’s mind with personality, action, and stand-out traits, don’t bore them with the mundane.

3. It’s all about the inner struggle. World building is so much fun, especially in the fantasy genre. It is easy to get lost in the external plot while being surrounded with magic, but don’t lose sight of your hero’s inner development. Readers want to know how your hero overcomes his/her internal conflicts, what they learn, and what is holding them back from their greatest desire. This is key to keeping readers engaged until the end.

4. Create an all-star supporting cast. Secondary characters in your novel should also have their own story to tell. No one functions without motive, not even the worst villain. Make little bios and backstories for each supporting character, ones that won’t necessarily be included in your novel. That way, when your protagonist interacts with secondary character, dialog and actions will be authentic and multi-dimensional.

5. Avoid wish fulfillment. You want readers to root for your hero due to all his/her awesome qualities, but be careful that you don’t cross the line into Mary Sue territory. A ‘Mary Sue’ main character is someone who is too perfect and easily overcomes unrealistic obstacles. Readers want struggle because it’s relatable. Character flaws allow readers to see pieces of your hero inside themselves. Don’t be afraid to make your hero toil along their journey, it will make their ending all the more satisfying.

If anyone has tips to add, please put them in the comment section below! I want to hear from you as well. How do you create your heroes? What do you avoid? Let’s discuss!

As the Cloaked Shadow, Fawkes has made his career breaking into prisons for any contract with a large enough purse. He takes advantage of the kingdom’s impending revolution by playing both sides of the conflict. Each rescue contract he fulfills turns a tidy profit until he angers the wrong duke.

Charlotte is a criminal-in-training who yearns to crack her mentor’s guarded façade, but is unprepared to confront the depths of his dark past. As her sense of right and wrong blurs, Charlotte discovers just how far she will go for the Cloaked Shadow and the sacrifices he requires.

Now hunted throughout the land, Fawkes must face long-buried secrets in order to survive, but they could destroy him. Charlotte risks everything, including her heart, to set Fawkes on the path to redemption.

Will Charlotte have the strength to pull Fawkes into the light, or will she follow him into the shadows?

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Please, whatever you are,” Henry begged, “don’t hurt us. Please.”

There was no answer, but Charlotte heard the rustle of fabric and a felt a light breeze on her skin as the shadow whisked by her. She whirled around to face the cell across from Henry’s. Through the haze of her torchlight circle, Charlotte watched as the shadow knelt down, freeing a hand holding a key from the depths of a long, black cloak. With the telltale rasp of iron on iron, the door to the other cell creaked open.

The stranger crept soundlessly inside, returning seconds later with a body slung over its shoulders. The body emitted a low groan, and the shadow lowered its burden to lean against the wall. With unexpected care, the shadow crouched over the emaciated prisoner and murmured softly to him.

Seeing this spark of humanity gave Charlotte the courage she needed. “Help us.” It was a statement, not a question.

The cloaked figure remained kneeling next to its charge, and a man’s voice finally spoke in a low rumble. “But you have nothing to offer me.”

Charlotte hesitated at his unexpected statement, trying to decipher its meaning. “Free my brother, and you can have anything you want.”

About the Author: Taylor Hobbs lives aboard a 38 ft sailboat named Story Time with her husband, baby girl, and dog. They are a military family who love to travel, whether it is by sea or air. When she’s not writing, Taylor enjoys doing yoga and planning her next adventure.

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Cloaked is her debut novel and can be found at The Wild Rose Press, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon.


Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: Day of Wrath by Anna Butler

August 30, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Thanks for joining us on our 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/BN GC. Follow and visit authors social media pages on the second Rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC!

The award-winning Taking Shield series comes to a shattering conclusion in Day of Wrath.

In less than a week, Bennet will finally return to the Shield Regiment, leaving behind the Gyrfalcon, his father, his friends… and Flynn. Promotion to Shield Major and being given command of a battle group despite the political fallout from Makepeace the year before is everything he thought he wanted. Everything he’s worked towards for the last three years. Except for leaving Flynn. He really doesn’t want to leave Flynn.

There’s time for one last flight together. A routine mission. Nothing too taxing, just savouring every moment with the best wingman, the best friend, he’s ever had. That’s the plan.

Bennet should know better than to trust to routine because what waits for them out there will change their lives forever.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: ,

Advice for Writers by Michael Okon – Guest Blog and Giveaway

August 9, 2018 By 8 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Advice for writers

This is a sloooooooooooow industry. When I was self-publishing, I would crank out 4-5 books a year because I was in total control. After I got published it took a full year before my first book Monsterland got published and was available to the public in its new form. Then, fast forward 6 months later, my second book is getting published, Monsterland Reanimated . I have two other books ready to go and my agent has to get those into the publishers’ hands. Everything takes time. You have to have tremendous patience and know that good things come to those who wait. Don’t do this for the money, because you probably will not make anything in the beginning. After a while, once things pick up, writing can become a full time job.

After Monsterland has imploded, the entire world is thrown into chaos. World leadership is gone, economies have collapsed, and communications are non-existent. Wyatt must go beyond the boundaries of his small town to reestablish contact with the outside world, and alert the government about a traitor-in-chief.

During his journey he discovers a new threat released from the bowels of the defunct theme park.

When an army of relentless mummies, a life-sucking ooze called The Glob, and a hybrid reanimated Behemoth rise from the depths of Monsterland, who will survive?

Enjoy an Excerpt

A bright moon painted the desert’s surface pewter. Here and there, dark spots soiled the landscape like oil spills. Most of the bodies had been taken before the troops were ordered to leave. They carted away the corpses, bulldozing the zombies into mass graves, until radios chirped with urgent orders deploying the soldiers to the bigger threats that erupted in the main cities like a chain of angry volcanos.

Monsterland was extinguished, its carcass left for the vultures to pick, the exhibits silent as a tomb.

The dead president and his equally dead entourage were whisked away on Air Force One, along with the dark-clad special operatives that came and left like the brisk desert wind that now howled through the empty streets.

A gate screamed in the silence, slamming with a reverberating smash. The uneven gait of someone with a physical challenge filled the void. The scrape and plod of his limp echoed against the wall of mountains framing the theme park. His labored breathing huffed as he made his way down the streets.

A door creaked loudly as it was blown by the wind. He stopped, his distorted figure silhouetted in the pale moonlight, his body turning silver. He looked at the broken glass littering the pavement like diamonds, then up to the still, pre-dawn sky. He considered the sun peeking over the jagged horizon in the east, its golden light painting the dips and hollows of the hills. Soon the coming day would chase the darkness away.

Time was the enemy now. He had to move faster, or it would be too late. He picked up his pace, lurching along the winding road. A keening howl ricocheted through the streets, bouncing off the walls. It sounded like a … no, he thought, it couldn’t be. The werewolves were all dead. Destroyed by Vincent Konrad when he made their heads explode.

The old man paused, listening for it again, and was not disappointed when the animal whimpered. He gauged it to be inside the defunct vampire exhibit. He moved toward the entrance. The storefronts had been destroyed. A few body parts lay on the pavement, as if people had discarded them in a rush. He heard the scraping of paws on the street and a shiver went down his crooked spine.

About the Author: Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English, and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.

Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,
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