The Charterhouse of Evil by Janice Tremayne – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Janice Tremayne will be awarding an Audiobook of The Infants Spirits (Book 4) Haunting Clarisse Series to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Bound to life old and new, the sins of the departed still haunt her. When wickedness infects the innocent, can she see the curse undone?

Western Australia. Clarisse Garcia is ready to return stronger than ever. With her husband by her side, the plucky spirit hunter is back on familiar territory with an assignment for Benedictine monks. And now she’s out to vanquish whatever evil is plaguing the monastic village that caused orphans to mysteriously die.

With what could be a voracious demon on her hands, Clarisse partners up with a man who grew up in the local orphanage to investigate suspicious activities. And as they dig through the monastery’s shrouded history, she discovers that some of these servants of God might not be as benign as they claim… and she may be their next quarry.

Can this driven woman end the impiety before more lives are sent to the grave?

The Charterhouse of Evil is the shocking fifth book in the Haunting Clarisse supernatural horror series. If you like bold characters, adrenaline-spiking investigations, and jaw-dropping twists and turns, then you’ll love Janice Tremayne’s malevolent tale.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“So, what do you have to say for yourself this time? Cat got your tongue?” The voice was more pronounced now, with a slight echo. It had a cheeky twist to it.

Father Fitzgerald took hold of his glass of red wine and guzzled it before slamming the glass on the table. There was an endless supply of the red sacramental stuff that he had stolen from the distillery—his only retreat from the monastic life and the dust that penetrated every nook and cranny.

Dust, dust, and even more red dust everywhere—on the bed sheets, the floor, and the table. It also managed to cover his one-inch, overgrown beard.

He ignored the voice for a while, though it was futile—the devil wanted something, and it was payback time. Eventually, he knew he would have to turn around and confront the demonic presence once again and settle his debt.

“The grog isn’t going to solve your problems, monk. You have so many issues that you would need gallons of the stuff. While you drink yourself into oblivion every night, your worries only come back to haunt you the next day. Your devious thoughts are saturating your feeble mind with uncontrollable lust.” The demon scoffed at him then laughed.

“We made our deal, and I delivered the boy to you. Aren’t we done, demon?” Father Fitzgerald pointed toward the ominous shadow in front of him. He knew it was the demon; he had seen it many times before.

“Oh, not so fast, monk. Yes, you delivered, but there is still one problem.” The demon paused for a moment as the room filled with an eerie silence.

“What is it?”

“Hmm, your state of mind. You have become a risk to my enterprise. You have delivered, all right, but you are a drunken fool and a deviant; a man who is not in control of himself. That means you’re a problem … a big problem.”

About the Author:

Janice Tremayne is an award-winning supernatural horror writer from Australia. Her acclaimed novel, Haunting Hartley, was a finalist in the Readers’ Favorite 2020 International Book Awards in fiction-supernatural and was awarded the distinguished favorite prize for paranormal horror at the New York City Big Book Awards. She was recently awarded the silver medal at the IPPY Awards 2021 Australia/New Zealand/Pacific Rim – Best Regional Fiction and the Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards 2020 Bronze Award in Adult Fiction.

Janice is an emerging Australian author who lives with her family in Melbourne. The Haunting Clarisse series has regularly reached number one in the Amazon kindle rankings for Occult Supernatural, Ghosts and Haunted Houses, and British Horror for hot new releases/bestsellers. Janice is well-versed in her cultural superstitions and how they influence daily life and customs. She grew up in a family with a cultural heritage where religious taboos and superstitions were entrenched into their way of life. This fascinated her as she was growing up and laid the foundations for developing a passion and style for writing supernatural horror novels for adult readers.

Writing the Haunting Clarisse series was spawned over a cup of coffee many years ago when she finally decided to put pen to paper, and she has never looked back. Her books contain heart-thumping, bone-chilling, and thought-provoking paranormal experiences that deliver a new twist to every tale to the delight of her readers worldwide.

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Until I’m Safe in your Arms by Jenna Jaxon – Spotlight and Giveaway

 

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

Can a wager to find a wife turn into a true love match?

Entered into a wager that he can wed within a week, Captain Alex Bancroft pursues the first pretty woman he meets: Miss Emma Washer. Their courtship proceeds at a furious pace, including a dalliance that might ruin them both. Before it can, Alex proposes and is stunned when Emma agrees to marry him. Alex desperately tries to keep word of the wager from his new wife, not knowing Emma has secrets of her own to keep.

As passion erupts between the newly wed pair, the circumstances of Emma’s past threaten to tear them asunder. Alex’s regiment is directed to sail to a place Emma dares not go.

She refuses to accompany him, leaving Alex with a devastating choice: leave England to fulfil duty to Queen and country or stay and revel in his newfound love for his wife?

Enjoy an Excerpt

He led her to the French windows and, with a strange little flutter in her stomach, Emma followed him outside onto the veranda.

The night air was soft and warm with a slight breeze that brought the faint scent of roses wafting from the nearby garden. Oil lamps suspended from the ceiling of the veranda at perfect intervals provided a gentle glow while still allowing for a shadowy, romantic atmosphere. The perfect setting to further her acquaintance with the captain.

They slowed to a stop halfway between the lamps, in enough shadow that Emma need not fear Captain Bancroft could see her face. Her cheeks were already hot from the knowledge of what she intended to do. Turning to gaze out over the manicured lawn, Emma released her grip on his arm and leaned against the railing. “It’s such a lovely night, isn’t it?”

“The loveliest one I’ve ever seen.”

The strange timbre of his voice made her jerk her head toward him. He wasn’t looking out at the darkened vista she’d been peering at. His gaze rested squarely on her.

Emma’s heart beat so hard against her breast she feared he could hear it. But she couldn’t dwell on that. This was the chance she’d hoped for. She swayed toward him, tilting her head back so she looked directly into his eyes. “Shall we make it even better, Captain?”

Seeming much darker than their normal blue, his eyes widened, then his head lowered until his lips rested against her ear. “Are you merely flirting with me, Miss Washer, or was that an honest invitation to a kiss?”

About the Author:

Jenna Jaxon is a best-selling author of historical romance, writing in a variety of time periods because she believes that passion is timeless. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all these elements into her own stories.

She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets–including Olive, an almost silent cat, Earl Grey, a very curious bunny, and a Shar-pei mix named Frenchie.

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Movie Review: Sunset

Sunset
Director: Jamison M. LoCascio
Writers; Adam Ambrosio, Jamison M. LoCascio
Stars: Austin Pendleton, Suzette GunnJuri, Henley-Cohn
Rated: 3 Stars (6 stars on IMDB)
Review by: Astilbe

A diverse group of people grapple with the imminent probability of a nuclear strike on the east coast.

What would you do differently if you thought your life might be in danger?

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that showed how complex relationships can be. For example, an offhand remark can really sting even if the person saying it was trying to be funny, and someone’s childhood experiences can still affect them decades later. The director and writers did a good job of exploring these topics in ways that also tied into the main storyline even when I didn’t originally think there would be much of a connection between them at all.

I would have liked to see more character development in this film, especially when it came to their pasts and how they all met. There were a few scenes that lightly touched on this subject, but I was still left with many questions about why certain characters behaved the way that they did. For example, Chris’ rough childhood seemed like it could have provided a lot of fodder for both the troubled relationship he had with alcohol that was obvious from the very first scene to how he ended up living with Henry and Patricia as their surrogate child.

The dialogue was fast-paced and topical. It was especially interesting to see how everyone reacted to the possibility of their neighbourhood being attacked by a nuclear weapon. Planning an evacuation is more complicated than it may seem, especially for people who are physically disabled or have other things going on in their lives that make it difficult to travel. The opening scene did a particularly good job of using dialogue to introduce everyone and share hints about what they were openly, or sometimes quietly, struggling with in their lives before the public service announcements began.

Sunset was a thought-provoking story.

Matching the Marquess by Darcy Burke – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Darcy Burke will be awarding the first two books in the Wicked Dukes Club series (One Night for Seduction and One Night of Surrender) – US winner’s choice of ebook or print, and international winner ebook only, to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Benjamin Nash, Marquess of Creslow, must marry, for he is the last of the family line. Desirous of a business arrangement instead of a love match, he hires a matchmaker, but on the way to the May Day festival where he will meet her, as well as his matches, he encounters an alluring lady who may suit him perfectly…

After her husband’s death left her a pauper, Rebecca Sweet relied on family for help and in return guided two of them to successful marriages. Engaged with her first real client, she plans to present him a gaggle of young ladies eager to wed. But when she realizes the marquess is the same dashing gentleman she met on the way to the festival, the task becomes far more complicated. Attraction simmers between them, however Nash wants a loveless marriage and Rebecca would only wed again for love. She must find him a bride before she loses her heart forever.

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

Rebecca didn’t want his concern. She didn’t deserve it, especially about this. “Our relationship must remain professional.”

“There is nothing saying so.” Edging closer, the marquess lifted his hand as if he meant to touch her. Rebecca recoiled.

“Please don’t. There can’t be a repeat of what happened at Clipstone Hedge. This is a business arrangement. I can’t help you find a bride if you’re going to flirt with me or send me seductive glances or even if you try to comfort me. Anyway, I’m fine. In fact, I’d appreciate if you could keep your nose out of my personal affairs.”

He exhaled. “All right. I would like to make one final comment about that evening, if I may. No, I’m going to do it anyway.” His gaze locked with hers, and he spoke in a soft, sensual tone that stirred a keen yearning inside her. “I regret not spending the night with you. I do hope you’ll find someone else to finish what we started—you deserve that after the husband you had.”

“You shouldn’t say such things.” Now she wanted to be proper? After what she’d allowed him to do to her in that library? Her body heated.

“I will still hope we can be friends,” he said with a faint smile. “When you find me a bride, perhaps I can repay the favor by finding you a lover.”

Her breath caught when he spoke that last word. Willing her ardor to cool, she lifted her chin. “I expect payment for my services, not a trade of favors.”

He chuckled, his eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun. “Fair enough. I’d still be glad to help—in any way you deem necessary. For you see, Mrs. Sweet, whether you like it or not, I think we are friends. Only a friend will be able to ensure I don’t choose a poor marchioness.”

About the Author:USA Today Bestselling Author Darcy Burke loves history, her family, and cats (not in that order). She’s published over fifty captivating, compelling historical and contemporary romance novels and novellas. It all started with The Magic Swan when she was 11 years old, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him—with exceedingly poor illustrations. She still has plenty of ideas and writes (it seems) constantly in between hanging with her family, playing games, listening to the Dave Matthews Band, bingeing period TV shows, and chilling with her seven rescue cats. Join her Reader’s Club.

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Interview with A.L. Butcher

Long and Short Reviews welcomes AL Butcher, author of The Light Before the Storm Chronicle Series.

Please tell us about your publications/work.

I’m the author of the dark fantasy series – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles; the Tales of Erana companion series of novellas, The Legacy of the Mask series and an assortment of short stories in the fantasy/historical fantasy and gothic horror genres and a poet.

I also write for Perseid Press – and have two stories in the Heroes in Hell dark fantasy world, and two stories in the Herokia series.

Do you think the written word (or art) bring power and freedom?

Oh yes. Books have changed the word (not always for the better) and of course are a good way to pass on knowledge, ideas and beliefs.
Writing can bring both freedom and tyranny/oppression. However, as with most things of human design this depends on who is wielding the power and how it’s used.

Do I think books should be banned? Or altered to meet more modern times?

No – no book should be banned – however how that book is utilised and understood can be important. Hopefully people will be educated enough to understand that often a book is one person’s opinion (or that of a few) and is not, necessarily the ‘truth’. Books are open to interpretation, prejudice and manipulation – and it’s these things which need to be monitored – not the book itself. A book is not inherently good or evil – but the person reading it may use it as such.

There’s been a lot of fuss about ‘editing’ classics such as Roald Dahl and Heart of Darkness being ‘unsuitable’ for modern audiences. Sure, there are some terms used that now are rather objectionable, but keep in mind when they were written/set – keep the language and use it to discuss WHY such terms are not acceptable. Explain that times have changed, and attitudes are (hopefully) now more diverse and accepting.

A book such as Heart of Darkness is not supposed to be a ‘happy’ book – it’s dark and filled with references to colonialism and the horrible things it did – to the inner greed and ability to exploit that many humans have. It’s dark book, filled with tough themes – and that’s the point. But read these ‘banned’ books and make your own decisions.

Kids (and adults) will not learn and understand history and the abhorrent things humans do and say to one another and have done and said if these things are sanitised. One cannot be outraged about something one is not aware of.

What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you started your publishing journey?

Success is relative. What one author deems a success with their books another might not. Not may indie authors make much money – and if you write to make a living – well then good luck, but many of us write because we enjoy it – and the success is creating something.

How much research do you do for your work? What’s the wildest subject you’ve looked at?

I’ve researched if something as large as a dragon could fly and if so – how, poisons, sword wounds, flora and fauna, Jack the Ripper, PTSD, herblore, religion, politics, ancient history and myth, how to fight a duel with cannons (yes I used that one) and much more. I like to learn so I tend to get a bit side-tracked….

How influential is storytelling to our culture?

Massively so. I’m a Brit and my culture is steeped in fantasy, legend and lore. Many people don’t realise but it’s everywhere – Robin Hood, King Arthur, Elves, pixies, saints, angels, Black Dog monsters, headless horsemen and ghostly carriages, haunted houses, werewolves, selkie, unicorns, Nessie, the Green Man, St George and the Dragon….The list is endless. Do you tell your kids about Santa Claus? The Easter Bunny? The Tooth Fairy? Do they read about Thomas the Tank Engine, the Hobbit, watch Star Wars, Harry Potter, Marvel? Even if you’re not a fan of the genre – the influence is all around.

What’s the best advice you’ve received about writing/publishing?

Write what you want to write and enjoy writing. Don’t care about reviews – there will always be someone who hates your book, or will be offended, or thinks there’s too much sex/violence/worldbuilding – or not enough. Every reader is different and you can’t and won’t please everyone. So don’t try, write what you love, write what you want to read.

What’s the worst piece best advice you’ve received about writing/publishing?

Write what is popular – unless you can churn out a book in a couple of months (I can’t) then what will be popular now might not be popular in a year, or a decade, or even next week. And if you aren’t very good at writing, say contemporary romance, then that will show in your work. I can’t write westerns or contemporary fiction – for example – and if I try, no one will read it, but I can write fantasy and mythic fiction.

If you could be any fantasy/mythical or legendary person/creature what would you be and why?

Dragon – who wouldn’t want to be a dragon?

Which authors have influenced you the most?

Janet Morris, Gaston Leroux, JRR Tolkein, Terry Pratchett, Jules Verne, Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Mary Shelley, Agatha Christie.

Did you always want to become a writer?

A writer (or artist or musician) is not something you become – it’s something you are. It’s as much part of you ask your limbs or your thoughts. Whether you are any good at it, or share it with anyone is another matter entirely – one can learn the technical side of it, and how to tame it, as it were to varying degrees of success but without that innate spark of creativity it’s just that – technical and soulless.

People can learn to write in coherent sentences, how to use a semi colon or what a clause is, and they can put that on paper (electronic or otherwise) but if they aren’t storyteller then it will show.

I can hit a drum with drumsticks but that doesn’t make me a drummer. It makes me someone who can hit a drum. It’s not the same.

Tell us a silly fact about yourself.

I spent a decade working in the local theatre dressing actors. It was fun (mostly) but weird. I had a debate on philosophy with a man dressed as a depressed donkey (Eeyore) and talked about politics with Scooby doo….

What did you want to be when you ‘grew up’?

A squirrel….

The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I
In a dark world where magic is illegal, and elves are enslaved a young elven sorceress runs for her life from the house of her evil Keeper. Pursued by his men and the corrupt Order of Witch-Hunters she must find sanctuary. As the slavers roll across the lands stealing elves from what remains of their ancestral home the Witch-Hunters turn a blind eye to the tragedy and a story of power, love and a terrible revenge unfolds.

*18 rated for adult scenes and violence.
Available as ebook, paperback, hardcover, large print and audiobook.

Universal Link https://www.books2read.com/Lightbeyondstorm1

The Shining Citadel – The Light Beyond the Storm – Book II
Who rules in this game of intrigue where magic is forbidden, and elves enslaved? Journey where beliefs shatter like glass, truth is unwelcome, and monsters from ancient times abound: share the romance and revenge, magic and passion, and the wages of greed in a world of darkest fantasy.

*18 rated for adult scenes and violence.
Available as ebook, paperback, hardcover, large print and audiobook.

https://www.books2read.com/ShiningCitadel

The Stolen Tower – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book III
What stalks the land cannot be but is.
Where magic is outlawed a troll Shaman calls from her deathbed to her heiress, Mirandra Var, daughter of the storm. Mirandra vows to find her missing kin, sort friend from foe, and claim the dangerous secrets guarded by unthinkable creatures. If she succeeds, she will become the leader of her tribe. If she fails, there will be no tribe to lead.

*18 rated for adult scenes and violence.
Available as ebook, paperback, hardcover, large print and audiobook.

Universal Link https://www.books2read.com/StolenTower

Excerpt:
From The Shining Citadel – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book II

Commander Hendrick of the Order of Witch-Hunters was alone, having dismissed his companions save for the unfortunate victims of his wrath and his greed. A blonde-haired elf knelt at his feet and the mage, her twin, hung in chains at the wall whimpering in pain. Blood stained the stone floor crimson from the whip coiled loosely at his side.

“So, scholar, you will lead us to that Citadel of which your late companions were so keen to tell. All the lost riches of the Elfkind,” he said. Gripping her hair, he pulled the elf close, his mouth to her ear. “A pretty thing, are you not? Both you and your sister. Now if you are a good girl, she might get to keep those looks. The Baneshackle scars will not be so bad. She might yet live to see the sun rise over your Shimmering Forest.”

Dragging the elven woman roughly so she could see her weeping and bloody twin, the Witch-Hunter continued in a voice which made her blood run cold, “See what you have consented to? That she lives. It is simple enough, elf.”

Th’alia fought back her tears, shame and degradation pricking her eyes and burning within her far stronger than her own physical pain, yet she summoned the courage and the pride to whisper, “I have a name, my sister has a name. My name is Th’alia Er’lis. We are not property. I will seek the Citadel, but for her, not for you, Witch-Hunter.”

Hendrick scrutinised the elf woman and, releasing her hair, laughed at her audacity. “Is that what you believe? She is a mage, an elf witch, and thus she belongs to us, to me. However, I may be persuaded to look the other way. Lead the Magelord Archos of Tremellic and that slut who shares his bed to this Citadel, allow them to perform the ritual needed to enter, and I may ignore the fact of your sister’s existence.”

Motioning towards M’alia he removed the whip from his belt, letting the weight of it lie in his hands as though emphasising the point, for she had felt the bite of it and both elves knew he would not hesitate to use it once more.

“I will arrange escort and the required paperwork, for you cannot wander the human lands alone. Mark this however, you will be watched. If any harm befalls your escort, if you escape from him, if you fail or deceive him, the woman who hangs in chains yonder will die. Then I will inform the slavers of what stock resides in your settlement, for if they produce more as pretty as you, the slavers will indeed pay handsomely for the information. One way or the other, I will get my gold. Surely it is an easy enough choice, the lives of strangers for those of your sister and your town.”

He looked into her eyes and saw compliance if not consent, a realisation that choice was not a luxury she could afford. Th’alia nodded slowly, and with an unpleasant grin and the thought of elven treasure shining in his eyes, Hendrick said, “Good girl. Your sister will not be harmed or molested. She will be safe. You have my word on that.”

Th’alia turned her tear-filled brown eyes to his face and replied quietly, “What is the word of a Witch-Hunter to me?”

Hendrick looked over to the chained mage. Running the whip through his fingers once more, he replied, “It is the word of a man who has the power of life and death. Heed it well.”

With that, Hendrick unchained the mage, and instead of letting her fall, he wrapped his cloak about her and gave orders she was to be healed and removed from the cell. Casting one final glance at Th’alia, he exited, locking the door until his plans were in place.

Author Bio and Links
British-born A. L. Butcher is an avid reader and creator of worlds, a poet, and a dreamer, a lover of science, natural history, history, and monkeys. Her prose has been described as ‘dark and gritty’ and her poetry as ‘evocative’. She writes with a sure and sometimes erotic sensibility of things that might have been, never were, but could be.

Alex is the author of the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles and the Tales of Erana lyrical fantasy series. She also has several short stories in the fantasy, fantasy romance genres with occasional forays into gothic style horror, including the Legacy of the Mask series. With a background in politics, classical studies, ancient history and myth, her affinities bring an eclectic and unique flavour in her work, mixing reality and dream in alchemical proportions that bring her characters and worlds to life.
Alex is also proud to be a writer for Perseid Press where her work features in Heroika: Dragon Eaters, Heroika Skirmishers – where she was editor and cover designer as well as writer – as well as Lovers in Hell and Mystics in Hell – part of the acclaimed Heroes in Hell series. http://www.theperseidpress.com/

Awards:
Outside the Walls, co-written with Diana L. Wicker received a Chill with a Book Reader’s Award in 2017.
NN Light Book Heaven awards:
The Kitchen Imps and Other Dark Tales won the best fantasy for 2018
Echoes of a Song – one of her Phantom tales – won the best fantasy in 2019
Tears and Crimson Velvet won the best Short Story category in 2020
Dark Tales and Twisted Verses – won the best Short Story Category in 2021

Blog https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/about-a-l-butcher-fantasy-author-poet-author-promotion/
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Servant by Patrick R. Fields – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Patrick R. Field 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.

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?

Enjoy an Excerpt

“The spirit led us to this area of the cellar by blinking the lights, making them dimmer and then brighter. When we asked if he would like to be called a spirit, the intensity of the blinking increased, brighter and faster. We thought it was because he liked it, but then the blinking stopped and the intensity of the light grew until the bulbs started to burst, and as you can see, there is shattered glass on the floor,” I explain as we walk across the broken glass, the crinkling sounds underfoot. “Sorry about the glass. I have been a little freaked out to sweep up.”

“Where did you find the album?”

“Over here. It fell off this shelf of the bookcase, where you can see the imprint in the dust.”

Gladys places her hand on the spot where the album once lay and closes her eyes. Suddenly, she opens them, and a surprised, distressed expression comes over her face, the first time I haven’t seen a hint of a smile all morning.

“I would like to leave here now,” she states in a fearful tone.

“Sure, is something—”

“Now, Mitch! We need to leave now!”

About the Author 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.

His non-scientific writing career began with Prince Patrick, a memoir of his precocious childhood that he wrote for his mother as she battled pancreatic cancer. This process was not only healing but helpful in stirring his creativity and marked the moment he was bitten by the writing bug.

An avid fan of Anne Rice, Edgar Allen Poe, and Joe Hill, Patrick’s subsequent novels were inspired by his favorite authors. His first fiction novel, The Malevolent, and his two latest novels, The Bedfordshire Warlock (release date in early 2024) and Servant were written throughout the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

His latest novel Servant was inspired by the supernatural events that happened to the author, his husband, and friends that have stayed in their home in northeastern Pennsylvania. Taking a page from his teaching philosophy that those who teach must never cease to learn, Patrick found himself hungry to discover all he could about the area’s diverse cultures, including the Anthracite coal mining community and the indigenous tribe of the Lenape.

Patrick’s writing process is a mix between walking meditation and meticulous research. His novels form while he walks alone with his dogs, imagining plot lines and characters. Once he’s home, he quickly types notes on his computer before fleshing them out later. Research is a considerable part of his process- the scientist in him abhors “alternative facts.” When he encounters an idea or a historical thread unfamiliar to him, he researches all he can about it. While he writes about a world where the supernatural realm is prominent, the real world is always based on facts.

When developing characters, he usually has an idea of the destination he wants for each character but the journey to get there is often written by the character and the environment. Of all the characters he’s written, Gladys Munch in Servant is his favorite, as she’s an amalgam of delightful, humorous “mature” ladies in his life and physically inspired by British actresses Margaret Rutherford and Angela Lansbury.

In addition to writing, Patrick appears on the stage of his community theater and sings in the chorus of a local opera company each summer. He enjoys spending time with his husband, Matthew, and their dogs and exploring new destinations around the world, especially those that have a supernatural history. Haunted buildings and structures associated with the occult fascinate Patrick. His idea of a perfect day: drinking pints of Guinness draught with friends and family over scintillating and humorous conversation.

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Friday Five Writing Prompt Challenge for May 26, 2023

Each Friday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly five word writing prompt. For more details on how to participate, please click here.

Today’s five words to use as your prompt are:

need, reader, mathematics, promote, elite

Ideal Writing Space by Jackie M. Stebbins – Guest Post and Giveaway

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jackie M. Stebbins will be awarding a custom #StebbinsStrong t-shirt (US only) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Ideal Writing Space
The ideal writing space is open, well lit, and has a large window where you can easily see your kids playing in the front yard, neighbors walking, stray kids riding bikes, and what’s going on in the neighborhood. And the window needs to be able to be opened, so you can hear the birds during the spring through fall seasons.

The ideal writing space has a comfortable desk, fitted just to your height, and an ergonomic chair. Your workspace must be tailored to your needs, with a special focus on your back, neck, shoulders, and wrists.

The ideal writing space has a door to shut to keep out noise, so you can focus. But the space also needs to be very close to the kitchen and living room, where your kids constantly run by to tell you a story, ask you a question, show you a picture, or fight just outside your closed door.

The ideal writing space is full of your things. A quilt from law school must be draped over your leather chair next to the window. Elton John paintings and photographs must hang on each of the four walls. Lyrics from your favorite Elton John song, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, must be painted on the wall your desk faces. Gel pens in the colors of red, purple, blue, and black, must be in an Elton John mug next to you, along with various witty notebooks and large, brightly colored to-do lists. And at all times, you must have a monthly planner right next to you.

The ideal writing space has music. It has your old CD collection that reminds you of when life felt simpler and happiest, in the nineties, and it has speakers that connect to your phone to remind you that you have access to every song ever made, right at the tips of your Apple Music fingers. The ideal writing space has a time for music and a time for silence, mostly when you’re editing.

And lastly, the ideal writing space has to have books! So many books. They need to be behind you on a giant, custom-made bookshelf. They should also be next to you on your desk, so you can endlessly page through to find that one perfect quote you’re looking for. The space needs to be full of journals into which you pour out your heart with your colored pens. It needs old journals so you can revisit the past and the times when life hurt, and new journals that prove to you you’re living your better days ahead. And the ideal writing space has your own book proudly displayed on a shelf. Your own finished project that reminds you why you began writing in the first place.

I doubt I have objectively defined an ideal writing space. I have however, described my ideal writing space. Welcome to my home office, the place where my memoir, Unwillable, was born and laid to rest before final publication.

“Jackie Stebbins’ UNWILLABLE is an inspiring story of a brilliant woman’s battle with autoimmune encephalitis and the circle of support–from loving family members to dedicated physicians–who helped guide her through a hard-won recovery. Her story is as moving as it is important and is destined to help so many others facing this condition.”

Susannah Cahalan author of NYT #1 Bestseller Brain on Fire

Enjoy an Excerpt

While my complete stay isn’t embedded in my memory, because of what the illness was doing to my brain, my time there will never be forgotten because of its place in my life’s story. That experience definitively marks where I’m right at the edge between a well-educated, successful, driven, independent, and thriving woman and an incapacitated person, powerless and relegated to the care of those around her, on the brink of brain damage or death without the intervention of the correct diagnosis. And a small part of me now believes I then understood that I was teetering on a life-altering and explosive line. But that same small part of me can’t say whether, for the first time in my life, I believed my situation to be unwillable. Perhaps my own will would not be enough.

I will always remember crawling into bed the first night, ragged with emotion, and the racing thoughts my mind was still able to conjure up. The questions pulsed through my silent tears. What the hell happened to me? . . . I cannot possibly belong here. I haven’t led a life that would lead me to this dysfunction. I was doing so well. . . . I’m the senior partner at my law firm. I’ve never before had a problem with mental health. . . . Why am I at rock bottom? How the hell did I end up in a psychiatric ward?

About the Author: Jackie M. Stebbins was living her dream as a nationally recognized family law, criminal defense, and civil litigator. But Stebbins’s career as a lawyer abruptly ended in May, 2018, when she was diagnosed with a rare brain illness, autoimmune encephalitis. Stebbins persevered to make a remarkable recovery and turned herself into an author and motivational speaker. Stebbins is the author of the JM Stebbins blog and host of the Brain Fever podcast. Stebbins’s side hustle includes raising three lovely children with her wonderful husband, Sean, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and in her leisure time she can be found reading, trying to be funny, and aqua jogging.

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What’s Next? by Gayle Feyrer – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Gayle Feyrer 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.

What’s Next?
I plan to re-release my historical romances over the next year. I have my retelling of the Robin and Marian legend, MARIAN, ready to go in September. I’ve got a snazzy book trailer ready and a poem video made from one of Alan a Dale’s troubadour songs, and I’d like to have at least one page on my website with some history of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Lionheart or background on the Robin Hood legend. But I’m not sure what will follow it. My first romance, The Prince of Cups, set in Italy when the Borgias were in power in Rome, is polished and ready—except it has no cover. The cover I envision I think I’ll have to paint myself and it will take a long time. The cover for the second Elizabethan would be easier to construct. I’ve found a photo of a couple I like reasonably well, and some nice romantic cliffs. But the text needs more work. I was told to make it longer, then told to make it shorter, and it was all more rushed than I liked, so I want to do more editing to make it better—if I can find the time.

Heart of Night isn’t as steamy as others, but I think it’s the most romantic. It has a fated lovers feel (though most good romances evoke that). Claire doesn’t start out as fierce as my other heroines, she’s a lady doing her duty, much as it appalls her, but a river accident wipes away her despicable fiancé and all that’s expected of her. That same day she met my hero, Adrian, in Bedlam. He has psychometry, the ability to read objects through touch, but it’s out of control and excruciating for him. Claire’s been told he’s dead—but of course that’s a sinister plot involving some very wicked villains. They meet again and set out on the road together.

Did I mention I love the paranormal? There are Tarot readings in many of the other books and, not to be thwarted, Sherwood Forest has some magical places my lovers find.

And I have the third book of the Heart series, barely started, which again goes back to the Elizabethan court, immersing my sparring couple in intrigue and political machinations. He’s a spy for Walsingham (a career spy, not a raw recruit like Rafe) and the young woman he blackmails to work for the crown. She’s a dressage expert, sent to perform before the Queen and stop another assassination attempt. Doing some fine pruning of the text of Heart of Deception and designing the cover have rekindled my interest in the Elizabethan era.

I’m also working on finishing the last novel of my Paris Trilogy. The first, Floats the Dark Shadow, is subtitled a mystery of Paris. Bitter Draughts is a novel of Paris with murders… It’s a thriller (a thriller of Paris just sounded weird) set during the scandal of the Dreyfus Affair, not a who done it, but a why done it and will they do it again. The third book is suspense, a love story of Paris with murders… It’s not really a romance, but it is very much a love story—with quite a bit of kinky gay sex. It also leaves Paris to go to the Venice Carnival for the grand finale. It’s a trilogy because the last book ties up the last of the unfinished plot lines for the first book, but I have ideas for a couple of others with the characters from that Belle Époque world.

Many possibilities and I’ll have to wait and see which one is speaking the loudest when it’s time to begin a new book.

Intrigue and treachery stalk the grimy streets and the royal courts of Elizabethan England. Returning from war, Rafe Fletcher finds his family accused of conspiring to murder Elizabeth and place Mary, Queen of Scots, on her throne. His only hope to save them lies in infiltrating the criminal underworld of nefarious siblings Nick and Vivian Swift.

Rafe discovers it’s Viv who is the mastermind of the duo. Bold, clever and ruthless, Viv is also loyal and fiercely passionate. Rafe fights the intense magnetism that pulls him ever closer to destruction. But desire defies every warning he gives himself and they begin a blazing affair–until murder and betrayal severs their newly formed trust. Restoring that trust may be the only way Rafe can save the Queen, his own family, and the woman he’s come to love.

Their adventure takes them from the fledgling theatres of Shakespeare’s London to the desperate corridors of Bedlam, from the deadly backstreets of the Clink to the glittering court of Queen Elizabeth. It is a world of dark secrets and darker intrigues. Will the fire of their passion burn bright enough to incinerate the lies, and illuminate the truth?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Prickling with the awareness of being watched, Rafe looked up to the house, his search stopping at a shadowy form behind the great bow window. He stared up at the window until the shadow moved forward. Circular panes sparkled in the sun as the central casements opened to reveal a woman watching. Dark and slender, she looked clothed in flame, her velvet gown a blaze of scarlet slashed with black. A shock went through Rafe as her glittering gaze met his own, then slowly browsed him from head to toe.

Used to seductive appraisal, flirtatious or serious, still he flushed at the flagrant assessment, and the heat that flashed through him seemed to ignite in her eyes, bright within their dark. Rafe had never seen a lady with so bold a glance, which mocked as it weighed, invited as it challenged. But no lady would be here among these criminals, though the woman gazing down at him knew how to dress the part. Rubies burned at her throat, and ropes of sparkling jet draped her vivid scarlet bodice. The distinctive garb, the total presumptuousness of the woman, made him tense with suspicion. Slowly, her gaze swept his body, scanning the breadth of his shoulders and assessing the strong muscles of his thighs. … The black eyes sought his again, and he stared back defiantly, icy anger running in cold currents against his hot arousal. Rafe felt more than provoked—he felt deliberately tested to see how long he could stand in the fire.

About the Author:Gayle Feyrer began drawing as soon as she could hold a crayon and writing when she was twelve. She holds a Bachelor’s in Pictorial Arts from UCLA, and a MFA from the University of Oregon in Creative Writing. In her varied career, she has been a tie dye artist, go-go dancer, baker, creator of ceramic beasties, illustrator, fiction teacher, and finally, novelist. A Libra with Scorpio Rising, Gayle’s romantic nature takes on a darker edge. She hopes these shadows bring depth to her romances.

A world traveler, Gayle has visited Paris, England and Italy numerous times. She lived for two years in Jakarta, Indonesia, with many trips around Asia. She currently resides across the bridge from San Francisco, with her husband and their two rescue cats, Charlotte and Emily, the Flying Bronte sisters, half Siamese and half tabby.

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Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for May 24, 2023

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

Today’s topic is: Favorite YouTube Video (and why)