Interview with A.L. Butcher

May 26, 2023 By 1 Comment

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/
Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/LightBeyondtheStorm/
Twitter https://twitter.com/libraryoferana/
Amazon Author Page http://amzn.to/2hK33OM
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-l-butcher
Goodreads http://bit.ly/GR2iqokvK
Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-butcher-8342ab13b/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/libraryoferana/
Tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/blog/libraryoferana
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.co.uk/abmonkey/
Books2Read newsletter sign up
https://books2read.com/author/a-l-butcher/subscribe/1/97541/

Independent Author Network https://www.independentauthornetwork.com/a-l-butcher.html
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/author?id=A.+L.+Butcher

Smashwords Author Page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ALB123
Apple Author Page https://books.apple.com/gb/author/a-l-butcher/id895849667
Apple Audiopage https://books.apple.com/us/author/a-l-butcher/id895849667#see-all/audio-books
Kobo Author Page https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/search?query=a+l+butcher
Perseid Press Author Page http://www.theperseidpress.com/?page_id=523
Barnes and Noble Author Page https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22A.%20L.%20Butcher

Blog tour organised by Writer Marketing Services.

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

Servant by Patrick R. Fields – Spotlight and Giveaway

May 26, 2023 By 7 Comments

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.

Website | Instagram | Facebook
Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Walmart.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Ten Things Most People Don’t Know About Benjamin X. Wretlind – Guest Blog and Giveaway

May 10, 2023 By 6 Comments

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

Ten Things Most People Don’t Know About Me
This will be fun, hence the reason I selected the topic. Truth be told, not many things are known about me outside of my family, so here we go.

1. I speak Russian, French, Spanish, and Greek–all poorly. I took Russian and French in high school and even though that’s several decades ago, I still remember many of the phrases and how to find the bathroom (an important phrase to learn in any language!). I learned Spanish because of where I grew up (Phoenix) and time I spent in Honduras in the mid-1990s. Greek has always been a bucket list item, so I’ve been learning that for a few years now. One of these days I’ll get there.

2. I have four degrees: meteorology, adult instructional design, psychology, and organizational psychology. Surprisingly, I still use all four of them.

3. My middle name is a “second kid” marker. Xavier is intended to be either the first or second name of the second child in any generation. I have no idea why this is. As for the “first kid” name, it’s Emmanuel, and that tradition goes back several hundred years.

4. While the typical American mixed breed, I am mostly Swedish and French. My last name is Swedish and I can trace my ancestry back to the 1400s. There are several rumors about what the name really means and some story about a duke who gambled away his title, but I could never verify any of that.

5. I am allergic to cats but can’t live without one. Medicine is necessary.

6. There are only three books I have read more than twice (I’ve read many two times): The Neverending Story by Michael Ende, Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury and Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock. All three of those books were some of my first buys at a place called B.Dalton in my local mall with allowance I saved up. With my new “allowance” I have sought out first editions of all three. I’m still working on Dandelion Wine, but I’ll get it eventually.

7. I have a collection of newspapers for notable events in my lifetime, starting with Nixon’s resignation in 1974. I stopped after most papers went online, but whenever I get the chance, I hit up auction sites and look for those I might be missing.

8. The goal of #7 was to use those papers as wall decorations for a coffee shop I wanted to someday open. I’m a fan of the old shops of the 1980s and 1990s, like Central Perk in Friends. I don’t think that will ever happen, but I will probably frame all those newspapers anyway.

9. If given the opportunity, I would gladly go to Mars to write about my adventures. I sent a note to Elon Musk volunteering but heard nothing. I’m probably way too old now, but if that was my last “thing” to do before passing on, I would still do it.

10. Finally, for forty-five years I was scared to death of any sort of power tool. I now have a woodshop with everything from a table saw to a lathe to a chainsaw. I do not know what happened to me to make such a dramatic shift in my phobias. If I ever figure it out, I’ll sell the rights to it.

Following the exodus from rising floodwaters, the surviving descendants of those who came to create a society on a planet far from Earth have struggled to rebuild within the remains of an ancient temple. Now, as disease and an unfamiliar environment threaten to destroy them yet again, everyone seems to have an opinion about what to do next.

Miriam and Tobias Page, newly married, believe there may be a possible home beyond a distant canyon. Their journey with a quarter of the population doesn’t start well and soon nature and their own humanity will conspire to end it all. Meanwhile, Miriam’s two cousins, Joel and Micah, have different ideas. Joel is convinced the best course of action is to return to the mountains they left to mine for the ore that would make a great return to Earth possible. Micah hopes to stay, learn all he can about the temple’s previous occupants, and prove both of them wrong. But soon, he and his new partner Patience realize that no option is truly safe.

As the transits of three different groups get underway, new dangers and surprises emerge from within the rainforests, mountains, and deserts of the planet…and one of those may have followed them from Earth. While a final home is a dream away, present nightmares must be dealt with first if any of them are going to survive.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“How many?” Moran asked.

“Four. Just up ahead.” Tobias tightened his grip on his weapon.
“Bethany is waiting for us.”

Moran stopped and watched as the caravan slowly edged toward the right, away from immediate danger. “Wish we had more to spare.”

“So do I.” Tobias took in a calming breath and let it out slowly. The nervousness in his stomach eased up. Miriam had taught him several techniques for dealing with fear, for calming his anxiety and sharpening his mind. He would forever be grateful to be married to a counselor, a therapist, a wise wizard of the brain’s complications.

“Ready?” Moran asked.

They both walked slowly toward Bethany’s position, their eyes locked on the trees where Tobias saw the four animals.

“Eight,” Bethany whispered as they approached. “Four more in a cluster of trees to the right of the others.”

“Typical pack. Haven’t heard the growl, yet,” Moran said. “Maybe they didn’t see us.”

“Oh, they did.” Tobias pointed to the tree with the first rychat he spotted. “I swear I saw that one lick its lips.”

“Well, we’ll have to take care of that.”

Moran raised his crossbow and took aim at the one Tobias pointed out. In tandem, both Tobias and Bethany raised their own weapons.

“One on the trunk,” Tobias whispered.

Bethany responded. “The big one to the right.”

The three were silent as they steadied themselves.

About the AuthorBenjamin, a speculative fiction author, ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time.

Benjamin lives with his wife Jesse in Colorado.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub
Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Prince of Blue Flowers by Ryū Zhong – Q&A and Giveaway

April 24, 2023 By 3 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What would we find under your bed?

Nothing on a good day, but when the day isn’t so good, all sorts of things. I discovered my imagination processes the worries of the day and manifests them into creatures nesting under my bed. Twelve-legged spiders with palms on their feet are ready to grab my anxiety; snakes with human faces just wait until I fall asleep to squeeze my unresolved anger out; mouths with a thousand of the sharpest teeth smiling at my unsated greed.

I put my mattress on the floor, so there’s no ‘below’ my bed. But then the spirits possess my neighbors one floor down. So, the only way to get through such a night is to lie on the bed with my eyes closed and count up to three hundred and down, then up again until the spirits dissolve in the cold void of numbers.

What was the scariest moment of your life?

It wasn’t a moment but an eternity of my world falling apart. There was a time—how long it was, I hardly remember—when I was struggling to talk, to write, and ultimately, to think. I can only think through talking or writing, so losing those capabilities meant a great deal. First, I stopped writing fiction, then writing emails, then talking with my family. One day, I woke up, went to a mirror, and couldn’t manage to whisper my name. That was the scariest moment I remember. I ceased to exist at that moment, yet I was still trapped in this, probably, single second. What moved me, I can’t recall; I only remember the steamy mirror with unsure lines made by a wet finger. The lines shaped themselves into a dragon (which is what my name means).

Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what?

The music that I listen to goes hand in hand with the style, genre, and character of the scenes that I write. To get into the flow, I must let go of my surroundings and of the regular context of my life. I must immerse into my writing to write ‘from inside’ yet not ‘from inside of myself’ but ‘from inside the scene.’ Music helps me a lot.

As most of my writing is light and comical, I gravitate toward dance music, starting from 1920s jazz and up to 8-bit and techno tracks of the XXI century. Yet when I am knee-deep in noir style or in a romantic episode full of human intimacy, I switch to bebop, classics, and Taylor Swift.

What is something you’d like to accomplish in your writing career next year?

My writing goal for this and next year is to expand my reach to the Western world and make my ideas available and enjoyable in the domain of the English language. For this, a simple translation isn’t enough. I must rewrite everything carefully and find a balance between keeping my voice and supporting the structures of the language in which I’m now writing. Ultimately, my goal is to become a better writer capable of producing work of quality that reaches people from different languages and cultures.

Blessed by the Seven Gods of Fortune, I am surrounded by friends and professionals who help me: native speakers, translators, editors, and proofreaders.

How long did it take you to write this book?

The first draft of the ‘Prince of Blue Flowers’ took me about half a year, then about a year of editing and rewriting. About three months went into illustrations and pre-print. The English adaptation took about half a year to reach the balance between the original voice and demanding language and then another three months of professional edits. So, in total, two and a half years, during which I drafted and rewrote the other two volumes of the trilogy.

Young boy Hatsukoi leaves his village to become a monk, only to find monastic life incredibly boring. With a new-found name and a new-found friend, Hatsukoi travels the countryside and plays tricks at the expense of corrupt, irate, greedy, and ignorant people. Nobles of all ranks—from petty governors to crown princes—fall victim to the boy’s wit and cunning.

As his tricks evolve from childhood frolics to elaborate cons, Hatsukoi grows as well. He learns not only the craft of his trade, but also its higher purpose.

Join Hatsukoi’s journey, laugh at his exploits, and learn with him.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Fragments

In ancient times, on the shores of the Eternal Ocean lay the country of Auyasku. The waves of the three seas cherished her sleep. The

Silent Western Sea lulled her with whispers, and the Glacial Sea squeezed her tightly in its arms. Even the Sea of Great Storms was quiet off the coast of this cold land.

A white fur coat of snow hid Auyasku from the heat of the sun. On the hottest summer day, the bright beams of Celestial Luminary could not penetrate beneath the blankets and awaken Auyasku from her age-old slumber.

In the middle of the country rose a snowy mountain, and on its top was a wonderful rock. This rock was open to the beaming sun and moonlight, because tall trees did not grow on it; moss alone covered the stones, still barely warm from the sun.
And then, one day, the rock produced a stone egg. Later, a marten hatched from this egg, also made of stone, but endowed with limbs and all five senses.

The stone marten quickly learned to run about and hunt small game that hid in the snow. She also made friends with other animals that inhabited the endless fields of Auyasku: foxes, bears, wolves – even moles. And, of course, with other martens, her relatives. The mountain from which she came was called Marten Mountain because it served as a home to many martens.

One morning, when the sun appeared in the east and slowly rolled across the sky, the martens began to frolic around the rock, chasing one another. Having gambolled enough, they calmed down and, staring at the sun, began to talk – for, as the proverb goes, even animals can talk to each other.

About the Author ‘Ryū’ means ‘dragon’ in Japanese, and ‘Zhong’ can be translated from Chinese as ‘flute’. This amalgam of languages represents the fusion of cultures that characterises the writings of Ryū Zhong.

In their books, Ryū Zhong explore challenges that humanity might face as our technology gets more and more complicated to the level where it becomes magic. Such a shift would force people to look towards religion and reinterpret realities that today, we call fairy tales.

Ryū Zhong were lucky to be born and grow in Asia. Now they live in Amsterdam, study Dutch, and adapt their writings to English.

Website | Blog | Instagram | Twitter
Buy the book at Amazon, Google Play, Barnes and Noble.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

What I Would Tell a New Author by Phoenix Blackwood – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 11, 2023 By 3 Comments

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Phoenix Blackwood 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.

c
Write your truth. Whether it’s fantasy, sci-fi, or contemporary, there’s a truth inside you waiting to be set free. You can have fun with it, it doesn’t always have to be serious or somber – it can be a truth filled with joy, a truth filled with justice. Whatever feels good to you, that’s what you should write. Don’t write things for the sake of forcing yourself into a box of genre or write away important things for the sake of pleasing other people. If you feel like something really belongs, keep it. If you feel like it might ruffle a few feathers, good. All the best writing has the potential to do so. That’s not to say to completely disregard the opinions of beta readers and editors. No, it just means to write what’s truly inside of you, clawing to be set free.

Your truth can bring you closer to your readers, make them feel seen. It can turn out to be the most important book someone’s ever read in their life, even if only a few read it. If you’re in it for the sheer numbers, you’re going to be disappointed, regardless of how successful you are. There’s always going to be a bigger number, more money that could be made. What’s important is that you get your message across. If you’re too bogged down with writing what you think people will want to read, you’re going to come up with something that you dislike in the end, feeling no connection with it.

Connect with your characters, your story. That’s the most beautiful part of writing, the connection. With the readers, with yourself, with your values. The right people will find your story, and it’ll mean the world to them. My favorite books aren’t all best sellers, in fact, a lot of them are indie. Most of them deserve better recognition, but unfortunately a lot of the best books are gems hidden in a sea of media. Let yourself shine as that gem.

From the outside, Alex has a perfect life. She has a partner who loves her, gets good grades in school, excels at most sports, and has a big heart. From the inside, Alex’s life is anything but perfect. She hasn’t spoken to her father in years. She’s hiding the fact that her once-best-friend now-romantic-partner Theo is trans and nonbinary from her homophobic mother. Bullies are harassing her and Theo at school, taunting and shoving. It’s all becoming too much for Alex to bear.

Things take a surprising turn when Alex’s mother discovers her relationship with Theo. After Alex is thrown out of her house and taken in by Theo’s foster family, Alex can live honestly. For a while, things start to feel manageable. Alex finds a new group of friends. She navigates what “family” means beyond her mother and sister. She even considers forgiving her mother’s past mistakes. But forgiveness requires honesty. Secrets Alex’s mother has been keeping are surfacing, trying to bind Alex to misery. As Alex learns the full truth of her mother’s past mistakes, she will need the love of her chosen family and friends to gently bind her life into a shape that keeps her whole.

Enjoy an Excerpt

I sat on my bed and pulled Theo down to my level, kissing them on the forehead. They sat down with me and kissed me on the lips until they were leaning over me and my hands were wrapped around the back of their neck, pulling them closer. They were so soft, always so tender. I focused all my attention on the kiss, so much so that I didn’t hear the small squeak of my door opening. Theo pulled away suddenly, jarring me and forcing me to look in the direction of their gaze.

Leah had opened the door. She stood there with her mouth open, her face frozen in wonder and confusion. She’d known Theo since we’d become friends, I bet she had never imagined finding us kissing when she opened my door.

Theo and I looked at each other in horror. The secret was out, how were we going to get her to keep quiet? We should’ve been more careful. We’d gotten too comfortable.

I signed for Leah to come sit between us on the bed. My face got hot as she sat and tears brimmed in my eyes. My mom could never, ever find out – Leah knowing was so dangerous. She looked up at me with wide eyes and signed, “Boyfriend?”

Theo must’ve seen the panic rising up in me, because they took over. They gently rested one hand on her shoulder to get her attention and then explained, “We love each other. I’m not a boy, but I’m still her partner. I’m like a boyfriend, just minus the boy part.”

Walking through the threshold of Theo’s house was like a weight lifting off my shoulders, all the tension of home and school falling away. This was what home was supposed to feel like. I flopped down on the couch and Theo joined me a couple minutes later with two mugs of tea, handing me one. I leaned into them as they wrapped an arm around my shoulders after turning the television on to the latest show we’d been binging. This felt so safe, so calm. A feeling I rarely got in my own home. Always on edge, an internal dissonance telling me that I wasn’t good enough. Here, I was everything I was supposed to be.

We watched television until Seth–Theo’s brother–made his way down the stairs and started rummaging through the kitchen to start dinner. The house was quickly filled with smells that made my mouth water – meat searing in a pan, vegetables being chopped, pasta water boiling. I sat in the scents until I couldn’t take it any longer and my stomach growled, causing me to get up and make my way into the kitchen.

Seth shot me a sly smile. “Probably another ten minutes.”

I pouted, staring at the food and willing it to cook faster.

About the Author:Born and raised in New England, Phoenix has always been a creative – whether it’s painting or writing. From a very young age, Phoenix has envisioned and created characters, writing them into existence and exploring them through visual arts. Having graduated to first-time short story author, Phoenix is embarking on a journey towards novel writing as they finally bring characters they’ve known for years into the world. Phoenix is neurodiverse and intersex and hopes to bring more representation to both topics with their writing. They believe in creating relatable characters that people can find themselves in and empathize with.

Buy the book at Amazon>br”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Insider Story with Bo, lover of Victor Raghib and Caden from Battle of a Thousand Deaths by Nina Schluntz – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 7, 2023 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Insider Story with Bo, lover of Victor Raghib and Caden from Battle of a Thousand Deaths

Host: We’d like to welcome a special guest, Bo, current slave and lover to Victor Raghib from Battle of a Thousand Deaths. Thank you for joining us, Bo.

Bo: Pleasure to be here.

Host: First off, I want to say, are you really as nice as you appear on camera? You seem to have no faults and people can’t help but love you.

Bo: That’s so kind of everyone to say, but I’m really no different than anyone else. I don’t put on a special act for the cameras.

Host: I’m not sure that answered the question, but we’ll move on. How do you feel knowing that Raghib is in love with Caden? Do you think he loves Caden more than you? Fans often say Raghib is using you as a replacement.

Bo: I’ve seen those same fans say Caden was my replacement. Raghib and I formed a bond and were lovers long before Raghib meant Caden. But, as someone who has met Caden, I understand his appeal. He’s a truly great guy.

Host: Um, okay, have you done anything to help the people of Raghib’s Kingdom? You must know the people are being overtaxed and are suffering.

Bo: There are people, specialists, who are addressing those concerns. It’s certainly not something a person with my background as a sex slave would know how to solve.

Host: Is it true Raghib is struggling with addiction?

Bo: He has his demons. Any former slave struggles to adapt to a life of freedom.

Host: Is part of that adapting related to the ecstasy reward most slaves receive from their master? Raghib is addicted to that drug and has been spending his kingdom’s money to buy more in the black market.

Bo: Of course, slaves struggle to adjust to a life without a reward system. I mean, I’m high right now. I gave Raghib a blowjob behind stage before coming out here. I needed the ecstasy reward to calm my nerves. If I was a free man without access to ecstasy, I’m not sure how I’d have the courage to do an interview like this.

Host: Raghib didn’t accompany you to the studio today.

Bo: A reward is a reward. I’m happy to have brightened someone’s day and get rewarded for it.

Host: We can edit that out before it airs, right? No? This is live? Of course, it is. Well, I think this has provided our viewers with some insight into Raghib’s Kingdom. Tune in next month for… I don’t know what, but not this. Can we call someone to get this guy?

Game Wardens rule most of the galaxy by a fierce empire built on enslavement and brokered deals. The only means to earn one’s freedom is by playing in the Alien Games. Two slaves go in the arena, the survivor, if there is one, is given their freedom and crowned a king, earning them a small country to rule and slaves of their own.

To make the battle more fun for spectators, genetically enhanced monsters, sahalias, are given to the combatants, but they must found in a scavenger hunt. Five orbs, each hatching into a lizard that will bond with their keeper, are hidden on a random planet. If the competitor finds all five, they have a great imbalance of power over the other, who will have none. The sahalias are created with one purpose, to battle to the death and destroy the other competitor.

*****

Caden works at an all night diner in a small town near the interstate. When a man comes in late at night, asking for access to the roof, Caden knows the man is a bit off. But his ruffian nature and a small bribe makes Caden decide to let him go up.

“It’s a scavenger hunt,” the man says. Caden thinks he’s being helpful when he finds the item, a black orb, but when he touches it, he unknowingly becomes a competitor in an intergalactic competition that ends in a battle to the death. Manipulated and lied to, drugged by the alien Incubus, Raghib, whom he is now allied with, he must train his lizard battle creatures to fight for him on an unknown planet with rules he barely understands.

He has little chance to survive and although he wants to trust, Raghib, who will earn his freedom if Caden wins the battle, he worries he is simply being used. A bit of truth is revealed when one of the Game Wardens takes a liking to Caden, but his alien species is known to eat humans, so Caden isn’t sure if the desire is that of hunger or true romance.

Either way, Caden is nothing but a slave to their alien games.

***** 

Caden is free. He won his battle and got what he wanted. Sent back to Earth with his won kingdom given to the slave, Raghib. However, life on Earth, back at the diner isn’t the same after living on an alien planet. He still suffers from withdrawals from the Incubus influence and drugs Raghib forced on him, and nightmares from the horrible battle to the death.

When a woman arrives, the latest competitor in the alien games, she offers him a chance to visit Raghib. All he has to do is be her slave during the games and help her find the orbs. He agrees and finds she is a higher level competitor than Raghib was, the hunt is on a deadlier planet, one covered in darkness and monsters.

Caden is eventually reunited with Raghib and gets to see the kingdom he won. Raghib is more broken from the battle and haunted by the brutality of it than Caden. He has a new lover and is driving his country to poverty so he can buy drugs to forget the pain. Caden turns to the Game Wardens for help, offering to go back in the arena again, with the woman he helped in the scavenger hunt. He is a fan favorite and knows their ratings will improve if he goes in again.

He arranged to go in as her pretend slave, in a role that will have safety features turned on so he will be in no real danger. He thinks its his idea to go back in. Confident he’s messing with the structures in place and trying to leverage the Game Wardens to change the deadly games into a nonlethal form.

However, it was their plan for him to go back in from the start. Caden is still nothing but a slave to their alien games.

***** 

Caden’s long-term girlfriend on Earth is pregnant, and Caden is missing. Jenny worries he has been kidnapped and drugged again. A strange woman arrives, saying she knows Caden and where he is. She offers to take Jenny to him, if she helps her… they just need to find some orbs in a scavenger hunt. Jenny agrees, but is careful to not touch the objects. She doesn’t trust this woman.

They find four orbs and encounter the other competitor. The fifth orb is there, and Jenny is forced to pick it up. The other competitor forfeits and Jenny finds herself now in the games, the woman she’d been helping now announced as her deadly competitor.

She is taken to an alien planet and united with a distraught Caden. He confesses that he has a relationship with a man, an alien man, an Incubus named Raghib, and the woman Jenny must fight is Raghib’s daughter.

Caden is in an impossible situation, either his lover’s daughter dies or his childhood sweetheart dies, but there is a rule in the games, a protection for slaves and their offspring, who are viewed as profitable future slaves. A pregnant woman may not enter the arena, instead the sire must.

Caden is again forced to play in the games, but this time he has no sahalias to battle on his behalf, and safety features are not allowed. If Caden is to survive, he must find a way to not be a slave in their alien games.

Enjoy an Excerpt from Book Two

“You were the victor in the arena. You. And you would have made a great leader.” Her face twisted with even more contempt. “But you gave your nobility away to Raghib. You, of all people, should have known better.”

“I don’t understand.”

I saw the flash of rage glimmer in her eyes, then my vision was flooded by the water below us as she thrust me under it. The shock had me inhaling the fluid, which panicked me more than anything. I thrashed and flailed. She pulled me back as I coughed, only vaguely aware that the water had stung my lungs less than water on Earth did.

“I’m from that kingdom you abandoned,” she said. “My people are from there.” She turned my head so I was forced to look at her. “Your Raghib sold our natural resources. Drained our water. Drilled our soil. Left us with nothing but barren land. Not even enough for us to live on, let alone afford the taxes he demanded. We had lush swamps, like this.” She gestured with her free hand while the other still held me, just barely high enough to keep my face from being submerged. “But now, it is a desert. My family sold me, sold their child, to pay Raghib’s tax and buy enough food to keep from starving. So I am here to win my own kingdom so my people can live in a better place. A place not ruled by a drug addict who cares nothing for his people.”

She dunked me again, before I could even consider mustering the air to respond or comprehend what she was telling me. I flailed, swung wildly, and probably hurt myself far more than I did her. She pulled me up again, and I vomited out the water as she tossed me away.

“You don’t even know whose side you are on. Kralasee is a puppet of the Game Wardens. She trains fighters. She is employed by the Game Wardens and works to prepare competitors in the months before they go on their scavenger hunt. And now, they have allowed this, you, their favorite competitor to return. How am I to win?’

“Not killing me would definitely be a good step in the right direction,” I managed to say between coughs.

“Does it matter if I am killed for murdering you rather than murdered in the arena in six days? Death is death.”

“Yes, but one of those options is a guarantee, the other is not.” I regained enough composure to look at her. “I can help you. I will…help you.”

I noticed she didn’t have any of the bands on her arm. She hadn’t found any orbs.

“It doesn’t matter to me which of you wins. I have no intention of going into the arena. So how about I help you find the remaining orbs?’

She did that smiling sneer, and for a moment, I thought it meant she was accepting my offer. She gripped my shoulder and pulled me from the water, pushing my back against a trunk. At least, I hoped it was a tree trunk.

“The more orbs that bitch finds, the better, so don’t offer me your pity.” She gave me a final push, then stepped out of my light, vanishing and leaving me, once again, alone. Only this time, I didn’t have any hope of finding Kralasee’s tracker.

About the Author:

Nina Schluntz is a native to rural Nebraska. In her youth, she often wrote short stories to entertain her friends. Those ideas evolved into the novels she creates today.

Her husband continues to ensure her stories maintain a touch of realism as she delves into the science fiction and fantasy realm. Their three cats are always willing to stay up late to provide inspiration, whether it is a howl from the stray born in the backyard or an encouraging bite from the so called “calming kitten.”

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Queer Romance Ink

Book 1 Video ~ Book 2 Video ~ Book 3 Video

Buy the series, Book 1, Book 2, or Book 3on Amazon or check out the serialized version of the series (US only) on Kindle Vella.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Cold Sleep by Luke Hindmarsh – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 4, 2023 By 2 Comments

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

It’s the perfect score—stealing valuable data from a VIP in cryo-freeze midway through a decades-long interstellar crossing. If it works, Kara will have enough money to buy what she’s always wanted—a Captaincy.

But with the rest of the crew and the cargo of one hundred thousand colonists still frozen, Kara and her accomplice, Zed, realize they’re not the only ones awake. The murdered woman they find is only the first victim of whoever or whatever has woken from Cold Sleep.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Stretching out the stiffness, my joints pop and crackle. One of the problems with lying in cold-sleep: you wake up feeling like arthritis has set in. With the synthetic dopamine and endorphins fading, I’d probably just want to curl up somewhere but good old synthphenethylamine’s still getting me going. A few seconds more for the upload of the quasi-intelligent virus to the ship’s system to finish.

Speaking of risks, getting caught with QI tech would see me court-martialed and spaced before any appeal notice could reach Earth. But this gig is worth it; it’s not for the thrill, it’s for what the payoff will get me.

Upload complete. And the ship’s systems stop registering our unscheduled revival.

A quick check back through the records shows all evidence of disruption to the normal cold-sleep routine has been erased. My little QI viral hitchhiker is back safe in the link-key, its work done for now.

Of course, a full virtual forensic check, stripping away every level of the programming and examining the source code, will make my tampering as obvious as a cometary impact. But the QI virus has laid the same evidence trail to each of the eighteen crew, four officers, and one hundred thousand passengers on board.

If you can’t hide your crime, make sure the evidence points to someone else. Better yet, everyone else.

For now, we’re ghosts aboard a sleeping ship.

About the Author:

A Brit now living in the Scandinavian wilds of Denmark with his wife and half-Viking kids, Luke worked as a Criminal Barrister in and around London for over a decade dealing with everything from minor theft cases to a real life axe murder and everything in between. Thanks to parents in the military he grew up being dragged around the world–while living in the Far East he picked up a love for the martial arts which continues to this day, as he passes on what he’s learned to a select dojo of students. Cold Sleep is his third novel. His first was Amazon cyberpunk bestseller Mercury’s Son, his second a UK set supernatural suspense novel 3:33 AM.

Twitter | Facebook

Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Wizard War by Paul Smith – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 4, 2023 By 1 Comment

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

Wizard War is the story of Maxwell, who discovers he has magical powers. He is trained by the council of wizards who provide Maxwell with his introduction to magic and the wizarding world while teaching him about the perils of dark magic.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Maxwell’s room was quaint. All the essentials he needed were there, but the room lacked any personality. Maxwell was tired from the day’s adventures. He saw that his shopping from earlier—a selection of robes—had arrived. Tomorrow he would dress like a real wizard. He flipped through his fundamentals book. It was lonely being a wizard. While everything was new and exciting to him, everyone else around him had experienced magic to the point that it was commonplace. He had learned more about war in one day then he would ever have imagined.

In the corner of the room sat a curious contraption with a letter on it from Calvin Copperpot “to help you sleep.” The device was a phonograph. Not any normal phonograph, of course—this one only played the music needed to make someone sleepy. Indeed, it worked wonderfully as Maxwell climbed into bed and fell into a deep sleep thanks to the lullaby.

In the morning he got himself dressed in his wizarding robes. He at least looked the part. He found a section in his fundamentals textbook that taught him how to conjure breakfast. It was a basic meal: eggs, some ham and a bit of cheese. But it was food and made by magic.

About the Author:

Paul Smith is an author who was born and raised in British Columbia and now lives in Newfoundland and Labrador. He is an avid dog lover and former nurse who now lives with PTSD.

Twitter | Instagram

By the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Mid-Flight by Lisa Wilkes – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 3, 2023 By 10 Comments

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

2037 was a really bad year.

Lexi Brennan’s best friend was killed in a plane crash. Two weeks later, an intergalactic crisis threatened the fate of humanity. Authorities responded by launching a genocide.

Lexi opposed this vicious attack. Then again, what could she do? An eccentric flight attendant drawn to glamorous trysts, she felt powerless to incite change.

Until tragedy struck close to home. Suddenly, Lexi was forced to acknowledge the widespread atrocities. She uncovered a network of lies along with an opportunity to restore basic human rights. To protect others, Lexi would have to launch a movement that could destroy everything important to her, including her promising new romance.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Wordlessly, Lexi grabbed her purse and darted for the exit. She needed to see it. She had to know for sure.

The midnight sky was pierced by jagged red veins. A thousand burgundy fingers tore through the stratosphere like lightning etched in the wrong color. Puffs of smoke dotted the horizon, mushroom clouds rising toward the ominous red ether. From the descriptions and images in Lexi’s VirtuAlarms, it appeared Santa Fe had gotten off easy. Other cities looked like they’d been struck by an atomic bomb.

The world was blazing. The sky was breaking apart in pieces.

AutoScan—Jorge Rodrigues, I didn’t see your texts ‘til just now. They’re grounding all planes immediately? Scary stuff. Wish I was there with you. Where’s your plane landing?

With a rapid-fire double blink, Lexi sent the message.

Jorge’s response flitted across Lexi’s cornea. His words felt frantic. Can’t get down. Capitol Hill is burning. Dense population, nowhere to land. 80 miles from Dulles Airport. I don’t think we’ll make it.

Lexi read the last sentence and crumbled. She fell to her knees on the hot New Mexico concrete, sirens blaring in the distance and meteors crashing to the ground with a fiery scarlet vengeance.

About the Author:Lisa Wilkes has spent 13 years as a flight attendant, jetting across the globe and collecting inspiration for her writings. Her debut novel, Flight Path, is a fast-paced romance laced with serendipitous encounters. This book follows a daydreaming stewardess as she learns to navigate a new terrain: unconditional love.

In her second novel, Mid-Flight, Lisa transports readers to the year 2038. A flight attendant begins to unravel after her best friend is killed in a plane crash. In the throes of unspeakable grief, she uncovers a political ploy to decimate one-fifth of the population. To combat this sinister plan, she must risk everything. Including her breathtaking new romance.

Lisa’s writing is provocative and timely, with a focus on societal issues and powerful internal conflict. Flight Path’s readers will appreciate Mid-Flight’s emphasis on hope and redemption, while newcomers to Lisa’s work will be drawn to the power of her storytelling.

Website | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Instagram | Etsy
Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Dystopia is Easy, Utopia is Hard by Lee Schneider

March 30, 2023 By Leave a Comment

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Lee Schneider, author of Surrender.

Dystopia is Easy, Utopia is Hard

Do things seem unstable to you? Is technology moving too fast? Do people seem to pay more attention to the online world than they are to the real one? Considering everything going on around us, it’s easy to fall into a dystopian frame of mind.

Now put yourself in the mind of an author. Maybe you are one already, so this next part won’t be hard. Constructing a reality that is dark and difficult can be exciting to write. Bad news is easier to dramatize than good news. Evil villains are easier to write than good people who might seem a little boring. Dystopian visions are easy to market, like Blade Runner, based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick, while stories about the redemptive power of friendship may build audiences one reader at a time, like Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

If you need proof in numbers, just look at Amazon’s Bestseller lists for science fiction: Dystopian dramas, techno thrillers, and bad guys are on top. Is it just all that bad stuff that keeps us coming back? No, there’s something else. There’s a trick to the best dystopian tales, a slight of hand in the writing, that makes them seem dystopian on the surface, but they actually hold hope.

Ursula K. Le Guin is the master of this form. You read a book of hers like The Left Hand of Darkness and it might seem pretty dark at first. It’s got a mad king who exiles a diplomat he hates, and a planet with weather so harsh you could easily freeze to death. But Le Guin’s intent is the opposite of getting her readers depressed about the story. The Left Hand of Darkness is actually a story about how different people can come together and respect each other. When I finished the book, I felt uplifted.

Octavia E. Butler’s novel Kindred is enjoying a TV adaption on Hulu right now. The story is about a woman who time travels from 1979 to a plantation in Maryland before the Civil War. As the main character fills in missing parts of her personal history, and evades capture by slavers, we perceive her as an increasingly complex character caught in a period of history that has more dimensions than we may have first assumed. Read Kindred, and you’ll learn about how power struggles force people to befriend and betray each other, but also how they redeem themselves. It starts out as a dystopian tale but ends in a way that is positive and uplifting.

If you like stories that come together slowly (as in over three large volumes), start with The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu. The first book starts with an alien invasion that takes 400 years to get to Earth. When the bad guys finally arrive, the results are catastrophic. They conquer Earth, and all humans are under the thumb of the invaders. But keep reading! By the third book, Death’s End, not only do we humans take back our planet, but we get close to establishing an Earthly utopia.

Science fiction writers tell us about the future, but a special vision of the future that has a lot to do with the present. It can show us a way forward, sometimes in a backwards way, when we read about dystopias and learn what not to do. In The Ministry of the Future, Kim Stanley Robinson depicts how climate change will nearly end human life on earth, but then shows us a way to avoid the disaster.

In these times, with tech dominating nearly every part of life, and some of our most dystopian visions coming true, science fiction has a special responsibility to point the way to a better version of the world. I think of Butler’s Kindred, Liu’s Three-Body Problem and Robinson’s The Ministry of the Future each as books that can light the way, even if they start by painting a dark picture of the world. We readers need a journey, right? If the journey was easy, we’d probably put down the book. But when a story pulls us in, and eventually turns a dark vision into light, it might show us a path to utopia that we’ve never considered before.

It is 2050. Kat Keeper, an entrepreneur, hires an AI savant to recreate the consciousness of her husband, who has passed away. Soon, she is drawn into a love triangle with her husband’s mind and the man who created it.

Kat learns, only too late, that the man she hired leads a tech company that is working to capture the inner thoughts of all people, and use them to control the weather, all tech and learning, and even human will. Kat knows she must stop this, but doesn’t know how. She is pursued by a secret circle of women who say they have the answer, and want her to lead them.

Surrender takes place in a future where a global machine intelligence manages our climate disaster. While a tech company works to harvest every citizen’s thoughts, a secret band of resisters struggles to keep human thought safe and free.

About the Author

Lee Schneider is a novelist and non-fiction writer. His most recent book is Surrender, a speculative science fiction story set in 2050 with a climate change theme. It’s available on Amazon, Apple Books, bookshop.org, and Barnes & Noble. His website is https://futurex.studio. Find him on Amazon, Mastodon, Instagram, and Medium.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Science Fiction/Fantasy
« Previous Page
Next Page »