Archive for May 6, 2025

 

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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Syndicate Moon organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Scott Killian will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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Syndicate Moon

Stellar Heir #2 

By Scott Killian

 

 

Genre: Science Fiction 

Synopsis

Jael and his crew are on the run, searching for an ancient machine that could save the galaxy, but the syndicate-controlled moon has other plans.

After uncovering an artifact that grants him extraordinary powers, Jael thought he had gained the upper hand in the lawless fringes of space. But news of his newfound abilities has spread throughout the galaxy, and a bounty is placed on his head for crimes he didn’t commit. New enemies emerge to claim the reward and old foes remain relentless in their pursuit of the artifact.

Jael is unwillingly thrust into a high-stakes game that determines control over the moon. The four crime syndicates use this brutal contest to decide who will rule, and now Jael’s fate is entangled with theirs.

Complicating matters further, a mysterious woman with a similar artifact stalks Jael across the moon, sabotaging his quest. With each step, the stakes rise, and every decision could mean life or death. Jael must fight to stay alive, protect his crew, and uncover the second Antiqui lock—before time runs out.

 

Enjoy this peek inside:

Black crystalline scales erupted from Jael’s skin as he threw himself in front of Merzi. The scales absorbed the impact of the slugs and heat of the beams, crystal shards crackling off with each hit.

“Whoa, whoa, hold your fire!” One of the members stepped forward —a younger man who showed obvious signs of being a human hybrid.

His skin had a subtle, iridescent sheen and bony protrusions framed his jawline. His eyes scanned Jael, one a piercing blue, the other a glowing amber. Unlike the others he was clad in a weathered leather vest with various alien ornaments dangling from his belt.

The man continued. “We’re here for Ked’Korhva, not the woman.”

“Who the void cares, Lorvel?” one of the others said. “Just waste the skwer so we can get our payday.”

Jael straightened, breathing heavily. His scales dissolved back into his flesh. “Since when do syndicates go into bounty hunting work?”

Lorvel stepped closer. “Since the price on your head hit six digits.”

“You’re really willing to die for a payday?” Jael asked, motioning for Merzi to retreat into the abandoned building.

“For that kind of money?” Lorvel grinned, raising one brow. “Absolutely.”

Jael stole a glance over his shoulder to make sure Merzi had taken cover inside. When he saw her get into position behind the broken window, he turned back towards Lorvel and the rest of the Legion lackeys.

Jael quickly raised his slug thrower, aiming for Lorvel, but a shot rang out. The gun was knocked from his grip, skidding across the walkway. He swore under his breath and cradled his stinging hand.

Lorvel had his weapon steadily trained on Jael. The two men locked eyes. Jael shook his hand, ignoring the throbbing pain and dropping into a fighting stance. The wound had already healed thanks to the Antiqui bracelet.

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About Author Scott Killian:

Scott Killian grew up in California where he consumed every bit of sci-fi, fantasy and horror media he could find. Delving deep into the works of Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, and H. P. Lovecraft, those portals in his mind were opened, and his obsession with reading began. Storytelling, in any form, is his only passion.

Inspired by epic sci-fi space operas, Killian crafts tales of interstellar adventure and space wars, blending thrilling martial arts combat with galactic-scale conflict. His works often feature gritty fight sequences and complex characters caught in the heart of a stellar conflict, creating a unique blend of space opera thriller and sci-fi epic.

Facebook / TikTok / Instagram / Twitter

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Free To Read On Kindle Unlimited : Amazon

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

 

 

 

Book Details:

  The Girl of Many Crowns by D.H. Morris
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  305 pages
GenreHistorical Fiction 
Publisher:  New Classics Publishing
Release date:  October 4, 2024
Content Rating: PG due to some mature subject matters, but no graphic violence, language, or sexual content.

 

“The Girl of Many Crowns offers a riveting glimpse into the tumultuous life of Judith, the first princess of France, against the richly detailed backdrop of medieval Europe. D.H. Morris masterfully blends history and human drama, making Judith’s struggles both personal and profoundly symbolic of the era’s precarious politics.” – review by Gina Rae Mitchell

“D H Morris’ talent shines through in this debut. She no doubt did extensive research to bring this story to life. I loved how they were able to portray Judith. The historical details were so vivid, I felt as though I was transported back in time and living in the medieval times.” – review by Amy Campbell, Locks Hooks and Books.

“The book sent me down the rabbit hole of reading more about Baldwin Iron Arm, which itself was a super exciting bonus activity (and yes, a bonus – the author is a descendant of Baldwin Iron Arm and Judith – can you even imagine finding your ancestors back to… years 837 – 879?).” – review by @this.human.reads


Book Description:

The true story of a powerful Knight and a runaway Queen who unite to defy an empire.

The Kingdom of Francia  – 856 

Thrust into the political intrigue surrounding the throne of Francia, young Princess Judith loyally supports her father, King Charles.  She strengthens his kingdom by marrying twice for political alliance.

But, when Judith refuses to marry a third time at her father’s command, King Charles imprisons her in one of his palaces.

Baldwin “Iron Arm” is a trusted knight and companion to Princess Judith’s brother, Prince Louis. Baldwin helps protect Francia and the king’s family from Vikings, rebel Lords, wars, and assassinations plots.

When Judith and Baldwin fall in love without the blessing of the king, will they be able to hold on to their faith and each other after unleashing the fury of an empire?

Buy the Book:
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Guest Post
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ENTERING THE TIME MACHINEby D. H. Morris

Even as a child I saw history as a form of time travel. However, my life-long love affair with history makes it frustrating to read historical fiction that includes anachronisms. My quest to avoid including anything out of place in the world of The Girl of Many Crowns led me to read forty books and numerous articles about the Ninth Century. The timeline and the plot for The Girl of Many Crowns came from the annals kept by ninth-century monks at the abbey of St. Bertin. But fleshing out the events mentioned in the annals is where the research happened.  Most of that research took place during the writing process. Here are several examples:

In the ninth century kings were itinerant. They had multiple palaces and moved often from one to the next to keep an eye on their nobles, listen to legal matters, and to avoid overburdening the resources of any one region. Immediately, I was faced with the question of what these moves entailed. How many people would move in one company? How far was the distance between palaces? Did they use carts, wagons, etc.? Did they have luggage or just pack everything in straw? Striving for historical accuracy, I paused writing until I had read books on early medieval European royal courts and how they traveled. I learned about the duties of the various members of the court during such endeavors, including the role of the court jester in entertaining weary travelers.

The Girl of Many Crowns is also a book of many places as indicated by the maps included. However, I could not write about those places without researching how they looked twelve hundred years ago. What buildings were there at the time that the characters were there? What were those buildings made of and what history was behind each building or city? Of course, not all of my research made it into the book. But it was important for me to know it in order to write confidently about that time period.

Finally, not being a Catholic, myself, and finding that religion was an enormous part of the characters’ story meant that I needed to delve deeply into early medieval Catholic beliefs, controversies, popes, celebrations, as well as the order and content of the ninth-century mass.

My research started by reading the works of early medieval historian Janet L. Nelson. Her books are filled with footnotes and bibliographies leading to long lists of other scholarly sources. Wikipedia is also useful for finding sources, with one caveat. You should not rely on the opinions written in the body of any given Wikipedia article without reading the original sources cited. The primary sources for citations in Wikipedia are where the real value lies.

The Girl of Many Crowns is heavier on the “historical” rather than the “fiction” part of Historical Fiction.  I hope you will enjoy entering my time machine and traveling back with me 1200 years to a dangerous, fascinating, and adventurous period in European history.

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Meet  Author D. H. Morris:

​A native of San Diego, California, D. H. Morris has lived on four continents and traveled through many countries. She has four children and eleven grandchildren and currently lives in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Choral Music education and pursued graduate work in English at USU and law at the University of Utah. She is also a published playwright.

As a descendant of Judith and Baldwin, the author discovered their intriguing story while doing a genealogical project. This journey inspired her to research everything about the 9th Century – including food, politics, travel, war, education, clothing, jewelry, religion, holidays, marriage customs, and medicine. She loves talking about this remarkable time in history when the European countries we know today were being formed and fighting for their very existence.​

connect with the author:  website pinterestgoodreads


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THE GIRL OF MANY CROWNS Audiobook & Book Tour Giveaway

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.