Archive for the ‘Fantasy’ Category

Her Darkest Hour By Suzy Henderson ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: May 11, 2025 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways, Historical
Tags: , ,
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Her Darkest Hour

by Suzy Henderson

 

Publication date: May 8th 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical

In the shadow of war, a young woman must choose: deny her magic or wield it to stop a traitor before Britain falls.

England, 1939. A young witch. A nation at war. A spy hiding in plain sight.

As war looms over Britain, Eliza MacLean wants nothing more than an ordinary life. Raised on the Isle of Mull, she’s spent years denying her gifts—just as her mother insisted. But her grandmother taught her differently, whispering ancient knowledge of herbs, charms, and spells.

When her grandmother dies, Eliza seeks refuge in Cambridge with her cousin and the women of the WVS. But beneath its spires and blacked-out streets, Cambridge hides more than just scholars and soldiers. A secret network of witches is working to protect Britain from an enemy who knows magic is real—and seeks to weaponise it.

Drawn into the fight, Eliza is thrust into a world of espionage, deception, and occult warfare. Her rare abilities catch the attention of MI5 agent Alex Fletcher, who needs her help to unmask a deadly spy before it’s too late.

As she learns to harness her power, Eliza finds herself torn between duty and love, risking everything for Jim, a fighter pilot whose fate seems written in the stars. But war is ruthless, and magic has a price.

With the spy closing in and the war reaching new heights of peril, Eliza’s only hope of saving those she loves is to embrace the very magic she’s spent a lifetime hiding—no matter the cost.

But some powers were never meant to be used.

Perfect for fans of A Discovery of Witches and The Rose Code, Her Darkest Hour blends historical fiction with supernatural intrigue in a gripping tale of war, witchcraft, and sacrifice.

Goodreads / Amazon

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The Witches Who Went to War: The Real History Behind Her Darkest Hour

When I started writing Her Darkest Hour, I wasn’t just inspired by the idea of witches in wartime—I was captivated by the real, historical belief that magic could be used to defend Britain.

In researching the book, I discovered a lineage of magical resistance stretching back centuries. In 1588, when the Spanish Armada threatened England, tales emerged of magical circles cast to summon storms. During the Napoleonic Wars, rural communities quietly turned to cunning folk—herbalists, charmers, and wise women—to protect them from invasion.

But perhaps most fascinating of all is the rumour that during WWII, a group of witches gathered in the New Forest to perform a ritual known as the Cone of Power. Their aim? To stop Hitler from setting foot on British soil. It sounds like folklore—but it’s part of Britain’s strange, often forgotten magical undercurrent. The war wasn’t just fought on beaches and battlefields. It was fought, too, in glades and gardens, by those who believed the spiritual realm had a part to play.

That hidden history became the beating heart of Her Darkest Hour. Eliza Maclean, a young Scottish witch, is drawn from her quiet life on the Isle of Mull into a war she never expected to fight. Recruited by MI5, she finds herself hunting a German spy in Cambridge—but with magic, not guns.

I wanted to honour both the women who stepped into wartime roles and the lesser-known stories of those who used ancient knowledge to protect what they loved. Eliza’s magic is not flashy or cinematic—it’s rooted in emotion, empathy, and intuition. And that, perhaps, is what made it so powerful.

In the end, this book is a tribute to the quiet guardians of our past—those who lit candles, traced symbols, whispered prayers to old gods, and believed, fiercely, in their country’s protection.

What if those rituals worked?

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy discovering Eliza’s journey in Her Darkest Hour.

Suzy Henderson
Author of Her Darkest Hour
#HerDarkestHour #HistoricalFantasy #WartimeWitches

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About Author Suzy Henderson:

Suzy Henderson is the author of The Beauty Shop, Madame Fiocca, and SPITFIRE, novels which are set during the turbulent times of World War Two. She also writes romance and recently released a novella, Christmas in the Highlands, a best seller on Amazon UK.

Her debut novel, The Beauty Shop, was awarded the B.R.A.G. Medallion. It is based on the true story of pioneering plastic surgeon, Sir Archibald McIndoe, and the Guinea Pig Club – an exclusive club for RAF pilots and airmen who required plastic surgery as a result of their war injuries and were under the care of this enigmatic New Zealander.

Madame Fiocca is also based on a true story. This gripping adventure follows the tempestuous life of SOE heroine, Nancy Wake before and during the Second World War.

Suzy lives with her family on the edge of the Lake District, where she can be found rambling around lakes, country lanes or roaming the fells. Armed with a pen, a love of reading and a growing obsession with military and aviation history, she is often lost in the 1940s, writing historical fiction.

To receive all Suzy’s latest book news, do join her reading group here & claim a free story: https://www.suzyhenderson.com

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok

 

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The Dog Roses Series By David H. Millar ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: May 4, 2025 in Fantasy, giveaways, Guest Post, Historical
Tags: , ,
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Sisters squabble. Queens go to war.

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Resolution

The Dog Roses Book 2

by David H. Millar

Genre: Historical Fantasy

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Sisters squabble.
Queens go to war.

Ten summers ago, victory brought peace and prosperity to Southern Ériu. Danu and Brighid were celebrated as heroes and saviours. The queens
scaled the heights, and there was only one way to go.

One twin became overbearing, the other resentful. Pride dug a pit filled with
blackthorns between them. They became tyrants, and the kingdom was sundered.
The people were left bitter, divided and afraid, and the lush farmlands fell
barren. Stripped of their powers, the Dog
Roses were no more. Each blamed the other, and neither took
responsibility.

Angry parents gave the twins’ brothers an army and tasked them to bring law to
the kingdom. An embittered veteran and a beautiful assassin accompany them.
Whose gold is in the assassin’s pouch, and what are her orders?

In the Halls of the Aes Sídhe, Draighean is chastised and
commanded to return to her wards. “Guide them, support them, or kill them.
Just finish what you started.”

An evil philosophy grows, and another army gathers. Can the sisters be
reconciled? The people need the Dog Roses, but can they forgive them? Yet, do
Danu and Brighid want the responsibility? Do they want their powers returned?
Being normal is very tempting.

The Dog Roses: Resolution contains
scenes of sex, violence, and language appropriate to the historical period (400
B.C.) and locations in which the story is set. It is not recommended for those
under 14 without parental consent.

5-Star Editorial Review (Literary Titan)

The Dog Roses: Resolution is a bold,
blood-soaked dive into a myth-soaked world of ancient Ériu, dripping with power
struggles, family betrayals, and queens who rule with both sword and seduction.
It’s the second book in Millar’s Dog Roses series, and it doesn’t pull any
punches. At the heart of it are two sisters, Brighid and Danu, daughters of
legendary rulers who were meant to lead with wisdom but fell into tyranny and
chaos. When their father sends their brothers to clean up the mess, all hell
breaks loose. You’ve got ancient gods, cunning assassins, ruthless politics,
and enough battle scenes to make a Roman general blush.

If you’re into Celtic fantasy that
doesn’t tiptoe around darkness, The Dog Roses: Resolution will grip you and not
let go. I’d recommend it to fans of Bernard Cornwell, lovers of Irish
mythology, or anyone craving epic family drama with bite.
— Literary Titan

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Bookbub * Goodreads

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Na Feirdhriseacha

The Dog Roses Book 1

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You have no weapons, striapach.”
“I am the weapon, tuilí.”

It is 400 B.C. The mist clears,
and three triremes glide into the calm waters of the bay in Southern Ériu. On a
grass-topped dune, a young girl dances gleefully at the Goddess’s gift.
The warrior princesses, Brighid and Danu, leap over the vessels’
sides into the cold waters and look north towards their ancestral home—the fort
of Ráth Na Conall. The clash of
weapons is not a good omen.

From his throne in Caher Conri,
the depraved Uallachán rages
at the sight of the red shield embellished with a swooping black raven and the
memories it provokes. He swears vengeance on the daughters of his old
adversary.

Draighean, a demi-goddess of the
mystical Aes Sídhe, stands
alone on the mountain peak. She bites full maroon lips, unhappy at her mission.
Yet, does she have a choice? Evil must be confronted and defeated.

Uallachán’s idea of peace is to crush all dissent, but is he no more than a
puppet of the powerful kings of the Connachta?

The twins know they must defeat the invasion and stop the enslavement of their
people. Still, even with the help of Draighean, the odds are daunting.

The Dog Roses contains
scenes of sex and violence and uses language appropriate to the period it is
set in, i.e., 400 B.C. It is not recommended for those under 14 without
parental consent.

 

5- Star Editorial Review & Gold Book
Award (Literary Titan)

David H. Millar’s The Dog Roses: Na
Feirdhriseacha is an
exhilarating historical fantasy that plunges the reader into a world of ancient
Gaelic warfare, mysticism, and political intrigue. The novel follows
the twin sisters, Brighid and Danu, as they navigate their birthright, destiny,
and the brutal conflicts that define their world. From the stormy shores of
Ériu to the blood-soaked battlegrounds of their homeland, the sisters must
harness their strength, wit, and the mystical bond of the feirdhriseacha—the
dog roses—imprinted on their chests. Their journey is one of leadership,
betrayal, and resilience, all set against the backdrop of Celtic mythology and
the harsh realities of Iron Age survival.

The Dog Roses: Na Feirdhriseacha is a
gripping read that will appeal to fans of historical fantasy, especially those
with an interest in Celtic mythology and ancient warrior cultures. The
depth of world-building, the complexity of the characters, and the sheer
intensity of the storytelling make this a novel worth savoring. If you enjoy books like The Mists of Avalon
or The Last Kingdom, this one should be on your list.
— Literary Titan

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  1. Meet some of the Main Characters:
    1. Brighid (28)

Hot-headed and impulsive, Brighid (BREED) is twenty-eight years old and is the fire to Danu’s (DAH-noo) ice. Disenchanted by her sister’s continual disregard for her counsel, Brighid left their stronghold for a stone headland fort. Like a younger version of her mother, Brighid has a dark streak and a talent for terror. Thus, while Danu chose to rule by bedroom intrigue, Brighid chose conquest, an iron fist and fear.

The twins’ chosen path leads the demi-goddess and custodian, Draighean (DRYNE), to strip them of their powers. For the first time, the Dog Roses are truly alone.

Like Danu, Brighid has her mother’s deep emerald eyes and her father’s auburn hair and is above-average height. Her body is swathed in swirling indigo-blue designs on her face and arms. Born as the sun rose, Brighid’s long tresses have highlights of summer gold.

  1. Danu (28)

Twenty-eight years old, Danu (DAH-noo) is the twin daughter of Conall (KON-ul) and Mórrígan (Moe-rig-gAHn) and is marginally the eldest. Danu is introverted and keeps her thoughts to herself, but she is also domineering. She is a pragmatic, strategic thinker, aloof, and prone to making decisions without consulting Brighid (BREED). This ultimately causes friction between the sisters, leading to their break-up and a divided kingdom. Danu rules her kingdom as a tyrant, using sex to forge powerful alliances.

The twins’ chosen path leads the demi-goddess and custodian, Draighean (DRYNE), to strip them of their powers. For the first time, the Dog Roses are truly alone.

Danu is above-average height; she has her mother’s deep emerald eyes and her father’s auburn hair. Born before dawn, her long tresses have highlights of silver blue. Danu’s body is swathed in swirling indigo-blue designs on her face and arms, which are energised by the sun and appear in constant motion.

  1. Draighean (Ageless)

Draighean (Blackthorn, DRYNE)) is a powerful demi-goddess of the Aes Sídhe (ASH SH-ee). Her domain is the winter and, with it, snow, hail, ice, northerly winds, and rain. She reluctantly assumes custody of Danu and Brighid. Their descent into despotism appears to justify Draighean’s low opinion of humans. She is furious with their behaviour and removes their Dog Roses’ powers. However, a more powerful Sídhe chastises her for failing her wards and commands her to return.

Draighean is ageless and a startling beauty, even for a demi-goddess. She is taller than most men and women. Pale hands, with nails painted dark red. Long, thick tresses of black rest over pale shoulders. Contrasting thin, auburn braids accent her hair and are perfectly coordinated with maroon lips and fingernails. In the rising sun, Draighean’s skin takes on an attractive, if faint, pink hue; in the moonlight, her skin changes to a faint blue tone. No one can determine her eye colour because it is so deep as to appear obsidian. Dark swirling designs cover her body.

  1. Tisiphone (26)

Tisiphone’s name means “voice of revenge” after one of the Greek Furies. Born in the Mediterranean port of Massalia (Marseille), she is the outcome of the brief liaison of an Etruscan sailor and a Greek whore. As a child, she never knew her father. Likely, if he knew of her existence, he had no ambitions to accept the role. Her mother was inattentive rather than neglectful.

At fifteen summers, Tisiphone is the whore over whom men and women lusted. As an adolescent, she becomes the assassin everyone fears. Yet she remains addicted to the ephemeral desire in men’s eyes and never deserted whoring.

Age increased Tisiphone’s sensual beauty. Brown eyes sit in a field of honey-almond skin. Thick tresses of long, chestnut-brown hair tap her ass cheeks as they rise and fall with the upward roll of her hips. She is taller than average, and her voice holds a seductive huskiness or an edge of steel as sharp as the blades she wielded.

  1. Lonán (50)

Plain-spoken and unimaginative, Lonán (LUH-nawn) is a man of few words who does not suffer fools. Once a trusted, battle-scarred veteran and efficient killing machine who fought at Conall’s (KON-ul) side, he is bitter at being repeatedly passed over for higher office due to his age. Injured at the battle for Rome, he needs a staff to walk. His injury removed his ability to show his anger, making him furious.

Lonán misinterprets, perhaps deliberately, Conall’s orders. He has no love for Danu (DAH-noo) and Brighid (BREED) and is prepared to assume the burden for their deaths.

Physically, Lonán is a mountain of a man whose body is built from granite and scar tissue. His demeanour is that of a disgruntled, resentful man who has seen his plans shatter and is not cunning enough to disguise his anger.

  1. Calman Mor (30)

At thirty summers old, Calman (CAL-man) is a tyrant and the most successful raider among the Mhór Midhe, a tribe he sees himself as its king. His demeanour is almost Druid-like, yet all know his reputation for brutality is well-deserved. He is an animal but like a wolf, not a boar. He is a monster who places no value on human life and fears neither death nor the Goddess.

A ruthless, dishonourable leader fond of violence, Calman is also astute and observant. He delights in violence, and his goals are simple: accumulating power, territory, and wealth. Like many despots, he is cruel and does not take criticism kindly. Of average height and muscular, he sports a scruffy beard. His cold, dark eyes seem devoid of humanity.

 

  1. Aodán (26)

voice was quiet, but the iron it held was as good as a punch to the gut

chin set in a remarkable semblance of his father

reddened and his jaw set

blue eyes

well-endowed in one particular area

uncharacteristic smidgen of anxiety, which did little to quell his younger brother’s rising apprehension

Honest

Beard

smiled disarmingly

saw a glint of steel in Aodán’s blue eyes and watched his jaw stiffen.

Astute

  1. Barra (24)

cavalry tactician and horseman; better tactician for mounted manoeuvres.

young but not stupid

a brawler

Barra took after his adopted father, Torcán. Hence, he was a brawler

Humour

Impish

Manhood, well-endowed in one particular area

Barra had many admirable qualities, but subtlety could never be described as one

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Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, internationally published and award-winning
author David H. Millar is the founder, owner, and author-in-residence of A Wee
Publishing Company—a business formed to promote Celtic authors and literature.

David is the author of the five-volume, ancient Celtic-based Conall series and
the spin-offs The Dog Roses, The Dog Roses: Resolution, The
Blood Queen and Brianag: A Blood Queen Novel.

David resides in Houston, Texas, with his family and two recent family members,
tuxedos Beau and Stiletto.

Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $50 giveaway!

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Tales Of The Ocean City By Christopher Kaufman ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 25, 2025 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways
Tags: ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Tales Of The Ocean City organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Christopher Kaufman will be awarding $45 worth of digital products from his website 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.

Tales Of The Ocean City

By Christopher Kaufman

 

 

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Synopsis

A young civilization is turning the corner into the future, but first they must face a terrible enemy from their deepest past – The Vorm..

The main characters are a young man named Harl’ut and his lifelong companion Vispushin – who is a perIanth, a kind of telepathic pegasus. Join them on this epic adventure as they lead a group of young warriors into the heart of the Vorm Hive.

Book One: Battle In The Sky is the first of five books which comprise the opening series of this epic tale. Here, Harl’ut and Vispushin and The Princess Bryn’lynn, engage in desperate battle over the southern plain with savage Vorm warriors. You will be uplifted by the passionate and thrilling conclusion of the first installment of this fantasy adventure.

Book Two: Descent Into The Abyss, Harl’ut recovers from his harrowing adventure from Book One: Battle In The Sky. He walks through the streets of The Ocean City, visits the Sculpture Garden and his friend, Elá, the bard, and engages in exciting training games with warrior/mentor, Calanctus. Then the story takes you down the throat of the vast volcano, Pla’than’taa, once worshipped as a god, where Harl’ut enacts a deadly initiation ritual, confronts the barbaric past of his people and battles a terrifying monster.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Next to the eerie bulk of the WarChief alit the most impressive of all Perianths, the silver-maned stallion, Zhi’ga’fra. On his back was a man, lean and tall, his skin a deep burnt-orange color. Light green armor adorned his body. Whitish hair sprouted from under a simple gold helm. A mystical spray of light refracted from a bright green diamond prism in place of his left eye.

Verden, the ancient warrior who served as war-leader of Pla’than’taa, should such be needed, dismounted Zhi’ga’fra and pulled from the hideous bulk his green lance. He cleaned it on the tall grass next to the lake and looked about him. The WarChief’s remains were now collapsed in a heap, but Verdin noticed movement.

He went to it, kicked around, he saw the bulbous antennae on the WarChief’s head pulsing like a beacon. He drew a green coral blade from his sash, cut out the grotesque tentacle and tossed it, now lifeless, beside the wrack.

He felt a crushing weight of sadness fall upon him. He looked over to see Zhi’ga’fra, standing over the body of Zhii’gla, his son.

Verdin sighed, “I am so sorry dear friend… he was a great being… and died a tremendous warrior…” in response he felt from Zhi’ga’fra only a complex wave of grief, almost beyond even his ability to translate in his mind…“There will be more strife Zhi’ga’fra… I see war ahead.“

“Yes…as do I,” echoed the great creature, “These… things…Perianth’s have fought them before…long ago… an age past…I believe your race has encountered them as well…” Imagery now streamed in Verdin’s inner eye as he glimpsed the scenes flowing in Zhi’ga’fra’s mind.

“We thought they were all destroyed…we call them… the VORM…they are hideous and evil…and incredibly dangerous if their hive is reformed.”

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About Author Christopher Kaufman:

Christopher Kaufman is an author, composer, presenter, illustrative artist and performer. He started imaginative fantasy books with illustrative art at the age of nine. During high school years he found music and attended The New Orleans Center for The Creative Arts and went on to major in music composition in college. He finished his schooling – earning his DMA in music composition at Cornell University where he studied with Pulitzer Prize Winning composers who prize his abilities as a composer.

Christopher is the type of person who needs imaginative fantasy scenarios to get to sleep. Therefore, he emerged from Cornell, not only with his degrees in music, but with the full event structure for his classic epic fantasy series Tales Of The Ocean City in his mind.

He began writing the story down in the early 2000’s, but it did not really come to life until he developed his home music ‘laboratory’ and started creating the music and text at the same time. Thus books one and two of TOC came about simultaneously as both graphically illustrated pages and effulgent audio albums filled with cinematic epic symphonic music.

They exist now as physical books and audio albums (that go together) and the new Video Book version. He performs live tours with the music pouring through speakers, live narration and the colorful pages streaming on screen -a true immersive multi-media experience.

Home Page / Author Page / YouTube / Facebook

Christopher believes in the transformative power of imagination. “Live with imagination!”

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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.

The Harrowing Adventures Of New Eden By Dell Vans ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 24, 2025 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways, middle grade
Tags: , , ,
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I am so excited that THE HARROWING
ADVENTURES OF NEW EDEN by Dell Vans is available now and that I get to share
the news!

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If you haven’t yet heard about this
wonderful book, be sure to check out all the details below.

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This blitz also includes a giveaway
for a $10 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours and a finished
copy of the book. So if you’d like a chance to win, check out the giveaway info
below.

 

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THE HARROWING ADVENTURES OF NEW EDEN

by Dell Vans

 

 

Pub. Date: April 22, 2025

Publisher: Phoenix Moirai

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 360

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Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/u/3JwpBQ

Buy direct from the publisher! 

 

Judy is a quiet young girl who tries
to avoid her father’s frequent outbursts. After a particularly abusive episode,
her brother Josh reveals a secret: he’s been communicating with their older
brother, Danny, through a special rock outside their neighbor’s home. Danny also
sent Josh a map to a location in the woods outside their home, which he is
gung-ho at finding. But the woods are supposed to be off-limits! What should
Judy do? Eager to see their brother again, Judy reluctantly agrees to follow
Josh to the location, if only as an escape from their home. Upon leaving the
next morning, their father chases after them. When they arrive at the location,
Danny is nowhere to be found. Instead, they find a hole. To escape their father
once and for all, they jump into the hole, only to realize it’s actually a
portal to Eden. Yes, that Eden! 

Luckily, Josh and Judy run into a
couple of elves named Robin and Joralf. Judy and Robin are excited to meet each
other, but Josh has his doubts. Meanwhile, Joralf feels the children’s sudden
appearance will have dire effects throughout the land. Evel threatens to enter
the land and cause an imbalance throughout the garden, which would lead to
Eden’s complete desctruction. Joralf encourages the children to return home
immediately, but Judy doesn’t want to go home. However, she doesn’t want to be what
kills all of Eden’s inhabitants—mermaids, jackalopes, kalavinkas, Nephilim, and
so much more—either. There’s a problem, though: Judy accidentally broke the
crystal that operates the portal! There’s only one other option; the group must
find the Archangel Uriel before Eden collapses. It’s going to take a lot of
determination and resolve to fight through roaring rivers, major lightning
storms, deception, killer birds, and mutinies to get there. 

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Can Josh and Judy find Uriel before
the building natural disasters tear Eden apart? Follow Judy through the portal
and find out!

 

 

Enjoy this peek inside:

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Meet the Protagonists by Dell Vans

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I was recently asked to share an excerpt
from The Harrowing Adventures of New Eden to introduce readers to the
characters Judy and Josh. It took me exactly 3 hot seconds to open the
manuscript, hold ctrl F on the keyboard, and type the words, “Don’t look at
her. She’s not gonna save you.” There was no doubt in my mind which scene would
give readers a glimpse into the world of Judy and Josh.

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The following is an exchange between Judy
and her father, Carl. He’s been told by Judy’s mother, Jenna that Judith has
been working overtime trying to make their family look bad, as if Jenna herself
hadn’t been doing a fine job of that all on her own. The altercation that
followed is the moment Judy and Josh decide to leave. This scene was the
catalyst that exploded into their harrowing adventure. Enjoy!

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His rage grew in response to Judy’s blank expression. “You
think you can make your mom look bad in front of that teacher?” he asked.

Ah, thought Judy. The bush-hiding incident. She
wondered what creative edits her mother had made when relaying the story to her
father this time.

“You hide in the bushes and scare your poor mother half to
death. Then you cry to your teacher that she forgot you? She’s been home the
past two days waiting on your poor, sick brother hand and foot, and you decide
to pull a stunt like that?”

Anger slammed into the back of Judy’s teeth again. She looked at
her mother once more, who sat smugly satisfied in her favorite chair.

“Don’t look at her. She’s not gonna save you,” growled
her father. 

Yeah, no kidding, thought Judy. “Dad, I didn’t…” Judy tried to
defend herself—or at least try to diffuse the situation. However, her efforts
were cut short by the sound of a beer can whizzing past her head. It exploded
against the wall behind her. The frothy contents splattered in Judy’s hair,
dripping down her neck and the side of her face. Her father clenched his fists
and took a stumbling step toward her. Judy stood frozen in shock. He’d never
done anything like this before. Yell, scream, cuss, punish, sure, but this…
never.

She flinched as Josh came whirling around the corner, jumping in
front of her and grabbing the first thing he saw that could be used as a
weapon: a pink polka-dotted umbrella sitting on the shelf by the front door.

Carl was startled at first, then tickled by the sight of his son
carrying a pink umbrella like a weapon. Then he noticed something he hadn’t
before. Thirteen-year-old Josh had gotten quite tall and had shed the look of a
child. He was becoming strong and formidable. Carl stared into his son’s eyes.
Josh didn’t appear the slightest bit afraid, though he almost certainly was.

“You two get out of my sight. You disgust me,” their
father said, finally breaking eye contact with his son. Josh stood his ground a
moment longer, reveling in this subtle shift of power.

Judy pulled on his arm. “Let’s go, Josh. Josh! Let’s get
out of here!”

“Yeah,” said Josh, his jaw remaining tightened. “Let’s get out
of here.”

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About Author Dell Vans:

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Dell Vans is
an American author best known for her whimsically grounded approach to
storytelling. Her debut novel, The Harrowing Adventures of New Eden,
released in March of 2025, is her siren song to the dreamers and high school
zine poets of the world. While she continues work on the next harrowing
adventure, Dell resides with her husband and four children in Madera, a city in
central California known for its agriculture and everyday heroes. Dell credits
the teachers at Madera Unified School District for encouraging her passion for
writing and giving her a life-long love of learning.

Twitter (X) | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon

 

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1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card, courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours, International.

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE HARROWING ADVENTURES OF NEW EDEN, US Only.

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Children Of Solo By Andrew D.H. Moore ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 19, 2025 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways, Science Fiction
Tags: , ,
10

 

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I am so excited that CHILDREN OF SOLO by Andrew D.H. Moore is available now
and that I get to share the news!

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If you haven’t yet heard about this
wonderful book, be sure to check out all the details below.

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This blitz also includes a giveaway
for a $10 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours and
a finished copy of the book courtesy of Andrew. So if you’d like a chance to win,
check out the giveaway info below.

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Title: CHILDREN OF SOLO

Author: Andrew D.H. Moore

 

 

Pub. Date: April 18, 2025

Publisher: World System Books, LLC

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 722

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Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/CHILDREN-OF-SOLO

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Buy direct from Andrew! https://books.by/adhmoore 

 

The God of
Creation is missing, but pirate captain Adi Crestone has more immediate
problems. Caught between her criminal past and her maternal instincts, she
struggles to protect
her son from the Blood Queen. Buffeted by inner demons and external foes, she
must decide
what she is willing to sacrifice for freedom and family, all while navigating
treacherous alliances
that force her to confront her own past.

Theo Vanguard is an Imperial naval officer entangled in familial duty and
political
machinations. Trapped between his personal desires and his noble father’s
expectations, he is
captured by pirates and descends into the seedy underbelly of the city of
Solvigant. Where he
reveals a world of survival and sacrifice.

Dreams of adventure beyond the mundane inspire young Ion Rucinare to run away
from
home, only to find himself thrust into a perilous quest that could alter the
fate of the World
System. His yearning for acceptance and belonging is complicated as he grapples
with newfound
magical abilities and the harsh realities of life on the dying moon Xys.

Caught between the Empire, ruthless gang leaders, and enigmatic gods all vying
for
power, Adi, Theo, and Ion’s paths converge in a high-stakes search for a
powerful artifact,
Apyreon, which grants the wielder the very power of the gods themselves. Will
each find their
place in a universe teetering on the brink of chaos?

 

Enjoy this peek inside:

“She wants me to acquire an artifact.” Adi paused and considered how far she wanted to go
with the truth. She didn’t want to put Xander in too untenable a position, nor
did she want to engage his instinct toward heroism at the gravity of her task.

“Where is it?”

“It’s here in Solvigant. Stuart Royal has it.”

“The leader of the White Rabbits?”

“The one and only.”

“No mean feat. Royal and his goons are well protected in the Warrens. I understand the
city watch has little presence there.”

You have no idea, Adi thought.

“What does she want with the artifact? What is it?”

“No idea,” Adi lied, “The Blood Queen does not share her plans with low level indentures.”

“I suppose you need money?”

Adi nodded.

“Of course you do.” He sighed and his defensive bulwarks returned. “If only you’d asked
for help before letting Ajax clamp that hideous thing around your neck, then we
wouldn’t be in this mess.”

We? Adi started to say it aloud but stopped. He was entangled in her mistakes. “Despite your ideas to the contrary, I have some pride.” Xander held up his hands in surrender. Adi pressed on,
though it hurt her to say it. “I know how much you’ve sacrificed for me, and if
we weren’t worried over Lucas’s safety I wouldn’t ask now.”

She hoped Xander couldn’t detect her lies. She really needed money to locate Apyreon.
There would be bribes to pay, gear to assemble, and, gods, she needed a stiff
drink. Her mind strayed back to Stella’s Echo and Iris’s pallet.

“Do you really think Sasha Riven will let you go when she holds so much power over
you?” Xander asked.

“What choice do I have?”

Xander sighed. His shoulders slumped. “How much do you need?”

“One hundred gold spyres ought to do it.”

His eyes widened. It wasn’t a huge sum, but it wasn’t a small one either.

“Finding a magical astrolabe in a corrupt city of millions isn’t cheap,” Adi said, “And
I’ve lost all my gear.”

Xander shook his head. “There is another way around all this.”

“No, Xan, we’ve been over this. We’re not betrothed anymore.” Adi adjusted her collar,
which suddenly chafed.

 

About Author Andrew D.H. Moore:

.

 

Andrew Moore
lives in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado. He is an avid writer of stories and
rider of bikes. Andrew’s love of fantasy blossomed early when he fell in love
with such books as Redwall by Brian Jacques and the Dragonlance Chronicles by
Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman. He graduated with honors from Indiana
University with undergraduate degrees in Philosophy and Classical Literature.
He completed a post-baccalaureate at the University of Pennsylvania before
obtaining his Master’s in Classical Archaeology from CU Boulder. He worked as
an archaeologist and scholar in Germany, Greece, Turkey, and Jordan. In
Colorado, Andrew taught philosophy, history, and literature at Rocky Mountain
College of Art and Design, before leaving formal academia to pursue a passion
in brewing beer. His brewery brainchild, The Intrepid Sojourner Beer Project,
closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, but not before winning many awards both
domestic and international.

Subscribe to  Andrew’s newsletter!

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

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Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ Omega’s Choice By Michelle Minnie

Posted: April 18, 2025 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways, Romance
Tags: , ,
6

 

 

Omega’s Choice

by Michelle Minnie

 

(The Omega Chronicles, #1)
Publication date: March 27th 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Helena has led an often restrictive life as a sacred Omega wolf and Princess of the Lichtenberg line. With unimaginable power, come responsibilities and dangers that fill her days, but the time has come for her to choose her Alpha and enjoy the freedom of her very own pack. Alpha Aldric Forst has been seriously scarred in numerous battles for his King while leading armies in the fight to protect their lands from the growing evil. Knowing his ability to attract an Omega mate was slim and he’d resigned himself to a life of loneliness filled with duty to his pack and King Leonidas.

Princess Helena has other ideas for the massive wolf, who both intrigues and sets her heart on fire. At the choosing ceremony, she intends to make her intentions of mating with Aldric Frost known to all. However, an evil is lurking inside the castle walls waiting for its chance to steal away the Princess and as many other Omega wolves as possible. Can Aldric uncover the traitor in time or are the lonely Alpha’s dreams destined to remain just that, dreams.

Goodreads / Amazon

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

I’m not planning on attending this year.” Aldric crumpled the offending piece of paper and threw it into the trash can beside his desk. “I refuse to parade around in hope of being chosen when we all know that’s not going to happen.” He stopped pacing long enough to point out the large scar that ran from his left temple across his cheek to his chin and down his neck before disappearing into his shirt.

“Brother, you’re the alpha of our pack and it’s your duty to attend this gathering. Not only is it a decree by King Leonidas, but who is to say an omega won’t choose you. You’re a respected and strong alpha, our pack is large, and we have our

own town and over five hundred acres of wooded

lands to let our wolves run free without fear.

There are a lot of benefits to becoming the alpha

mate and omega to our people.” Godric stood

and retrieved the invitation from the garbage,

flattening it out on the desk as best he could and

handing it back to Aldric.

“Your brother is right, son. You must attend.

We have a strong relationship with the king and

queen, which has been fortuitous since our lands

touch on their northern borders. To refuse an invitation

to the yearly Omegas Celebration by any

unmated alpha would be an insult.” Aldric’s father,

Karl, stood and placed his hand on his son’s back.

“I know it has been hard for you, son, since Senorfra.

That battle claimed far too many of our brave

men, but bless the gods you survived, protected

our king, and came back to us.”

Admittedly, it was odd that even in this modern

age of convenience and technology, most

supernatural beings lived by the old code of fealty,

honor, and loyalty. Considering most lived to be

well over one thousand years, having rules to live

by and a king to follow ensured the safety and

health of all werewolves.

“True, we fought bravely and many men never

returned from that damned forest, but the rest of

us came back scarred in one way or another. My

scars cover my body, and there’s no omega out

there who will choose me. When will any of you

see this? Omegas are rare and wield powerful

magic. They can pick any alpha and any pack they

wish and be given anything they desire because of

the blessings they will bring to that pack. I’m not

saying that an omega doesn’t deserve such things,

but none would want a battle-scarred alpha, no

matter how wealthy or strong our pack is. Perhaps

if Godric went, he—”

“No, don’t even finish that sentence. I am no

alpha, brother. I couldn’t even dream of taking

your place. This pack—hell, the entire town looks

to you for leadership. You have given all of them

a safe place to live and thrive with their families. I

respect you, brother. You will always be my alpha.”

Aldric stared at his reflection in the window.

He knew he was a scary-looking man; his wolf

was even more imposing. His human form stood

at 6’7” and weighed over 280 pounds of muscle,

which had been hard earned through his years as

a general in King Leonidas’s army before the war

ended and Aldric had settled with his family and

pack on these lands. His black hair was braided

halfway down his back, just as his father’s and

brother’s, but his dark blue eyes came from his

mother. Tattoos covered his right arm, wrist to

shoulder blade, depicting his family lineage and

his position as alpha. They revealed themselves

on the day Aldric assumed his position as alpha.

Should he ever be chosen as mate, his blank left

arm would reveal his mating tattoo, indicating the

lineage of his mate, their joining, and any future

offspring. The tattoos his kind wore could not

be given by their own hands or magic; they were

given by the gods, either at birth or upon claiming

their birthright.

Aldric knew in his heart that his left arm would

always remain bare. His great size alone would be

a deterrent to most omegas, who typically feared

a larger predator, but the scars from his many

battles that littered his body made sure to keep

all would-be mates away. Normally, a werewolf

could heal most injuries without leaving so much

as a scratch, but the ogres had coated their blades

with dark witches’ blood, which was poisonous to

all werewolves and much more difficult to heal,

leaving many warriors with these scars.

He just couldn’t figure out why his family chose

to ignore these facts and continued to make him

attend these celebrations, which allowed omegas

of age who had come into their powers to choose

an alpha as mate.

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About Author Michelle Minnie:

Michelle grew up with a love of reading and writing as most authors do but her desire for action and adventure led her to create worlds far different from her own. With creatures of myth and legend, as well as from her imagination, Michelle crafted entire universes into her pages where she brings her characters to life in a stunning array from shifters, witches, demons, ogres, gods, fae, fairy, and dragon, to countless more. Hold on tight as her high fantasy stories take you on journeys to faraway lands where nothing is as it seems.

Instagram

 

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Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ RARE By Patrick De Moss

Posted: March 29, 2025 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways
Tags: , ,
10

 

Rare

by Patrick De Moss

 

Publication date: March 1st 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Some songs aren’t meant to exist.

When sixteen-year-old Emma receives a mysterious Beatles record—a cover of The Girl Can’t Help It, a song they never recorded, her life changes in ways she never imagined. Grieving her grandmother’s death and lost in the heavy fog of depression, Emma doesn’t expect much from the strange package. But the moment the needle drops, magic ripples through the world.

Angels shiver. Dragons stir in their hoards. Vampires feel an ancient hunger awaken. The song calls to them all, and it calls to Emma too. For the first time since her grandmother’s death, Emma feels something spark inside her: hope. But magic has a price, and the Dark has heard the song as well.

To protect the record, Emma must venture into the Hidden States of America—a surreal, shadowed version of the country where myth and reality blur. It’s a country shaped by the stories we tell and the secrets we keep, where ordinary towns hide extraordinary truths.

As Emma struggles to carry the song to where it belongs, she’ll have to confront her grief, face her deepest fears, and discover if she has the strength to resist the pull of the Dark.

From Patrick de Moss, the acclaimed author of Kings of Nowhere, comes a darkly magical tale of loss, courage, and the power of music to heal even the deepest wounds. This is a story that explores the fragile beauty of hope and the strength it takes to face the shadows.

Rare is a spellbinding modern fable. Every note of the song of this story echoes with both wonder and danger. Some songs can change the world. Some songs can change you.

Goodreads / Amazon

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

Far, far away to the east, in New York City, where magic and power and rumor swirled in their own urban galaxy, a very ancient and powerful creature lived in the highest tower money could buy. While many of his kind lived and worked in the greater New York area, coiled around the rise and fall of stocks and bonds in an endless dance of power and wealth, he was by far the oldest in that den of snakes. He was old enough that his thick fingers still dreamed of worn gold coins and his body of piles of treasure beneath his scales. Now, of course, he slept only on damask of the finest quality, spread over a memory foam mattress—nowhere near as comfortable as cold hard cash.

That night, he was window shopping, his hungry eye roving over page after page of the most exotic goods Sotheby’s online could offer.

If one lived long enough, even the most exquisite meals tasted like ashes on the tongue; breathe often enough, and even bottled air from Everest smelled stale and flat. He could hardly be bothered to hide his own nature when he was alone—the secret theater of the Council and its Compact had been a bit of a thrill for a while, but Mr. Drake—just Drake to his friends—was getting bored.

He yawned, and his long, forked tongue spilled out, unfurling and flicking against his human nose. No one was around to see it, so he wasn’t breaking the Law, and besides, he missed all the parts of his true shape quite badly. Missed a herd of sheep’s eyes rolling in terror. Probably lamb again tonight, from that place on the other side of Broadway.

Mr. Drake’s lair took up the entire upper floor of his tall tower in the center of the city, wide rooms filled with the carcasses of kingdoms burned to the ground beneath his fearsome will. Company logos on banners from decades past, those battle standards of board members who had crumbled and fallen to their knees in merger upon acquisition upon merger. Darwin had certainly been on the money about the adaptation of species. In the face of adversity, Drake and the rest of his kind had thrived, but—

But he wanted to spread his wings high above his head, soar over the crescent moon, sweep down on farmland and gout flame from his throat; the glorious crescendo of a sun going supernova. Instead, he stoked another cigar, the smoke curling from his nose a pacifying reminder of who he had to be now.

His cellphone lit up, vibrating on the long cocobolo desk. Drake looked down at it with a grimace and tapped the screen with one stubby finger.

“Drake,” he said. “How do you have this number?”

“I have my ways, Old One.”

He was in the middle of pouring himself another whiskey, ready to tear this joker a new set of holes, when he recognized the voice and sighed.

“Old One, is it? When was your sweet sixteen, Morgan?”

“Oh well, you know me,” The Hollow Woman sounded far too cheery for his tastes. “Evergreen.”

Drake snorted.

“Isn’t it still daylight on your side of the world? Why don’t you go out and catch some rays, you old hag? Go get a tan. Would be good for the both of us.”

“Have it your way,” Morgan said sweetly. “Don’t trouble yourself with little old me, then.”

“I won’t,” he snarled, and hung up. Smoke was starting to waft down from the high ceilings, having pooled there in those short minutes on the phone. The AC here was top notch, of course, the best AC in the city, but nothing manmade could keep up with his kind’s distemper. He flipped through a few more pages on Sotheby’s, but quickly, rapidly stabbing his finger on the mouse. He tried to hum something to himself, and his phone buzzed again.

“All right. This is getting old pretty fast,” he said. “Spit it out already and go away. What do you want?”

“Want? Oh, darling Drake, not a thing. Not a single thing.”

He laughed, a deep rumble like an earthquake, the magma pushing up beneath the surface.

“Wanting is what you’re for, Morgan. Maybe you forgot?”

“Well, now. Maybe you’re not interested.” She was almost purring. Purring! “I’m sure one of your brothers will be.” And she hung up on him.

Dammit. Dammit. Dammit, he thought. The haze of smoke had curled down just above the surface of his cocobolo desk. If he wasn’t careful, he would trigger the alarms on the floor below again. He took a breath. He took another. I am a calm blue ocean, he thought to himself. I can be one with my feelings.

.

About Author Patrick De Moss:

Playwright, poet, prose writer, as well as former gravedigger, hotline psychic, line cook, chef, waiter and a few other things in between, Patrick de Moss lives and works in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

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Peek Inside ~ Innatraea By E.R. Zaugg

Posted: March 27, 2025 in Excerpt, Fantasy
Tags:
0

 

 

Small Footsteps

Fantasy

Date Published: January 16, 2025

 

 

Magic is in her blood…

The destiny of Innatraea is in her hands…

 

Can she rise to power, or will the forces against her prevail?

 

“Every legend begins with the small footsteps of ordinary
Innatraeans.” -Tavid the Traveler

 

Rosalie Sharone, one of the strongest magic wielders ever born, has been
waiting and training for this moment all her life. Orphaned as a baby, the
child prodigy was raised in the small farm town of Aliselle Falls, away from
suspecting eyes. Now she is a young woman ready to fulfill her destiny by
traveling across Innatraea to become an initiate of The Weavers, an ancient
and powerful order on the island kingdom of Sceotan. In doing so, she must
leave her adoptive mother, her first love, and her friends behind. Yet
emotional trials are not the only challenge awaiting Rosalie and those
closest to her. Weavers especially attract danger, and Rosalie will face her
share as she makes her way to her destiny. This is only the beginning of her
story however. Once on Sceotan, her magic and intellect along with The
Weavers’ influence across all of Innatraea will either make her the
most powerful woman in history or completely destroy her.

 

Power, sacrifice, and destiny collide—get your copy today and dare to
walk the path with Rosalie as she begins the journey to her ultimate
fate.

__________________

 

Innatraea Novella Two: Am’ayim

Coming July 26, 2025

“Ele o aiga uma e toto. O nisi e fananau mai i Di Asin.

Not all families a blood. Som a dem born inna Di Saalt.

 

Not all families are blood. Some of them are born in the Salt.”

-Am’ayim Saying

Rosalie has finally left the dangers of Aedonia behind in her quest to
reach Sceotan and the Weavers. She now embarks upon another leg of that long
journey aboard an Am’ayim vessel known as Di Ariela. Here, she will meet new
friends amongst the ship’s crew and face new threats and challenges, all
while still grappling with the loss of her mother and parting ways with her
childhood friends. Rosalie must now find the strength to go on alone and
become the woman she’s meant to be. But the twisting tides of destiny and
fate are tricky and may yet claim them all or unite them as her journey
across Innatraea continues. Destiny is no easy thing, though; fate may have
more in store for her than she ever imagined.

 

Amazon

About Author E.R. Zaugg

E.R. Zaugg has published several articles on being the parent of a
vulnerable child, won poetry contests, and been an avid reader and world
traveler for decades. His work is inspired by seeing the world and
encountering different religions, spiritual beliefs, and cultures in both
literature and actual journeys. These experiences have led to a body of
deeply poetic work that explores what it means to be human. The Innatraea
novella series highlights the value of vulnerable cultures, children, and
strong women, with the goal of imparting to its readers a greater
understanding and love of humanity.

 

Contact Links

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Amazon

 

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FalconSaga By Robert Winter ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: February 11, 2025 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways, Guest Post
Tags: ,
7

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An elf afraid of opening his heart, and a human who is heir
to an awesome power:

Only by embracing their shared destiny can they save
Iceland…and each other.

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FalconSaga

by Robert Winter

Genre: Epic Fantasy

In modern-day Iceland, a place of glaciers, volcanoes, and
legends, the Norns have foretold a sorcerous invasion that could destroy
everything.
Magnús, an elf of the huldufólk, is driven by the murder of his human lover a
century ago to save those humans he can, and to figure out what is behind
recent troll attacks on tourists. But the Norns have spoken. He must protect
Altair, a young human from Boston, who is bringing a dangerous magical force to
Iceland. If Magnús fails to keep Altair safe, the country will fall to a
sorcerer called the Black Priest. Yet if Altair lives, Magnús will meet his
doom.
For his part, Altair is a graduate student bullied to visit Iceland by mentors
who seem to have their own agenda. He knows nothing of elves, sorcerers or
prophecies. Suddenly, the handsome, mysterious Magnús is guiding Altair around
Reykjavik and into danger. A witch, a berserker, and more elves are along for
the quest across Iceland’s forbidding landscape. And why does everyone keeps
calling Altair “the Falcon”?
An elf and a human with a shared destiny. Will they solve the mystery linking
their fates before it is too late for all Iceland?

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

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“Ah, the traitor pays a visit,” a voice sneered from behind Magnús, drawing him to an abrupt stop. “Killed any more of our native creatures? Are you here to find victims to persecute in your humans-first campaign?”

Magnús’s jaw tightened as he turned to face the speaker.  “Lars Berkisson. You must be desperate if you’re grubbing for supporters here.”

Lars gave Magnús a tight smile, his steel-gray eyes narrowing. “I came to offer comfort to Vörður, and to tend to his affairs while he rots in the cell where you put him. Tell me, Magnús. How many more of your own people will you try to destroy in your self-hatred?”

“Vörður put himself in that cell when he stole a human baby and tried to pass himself off as the infant. He ignored the edict laid down by Queen Hildur, risked violating the First Covenant, and in any event, the act was despicable. Changelings have been forbidden for decades.”

Lars laughed. “Of course, you and Bryndís are too modern to gather servants in the old ways. But we who honor the ancient customs have long known that if we must tolerate non-magical humans on our shores, then they are best taken as babes. Those raised from infancy make for superior attendants and retainers. The queen has been led astray by your misplaced devotion to mortals, but I have confidence she’ll return to tradition.”

Magnús clenched his jaw, determined to keep his temper. “A tradition of bigotry and false piety, pretending the gods want us to use humans as pets or chattel.”

“Well, isn’t that what Sigurjón was to you? A pet?”

The twist to Lars’s upper lip enraged Magnús. Although Lars had been back from his exile for nearly a fifth of a century, Magnús’s every encounter with him brought them close to battle. With a tremendous effort of will, Magnús refrained from pulling the dagger tucked in his belt.

“Sigurjón was as much a child of the gods as you once were, Lars,” he said through gritted teeth. “The path you follow leads to Hel’s sunless lands, though you lie to your followers and promise them Valhöll.”

Lars shook his head in a way that infuriated Magnús. “Álfheimur is the true home of our people. Those who hear my words long only for a return to the days before men invaded our shores. Before they killed our trees, stole our magic, and built their abominable cities.”

“The gods led mortals here to Iceland, Cousin. Your brand of fanaticism sets those who believe you against the will of the Æsir. And I, for one, look forward to a reckoning.”

With that, Magnús strode away. He didn’t trust himself to spend one more minute in the presence of the vile creature who had murdered his beloved Sigurjón.

 

**Get the first two chapters FREE here!

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/p81l053or3

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,

My Travels in Iceland

 

Falconsaga is based upon the folktales and legends of Iceland. The first time I visited the country was in December 2018. It was a short trip that promised a glimpse of the Northern Lights. Unfortunately, a brief glimpse is all we got that time! Plenty of snow and ice, though, including a glacier hike that awed me. I was in Iceland long enough to notice the country’s love of its own folktales, and to begin research them.

I returned in June 2021 because Iceland was the first country during the pandemic to allow tourism to resume. A volcano on the Reykanses Peninsula had recently erupted, so I was lucky enough to see the still-glowing lava field and to peer down at rivers of molten stone.

 

The contrast of those two visits – ice and fire – hooked me on the country. I delved more deeply into the Icelandic sagas and began reading all the folktales I could get my hands on. From those experiences, the initial idea of Falconsaga arose.

I knew I needed more context for the story I had in mind, though, so I went back to Iceland in 2023 by myself and spent a month driving around the perimeter of the country on what is called the Ring Road. That was an amazing journey, complete with nights of gazing up at the Northern Lights, driving past herds of wild horses, taking a ferry to an island that survived a volcanic eruption in the 1970s, exploring a lava tunnel filled with stalagmites made of ice, and trips to many hot springs and thermal baths. Along the way I amassed local legends, and visited towns and locations reputed to be the home of the huldufólk, or Hidden Folk.

 

These legends and locations all factor into my stories in different ways. But beneath all my prose and feeble attempts to weave ancient folktales into a modern fantasy, lies my desire to capture the magic of this strange landscape.

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Robert Winter is a recovering lawyer who likes writing about
love and adventure much more than drafting a legal brief. Once upon a time, he
went to Georgetown University law school. Upon graduation, he moved to New York
to work in a large law firm, but later returned to Washington, DC. The legal
work was entertaining and Robert spent a lot of time in bankruptcy court,
usually representing either groups of creditor or the debtors themselves. But
legal work didn’t satisfy the urge Robert felt to tell stories.

When he turned 50, Robert left behind the (allegedly)
glamorous world of international law firms and bankruptcy court to pursue his
real passion. Now he lives in Montreal with his husband, studying French
between trips to exotic locations.

When Robert isn’t writing, he loves to cook Indian food. The
aromas of the spice blends excite and challenge him. Although he’s never been
to India, the food seems comforting and home-like. Add a trip to the Golden
Triangle to the bucket list!

Website
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Ambition To Savor By B.B.E. Gwyn ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: February 9, 2025 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways
Tags: , ,
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Ambition to Savor
by B.B.E. Gwyn

 

(The Lone Thorn Series)
Publication date: February 7th 2025
Genres: Adult, Adventure, Fantasy

When a quest for magical ingredients takes you from kitchen to adventure, you’d better save your appetite.

Dedicated and cautious restaurant owner Jonathan Tessier dreams of crafting legendary recipes—the fame and fortune that might follow is a pretty nice bonus. But it’s all he can do to keep his restaurant afloat. Stolen ingredients, a surprise visit from a food critic, and a damaged reputation put his business at risk.

Jonathan knows he needs to make a change. A big one. Before he loses it all.

He and his eager head chef, Elenora Kerras, soon set off to find the bizarre ingredients that might save his restaurant. This hunt takes them through towns and wilderness, where they encounter dangerous beasts and sly individuals. They face challenges more thrilling than even their busiest dinner shifts.

Each success brings Jonathan ever closer to his lofty goal—until he stumbles upon his most startling discovery yet.

Will his dreams be worth all their luster, or will the revelation shatter his culinary world?

A standalone fantasy adventure in the Lone Thorn series, Ambition to Savor is a fun and whimsical tale that explores a question you never thought you needed to ask—What if a restaurant owner had magical powers and a dream to find flavors from deep within a world of hidden quirks?

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Corruption. Mutiny. Absolute villainy was occurring within the walls of his beloved establishment.

Jonathan Tessier had little reason to complain of late. Profit margins were rising, his customer base was expanding, and the recent annual health inspection had wrapped up swimmingly with no findings. After years of fatiguing work and plowing through stress, things were supposed to be looking up for his pride and joy, the Taverne Tessier.

However, walking down the street on this early autumn morning, he was feeling neither proud nor joyous. He could see his restaurant across from him as he stood waiting at the intersection, its pristine exterior of royal blue and beige surrounded by trees of warm hues. When he first renovated the place, he had aimed for a clean and regal appearance inside and out, so even if he could not boast of its size, the feeling of elegance, class, and beauty would still be conveyed.

And now it was filthy. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

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About Author B.B.E. Gwyn:

B.B.E. Gwyn is an author who enjoys diving into realms of low fantasy adventure. She draws inspiration from tabletop role-playing games, yokai folklore, and all kinds of media featuring characters with fun, bizarre powers. Her novels focus on intricate plots and rich character development without any romance or spicy elements, using the full breadth of her pages to offer thrilling adventures in a mysterious world.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

 

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