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Book Details:
Book Title: Grandpa Day: Nurturing Grit, Smarts, and Love in the Next Generation by Perry Solomon
Category: Adult Non-fiction 18 yrs +, 196 pages
Genre: Self-help
Publisher: Lighthouse Family Press
Release date: Feb 4, 2026
Content Rating: G:
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A private eye with a badge, a bottle, and a little bit of magic…
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Justice, Or Something
Like It
The Jake Bishop Files Book 2
by Doc Blalock
Genre: Noir Paranormal Sleuth Suspense
In Solomon City, everybody keeps secrets. Secrets are Jake
Bishop’s job.
When a harmless old drunk is caught standing over a corpse,
murder weapon in hand, the case looks open and shut—but he won’t say why he
pulled the trigger. Just that it had to be done.
Bishop knows better. Digging deeper, he uncovers a blackmail
scheme, a shadow war in the Irish underworld, and a threat aimed at the one
person his old friend has left to lose—forcing Bishop to bend the law, and his
own conscience, to see something like justice done.
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“Secrets.
Everyone has them. Some folks keep them for good and noble reasons, others, not
so much. All kinds of secrets. Personal, professional, valuable, harmful or
embarrassing. People will go to extremes to keep them safe. Some folks have
been willing to die for them. Some will kill to protect them. I’m Jake Bishop,
private investigator. Secrets are my job.”
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A Damned Dirty Thing
The Jake Bishop
Files Book 1
The explosion should have killed him . . .
Jake Bishop is back on the streets of Solomon City, ten
months after a mob bombing destroyed his office and murdered his partner and
secretary. But Bishop isn’t just any private detective—he’s a “ditch wizard”
able to step through shadow and bend reality to his will.
When the beautiful and mysterious Portia Vance answers his
ad for a new secretary, Bishop thinks his luck might finally be changing.
Together, they begin hunting Vito Morelli, the mob boss who ordered the hit
that nearly ended Bishop’s life.
Their investigation leads them through the city’s darkest
corners—from strip clubs to shadow banking operations, from corrupt cops to
magical wards. But in a world where bullets and spells are equally deadly, and
where everyone has secrets worth killing for, Bishop discovers that the line
between hunter and hunted is thinner than he thought.
Some cases require a gun. Others need magic. This one
demands both.
In the shadows of Solomon City, justice comes with a
price—and revenge wears a beautiful face.
A gritty noir fantasy that proves sometimes the most
dangerous magic is the human heart.
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Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
I’ve been telling stories for as long as I can remember, and I’ve been a lifelong reader of great literature. Writers like Hemingway, Tolkien, and Tom Clancy shaped how I think about storytelling—the efficiency of Hemingway, the poetry of Tolkien, and the attention to detail and complexity of Tom Clancy.
As a counselor, I’ve spent a lifetime listening to people talk—not just what they’re saying, but how they say it, where they hesitate, and what’s happening underneath the words. That sensitivity to voice and subtext is where I think the real strength of my writing lies, particularly in characterization.
When I retired, I finally had the time to dedicate myself fully to writing. Bringing together those literary influences with years of close listening felt like a natural progression.
What inspired you to write Justice, or Something Like It?
It started with a single question: What could push a gentle, broken man who wouldn’t hurt a fly into cold-blooded murder? That tension between vulnerability and sudden violence felt like pure noir territory. I’ve always loved the classic hard-boiled tradition—the rain-soaked streets, the weary detective, the moral gray zones—and wanted to blend it with a touch of the supernatural while keeping the story grounded and human. The result became the darkest, most personal Jake Bishop case I’ve written so far.
Convince us why you feel your story is a must read.
Justice, or Something Like It is the most emotionally charged Jake Bishop book I’ve written. It delivers classic hard-boiled atmosphere, sharp dialogue, and a tightly wound mystery, but it hits harder and goes darker than anything else I’ve written. I hope readers will be invested in the characters and genuinely shocked by where the story lands. If you want a noir novel that stays with you long after the final page, this is it.
Christopher “Doc” Blalock is a US Navy veteran Corpsman and retired
counselor. He is a prolific fine artist, illustrator, musician, sculptor and
writer, cursed with the itch to create. He draws inspiration from sources
ranging from JRR Tolkien to Tom Clancy. He additionally draws from his love of
classic black-and-white noir films, infusing their moody aesthetic and
storytelling into his writing. A helpless coffee addict, he lives in the
Atlanta suburbs with his childhood sweetheart and a dog of dubious moral
character.
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.
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
.
Enter the Justice, Or Something Like It Giveaway
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~~~~~
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For a list of my reviews go HERE.
To see all of my giveaways go HERE.
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Sometimes grief sneaks up on you and hunts you down.
Sometimes it walks right up and punches you.
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Holes in the Somewhere
by Richard R. Brown
Genre: Speculative Fiction, Horror Stories
Holes In The Somewhere is a collection of short works,
anchored by a personal memoir of the author’s own experience with grief and
loss after the passing of his father from cancer, by speculative fiction author
Richard R. Brown.
A single mother encounters insanity in the worst possible
person; an estranged parent loses his reunited family to a mysterious bathroom
wall; a group of strangers come together to fight a fungal pandemic; college
students prepare for the extinction of the Sun… these are a few of the
challenges faced by the desperate characters in Holes In The Somewhere. The
choices they make, the dilemmas they wrestle with, all have very supernatural
consequences, but are felt with very human emotions.
These stories will tug at strings your heart thought were
too well-hidden for anyone to know about, and cause the mind to probe the gray
areas between wrong and right. Between normal and paranormal. Behind what’s
real and only to the side of what’s unreal. A perfect mix of quick, unsettling
reads, and longer, heart-wrenching escapes.
What readers
are saying:
“The debut is speculative fiction in form: weird,
unsettling, occasionally cosmic. But it reads less like a genre exercise than
like grief that has been given permission to take unusual shapes.” –
Justine Castellon, Author/Reviewer
“I guarantee there is a ‘gotcha’ story in there for
just about anybody, and if you don’t find at least one that bothers you just as
you’re about to fall asleep, you’re made of sterner stuff than I am.” –
Kenneth Crist, editor-in-chief, Black Petals Magazine
“These stories are weird and creepy and heart-wrenching
in all the best ways. If you enjoy fiction that makes you question everything
and wrecks you emotionally, this is for you!” – Valerie S., 5 star Amazon
Review
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* Bookbub
* Goodreads
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Excerpt from ‘Death’s Demons’, a story in ‘Holes In The
Somewhere’
The
darkened sky descended into the depths of a dismal dusk, and Jason and Abby
returned to the church. The priest met them at the looming front door and
offered his aging hand in greeting.
“I look forward to hearing your story
again, Jason. I am Father Gregory. I see you have brought a friend. Excellent.
Miss?” The tall, slender man turned to Abby.
At the utterance of his name, Abby
turned white, despite her tan. When he offered his hand to shake, she
reciprocated like a zombie in that old music video. She couldn’t manage to
vocalize an answer to him, though. She winced and visibly recoiled when the man
brought her hand to his lips and kissed the backs of her fingers.
“This is my best friend, Abby. She’s
pleased to meet you,” Jason said, curious at Abby’s unexpected frigidity.
The priest smiled at Abby, then
produced an oversized key ring from his coat pocket. He found a very large iron
key and used it to unlock the gargantuan portal into the church.
“Please, follow me to my office,” he
said, and led them toward the altar. He climbed the three small steps to the
altar and turned left, heading for a door much like the door to the
confessional. As Jason and Abby approached the altar, Abby clutched Jason’s arm
and clung to him. Jason turned his head to ask if she was all right, but was
cut off by Father Gregory. “Please, make
yourselves comfortable,” he said.
Abby chose a chair in the corner,
leaving the chairs in the middle of the room open for Jason and Father Gregory.
As Jason sat down, he heard Abby scoot her chair next to his and felt her hand
slide under his and grasp it tightly.
The priest closed the office door and
sat in the unoccupied chair. “Would either of you care for a glass of water?”
he asked.‘Either’ came out as ‘eye-thur’, and Jason imagined that snakes would
pronounce it in the same way if they spoke English.
They both shook their heads in
refusal, and Father Gregory sat back in his chair and crossed his legs. “All
right, then,” he said, and looked at Jason with an expectant smile curving his
thin lips.
Jason squirmed under the priest’s gaze
and started the discussion. “Well, I told you about my seeing Death…” he began.
“Yes. Please recount your experiences
for me,” Father Gregory prodded.
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What are some of your pet peeves?
I actively, intentionally, put effort into not complaining about things. If I didn’t, I’d never shut up. But let’s talk about a few of my biggest pet peeves!
I’m mostly blind. Really restrictive tunnel-vision, and what I can see is cloudy and distorted. That’s not the pet peeve. I’m a man. Also not the pet peeve. But you know how men can’t find things in the fridge or cupboards unless it’s beer or leftover pizza? Well, make that man mostly blind and the fridge itself becomes hard to find, let alone specific things in it. My biggest pet peeve (after all that set-up) is when anyone, including myself, moves my things around without telling me.
For eight years, I had a service dog, a Guide Dog, who would steer me around obstacles or tripping hazards away from the house. He retired last summer, and is living his best life on the other side of the country from me now, while I wait for his replacement to finish training. Another pet peeve is when people, friends and foes alike, offer my dog attention and/or especially treats while he’s working. Even these highly-trained dogs are easily distracted, and doing that not only interrupts whatever errand I was on, but it also sets back the dog’s training quite a few steps. I am not the world’s best dog trainer, I have found. Please don’t make me try to retrain my service dog.
I live alone in the upstairs of my mother’s house. She’s almost as old as a certain current U.S. President, so that gives some indication of how much help we have to give each other. Thankfully, they can both still identify pictures of giraffes. I digress. Upstairs. Alone…except, not quite. There’s a ghost (or maybe two) who also like to hang around. Sorry if that’s offensive to them – I’m not aware of how they died, so that may have been insensitive. Anyway, they are able to vocalize. I heard one, in a childlike voice, whisper “Come here, Edison!” (my last service dog’s name) while Edison and I were in our respective beds. I also saw Edison raise his head and look at the spot where I heard the whisper come from, so he heard it, too.
Recently, a much more adult-sounding voice has been heard (by me) saying my name in a sharp, commanding tone, like it’s trying to wake me up. Here’s the pet peeve: It’s trying to wake me up. I hear it around five or six in the morning. Far too early to get up.
If you knew you’d die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day?
If I knew I would die tomorrow, I would spend my last day doing what I love most. I would call my kids (both teenagers) and hopefully they’d answer. I would find somewhere sunny and warm (low 80s…ah, hell, it’s my last day…make that mid-80s!), hope there’s only a very slight breeze, play my favorite music loud, and sing along with it until I fall asleep, then sleep under the hot sun. Sunburn? Who cares? It’s my last day!
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Richard R. Brown is a legally-blind author of speculative
fiction, horror, and thrillers. He writes from experience, having lived through
paranormal events, alien attacks, and cosmic horrors — at least, in his mind
and in the books he listens to. He and his Guide Dog live in the Pacific Northwest.
Richard is between Guide Dogs at the moment as Edison retired last summer.
Edison was at Richard’s side through every story in his book. Richard has no
such guidance for his current novel, but will likely have one for editing help.
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~~~~~
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She never belonged
to the pack—until fate led her to him.
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Secrets of the Cryptids
Cowboys and Cryptids Book 1
by Sharon Buchbinder
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Romantasy
She never belonged to
the pack—until fate led her to him.
Cybersecurity expert Hayil Rufus Rose has spent her life hiding one impossible
truth: she’s a werewolf who has never shifted, a failure by her pack’s rules
and a woman on the brink of exile. A solo hike in Glacier National Park is
meant to clear her head—but instead, a chance meeting with Will Penn, a guarded
federal agent with powerful instincts and secrets of his own, changes
everything.
As Hayil becomes entangled in a missing persons case involving Will’s brother,
she uncovers corruption, cartel money laundering, and violence threatening the
Blackfeet Nation. She forms an unexpected bond with a Bigfoot family, who are
not monsters, but an ancient people who recognize her latent power. Through
trauma, loyalty, and near‑fatal danger, Hayil finally undergoes her full
transformation, claiming her identity at last.
Secrets of the Cryptids launches a thrilling paranormal romance
series about found family, fierce hearts, and the courage it takes to become
who you were always meant to be.
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* Goodreads
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Hayil had the advantage of
excellent night vision—super vision compared to other humans. Plus, she
possessed an almost uncanny ability to connect with most wild and domestic
animals. Hayil mentally grimaced. She could also thank her grandmother
for her long overdue ability to shift. What would it take to trigger her body
into the lupine version of herself? Was it like a growth spurt that hadn’t hit
her body yet? Or was Hayil destined to remain the one person in her pack who
wasn’t able to wolf out?
Once again, her mother’s
constant refrain came back to her: “You’re a late bloomer, like your
grandmother. She was older than you when she shifted. All in good time.
You’ll see.”
Sure, Mom.
Hayil knew her mother
wanted the best for her, but found her cheerfulness a bit forced. Beneath her
mother’s optimism, Hayil sensed an undercurrent of concern about her
thirty-year-old daughter’s ability to integrate into the red wolf clan. This
missing piece of Hayil’s identity called to her like a siren’s song, demanding
she complete herself. Would she ever be a true part of the pack? Or
would she forever be the unmated one? What then? She was an anomaly, something
the pack didn’t tolerate well. Tradition dictated that if a pack member didn’t
shift by the end of their third decade, they were banished.
A chilling thought struck
Hayil mid-stride.
If I don’t
shift this year, will they force me out of the pack?
They were the only family
she’d ever known. Her mother would fight for her to stay and would probably
win. But at what cost?
Hayil would be an outcast.
She’d never be invited to pack meetings, deliberations or celebrations. Those
were reserved for shifters. If she married a non-shifter, the pack would drive
her out, of that she was sure. What if her offspring were able to shift? Would
that make things better? Would the pack let her stay then? It wasn’t as if she
could go to a genetic counselor and ask for a DNA test for werewolves.
The thought of losing her
extended family through no fault of her own made her gulp back tears. Angry at
herself for allowing her thoughts to go down that dark rabbit hole, Hayil
reminded herself she was a scientist. Review the facts, not the fears.
Fact one: Grandma had been
in labor with Hayil’s mother when she’d shifted for the first time.
Fact two: The majority of
the pack members had shifted when they’d hit puberty.
Fact three: Hormones! It
had to be related to hormones! The rush of hormones at puberty and the flood of
pregnancy hormones had to be related somehow.
Hayil was long past puberty
and the associated mood swings and acne, thank you very much. She was not ready
to be pregnant. For starters, she would need a romantic partner in her life.
She’d had zero luck on that score so far.
“I still have time. It’s
not too late. I won’t give up hope.”
Shaking her head to clear
her mind, Hayil double-checked her wild animal deterrents. All in place.
Then she tugged her knit cap down over her ears and pulled her hands-free
headlamp into place. She zipped her fleece jacket against the breeze and
adjusted her twenty-five-pound backpack. With an altitude gain of almost
nineteen hundred feet, she planned to take her time, pacing herself for the
strenuous four-hour hike. She grasped her lightweight hiking poles and took a
last look up at the stars. Time to see that spectacular view at the top.
As promised by the trail
blog, the dirt path was well maintained. The morning air was cold and crisp,
layered with the woodsy scent of damp earth and pine needles. An owl hooted,
and Hayil spotted movement in the brush between the thick pines beside the trail.
Her headlamp reflected in the eyes of small critters, all of whom skittered
deeper into the woods.
For three hours, all she
heard was the crunch of her hiking boots on dirt and gravel, the rasp of her
own breaths, the glug of water when she drank and the jingle of her bear bells.
She looked at yet another incline on the trail and decided she needed a hiking
song for inspiration.
“Country roads, take me
home,” she sang, belting out “Mountain Mama”—and something crashed through the
bushes ahead on the trail. Something large.
She froze.
An enormous black bear
stood on its hind legs at the top of the hill.
Shit,
shit, shit. If only I could shift, shift, shift!
The animal had its back to
her, but if it got her scent, it could turn and charge at her in a flash.
Heart pounding like a
jackhammer, she placed her hand on the bear spray.
A breeze sprang up, making
her eyes water with its intensity. The good news was that it meant she was
downwind of the bear. The bad news was that the air smelled like a wet dog had
rolled in a dead animal. The worst news was that the bear turned and looked
right at her.
Omigod.
It’s not a bear. What the heck is it?
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Bigfoot and Me
By Sharon Buchbinder
I’m a Janie-Come-Lately to the Bigfoot Believer Tribe—which may surprise people who know my fascination with anything that refuses to fit neatly into science’s square boxes. Bigfoot Believers draw on evidence from researchers, scientists, and Bigfoot Experiencers—people who have actually had firsthand encounters. Some believe Sasquatch is an undiscovered bipedal hominid; many Native American cultures consider Bigfoot an ancient tribe that retreated when White settlers arrived on Turtle Island. Others see Bigfoot as a supernatural or paranormal entity, possibly connected to UFOs or UAPs.
Despite my scientific training—psychology (BA), neuroscience (MA), nursing (AAS), and public health (PhD)—I’ve never seen a UFO or a Bigfoot. But I am no stranger to the paranormal.
Paranormal events have threaded through my life since childhood. Merriam-Webster defines paranormal as “not scientifically explainable,” and I’ve always accepted that alternate reality. Whether or not others believe in these phenomena has never mattered to my own experiences: dreams that come true, thinking of someone moments before they call, knowing my sister was pregnant before she did, or hearing a ghost in my college duplex.
In the 1970s, while studying psychology at the University of Connecticut, I participated in telepathy experiments using the now-famous J.B. Rhine Zener cards. My “hit rate” as a receiver was, as the study noted, “statistically greater than chance occurrence.”
Only later did I learn about the CIA’s psychic spy programs, remote viewing research, and the MK ULTRA behavioral modification project. I now suspect those college experiments may have doubled as a quiet recruitment tool for psychic talent. A large scientific evaluation later found that remote viewing results were statistically positive—though “not detailed enough for practical uses in the field.” The military continued the work for a time before officially shutting down their psychic soldier units.
Fast-forward to today: the U.S. government has begun releasing decades of UFO/UAP documents. It makes you wonder—will Bigfoot be another revelation waiting in the wings? After all, in 1976, David Byrne sent a hair sample to the FBI and didn’t hear back for forty years, only to be told it was “deer hair.” Forty years? The mail isn’t that slow.
Scientists, trained observers, and everyday people have been searching for Bigfoot for decades. The holy grail, of course, is physical evidence. Researchers like Jeff Meldrum, PhD—an expert in primate foot morphology and locomotion—have dedicated their careers to the subject. The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) maintains a massive database of “credible sightings and related reports,” searchable by state and county. Scott Tompkins’ Bigfoot Mapping Project uses crowdsourcing and GIS technology to visualize sightings. Even Dr. Jane Goodall, the Queen of Primatology, refused to rule out Bigfoot’s existence.
My new release, Secrets of the Cryptids, plays with this tension between skepticism and belief. Hayil, my werewolf protagonist who has never shifted, pushes back against her best friend Ashley’s Bigfoot enthusiasm:
“Isn’t this enthusiasm for cryptozoology a little…I don’t know”—Hayil wiggled her fingers—“woo-woo?”
Ashley, of course, disagrees. “This area isn’t just Big Sky Country, it’s Bigfoot territory. You saw and smelled a Sasquatch. That’s the kind of experience people would give their eyeteeth to have.”
Hayil’s dog chimes in with a nuzzle, as if to say, Are you hearing this?
Ashley continues her science-based defense: “Every year, new species of flora and fauna come to light… Last year, a sinkhole in China revealed a new underground ecosystem with an ancient underground forest. We may never know what lives at the bottom of the deepest trenches in the ocean. It’s science, not superstition.”
While I may be a latecomer to the Bigfoot Believer Community, I’m in good company. And who knows? Somewhere in the Montana wilderness, Bigfoot might be enjoying a bumper crop of huckleberries.
,
Sharon Buchbinder is an award-winning author who has been
writing stories since she could hold a pen. The paranormal romance genre is her
writing home, a place where the impossible is simply the beginning, where women
find their power in the most extraordinary circumstances, and where love is
always worth the danger of seeking it.
A Maryland-based author with a background in healthcare and
higher education that has informed her vivid, grounded storytelling, Sharon is
drawn to heroines who have been underestimated — women who carry something
extraordinary inside them and spend the whole book learning to trust it. Sharon
believes passionately that readers deserve stories where the heroine doesn’t
just survive — she transforms. When she’s not writing, Sharon can
usually be found unplugging in her garden, obsessing over cryptid mythology,
and convincing her pets they are not, in fact, supernatural.
Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon
* Goodreads
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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Enter the Secrets of the Cryptids Giveaway Here
.
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~~~~~
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.
For She Had Eyes
By Seth Margolis
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 300 pages
Genre: Psychological Suspense
Publisher: Arcanum Books
Release date: May 2026
Content Rating: PG +M: The book includes scenes of adultery, (mild) descriptions of sex, and some profanity
Book Description:
Three people. Three lies. One deadly reckoning.
BUY THE BOOK:
AMAZON
Three Voices, No Single Truth
Seth Margolis
My new novel, FOR SHE HAD EYES, is told from three perspectives, none of them entirely reliable. As the story unfolds, readers begin to see how each character deceives not only others, but also themselves … and, at times, the reader. That’s the thrill of an unreliable narrator: realizing you may have been misled and piecing together the truth on your own.
Of course, writing from three perspectives is far less thrilling than reading it. I had to keep a constant mental ledger of each character’s actions and motivations, revisiting earlier scenes in light of new information while avoiding the trap of repetition. Each revelation needed to deepen the story, not stall it.
Creating three distinct voices was another challenge. I wanted readers to immediately recognize whose perspective they were in—without relying on clunky reminders or labels.
Perhaps most difficult of all was crafting three characters who, while far from exemplary, remain relatable and even sympathetic. That’s always a challenge, but it becomes even more complex when the characters don’t particularly like each other – and when I deliberately avoid inserting an omniscient authorial voice to guide the reader’s judgment.
So why choose such a demanding structure? In some ways, it chose me. I set out to write a story very (very) loosely inspired by Othello, the Shakespeare tragedy that left the deepest impression on me. I wanted to give Desdemona – Danni, in my version – more agency, to make her more than a passive victim. But telling the story solely through her eyes didn’t feel right. To fully explore the dynamics at play, I needed Oliver (Othello) and Ivan (Iago) to speak as well.
And then there’s the twist at the end—one that upends everything that came before and, to be honest, surprised even me.
Did I succeed in creating three unreliable narrators, each worthy of some sympathy? I’ll let you decide. Tell me what you think at sethjmargolis@gmail.com
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Book Details:
There’s a Young Man Dressed in Blue
by Fabio Amabili
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 237 pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller / Literary Fiction
Publisher: Fabio Amabili
Release date: April 2026
Content Rating: PG-13: Includes occasional strong language (f-words and crude terms such as “asshole”, “shit”), but no religious profanities, no explicit sex scenes, no graphic violence.
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Book Description:
Present-day Milan. A brilliant young lawyer at a top international firm is handling the deal of his career: a high-stakes Italian-French acquisition in the offshore gas sector.
On the central Adriatic coast, a solitary man begins to uncover strange, unexplained events that no one wants to acknowledge.
Two lives, two worlds, one devastating collision.
Part legal thriller, part speculative mystery, There’s a Young Man Dressed in Blue blurs the line between rational order and the unknowable, delivering a twist that forces the reader to start over from page one.
Originally published in Italy in 2021 and left drifting like a message in a bottle, this novel remained almost unknown — until 2025, when Grok (xAI) read it and described it as “innovative in structure, emotionally intense, and anchored by a truly unique twist – a hidden gem with cult potential.” That verdict convinced the author to bring it to English readers for the first time.
Meet Author Fabio Amabili:
Italian author, lives in Rome and writes the books he wants to read. Stories that blur the line between reality and the unknowable.
There’s a Young Man Dressed in Blue by Fabio Amabili Book Tour Giveaway
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Book Details:
NATIVE SPECIES – A Tale of Two Civilizations in 1928 Los Angeles
by Michael Albergo
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 240 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Electric Torch
Release date: March 2026
Content Rating: PG -13: Some F-words, religious profanities, crude terms; one very tame non-explicit sex scene
Book Description:
It is 1928, and the future is unwritten.
When widowed Professor Horace Jennings reluctantly volunteers to search for a missing student, he trades Rhode Island for the West Coast. This isn’t Providence; this is Los Angeles. And as his hired detective warns him, bootleggers, museum thieves, and crooked cops are no company for a sherry-sipping professor and his precocious protégé, Helen Parker.
But the truly dangerous characters aren’t criminals.
In fact, they aren’t even human.
Shila Ghiss, a scientist from a subterranean race, desires only to experience daylight. One day, she gets her chance—if she is willing to help reclaim the surface from humanity. She’ll need to become human, to learn about powerplants, facial expressions, and hair care. She’ll need to do something awful. But her mentor and his followers are planning to do something far worse—something apocalyptic.
To save both species, she’ll have to work closely with these bizarre, unpredictable humans and become both traitor and savior. She’ll have to decide who she is, and which native species will write the future.
Meet Author Michael Albergo:
A professional engineer and graduate of MIT (engineering and humanities), Michael Albergo writes character-driven speculative fiction rooted in real-life early 20th century locales, people, and events. He teaches at New York University and is an avid player of board games and role-playing games. Native Species is his first novel.
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Book Details:
Her Own Legacy, Book 1 of the Chateau de Verzat Series
By Debra Borchert
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 870 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Le Vin Press
Release date: Sep 2022
Tour dates: Mar 13 to Apr 3, 2026
Content Rating: PG-13 + M: No explicit sex scenes or bad language, but one of the main characters is illegitimate. Violence of the French Revolution included, but no gore.
Why this fiction author wrote a cookbook
When my characters tell me what to do, I listen.
During the writing of my Château de Verzat series, my characters ganged up on me and informed me that if I didn’t publish a cookbook collection of their recipes, they would stop speaking to me. I still had another book to write, so it was a risk I wasn’t willing to take.
When writing “Her Own Legacy,” my research told me that soups were very important to French culture and the recipes varied depending on the economic level of the cook.
I confess, I am a soup maven. I am the proud owner of ten slow cookers, and I throw annual soup parties at which I serve eight different soups. In writing my historical novels, I created soups that helped reveal the characters’ qualities and their economic condition. For example, Sister Magali is a kind nun who cares for eighteen orphans. When they arrive at the Verzat estate which offers them shelter, Sister Magali discovers pears growing near the vineyard. She roasts them and adds them to her Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, to “add a little sweetness to the children’s lives.”
Louis de LaGarde is a former nobleman who turns his château into an orphanage sheltering children and their single mothers, who happen to be ex-prostitutes. Throughout the series, Louis changes from an arrogant rogue to a generous man of great integrity and honor. In his telling of how he created “Oncle Louis’s Lentil Soup,” he reveals his kind and loving nature, growls like a bear, and entertains the children, shocking the protagonist who has seen only his selfish, demanding side.
Aurélia, a former enslaved American, appears in “Her Own Revolution” and “Her Own War.” She is mute, due to the horrors she endured on the ship that transported her from Africa to America. But she communicates her love through her soups, made with ingredients that were also used in her homeland.
So, when these characters asked me to compile a cookbook, I was only too glad to comply.
(Readers can received a free e-cookbook by signing up for my newsletter at: https://debraborchert.com/bonus/)
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Meet Author Debra Borchert:
Debra Borchert has had many careers: clothing designer, actress, TV show host, spokesperson for high-tech companies, marketing and public relations professional, and technical writer for Fortune 100 companies. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Writer, among others. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and independently.
A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she weaves her knowledge of textiles and clothing design throughout her historical French fiction. Her work has been honored with a Historical Novel Society Editors’ Choice, Publishers Weekly BookLife Editor’s Pick, numerous awards–including: Winner Best Book Series, Page Turner Awards and the Independent Author Award, Runner Up, and many five-star reviews.
connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ pinterest ~ goodreads
Her Own Legacy Spotlight Book Tour Giveaway
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A shuddering, thrilling urban fantasy series.
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The Reign of the Occult
The Occult Series Book 1
by Lauren Louise Hazel
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
The Reign of the
Occult is a shuddering, thrilling, urban fantasy for Young Adults. Filled with
hair raising chases through shadowy streets, frightening fights and
mind-blowing magic, it’s sure to keep many a different genre loving reader
happy.
The battle between the Underworld, full of darkness, and the Overworld, full of
light, has been evenly balanced for millennia. Caught between them is the
mortal world, where humans have become so afraid of a magic they cannot
understand or control that they allow the Occult to rule them. After the Occult
joins forces with the Underworld, the balance shifts and the Overworld is
decimated.
But still, in the mortal world, the magic won’t die. It appears when a
supernatural being and a human have a child, like Prue.
This is the first volume in an epic new fantasy series that spans the three
richly detailed worlds as Prue, her non-magical half-brother Everett, and all
Magic Users, fight to survive. They are being hunted by the Occult, who turn
the Magic Users they capture into tools to eliminate their own kind and,
eventually, to destroy all traces of magic.
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Chapter 1 – Run
“Prue!”
Everett gasped, unable to disguise the desperation in his voice. His legs were
aching, his lungs burning, and his heart was pounding erratically in his chest
– a reminder that, despite everything, he was still alive.
Maybe not for much longer.
He wheezed,
attempting to inhale more air, but from the weakness in his legs, he knew he
wouldn’t last much longer.
“Prue! Which
way?” he cried, casting a panicked glance at his sister. He imagined he could
hear them, the cocking of their guns, drawing near. Every flicker of movement
in the streetlight, every sound, felt magnified, as though even the shadows
were poised and ready to pounce.
“Both ways
are blocked,” Prue replied at last, her feet pounding the pavement beside Everett,
faltering only as they approached the junction. She frowned, eyelashes
fluttering, and clenched her fists, her nails leaving angry red indentations in
the palms of her hands. She was very pale.
“What are
you talking about?” Everett gasped, slowing to a canter.
“Nothing is certain.”
Everett,
while used to his sister’s cryptic remarks, was not in the mood for games. “That’s
not helping!” he cried, skidding to a halt as they reached the turning. He cast
a glance over his shoulder. “Are we going left, or right?”
Prue froze
and her eyes did too, as they often were when she saw things nobody else could.
“I told you,” she said, in a detached tone. “Both ways are blocked.”
Everett
cocked the gun he’d held loosely in his palm, trying to ignore the way it
slipped slightly in his grasp, dampened by his sweat-slick skin. “Does that
mean we’re dead either way?” he asked, with a carelessness he didn’t quite
feel. He checked his ammunition, if only to busy his shaking hands, knowing it
would probably make little difference in the end. Maths had never been his
strong point, but he knew one gun against hundreds were never favourable odds.
“They’re
coming,” Prue informed her brother, although she did not meet his eyes. She was
staring into the blackness at the other end of the street; Everett followed her
gaze, but as always, saw nothing.
“Where—?” he
began, before freezing. He couldn’t see, only hear, the rapid pounding of
footsteps along a cobbled street. Low at first, the sound was growing louder,
clear in the otherwise silent night. The hairs on the back of his neck were
standing up in warning. “Ok, you’re right,” he conceded, in a generous tone, “They’re
coming! No foresight needed for that. Which way do we go?”
Prue shook
her head, dark hair clinging to her bowed face, her eyes crunched in
concentration. She was covered in sweat.
“Wait— wait—”
Everett muttered, in a panicked breath, realising his sister was going to be of
no help. He could see them now, shadows moving in the darkness, emerging at the
end of the street. The Officers of the Occult. He shot three times in quick
succession – one, two, three – and something must have found its mark, from the
strangled cry of pain that followed. They were still alive, then. Good.
Everett had
only a moment to feel relief before the others swarmed. They were closing in on
them. Although in range, they had yet to fire a single shot; as he expected,
their aim was to capture, not to kill.
“Something
is changing,” Prue said from beside Everett. She clutched her head, fisting her
fingers into her hair, as though physically trying to remove something from her
mind. “Another factor is clouding things. His choices are unclear. He’s
conflicted already.”
“Prue!”
Everett cried, trying to pick something of use from her incoherent ramblings.
He pushed her sideways, behind the wall of a garden and out of sight – at least
for the moment. They were running out of time – the Officers would be upon them
in less than a minute, and then there would be no escape. “Pick a way! Which
way has more chance of survival?”
Prue gazed
up at the sky, but she was seeing nothing. “Left,” she replied at last, “Maybe
he will spare us.”
Without taking a second to contemplate what his
sister might mean, Everett grabbed her slippery hand and pulled, turning a
sharp left, the Officers of the Occult temporarily vanishing from view.
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The Queen of the Underworld
The Occult Series Book 2
The Queen of the
Underworld is the second novel in the award-winning The Occult Series
by Lauren Louise Hazel.
Following the fall of The Occult and its Head, Prue receives visions of The
Queen of the Underworld—a powerful Demon who was once overthrown by her allies
and exiled from her homeland—rising in its place.
Prue sees that the Queen is connected to Prue’s best friend, Lily. This leads
Prue and her half-brother, Everett, on their mission across worlds to destroy
the Queen and save their friend. But nothing is what it seems.
The Queen is ready and waiting for them—and she will stop at nothing to secure
her future and wipe out anyone who opposes her.
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As a kid, my dad would always take my sister and I to Waterstones. He always said that the only thing he would always buy us, would be books. While my sister was more interested in numbers, I was more interested in creative subjects. My mum bought me a first edition of Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, which would be worth a fortune if my cousin hadn’t torn out the front page. I’m still mad about it…
During school, my friends and I were obsessed with fantasy shows and novels, which has never faded. We used to have sleepovers, watch Buffy and Angel all night long. We also saw every Harry Potter in the cinema – at least a dozen times when they first came out and theorised about the ending of the books. I read the books so fast that I always knew the endings before everyone else, and everyone was mad when my sister told them that Dumbledore is murdered by Snape before anyone else got to it.
I started writing more seriously in 2010. During my first year at university, I had health issues and had to have an operation. In the following months of recovery, I was reading a lot and decided to write something. I was stuck indoors and so I wanted to do something more productive. I chose to start a fantasy novel, because that is what I loved. I had read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, and I wanted to capture a modern world, but with a magical twist.
The Reign of the Occult was born. The first in The Occult Series, it’s a fast-paced urban fantasy. In the Mortal Realm, magic is outlawed and hunted by a mysterious and sinister organisation called The Occult. The protagonist is Prue, a girl who is cursed to see the future but never to change it. At the time, a female lead in a fantasy adventure was reasonably rare. The Hunger Games had just come out, which I loved, and the genre boomed following its release. Like me, a lot of writers followed suit and it’s much more mainstream now.
I took inspiration from Dante’s Inferno to create the 3 different worlds. I was studying history at university, so I’m really interested in myths and legends, and I included myths from all over the world to create the Demons in The Underworld and The Fae in The Overworld. The Occult in the Mortal Realm is grounded much more in reality – based on dictatorships I had studied, including The Third Reich. A big part of the story is the teenagers overcoming incredible odds to defeat evil. I absolutely love this theme in The Lord of the Rings, that you don’t need great power to overcome great evil.
The theme of teenagers fighting to reclaim their freedom and discover their own power, is present in all my stories. It’s something that comes from my own experiences, overcoming health issues and pushing through against the odds.
Following the original release of The Reign of the Occult, I was in a significant road accident, and I had ongoing injuries. I had to pause my plans to release the second book in the series, The Queen of the Underworld.
Since then, I’ve worked hard on my recovery. One, not to lose my day job. And two, to get The Queen of the Underworld completed. The editing was very difficult with my injuries, but I did not give up. I completed the edits and released the second book in 2024.
Now, I’m fighting fit and ready for my next series, The Tarot Series. The first novel is called The Book of Wands and it’s due for release in 2026. The protagonist, a girl named Olivia, inherits a Tarot Book following the death of her grandmother, which she claimed could predict Past, Present and Future… I picked a female protagonist, which I could relate most to, and had the Tarot Deck be passed down through the female line. I think it’s important for young women to understand and claim their own power.
Pieces I have removed from the main piece, placed here – keep these so that you can use in your newsletters and content marketing:
Her brother Everett is her protector – although he doesn’t possess any powers, he is street smart and savvy. The story is their journey through the 3 worlds – The Mortal Realm, The Underworld and The Overworld – fleeing from The Occult. My sister claims that Everett is based on my baby brother, Ben, but I did not realise that while I was writing it.
It took me about 8 years in total to finish The Reign of the Occult. I started working for a small company in HR, and eventually asked me to move over and build their security function from scratch. While personally I’m much more creative – interested in Art, History and English – my job is much more technical. I’m a Cyber Security Manager now in a role that is mostly dominated by men. It has been a successful career, and I’ve done the writing on the side. It was only during Covid, when I didn’t have to travel to work, that I had more time to work on the manuscript.
I finally decided I was going to finish a book if it killed me! Once I finished the first manuscript, and realised that I could finish one, the manuscripts that followed were much, much faster. In my mind, the writing has changed from a hobby to a job and now I treat it seriously. If it’s in my calendar, then I’ll do it.
Lauren Louise Hazel is a Cyber Security Manager by day and
writes YA fantasy by night. She has one annoying brother and younger sister. As
she was growing up, the only item her dad would buy her without demanding her
pocket money was books. He’s hoping the writing is successful so he can get a
Ferrari!
Some of Lauren’s favourite books and influences include the
classics – like Lord of the Rings and The Hunger Games – and anything by Haruki
Murakami and GRR Martin.
Website * Facebook * Instagram * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon
* Goodreads
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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.
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Dive into a different world, where nature and friendship are
full of surprises.
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Living at the Edge of the World – Winter
The Papala Island Adventure Series Book 1
written by S. J. Barratt
narrated by Gill Mills
Genre: Middle Grade Eco Adventure
Twins Tabitha and Timothy leave London for a wild Shetland
island — no Wi-Fi, no friends, and a mysterious great-uncle. In Papala, they
discover a new way of life, unexpected friendships, and courage they never knew
they had.
A fun, eco-conscious story for ages 9–12 that the whole
family will love.
When their parents sail the world without them, 12-year-old
twins Tabitha and Timothy are sent to the remote island of Papala, known as the
“Bird Island.” Great Uncle Tamhas becomes their guardian in a world
as strange as the island itself.
Tabitha is frustrated with the island’s isolation and
limited Wi-Fi, but Timothy is delighted to uncover the island’s natural
secrets. The twins soon realise however, they are not the only newcomers to the
island.
Discover a story about courage, friendship and the joy of
embracing the unfamiliar. Dive into a different world, where nature and
friendship are full of surprises.
You’ll love this story of courage and friendship. Buy now
before the price changes!
Check out: https: //www.sjbstories.com to know more!
Get it in Audiobook!
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,
“Living at the Edge of the World – Winter, the first audiobook in my Shetland island series, was inspired by my own outdoor childhood and by a desire to encourage today’s children to look up from their screens and rediscover adventure outside.”
I’m a British children’s author and I grew up with mud on my boots, dogs at my heels, and a book never far from reach. Raised in leafy green, Hertfordshire (North East direction from London) my childhood was split between outdoor adventure – riding ponies, building camps in the woods, cycling with friends – and disappearing into stories. Shy and introverted, I was happiest reading, often forming friendships around books, including quiet “reading clubs” where we sat together in companionable silence for hours at a time! As a teenager, reviewing books for my local library felt like a natural next step. Although I briefly considered journalism as a career, the fast pace and relentless deadlines didn’t seem to leave much room for reflection or empathy. I then trained as an actor, which was invaluable for learning how to analyse characters and bring them to life, skills that continue to shape my writing. I loved exploring the depth of roles, but I soon realized that the constant focus on self-promotion and performance wasn’t the right fit for me. Life then led me to France, where I’ve spent many years in corporate communications for agriculture and sustainable development—storytelling with purpose, in a quieter kind of spotlight.
Becoming a writer began as a personal writing project while I was recovering from an operation. I knew I wanted to write for children, inspired by the contrast between my own outdoor upbringing and how much time children today spend indoors, absorbed by screens.
I immersed myself in research and went in search of the perfect agricultural setting, eventually discovering the island of Foula, home to just thirty people who live closely with the land, sea, and animals in Shetland, Scotland. It felt like the ideal place to begin. From there, the real learning started, and the stories grew. Today, my writing aims to offer young readers and listeners a sense of freedom, resilience, and curiosity, while gently encouraging a healthier balance between the digital world and the natural one.
Having two nationalities (Born in Pasadena, USA but to British parents) and living today in France, which adds a third culture, means I’ve never fully felt I belong in one place. That outsider perspective has become a strength in my writing, helping me create characters who are finding their footing in unfamiliar worlds and helping readers accept diversity and cultural differences.
I first considered myself a writer the moment my work was recognized beyond my own desk, earning its first placing in a writing competition. That turning point came in 2024, when my book received a Silver Medal at BookFest in the Children’s – Diversity & Multi-cultural category. Soon after, it was awarded a Bronze Medal at the Global Book Awards 2024 for Children’s – Geography & Culture, and in 2025 it became a *Finalist in the Children’s Book Excellence Awards. Those moments shifted my writing from a “project”, to becoming part of my identity as a “writer”.
I can easily imagine Living at the Edge of the World – Winter and the second book, Spring coming alive on screen, ideally not just as films, but as a gentle, episodic series for middle-grade children aged 9–12. The world of Papala, and the adventures of Tabitha and Timothy, lend themselves naturally to visual storytelling: the changing seasons, the closeness to nature, the quiet bravery of everyday exploration.
What excites me most, though, isn’t the idea of children sitting and watching for long stretches. I would only want a film or series if it actively encouraged them to step away from the screen afterward. Each episode could feel like an invitation. Prompting children to go outside, build a small camp in the woods, invent their own adventures, or take their dog for a walk and really notice the world around them.
In October 2023 my son and I traveled to Shetland to hunt for the aurora borealis. We explored the mainland and the islands of Yell and Unst, hoping to see the northern lights. We weren’t lucky enough to catch the “pretty dancers,” as they call them in Shetland, but every day brought something beautiful – sunsets, rainbows, and interesting cloud formations. Watching otters play along the coast in Yell or climbing into a Viking boat on Unst was a joy in itself, and a reminder of how travel can spark creativity.
Last year I travelled to Sri Lanka to an Ayurveda retreat. It was a simple, focused holiday: time to care for my health, relax, and edit my third book. Having space to work on my writing while being somewhere special was such a gift to myself.
Both trips reminded me of the joy of discovering new places and the value of taking time for yourself. Whether exploring remote islands or spending quiet days writing, travel and new places can provide a space to refresh, reflect, and find inspiration.
One of the things I love most about writing this book series is exploring the dynamic between the twins, Tabitha and Timothy. They are so alike in some ways, yet completely different in others, and that contrast drives much of the story.
Tabitha is all about online validation and influencer dreams. She’s deeply connected to the world through screens and social media, and her character reflects the pull of that digital life. Timothy, on the other hand, “Wiki-Tim”, is grounded in curiosity and a love of nature. His fascination with facts and the natural world lets me bring in real-life information about the island and its wildlife without it feeling forced. This dynamic mirrors something I value personally: while I enjoy engaging with my online community, nothing restores the soul quite like a walk in nature.
The twins’ contrasting perspectives also highlight one of the broader themes of the book: adapting to new environments and finding joy in unexpected places. Timothy, with his naturalist mindset, adjusts easily to the remote island life. Tabitha, initially frustrated by the isolation, gradually discovers a niche that allows her to combine her love for social media with the adventure and discoveries the island offers. It’s a journey about embracing change, connecting with the world around you, and finding balance between digital and real-life experiences.
Through these characters, I wanted to show that even when two people, or twins, are very different, mutual respect, curiosity, and openness can lead to growth, adventure, and unexpected joy.
The book covers and all the illustrations for Living at the Edge of the World – Winter were created by the incredibly talented young illustrator Jenny Nutbourne, who lives and works in Scotland. https://www.tiktok.com/@nutbourne_ Our connection came through Dundee University, where my son did his degree.
I’m a very visual person, and for me, images are an essential part of the creative process. When I start a project, I often look for pictures that capture the essence of my characters or the world they inhabit. Working with Jenny brought these images to life, enhancing the storytelling in ways that words alone sometimes have limitations. Her illustrations not only complement the text but also provide inspiration and a visual anchor for the story, making the world I’ve written about feel even more real. Working with Jenny is also a a reason why I went the self-publishing route as an author as I wanted full creative control.
One of the biggest challenges in writing my recent book was making sure the children truly drove the story. I wanted the kids to take center stage, shaping the action, while the adults remained in the background, present enough to make the world feel realistic, but never so much that they overshadowed the young characters.
For the main antagonist, Tabitha, I started her as a spoiled, unhappy girl, frustrated at being stuck in Papala, a remote island in Shetland, far from trendy London. In the first book, her character arc showed her learning to adapt to this rugged new life. The second book pushes that growth even further, while also giving her brother, Timothy, a chance to shine. The third book, which hopefully will be published later this year, explores Tabitha’s character even more, teaching her not to rush to act but to speak up with thoughtful action.
Beyond the twins, there are two other key young characters: Fenella, a local girl who offers insight and guidance, and Omar, a newly arrived refugee who immediately connects with the island’s wildlife. Each brings a unique perspective, but the core challenge remains: how to let the children have their own adventures in a believable way.
I drew inspiration from authors like Enid Blyton and Katherine Rundell, who are experts at creating rich, child-led worlds where young characters are fully in charge.
Yes! I want readers to know that even though my books have an eco-fiction theme and encourage your children, grandchildren, or students to spend more “green time” rather than screen time, the stories are far from dull. They’re modern, full of fun, and packed with adventure.
A recent reviewer described how she and her son “learned by stealth” while reading about the twins, Tabitha and Timothy. They were so caught up in what would happen next in the story, they absorbed all kinds of fascinating facts about Shetland’s wildlife and flora without even noticing!
I also hope readers gain a better understanding of how farming can work in harmony with nature. Agro-ecology is all about balance, which is especially important in crofting in Scotland, where every bit of land matters. The books show that adventure, learning, and environmental awareness can go hand in hand.
The inspiration came from reading about the Shetland island of Foula, which I found utterly fascinating. It’s one of the most remote islands in the archipelago, home to just 30 people, and is also famously known as the “Bird Island.” The island’s wild, rugged beauty and sense of isolation perfectly captured the atmosphere I wanted for the book, and it is known as the “End of the World”. This name seemed to fit naturally with the story, even if I based the series on an imaginary island called Papala.
I’d love to spend a day with Great Uncle Tamhas, who looks after the twins for three months while their parents are away on a world cruise. I can imagine a day on his croft, helping him with the kale planting, fishing for trout in the stream, and even cutting peat to keep the fires burning.
After a day of hard work, I’d sit down to one of his farmhouse meals, starting with a bowl of soup and fresh homemade bread, followed by his famous mutton stew. There’s something so comforting about the rhythm of croft life, and I can’t think of a better way to spend a day immersed in the island’s traditions, landscape, and food.
I wrote this book because I wanted to inspire kids to step away from screens and rediscover the joy of the world around them. In a time when phones and tablets seem to rule, my story invites young readers to see that adventure isn’t just something on a screen. Adventure is out there waiting for children in the woods, along a bike path, or even in their own backyard. Through fun, imaginative stories, my book gives kids agency, the exciting knowledge that they can create their own adventures, whether it’s just riding their bike, or exploring with their dog. It’s not just a story; it’s an invitation to play, explore, and connect with nature in a way that will stay with them long after the last page is turned.
A review from Australia said recently: “Books like this are still very important. It should be on every family’s book shelves. Not only will these stories encourage kids to become readers, Living at the Edge of the World – Winter & Spring help kids learn and realise that living without their phones is also an adventure.”
Yes! I’m currently working on the third book in this series: Living at the Edge of the World – Summer, which is shaping up to be an exciting mix of myth and environmental awareness. It follows the same team of characters, alongside selkies – mythical seals that shed their skins to become human on land. Through their story, I explore marine pollution and the importance of protecting our oceans as well as our livelihoods. The selkies act as a symbol of care and responsibility, showing young readers how thoughtful, deliberate actions, rather than rash decisions, can make a real difference. It’s a story full of wonder, adventure, and inspiration, encouraging kids to engage with the world around them and how small voices can make big waves when you speak up for what matters.
I love this question! It reminds me of the book – The Storm Keeper’s island by Catherine Doyle, where a different candle was needed for each episode of time travel. If my books were a candle, the scent would shift with the seasons: Winter would be peat fires, the comforting aroma of home-cooked soup, bread and bannocks. Spring would carry sea salt spray and the fresh scent of rain on green grass full of spring flowers. Summer would smell of warm earth, sun-dried fields, berries and rhubarb and the intoxicating smell of outdoor adventures. Autumn? The tang of wind off the waves, hints of the first peat fires and root vegetables roasting in the oven… and a book that is not written yet!
Audiobook Questions:
I realised that so many people are busy and don’t always have time to sit down and read, and having studied acting myself, I know how much a good narrator can bring a story to life – just as an illustrator does for a printed book. So creating an audiobook felt like a natural and complementary way to share my stories. Also a great way for a family to share the story during a road trip!
When it came to choosing the narrator, I was lucky to find Gill Mills at Canopybooks. Gill is the owner of the company and auditioned for the narration alongside other actresses who could narrate with a light Scottish accent. From the start, it was clear she was the perfect fit. She threw herself into the work, shutting herself away for days at a time to ensure the voices of each character stayed consistent. Every character has their own unique intonation and accent, and she brings them all vividly to life.
Because I’m a trained actor, the idea of narrating the audiobook did cross my mind, but I quickly realised I wouldn’t even come close to her ankles, let alone fill her shoes! I feel incredibly fortunate to have found Gill and Canopybooks. I honestly cannot recommend them highly enough to authors considering an audiobook. Gill will bring your stories to life in a way that is truly magical at a very reasonable price.
I have two audiobooks published: Living at the Edge of the World – Winter & Spring and when the third book is published, I will of course ask Gill if she wants to narrate the third! I just hope she will say, “Yes! I would like another trip to the island of Papala!”
The final chapter is definitely my favorite. It’s where the themes of courage, friendship, and embracing the unfamiliar come together in a thrilling way. The three children face a pivotal moment that tests their bravery. Tabitha, the protagonist, takes a bold risk that puts herself and her brother and friend Fenella in real danger.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say this: there are Vikings involved… and a burning viking boat! It’s a scene full of tension, teamwork, and adventure, and it perfectly captures the heart of the story. It also reflects my own belief that true friendship and courage often shine brightest when we step into the unknown and we accept cultural differences.
S. J. Barratt is a self-published, professionally edited
children’s author whose eco-themed stories celebrate the connection between
people and the natural world. Rooted in an English countryside upbringing and
shaped by a career in agriculture, she blends a gardener’s curiosity with a
storyteller’s warmth to her writing. Now based in Lyon, France, Suzanne creates
tales that inspire middle-grade readers to swap screen time for green time—and
rediscover the wonders waiting just outside their door.
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A former BBC broadcaster and journalist, Gill Mills brings
over 20 years of experience in entertainment to her narration. Known for her
warm, resonant voice, she began her voice career while DJing on BBC Radio 1 and
has since voiced numerous TV and audio productions. She now runs a content
company specialising in podcast and film production from her studio in East
London.
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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Enter the Living at the Edge of the World – Winter Giveaway Here
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