City of Cruelty and Copper
Temperance Era # 1
By- Rhiannon Paille
Nuclear warfare destroyed Earth, setting it off its axis. A group of survivors escaped to Antarctica, discovering a city under the permafrost. Fable Ketterling was thirteen when the bombs went off. She was fifteen when she and her parents escaped. She was fifteen when she found the fountain of youth. She was fifteen when the fountain made her immortal. She was the only one.
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Welcome to the Cover Reveal for
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presented by Tantrum Books/Month9Books!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
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Title:
Can one boy stop a nefarious plot to turn kids into super-mutants?
Maverick Mercury enjoys his life as the sideshow attraction known as “Gator Boy” at Grumbling’s Traveling Circus and Sideshow.
His freakish mutations are the result of some billionaire geneticist’s experiments gone awry. But life as a mutant is about to get worse, as Maverick uncovers a plot to kidnap kids, turns them into super-mutants, and sells their powers to the highest bidder.
Now, Maverick is on a mission to find the mad scientist who may have created him and destroy his sinister plans!
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Title: King of the Mutants
Publication date: October 21, 2014
Publisher: Tantrum Books/Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Samantha Verant
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Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously expensive Bengal cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
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One eBook copy of King of the Mutants and a $10 Amazon Gift Card.
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(Winners will receive their book on release day)
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I can’t say enough about Edward Lorn’s books.
I’ve read all of them and am now on Episode 3 and 4 of his gritty, in your face, serial, Cruelty.
E. has some exciting stuff happening and I’m thrilled to be a part of anything he has coming up!
Now, let’s get to E. and his exciting news!
You said even by smoke signals E!
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Here’s the skinny, straight from Edward!
The bigger my catalog gets, the more books I can offer for free. Here is the current list of free content from yours truly. These are not on sale or going through some kind of limited promo. These books/short stories are permanently free at their respective sites. Feel free to share any way you see fit: reblog, tweet, Facebook, telegram, snail mail, boat charter, Morse code, messenger pigeon, smoke signals…
Thank you, every one of you, for your past, present, and future support.
***Please note that clicking on the Goodreads link will AUTOMATICALLY start the download of that book’s PDF.***
BAY’S END: Amazon, Kobo, Goodreads.
WORLD’S GREATEST DAD: Goodreads
JUST SHORT OF PARADISE (Flash Fiction Goodreads Exclusive): Goodreads
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Don’t go yet. There’s more!
Hello everybody, E. here. Click HERE or on the cover below to be whisked away to a Goodreads portal for a free PDF copy of “Just Short of Paradise”. If you’d prefer .mobi or epub versions please send requests to edwardlorn@gmail.com and I’ll shoot you the proper format. Thank you and enjoy.
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Whatcha waiting for? Go get em!!
Find out more about Edward Lorn and his books by clicking on the link below.
I have to say I’m as curious about the author as I am about this book.
I’m sure I’ll get to know a bit about him when the Our Dried Voices is released.
So, what do ya think of the cover art? Eerie? Intriguing? Mystical? Let me know!!
And don’t forget to enter the fun giveaway!
In 2153, cancer was cured. In 2189, AIDS. And in 2235, the last members of the human race traveled to a far distant planet called Pearl to begin the next chapter of humanity.
Several hundred years after their arrival, the remainder of humans live in a utopian colony in which every need is satisfied automatically, and there is no need for human labor, struggle or thought. But when the machines that regulate the colony begin to malfunction, the colonists are faced with a test for the first time in their existence.
With the lives of the colonists at stake, it is left to a young man named Samuel to repair these breakdowns and save the colony. Aided by his friend Penny, Samuel rises to meet each challenge. But he soon discovers a mysterious group of people behind each of these problems, and he must somehow find and defeat these saboteurs in order to rescue his colony.
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Our Dried Voices original artwork
Our Dried Voices Book Mark
Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.
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I had to be a part of this book tour.
Can you imagine it? Federal Angels?
Looks like Mark Diehl is bringing something different to the table.
I had to read XVII and find out.
What’s even better. This is book one in a series!
SEVENTEEN
By
Mark Diehl
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MY REVIEW
Just imagine almost the entire world’s population of 17 billion is asleep, being used like battery powered brains.
There are no sustainable food crops and the big wigs control everything. All you have to do is give yourself, all of yourself, over to the oppressors and all of your needs will be provided.
With food shortages and power hungry officials running the show, you can bet there will be a rebellion. And a young waitress, Eadie, is prophesied to lead it. She’ll be going up against a huge corporation with lethal Federal Angels they use to keep people in line. She’s only nineteen and has no clue what’s coming for her. Especially after she has to kill in self-defense and now she’s a wanted fugitive.
This was a wild read. I can’t even think about how to tell you about it. I’m going to try though.
The story is related to you from multiple points of view. I never felt one character was more central than another, which was good as many died.
The dystopian world the author built is in the future, and it could almost be real. Don’t we all fear big brother and their spies? Imagine giving over your brain, your thoughts, to your employer. Who knows what the implants are putting into your head, and what they are taking out of it.
But if you choose to live in the Zone as an ordinary citizen, you can barely get by. Caught between a rock and a hard place for sure.
Once I became familiar with the characters the pace picked up and I became immersed in the story. It’s not pretty. In fact, it’s brutal and hard to swallow at times. I still can’t get my head around a corporation as God and worshipping them as such. That’s just insane.
I’m not sure these really apply, but the movies Soylent Green and The Matrix came to mind as I read this book.
There are a few things I’d love to mention but I don’t do spoilers. What I can tell you is lots of people die in the frenzied ending. No happily ever after here, but an excellent finale, until the next book.
4 STARS
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BLURB
Most of the world’s seventeen billion people are unconscious, perpetually serving their employers as part of massive brain trusts. The ecosystem has collapsed, and corporations control all of the world’s resources and governments. A bedraggled alcoholic known as the Prophet predicts nineteen year-old waitress Eadie will lead a revolution, but how can she prevail when hunted by a giant corporation and the Federal Angels it directs?
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EXCERPT
The mist was clearing. Brian found himself standing in the street outside the bar he had entered earlier. Half a dozen battered and bleeding men stood surrounding him, and at least as many more lay on the gravel, seriously wounded or out cold.
The attack had come from somewhere in the mist, from all directions at once. His head and torso ached and throbbed. He locked his shaking knees to keep them from buckling. Every muscle in his body seemed to be lengthening, pouring downward like water. His eyelids drooped.
One of the standing men took a step toward him, fists raised. Brian tried to turn away from him, his arm flopping behind his back like a fish.
Behind his back! His eyes opened a little wider. He straightened and forced his arm to function, whipping out his revolver and aiming it around at the circle of attackers.
He tried to pull back the hammer but too many of his knuckles were broken. He ended up simply pointing it at the closest one, who backed away cautiously. Once past him, Brian walked backwards, still aiming the gun as long as he could see them. Then he turned, moving as fast as he could manage, back toward Dok’s place.
*****
Mark D. Diehl
Mark D. Diehl writes novels about power dynamics and the way people and organizations influence each other. He believes that obedience and conformity are becoming humanity’s most important survival skills, and that we are thus evolving into a corporate species.
Diehl has: been homeless in Japan, practiced law with a major multinational firm in Chicago, studied in Singapore, fled South Korea as a fugitive, and been stranded in Hong Kong.
After spending most of his youth running around with hoods and thugs, he eventually earned his doctorate in law at the University of Iowa and did graduate work in creative writing at the University of Chicago. He currently lives and writes in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
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$25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.
Follow the tour for more fun posts and remember to comment. The more you comment the more chances to win!
Follow the tour by clicking on the banner below.
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!
To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!
Welcome to the Cover Reveal for
presented by Month9Books!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
Mark Stewart is one incident away from becoming a juvenile delinquent, and his parents have had enough. They ship Mark off to London England to stay with his eccentric aunt Agatha who is obsessed with all things Jack the Ripper. After a strange twist of luck, Mark is struck by lightning, and he wakes to find himself in 1888 Victorian London.
His interest in a string of murders Scotland Yard has yet to solve make him a likely suspect. After all, why would a young boy like Mark know so much about the murders? Could he be the ripper they’ve been searching for? Convinced the only way to get back home is to solve the murders, Mark dives headfirst into uncovering the truth.
Mark’s only distraction comes in the form of the beautiful Genie Trembly, a girl who is totally out of his league and who may have already caught the attention of the infamous ripper. To save her, he’ll endanger both their lives, and risk being trapped in the past forever.
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Title: SHADOWS FALL AWAY
Publication date: September 23, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Kit Forbes
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Kit Forbes has been a lover of books, history, and all things paranormal for as long as she can remember. She lives in Western Pennsylvania with her youngest daughter and an assortment of cats who give new meaning to the world bizarre.
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
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An eBook copy of Shadows Fall Away and a $10 Amazon Gift Card.
Click on the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!
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To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!
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Don’t you just love dragons? I have a showcase of the complete series and giveaway for ya.
Enjoy and Good Luck!
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Redheart
Enter the lands of Leland Province, where dragon and human societies have long dwelled side by side. Superstitions rise sharply, as a severe drought strips the land of its bounty, providing fertile ground for the darker ambitions of Fordon Blackclaw, Dragon Council Leader, who seeks to subdue humans or wipe them off the face of the land.
As the shadow of danger creeps across Leland Province, a young dragon named Kallon Redheart, who has turned his back on dragons and humans alike, comes into an unexpected friendship. Riza Diantus is a young woman whose dreams can no longer be contained by the narrow confines of her village, and when she finds herself in peril, Kallon is the only one with the power to save her. Yet to do so means he must confront his past, and embrace a future he stopped believing in.
A tale of friendship, courage, and ultimate destiny, Redheart invites readers to a wondrous journey through the Leland Dragon Series.
Praise for Redheart
“Redheart is a captivating and enthralling book.”- Evie Bookish
“Gamber has written a hypnotic tale that lulls you into a dreamy state of ethereal bliss, as you enter into the world of the Leland Dragons!” – Jorie Loves a Story
“I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a great fantasy novel.” – Jess Resides Here
“The story itself is very beautifully told, and Gamber does a phenomenal job creating personable characters and down to earth themes, all dealing with different aspects, such as social, psychological, feministic, archetypal, and philosophical issues.” – A Book Vacation
Amazon * Kobo * Barnes & Noble
Excerpt from Redheart
Kallon soared. He thrust his crimson wings to chase the clouds, tethered to the earth by only his massive shadow. He flew faster, but his shadow could not be outrun. He felt it below him, dragging across the dusty field like an anchor, pulling him downward. With a defiant twist of his wings, he veered straight up into the cobalt sky.
The sky was where dragons were meant to thrive, and it was the place they returned to when they died. At least, according to his father. Kallon had believed it once. He had believed the stories of dragon valor in a world where humans and dragons worked together toward a common future. But that was long ago. Kallon didn’t believe in anything anymore.
It became harder to breathe, and Kallon’s eyes burned and watered. His wings resisted moving. He’d gone as high as he could go. He paused.
As far as he could see, the sky was the same unlimited blue. There was no rail, no net. There seemed nothing to keep him from going forward, yet there he was forced to stop, as every dragon before him stopped. With a groan of regret, Kallon hung his head and descended.
He followed his shadow across a field of withered meadow grass. The field gave way to sand, and the sand to stones, then bulging fists of granite welcomed him home to the foothills of the Leland Mountains.
Then he heard something. Instead of disappearing into his cave, he swooped above a high cliff and circled back. He dropped down to his feet, curled in his wings, and stood still as the mountains to listen.
A scream. From somewhere beyond the next peak came a human scream. He snorted. Too bad it wasn’t something more interesting. His ears had long since grown deaf to the cries of humans.
Then the scream came again. It was the sound of terror; the kind he used to hear from children as his shadow passed over the ground near them. He shuddered, and found himself turning toward the sound. He hadn’t wanted to go home yet, anyway. He supposed it wouldn’t hurt just to look.
He flew low over the meadow until he caught the human scent. No, not one human—several. He landed quietly and loped toward a grove of ancient firs, some of which were taller than his head. Careful not to rustle any branches, he poked his face through the trees. There he saw the humans and discovered the source of the scream.
Three men stood around a female, who crouched in the center of them. There was a leader, it seemed, who cackled an evil laugh and was goading the two younger men toward her. His voice was louder than the others, and his stringy hair was the color of dung.
“Go on,” he said, and shoved his friend toward her. The woman shrieked and lunged, stabbing a knife at the air. The man jumped away, but the leader darted behind the woman and grabbed her wrist, then wedged the inside of his elbow against her throat.
“Give me that little toy,” he snarled.
The woman struggled. The leader yanked away the knife and pushed her to the ground. He slapped her face. Kallon could see her shoulders heave as she whispered in a hoarse voice,
“Please. Don’t do this.”
Kallon was still considering what he ought to do, when there was a sudden shout.
“Dragon!” cried one of the men.
“Bloody ‘ell!” yelped another.
The leader just stood gaping, his bottom lip flopping up and down like a beached carp.
“Run!” The man near the female jumped to his feet, and hollered again.
“Run!”
The leader finally moved. He flung up the knife, and it tumbled through the air to bump Kallon harmlessly on the nose. Kallon growled, anyway. The leader stumbled back. Kallon sucked in a deep breath and bellowed like thunder. The man wailed, and bolted after the others.
The men collided with trees and smacked into each other in their panic. Kallon stopped bellowing to smile. Cowards. Then he swung his face to the woman. He found her gaze locked on him, and his smile dissolved, taken aback by the look in her eyes.
He had grown accustomed to screams, shouts of fear, and the look of terror in the eyes of humans. But this woman reacted to him with none of these. Her face seemed to register… relief. Then her eyes closed and she fell backward onto the ground.
Kallon inched forward through the trees. He bumped her shoulder with his snout. She didn’t respond.
“You dead?” he asked. He nudged her again.
She was breathing. Blood trickled from her nose and mouth. She smelled more pleasant than he thought a human could smell, like the musky forest path drenched in sunshine. He sniffed her again.
He knew he should leave her right where she laid. She was no business of his, and he didn’t know the first thing about tending to her anyway. But she’d looked at him differently than most humans, and it stirred something within him he couldn’t explain. He lifted a claw to his cheek and rubbed, unsure of what to do.
Then he mumbled, “Going to regret this.”
He grasped her with his forelegs and soared off toward home.
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Sela
Peace was fleeting. Vorham Riddess, Venur of Esra Province, covets the crystal ore buried deep in Leland’s mountains. His latest device to obtain it: land by marriage to a Leland maiden. But that’s not all.
Among Dragonkind, old threats haunt Mount Gore, and shadows loom in the thoughts of the Red who restored life to land and love. A dragon hunter, scarred from countless battles, discovers he can yet suffer more wounds.
In the midst of it all, Sela Redheart is lost, driven from her home with only her old uncle to watch over her. As the dragon-born child of Kallon, the leader of Leland’s Dragon Council, she is trapped in human form with no understanding of how she transformed, or how to turn back.
Wanderers seek a home, schemes begin to unfurl, and all is at risk as magic and murder, marriage and mystery strangle the heart of Esra. A struggle for power far older and deeper than anyone realizes will leave no human or dragon unaffected.
In a world where magic is born of feeling, where the love between a girl and a dragon was once transformative, what power dwells in the heart of young Sela?
Amazon * Kobo * Barnes & Noble
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Reclamation
The exciting conclusion of the Leland Dragon Series!
Leland Province remains in danger. The sinister Fordon Blackclaw has returned from the shadows to strike at the heart of neighboring Esra, killing its Venur and making clear his intentions to retake what was once his: Mount Gore, seat of the Leland Dragon Council.
All around, the land grows weaker and weaker. Leland, once thought saved by Kallon Redheart, is without purpose, and within its borders, Murk Forest, a place of mystery and danger, has driven its inhabitants to seek aid. Esra is in flames, and the Rage Desert grows. Dragon and human alike struggle to find their way, and the wizard Orman can sense that there may be more at stake than the affairs of dragons.
Hope remains, yet it is not without obstacles. In Esra, Sela, the daughter of Kallon and Riza, found the well, a source of life, and made herself whole again. But her homecoming is not what she had imagined.
Old wounds buried deep must reopen if life is to continue. Dragons, humans, wizards, and shape shifters are all at risk as the peace between dragon and human has finally been broken.
War is here.
The stakes?
Perhaps the whole world.
Amazon * Kobo * Barnes & Noble
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Author Jackie Gamber
As an award winning author, Jackie writes stories ranging from ultra-short to novel-length, varieties of which have appeared in anthologies such as Tales of Fantasy and Dragons Composed, as well as numerous periodical publications, including Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, The Binnacle, Mindflights Magazine, Necrotic Tissue, and Shroud. She is the author of the fantasy novel Redheart and Sela, and writing an alternate history time travel novel. She blogs professionally for English Tea Store.com, where she reviews classic science fiction and fantasy novels and pairs them with the ideal tea-sipping companion.
Jackie is a member of the professional organizations Science Fiction Writers of America and Horror Writers Association. She was named honorable mention in L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Award, and received a 2008 Darrell Award for best short story by a Mid-South author. She is the winner of the 2009 Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award for Imaginative Fiction for her story The Freak Museum, a post-apocalyptic tale that looks closely at perceptions and outward appearances and how they affect the way we see ourselves. Jackie Gamber was co-founder and Executive Editor of Meadowhawk Press, a speculative fiction publisher based in Memphis. One of their novels, Terminal Mind by David Walton, won the Philip K. Dick Memorial Award in 2009. Jackie also edited the award winning benefit anthology, Touched By Wonder. She has been a guest lecturer at Memphis Options High Schools, and is a speaker at writers’ conferences from Michigan to Florida. Jackie is also the visionary behind the MidSouthCon Writers’ Conference, helping writers connect since 2008.
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Blast Giveaway
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.
Ends 3/24/14
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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FREE right now!
Synopsis
We vampires do not make easy prey. Our weaknesses are few, our strengths many. Fear is something we do not know, and death but a distant memory. So tread softly, pray to your god, and gird yourself with silver when the moons arise and night’s dark prince awakens. We fear not the wizard, nor the warrior, neither rogue, nor priest; our strength is timeless, drawn from darkness and we know no master save the hot lust of our unending hunger. We long for blood, your blood and no blade, nor spell, nor clever artifice, can keep us long from our prize. Feel our teeth at your throat, your life ebb from you, and know as darkness comes to claim you that the price of your folly is your everlasting soul.
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In Drisdak, the city on the Sea of Sorrows, the citizens have much to dread. Unease and foreboding has always been associated with the local wizards guild; peasants have an innate distrust of magic and those who use it. But now, something else is on the rise. A mysterious fire at the guild has left two men dead and a third missing. A small matter, you say? Well, one of those men was the guild master, and his successor wants to know what happened to him. Enter Coragan of Esperia, the renowned bounty hunter. If anyone can unravel this mess he can. But is even he prepared to challenge the horrible evil that lurks at the heart of the mystery? An ancient vampire by the name of Lucian val Drasmyr.
Click on the links below to get your free copy!
Amazon ~ B&N ~ Smashwords
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I’ve also got the cover reveal and a giveaway going on for The Children of Lubrochius: From the Ashes of Ruin Book #1
Hop over HERE to enter!
Synopsis
The vampire, Lucian val Drasmyr, has been defeated, but not destroyed: Now he serves another evil: Korina Bolaris, a young and gifted sorceress bent on subverting the power structure of Drisdak. Only Coragan of Esperia can hope to stop them. But is even he prepared to face the dark cult who claims her as their own: the Children of Lubrochius?
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Matthew D. Ryan is a published author living in upstate New York on the shores of Lake Champlain. Mr. Ryan has a background in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He has a black belt in the martial arts and studies yoga. He has been deeply involved in the fantasy genre for most of his life as a reader, writer, and game designer. He is the operator of the web-site matthewdryan.com which features his blog, “A Toast to Dragons,”a blog dedicated to fantasy literature, and, to a lesser extent, sci-fi. Mr. Ryan says he receives his inspiration from his many years as an avid role-player and fantasy book reader. He has spent many long hours devising adventures and story-lines for games, so it was a natural shift moving into fantasy writing.
Mr. Ryan is the author of the exciting dark fantasy novel, Drasmyr,, its sequel, The Children of Lubrochius, and a growing number of short stories. His first novel, Drasmyr, has consistently earned reviews in the four and five star range and serves as the prequel to his upcoming series: From the Ashes of Ruin. In addition to Drasmyr and The Children of Lubrochius, Mr. Ryan has published several short stories on-line, including: “Haladryn and the Minotaur,” “The River’s Eye,” and “Escape.”
Links to the Author
Website ~ Smashwords ~ Facebook ~Amazon ~ Goodreads
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!
I’m gonna warn ya right now, this is a long post!
While this is a tour for Special Attractions, I just happened to have read the first two books and included reviews for them as well.
I adore this series and my reviews are a bit lengthy.
Learn all about these characters, check out my reviews and the glimpse inside Special Attraction, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway.
And Special Offers, the first book in this series is on sale right now for only 99 cents!
Get your copy HERE!
Special Offers by M. L. Ryan
Book One of The Coursodon Dimension Series
I was curious about this story after reading the synopsis. I don’t usually use one in my reviews but I’ll let you read this one.
Synopsis from Goodreads
Hailey Parrish is quick-witted, irreverent, and hasn’t had a date in three years. She only wanted an eBook reader because her collection of paperbacks threatened to take over her small living space. Little did she know that the “special offers” that prompted the purchase included much more than a reduced price in exchange for a few ads. The device came pre-loaded with the essence of Sebastian Kess, an erudite womanizer with magical abilities from a parallel dimension. When she inadvertently releases him and he inhabits her body, she finally has a man inside her, just not in the way she imagined. And soon her predicament introduces her to yet another supernatural, the handsome could-be-the-man-of-her-dreams Alex Sunderland. Can Alex and Hailey find a way to return Sebastian to his own body, stay one step ahead of the criminals who want to keep him where he is, and not lose their sense of humor?
My Review
It’s something new for me and naturally I had to read Special Offers. I really like the title. It ties in neatly with the book.
The first thing that popped into my head when I read it was a genie in a magic lamp!
I thought, Wow, a new take for an old tale. I thought it was quite creative. Don’t know if that was the authors basis, but it works for me.
From the beginning I knew I liked Hailey. She is so normal and genuine. I could relate to her, right down to her eating habits. I too stand at the kitchen sink and chow down sometimes. When you are cooking for one, why make a mess at the table to clean up. And her daily routines. I also feel like a robot going through the motions half awake.
Her life is anything but routine when she purchases the Kindle and presses the on button. It came fully loaded. Loaded with the essence, or spirit, of Sebastian, a Coursodon from another dimension. And now he’s inside her. She can hear him in her head.
Along comes Alex. He’s another Coursodon and he has been tracking Sebastian, trying to return him to his body. He comes clean about who and what he is to Hailey. He’ll be needing her help. This part made me laugh!
“I knew you were too good looking to be in insurance,” I remarked flippantly and he shot me a reproachful glare. “Hey, when I get nervous, the smart-ass just comes cascading out of my mouth,” I shrugged. “It’s a character flaw. Get over it.”
What Hailey lacks in size, she makes up for with her snarky, tough as nails attitude. I ‘d enjoy hanging with her.
Sebastian and Alex can communicate with each other when Alex is in physical contact with Hailey. They will be holding hands a lot. The plan is to find where Sebastian’s body has been taken, and return his essence to it. That means Hailey will have to be present.
Hailey adjusts to having Sebastian in her head, but she doesn’t have to like it. He is a very sexual male and his frustrations are very front and center at times. Hailey’s having none of his suggestion that she bed someone to satisfy his needs. She’s not going to be his “psychic f!!k buddie.”
Hailey is slow in trusting Alex. She had a shitty marriage with a low down cheating husband and her heart took a major hit. She is very attracted to Alex, but will take it slow and easy. I like how the author keeps the heat of their relationship for the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the getting to know you parts.
My connection to Alex was gradual, but became very strong near the end. His revelations to Hailey made me want to hug him. And this scene is just so heart melting:
Alex was already in my bed under the covers, and I paused for a moment when I saw he had claimed the left side. Since as far back as I can remember, I’ve always slept on the left side of any bed bigger than a twin. It’s probably just habit, and after my initial hesitation, I started over to the opposite side, because, really, what’s the big deal about one side over another? As I pulled back the covers, however, Alex stopped me.
“Wait,” he said as he scooted over to his right. “I was just warming up your side for you.”
He held up the covers in the spot he had just vacated and I dutifully moved around the bed and climbed in. The sheets were, indeed, warm and cozy, a far cry from the chilliness that winter usually imparts to bedding.
That is the most considerate thing anyone has ever done for me,” I said softly. “I really don’t deserve you.”
Alex is a keeper.
As their feelings for each grow so does the danger and intrigue. Sebastian’s body is being held as a trophy by his nemesis and it won’t be easy to get it back.
Thumbs up to Special Offers. M. L. Ryan has a winner for originality and her quality of writing. She took what could have been heavy reading and made it light and fun. Throughout the book, tidbits of everyday things in life made it very real.
And the comedy kept me laughing. I had many laugh out loud moments, like when Hailey teases Sebastian with a view of her sexy friend Rachel, and about her job – she milks Chinchillas. And the back and forth with Sebastian, in her head, is too funny!
Special Offers came along at a low point, and it was a perfect cure for my blues. It will make you laugh and smile, cheering you up.
Here are some scenes I really cracked up at:
“By the way, how did you get my number?”
“Men’s bathroom wall, second stall,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“Excuse me?”
“Just trying to lighten the mood…”
And this one:
I really had enough of Sebastian at the moment. “Hey Sebastard,” I sputtered. “Yumago! Do prdele! Haista paska! Jabiesz jeze! Foda-se!”
“What was all that?”
I stood and huffed out, Korean, Czech, Finnish, Polish and Portugese!”
I started this book with a peek. Next thing I knew I was on Chapter 4. I fell asleep reading it the first night. Couldn’t stay awake. Tried to finish it the next night, and so tired from work I fell asleep again. Getting frustrated! I had a surprise day off the next morning and finished it while my son was in the dentist’s chair. People were giving me funny looks when I chuckled. I ended up talking to two women in the waiting room, and they said they were going to check it out.
You should check it out too. It’s a perfect book to lighten your mood and make you smile.
5 STARS
I loved it and so did my Kindle!
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Special Rewards
Book Two of The Coursodon Dimension Series
Blurb
What would you do if you discovered there was a parallel dimension?
Hailey Parrish used to be an average, everyday human. Boring, in fact. After being possessed by Sebastian Kess, a magically inclined enforcer from the parallel dimension Coursodon, her life took a decidedly less mundane turn. Besides coming to grips with the existence of supernatural beings, she risked her life helping Sebastian and her heart falling for his protégé, Alex Sunderland. Now, Hailey has to deal with the bit of arcane power that Sebastian left behind when he returned to his own body and try to stay out of the crossfire when an unknown assailant seeks revenge against Alex.
My Review
I approached this book with caution. I adored Special Offers and didn’t want my balloon to be burst by setting my expectations too high.
My balloon is intact and flying high! I had just as much fun with Special Rewards as I did with the first book.
Now that Sebastian is out of Hailey’s body and back in his own. Hailey and Alex are heating up their romance.
But just because she’s rid of Sebastian doesn’t mean he’s not still too close. He’s staying with her and Alex, training her to control her new power.
When Sebastian was expelled from Haileys body, he left a little bit of his Courso power inside her. Now she has to get it under control quickly. Otherwise, anything and anybody could become a pile of ash or blown to smithereens when she loses her temper.
On top of that, the animals of the desert are drawn to Hailey, hanging out beyond her walled property. On any given day there can be tarantulas, hawks, deer, coyotes and many other creatures and they show no interest in each other. They just calmly stand and watch and eventually drift back into the desert.
When someone sets a tree on fire outside their rented ranch, Alex and Hailey are determined to get to the bottom of who did it. Could it be Alex’s mother? She did summon him to visit her by throwing a talisman through their window. Or is it someone else? Do they have an enemy? And who were they after, her or Alex?
And that’s just the beginning.
I’m happy to tell you, this is every bit as good as the first book!
I like that Alex and Hailey are fogging up my Kindle with their steamy romance. Now that they’ve put humpty-dumpty back together again they are busy getting to know each other a whole lot better.
And Sebastian is his usual smug and charming self.
There’s a whole lot of action and we get to go to Coursodon! It’s similar to our dimension in some ways, but quite different in others.
Hailey discovers Alex’s roots and gets quite a surprise. And Sebastian gets in a heap of trouble that requires her help.
With so much to entertain, I flew through this book. I hope the author is a fast writer because I really want more soon.
5 STARS
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Here’s a little excerpt I want to share with you.
This is about her inherited powers from Sebastian:
“I had a STD – a supernaturally transmitted deposit.”
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Special Attraction
Book Three of The Coursodon Dimension Series
My Review
After loving the first two books in this series, I was looking forward to reuniting with old friends. When I really get into a story the characters become almost flesh and blood, almost family.
The beginning paragraph is a shock, a jump start to your nervous system. The scene looks like a massacre, with body parts scattered all over the place.
Hailey took this all in from her perch on a tree limb. She was in her avian form as a large brown hawk. Mighty convenient for ‘fly on the wall’ surveillance as a member of the supernatural enforcers team, or Xyzok. Their job is to keep the inter-dimensional bad guys from harming humans.
Yterita, or form bending is one of the residual abilities left behind in Hailey after expelling Sebastian from her body. All Coursos have magical abilites.
The killer’s signature is body parts left like a trail of bread crumbs, but the trail remains a dead end. Hailey and Alex have to track down the illusive Courso who killed the hikers and stop him from killing again.
While on an early evening jog, Hailey is kidnapped by the killer. She’s not a threat to him so she’s in no immediate danger. He wants her to deliver a message to the Courso. If what he reveals is true, then both worlds are in danger.
It’s been fun getting reaquainted with these characters.
Sebastian is still trying to hook up with Hailey’s best friend Rachel. She’s the one for him, if there is such a thing. He is a fan of the female form and quite a womanizer, but he’s curbed his appetite in anticipation of sweeping Rachel off her feet, literally.
Rachel still has so idea about the Courso or Hailey’s hidden abilities. I was curious as to if or when she might learn their secrets.
Then there’s the matter of Hailey’s peculiar sense of smell. I wondered where that might come into play as the author kept reminding me of it in interesting tidbits.
Another thing I liked were the animals. Vinnie, Haileys cat is your typical cat. Deigns you with his presence when he feels like it.
And now, Hailey has brought home a stray. A large dog of questionable breed that needed a home. The fun part was reading to see what she would name him. She had many temporary names such as Curly Dog, Putrid Pup(he was in need of a bath),Big Brownie, Feed-Lot-Fido, and finally Rufus. Not sure if that will stick as she says she’s just trying it out.
Everyone stayed in character and the scenes, whether humorous, steamy, or mysterious, were never boring, always enticing me to read further. And the dialogue was so well written I found myself wanting to join in and add my two cents worth.
Another hit from M.L. Ryan and a big thank you for a job so well done!
5 STARS
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A brief scene I liked:
…I was damn lucky to have Alex in my life. You gotta love a guy who knew when to shut up. That, and the view of his well-toned ass as he made his exit made me downright giddy.
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BLURB:
The weirdness continues….
Thanks to a magical transplant from an inter-dimensional enforcer, Hailey Parrish can transform into a hawk. When someone begins dismembering hikers along the Appalachian Trail, the enforcers make use of her feathery talents to pursue the killer. Unfortunately, like most things in Hailey’s life, there is nothing ordinary about the assignment. Their target turns out to be maddeningly elusive, they rescue a stray dog that makes a sewage treatment plant seem pleasantly fragrant, and stopping the murders turns out to be the least of their worries.
Special Attraction, the third book in the Coursodon Dimension series, combines paranormal romance, urban fantasy, a bit of science fiction and a healthy dose of quirky humor.
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Excerpt
“Where was the latest victim found?” Alex inquired as we moved to where we could see what was so engrossing in front of them. A close-up photo of a man’s severed head filled the screen. It looked like a beige scarf was wrapped around what remained of his neck, and his eyes were open wide, as if he couldn’t quite believe he was about to die.
Sebastian answered, “Near Ketchum, Idaho,” and tapped the touch pad to display the next image. A wider shot appeared, and I realized what I thought was a scarf was actually flesh. The decapitated body was propped into a sitting position against a tree trunk, its head cradled in its arm sort of like a football. Something seemed off, though. Well, more so than a murdered guy posed, holding his own head. I examined the image for a while until I realized what was wrong. The skin tone of the head was about three shades lighter than the arm’s.
“Why doesn’t the skin color match?” I asked, pointing to the various body parts in question.
Tapping to reveal another photo, Sebastian didn’t need to respond. There was another body, a few feet away from the first, posed in the same macabre fashion, but with a dark-skinned face and lighter arms.
“That’s sick,” I said, wincing.
Karttyx turned slightly and looked at me. “Yes, but that’s not the worst of it.”
I was about to ask, “What could be worse?” when I noticed the second man had something balanced where his head should have been. I leaned closer to the image and could just make out some lettering on what appeared to be a horizontally folded card. Sebastian zoomed in so I could see the fancy, scrawling script. It read, For you, Hailey.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
M.L. Ryan is a professional woman – which is not to say that she gave up her amateur status, but rather that she is over-educated with a job that reflects her one-time reluctance to leave school and get “real” work – and she spends a lot of time in that profession reading highly technical material.
She has many stories rolling around in her head, and she finally decided to write some of them. She prefers literature that isn’t saddled with excruciating symbolism, ponderous dialogue or worldly implications. She also doesn’t like plots so reliant on love at first sight that it makes her feel like her head might implode.
She lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband and teenage son, four cats, two dogs and an adopted desert tortoise.
Buy Links:
eBook:
Amazon ~ Smashwords ~ Barnes & Noble
Paperback:
Other Links:
Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook
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***And remember to comment. The more you comment, the more chances of winning.***
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Welcome to the cover reveal for Mathew D. Ryan’s upcoming release, Children of Lubrochius.
A dark, otherworldly story of supernatural and magical turmoil.
Very well done cover art. It represents the series title, From the Ashes of Ruin.
It’s dark and haunting and I’m wondering if that candle is to see with or for hope, a light in the darkness.
Check it out, enjoy the excerpt, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway.
Children of Lubrochius
by Matthew D. Ryan
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BLURB:
The vampire, Lucian val Drasmyr, has been defeated, but not destroyed: Now he serves another evil: Korina Bolaris, a young and gifted sorceress bent on subverting the power structure of Drisdak. Only Coragan of Esperia can hope to stop them. But is even he prepared to face the dark cult who claims her as their own: the Children of Lubrochius?
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Excerpt
“We have gone a bit off topic, I think,” Korina said.
“You asked about magic,” Lucian said with an arrogant sneer. “I told you what I know.”
Korina frowned. He had not told her much. Barely a smattering. Instead, they had detoured into a lecture on philosophy. “Tell me about the Sceptre of Morgulan,” she said. She knew much already: the sceptre was a weapon of tremendous power wielded by Morgulan during the course of many wars and battles fought over a thousand years ago. It had mysteriously disappeared immediately after Morgulan’s demise.
Lucian sighed as if surrendering to the inevitable. “The Sceptre of Morgulan?” The vampire locked his gaze with her, and smiled. “The wizard Arcalian was also interested in the sceptre. That interest got him killed. As you may or may not know, I have a history with wizards. Generally speaking … I win.”
The arrogant monster! He had lost to Regecon and the guild.
“I’m not interested in your boasts, vampire. I’m interested in the sceptre. Tell me what I wish to know.” A part of her doubted if she was ready for the knowledge the vampire might give her. The sceptre, after all, was an artifact of legend. It had destroyed armies. She longed for its power, but she knew that she must match its power with her own else it would come to rule her. An untrained peasant with a sword was as much a danger to himself as he was to others.
Lucian folded his arms beneath his breast and looked askance at the wall. “Ask your questions, then,” he said.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Matthew D. Ryan is a published author living in upstate New York on the shores of Lake Champlain. Mr. Ryan has a background in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He has a black belt in the martial arts and studies yoga. He has been deeply involved in the fantasy genre for most of his life as a reader, writer, and game designer. He is the operator of the web-site matthewdryan.com which features his blog, “A Toast to Dragons,”a blog dedicated to fantasy literature, and, to a lesser extent, sci-fi. Mr. Ryan says he receives his inspiration from his many years as an avid role-player and fantasy book reader. He has spent many long hours devising adventures and story-lines for games, so it was a natural shift moving into fantasy writing.
Mr. Ryan is the author of the exciting dark fantasy novel, Drasmyr,, its sequel, The Children of Lubrochius, and a growing number of short stories. His first novel, Drasmyr, has consistently earned reviews in the four and five star range and serves as the prequel to his upcoming series: From the Ashes of Ruin. In addition to Drasmyr and The Children of Lubrochius, Mr. Ryan has published several short stories on-line, including: “Haladryn and the Minotaur,” “The River’s Eye,” and “Escape.”
Links to the Author
Website ~ Smashwords ~ Facebook ~Amazon ~ Goodreads
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Matthew will award a metal miniature of a demon from the Reaper Fantasy Miniatures to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY).
To enter, show some comment love. Something about the book or author or anything you’d like!
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