Posts Tagged ‘fantasy’

Wired For Magic By Janet Roberts ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 24, 2026 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways, suspense
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Wired For Magic by Janet Roberts Banner

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WIRED FOR MAGIC
by Janet Roberts
March 30 – April 24, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

 

 

Synopsis:
Rowan Campbell has a stalker. Only her magic can stop him.

Her stalker’s obsession goes beyond Rowan’s natural beauty: he wants to control the magic she struggles to admit she possesses. More than anything, Rowan longs for normalcy. But the stalker’s unlimited resources and unrelenting pursuit force her to accept that leaning into her magic is the only path to a chance to free herself. Angry and desperate, Rowan builds a plan to break free of her pursuer that requires her to come out of hiding, return home to America, and learn to use her inherited abilities. To do so, she’ll enlist the help of her white hat hacker brother, Griff, and her aunt, the only living connection to her magic. Before she’s ready to face her stalker, Rowan must evade capture, learn about her magical legacy, and accept that she can only prevail if she believes in herself and embraces her power. Wired For Magic is the fast-paced story of a woman’s journey to come to terms with her personal power in a battle for her life, freedom, and the chance to open a path to love.

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Book Details:

Genre: Fantasy, Suspense and Thrillers, Women’s Fiction

Published by: Porch Swing Publishing, LLC Publication Date: March 31, 2026 Number of Pages: 336 pages, Paperback ISBN: 9780997389692 (ISBN10: 0997389699)

Book Links: Amazon | KindleUnlimited | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub

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Enjoy this peek inside WIRED FOR MAGIC:

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About Author Janet Roberts:

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Janet Roberts

Janet Roberts is a former global leader in cybersecurity education. Her books are set wholly or partially in Western PA, where her roots run deep. Her readers know to expect a female character who awakens to the discovery of her own inner strength while facing adversity. Wired For Magic (2026), her first fantasy thriller, combines a strong woman, magical realism, suspense, and elements of cybersecurity. She’s also the author of the award winning novel, What Lies We Keep (2024). A member of Women’s Fiction Writers Association and Sisters in Crime, she lives in Pittsburgh and loves travel, wandering through bookstores, reading on her porch swing, and sharing a bottle of wine with friends.

Catch Up With Janet Roberts:

www.booksbyjanetroberts.com Let’s start with coffee, Substack Amazon Author Profile Goodreads BookBub – @JanetRoberts Instagram – @janetroberts77 Threads – @janetroberts77 Pinterest – @janetroberts12 Bluesky – @janetwrites.bsky.social Facebook – @Janet_Roberts

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Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win! Click here to view the Tour Schedule  

 

Stalk This Book (Not Rowan) For A Chance To Win
This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Janet Roberts. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

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Wired For Magic by Janet Roberts | Gift Cards Can’t see the giveaway? Click Here!

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Sins Of The Fire: Purgatorio By Phoenix Ward. ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: April 23, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, YA Fantasy
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Sins of the Fire: Purgatorio

By Phoenix Ward

 

(Sins of the Fire, #2)
Publication date: December 18th 2025
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Young Adult

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The Church of New Haven extends its reach to those in need, however there are some lost souls that require more direct guidance, as their sins must be met with strong redirection. Thus, Jonah was created. Originally a man named M█████ ████, he contains over two-hundred thousand sinners. Until they reconcile with their offense to God, they are to fast and pray for their salvation for as long as it takes them to realize their folly, and call upon us.

The boy will be saved from the Dragon, even if he must waste away to understand their danger.</block

Kickstarter / Amazon

Sequel to:

Check out the Kickstarter here!!

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Enjoy this peek inside:

This morning was a reminder that not only was sleep important, but so was waking up before 10am.

Between the heads of bed hair, scruffy clothes and flip-flops, there were black suits, floral dresses and sweet smelling perfume clouding the entrance of the store. Conversations were held in front of the doorway, carts were being pushed around like they were going out of style, and somehow that wasn’t the thing that made us second guess our trip to getting our travel items here. No, that all paled in comparison to the white van-bus with the words “Destiny Baptist Church”, written in Times New Roman on the side.

It wasn’t the church we had a problem with— it was the fact that it was Destiny, a local mega church that made their way through the doors. The same Destiny that would play on my grandmother’s radio, from preaching almost twelve hours of gospel to choirs capable of going seven octaves without any pause for breath. For whatever reason, they were here. Maybe it was some food-based event, or some donation cause, or maybe someone felt the ‘Holy Spirit’ invade them to help out a few families with groceries— either way, it was crowded. Worse yet, the congregants brought their kids too. One wrong turn with a cart and we’d be anointed with oil and made to play the burning bush. Imani and I both shared wary gazed with one another as the chatting church folk mingled with folks that just wanted to get their groceries.

I was the first one to take the initiative, but Imani was quick to hold me back from going too far.

“Hang on, no plan?” She asked, “We’re just going to go in?”

I shrugged, scooting aside as a family of three slipped past us. “Yeah. We just gotta make it through the doors. We’ll probably just grab baskets and split. When we’re done, we’ll meet right by the self-checkout, next to the gift cards.”

Her eyebrows looked like they’d fly away. She released her gentle hold of my arm. “I guess I shoulda known you’d know how to handle yourself, considering the stuff you dealt with.”

“Is it weird to admit that the cult shenanigans actually wilder compared to this?”

Imani sped ahead of me, playfully pushing me out of the way. “Just pray you don’t get lost in here!”

“Ah, pray! Good one.”

The doors opened, our opportunity for a clear entry inside revealed itself. With clergy folk standing by the door, we said our ‘Good mornings’ and kept it moving. Basket procured, we both split up and went our separate ways. I immediately made a beeline to the deli. Three pre-packaged sandwiches were perfect carry-on for the long trip. From there, I shot for the snacks aisle. Chips, protein bars, and those salty peanut butter cracker packages were all loaded up in the basket with haste. I said my ‘hello’s, and my ‘excuse me’s to any passerby, some people greet me, others regard me with a nod.

I wanted to be away from the churchgoers. They didn’t take up the store, but they were too permeated— too mixed in.

Too indistinguishable.

I wanted to pretend that everything was back to normal. That after all of the conflict, the fears, the crying, the fighting, things were safe again. Two months of nothing should have been enough to convince me, but I knew better. Every aisle I walked down, there was a body dressed in black or white—formal clothing or just plain clothes. Without touching Mysherra, I couldn’t tell which was a Havenite and which wasn’t. Even outside of the store, regular people, clerks, judges, beggars, anyone could be a Remnant out to get me, or one to watch me.

I put my hand in my pocket and stood in front of the line of power-drinks. My fingers grazed over the surface of the pen.

The hairs on my neck stood up. Goosebumps bristled along my arms. Piercing spheres of heat sandwiched both sides of my sides.

I didn’t dare turn my head—Peripherals attuned to the presence of two white-robed Remnants on opposite sides of the aisle.

“Kane.”

“I know.”

Slowly, I inched my arm out of my pocket, pen wedged between my fingers. They wouldn’t be able to fight me, not with eyes watching them from the ceiling. They didn’t want their secret to be discovered just as I didn’t.

“Do not acknowledge their presence,” Mysherra spoke to me, “Walk with me down the aisle.”

My legs walked me sideways. I didn’t want my back turned to either one of these things. The power drinks transitioned to the flavored powders. Flavored powders to sparkling sodas. Neither one of the beings made a move.

“Once you get close, fire me.”

Senses were screaming at me to run or fight the closer I got to the remnant. My heart was thudding against my ribs.

“Just a little closer.”

Light conjured at the tip of the pen. The burning spread along my entire right side.

“Okay, the fires should be quiet enough to—”

“Excuse me.”

Someone bumped against my back, cutting off my focus. “Ah, sorry about th—”

All I did was turn my head. I had seconds, milliseconds, microseconds to process the burgeoning man unlatching his jaw in front of me. Ropes of saliva separated a hollow light at the back of his throat. Flesh, wet, and acrid already surrounded me, sounds of the outside muffled by the remnant’s mouth closing behind me. I must have fired four times— twice to the ribcage roof of the mouth and twice towards the light. Footing vanished, the dark closed in, and the door to the outside slammed shut behind stone teeth.

And I fell.

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About Author Phoenix Ward:

Phoenix Ward is an indie black writer, and educator from Philadelphia. He has worked in the field of education for over five years, teaching all grades Mathematics and English. When he’s not writing, he is composing music using Logic Pro X, or tutoring children on subjects they struggle in. Currently, he lives in Philadelphia with his dog and cat.

An avid world-builder, Phoenix has created many stories from youth to adulthood, but none have captivated him as much as his latest work Sins of the Fire, which combines his passion for storytelling with his deep understanding of human nature. He draws inspiration from the vibrant city life of Philadelphia and his own experiences as an educator, infusing his narratives with authenticity and depth.

In addition to his work as a writer and educator, Phoenix is committed to supporting young creatives in their journeys. He actively encourages students and adults alike to seek a way to create their own stories. Everyone has a message to share, and doing so in story is the best way to do so.

Website / Instagram

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Sins of the Fire: Purgatorio Blitz

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ Nocturne By Tricia D. Wagner

Posted: April 14, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, YA Fantasy
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Nocturne

By Tricia D. Wagner

 

Publication date: April 14th 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

In NOCTURNE, sixteen-year-old Livi learns the truth of who she is—a Siren, her people known only to legends. She must learn to master her powers of influence, strength, and destruction to stop a warmongering Admiral from drafting her best friends, capturing and killing her people, and decimating her homeland of Nocturne.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Livi stood before the tavern’s bleak threshold, its heavy door cobbled of wrecked ships.

She peered through its ragged window, quieting the wiser part of her, an inner voice calling for her to turn back. And truly, she was stunned that she’d mustered the daring to try this.

There were dozens of men here—sailors all brooding over their flagons, many looking to be harboring grudges.

The tavern’s splintery walls were studded with trophies—toothy payaras, dry in their death throes, tacked beneath golden portraits of infamous Korps Mariner ships and their dread captains.

The men frequenting this sand-dusted, fish-pongy tavern—The Orphic, were the sun-beaten sailors and damaged soldiers of Merritaine, mercenaries and relieved fighters who’d reached the shore of old age still breathing.

No one dared step a toe in The Orphic unless he bore epic tales—bloody acts of acclaim on the baleful blue seas.

Many here had killed. Some for honorable causes in noble wars, yes. But they’d killed.

For all their savagery, though, they were brave.

Livi had heard enough stories to understand them as uniformly dauntless and skilled. If anyone could help her skip Merritaine’s coast and reach Nocturne, he’d be drinking here.

Through the brume of pipe smoke, she measured each face for hints of affability. Or at least for traces of good humor—signs that someone might consider her offer. If she could just single out one sailor more approachable than not, perhaps she could move to him unnoticed.

But that wouldn’t happen. Women scarcely set foot here, and sixteen-year-old girls certainly didn’t.

A few of the sailors came across as jovial—but even they harbored an undercurrent of trouble in their looks, their ease striking like a gusty southerly bathing the seaside, forecasting a typhoon’s assault.

The afternoon seemed all at once to grow late, a shaft of misted sunlight sluicing through the windows and casting the place in watery relief.

In fixing on that panorama of ocean, Livi could almost see Nocturne’s peaks in the deep west, its moonstone shores marbled with the shadowy ash given by its volcanic chain.

Those heights, she had to reach. For it was said that Nocturne’s high places were hived with sea caves—chambers shining with waters rumored to have healing properties.

Some believed those springs could stave off even death.

Livi eased from her jacket a small jar of pearls, each perfect, as plump as a blueberry—these a mere sampling of the trove she’d collected. They ought to be more than enough to buy passage to Nocturne from someone here bearing the skill, and the gall, and the ship, and the time to set sail for the Isles, along with some assurance that he could ferry her through storms, over waters where lurked sharks and killer whales and squids that tore up boats, and finally beyond the dread Maelstroms.

Livi had imagined this moment many times—making her bold approach in The Orphic, striking a deal. She’d imagined that arriving at this brink would feel like the onset of her escape.

But in finally standing here, readying to approach men alleged to be the most barbarous in Merritaine, the idea seemed beyond reckless.

Célian, her best friend—maybe more—would be sick at the thought of her here. And truly, in darkening this threshold, she felt she was skimming the rim of the Maelstroms, those great whirlpools unceasing in their churning, twisting what strayed near straight down in a tempest, claiming ships and seafarers alike as a part of themselves.

The bright Merrow Ocean glinting in, though, delivered some steadfastness. For at the sight of its rolling, Livi could gather a sense of what it might feel like, teaming with someone here, cruising on his scabrous ship to the treacherous west.

A man seated at the tavern’s back corner stood out a touch.

He looked a decade younger than the rest, and he had all his limbs, which was saying something. He seemed not resentful, or affable, or angry—just somber. His solemnity made it clear that he wanted to be left to himself.

But it also lent an impression of patience. Maybe he’d listen.

She edged open the tavern’s door and crept in. She eased behind a column in the entryway and held still.

She’d have to get to the somber man quick. If she drew too much attention, the barkeep—a tall man, his eyes sharp to check all the action, his manner busy and swift with his bottles—would cast her out before she could lay down one word of her offer.

Or worse—he’d let the men handle the disruption.

Livi stepped from the shade, into the amber light of the tavern.

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About Author Tricia D. Wagner:

As a young reader, writers were like gods and goddesses to now author Tricia D. Wagner. She never could have imagined weaving tales like her favorite storytellers, until a fateful April dinner conversation with her husband about a lecture he attended got her mind whirling. By the end of that summer, she’d written 400,000 words: a speculative fiction trilogy. Wagner felt as if she’d emerged from a cocoon as some new sort of creature. She was hooked.

It was important to Tricia to sharpen her skills, and she immersed herself in workshops, guides, and writing communities, learning from editors how to hone her craft. She did this for years, and the result is her newly released novella The Strider and the Regulus, two independently published novelettes, four soon-to-be published novellas, and five as yet unpublished novels. She found writing to be a method for becoming the person she felt she was born to be. Wagner finds that writing inspires her to be a better person, truer to herself.

The ideas and substance of Tricia’s writing comes from a very deep place that is strongly stimulated by setting. Often, when she has completed a story, she feels as if she’s been to her story world, whether it’s on the map or not. She likes to believe all the places she writes about exist somewhere, somehow.

In writing her stories, Wagner was surprised and delighted to discover how real the characters become to an author; that for many writers, their characters end up as their most treasured friends. She loves to delve into them to mine their natures, secrets, and desires—to tell their stories with the legitimacy they deserve. In studying her characters, she finds she has the opportunity to shape herself, inching closer to the person she wants to become.

Wagner believes revision is magical in its power to make a good book great, and early drafts are only the beginning of a story’s journey. Any idea can wind up a good story, but with reflection and time and improvement, it can become art. Once Wagner completes a revision project, it feels miraculous how many fresh approaches have manifested and how much truer the story feels.

Wagner hopes her readers feel enchanted when they read her stories; that after completing one, it seems they’re drifting out from under a spell. This is exactly how she feels when she finishes writing a story. She hopes to that her writing might expand their minds, spirits, and worlds a bit, and she hope they fall in love with her characters and are moved by her artistry of language.

When she isn’t writing poignant works of literary fiction, Wagner is a Director of Adult Education – ESL Programs at a community college, a job and staff that she loves. In her spare time she enjoys refining her writing craft to discover new angles and landscapes that might enrich her writing palette. One such example is a recent course she took in learning to read ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, something that’s sure to end up in a story at some point. Wagner lives in Rockford, Illinois, with her husband and three darling cats.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / X

 

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Native Species By Michael Albergo ~ Author Interview And Giveaway

Posted: April 3, 2026 in Fantasy, giveaways, Guest Post
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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.
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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.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N 
add to goodreads

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.

connect with the author:  website ~ goodreads

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NATIVE SPECIES Book Tour Giveaway

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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The Arcanum Series By Kelly O’Hearn ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: March 9, 2026 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways, Romance
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Arcanum: In the Temple Shadows

By Kelly O’Hearn

 

(Arcanum, #1)
Publication date: May 20th 2024
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Arcanum: In the Temple Shadows is Book One in a series of novels channeled through the tarot cards by noted intuitive Kelly O’Hearn—the first of its kind!

In this sexy past life romance, sometimes happily ever after takes more than one lifetime. Meet Sarah Fuller. It’s her 40th birthday and things are starting to get weird. Is it deja vu? A midlife crisis? Nervous breakdown? Who is this dark, handsome stranger she feels like she’s met before? Not on Fifth Avenue or through her luxury fragrance company but, like, many lifetimes ago?

Her husband, her best friend, her shrink: everyone seems to think they know what’s best for her these days. Sarah’s always been a skeptic, but when she meets this intriguing psychic who tells her she might have been a Pharaoh’s lover and powerful mystic in ancient Egypt, thousands of years ago, it feels so right that she’s determined to find out more.

“I was given early access to the manuscript of Arcanum, and I was immediately immersed in this unique and sassy book! It’s like Carrie Bradshaw meets Cleopatra. The tension and drama between the characters was enthralling, both in their current lives and their past lives. I can’t wait for the second book in the series!” K. Lewis

 

Arcanum: Whispers In The Forest

By Kelly O’Hearn

 

(Arcanum, #2)
Publication date: May 13th 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

From noted intuitive channeler Kelly O’Hearn comes the spellbinding second installment in the critically acclaimed Arcanum series—a mesmerizing blend of romance, reincarnation, and sensual awakening that spans across centuries.

When Manhattan parfumier Sarah Fuller abandons her picture-perfect life to pursue an obsession with an ancient rose in the South of France, she never expects to unearth secrets buried for centuries. What begins as a professional quest quickly transforms into a soul-stirring journey, cosmically interwoven with that of a medieval maiden with mysterious powers.

As her marriage crumbles and her closest friendship fractures, Sarah’s carefully constructed reality begins to unravel. Between the gleaming penthouses of New York and the sun-drenched fields of Provence, she discovers that the fragrance she seeks may be the key to unlocking a past life—and a love that has endured across time itself.

But some secrets are meant to stay buried, and as Sarah delves deeper into her past, she must decide: Will she heed the whispers that call to her from the forest, or will she lose herself to them completely?

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

All of a sudden she felt an invisible ripple along her spine, a jolt of something. Her eyes flew open, and she saw a man standing about five feet in front of her.

“Holy shit,” she blurted. “I didn’t realize anyone else was here.”

“Other than the two hundred people hobnobbing in the Temple of Dendur?”

“Yeah, other than those jerks.”

His smile was a knockout. If she weren’t happily married…scratch that. Tall, dark, probably of Middle Eastern descent? Gorgeous tux. Crooked smile. She’d have to be dead not to find him…attractive.

That was one word for it. Hot-as-fuck might be another.

“Harry Aiken.” He held out his hand.

Was her mouth agape? Sarah settled herself. “Of course you are…”

She took his hand in hers, and the two of them stood there for way too long. Maybe it was only a second or two, but she felt—well, she felt everything. The power of his grip, the warmth of his skin, the clean smell of him, the slight bristle of the hairs on the back of his hand, his eyes—but beyond all of those sensory, well, pleasures, really, she felt like he was definitely part of whatever gut-roiling recalibration or transformation was going on inside her today. He was somehow in on it.

She released his hand and backed away a step, as if he had burned her.

Or could.

And then she started breathing again.

“Weird day.” She shook her head and started walking slowly around the atrium.

“Do you want to be alone?” he asked.

“Not necessarily. I just didn’t want to be in a room with hundreds of people.”

Harry put his hands in his pockets and walked alongside her. “Same. I left right before the guest of honor arrived. Just all a bit too much for me, you know.”

Sarah realized his clean, buttoned-up smell was just a top note. Sandalwood, tobacco, myrrh: this man was into expensive fragrance of some sort or another, and their heat had brought it to life. A deep, masculine scent. Her mortal weakness.

“You’ve never met her?”

“No. I’m not really even sure why I’m here. I met this hilarious guy named Max—”

She couldn’t help smiling. “Yeah, I know him.”

“Right? I met him last week. Turns out he’s best friends with the CEO of this company I do business with whom I’ve been trying to meet for years. She’s got a firewall of assistants around her. Max is a great guy and all, but he was like, ‘You should totally come meet Sarah and learn more about her new foundation, yadda yadda…’ and I was like, ‘Great, I’d really appreciate the introduction.’ and then he’s like, ‘I got you on the list to her surprise party Saturday night’ and I’m like, ‘Well, that’s a little weird to show up at someone’s fortieth birthday party uninvited, if I’ve never even met them, don’t you think?’ But he’s kind of persuasive and funny, and it all seemed like a good idea last week. But now I’m just like a fish out of water…and now I’m babbling—”

When he turned to face her, their eyes caught again, and held, like they had when they’d shaken hands. “I’m not usually nervous, but you’ve caught me off guard,” he said.

Sarah just gave herself permission to stare at him. Why not? It was her birthday, wasn’t it? And maybe he was her gift. Her lip must have lifted slightly on one side when she thought that, because his glance darted to her mouth and his pupils dilated.

Then, as if realizing that what he was doing could be construed as creepy, his eyes flew back up to hers.

Her smile widened.

You can look at my mouth anytime you like, she almost said—but caught herself before she did something…regrettable.

“So, is this going to be like some Cinderella story?” he asked, his voice deeper, stronger, if that was even possible. “Are you going to introduce yourself, or am I going to have to enlist the cavalry and ride my steed throughout the kingdom tomorrow to find out your true identity?”

Harry Aiken on horseback, commanding an army. Wheeling his horse around with perfect control. Mastery. Smoke and leather and the clang of ancient weapons and still, always, his eyes on her, always on her. Tracking her, minding her, loving her.

“I could see that,” she whispered, then turned to walk back toward the party. “I guess it is a bit of a Cinderella story,” she continued, forcing her voice to take on a more carefree tone. “Because I’ll definitely turn into a pumpkin if I don’t get back to hobnobbing.”

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About Author Kelly O’Hearn:

When Kelly O’Hearn first stepped off the train in the city of Florence, Italy, as a 20-year-old, she had the overwhelming instinct that she had been there before. In a place famous for its maze of medieval streets, O’Hearn navigated the city as if she had lived there for a lifetime. Born in New York City, O’Hearn first put her intuitive skills to work as a professional wine taster, instructor, and sommelier in the elite institutions of New York, Portugal, and Aspen. After raising her two children and enduring a personal health crisis, in 2012, she was drawn to begin reading the tarot cards, an ancient practice which does not presume to “predict the future” but offers a collection of stories, perspectives, and self-reflections that can guide one to become one’s most authentic self. O’Hearn is in high demand for her readings, with clients on every continent but Antartica. While most people were baking sourdough or riding their Pelotons during the Covid pandemic, O’Hearn used the tarot cards to channel her own past lives. Weeks of readings, all captured on video, yielded six storylines of herself as several powerful women over the millennia and around the globe: the same one soul, over time, persevering against all odds in the quest for happiness and the love of a soul mate. This time-bending saga inspired O’Hearn to conceive of a series of novels titled Arcanum. Book One: In the Temple Shadows is available now. Book Two: Whispers in the Forest will be released Spring of 2025.

Website / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok

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Arcanum Books 1 & 2 Blitz

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Islands In The Mist By J.M. Hofer ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: January 26, 2026 in Fantasy, giveaways, Guest Post
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Book Details:

 ISLANDS IN THE MIST
(Book 1)
by J.M. Hofer 

Category:  Adult Fiction (18 yrs +),  394 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher:  Indie
Release date:   July 10, 2014
Content Rating: PG-13 +M: 1) contains mild profanity, 2) contains occasional non-explicit sex scenes, but Book 4 has a rape scene, hence the rating, 3) contains battle violence but it’s not gory or explicit

 

 

Book Description:

Set in Iron Age Britain and steeped in Welsh legend, the Islands in the Mist series brings to life the magic and mystery of the Arthurian Age.

In Islands in the Mist, we meet the great warrior, Bran, called home from the battlefield to his mother’s deathbed. He honors her final wish by vowing to solve the mystery of what fatally attacked her in the night. Though many have dismissed it as a wolf attack, she insists it was not, and encourages him to seek the counsel of Talhaiarn, druid advisor to their clan.

On his journey, Bran encounters the fiery Lucia, widow to a Roman centurion, and her strangely-gifted stable boy, Gwion–an enigmatic child graced with understanding beyond his years. Lucia possesses “the Sight,” an ability that has plagued her from the time she was a small girl, tormenting her with disturbing visions of events that invariably come to pass. Fate leads her to discover many of her maternal ancestors were masterful women gifted with similar psychic abilities and that some of them have been watching her from the shadows for years.

Upon returning to his village, Bran finds himself at odds with the hot-tempered Aelhaearn, who is determined to become their clan’s next chieftain. To Aelhaearn’s disappointment, Bran’s sister, now priestess in her mother’s place, convinces the clan to choose Bran for the honor instead. In the aftermath of their conflict, Bran discovers something shocking about his rival that causes him to rue his sister’s decision.

As everyone strives to unravel the mystery surrounding their nocturnal enemies, their creator patiently carries out her plan, woven from the exploited weaknesses of her opponents. Slowly, all but one are pulled into the seductive maelstrom of her power.

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The Illumination: Izol By Mescal ~ Author Interview and Giveaway

Posted: January 23, 2026 in Author Interview, Fantasy, giveaways
Tags: ,
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Book Details:

​ The Illumination: Izol

By Mescal

Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  368 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher:  Tanager Ink Publishing
Release date:  November, 2025
Content Rating: PG: There is no swearing, and nothing explicit in my book. As far as fantasy series goes, it is more on the conservative side with less romantic material than most.

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Book Description:

She went into the woods an ordinary young woman. She returned marked by destiny.
When Izol crosses the boundary of the forbidden forest, she encounters a terror that should have ended her life. Instead, she is not only spared, but chosen. A mysterious messenger reveals a truth that will shatter everything she thought she knew about her family, her people, and her purpose.
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Found bloodied and half-conscious, Izol returns home changed. But not everyone is ready for a young woman touched by the divine.

As tensions rise within the keep and dangerous eyes turn toward her, Izol must choose between who she was raised to be—and the powerful, terrifying truth of who she is.  As the verity of her awakening begins to spread, those with something to lose will do anything to silence her.

 Izol: The Illumination is a sweeping story of awakening, devotion, and betrayal. For readers who love epic storytelling grounded in emotional intimacy, myth, and wonder.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N
add to Goodreads
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Interview With Author Mescal
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  • There are many books out there about Romantasy. What makes yours different?

If I’m to be completely honest, I would have to divulge that romance novels, and romantasy at that, are not my cup of tea. A good read for me would be a historical fiction, so that I find myself writing a romantasy, and a series, is somewhat ironic, but in a good way, because I absolutely love the story I have written. I fell in love with the characters and the relationships that developed among them.

What’s interesting about my story is that it is written almost entirely in dialogue, and the story is revealed through the characters’ conversation, with me weaving together bits and pieces to create a cohesive story line.

I think you get a visceral feel for the story; actually, hearing the characters’ voices as you follow along makes for a more interactive and dynamic reading experience.

  • What made you write a book about Romantasy? 

A fun fact: this book was initially intended to be a children’s book containing several bedtime stories I told to my nieces ten years ago. It’s my way of paying homage to our wonderful times together.

As I began to write the story, it took on a life of its own, morphing into this fantastic, elaborate series with an intriguing story line. For me, the joy in writing this book was the unknown- not having a clear set of objectives, but living through the experiences with the characters as the story unfolded.

I would burst into laughter while writing, amused and surprised, as I realized I was writing adult fiction, and not a children’s book.

  • Where do you write?

I work an 8-hour shift, so finding time to write during my workweek was a struggle till I finally found a schedule that worked for me. I do most of my writing between 2 and 5am, propped up in bed with pillows behind my back. I place my MacBook on top of a sturdy book, one of my college art books, and rest it on my lap. When that position became uncomfortable, I would sit upright on the bed.

Neither position is conducive to writing, but they work for me. The slight discomfort keeps me alert, and my eyes, heavy with sleep, remain open. On my days off, I would write continuously to the point of exhaustion at the dining room table. My one saving grace gazing during these brutal hours is munching on pistachios and dark chocolate while listening to David Tolk and Ghostly Kisses.

  • Which was the hardest character to write?

BY far, the most complex character to write was Yilmaz. Given he’s so much larger than life, his intelligence, personality, and life experience place him in a league of his own, where he almost seems unreal.

I feared he would come off as arrogant, entitled, and misunderstood. My task

was to make him stand out as cut above the rest while also showcasing his humane attributes, making him likable and relatable, yet still in a league of his own.

You get a sense of these two dynamics in how he relates to people at every class level, showing respect and genuine care for them, while still maintaining a distance that does not appear cold, detached or pompous.

  • If you could go back in time, where would you go?

The Sermon on the Mount has always intrigued me since childhood. I remember watching the movie Ben-Hur with my mother during Lent, and the scene with Jesus delivering the Beatitudes on the Mount captivated my curiosity so much so that it has been etched into my memory.

As a Christina and one who espouses its values, I struggle as most do, but I believe in the faithfulness of God’s word as truth. Therefore, to have been there on that faithful day, to hear Jesus’s voice and be in his holy presence would have been a mind-altering experience for me.

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Meet Author Mescal:

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In my adolescent years, I was an extreme introvert, though I had a few friends I was close with; if you weren’t acquainted with me, you would probably perceive me as asocial. I believe it was in my mid-20’s that my persona changed. I graduated from college at twenty-three and began working part-time with a major US airline. I thought the job exciting and the ability to travel the world made the position hugely attractive.

My sojourn in the airline industry was only until I had decided on a permanent career path, or so I thought. Many years later, after traveling to a multitude of countries on five continents, having two boys who also traveled the globe with me, I find myself here, at this monumental moment where I’ve embarked on a new adventure, this all unfolding by happenstance, a bedtime story I told my nieces had etched its way in my mind.

The story slowly revealed itself as I sat having lunch in my office, on my commute home late at night, and while meandering the farmers market on weekends, I would see my story in my mind’s eye.

Finally, on a trip to Copenhagen in December five years ago, it beckoned me, the inner child, when I visited the statue of the Little Mermaid with my niece. Watching her entranced by the serin, I felt her wonderment as if reliving the experience of my first reading of the fairytale at the age of ten. A whispered voice caught my ear, and a single word summoned my heart. WRITE!
​
Invigorated by this calling, I set to paper what had been dancing in my head. Now here we are: the Izol series has been birthed. My grandmother’s words stood the test of time: “Wherever you are, there you’ll find yourself.”

connect with the author:  website ~ instagram~ goodreads

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To Hell And Back By Bill Blume ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: January 20, 2026 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways
Tags: ,
20

 

To Hell and Back

By Bill Blume

 

Publication date: January 20th 2026
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

For one pair of swordfighters, their marriage is worth going to Hell and back.

Ty and Dani are a modern-day, swordfighting husband-and-wife duo who help with exorcisms until a demon kills Dani’s mother and all of their fellow exorcists. Now, they’re on a quest for revenge through the realms of Hell, and killing the demon is just the start of the journey. To keep the demon from reviving, Dani and Ty must escape Hell within seven days and cast the demon’s head and heart into an Eternal Flame. To get back to the mortal realm in time, they rely on their small terrier Wicket to lead them past the demon’s army and thousands of other horrors.

To Hell and Back takes readers on an epic journey perfect for those who believe love can overcome any challenge and that a devoted dog makes the perfect guide no matter where you need to go.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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Enjoy this peek inside:

They didn’t drive far, parking on a cobblestone street next to the café, sitting on a street corner. The entire front wall of the café was made up of tall doors that were all turned open to take advantage of the pleasant spring weather. Ty sucked down his coffee. It tasted stronger than what he preferred, but as tired as he was, he considered that a good thing.

“I imagine you have a lot of questions.” Maria sat at one of the tables closest to the sidewalk with people dressed in business suits and hospital scrubs walking by. She crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair, draping her arm over the back of it.

“I’m told you work for the church?” He decided against gambling on whether it was the Catholic or Episcopal Church.

“Heard that, did you?” She cracked an amused grin, as if she’d been privy to his conversation with Barry. “That’s only partially true. We’re funded by the Church of England, but we don’t answer to them.”

Taking a chug of his coffee, Ty then asked, “And who is we?”

“A fair question, and I’ll get to that soon enough.” She paused for her own sip of coffee. When she continued, she stared out at the street as cars rumbled across the cobblestones. “I’d like to talk about you a bit first. I notice you’ve started the transition.”

“The what?”

“Oh, you’re trying to find a way to make a living off that sword arm of yours that doesn’t require a nine-to-five job typing on a keyboard or some other nonsense. You’re going the usual route: giving lessons to wannabes drunk on fantasies of medieval knights or Star Wars. You know. The usual stuff.” She looked at him with a smirk that assured him she already knew the answer to her next question. “You enjoying all that?”

He cleared his throat and sniffed. His sinuses were still killing him.

“I’m paying my bills.” He shrugged, trying to mimic her nonchalance by turning his focus out onto the street and the passersby. Didn’t keep him from seeing her amused reaction to his answer, that she knew he was full of shit.

Yeah, he’d taken to giving part-time lessons at a local fencing club that included saber fighting. Most of the job seemed more about punishing clients into the realization that they weren’t going to turn into Inigo Montoya overnight and that fighting with a sword required both finesse and brutality. Being good with a sword required a killer instinct. Forcing others with limited skills to realize they didn’t have that certain something was taking a toll on him.

“Look, Mr. Faison.” She leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table. “For some people that’s enough, and that’s fine.” The way she said “fine” left little doubt it was anything but that. “But someone like you…” She shook her head.

He tried to bluff, acting amused and disinterested, but his acting skills failed him again. “You think so?”

The way her expression hardened, that single eye narrowing on him, forced his full focus on her. “I think you’re the kind of person who’s only ever whole when he’s got a sword in his hand and a real fight in front of him.”

She leaned back in her chair again, with all the satisfaction of a wildcat dining on a fresh kill. The silence offered him a chance to respond, but she’d left him speechless. No one had ever peeled him down to his bones like this—not even his parents—not this fast or with such ease.

After giving him his chance to answer and seeing he wasn’t able to, Maria sipped her coffee and then continued. “You’re twenty-six. You used to finish in the top three at most competitions you entered but you haven’t in more than a year. It’s not that your skills or body are fading, and it’s not because you’re distracted by the side work that pays the bills. No, it’s because even the competitions are starting to bore you. Those fights aren’t real anymore, because all that’s at stake there is pride.”

“And what? You’re offering me a ‘real fight’? What is this? Some kind of underground sword fight club, where the loser dies, and the first rule is to not talk about it?”

She shook her head, grinning at his attempt at wit. “This is no game or club. Underground? Somewhat. But what you’ll be doing will make a real difference in people’s lives. I’m offering you a chance to reclaim that fire that ignited the moment you first touched a sword.

“I’m giving you a chance to find your heart.”

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About Author Bill Blume:

Bill Blume discovered his love for the written word while in high school and has been writing ever since. His latest novel, West of Apocalypse, is now available from Time Killer Publishing. His short stories have been published in many fantasy anthologies and various ezines.

Like the father figure in his “Gidion Keep, Vampire Hunter” novels, Bill works as a 911 dispatcher for Henrico County Police and has done so for more than two decades. He served as the 2013 chair for James River Writers, which produces one of the nation’s best annual conferences for educating and connecting writers.

He graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Broadcast Journalism in 1995. In the years after, he worked as a TV news producer, first in Columbus, Georgia, and then in Richmond, Virginia, which has become home for Bill & his family.

You can learn more about Bill at his website: www.billblume.net.

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To Hell and Back Blitz

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Forrest House By E.M. Hamill ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: January 11, 2026 in Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaways
Tags: ,
19

 

Forrest House

By E.M. Hamill

 

Publication date: January 11th 2026
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Ander Forrest renounced blood magic to become a nurse-healer in his rural hometown, far from the drama of wizardry and espionage his sister Kate craved. When Kate goes missing in action, Ander finds himself the legal guardian of her gifted twins and receives a cryptic warning from Kate’s husband to protect them before he, too, disappears.

Six months later, his former lover crash lands in the kids’ bedroom via a spell only Ander’s sister could have cast. Druid Cai Piper doesn’t remember how he got there, but he knows he never stopped loving Ander, and that he was sent to protect him and the twins. Cai is strangely drawn to Forrest House and the land it stands upon.

With the secrets of a clandestine wizards’ order hanging between them, Cai and Ander must remember how to trust each other as sinister forces move against the Forrest family—magical terrorists who want to exploit their rare sorcery and bring the world to its knees.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Cai cleared his throat. “You said I’m in America?”

“Yeah.”

“And if I was sent by a bloodspell, does that mean Remy and Raven are here?”

“Well, of course.” Ander blinked as Cai closed his eyes and sighed. He wasn’t sure if it was relief or defeat. “You didn’t know,” he said.

“No. Edwyn kept it a secret, even from me.” His fingers touched the blood-matted knot at the back of his head in tentative exploration. “I must have been out. I would never have let him send me otherwise. He was bleeding badly.” His hand tapped an area high and to the outside on his left leg. “Shot in the thigh.”

Ander thought of all the major blood vessels there and breathed a plea to the Goddess that none were severed. “I didn’t think the Fellowship used bullets.”

“We don’t. We were on a joint mission with intelligence agents. Someone started lobbing spells at us and our allies turned and shot each other. He was hit in the crossfire.”

“A Judas spell?” Ander frowned.

“I think so.”

“Were you working with British intelligence?”

Cai opened his mouth to answer, then flinched and rubbed both sides of his head. “Some of my memories are missing. It’s painful to think about.”

“I think you might have a concussion.”

“Maybe. But this feels more like it was blocked by a spell.”

“By Edwyn?”

“I don’t think he would have had time. Not surrounded by guns and magic.” His breath became uneven again, and he sat unsteadily on the bed. “The harder I try to think about it, the more it hurts.”

“Don’t try right now.” Ander came closer and put his fingers under Cai’s jaw, forcing him to look up so he could peer into his eyes. Still no signs of a more serious head injury, but he wasn’t satisfied until he ran his fingers under Cai’s clotted hair to cradle the bruised lump beneath his palm, his senses open for new bleeding. He didn’t discover any.

Cai stared at him as he pulled away, his face inches from Ander’s. They both became aware at the same time of how close he was standing, his hands gentle on the back of Cai’s head as if he were going to draw him into a kiss. Ander slowly stepped back.

“I have to find a way to get back to…” Cai frowned. “To…damn it! They took that, too. I don’t know where we were.” He looked to Ander with a desolate gaze. “I don’t even know if Edwyn’s alive.”

“You can’t ask the Fellowship?”

He stiffened. “No, I can’t.”

“I’d feel better if I could get you to a hospital.”

“I’ll be fine. I think it’s clear I’m meant to protect you and the twins.”

“Protect us from what?” He sat on the bed next to him. “What’s going on, Cai? Why wouldn’t Ed tell you where the kids were?”

He didn’t answer, his gaze slipping sideways.

Ander had not missed this infuriating silence. Kate had pushed Ander away with it, Edwyn maintained it, and Cai had used it to shut down questions when they were together.

He’d left Wales and come home because the people he loved most in the world could barely talk to him unless he was inducted into the Fellowship.

Fury rose in scarlet floods with Cai’s refusal to speak. Ander let it crest. “That’s fantastic. Of course you can’t say anything. Then tell me how to protect them and get the fuck out.”

“You don’t—”

“They’re all I have left of Kate! I need to know how to protect them!”

“If you’re going to shout at me, then I will take that paracetamol now.” His voice was soft, defeated. A crease furrowed the skin between his brows, and the tight lines of his body spoke of more pain than a headache. Ander didn’t have to imagine the grief of not knowing if his brother was dead or alive. He knew only too well.

“I’m sorry.” Ander exhaled, forcing himself to calm. “We aren’t done,” he said in a less strident tone. “You will tell me what’s going on. Fuck the Fellowship and your code of secrecy! Those kids are my priority now. They’ve already lost their mother, and now maybe their father. No more.”

To his surprise, Cai nodded. “I promise I will tell you what I know.”

Disconcerted by his unexpected victory, Ander reluctantly let his anger drain away.

“Are you hungry? I’m making dinner.”

“Starving. I can’t recall when I last ate anything.”

“It’ll be ready in half an hour. Make sure you drink the rest of that water.” He turned to go.

“Ander.” Cai’s expression was gentle as Ander looked back over his shoulder. “It’s good to see you.”

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About Author E.M. Hamill:

E.M. (Elisabeth) Hamill writes adult science fiction and fantasy somewhere in the wilds of eastern suburban Kansas. A nurse by day, wordsmith by night, she is happy to give her geeky imagination free rein and has sworn never to grow up and get boring.

She lives with her family, where they fend off flying monkey attacks and prep for the zombie apocalypse.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Newsletter

 

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High Couch Of Silistra By Janet Morris ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: December 28, 2025 in Dystopian, Fantasy, giveaways, Guest Post
Tags: , , ,
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High Couch of Silistra, first of the notorious
Silistra Quartet, brings us to a realm where thought alters probability, where
creativity is inextricably linked to the urge to own and dominate, and where
the universe itself is amenable to a focused mind.

Rooted deeply in humanity’s mythic past yet unaware
of the planet Earth, High Couch of Silistra begins one woman’s mythic quest for
self-knowledge – with surprising results.

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High Couch of Silistra

The Silistra Quartet Book 1

by Janet Morris

Genre: Dystopian Epic SciFi Fantasy Romance

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Biology shapes reality…

One woman’s mythic search for self-realization in a distant tomorrow…

Her sensuality was at the core of her world, her quest beyond the civilized
stars.

Aristocrat. Outcast. Picara. Slave. Ruler.

“Engrossing characters in a marvelous adventure.” – Charles N. Brown,
Locus Magazine

“The amazing and erotic adventures of the most beautiful courtesan in
tomorrow’s universe”

– Frederik Pohl

“The best single example of prostitution used in fantasy is Janet Morris’
Silistra series… Estri’s character is most like that of Ishtar who describes
herself as “‘a prostitute compassionate am I'” because she
“symbolizes the creative submission to the demands of instinct, to the
chaos of nature …the free woman, as opposed to the domesticated woman”.
Linking Estri with these lunar and water symbols is not difficult because of
the moon’s eternal virginity (the strength of integrity) links with her changeability
(the prostitute’s switching of lovers). […]

Morris strengthens the moon imagery by having Estri as a
well-keepress because wells, fountains, and the moon as the orb which controls
water have long been associated with fertility, […] In a sense, she is like
the moon because she is apparently eternal, never waxing or waning except in
her pursuit of the quest; she is the prototypical wanderer like the moon and
Ishtar. She is the eternal night symbol of the moon in opposition to the
Day-Keepers […]

 At her majority (her
three hundredth birthday), she is given a silver-cubed hologram letter from her
mother, containing a videotape of her conception by the savage bronzed
barbarian god from another world. […] If Estri’s mother then acts as a bawd,
willing her lineage as Well-Keepress to her daughter, then Estri’s
great-grandmother Astria as foundress of the Well becomes a further mother-bawd
figure when she offers her prophetic advice in her letter: “Guard Astria
for you may lose it, and more. Beware of one who is not as he seems. Stray not
in the port city of Baniev …look well about you, for your father’s daughter’s
brother seeks you”. Having no brother that she knows of does not stay
Estri from undertaking the heroic quest of finding her father.”

 – Anne K. Kaler, The
Picara: From Hera to Fantasy Heroine

Amazon * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

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I am Estri Hadrath diet Estrazi, former Well-Keepress of Astria on the planet
Silistra. I have begun three times to tell this story, and three times I have
been interrupted. This, then, the fourth attempt, will surely prove successful.

Perhaps you have heard of Silistra, the planet that was catalyst to the sexual
revolution in the year twenty-two thousand, seven hundred and four Bipedal
Federate Standard Time, or of the Silistran serums that lengthen life and
restore vitality in virtually any bipedal life form, or perhaps you have at
some time contracted the services of a Silistran telepath, or a precognitive,
or a deep reader. It is possible that you have in your own home the
scintillating, indestructible web-cloth woven by our domestic arachnids, or
have seen holograms of our golachits, those intelligent builder-beetles who
exude from their mouths a translucent, superhard substance called gol and
create from this gol, under the guidance of the chit-guards, the formidable and
resplendent structures in which we live and work.

And perhaps you have seen no web-cloth, no gol, never been ill, and are not
interested in sex. If so, you may never have heard of Silistra.

I carry Silistra in my mind’s eye, here under this alien sun. In my mind alone
can I look out the east window of my beloved exercise hall in Well Astria and
see the sun’s rising burst upon the jewel-like towers and keeps of the Inner
Well and a thousand rainbows arc and dance in the greening sky.

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What is something unique/quirky about you?

I breed Morgan horses. I consult with Morgan breeders to help them choose breeding combinations to achieve a desired result.

I am also a song writer; I play bass guitar with my husband Chris who sings and plays guitar. We have an album on MCA records. Look for Christopher Crosby Morris on Soundcloud or N1M.com

Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

I wrote my first novel, High Couch of Silistra in 1975; a friend sent it to an agent who chose to represent me; I had already written the second book in the Silistra Quartet and my agent told me not to disclose that until they finalized the contract for the first one. When the publisher learned of the others, Bantam Books bought the succeeding three. When the fourth book was published, the series already had four million copies in print. Suddenly I was a novelist specializing in environmental, gender, historical and political subjects. In the process, Chris became my editor and ultimately a co-writer. Since then, we have co-authored many books.

Who is your hero and why?

Heraclitus of Ephesus, a pre-socratic philosopher, whose Cosmic Fragments foreshadow our knowledge of reality and how to perceive it. Among his precepts is the statement that change alone is unchanging. I’ve worked Heraclitus’ fragments in here and there throughout our books.

Which of your novels can you imagine being made into a movie?

All of them. I write cinematically, our books are vivid adventures I undertake without knowing the destination.  I, the Sun, The Sacred Band, and Outpassage are particularly suited to film. The Threshold Series is a feast of opportunities for today’s special effects creators.

What inspired you, to write The Silistra Quartet?

The Silistra Quartet was a unique departure for me and it included issues of women’s rights in the 70’s before Handmaid’s Tale.

Convince us why you feel High Couch of Silistra is a must read.

The Silistra series in which High Couch of Silistra is book 1 blazed a new trail in science fiction and fantasy, many critics saying that I had created a new pantheon of warrior women giving rise to heroines like Xena. Today it is more important than ever for everyone to accept women in leadership roles and I would like to think we had something to do with gaining them more recognition.

Who designed your book covers?

Most of my covers, including High Couch of Silistra, are realized by Roy Mauritsen, a gifted graphic artist.

Advice to writers?

As for advice to writers, here is all I know: write the story you want to read. Start at the beginning, go to the end, and stop. Seriously. From start to finish you must inhabit the construct in a manner that makes the reader choose to continue; if I, as the writer, can’t feel what it’s like being there, my readers can’t either. So close your eyes, look at your feet where they are standing on the story’s ground; tell me what you see. Tell me what you hear. Ask at the end of each paragraph ‘what happens next?’. If you lose touch with it, wait until you’re back inside it. Tell the story that comes to you, and from you, to me.

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Best selling author Janet Morris began writing in
1976 and published more than 30 novels, many co-authored with her husband Chris
Morris or others. She contributed short fiction to the shared universe fantasy
series Thieves World, in which she created the Sacred Band of Stepsons, a
mythical unit of ancient fighters modeled on the Sacred Band of Thebes. She
created, orchestrated, and edited the Bangsian fantasy series Heroes in Hell,
writing stories for the series as well as co-writing the related novel, The
Little Helliad, with Chris Morris. She wrote the bestselling Silistra Quartet
in the 1970s, including High Couch of Silistra, The Golden Sword, Wind from the
Abyss, and The Carnelian Throne. This quartet had more than four million copies
in Bantam print alone, and was translated into German, French, Italian, Russian
and other languages. In the 1980s, Baen Books released a second edition of this
landmark series. The third edition is the Author’s Cut edition, newly revised
by the author for Perseid Press. Most of her fiction work has been in the
fantasy and science fiction genres, although she has also written historical
and other novels. Morris has written, contributed to, or edited several
book-length works of non-fiction, as well as papers and articles on nonlethal
weapons, developmental military technology and other defense and national
security topics.

Janet said: ‘People often ask what book to read
first. I recommend “I, the Sun” if you like ancient history;
“The Sacred Band,” a novel, if you like heroic fantasy; “Lawyers
in Hell” if you like historical fantasy set in hell;
“Outpassage” if you like hard science fiction; “High Couch of
Silistra” if you like far-future dystopian or philosophical novels. I am
most enthusiastic about the definitive Perseid Press Author’s Cut editions,
which I revised and expanded.’

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