A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 6
January 15, 2025
Cardinals Blog Tour and Giveaway
A completely new twist on Stoker’s tale.
Cardinals
by Ian Conner
Genre: Dark Paranormal Fantasy
A completely new twist on Stoker’s tale.
Nine Hundred years before Christ, God has cast his wife,Asherah, out of heaven and condemned her to roam the earth as the firstvampire. Over the centuries, she created other vampires. There are also thosethat she left for dead but survived her attack without being completely turnedinto vampires. These survivors are called Cardinals. Scottish Countess KellenaDonnachaidh and Lady Suzette Allard, our protagonists, are among thesecardinals. They are searching out Asherah for a final conflict.
Asherah has discovered a way back to heaven so she can exacther vengeance. Using the Amulet of Cassiel she can call the Flaming chariot ofIsrael to return to heaven Now, 3000 years later, there are groups working todestroy Asherah and the vampires. The Vatican and other groups, fearing theirown destruction if she ascends, simply want to stop Asherah using the Amulet ofCassiel to re-enter heaven. The race to recover the Amulet is full of intrigue,betrayal.
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Ian Conner is retired and spent most of his adult life as aMarine and Army Infantry Sergeant. A hundred percent disabled veteran aftermultiple head and other injuries, he is part of a growing number of vetsclassified as “neuro-diverse�, an MST survivor and have several issues suchregarding comprehension, concentration, and vision issues that he has OVERCOMEto write several novels. After witnessing a lifetime of destruction, thethought of creating something tangible and lasting holds great appeal.
He finds writing a cathartic way to redefine himself both inhis eyes and in the eyes of others. Writing for fun, Ian has completed sevennovels with an eighth near done with two more ideas in the scribble/chapterphase. He has written across four genres Fantasy, Thriller, Science Fiction andHorror.
He uses ProWritingAid, Beta Readers and professional editorskeep the product readable, he has recently began querying in search of aprofessional agent and publisher.
Now living near San Diego California with his wife Bonnie, acellist, and their two dogs, Cookie and Isabella. Conner spends his daysfostering kittens, gardening, crafting beautiful stained glass and creatingworlds on the page.
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Follow the tour for special content and a giveaway!
$20 Starbucks Gift Card � 1 winner,
Print Copy of Cardinals � 2 winners!
January 14, 2025
Double Takedown Blog Tour and Giveaway #Mystery #Thriller
What happens when a closed case cracks wide open?
Double Takedown
A Mike Stoneman Thriller
by Kevin G. Chapman
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
What if everything you thought you knew was wrong?
The glittering lights of Broadway are just a cover for thedark secrets hidden behind the curtains. NYPD homicide detectives Mike Stonemanand Jason Dickson are about to find out how many layers one story can have intheir latest case. As they prepare to testify in a high-profile murder trial,they begin to question if they got it wrong. The Broadway director claimsevidence was planted to frame him and that Mike and Jason developed tunnelvision. If they did, can they live with themselves, knowing that an innocentman might be convicted . . . and that someone else got away with the perfectcrime?
With orders to stay away from the closed case, Mike andJason are plagued by doubts and can’t let it go. When new evidence leads toeven more questions, the detectives race to put the pieces together and uncoverthe whole truth. But their unauthorized investigation could lead tocatastrophic collateral damage, could cost them their badges, and the directormay still be guilty.
For fans of intense crime thrillers and complexcharacters,Double Takedownis a must-read.
What readers are saying:
“A fantastic story with delicious plotting! A crimethriller that’s more than a cut above the rest.� ~Anna Willett, author ofthe Cold Case Mysteries featuring Detective Inspector Veronika Pope.
“The sixth installment in the Mike Stoneman Mysteryseries, Double Takedown is a mind-blowing and perfect detective mystery read.”~Feathered Quill Reviews
“Mike and Jason are probably my two favourite detectives.Their side stories with their wives and families enhance what is already sureto be a great read. Another page-turner, you won’t put this down till the end,I promise!� ~@Roxxisreading
“A compelling mixture of mystery, police procedural, andthriller. I couldn’t put it down.� ~ Guy Wheatley author of From the Delta Mud.
“As a retired Homicide Investigator after thirty years,trust me when I tell you that Double Takedown reads as real and as gritty asany case that I ever worked. A mystery tour de force for the ages.� ~ FrederickDouglass Reynolds, Award Winning author of Saint Bloodbath, and Black, White,and Gray All Over.
“In this gripping installment to the Mike Stonemandetective series, we dive into the underbelly of the theatrical world wheredrugs are routine and the line between accident and foul play blurs. I couldn’tput it down.� ~Daniel V. Meier Jr., Award winning author of the Sam AdamsInvestigator series.
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**Don’t miss the rest of the series!**
Find them on !
Kevin G. Chapman is an attorney specializing in labor andemployment law. In 2021, Kevin finished the first five books in the MikeStoneman Thriller series: Righteous Assassin (Kindle Book Awardsemi-finalist), Deadly Enterprise (Kindle Book Award semi-finalist), LethalVoyage, (Winner of the 2021 Kindle Book Award, CLUE finalist, RONEfinalist), Fatal Infraction (Best Police Procedural of the year –CLUE Award), and Perilous Gambit. In late 2022, Kevin published astand-alone mystery/thriller titled Dead Winner (CLUE Award � BestSuspense/Thriller of the year). Then, in 2024 came The Other Murder,winner of the CLUE Award Grand Prize (best suspense/thriller of theyear) and finalist for the National Indie Excellence Award. Now, in 2025, MikeStoneman is back in book , Double Takedown. Kevin is a resident ofCentral New Jersey and is a graduate of Columbia College and Boston UniversitySchool of Law. Readers can contact Kevin via his website at .
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Follow the tour for special content and a giveaway!
Hardcover copy of Double Takedown (US only),
$20 Amazon giftcard � (WW) � 1 winner each!
Interview with Kevin G. Chapman
The Mike Stoneman Thriller Series and book � Double Takedown
How did you get started writing this crime-thriller series?
A long time ago, in the mid-90s, I wrote my first novel, which was a mystery starring a New York Private Investigator named Rick LaBlonde. It was fun and a good try at a first novel. But it was before Amazon and before self-publishing was really a thing. I put it aside in about 1996 when I couldn’t get any interest from a publisher. Then, in 2002, my wife told me that for our 20th wedding anniversary, she was going to pay to have the book published by a new company that had come into existence called Xlibris, which was a division of a big publishing house and which was an early “vanity publisher� that would essentially allow you to self-publish a book. In those days, you had to order a minimum number of copies for printing. It was a lovely present, and I still have a few copies of that first book left on my basement shelves.
But by then I had a new job and three kids and I didn’t do any more real writing for many years. Then in the mid-2000s (the aughts?) as my kids were getting older, I got the itch again and I started working on my version of The Great American Novel. It was very, very loosely based on some autobiographical events in my life, but was mostly pure fiction. It’s about a conservative Senator who has to confront his past and make hard decisions about his future. It’s about morality and politics and self-determination and identity. It’s a very serious book, but with some interesting characters and, I think, a compelling story line. It’s called A Legacy of One. It got some great reviews and some book award recognition, but didn’t sell. Part of that was my own lack of understanding about how marketing a self-published book, but it’s also because the subject matter isn’t particularly popular unless you’re already a well-known author or celebrity.
I spent 10 years off and on working on that and finally published it in 2016. When the dust cleared from that project, I decided I still wanted to write, but I needed to get into something more fun, less serious, and hopefully something more marketable. Along the way, in 2012, I had written a short story for a writing contest where the subject had to be crime or law. I had created a character named Mike Stoneman, an NYPD homicide detective. The short story, called Fool Me Twice won first prize in the contest. So, in 2016, I decided to take that character from the short story and work him up into a full-blown crime fiction novel. The short story is now available for free on Amazon and other sales platforms, and I included it as an extra feature at the end of the first book in the novel series, Righteous Assassin.
Can you describe your main characters?
Mike Stoneman is a veteran homicide detective in the New York Police Department. In addition to being the senior detective on his team, he also teaches classes at the police academy and separate night classes for cops studying for the detectives exam. His classes are on things like evidence handling, crime scene protocol, witness interrogation, and how to testify in court. He typically gets assigned the new detectives so he can show them the ropes. He likes that work � teaching the younger cops and passing down his wisdom. He loves it when other cops come to him for his opinion on a tough case.
He’s also a Mets fan and likes classic rock music. He wears plain slacks and sports jacket combos with non-descript ties and comfortable (old) shoes. He’s not flashy � he’s not trying to impress anyone. He’s just turned 50 and is a little overweight, but trying to work out more and get into better shape, especially since he has become romantically involved with Michelle McNeill, the county medical examiner. But, he likes his pasta. He also appreciates a fine single-malt scotch.
Mike’s partner, Jason Dickson, is an African-American detective with a military background. He’s young and smooth and confident � but a little too cocky sometimes for Mike’s liking. There is some tension between them in book (Righteous Assassin), but by book (Deadly Enterprise) the partners fully have each other’s backs. In book (Lethal Voyage), Jason takes more of the spotlight along with his girlfriend, Rachel Robinson. Their romance, which was briefly mentioned in book , becomes the emotional core of book . Then, in book (Fatal Infraction), Jason decides to propose. In book (Perilous Gambit), Jason and Rachel travel to Las Vegas to get married, with Mike and Michelle along as their friends and witnesses.
The dynamics between Mike and Jason and their relationship, as well as the relationship between Mike and Michelle and between Jason and Rachel, are the heart of the stories.
What makes them original ?
Mike and Jason are both complex and “real� people. Neither is a super hero who takes on multiple attackers barehanded or outthinks an evil mastermind, or smoothly seduces the female spy. They are vulnerable and awkward and emotional. Their comrades in the precinct are similarly “normal� people who banter and argue and yell. They are very much New York-based people and I try to give an authentic feel to their surroundings and stories. Mike’s status as the mentor and senior detective give him a unique persona and perspective.
The relationship between the middle-aged couple, Mike and Michelle, starts out slow and then settles into a very comfortable ongoing romance, but they deal with their own issues. Jason and Rachel are younger and the discussion about whether to get engaged is a big topic, along with what it means to be married to a cop � and what it means for Jason to be a cop and also a husband and father. They are murder mystery stories, but the characters draw the reader into a real world, not a big-budget movie fantasy.
What makes them tick?
Mike is a very by-the-book guy for the most part, but we learn in all the stories that he’s willing to bend the rules when he feels that it’s necessary or justified. He also is concerned about his relationship with Michelle and how to keep that going, without putting her in danger. He’s also (surprisingly) concerned about Jason and his future and well-being. So, he’s both a crusty jaded cop and a sensitive, concerned person. He’s also now concerned about his own mortality and his own future to a degree that’s new to him, after 24 years on the force.
Jason has a chip on his shoulder about being a Black detective. He demands respect, although he comes to understand that he has to earn it. He’s also facing a cross-roads in his life where he must decide if he wants to be a career cop. He’s not sure he wants to be like Mike at age 50 � single. But, if he and Rachel get married, will he want to continue his rather dangerous occupation. And what if they have kids? Those questions are central to his story.
What is their biggest fear ?
Now, Mike’s biggest fear is that something bad will happen to Michelle because of one of his investigations. It nearly happened in “Righteous Assassin,� and it became an issue between them in “Deadly Enterprise.”� Unfortunately for Mike, there is more peril ahead for Michelle.
Is there a consistent bad guy in the books?
No. Each book has its own villains and challenges. Not every situation is clear-cut, which makes it fun. There is no super-villain who keeps coming back to terrorize the City. Each story is very unique. There is an organized crime family in New York � the Gallata family � that shows up a few times. And in Las Vegas there is a different organized crime boss named Freddy Costanzo, who has a link back to the Gallatas, but they are not consistent villains.
Can the books be read in any order?
Yes. Each book is a fully stand-alone story. I’ve had many readers pick up the series at each point and nobody has had any problems enjoying the books separately without having read the earlier ones. But, there is some development of the characters going on, and there are references in each book to events that happened in the earlier books. Some are necessary for later readers, and some are Easter eggs for readers who will get the “inside� jokes. There’s not much of that, but enough to make my audience happy. But they definitely can be read in any sequence. I would not recommend reading book (Perilous Gambit) before reading the first four, since there will be some spoilers about what is going to happen to the man subplots.
What is Double Takedown about?
Two investigations that test the detectives� sense of justice. In the spring of 2022, at their first big public event in the post-COVID times, Mike, Jason, Michelle, and Rachel attend a charity ballet gala at Lincoln Center. The ballet is more exciting than anyone wanted when a Broadway actor collapses and dies, despite Rachel’s EMT efforts to save him. It turns out that the actor was murdered. Mike and Jason investigate and quickly identify the director of the actor’s show (Godfather: The Musical) as a suspect. When they find incriminating evidence on the deleted files on the director’s laptop computer, the case wraps up quickly. The director is arrested and indicted for first degree murder.
More than a year later, the detectives are prepping with the prosecutor for their testimony at the murder trial. When an ex-cop PI tells Jason that the director is innocent, that the evidence was planted, and that the real killer got away with the perfect crime, nobody wants to hear about it. Least of all Mike and Jason. But the more they think about the PI’s information and the way the investigation played out, the more they worry that they might have developed tunnel vision and arrested the only suspect they ever truly looked at. When other evidence comes to light, they need to figure out how to find the real killer without violating ever rule in the cop book.
Meanwhile, a new body in a swanky apartment seems like a simple drug overdose, but the beautiful internet influencer might have been murdered. And there may be a connection between the new case and the Ballet Murder.
See what happens and how Mike and Jason walk a very thin line between duty and justice, in book � Double Takedown.
If you and your character met in real life, do you think you’d get on?
Oh yes! I have given Mike many character traits from my own backstory. We would definitely go to a Mets game together and then share a high-end single malt. Mike’s a little younger than I, but we are both Boomers and share a lot of common experience. I’m not a cop, but that wouldn’t stop us from being friends.
Who would you like to see play them if your books were made into a film or TV show ?
In the movie version of Righteous Assassin, if it were made soon, Michael B. Jordan would play Jason. For Mike, I think John C. Riley would be perfect. Maybe Brad Pitt. The casting director would have fun with the rest of the characters. I personally want Annaleigh Ashford to play Mrs. DiVito.
How many books do you have in the series so far ?
Books 1-6 are now published and available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook editions. I narrated the audiobooks myself. That makes it a 6-book series plus two stand-alone mysteries (Dead Winner and The Other Murder) in just about six years. Not bad for somebody with a day job.
What’s in store for them next ?
After a two-year lull in the story. Double Takedown picks up our characters in the spring of 2022, then jumps to the fall of 2023. Book (tentatively titled Treacherous Hack) will follow-on immediately after the time setting of Double Takedown. Mike and Jason investigate a murder that draws them into an international data hacking ring, while Rachel branches out in her television news career, which creates some conflicts of interest. Book should be out by the end of 2025.
C:\KGC\KGC Writing\MST � Double Takedown\Double Takedown Marketing\Interview w Kevin G. Chapman � Mike Stoneman Series and DT.docx
January 12, 2025
The Dream Rider Saga Trilogy Blog Tour #UrbanFantasy #Fantasy
Will Dreycott is a superhero. In his dreams…and in yours.
The Hollow Boys
The Dream Rider Saga Book 1
by Douglas Smith
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
WINNER OF THE 2023 AURORA AWARD FOR BEST YA NOVEL
WINNER OF THE 2023 JURIED IAP AWARD FOR BEST YA NOVEL
“Thrilling YA fantasy� �BookLife(Editor’s Pick)
“A must-read story for YA fantasy fans.� �Blueink Review(Starredreview)
“Inventive, engaging, and boundless fun.”�—The Ottawa Review of Books
Vanishing street kids. An ancient evil. The end of the world.
Our only hope? A hero who can’t leave home.
At seventeen, Will Dreycott is a superhero…in his dreams. And inyours.
Eight years ago, Will’s parents, shady dealers in ancient artifacts,disappeared on a jungle expedition. Will, the sole survivor, returned home withno memory of what happened, bringing a gift…and a curse.
The gift? Will can walk in our dreams. At night in Dream, Will hunts forcriminals—and his parents. During the day, hisDream Ridercomic,about a superhero no one knows isreal, has made Will rich.
The curse? Severe agoraphobia. Will can’t go outside. So he makes his home askyscraper with everything he needs in life—everything but the freedom to walkthe streets of his city.
Case, an orphan Will’s age, survives on those streets with her younger brother,Fader. Survives because she too has a gift. She hears voices warning her ofdanger. And Fader? Well, hefades.
When street kids start vanishing, the Dream Rider joins the hunt. Will’s searchbecomes personal when Case breaks into his tower to escape her own abduction.Fader isn’t so lucky.
As Will and Case search for Fader and the missing kids, an unlikely romancegrows between the boy with everything and the girl with nothing except thefreedom Will longs for.
But as they push deeper into the mystery, they confront an ancient powerfeeding on these forgotten kids to restore itself. And once restored, no one inthe world will be safe.
To defeat this creature, Will must do the impossible.
Go outside.
Indiana JonesmeetsTeen TitansinTheDream Rider Saga, a fast-paced urban fantasy trilogy from “one of Canada’smost original writers of speculative fiction� (Library Journal).
Praise forThe Hollow Boys:
“This arresting series kickoff grips from the start as itintroduces its inventive milieu, its flawed but fantastically powered hero, itsplayful worldbuilding, and a host of tantalizing mysteries. � [A] vigorouslyimaginative scenario. � Takeaway: Thrilling YA fantasy� �BookLife(徱ٴǰ’sʾ)
“An assured, confident novel � A must-read story for YA fantasy fans.� �BlueinkReview(Starred review)
“Inventive, engaging, and boundless fun.”�—The Ottawa Review of Books“Afun supernatural tale with well-developed characters and a touch ofromance.”�—Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Douglas Smith:
“The man is Sturgeon good. Zelazny good. I don’t give those up easy.”�Spider Robinson, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner
“A great storyteller with a gifted and individual voice.� �Charlesde Lint, World Fantasy Award winner
“His stories are a treasure trove of riches that will touch your heartwhile making you think.� �Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo and Nebula Awardswinner
**On Sale Until Jan 11!**
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The Crystal Key
The Dream Rider Saga Book 2
Sequel to the AURORA AWARD WINNER and the Juried IAPAWARD WINNER,The Hollow Boys
“Give me the Crystal Key!�
Will Dreycott is the Dream Rider, the agoraphobic teenage superhero who canwalk in our dreams but never in the streets of his city. Case is hisgirlfriend, a survivor of those streets who hears voices that warn her ofdanger. Fader is her brother, who is very good at disappearing. Together, theydefeated a body swapper and a witch to save the world (The Hollow Boys).
Now, Case battles guilt over living sheltered in Will’s tower home while herstreet friends still struggle. Blaming his affliction for Case’s sadness, Willsearches for a way to live a normal life with the girl he loves—a way to gooutside.
But his efforts draw the attention of dark forces. Sinister figures hunt Willin Dream. Intruders scour the vast warehouse of antiquities“acquired� by Will’s missing parents. And a masked swordswomanattacks Will, demanding “the Crystal Key� before disappearing intothin air.
Are they all searching for the same thing? Something from Will’s parents� shadypast? For the swordswoman leaves behind a flowery scent, Will’s only memoryfrom the lost expedition eight years ago that gave him powers in Dream but costhim his parents and his freedom.
A trail of dark secrets leads Will, Case, and Fader to a mysterious world.Trapped between warring cults willing to kill for the Crystal Key, the threefriends must master strange new powers that grow stronger and wilder the closerthey draw to the truth.
This time it’s not just the fate of the world at stake…but the multiverse.
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Indiana Jones meets Teen Titans inThe Dream Rider Saga, afast-paced urban fantasy trilogy from “one of Canada’s most originalwriters of speculative fiction� (Library Journal).
Praise for The Crystal Key:
“The richly inventiveDream Rideradventurecontinues in this second appealing entry…with an exciting plot� alwaysenlivened by the Smith hallmarks of crack dialogue, fun sleuthing andpuzzle-solving, a strong throughline of emotion, a swift pace…and a principledrefusal to settle for the familiar. Takeaway: This thrilling superpowered urbanfantasy series continues to grip.� (New readers should start with bookone.) �BookLife (Editor’s Pick)
“The engrossing second installment of Douglas Smith’sDream Rider Saga trilogy. � Smith continues to demonstrate an ability toexpertly weave multiple complex fantasy elements into a cohesive whole. � Thisfast-paced story delivers in a big way—and Smith has all his ducks lined up foran explosive conclusion [to the series] that readers won’t want to miss.”�Blueink Review(� Starred review)
Praise for Douglas Smith:
“The man is Sturgeon good. Zelazny good. I don’t give those upeasy.”�—Spider Robinson, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner
“A great storyteller with a gifted and individual voice.”�—Charlesde Lint, World Fantasy Award winner
“His stories are a treasure trove of riches that will touch your heartwhile making you think.”�—Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo and Nebula Awardswinner
“Stories you can’t forget, even years later.”�—JulieCzerneda, multi-award-winning author and editor
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The Lost Expedition
The Dream Rider Saga Book 3
The Thrilling Conclusion to the Multi-Award-WinningTrilogy
Will is the Dream Rider, the superhero who walks in our dreams but never in thestreets of his own city. Case is his girlfriend, a survivor of those streetswho hears voices warning her of danger. Fader, her brother, isverygoodat disappearing.
InThe Hollow Boys, they defeated a body swapper and a witch tosave the world. InThe Crystal Key, they battled warring cults toprotect an ancient artifact tied to Will’s affliction.
The Chakana. The Crystal Key. But the key to what? To finding answers, theyhope, to the questions that rule their lives.
What caused their strange powers? And Will’s crippling agoraphobia? Can he becured? Why did their parents travel to the jungles of Peru eight years ago? Arethey still alive?
Behind every question is the Chakana. What is the mysterious relic? Why willpeople kill to possess it? What hold does it have on Will?
As creatures from Inca myths haunt the three friends, another attack on theChakana threatens Will’s life. To save him and solve the mystery of the lostexpedition, only one choice remains.
Return to Peru. With the Chakana.
There, they find friends and foes, both old and new. And behind it all, anunseen enemy moving them like pieces on a chessboard.
To win this deadly game, Will, Case, and Fader must master new powers to defeatthe most dangerous adversary they’ve ever faced—a god.
At stake this time? Every life, every world, every universe. Everything.
Indiana JonesmeetsTeen TitansinTheDream Rider Saga, a fast-paced urban fantasy trilogy from “one of Canada’smost original writers of speculative fiction� (Library Journal).
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Douglas Smith is a five-time award-winning author described by LibraryJournal as “one of Canada’s most original writers of speculative fiction.�
His latest work is the multi-award-winning YA urban fantasy trilogy, TheDream Rider Saga. Other books include the urban fantasy novel, The Wolfat the End of the World; the collections, Chimerascope and Impossibilia;and the writer’s guide Playing the Short Game.
His short fiction has appeared in the topmarkets in the field, including The Magazine of Fantasy & ScienceFiction, Amazing Stories, InterZone, Weird Tales, andmany others.
He is a 4-time winner of Canada’s Aurora Award as well as the juried IAP Award.He’s been a finalist for the Astounding Award, CBC’s Bookies Award, Canada’sjuried Sunburst Award, the juried Alberta Magazine Award for Fiction, andFrance’s juried Prix Masterton and Prix Bob Morane.
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Follow the tour for special content and a giveaway!
$20 Amazon gift card � 1 winner,
eBook of The HollowBoys � 2 winners!
What is the Secret of Blossom Rise?
When a young nurse takes a job at an old military hospital she finds the answers to an old family question � what is the secret of Blossom Rise Hospital? Who is the long-dead man who walks the grounds?
#Paranormal
January 8, 2025
The Harlequin’s Legacy Blog Tour and Giveaway #YA #Fantasy
Dare to dream. Dare to believe. Dare to embrace yourlegacy.
Orphan Pascal and his friends Paloma and Pierrot dive intothe mystery of children disappearing in the enchanting land of The Vale.
The Harlequin’s Legacy
Book 1
by Andrés Rosas Hott
Genre: YA Fantasy
Dare to dream. Dare to believe. Dare to embrace yourlegacy.
In the enchanting land of The Vale, the grand city of Pivotstands as a beacon of innovation where scientific progress clashes with thenow-dwindling beliefs in magic that the place once held.
Just outside of Pivot, 17-year-old Pascal has spent his lifeat The Skystead Home for Orphaned Children. Life outside the orphanage seemsceaselessly interesting, and shielded from the rest of the world, he wantsnothing more than to explore. Already puzzled by unanswered questions about hispast, Pascal’s concern deepens as he learns about a grim mystery of localchildren’s disappearances.
In pursuit of finding his place in life, Pascal is joined byPaloma—a street-savvy girl and former gang leader with a tragic past—andPierrot—a silent, enigmatic companion. Together, the unlikely trio begins tosneak out of the orphanage to experience the one place that still embracesmagic: the welcoming carnival.
As secrets begin to unravel, the truth unveils hidden powerswithin each of these three young adventurers. Their friendships are challengedas they overcome demons, both inside and outside themselves. Yet, each stepbrings them closer to the truth: a sinister plot that threatens the very fabricof their world.
Before they know it, the fate of the missing children hasbecome inextricably intertwined with their own.
The Harlequin’s Legacyis a gripping taleof adventure, friendship, and self-discovery. Pascal, Paloma, and Pierrot trustin their inner courage and resilience to reach their true potential despitetrials and tribulations. This story encourages everyone to dare to dream, tobelieve in themselves, and embrace the legacy that awaits them.
Adventure, magic, and self-discovery await!Areyou ready to join Pascal and his friends as they uncover hidden secrets andembrace a timeless legacy? Witness the journey firsthand�grab your copyof The Harlequin’s Legacy today and become part of the story!
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Meet Andrés Rosas Hott, an emerging voice in literature andthe author ofThe Harlequin’s Legacy. With a master’s in GraphicDesign and Illustration from Konstfack University and a background as acommercial director, Andrés blends creativity and storytelling in captivatingways.
His debut novel, inspired by his favorite character, TheHarlequin, combines fantasy with themes of courage, identity, and personalgrowth. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Andrés balances his creative pursuits withfamily life, finding inspiration in both the imagination and his lovedones.The Harlequin’s Legacyis just the beginning of anexciting journey into fantasy and self-discovery.
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Follow the tour for special contentand a giveaway!
$ 30 Amazon
Dare you seek my dark fantasy?
In a dark world of secrets and lies, forbidden magic and deadly vengeance, freedom is relative. Dare you seek it?
Adult rated (contains violence and sexy scenes).
Join the mages as they fight to survive in a land where their existence is illegal, elves are slaves and monsters come in many forms. An adult dark series � 18 rated for violence and adult scenes.
January 7, 2025
The Staff of Reckoning Blog Tour #EpicFantasy #Fantasy
When the world is not what it seems, what will Adir do whenhis identity collides with the destiny existence has in store for him?
The Staff of Beckoning
A Symphony of Spheres Book 1
by Praneet Menon
Genre: Epic Fantasy
“Menon’s storytelling is sharp and deliberate,blending high-stakes action with introspective moments � Addictivelyreadable!�—BookView Review
The more we know, the less we understand �
Adir Nathar craved more than what he was born into. And existence obliged.
A mysterious death � an act of revenge! Adir flees Marafel, abandoning friendsand family for safety and a fresh start. But, unbeknownst to him, he is pursuedby the Khasmia Shadow, a secret society charged with a sole divinepurpose—eliminate the destructive venna with the sacred Staff of Beckoning. Theworld of Leakarha itself is undergoing a seismic shift. Rakhor, terribledemonspawn, are emerging farther south from the Precipice than ever before.
Caught in the middle of it all, Adir is driven deeper into his own shadows,forced to face truths he never knew existed.
But this isn’t just Adir’s story.
From Naven to Ostarium to Cayan, this story unfolds through the eyes of atroubled father, a ruler fighting to secure her legacy, an heiress obsessedwith knowledge, a woman torn by love, an archer chasing glory, a man harboringa hidden past, and a noblewoman caught between two worlds—each holding a pieceof a greater truth waiting to be uncovered.
The Staff of Beckoning,the first book inthe seriesA Symphony of Spheres, is an epic fantasy tale ofidentity, destiny, and purpose. Blending elements from science fiction,mythology, and dark fantasy, this gripping narrative is perfect for readers whoenjoy complex characters, intricate world-building, and expansive sagas. Ifyou’ve enjoyed series likeThe Wheel of Time,TheKingkiller Chronicle, andThe Prince of Nothing,then thisbook is for you.
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Born and raised in India, Praneet’s life began immersed in amedley of cultural, linguistic, and spiritual traditions that sparked hispassion for storytelling. Then, he moved to the United States and has now spentmore than half his life there. The two cultural backgrounds have led him toembrace a fusion of Eastern and Western philosophies that deeply influence hiswriting.
Praneet also spent the better part of two decades working asan engineer and flight instructor, which instilled in him a precision that hebrings to his existence-building, pursuing that perfect blend of reality andfantasy. His exploration of philosophy and psychology at an early age allowshim to imbue his stories with age-old themes of identity, purpose, and destiny.These themes play a central role in his debut novel, The Staff of Beckoning,Book 1 of the series A Symphony of Spheres.
Praneet lives in Vermont, embracing a homesteadinglifestyle, community involvement, and writing while pursuing a master’s incounseling.
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January 5, 2025
Excerpt Sunday � Tears and Crimson Velvet #Phantom #HistoricalFantasy
Tears and Crimson Velvet � A Legacy of the Mask Tale (c) A. L. Butcher
In the autumn after her marriage, a travelling fair arrived in the town and she found herself wandering its colourful stalls. More for idle curiosity than anything else. That is where she had first seen him. The man who would be a ghost, an angel and a murderer.
At the edge of the fair a sizable crowd had gathered, she saw over the top bars of a cage. Some poor creature denied its freedom, forced to perform. She strained for a look, curious despite herself. What she saw on that autumn afternoon would haunt her for many years to come.
In the cage was a slender young man, his face concealed by a bone-white mask. She could see how gaunt his strangely catlike body looked. In many ways, he resembled a skeleton, or one newly dead. Above his cage were the words “Le Mort Vivant� � the living dead. And Lise could believe it.
The man, for such he was despite his disfigurement and skeletal frame, pulled from beneath a robe of tattered, dusty black a golden chain and one audience member, close to the bars cried, “Hey, that’s mine!� With a bow of his head the caged figure tossed the article back and, in its place, a shining coin appeared in his hand. With a movement faster than the onlookers could track he tossed the coin over his head, then another, and another. A whirling sparkle of gold, silver and copper glinted in the light. As his hands spun and eyes watched the man side-stepped as three short knives fell in a perfect triangle at his feet. The coins had vanished. Lise watched, open-mouthed. She had never seen the like of it. People applauded, and some threw coins into the cage.
As people began to move away when the conjuring show ended the man began to sing. In the dull afternoon light, waning to evening, the sound which flew up and around seemed to come from heaven itself. The voice, the music, was so perfect it was unnatural, almost sinister, yet it was then, and to this day the most hauntingly beautiful thing she had ever heard. It was a song that stripped one down to the soul and left one desperate to hear it again, but afraid to do so. Lise was compelled to listen, her feet rooted to the floor and her eyes on the masked face and, as he turned in her direction, she glimpsed amber cat-like eyes of such brilliance and sadness. Lise gasped, that gaze seared her deep and she dragged her eyes away. As the song ended, she saw a shadowy figure prod the young man through the bars with a long, pointed stick. The caged angel paused and then slowly removed the mask from his face. What lay beneath that mask was a terrible sight! A black hole where the nose should be, lips twisted and deformed, the skin was deathly pallid. The crowd fell into horrified silence, someone screamed. The spell was unutterably broken.
Lise remembered, to her credit, she hadn’t screamed or fainted, she stared, perhaps a fraction too long then tore herself away. Walking fast, disorientated from the now baying onlookers, who a moment ago had been celebrating the strange caged man and now cried insult and threw stones. Such a turnabout.
“It’s the devil himself!� a man cried.
“Mary and Jesus have mercy!� another said. The voices ebbed as Lise walked away, more troubled than afraid. That face was awful, dreadful, terrifying; it was tragic and death-like, but she knew then, and always knew that beneath that twisted visage was a creature of passion. A man, a creature with the voice of an angel, and the face of death. “Who are you? What are you?� were the questions in her head.
She wandered around listlessly, in the turmoil of emotion. This man had a strange magnetism, which gave her a fluttery feeling in the pit of her stomach. That voice which had pierced her soul and made her want to laugh and cry simultaneously had captured her as surely as she had been in that cage, but she could not shake the sight of those haunted eyes and that terrible face from her mind’s eye.
What lay behind the mask was both fascinating and terrifying, but less so than the utter hatred in those deep amber eyes. She had never seen such complete loathing, as that which burned in those strangely beautiful eyes.
Madame Giry finds herself embroiled in the tragedy unfolding at the Opera house; mystery and murder stalk the corridors and, it is said, a ghost haunts the place. Giry knows the truth, for she recalls the caged man she met so many years ago. This is her story, their story.
When murder and mystery begin at the Opera House one woman knows who is behind it, and what really lies beneath the mask. Secrets, lies and tragedy sing a powerful song in this ‘might have been� tale.
Winner of the 2020 Best Short Story award on NNLight Book Heaven
A short, tragic tale based on characters from Phantom of the Opera.
A Legacy of the Mask Tale.
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January 3, 2025
Review � The Facemaker � Lindsey Fitzharris #Biography #War #History
Wow. Just wow.
I’d heard of the surgeon Sir Harold Gillies, as my family both have army medical core and nursing ties, plus a solid love of history. However, I didn’t know much about the man himself, and how much he and others gave to help the victims of World War 1.
The First World War was the worst, the bloodiest, the most industrialized slaughter of man by man the world had known, and the injuries sustained were horrific. Medicine and surgery simply couldn’t cope � not with the sheer volume of wounded, nor the nature of the wounds themselves. But Gillies, who was a gifted, creative surgeon wanted to help the poor souls whose lives, and faces had been ravaged.
Plastic surgery wasn’t entirely new, but was, still largely experimental � and many of the operations he did had never been done before, and a fair few failed.
The men coming through the doors � well if there’s an argument against war this is it � many of them had taken severe facial and jaw injuries, horrendous burns. Faces had literally been blown off, or mangled � many couldn’t eat, talk, and disfigurement was among the most feared of disabilities. But this man, this doctor, rebuilt them�.
He fought with authority, and succeeded in opening a ward to try and save these unfortunate men, and restore their faces and their dignity. He worked tirelessly, with little pay and often awful conditions to help others.
It’s not an easy book to read � there are descriptions of horrific wounds, surgery and the awfulness that was the Great War � but primarily it’s a book about hope, and kindness, of pushing the boundaries of what can be done, and should be done. It’s very well written, and sympathetic, both to the staff of the hospitals, and the soldiers themselves. It doesn’t hold back, but the author doesn’t seek to trivialise the war.
A moving, fascinating book, about a man, and his work that should be read. He is dubbed the father of plastic surgery.
Learn more about him here
5 stars � plus a few more.
What is the Secret of Blossom Rise?
When a young nurse takes a job at an old military hospital she finds the answers to an old family question � what is the secret of Blossom Rise Hospital? Who is the long-dead man who walks the grounds?
#Paranormal
