Category: Fantasy

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Magic Fell Blog Tour with Guest Post by Andi Van with Excerpt

MagicFellBefore I get started: Magic Fell isn’t a romance. It has a romantic sub-plot, but overall it’s a high fantasy adventure.

[waits]

Still with me? Okay then.

You might already know the backstory behind this. A novel written on request from a beloved grandmother. A once-popular role playing forum set in a mages’ guild. If I were the type to make bad puns, I might say the combination was…magic.

…

Sorry. I’ll try not to do that again for the duration of the post.

Magic Fell is the first in a trilogy that centers on Tasis Kadara, his adopted sister Zaree, and their friend Kelwin. Oh, and the cat. K’yerin would happily tell you that he’s the most important character in the book.

I wanted to write some short pieces to share with you during this blog tour, but as this is the first book, it took me a while to figure out what I could write that wouldn’t involve spoilers. And then it hit me – why not write the very beginning?

In the prologue, you witness the end of the guild, a millennium before Tasis is even born. The leader of the guild at that point in time is a woman named Trivintaie, who washed up on the isle’s beach when she was a young woman. I thought it might be fun to write a few short pieces set before the prologue, starting from when Triv washes up, to give everyone a better feel for what exactly is lost when the guild is destroyed.

So read on, and I hope you enjoy. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a paperback or ebook copy of Magic Fell! I’ll be pulling winners on May 29th.

***

“You’re sure about this?” Triv asked, giving Trekelm a sideways glance from the comfortable library chair she was curled up in. “I mean, I saw what it did to Falcon.”

The guild’s leader let out a snort. “Falcon. That girl was far too early in her training to attempt that, and she did it without permission or guidance because she wanted to impress you.”

“It took her a month to wake up,” Trivintaie said firmly. “No matter her reasons, I don’t want that to happen to me.”

“Please,” Corrin snorted from his seat across the room. “You have a damn dragon for a master. You could probably flick your fingers to do this, then go engage in a round of swordplay with Gyr. Uh, Master Gyr,” he amended quickly as Trekelm glared at him. “Oh come on, Master. Gyr’s the one who told us he didn’t want us using some stuffy title to address him.”

“You’re not a master yet, so you’ll address him with the respect he deserves,” Trekelm told the young man firmly before pointing at Triv. “And you need to remember that I may not be your master, but I do lead the guild. Do you really think I’d tell you you’re ready if I wasn’t 100% certain?”

“Well, no,” Triv allowed grudgingly. “But please remember that I was the one who found Falcon after she cast the spell.”

“She succeeded,” Corrin reminded her.

Triv shot him a glare. “She did, but it nearly killed her.”

“You’ll be fine,” Trekelm said in what Triv assumed was supposed to be a reassuring voice. It wasn’t. Not really.

“If I die, I’m having Corrin resurrect me so I can smack you,” she muttered as she opened the leather book she’d placed on her lap earlier. It had no title, but the pages held spells in a language no one truly understood that she’d learned over the past few years. She flipped open pages carelessly, pausing when she finally reached the entry she was looking for. She stared at it for a long moment before looking over at Corrin. He nodded and gave her a wink. She rolled her eyes, an expression that was completely ruined by the fact that she could feel her face heating, and spoke the words on the page.

“Tova songei temi dova.”

There was a deep tone, more vibration than sound, that shuddered through the library. Trivintaie barely noticed the startled look Corrin shot Trekelm, instead concentrating on chanting the words. She wasn’t sure it was even working, until suddenly a shock of magic ran through her body, making her scream the words.

And then, just as suddenly as it started, everything went still and silent.

There was a hole hanging in mid-air in front of Trivintaie.

“You did it!” Corrin shouted with a laugh. He made to join her, but Trekelm grabbed him and held him back.

“Wait,” the guild leader hissed. “Her familiar hasn’t appeared yet.”

“Yes, he has,” Triv said with a short laugh.

As one, Corrin and Trekelm stared at the strange opening. There was something…twitching?

“Whiskers,” Corrin said. “Whatever it is, it has whiskers.”

“It’s safe,” Triv said to the owner of the whiskers that were peeking into the room. It was odd, seeing only the strands and nothing else. “I didn’t call out for you to make you a slave.”

Truth.

The voice echoed in Triv’s head, and she held back a laugh of relief.

“Truth,” she agreed. “No one here will hurt you. I seek only guidance and kinship.”

The whiskers moved, pressing into the room where they were quickly following by a nose, then an entire muzzle, then the head of a cat. A purple cat. It blinked as it took in its surroundings, then turned its intelligent gaze to Trivintaie. The feline eyes widened in what Triv would have thought was surprise if it had been a human.

You’re–

“I’m Trivintaie,” Triv said. “I’m hoping we can be friends.”

The rest of the cat slid into view as it leapt gracefully to the floor from wherever it had been called from, the hole in the air closing behind him. We will be very good friends, the cat assured her. It stopped to groom its tail, and Triv was made aware in the most awkward manner possible that the feline was in fact a he, not an it. My name is K’yerin. I look forward to seeing what you can do.

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Want More? 

Thunder rumbled overhead. Tasis’s body felt as if it had been pricked by a thousand needles, much like his limbs had fallen asleep and were in the process of waking back up. He shivered, more from fear than cold, and stood silently. After a moment the feeling faded. When nothing else happened after a few minutes, he said the phrase again, his voice taking on a firm edge.
The room glowed faintly with the words, as if another candle had been lit. Tasis’s eyes widened, but he said the phrase again, this time feeling as if he were unable to stop the words from escaping his mouth. He repeated it once more, then twice, and it quickly became a chant. The room seemed to fill with light, and Tasis had to shield his eyes. His vision started to blur, and he felt as if he were being physically pulled by the words. As he chanted the walls began to crackle as if charged with the lightning outside.
He was yelling the words now, though he was unaware of it. The only thing he was aware of was the pull and the feeling of energy draining from his body. He tried to shut his eyes against the blinding light but found he couldn’t. His body began to tremble, and he was quite sure he was going to pass out if he couldn’t stop. There was another clap of thunder over the house, and the crackling energy in the walls seemed to gather tightly into itself.
Tasis’s knees gave out, and he landed on the floor. The energy imploded, and as he began to lose consciousness he could see a strange hole of some sort hanging in midair. Something emerged from the hole, and he heard the familiar voice speak to him once more.
It certainly took you long enough.
With that, Tasis was thrust into blissful darkness.
Tasis was standing on the cliff, but he wasn’t alone. He could see himself standing there, facing an army. No, it wasn’t him, he realized after a moment. It was the woman from the first dream, and the likeness was uncanny, despite the fact the woman in front of him was obviously human. The man leading the army yelled something at the woman, but Tasis couldn’t hear him. It was like trying to listen to someone speak underwater. The woman had a defiant look on her face as she yelled something back at the man before turning and raising her arms. The wall of water rose from the sea and hovered above them for a brief moment before it began to crash down.
Tasis woke screaming, only to find himself in bed with Zaree hovering over him. “Thank the Maker,” Zaree cried out, throwing herself at him. “You finally woke up.”
Tasis sat up and put his hands to his face as he began to sob. Where the tears came from, he wasn’t sure, but Zaree held him tight as he did. “You’ve been out cold for two days,” she said softly. “I came home to find you on the floor, and the healer couldn’t figure out what might be wrong with you. I didn’t know what to do.”
Tasis wiped his eyes and gave Zaree a horrified look. “Two days?”
Zaree nodded, leaning her forehead against his. “Nothing would rouse you. The oddest thing happened, though. When I came home, there was a strange-colored cat sitting on our porch. When I opened the door, he came straight to your room and sat down right next to you. He seemed friendly enough, so I let him stay. We could use a cat anyway, to keep mice out of the pantry.”
Mice? The voice in his head sounded indignant. A silver tabby cat—who actually looked vaguely purple, Tasis realized—jumped onto the bed and butted its head against his arm. Tasis reached out mechanically and stroked it between the ears, earning himself a loud purr as the cat settled into his lap, looking pleased with itself.
“We ought to name him if we’re going to keep him,” Zaree noted as she gave the cat’s ears a fond rub.
“K’yerin,” Tasis said immediately, not sure how he had known. “His name is K’yerin.”
Zaree hummed thoughtfully before giving a quick nod. “I like it. K’yerin it is.” She cleared her throat and glanced over at Tasis. “Do you remember what happened before you passed out?”
“I was….” Tasis paused as a flash of memory came back to him. The walls glowing and crackling, a thunderclap, a hole in midair. All centered around one phrase.
“What is it?” Zaree asked, sounding even more worried than before. “What were you doing?”
Tasis sighed heavily, rubbing his face with his hands before looking down at the cat in his lap. K’yerin looked up at him, and Tasis could swear the feline was smirking at him.
“I think I was doing magic,” Tasis said in a heavy voice.
Zaree went pale. “Oh dear,” she said for lack of a better expression. “That could cause problems.”
Tasis sighed again and leaned back in bed. “Don’t I know it.”
K’yerin merely purred.

Still want more?

Buy Links:
Harmony Ink Press: https://www.harmonyinkpress.com/books/magic-fell-by-andi-van-382-b
Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7662
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Fell-Andi-Van-ebook/dp/B01EM71NTI

Blurb:
Past and present are about to collide, and the world will never be the same.

Magic has been missing from the world for a millennium, and itís needed now more than ever. It falls to young Tasis Kadara to revive the fabled Magesí Guild of the Dragonís Claw. But in a culture where arcane power is forbidden and practitioners are executed, Tasis will have to keep his own aptitude for magic secret. With nothing to direct them besides bizarre dreams and a mysterious cat, Tasis and his sister Zaree undertake a quest to discover the hidden island that was once home to the guild.

Kelwin Tiovolk departs his village following his mentorís suggestion. As an elf wandering into human civilization, heís in danger simply for being who he is. A brawl at an inn leads him straight into the path of the young man heís been dreaming about, and heís compelled to help Tasis and his sister any way he can. Together, the trio might have a chance of accomplishing their missionóor the attempt might kill them.

Bio:
Andi Van is a foul-mouthed troublemaker who lives near San Diego with a small fluffy thing named Koi, a baseball bat thatís forever being used for things other than baseball, and a fondness for rum and caffeine (though not necessarily together).

Andi is fluent in three languages (English, sarcasm, and profanity), and takes pride in a highly developedóif somewhat bizarreósense of humor.

E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.andivan.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/defiantandi
Twitter: @DefiantAndi

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Guest Post by Z. Allora, Author of Zombies Suck

I want to thank Kimi D. for allowing me to dance about her blog today! She said I could talk about anything… she’s is a BRAVE woman! I opted for sharing with you why I believe what we as authors and readers do is so important.

I believe romance books can change hearts and minds with every page turned. It’s the way in which I’ve chosen to promote equality and the concept that love is love.

To me it’s not my numbers on Amazon, my ratings on GoodReads or my royalty statements that determine my success. It’s whether my words touched someone, helped someone understand, given hope that everyone deserves a happily ever after and was the reader moved to stand up against inequality. If so I’m thrilled. Goal accomplished.

At a PFLAG meeting, one of our transgender kids grabbed a trans romance with tears in his eyes and asked, “They write books about people like me? And they end happy?” YES YES WE DO.

I’ve had a woman in their 70’s explain to me, “I didn’t know two boys could do it face to face. That’s really rather lovely.” YES, YES IT REALLY CAN BE

A man in his 40’s approached me and told me he was glad there was books about people discovering their sexuality later in life because that’s what happened to him and his partner. YES, YES THIS DOES HAPPEN.

I know some people roll their eyes at romances. I’m not one of them because I’ve witnessed hope, happiness and comfort they can give.

Understanding = Acceptance = Happiness

My books explore the spectrum of orientations and gender. I worship the edges of the spectrum because that’s where I usually find myself.

My latest release: Zombies Suck (Book 2 of The Club Zombie series)

Zombies suck… but mine swallow.

Of course, I couldn’t abide by the typical zombie lore that’s mainstream: walking dead, rotting bodies, running & hiding, um… NO! That’s not sexy.

Zombies Suck Blurb:
Forget undead corpses searching for brains. These zombies crave a different kind of head that keeps them young forever. Club Zombie offers safe haven, providing sexy ways to extract what they need from patrons, and the opportunity to find their destined mate.

Alex Waterman is ashamed of his “vile, unnatural desires” and lives a in a desolate world of loneliness and suffering until discovering… it’s not his life. Suddenly he’s swept away to a place where his desires aren’t evil, they’re a mark of the dominant he’s born to be, and appreciative stares and aggressive flirting replace fear and self-loathing. But one night stands aren’t on the menu: Alex seeks “the one” to complete the missing piece of his soul.

Boy-next-door Ulrich calls to Alex, as does the gorgeous but self-destructive Cutter, and an element of irresistible danger clings to bad boy Storm. How can Alex decide between three tempting possibilities?

Maybe he should keep them all…
BUY LINKS:
Rocky Ridge Books:
http://rockyridgebooks.com/zombies-suck-club-zombie-2-by-z-allora
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BH6AUH8?ref_=pe_2427780_160035660

Z. Allora’s Bio:
Every one deserves a happy ending… (and Z. Allora makes sure they get one). She’s written hot rockers, sexy zombies, and Thailand club performers– stories about love, romance and are tied together with erotic sex. Utilizing her extensive foreign travels, she brings readers to places they’ve yet to visit, introducing them to cultures they’ve yet to explore. But with every word she writes she hope to convey that love is love. She welcomes contact and looks forward to hearing from her “pretties”!

Contact information:
E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: Z Allora Allora
Twitter: @ZAllora
Website: http://www.zallorabooks.com
Blog: zallora.blogspot.com
Pinterest: ZAllora Allora

 

Giveaway!!!!

 

Leave a comment on this post for the chance to win a copy of  Club Zombie 2 in ebook format. Over 18’s only, void where prohibited, yada yada yada. Winner will be chosen at random by the author.

 

 

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Guest Post by Aishlar Snow, Author of I Experimented Once In College

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PhD candidate William Yderis comes to Efeldon University to teach and finish his degree in charmcrafting. For methodical, sedate, and scholarly William, the school defies his expectations—and not in a good way. The biggest surprise comes when William meets his boss, absent-minded Archmage Taliesin Karsus, a man as infuriating as he is sexy.

As William struggles to carve out his place at the university, he is drawn in to Tal’s chaotic experiments… and drawn to Tal despite his logical mind’s protests. And if Tal’s wavering affection isn’t enough to complicate William’s studies, he uncovers a plot involving an ambitious staff member, brainwashed students, sexual assault, and a threat to the lives of everyone on campus. When it comes time to face the danger, William is on his own. For the first time in his life, he’ll have to trust in his heart instead of his head.

POST:

Hi there! I’m Aishlar Snow, author of I Experimented Once in College. Big thank you to The Kimi-chan Experience for giving me the opportunity to guest post here.

So what is I Experimented Once in College? Is it a romantic comedy, a good-versus-evil fantasy, a coming-of-age drama? Why not all three!

William Yderis comes to Efeldon University to earn his PhD and start an assistant professorship in the hopes that someday soon he can conduct his own research on magical objects. Instead of his professorship, though, he finds something entirely different waiting for him when he arrives – a job that’s more secretary than researcher, and a boss whose morals are immediately lacking.

Archmage Taliesin Karsus is not used to being questioned. An esteemed researcher, powerful mage, and head of the university board, Taliesin moves from one project to the next, as capricious as he is talented. Instead of the compliant, easily-cowed assistant he was expecting, though, he gets William – a man with actual research experience and a passion for rules and regulations.

When William and Taliesin clash, it brings more to the surface than two irreconcilable personalities. There is more to the archmage than William could have imagined, and Taliesin finds that his assistant is not so easily won. Add to that a plot against the school and corrupt magic, and William will have a lot more to contend with than Taliesin Karsus, and a lot more to learn than he thinks.

Why does William fall for Taliesin when he has every reason not to? He’s his boss, his opposite in every way, and there are far more important things to worry about than love when dark magic is about. Maybe it’s because Taliesin’s unpredictable, passionate nature awakens something in William that was long suppressed. Maybe it’s because William can sense that his presence changes the archmage in the same way. For all of their heated exchanges and difficulties understanding one another, they can both stand to learn something.

In that way, it really is a coming-of-age story on top of everything else. Universities, magical or non-magical, are places that take us and mold us into something new. William’s experiences at Efeldon University, even as a PhD student, are emblematic of that. The challenges, triumphs, and even the harsh adversities we may face are what develop us as individuals.

William faces more than his fair share of challenges in the fall semester, and it is up to him to overcome them and come out the other side a stronger person. Between assisting the archmage with experiments of dubious safety, dealing with his roommate – who has problems of his own – and battling an insidious plot against the school, it will take everything William has to succeed. Oh, yeah, and start his dissertation.

BUY LINKS:

Dreamspinner Press ebook

Amazon ebook

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AUTHOR BIO:

Aishlar Snow has been writing gay romance since high school, where a trusted teacher read one of her first works and encouraged her to pursue writing. Since then, she has earned a Masters in Library Science and has worked in a number of public libraries while writing. Aishlar presently works in an academic setting, from which she draws inspiration for her works.

The way to Aishlar’s heart is an easy one and includes pastries, coffee, and bad jokes. On her days off she can be found lounging in her royal harem-inspired room, watching Xena: Warrior Princess, or playing video-games. She cosplays casually, draws and paints (badly), and plays both the piano and ocarina.

Most of all, Aishlar enjoys fantasy settings and immersing herself in new worlds and characters. Her favorite worlds include those of Discworld, Wheel of Time, Star Wars, and Warcraft. She is always looking for a new book, show, or podcast to enjoy.See what’s moving forward at aishlarsnow.blogspot.com or contact Aishlar at [email protected]. She is always happy to hear from readers!

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Guest Post by Lily Adile Lamb, Author of Stay With Me and The Nameless One

nameless

Turkish by background, I am both a mother and wife, I work as a nurse during the day and write LGBTQI stories late at night once the family are tucked in bed. I studied in the UK and worked there for a few years before I moved to Australia, settling down for good.

The characters like Ilhan, from “Awkward In Love,” are examples of the characters that I want to write about in my engaging stories—people who are not rich, famous or incredibly handsome with stunning bodies. Rather they are just everyday people who work hard and deal with whatever life throws at them, and then more!

I want to bring the readers’ attention to how gender identities and expressions are influenced by numerous factors including, but not limited to, culture, religion, societal norms, customs and beliefs. These make one’s gender very diverse and fluid. The main focus of my stories are the people who want to express themselves in ways that feel right, and kind to them and others.

I wrote “Stay With Me” so I could bring attention to victims of domestic violence.

stay with me

In my latest story, “Boundless Love,” I wanted to focus on how experiencing traumatic events can lead to depression or anxiety, thus affecting our lives, and how sometimes people lose all that is dear to them, to the point of becoming homeless.
I support Marriage Equality for all,and stand by same sex parents because I believe that children primarily need loving and protective homes, showered with kindness and a kid friendly diet (I am a big believer in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs).

I love writing interracial stories about people from all backgrounds. The GLBT community is universal,
existing in all countries and cultures. For some cultures, being from a GLBT background is not easy and these are the people whom I want to promote more. I tend to focus on gender fluid characters in my stories, along with alpha males and those who are socially awkward and shy.

boundless love

In my recent story, “Awkward In Love,” Ilhan is exactly that…someone with diversity. I am reluctant to
label him because this is something I avoid wherever possible. I believe that labels are for objects and not
individuals. Ilhan is a male who is gentle, awkward, and likes to cook and bake. Why not? His dream is to open his café…. aah, dreams, it’s what keeps us sane! Ilhan is, as he proclaims, “almost virgin” —he had frolicked a bit but never had full-blown sex; whereas John is a white Australian, who is rather masculine and an alpha male. Both are neither perfect nor rich or famous, and both are people who only want to be loved for who they are.

awkward

The shortfall for Ilhan is that he has some cultural clashes,which he internalizes because he grew up in Australia while his parents still identified with their own national heritage. I tried to capture some cultural clashes in my story, becauselife is neither smooth nor a total misery. Hence,the things Ilhan uses to try and capture John’s attention are both funny and sad at times. He represents many of our own extremes of awkwardness and humanity, as well as our diversity. John is simply solid and hardworking, the mainstream of society. His life experiences made him more mature, but he is also alone.

I love writing “happily ever after” stories. I imagine readers making theirdrinks (hot or cold, as you like it),then making themselves comfortable enough to settle in and read my stories after a long stressful day at work. I write novelettes with the thought that when someone finishes reading my story, they close their eyes, with a smile and a sigh,sleeping a little better as a result.

I usually come up with storylines after reading GLBT news items,or perhaps seeing an activity in a public situation. What I dream feels real in my head and I want to tell my tales to the world.

Yes, I am more of a storyteller than anything else… maybe even a dreamweaver.

My author page on Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/LilyAdileLamb/
My author page on Amazon is http://www.amazon.com/Lily-Adile-Lamb/e/B00VCQC47I

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Guest Post by Phetra Novak, Author of Finding Home and Haven’s Revenge (Caddo Norse Series)

havens revenge

Norse mythology, actually most kind of mythology, has been a subject that have been close to my heart for most of my life. I am by far the least religious person you can find but the myths and lore about the vikings and Norse Gods, bloody as it may be has always put a thrill in me. And in a way I guess it is just the fact that it is more lore and folktales than religion that suits me. Because lore and folktales are more commonly known as tales, unlike religion that is taken as a fact and truth even though there’s nothing that proves that it is anything else but 95% lore too.The idea of turning Norse mythology and Native American lore into one well-oiled series was never really the plan, Haven was at the start, a Native American were

The idea of turning Norse mythology and Native American lore into one well-oiled series was never really the plan, Haven was at the start, a Native American were hunter who was going to have no other passion than traveling the roads like a nomad. His only mission in life that of killing off the entire shifter race because of what one crazed shifter did to his family and tribe. He was never meant to have a lover, a group of men and women who he considered his family, no his story was at the early stages of my brain’s development of this story a very solitude and dark life.

It wasn’t until I started plotting out his story that the idea of Norse Mythology and the Fenrir Ulv, being the ultimate father of all shifters, started to creep into my mind. First, the Fenrir Ulv was going to be the Ultimate shifter, as he still is, the father of all creation when it came to were shifters. He was meant to have been Haven’s ultimate challenge, who Haven, in the end, was meant to die from trying to kill, and who know’s he might just still do that, but all in all no matter what happens  the path Haven went down was nothing like I first anticipated or planned.

Native American lore and history have is another subject that has always been something that has fascinated me. Native Americans being the only real natives of the continent of North America, it’s always surprised me how little we see of that history there. They were there, living the earth, making homes and a living long before Columbus discovered the Americas and were and are a huge part, the essential part of North American history and still “the white” man’s minute long presence is what dominates our history books. With Haven’s Revenge, I wanted to change that, I wanted to make Native American history and lore a main part of the story.

Those who have read my books, and I guess especially those that have read my books and knows me, know’s I favor the underdog, the oddball, the grumpy goodhearted bastards of society who everyone else has lost faith in, those are the men and women I prefer since following the stream of political correctness has never really been my cup of tea. I can honestly say I despise political correctness for the sake of it because way too many people hide behind it and are allowed to act like cowards because of it.

Planning Haven’s Revenge, at the beginning, was fairly easy because his cause his reason was just going to be that of revenging his past with his acts of devotion to killing of every shifter till all of them were dead. It wasn’t until I reacquainted myself with the Fenrir Ulv and Norse Mythology, and my love for it came back to live that I started playing with the idea of making it part of the heart of my story. I mean killing the Fenrir off when he was such a cool myth and when it would be so much more fun and interesting to have him stay alive and for once being one of the good guys!

It is funny when it comes to Norse Mythology and Vikings, most people get it wrong, Thor and Odin, and even Loki always somehow become heroes like Superman or Batman. Bad boys with good guys heart when in reality all of them were if you read the Edda or other sources of Norse Mythology information, they were all evil and selfish bastards. And as for the Viking, there was nothing gentle or loving about them, they were all brutes. Barbarians.

Fated fuure

Being pretty familiar with Norse mythology researching it I knew what I was looking for and really just needed to look up details such as how the Fenrir Ulv was captured by the Asa Gods, where exactly he was held and how they drove that sword through his giant jaws. The point was to keep as much of the original lore as possible, to keep the realness of what most people know or what is known as the “truth” so that you would get that familiar feeling as you read the story. Besides the most complicated story keeps to the facts, when you start swaying out too much and you need to explain in too much great detail that is when the story is lost. At least in my eyes it is.

So, what happened between Haven being a pissed of forever lost were hunter with nothing else on his mind than prowling the land of the United States killing shifters and ending up as ranch hand training horses, being the candy of a farm boy’s eye and becoming the key to that farm boy’s future as the King of Wolves?

It is fairly stupid to call me romantic, because in reality I am not, I am way too cynical to be called romantic but I guess there’s a part of me, even if that part is fairly small, that still likes the idea of love like no other kind of love. The kind of love that will make you break all the rules, even your own, the kind of love that will get you through that long and dark tunnel and out into the light, the kind of love that makes you a possessive son of a gun and makes you wait forever and a lifetime just to be with that person for no other reason than that you have no room for anyone else. I guess a small part of me that exists out there at least for some people.

Mind you now I say love, not being in love, because even if the idea of being in love and the idea of that one perfect mate/lover/partner/second half (call it what you want) is something a lot of people hope is true, love can be any type of love it doesn’t have to be boy meets girl or boy meets boy. It can be the love between a parent and child, grandson, and grandfather and so on and so forth, and I think that you see all those kinds of loves all through Haven’s Revenge, that love is what love is and come in all different shapes and colors and none is better than the other just different.

As soon as I started to toy with the idea of making Thor and foremost Odin into the bad guys of my story and the Fenrir Ulv (and his siblings the Midgard Snake and Sleipnir) together into the good guys everything just sorts of fell into place all on its own. Coleman and Vojin they were the first characters to take form in my head, Vojin immediately being the key to the Native American lore of things.

To me, Native American culture and lore is a lot about self-discovery, about finding you inner strength, personal spirituality, and sacrifice. That you are willing to give up a lot of your own things to bring pleasure, happiness and safety for your people/family/tribe and at times that ultimate sacrifice is death itself but it is not feared because you are always protected by the spirit you made part of you. In Haven’s Revenge all of the Caddo community are a proof of this Zacharias, Haven’s father, death, Vojin being the link between the Caddo community, the Fenrir Ulv, and the Shifter council with the original eleven (twenty) cubs that were the children of the Caddo man who was the first man to ever be possessed by the Fenrir spirit and who managed to not go crazy.

The Caddo Norse story is the lack of a better word, a complex story, and I think that show’s in the criticism the book get both from people who love it and hate it, because the most common criticism it, or I have gotten, from readers and reviewers is that there’s “things” that doesn’t make sense like who the hell is Viktor and Hawk, the pop up and disappears and we don’t really great a grip on them, Vojin is essential to the story but we don’t see him enough, and this was supposed to be Haven’s and Alex’s story but it is stolen away because of all those other characters or their story was rushed (which I personally don’t get because it was dragged out to the point of almost becoming too much) but all these criticisms and others have answers.

The M/M Romance community is very used to, or spoiled (winks) with HEA’s with stories that start and ends with boy meets boy and then they live happily ever after. They are used to series where the MC are the main focus and there’s a new couple in each book and the couples from the past book or books only, if at all, makes small guest appearances. Not in mine, they don’t.

I don’t, only, write traditional romance stories, I obviously don’t mind them, but all my stories (with one exception of Finding Home) the main plot of the story isn’t love and getting the two MC’s together as a couple, they are a sidekick to the bigger picture, the red thread, the moral of the story which as in the Caddo Norse Novels is the war between the Asa Gods and the Fenrir Ulv/ Paranormal and human world. It is the war between good and evil, look and you shall find a lot of my own personal views on things all the good and all the evil represents real situations or people. What is the moral of the story? Characters pop up in Haven’s Revenge and disappears for a reason, we are shifted back and forth in time to show the reader historic events that have a purpose for the future.

And as for Haven and Alexander, whatever possessed you to think that their story was over to begin with? (Grins) There are load of things still going on with those two and their fate, their story, together as well as apart has only just begun (and that goes for Vojin too.)

finding home

Luca is a first year med student at the University of Gothenburg. He is following in his father’s footsteps, something he’d been programmed to do all his life. He lives a sheltered and still life, with no real friends. Luca would love to change that but doesn’t know how, since he always feels so odd around other people, like he doesn’t quite fit in. There’s so much inside him that wants out, like wanting to become a veterinarian more than a doctor. And the fact that he likes boys and not girls. But he doesn’t tell anyone about that—not even himself.

In comes Kai, an American cowboy in Gothenburg. He’s doing his thesis overseas to broadens his horizons before he does what he has always wanted to do, which is to go back home and run the family ranch. He just happens to see Luca one day leaving class and can’t stop watching the shy guy as he waded his way through the crowd with quick, silent steps, and his head down to avoid eye contact with anyone. For weeks Kai watches him from a distance, trying to figure out how to approach him.
Had he known that spilled coffee and slippery, awkward book bags would have gotten him close to the guy, he might have physically bumped into him a long time ago.

Finding Home is a book with star-crossed lovers meeting and the evil mind of the wicked witch in the west threatening to crush young love’s every dream!

Amazon       ARe

 

About the Author

Phetra often refers to herself as the odd man out, the dorky book nerd who rather spend her time with a good book or making up fantastic stories with even more fantastic characters, than live in the real world dealing with real people. 

The real world is strange, in a very non humorous way, and people in it complicates it to the point of wearing you out. In the world of the written word, no matter if it is in someone else’s words or that of her own things might get busy, complicated, and sometime even plain painful, but somewhere along the line there is always a hero on the horizon. He might not be prime or proper, a church going pretty boy since the author prefer rebellious men and women who don’t follow the protocols of society.
 
One of her favorite saying are that only dead fish follow the stream and well she ain’t no dead fish. 

Phetra live together with her family, two children, a domestic partner and their two cats in Gothenburg, Sweden and when reading her books you will notice that she always finds a way of bringing her on culture into her books. 

The joy of writing and reading comes from her childhood and is something she has always loved, something she is passionate to share with others. Phetra loves hearing from her readers even with ideas of what they want to come next. 

If you are looking for her, the best place to start looking is at home in the quietest corner of the house, where she’ll be curled up with either her Kindle reading or with her laptop typing away.

You can also find Phetra at:

Amazon author page: Phetra H. Novak

Webpage: http://www.phetranovak.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhetraNovak
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phetra.hedlund
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14436714.Phetra_H_Novak

 

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The Kitchen Boy by Augusta Li

kitchenboy

From Dreamspinner:

Kitchen servant Yoli is one of only three men who know a carefully guarded secret about High Commander Koehen, the brilliant general who united their lands against a common invader. The enemy wants that secret, and they are willing to use either kindness or cruelty to obtain it.

Yoli must decide if his loyalties lie with the commander, who has shown him more affection than anyone in Yoli’s life, or with his own best interests. High Commander Koehen’s attention is capricious at best—he summons Yoli only when it is convenient for him, and Yoli knows there’s little hope of a future together. Is a glimmer of a hope for love worth sacrificing a chance for prosperity beyond his wildest dreams?

 

Kimi’s thoughts:

This is a re-release, having been previously published by Silver with a different cover. I’m glad Dreamspinner rescued the title because it’s a sweet fantasy tale that follows the emotional and personal growth of both Yoli and Commander Koehen. Koehen’s attentions often seem to be elsewhere, his pre-occupation being on the battles he and his men face. Yoli loves him unconditionally, never seeing Koehen’s needs as weaknesses though hoping that one day the Commander will see him for himself and not just as a convenient outlet for relief.

When Yoli becomes unwittingly embroiled in an enemy plot , he faces temptations that he’s never had to face before. His purity of heart  gives him a point of view regarding the men on both sides of the conflict that ultimately goes on to shape his future in ways he would never have guessed. Koehen’s response to the plot, both professional and personal, likewise  have far-reaching consequences for himself, Yoli, and the kingdom. I would have liked to have gotten to read a bit more about the wizard and Koehen, especially since the plot hints at changes to come for the wizard as well, who is himself a lonely soul. Even so, it was a very satisfying read and so Kimi gives it a solid 4 stars.

Rating:4

kimisig

 

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Refraction Tour-Guest Post by Hayden Scott with Excerpt

refraction

Guest Post:
I have been an amateur writer for a long time—so long that I made a YouTube channel dedicated entirely to talking about the trials of being an amateur writer. It was a nice niche I’d settle in, and I was happy there.
Even so, I’m thrilled beyond words to have my first novella published by Harmony Ink this month. It’s a story that’s near and dear to my heart, and it hits a ton of my favorite tropes: secret identities, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, teen geniuses, secret societies, and overly complicated doomsday mechanisms.
It may be just another heartwarming tale of teenagers discovering corrupt power structures and themselves, but I hope you come to love it as much as I do.
–Hayden Scott
Excerpt:
“Dynaman, to the bell tower!” Max’s mother bellowed at him, swinging wildly from Mr. Magnificent’s shoulders as he heaved, trying to unseat her.
“You won’t get away with this, Catalyst,” Mr. Magnificent declared. “Your days are numbered!”
“You couldn’t even count high enough for that!” sneered Max’s mom, and she toppled them both over the railing onto a large conveyor belt.
Max sighed.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t committed to the mission or didn’t understand how important their work was. It was just that his mom and Mr. Magnificent had the same exchange every other week. And the worst part was that Mr. Magnificent was always right—he never let Max and Catalyst detonate their doomsday device, even though it would make a totally impressive battle finale. A lever always broke at the wrong time, or the sharks escaped the shark tank, or one time his mom’s monologue ran long enough for the SWAT team to arrive.
It was enough to give a guy a complex.
But Max flew up to the bell tower anyway, because one time he had gone home in the middle of a fight, and he was pretty sure he was technically still grounded.
The doomsday device sat proud and tall like a throne on the stone floor at the base of the bell. Max crouched in the windowsill for a moment, observing its majesty, then indulged himself in a midair backflip as he landed in front of it.
He could still be badass even if no one was around to see it. Blurb:
Max Jackson spends his days worrying about the same things most teenagers do—homework, college admission, and how to detonate the doomsday device his mom built in their basement. As a member of the “Injustice League,” Max has devoted his life to destroying his city’s corrupt power structure. Everything is going according to plan until all-American superhero Crush Goodman steals the device right out from under him. Max’s life gets even more complicated when Crush starts stalking him at school and acting friendlier than he ever should to his archnemesis. Caught between his evolving feelings for Crush and wanting to protect his secret identity, Max has to steal his device back and show Crush the true meaning of supervillainy.

Sales Links:
Harmony Ink Press: https://www.harmonyinkpress.com/books/refraction-by-hayden-scott-373-b
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Refraction-Hayden-Scott-ebook/dp/B01CN1O2PW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1457809870&sr=8-2&keywords=hayden+scott
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/refraction-hayden-scott/1123494368?ean=2940157889029
All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-refraction-1996363-145.html
Author Bio:
Hayden Scott grew up, very reluctantly, on a farm in the middle of nowhere. She spent her time climbing trees and playing in the dirt until the day she discovered books, at which point she holed up inside her imagination and never came out again. She prefers to believe the whole phrase is “Jack of all trades, master of none, certainly better than master of none.”

Hayden likes magic, adventure, romance, and puns. She has no idea where she is going but hopes that writing stories will make the journey more interesting.

Website: http://haydensuch.tumblr.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/haydensuch
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZBFZY1d9NcCH5fVt2Uv-Hg

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Hoofbeats by A.J. Marcus and Nicold Godfrey

HoofbeatsLGFrom Dreamspinner:

After a run of bad luck, gifted horse trainer Cole Frasier thinks he’s lost his touch. When he’s offered three times his normal rate to gentle a stallion, he needs the money badly enough he jumps at the opportunity, even if his boss is of questionable morality.

Once he meets Midnight Blood, he knows there’s something special about the horse, but he doesn’t know how special until he begins sharing dreams with the magnificent steed.

Derek Dancing Hawk is a horse shifter trapped in his horse form due to guilt over losing the wild herd he was guarding. When he meets Cole, as Midnight Blood, he wants to find a way to be human again. During a fight between Cole and the ranch foreman, he manages to shift and save Cole, but his transformation from horse to human is captured on camera. This not only gives Cole’s boss blackmail material, but also creates the need to warn the horse shifter council of the threat to their anonymity. The existence of shifters is a closely guarded secret, one they will go to great lengths to keep.

 

Kimi’s thoughts:

I was looking forward to reading tis as it’s a shifter story that is a bit different, what with it being a horse shifter and a trainer. It was an easy read and I really enjoyed it, though I will say it felt a bit rushed. We’re only given snippets of the past in brief paragraphs, no real backstory until the very end. The ending felt a bit uneven in the writing as well. I see this written by not one, but two authors, and it shows in the way the storytelling wanders a bit and then the pieces are all stuck together in the end.

 

The angst is palpable when reading about Cole, but I failed to completely connect with Derek as he was not presented quite as three dimensionally. A lot of reiteration on the single occurrence that led to his traumatic shift and being stuck in his horse form, but not much else really seems to go on besides avoiding Cole and then wanting to get it on with Cole, until the last quarter of the book. Likewise, the mystic aspect with the coyote was fascinating, but strangely left more questions than answers, and not just in the way that book perhaps intended. I think if the book had been expanded bit to explore more of the backstory and given more page time to coyote and other secondary characters who became suddenly important in the end, it would have been a much better book. As it is, it’s a good book, just not a great one.

 

Rating: 3.5