E.P. Clark's Blog, page 4
May 9, 2020
Cover Reveal and Free Review Copies of "The Dreaming Land" Omnibus
Hi Everyone!
I hope you are staying safe and surviving lockdown. Just when it looks like we might be getting a handle on COVID-19, it turns out we aren't. So I guess we will be locked down in our post-apocalyptic hiding pods for the foreseeable future.
Speaking of such things, I just made my last donation of my March and April royalties to the Italian Red Cross. A HUGE thanks to everyone who contributed to the effort, either by buying my books or donating directly. And if you would like to make a contribution to the Italian Red Cross, you can do so here: https://www.cri.it/home
As for me, my semester is coming rapidly to a close. Yay! Now I have to figure out how to keep writing--both fiction and academic writing--without wrecking my eyes and my back beyond repair. We were not designed to sit in front of a computer for hours and hours every day. Unfortunately, while my walking is definitely better than it was 18 months ago, it's still not to the point of being able to go for multiple walks a day. Maybe someday...
Meanwhile, I've been doing some fun reading. I recently finished The Weaver by Emmi Itäranta (fun fact: Itäranta means "East Shore" in Finnish). I originally picked it up because of the author's Finnish name. It turns out there's nothing particularly Finnish about the story, but it's a gorgeous piece of literary fantasy with a gripping story. Highly recommend! Or if you're looking for something more post-apocalyptic, I really enjoyed Samantha Shannon's The Bone Season, the first book in a series about an alternative England where psychics are persecuted. It's kind of an Edwardian futuristic gaslamp fantasy sci-fi thing, if such a thing can be imagined.
What about you? What have you been reading under lockdown? Any great recommendations?
I've also managed to get the omnibus edition of The Dreaming Land out on all channels! You can check out the cover on my website: https://epclarkauthor.net/2020/05/09/...
It's slowly populating the various virtual storefronts out there (including libraries! You can get my books for free by requesting them through the library!). Of course, I'd love to get some reviews for it! If you've already reviewed any of the books in the trilogy, you would make my day by dropping a review on the omnibus edition as well (universal link here): https://books2read.com/u/bovzMR
And if you haven't read the trilogy yet but would like to, or would like the omnibus edition, reply to this post or send me an email at epclark@epclarkauthor.net and I'll send you a free review copy. Reviews on any or all platforms are very welcome, but I'm particularly looking to spread the love to the non-Amazon platforms such as Apple, Kobo, and Nook. Diversity is key, as is being represented in places other than the hothouse cagefight that is currently the Kindle market.
Well, that's about it for today, everyone. Stay safe, and happy reading!
Here's this week's selection of giveaways:
Check out the Fantastical Tales in May Giveaway on StoryOrigin: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/YcpBoxw
Stuck at home? Travel to new worlds with the Starlight SciFi and Fantasy Giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/BM7Kt0l
I hope you are staying safe and surviving lockdown. Just when it looks like we might be getting a handle on COVID-19, it turns out we aren't. So I guess we will be locked down in our post-apocalyptic hiding pods for the foreseeable future.
Speaking of such things, I just made my last donation of my March and April royalties to the Italian Red Cross. A HUGE thanks to everyone who contributed to the effort, either by buying my books or donating directly. And if you would like to make a contribution to the Italian Red Cross, you can do so here: https://www.cri.it/home
As for me, my semester is coming rapidly to a close. Yay! Now I have to figure out how to keep writing--both fiction and academic writing--without wrecking my eyes and my back beyond repair. We were not designed to sit in front of a computer for hours and hours every day. Unfortunately, while my walking is definitely better than it was 18 months ago, it's still not to the point of being able to go for multiple walks a day. Maybe someday...
Meanwhile, I've been doing some fun reading. I recently finished The Weaver by Emmi Itäranta (fun fact: Itäranta means "East Shore" in Finnish). I originally picked it up because of the author's Finnish name. It turns out there's nothing particularly Finnish about the story, but it's a gorgeous piece of literary fantasy with a gripping story. Highly recommend! Or if you're looking for something more post-apocalyptic, I really enjoyed Samantha Shannon's The Bone Season, the first book in a series about an alternative England where psychics are persecuted. It's kind of an Edwardian futuristic gaslamp fantasy sci-fi thing, if such a thing can be imagined.
What about you? What have you been reading under lockdown? Any great recommendations?
I've also managed to get the omnibus edition of The Dreaming Land out on all channels! You can check out the cover on my website: https://epclarkauthor.net/2020/05/09/...
It's slowly populating the various virtual storefronts out there (including libraries! You can get my books for free by requesting them through the library!). Of course, I'd love to get some reviews for it! If you've already reviewed any of the books in the trilogy, you would make my day by dropping a review on the omnibus edition as well (universal link here): https://books2read.com/u/bovzMR
And if you haven't read the trilogy yet but would like to, or would like the omnibus edition, reply to this post or send me an email at epclark@epclarkauthor.net and I'll send you a free review copy. Reviews on any or all platforms are very welcome, but I'm particularly looking to spread the love to the non-Amazon platforms such as Apple, Kobo, and Nook. Diversity is key, as is being represented in places other than the hothouse cagefight that is currently the Kindle market.
Well, that's about it for today, everyone. Stay safe, and happy reading!
Here's this week's selection of giveaways:
Check out the Fantastical Tales in May Giveaway on StoryOrigin: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/YcpBoxw
Stuck at home? Travel to new worlds with the Starlight SciFi and Fantasy Giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/BM7Kt0l
April 25, 2020
Cover Reveal and Free Review Copies of "The Breathing Sea"
Hi all!
I hope you are all doing well and staying safe. Here things continue to be reasonably calm, although lockdown has been extended to the end of May. Better than the alternative, for sure. For me, of course, the difference between life under lockdown and life not under lockdown is not that big, but it *is* a bit annoying that acquiring certain essential products such as wild bird seed has become more challenging. Thus far I have managed to avoid a complete break in the bird seed supply chain, but I worry that if I ever *do* run out, I'll be in trouble. Those jays and starlings strike me as the type to lead a riot if they don't get their meals in a timely fashion.
I've also managed to get in some more good reading. As those of you who have been following me for a while probably know, I'm a huge fan of Jacqueline Carey. Even so, I am only now finally getting around to reading her recent release Starless. I'm still just partway through it, but once again I think she's knocked it out of the epic fantasy park. Maybe not quite in the same league as the Kushiel series, but let's be frank, what would be? And it's quite a bit less, ahem, adult than her Kushiel books, so if you've always wanted to read her but have been afraid to venture into such racy territory, Starless is considerably less X-rated.
And now for my own writing news: as I announced last week, I'm doing omnibus editions of all the mini-series within the overall Zemnian Series. Last week I did a cover reveal and giveaway for The Midnight Land. (If missed it and you'd like a review copy of The Midnight Land, just shoot me an email at epclark@epclarkauthor.net). This week I'm doing a cover reveal and giveaway of review copies for The Breathing Sea. You can see the cover on my blog here: https://epclarkauthor.net/2020/04/25/...
I'm also "going wide" with my books and putting them up on all storefronts, and--crucially--libraries. And so this is where I ask for reviews! If you've read either or both of the books in the Breathing Sea mini-series in the past and feel moved to leave a review for the omnibus version, it would be greatly appreciated! If you haven't read it yet but would be interested in reading and reviewing it, I'm giving away free review copies. Just send me an email to epclark@epclarkauthor.net and I'll send you a free ePub version! (Mobis can probably also be created upon request).
And although reviews on Amazon are of course always welcome, I'm particularly interested in getting reviews on other platforms such as Apple, B&N, and Kobo.
Warning: It is a rather long book! Also full of Russian names. Just something to bear in mind before diving in. But if that sounds like something up your alley, I'm more than happy to give out copies of the book to anyone who wants it, so again just email me at epclark@epclarkauthor.net and I'll send you your copy ASAP.
And now for this week's giveaway!
There's still a few days left in the April Epic and High Fantasy Giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/k0virnC
I hope you are all doing well and staying safe. Here things continue to be reasonably calm, although lockdown has been extended to the end of May. Better than the alternative, for sure. For me, of course, the difference between life under lockdown and life not under lockdown is not that big, but it *is* a bit annoying that acquiring certain essential products such as wild bird seed has become more challenging. Thus far I have managed to avoid a complete break in the bird seed supply chain, but I worry that if I ever *do* run out, I'll be in trouble. Those jays and starlings strike me as the type to lead a riot if they don't get their meals in a timely fashion.
I've also managed to get in some more good reading. As those of you who have been following me for a while probably know, I'm a huge fan of Jacqueline Carey. Even so, I am only now finally getting around to reading her recent release Starless. I'm still just partway through it, but once again I think she's knocked it out of the epic fantasy park. Maybe not quite in the same league as the Kushiel series, but let's be frank, what would be? And it's quite a bit less, ahem, adult than her Kushiel books, so if you've always wanted to read her but have been afraid to venture into such racy territory, Starless is considerably less X-rated.
And now for my own writing news: as I announced last week, I'm doing omnibus editions of all the mini-series within the overall Zemnian Series. Last week I did a cover reveal and giveaway for The Midnight Land. (If missed it and you'd like a review copy of The Midnight Land, just shoot me an email at epclark@epclarkauthor.net). This week I'm doing a cover reveal and giveaway of review copies for The Breathing Sea. You can see the cover on my blog here: https://epclarkauthor.net/2020/04/25/...
I'm also "going wide" with my books and putting them up on all storefronts, and--crucially--libraries. And so this is where I ask for reviews! If you've read either or both of the books in the Breathing Sea mini-series in the past and feel moved to leave a review for the omnibus version, it would be greatly appreciated! If you haven't read it yet but would be interested in reading and reviewing it, I'm giving away free review copies. Just send me an email to epclark@epclarkauthor.net and I'll send you a free ePub version! (Mobis can probably also be created upon request).
And although reviews on Amazon are of course always welcome, I'm particularly interested in getting reviews on other platforms such as Apple, B&N, and Kobo.
Warning: It is a rather long book! Also full of Russian names. Just something to bear in mind before diving in. But if that sounds like something up your alley, I'm more than happy to give out copies of the book to anyone who wants it, so again just email me at epclark@epclarkauthor.net and I'll send you your copy ASAP.
And now for this week's giveaway!
There's still a few days left in the April Epic and High Fantasy Giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/k0virnC
April 18, 2020
Cover Reveal and Free Review Copies of "The Midnight Land" Omnibus Edition
Hi everyone!
I hope you are all safe and healthy. It's been quite a month, hasn't it? Luckily for me, I've been able to go into almost total lockdown pretty easily. Others have not been so fortunate. The stories coming out of New York have been very grim indeed. International House, the dorm I lived in while I was at Columbia, has ended up shutting down after a resident died of COVID-19. Unfortunately, this means that a lot of international students with nowhere else to go, and possible exposure to the virus, were suddenly out on the streets, looking for a place to live. And that's just one of the harrowing stories from NYC. Meanwhile, Italy is still struggling to control its infection rate, which has plateaued but not dropped despite more than a month of lockdown.
(A huge thanks to everyone who's participated in my effort to raise money for the Italian Red Cross, by the way. I've already donated my March royalties to them, and I'll be donating my April royalties as well. If you'd like to help, you can donate directly to Croce Rossa Italiana here: https://www.cri.it/home or grab some of my books here: https://www.amazon.com/Giaco-Luca-3-B... or here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074CB3PKB ).
I'm not writing this to dwell on doom and gloom, but to emphasize that we are living through very extraordinary times indeed, and tough times are here and are probably going to be here for a while. No one wanted them, and I'm sure we'd send them away if we could (and we are taking extraordinary measures to send them away as quickly as possible), but here we are.
At such times there's always the question of what is the worth of literature at a moment like this. Surely we should all be virologists?
Well, of course, virology is a noble profession and it is wonderful that virologists are hard at work searching for treatments and vaccines. All power to them. But we are, on some level, not just a collection of interdependent cells, but creatures of story and song. Our souls need narratives in the same way that our cells need nutrition. So writing and reading literature is not a waste of time right now, but an imperative. Or so says the graphomaniac reading addict.
A lot of people are seeking some form of light escapism, which is certainly understandable. If that's what you're doing, what's your go-to author or series? My favorite books for that purpose are Rosalind James's New Zealand romance novels. I'm not normally a big romance fan, but her tours of New Zealand are irresistible, and her books manage to add a big dose of "serious issues" while still keeping it all wrapped up in the most extravagant of romantic fantasies, along with a healthy dose of humor. I'm currently reading Kiwi Rules, and waiting with bated breath to find out whether the Kiwi underwear-model-turned-wounded-war-hero will succeed in wooing the overachieving American fleeing heartbreak and failure. It's a nail-biter, but somehow I think it might all work out in the end...
But literature provides more than "just" escapism. It can also help put things in perspective, and give us courage when times get hard. I've been reading Silver Age (approximately 1900-1920) poetry with my literature students since the lockdown started. All of these authors witnessed revolutions, world wars, and totalitarianism--not to mention the last major world pandemic to sweep the globe. And they remind us, in the words of Osip Mandelstam, that once your breath has settled onto the glass of eternity, the pattern it leaves cannot completely be erased. Reading poetry is often the best way to remind ourselves of that--what's your go-to poetry to read?
Okay, enough of that! I promised a cover reveal, so here we go!
I've been working on creating an omnibus edition of The Midnight Land, and it's finally here! You can check out the cover on my blog at: https://epclarkauthor.net/2020/04/18/...
I'm "going wide" with all my books this spring, with the goal of distributing them around the world *and* getting them into libraries. The TML omnibus edition is currently populating various storefronts. If you've read either or both of the books in the mini-series, reviews would be very much appreciated! I'm especially trying to build up my reviews on non-Amazon stores (although Amazon reviews are also always extremely welcome), such as Kobo and Apple, so reviews in those stores would be particularly appreciated. Universal link for the book is here: https://books2read.com/u/banVq6
If you haven't read the books but would like to, I'm giving out free review copies in ePub to anyone who wants them. Just shoot me an email at epclark@epclarkauthor.net and I'll send you one.
Stay safe everyone, and happy reading!
And of course, here's this week's collection of giveaways!
It's the last weekend for the Magic & Adventure Fantasy Giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dmHZKXU
Check out the Epic High Fantasy Giveaway for more free fantasy ebooks: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/k0virnC
I hope you are all safe and healthy. It's been quite a month, hasn't it? Luckily for me, I've been able to go into almost total lockdown pretty easily. Others have not been so fortunate. The stories coming out of New York have been very grim indeed. International House, the dorm I lived in while I was at Columbia, has ended up shutting down after a resident died of COVID-19. Unfortunately, this means that a lot of international students with nowhere else to go, and possible exposure to the virus, were suddenly out on the streets, looking for a place to live. And that's just one of the harrowing stories from NYC. Meanwhile, Italy is still struggling to control its infection rate, which has plateaued but not dropped despite more than a month of lockdown.
(A huge thanks to everyone who's participated in my effort to raise money for the Italian Red Cross, by the way. I've already donated my March royalties to them, and I'll be donating my April royalties as well. If you'd like to help, you can donate directly to Croce Rossa Italiana here: https://www.cri.it/home or grab some of my books here: https://www.amazon.com/Giaco-Luca-3-B... or here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074CB3PKB ).
I'm not writing this to dwell on doom and gloom, but to emphasize that we are living through very extraordinary times indeed, and tough times are here and are probably going to be here for a while. No one wanted them, and I'm sure we'd send them away if we could (and we are taking extraordinary measures to send them away as quickly as possible), but here we are.
At such times there's always the question of what is the worth of literature at a moment like this. Surely we should all be virologists?
Well, of course, virology is a noble profession and it is wonderful that virologists are hard at work searching for treatments and vaccines. All power to them. But we are, on some level, not just a collection of interdependent cells, but creatures of story and song. Our souls need narratives in the same way that our cells need nutrition. So writing and reading literature is not a waste of time right now, but an imperative. Or so says the graphomaniac reading addict.
A lot of people are seeking some form of light escapism, which is certainly understandable. If that's what you're doing, what's your go-to author or series? My favorite books for that purpose are Rosalind James's New Zealand romance novels. I'm not normally a big romance fan, but her tours of New Zealand are irresistible, and her books manage to add a big dose of "serious issues" while still keeping it all wrapped up in the most extravagant of romantic fantasies, along with a healthy dose of humor. I'm currently reading Kiwi Rules, and waiting with bated breath to find out whether the Kiwi underwear-model-turned-wounded-war-hero will succeed in wooing the overachieving American fleeing heartbreak and failure. It's a nail-biter, but somehow I think it might all work out in the end...
But literature provides more than "just" escapism. It can also help put things in perspective, and give us courage when times get hard. I've been reading Silver Age (approximately 1900-1920) poetry with my literature students since the lockdown started. All of these authors witnessed revolutions, world wars, and totalitarianism--not to mention the last major world pandemic to sweep the globe. And they remind us, in the words of Osip Mandelstam, that once your breath has settled onto the glass of eternity, the pattern it leaves cannot completely be erased. Reading poetry is often the best way to remind ourselves of that--what's your go-to poetry to read?
Okay, enough of that! I promised a cover reveal, so here we go!
I've been working on creating an omnibus edition of The Midnight Land, and it's finally here! You can check out the cover on my blog at: https://epclarkauthor.net/2020/04/18/...
I'm "going wide" with all my books this spring, with the goal of distributing them around the world *and* getting them into libraries. The TML omnibus edition is currently populating various storefronts. If you've read either or both of the books in the mini-series, reviews would be very much appreciated! I'm especially trying to build up my reviews on non-Amazon stores (although Amazon reviews are also always extremely welcome), such as Kobo and Apple, so reviews in those stores would be particularly appreciated. Universal link for the book is here: https://books2read.com/u/banVq6
If you haven't read the books but would like to, I'm giving out free review copies in ePub to anyone who wants them. Just shoot me an email at epclark@epclarkauthor.net and I'll send you one.
Stay safe everyone, and happy reading!
And of course, here's this week's collection of giveaways!
It's the last weekend for the Magic & Adventure Fantasy Giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dmHZKXU
Check out the Epic High Fantasy Giveaway for more free fantasy ebooks: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/k0virnC
March 28, 2020
Thanks So Much For Supporting the Italian Red Cross
Hi All,
I hope that you are home and safe and staying that way. March is certainly determined to go out like a lion, isn't it?
I wanted to thank everyone who helped out in my efforts to raise money for the Italian Red Cross, either by buying my books or by donating directly.
As you may or may not know, royalties take a while to get processed and sent to the authors. Since help is needed now, not 60 days from now, I've decided to make donations now as estimated royalty reports come in.
Obviously it's not an enormous amount (most authors are not exactly rolling in cash from their book sales), but every bit helps! I'll continue sending in donations as more sales get reported.
If you'd like to help out, you can donate to the Italian Red Cross directly here: https://www.cri.it/home or stock up on cheap reading material and buy any of my books (links below) and all the royalties from March and April will go to the Italian Red Cross.
Books, books, books!
Half a Dream is now out in audio form! It's slowly populating the stores, but you can currently get it on:
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/...
Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/4534...
The Shadowy Man is also now widely available in audio, including on:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shadowy-Man-Re...
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/...
Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/audiobo...
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
Nook: https://www.nookaudiobooks.com/audiob...
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/4474...
You can also request it through your local library.
You can get the entire Giaco & Luca trilogy in ebook form on Amazon. The first book is just 99c! Series page here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
And if you prefer Russian over Italian fantasy, you can get the Zemnian Series on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Zemnian-Trilog...
Want more reading material? Check out these fantasy giveaways!
Last chance to visit the Supernatural March giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/5HWYFV0
Stuck at home and looking to get away? Check out the Magic & Adventure giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dmHZKXU
I hope that you are home and safe and staying that way. March is certainly determined to go out like a lion, isn't it?
I wanted to thank everyone who helped out in my efforts to raise money for the Italian Red Cross, either by buying my books or by donating directly.
As you may or may not know, royalties take a while to get processed and sent to the authors. Since help is needed now, not 60 days from now, I've decided to make donations now as estimated royalty reports come in.
Obviously it's not an enormous amount (most authors are not exactly rolling in cash from their book sales), but every bit helps! I'll continue sending in donations as more sales get reported.
If you'd like to help out, you can donate to the Italian Red Cross directly here: https://www.cri.it/home or stock up on cheap reading material and buy any of my books (links below) and all the royalties from March and April will go to the Italian Red Cross.
Books, books, books!
Half a Dream is now out in audio form! It's slowly populating the stores, but you can currently get it on:
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/...
Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/4534...
The Shadowy Man is also now widely available in audio, including on:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shadowy-Man-Re...
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/...
Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/audiobo...
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
Nook: https://www.nookaudiobooks.com/audiob...
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/4474...
You can also request it through your local library.
You can get the entire Giaco & Luca trilogy in ebook form on Amazon. The first book is just 99c! Series page here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
And if you prefer Russian over Italian fantasy, you can get the Zemnian Series on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Zemnian-Trilog...
Want more reading material? Check out these fantasy giveaways!
Last chance to visit the Supernatural March giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/5HWYFV0
Stuck at home and looking to get away? Check out the Magic & Adventure giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dmHZKXU
March 22, 2020
Donating My Royalties to the Italian Red Cross
Hi All!
What a week--what a month--it has been! We truly live in interesting times. Unfortunately, it's more interesting-in-a-bad-way rather than interesting-in-a-good way at the moment.
I sincerely hope that you and your loved ones are safe and well, and that you are doing everything in your power to keep it that way. We may be in for a bit of a bumpy ride for the next few weeks or months. I myself am trying to practice stringent social distancing, which isn't actually that different from how I normally live, while retooling my courses to go from face-to-face to completely online on the fly. Alas, anyone who thinks that online courses are less work for the instructor is sadly mistaken. The reason classroom teaching is so popular is because it's the quickest and easiest way to deliver content--or at least have the sensation that you're delivering content.
As you no doubt know, the situation with the coronavirus pandemic is particularly severe in Italy. One of the most delightful experiences of my life was living in Lombardy, which is now in the epicenter of the crisis. Therefore, I've decided to donate my royalties from March and April to the Italian Red Cross. They have been sending emergency teams into Lombardy--and one of their volunteers has already died of the virus.
If you'd like to chip in and get some reading for your social isolation, links to my books are below. I'm in the process of waiting for stuff to come out of Kindle Unlimited so that I can "go wide" and distribute to all stores (and libraries!). I'm also in the process of getting my audiobooks up and running. Therefore, some of my books are in KU and others aren't, and distribution is a bit of a mess. However, everything is available somewhere or other.
A huge thanks ahead of time to anyone who wants to contribute. You can also donate directly to the Italian Red Cross here: https://www.cri.it/home The website is in Italian but Google offers to translate it when you open it.
All my royalties from all my books will go to the Italian Red Cross, but let's start with the Italian-themed ones:
First of all--big news! The audiobook of Half a Dream is already up on Kobo, and for a mere $2.99. Other stores coming soon--except for Audible. They have a major backlog and it's taking weeks or months for books to appear on the Audible/Amazon store.
Kobo link here: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
The audiobook for The Shadowy Man is now up everywhere *except* Amazon. They're saying it will be soon. Universal link for most stores here: https://books2read.com/u/4Azd7J (the Amazon link will currently just take you to the ebook). And if you're a Chirp listener like I am, the Chirp link is here: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...
Here's the link to the Amazon series page for the whole Giaco & Luca series in ebook form: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YWC28WP
If you're feeling more in the mood for Russian rather than Italian, here's the link to the series page for the Zemnian Series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074CB3PKB
And if you want to donate directly to the Croce Rossa Italiana, here's that link again: https://www.cri.it/home
Of course, if you need more reading, here's this week's selection of giveaways:
Check out the Supernatural March Giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/5HWYFV0
Go on an adventure with the Magic & Adventure Giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dmHZKXU
What a week--what a month--it has been! We truly live in interesting times. Unfortunately, it's more interesting-in-a-bad-way rather than interesting-in-a-good way at the moment.
I sincerely hope that you and your loved ones are safe and well, and that you are doing everything in your power to keep it that way. We may be in for a bit of a bumpy ride for the next few weeks or months. I myself am trying to practice stringent social distancing, which isn't actually that different from how I normally live, while retooling my courses to go from face-to-face to completely online on the fly. Alas, anyone who thinks that online courses are less work for the instructor is sadly mistaken. The reason classroom teaching is so popular is because it's the quickest and easiest way to deliver content--or at least have the sensation that you're delivering content.
As you no doubt know, the situation with the coronavirus pandemic is particularly severe in Italy. One of the most delightful experiences of my life was living in Lombardy, which is now in the epicenter of the crisis. Therefore, I've decided to donate my royalties from March and April to the Italian Red Cross. They have been sending emergency teams into Lombardy--and one of their volunteers has already died of the virus.
If you'd like to chip in and get some reading for your social isolation, links to my books are below. I'm in the process of waiting for stuff to come out of Kindle Unlimited so that I can "go wide" and distribute to all stores (and libraries!). I'm also in the process of getting my audiobooks up and running. Therefore, some of my books are in KU and others aren't, and distribution is a bit of a mess. However, everything is available somewhere or other.
A huge thanks ahead of time to anyone who wants to contribute. You can also donate directly to the Italian Red Cross here: https://www.cri.it/home The website is in Italian but Google offers to translate it when you open it.
All my royalties from all my books will go to the Italian Red Cross, but let's start with the Italian-themed ones:
First of all--big news! The audiobook of Half a Dream is already up on Kobo, and for a mere $2.99. Other stores coming soon--except for Audible. They have a major backlog and it's taking weeks or months for books to appear on the Audible/Amazon store.
Kobo link here: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
The audiobook for The Shadowy Man is now up everywhere *except* Amazon. They're saying it will be soon. Universal link for most stores here: https://books2read.com/u/4Azd7J (the Amazon link will currently just take you to the ebook). And if you're a Chirp listener like I am, the Chirp link is here: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...
Here's the link to the Amazon series page for the whole Giaco & Luca series in ebook form: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YWC28WP
If you're feeling more in the mood for Russian rather than Italian, here's the link to the series page for the Zemnian Series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074CB3PKB
And if you want to donate directly to the Croce Rossa Italiana, here's that link again: https://www.cri.it/home
Of course, if you need more reading, here's this week's selection of giveaways:
Check out the Supernatural March Giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/5HWYFV0
Go on an adventure with the Magic & Adventure Giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dmHZKXU
February 22, 2020
Get Your Copy of the Audiobook for "The Shadowy Man" (Including Free Review Copies!)
Hello Everyone!
So this will be short and to the point: I've *finally* gotten the audiobook of The Shadowy Man uploaded to its various stores! Not all of them are live yet, but it's currently available for a mere $2.99 on lots of retailers, including Apple, Chirp (all Chirp titles are 10% off), Google Play, Kobo, and Scribd. Amazon, Nook, and various others coming soon! It's also on Overdrive and Bibliotheca, or will be very soon, so you can request it through your local library and listen to it for free that way.
It's also on Authors Direct with Findaway Voices, and I have a limited number of Authors Direct codes to give away for free review copies! Authors Direct is currently only available in the US, Canada, and Australia, alas, but if you live in any of those countries and you'd like a free review copy, reply to this post or shoot me an email at epclark@epclarkauthor.net and I'll be happy to send you one. Once it's live on Audible I'll have Audible codes for listeners in the US and UK as well, so watch out for those.
I've recorded all three books in the Giaco & Luca series, and am currently in the editing phase. It's a slow process, but I'm planning to release the audio versions of books 2 & 3 later this spring. I had a *ton* of fun recording them and figuring out how to do the different voices for the different characters. My audiobook narrator skills are still very much a work in progress, but I certainly had a good time :) An exhausting time, but a good one.
Here are those links:
Apple: https://books.apple.com/audiobook/the...
Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/audiobo...
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/en/audiobook/the...
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/4474...
And here's this week's selection of giveaways:
TheFree Fairy Tale Books Giveaway has just started on Bookfunnel: https://books.bookfunnel.com/freefair...
Last week for the Epic High Fantasy February Giveaway on StoryOrigin: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dsbl3nI
So this will be short and to the point: I've *finally* gotten the audiobook of The Shadowy Man uploaded to its various stores! Not all of them are live yet, but it's currently available for a mere $2.99 on lots of retailers, including Apple, Chirp (all Chirp titles are 10% off), Google Play, Kobo, and Scribd. Amazon, Nook, and various others coming soon! It's also on Overdrive and Bibliotheca, or will be very soon, so you can request it through your local library and listen to it for free that way.
It's also on Authors Direct with Findaway Voices, and I have a limited number of Authors Direct codes to give away for free review copies! Authors Direct is currently only available in the US, Canada, and Australia, alas, but if you live in any of those countries and you'd like a free review copy, reply to this post or shoot me an email at epclark@epclarkauthor.net and I'll be happy to send you one. Once it's live on Audible I'll have Audible codes for listeners in the US and UK as well, so watch out for those.
I've recorded all three books in the Giaco & Luca series, and am currently in the editing phase. It's a slow process, but I'm planning to release the audio versions of books 2 & 3 later this spring. I had a *ton* of fun recording them and figuring out how to do the different voices for the different characters. My audiobook narrator skills are still very much a work in progress, but I certainly had a good time :) An exhausting time, but a good one.
Here are those links:
Apple: https://books.apple.com/audiobook/the...
Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/audiobo...
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/en/audiobook/the...
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/4474...
And here's this week's selection of giveaways:
TheFree Fairy Tale Books Giveaway has just started on Bookfunnel: https://books.bookfunnel.com/freefair...
Last week for the Epic High Fantasy February Giveaway on StoryOrigin: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dsbl3nI
February 8, 2020
Help Me by Voting on the Audiobook Cover for "Half a Dream"
Hi All!
I hope everyone is doing well and was not blown away by the storm that swept through a good deal of the US this week. I, obviously, was not blown away, although we did get a tornado warning on Thursday. But the pets and I are still in Kansas, or near enough.
Pet-related delays aside, I am slowly creeping towards the release of the audiobook versions of the Giaco & Luca books. However, I need your help! I can't decide between two covers for Half a Dream, so I'm asking you to pick! Please help rescue me from my indecision by voting on your favorite cover.
You can see them side-by-side and vote on them by going to the pinned post on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/epclarkauthor/
Well, that's about it for me today. Your help in this difficult and perplexing matter is greatly appreciated, and I hope you have a wonderful, fantasy-filled week!
This week's giveaway is the Epic High Fantasy February Giveaway on StoryOrigin: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dsbl3nI
I hope everyone is doing well and was not blown away by the storm that swept through a good deal of the US this week. I, obviously, was not blown away, although we did get a tornado warning on Thursday. But the pets and I are still in Kansas, or near enough.
Pet-related delays aside, I am slowly creeping towards the release of the audiobook versions of the Giaco & Luca books. However, I need your help! I can't decide between two covers for Half a Dream, so I'm asking you to pick! Please help rescue me from my indecision by voting on your favorite cover.
You can see them side-by-side and vote on them by going to the pinned post on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/epclarkauthor/
Well, that's about it for me today. Your help in this difficult and perplexing matter is greatly appreciated, and I hope you have a wonderful, fantasy-filled week!
This week's giveaway is the Epic High Fantasy February Giveaway on StoryOrigin: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dsbl3nI
January 18, 2020
Starting the Year off Right with More Great Fantasy!
Hi All!
Goodness, it's already the third week of this new year and new decade. The spring semester has already started. So far so good for me (for those you just joining us, I have some serious health issues resulting from Lyme disease and toxic mold exposure and who knows what else), although I am definitely sore from standing and writing at the board. One of those things you don't know till you get into it is how tiring writing on the board is. Probably teachers have special mid-back muscles that the trained eye can instantly recognize. And then there's the voice strain...
Anyway, between that and the fact that I *should* be working on the revisions of my war lit academic book, I don't have a lot new in the fantasy department going on right now. Although I am working on audiobook versions of the Giaco & Luca books, which has been super-fun. Tiring, but I have quite gotten into doing voices. The Shadowy Man alone has 11 different male voices, plus several female ones. I'm still in the editing and post-production stage of that one, and I'm reasonably pleased with how the different voices came out, but I think it improves with each book. As always, you will be the first to know when the audiobooks are available.
Meanwhile, I also happened to read a couple of great fantasy or fantasy-esque books in the past couple of weeks, so I thought I'd share them. And of course, if you've read something really awesome, I'd love to hear about it!
Book recommendation #1 is Pride and Prometheus, by John Kessel, who, I just discovered, is also a North Carolina-based literature professor, so that's fun. Pride and Prometheus follows Mary Bennet of Pride & Prejudice, but 13 years later. She runs into Victor Frankenstein, who is on the run from his Creature, at a London ball. Romance between them appears possible, but the presence of the Creature may ruin everything...
I loved this book (my full review is here), but it may not be for everyone. If you're of the opinion that Jane Austen wrote light and frothy romantic comedies, and/or you have a desperate need for anything that smacks of romance to follow the romance master plot with slavish fidelity, you might find this book disconcerting. It takes the darkness that lurks just under the surface in Austen's works, and that appears right on the surface in Mary Shelley's, and runs with it. Pride and Prometheus is dark, Gothic, thought-provoking, incredibly compelling, and full of delightful allusions for Austen and Mary Shelley fans. If that sounds tempting, run, don't walk, to your nearest online book retailer and grab a copy.
The second book on my recommended list is Dead Ringer, the 5th book in Kat Ross's Gaslamp Gothic series. (Apparently I'm on a Gothic kick). Well, since it's the 5th book, this is more a recommendation for the entire series, which is actually two intertwined series, both of which are excellent. Book 1 is what appears to be a fairly standard historical mystery set in New York in the 1880s, although there is a hint of possible supernatural activity. Book 2 confirms the supernatural activity and introduces a couple of new characters, although if you've read Ross's earlier epic fantasy, you'll discover they're not that new at all. Books 3 & 4 are largely in Europe and focus on the old-world characters with magical powers. Book 5 returns to New York and the non-magical heroine-caught-up-in-the-supernatural there. Both plotlines are satisfying, even though they haven't been resolved yet, and both settings are marvelously Gothic and magical, if in very different ways. If you're more into straight fantasy, I recommend books 3 & 4; if you like mysteries with a hint of the supernatural I recommend books 1, 2, & 5.
So that's some of the great reading I've been doing lately. What about you? What's caught your eye so far in 2020?
And, of course, here's this week's selection of giveaways!
Like myths, legends, and magical creatures? Check out the Legendary Fantasy giveaway on Bookfunnel! https://books.bookfunnel.com/legendar...
Start the year off right with this Sci-Fi and Fantasy giveaway on StoryOrigin! https://storyoriginapp.com/to/UgSrYpi
Goodness, it's already the third week of this new year and new decade. The spring semester has already started. So far so good for me (for those you just joining us, I have some serious health issues resulting from Lyme disease and toxic mold exposure and who knows what else), although I am definitely sore from standing and writing at the board. One of those things you don't know till you get into it is how tiring writing on the board is. Probably teachers have special mid-back muscles that the trained eye can instantly recognize. And then there's the voice strain...
Anyway, between that and the fact that I *should* be working on the revisions of my war lit academic book, I don't have a lot new in the fantasy department going on right now. Although I am working on audiobook versions of the Giaco & Luca books, which has been super-fun. Tiring, but I have quite gotten into doing voices. The Shadowy Man alone has 11 different male voices, plus several female ones. I'm still in the editing and post-production stage of that one, and I'm reasonably pleased with how the different voices came out, but I think it improves with each book. As always, you will be the first to know when the audiobooks are available.
Meanwhile, I also happened to read a couple of great fantasy or fantasy-esque books in the past couple of weeks, so I thought I'd share them. And of course, if you've read something really awesome, I'd love to hear about it!
Book recommendation #1 is Pride and Prometheus, by John Kessel, who, I just discovered, is also a North Carolina-based literature professor, so that's fun. Pride and Prometheus follows Mary Bennet of Pride & Prejudice, but 13 years later. She runs into Victor Frankenstein, who is on the run from his Creature, at a London ball. Romance between them appears possible, but the presence of the Creature may ruin everything...
I loved this book (my full review is here), but it may not be for everyone. If you're of the opinion that Jane Austen wrote light and frothy romantic comedies, and/or you have a desperate need for anything that smacks of romance to follow the romance master plot with slavish fidelity, you might find this book disconcerting. It takes the darkness that lurks just under the surface in Austen's works, and that appears right on the surface in Mary Shelley's, and runs with it. Pride and Prometheus is dark, Gothic, thought-provoking, incredibly compelling, and full of delightful allusions for Austen and Mary Shelley fans. If that sounds tempting, run, don't walk, to your nearest online book retailer and grab a copy.
The second book on my recommended list is Dead Ringer, the 5th book in Kat Ross's Gaslamp Gothic series. (Apparently I'm on a Gothic kick). Well, since it's the 5th book, this is more a recommendation for the entire series, which is actually two intertwined series, both of which are excellent. Book 1 is what appears to be a fairly standard historical mystery set in New York in the 1880s, although there is a hint of possible supernatural activity. Book 2 confirms the supernatural activity and introduces a couple of new characters, although if you've read Ross's earlier epic fantasy, you'll discover they're not that new at all. Books 3 & 4 are largely in Europe and focus on the old-world characters with magical powers. Book 5 returns to New York and the non-magical heroine-caught-up-in-the-supernatural there. Both plotlines are satisfying, even though they haven't been resolved yet, and both settings are marvelously Gothic and magical, if in very different ways. If you're more into straight fantasy, I recommend books 3 & 4; if you like mysteries with a hint of the supernatural I recommend books 1, 2, & 5.
So that's some of the great reading I've been doing lately. What about you? What's caught your eye so far in 2020?
And, of course, here's this week's selection of giveaways!
Like myths, legends, and magical creatures? Check out the Legendary Fantasy giveaway on Bookfunnel! https://books.bookfunnel.com/legendar...
Start the year off right with this Sci-Fi and Fantasy giveaway on StoryOrigin! https://storyoriginapp.com/to/UgSrYpi
January 4, 2020
It's a New Year! Reading Recommendations and Updates
Hello Everyone! Welcome to the '20s!
Time really does feel like it's slippin', slippin, slippin' into the future--which I guess is what it does. I've been quite busy with a new project. I've decided to make audio versions of my books, narrating them myself. Right now I'm most of the way through recording the Giaco & Luca series (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...). Then comes the really slow part: the editing. It's a fierce debate amongst authors right now: should you record your audiobooks yourself, thus giving your readers/listeners the experience of hearing you narrate your own stories just as you want them to be narrated (ability allowing), or do you turn that massive task over to a professional narrator and sound engineer? So far I've chosen to do it all myself, which has been quite a task--but a very entertaining one. Expect updates about that soon.
Meanwhile, I thought I'd start 2020 off with some of the books and music I liked best from 2019.
This isn't actually from 2019, but there was a big sale on them a few months ago, so I snapped them up. I've mentioned before what a huge fan I am of Robin Hobb, but I only read the Rain Wild Chronicles this fall.
For those of you familiar with Hobb's other books, these four stories link up the hitherto mainly separate worlds of the Farseer series and the Liveship Traders series. They have their own cast of characters, who start off in Bingtown and the Rain Wilds, and then end in...well, I can't give it away, but somewhere that's important to FitzChivalry and The Fool. If this doesn't mean anything to you, I strongly recommend you run out and grab either these books, or Assassin's Apprentice, right now.
Another standout fantasy I read this year, which really is from 2019, is The Vine Witch. Set in a version of early 20th-century France where witches are tied to the land and affect the growing of grapes and the fermentation of wine, this literary/historical fantasy is both beautifully written and a gripping adventure. Definitely worth reading.
And then I have to throw out a word for a couple of standout folk metal albums I discovered. When I'm working at my computer I like to let YouTube trawl around and find me unusual music, which it obligingly does. It has decided to show me lots of folk metal, so here we are. Check out these bands--you will not be sorry.
Skald's debut album is a unique interpretation of medieval Nordic Skaldic (bardic) music. Turns out this is a whole genre that you can spend hours listening to... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9NIB...
The HU combine hard rock and Mongolian throat singing, in what Apple Music calls "one of 2019's most singular rock albums." It may be the apotheosis of metal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8dC...
And let's not forget our book giveaways! This week's giveaway is the Fantasy Previews Fair from StoryOrigin: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/XRuhfJe
Time really does feel like it's slippin', slippin, slippin' into the future--which I guess is what it does. I've been quite busy with a new project. I've decided to make audio versions of my books, narrating them myself. Right now I'm most of the way through recording the Giaco & Luca series (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...). Then comes the really slow part: the editing. It's a fierce debate amongst authors right now: should you record your audiobooks yourself, thus giving your readers/listeners the experience of hearing you narrate your own stories just as you want them to be narrated (ability allowing), or do you turn that massive task over to a professional narrator and sound engineer? So far I've chosen to do it all myself, which has been quite a task--but a very entertaining one. Expect updates about that soon.
Meanwhile, I thought I'd start 2020 off with some of the books and music I liked best from 2019.
This isn't actually from 2019, but there was a big sale on them a few months ago, so I snapped them up. I've mentioned before what a huge fan I am of Robin Hobb, but I only read the Rain Wild Chronicles this fall.
For those of you familiar with Hobb's other books, these four stories link up the hitherto mainly separate worlds of the Farseer series and the Liveship Traders series. They have their own cast of characters, who start off in Bingtown and the Rain Wilds, and then end in...well, I can't give it away, but somewhere that's important to FitzChivalry and The Fool. If this doesn't mean anything to you, I strongly recommend you run out and grab either these books, or Assassin's Apprentice, right now.
Another standout fantasy I read this year, which really is from 2019, is The Vine Witch. Set in a version of early 20th-century France where witches are tied to the land and affect the growing of grapes and the fermentation of wine, this literary/historical fantasy is both beautifully written and a gripping adventure. Definitely worth reading.
And then I have to throw out a word for a couple of standout folk metal albums I discovered. When I'm working at my computer I like to let YouTube trawl around and find me unusual music, which it obligingly does. It has decided to show me lots of folk metal, so here we are. Check out these bands--you will not be sorry.
Skald's debut album is a unique interpretation of medieval Nordic Skaldic (bardic) music. Turns out this is a whole genre that you can spend hours listening to... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9NIB...
The HU combine hard rock and Mongolian throat singing, in what Apple Music calls "one of 2019's most singular rock albums." It may be the apotheosis of metal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8dC...
And let's not forget our book giveaways! This week's giveaway is the Fantasy Previews Fair from StoryOrigin: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/XRuhfJe
December 14, 2019
Updates on Life, Health, and Other Fragile Things
Hi Everyone! Happy almost-holidays!
I hope everyone is enjoying seasonally-appropriate weather. It's been pretty nasty around here the past couple of days, but such is life, especially in December. The very exciting news is that earlier in the week I WALKED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BLOCK!! (!!!!)
If you've just joined us, here's a video of me walking in late November 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_yAR...
This is after years of bouncing from doctor to doctor and having them shake their heads in bewilderment and suggesting I was dehydrated, or stressed out, or had an "aversive personality." But all the psychotherapy and positive thinking etc. didn't stop me from getting steadily worse and worse. Finally in 2017 I got a positive diagnosis of Lyme disease plus co-infections. I started treatment towards the end of summer break and my ability to walk increased by about 400% over the course of a week.
Then the fall semester started and I went back to teaching. Within 24 hours I was back somewhere behind square one.
Fast-forward to the end of 2018, and my ability to walk had steadily continued to decline. Finally my doctor and I came to the conclusion that it might be mold/water damage exposure from my work building that was making me worse rather than better, despite aggressive treatment of the Lyme disease.
And we must have been right, because once I got out of the building and started practicing mold avoidance and mold detox treatment, my ability to walk has slowly increased. I'm still not "normal," and still have episodes of having to hold onto the walls to walk across a room, but on good days I can now pass as normal for short periods, especially when walking downhill. I've also been able to start driving myself around town again, which is super-handy.
So that's my health update. A number of you have been following along with my progress (or lack thereof at times) and shared your own health stories with me, which has been very supportive and helpful. So to all of you struggling with health problems: I wish you improvement, or at least a pain-free holiday season. And if you want to find out more about mold exposure, I strongly recommend checking out Julie Rehmeyer's website and her book Through the Shadowlands: https://www.julierehmeyer.com/through...
And if you're brave, I recommend visiting her Facebook updates on what happened to her after she was re-exposed to mold: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=656...
Spoiler alert: it appears to have damaged her neck in a way that will require surgery if she is ever going to recover again.
Okay, so that's the health stuff, which turned out to be rather long. I was originally planning to make this post about books I've read recently and enjoyed, and ask for recommendations, but I think I'll hold off until next time, since I've read several really good books this fall and I want to be able to concentrate on them fully. It may take a little while to get to, though, since--heads-up!--I am contemplating a move over to MailerLite. If you're getting this on my mailing list, I'm not expecting there to be any major disruption in service, but it might take me a few weeks to get everything pulled together.
In the meantime, I'll finish off by thanking everyone who helped make the launch of The City of Shadows such a success. It hit #1 in two different categories in the Amazon.com free store, which was super-exciting. Okay, not remunerative, but a big thrill nonetheless. And if you got a copy either as an ARC or during the launch and feel moved to leave a review, that as always would be much appreciated. The link is here: http://mybook.to/CityofShadows
And here's this week's selection of giveaways:
Who doesn't need more epic fantasy? Check out the Give the Gift of Epic Fantasy giveaway: https://books.bookfunnel.com/fantasyf...
Want to start something new for the new year? Check out the First in Series giveaway! https://books.bookfunnel.com/scififan...
Escape into the enchantment with the Enchanted Worlds giveaway! https://storyoriginapp.com/to/S0nDykp
I hope everyone is enjoying seasonally-appropriate weather. It's been pretty nasty around here the past couple of days, but such is life, especially in December. The very exciting news is that earlier in the week I WALKED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BLOCK!! (!!!!)
If you've just joined us, here's a video of me walking in late November 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_yAR...
This is after years of bouncing from doctor to doctor and having them shake their heads in bewilderment and suggesting I was dehydrated, or stressed out, or had an "aversive personality." But all the psychotherapy and positive thinking etc. didn't stop me from getting steadily worse and worse. Finally in 2017 I got a positive diagnosis of Lyme disease plus co-infections. I started treatment towards the end of summer break and my ability to walk increased by about 400% over the course of a week.
Then the fall semester started and I went back to teaching. Within 24 hours I was back somewhere behind square one.
Fast-forward to the end of 2018, and my ability to walk had steadily continued to decline. Finally my doctor and I came to the conclusion that it might be mold/water damage exposure from my work building that was making me worse rather than better, despite aggressive treatment of the Lyme disease.
And we must have been right, because once I got out of the building and started practicing mold avoidance and mold detox treatment, my ability to walk has slowly increased. I'm still not "normal," and still have episodes of having to hold onto the walls to walk across a room, but on good days I can now pass as normal for short periods, especially when walking downhill. I've also been able to start driving myself around town again, which is super-handy.
So that's my health update. A number of you have been following along with my progress (or lack thereof at times) and shared your own health stories with me, which has been very supportive and helpful. So to all of you struggling with health problems: I wish you improvement, or at least a pain-free holiday season. And if you want to find out more about mold exposure, I strongly recommend checking out Julie Rehmeyer's website and her book Through the Shadowlands: https://www.julierehmeyer.com/through...
And if you're brave, I recommend visiting her Facebook updates on what happened to her after she was re-exposed to mold: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=656...
Spoiler alert: it appears to have damaged her neck in a way that will require surgery if she is ever going to recover again.
Okay, so that's the health stuff, which turned out to be rather long. I was originally planning to make this post about books I've read recently and enjoyed, and ask for recommendations, but I think I'll hold off until next time, since I've read several really good books this fall and I want to be able to concentrate on them fully. It may take a little while to get to, though, since--heads-up!--I am contemplating a move over to MailerLite. If you're getting this on my mailing list, I'm not expecting there to be any major disruption in service, but it might take me a few weeks to get everything pulled together.
In the meantime, I'll finish off by thanking everyone who helped make the launch of The City of Shadows such a success. It hit #1 in two different categories in the Amazon.com free store, which was super-exciting. Okay, not remunerative, but a big thrill nonetheless. And if you got a copy either as an ARC or during the launch and feel moved to leave a review, that as always would be much appreciated. The link is here: http://mybook.to/CityofShadows
And here's this week's selection of giveaways:
Who doesn't need more epic fantasy? Check out the Give the Gift of Epic Fantasy giveaway: https://books.bookfunnel.com/fantasyf...
Want to start something new for the new year? Check out the First in Series giveaway! https://books.bookfunnel.com/scififan...
Escape into the enchantment with the Enchanted Worlds giveaway! https://storyoriginapp.com/to/S0nDykp
