Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 33
April 6, 2023
EXPLORE NEIGHBORLEE, OHIO -- Humorous contemporary urban fantasy
Neighborlee, Ohio Book 11Dawn of the Living Proof
Just when the guardians of Neighborlee believe they can relax andenjoy the results of their labors, a new enemy makes a strike, aiming at somenewcomers who have come to town seeking shelter. Is this another, roundaboutattempt to break down the defensive shield around the town, or a more sinisterplot?
Are the attacks aimed ultimately at Angela?
Clues indicate this isn't a new enemy at all, but an old enemy makinganother attempt to get a foothold in Neighborlee and perhaps steal not justmagic, but break open the gates that Divine's Emporium and Angela keep securelyclosed.
What type of magic is this that seems to be active only at night, anddisintegrates with the coming of dawn?
Youcan get all the Neighborlee, Ohio books directly from Ye Olde Dragon Books, inpaper, ebook, and audiobook.
Clickon the storefront
SPECIAL!!!!!
Buy 2,get 1 FREE
(yourchoice of ebook or audiobook – we will contact you once the order processes.There are FOURTEEN Neighborlee books – so lots of chances to fill in yourlibrary and get 1 out of 3 FREE!)
April 5, 2023
Off the Bookshelf: THE WEIRDIES, by Michael Buckley
Narrated by Kate Winslet
The Weirdies, Book 1
Yeah ... weird. Kind of like the Addams Family on steroids and some other substances.
A set of bizarre triplets, children of even more bizarre parents who either can't remember they have kids or are afraid to admit they have kids, are left behind when their parents and the entire oddball household goes on vacation, including all the furniture and food and other possessions. And then wreck the cruise ship and get eaten by sharks. And that's just the backstory!
The state steps in and uses extreme measures to get the kids out of the mansion so they can send them to an orphanage. The triplets, named Barnacle, Garlic and Melancholy, terrorize the other orphans and frustrate their overly optimistic case worker, who until they showed up had a perfect record of matching kids with new parents.
They think everyone else around them is weird. And then things get even weirder. In less than 2 hours.
My throat ached in sympathy for Miss Winslet, who gave different voices and accents for each individual character. Including a woman who had all her teeth pulled (don't ask! listen and find out)
Clever. Disturbing. Dryly witty. A commentary on modern society and what standards of "normal" we're willing to impose on others, and the misery we cause ourselves and others and just ... braintwisting.
April 3, 2023
EXPLORE NEIGHBORLEE, OHIO -- Humorous contemporary urban fantasy
Neighborlee, Ohio Book 10Allergic to Mistletoe
Christmas in Neighborlee means magic. This year more than ever. TheFae have come to visit. And hide. And seek true love.
Lori is allergic to mistletoe, thanks to a traumatic encounter withDickens. She comes to Neighborlee to hide from matchmaking relatives.
Bethany just wants a quiet Christmas with her dad, but her risingstardom is getting in the way. Her double magical heritage just complicatesthings.
Harry might be able to help her, thanks to a malfunctioninginvisibility spell.
Wilfred and Philomena are best friends, have been for centuries, andwant to be much more. Do they have the courage to admit it to each other?
Then there's Maurice. The terms of his exile interfere with hiscourtship of Holly, the librarian who can only see him in her dreams.
They all need a Christmas miracle.
Youcan get all the Neighborlee, Ohio books directly from Ye Olde Dragon Books, inpaper, ebook, and audiobook.
Clickon the storefront
SPECIAL!!!!!
Buy 2,get 1 FREE
(yourchoice of ebook or audiobook – we will contact you once the order processes.There are FOURTEEN Neighborlee books – so lots of chances to fill in yourlibrary and get 1 out of 3 FREE!)
April 1, 2023
Ye Olde Dragon's Library: Episode 14
So, after listening to this new episode ... what do you think?
Did Ash make a mistake trusting Cecil? Is it possible for the spirit ring to be fooled, and advise her incorrectly?
Let's TALK about it!
And remember: members of the Ye Olde Dragon's Library Patreon group can request a free ebook of the story that "started it all" -- the short story Daughter of the Beastly Beauty, the first written adventure in the enchanted forest and enchanted castle.
https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/
to listen to the new podcast right on our website.
Or find it on your favorite podcast app!
Wantto support the podcast?
Findus on Patreon: Ye Olde Dragon's Library
March 30, 2023
EXPLORE NEIGHBORLEE, OHIO -- Humorous contemporary urban fantasy
Neighborlee, Ohio Book 9Return of the Living Proof
What do a pregnant, shape-changing, interdimensional visitor, aquestionable summer job at an even more questionable new business, a collegelife sciences project, and returning nemeses have to do with finally findingout what happened to Charlie and Rainbow Zephyr?
That's what Lanie and her growing team of allies are trying to figureout.
Cerb is back, with Loralee, the "girl" of his dreams -- both of them stuckin dog shape while on Earth -- and looking forward to a "blessedevent." Instead of suffering cravings, Loralee digs up Lanie's yard, inher sleep, uncovering jewels and bones and trouble.
Then there are strange visions that result from unwise exploration ofBlack Water Pool and Jinx's pond. Both are off-limits spots in the quarriesthat have been seriously and strangely affected by past magic. And Senior PrankNight escapades.
When magically altered water seems to open a doorway to view the past,Lanie and her brothers take advantage ofa chance to figure out what happened to their parents in Bermuda, going on twoyears ago. The question is if they're preparing to rescue their parents -- orif they are the cause of the mystery after all.
Youcan get all the Neighborlee, Ohio books directly from Ye Olde Dragon Books, inpaper, ebook, and audiobook.
Clickon the storefront
SPECIAL!!!!!
Buy 2,get 1 FREE
(yourchoice of ebook or audiobook – we will contact you once the order processes.There are FOURTEEN Neighborlee books – so lots of chances to fill in yourlibrary and get 1 out of 3 FREE!)
March 29, 2023
Off the Bookshelf: DOING TIME, by Jodi Taylor
Time Police, Book 1Narrated by Zara Ramm
Tie-in to the Chronicles of St. Mary's series
What fun!
If you've listened to the St. Mary's stories -- time-traveling archeologists/historians/misfits -- then you've heard mention of the Time Police. And what a pain in the neck and other portions of the anatomy they can be for our friends at St. Mary's.
Well, now we see things from their viewpoint -- and what a pain St. Mary's people can be to them.
The Time Police are there to prevent looting of historical treasures and willy-nilly changing of history for the sake of fun, profit, and maybe some revenge. They have a reputation for being a bunch of brutes, along the order of "Shoot first, apologize to widows and orphans later."
They have a commander who is trying to change all that, with a lot of resistance from the Nazi-mindset types.
But more important, this book is the story of the members of Team Weird, as they're called -- three misfits who have just finished training and are getting hands-on work, meaning the stupidest assignments. Of course, they trip over strange situations, and scary ones, and face ridicule, abuse distrust, and being manipulated for reasons they don't understand until the dust settles.
Great fun! Be ready to snicker quite a bit. Like when Jane confuses kangaroos with large rabbits, or she and Luke are forced to make Roman costumes out of bedsheets.
March 27, 2023
EXPLORE NEIGHBORLEE, OHIO -- Humorous contemporary urban fantasy
Neighborlee, Ohio Book 8Shrunk: The Exile of Maurice
Maurice used his Fae magic to help the downtrodden and abused. But when he went too far, the Powers-That-Be decided he needed to learn humility, self-restraint, and mercy. They took away most of his magic, shrunk him down to five inches, and slapped wings on his back that no self-respecting Fae would be caught dead in. Then they exiled him to the Human realms, to work out his sentence helping Humans.
His destination: Divine's Emporium, a curiosity shop touched with magic, on the edge of the odd town of Neighborlee, Ohio.
His parole officer: Angela, the proprietress of Divine's Emporium, touched with magic and a shadowy past of her own.
His sentence: Help the Humans who come into Divine's to find answers, freedom, their own magic, and true love. Not necessarily in that order.
His problem: How does a five-inch-tall Fae, invisible to most Humans, win the heart of the ugly duckling who has caught his interest, his sympathy, and then his heart -- when she can't see or hear him?
You can get all the Neighborlee, Ohio books directly from Ye Olde Dragon Books, in paper, ebook, and audiobook.
Click on the storefront
SPECIAL!!!!!
Buy 2, get 1 FREE
(your choice of ebook or audiobook – we will contact you once the order processes. There are FOURTEEN Neighborlee books – so lots of chances to fill in your library and get 1 out of 3 FREE!)
March 25, 2023
Ye Olde Dragon's Library: Episode 13
In this week's episode, Ash has traded one problem for another. She escaped Morris the vampire, but discovered that Fang the bunny has been partially turned into a vampire. He won't burst into flame in the daylight, but he does have a tendency to get rather smoky. Or if he's wet, steamy.
On top of having to complete the bothersome quest for Justiciar Camwell and satisfy his taste for exploration, now Ash and the ring need to find enough strong magic gathered in one place to find a cure for Fang.
Do you think they'll find that cure? Either in upcoming episodes, or even in this particular book?
If you've read any of the 'Na stories (Daughter of the Beastly Beauty, Tower to Tower, and Patches) you might just know the answer to that ...
If you haven't read any of the stories, you really do need to start with Daughter of the Beastly Beauty -- and here's your chance.
If you're a member of the Ye Olde Dragon's Library Patreon group, you can request your own ebook copy of Daughter of the Beastly Beauty. It's the first freebie offered to my patrons.
And a fourth story will be added to the collection May 1, with the release of Perchance to Dream, Fairytale Anthology #3. The fairytale we're turning on its ear this time is Sleeping Beauty, and 'Na's new story is called Box of Beauty. (At least, that's the title right now as I post this blog when I uploaded Episode 13 ... it might still change before publication ....)
https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/
Want to support the podcast?
Find us on Patreon: Ye Olde Dragon's Library
March 23, 2023
EXPLORE NEIGHBORLEE, OHIO -- Humorous contemporary urban fantasy
Neighborlee, Ohio Book 7Bride of the Living Proof
Engagements have become a contagious disease in Neighborlee!
In between helping friends plan their weddings, Lanie deals with a dog (that is much more than a dog) that has moved in with her.
Then there's an unwanted match from a dating service that might be planted by enemies of the guardians.
While the guardians slowly make contact with possible allies, they sift through warehouses full of information about their enemies, the Rivals, and discover a new problem: Daniel, Lanie's new boss, might be an enemy spy …
You can get all the Neighborlee, Ohio books directly from Ye Olde Dragon Books, in paper, ebook, and audiobook.
Click on the storefront
SPECIAL!!!!!
Buy 2, get 1 FREE
(your choice of ebook or audiobook – we will contact you once the order processes. There are FOURTEEN Neighborlee books – so lots of chances to fill in your library and get 1 out of 3 FREE!)
March 22, 2023
Off the Bookshelf: CALLING, by Molly Harper
Sorcery and Society, Book 3Amanda Ronconi, narrator
The third, and seemingly final book in the YA fantasy/alternate history series with a dash of steampunk.
Sarah and her friends come up against a lot of discouragement and disappointment and near-misses, as they come closer to either changing their world or watching it be destroyed by the evil Miss Morton's nasty revenge plot.
And oh, yeah, zombies show up. Again. Several times.
Fun, with a snarky undertone. (And just how does the narrator hold onto that English accent, with all its variations and keep all the different character voices straight? I have a hard enough time holding onto one or two recurring characters' voices when I narrate! Kudos to her.)
Sarah needs to recreate the Mother Book, which Miss Morton destroyed at the end of the previous book. She needs to get some control over all the Changeling children she and her friends rescued. They need to learn to combine their magic, and find a mysterious, barely mentioned, probably nothing more than legend magical instrument to stop the zombies next time they attack. She especially needs to keep from destroying Mrs. Winter's country home -- starting with getting the jam off the ceiling. And oh, yeah, a reunion with Gavin would be nice.
Do Sarah and her friends prevail? Listen and find out. And schedule large blocks of time, because you really don't want to have to keep stopping and starting again, when life gets in the way.
