S.T. Sanchez's Blog, page 21

Interview with Joshua Dyer author of Padded

Today I'd like to welcome author Joshua Dyer. Tell us a little about yourself.  


I am the author of several works in various genres. I’ve had previous award-winning works published in the Los Angeles Times. Apart from writing, I love reading, languages, sketching, cooking, and spending time with my family in the mountains of West Virginia.


Share a short excerpt from your novel


“A pale crescent moon sat nestled high above the asylum among drifting tufts of silver cloud. Herb shut his car door and stamped out a spent Chesterfield onto the concrete. One of the hospital’s security guards saw Herb approaching and popped one of the main door’s open.
The guard tipped his brim. “Evenin’, detective.”
Halbert slid past him. “How are things?”
The guard spun the deadbolt lock on the door. “Oh, ya know. Quiet relative to the night before.”
Herb shuffled behind him down the polished tile. “That’s what I heard.” He eyed the guy’s black tag: Milson.
“This way,” Milson said, opening the door to the basement. “I’ll take ya down to her.”
Herb chuckled. “Doc tell ya to expect me?”
Milson clopped down the steps. “Yeah. Said you might be back tonight to talk to Gale some more.” He rounded the bottom stair and headed along the sloped floor. “How’s that goin’ for ya?”
Herb tucked his fedora under his left arm. “It’s an unusual case, for sure.”
“You said it, bub.” Milson aimed his nightstick toward the dead end. “You know the rest of the way in, I take it.”
Halbert nodded. “I’ve got it from here, thanks.”
“Good night.” Milson waddled back to the stairs.
“You, too.” Herb strode up to the door to The Cloud.
He placed his briefcase on the cold floor, and fetched his notes. On the other side of the thick door, she hummed and, from the sounds of it, spun in slow circles.
Halbert slid the wooden shield aside. “Hello? Ms. Gale?”
She hummed an upbeat tune about going to see the Wizard.
“Mr. Gale? Dorothy?” He heard the song. She was in there.
“Boo!” Her hideous mask consumed the window.
A massive pulsing knot formed in Herb’s throat. “Jesus, kid!”
Dorothy’s laughter trailed off as she skipped to her bed. “So uptight.”
He bent over and took some breaths. Stars and yellow explosions closed in on him. “Yeah. Too funny.” Herb snagged his file and notes while he was down there. “Before, you had mentioned that the Wizard sent you on a mission to kill the,” his eyes snuck a peek at his notes, “Wicked Witch of the West. Can you tell me about that?”
She shook her bouncy brown curls.
“And, why not?”
Dorothy plopped on her bed and clenched its edge in both hands until her knuckles ran white.
“Ms. Gale? Why can’t you tell me?”
She yanked up handfuls of her white bedsheet. Something sinister boiled just beneath that mask. “You didn’t say, please.”
“Please, Dorothy.” He didn’t blink. “Can you describe your trip to kill the witch?”
Her chokehold relaxed. “You’ll just tell me it didn’t happen again, detective.” She swung her feet. “Try and convince me that I’m crazy.”
Herb lowered his eyes. “It’s my job to show you the facts as they occurred, Dorothy.” A groan. He hated this side of the work. “I know that sometimes it’s not what you wanna hear, sweetheart --” He lifted his gaze to find her standing less than a foot from his window.
The brown glare behind her mask closed the gap between them. She whispered through her wire, faint and ethereal. “Fine. I’ll tell you.” Gale checked to make sure no one else was eavesdropping and continued. “We snuck into the Haunted Woods that protected her castle.”
Halbert maneuvered through his report to the appropriate section.
“About the time we were ready to climb the rock face, her monkeys swooped in and kidnapped poor Toto and me.”
Herb cleared the phlegm. “The monkeys flew?”
“Uh huh.” Her hand arched toward the ceiling. “Whoosh!”
His pen raced over the page. “Okay. So, you got kidnapped?”
Dorothy spun on a heel and marched off with her hands clasped behind her. “That old hag tried to take my ruby slippers.”
“What would the witch want with your shoes?”
She spun and marched back. “They hold a deep and powerful magic, Mr. Halbert.”
“Such as?”
Dorothy laughed. “We’re getting to that.” The girl’s sideways stare chastised his mortal soul. “The witch tried to touch my slippers, but got shocked instead.” Another odd giggle. “Seems I have to be dead for her to be able to take them from me.” She doubled over. “Isn’t that a HOOT?”
“A real barn burner.” Herb scratched a thought down: what’s with the red slippers? Where did she get them? “Then, what?”
She flipped an imaginary object. “Time started ticking on me.”
“In what way?” He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Once it ran out, she was going to kill me and Toto.”
Herb’s fist landed against the door. “You’re tellin’ me Gulch threatened to kill you first?”
Dorothy nodded. “She never got the chance, though. The others came to our rescue high in the witch’s tower.” She jogged from one side of The Cloud to the other. “We ran and ran! Down the stone stairs. We flew outside and up along the castle’s walls while her Winkie guards were in pursuit.”
“Winkie?”
She stopped in the middle of her room. “This will go much smoother if you,” she flung her fists behind her arched chest, “STOP – INTERRUPTING – ME!”
Halbert’s pen hit the concrete. Dorothy’s masked face turned to him, heaving with each labored breath.
“My apologies, Dorothy.” He knelt down and nabbed it and stood. “Please.”
She groaned and walked to the adjacent wall. “I was at the point in my story where we stopped anyway.” Gale’s arms flew up in a protective gesture. “The witch flung fire on the Scarecrow. How was I to know?”
Halbert considered a question, and then bit his lip.
“I grabbed a nearby bucket of water and tossed it at the Scarecrow’s arm.” She held open hands at the floor. “Once it hit her, she melted into nothing. Poof. Gone.” Dorothy snapped her slippers together and bowed. “That’s how I defeated the Wicked Witch and freed the Winkies.”
Herb tossed a glance up at the asylum’s outside wall. Somewhere in the fresh air beyond, thunder rolled. He smoothed out the official report. “Folks over here saw something else, Gale.”
Her arms went up in defeat. “Here we go again.”
“This would be the point where you listen to what I have to say.”
Her slippered feet raced over the floor as fast that she slid the last two feet into her side of the big door. Dorothy pressed her mask against the mesh. “Don’t you dare speak to me in that tone.”
Herb’s chest thumped like an angry bee trapped in a screen door. Her vile grin peeled back, revealing teeth ready to gnaw him to his bones.
He attempted to write, but the ink refused to crawl back out. “Who’s on which side of the door, Gale?”
Herb took a lungful of stale air and proceeded. “Police and the local volunteer fire brigades arrived in time to bear witness to your aftermath. The two-story plantation home of Almira Gulch went up like a torch, Gale.” He flipped to the next page. “Says here, the Fire Marshall discovered charred human remains in the kitchen area. He also found a blackened gas can near the body. The Marshall suspects that Mrs. Gulch had been doused in her own gasoline in her own home and set on fire.” Halbert scoffed. “Here’s the kicker. You went as far as to ransack her broom closet by the back door. The other mops had been left strewn all over.”
He folded the report. “A real piece of work. It all makes sense now.” Herb pecked the wire on his side. “How’s it look from your side, Gale?” He shook his pen. “Looks fine from where I’m standing.” Herb slapped his pen against a leg. Nada. “Damn.” He pocketed the spent implement. “We’ll have to pick up our date at another time, dear. I’m all spent.”


Joshua, can you tell us what brought about the idea for this book?


I felt that there was something untold about the original story. With all of the folklore and myth surrounding it, I wanted to create something that brought it all together in one explanation. Some people won’t get, and that’s fine. For those that do, they’re in for a wild ride.


Where do you see yourself in five years?


In writing, I see myself surrounded with a couple of dozen completed works, a smattering of published short stories, and maybe a commissioned stage play script. We’ll see.


Have you been given any helpful advice? If so What?


Margaret Weis was my mentor for a year. She gave me several pieces of sound advice. One of them that sticks out is: people are drawn to your story by its characters. They hang around for their growth within the plots and settings. It’s true! We all want to live out other fantasies through relatable people. If we can’t see at least a bit of ourselves in them, we move on.


Currently, what are you working on?


I’ve got a few works in progress. Dirty America is a psychological thriller that’s being made into a film. I’m also writing a sci-fi and a fantasy epic around this project. I’m compelled to create. I can’t help myself.


I agree it can be an addictive process. What has been the most difficult thing you have struggled with since you began a career in writing?


Finding my own writing voice was difficult. You can research grammar and storytelling, but writing is the only way to find your voice.


Tell us a little bit about your main characters


Most of the cast is well-known. The main character, Herb Halbert, is a detective re-examining the case. Not exactly Bogie, but a tough cookie nonetheless.


What was your favorite scene to write?


That’s like picking my favorite kid. If I do it right, then they’re all great scenes.


What has been the best compliment you have received?


I’ve been blessed with great readers. Some have been moved to tears, while others have noted they’ll miss the characters when it’s done. They all mean a lot to me.


What kind of research do you do before you start a new story?


I have an elaborate preproduction process that I use to create characters, plot, everything.


Joshua how do you promote your books? Any tips you can share?


I’d say get involved on a genuine level with other readers and writers. We want real relationships with you not your persona.


That's great advice. Do you have people read your drafts before you publish?  How do you select beta readers?


Sometimes. I look for readers interested in my work. If they have a passion for the genre, then they’ll give straight feedback.


Who designed the artwork for your cover?  Or did you design it yourself?


I do about all of my own these days.


How do you handle criticism when it comes to your writing?


Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. I take what I can from them and learn from others.




I think that's a great attitude to have. Is there something you learned from writing your first book?


From my first novel, I learned how NOT to write a novel. Many of the greats that have been around a lot longer than me will tell you the same thing. Your first novel is (will be) crap. You will learn so much more after the second, third, and fourth ones that it will pale in comparison.


Joshua, which do you find more challenging inventing the hero or the villain?  Why?


They both have their challenges. It depends on the story. I’ve encountered instances for both and neither.


How many times do you think you read your book before going to print?


Dozens of times! 

Any last words?


Read often. Learn more. Write every day.


Thanks for sharing with us today Joshua. Happy Reading!!






Padded: https://www.amazon.com/Padded-Joshua-Dyer-ebook/dp/B07CKCLYDX/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Joshua-Dyer-author-772136266145778/


Don’t forget to send me images of your cover and author pic!
Thanks again!

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The Tremblers

Weapons of Light & Power
"A soldier leaned out the window, taking aim at Charlotte. A frisson of energy pulsed from the weapon, barely missing her. She screamed, flailing.
Ashton flipped the rocket ignition on the power cycle and the force of the thrust slammed him against the seat as he shot skyward toward the roof. Pulling his tracer gun, he fired blindly at the building. The soldier dove for the floor." ~Ashton Wells, The Tremblers
Creating the weapons for my YA Steampunk novel, The Tremblers took me on a fascinating path. The invention of destructive devices was vexing and addicting all at once.
Weapons of light -- Tracer Guns are the weapon of choice for the soldiers of the Peaceful Union. Powerful blasters that syphon the glowing purple energy from the massive Tesla Domes caging the city-states are feared by the average citizen. Constantly recalibrating to the dome's pulse, they are outlawed to everyone but the soldiers of the government.
Charlotte is a tinkerer and inventor. The daughter of a renowned soldier and chemist, her weapons needed finesse. I designed the metal spheres of her Shrieking Violetgrenade to cluster together like a flower. Its shrill screech disables her enemies while a curtain of magenta gas shields her escape.
The outlaws and Lawmen of Outer City favor guns and pistols of the old world. Sheriff Sebastian Riley's revolver helped him to rise to power among the pirates and pioneers of the sky settlement.
Another daunting tool as the Lightning Stick. Capable of lashing whips of energy. Used by the ruthless Lawmen of the floating ports, Charlotte learns of its devastating effects while trying to flee with Ashton.
However, it is the power and might of the Peaceful Union Aero Squad that strikes fear into the heart of every citizen. Their searing lamps and concussion bombs send rioters scrambling. Creating airship battles and designing the infamous rebel ship, The Stygian, was great fun! Myself the daughter of a military man, I grew up visiting airshows and sitting at the controls of massive machines of war.  I wanted to bring that fascination and awe to the Blackburn Chronicles.
If you love mechanica, mayhem, and monsters, then check out The Tremblers and Wind Reapersavailable now wherever books are sold.

Interview with Donald Bingle author of Wet Work

Welcome Donald! Can you tell us a little about yourself?
 I’m a gamer turned writer. I was the world’s top-ranked player of classic role-playing game tournaments for the last fifteen years of the last century. I also wrote such tournaments and, eventually, adventures and source materials for various role-playing game products like Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Ed., Timemaster, Paranoia, and Chill. From there I moved on to doing tie-in fiction for Dragonlance, BattleTech, and Transformers, as well as short stories in my own worlds, principally for DAW themed anthologies. Novellas, screenplays, and novels came next.
Sounds like you keep very busy. What brought about the idea for this book? 
Wet Work is the second book in my Dick Thornby Thriller series, following on the heels of Net Impact. The series revolves around three core concepts. First, Dick is not a James Bond or Jason Bourne type of spy; he’s a regular guy (with an Army and law enforcement background) who supposedly works a regular job as a waste water treatment consultant, but is secretly a spy. He has a wife, a kid, and a mortgage, along with all the mundane problems of life. Second, law enforcement has to deal with all sorts of new problems in our increasingly digital world. Third, there are all sorts of bizarre conspiracy theories and sensationalist items on the internet that can be worked into spy thrillers, but are often ignored in favor of more traditional, cold war plots.
Donald, have you been given any helpful advice? Yes. If so What? 
Try to say yes to new projects and new genres. When I was first writing short stories, I sometimes got asked to write for a themed anthology as a replacement for some other writer who didn’t make deadline or because the anthology was short on word count. I had to write quickly to very specific topic and word count specifications. But, more importantly, I had to write in all sorts of genres and all sorts of topics I never would have thought to write in if just left to my own devices. Pushing your boundaries not only improves your set of skills, it improves your creativity.
Currently, what are you working on?
 Between novels I write short stories in a variety of genres, including science fiction, horror, fantasy, mystery, steampunk, and memoir. It’s just as much work finding homes for short fiction as it is writing short fiction, so that takes an inordinate amount of time. I also rerelease many of my short stories in small ebook collections by topic/theme as part of my Writer on Demand TM series. I’m also helping turn the first case from The Love-Haight Case Files, a novel I wrote with acclaimed author Jean Rabe, into a teleplay.
That sounds exciting! What has been the most difficult thing you have struggled with since you began a career in writing? 
Writing is like direct sales—there’s plenty of rejection along the way. But it’s even worse, because there’s lots of competition flooding the market with inferior product and way too many people giving away their product for free.
What has been the best compliment you have received? 
My first novel, Forced Conversion, is near future military science fiction. It starts off with an action sequence—a firefight in the woods. When my writers’ group read it, one of the guys just a few years older than me, who happened to be a Viet Nam Veteran, came up to me and simply said: “What unit?” I said I didn’t understand his question and he said: “I read the beginning of your book. What unit did you serve in?” That’s when I realized the scene felt authentic enough to him that he assumed I had served in the military on active duty in a war zone. That’s about the best compliment an author who was not in the military can get.
That is high praise. What kind of research do you do before you start a new story?
 Prolific writers always have more ideas than time to write them, but in order to generate those ideas, I think it is important to read, especially outside of the genre you are writing. That’s where you find odd tidbits of history and science most people don’t know about which you can then use in your books and stories. Once I’ve concentrated my focus on a topic, read reference materials on the factual topics and Google key phrases to find unusual and bizarre takes on the same material. If you are weak on knowledge in a critical area, always research it especially heavily or you will make mistakes, but also know that it only takes a few phrases to look like more than an expert than you really are. When researching surface-to-air missiles for one book, I looked at specifications for a lot of different types and noticed that the reference material indicated that one particular type had a battery maintenance problem, so I picked that type for my scene. It not only explained why the bad guys might have gotten their hands on these (subpar) weapons, it provided a line or two of dialogue for the bad guys when one warns the other about the issue. For those readers not knowledgeable about such missiles, it provides a interesting tidbit. For those that are, it makes them think I really know my stuff.
Do you have people read your drafts before you publish?  Yes. How do you select beta readers? 
My beta readers are generally people who are either fans of my work or people I know who have significant editing or critiquing experience over a broad array of genres and whose judgment I have come to trust. I don’t use fans because they will be easy on me; I use them because I know they already connect with my style of writing, the genre I’m writing in, or the voice of the main character, so I know their comments are likely to be relevant and useful. Also, they have a vested interest in making my stories work. If I have experience with editors or writers from a critique group who have helped my work improve before, why wouldn’t I go back to those sources?
How do you handle criticism when it comes to your writing? 
I consider it’s source and it’s nature. If someone is complaining that some of my characters use bad language and they don’t like that, I just shrug. It’s a fact of life for some characters and some situations and I like to write realistically. If they complain about the politics or perceived politics of a story or character by attributing those statements or political opinions to me, I usually just smile. Readers should never assume that what my characters think is what I think. I once had a reviewer of one of my short stories say that I obviously “hate gamers” not knowing that I’ve been a ranked gamer in several categories, from RPGs to train games, Diplomacy, and a couple of the more obscure collectible card games. That particular story was unkind to the protagonist gamer not because I hate gamers, but because that was what the story required. Other criticisms I agree with--if you think your writing is perfect, you're wrong. If you don't know what your weaknesses are as a writer, you can never even try to fix them. Having a critic give your self-awareness a nudge from time to time is good.
Is there something you learned from writing your first book? 
It’s always better to write something as good as you can in the first draft than to fix it later. Sure, rewrites are necessary and there will always be a lot to clean up on subsequent drafts. But many writers have taken the advice that it is better to have written garbage than to not have written at all (because at least you then have something to fix) too far. A bad first draft is not a goal—a good first draft is a goal. Flow, continuity, subtlety, and transitions are all more difficult to achieve when adding material to an existing draft than when writing the first draft.




Wet Work, Amazon: http://a.co/1qni4lHWet Work, Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wet-work-donald-j-bingle/1128291702?ean=2940159029973Wet Work, Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wet-work-5Wet Work, PRINT: http://a.co/2il1eWS
Website: www.donaldjbingle.comFB: https://www.facebook.com/donaldjbingleTwitter: https://twitter.com/donaldjbingleGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2779581.Donald_J_Bingle
Cover Design: Juan JJ Padron juanjjpadron@hotmail.com

The Battle is O'er

The Battle is O’er, Book Five of The Blue Bells Chronicles, by Laura Vosika


Shawn means self and Kleiner means centered,one of Shawn’s (many) ex-girlfriends proclaimed.  So begin The Blue Bells Chronicles, a tale of time travel, mysteries and miracles, romance and redemption, in an epic adventure ranging across modern and medieval Scotland against the backdrop of Scotland’s Wars of Independence in the 1300s.
Shawn has it all—wealth, fame, women—until the night Amy, his girlfriend, has enough and abandons him in an ancient tower.  He wakes up in the wrong century. 
Two years in medieval times, two years of fighting beside Robert the Bruce and James Douglas, two years of living with and as his medieval twin, the devout and upright Highlander Niall Campbell, working to protect those he has come to love, and perhaps mostly, his growing friendship with Niall, whom he initially despised, all work changes in Shawn.
Throughout their adventures, he and Niall seek a way to get Shawn back across time, to fulfill his desire to ask Amy’s forgiveness and finally be the man she always saw in him—succeeding at last in the middle of a fierce battle for Niall’s home, Glenmirril, against their old enemy, the MacDougalls.
Safely back in his own time, Shawn is steadily regaining all he lost—his career as a world-traveling musician, the son he feared he would never know, and finally, maybe—even Amy’s heart. 
He can’t let go of the past, however, or stop agonizing over what happened to Niall and all his beloved friends, left behind in a fight for their lives. In his search for answers, hoping to find that all ended well, he learns instead of the dangers still lurking in fourteenth century Scotland: to Niall who will pay a horrible price for Shawn’s last deed, committed in Glenmirril’s tower just moments before escaping to the safety of his own time; to his own infant son, the subject of prophecy and an ancient letter predicting a fateful battle; even danger to the whole world as Simon Beaumont, known to history as the Butcher of Berwick, seeks to use his knowledge of the future to destroy it.
In this gripping conclusion to The Blue Bells Chronicles, Shawn faces the ultimate test.  His selfishness once cost him everything.  His newfound selflessness may do the same.

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·Find The Battle is O’er on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2tU67Or

Interview with Illustrator Aaron Humphres

Today let's welcome Aaron Humphres, please tell us a little about yourself. 
I am an illustrator living in Vancouver, WA. I really started getting into illustration after my father passed away when I was 12 years old. My first love is comic book art and I have illustrated a few comic books over my career that I have self-published. Nothing big, but they were fun. Right now I am finishing up a graphic novel called Godlings.
Two years ago I had an idea for a children’s book and created my first book entitled “Rosco: Alien Wildlife Photographer”. This book got published by Action Lab Comics in December 2017. In addition to Godlings I am also finishing up my second children’s book. 

Aaron, if there was one thing you wished author’s knew about illustrating what would it be?
I am not sure I could answer this question honestly. I write and illustrate every book that I make. I have never professionally worked with an author before. I would be interested if the write story came around though.




What do you typically charge per illustration?
My other job besides illustrating my children’s books is storyboard for Motion Graphic Videos. I have been doing this for about 8 years now. Most times I am working for a writer that pays me a flat fee for my work or in the case of my previous job a salary. So I’m still new to pricing for a client on a picture per picture basis.


What has been your favorite project to work on so far?
I feel my favorite project to work on so far has been my Rosco book, but my new book is a very close second. My Godlings project is my passion project and most clearly reflects me as a person. Godlings covers a lot of topics I am interested in like the philosophy of Fate versus Determinism and sci-fi and fantasy ideas. Truth be told, I love every project I work on because they are all mine and personal to me in that regard. 


What is your preferred method to illustrate in?  Digital? Pencils? Watercolor?
I prefer to work analog as much as possible. I start all my drawings in pencil on Bristol. Then I ink them with a Sable #2 Brush. The final part is scanning them into the computer and adding color. So I produce all the lines traditionally and the colors digitally. I have been working this way for the past 25 years. I do use Adobe Illustrator to develop vectored artwork for motion graphics projects.
Any last words?
I have been working my artwork for a most of my life and I could not think of my life without my artwork to carry me through. I hope my illustrations and stories convey the sincere passion I put into every line stroke I use to make them.




Be sure to check out Aaron at the sights below. Happy Reading!!
www.humphresillustration.com
Find me on Instagram under Aaron Humphres
Twitter Aaron Humphres@HumphresAaron
Facebook under Aaron Humphres

MG Fantasy Summer Reading List

As a mother of two younger boys, I am constantly looking for good books for them to read during the summer. Anything to pull them away from the electronics for a little while.  My boys love fantasy, so I decided to compile a list of fun summer reads. These are in no particular order. Check them out, and you may find a new favorite book or series in your house.Fantasy Summer Reading List12 Exciting Reads 



The Dragon Slayer’s Son (Book 1, Dragon Slayer series): They said his dad was a dragon slayer. They were wrong. Now he's following in his footsteps. Nathan is shocked to learn that his father is dead, and even more shocked to learn that he died in the line of duty as a dragon slayer. When he is whisked away to the Alexandra School of Heroic Arts to train as his father’s successor, he and his new friends soon learn:
Dragons are not what they thought.
Neither is the schoolmaster, Claus Drachenmorder.
And Nathan’s dad might not be dead … yet. https://books2read.com/TheDragonSlayersSon




Book 1: In a hidden valley of Maine surrounded by mountains, a small group of orphans follow secret clues that may lead to pirate treasure. The orphans discover a secret room in the basement of their old orphanage where clues lead them on a journey of discovery about who built the orphanage they live in. 

In this book series ‘The Adventure of Rocky and the Bear Claw Club: The Legend of the Pirate Blackbear’s Lost Gold Pinecone’ you will learn that danger is coming to the Valley of Bearton. The main character Rocky and his friends have no idea that they are being prepared to face what is coming. In a valley surrounded by impassable snow covered mountains of Maine the hidden location of the Pirate Blackbear’s lost colony has kept the secret of pirate treasure and the truth of what happened to the original colonists for almost two hundred years.

Yes, you may have guessed it. A tale of lost pirate treasure with danger at every turn; far far away from the Caribbean. Complete with the never ending battle between the forces of good and evil. 

Join Rocky and the Bear Claw Club as they begin their adventure in "The Threat of the Wolfkang Clan". 

There is one twist, what you may not be expecting is that the orphans are not human. No, they are...

Amazon     https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Roc...




A shadow of shame has fallen over the once proud Maxwell family, and only their faithful son Ajax,  can restore honor to their name. He is tasked with guarding a mysterious portal, the existence of which only a few people outside the King are aware.  A prophecy warns of a danger to come, as the new keeper, Ajax fears he will let everyone down.When the Prince of Rastella comes to visit the portal for the first time, accompanied by Ajax’s childhood friend Nivara, disaster strikes! In an accident, the Prince falls into the portal and Ajax knows that it’s up to him to venture in and get him back. With the knowledge that nobody who has entered it has ever returned, Ajax and Nivara leap through the portal to try to save the Prince. He discovers a world full of magic and fantastic creatures, in an adventure that will test him to his limits, and leave him wondering if he will ever get home.Amazon  myBook.to/theportalkeeper Read for free with Kindle Unlimited!Barnes & Noble  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-portal-keeper-s-t-sanchez/1127615325?ean=9780999001639





When the clocks in town stop, thirteen-year-old CJ discovers an unusual "clock world" where most of the citizens are clock parts, tasked with keeping the big clocks running. But soon the seemingly peaceful world is divided between warring factions with CJ instructed to find the only person who can help: the elusive Tick Tock Man.
With the aid of Fuzee, a partly-human girl, he battles gear-headed extremists and razor-sharp pendulums in order to restore order before this world of chimes, springs, and clock people dissolves into a massive time warp, taking CJ's quiet New England town with it.
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1944816607




Book 1: What happens when your average suburban town becomes a nexus of the paranormal and occult; and no one told you about it?

Amy, Lindsay, Chris, Nick and their friends are growing up in an idyllic community that offers everything a middle grade kid would want. With a downtown shopping area, housing plans, parks, a public pool, and plenty of friends, there is always something to do. On the outskirts of their town lies farmland, woods, lakes, and of course, cemeteries.

Follow the horror and fun as these friends navigate the supernatural during the course of their 'normal' day. Are you ready to experience the Spooky, with a Twist? 

Amazon                                 https://www.amazon.com/Terri-Bertha/e/B071PCRDSPBarnes and Noble                  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/terri+bertha?_requestid=10051862MuseItUp Publishing              http://bit.ly/2pOKUCX 




Every town has an old lady all the children just know is a witch.
When Johanna and Casper must spend the afternoon at her house, there’s nothing to do, except listen to a story. While the siblings await their mother’s return from the hospital where she’s visiting their ailing father, Mrs. Kinder reads them a story of adventure, magic and music.
Mrs. Kinder’s mysterious golden book tells an intertwined tale of two young men—the sensitive Sculptor who carves a beautiful woman from ice and the thieving Sorcerer searching for a spell that will bring the statue to life.
The story twists and turns, from the Frozen Forest, to the land of the Lemon Trees, to the home of the Swamp Witch, as the Sculptor’s and Sorcerer’s adventures circle each other. Their inevitable confrontation reveals buried memories that force each of them to confront the true cost of love and redemption.
The Ice Maiden’s Tale the perfect story-within-a-story with magic, adventure and romance reminiscent of The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story for a new generation of readers.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ice-Maidens-Ta...



For eight years, Alice Littleton has tried to hide the denizens of Wonderland, her near constant companions, and her own powers, but the plight of a kidnapped boy goads her into action to rescue him with as much stealth as she can manage. But it’s all gone horribly wrong. Her old life is lost as she goes on the run from the only other empowered she has ever encountered, and the shadowy organization he fronts.

The Wonderland Effect, an aspect of her powers that draws her to unusual situations, eventually lands Alice on the doorstep of Prometheus Academy. The boarding school is home to other empowered teens, brought together by their desire to remain hidden from the same overpowering figure who confronted her.

Prometheus Academy provides a welcome respite, as well as new friends and challenges. But when the threat level suddenly spikes and the life of another young child hangs in the balance, she must find a way to harness the powers of a fairy tale to root out and eliminate her foe, despite all of his advantages.
Amazon.com: http://getBook.at/AmzTWE  Read for free with Kindle Unlimited!



Floating into the air with an enormous gum bubble, Alvin lands in a strange world where everything is gray. The trees, the flowers, the dirt, the sky, the animals, and even the people are all missing their color.

Confronted with the mystery of the missing color, Alvin teams up with some unexpected friends to battle man-eating plants, outsmart the bumbling Crimson Guards, cross the Sugar Desert, overcome the two-headed dragon, and find the color-stealing goblins to restore color to the kingdom.
Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/Land-without-Color-Benjamin-Ellefson/dp/159298844X/



Book 1: Arctica a frozen world of magic and whimsy is in peril of being destroyed by the warmth. The frozen winter wonderland setting of "The Golden Compass" meets the magic and furry creatures of "The Chronicles of Narnia."

Follow Láilá into a vast new world full of fantasy and imagination a place called Aurora. She embarks on an epic adventure to find answers to all the hidden questions surrounding who she is and how she came to be. She is an innocent and selfless in her pursuit for answers and the truth behind her mysterious white hair.

Child of Winter is the first book of five in the Aurora Chronicles a coming of age fantasy following a twelve-year-old girl into a journey of self-discovery. Though what she learns about herself and where she came from might not have been for the best.

The fantasy world is in peril of being destroyed. The warmth is quickly approaching.
Can one small girl stop the warmth and restore Aurora to being the winter wonderland it once was?

All hope rests on her small shoulders.
https://www.books2read.com/u/mK9rlL


Everett Starner is a nobody. He doesn't play sports. He's not smart enough to stand out in school. He's barely worth bullying. He's not really good at anything except video games, which would be fine ... if they didn't randomly trigger his epilepsy.

That is, until The Interface: the newest gaming accessory that puts the game in your mind. When he plays Realms of Glory, he doesn't  watch  Everstarr level up and score loot, he  is  Everstarr. He becomes the somebody he can never be in real life.

It's fun at first -- his clan rises in the ranks and catches the attention of some powerful rivals. But during an epic battle, everything gets real. Too real. Players suddenly vanish. Kills do not respawn. Everett ends up trapped in the game with just a few friends -- and who knows how many enemies. He doesn't know how they got locked in, but he knows they all need to get out soon. 

Everett finally has a chance to be somebody in real life ... if only he can get back out there before it's too late.
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Locked-Virtual-Realms-M-Lau/dp/1980286205/




NY Times & USA Today bestselling author E.G. Foley presents The Gryphon Chronicles, a new series of historical fantasy adventures that's as much fun for grownups as it is for kids!Jake is a scrappy orphaned pickpocket living by his wits on the streets of Victorian London. Lately he's started seeing ghosts, and discovers he can move solid objects with his mind! He has no idea why. Next thing he knows, a Sinister Gentleman and his minions come hunting him. On the run for his life, Jake is plunged headlong into a mysterious world full of magic and deadly peril. A world that holds the secret to who he really is: the long-lost heir of an aristocratic family—with magical powers!
But with treacherous enemies closing in, it will take all of his wily street instincts and the help of his friends—both human and magical—to solve the mystery of what happened to his parents, and defeat the foes who never wanted the Lost Heir of Griffon to be found.

Amazon:  http://a.co/dezbMXrAR Link: http://www.arbookfind.com/bookdetail.aspx?q=174176&l=EN&slid=145392681




*Multi Award-Winning Middle Grade Novel!*  Forget having a lively after school social life, Ebony Charmed is fighting to keep the entire afterlife alive. ​Ebony’s less-than-average spirit tracking abilities are ruining more than sixth grade at Motley Junior High: School for the Psychically and Celestially Gifted. Her parents argue so much her dad's moved out. And, even though he’s scared of his own shadow and insists on bringing his slimy, legless lizard everywhere they go, Ebony wouldn’t survive without her best friend, Fleishman.​When Ebony’s Deadly Creatures & Relics’ project goes missing she learns her missing project is one of the keys to saving the spirit world. Now Ebony and Fleishman must battle beasts from Norse mythology to retrieve her project before spirits are lost, the Well of Urd dries up, and Ebony loses all hope of reuniting her family. But someone lies in wait, and he has other plans…including creating a new world of spirits without them in it.
Amazon  http://amzn.to/2cyZJ4g

Interview with Nathaniel Wyckoff auth of the Peretz Family Adventure Series

Today I'd like to welcome author Nathaniel Wyckoff, tell us a little about yourself.


I am a Jewish author, living in Los Angeles, California, with my wife and our six children, one girl who’s nearly 19 years old, and her five younger brothers. Our youngest son is nine years old. I work as an engineer during the day, and like to squeeze in an hour or (hopefully) more for writing and related activities during the wee hours of the morning, while everybody else is still asleep.


I have always enjoyed storytelling, inspired by my parents. My father used to tell my brothers and me bedtime stories every night, with all kinds of creative and fun characters. He also made up stories for us on the spot whenever we asked him for stories; he often initiated the stories himself, too.


Naturally, I wanted to tell stories to my children from the time that they were young. Eventually, I decided to start writing storybooks, as well. When a friend took numerous blog posts that he had written, consolidated them into a book, and published it through a self-publishing service, I realized that the barrier to getting into print was no more. So, I plunged into self-publishing!




        It's amazing the impact that parents reading to or telling stories to their kids at bedtime can have on a person.  My mom reading the Chronicles of Narnia to my siblings and me and probably what started me on my love for books.  Will you share a short excerpt from your novel.


Here is an excerpt from Yaakov the Pirate Hunter, my first novel:


The late afternoon sun cast long shadows as Yaakov and family carefully carried the wooden box across the lawn, toward the Sapir home. AutoRiser trundled after its owners. Yaakov pictured himself in an elegant living room, heroically presenting the stolen object to its prosperous and kind owners. Maybe they’ll let us keep some of the jewels inside it, he imagined. Even a few of them could be worth a fortune.
Suddenly, a loud shout interrupted his daydream.
“Avast!” Yaakov turned and found himself face to face with a short, grumpy-looking, disheveled man with a scraggly beard. On his head, he wore a striped rag, and he carried a worn pack on his left shoulder. A black patch covered his left eye. Yaakov took a look around, and then gasped as soon as he noticed the other five strange-looking characters, similarly dressed, standing around them. They were surrounded by pirates!
Immediately, Yehuda turned and faced the bearded ringleader. He loudly clapped his hands together in front of him and announced, with a broad smile, “Perfect! Thank you so much for coming. You’re just the guys I’ve been looking for all weekend. We’re putting on a production of ‘Peter Pan’ down at the NoHo Arts District in the Valley, and we’re badly in need of extras, especially with summer vacation and all. My kids are still a little young for it, but the six of you? Just what we need. Pity we had to come all the way to Santa Barbara to find you, but it was worth the trip. I can even put in a good word with the director, and get you a speaking part here and there – you know, a ‘walk the plank’ or two, or another ‘avast,’ if you prefer. Can I put you down for next Sunday afternoon?”
All three children were now chuckling quietly at their father’s sudden, improvised performance. He seemed to have a real talent for relieving tense situations with silly humor.
The bearded man ignored Yehuda and fixed his menacing gaze on Yaakov. “No one messes with Pete Weasel the Pirate,” he said in a gravelly voice. “Pete Weasel – that’s me, and you’re carrying our treasure.”
“You’re also messing with me, Eyepatch Izzy!” yelled another pirate.
“And me, Red Louie,” grunted another.
With anger in their voices, the other three disheveled members of this gang introduced themselves as Barracuda Harry, Jake the Claw, and Powder-keg Fred. It all seemed like a scare tactic.
Pete Weasel continued speaking. “I guess you didn’t notice the tiny tracking device that we attached to the bottom of that treasure chest! You think we’re a bunch of fools? That tracker told us where our treasure was the whole time. We just followed you here to get it. That treasure’s ours. We robbed it from this here house fair and square! Now put it down and walk away, and nobody gets hurt. You’d better listen, or I’ll smash this robot of yours to pieces!”




        Sounds like quite the adventure. What brought about the idea for this book?


I used to tell my children stories as I drove them to school in the morning. Generally, they would ask me for stories about whatever topics were on their minds. As the number of kids on the way to school increased, it became a little chaotic, so I set up a system: every morning, a different child got his or her turn to suggest a story idea.


As I remember it, one morning, one of my sons requested a story about a person with ten huge robots. I came up with a tale of a man on a strange planet, who owned ten huge robots that worked for him, crushing diamonds with tools. One of the robots malfunctioned, and started saying, “This thing doesn’t crush. It is silly. This thing doesn’t crush. I’ll call it ‘Willy!’” Somehow, the story developed into something exciting, and I didn’t even finish it before dropping off the kids. The next morning, I continued that story.


What does the story of my made-up story have to do with Yaakov the Pirate Hunter? When I wanted to write a tale for kids, I wondered what would happen if the main character was actually a child, rather than an adult, and if something went wonky with one of his family’s set of robots. Since I didn’t want a story about kids running around and adventuring with no adults to be found, I gave the child, whom I named Yaakov, siblings and parents, and wrote the adventure in a way that involved all of them. One idea led to another idea. I don’t remember what prompted me to throw pirates into the mix, but there they are!


         Everything is better with pirates! Who doesn't love Captain Hook or Captain Jack Sparrow. Nathaniel have you been given any helpful advice? If so, what?


When I first published Yaakov the Pirate Hunter, I was in a hurry. Naturally, I made some mistakes along the way. A friend who writes, and has been published in a number of publications, advised me to go back to the story and flesh it out. Some scenes could have used reworking. Some characters could have been developed more fully. Settings were not described in such thorough ways. Also, the story begged for a sequel.


I eventually took my friend’s advice, and took a good, hard, sometimes uncomfortable look, at my original creation. I explained things that had been previously unexplained. I also gave the characters some backstories, reworked some scenes, and filled in some descriptions of settings. The result was a richer, more satisfying second edition.


Not long afterwards, I wrote the sequel, Yaakov and the Treasures of Timna Valley.


From a podcast interview with self-published author Joanna Penn, I learned a great process for writing and editing, and I basically followed it for every book after Yaakov the Pirate Hunter. I print out each chapter and read it, pen in hand, to do my first round of editing. Afterwards, I go back and type in all of my changes (edits, revisions, additions, deletions), resulting in a second draft. Ms. Penn recommends hiring an editor to edit this second draft, but I don’t do so. My next step is to print a proof copy for my beta readers to proofread for me. Their changes go into the book, and result in the work that I will actually publish.


One great thing about self-publishing is that, if you or others find mistakes after the book has been published, you can correct them at any time for future copies of your book.


From another successful self-published author, Monica Leonelle, I learned to use “beats,” to write in timed sessions, and to eliminate as many distractions as possible. Beats are brief paragraphs that implement the content of your outline. So, rather than going from outlining straight to typing, I go from writing down an outline to writing out some actual paragraphs. From there, I take those brief paragraphs and flesh them out into the actual text of my draft. This process makes the production of the first draft more efficient.


Chandler Bolt has a book entitled, Book Launch. I highly recommend it for its excellent advice on producing and launching books. Even by implementing some of his advice, I sold a number of copies of my most recent books within a few days of launching it, and earned an orange ribbon from Amazon: #1 New Release in Children’s Multigenerational Families.


          Sounds like great advice. Currently, what are you working on?


I am writing a work of historical fiction for teenagers and young adults. For now, I’m titling it, A Time for Vengeance. It centers on a young man living in Spain during the mid-seventeenth century. That time period was the era of both the Spanish Inquisition and the Age of Exploration. The young man’s name is Simon Mendez. He and his family are anusim(“forced ones”), Jews who perform Jewish practices secretly, while living outwardly as Catholics. Simon has an anger problem and a real grudge against the Inquisition. When an Inquisitor shows up at his home and grabs his father, accusing him of the crime of “Judaizing,” it’s the last straw. Simon is out for revenge. He needs a way to save both his father from real physical danger and himself from allowing his anger to ruin him. 





        I love Historical Fiction, I love learning about history in a way that doesn't feel like it. Can you  tell us a little bit about your main characters from your current series?


Yaakov Peretz is a clever and bold boy, who loves to learn new things, to invent things, and to explore the world. He actually built one of his family’s robots, Digital Drudge, by himself, working on it for about a full year. When the time comes for adventure, of course he immediately wants to use robots to help. In fact, he loves having them around, so that they can do all sorts of chores for him, even getting errant balls and Frisbees off of roofs.


Yosef, the middle Peretz child, is somewhat grouchy, and isn’t all that interested in robots. He’s a brave soul, too, yet prefers to do things in a simple, straightforward way than to convolute a job with fancy-shmancy high-tech junk. He often argues with Yaakov about the need to use robots when there are simpler, more sensible ways to achieve an outcome. Still, he’s basically a good boy with a good moral compass.


Rachel is the youngest of the Peretz kids. She’s a wide-eyed little girl who looks up to her brothers and just wants to go along with whatever cool thing they’ve gotten themselves into.


All three of the kids have character arcs that stretch across the four books in the Peretz Family Adventures series.


Their parents are named Yehuda and Leah Peretz. Yehuda is a generally jovial and very loving, devoted father. He wants to give his kids a good time, while doing his best to keep them safe. He enjoys telling them corny jokes, as well as taking them to exotic places to do and to experience new things. Leah is fire and steel; she will do anything to fight for her kids’ well-being, and is the more serious of the two parents. She is also an intelligent artist, who paints stunning scenes at the places that the family visits.

        What kind of research do you do before you start a new story?



It largely depends upon the type of story that I am writing. For each of the Peretz Family Adventures stories, I researched the various places that the family visited. I researched a national park in Israel’s Negev Desert, including a map of the park, where much of the story takes places. I researched the Channel Islands, street maps of Jerusalem, places in the Himalaya mountains, and – of course – things to do in Jamaica. I also read up on new and emerging technologies, so that I could write about foldable electronics, supersonic trains, and other wizardry.


I’ve also read books and articles about the historical periods involved in my stories. Edward Kritzler’s Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean was a great resource for both Yaakov and the Jewel of Jamaica and A Time for Vengeance.





       Do you have people read your drafts before you publish?  How do you select beta readers?


My first reader is my wife. She is brutally honest, in the most helpful manner. She has often read my novels as I’ve written their drafts, and often saved my stories from devolving into un-publishable junk. She has provided extremely valuable advice at numerous critical points along the way, and has been a vital contributor to my books’ success.


I mainly select beta readers from my books’ target audience. Because my first four books have been for children, I have asked children to read them and to provide their feedback.


An adult friend has also served as a very helpful beta reader. It’s good to have an adult’s perspective, as well.


       I always have adults and children beta read my MG novels. Adults sometimes catch things younger readers miss, and of course you want to see what your target audience thinks. Who designed the artwork for your cover?  Or did you design it yourself?


I worked with a graphic designer Jeanine Henning. The cover design was a collaborative process, for each of my books. Jeanine asked me for a lot of information on each book, and I gave her detailed descriptions. She came back to me with very nice representations of what my books were about.


Learn more about Jeanine Henning and her amazing book cover art over here:
https://jhillustration.wordpress.com/








     How do you handle criticism when it comes to your writing?


If a reader points out a mistake, such as a typo, an inconsistency or wrong information, I thank that person and revise the book accordingly. The critic deserves thanks, because he or she has helped me to make my book the best that it can be.


On the other hand, if one is simply criticizing for the sake of criticizing, I ignore the criticism. One person who read Yaakov and the Jewel of Jamaica had some pretty strong words about the backgrounds of the various characters. I asked my wife and two friends who had read the book what they thought. On one level, the critic had a point; however, she was also splitting hairs about things that most readers wouldn’t notice or take seriously. So, I took her criticism under advisement for my next book, but didn’t panic about it.


        Is there something you learned from writing your first book?


I learned a lot from writing my first book. One lesson was that I do have it within me to write a book! My confidence in my own abilities to produce literature has grown with each book that I have written. Another lesson was that it is, indeed, a collaborative process. You might be tempted to go it alone, but that’s not a good idea. Those who helped me by reading the book and offering their perspectives were key team members. I also learned that, in fact, there a good number of kids and parents who want to read inspiring, fun, non-preachy stories with good moral content. Additionally, I can say that I learned the right combination of fact and artistic liberty that go into writing fiction. Yes, you want to write a story that doesn’t contain egregious factual errors; Hawaii has a specific location on the globe, and you don’t want characters to find it without looking in the right place. Still, even if you’ve never visited a location, you can still write something plausible about it; if somebody nit-picks, you drop the self-criticism and tell yourself, “Who cares? It’s fiction.”

    Which do you find more challenging inventing the hero or the villain?  Why?


Villains are more challenging to write, because I don’t allow myself to get into their heads. I prefer to write from a third-person limited perspective; it’s the point of view that find easiest to implement. So, I like to bring readers into the world of the main character, the hero. I want the reader to understand the main character, to empathize with him or her, to know his or her internal struggles, conflicts, demons, failures, and successes. It’s easier for me to understand a hero.


Although I strive not to make my villains one-dimensional, I don’t like to dive into them too deeply. How, then, do I get a villain to function in a believable way, to help move the story along without just being “generic bad guy?” I have to give him his own quirks, idiosyncrasies, and some motivations that the hero must infer.

Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Nathaniel.  Be sure to check out the Peretz Adventures.  Happy Reading!!




Books:
Yaakov the Pirate Hunter:
https://www.amazon.com/Yaakov-Pirate-Hunter-Peretz-Adventures/dp/1456452495/


Yaakov and the Treasures of Timna Valley:
https://www.amazon.com/Yaakov-Treasures-Valley-Peretz-Adventures/dp/1518717799/


Yaakov and the Secret of Acra Fortress:
https://www.amazon.com/Yaakov-Secret-Fortress-Peretz-Adventures/dp/1543146481/


Yaakov and the Jewel of Jamaica:
https://www.amazon.com/Yaakov-Jamaica-Peretz-Family-Adventures/dp/1985641127/


Website:
http://www.peretzadventures.com/


Social Media:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NathanielWyckoffAuthor/


Twitter:
@PeretzAdventure


Cover Designer:
Jeanine Henning, https://jhillustration.wordpress.com/

Paradise Girl by Phil Featherstone -Feature

Readers often ask me where I got the idea for my novel Paradise Girl. The answer is, it came from a bug. Or, to be more precise, a virus.
Nobody knows how many viruses exist, but scientists agree that they outnumber all other living things put together (actually there’s some debate about whether viruses can actually be considered alive, but for now we’ll assume they can). Only a tiny number of them affect humans, and most of those that do are easily dealt with by the body’s immune system. However, there are a few that the immune system can’t cope with, and these can cause serious illness and, in extreme cases, death. An example is ebola, which is spread through the transfer of body fluids. It’s also transmitted by fruit bats, which can carry the virus without being affected by it.
A few years ago a volcano in Iceland erupted, throwing smoke and ash several kilometres into the sky. A result of this was the grounding of commercial aircraft for several days. I live in a remote farmhouse high on the Pennine hills in the north of England. Usually the only signs of human life outside my home are the vapour trails of planes as they approach or depart from Manchester, or travers the country to and from other places. At the time of the Icelandic eruption, they stopped. The skies were empty, a beautiful, clear blue. For that short time I could have been the only person alive. This started me thinking: suppose that really was the case, where might everyone else have gone? What might have happened to them? Destroyed by radiation? Abducted by aliens? Wiped out by a plague? Ebola was in the news at the time, and so the latter seemed the most likely.
I began to work on the idea. Somebody in such a situation would be subject to unbearable pressures. They would be desperately lonely and terribly afraid, alternating between relief at surviving and the daunting prospect of a future without hope. It would add poignancy if the central character was young, maybe still in their teens with their life before them. Think about an almost endless series of days stretching ahead, with nothing to relieve them or distinguish between them. What dark places might a mind go when faced with that? What terrible dreams might occur?
They would try to cope by writing a diary, which would describe what they saw, heard and thought, and through which they could reflect on their predicament. It seemed to me that this would work best if such a character was female. Kerryl Shaw introduced herself, and I began to write her story. You can read it in Paradise Girl.




Find the Paradise Girl here: https://amzn.to/2ETah9P

Nightwalker is Now Available

Get your vampire fix now. It's out Today!
http://mybook.to/nightwalkerbook2

Fans of Blood of Eden and The Originals will Love Nightwalker.
Praise for Sunwalker, Book 1
"Entertaining and fun..." Carole P. Roman, Award Winning Author of the Captain No Beard Series 
"...a vampire saga that will engross anyone..." D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review 
   It’s now three months since Lilly saved Tread and killed the psycho vampire Lord Steel, the leader of a sinister vampire community that enslaved humans and forced them to give blood. 
   Now Tread is slowly recovering from the terrible wound he received, but there are other problems to contend with. The city is slowly emptying of humans who don’t want to live alongside the vampires and donate blood to keep them sustained. 
   When Tread’s old friends Koyt turns up one day, along with two vampire friends, Lilly’s father recognizes him as one of his torturers and is enraged that he has been allowed to enter the city. But Koyt says he is a different vampire now and wants a second chance. 
   When challenges like a widespread epidemic and a mysterious blood thief threaten to destroy the city that Lilly and so many others have worked to build, Koyt may be the community’s only chance at survival. 
   But can Lilly trust him to do the right thing? Can Koyt live up to his word, proving that he isn’t the monster he once was? And will Lilly and Tread’s relationship survive it if he doesn’t?