Suzanne G. Rogers's Blog, page 38

Beat the January Blues with Musa Publishing’s Month-long Giveaway…

Enter daily HERE to win one of 17 promotional paperbacks AND be eligible for a Grand Prize Gift Basket! 

Warm Up for Winter Basket

Snuggly Blanket

$20.00 Musa Gift Certificate

Starbucks Coffee

Coffee Mug

Specialty Chocolates

PLUS  5 paperback books:

Marissa’s Choice by Kadee McDonald

The Dominus Runes by Peter Lukes

Walking the Dog by Linda Benson

Love Lies Bleeding by Laini Giles

For his Love by Nya Rayne

Enter to win one of seventeen paperbacks!

Outlaws by William Weldy

Only A Hero Will Do by Susan LodgeFirst Frost by Liz DeJesus

Glass Frost by Liz DeJesus

Trusting Sydney by Helen Hardt

Taming Angelina by Helen Hardt

Treasuring Amber by Helen Hardt

2012: The Rising by Joanne Hirase

Typical Day by Gary K. Wolf

Obsession by JoAnne Keltner

Stained Glass by Mindy Hardwick

Grape Bubblegum by Beth Bowland

Dragon Drop by Jerry Ackerman

New Girl by Joan B. Flood

The Fox’s Mask by Anna Frost

Unforgettable You by Marci Boudreaux

Storm’s Fury by Nya Rayne

And one of 30 e-books:

3.99 by Richard Satterlie

100,000 Midnights by Aaron Smith

A Company of Thieves by David Pilling

A Place to Call Their Own by L. Dean Pace-Frech

A Reason To Stay by L.S. Murphy

A Sense of the Ridiculous by Heather King

A Willing Spirit by Cindi Myers

Alaska Heat by Vella Munn

An Incident on MSR Tampa by SS Hampton, Sr

Apple of My Eye by Elizabeth Botts

Baiting The Hook by Mary S. Palmer & David Wilton

Between by Clarissa Johal

Black Widow by Lena Austin

Bring Me To Life by Scarlett Parrish

Captain Westwood’s Inheritance by Lynda Dunwell

Contingency Plan by Anita Ensal

Crazy Greta by David Hardy

Daughter of the Earth and Sky by Kaitlin Bevis

Deep Into The Night by Tracie Ingersoll Loy

Dragon Revealed by Nulli Para Ora

Enchanted Realms by Eleni Konstantine

Forget the Misteltoe by Lizzie T. Leaf

Her Goblin Prince by Thalia Frost

High Stakes by Chad Strong

ICE blue by Susan Rae

Identity Thief by Milo James Fowler

Keeper of Directions by L.K. Mitchell

Kojiki by Keith Yatsuhashi

Little Bird by Liza Gaines

Looney Dunes by Anne Skalitza

Masquerade by Sloane Taylor

Grand Prize Drawing takes place January 31!

Don’t forget to enter HERE!

Carnivorous Predators — Excerpt from Secrets of Yden

In Secrets of Yden, Jon is challenged to a duel. Out of an excess of youthful arrogance, he’s named the forum—an old arena on the savage continent of Pytch.  Only later does he begin to realize the flaw in his plan…

Excerpt:

Jon glanced up to see a pack of enormous, fanged cats cresting the far end of the arena where the wall had crumbled. The creatures were completely hairless except for the beard-like tufts under their chins, and Jon guessed one of their enormous paws would span a hubcap. And their claws would probably rip the tire to shreds.

“Holy moley, those cats are big! How did they know we were here?”

“The bearded hodyny can smell small amounts of blood from many, many leagues away, as can most of the predators on Pytch. If the hodyny picked up the scent, flying reptiles known as the rantynith will arrive momentarily.”

Jon gulped. “Anything else?”

“Yes. The gneeth will stampede. In their case, however, we’ll at least have warning. The creatures are so large, the vibrations of their approach will shake the ground underneath our feet.”

The cats floored it in their direction.

“See you at the tree house,” Jon squeaked.

“Indeed you will.”

Although Jon and Dorsit returned to Dragon Isle safely, Jon was shaken. One little cut had brought those creatures running, and there was no telling what other parade of Pytch carnivores had been hearing the same dinner bell.

“How on Yden can I fight a bloodless duel?” Jon asked, freaked.

“It’s virtually impossible,” Dorsit acknowledged. “You can perhaps begin to see the problem.”

Now he tells me.

Secrets of Yden, Yden Book Three is available in all formats at Astraea Press and Smashwords, for the Kindle at Amazon, and for the Nook at BN.com.

Did you know The Last Great Wizard of Yden and Children of Yden are now only $0.99 at Amazon?

Finishing a Trilogy — Secrets of Yden

The third book in my Yden trilogy has just been published and I have a feeling of closure. It’s kind of funny, but I remember where I was during each stage of development. The books literally went from coast to coast. I began Book One in a Los Angeles writers’ workshop–North Hollywood to be exact.  I put it aside for a long time for lack of a publisher, but when we moved from California to Asheville, North Carolina I pulled it out and began to beat it into shape. I was on an airplane when I drew a map of Dragon Isle, and devised the obstacle course the apprentices had to run for Book Two. I made a list of the original thirteen clans of Yden in our Savannah rental house, and another “tree” all of Quixoran’s apprentices, where they were from, and what Clan they belonged to. Book Three was edited in our new Savannah house, in my second story office overlooking a lagoon. All three books were originally written in First Person, and had to be re-written to Third Person to satisfy the publisher. As grueling as that sounds (and it WAS grueling), the process forced me to dig deep as a writer and make the narrative as clear as possible.

How do you write a trilogy, particularly when the action takes place both on Earth and an alternate universe? Maps, charts, notes, sweat, blood, and tears. And an overwhelming love for the characters and a need to see them grow and develop as people.  I truly care about these characters, and revel in their talents, challenges, and imperfections. Sometimes I daydream about Jon and visualize what his life will be like going forward.  It may seem as if I’m obsessed, but that sort of passion is what it takes to stick with a series of books over a period of years.  To paraphrase a famous song, if writing while obsessed is wrong, I don’t want to be right. ~ S.G. Rogers

Secrets of Yden is Here

I’m proud to announce the release of my third and final Yden novel, Secrets of Yden!

Blurb: As Jon Hansen begins his senior year in high school, he and his friends are focused on the future. Unfortunately, a past skirmish on Yden is still having repercussions. Bailey of the Shark Clan is out for revenge, and he may have secret support in the Executive Council. Worse, time is stopping on Earth for increasingly long intervals, and only Jon’s ankh sets him apart. An unstable portal is the cause, but his search for answers uncovers an ancient prophecy that seemingly spells his doom. Can Jon repair the hole in the universe before time stops forever, or will he have to sacrifice himself to save the world?

Excerpt:

As Ty and his five friends zeroed in on a drama student with purple hair, Jon strode over to intervene. “Cut it out, Ty.”

“Bug off,” Ty replied. “Who elected you sheriff?”

“There are other ways to have fun. Give it a rest.”

Ty focused on Jon’s silver ankh. “Nice jewelry,” he sneered.

“Whatever.”

Several football players, led by Fred, approached.

“Everything okay, Jon?” Fred called out.

Ty held up his hands in defeat and backed away. “It’s cool.”

The confrontation over, Jon waved Fred off. With a grin, Fred scooped up a football and threw a long spiral pass. “Heads up, Hansen!”

The football arced toward Jon’s outstretched hands.

Then time stopped.

For a moment, Jon thought maybe he was having trouble with his depth perception, but it was more than that. Everything and everyone around him was frozen in place, as if he were a patron in a wax museum. The football hung in space. The ocean waves had stopped, mid-crest. A seagull was poised overhead, midflight. A sandfly hung in the air right in front of Jon’s face. The absence of noise pressed in on his eardrums and jangled his nerves. It became so unbearable, he nearly screamed.

“Whoa,” he said, staggering backward. His eyes grew wide with panic as he searched the faces around him. Jon climbed on top of a flat rock and scanned the horizon for movement. He shivered with the realization there was none to be seen…

And then, as abruptly as time had stopped, it began again.

Secrets of Yden is available in all formats at Astraea Press, and for the Kindle at Amazon. Coming soon to other outlets.

The adventure begins with Book One, The Last Great Wizard of Yden.

For his sixteenth birthday, all Jon wanted were the keys to the family car. Instead, he got a lousy magic ring.

Available via Smashwords, BN.com, Amazon, and other fine outlets. Trade paperback with former cover is available HERE.

Book Two, Children of Yden

The children of Yden are coming home,  and it’s time to choose sides.

Available for the Kindle at Amazon, for the Nook at BN.com and in all e-formats at Astraea Press. Now available in paperback too!

Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters — Movie Review

(c) Paramount Pictures International

I don’t usually do movie reviews, but I watched this 2013 release last night for free on Amazon Prime. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I have to tell you I enjoyed it so much I bought the DVD.

(c) Paramount Pictures International

Here’s the official blurb, as it appears on the movie’s official promo page:

Get ready for a twisted take on the classic tale as Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) have turned pro, coping with the trauma of their childhood captivity by slaying witches for hire. But when the seemingly unstoppable bounty hunters meet their match in an enemy so evil, it’ll take all their training, weapons and courage to survive. Revenge is sweeter than candy.

Yes, there is plenty of gratuitous violence and one suggestive scene with a bare backside. But there is also lots of lovely dark humor and witty visual jokes. A few examples: When kids go missing, the townspeople paste their pictures on milk bottles. One of the minor characters is an unattractive troll who happens to go by the Twilight-inspired name of Edward. (No, he doesn’t sparkle. ) And Hansel has developed diabetes from all the candy he was forced to eat at the witch’s house as a kid.

Both the beginning and ending credits are stunning works of art.  Here’s the link to the instant video on Amazon Prime.  If you don’t mind a few silly decapitations and exploding people, and you’ve got a dark sense of humor, you’ll really like this overlooked gem. Two thumbs up.

~ S.G. Rogers

Mr. & Mrs. Odin

You’ve heard of outtakes and cut scenes from the movies? If you sat through the credits of of The Avengers, for example, you were rewarded by some special footage.  The following is a bonus scene which falls somewhere in between The Druid and its sequel The Accidental Immortal.  Popcorn is optional.  ~ S.G. Rogers

Dr. Sigmund peered at the couple on the couch before him.  “Mr. and Mrs. Odin, after several days of intense therapy—”

“Doctor, the name is Friday,” the Nordic blonde interrupted.  “It’s important to me to have my own identity.”

A muscle quivered in Odin’s jaw but he said nothing.

The doctor nodded. “All right, Friday. The way I see it, we have some enormous challenges to overcome in your marriage.”

Friday snorted and pointed at her husband.  “For one thing, he doesn’t trust me.”

Odin bristled.  “Adultery in a wife is never a desirable quality.”

“You’re one to talk!” she exclaimed.  “They don’t call you The Wanderer for nothing, Odin. Thor is only your most visible indiscretion.”

Odin folded his well-muscled arms across his massive chest and stared straight ahead.

“To save your marriage, we must move past this blame game,” Dr. Sigmund said.

“I’ve been cooped up on Fensalir practically forever, thanks to him,” Friday said, flicking a glance at Odin.  “I’d say our relationship has been shot to Helheim and back.”

“I understand that.  Mr. Odin, I propose you give your wife a little freedom.”

“A lot of freedom and a lot of gold,” Friday said.  “It’s my turn to visit to Midgard.  I want to do some shopping.”

“Be sure to buy yourself another necklace,” Odin said through clenched teeth.

Friday gasped in outrage.  “How dare you throw that in my face!  Go hang yourself on Yggdrasil!”

The two immortals jumped to their feet and began to bicker.  As the volume increased, the doctor rose from his chair, strode from the room, and slammed the door behind him.  Odin and Friday exchanged a guilty glance.

“I guess we’re having our own personal Ragnarök,” she said.

Odin sighed. “Let’s hope it’s not the end of the world for our marriage.”

After Dani Avery is abandoned in Asgard, can her shieldmaiden skills earn her a ticket home?

Kidnapped from Earth and abandoned in Asgard of Norse mythology, Dani Avery must fight to return home.

The Druid is available in all formats from Musa Publishing and Smashwords (use discount code ZD27X), Amazon for the Kindle. and BN.com for Nook readers.

When the Cup of Immortality is stolen in Asgard, anger and suspicion is leveled at Dani Avery. Dani, Rein, and Emrys begin their desperate search for the real thief and the missing Cup.  Unfortunately, they run afoul of a ruthless crime boss who will stop at nothing to gain their silence.

Will Dani unwittingly sacrifice Rein’s life in her attempt to save their relationship?  Or must she deliberately sacrifice their relationship in order to save his life?

The Accidental Immortal – An Asgard Adventure Book Two, available from Musa Publishing, Amazon, BN.com and Smashwords (use discount code AU33Y).

Tournament of Chance (Epic Time Travel Fantasy) — On Sale

To prevent a commoner from winning the Tournament of Chance, a brutal king will stop at nothing.  Big mistake.

When King Chance cheats Heather out of a victory in his prestigious archery competition, he stokes the fire of a simmering uprising. She joins the Dragon Rebels, a secretive group of freedom fighters dedicated to reinstating the Ormvalder monarchy of old. Although Heather’s relationship with rightful heir Dane Ormvalder is tumultuous, they begin a dangerous quest together to restore the kingdom’s magical power.  Unfortunately, an unexpected explosion sets in motion a revolution—in time.

Excerpt:

From the unappetizing quantity of fur and gore on the turtle rock, it appeared the trolls had gutted and skinned the tiger there, and cooked some of the meat over the still-glowing firepit nearby. Although Heather longed to rest, the smell of the place turned her stomach. Leaving the campsite, she continued to climb up the trail. The rank odor of the slaughtered animal followed her.

A few minutes later, a blue dragon appeared from the north. With her heart in her throat, she yelled as loud as she could, waving her arms to get Dane’s attention. When he veered in her direction she was overjoyed. After six other dragons joined him during his descent, however, Heather’s ebullience turned to horror. A flock of wild dragons was headed straight for her, and on the open trail there was nowhere to hide.

Gritting her teeth against the pain in her side, she hurtled down the trail, past the turtle rock. At random, she picked one of the lava tunnels and darted inside. Heather hoped the dragons would leave once they lost their prey. Unfortunately, the smell of blood at the campsite sent the animals into a frenzy. The dragons’ piercing, trumpeting cries echoed down the tunnel, forcing Heather to cover her ears. The creatures attacked the rock face with their claws, chipping off bits and pieces of granite. Heather backed further into the darkness, but when she heard one of the dragons inhale, she ran. A fireball followed…

Do you enjoy shapeshifting dragons, wizards, swordplay, time travel, archery, fairies, guerrilla warfare, intrigue, or trolls? EPIC’s eBook Awards 2014 Fantasy Finalist Tournament of Chance is now on sale for a limited time! ($4.99 $2.99 at (Kindle), (Nook), Musa (all formats) and Smashwords (all formats…just use discount code AC57D at checkout!)

If I Were a Timekeeper… by Guest Author Sharon Ledwith

The job a Timekeeper should not be taken lightly. I mean, after all being summoned into the past puts a lot of responsibility on a person’s shoulders. First, you have a riddle to solve. Why did you arrive in that time period in the first place? What is the Timekeeper’s task? And when is it supposed to take place? Don’t forget, you’d be out of your element, and most likely not familiar with the customs and beliefs of the people and their culture. Say or do the wrong thing and you could get thrown in the dungeon, or worse…cue the scary music.

So if I had a choice of where I wanted to go, rather than sent to where I needed to be like my characters are in The Last Timekeepers  and the Arch of Atlantis, I would choose to go to Atlantis. I know, go figure, but I believe it was a real place and not a myth. I’ve done too much research to know this. My gut tells me Atlantis existed. I’d love to check out the City of the Golden Gates and the Temple of Poseidon and see if Plato’s descriptions are bang on. However, I wouldn’t want to go back there when things, let’s say got little shaky and wet, for the Atlanteans!

But for the purpose of factual history, I think I would choose Ancient Egypt. Now this timeline is very hard to pinpoint. I’ve done a bucket load of research in this era for the prequel to my time travel series, Legend of the Timekeepers. Egypt, it seems, was rumored as a place where many Atlantean refugees settled after the destruction of Atlantis. So if there’s any truth to these myths, I’d love to go back and see what the Atlanteans did with their clean slate.

There you have it. My top choice(s) I’d love to visit if I were a Timekeeper and could travel back in time. So if you suddenly found that you could time travel, whether by machine or a portal, where would you journey into the past to visit? Love to hear your choices! ~ Sharon Ledwith

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Musa Publishing. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.

Tagline & blurb for The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis:

Children are the keys to our future. And now, children are the only hope for our past.

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they’re given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn’t a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers–legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial–Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don’t, then history itself may be turned upside down.

Tagline & blurb for Legend of the Timekeepers:

There is no moving forward without first going back.

Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.

Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis Buy Links:

MUSA PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀ SMASHWORDS ׀ APPLE

Legend of the Timekeepers Buy Links:

MUSA PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀ SMASHWORDS ׀ APPLE

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and GOODREADS. Check out THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS TIME TRAVEL SERIES Facebook page.

Children of Yden – Excerpt

The release of Secrets of Yden (Book 3 in my Yden series) is coming soon, so I thought it would be fun to share a short excerpt from Book Two, Children of Yden. Enjoy! ~ S.G. Rogers

A man approached at a dead run, his eyes fixed on the trail under his feet. A bulky knapsack bounced on his shoulder and his hooded cape hung askew. When the man saw the man up ahead, he came to a startled halt. Horror was etched on his sweat-­streaked features.

“Wizard!” he gasped, his chest heaving with exertion.

“Going somewhere, Moala? Surely you weren’t trying to flee?”

“No, no. I’m on my way to visit an old friend.”

“Where is the key?”

Moala’s face crumpled. “I-­I’m not sure.”

“You’ve failed.”

The merchant dropped his sack and fumbled for a pouch at his belt. “Here is your gold, Wizard. It’s all there, in full.” He held out the pouch with trembling fingers.

“I don’t want the gold, I want the key.”

Moala sank to one knee in supplication. “Forgive me. What you seek was traced to the nymphs of the Andresen Waterfalls, but has not been seen since. I’ve done the best I can. Please believe me.”

“I believe you.” He reached for the merchant’s hand and drew him to his feet. “Thank you for your hard work, Moala. You won’t be seeing me again.”

“You’re a truly great wizard, Guinn of the Fox Clan,” Moala said, chortling in relief. The merchant drew his sleeve across his sweaty face, revealing a spreading black spot in the center of his palm. Oblivious, he retrieved his sack and hastened up the path. Moments later, his footsteps slowed. With a groan, Moala sank to the ground, writhing in pain.

“Wizard, what have you done to me?”

Moments later, his screams echoed off the nearby boulders. The sound was interrupted only by the sound of a wizard transporting away…

Blurb:

As Jon’s magical training begins, his budding romantic attraction to Kira jeopardizes his relationship with Brett. At the same time, the Dragon Clan is bringing the Earth-born children of Yden’s wizards back home. Unfortunately, the Fox Clan has also been recruiting these teen wizards for its own sinister plans. The mysterious Guinn of the Fox Clan is searching for a weapon known as the Portal Key and is more than willing to kill for it. Jon becomes increasingly desperate and reckless in his quest to thwart the Fox Clan, but he discovers–too late–his enemy is closer than he thinks.

Children of Yden is the exciting sequel to The Last Great Wizard of Yden.

Cover Reveal for Drawing Down the Shades by Juli D. Revezzo

Author Juli D. Revezzo has just released the second book in her paranormal Antique Magic series, Drawing Down the Shades. Here’s the blurb:

Business can be hell…

Life is good at Starfort Collectibles until the owners, Caitlin and Trevor Fulmer, acquire a beautiful statuette with a murky past. Shortly thereafter, mysterious hauntings wreak havoc on the couple when a ghost in the attic threatens retribution. Caitlin presses her coven for help before the ghost succeeds in meting out deadly punishment—on Trevor.

If you enjoy a good ghost story, this one’s for you. Congratulations, Juli, on your new release! It’s available at Amazon HERE, and BN.com HERE. (Psst…Drawing Down the Shades has already received its first 5-star review at Amazon!) Also in the series is The Artists’s Inheritance, and Caitlin’s Book of Shadows.

~ S.G. Rogers