A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 32
January 17, 2024
Outpassage – Blog Tour – Science Fiction
War and Mystery Beyond the Stars
Outpassage
by Janet Morris & Chris Morris
Genre: Science Fiction
WAR AND MYSTERY BEYOND THE STARS
Sgt. “Det” Cox has just spent three years under psych observation on Earth; now that he’s out-system, he isn’t about to tell anyone he’s seeing aliens again. Paige Barnett has lost everything, even her name, because she knows too much about the rebellion spreading through the Earth-Space mining colonies.
Together Cox and Barnett stumble upon the mystery at the revolution’s heart and learn why the rebels are willing to die for it.
Is their discovery humanity’s worst threat or greatest gift? The authorities are willing to destroy whole planets to keep the revolution’s secret from reaching Earth… What’s to stop them from destroying two people
“The Morrises’ blend of fast-paced narrative and meticulous research into near-space technology makes a novel you can’t put down.”
— C.J. Cherryh
“Action sequences that would make any writer proud. OUTPASSAGE is a wonderful book.”
–David Drake
“OUTPASSAGE might just be the perfect science fiction novel.”
— Jack Williamson
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Love Science Fiction?
For readers that are out of this world and can’t wait to find out what the future holds –
All SciFi books at Perseid Press are discounted for the month of January!
Get them now before they’re light years away…..
Best selling author Janet Morris began writing in 1976 and has since published more than 30 novels, many co-authored with her husband Chris Morris or others. Most of her fiction work has been in the fantasy and science fiction genres, although she has also written historical and other novels. Morris has written, contributed to, or edited several book-length works of non-fiction, as well as papers and articles on nonlethal weapons, developmental military technology and other defense and national security topics.
Christopher Crosby Morris (born 1946) is an American author of fiction and non-fiction, as well as a lyricist, musical composer, and singer-songwriter. He is married to author Janet Morris. He is a defense policy and strategy analyst and a principal in M2 Technologies, Inc. He writes primarily as Chris Morris, but occasionally uses pseudonyms.
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choice of print or ebook copy of Outpassage ,
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January 14, 2024
The Earthborn Saga – Blog Tour and Giveaway #Scifi #Fantasy
Night is falling.
Embrace the darkness.
A Son of the Shadows
The Earthborn Saga Vol 1
by Steven Bissett
Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy
Night is falling. Embrace the darkness.
On the ice-clad prison world of Delta-13, where minds teeter on the edge of madness, mankind’s future dangles by a thread.
Living under the shadow of an imperial conspiracy, Rex Hunt discovers a psychic gift that will upset the balance of power in the entire galaxy.
As Rex grapples with his newfound power, prison psychiatrist, Dr. Lily Tselitel, delves into the chilling surge of madness among the inmates, pulling her closer to a secret as old as the galaxy itself.
Their paths converge as they uncover an imperial plot to build a weapon that threatens to suffocate the flickering spirit of rebellion in the galaxy’s fringe colonies.
Unbeknownst to the rebels, as they fight against the empire’s sinister plan, an ancient shadow looms over the galaxy, threatening to consume humanity’s vast colonies, and even Earth itself!
Discover the first book in an epic space opera where hope survives in secret taverns, and the line between life and death is blurred in the snowy expanse of Delta-13.
You’re just one click away from learning mankind’s fate.
The Beast Emerges
The Earthborn Saga Vol II
Ancient secrets. New battles.
An unyielding, insidious peril, the Devourers unleash chaos in the galaxy.
First in their malevolent sights: the ice planet Delta-13, next the enigmatic jungles of Preleteth. Rex Hunt, driven by destiny and cryptic legends, forges alliances in the galaxy’s darkest corners.
From pirate-infested asteroids to secret Imperial bases, danger lurks at every corner. When ancient prophecies from the sentient world of Preleteth point to a shadowy salvation, Rex’s fate becomes irrevocably intertwined with a journey that spans galaxies.
Every alliance forged, every secret unveiled, and every battle waged will shape the future in this grand space opera of courage, sacrifice, and cosmic revelation.
Dive deep with Rex and his crew as they embark on a perilous journey. If you think you’ve outsmarted the might of the Empire or the ruthlessness of the Devourers… prepare for your reckoning.
Jump into book two of The Earthborn Saga today!
The Crucible of Titans
The Earthborn Saga Vol III
Dreadnoughts. Devourers. Deception. In a star field of lies, can anyone be trusted?
Trapped aboard the Empire’s ultimate weapon, Sentinel, Rex becomes the crucial factor in the cosmic war against the Devourers.
But there’s a mysterious web of deceit beyond the battlefield. Driven by an intense hatred of mankind, an ancient being emerges as the parasite’s true puppet master.
Between the Empire, the Devourers, emboldened pirates, and a plethora of colonial revolutionaries, are there simply too many enemies to overcome?
The mysterious Krancis, architect of the Empire’s desperate gambit to survive, sends Sentinel on a collision course with the single greatest foe ever to threaten mankind. The battle to come is beyond colossal: it’s a celestial clash of titans that could cost Rex everything he has left.
Dive into this enthralling mosaic of military tactics, clandestine politics, and cosmic spirituality. Feel the universe quake under the weight of monumental choices. Here, heroes are born, villains rise, and entire galaxies crumble.
Ready for the next level of space opera?
The Tides of Retribution
The Earthborn Saga Vol IV
Will the Empire crumble under the weight of betrayal and invasion?
As the galaxy is besieged by the merciless Devourers and treacherous Fringers, one ship and one man stand as humanity’s final hope.
Can the enigmatic Rex, a master of shadowy psychic powers, and the massive warship, Sentinel, keep the relentless enemy at bay?
Rumors of alien infiltration and psychic omens shake the Empire to its core. Can Rex and Sentinel hold the line long enough for Krancis’ new experimental weapon to be deployed against their enemy?
As the hive-minded Devourers grow bolder and more ruthless by the day, the Empire finds itself fighting battles on multiple fronts. Eliminating high-level operatives providing intelligence to the parasite becomes as crucial as protecting the Empire’s teeming population centers.
Venture into this colossal clash, where an alien hive mind, the Imperium’s internal enemies, and the ticking clock that marks humanity’s doom converge. Witness as Krancis’ innovations offer a glimmer of hope, Rex pushes his psychic gifts to the limit, and the Devourers edge closer to ultimate victory over humanity.
Ready to discover what surprises await humanity?
Immerse yourself into the intrigue of book four of the Earthborn Saga today!
The Crusade of Vengeance
The Earthborn Saga Vol V
The tides are turning, but is it enough to save humanity?
When the Empire’s last gamble pays off, the Devourer’s end finally seems inevitable.
Armed with Adler fighters and Sentinel’s devastating cannon, the Devourer’s reign of terror might be on the brink of ending.
But the colossal enemy has one last trick up its sleeve and is spreading a devilish evil across the Empire in a desperate bid at victory. Armed with city-sized masses of stinking Devourer flesh, these psychic nightmares that consume life are being warped in from deep space to wreak havoc on the Empire’s core worlds.
And even as Rex powers Sentinel’s cannon to obliterate the Devourer’s latest monstrosities, a darker evil waits in the wings, a force that dwarfs all other threats.
Advanced weaponry meets arcane entities and the very fabric of the universe hangs by a thread.
Prepare to confront the real enemy in book five of the Earthborn Saga today!
Steven Bissett has been writing stories for over fourteen years. An eclectic author, he excels at seamlessly blending genres together to produce unique stories. With compelling characters, dynamic plots, and a crisp, candid style that holds nothing back, Bissett continues to delight readers of every age.
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$20 Amazon
January 11, 2024
Swift Six Character Interview – Fergushar the Tenth
Fergushar the Tenth (Fergus for short)
Which book/world do you live in?
I, alas, currently abide in Incolf, a cultureless country currently ruled by Her Dimwittedness Queen Siobhan the Third, though I proudly hail from the significantly more interesting land of Jocrom. My family ruled there for generations, and though my ancestors hailed from Incolf themselves, I consider myself to be a full-blooded Jocromite.
Tell us about yourself: (Name, race/species, etc.)
I am Fergushar the Tenth, Democratic Emperor and Death Lord of Jocrom, Soltan of the Pale Star. I was once a beloved ruler, noted intellect and a necromancer of great power. Then I had the misfortune to meet three out of Siobhan’s five pet sorceresses. We had, shall we say, some disagreements about how I was running my country, which—in my personal opinion—was none of their business.
Said disagreements led to their unlawful and unwarranted assault of my country, which led to its complete devastation and my transformation into an ostrich. Which, granted, has some perks. I do like being larger and longer in some areas, if you follow my meaning.
After all, who doesn’t like being able to poke their head above high walls?
I’m an adventurer – why should I recruit you to accompany me?
I can regale you with my many political triumphs over the course of my reign as Death Lord, as well as my myriad accomplishments in the course of my learning at the University of Zhai Ezan.
I also have a butt-shaped talisman that explodes when you tell it secrets. It’s great for whenever conversation dies down at parties.
Tell us about your companions? How do they see you?
Quin? What’s there to tell? She’s a half-wit half-rate writer with all the charm of a crushed snail. If she had any sense, she would see me as the genius I am, and as an underserving victim of her magical malfeasance. If she had an ounce of respect for me, she would change me back at once. But she does not. I have a feeling she doesn’t have much in the way of respect for me.
What’s your most heroic exploit to date?
I heroically defended Jocrom against Quin and her fellow witches. Though my efforts were in vain, I was able to hold them back for about…I would say two hours. Nobody can claim that! Even the great city of Galvinhame could only keep out a single Witch of Incolf for a measly minute before it was forced to open its doors to her.
What’s your greatest failure?
Well, since I am now effectively retired from politics—no thanks to Quin, I want to emphasize—I work as a freelancer magician in Basdolon. That’s Incolf’s capital, by the by.
And, well, there was an incident with a worm. Can’t even begin to tell you what went wrong there, I’m confident I unscrambled that cube the correct way, but it was supposed to summon an army of worms that would add nutrients to Dayzona Arcanics’ farmlands. Instead, it produced a single massive worm that consumed most of their livestock. Though if you ask me, I did those cows a favor. They were only going to be used for unholy Incolfian magical experiments, I’m sure.
Where do you think you’ll be in a decade?
Sitting back in my new palace in Jocrom, celebrating the tenth anniversary of my restoration to human form and having subsequently brought the Witches of Incolf to heel and conquered Incolf. I’ll let Quin live so she can write an article about it. Now that would be quite delicious.
Do you have a great love? (This could be a person/trait/item)
Well, I recently came into possession of a magic talisman: a body part from the famed philosopher and mathematician Urg. Yes, the Urg. Urg the Erudite. I have absolutely no idea what it does yet, but I feel privileged to have this piece of Urg with me, and I very much look forward to discovering what it’s capable of.
Links to book etc https://amzn.to/3tOyu0o
January 10, 2024
Sandstorm – Blog Tour and Giveaway #UrbanFiction #Audiobook
A pitch-perfect, heartfelt, and enthralling story of survival, coming-of-age and redemption.
Sandstorm
by Joyce Yarrow
Genre: Urban Fiction
GOLD MEDAL WINNER – Cipa Evvy Award for Women’s Fiction
When you trade the straight and narrow for the crooked pathways of crime, it’s likely to become a permanent arrangement. Unless, like Sandie Donovan, you’re a born grifter, determined to use your knack for deception and crime to restart your life and achieve success as an actor.
A pitch-perfect, heartfelt, and enthralling story of survival, coming-of-age and redemption. Sandstorm is a suspenseful, pacy read about a compelling character whose adventures and misadventures are dramatic and exciting.
**ebook is on sale for Only $3.99 OR is in Kindle Unlimited!**
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Joyce Yarrow is an award-winning author of literary novels of suspense that, according to Library Journal, “appeal to readers who enjoy unusual mysteries with an international setting.”
Her coming-of-age novel SANDSTORM, won a the 2022 gold medal in Women’s Fiction at the CIPA/Evvy Awards and her historical thriller, ZAHARA AND THE LOST BOOKS OF LIGHT, has been awarded 5 Stars by Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and translated into Spanish and Portuguese. Joyce’s other published novels of suspense include ASK THE DEAD, RUSSIAN RECKONING, and RIVERS RUN BACK (co-authored with Arindam Roy).
A New York City transplant now living in Seattle, Yarrow began her writing life scribbling poems on the subway and observing human behavior from every walk of life. She is a Pushcart Prize Nominee with short stories and essays that have appeared in Inkwell Journal, Whistling Shade, Descant, Arabesques, and Weber: The Contemporary West and the Los Angeles Review of Books. Yarrow is a member of the Sisters in Crime organization and has presented workshops on “The Place of Place in Mystery Writing” at conferences in the US and India.
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January 9, 2024
Storm Surge – Blog Tour And Giveaway #HistoricalFiction
Two remarkable women are inextricably linked by a power far greater than anything Europe has ever seen.
Storm Surge
The Stormsong Trilogy Book 2
by Stephen A. Reger
Genre: Historical Fiction Adventure
As the Thirty Years’ War enters its second year, Bohemian Protestants continue their rebellion against the Catholic Hapsburg dynasty which has ruled the German states with an iron fist for more than three hundred years. Like the rest of Europe, this once great empire remains divided along multiple fault lines; and across Europe, various religious sects social classes, and nations continue to battle one another in a war of unprecedented scope and savagery.
Already caught up in this massive conflict are two very beautiful but very different women. Lady Atlantis Vanessa von Stormsong, the only child of a wealthy Catholic Archduke, has known a life of power and privilege; meanwhile, Sarlatova, a poor Protestant who lives among thieves and outlaws, knows practically nothing of her past. These two strangers seem to have nothing in common except for a strong faith in the same God.
But as their paths cross again and again, and as they try to navigate a world dominated by violent and powerful men, these two remarkable women begin to realize that they are inextricably linked by a power far greater than anything Europe has ever seen.
Stormfront
The Stormsong Trilogy Book 1
The year is 1618, and the Christian world stands, once again, on a knife’s edge. The once great Holy Roman Empire, like most of the rest of Europe, is divided along religious, political, and economic lines – pitting Catholics against Protestants, princes against monarchs, and the rich against the poor. And a war unlike anything Europe has ever seen is growing increasingly inevitable…
Destined to be caught up in the coming conflict are two very beautiful but very different women. Lady Atlantis Vanessa von Stormsong is the only child of a wealthy Catholic Archduke, while poor Šarlatová is a Protestant thief who knows practically nothing of her past. These two strangers share a strong faith in the same God, but their respective attempts to find peace in a world dominated by violent and powerful men will lead them straight into the abyss of a war that will tear Europe apart for the next thirty years.
After teaching AMERICAN, WORLD, and EUROPEAN history for thirty years, Stephen A. Reger is spending his retirement writing about what the history textbooks leave out. Stormfront is his debut novel. He currently teaches American Literature in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he resides with his wife, Amy, and his two sons, Jacob and Caleb.
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$50 Amazon
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What is the Secret of Blossom Rise?
When a young nurse takes a job at an old military hospital she finds the answers to an old family question – what is the secret of Blossom Rise Hospital? Who is the long-dead man who walks the grounds?
#Ebook #Audiobook #Paranormal #Ghoststory
January 8, 2024
Time Lines – Blog Tour and Giveaway #Timetravel #ScienceFiction
Time travel can be a useful resource, but what if something unexpected goes wrong?
Time Lines
by Karen J. Mossman
Genre: Time Travel, Science Fiction
Time travel can be a useful resource, but what if something unexpected goes wrong?
In the year 3236, the government uses time travel to document the mistakes of the past. It’s a way to gain power in the present by learning from history.
During a leap back to WWII, Astro-archeologist Julie finds her safe projection hasn’t gone as planned. Instead of the ethereal presence she’s supposed to be, she’s actually visible. What will that mean when she stumbles upon a small village being raided by German soldiers?
Faced with death all around her, Julie has to find her way back to the future. But when she returns, will she be the same person she was? Or will the paradoxes of time travel change her life forever?
**Get Time Lines for Only .99cents direct from NornsTriad Publishing!!**
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Karen J. Mossman is an avid reader, reviewer, book blogger, and award-winning, multi-genre writer. She became a professional author in 2014, and since then, she has more than 27 published titles to her credit. These include anthologies, short stories, novellas, novels, and series.
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$20 Amazon
January 7, 2024
Swift Six Author Interview – Jordan A Werner
Name: Jordan A. Werner
Please introduce yourself (250 words or so):
My (pen) name is Jordan A. Werner. I have yet to decide what the A is going to stand for. Maybe Alice. Or Arthur.
I grew up reading a pretty decent amount. I was never voracious or the like, but of the books I read as a kid willingly, a lot of it was fantasy. The Chronicles of Prydain, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, A Song of Ice and Fire. I spent my sophomore year of high school binge-reading most of Michael Crichton’s bibliography. I remember finishing Sphere during the break in the CAHSEE tests, then marching over to the school library to check out The Andromeda Strain.
I’ve been writing since I was eight, and I’ve recently started getting pretty okay at it. I wrote a lot of bad fanfiction while I was in high school, and I wrote my first book when I was in college. It was about a hundred-thirty-thousand words long and took me two months to draft. I’ve made up for it by staying far away from that level of productivity, and as a result, my work has gotten significantly better.
Nowadays, I do a decent amount of drawing as a hobby, I’m taking some blacksmithing classes, and I hope to get through my PlayStation backlog by the time I’m 50.
Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short)
The Witch and the Ostrich is a fantasy book with a healthy dose of dark humor.
When did you start your writing adventure? What was the inspiration for it?
I started writing The Witch and the Ostrich back in March 2021 or so. I’d wanted to draw on some of my own experience as a journalist and write a story about a character who reviews gladiator shows.
As for the ostrich part, I think I had this on the brain at the time.
What writing plans do you have for the future?
I have a science-fantasy rock ‘n roll novel that I’ve been trying and failing to write for years now. I think it’s my best idea and would really like to get that done one day.
I also have a manga-and-Greek-mythology-inspired western to revisit; I’ve written two unpublished books set in that world. Neither of which are all that good, but I’d like to think there’s a decent enough idea there that I could finally write a decent enough story for that at some point.
What do you like to read?
I read a lot of comics and manga. Some personal favorites are Giant Days, BLAME!, Vinland Saga, Silver Spoon, Sandman, and Crowded. Lately, I’ve been listening to a couple of the new Discworld audiobooks (I am a proponent of audiobooks counting as a reading).
What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you started your writing adventure?
“You can’t build up this threat and not have it actually affect the characters. Someone needs to get fried.”
Author bio and book synopsis
Jordan A. Werner is a Reddit-addicted bum who lives in the bowels of Southern California, just a way’s away from the beach. He was born in Salem, ate his first lost tooth with a burger in Baton Rouge and once aced a spontaneous Beatles trivia quiz from a Trader Joe’s bag clerk in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Never trust a necromancer ostrich.
The witch Quin Schumacher ekes out a living as the crotchety colosseum combat critic for the Daily Stardust newspaper. Complicating her job is Fergus, the former Death Lord of Jocrom. Fortunately, Quin already turned him into an ostrich.
On their way to the dilapidated city of Queensworth to see heads roll in the local arena, Quin finds a note in a dead man’s pocket. Written in blood, it hints towards a nefarious conspiracy linking a gladiator to one of Quin’s fellow witches, all of whom are compelled to serve Her Majesty Queen Siobhan the Third.
Meanwhile, Fergus has his own plans to get his powers back, remove Quin’s spell on him, and re-establish his empire. He just needs a little help from a local vampire…
Bloody violence, proto-gonzo journalism and deadly women aplenty collide in The Witch and the Ostrich, Jordan A. Werner’s debut disaster book.
Coming Soon…..
December 31, 2023
What is the Secret of Blossom Rise?
When a young nurse takes a job at an old military hospital she finds the answers to an old family question – what is the secret of Blossom Rise Hospital? Who is the long-dead man who walks the grounds?
#Ebook #Audiobook #Paranormal #Ghoststory
December 22, 2023
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