A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 35
February 24, 2024
Excerpt – The Last Forest
Excerpt from The Last Forest
(C) A. L. Butcher
The whine of the chainsaws, and the rumble of iron machines cut through the growing sound from the forest. Death came on tracks of metal and wheels of rubber. The monkeys who commanded the machines waited, smoking and pointing towards the edges of the forest. “Where do we start?” one asked, eyeing the trees.
“Make your way to that big old one – the tallest. That will take out plenty when it falls. Look it’s three-quarters rotten anyway! Break the heart of the forest and tame it! That is how it’s done, lad.” The speaker pointed towards the Great Oak, satisfaction creased his face, and power gave his countenance a smirk. The monkey who walked on two feet was lord of the land and knew it well. He had brought death to flora and fauna of this land, and their sap and blood soaked the soil. And he ignored the cacophony of music around him.
“This is the last patch of woodland in the country, the only unspoiled wilderness left,” someone said, from the back. “Must we?”
“It’s coming down. It’s needed for houses – people are more important than trees. They are just plants.” The foreman glared at the speaker, as the wind began to blow around them. “It’s not the last, there’s that coppice over in Haydock, and the Amazon of course.”
“The Amazon went a decade ago, boss. And that place in Haydock was bulldozed last year.” The first speaker reminded him.
The boss shrugged. “Not my problem. We have our orders. Now get to it, there is no place for conscience or sentiment here.”
The machines snarled, they spat their poison breath and rumbled forward, inexorable, awful. Monsters of modernity, some had called them. Progress had been their name from others. All the trees understood was the choking stench and the inexorable roar of impending death. Trees are not complicated, but they are not stupid. The knowledge of the wood pulsed through every branch and root; the force of nature, the will of life to survive surged.
Crack! The sound of tons of wood uprooting drowned the roar of the engines. It was the sound of defiance. Earth showered from roots, and leaves swirled as the mighty trees moved. Nature stopped; from red fox, and blackbird to tiny grey mouse life paused – the cry of war flowed through the ground, squeaked from the lowliest and sung from above. ‘We come! We stand! We fight! Nature Rises!’
Birds swooped, squawking at the monkeys who walked on two feet. Beaks were sharp, and eyeballs soft. The brave robin and the humble thrush dived, their song the sound of battle as they flew towards danger. ‘Be gone! Be gone!’
The humans flapped their arms against the onslaught.
“Get away, filthy creatures!” one monkey yelled. “I hate birds!” His flapping arms knocked birds to the ground, and some rose up for another onslaught. Others lay broken but roused the song to inspire their comrades.
“What is this? Alfred Hitchcock been ‘ere?” The foreman cried, trying to bat away the crows, pecking at his face. Blood flowed, feathers flew, and the beat of the Primal Song changed again – the music surged as other creatures joined the fray. https://books2read.com/TheLastForest
https://www.audible.com/pd/B08S46627Q
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B08S5JP35Y
https://www.audible.fr/pd/B08S5B65SX
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February 23, 2024
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
February 22, 2024
Excerpt – The Shining Citadel
Excerpt from The Shining Citadel – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book II
(c) A.L. Butcher
“So, you cannot find the way out, how…unfortunate. Many have wandered into this place, to become my playthings,” the voice laughed nastily. “I find myself hungry, craving sustenance. These pathetic minions provided a mere snack. A game, I think, is in order. It has been some while since there was so much delicious entertainment in my halls!”
“Ignore it, he is Faekind,” Archos snapped before he paused and shifted his Focus, calling up his Astral Sight.
Searching the paths and mists of the Arcane Realms for the creature, he felt the chill of the arcane winds as they billowed around him. He felt the dark shadow before he saw it, felt the force pushing back into him.
“Get you from here, creature, these realms are mine!” Archos growled to the air around him.
The laugh echoed. “So the Lord of Magic is territorial, is he? You invade my captivity, come to steal and destroy what was brought to me.”
Archos crossed his arms. “The destruction is of your own doing, creature, for you defile this place, feeding on the fear and the misery. You think I cannot feel it, all around? The others are mine, they belong to me. Heed that warning, fae.”
The fae laughed his terrible laugh. “Is that so? Perhaps we shall see, Storm Lord. Those women, the red-haired witch and that terrified blonde who holds so many secrets, they will soon belong to me. The forest elf, she is no more than a snack. So many memories, such pain and fear between them. You will watch them become mine.”
Synopsis
Who rules in this game of intrigue where magic is forbidden, and elves enslaved? Journey, where beliefs shatter like glass, truth is unwelcome, and monsters from ancient times abound: share the romance and revenge, magic and passion, and the wages of greed in a world of darkest fantasy.
(18 rated)
Universal Link https://www.books2read.com/ShiningCitadel
February 19, 2024
Stone of Love – Blog Tour and Giveaway #Paranormal #Romance
Against all odds, is true love strong enough to save a human soul?
Stone of Love
Stones of Iona Book 1
by Margaret Izard
Genre: Paranormal Romance
After leaving her abusive ex, American scholar Brielle DeVolt embarks on a career-changing opportunity, the renovation of Laird Colin MacDougall’s Chapel ruin. The attractive, broad-shouldered Laird leaves her weak-kneed, but can she trust herself to love again?
Dusted in construction dirt, the curvy beauty in his study captivates Colin. As Brielle steps to the window, her brunette tresses halo in the sunlight, and he sees her as his dream soul mate. When he learns his hereditary duty is safeguarding magic Fae stones, all he wants is to protect Brielle from the evil forces of the Fae.
Traveling to the past to assume his forefather’s identity and find a missing magic stone is challenging enough. When Brielle appears, an undeniable attraction to his ancestor ignites, causing her confused passion. Faced with fighting an evil Fae to save the realms, Colin must choose between saving the stone or saving his love.
**Releases March 4th!**
Amazon * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads
What’s Next?
We are so excited to share that the second book in the series, Stone of Fear, Marie, and John’s love story, will be released on June 12, 2024.
A Christmas companion book, Thistle in the Mistletoe, will be released during the holidays of 2024, and Stone of Lust, book 3 in the series, will be released in 2024.
Check out the Book Trailer for Stone of Fear:
Margaret Izard is an award-winning author of historical fantasy and paranormal romance novels. She spent her early years through college to adulthood dedicated to dance, theater, and performing. Over the years, she developed a love for great storytelling in different mediums. She does not waste a good story, be it movement, the spoken, or the written word. She discovered historical romance novels in middle school, which combined her passion for romance, drama, and fantasy. She writes exciting plot lines, steamy love scenes and always falls for a strong male with a soft heart. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and adult triplets and loves to hear from readers.
Watch out for the March 4th Facebook Release Party! 10am-5pm CST
Stop by for some giveaways and fun on Facebook!
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Enter to win a Swag Pack (US only),
or $20 Amazon giftcard (WW)
– 1 winner each!
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February 14, 2024
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
February 10, 2024
Dirty Dozen Character Interview – Temi
Character: ARTEMIS (TEMI) JYMLADD
How did you end up in the situation you’re currently in? I was rescued from a submarine cave where I had been trapped for over 200 years.
Do you have any regrets? That I had ever come to be there in the first place.
Is your life now as you envisioned it? If not – then why? Absolutely not. To be transported 200 years into the future is illogical.
Do you believe in magic? How do you feel about it? Yes and No. Seeing as I survived in that cave for over 200 years without ageing as a result of drinking the ‘magic’ water from the lake in the cave, as yet, I have no logical explanation, although I am certain there is one.
How do you think others see you? As someone from another time and place…which is true.
Who is your greatest friend? Kai (aka Chimera) the sea serpent who lived in the lake in the cave with me.
Who is your greatest enemy? Igor Muttovsky. Evil incarnate.
Tell us about your family? Mama was an actor and opera singer (mezzo soprano), Papa was an inventor and polymath, and my younger brother was an explorer, archaeologist and anthropologist. Since being discovered and rescued, I find I now also have a Great Great Grandfather who is a sea captain and I have been adopted by dear Professor Little who has twin daughters whose mother tragically died. His now wife has a son from a previous marriage, so I also now have two sisters and another brother.
Do you believe in god(s)? Once, but no more. I now believe only in Reason and Logic. ‘Faith’ is a false construct.
What is your greatest fear? That I shall awake to find the life I now dearly cherish was nothing more than a dream.
What do you think of your author/creator? I know not of the being to whom you refer as ‘Creator’ as already stated, I no longer believe in such mythical entities.
If you could have three wishes, what would they be? Wishing is also illogical and changes nothing. Wherever life takes one, it happens whether one wishes it or not.
Artemis Jymladd (aka Temi) first appears in V5 of the 7 volume work ‘S.O.S: Sentinels of Sol’ and later in the 2 sequels ‘The Professor and the Portal’ and ‘The Curse of the Blue Angel’.
Temi’s Author Creator is:
Owen Bell (aka Eugene L’Estrange)
Born Aug 17 1948 in Perth, Western Australia.
Lived in the UK from 1966 to 1994
Self- taught illustrator, musician and writer.
Became a freelance illustrator in 1974. Mostly known for revamping the illustration style of the Thomas the Tank Engine brand as primary illustrator for almost 2 decades until 2001. Created art for all worldwide merchandise including over 30 books.
Also designer of postage stamps worldwide, initially for the Crown Agents Stamp Bureau (London) and WWF Stamp Collection and more recently for Australia Post.
Plays a Swedish instrument called a nyckelharpa semi-professionally.
Writes for the fun of writing, never expecting it to result in fame and fortune.
Like Temi, believes whatever happens, happens. It is what it is…
February 5, 2024
Dirty Dozen Author Interview – Owen Bell/Eugene L’Estrange #YA #Fantasy
Author name: Owen Bell (aka Eugene L’Estrange)
Please tell us about your publications/work. I began writing what was to become my 7-volume epic ‘S.O.S” Sentinels Of Sol’ way back in the late ’90’s in the form of TV scripts as it was initially envisaged as a CGI animated tv series. At that time it was far shorter than it ultimately became. After a possible TV deal fell over I decided to rewrite it in prose form which is when it expanded exponentially ending up with over 2000 pages. Having self-published all 7 volumes on Amazon, I then set about writing a sequel and a year or so later, a second, both of which are now also published on Amazon.
Do you think the written word (or art) bring power and freedom? I suppose so but the purpose of my writing (or creating in general) is to amuse, inform, entertain and possibly even enlighten, not change the world at large.
What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you started your publishing journey? Don’t expect anyone else to care as much as you do about what you write.
What’s your greatest networking tip? I don’t have any because apart from posting on Facebook, I don’t ‘network’. I’m autistic and ‘networking’ isn’t really on my agenda. If it works for you, go for it, but I’ll pass.
How much research do you do for your work? What’s the wildest subject you’ve looked at? Plenty. Seeing as my work is a blend of fact and fantasy it involves a lot of research. Google makes it easy. Without it I probably wouldn’t have bothered writing anything. Wildest subject? Flexible rock orRazzle Dazzle warships? (both exist)
How influential is storytelling to our culture? If religious ‘stories’ or ‘Mein Kampf’ are any indication, one hell of a lot… and not for the better.
What is your writing space like? A desk, a chair, a computer and the occasional Guinness. What else do you need?
Tell us about your latest piece? It’s the second sequel to my original 7 volume epic ‘S.O.S: Sentinels Of Sol’ entitled ‘The Curse of the Blue Angel’. It follows on from the first sequel entitled ‘The Professor and the Portal’ Both are standalone stories and feature core characters from ‘S.O.S’ as well as a bunch of new ones.
How do you deal with bad reviews? Ignore them, Most reviews, both good and bad, are subjective and as it’s impossible to please everyone, why the hell bother trying? If YOU love what you do, who cares if nobody else does? If you’re in the ‘arts’ to make money, you need to rethink your career.
What is your greatest success? Making it to 75 and still having enough marbles to do the stuff that matters to me.
How important is writing/art to you? If I don’t ‘create’ something every day, it’s a day wasted. Paint, learn a new tune on my nyckelharpa, or write something that amuses me, doesn’t matter which. All three in one day is a bonus.
What did you want to be when you ‘grew up’? Taller. I made it…I’m 6’2”
Links to book http://www.eugenelestrange.com
Bio
Owen Bell (aka Eugene L’Estrange)
Born Aug 17 1948 in Perth, Western Australia.
Lived in the UK from 1966 to 1994
Self-taught illustrator, musician and writer.
Became a freelance illustrator in 1974. Mostly known for revamping the illustration style of the Thomas the Tank Engine brand as primary illustrator for almost 2 decades until 2001. Created art for all worldwide merchandise including over 30 books.
Also designer of postage stamps worldwide, initially for the Crown Agents Stamp Bureau (London) and WWF Stamp Collection and more recently for Australia Post.
Plays a Swedish instrument called a nyckelharpa semi-professionally.
Writes for the fun of writing, never expecting it to result in fame and fortune.
Like Temi, believes whatever happens, happens. It is what it is…
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
February 4, 2024
Check out the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles for a sizzling sorcery adventure
Looking for an audiobook or awesome read? Check out The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I
In a dark world where magic is illegal, and elves are enslaved a young elven sorceress runs for her life from the house of her evil Keeper. Pursued by his men and the corrupt Order of Witch-Hunters she must find sanctuary. As the slavers roll across the lands stealing elves from what remains of their ancestral home the Witch-Hunters turn a blind eye to the tragedy and a story of power, love and a terrible revenge unfolds.
18 rated (for adult content).
Available Amazon, Audible, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Google Play, Scribd, Angus and Robertson, and more on the link below – hardback, paperback, ebook and large print editions.
#Fantasy or #FantasyRomance #Darkfantasy #Sexnsorcery Universal Link
https://www.books2read.com/Lightbeyondstorm1
February 2, 2024
Two Sisters Blog Tour and Guest Post #UrbanFantasy
A mortal woman’s search for her mother’s murderer drags her into an action-packed thriller revealing a secret, millennium-long war between supernatural creatures.
Two Sisters
Assassin’s Absolution Trilogy, Song 1
by Mark Wooden
Genre: Urban Fantasy Action
Two sisters. Two destinies. One terrifying fate.When Safia Edris’ surrogate mother is murdered on the night of the new millennium, the only clue is an eighteenth-century painting of two mysterious sisters.
But the painting has disappeared.
To uncover the truth of her mother’s death, Safia must find the painting and the answers that lie within. But her pursuit leads her into a conflict with supernatural creatures that manipulate the mortal world from the shadows.
Safia finds help in Adriana Dupré, a former member of a cult of vampire assassins. However, Adriana has an agenda that conflicts with Safia’s goal.
Ultimately, Safia and Adriana must solve the real mystery… Who are the two sisters?
Fans of Anne Rice’s “Vampire Chronicles,” William Peter Blatty’s “The Exorcist,” and Ian Fleming’s James Bond will love this thrilling adventure. If you enjoyed the intrigue, horror, and action of these classics, then you won’t want to miss “Two Sisters,” the first story in the “Assassin’s Absolution” trilogy of the “Shadowdance” action/ urban fantasy saga.
Buy it now and be the first to enjoy this intriguing, horrifying, and thrilling action/ urban fantasy saga!
“Two Sisters” author Mark Wooden was a quarterfinalist in the 2017 ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Contest for “Fall to Grace,” a short story from his “Shadowdance” urban fantasy saga.
The monster in his short horror film, “Where the Heart Bleeds,” earned the approval of horror maestro Clive Barker. Mark is also a member of the Horror Writer’s Association.
Mark’s command of the horror genre combines with his love of James Bond-style action to create stories that explore loyalty, manipulation, revenge, and redemption.
His day job involves setting up video equipment for concerts and corporate events. Ask him about when he worked for Jimmy Buffett and literally ran into Harrison Ford.
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$10 Amazon
Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
Well, hello! I’m writer Mark Wooden!
I’m a video engineer for corporate events and concerts by trade, but I am a writer at heart, and whenever I can, I write. As a wee lad, I wanted to be a movie director like my favs: Francis Coppola, Alfred Hitchcock, and George Lucas.
To direct, I had to have stories to tell. That led me to write screenplays. In addition to the heroic trio of directors, comic book writers Chris Claremont, Larry Hama, and Frank Miller have influenced my storytelling style. I also draw inspiration from Clive Barker’s Books of Blood, the early Laurell K. Hamilton Anita Blake vampire hunter books, and action movies, primarily the James Bond series.
Eventually, I realized I didn’t have the money to produce my movies or the artistic skill to draw a comic book. A friend suggested I write a novel. That way, I can do what I want with no budgetary limits. I converted a screenplay into a novel; thus, the “Shadowdance” action urban fantasy saga was born!
Do you feel switching from a director to a writer was the right decision?
Don’t get it twisted; if the chance to direct comes up, I will take it. I’m working with a friend to produce a movie he’s directing. Once that’s over, I hope to get my horror movie in the queue. I have already directed a short horror film, Where the Heart Bleeds. At the Spooky Empire Convention in Tampa, I showed horror icon and personal favorite Clive Barker my monster, and he loved it. (Where the Heart Bleeds is on YouTube, by the way. Shameless plug, I know.)
But, for the time being, I’m going to keep writing. I have stories to tell, and a lack of a budget, cast, or crew won’t shackle me. It will be my story even when I direct, so I’ll still be writing.
Tell us something exciting that’s happened to you!
Besides the Clive Barker moment? This one was another celebrity moment when I toured with Jimmy Buffett. I moved to do something during the show, and someone blocked my path. I was going to yell at them, but when I looked up, I saw Indiana Han Solo Deckard Jones standing there with a Corona in hand. He apologized for being in the way, stepped back, and let me do my thing.
You label Two Sisters as an action urban fantasy. Care to elaborate?
I like the concept of urban fantasy, but I could never get into the first-person narration, nor the need to have the trope of the love triangle between the protagonist and two supernatural lovers. Instead, I made a third-person story that plays like a superhero comic book, with preternatural powers standing in for superpowers and none of that “will they or won’t they” stuff.
But for folks who need their social interactions, I have plenty of familial drama and tension between the various organizations and supernatural creatures in the secret war that is the Shadowdance.
Give us a brief rundown of your book, Two Sisters.
The murder of Safia’s mother connects to the disappearance of an enigmatic 18th-century painting of two sisters. Falling into an uneasy alliance with the vampire assassin named Adriana plunges Safia into the Shadowdance, a secret war between supernatural creatures. To find her mother’s murderer and survive the war, Safia and Adriana must solve the mystery: who are the two sisters?
How did you come up with the concept and characters for Two Sisters?
This one came from an incident in middle school. I had a photo of me as a younger child. Two bullies scribbled all over the picture. Now, back then, there weren’t digital copies. You lose the picture; it’s gone forever. That crushed little old Mark.
Years later, as I crafted the “Shadowdance” action urban fantasy saga, I developed the concept, “What if a vampire sought a painting that reminded them of their childhood, only to find it defaced, a metaphor for the destruction their existence as a vampire has left in her wake?” The rest of the story developed around that central conceit.
Thinking about your book, what kind of research did you do before you began writing?
When I start a book, I usually already have a rough idea of the story I want to tell, the protagonist, and the antagonist. My first research project is diving into the backstories of the characters.
For Two Sisters, my character Safia is an art historian and the assistant director at the Louvre. To get into her headspace, I researched art history, specifically the Romantic period. I also learned about the Louvre, its collection, and its layout. Because the story also deals with art forgery, I got a book on how forgers operate, the art community’s reaction to it, and preventive measures.
Now, please don’t ask me to give a lecture on any of that stuff. I suck at retaining said info. That’s why I took copious notes in One Note to draw on the info when needed. The idea is to give that aura of authenticity so the character(s) can look like the experts they are, and the audience can experience a world unfamiliar to them.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Two Sisters?
I mentioned Safia. She’s the heart of the story and the audience’s way into the world of the Shadowdance. Whereas Safia will use her mind and empathy to solve a problem, Adriana comes at the problem like a wrecking ball for the forces of order. The two must learn from one another to work through the mystery of the Two Sisters painting.
Every great protagonist deserves a great antagonist. Two Sisters gives us two. First up is Fatale, leader of a cult of female vampire assassins. She’s hellbent on avenging her cult against Adriana, who has spent decades wiping them out. Fatale is as chaotic and childish as Adriana is ordered and mature.
Kara, Fatale’s second, does her mistress’s bidding but has a secret agenda that threatens to fracture the Shadowdance’s delicate balance.
Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?
Boy, do I! Safia grew so much that she’s getting a story within the second novel, By Virtue, Fall. Many of the elements I introduce in Two Sisters — the assassin cult and the warrior sorcerers called the Knights of Vyntari — will expand through new characters in other stories.
I aim to create a mosaic world of main stories told in trilogies, and side stories told through free eBook short stories or individual novels. You don’t have to read everything to know what’s happening, but if you want to immerse yourself in an action-urban fantasy world, I want to give you all the world-building I can. You can thank those nineteen-eighties comic books for that.
What can we expect from you in the future?
Two Sisters is out now, exclusively on Amazon. Later in the year, I’ll open that up to other booksellers. The sequel, By Virtue, Fall, will drop in the Winter of 2024. The last book in the trilogy, For Her Sins, drops in Winter 2025.
I also have it in me to write a series of short stories based on the concept of a sorority that’s a training ground for assassins. Somewhere in there, I’ll get back to writing some Star Wars and comic book fanfiction. I do that as a palate cleanser to beat back writer’s block.
Convince us why you feel Two Sisters is a must-read.
Genre mashups are always great fun. Just look at Blade and Brotherhood of the Wolf. For Two Sisters, I’m mashing the terror of The Exorcist with the intrigue of The Vampire Chronicles and then wrapping them both in the action of a James Bond movie.
With heartfelt characters, exotic locales, and immersive supernatural lore, horror, mystery, and action readers can lose themselves for a few hours in the world of the Shadowdance saga via Two Sisters!
