A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 38

Honey Mead Murder Blog Tour and Giveaway – #LGBTQ #MMRomance, #CozyMystery

Get ready for a charmingly quirky romance with a twist of murder mystery in Honey Mead Murder!

Honey Mead Murder

Honey Bear Cosy Mysteries Book 1

by Dahlia Donovan

Genre: LGBTQ MM Romance, Cozy Mystery

Get ready for a charmingly quirky romance with a twist of murder mystery in Honey Mead Murder!

Follow the heart-warming story of George Bernard Sheth, a devoted pug and bee lover, who has been secretly crushing on a local mead brewer. But when a customer dies during a mead tasting, Murphy Baird, the brewer, finds himself at the centre of a police investigation.

As the two navigate the murder mystery, they find themselves falling deeper in love, all while trying to stay alive long enough for their first date. With meddling friends and unexpected plot twists, “Honey Mead Murder” is a must-read for anyone who loves a good MM romance and a thrilling mystery.

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Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.

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Mystics in Hell – Blog Tour and Guest Post #Fantasy #HistoricalFantasy

Check out this awesome blog tour from Perseid Press – and I’m the guest post author:)

Join the doomed on their vision quests in eleven stories by the damnedest writers in Perdition

Mystics in Hell

A Heroes in Hell Anthology

by Janet Morris

Genre: Dark Fantasy Anthology

Mystic Madness!

Join the doomed on their vision quests in eleven stories by the damnedest writers in Perdition: Janet Morris; A.L. Butcher; Joe Bonadonna; Andrew P. Weston; Gustavo Bondoni; Seth Lindberg; Tom Barczak; Michael H. Hanson; Louis Antonelli; Christopher Crosby Morris.

Mystics in Hell is the latest volume in the notorious Heroes in Hell series of anthologies and novels created by Janet Morris.

A Frame of Mind by Janet Morris & Chris Morris

Kit Marlowe treks back from exile, where he has encountered three witches. Carrying a skull which he found on a blasted heath, he arrives at the Globe, where Satan and the angel of death accost him. At their displeasure, he’s banished once more, this time to return instantly via the powers of the Fates. Satan meets him at a cast party and decrees that Kit not only will spy for him, but play Banquo, beheaded in each subsequent performance of Macbeth.

The Come Right Inn by Andrew P. Weston

Where we meet up with one of Satan’s most secretive agents. A charming woman with a finger—and most other body parts—in every pie. She’s bewitching, beguiling, and bedeviled to be sure, but won’t think twice about skinning you alive if you cross her.

Abode of Woe by A.L. Butcher

When the self-proclaimed anti-messiah builds a temple on their doorstep and ruins business, Calchas and Cassandra look to some devious means to bring down the walls. Dueling mystics and misinformation bring mayhem to the underworld.

Fool’s Gold by S.E. Lindberg

A tale of the Egyptian god of mysticism, Thoth, who seeks conspirators to retrieve the Philosopher’s Stone; with it, Thoth could usurp Satan’s control of the realm of Duat. Taking up the charge is Howard Carter, infamous antiquarian and tomb raider, and the disgraced evolutionist Ernst Haeckel. They discover that King Midas’s alchemical ability to transmute flesh into gold relies on the stolen stone, and Midas is producing Hell’s new gastro-currency: buttcoin. They infiltrate the Mortuary Mint and sabotage the currency’s production. Instead of returning the stone to Thoth, the duo uses it to build up their own fortune. The auditors of Hell, namely the First and Second of the Sibitti, police the matter.

The True Believer by Lou Antonelli

Few national leaders of the 20th century had as much of a negative and controversial impact on history as Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd, prime minister of South Africa from 1958 to 1966, when he was assassinated. Commonly referred to in South Africa as “Dr.” Verwoerd, he had a PhD in psychology, and went down in history as The Man Who Invented Apartheid. Now in Hell, Dr. Verwoerd refuses to acknowledge his infernal fate and gets a special visit to set him straight.

By Any Means Necessary by Gustavo Bondoni

Umberto Eco knows he’s in Hell; the suffering and multiple deaths that never kill him permanently are more than enough of a clue for a man of his learning. But when he gets forcibly recruited by Nazi Commando Otto Skorzeny to prove the theories of one of history’s greatest charlatans, he thinks things can’t get any worse. He’s wrong. Hell can always get worse.

Excalibur by Tom Barczak

When dealing with the harsh reality of the Afterlife: Hell can be hard. But Rasputin has something even harder, and Lafayette Ronald Hubbard desperately needs it if he is going to pull off the greatest magic trick Hell has ever known.

On The Run by Michael H. Hanson

Tells of Sufi mystic Rumi, Zen Buddhist Dōgen, and Charlatan Spiritualist Mina Crandon using their new-found magics on the grandest of all quests, to find powerful talismans that will allow them to escape Hell itself.

The Sorcerous Apprentice by Andrew P. Weston

Daemon Grim learns new tricks from an old dog. And just as well. There’s a fallen saint to bring to heel, and she’s not known for playing ball . . . crystal or otherwise.

The Colossus of Hell by Joe Bonadonna

Doctor Victor Frankenstein and computer scientist Alan Turing want to build a cyborg. Quasimodo wants to win the hand of the French fortune teller, Marie Anne Lenormand. Rasputin and Cagliostro want to open an exclusive, private club. And a mysterious damned soul, known only as the Orange Ogre, wants revenge against anyone in Hell who ever cheated or betrayed him, laughed at and humiliated him, or even ignored him—especially His Satanic Majesty himself.

Strange Arts by Janet Morris and Chris Morris

In a Tower cell, Marlowe’s head struggles to regain consciousness and rejoin his body. Here he finds his Elizabethan spymaster, Walsingham, waiting with J the Merciful and three mysterious Sisters. After painfully stitching together his body and soul, the five entreat him to join their most secret conspiracy.

**On Sale for Only $2.99 until the end of the month!**

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British-born A. L. Butcher is an avid reader and creator of worlds, a poet, and a dreamer, a lover of science, natural history, history, and monkeys. Her prose has been described as ‘dark and gritty’ and her poetry as ‘evocative’. She writes with a sure and sometimes erotic sensibility of things that might have been, never were, but could be.

Alex is the author of the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles and the Tales of Erana lyrical fantasy series. She also has several short stories in the fantasy, fantasy romance genres with occasional forays into gothic style horror, including the Legacy of the Mask series. With a background in politics, classical studies, ancient history and myth, her affinities bring an eclectic and unique flavour in her work, mixing reality and dream in alchemical proportions that bring her characters and worlds to life.

She also curates speculative fiction themed book bundles on Pubshare – for the most part – the Here Be Series

Alex is also proud to be a writer for Perseid Press where her work features in Heroika: Dragon Eaters, Heroika Skirmishers – where she was editor and cover designer as well as writer – as well as Lovers in Hell and Mystics in Hell – part of the acclaimed Heroes in Hell series. http://www.theperseidpress.com/

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Interview with A. L. Butcher

 

What is something unique/quirky about you?

I’m not sure anyone is ‘unique’, quirky yes but the forces around us, and within us mean we cannot be wholly ‘unique’.

Quirky things about me:

When I was little I wanted to be a squirrel when I grew up.

I’m afraid of dolls, puppets and clowns.

I probably have dyspraxia – I fall over often, walk into things, trip over my own feet, drop things, I have poor spatial awareness, and absolutely no sense of direction.

Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

I’m British, currently living in the Southwest UK – Bristol, although I grew up in a small town North of London. I write adult fantasy – sword and sorcery with sizzle, historical fantasy, short gothic horror and poetry.

I’ve been a storyteller for as long as I can remember, raised in a household filled with books and stories. I was always the one writing the story or poem for the school event, and I was considered ‘imaginative’ and daydreaming at school. I think a storyteller is what you are, not what you become. Of course, you can learn the craft – the technical side of it – but the actual stories – they come (whether you like it or not).

I published the first novel in 2012 – the first of The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles series of dark adult fantasy/fantasy romance. The idea came from an adventure I’d written for a role-playing game (yeah, I am a nerd), which never got used and I adapted it to a world I’d created for a different project. The rest of the series and the companion series came about from that.

At the time my mother was in the last stages of cancer and I was determined to finish book one so she could see it and she told everyone – and I mean EVERYONE. Writing is therapeutic, it helps one lose oneself in new worlds and new situations, it’s creative (obviously) but it’s a puzzle – what happens next? Who are these people in this story, what is going to happen to them? It gives the brain something to focus on, which is away from the real world.

My Legacy of the Mask series stems from characters from the Phantom of the Opera – one of the enduring loves of my life. I’ve been captivated by that story, it’s tragic antihero and the love and mystery of it for over 35 years.

Who is your hero and why?

Gaston Leroux, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley – for writing some of the great gothic horror tales.

Agatha Christie – because her mystery stories are superb and she’s the best selling author ever.

Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo– because epic novels rock.

Tolkein – because of the world building and the mythic telling. Lord of the Rings is at the heart of much British fantasy.

David Attenborough – because he’s the foremost naturalist of our age and his love of nature inspires me.

Which of your stories/novels can you imagine being made into a movie?

I really hate this question, I actually have no idea. I’d guess my second novel – The Shining Citadel. It’s a fun adventure.

What inspired you to write Abode of Woe?

The main characters are Cassandra – the prophetess of Troy, Calchas – seer of Agamemnon, the Reverend Henry Prince – a Victorian era ‘messiah’ of sorts and his rival/second in command John Hugh Smyth-Piggott. We have two ancient mystics who between them influenced the fall of Troy and two Victorian wannabee messiahs who set up the Abode of Love and ‘persuaded’ gullible women to hand over their virtue and worldly possessions to be ‘blessed’. They are fun characters – very different, and there’s a lot of dark humour.

I love ancient mythology, I have a background in Classical Studies and Troy and its fall fascinates me. The two Victorian gentlemen – charismatic and surprisingly successful. They are interesting characters. And I wondered what would happen if they met one another.

Hell is a challenge to write, but it’s an amazing shared world and there’s a lot of scope for mischief.

Convince us why you feel your story is a must read.

There’s dark humour, a fiend called Kevin and a duel – with cannons…. Two ancient mystics, two modern (relatively) would-be messiahs and lots of mischief.

The Heroes in Hell series is a lot of fun – darkly humorous, very dystopian, and where else would you find famous people from history – from ancient to modern – living side by side and having very unusual adventures? Not for the faint hearted or those who like a happy ending – it’s Hell. Mankind’s final and eternal damnation, but it’s clever, and varied and anything happens.

What is your advice to new authors?

Write what you want to write, and what makes you happy.Before you publish make sure you read all the FAQs and Terms of Service of the site/publisher. Ensure you are clear what is required of you, and if you’re self-publishing ensure you understand what is involved and don’t cut corners.Success is relative.Don’t worry about reviews – there will always be someone who doesn’t like your book, but there will be someone else who thinks it’s great. Reviews are one person’s opinion. Nothing more, nothing less.

Excerpt

The Abode of Woe

 

Paradise’s dim light grew ever dimmer as the hell-lights began to glare with the blue glow of sulfur. It was an unforgiving light for the unforgiven. Word had got around, and crowds had begun to gather for the evening’s entertainment. Calchas had started a book on the outcome of the battle, and the diablos were rolling in.

“Two to One for the Pig Man!” yelled a grifter clad in the sharpest suit of the evening.

“Seven to Four for the Prince!” bellowed another voice, shrill in the crowd.

Kevin the fiend grinned. He was having the time of his unlife; he’d read the small-print.

“Are they ready?” Calchas asked, eying the large and sinister cloth-covered mounds on opposing sides of the temple.

“Yep. Ready for mayhem, master.” A smiling fiend is not something to stir the heart with confidence or joy and Calchas sobered. He wondered if he should feel guilty, but he had enough of that to last a thousand lifetimes and these New Dead had brought it on themselves. At least that is what he told himself and Cassandra.

“Ego fighting ego will bring no good for either. A temple built in haste to honor mere vanity and lies will surely fall to dust.” Cassandra stared at the mounds, hoping these fire-spiting death machines would not bring them all to the Undertaker’s door. Were they too close? She closed her eyes and let her mind wander.

“Will we be punished for this venture?” He’d asked, thinking too late they may have erred and voicing both their fears. He hoped nothing would backfire; plans in hell oft went awry. And he knew that sooner or later he’d pay the price for this deceit.

“This is Hades. Punishment is inherent. But I think not . . . at least not on this day. ‘Rue thy former life, and revel in thy afterlife, for thou art damned.’ Is that not the advice you once gave me? We are the damned. We must survive as we may. But those infernal and wicked weapons of the new-dead — Surely the walls of Ilium would have fallen on the first day.” She paused, “Would we have fought with such demon-weapons of war?”

Calchas gazed over to the two looming cloth-bound shapes. “Probably. Priam and Agamemnon would have found some means to destroy one another, no doubt. Man’s capacity for war outweighs his capacity for reason — and this place is full of the testimonials to that.”

“They will fall in dust as vain men are wont to do.” Cassandra told him.

“They won’t go through with it. It would be suicide. That building will fall down in the next hell-storm,” Calchas replied, doubtful.

They’d watched the crowd assemble from a reasonable distance. “Pack up. In case. And I will try to steer the mayhem from our door to be on the safe side, should the range of those war-weapons be enough to hit us. Make sure you are careful where you stand.

“Look there’s old Assisi. Out for the entertainment, along with everyone else by the looks. Let’s see — drinks are half-price.” Calchas would not let this opportunity pass.

Cassandra nodded, “Where did you get the fire-spitters?”

“Che Guevara owes me a favor. It might be useful to keep one—just in case. How hard can they be to use? Look, come there are our two brave heroes.” Calchas separated himself from Cassandra, still in the guise of the department man, and wandered over to the two Prophets.

“So, gentlemen, are we ready to settle this? Remember the winner gets control of that site, should it still be standing. The loser, or losers . . .will have more immediate issues to deal with.” Calchas motioned to the nearer of the covered shapes. “Who would like Big Bertha?”

The Reverend Henry Prince stared doubtfully at the shape. “That’s not a sword, or a firearm.”

“Give that make a Heck-Cookie!” Kevin chortled. He’d been milling and warming up the onlookers. With a flourish he tugged the cloth away — to reveal a howitzer, pointing towards the Temple of Woe. It was an evil-looking device, as were many man-made machines of death. “Humans, they do like to kill one another in all sorts of inventive ways! Welcome Big Bertha. She’s a friendly girl!”

“And the other?” Smyth-Pigott asked, his voice tremulous.

They walked across to a lower-slung shape. “Gentlemen, meet Roaring Meg, the deadly maiden of the English Roundheads,” Kevin chuckled.

“Not your era, I suppose, but they do the job. They are primed for combat. Meg has helpers: she fires but one ball at a time, yet she’s a fiery lass and one of the more knowledgeable operatives of hell has evened the odds.” Calchas held his palm out, containing dice. “Whoever rolls snake-eyes gets first choice, but Meg is a little slower, and older, and thus she fires first.”

“What happens if we refuse this ridiculous plan?” Henry Prince could not take his eyes from the cannon.

“Refuse? I wasn’t aware that was an option.” Calchas feigned surprise.

Kevin murmured something in Calchas’ ear, “My associate says it is an option but if a refusal is forthcoming then all rights are revoked to build now and for infernity, Sentence will be the six-hundred and sixty-five years of cleaning Perish sewers, and you must publicly affirm your rival as the true Chosen One, the true heir and the ultimate seer. And as both are equally guilty you will have to work together, and your women too, forever. If both refuse, then it must be done at exactly the same time. Whomever speaks first is deemed the greater coward.”

 

 

 

Check out the Legacy of The Mask Series

Award-winning #historicalfantasy based on the #PhantomoftheOpera.

Echoes of a Song:
A dozen tumultuous years after the dramatic events at the Paris Opera House Raoul, Comte de Chagny is still haunted by the mysterious Opera Ghost – the creature of legend who held staff at the Opera House under his thrall, kidnapped Raoul’s lover and murdered his brother. In Raoul’s troubled imagination the ghosts of the past are everywhere, and strange and powerful music still calls in his dreams.
Madness, obsession and the legacy of the past weave their spell in this short, tragic tale based on the Phantom of the Opera.
Best fantasy 2019 on reviewer site NN Light Book Heaven!
Available on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and many other stores on the link below.
Universal Link https://books2read.com/Echoesofasong

Tears and Crimson Velvet

Madame Giry finds herself embroiled in the tragedy unfolding at the Opera house; mystery and murder stalk the corridors and, it is said, a ghost haunts the place. Giry knows the truth, for she recalls the caged man she met so many years ago. This is her story, their story.

When murder and mystery begin at the Opera House one woman knows who is behind it, and what really lies beneath the mask. Secrets, lies and tragedy sing a powerful song in this ‘might have been’ tale.

Winner of the 2020 Best Short Story award on NNLight Book Heaven
A short, tragic tale based on characters from Phantom of the Opera.

A Legacy of the Mask Tale.
https://books2read.com/TearsandCrimson

 

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

Swift Six Author Interview – Isaiah Burt #Fantasy

Name: Isaiah Burt

Please introduce yourself (250 words or so):

My name is Isaiah Burt. I’ve been doing writing for about twenty years, having started when I was eight years old, and I primarily work in the dark fantasy genre. However, I’ve also branched out to other fantasy projects, as well as science fiction and the occasional non-fiction essay. When I’m not writing, I can often be found formulating custom paint colors at my dayjob. I also love playing Dungeons & Dragons, and I have multiple Warhammer armies, too.

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short)

My novella Legacy of Flames is a high fantasy piece with sword and sorcery flavorings set in the world of Sundara created by my friend Neal Litherland. It tells the tale of Gnav, a lizardfolk barbarian touched by the spirits of fire, as he takes on a mercenary job to hunt down a dragon, and let’s just say that he gets a lot more than he bargained for…

When did you start your writing adventure? What was the inspiration for it?

The beginning of my writing journey had to be shortly after I discovered Bionicle when I was about six years old. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Bionicle is a franchise of action figures that was made by Lego from 2001-2011, then rebooted for a short second run around 2015 or so. The term “Bionicle” is short for Biological Chronicle and tells the tales of bio-mechanical beings with elemental powers. It set my mind ablaze the way nothing else did. Legos were already a fact of life in my household growing up, but Bionicles were my particular obsession, and I loved learning everything there was to know about the world and the lore. When I wasn’t playing with the figures and building my own, I could often be found drawing comics about them. My first attempt at a novel was at the age of eight after seeing the Bionicle: Mask of Light movie, grabbing a composition notebook, and recording every detail I could. Since then, writing has been my biggest passion in life.

What writing plans do you have for the future?

The most concrete plan I have for my writing is to continue to expand the stories and world of my Diabolical Ascension mythos, which I’ve been working on since I was about fourteen years old. Other than that, my goal is to write as much as I can as often as I can at the highest quality I can, and of course publish at least some of that.

What do you like to read?

I mostly read grimdark and dark fantasy. Elric of Melniboné is my all-time favorite fantasy character and the foundation of my own work. I also absolutely love the Warhammer stories that Black Library puts out; the Night Lords Omnibus by Aaron Dembski-Bowden is most excellent. However, my reading has included more high fantasy now that my wife has put Mercedes Lackey on my radar. Other than that, I do favor the Redwall series, and I like to pick up texts on philosophy and religion, too.

What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you’d started your writing adventure?

Economy, or Chekhov’s Gun. Every event has to meaningfully move the story forward. That would have kept me away from a lot of the aimless meandering that permeates my earlier work.

Author bio and book synopsis

Bio- Isaiah Burt is a dark fantasy author who has been telling stories since he was old enough to hold a crayon and likes to think that moving up to a pen has helped him. He considers Elric of Melniboné, the Death Gate Cycle, and Planescape to be his biggest influences, with Bionicle being a significant honorable mention. Along with writing, he also is an avid player of both Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer, and he has a rather large Magic: The Gathering collection. He lives with his wife in their cave of wonders in Washington, USA.

Book synopsis-

A pariah brought out of hiding. A power as old as the world itself.

Gnav lives alone, and he likes it that way. He hunts; he eats; he sleeps. But when, when a messenger from the nearby city of Ironfire comes looking for him, the Cinderscale is offered a hunt that he simply cannot refuse:

A dragon hunt.

And the dragon is no ordinary dragon. It draws its sorcery from a primordial fire spirit threatening to raze Ironfire itself in an inferno the likes of which Sundara has never seen before.

Will Gnav defeat the dragon, or will his whole world turn to ashes around him? Buy your copy of Legacy of Flames today and find out!

Links/Social media

Social Media Links  

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/IsaiahBurtAuthor

Personal Blog- https://talesofvalorandwoe.wixsite.com/zeragabaalkhal

Links To Purchase My Books,

Legacy of Flames Purchase Link- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/421383/Legacy-of-Flames Darkness & Glory- https://www.lulu.com/shop/isaiah-burt-and-victoria-blotta/darkness-glory/ebook/product-zg4n44.html?q=Darkness%20%26%20Glory&page=1&pageSize=4&fbclid=IwAR2IBOX6KZ7RhKY16VWoDkTHZtdv0gg4UcWCpG8Svs8h5MnQnVWhj79BUuM

Day of Death – Blog Tour #Sci-fi #Fantasy #DarkRomance

I will stop at nothing to get to the truth, no matter whom it hurts or whom I have to kill.

Day of Death

A Rise of the Dread Series Novel

by LaVerne Thompson

Genre: Dark Romance, SciFi Fantasy

My name is Piper Adams. I’m young for a special agent to the king, but I’m very, very good at what I do—which is finding the truth. I can temporarily take over and inhabit the mind of another. The Day Walker king knows this and values my gifts. He uses me when others fail. Like in a rare once-in-a-lifetime murder case. There is unrest in the Kingdom of Day. One of the King’s Men, was brutally murdered just a block away from the palace. The victim is a high-ranking officer of the King’s Men. Local corruption control say he’s a spy and traitor to the Day Walkers and our king. The King’s Men call bullshit. The king has tasked me with figuring out what really happened. Both sides will try to stop me from getting at the truth. No matter what, I’ll find their dirty secrets. I will stop at nothing to get to the truth, no matter whom it hurts or whom I have to kill. By writ of my king.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

LaVerne Thompson is a USA Today Bestselling, award winning, multi-published author, an avid reader and a writer of contemporary, fantasy, and sci/fi romances. She also writes romantic suspense and new adult under the pen name Ursula Sinclair, her alter ego, who likes her relationships a little more complicated. http://www.amazon.com/Ursula-Sinclair/e/B00415YAVK/

Her stories are highly sensual with erotic elements but she has a few that are considered erotic. Most of her books also have a touch of violence and a few more than that. She enjoys good action scenes in movies and has incorporated some of those elements in quite a few of her books. She is also a certified chocoholic.

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Swift Six Character Interview – Argent

Character Name: Argent

Which book/world do you live in? I live in the story known as, “Last of the Usurpers”

Tell us about yourself:

I am an ancient warrior, the one solely responsible for the death of the dragons. It is through my actions I raised the legend of my race, the half elves, to that of myth, earning us the name Usurper. The world grew to know us as invincible; we were thought to be so powerful that a single one of us could bring a kingdom to its knees. But this was a lie. While my race was powerful, I alone hold that power, for I alone killed the dragons. My kind’s desire for power grew so fiercely that I did to them that which I had done to the dragons. I fought them and drove them to the edge of extinction, now I am the only Usurper left. I am the ancient warrior that no weapon can hope to harm, that no person could hope to defeat. But all that changed the moment I found an orphaned girl, alone on a dying woman in the mountains. Now, I am a father.

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

My greatest strength would be that when I kill those who bear magic, I take their power as my own. Not their ability to use magic, but their mana infuses itself into my body allowing me to become far stronger, faster, and nearly indestructible.

My greatest weakness would be my young daughter, Sylphaya. I try to do my best for her, I try to give her all of the love I can possibly manage, but for all my power, I am still imperfect. It is due to this imperfection, and my own carelessness, my daughter is taken from me leaving me half dead.

Name three important people/creatures/institutions in your world (such as lovers, pets, government institutions, leaders, gods etc).

In my world, “Last of the Usurpers” there are many powerful and influential people, unfortunately I only care for a few of them.

The White Monarch, or as I call her, Freya. She is one of the oldest of the Dragons, the only one, thankfully, I couldn’t kill. Freya is an immortal, no wound that harms her can last, and no strike will prove fatal. But above all of this, she is the woman I love. I met Freya when I was gravely harmed trying to save my daughter, at first I was ready to have a duel to the death with her, then she took her human form and I fell in love instantly, though I did not know that’s what it was at first.

The Black Emperor, Freya’s brother. The Black Emperor was the most powerful of the dragons, and the first that I slew. While I regret what I have done, I would never change the path I have taken. His strength gave me the power to forge my own path and eventually, meet the only people I have been allowed to love.

Finally, Bosallia. The damned kingdom that stole my daughter from me. When I thought I was finally going to be allowed to live in peace, to live a normal life, she was taken from me. I was struck down when I was at my most vulnerable. Bosallia is now one of the most prominent of the human Kingdoms with a powerful king to match. The only thing greater than their lust for power is my vengeance, and I will stop at nothing to reclaim that which they have taken from me.

What does ‘heroism’ mean to you?

Heroism is a word I think only average people are allowed to dream of, but if I had to describe it I would say this: heroism is an act of selflessness, done by one who often knows not what they are doing. It is an act of kindness, of love, of sacrifice. Heroism isn’t always done by a hero, sometimes it’s done by a simple person who just wants to do what’s right.

What do you think of your ‘creator’?

My creator is a young man, only twenty-four years of age. While he still has a lot of life to live he has experienced and been through a lot, but there is one thing about him I can say for certain, stories are his passion.

Give us your favourite piece of advice:

Find something living for. Everyone dies, but not everyone lives.

Links to book

Last of the Usurpers: Seale J R, William: 9798887292779: Amazon.com: Books

Last of the Usurpers – Dorrance Bookstore (dorrancepublishing.com)

Enter a World of Forbidden Magic!

Sizzling sorcery! Magic and Mayhem! Romance and Revenge! Dare you adventure with the mages? Adult #darkfantasy adventure #Fantasy #Lightbeyondthestorm #ebook #print #audiobook #largeprint https://www.books2read.com/Lightbeyondstorm1

Available in all the ebook stores and print on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Excerpt from the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I

The Archmage rested: dozing, replenishing, and dreaming. Archos had spent an active day and night studying and trying to finish the spell he was creating. Even with his Power, something had unsettled him, so he had given up and gone to rest. As he dozed in a chair in what he called his “workshop,” the Mirror he owned began to sing. Pulled from his sleep, he rose and walked to it. “What is it that you disturb me at such an hour?” he murmured. The Mirror’s song began to wail the strange, haunting song of the Arcane Realms. Touching the edges of the Enchanted Silver frame, he watched as the Mirror shimmered, and the mists cleared.

Archos watched as the view of the chamber in the ruins flickered into view. The image was weak, so he channelled some magic into the Mirror, and Archos saw the other Mirror in the tower and a glimpse of something red as the image flickered out. “Damn you,” he muttered, “must be a weak one.”

Concentrating, he channelled another small bolt of magic into his own Mirror. These artefacts had many uses, if a mage knew the correct spell, one of which included finding other such Mirrors. It was almost as though they spoke to one another, communicated in the Arcane Realm. They fed on magic, although Archos was not sure if “fed” was the correct term. Demanded, needed, or desired were perhaps more accurate. His Mirror could be fickle, but it was old. It had cost him a good deal some years ago, but he smiled as he caressed the silver. He saw the image flicker back up and as it did so, a bolt of magic, of pain, of Power, and of the most intense desire shot down his arm and right across him. Suddenly his head spun, for just a moment, and the Power made him drop gasping to his knees.

“Gods, what was that? Such Power! That cannot have been from the other Mirror!”

He had never felt such intensity as the Power of the woman who called to him across the vast Magical Realms. Breathlessly, he gripped the edges, surprised and deeply intrigued. As he pulled himself back to his feet, Archos saw her: the flame-haired elf woman touching the Mirror in the ruins. He watched as she ran her fingers down the glass and murmured something. Again, he cursed that he had never been able to get the thing to transmit sound. Archos gazed, transfixed, at the beautiful young mage. She could not be more than twenty-five summers, although with elves, it was hard to tell. It had taken him years to learn Mirror magic, yet before him stood this young mage activating an old, dying Mirror.

The image faded, and he snapped at the Mirror, “Show me. Do not play games.”

The mists swirled, and he tried to reach through the unyielding magical fog. “Damn you, so be it!” Archos continued, glaring at the Mirror.

Love is in the Air #SecondChance #Romance

This limited edition romance collection features 20+ stories of hope, happy ever afters, and the second chances it took to get there.

Love Is In the Air

A Limited Edition Second Chance Romance Collection

An Amaryllis Media Collection by various authors

Sometimes we don’t get it right the first time around. That’s why life gives us second chances.

This limited edition romance collection features 20+ stories of hope, happy ever afters, and the second chances it took to get there.

In this collection you will find stories of second chances at love and life as our heroes and heroines embark on life changing journeys, whether changing careers or moving half way across the globe.

What second chance have you been longing for? These stories just might inspire you to go out there and grab it.

About the collection:

All NET Author proceeds are being pledged to Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the highest rated breast cancer organization in the United States and largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide.

The organizer of this collection, Mandy Melanson of Amaryllis Media, LLC, watched her aunt go through diagnosis, treatment, remission, then it returned as Stage 4. It was in that moment she watched her aunt refuse additional treatment because it made her so sick she felt the alternative was a better choice for her and she resigned herself to her diagnosis.

It is our collective hope no one will ever have to feel that way again. That is why she’s brought together these 20+ romance authors, who build their careers on hope and happy ever afters, to write this collection of second chances.

Our mission, as the participating authors in this collection, is to use our voices to help BCRF in their mission to prevent and cure breast cancer by advancing the world’s most promising research.

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Participating authors in this collection are:

Tara September

Kat Long
Sierra Gamble
Danielle Jacks
Serenity Rayne & Cassandra Featherstone
Jeanine Lauren
Sharon Wray
Angela Scavone
Anne Lucy-Shanley
Carrie Jacobs
Roxie Clarke
Bobbi Claire
Helen Walton
Heather Silvio
Rose Fresquez
CJ McKnight
Q Marlowe
Shauna Jared
Kristen Fray
Mandy Melanson
Colleen Key

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It Might Be You

by Tara September

Serina Spring is trading in her blossoming real estate career in Manhattan and an ex-boyfriend to start anew in Naples, Florida. But playing cards with her matchmaking grandmother was not exactly the exciting new life she had in mind.

So, when Serina spies a handsome stranger at an open house, she thinks her luck just might be changing. Then again? Maybe not.

Fortunately, while on the white sandy beaches of Southwest Florida, Serina discovers that all is not what it seems if you just open yourself up to fate and second chances.

Bestselling, multi-award-winning romance author of steamy & sassy Contemporary and New Adult stories that will leave you “grinning like a Cheshire Cat.” Residing in NYC and Southwest Florida, Tara holds a master’s degree in journalism from New York University and is the proud mom to twin boys and four writing distractions, I mean cats.

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In The Midnight Hour – Blog Tour #Paranormal #Womensfiction

Werewolf Queen wasn’t on her middle aged bingo card…

In the Midnight Hour

A Midnight Madness Nightcreature Novel Book 3

by Lori Handeland

Genre: Paranormal Women’s Fiction

Just when I thought it was safe to go home…

I’ve been running too long. I’d gotten sloppy. Sloppy gets you captured. But it turns out, the very one I thought I had to hide from, saved me.

I just want to live peacefully. But happy family, er, pack reunions don’t seem to be in my future. When my secret is used against me, I’m forced to run again. This time, help comes from the most unexpected source, the greatest werewolf hunter of all time, Edward Mandenauer.

To get what we both want—the end of the sadistic, yet sexy, werewolf Zane—Edward and I join forces. But Zane isn’t working alone. Nor is he who or what he says he is. He’s much, much more…

All I want is the life I believed I’d lost, but at this rate, I’ll end up captured, imprisoned, enslaved . . . or dead.

From the voice of New York Times bestselling author Lori Handeland, the final installment in the Midnight Madness trilogy takes you deep into her Nightcreature world, complete with the humor, depth of characterization and fast-paced plot lines the author is known for while showcasing her incredible range.

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Blame It On Midnight

A Midnight Madness Nightcreature Novel Book 2

I saved my daughter. But how do I save myself?

I did what I had to. Try and kill my girl? I will end you faster than you can say have mercy. Sure I broke a cardinal pack rule, which will get me executed by my mate. If they find out. If they find me.

Saved from capture by Zane, the sexiest of sexy werewolves, my rescue comes with a price. Zane wants a favor, one that could cause an all-out pack war. The last thing I need is to make more enemies, but lives are at stake if I don’t make a stand.
Not only that, but I have a secret. An impossible secret that is going to turn the entire werewolf world upside down.

From the voice of New York Times bestselling author Lori Handeland, a new volume in her Nightcreature world, complete with the humor, depth of characterization and fast-paced plot lines she is known for while showcasing the author’s incredible range.

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Nothing Good Happens After Midnight

A Midnight Madness Nightcreature Novel Book 1

They say a mother will do anything for her child . . . I’m living proof

This nightmare began when I got the call every parent dreads. My daughter, Jenna, was missing from her college campus. Of course, my mind went to the worst place. After all, my late husband was a powerful senator. Was this some political payback?

I call in a favor and soon I’m partnered with an FBI sex trafficking agent. He tells me local girls have been disappearing for some time now, and he finally has a lead. But what we find at that abandoned warehouse is something out of a horror movie.

Werewolves! Two rival packs, their alphas fighting, winner take all––the pack and the trafficked girls. The werewolves must replenish their breeders, recently decimated by a virus that killed only the females.

But Jenna’s been keeping a secret, which only makes two of us. Though I should be angry, I know the lies I’ve told play a huge role in why we’re here. I’ll do anything to make it right. No way is my girl going to become a sacrificial mate for the greater good––even if she is the ‘chosen one.’ So, I do what any mother would do, I take her place, offering myself to Gideon, the winning alpha, as his mate.

Gideon’s goal is to live in harmony with the human world, but there are others who exist for the power, for the violence, and they don’t plan to let peace prevail.

There’s a civil werewolf war brewing and I am right in the middle of it.

From the voice of New York Times bestselling author Lori Handeland, a new volume in her Nightcreature world, complete with the humor, depth of characterization and fast-paced plot lines she is known for while showcasing the author’s incredible range.

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Lori Handeland is a five-time nominee and two-time winner of the prestigious RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, as well as the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over sixty novels spanning the genres of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, contemporary romance, historical romance, historical fantasy and women’s fiction. Her novel Just Once received a coveted, starred review from Library Journal and was optioned as a feature film by Catalyst Global Media.

Lori set her sight on being an author at the age of ten. She remembers sitting at a typewriter before she knew how to type, pecking out a story about a family who went into space. As an only child her summers were spent with that typewriter, television, and, above all, books. As a young adult, she got sidetracked by the need to make a living. She worked as a waitress and later enrolled in college to become a teacher.

Lori lives in Southern Wisconsin with her husband of over thirty-five years. In between writing and reading, she enjoys long walks with their rescue mutt, Arnold, and visits from her two grown sons, awesome daughter-in-law and perfectly adorable grandchildren.

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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$20 Amazon giftcard

– 1 winner each!

a Rafflecopter giveaway