A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 48
January 25, 2023
Sight Beyond the Sun – Blog Tour and Guest Post
Sight Beyond the Sun
Love Beyond Book 2
by Melody Johnson
Genre: SciFi Romance
Separating truth from lies is impossible in the game of spies…especially the lies you tell yourself.
A prison break.
Adrenaline junkie and explosives specialist Kinsley “Switch” Morales had a chip on her shoulder long before being caught in what she suspects is some sort of intergalactic human-trafficking ring. Aliens not only exist, their reptilian bodies are stronger, their honed reflexes faster, and their shiny scales nearly impenetrable. But nothing will curb Kinsley’s resolve to commandeer their spaceship and return home to Earth—even if that means crawling behind enemy lines and cozying up to their uncompromising captain.
An undercover mission.
When Raveno Hoviir catches Kinsley outside her cell, wreaking havoc in his control room, he sees more than just her strength, resolve, and courage. He sees a golden opportunity to finally root out the traitor under his command and prove his brother’s loyalty before the coming revolution. After so many years undercover, Raveno is finally one mission away from saving his planet from its tyrannical ruler. He’s sacrificed everything to protect his people—his love life, his anonymity, his left leg—but in his efforts to right his father’s wrongs, has he inadvertently become the very monster he plans to overthrow?
An unlikely alliance.
As Kinsley and Raveno each attempt to exploit the other, they find more than just leverage for their separate missions. Inexplicably, they find common ground in their mutual devotion to family and service. Kinsley knows all too well the grief and guilt of making the wrong decision in the field, but will Raveno keep his word to send her home if she flips loyalties? Is Raveno’s softening heart compromising his judgment, or is Kinsley’s intelligence accurate? Separating truth from lies is impossible in the game of spies. Seeing beyond their surface differences and trusting in love again may be the only way to save both their people—and each other
Beyond the Next Star
Love Beyond Book 1
An intolerable order. A desperate charade. A deadly secret…
Before Commander Torek Renaar can return to active duty, he’s ordered to purchase an animal companion to help relieve his PTSD symptoms. But having been a caretaker for and lost a loved one, keeping even one little human alive is a challenge he feels doomed to fail. It doesn’t help that his animal companion is the newest, most exotic breed on the market, demanding constant attention, daily grooming, and delicate handling. If she doesn’t die first in his incompetent care, she’ll be the death of him.
After witnessing the murder of her domestication specialist, Delaney McCormick allows her new owner to treat her like the pet he believes her to be. If anyone suspects she’s more intelligent than a golden retriever, her murder would be next. She endures the humiliation of being washed, the tediousness of being trained to “sit” and “come”, and the intrigue of hearing private conversations. But in Torek’s care, she finds something unexpected on this Antarctic planet, something she never had in all her years on Earth while house-hopping between foster families: a home.
As companionship grows to love, must Delaney continue the charade, acting like an animal and hiding from the murderer waiting for her misstep? Or can she trust Torek with her secrets, even if the truth threatens everything he holds dear—and both their lives?
**Also available in Audiobook !**
Audible * Amazon Audiobook * iTunes
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Melody Johnson is the award-winning author of the “out of this world” Love Beyond series and the gritty, paranormal romance Night Blood series published by Kensington Publishing/ Lyrical Press. She graduated magna cum laude from Lycoming College with her B.A. in creative writing and psychology.
Earning the 2021 Maggie Award of Excellence, Beyond the Next Star (Love Beyond, book 1) is an exciting branch from Melody’s paranormal romance roots, keeping the dark grit from her Night Blood Series and taking it to new worlds. Her first published novel, The City Beneath (Night Blood, book 1), was a finalist in the “Cleveland Rocks” and “Fool For Love” contests.
When she isn’t writing, Melody enjoys swimming, hiking, reading, and exploring her new home in southeast Georgia. Stay in touch with Melody on social media or her website: authormelodyjohnson.com
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$10 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner,
Free ebook – 10 winners!
Raveno Hoviir: The Hero of Sight Beyond the SunAn eight-foot-tall beefcake, Raveno cherishes his privacy. Nearly more than anything else, he enjoys peace and quiet and solitude, something he rarely gets to enjoy while undercover as the captain of Sa Vivsheth and his father’s “killing hand.” After over ten years of counter missions to acquire off-world allies, Raveno is finally one mission away from saving his planet from its tyrannical ruler. He’s sacrificed everything to protect his people—his love life, his anonymity, his left leg—but in his efforts to right his father’s wrongs, has he inadvertently become the very monster he seeks to overthrow? Even without breaking cover, his mission is at risk: someone on board Sa Vivsheth is sabotaging his command. When Raveno catches our heroine, Kinsley, outside her cell, he sees more than just her strength, resolve, and courage. He sees a golden opportunity to finally root out the traitor in his midst and prove his brother’s loyalty before the coming revolution.
One of my favorite themes throughout Sight Beyond the Sun is escaping cages: physical, personal, familial, societal. Both my hero and heroine struggle to free themselves from the limitations of other people’s expectations and to shed the blinders forced upon them since childhood. But as they discover through the healing growth of love, “Our past molds our present…one must learn to live in that mold, make accommodations for it, and unapologetically be it.” So once freed from the cage of this fierce interstellar spy game, who is Raveno Hoviir beneath his fearsome exterior? Let’s interview our hero and find out!
Favorite memory from childhood: playing on my school sheshzi team with my brother and best friend.Favorite smell: burning woodProudest moment: overcoming my medical condition and passing the qualifying combat exams to enter Havar’s military academy.Secret desire: to spend an entire shoaz (25 hours) at home, answering to and being responsible for no one.Favorite food: food is meant to nourish the body.Deepest emotional wound: when Josairo murdered my mother to solidify unilateral military and political power.Never have I ever: seen a woman’s breastsMama or daddy’s boy: mamma’s boyFavorite place: my new apartment, free from all memories of Cresha, my ex-wife.Secret fear: to die before my siblings, leaving them to the mercy of our father.
January 22, 2023
Tomorrow Belongs to Us – Blog Tour #Romance
Tomorrow Belongs To Us
by Lily Zante
Genre: Age Gap, Second Chance Contemporary Romance
A young woman’s life is disrupted when a decade later she crosses paths with the caring high-school teacher she fell in love with as a student.
Lance Turner was there for Megan when she needed him, but his sudden departure left her devastated.
All she wants now is closure, but all he wants is a second chance.
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Goodreads
Lily Zante writes emotional contemporary romances that give you all the feels.
Readers say that her books keep you up all night and make you fall in love with characters who you will come to regard as friends.
She has one daughter, two sons and a parrot. Her better half prefers not to be mentioned at all.
Be among the first to receive new release notifications, cover reveals, chapter excerpts and more free romances.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$10 Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
January 19, 2023
Oracle of Life – Blog Tour #DarkFantasy #Fantasy
Oracle of Life
The Lords’ Gambit Series, Volume 1
by Katherine D. Graham
Genre: Dark Epic Fantasy
Six fallen lords. Three vengeful goddesses. And one mortal, damned to prophesy for them all.
An Exiled Oracle
Nariah, the Heiress of Ellonai, is dead. An exiled, desert-dwelling Doomsayer is all that remains within the shell of the powerful princess she once was.
A Heretic
She isn’t sure which of her visions her people hate more: the one where the three benevolent goddesses they serve have decided to destroy the world, or the vision of six lords falling from the skies to save them.
The World’s Only Hope
Stumbling across the very lords she’s been seeing in her visions for years, only Nariah’s accursed gift of Sight can aid the lords in their rebellion against the goddesses, and determine the fate of her world before it’s turned to ash.
But does she even want to save those who’ve wronged her?
A whole new take on mythological fantasy awaits in this thrilling dark epic by USA Today Bestselling Author Katherine D. Graham.
**This is not a standalone novel, though each book in The Lords’ Gambit series follows a different main character. Book two, Monk of Death, is available for pre-order now.**
**On Sale for Only .99 cents! **
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**Coming Soon on Feb 14th!**
Monk of Death
The Lords’ Gambit Series, Volume 2
**PreOrder Now!**
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Katherine D. Graham is a USA Today Bestselling fantasy author from Tennessee (USA). She is also a developmental editor and Reedsy Reviewer.
Katherine’s debut indie Epic Fantasy novel, The Vow That Twisted Fate, is an Amazon bestselling New Adult Fantasy and Occult Fiction novel, a Fantasy finalist in the 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and a five-star IndieReader-approved novel.
The USA Today Bestselling “Realm of Darkness” box set launched in October 2022, which included Katherine’s full-length Dark Fantasy Romance novel “Splitting Dawn”.
Katherine holds a BA in Foreign Language/Lit: Japanese from the University of Memphis in Tennessee, where she also studied English (and editing). She worked for the Memphis Public Library and Information Center in her college years, and is still a vocal supporter of the Friends of the Memphis Public Library.
In addition to the library system, Katherine actively raises support for the St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, The House of Mews cat sanctuary, the Memphis Zoo, and Swim Across America.
Katherine loves adventures, especially traveling. She also enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her family and three cats.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Goodreads
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$20 Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
January 17, 2023
Hunter Avenged – Blog Tour #Paranormal #Romance
Hunter Avenged
Forgotten Brotherhood Book 6
by N.J. Walters
Genre: Paranormal Romance
It’s taken Viking hunter Sven Knutson six frustrating months to find her. To track down the angel responsible for compromising the Forgotten Brotherhood and waking the drakon. She may be clever. Resourceful. But no one ever gets away from Sven. Ever.
All Rivka longed for as an angel was a chance to serve on Earth and help humans. Instead, it all went impossibly, horribly wrong, and she still doesn’t understand how or even why. All she knows is that she’s on the run—not only from Heaven’s dangerous elite guard, but also from the Brotherhood, who want answers.
She might just have to trust the immortal Viking whose icy blue eyes make her feel almost wickedly human. Because someone wants Rivka dead and the Brotherhood eliminated. Someone powerful enough to take on the most dangerous assassins who have ever lived. Someone who could unleash the fury of both Heaven and Hell…and Rivka is the key.
Each book in the Forgotten Brotherhood series is STANDALONE:
* Fury Unleashed
* Arctic Bite
* Burning Ash
* Bjorn Cursed
* Ancient Desire
* Hunter Avenged
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Entangled Publishing * Bookbub * Goodreads
Once upon a time N.J. had the idea that she would like to quit her job at the bookstore, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown, and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the bookstore and her hometown and settled in for another seven years.
One day she gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first romance novel and life would never be the same.
N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks–all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.
Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$10 Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
January 15, 2023
Swift Six Author Interview – Hannah-Louise Smith #Fantasy
Name: Hannah-Louise Smith
Please introduce yourself (250 words or so): I love reading, especially fantasy, I’m a huge Harry Potter and Star Wars fans, but only episodes 1-6. My preferred hot drink is tea and I have a Siberian husky called Logan, named after my favourite X-man
Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short) Awakening and Darkness are the first two books in the Mythics and mortals trilogy. They are urban fantasy novels based on Ancient Greek mythology and center around our heroine Christina Jones
When did you start your writing adventure? What was the inspiration for it? I started writing during the first 2020 lockdown, I always wanted to write a book so I just went for it. I had an idea and put my pen to paper
What writing plans do you have for the future? I have so many books planned, I’m currently working on an epic fantasy based on the popular role playing game dungeons and dragons, called Gameplay. After I plan on finishing the Mythics and mortals trilogy with the final book
What do you like to read? I like to read A song of fire and ice. George.R.R.Martin is truly a genius
What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you’d started your writing adventure? Don’t listen to the doubts, just go for it. The only time you will fail is if you never try
Author bio and book synopsis
Lover of books, tea and fantasy. I have a joint degree in English literature and history and a Siberian husky named Logan. Awakening and Darkness (first two books in the Mythics and mortals trilogy), are out on amazon.
Percy Jackson meets The Mortal Instruments
Christina Jones had always thought that she was normal, just your typical unlucky woman. But this all changes on her twenty-first birthday when she falls, quite literally, headfirst into a world that was thought only to exist in Ancient Greek mythology.
With her new friends, Sophie Romain and Lucas Teravin, by her side, Christina has to fight, not only to control her developing powers and remember who she is, but also to fight the demon that hunts her for a mysterious figure called The Master.
Links/Social media
https://www.facebook.com/hannahlouisesmith19
https://www.instagram.com/hannahlousmith/?hl=en
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22231590.Hannah_Louise_smith
Twitter-@HannahLouiseSm
TikTok- @hannahlousmith0
January 14, 2023
Book Spotlight – Darkness (Book 2 Mythics and Mortals) #Fantasy
Title: Darkness (Book 2 Mythics and Mortals trilogy)
Author: Hannah-Louise Smith
Genre: fantasy fiction
Main character description (short). Christina Jones is a blonde haired, green eyes Greek goddess and is the long lost daughter of Hades and Persephone. She is very powerful which surprises everyone.
Synopsis: Darkness is coming for you Christina Jones.
You, and everyone you love.
After the fateful events of the charity gala, Christina Jones is now crowned Queen of the Underworld. But ruling isn’t easy. Oxyllion is rising, and danger is stalking ever closer to Christina’s friends and family.
When mythic women start being taken by Oxyllion, Christina must delve into the past and hunt for answers in the most unlikely places. Answers that could not only save her father but the mythic and mortal realms.
Brief Excerpt 250 words:
Christina began to follow the drops of blood that soon became spatters from the hallway and into the living room, ignoring the calls from Jared to stop and the protests from forensics and other MPD officers. The image would haunt her for the rest of her immortal life. There were bodies everywhere. But they weren’t mortal, their gleams had dropped upon their deaths. A family of centaurs were strewn about the room, their blood coating nearly every surface in rust-coloured spatters, their dull lifeless eyes were staring up at her, never to blink again, Christina instantly recognized one of the victims. They had only met once a short time ago at The Collective. Christina’s stomach lurched horribly at the sight of her mangled body, her insides were in a pile next to her, and her forelegs lay at odd angles. Her eyes were drawn away from the stomach-churning scene by the sight of something else. On the living room wall, written in blood that was still dripping wetly, was a message.
Merry Christmas Christina Jones. Don’t think that we’ve forgotten about you.
The message was signed with a symbol, one that made Christina freeze where she stood. An octagon in a spiked circle. Beneath the message, lay the small, broken body of Luna the centaur foal
Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)? It’s a great book and is the sequel to Awakening (book 1 Mythics and mortals trilogy). If the reader loves mythology, fantasy, horror and a bit of romance then this is definitely the book for them. Plus it’s on kindle unlimited so that helps.
Links etc. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkness-Mythics-Mortals-Hannah-Louise/dp/B0BNV4R588/
January 7, 2023
Ekko av en Sang
Et dusin turbulente år etter de dramatiske hendelsene ved Operahuset i Paris er Raoul, Comte de Chagny, fremdeles hjemsøkt av det mystiske Operaspøkelset – en myteomspunnet skikkelse som trollbandt de ansatte i operaen, kidnappet Raouls elsker og myrdet broren hans. I Raouls forstyrrede fantasi er gjenferd fra fortiden overalt, og en merkelig og mektig musikk kaller ham fremdeles i drømme. Galskap, besettelse og arven fra fortiden utgjør den fortryllende veven i denne korte og tragiske historien som er basert på Phantom of the Opera, og som ble kåret til beste fantasynovelle i 2019 av leserne ved NN Light Book Heaven!
https://books2read.com/Ekko-EchoesNorwegian
#HistoriskFantasy, #Operafantomet, #Fantom , #Novelle
January 5, 2023
La Torre Robada
La Torre Robada (Stolen Tower Spanish edition)
La trol Shamania Mirandra Var promete encontrar a su pariente desaparecido, separar a los amigos de los enemigos y reclamar los peligrosos secretos guardados por criaturas impensables. Si tiene éxito, se convertirá en la líder de su tribu. Si falla, no habrá tribu que liderar.
Fantasía oscura, Aventura fantástica, Fantasía erotica
https://books2read.com/TorreRobada-ST-Spanish
Translated Author’s biography:
AL Butcher, nacido en Gran Bretaña, es un ávido lector y creador de mundos, poeta y soñador, amante de la ciencia, la historia natural, la historia y los monos. Su prosa ha sido descrita como “oscura y arenosa” y su poesía como “evocadora”. Escribe con una sensibilidad segura ya veces erótica de cosas que podrían haber sido, nunca fueron, pero podrían ser. Alex es el autor de las series de fantasía lírica Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles y Tales of Erana. También tiene varias historias cortas en los géneros de fantasía y romance de fantasía con incursiones ocasionales en el horror de estilo gótico, incluida la serie Legacy of the Mask. Con antecedentes en política, estudios clásicos, historia antigua y mitos, sus afinidades aportan un sabor ecléctico y único a su trabajo, mezclando realidad y sueño en proporciones alquímicas que dan vida a sus personajes y mundos. También cura paquetes de libros temáticos de ficción especulativa en BundleRabbit, en su mayor parte la ficción especulativa Aquí hay serie. Alex también se enorgullece de ser escritora de Perseid Press, donde su trabajo aparece en Heroika: Dragon Eaters, Heroika Skirmishers, donde fue editora y diseñadora de portadas, además de escritora; y Lovers in Hell, parte de la aclamada serie Heroes in Hell. http://www.theperseidpress.com/
January 3, 2023
Character Interview – Lacey James – Suspense/Thriller
CHARACTER NAME Lacey James
Tell us a little about yourself.
Hi! My name is Lacey James and I come from a small town in Oregon that most of you have never heard of. It’s called Sweet Home. It’s located at the southeast tip of one of the most fertile spots in the state, the Willamette Valley, which is famous for its hazelnut crops not to mention wine. I’m and mom and a cop, which is challenging to say the least.
Is your life now as you envisioned it? If not – then why?
Throughout my childhood in Sweet Home, I dreamed about being somewhere else—anywhere else. When my husband was first deployed to Fort Hood, Texas, I followed. My daughter, Harper was just little, and Flynn wasn’t born yet, and I couldn’t stand the thought of being away from Caleb, but life on the base was hard, and with Caleb working much of the time, I felt cut off from my family. Isolated. And I missed feeling as if what I did made a difference. I spent a year living in limbo. After Flynn was born, I made the gut-wrenching decision to move back to Sweet Home, knowing that at least there, I would have the support of my family. I went back to work at the Sweet Home police department, and while that was hard on my marriage (long distance relationships are tough in any circumstance), the satisfaction and stability I gained from my job made me feel more like myself than I had in years. I know people will judge me for moving my kids away from their father, but I believed it was the right move for us. Even after everything that’s happened, I still do.
Would you die for those you love?
Absolutely. No question. As a cop, I make life and death decisions every day and have had to face down armed suspects who have threatened not just my safety, but the safety of those I love. I have never hesitated to put myself in harm’s way when the safety of others is at risk.
How do you think others see you?
Driven. Committed. Tenacious. Caring.
Who is your greatest friend?
Oh, this one’s easy. It’s my cousin and best friend, Amber. Amber and I are the same age and grew up together in Sweet Home. She’s always been there for me, and since moving back to Sweet Home, she’s become like a second mother for my kids. I love her like she was my sister. Can’t imagine what my life would be like without her.
How do you define ‘heroism?’
This one’s tougher, but I’d say that heroism is standing up for what you know is right. Protecting others. In some cases that means putting the safety and care of others before yourself.
Tell us about your family?
I have two amazing kiddos. Harper, my daughter is the oldest. At eight years of age, she’s smart, a little bossy (I wonder where she gets that from) and is the family reporter. If anything goes on in the family, I can count on Harper to tell me the news. Flynn is two years younger than his sister and loves everything to do with the outdoors. He’s curious and fearless and is a dead ringer for his father. I already told you about Amber, who is my rock. Then there’s Caleb. We’ve been together for the past ten years, and though things have sometimes been rocky, until now, I never doubted that we belonged together. But sometimes partners drift apart. Time will tell if the bond we share through our love and our children, will bring us back together again.
What is your greatest skill/asset?
I never quit. I believe that there is always a solution if you work hard enough to find it.
What is your greatest weakness (we won’t tell)?
I worry that I’m not enough, that I can’t be a cop and the kind of mother I want to be. I’ve also been told that I’m a little hard-headed and may not always ask for help when I should.
What is your greatest fear?
Balancing my job as a cop with being a mom has never been easy. I worry that with all the hours I spend working to keep the citizens of Sweet Home safe, that I’m short-changing my kids. That said, my biggest fear is that I somehow put my kids in jeopardy because of my job.
What do you think of your author/creator?
LOL. Chris is alright. Sometimes it’s a pain to have her delve as much into my head, into my emotions as she does, but it helps others see me as a fully formed human with incredible strengths, but weaknesses as well. She likes the action of a police procedural, which has put me and my colleagues in serious jeopardy more times than I care to count! I like that she spends time introducing her readers to the Pacific Northwest. It’s such a gorgeous place, and she’s quick to see the funny side of smalltown life.
For the author:
Books in which this character appears:
The Lacey James Series includes:
Book 1: Find Her: https://www.amazon.com/Find-Her-Lacey-James-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09KMHFG42/
Book 2: Save Her: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09KFYLRT3
Book 3: Tell Her: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09PQ6LLJ5
Book 4: Hide Her; https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B2CLT9V1
Bio;
Chris Patchell is an award-winning USA Today Bestselling Author who started writing to curb the homicidal tendencies she experienced during her daily Seattle commute. She writes gripping suspense thrillers with romantic elements set in the Pacific Northwest and believes good fiction combines a magical mix of complex characters, compelling plots, and well-crafted stories.
Connect with Chris through her newsletter to learn more about her latest works and author happenings.
Website: https://www.chrispatchell.com/
Facebook: (3) Chris Patchell | Facebook
Instagram: Chris Patchell (@chrispatchellauthor) • Instagram photos and videos
Goodreads: Chris Patchell (Author of In the Dark) | Goodreads
BookBub: Chris Patchell Books – BookBub
Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Patchell/e/B00QPACUI4
January 1, 2023
Dirty Dozen Author Interview – Chris Patchell #Suspense
Author name: Chris Patchell
Please tell us about your publications/work.
I started writing again after a long hiatus. Work. Kids. Life. You know. And when I picked up the proverbial pen once again, I started thinking about what kind of stories I wanted to write. Way back when, I used to write romances, but twenty years later, I realized that I liked to read suspense thrillers. I love the high-stakes, fast-paced stories that keep you up way past bedtime because you just need to know what happens next. So that’s what I write. Suspense stories that run the gamut from psychological suspense to smalltown crime thrillers. Most of my stories are set in the Pacific Northwest, where I currently live.
How did you become involved with bundles? (For Bundle Authors)
It was Fiona Quinn who first involved me in the wonderful world of author bundles. I had met Fiona back in 2015 when both of us had books published through Amazon’s Kindle Scout Program. Fiona introduced me to another one of her author friends, Judith Lucci, and through the two of them, I made other author connections that have seen my work published in a variety of bundles. It’s been a fabulous way to both grow my author network and meet some amazing readers.
What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you started your publishing journey?
Don’t worry about the progress you’re making or not making toward whatever your goals are. Just keep going. Keep writing. Focus on bettering your craft. Don’t spend time worrying about what you can’t control.
How much research do you do for your work? What’s the wildest subject you’ve looked at?
It depends on the book. I’ve attended three citizen police academies in different cities and have learned interesting things from each. I’ve done a lot of reading and research into various topics. I’ve had fun conversations with police officers, firemen, and folks who own gun shops, but probably the most fun I’ve ever had was talking with a man in Portland who runs his own company that does opposition research for political campaigns. It’s amazing the information his firm has uncovered through the course of the campaigns they’ve supported. Fascinating (and at times hair-raising) stuff.
The most interesting bit of research I did though, was for my book, Dark Harvest. This research involved the application of stem cell research in treating degenerative brain diseases. I had done some research on my own, but then I met a friend of a friend who is a genetic counsellor, and she was able to help me did a little deeper into this captivating and complex topic.
What is your writing space like?
I have an office on the ground floor of my house, which has a lovely set of windows. As you can imagine, it has several bookcases, which are mostly filled with books I’ve used while researching my novels. My desk is always more cluttered than it should be. While I try to keep it clean, notebooks and uncategorized stacks of mail litter the edges, while at least one coffee mug, a glass of water, and a gently use tea bag can be frequently found there.
The one thing that I love the most in my office, is my white board, which is where I keep track of my marketing activities, as well as outline plots. When I get stuck, whiteboarding is one of the ways in which I can work through the log jam of ideas and get my storyline back on track. I blame my career as a project manager in the technology sector for falling in love with whiteboards. 
Tell us about your latest piece?
The Perfect Brother, which was released in the fall of 2022, is a novel (suspense meets amateur sleuth) in which a brilliant software developer sets out to prove her brother’s innocence when he is charged with killing his secret girlfriend. Set in Vancouver, BC, what I love about this story is the strength of family ties and how the family’s culture sets expectations that result in a series of lies that eventually get exposed. Indira Saraf, the software developer in question, adapts her Artificial Intelligence technology to uncover other suspects in the killing in the hopes of proving her brother innocent. It’s an intricate and engrossing story.
What’s your next writing adventure?
Right now, I’m working on a story where a disgraced cop teams up with an FBI Agent whose career is on the rise, to track down a serial killer. It’s set in Portland, Oregon, and I’m calling it Speak No Evil.
What are your views on authors commenting on reviews?
Personally, good or bad, I don’t comment on reviews. Reviews should embody what the reader thinks of your story, not what you think of what they think about your story. I know that sounds a little convoluted, but there it is. As a writer, all you can do is write the best story you can, send it out in the world, and hope that people like it. If they do, great. If they don’t, then it probably wasn’t the story for them.
How do you deal with bad reviews?
I used to read them in the hopes that I could learn something from them that would make me a better writer, but what I really learned was that most 1 and 2 star reviews aren’t very constructive. They’re usually indicative of what I’ve said above—that for whatever reason, your story wasn’t the right story for them. Even New York Times bestselling novels have bad reviews. The downside of reading bad reviews is that sometimes the mean things that some people say get stuck in your mind, so instead, I’ll have my husband scan bad reviews and let me know if there’s anything constructive there to be learned. That way, if there’s good information, I still get to hear it, but avoid unconstructive comments from lodging themselves in my brain.
Sort these into order of importance:
Good plotGreat charactersAwesome world-buildingTechnically perfectIs this the age of the e-book? Are bricks and mortar bookshops in decline?
As a reader, I love eBooks because they’ve made buying books super simple, an impulse purchase, like bubble gum beside the cash register. I can finish one story at 10 pm and download the next. It’s awesome. I do also love browsing bookstores. I love looking at book covers and reading the descriptions and maybe a few excerpts. As a reader and a writer, I hope we live in the world where both can continue to thrive.
What is your greatest success?
OMG. I can still remember the day when my book was on the Amazon Bestsellers chart beside Stephen King. His book was #12 and mine was #13. I still have screenshots of that event. It felt surreal. Just seeing my book ranked beside some truly amazing and popular authors has been a thrill. But it’s also a thrill to have readers contact me and share how much they’ve enjoyed my stories. Forging that kind of personal connection is special and something I have appreciated throughout this journey of becoming a writer. While writing the Lacey James series, I was touched by the story of a woman who was reading my books out loud to her ninety-two-year-old mother. It’s readers like that who keeps me going when my motivation wanes.
Tell us a silly fact about yourself.
Donald Duck was my favourite Disney character growing up because he was so foul-tempered.
What did you want to be when you ‘grew up’?
I wanted to be an animator for Disney, but I wasn’t gifted with my father’s artistic abilities, so I became a writer instead.
Links to The Perfect Brother: https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Brother-Chris-Patchell-ebook/dp/B0B2CN9M51
Bio
Chris Patchell is an award-winning USA Today Bestselling Author who started writing to curb the homicidal tendencies she experienced during her daily Seattle commute. She writes gripping suspense thrillers with romantic elements set in the Pacific Northwest and believes good fiction combines a magical mix of complex characters, compelling plots, and well-crafted stories.
