A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 52

Halloween Themed Books – The Watcher – A Jack the Ripper Tale #Horror #HistoricalFiction

The year is 1888, and the place is Whitechapel, in the very heart of London. But the heart is bleeding. A mysterious killer is stalking women of the streets – his true name is unknown, but his legend will go down in history. This is a short tale of Jack the Ripper.

18 rated for scenes of violence.

https://www.books2read.com/TheWatcherJTR

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Book Spotlight – Web of the Succubus #Occult #Horror #Halloween – Andrew P. Weston

Title: Web of the Succubus – Book 4 of the Cambion Journals

Author: Andrew P. Weston

Genre: Occult Horror

Main character description (short): Think of Damon Salvator from the Vampire Diaries mixed with a dark-haired version of Geralt, the Witcher, and you’ll be on the right track.

Synopsis: 

Augustus Thorne has his work cut out, trying to juggle his recuperating capabilities with a turbulent personal and professional life. On the plus side, things have improved dramatically with Colleen Wolf. But, as he endeavors to cement his relationship with her, events conspire against him. 

It transpires there are elements within some of the most powerful human governments who are secretly collaborating with the demon court. Their goal being to turn the majority of mankind into chattel. Brood livestock, whose only purpose is to serve the demondim’s ghastly appetites. Augustus simply can’t allow that to happen. He sets out to frustrate Asmodai’s machinations, unaware that a spider is waiting in the dark.  

And it’s ready to pounce. 

Brief Excerpt 250 words:

“Is it ready?” Marissa bit off each word as if they were offensive to her palate.

“Soon my love, soon,” Lamia crooned. “But tell me, why the sudden urgency?”

Marissa’s hair stood on end, the sheer potency of the charge coursing through her body generating fingers of lightning that crackled from her extremities like hungry tentacles. “That bitch seems determined to screw me over. They’re engaged, for Azazel’s sake. Engaged!” Her last remark was laced with sufficient venom to poison Leviathan.

“What?” Lamia gasped. “When? How did . . . how in the devil did they . . .”

“You tell me,” Marissa cut in. “One moment things are progressing wonderfully. I’d been careful not to get too clingy or take advantage. I bided my time, established a trust, built up mutual rapport—and then bam! He comes home leaking all sorts of puerile shit from his overexcited vapid little man brain about a spontaneous proposal at the airport. Oh, and get this. Not only did he propose, but he used a void signet to seal the deal. Not just any void signet, mind you. That wouldn’t be good enough for the esteemed Colleen Wolf. She’s gone and landed herself one of the original five. A Pentagryst, for pity’s sake! Neither of them have a clue what it is, which is just as well, because if they learn how to activate the damned thing, she’ll be virtually untouchable. Fucking pasty-faced flesh bag!”

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?

Because it will call to you on a deeply personal level. It’s as dark and menacing as a brewing thunderstorm on All Hallows Eve, and deals with the very real issues governing volatile relationships between passionate, supernatural creatures.

Links etc.

Amazon https://amzn.to/3RYfenj

Author Bio:

Andrew Weston is a bestselling author from the UK who now lives on the beautiful Greek island of Kos with a growing family of rescue animals.
As creator of the critically acclaimed IX Series, the Cambion Journals, and Hell Bound, Hell Hounds, and Hell Gate, (novels forming part of the Heroes in Hell universe), Andrew has the privilege of being a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, the British Science Fiction Association, and the British Fantasy Society.
He also enjoys writing review articles for Amazing Stories and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. 

All links:

Website/blog: https://andrewpweston.blogspot.com/ 

Twitter: @WestonAndrew 

TikTok: @andrewpweston666 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewpaul.weston 

Halloween Themed Books #Dystopian #DarkFantasy

The Last Forest – A short story of the wrath of Nature.

#Dystopian #Darkfantasy.

Universal Link https://books2read.com/TheLastForest

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SKCXJRW

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07SKCXJRW

Apple https://books.apple.com/gb/book/the-last-forest/id1466266071

Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-forest-a-l-butcher/1131805266

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-last-forest-2

Audio

https://www.audible.com/pd/B08S46627Q

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B08S5JP35Y

https://www.audible.fr/pd/B08S5B65SX

https://www.audible.de/pd/B08S489KKM

Halloween Themed Books #Ghosts #Horror – The Secret of Blossom Rise

When a young nurse accepts a job at a former military hospital, she unearths a family secret and finds the spectral occupants a little too familiar.

A short ghost story.

https://books2read.com/SecretBlossomRise

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H44YJTN

Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-secret-of-blossom-rise-a-l-butcher/1129483755

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-secret-of-blossom-rise-a-ghost-story

Apple https://books.apple.com/gb/book/the-secret-of-blossom-rise-a-ghost-story/id1435494381?

Audible.Com

Amazon.com audio https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Blossom-Rise-Ghost-Story/dp/B08CNCBNJC/

Audible UK

Amazon UK audio https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Blossom-Rise-Ghost-Story/dp/B08CNF6KJP/

Audible France

Audible Germany

Guest Post – 5 Mistakes to Avoid in Worldbuilding – Rose Atkinson Carter

Today I’m pleased to welcome back Rose Atkinson Carter – who brings and informative post about worldbuilding.

Rose – over to you…

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Worldbuilding

Building a whole new world for a fantasy novel is a massive undertaking. You have to consider every detail, from the overall geography to the minutiae of everyday life. Although your fantasy novel doesn’t need to be set in another world, there’s something appealing about disappearing into a place that’s completely new and different, and the process of creation can be just as fun as writing the actual narrative.

That said, there are so many moving parts involved in worldbuilding, that a lot that can go wrong and pull your reader out of the story. To help you avoid that, here are five worldbuilding mistakes you should watch out for.

1.  Skipping, or glossing over the historical background

We meet our protagonists as they set off on their quest to find an ancient treasure, but whose treasure is it, and if it’s so old, why does it matter now? This is one mistake many beginner writers make. Simply starting your story and making up the world’s past as you go along can be tempting. What tends to happen though, is the history ends up disjointed and sparse, not really giving the sense of being a real world. Much like your characters, the setting also has a backstory that grounds it in the present day and should be considered with as much seriousness as you would give your main character.

If you’re a pantser, it’s fine to make things up as you go if that’s what helps you stay productive on the first draft — but make sure to reconsider everything carefully when self-editing.

Remember, a history that’s too clean and linear can be a problem as well, because it can come across as too simplistic. Rarely is any history cut-and-dry, so adding some twists, turns, and misconceptions will give your world extra depth.

2.  Getting too detailed

On the opposite end of the spectrum from underdeveloped history is the writer who loves the details. While there is a benefit to thinking out every aspect of the world from what clothing different cultures wear to the feuds going on between different royal families, it shouldn’t bog down your plot. This mistake often leads to the dreaded infodump, pulling people out of the story as they start to wonder when you’re going to get back to the action.

A lot of worldbuilding is about striking a balance between too much and too little detail. Detail can help your writing remain plausible, but explaining the political and cultural significance of the monarch’s crown jewels when they don’t feature heavily in the plot isn’t useful to you or the reader. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t mention it, but keeping it to a few sentences rather than a few paragraphs will give you the effect of realism you want without overwhelming the story.

3.  Societies that don’t interact with each other

It’s far too easy to fall into the trap of making each setting entirely separate from the others. Obviously, you don’t want your fantastical magic race to be exactly like the neighboring human kingdom, but it would be strange if nothing passed between them, whether that’s legends, clothing trends, languages, or useful inventions.

Even the most isolationist of countries will have some interaction and trade with other places. Consider how different peoples interact and what the effect on the overall world would be. Each country’s approach to trade, political alliances, and even intermarriage will have an important impact on the world and shouldn’t be neglected in your writing process.

4.  Everyone within a culture is the same

No culture is an absolute monolith. People are different and can have varying views even if they were raised in the same place with the same values. Even if the elves in your world largely believe humans are weak and inferior, it wouldn’t make sense for every elf the reader encounters to think that way. There could be differing degrees of this belief, from extreme hatred all the way to extreme compassion, but no two people should or could have the exact same opinion.

Culture is also prone to change and rarely remains stable for decades, let alone centuries. Though certain ideas may persist, the strength of them will likely be variable over the years, influenced by current events and even other countries. It stands to reason then that people will be just as variable. After all, culture is just the overarching or dominant point of view that exists, not the only one.

If you’re having trouble visualizing what this can look like, think of all the regions within countries seeking or talking about independence, from Catalonia to Scotland. Then, think of the many ethnic minorities existing in every place — it would make sense for a fantasy world to have minority groups within its society, too, whether that’s due to differences in religion or actual species.

5.  Having an inconsistent magic system

People come to fantasy novels for the magic, to see impossible things become probable. When anything is possible, it’s tempting to create all kinds of interesting powers and artifacts. But this can easily lead you into the trap of having magic that only works when the protagonist needs it to, without any reasoning behind it. In order for your world to be believable, there should be some rules to its magic.

You don’t have to include Brandon Sanderson levels of detail for your magic system to make sense. Having a few simple guidelines for yourself will create a consistent world without an overpowered protagonist and keep your readers interested. Considering the limits of power will allow you to not only write an interesting story, but add underlying themes as well.

There’s a lot that can go wrong beyond what’s been outlined here. The process itself can be magical though — the sheer number of fantasy and sci fi novels published on Amazon every year are testament to that. If you’re struggling with worldbuilding, concentrate on having fun and being imaginative — you can always work with an editor later.

Rose Atkinson-Carter is a writer with Reedsy, advising authors on all things publishing, from finding a literary agent and crafting a successful query letter to understanding ISBNs and book copyrights. She has previously written for Books Uplift , WritersFirst , and more. She lives in London.

NN Light Trick or Treat Halloween Giveaway

Celebrate Halloween all month long at N. N. Light’s Book Heaven’s third annual Trick or Treat Book Bonanza. 49 books, 39 authors, $75 Amazon gift card giveaway plus discover what Halloween costumes these talented authors choose to wear! https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/trick-or-treat-book-bonanza

I’m thrilled to be a part of this event. My book, Echoes of a Song, will be featured on October 5th and The Watcher on October 24th. Wait until you read what my Halloween costume would be. You won’t want to miss it.

Giveaway Information –

One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon (US) gift card.

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db7750191

Bookmark this event and tell your friends

Book Spotlight – Dawn Rises – Marta Moran Bishop #Dystopian

Title: Dawn Rises – book 3 in The Divide Series

Author: Marta Moran Bishop

Genre: Dystopian

Main character description (short).

There are three main characters in this book. Jewell who holds the prophecy to chart us on a new course and bring hope to the world. Ben (her father) who has been her protector. And Jamie (who with the help of those he recruited implemented a plan to be put in place after Jewell had torn down the walls between the rich and poor.

Synopsis:

Dawn Rises the sequel to The Divide Series brings us hope after fifteen years of despair. When all rights were taken away from women, children, and anyone who was not rich and white. The suburbs and small towns destroyed, the rich walled themselves into the upper town with clean water, electricity, heat, domes that kept the city air clean, and pushed everyone else into the lower towns to live in tenements designed to house multiple families, though women were no longer allowed out of the house or even to meet, and men of different races no longer mixed.

But all had the same fate, at six the boys were all taken away to apprentice, and at fifteen into the military. If they survived fifteen years in the military most were given a wife and a job in the company owned factories.

But a prophecy was to be fulfilled according to Rebecca’s words as she died for to give them a chance, that a girl child would be born who would be able to draw in the magic that would free the world.

How and what happens is in Dawn Rises the sequel to this dystopian series. It might be a future we face. It is a cautionary tale.

Brief Excerpt:

Turning to the crowd she said. “Fifteen years ago, I stood before many of you and made a prophecy. Today that prophecy has come true. My daughter Jewell has brought us all with her into the between times and opened the door for us to build a new world.

When women were made breeding animals, books were burned, and all but the rich were denied education. Sent to labor in sweat shops, shipped off to fight in yet another war. The poor separated from each other and kept poor and uneducated; it was then our society died.

But we can and will build a new and better one together and the true American dream will spread across the land and the world.”

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?

It is a ray of hope in darkness that has and may yet still be coming, and a prophecy to be fulfilled.

Cover Art (add as attachment please)

Links etc.

https://tinyurl.com/bd5uyzry (it’s on pre-order till 10/1 after that it will go to paperback, audio and other sites.

Beyond the Shattered Mirror – Audiobook Edition

Now in Audiobook narrated by Jim D Johnston.

A short collection of dark poetry about the horrors of war, political folly, nature, the vagaries of life and twisted introspection.

Audio https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Shattered-Mirror-Poetry-Collection/dp/B0BFRZG457/

Amazon audio https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Shattered-Mirror-Poetry-Collection/dp/B0BFRW2YNK/

Audible.Com

Audible.co.uk

Editor Interview – Carmilla Voiez

Hi, welcome to the Library of Erana and thank you for talking to us today.

1. Please introduce yourself.

Hello, I’m Carmilla Voiez, and I am a published author and editor with a First-Class degree in English Language and Creative Writing.

2. How did you get into this line of work?

I started out editing for CHBB/Vamptasy publishing when they had too much work for their usual editors.

3. Are there genres you refuse, if so why is that? Do you have any you love?

I am comfortable working in any genre and in both British and American English. As someone who loves the English language and enjoys making sentences dance, I love working with any genre from drama scripts to children’s fiction. 

4. Are you also a writer?  If so do you self-edit or do you use the services of another editor?

I am a writer, and I always use another editor at some point in the process because it is difficult to spot all the errors in your own work. One trick to find most of them, if you cannot afford to hire an editor, is to listen to your story – most word processing programmes have this option.

5. Have you ever refused a manuscript?

Not from a paying client, but I do point out sensitivity issues and possible triggers. Whether the author uses this information or not is up to them.

6. Have you ever had an author refuse your suggestions/changes? If so how did you deal with it?

Yes, but as I am not a publisher, that is always the author’s choice. Mine is merely a supporting role.

7. Editors often receive a bad press in the writing community, what are your thoughts on this?

I don’t think it is any different to writers receiving bad press in the community. I haven’t received any negative feedback for my editing to date, but I hope I would react gracefully and let the critic rant away. I always do the best job I can, and I am proud of my interactions with clients and the writing community as a whole.

8. Please could you tell us about the process involved with editing for, say, a 100k word Manuscript. (Line edit, developmental  edit etc.)

The first stage is reading through and adding comments where problems exist. I am looking for plot holes, characterisation, repetition, sensitivity, and continuity issues, but I also point out any grammatical or spelling errors that I spot along the way. The document is then returned to the author for changes. When they have made any changes they wish, I get the revised document and do a line edit, which covers grammar, spelling and syntax, to ensure the language is as compelling as possible while retaining the author’s personal style.

9. What is the difference between proof-reading and editing?

Proof-reading requires a light touch; a proof-reader isn’t concerned with plot, only spelling and grammatical errors and will usually avoid changing idiosyncrasies in the author’s style. A full edit considers every aspect of the text in partnership with the author to ensure their manuscript is the best it can be without sacrificing the writer’s unique style or voice. A content edit would come before proof-reading so that any big changes can also be checked for errors.

10. Do you have part of the process you really enjoy? Is there a part you don’t?

I love it all, to be honest. It’s an honour to be trusted with another writer’s work and share ideas with the writer to help them develop the story and their skills. I build close relationships with clients, some of whom see me as a mentor as well as their editor.

11. Outside of your work as an editor do you read for pleasure? What genre do you enjoy the most?

I am a veritable book worm. I read widely and get different things from different genres. I love horror, especially psychological and supernatural horror, but I also love reading mysteries. The only genre I don’t read for pleasure is romance.

12. What are your plans for the future?

I will be helping undergraduates develop their drama scripts later this year, and I have applied to do the PGDE (teaching qualification), which if I am accepted, will start next August. Until August 2023 (when I expect to be so busy, I will need to put other projects on hold for ten months), I will be writing and submitting short stories, taking on editing projects, and tutoring.

Please add any links to your blog/website etc.

http://www.carmillavoiez.com

Realm of Darkness #BlogTour #Fantasy #Paranormal

Realm of Darkness

A Limited Edition Collection

Genre: Fantasy and Paranormal

When darkness falls, beware of the creatures that come out to play…

Fall under their spell over and over again in this ultimate paranormal and fantasy romance boxset! Over 40 full-length novels with heart-melting heroes and devastating anti-heroes, full of romance, magic, mystery, and adventure can be yours for an insanely low price.

Ready to be swept away? Your book boyfriends are waiting… Enemies-to-lovers, alphas, fae, werewolves, dragons, shapeshifters, vampires, gods, angels, demons, and more: with novels ranging from sweet to spicy, there’s a flavor to sate your every craving.

You won’t find these exclusive novels anywhere else, so don’t miss your chance. Over ten thousand pages by New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors and at less than three cents per book, this collection is a steal, but only for a limited time. Grab it today before it’s gone forever…

**Preorder now for Only .99 cents!!**

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Books2Read

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Creatures of the Night

by C.A. King

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Zoe spent her whole life training how to fight demons—how to kill them. Not once did that curriculum include falling in love with one. Now, she’s faced with a hard choice: betray one to save the other.

Will she side with the family and friends who have always been at her side, or trade it all for the romance she so deeply desires?

Odds are, no matter which path she follows, her heart won’t make it out unscathed.

I was diagnosed with clinical depression after the loss of my mother, father and husband within three years of each other; all to cancer. 24/7 in-home care, coupled with the loss I felt, left its mark on my psyche.

Depression takes up a lot of my life. Reading and writing are the only things I have found that help (in connection with regular medication), even if only for a short time. To escape to a different world can make a big difference in my mood in real time.

To put things in perspective, when I was at my lowest point, I couldn’t open mail, talk on the phone, or even drive to the store. Walls of sadness surrounded me. As they closed in, tears would fall. There didn’t need to be a reason or trigger.

People ask me why I started writing. My answer is simple: I wanted to create a world into which other people with similar problems could escape. I wanted to share the one place that had helped me for many years.

I have always said that as long as one person finds a little bit of happiness out of my books, I am, in my opinion, an accomplished author. The same is true for every writer out there. Please don’t ever let anyone tell you different.

I read books as well as write them and have visited the worlds many different authors have created. Those worlds not only make me feel better, but give me the strength to face real life again. I want to thank everyone who writes—I want them to know they are making a difference.

Fast forward to today…

C.A. King, USA Today Bestselling Author has over 60 books available across multiple fantasy sub-genres.

Awards include:

Hamilton Spectator Readers’ Choice Award in the Best Local Author category 2017 & 2018 & 2019

Brant News Readers’ Choice Award: Best Local Author 2017

Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards: Best Novella/Short Story 2017 Silver medal

2017 SIBA Awards – Best Novella

2017 SIBA Awards – Best New Adult

2018 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards: Gold Medal in the Fiction – Supernatural genre

2018 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards: Bronze Medal in the Fiction – New Adult genre

2019 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Winner in the Fiction – Supernatural genre

2019 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Winner in the Young Adult – Fantasy – Urban genre

City of Brantford Featured Artist February 2020

Burlington Post Readers’ Choice Award in the Best Local Author Category 2020

Toronto Star Readers’ Choice Award in the Best Local Author Category 2020

Cambridge Times Readers’ Choice Award in the Best Local Author Category 2020

Burlington Post Readers’ Choice Award in the Best Local Author Category 2021

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$20 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js