A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 96
May 8, 2020
Shadow Magic Book Tour – #Paranormal #Mystery #Romance – Sherry Soule
Shadow Magic
Macabre Academy Book 1
by Sherry Soule
Genre: Paranormal Mystery Romance
Ghost summoning? No biggie. Raising the dead? Bring it on. Solving my sister’s sudden disappearance? A bit more complicated…
I’m Serena LeStrange, a necromancer who prefers to hide her freakishly fabulous skills from others. Only my sister makes me feel less of a weirdo, so when she mysteriously vanishes from college, I enroll at Macabre Academy to start my own investigation.
Except this is no ordinary school for the magically inclined, it’s home to all monsters—even the most dangerous ones. And after meeting an incredibly gorgeous vampire and a sinfully hot reaper, I find myself entangled in a passionate, yet forbidden, flirtation. To complicate matters, I get stuck with a ghostly genie sidekick and suspect a sinister sorority of misdeeds.
But to solve the mystery, I’ll need all the help I can get. Someone at Macabre knows what happened to my sister, and I won’t stop until I dig up the truth.
Unfortunately, some dark secrets prefer to stay buried.
Do you enjoy not-so-cozy paranormal mysteries, slow burn romances, and unconventional heroines?
Welcome to Macabre Academy, the first spellbinding book in a paranormal mystery romance trilogy!
PG-13: *No F-bombs, sex (slow burn), or graphic violence, but there are steamy kisses.
Heroine: A quirky supernatural Nancy Drew.
Premise: An older university-age paranormal academy series with mystery and light humor.
Goodreads * Amazon
Sherry Soule is a Multi-Genre Author, who lives in Northern California with her family and two spoiled rescue cats. She likes to surround herself with positive people and reads daily.
Sherry writes exciting tales of passionate romance, epic drama, and thrilling suspense. Many of her books have been on the Amazon bestseller lists and nominated as top picks in the “Best Paranormal Romance” categories on numerous review sites.
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$10 Amazon gift card
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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May 2, 2020
Dark Fae – Blog Tour and Giveaway – Quinn Blackbird #Fantasy
Dark Fae
The Dark Fae Book 1
by Quinn Blackbird
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
He came to destroy the world.
He came to destroy us.
But he kept me alive when all else died.
It’s the end of us, the humans. Our world is ravaged, burned to the ground, destroyed by the armies of dark fae crawling all over our lands. They seek to end us, weed out the last of our survivors, and tear us to pieces.
We hide as best as we can. But it’s inevitable.
A dark fae army finds us hiding in a little village. We’re all goners. All of my group dies around me, and I’m about to join them in death—until he spares me.
**On Sale for only .99 cents!**
Goodreads * Amazon
Taken
The Dark Fae Book 2
He’s a monster.
I’m a prisoner.
And he’s got his sights locked on me.
Caspan, the dark fae General, shows a dangerous interest in Vale, the latest human captive collected by the army.
What the dark fae want with the human captives is anyone’s guess—but it’s the last thing on Vale’s mind. As she struggles to manoeuvre the strict rules of her new life as a slave, she quickly learns that she must avoid the attention of the dark, dangerous Caspan at all costs.
His interest in her is not only a sinister mystery—it’s surely a death sentence.
Stay alive. That’s her only rule in this dark, abandoned world.
But living amongst monsters sometimes means having to bend the rules.
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Dark Souls
The Dark Fae Book 3
Rule of the apocalypse. Don’t mess with the dark fae.
I did, and now this monstrous fae wants me;
Wants to hurt me,
Kill me,
And kiss me.
Vale is trapped in the dark fae army, a prisoner of monsters. To make matters worse, the dangerous and dark General isn’t forgetting her any time soon.
He corners her, watches her, and does what no dark fae should do with a human–kisses her.
His lips on her skin is a kiss of death.
But Vale sees in him an opportunity to save the life of her only friend.
Didn’t anyone ever tell Vale never to bargain with the fae?
Goodreads * Amazon
Quinn Blackbird loves a good anti-hero.
All of her villains stay submerged in ‘dark’ so expect little redemption. She thinks them up over hot coffees and warm cups of tea on the porch.
When not writing, Quinn loves a good face mask and book on the couch with her two pups.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
$10 Amazon Gift Card
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April 30, 2020
Guest Post – Mary Ann Cherry – It Isn’t Just About the Verb
Today we welcome Mary Ann Cherry – author of the Jessie O’Bourne Art Mysteries
ALOHA!
IT ISN’T JUST ABOUT THE VERB
My short talk is about adding excitement to your writing, not about the difference between active and passive verbs. To use active words instead of passive, you must first know the difference. so even though most of you are old hands at it, I’ll give a short explanation.
Recognizing passive voice takes attentiveness. The biggest giveaway is some form of the to be verb in a verb phrase. The “to be” verbs are essential in writing. But with overuse, they can also be an enemy of the novelist or short story author.
So let’s first go basic. In passive voice, the subject receives the action such as: This scarf was made by my grandma. Or…the building was demolished by the storm. Sometimes, in the passive voice, you can’t even tell who is performing an action. For instance: The building was demolished. (By what?)
In active voice, the subject performs an action such as: My grandma knitted this scarf. Or…the storm demolished the building. Or better yet, get some action going: The scarf twisted under grandma’s knitting needles, growing and stretching like the beanstalk in that old fairy tale.
Phew. That’s done. Now let’s talk about how to use words to activate scenes, characters and descriptions that don’t bore the reader. Active writing isn’t just about the verb. It’s about engaging the reader. So when I talk about active words, I am talking about words that elevate a story from the mundane to the exciting—or at least to the interesting. Choices between boring and exciting can be as basic as what your character is eating or drinking. Words should be painting a picture in your reader’s mind. They should bring taste, smell, and color. When you are writing fiction and have a choice between active and passive verbs think physical. Think “show don’t tell”. It helps to start with the basic sentence and then reevaluate the words.
She was drinking apple juice
She drank apple cider
She sipped hot cider with mulling spices
Okay, there you have the basic. Now, think physical. Think Aloha moment…that which is different will always stand out…
She lifted the mug to sip steaming cider, redolent with the heady smell of cinnamon and cloves and hot enough to burn her tongue—badly. That can show rather than tell…another way to show rather than tell.
She lifted the mug to sip. Now give the CIDER a personality – “The amber cider burnt an angry path down her throat like flowing lava.”
The steam, the heat, the smell, the burnt tongue all bring the reader into the moment. It’s about engaging the reader. Active words overhaul a boring story the way exercise shapes and sculpts a flabby body.
Does it have to be verbs that make a story seem to rumble with action? It is certainly better to use verbs that show action instead of the boring passive verbs. However, I have found those can be overdone easily as well. To augment those words that move, that suffocate, that rejoice, use words that entertain—that DO something to the reader’s experience.
When someone picks up a book, they want to be entertained. They want to be sucked into the story until they become part of it. They want your hero or heroine’s life to become their alternate reality, if only for a short time.
What makes that happen?
Let’s talk people. Fabricate a character readers love, or a character that readers love to hate without making them look in the mirror so often, or have their ex-wife tell about what a jerk they are. Instead, do most of it with—and I’ll repeat it–action!
DESCRIBING YOUR CHARACTER: Description of the character doesn’t have to be dull. A description can be active, and inanimate objects can be given life.
She looked in the mirror and saw freckles, red hair, and her favorite blue shirt– okay, we’re describing the woman…but it’s a bit dull.
Freckles and red hair run in the family – she hated both… a little more active.
Her red hair curled about her face and freckles peppered her nose and cheeks. With an action verb, notice that the freckles have become a living thing? They participate in the story.
If you want more drama, then think more physical. The freckles are alive, but give them something to do.
Freckles didn’t just run in her family – they stampeded through generations of O’Bournes like the running of the bulls in Pamploma.
Character traits: You can describe your character’s personality the same way, but usually it is better to give examples of what the character does to SHOW true character rather than describe it.
Adam is selfish
Adam is a penny pincher – too clicheʼ
More active – Adam pinched pennies until they squealed like piglets.
Or think show don’t tell…
Adam lifted the heart-shaped box and flipped it over to look at the price. Would it take the twenty-dollar box of truffles to make her forgive him? Or could he buy the ten-dollar box of assorted candies and have the clerk gift wrap it free? He took the smaller box off the shelf and handed the clerk his platinum card.
LOVE SCENES – of course passion should be active. At least one hopes.
John is passionate about Carrie… informative but boring
John kissed her
John swept her into his arms and kissed her passionately – better
Think physical…think action
In the middle of the sidewalk, John yanked her to him as though saving her from an oncoming bus, then kissed her until traffic stopped.
DESCRIPTION – How about scenic descriptions? They can be active as well.
Tumbleweeds rolled across the dry ground and settled against the fence like waves rolling in from a brown ocean. The clay soil crunched and cracked under Jason’s feet.
Instead of “The sky was cloudy grey ” anthropomorphize… The wind grew in strength and the oppressive grey clouds trembled like goose-bumpy teens slipping into a haunted house.
FEELINGS AND MENTAL ACTIVITIES are not exempt from action…from page 132 of WRITING the THRILLER by T. Macdonald Skillman…
“…Comprehension swept away denial, eroding her self-control, allowing the fragmented thoughts swirling about her to tumble out.”
Example two – show, don’t tell…from Cherry –
She stood slightly bent, the broken thoughts swirling about her weakened body like the serpent hair of Medusa. She put her hands to her pale face and heard a feral muttering, realizing the sound burbled from her own mouth. The truth will out.
ANTHROPOMORPHIZE: How does the “humanizing” of inanimate objects, the sky, a kitchen table, a random thought or a tumble of nut-brown hair make your writing more exciting and active? Readers spend their days sitting, watching, listening. They yearn for something exciting to do but either haven’t the time, the money or the inclination. The elderly live sedentary lives. The ill are bed-ridden. The activity of words used in extraordinary ways pulls them into the story and gives them an experience. It doesn’t have to be monumental—just different from hum-drum. The story doesn’t have to be outlandish. It just needs to be told in a manner that gives the couch potato a sense of something happening. Let them experience movement and delicious description vicariously.
Colors can be active. The correct color gives personality and mood in a scene. We all know this but seldom think about it.
Which one brings a love scene to life?
Example one: Her billowy dress was low-cut and in his favorite color—a pale, baby’s breath pink (makes you think right away of babies and diapers, doesn’t it?)
Example two: Her billowy dress was low-cut and in his favorite color—a blast of erotic red (red is erotic, aggressive, demanding…
EMOTIONS have color. You may hear “red-hot anger” – you never hear “pink anger”. Any shade of color that would have white added to it, pink, pale lavender, light blue, denote weaker emotions. The primary colors vibrate in your writing. Make sure you use them in ways that are appropriate. Use variations such as crimson for red, ultramarine for blue, etc.
COLORS—especially in a scene: Think about things you like to do and places you like to travel Each one should have a color that comes to mind. We seldom think about that but it part of the way our world works. Morning starts with white bread that becomes brown toast or a blackened charcoal slab fed to the birds.
Color affects mood in our daily life and will do so in the book. A grey drizzly day, a happy sunshine-filled blue sky, etc. Make yourself set the stage. Color can do that in a similar manner of the active verb without having to elaborate. But when you join both together they rock! A noun that has some latent action will help…
A shimmer of pale-blue draperies –where are we? A bedroom? A B&B?
A blast of Navy-blue – are we at a military parade?
Green –we can’t think green without thinking “nature” and grass OR envy, depending on the scene
A riot of yellow sunflowers – we can almost see them waving in the breeze
How about an explosion of crimson? – we immediately think blood
Colors that sound like food or include food activate two senses—vision and taste—without the reader even realizing it: Nut-brown, candy-apple red, caramel, coffee-colored, creamy white and so on…
Again, let color be active by humanizing the tint or shade and making it DO something…
Black erupted across his vision…
Sea-green rushed in, hammering the beach with wave after wave…
ALOHA!
COLOR SENSE: Excerpts from How Color Affects Our Mood by Rachel Bender
“…There are several reasons why colors influence how we feel. …There are social or culture levels as well as personal relationships with particular colors,” explains Leslie Harrington, executive director of The Color Association of The United States, which forecasts color trends. …You react to color.”
RED – Red is the hot, crazy girl of colors, evoking powerful emotions such as fear, anger and passion. The mood red conveys changes dramatically when you lighten it (sweet and innocent pink) or darken it (sophisticated burgundy).
GREEN – associated with the environment, it puts you in a relaxed or refreshed mood
YELLOW – Yellow carries both positive and negative connotations — from sunshine, which conveys a joyous, happy mood to jaundice and sickliness
BLUE – Psychologically, blue is the opposite of red — it lowers blood pressure. Red picks you up and blue takes you down, but not down to depression level. That may be because if you look to nature, such as the sky and the ocean, blue conveys tranquility. That’s also what you project when wearing the shade. Blue is also associated with trustworthiness, strength and dependability — hence, the blue power suit.
ORANGE – Orange evokes action. It is said to stimulate enthusiasm and creativity and symbolize vitality and endurance. It’s a little “edgy”
PASSIVE VERBS – The forms of the verb “to be”
When?
Who?
Form
Example
Base form
be
It can be simple.
Simple Present
I
am
I am here.
You
are
You are here.
He/She/It
is
She is here.
We
are
We are here.
They
are
They are here.
Simple Past
I
was
I was here.
You
were
You were here.
He/She/It
was
She was here.
We
were
We were here.
They
were
They were here.
Simple Future
I
will be
I will be here.
You
will be
You will be here.
He/She/It
will be
She will be here.
We
will be
We will be here.
They
will be
They will be here.
Progressive form
being
He is being unusual.
Perfect form
been
It has been fun.
Check out the info for the blog tour.
Blog Tour – The Jessie O’Bourne Art Mysteries – Mary Ann Cherry
Death on Canvas
The Jessie O’Bourne Art Mysteries Book 1
by Mary Ann Cherry
Genre: Mystery
While painting on location in one of her family’s hayfields, Jessie absentmindedly brushes a note of turquoise onto the canvas. Curious about what added the lovely spot of color, the artist walks over to discover a tennis shoe. The mate is still on the foot of a dying Native American girl crammed between the hay bales.
The story becomes more personal when old flame, Sheriff Russell Bonham, reveals that Amber Reynolds, a grad student writing a thesis for her art history major, was attacked while on her way to speak to Jessie’s family about two missing Thomas Moran masterpieces worth millions. The paintings disappeared nearly a hundred years ago from St. Benedict’s Mission School. Right after the unsolved murder of Jessie’s great aunt Kate.
Goodreads * Amazon
Death at Crooked Creek
The Jessie O’Bourne Art Mysteries Book 2
The massive tractor draped with the advertising banner struck prominent artist, Jessie O’Bourne, as a fun way to promote Montana’s annual Crooked Creek Art Expo—until she noticed the bullet holes in the back window. Then she heard of the tragic shooting death of a local teen. After her irascible tomcat, Jack, discovers a dead man in Jessie’s motorhome, she not only becomes a murder suspect, but begins receiving threatening notes accompanied by a toy replica of the big John Deere.
Surrounded by talented painters and sculptors, Jessie suspects one is a creative killer.
Goodreads * Amazon
Cherry is a professional artist who writes the Jessie O’Bourne art mystery series in her elusive free time. Like her main character, she paints primarily western and wildlife subject matter, travels to art shows, and teaches workshops.
Raised in rural Montana, she now lives in Idaho with her husband and several spoiled cats.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
$25 Amazon Card
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Blog Tour – The Jessie O’Bourne Art Mysteries – Merry Ann Cherry
Death on Canvas
The Jessie O’Bourne Art Mysteries Book 1
by Mary Ann Cherry
Genre: Mystery
While painting on location in one of her family’s hayfields, Jessie absentmindedly brushes a note of turquoise onto the canvas. Curious about what added the lovely spot of color, the artist walks over to discover a tennis shoe. The mate is still on the foot of a dying Native American girl crammed between the hay bales.
The story becomes more personal when old flame, Sheriff Russell Bonham, reveals that Amber Reynolds, a grad student writing a thesis for her art history major, was attacked while on her way to speak to Jessie’s family about two missing Thomas Moran masterpieces worth millions. The paintings disappeared nearly a hundred years ago from St. Benedict’s Mission School. Right after the unsolved murder of Jessie’s great aunt Kate.
Goodreads * Amazon
Death at Crooked Creek
The Jessie O’Bourne Art Mysteries Book 2
The massive tractor draped with the advertising banner struck prominent artist, Jessie O’Bourne, as a fun way to promote Montana’s annual Crooked Creek Art Expo—until she noticed the bullet holes in the back window. Then she heard of the tragic shooting death of a local teen. After her irascible tomcat, Jack, discovers a dead man in Jessie’s motorhome, she not only becomes a murder suspect, but begins receiving threatening notes accompanied by a toy replica of the big John Deere.
Surrounded by talented painters and sculptors, Jessie suspects one is a creative killer.
Goodreads * Amazon
Cherry is a professional artist who writes the Jessie O’Bourne art mystery series in her elusive free time. Like her main character, she paints primarily western and wildlife subject matter, travels to art shows, and teaches workshops.
Raised in rural Montana, she now lives in Idaho with her husband and several spoiled cats.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
$25 Amazon Card
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Here Be Aliens Bundle
They come from distant stars and worlds beyond our own. Strange, dangerous, fascinating – dare you face the aliens? Dare you learn their secrets?
Here Be Aliens!
https://books2read.com/HereBeAliens
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/here-be-aliens-stefon-mears/1136928952
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087PR77Q8/?tag=kydala-20
https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/here-be-aliens
https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1510261478
Part of the Here Be – Monsters, Myth and Mayhem series. https://bundlerabbit.com/s/here-be-series
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Featuring
Fade to Gold – Stefon Mears
Scifi Motherlode – Robert Jeschonek
The Great Succession Crisis – Laurel A. Rockefeller
Alien Blue – DeAnna Knippling
Alien Influences – Kristine Kathryn Rusch
The Sun Doctors – Meyari McFarland
Adventurer (Star Minds Lone Wolves) – Barbara G.Tarn
Cursed Planet – Linda Maye Adams
Earth Plan – David Sloma
Chasing Chipmunks – Rebecca S. W. Bates
April 28, 2020
Curse of the Blacknoc Witch – Blog Tour #Fantasy
Curse of the Blacknoc Witch
by Tori V. Rainn
Genre: Fantasy
Samuel dreamed of being a lot of things, but a monster trapped in a forest realm never entered his mind. The Blacknoc Curse wasn’t supposed to be true, only a children’s story meant to persuade them away from evil. Yet, here he was tasked with hunting cursed kids. There’s nothing left for Samuel except the horror surrounding him.
Layla, a young girl tormented by the same curse, is dropped into the terrifying forest every night, running from the monsters intent on taking her life. She meets Samuel and vows to save all the children, especially Samuel, from their torment.
Working together can they defeat the Blacknoc Curse?
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Tori V. Rainn is a Texas-based fantasy novelist who is on a lifelong mission to inspire her readers through the power of imaginative storytelling. During her creative journey, an array of her short stories have been showcased in various online zines. It all started when she took a writing course at Writer’s Village University, which earned her a Creative Writing Certificate. The moment she penned her first story, she knew writing was her ultimate calling and greatest passion.
When she isn’t crafting thrilling plots, you can find this avid video gamer watching her favorite shows, collecting unique knives, or going on meditative walks in the heart of nature. She is also a chocoholic and tea aficionada with an unquenchable sweet tooth. Above all else, Tori enjoys spending quality time with her loved ones.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
$15 Amazon gift card, Swag Packs with Bookmarks Keychains.
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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April 18, 2020
#Heroika Skirmishers – Tom Barczak
Heroika 2: Skirmishers – Souls of a Lion
My name is Thomas Barczak. “Souls of a Lion” tells the story of the twinned souls of Lavi, young men made assassins, both behind enemy lines, both alone, one against the Romans beneath the shadow that was Masada, and the other in the Warsaw Ghetto fighting back against the German occupation, both of them, ultimately and tragically, betrayed by their own people as well. Ultimately, only a girl in red is left for them to save, if there is to be any chance at all of saving themselves from both the hell and death of war. Death of the body. Death of the soul.
I have always listened to the idea of two people joined across time. Unable to speak to one another, they are sometimes given a glimpse. Sometimes, the actions of one may help, or even hurt, the other. The parallels of the Hebrew people’s struggle against both the Romans and the Nazis has always spoken to me as well. I am not Jewish by either faith or blood. I am only an author who has studied some portions of history. I have learned that when you study history, that truth is nearly always stranger than fiction. This is what compels me.
As I went deeper into these two different, yet similar, points in time, the twinned trials of this one group of people spoke to me of something deeper as well. All dogma and religion aside, it spoke to me of how a few, and sometimes even a one, who were willing to rise above circumstance, and sometimes, even the ones they were fighting to protect, to defend against their loss. They had to have to known their likelihood of failure. Perhaps it didn’t matter. Perhaps they weren’t just doing it for themselves, but for generations yet to come, or perhaps, generations that have already been.
A Skirmisher, by definition, is one who goes forward, ahead of the lines, who seeks engagement alone with the enemy, that stands apart, ahead, to protect those that are behind them. They do this with steel on the battlefield, they do it with spirit on the battlefield of their soul.
Lavi is the name shared by the hero(s) of this story, a soul that has already been shaped, and worn, and betrayed as the story opens beneath the new moon over Masada. He is a calculating and shrewd killer who struggles with lament. In the dark night of the Warsaw ghetto the soul, and the name, belong to someone very different, a boy on the leeward cusp of everything he knew, but there is no going back when everything to go back to is already gone. One Lavi still seeks redemption, while the other still looks for something to save.
To both, a little girl in red offers them their only salvation, if not for themselves, then perhaps for the other, or one past, or another yet still to come.
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April 16, 2020
My Author Gang – Check out these awesome books
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The Author Gang
Author friends who write alone but come together from time to time to help each other and have fun.
Our stories will make you wonder, laugh, shake with fear or shed a few tears, but most of all, give you escape from the burdens of everyday life. Check out our books and find yourself whisked away to lands and places you’ve never been.
The Author Gang:
Erika M Szabo
https://www.authorerikamszabo.com
“The writing bug bit me on a rainy afternoon when I couldn’t find any new book to read. My daughter had enough of my moping around and snapped at me, “Mom, stop whining! If you haven’t a book to read, then write one.” Her challenge shocked me, but I started playing with the idea and I’ve been writing stories, that I like to read, ever since.”
Erika loves to dance to her own tunes and follow her dreams, introduces her story writing skills and her books that are based on creative imagination with themes such as alternate history, urban fantasy, cozy mystery, sweet romance and supernatural stories. Her children’s stories are informative, educational, and deliver moral values in a non-preachy way.
“I followed my dream to become a writer. As an artist, I paint pretty pictures with my brushes, and as a writer, I paint vivid pictures with my words.”
Cindy J. Smith
https://cindysvoices.blogspot.com/
I was taught if I couldn’t say anything nice don’t say anything. Since biting my tongue was painful and soap tasted bad, I developed voices arguing inside my head. When I found writing my thoughts brought me some silence, I took up the pen. It was not long before I realized poetry was much easier than full sentences and I could say exactly what was in my heart.
Strangely, I soon noticed I could put myself in other’s shoes and empathize with their viewpoint.
It was my daughter who encouraged me to share my poems. She believed they would help others cope…letting them know they were not alone in their thoughts.
I write now about every aspect of life in hopes someone may be touched and be encouraged to keep trying.
Christina Weigand
A writer, wife, and mother of four grown children. She is also Nana to five granddaughters. She lives with her husband and youngest daughter in Pennsylvania after a short sabbatical in the lovely state of Washington. She has three published YA Christian Fantasy novels; Palace of the Twelve Pillars: Book One, Palace of the Three Crosses: Book Two and Sanctuary of Nine Dragons: Book Three. She also has a woman’s Bible study Women of the Bible: A Study published. Recently the first two books in a MG Fantasy series were published, Sir E. Robert Smythe and the School Bully and Sir E. Robert Smythe and the Lost Detective with the remaining four to be published the near future. Through her writing she strives to share the Word of God and help people young and old to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone.
Darlene Deluca
https://www.darlenedeluca.com/
“Books . . . chocolate . . . tea. These are a few of my favorite things. Combine them with a sunny summer day, and perhaps a beach or pool, and call me happy!”
Deluca writes women’s fiction, contemporary romance, and mainstream fiction with romantic elements.
She likes to explore relationships – what brings people together or keeps them apart. Her intent is to bring to life interesting characters that readers can relate to in real-life situations that combine a little fun, plenty of drama (with perhaps a tear or two), and big helpings of friendship, love and self-discovery, and will leave you either cheering or sighing with a satisfied smile as you turn the final page.
And just so you know . . . she likes a happy, or at least a positive, ending.
Alan Zacher
https://www.amazon.com/Alan-Zacher/e/B00APQXPEW
Author of private investigator mysteries, humorous occult fiction, fantasy adventure fiction, and short stories. After many years of being a “struggling” actor in LA, Alan turned to writing.
“My writing has always been for entertainment–to put a smile on someone’s face who might be having a bad day. I write, mostly, light-horror and murder/mystery. I like these two genres because of the freedom they give me to explore man’s inner emotions, feelings and emotions–but it must always have humor! We must always laugh; mostly at ourselves. I have had MS for serval years now; I know physical and mental pain; so I need much laughter to endure it. Hopefully, my novels do just that–give you much laughter.”
Carol Ann Kauffman
https://visionandverse.blogspot.com/
Carol Ann’s books range from short stories to full-length novels. Her novels are classified as romantic action adventures with a sci-fi/ fantasy twist, and mysteries. They’re about life, love, loss, and lunacy. She is a retired teacher. She has worked as a printer, managed a department store office, worked as an insurance agent, and in the hardware and automotive industries. She was a Red Cross volunteer.
Carol loves to travel; her favorite places being Italy, Aruba, and the American Southwest, which tend to show up in her novels.
“I also love to stay home. I get lost in my own little world, where I always have more than a few stories in progress. I grow orchids and African violets, and still like to play in the dirt!”
Suzi Albracht
https://www.amazon.com/Suzi-Albracht/e/B00PB1JNLK/
I am the author of Supernatural Horror Crime Thrillers and Paranormal Romance/Ghost novels. My characters have full, normal lives that get twisted into something horrific or intensely strange. Whether they become a ghost and discover a new, undead world to roam or find themselves in pursuit of a dangerous madman with connections to the dark underworld, I want my readers to feel their pain, their joy, their fear… with every right or wrong turn they take along the way.
While I humbly submit that my main influences are Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and William Faulkner, my style leans closer to that of early Stephen King. My twitter bio describes me to a T – Write, scare myself, turn all the lights on, write some more. Take a break, play pool, kick butt/get butt kicked, go write more horror, double lock door.
You can find my books at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.
Randall Krzak
A U.S. Army veteran and retired senior civil servant, spending thirty years in Europe, Africa, Central America, and the Middle East. His residency abroad qualifies him to build rich worlds in his action-adventure novels and short stories. Familiar with customs, laws, and social norms, he promotes these to create authentic characters and scenery.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and two master’s from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. Randall and his Scottish wife, Sylvia, currently reside in Dunfermline, Scotland. His
hobbies include hiking, reading, candle making, pyrography, and sightseeing.
Why did Randall become a writer? Someone suggested he give it a try, so Randall blames his friend. Randall ventured into fiction writing later in life, with his first novel being released at age 62. In just over three years, he’s published four novels. He enjoys reading and writing global thrillers and has three more underway.
Rebecca Tran
I am a mother, pharmacist and author. I love all things fantasy and sci-fi. Romance is always a welcome bonus. I have two little girls and I love dogs,I have two of those as well, a Boston Terrier and a Pittie mix. So technically some would say I have four kids. I am currently working on my blog as well as my romance and fantasy series. I am the ultimate nerd who can’t choose between Star Wars and Star Trek and thinks that Dr Who would figure out a way to beat all of them. I still read comic books and love watching anime. We can talk for hours if you know who Kirito, Naruto, or Goku are. If you’d like to read my blog or know more about me or my books, please check out my website.
A.L. Butcher
https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/
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.
L.L. Thomsen
Pick up one of L. L. Thomsen’s high fantasy books and you get treated to an explosion of immersive prose, complicated characters, mystery and plots. Her main world, Dallancea, is home to nine realms and a wealth of races – some known, some entirely new. You do not have to be familiar with fantasy to enjoy the books, but those who are will recognise her zest to spin you an epic tale of complexity and to explore her characters to the core.
“I invented my first character when I was around five years old,” L. L. laughs, “they lived in my head and took me on adventures at bedtime after ‘lights out’. These days I allow them onto paper. There’s not enough space in my head anymore.”
L. L. currently lives with her family + two cats and a dog, in the back-of-beyond near the Sherwood Forrest, U.K.
PJ Mann
My name is Paula and I write novels. I live with my husband and a rabbit. I work as an engineering geologist at a construction firm in Finland, and only in my spare time, I sit down at my desk writing stories. You can consider me a sort of wandering writer, and I try, as much as possible, to be on the move. My stories are strongly influenced by what I experience and see during my travels around the world. I am a multi–genre author, but the red wire of my novels is the suspense/drama.
I love to walk in nature with my camera; photography is another of my passions. I believe it’s very closely
connected to writing novels as every image tells a story, for those who stop to listen.
R.M. Garino
How now, folks. I’m R.M. Garino, the author of the Chaos of Souls Series. Ever wish you could bring your D&D characters to life? Well, that’s exactly what we did. Although the overarching story of angels and demons is much older, our two main characters were fleshed out from a D&D game my wife and I played with friends ages ago. They’re introduced, along with their misfit squads, in The Gates of Golorath, and their adventures continue throughout the series. We’ve also released a standalone series, the Chaos of Souls Novellas, which capture separate side stories that enrich the main series. Requiem’s Reach is the first volume, and we continue from there. If you’re looking for a thoughtful, somewhat irreverent fantasy that puts the stories and character first, then come on over and give us a read.
April 12, 2020
#Heroika Michael H. Hanson and His Character
Name: Michael H. Hanson
Give us a brief synopsis of your story:
The Sea People, the largest military force in Mediterranean history, is closing in on Egypt, the last true bastion of order and culture in the ancient world. A never before seen alliance of countries and nation-states have united to defend against this rampaging overwhelming horror. On the eve of battle, it is the skirmish lines of the fierce nomadic tribespeople known as The Habiru, who just may hold the answer to victory. Civilization itself is at stake in this breathless adventure.
Why did you choose that time period/group of people to write about?
I was always fascinated by the theory that the Ancient Hebrews were, in fact, the historically documented peoples known as The Habiru. Biblical accounts of how that ancient people really entered Egypt are questionable at best. I decided to create my own tale as a possible example of how it all came about.
What are the challenges in writing historical fiction/fantasy?
Mixing known facts about B.C. cultures with believable character descriptions and dialogue. It is always tough to keep one’s self from overly romanticizing the past, and also tough to remember how current cultural norms are not the mindset of our ancestors. In a world of political correctness, it is a fine line one has to walk to write an entertaining historical adventure story.
What is your usual genre?
I generally write contemporary science–fiction, fantasy, and horror… and lots of Poetry!
How do you define a hero?
One who is willing to place the needs of others above their own and doing so in the face of great danger and great fear.
What is your writing space like?
A comfortable couch or sofa I can lounge upon with a mac laptop slung on my belly.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A Scuba Diver or an Astronaut
Name three things you really love about writing, and three things you don’t like.
I love the solitude, the challenge, and the total control I have over the endeavour.
I don’t like tight deadlines, the long wait between submission and acceptance/rejection, and the mind-worm my guilty conscious implants in me when I’ve put off writing for too long.
Character Section;
Name: Amnon, son of Amram
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am born of the Naphtali, the eighth of the twelve tribes of the Habiru. I lead a thirty-man group of Skirmishers, lightly armed and fleet-footed warriors whose duties are scouting, spying, and enemy harassment.
Tell us a bit about the society in which you live.
The Habiru are a nomadic warrior nation that once lived along several stretches of the land of Retjenu. In recent years the mighty Ramses III befriended the Habiru leaders and, impressed by our savagery and skills, invited us to move our camps across the border of Egypt and down to the city of Abu, as allies and equals.
How do others see you?
I’m a leader, as was my father, his father, and many grandfathers before them. Mine is a holy bloodline of commitment and duty. Others look to me for leadership and I will never let them down.
Do you believe in a god?
Of course. What kind of stupid question is that? I believe in the high god, Yahweh, and his deific consort, Asherah, the goddess of healing.
How do you define a hero?
I don’t. That word has no meaning in my culture. I am a warrior of god. One of many. I do what I must. What else is there?
What do you REALLY think of your author?
He’s an arrogant pagan, dismissive of the strength of my people’s moral, ethical and religious conviction, and far too interested in the childish minutia of mundane combat.
If you could have three wishes what would they be?
That I never fail in any of my military duties, that I never bring shame upon my family or clan, and that I and all my loved ones will die and earn the right of an eternal afterlife in the Bosom of Abraham.
AUTHOR BIO (short)
Michael H. Hanson created the ongoing SHA’DAA shared-world anthology series currently consisting of “SHA’DAA: TALES OF THE APOCALYPSE”, “SHA’DAA: LAST CALL”, “SHA’DAA: PAWNS,” “SHA’DAA: FACETS”, “SHA’DAA: INKED”, and “SHA’DAA: TOYS”, all published by Moondream Press (an imprint of Copper Dog Publishing). In 2017, Michael’s short story “C.H.A.D.” appeared in the
Eric S. Brown edited anthology “C.H.U.D. LIVES!” and his short story “Rock and Road” appears in the Roger Zelazny tribute anthology “SHADOWS AND REFLECTIONS.” Michael also has stories in Janet Morris’s Heroes in Hell (HIH) anthology volumes, “LAWYERS IN HELL,” “ROGUES IN HELL,” “DREAMERS IN HELL,” “POETS IN HELL,” “DOCTORS IN HELL,” “PIRATES IN HELL,” and “LOVERS IN HELL.”
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