Kyra Halland's Blog, page 48

Beneath the Canyons Cover Art Reveal!

Well, I was going to wait to post this, but I'm too excited and can't wait! Here's the cover art for Beneath the Canyons, Book 1 of Daughter of the Wildings.

This is the full wrap-around cover for the paperback edition (it's also my computer wallpaper right now!):
And here is the ebook version:
Many thanks to me-illuminated (Mominur Rahman) for this amazing art! Covers to Books 2-5 still to come!

Book Review: Grace Under Fire

Grace Under Fire, by Frog and Esther Jones

Kyra's star ratings:
Story: * * * * *
Characters: * * * * *
Writing: * * * * *
Emotional engagement: * * * * *

Grace Under Fire is a wild ride through a world filled with tricky magic and lurking threats with two amazing characters. Grace is a Summoner with only middling powers but mad rune skillz who is sent to deal with a difficult problem that the other Summoners in her local group (Grove) would really rather not have to deal with. While trying to figure out what wiped out the entire Grove of Summoners in Spokane, she runs across a teenage boy, Robert, a foster kid who has just discovered his own Summoning powers, to disastrous effect. Summoning is one of the worst crimes there is in this alternate version of our world, and Grace and Robert have to keep out of trouble with local law enforcement while battling a giant, evil, massively powerful, orange raccoon-porcupine demon from another dimension (dubbed "Rick"). It sounds absurd, and it is, but that thing is also one of the scariest monsters I've ever come across.

The book almost bogs down a little at the beginning, when Grace is explaining how Summoning and runes work, but her voice and the problem she's trying to solve are engaging enough that I kept going, and then she found herself stuck with a much bigger problem. And then it gets to the first chapter in Robert's point of view, and that's where the book really takes off, and never lets go until the end.

The story is told in alternating first-person point of view, which can be hard to pull off, but Grace's and Robert's voices are so distinct and the characters are so engaging that it works beautifully. Robert's voice and outlook especially made the book for me. He's a band geek (as a former band geek myself, I always appreciate finding one as the protagonist in a book, which doesn't happen nearly often enough), a smart kid, world-wise in some ways from being shuffled through the foster-care system for all of his teenage years but still very much a little boy in other way. Grace is a fun character too, with her interesting combination of skills and obsession with good food.

The magic system is complex, and the one minor flaw in the book is that sometimes the explanations of how it works are a little complicated, but they're integrated pretty well into the action and once I got the hang of the idea behind it, it was pretty easy to follow how it worked.

The action is wild and suspenseful, and even when the fight against Rick the Demon Raccoon lets up for a bit, you still know it's out there and you're wondering how in the world Robert and Grace are going to deal with it. The ending fight is long, but the action is nonstop and constantly escalating, and I couldn't put the story down.

The writing is clear, smooth, and vivid, with a wry sense of humor and a lot of understated emotion.

The book seems to be aimed at an adult audience, but I think older teen boys would also enjoy it very much.

I highly recommend Grace Under Fire, and am looking forward to the next book in the series and more adventures with Grace and Robert.

Author Spotlight: Joshua Winning

Meet Joshua Winning, whose book Sentinel I reviewed recently.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.
I'm a British journalist and author who drinks far too much herbal tea. I just released my first book, a dark young adult fantasy called Sentinel, which is the first instalment in the Sentinel Trilogy.

2. When did you start writing, and why?
I started when I was very young, basically as soon as I could read. It's difficult to remember that far back (feeling old), but I think I started as a way of exorcising all the random stories and characters floating around in my head. Wow that sounds more dramatic than I intended...

3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write?
I write fantasy, which is just the way my brain is wired. My imagination is dangerously over-active. I grew up watching films like Neverending Story and Labyrinth, and my go-to authors were CS Lewis and Robin Jarvis. I just can't get enough of it.
 
Fantasy got a bad rep for a while; only 'nerds' were allowed to like it, but that's swung totally in the opposite direction now (thanks to a certain boy wizard and Game of Thrones), so it's a really exciting time to be writing fantasy.

What I enjoy most about writing is finding the hidden depths. The little details that make a person tick. Why do they talk the way they do? Why do they react that way? I find that fascinating - especially when you figure out a way to put your character in a bad situation that really shows what they're made of.

4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
Sentinel came out on 1 May 2013, and the sequel, Ruins, is reducing me to a shadow of a man as we speak. Though I love writing, it's easy to forget how tough it can be sometimes when you're trying to break a story that's being obstinate. That's also part of the joy of it, though.

5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.
The world of Sentinel looks just like the world you see every day - except there are things lurking in the darkness, just out of sight. It's a world you, hopefully, believe really could exist. I know I do.

6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?
Nicholas is our Luke Skywalker. He's young and naive (on the cusp of 16), and totally unprepared for the adventure he's about to go on. Luckily, he's pretty bolshie and has a smart mouth, which should help him out along the way. I worried for a while that he was too 'normal', too much of an average Joe, but now that's what I love about him. The fact that he feels like a real, overdramatic, tantrum-inclined teenager gives a little edge to Sentinel. And, of course, there's more to him than meets the eye…

Then there's Malika, a sultry immortal who likes getting her way. She's just one of the kick-ass females in Sentinel, but she's also a villain. Her motives are mysterious and it's unclear exactly where her loyalties really lie. She's really fun to write; I get to engage my inner warrior princess and just her loose.

Possibly my favourite character is Isabel. But you'll have to read the book to find out more about her...

7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book.
Sentinel took me 16 years to complete, which either means it's really good, or it's really bad. Hopefully the former. [Kyra sez, I'm going with really good!] I'm not planning on taking as long with book two - I'm already seven chapters in, so it's looking good!
8. Blog/site link, and where your book is available.
http://www.thesentineltrilogy.com
Amazon (UK), Amazon (US)
Twitter: @SentinelTrilogy
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SentinelTrilogy

Author Spotlight: Nikki Broadwell

Welcoming Nikki Broadwell, who I'm hosting today on her book tour with Saskia Book Tours!

What have you published recently?
Over the past year and a half I’ve published three books of a Celtic fantasy trilogy—“The Moonstone”, “Saille, the Willow”, and just this month, “The Wolf Moon”.

How, and when, did you decide to become a writer?
I’ve always loved writing from the time I was in grade school. In college I majored in English and Art, going back and forth until I had enough units for a degree in both! However, I didn’t do any serious writing until about seven years ago when I took a writing workshop. The moonstone, first book of the trilogy, was begun from a writing prompt in that class—from then on I’ve been hooked!

Where can we find your published writing?
I have several short stories up on my Goodreads site and my books can be found on Smashwords, Amazon, as kindle or paper, and can be ordered from any bookstore.

What is a typical day like for you as a writer?
I don’t keep any particular schedule but usually I’m at my desk by eight or nine a.m. If I’m working on a project it’s hard to pry me away from my computer—I’m one of those who types rather than writing longhand. I leave my desk to eat and sometimes to take a walk or a yoga class but I can easily write for six hours in a day. What I have to watch out for is not writing into the evening—if I do I’m often plagued with insomnia as the characters parade through my mind willing me back to my desk.

What are your favorite characters that you have created? Tell us about them.
The first one that comes to mind is the antagonist who has a part in all three books. He’s a priest gone bad, a complex character with a history of abuse and a twin sister who is a seer. He and his twin were once so close that they could communicate telepathically, but now Brandubh is taking his orders from their sorceress mother, a woman who feeds off others to retain her youth. MacCuill, a druid is another of my favorites—he’s a wise sort of Gandalf-like character who literally has magic at this fingertips! I also made up a race of people called the Crion who are the ‘keepers of the wisdom’ in the Otherworld. And of course I’m very fond of the main character, Maeve, a young woman faced with a destiny she didn’t bargain for. She needs to find inner strength in terrifying circumstances.

Do you find you “mentally edit” other writers’ works as you read them? Does doing this help you or bother you?
OMG. YES! I am always doing this even when reading authors who are on the best-seller list! I worked really hard to edit mine and it irks me to find typos and mistakes. Of course there are always a few that slip by, but it’s obvious when an author hasn’t hired a proofreader. And dealing with the publishing companies such as Createspace or Lightning Source can be maddening when the formatting adds even more mistakes!

What music do you listen to, while writing?
It is too distracting for me to listen to music while I write—especially songs with lyrics! If I listened to any it would be new agey with a drumbeat or rhythm—something to get my second chakra going…(creativity)

What do you eat while writing?
I bring in breakfast and lunch sometimes, spilling crumbs into my keyboard and making it filthy and greasy. I also drink espresso and if I’m not following my ‘no writing after five’ rule I bring in wine.

Five for Fun:

What is your favourite non-alcoholic drink? 
Caffe latte

What is your favourite cartoon character?
Hmm..I’m sure this will date me, but I would have to say the roadrunner. I don’t watch cartoons now so can’t even think of a more current figure unless it was a character from Studio Ghibli, the Japanese anime`—if you haven’t seen them, they’re remarkable!

What is your favourite movie of all time?
Would have to say ‘”The King of Hearts”. I also loved the first three “Star Wars”, “Matrix” and “The Lord of the Rings” and many many more.

What do you like to do for fun or just to relax?
I love watching series and movies and I love reading. I also love to hike in wild places with my dog. Yoga and meditation are a big part of my life as is going out for lunch and having a glass of crisp chilled wine!

Where can we find you on the web?
My Website: www.wolfmoontrilogy.com
My blog: http://niksblog-authorinprogress.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nikkibroadwell
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikki.broadwell
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5321050.Nikki_Broadwell
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nikkibroadwell

About the Author:
Nikki’s college education centered on English and Art and she graduated with a B.A. in both. While her children were in middle school she began a greeting card business and then later, when they were out of the house, she began painting on silk, selling her scarves and wall hangings to high-end galleries in California and Oregon .Now she writes full time, working on a sequel to Wolfmoon as well as a fictionalized version of her parent’s life based on journals her father kept during his time as a POW duringWW2.

Having recently located from Portland Oregon, Nikki has become a resident of Tucson, Arizona where she lives on a hill at the base of the Catalina Mountains with her husband, and standard poodle, Buddha and Eesa, the cat.
The Wolf Moon (Wolfmoon Trilogy Book 3) By Nikki Broadwell

It is close to the winter solstice when Maeve Lewin’s simple trip to Scotland to re-unite with her mother throws her headlong into a dangerous world.

A prophecy written centuries before seems to describe her as ‘the one’, and despite Maeve’s insistence that this couldn’t possibly be true, her mother and grandmother both agree.

What Maeve doesn’t know is that her boyfriend is part of her destiny, mentioned in the ancient text as ‘the one of noble birth who will stand by her side’. But Harold’s only plan is to join Maeve Scotland for the New Year before the two of them fly home to the States.

The night of the winter solstice brings Maeve face to face with a terrifying reality, but it's Harold’s arrival that forces her to come to terms with the truth. He seems to have lived in this parallel world before and his part in future events has been sealed as surely as hers.

With dark forces hunting her relentlessly and confronted with a fate  she didn’t choose, Maeve must come to terms with her future and somehow find the strength to fulfill the perilous task set before her.

Available at:
Amazon
Other Books by Nikki Broadwell
The Moonstone (Wolfmoon #1)

Available at:
Amazon

Saille the Willow
(Moonstone #2)

Available at:
Amazon

Book Review: The City of the Mirage

The City of the Mirage, by Jerome Brooke

Kyra's star ratings:
Characters: * * *
Story: * * * *
Writing: * * * *
Concept: * * * *
Emotional engagement: * * * 1/2 (I like deeper emotional engagement, but there are good reasons why the story only touches on the surface of the emotions.)

(I was provided with a free copy of this book for the purpose of giving an honest review)

The City of the Mirage is an interesting book; an epic in scale but novella-length collection of shorter episodes that tell the story of a nameless military pilot, referred to only as The Conqueror, who is shot down in combat over the desert and, while being pursued by the enemy, finds refuge in a city that appears as a mirage in the desert. There, he becomes a warrior of renown and eventually enters the service of the goddess Astarte.

The writing is deceptively spare and simple, but also evocative; the images and feel of the story are still lingering in my mind well after finishing it. The story only touches on the surface of the main character's emotions; he mentions once that he would like to go back to his world, and he is repelled by some of the things that are done in Astarte's service. I would have liked to go deeper into his mind, but the story is presented as incidents recorded for Astarte's chronicles, and the lack of deep emotion adds to the mythical feel.

For some reason, I'm not sure why, this book seemed reminiscent of older-school fantasy. It kind of put me in mind of Andre Norton's WitchWorld novels, which I read probably about 35 years ago and don't remember all that well, but this just reminded me of them, maybe partly because of the stranger in a strange land premise.

The book could use one quick edit to correct a few minor mistakes in punctuation and word usage.

Many of Mr. Brooke's other writings are erotica; The City of the Mirage is not erotica, though it does contain some mature themes and situations such as concubines and extreme violence. However, this content is not graphically described, and I would say that the book is appropriate for adults and older teens.

If you want a fast-moving read that's different from most of the fantasy available now with the feel of mythology and that will stick with you after you've finished, I definitely recommend The City of the Mirage.

Camp NaNo and stuff

Taking a break from the character interviews and author spotlights and book reviews just to do a quick update on what's going on in Kyra-land.

I'm doing Camp NaNoWriMo again this month, writing Book 4 of Daughter of the Wildings. Having tons of fun with it; I just love Silas and Lainie, it's always fun to dive into a new book with them. (In fact, once the series is ended, I don't think I'm going to be able to let them go!) The rest of the series story arc is developing nicely, and I can mostly see my way through to the end. This book involves a cattle drive, which is something I previously knew nothing about, so it's been fun researching it. Two of the resources I'm using are The Log of a Cowboy , by Andy Adams, who was a real working trail cowboy in the 1880s, and the blog Wild West History, particularly the linked post on daily life on an old west cattle drive.

Here's my daily progress so far:
Day 1: 1266 words, 1266/30,000
Day 2: 1563 words, 2829/30,000
Day 3: 1347 words, 4176/30,000
Day 4: 1459 words, 5635/30,000
Day 5: 1606 words, 7240/30,000

The novels in this series have been fairly short so far, novella-length, but I tend to "write short" in my first drafts and expect they'll get considerably longer in revision.

The Lost Book of Anggird is undergoing its final big revision, with line-editing and proofreading to follow. I'm hopefully looking at an October release. Sarya's Song is in the initial revision phase. So far I'm very encouraged; it really isn't as bad as I was afraid it would be. Looking at, hmm, early next year for that to come out.

I'm also working on proofreading the proof copy of the paperback version of Chosen of Azara , and will put up buy links once I approve it and it becomes available for purchase. Just a reminder, for a limited time you can read Chosen of Azara for free, serial-style, right here on the site!

And finally, July 1-31 is the Summer/Winter Sale at Smashwords! During this month, you can get Urdaisunia and Chosen of Azara for 50% off! Just follow the links and use coupon code SSW50 at checkout.

Book Review: Sentinel

Sentinel , by Joshua Winning

Kyra's Star Ratings:
Characters: * * * * *
Story: * * * * *
Writing: * * * * *
Emotional Engagement: * * * * *

(I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of giving an honest review.)

"Sentinel" is the story of a fifteen-year-old boy, Nicholas Hallow, who, when his world falls apart, learns that he has abilities and a heritage that he never dreamed of. Evil beings who were long held at bay by the Sentinels have begun to gain a foothold in our world, and Nicholas finds himself the object of the stuggle between the Sentinels and the servants of the Dark Prophets.

This book grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go till the end. The sense of menace never lets up - even when Nicholas finds refuge, the danger is still out there, waiting. The descriptions of a world where evil is gaining power are chilling, as are the antagonists themselves. The characters are vividly drawn, and I found myself loving the good guys (and girls) and loving to hate the baddies. The book is also emotionally gripping - I felt the highs, lows, fear, relief, and shock right along with the characters.

"Sentinel" is described as "dark YA fantasy," but it hits that sweet spot of having a teen protagonist and being appropriate for/interesting to teens, while also being written with a deeper, more sophisticated adult voice and outlook and featuring some adult point-of-view characters. I'm not a big YA reader, preferring adult characters and an adult voice, but I found myself deeply engaged in and satisfied with reading "Sentinel." Besides being a good example of YA-adult crossover, I think this book would appeal very much to teen boys who enjoyed the Harry Potter books.

It isn't perfect; there are a few bits of the story that didn't quite hang together for me, though it never lost my attention, and the author occasionally uses words to attribute dialogue that don't really work as substitutes for "said." There's also a technical editing glitch (looks like a search-and-replace mistake) that I brought to the author's attention and will be corrected soon if it hasn't been already.

Other than those tiny nitpicks, I thought "Sentinel" was fantastic, and enjoyed it immensely. (Plus it gives a whole new meaning to the term "crazy cat lady"!) I highly recommend it, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

Author Spotlight: Frog and Esther Jones

Introducing husband-and-wife paranormal/urban fantasy authors Frog and Esther Jones (I'll be reviewing their novel Grace Under Fire in a few weeks):

1. Tell us a little about yourself.
Esther and I have been married for almost eleven years now.  We met at college, married right after graduation, and then she tolerated me through law school.  Now we write books, review books, and practice law.

2. When did you start writing, and why?
Purely by accident.  My wife, Esther, began doing writing prompts with a friend of hers.  One thing led to another, and eventually she was entering the writer’s competition at Spocon.  She and I were commuting to work together at the time, and we began talking about this world where people could rearrange force and matter.  Working such magic was necessary to hold the world together, but it was also considered evil and felonious by the population at large.  We conceived of criminal organizations called “Groves” who operated much like the mafia of prohibition times, trying to keep the fabric of reality together.
 
Honestly, I was driving and talking, just trying to pass the time.
 
Then I read her short story, and I was amazed.  “Honey!”  I called down the stairs.  “This is crap!”
 
A discussion ensued, the details of which I am sure we can simply gloss over.  The result of this discussion, though, was that I ended up editing her story prior to submission.  We went over it a couple of times, and we produced a much better story along the same lines.  It won the competition.
 
The problem was, it didn’t deal with hardly any of the major issues we’d invented.  It was far too short to touch on the entire world we’d built.  The next day in the car, we realized that we were a heck of a team for writing, and The Gift of Grace series was born.  Now apparently I’m a writer.

3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write?
The Gift of Grace is an urban fantasy series.  We went with that based on the “write what you know” theme.  Our story is set in the Inland Northwest, largely in the Spokane Valley and surrounding areas.  We often take road trips to look at what’s actually there in order to incorporate it into our book.  The mall-fight scene that we’ve got posted as a sample chapter actually came from Esther, our Proofreading Panda, and I walking around the mall to get a sense of what could happen in the fight.  Every store described is exactly in the right place (or, at least, for 2011.  Stores change).  Later on we have a big set piece at the Post Falls Dam, which was great fun to go check out.  That dam is pretty interesting in the way its set-up, and the canyon after it was just...
 
No, you know what?  Just read the book.  You’ll see it.
 
We’ve got some other, more standard fantasy pieces waiting in the wings, and I’ve been trying to get some writers together for a shared-world anthology of fairies in cyberpunk, but The Gift of Grace consumes most of my writing time these days.
 
4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
We’ve got a number of short stories in assorted anthologies.  Book 2 of The Gift of Grace is entitled Coup de Grace, and it’s coming out later this year.

5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.
Well, we’re dealing with an urban fantasy, so at its root the world doesn’t look a whole lot different than our own.  The major difference is, of course, the existence of magic.
 
Now, magic at its base involves manipulating the substance of reality, called the Weave, in order to transport something (force and/or matter) from point A to point B.  That’s it.  Our magicians are called “summoners,” because that’s the only kind of magic they can do; they cannot create, they cannot destroy.  They can only move forces and matter around.
 
Now, summoning is important because of that Weave I mentioned.  It’s the thing that holds our reality together, but like any woven fabric under stress it gradually frays.  Summoners have to exist in the world in order to continually keep the Weave in good repair, lest we get invaded by other worlds or unravel the reality of this one.
 
That said, the populous at large doesn’t really grok that.  So summoning’s been felonious ever since Hoover blamed the Depression on summoners (one of the few catastrophes that can’t be laid at their feet, as far as we know).  So illegal, underground organizations called “Groves” have sprung up like a magical mafia, intent on preserving the world while getting away with this serious crime.  Of course, the problem with illegal, underground organizations is they end up looking like and being run a lot like the Mafia, which tends to be less than forgiving or gentle.

6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?
Well, the book begins with Grace Moore.  Grace was born into the Grove system, and she’s a smart-mouthed and savvy summoner.  She was born without a great deal of talent for the magic, but she’s made up for it with rigorous study.  Grace is a hard worker, and proud of it.  She’s also a devout foodie, and at many points throughout the story Grace will summon a gourmet meal in from a restaurant out of her little black book of restaurants.  On the other hand, Grace is not exactly a “people person,” and in a system like the Grove that’s the sort of thing that gets you sent on a suicide mission.  Which is what happens in Chapter One.
 
Our other main character is Robert.  Now, Robert’s parents died in what I assure you was a perfectly-normal-not-to-be-suspected incident.  As a result, he’s been raised in the foster care system, not the Grove.  He’s got a massive amount of latent power, but at the beginning of the book he doesn’t know it.  In fact, he’s adopted the popular belief that summoning is a great evil.  Of course, when his heart gets broken and then the local jock steps on it, he does something rash that kicks off the plot properly.  Robert means well, but he’s got some impulse control issues, and above that his abandonment issues have abandonment issues.
 
Beyond them, we have Detective Frank Allen and Captain Carlenos, the law enforcement officers who are tasked with dealing with the problems.  They aren’t stupid, and they aren’t hapless.  They’re skilled law enforcement officers doing their best to do the right thing, in the best way they know how.  As the novel progresses, their beliefs are challenged as much as Robert's, and they’ve got some pretty critical choices to make before the end.
 
7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book.
All references to Redwood that occur beyond chapter 7 of that book are the sole fault/credit of our editor, SA Bolich, who has developed an odd attraction to the character.
8. Blog/site link, and where your book is available.
Blog:  http://blog.jonestales.com
Book is available at:
    Amazon
    Smashwords
Fun bonus!  Sky Warrior Books, my small press publisher, is participating in the July Smashwords sale, July 1-31, 2013: enter the coupon code SSW25 for a 25% discount.

Character Interview: Estefan

Okay, so Estefan from Chosen of Azara got really annoyed with me because I haven't interviewed him. And I quote, "How come that SOB who keeps trying to steal my fiancee gets an interview and I don't when I'm a hundred times more awesome than he is?"

So, just to get him to leave me alone, here's Baron Estefan Mirenne.

1. What is your full name? Is there anything significant about your name?
My name is Baron Estefan Lesander Danel Mirenne. The "Baron" part isn't a name; it's my title.

2. How old are you?
I am 25 years old.

3. Tell us about your family. What do you like and not like about them?
My father died when I was ten, and at that time I inherited his barony and his title, though I didn't take full possession of them until I reached my majority at age 20. My mother is Lady Alise Mirenne. I also have some aunts, uncles, cousins, and sisters.

Petir and Pavel Barille are nearly brothers to me. After my father died I was fostered with their family, and grew up with them. A man couldn't ask for better friends.

4. Who was your first kiss, and what did you think of it?
It was... No. Wait, let me think. That dairymaid with the [censored]? No. Hmm. It must have been the little blonde, um, what was she? Actually, it might have been...

I'm afraid I don't remember, but I know I liked it.

5. What is your occupation?
Look at question 1. I'm a Baron.

6. What are your best and worst qualities?
I've won more than my share of summer tournaments the last several years. I'm good with a bow and arrow, and a dueling sword. [cue sniggering from Petir and Pavel] I also ride well, and have a fine voice, and the ladies don't seem to be able to resist me.

7. What quality do you value most in a romantic partner?
I like a girl who's got a figure that gives me something to grab on to, who's lively in the hay or between the sheets and none too fussy about how and when, and...

Oh, you mean... Okay. Right.

I am engaged to marry Miss Lucie Barille. I grew up with her brothers and they're still my best friends. The Barilles are one of the best families in the Lower Districts, along with my own, so it's a good match. She has a nice figure and a pretty face, and stands to bring a good-sized dowry to the marriage. She's a bit empty-headed and eccentric, and not as agreeable as I would like, but my mother will take her firmly in hand and make sure she knows everything that's expected of her once we're married. And she adores me. Of course, I made the arrangements with her father before anything about our engagement was said to her, but then Baron Robart insisted I actually ask her if she wanted to marry me before he gave the final approval. Well, I knew even without asking that she would want to marry me. Why wouldn't she? But he made me ask anyway, and I have to say it was gratifying to see how flattered she was that I was personally asking her to marry me.

8. What is your favorite thing to do?
I like a good hunt, a good tournament, a good beer, and a good tumble with a lively girl.

9. What is your greatest fear?
I can't think of anything that I need to be afraid of. Maybe that I'll never get this new bow I just bought working right. Something's wrong with it, and I can't figure out what.

10. What is your most treasured possession?
I'm fond of my sword [cue more sniggering from Petir and Pavel]. I mean the dueling sword I inherited from my father. It's old fashioned, but perfectly balanced and I've won a lot of tournament duels with it. And I've got a fine hunting horse, best in the Lower Districts, everyone says. And my manor house. It's the newest house in the Lower Districts, only being fifty years old, and has all the latest comforts and conveniences. It's the envy of the Lower Districts.

Author Spotlight: Jerome Brooke

Introducing author Jerome Brooke. I will be reviewing Jerome's book The City of the Mirage in a few weeks - watch for it!

1. Tell us a little about yourself.
Jerome Brooke lives in the Kingdom of Siam. He is the consort of Jira, a princess of the lost Kingdom of Nan. He has written The City of the Mirage (Books to Go Now) and many other books.

2. When did you start writing, and why?
I  have been writing poetry for about 20 years - fiction for 10. I began to write because I wanted to create art and beauty.

3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write?
I have two children. I hope they, their children and future generations will see my work. I also have cousins and nephews. I also write family history, and want to preserve more than basic facts like birth date for the future. Poetry can be beautiful, as can fiction. I like for people to see a poem or fiction text, and to enjoy the work.

4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
I have a book on contract with Books to Go Now - the book is a erotic paranormal set in Haiti of the Colonial period. The title is Lover of the Voodoo Priestess. I used the pen name Joan Barron.

5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.
and
6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?
The book tells of a young French man of letters in Haiti of the old days. He falls under the spell of a Voodoo priestess and her daughter. She causes the death of her rival (a Frenchwoman).

The book is erotic, with relationships between a European and slave women. The paranormal aspect is the Voodoo element.

7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book.
I am married to a much younger woman (23 years younger). She is from Nan in the Highlands north of Bangkok. Nan was long an independent kingdom, and still has its own royal family.

8. Website/contact info:
http://runesofthebard.wordpress.com/
jeromevbrooke@yahoo.com

The City of the Mirage is ruled by the Divine Astarte. She has called the man who comes to be called the Conqueror to her service. Astarte was born on our own world.

Astarte rules a vast empire of the multiverse. Her race seeded many worlds with life over the eons. The Conqueror leads her legions to victory in a war against forces led by her brother.



The City of the Mirage
is available at Amazon.