R.M. Ridley's Blog, page 16
October 21, 2014
Tomorrow Wendell by R M Ridley
The latest review of my debut novel.
These reviewers give so much to the indie community – I am eternally grateful for their time and kind words
Originally posted on A Woman's Wisdom:
Book Blurb
When predictions tell Wendell Courtney he’s going to die, he turns to the one man he hopes can help. Jonathan Alvey’s no stranger to the strange. But, unlike the private investigator’s run-of-the-mill zombie cases, he can find no trace of magic around Wendell, and no hint of an adversary. Alvey certainly has magic and wits enough to solve the mystery, but is his offering to the insatiable dragon black sufficient? Or is Wendell truly destined to die?
Follow the mystery of Wendell’s disastrous fortune as Jonathan battles his own demons in this paranormal/urban fantasy. Whether Jonathan is warding off evil or chasing away his secretaries, he does it with unparalleled pizazz. But the intense pull to use magic may just tip him over the edge of all things sane.
My Review
I have to admit I wasn’t overly struck on the idea of this book when R M…
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Filed under: Writing
Shades of Pink – Two!
As you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Last year, the first Shades of Pink event raised over $10.000 through more than 1300 donations!
For our second year, 22 authors have allied for 1 cause: fundraising for research. Their gift to everyone who makes a donation? A romance anthology (ebook) titled Shades of Pink (volume 2), totaling almost 150.000 words / about 400 pages as a PDF.
The suggested donation is $5. Funds are raised via Stayclassy.org and all proceeds go directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Readers can also donate to the charity organization of their choice (with a focus on breast cancer) and email their receipt to receive their copy of the anthology in either PDF, ePub or mobi (kindle).
Featured anthology author: Nina Day Gerard
Shades of Pink Writer Shares an Excerpt
The Shades of Pink romance anthology, now in its second year of raising funds for breast cancer research, features 22 authors coming together for one cause. First-time SOP contributor Nina Day Gerard shared an excerpt from her story with me, below, along with some insights into why she loves her characters so much.
What made you want to submit to this anthology?
NDG: A dear friend of mine went through a double mastectomy this year, and just completed her reconstructive surgery. When this event came across my radar, I knew I had to write something for it.
And what made you become a romance writer?
NDG: I started out trading Harlequin romance novels with my girlfriends in high school, so I’ve been reading about love for a long time. Now I love to write about it too. It was just a natural transition.
Tell us a little bit about your Shades of Pink story.
NDG: Well, unrequited love seems to be a theme I enjoy writing about. But in the end, the couple always finds their way back to each other. In The Long Road Home, our hero Dane McCall has grown up to become the Sheriff of the small town in Oregon where he grew up. He’s loved his best friend Carter’s baby sister Catie for as long as he can remember. But he and his friend have become estranged since high school, and well, Dane never really got the chance to act on his feelings for Catie at all. But a high school reunion right there in Anderson rekindles his feelings and presents a possible opportunity for him to act on them.
And what about Catie? Does she reciprocate?
NDG: She does, but has never thought herself to be worthy of a man like Dane. I really related to Catie as I was writing about her, because in some ways, she’s like me. I grew up in a small rural town, and never thought I was pretty or popular in high school. And I still suffered insecurity in my adult years, and never thought I’d meet Mr. Right.
Catie sat across from her brother at a secluded table in a very expensive Mediterranean restaurant in San Francisco. Not that she didn’t like coming into the city from Oakland; and she liked eating in nice restaurants as much as the next person.
But Carter was always insisting on spoiling her in extravagant ways, saying that she deserved it since she’d sacrificed making a decent living to become an elementary school teacher. She’d rolled her eyes at that, and she often complied with whatever Carter had up his sleeve just to get him to settle down so she could get on with life.
Once he’d given her a fur coat, and it wasn’t even Christmas. She reminded him that she didn’t believe in wearing real fur, so she gave it to charity, only to have a top-of-the line designer faux fur show up on her doorstep within a few days.
Then he’d insisted on paying for her Master’s Degree. She agreed to only accept whatever she couldn’t get in loans, and on buying her own text books, knowing full well that he would probably try to pay off her student loans for her at some point anyway. He’d tried to rent her an apartment in a “decent” part of town, but at least he saw that she wanted to be in the inner city and helping those kids, not the privileged kids in the suburbs. So he’d had a state-of-the-art security system installed in her apartment building as well as her individual unit. The manager was grateful, but Catie was entirely embarrassed.
Short of hiring private security for her, Carter called her several times a day to be sure she was safe, even when he himself was traveling overseas.
She’d drawn the line at him buying her a car, or tried to anyway. At first she flat-out refused. When she saw that she wasn’t going to deter him that easily, she tried to assuage his burning desire to spend money on her by stipulating that he could buy her a used car. A really used one. He wouldn’t hear of it. He claimed that higher end foreign cars were safer than the average economy sedan. She cleverly pointed out how much of the wrong kind of attention she’d be drawing to herself driving a Mercedes or a BMW around her neighborhood. Finally, they’d settled on a brand new Toyota sedan. She’d chosen a muted color and on the outside it didn’t look particularly fancy. But it was still a lot of car for her, and Carter had insisted on getting it armored, and adding an alarm system, and a SYNC phone system, which also meant he’d gotten her a brand new smart phone to pair with it.
It was no surprise that Carter had done well for himself. Even in high school, he was quite the entrepreneur. Every student committee wanted him to do fundraising for them. He could sell anything, convince anyone to do anything. As president of the student body, he even got the school board to approve a process whereby students could reduce their detention time for good behavior. Of course it was thrown out when the next student president was elected, but it was great while it lasted.
By his senior year, Carter had his own marketing business; he’d gone from school fundraisers to helping local businesses come up with new campaigns. And when he left their small town of Anderson, Oregon to attend college down in Sacramento, he expanded his business down there, even getting one of his clients to sponsor his MBA.
Eventually, he brought his company Thompson Enterprises to San Francisco. He’d missed Catie terribly, who had opted to stay in Oregon to get her education, and asked her to come to the Bay Area to be near him. Their father had passed just before Carter finished graduate school, and now their mother was in need of extra care. Catie had tried to convince him that she could care for her mother in Oregon, but even she knew that Carter’s financial support would make a huge difference, and it would do both of them good to have him nearby where he could visit them regularly.
So here she sat across from him. Something was off. Even when he’d invited her to dinner earlier that day—insisted on it as a matter of fact—he’d seemed edgy, anxious about something. Now, for all of his good looks, he just seemed tired, ragged. He’d hardly said two words since they’d arrived, aside from ordering his dinner. Catie’s discomfort with the situation increased, and she was almost afraid of why he’d brought her there. It was definitely more than his usual magnanimous weekly gesture to take her out for a meal. To hide her anxiety, and perhaps to delay hearing his explanation, Catie chattered on, which she knew annoyed him, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself.
“This one little boy in my homeroom, Edwin, is so adorable. You know they’re at that age when they’re still learning to pronounce everything, and he always says ‘see you tomowow, Miss Tomp-thun.’”
Catie’s comments about her mundane life fell like bricks around their table. Though she knew Carter was always happy for her success and the joy she took in teaching the children, it had to be incredibly dull compared to the glamorous life of a business mogul that he led. It was quiet now, and he just stared at her across the table. She swallowed hard and was about to ask him what in God’s name was going on with him when he leaned forward and practically shouted at her.
“You know, Catie, we need a vacation!” It was as if he knew that he had to engage with her before they both went mad. But he startled her so badly that she nearly knocked over her water glass.
“A vacation?” she asked sheepishly, as she regained her composure.
“That’s right,” he continued, snapping his finger in the air as he leaned back into his seat. “We both work very hard. As a matter of fact, you probably work harder than I do.” Well, that was a lie, although Carter did seem to turn pale every time someone mentioned settling down and having kids to him.
“I’d much rather deal with the Board of Directors than the finger painting and cookie crumbs that you’re plagued with on a daily basis.”
Catie did have to smile at that. She almost laughed outright at the visual image she got of the kids at the kindergarten she taught at climbing all over his designer suit with their sticky paint-covered hands, and then trying to kiss him with their mouths ringed in cookie crumbs and milk mustaches.
“Look, the point is, sweetheart, I think we could both use a break. So that’s why I made arrangements for us to go to our high school reunion in two weeks.” She blinked at him. She knew she had that deer-in-the headlights look, but it took her a minute to process what he was saying. Her illustrious twin brother, who had worked so hard to get her and their mother out of Oregon, and basically swore he would never go back for any reason, now wanted to attend their high school reunion.
“Reunion? You?”
“Well, I wouldn’t trust anyone else to escort you back there.”
“First of all, why would you want to go back to Oregon for a vacation? As I recall, you have pretty much avoided going back there for any reason.”
“True, but I thought maybe this would be fun.”
“Fun? Come on Carter. I’m your twin sister. I know you. And your idea of fun is more along the lines of gambling on the French Riviera, not making small talk over punch in our old high school gym with people you barely remember.”
“Ah, the Riviera. If that were my plan, would you be more excited?”
“Yes. No! Are you nuts? It’s April. I can’t go anywhere with you right now. What about school, what about my students?”
“I’ve already made arrangements. Your boss has already found a substitute.” Her “boss” was Barbara Collins, or Miss Barbara, as the students like to call her. Barbara owned the private kindergarten where Catie had taught for going on five years. She was a wonderful, generous woman—who had now fallen under her brother’s spell.
“What?! What did you say to her?”
“Just that I needed you to accompany me back to our home town on some family business. And it’s true.”
“A high school reunion hardly qualifies as important family business!”
“No, but . . . I thought we could take a look at the old house—“
“Which we don’t own any more.”
“—and see a few old friends.”
“We don’t have friends there anymore. You haven’t been in touch with anyone since you left.”
“And I need to make amends for that. Dane is my best friend. At least he was. I owe him a visit. I need to get reacquainted again.”
The mention of Dane McCall brought her up short. Dane, who had been Carter’s best friend all during high school. Dane, who she’d basically been in love with since she was fifteen.
“What if I don’t want to go?” she asked quietly. “Did you ever think of that?”
Now it was Carter who fell silent for a moment, and then he looked at her wearily again.
“Not really, no. I’m sorry if I’ve crossed a line here, I just wanted to plan a surprise for you. I thought we both deserved a break, and yes, it’s not my usual cup of tea, but maybe I should reconnect with where I came from. I really just need to get away, and . . . you’re all I’ve got Catie. I really need you to come with me.”
At that moment the food arrived, but Catie couldn’t look away from Carter. There was a sadness in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before, not even when their father passed away. This ruse about going to the reunion was bad enough. She’d have to find something to wear, and not one of the eleven pink dresses in her closet was suitable. After all, she’d been living in the big city, so she couldn’t very well show up in the lace and flowers she’d been teased about so much in high school. And it wasn’t just her old peers she was worried about impressing. She’d have to face Dane. Hopefully, he’d be too busy being the Sheriff to actually attend the reunion. But there was something else, she knew, and Carter wasn’t going to tell her what it was. She had no choice but to go along with him, and at best support this scheme of his, wherever it led.
Though she really wasn’t hungry any more Catie picked gingerly at her pasta. She glanced up at Carter, who was eating like it was his last meal. Her stomach rumbled at the unknown—and especially thought of seeing Dane again.
It sounds like there may be a little more to getting Dane and Catie together than meets the eye.
NDG: Oh, there always is. That’s the fun of it. A situation arises that requires not only the best of Dane’s law enforcement skills, but facing what’s in his heart at the same time—not an easy task!
Thank you so much for sharing an excerpt from your story with us. Where can SOP readers find more of your work?
NDG: Well, the first 100 people to like my Facebook page will receive a sneak-preview excerpt from my novel My Brother’s Keeper.
Thank you Nina. And details about the Shades of Pink event are listed below.
NDG: Thank you.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month . Last year, the first Shades of Pink event raised over $10.000 for research through more than 1300 donations! To become part of this very special event and download your copy of Shades of Pink Volume 2 (e-book or PDF), visit SOP Editor Kallysten’s blog now through November 15 th .
Filed under: Book Release Tagged: anthology, Breast Cancer, cancer, Donation, ebook, Fundraiser, Nina Day Gerard, Research, Shades of Pink, short stories
October 20, 2014
PHANTOM WOLF – A New Novel
Phantom Wolf by Kia Carrington-Russell
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Dark Fantasy, Action
Synopsis:
Sia is a Phantom Wolf. Neither dead nor alive—and rotting from the inside—she is on the edge of her curse. Once a Phantom Wolf has been created, they hunt their blood pack and slaughter all their loved ones. Except for Sia, who woke years after her death to find herself rampaging through the land on a lonely path. She continues to run from the rival pack that hunts her because she is a Phantom Wolf.
Attracted to a scent, Sia finds her old best friend, who is now a grown woman. Having once saved Keeley, Sia takes the role of protector yet again, despite Keeley’s involvement with the mysterious Alpha, Kiba, and his kin brother, Saith. An ambush separates the pack and the four of them blindly fight the new warriors that attack them: desperately needing to find out where the attacks are coming from, as Sia has vowed to protect Keeley. But at what cost? Now being chased, Sia finds herself conflicted by the mortal and spirit world while trying to protect her kin.
Sia must confront her fears, as well as the human lover who killed her many years before. It is not only survival Sia contends with, but her own façade that must be broken so that she may find peace within herself once more.
Book Links: Website | Goodreads
Purchase Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble
About the author:
Kia Carrington-Russell is a young author working on her first series: “The Three Immortal Blades”. Kia began writing at the age of fifteen in high school- finding that all her warped and strange dreams were giving her a fantastic new world- and since then she has never looked back.
Kia was born in a small town in Australia, moving around a lot at a young age until finding a stable town where she finished her schooling. Kia found herself enjoying and expressing herself through poetry, short stories and writing, photography, painting and drawing. All these mediums help Kia express the different world that she is so fond of.
In ‘Senior Art’ Kia focused on feminism and female empowerment; exposing through her work issues and concerns that many people would rather just “sweep under the rug”. In one art installation, Kia made a bed out of Pokémon cards- the concept being that when she slept a new world would come to life and it was the only one she saw and constantly lived in. Kia now focuses on her photography, writing and self-help blogs on her website: ‘Precious Living’.
Kia is now keenly working on “The Three Immortal Blades” and “Phantom Wolf” series knowing that these books must be shared with the world and that is what she aims to do now. Kia writes in her Australian home, trying to focus at times on simply what is running through her head, as her cats either terrorize her legs as scratching posts or her puppy barks in her ear for play-time. And as she continues her series, they grow with her book.
Kia is strongly supported by her friends and family and thanks them dearly for being with her along the bumpy road and nothing would please her more than having your support as well.
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram: kia_crystal
Book Trailer
Giveaway
Filed under: Book Release Tagged: Action, fantasy, Kia Carrington-Russel, Phantom Wolf, Romance 
Steampunk Carnival
STEAMPUNK CARNIVAL By Cassandra Leuthold
Genre: Science Fiction/ Steampunk
Katya Romanova gave up everything to work at the one-of-a-kind Steampunk Carnival – her family, her home, her reputation. She wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.As a guide to the guests, Katya enjoys more freedom than most. She makes time to gossip with her best friend, Magdalene.
She basks in the elaborate costumes that bring her awed attention, hoping they might also win her a husband. And no man pays her more attention than her boss and carnival owner, William Warden.
But in the summer of 1887, death threats against Mr. Warden break the spell. Katya knows he might be as underhanded as he is charming, but who would
actually want him dead?
When Katya finds unexpected evidence about the carnival’s true origins, the stakes jump even higher.
Not sure whom they can trust, Katya and Magdalene work to unravel the carnival’s mysteries. Who really invented the innovative rides?
Is Mr. Warden protecting his employees or only himself from the looming violence? And will Katya cling to the better side of his nature or eventually turn her affections for him into a powerful rivalry?
BOOK LINKS
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads
ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Cassandra Leuthold
Cassandra grew up in the small town of La Porte, Indiana, exploring wooded parks and sparkling lakes. Making South Bend her home, the scenery hasn’t changed much – inspiring trees and a long, winding river. From the time she started writing in second grade up to the projects she works on now, the nature, history, and people around her inspire the stories she tells. You can find her work listed under many different genres, but the heart of each story remains the same. What keeps us together, and what pulls us apart? She lives with her writer husband and their moody cat, Gaia, in a house three sizes too big. She holds a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies and a Master’s in English. When she’s not writing, you can find her sewing, enjoying nature, listening to music, researching family history, and watching TV.
Facebook | Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest
TRAILER
PLAYLIST
“What I Wouldn’t Do,” She Swings, She Sways
The first chapter of Steampunk Carnival is different than the rest of the book. It’s narrated by someone whose name isn’t revealed for several chapters. The reason he’s obsessed with filling a journal with his ideas isn’t clear until we find out who he is, but the song gives insight into his situation. He’s a man driven by longing, loneliness, and desperation. It adds extra layers and emotions to what’s shared at that point in the book.
“Kill The Lights,” The Birthday Massacre
I’m a big fan of the movie “Moulin Rouge.” In the director’s commentary, Baz Luhrmann talks about the interesting difference between points of view in the climactic scene when Satine dies after the big, pulse-pounding performance. The audience applauds. They loved what they saw. But what they missed was a murder attempt, and what they can’t see after the curtain closes is Satine’s heartbreaking death. This song represents that for Steampunk Carnival. All the guests see are beautiful costumes, spectacular rides, fun games, and delicious treats. They don’t know about the death threats, the violence, and the arguments. They never find out the games are rigged.
“Common Reaction,” Uh Huh Her
As the story unwinds, Katya finds herself in deeper and deeper trouble. She acquires more to lose – friends, her safety, a boyfriend – and realizes there are fewer things she can be sure of. A lot she took for granted isn’t true. This song expresses Katya’s confusion and caution. She doesn’t know how much to trust her boss, William Warden. She hopes everything will work out all right, but she knows any ending is possible.
“Hold My Hand,” Mister Heavenly
This song reminds me of Maddox’s approach to Katya in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way. If Maddox has one thing going for him, it’s persistence. He tries several different tricks to get Katya to go out with him, and she turns him down several times. She’s not easily persuaded to trade her love of money for appreciation of simple fun.
“Shake It Out,” Florence & the Machine
This song provides the perfect backdrop to the night Katya finally gives in to spending time with Maddox. She leaves her fear, her distrust, and her rigid ideas about dating behind. Katya and Maddox ride three attractions at the carnival, which thrills Katya more than she anticipated. But more importantly, they’re finally able to share more about themselves and build a solid foundation for their relationship.
“Baptized by Fire,” Spinnerette
The lyrics and driving guitar in this song mirror what Katya and her friends are feeling by the time they confront the forces conspiring against them. Katya has seen William Warden’s inner nature, and she doesn’t like it. His security guards, allegedly hired to keep the employees safe, have been watching Magdalene like a hawk for weeks. Katya’s tired of meeting in secret, worrying about how the carnival’s reputation will survive the truth about its origins. But true to the song, with going to battle against powerful rivals comes a new beginning for all of them.
GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Filed under: Writing
October 18, 2014
Peradventure, Legends & Lore Anthology, PLUS A GIVEAWAY
Originally posted on A book and a cup of coffee:
As part of the Legends and Lore Anthology blog Tour, I was assigned to read and review Peradventure, a short story by Sarah Seeley. And I feel lucky I have come across Ms Seeley’s work. Peradventure is an absolutely a fantastic read. Amazing and chilling from the beginning to the end! I was engrossed from first word to last.
Peradventure by Sarah Seeley: A jinni must choose between the woman he loves and destroying the city that persecuted her.
Judging of the quality of this short story, I’m convinced the rest of the book is such amazing like this particular one.
And last but not least, a Rafflecopter giveaway runs along with this Blog Tour, so make sure you scroll down and enter for your chance to win amazing prizes!
Here is what Sarah Seeley has to say about her work:
How did the idea for this story come to…
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Filed under: Writing
A Review of “The Brother Sister Fable” by Alyson Grauer
A review of another of the great stories in the anthology coming out this week
Originally posted on Quetz' Domain:
Alyson Grauer uses excellent imagery similar to what one would expect from George MacDonald in her fast paced adventure story, “The Brother Sister Fable”. With a pleasant modern setting, an indistinct bit of country land in New England, Grauer manages to pull the reader deep into the forest and all of the capabilities of exploration that a forest has. Using elements from well known fairytales, a brother and sister, a forest, and the belief that sibling love only grows with age, Grauer showcases exactly what someone with unconditional love would do for a sibling, despite fear of the unknown and wild beasts. Through courage, bravery, and perseverance, the sister shows that siblings will always stick together, even if it means having to face danger.
“The Brother Sister Fable” is just one of many excellent short stories in the book Legends and Lore, available on Amazon.com!
Review Written By A…
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Filed under: Writing
October 17, 2014
Today has been … well it’s almost over
Not one of my best days.
I started it feeling out of sorts. that slightly disjointed feeling that comes when my cycle is peaking but hasn’t really decided which way it wants to drag my brain and emotions.
I had absolutely no desire to write, which didn’t help.
Then I got some distressing family news which didn’t help.
All and all, I hope tomorrow brings a better experience with it.
Filed under: Mental Health, MIscellaneous
Legends and Lore Athnology: Charon’s Obol #Review #Interview #Giveaway
Here’s a review of my short story that got included in this fantastic anthology
Originally posted on Penny Writes:
When I signed up for the Legends and Lore Anthology Blog Tour I asked Becca & Sarah from Loving the Book Launch Party, who are the Tour organisers, to review Charon’s Obol by. R. M. Ridley. I didn’t know what the story was about, or I should say that what I only knew was what the short description says: “Jonathan Alvey didn’t believe in gods, until he helps a lost child find her all-powerful parents.”
But a word was what intrigued me: Charon.
In Greek mythology, Charon (Greek: Χάρων) is the ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead.
So, it was a pleasant surprise to find out that this story, part of the Legends and Lore Anthology, is inspired by Greek Mythology.
As much as I felt a proud Greek…
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Filed under: Writing
October 16, 2014
Legends and Lore!
Delve into myth and legend, where the Fates force post-modern man into a world of the unknown—a world long since dismissed as ignorant superstition.
The Brother-Sister Fable by Alyson Grauer: a young boy disappears into a realm where only his sister can follow.
Faelad by Sarah Hunter Hyatt: Claire Whitaker didn’t even know she was Irish, let alone The Morrigan, the goddess of war.
By Skyfall by Emma Michaels: a mer-couple from Atlantis find themselves in the middle of a human murder investigation.
Charon’s Obol by. R. M. Ridley: Jonathan Alvey didn’t believe in gods, until he helps a lost child find her all-powerful parents.
Peradventure by Sarah E. Seeley: a jinni must choose between the woman he loves and destroying the city that persecuted her.
Natural Order by Lance Schonberg: when Carlos Vasquez is kidnapped, he discovers powers within himself to change the world.
Two Spoons by Danielle E. Shipley: A little girl’s soul meets its match in the family diner’s most mysterious patron.
Grail Days by A. F. Stewart: Living forever has its drawbacks, especially when you spend it clearing away the messes of other immortals. Downward Mobility by M. K. Wiseman: they say love conquers all, but can it save a Valkyrie when she breaks all the rules?
Alyson GrauerAlyson Grauer is a storyteller in multiple mediums, her two primary canvases being the stage and the page. On stage, she is often seen in the Chicago area, primarily at Piccolo Theatre, Plan 9 Burlesque, and the Bristol Renaissance Faire. Her nonfiction work has been published in the “Journal for Perinatal Education” for Lamaze International. Her short fiction can be found in Tales from the Archives (Volume 2) for the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences and in one other anthology from Xchyler Publishing, Mechanized Masterpieces: A Steampunk Anthology. Alyson is a proud graduate of Loyola University of Chicago and hails originally from Milwaukee, WI. Her debut novel, On The Isle of Sound and Wonder, will be released in November 2014 from Xchyler Publishing.
Sarah Hunter Hyatt grew up outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. As a child, she kept notebooks of stories that she would share with her little sisters at bedtime. Now, an adult, her stories have matured but still occupy her thoughts (and notebooks). “Faelad” is Sarah’s second short story for Xchyler Publishing, her first being “Stunner” which appeared in A Dash of Madness: a Thriller Anthology. Along with writing, being a mom to three wonderful kids, and a wife to a patient husband, she also dabbles in graphic design.
Emma Michaels is a cover artist, blogger, and author of the Society of Feathers series. Her love of blogging started when she created a book blog in 2009 which gave her the courage to finally submit her own novels to publishers. Emma Michaels’ publications now include Owlet and Eyrie (Tribute Books), Holiday Magick Anthology (Spencer Hill Press), and Cirque d’Obscure Anthology, and Cogs in Time Anthology (Crushing Hearts Black Butterfly). To find out more stop by http://www.EmmaMichaels.com
R. M. RidleyR. M. Ridley lives in rural Ontario on a small homestead, raising a menagerie of animals, including a flock of sheep and a swarm of foul. He has been writing stories, both long and short, for three decades, the themes of which range from the gruesome to the fantastical. As an individual who suffers from severe bipolar disorder, Ridley is a strong believer in being open about mental health issues because myths should be kept to stories. Ridley’s first short story featuring Jonathan Alvey, “A Case for Custody,” appeared in Shades and Shadows: A Paranormal Anthology (2013), followed by Tomorrow Wendell, Book 1 of the White Dragon Black series (2014). He has two works slated for release in 2015, including Blondes, Books, and Bourbon, an anthology of White Dragon Black short stories, and another full length novel, Book 2 of the White Dragon Black series.
Through two wonderful mentored research experiences, Sarah E. Seeley had the opportunity to work with dead sauropods and ancient odonates while acquiring her undergraduate degree in geology from Brigham Young University. She hopes to study more dead things in the future and contribute to scientific discussions about what makes life on Earth so amazing. In the meantime, she explores the bright side of being human by writing dark fiction. Sarah’s independently published works include Maladaptive Bind and Blood Oath: An Orc Love Story. Another short story, “Driveless,” appears in “Leading Edge Magazine” Issue #66.
You can learn more about Sarah on her writing blog at www.SlithersOfThought.com.
In the middle of lecturing one of his children on the importance of following dreams, Lance began to wonder why and when he’d stopped following his. Gathering up a few salvageable shreds of unfinished stories, he began his first novel. He’s written several novels and many shorter works in the years since, and has had twenty or so stories see publication. At any given moment Lance is working on a novel and at least one short story—probably more—most of which fall into the broad buckets of science fiction or fantasy.
Lance can be found lurking on his blog at www.lanceschoberg.com, on Twitter as @WritingDad, and sometimes even on his Facebook author page.
Danielle E. Shipley’s first novelettes told the everyday misadventures of wacky kids like herself. . . . Or so she thought. Unbeknownst to them all, half of her characters were actually closeted elves, dwarves, fairies, or some combination thereof. When it all came to light, Danielle did the sensible thing: packed up and moved to Fantasy Land, where daily rent is the low, low price of her heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, firstborn child, sanity, and words; lots of them. She’s also been known to spend short bursts of time in the real-life Chicago area with the parents who home schooled her and the two little sisters who keep her humble.
Danielle blogs at www.EverOnWord.wordpress.com.
A steadfast and proud sci-fi and fantasy geek, A.F. Stewart was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada and still calls it home. The youngest in a family of seven children, she always had an overly creative mind and an active imagination. She favours the dark and deadly when writing—her genres of choice being dark fantasy and horror—but she has been known to venture into the light on occasion. As an indie author she’s published novellas and story collections, with a few side trips into poetry and nonfiction. Stewart’s first published work with Xchyler Publishing, “Our Man Fred,” appeared in Mechanized Masterpieces: A Steampunk Anthology (2013).
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tewart is fond of good books, action movies, sword collecting, geeky things, comic books, and oil painting as a hobby. She has a great interest in history and mythology, often working those themes into her books and stories.
M. K. Wiseman is a librarian who recently decided that it would be fun to try her hand at the creation of books instead of mere curation. A ‘method’ writer, she likes to first try out the worlds that she builds. This has, admittedly, led to some strange results. (For example, she once elicited funny looks at her daily coffee shop by adopting a British accent for one day. We’re all in trouble once she decides to write a space novel.) Wiseman’s first short story for Xchyler Publishing, “Clockwork Ballet,” appeared in Mechanized Masterpieces: A Steampunk Anthology (2013).
In addition to the dozens of stories currently marinating on her hard drive, she maintains two blogs, Flying the Blue Pigeon and Millicent and Rue.
Filed under: Publishing, Writing
October 15, 2014
New Novella – November 15th!
About the Book
Respect is often one of the most difficult things to find when setting out on a new path. It’s not any easier being a Halfling, but Eron is determined to achieve his dream of being a ranger.
Following the death of Reinhart, Eron is duty-bound to follow through on his dream. The one thing he never expected was to be challenged at every turn by those who he met along the way. From shape shifters and old men, to a one-eyed Dwarf and a secretive Elf, he quickly learns not everything is as it appears.
Success is won one step at a time in Building A Legend. Coming November 15.
About the Author
CP Bialois’ love of words began as a small child when his father bought a stack of comics to teach him the reading skills he wasn’t mastering in class. Before long, he was reading at an advanced level and teachers were shaking their heads over the unconventional method.
Growing up in the ‘80s, Bialois was exposed to even further inspiration through the popular cartoons of the day. Transformers, in particular, sparked his imagination and led to him put his first stories on paper. After a decades-long break, Bialois began getting back into the world of writing by joining some role-playing groups. These groups taught him about fleshing out characters and building worlds that stuck with him as he began writing short stories for fun.
To his surprise, Bialois would end up completing his first full-length novel, Call of Poseidon, in 2007. Armed with a finished product, Bialois began working on another book, The Sword and the Flame, unsure of what he would ultimately be doing with either. As with many others in the later part of the first decade of the 2000’s, he found himself out of work and looking into new options. Over the next two years, he would spend most days at the library, completing an additional half-dozen works.
Six books later, Bialois is planning for the release of many more and enjoying the feedback he receives. The up-and-coming author takes inspiration from favorites such as Steven King, Tom Clancy and Sue Grafton. His love of history, fantasy and old monster movies has also served as a muse.
When he’s not busy writing or chatting on his social networks, Bialois enjoys watching hockey and football as well as Metallica DVDs. He currently lives with his wife- a fellow writer- and their fur children. CP Bialois is also active in several South Florida writing groups, as well as the online writer community, and the Florida Writers Association.
Where to stalk CP
Filed under: Book Release, Publishing, Writing Tagged: Building A Legend, C P Bialois, Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, shapeshifter
