I’m thrilled to announce that my next release, Splendor’s Orbit, is up for preorder!
This one is a sci-fi adventure and the first in a trilogy that I plan to rapid release (I’m currently revising book 3).
Ten years ago, Captain Colderaro was the star of the Confederacy Task Force. And then she disappeared.
Now, presumed MIA, she prefers to keep a low profile. Working as a pilot on a freighter ship, she occasionally accepts the odd refugee passenger to appease her humanitarian conscience. But things go downhill when her cargo turns out to be none other than the princess of a foreign race and her two bodyguards.
Embroiled in a galaxy-wide scheme, Captain Colderaro finds herself dodging the Confederacy Task Force, space pirates, and mercenaries intent on catching the princess.
Can she make it to the foreign planet without losing or damaging her cargo and still protect her identity?
***
If you’re interested in an early copy for free in exchange of an honest review, fill up the form below and I’ll get back to you:
These are four of the books I read this month that I just couldn’t help but share here.
Come check them out!
Note: All images here were taken from Goodreads.
Wicked Bleu by E. Denise Billups
This is a story about love, murder, jealousy, friendship, among other themes, all mixed and woven into a complex storytelling.
Author E. Denise Billups has a unique writing style that captivates and fascinates. There hasn’t been a book by this author that I haven’t enjoyed.
Simone’s compassionate and kind, a tough lady, and she’s protective of her friends. Her abilities to see ghosts might be new, but she goes into things with an open mind. For that, she wants to puzzle out a 100 year old murder to give a ghost the peace she lacked in life.
I enjoyed watching the budding romance between Simone and Mitchell, the support among her friends, and unraveling the murder mystery alongside Simone.
This is the second book in this series and as great as the first one. Although I’d recommend reading them in order, you don’t have to.
Highly recommended!
The Necromancer’s Daughter by D. Wallace Peach
D. Wallace Peach has a writing style’ that’s always fascinated me. It’s vivid and it’s captivating, and this book is no different.
I came into the story expecting a wonderful read, and I wasn’t disappointed.
The world building is fantastic, and so are the characters.
You can’t help but feel for Aster, for the hand she was dealt and the quest she’s facing, and even fall a little in love with Barus. I enjoyed the tension between Aster and Joreh, and watching the romance subtly evolving, not taking over the plot.
And the dragons…. It’s such a plus in this story, making it richer. My only wish was that we saw more of them.
I didn’t want the book to end, but couldn’t help but devour the pages, wanting to know more and soon, too soon, I was reading the last scene.
If you enjoy tales of compassion, of evil vs. good, of impossible odds – and of course, fairy tale retellings, this book is for you!
Mistaken Identity Crisis by James J. Cudney
I’ve had this book for a long while, and for no particular reason, just kept putting it off for later. But then I picked it up and just couldn’t put it down. The pages kept flipping, and before I knew it, I was turning the last page. It helped that this wasn’t a very long book, so I was only up until 1 in the morning.
Intrigue, mystery, humor, and a touch of romance make this a great read.
Kellan is sleuthing again, but this time, he may be in way over his head.
Another murder and an old, unsolved case has Kellan searching for clues. I was almost sure I had things figured out, but ouch, that twist – I didn’t see it coming!
And then we have the mystery of his supposedly dead wife, the mob and their rivalry, and in this fourth instalment, things are finally revealed.
If you haven’t yet read any of this author’s books, you have no idea how much you’re missing out!
Highly recommended!
PS: Nana D is still my favorite. Go, Nana D!
Bloodstone by M.J. Mallon
This is my first book by this author, and what an amazing surprise it was!
Bloodstone follows the story of Amelina, a 15 year old girl with a complex life, a dysfunctional family, and a curse.
From the beginning, I was caught by the steady, descriptive flow of the words. There’s poetry at the start of the chapters, adding charm and imagery to the scenes.
There’s a bit of everything in this book – teenage angst, romance, magical pets, friendship, broken relationships, as well as some scenes verging into the darker side of depression.
Some things were resolved in this book, but not all, leaving the reader satisfied, yet wanting more.
Today is my stop for Jacqui Murray’s blog tour for her latest book, Natural Selection.
The concept of how humans evolved is a curious and complex one, with not enough books on the topic. Kudos to Author Jacqui Murray for setting up these characters in such a time period, and basing them on true events! In this installment, Jacqui tackles a topic dear to me, because I can relate: an almost blind character, Ahnda. Having suffered an unfortunate series of event, Ahnda finds himself alone and almost blind. He has two options: give up and die, or keep going and achieve his goal (Finding Lucy and her tribe).
Read on to the end and find out what Author Jacqui Murray has to say about this character.
Title: Natural Selection
Series: Book 3 in the Dawn of Humanity series
Genre: Prehistoric fiction
Book summary:
In this conclusion to Lucy’s journey, she and her tribe leave their good home to rescue former-tribemembers captured by the enemy. Lucy’s tribe includes a mix of species–a Canis, a Homotherium, and different iterations of early man. In this book, more join and some die, but that is the nature of prehistoric life, where survival depends on a combination of our developing intellect and our inexhaustible will to live. Each species brings unique skills to this task. Based on true events.
Set 1.8 million years ago in Africa, Lucy and her tribe struggle against the harsh reality of a world ruled by nature, where predators stalk them and a violent new species of man threatens to destroy their world. Only by changing can they prevail. If you ever wondered how earliest man survived but couldn’t get through the academic discussions, this book is for you. Prepare to see this violent and beautiful world in a way you never imagined.
A perfect book for fans of Jean Auel and the Gears!
Could an almost-blind person survive primordial Africa?
There’s a fascinating character in the Dawn of Humanity trilogy, with a big part in my latest book, Natural Selection, named Ahnda. Ahnda is a normal early man youth, growing up with his tribe, looking forward to hunting and knapping stone tools with the adults, until a series of mishaps land him alone, in an unknown area, and almost blind. Ahnda would like to give up, but then he would die so he makes the decision to keep moving toward his goal–to find Lucy and her tribe–until he can’t. He learns to rely on senses other than sight, to be furiously aware of his surroundings, to trust his ability to solve problems, and to never give up even when his journey seems impossible.
I hadn’t planned on Ahnda’s sight challenges when I started writing Natural Selection. I developed Glaucoma and suddenly, unbidden, Ahnda’s mishaps ended him in near-blindness as though the Universe was telling me to stop whining. Others have it worse. At first blush, I didn’t believe it was possible for him to survive, and then I read Enos Abijah Mills’ story, The Adventures of a Nature Guide. He had been exploring the peak of the Continental Divide, alone as was his norm, when he lost his vision to snow blindness. In the late 1800’s, there were no phones, compasses, or any other technology to help him out of this trouble. Most of us would ponder our mortality, but Mills rationally and calmly found his way back to civilization by employing his remaining senses:
“[Blindly, trudging through endless snow, I shouted] … listened intently … and noticed the direction from which the reply came, its intensity, and the cross echoes …”
The farther he traveled, the less Mills cared what nature threw at him. Each problem presented an opportunity to learn about the natural world and himself. That became the model for Ahnda. Today’s world has lots of sight-challenged individuals who function well with canes, seeing-eye dogs, and clickers, but Ahnda has none of those. Is it reasonable that he could survive? Let’s look at the science.
There is a lot of evidence backing up the ability to navigate one’s environment via sounds.
One: Bats fly in dark caves and find insect prey using a skill called echolocation. They produce sound waves outside of the human ear’s ability to hear to locate objects around them. You can do an Internet search for details.
Another: Sight-challenged people can learn to move around well using a combination of sonar, echolocation, and “clicking”. If you didn’t know they were sight-challenged, you wouldn’t know. Interested? Search “Daniel Kish” and “Perceptual Navigation” for more information.
I bet all of you know at least one physically-challenged individual that doesn’t let that stop them at. all. Share those stories in the comments!
About Jacqui Murray:
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. Her non-fiction includes over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, reviews as an Amazon Vine Voice, a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics.
The Canis’ packmates were all dead, each crumpled in a smeared puddle of blood, Upright killing sticks embedded where they should never be. His body shook, but he remembered his training. The killers’ scent filled the air. If they saw him—heard him—they would come for him, too, and he must survive. He was the last of his pack.
He padded quietly through the bodies, paused at his mate, broken, eyes open, tongue out, pup under her chest, his head crushed. A moan slipped from his muzzle and spread around him. He swallowed what remained in his mouth. Without a pack, silence was his only protection. He knew to be quiet, but today, now, failed.
To his horror, a departing Upright looked back, face covered in Canis blood, meaty shreds dripping from his mouth, the body of a dead pup slung over his shoulder. The Canis sank into the brittle grass and froze. The Upright scanned the massacre, saw the Canis’ lifeless body, thought him dead like the rest of the decimated pack. Satisfied, he turned away and rushed after his departing tribe. The Canis waited until the Upright was out of sight before cautiously rising and backing away from the onslaught, eyes on the vanished predators in case they changed their minds.
And fell.
He had planned to descend into the gully behind him. Sun’s shadows were already covering it in darkness which would hide him for the night, but he had gauged his position wrong. Suddenly, earth disappeared beneath his huge paws. He tried to scrabble to solid ground, but his weight and size worked against him and he tumbled down the steep slope. The loose gravel made gripping impossible, but he dug his claws in anyway, whining once when his shoulder slammed into a rock, and again when his head bounced off a tree stump. Pain tore through his ear as flesh ripped, dangling in shreds as it slapped the ground. He kept his legs as close as possible to his body and head tucked, thankful this hill ended in a flat field, not a river.
Or a cliff.
When it finally leveled out, he scrambled to his paws, managed to ignore the white-hot spikes shrieking through his head as he spread his legs wide. Blood wafted across his muzzle. He didn’t realize it was his until the tart globs dripped down his face and plopped to the ground beneath his quaking chest. The injured animal odor, raw flesh and fresh blood, drew predators. In a pack, his mate would purge it by licking the wound. She would pronounce him Ragged-ear, the survivor.
Ragged-ear is a strong name. A good one.
He panted, tail sweeping side to side, and his indomitable spirit re-emerged.
I live.
But no one else in his pack did.
Except, maybe, the female called White-streak. She often traveled alone, even when told not to. If she was away during the raid, she may have escaped. He would find her. Together, they would start over.
Hi peeps. I’ve decided to start a segment in this blog by introducing other indie authors I know and enjoy.
I’m opening it with a dear friend and author, Tyler Colins. We met a few years back here in the blogosphere, and have been friends ever since.
So, without any further ado, let’s start.
A brief bio:
Tyler Colins
Tyler Colins is primarily a writer of fiction and blog posts, and a sometimes editor and proofreader of books, manuals, and film/television scripts. She’ll also create business plans, synopses, film promotion and sales documents.
Fact-checking and researching, organizing and coordinating are skills and joys (she likes playing detective and developing structure).
Her fiction audience: lovers of female-sleuth mysteries. Her genres of preference: mysteries (needless to say), women’s fiction, informative and helpful “affirmative” non-fiction.
She aims to provide readers with smiles and chuckles like the ever-talented Janet Evanovich and the sadly passed and missed Lawrence Sanders, the “coziness” of Jessica Fletcher, and a few diversions and distractions as only long-time pros Jonathan Kellerman and Kathy Reichs can craft.
And now, the interview (read to the end for an excerpt of Can You Hula Like Hilo Hattie)
Q: What inspired you to become an author? And why Hawaii?
A: As an only child with a mother and father who didn’t really have time or support for me as parents tend to, I had to find my own source of “play”. I started drawing and writing. My grade 7 teacher, Mr. Kennedy, loved a short story I had written and read it to the class. I had no idea I had any talent. That afternoon made me look at myself as something more than a friendless, lonely kid. Little ’ me was actually good at something. I started writing . . . and writing . . . and writing. The rest, as the saying goes, is history. 😊
I fell in love with Hawaii the first time I stepped foot on Oahu. It wasn’t that I saw “Paradise” there (because, off the tourist track, it has its issues as most places do), but that I felt a connection to the history and spirituality. I felt like I belonged. There wasn’t anywhere I wouldn’t go; I felt no fear or anxiety. And when I began the sequel to The Connecticut Corpse Caper, which was initially intended to be a stand-alone, Hawaii seemed the perfect place to have my three private eyes move to. Even if I can’t live there—given laws and finances and all that—Hawaii is my home . . . in heart and soul.
Q: What do you think is the most difficult part about writing, and how do you motivate yourself to continue?
A: For me, the most difficult thing about being a writer is finding the time to write. Mom-care still takes up a few hours, most days, and the full-time job isn’t your usual eight-hour day. Freelance editing also detracts (but I’d not give up editing for anything because I do so love it). One day, hopefully, I’ll find a way to juggle time more constructively.
I can’t say I “motivate” myself. 😉 I simply do.
Q: It’s a strange and tough world out there. Do you find that it hinders or improves your writing?
A: It is indeed. The state of affairs around the world can be daunting and/or depressing. Some days, it can weigh heavily; you wonder (worry) that those state of affairs will never improve but, then, bursts of hope and faith—like a double Hawaiian rainbow—take over. And you think, believe, hey, maybe things will turn out all right after all. I wouldn’t say exterior forces hinder my writing, nor improve it. But they may provide ideas for scenes or twists in plots.
Q: What is your favorite way to relax?
A: LOL – I haven’t found one yet. Well, I shouldn’t say that. When I get to Hawaii, that’s where I find ways to relax . . . strolling along a beach, splashing in the ocean, finding a fun farmer’s market, or enjoying shave ice while sitting on a rock by the water’s edge.
Q: Do you read your own books after they’re published? If not, why not?
A: I haven’t read my books after they’ve been published per se. But when I require an excerpt for a post, then I will scan one or two of them to find the perfect one. I think the reason I’m not inclined to read them from front to end is that I might discover typos or something that didn’t gel. Then I’d spend the week or month kicking myself repeatedly. 😉
I believe one of my favorite excerpts is from Can You Hula Like Hilo Hattie? when JJ and Cash’s budding “relationship” starts to take off . . . or not . . .
Q: If you were to become the mc of the last book you read, who would you be and where?
A: I edit a lot of books, but I don’t read a lot of books . . . save for, believe it or not, the odd Nancy Drew book. I pick one from the pile in the closet if I’m going to ride the stationary bike in the fitness room. It’s an easy read and it takes me back to simpler times—when I was kid living in (escaping to) my little world. I always wanted to be Bess or George, never Nancy. She always seemed so perfect and privileged, and for a little kid being caught up in a not so perfect or privileged world, I couldn’t relate to it. But I’d love to be involved in one of their mysteries. My favorites were The Haunted Showboat and The Secret of the Wooden Lady, so the setting of either one would be very “Keene”. LOL
Excerpt for Can You Hula Like Hilo Hattie
Cover taken from Goodreads
“No stitches required, fortunately.”
Linda propped Cash’s head on a fit thigh and continued to dab a tiny sponge on an open cut above the right eyebrow. “But he’s going to have one big headache, a knob on his temple, and probably a scar. Perfect timing, me stopping by. If Makjo hadn’t taken the afternoon off, you’d be the one administering medical aid.”
He stirred twice, but was having difficulty opening his eyes.
“Fortunately, you’re here,” I smiled wryly, “and you have first aid certification.”
“So will you and Rey after next month.”
Linda had taken first aid and CPR training last summer while still in California. Rey and I had discussed doing something similar upon arrival on Oahu. As professional private investigators, first aid was at the top of the list, but other courses like investigative techniques and interviewing methods were also on the agenda.
“Who is this guy? I don’t think you’ve mentioned knowing someone this hunky.” Digging through a kit, she located antiseptic cream and a large bandage.
“He has different names. Cash. Richie J. Richard. He’s a drug dealer.”
Linda stopped and searched his face. “Really?”
“He doesn’t look like one?” I asked drolly.
“I’ve never met one before.”
“Damn.” He winced, and brought a hand to his forehead. “What happened?”
“You got beaned by our favorite beaner,” Linda explained merrily, gently applying cream to the wound before applying the bandage. “She can pack a mighty wallop.”
He squinted upward. “Who are you?”
“Linda Royale.” She peered so closely, they were nearly nose to nose. “I hear you’re a drug dealer.”
A flummoxed gaze shifted from her face to mine. I was standing behind Linda, looking down, hoping the damage was minor enough not to do any serious or permanent damage, but major enough to make him think twice about entering the condo uninvited again. “Did I deserve that? Bitch.”
If looks could kill. “Watch the name calling,” I trilled, getting a glass of water and passing it to Doctor Linda.
She supported his head and got him to drink a third of the glass. “Do you deal locally or on the Mainland, as well? Do you hobnob with guys who have the status of the once-super-rich-and successful ‘Freeway’ Rick Ross and Amado ‘Lord of the Skies’ Fuentes?”
He eyed her as if she were as demented as Norman Bates’ mother.
“Oh, sorry. You probably don’t want to share your criminal life with us. That’s okay.” Linda smiled and he closed his eyes in a give-me-strength cast. “Let’s get you upright.” She assisted him into a more vertical position.
He noticed her dressing. “Did she bean you, too?”
Linda instinctively touched the binding on her head. “This is courtesy of a creep I had the displeasure of not meeting last night.”
As a binge reader, I often come across many great books that are, for the most part, overlooked by the majority of readers. It’s disappointing to tell a friend, “Hey, I read so and so book,” only to realize the other person not only never heard of the book, but has no idea who the author is.
So, I wanted to start sharing some books I enjoyed very much, but that I think don’t get enough credit.
For this post, I will be introducing The Guild Codex Universe by Annette Marie.
There are four series in this urban fantasy world and one magic system. I’ve read them all and enjoyed each equally.
First, let me introduce you to the series, where the characters are interwoven:
The Guild Codex: Spellbound
The Guild Codex: Demonized
The Guild Codex: Warped
The Guild Codex: Unveiled
And here’s the first book in each one, as well as a goodreads description and a brief thought:
Spellbound
Image taken from Goodreads
Starting with Three Mages and a Margarita, this series is complete at eight books, all of which are amazing.
Goodreads description:
“Mages, psychics, sorcerers, druids, demons—and a human with a feisty attitude, no magic, and one last chance at gainful employment.”
I loved the fact that Tori is one tough kick ass human, no hidden powers, no magic at all, but she stands equally to all the supernaturals and is just as badass – and sometimes more.
This was the first book I read by this author, but not the last.
Demonized
Image taken from Goodreads
Starting with Taming Demons for Beginners, this series is complete at four books.
Goodreads description:
“When shy bookworm Robin found a hellish creature imprisoned in her uncle’s basement, she never intended to make a contract with the rare, deadly demon. And their contract? His protection in exchange for… cookies. There’s no way that could go wrong.”
Between this one and Spellbound, the two series really come alive. I read them in their reading order, which you can find here.
Warped
Image taken from Goodreads
Starting with Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors
There are three books in this series, though there are more to come, and I can’t wait!
Goodreads description:
“When psychic conman Kit is arrested, all he wants to do is escape. Instead, he finds himself partnered with by-the-books MagiPol agent Lienna and tasked with bringing down his ex-partner-in-crime. That might make escaping custody a tad more difficult.”
Narrated from the pov of a male character and a convict as well, this is, by far, the one to make you laugh in the middle of the night. You can’t help but root for the underdog – and yes, it’s action packed as well.
Unveiled
Image taken from Goodreads
Starting with The One and Only Crystal Druid, there are four books published in this series, and like Warped, there are still more to come.
Goodreads description:
“When ex-convict and incompetent witch Saber encounters the notorious Crystal Druid, she tries to kill him. Then she discovers a mysterious fae on a deadly rampage. Together, they have a chance to stop it—if she can resist stabbing her new ally.”
I’ll admit that after reading about Zach as a secondary character in the other three series, I was so excited to finally read his story, that when I finally picked it up and found it told in the female’s pov, I was disappointed. I wanted Zach as the lead character, and for that, my enjoyment dimmed. That doesn’t mean that this series isn’t awesome, because it is, only that I felt betrayed when I picked up the first book and found the story told in someone else’s pov.
So that’s it. Have you ever read any of the above?
There are other books by this author in other worlds – Steel and stone, and they’re great reads as well – yes, I’ve read them all. But to keep this post short, I’ll stop here, for now. Next week, I’ll come back with a new post and a new author.
Do you know any similar books overlooked by the majority? Let me know in the comments below!
I’ve lost a third of my ratings on Goodreads overnight. According to Goodreads customer services, they’re experiencing a bug. It’s got full priority, but they have no idea when it’ll be fixed. Meanwhile, I’ve dropped from 4.41 average rating to a 4.09 – because most ratings that disappeared were 5 and 4 star ratings.
1. Phone NASA. Their phone number is (713) 483-3111. Explain that it’s very important that you get away as soon as possible.
2. If they do not cooperate, phone any friend you may have in the White House–(202) 456-1414–to have a word on your behalf with the guys at NASA.
3. If you don’t have any friends in the White House, phone the Kremlin (ask the overseas operator for 0107-095-295-9051). They don’t have any friends there either (at least, none to speak of), but they do seem to have a little influence, so you may as well try.
4. If that also fails, phone the Pope for guidance. His telephone number is 011-39-6-6982, and I gather his switchboard is infallible.
5. If all these attempts fail, flag down a passing flying saucer and explain that it’s vitally important you get away before your phone bill arrives.
(Taken from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
Liars and Thieves is the new enthralling release by fellow blogger and prolific author D. Wallace Peach. It’s the first installment in a new trilogy, and today is my stop at the launch tour.
Behind the Veil, the hordes gather, eager to savage the world. But Kalann il Drakk, First of Chaos, is untroubled by the shimmering wall that holds his beasts at bay. For if he cannot cleanse the land of life, the races will do it for him. All he needs is a spark to light the fire.
Three unlikely allies stand in his way.
A misfit elf plagued by failure—
When Elanalue Windthorn abandons her soldiers to hunt a goblin, she strays into forbidden territory.
A changeling who betrays his home—
Talin Raska is a talented liar, thief, and spy. He makes a fatal mistake—he falls for his mark.
A halfbreed goblin with deadly secrets—
Naj’ar is a loner with a talent he doesn’t understand and cannot control, one that threatens all he holds dear.
When the spark of Chaos ignites, miners go missing. But they won’t be the last to vanish. As the cycles of blame whirl through the Borderland, old animosities flare, accusations break bonds, and war looms.
Three outcasts, thrust into an alliance by fate, by oaths, and the churning gears of calamity, must learn the truth. For they hold the future of their world in their hands.
Read on to find out more about the author, watch a book trailer and read an interesting tidbit about Naj’ar The Halfbreed Goblin.
Let’s start with a Q & A
Q: Naj’s weapon of choice is a glaive. What’s that?
A: Originally, I made up a word “tarik” to represent Naj’s goblin weapon. But it was a glaive (sort of), so why not call it a glaive. Duh?
Image credit Pixabay
A glaive is a pole with a long, curved blade on one end, so it has a longer cutting reach than a sword. The goblin version of the weapon is bladed on both ends. It can be used like a scimitar, a quarterstaff, or spear, but is designed for sweeping cuts.
There’s some argument among weapon’s experts that holding two weapons is probably more realistic and flexible, but Naj’ar is quite skilled with his double-bladed glaive. His mate had it made for him, and he’s quite attached to it.
D. Wallace Peach started writing later in life after the kids were grown and a move left her with hours to fill. Years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books, and when she started writing, she was instantly hooked. Diana lives in a log cabin amongst the tall evergreens and emerald moss of Oregon’s rainforest with her husband, two dogs, bats, owls, and the occasional family of coyotes.
Jina S. Bazzar 