Interview with author J. P. Jackson

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. It’s been a devastating couple of weeks (filled with pain, anger, and hope for change). My hope is that you are taking care of yourselves. In an effort to promote positivity and to give us a short break this week I pleased to bring back fellow author and amazing friend J. P. Jackson on my Scribbles page to talk with us about what he’s been up to since the last time we chatted (you can view his last interview here) and to share some amazing news about his new audio book.

Before we jump into our conversation tell us about yourself and your writing.

That’s always such a daunting task. Who am I? I’m a 50 year old gay man, on the bearish side, married to a fantastic man for the past 22 years. I’m also Canadian (sorry), and among the many other things I can classify myself as, I have to own up to the fact that I’m a writer.

(Gasp!)

That’s always so hard for me to own.

When I do sit down and write there are a few elements that are essential.

1. There has to be some kind of paranormal or magical element. I love urban fantasy, I love ghosts and demons and the things that go bump in the night. I guarantee every single one of my books or short stories is going to involve something fantastical.

2. My main characters will always be LGBTQ+. Usually I write about gay men. I have an affinity for the bearish men, and for red heads, and you’ll find them predominant in my tales, but I’ve included a little bit of everybody.

3. I typically write in the here and now. As much as I love futuristic Sci-Fi and historical Fantasy, it’s just not my jam to write, plus I don’t think I have the skills to do those genre properly.

So, there you go. Gay, bearish, magical, things with wings and tails. That’s pretty much me and what you’ll get from my stories.

What have you been up to since the last time I had you over for a sit down?

Oh goodness. Let’s see. I wrote another book, not related to either the Books of the Apocalypse or the Inner Demon series. I know my readers are hating me right now because of that. But this story just wouldn’t leave me alone.

The book is called Summoned, and it’s about Devid Khandelwal. He’s a first generation born Canadian of East Indian descent and he has a deep fascination for all things occult. But as much as he has studied and practiced runes and tarot and spirit summonings, nothing has ever happened to him that might be considered supernatural. He’s about to give it all up, but tries one last spell. Dev purchases a summoning board that grants desires and he ropes his best friend, Cameron Habersham, into performing the ritual with him.

Nothing happens, and Dev is crushed.

But then…

The desires they wished for start coming true.

Dev and Cam are plunged into the Shadow Realm and all hell breaks loose. The two find themselves in the middle of an all-male coven, who capture and victimize Fae, and who are in a generations long feud with the local werewolf pack.

Needless to say, Dev begins to regret his involvement in the occult and the old saying “be careful what you wish for”, is suddenly a very real consideration.

That book got signed to contract with NineStar Press and should be out later this year, or early 2021.

Then I also had Magic or Die made into an Audiobook and that released last month. So far the sales are doing pretty well – the narrator was fantastic – and I had a video book trailer made to advertise the release of the audiobook, and did a week long Facebook blitz too.

I know you and I have chatted several times about writing; more specifically writing Queer Novels that aren’t romance, care to share some of your thoughts on the subject? What have your learned? What do readers need to understand about writing non romance LGBTQIA+ books, that they might not fully understand now (don’t be preachy here, keep it conversational).

This is something that STILL drives me insane.

So, for anyone reading – LGBTQ+ Fiction DOES NOT HAVE TO HAVE SEX IN IT TO MAKE IT QUEER FICTION.

Repeat that for me. Say it louder for the folks in the back.

Simply having your characters identify within the queer community is enough. The story may not revolve around relationships or sex in any way shape or form. I think the content of any story is dictated by the motivations of the character, and the situation they find themselves in. In my first book, Daimonion, the world has just started the beginning of the Apocalypse. It’s not exactly the right moment for sexy fun. In Magic or Die, there is the beginning of a relationship between one of the adult ‘students’ of the Center for Magical Research and Development, and the ‘teacher’ or ‘coach’ of the group. But the two involved talk about how inappropriate it is to act on their attraction for each other. I mean they eventually throw all caution out the window, but that has ramifications. Either way, neither of these two books have any content that I would consider to be sex. Sexual tension? Sure. Off page sex references? Absolutely – but that’s what the story demanded.

Now, Summoned, that’s a bit of a different beast. The world of Male Witches in this tale is hyper sexualized, and so there is graphic sex depicted in the novel.

I didn’t really want to go down that route – I didn’t want to be another M/M Romance author. But at the same time, I was curious to see if this kind of story would sell better than the first two. So, as much as writing Summoned stretched my comfort zones and my writing skills (writing sex isn’t easy, and writing good and accurate sex scenes is even harder (all the puns intended)), it’s also an experiment to see what sells.

I have to ask, so this new book, Summoned, is an experiment for you and your writing, does this mean if you sell more of the romance story then the Urban Fantasy that you are going to move into the romance field and give up Urban Fantasy? Will J.P. Jackson become the next Nora Roberts or Nicholas Sparks?

HAHAHAHA!

OMG if only - Nora Roberts.

So here's the fun thing - I started out with Summoned trying to write an M/M Paranormal Romance - and to be honest, I think it ended up being a sexy Urban Fantasy story that has graphic sex. I'm not sure I would call it a Romance in any way. Others may disagree.

But, if it is successful - more than the other books, will I start writing more stories like this?

Probably not.

Books of the Apocalypse have three books planned out - it's a trilogy. I have no desire to include sex in any of them

Inner Demons series has five books planned - and James and Isaiah will continue their relationship throughout the series, but will we get to see them get down and dirty? Probably not - it's not what this set of books are about.

Magus Malefica series - the book that Summoned is from - could have as many as thirteen books, each stand-alone, with repeating characters from the other stories. This series will have sex.

Other books? Probably not. Maybe? But will sex and romance be the only thing I write?  No.

I think it will depend on the story.

What was is like working on creating an audio book for Magic or Die?

The process was really interesting.

I have to say, I feel very fortunate that my publishing house is able and willing to assist its authors in getting their books formatted into an audiobook. I can’t imagine trying to do this on my own.

It has been two years since Magic or Die was published, so I had to go back and re-examine my work and that alone was an intellectual exercise. I had to create some documents that would give potential narrators a feel for the characters in the book. Who they were, what they looked like, and how I felt their voice might be portrayed. All of this work made me reevaluate the writing and my characters, and I was often surprised at my writing. After a two year break from the storyline, I had forgotten a lot of details. It was fun to go back and visit this project.

After this step was completed, I had to put together a quick script. A scene that had a good selection of characters speaking so that potential narrators had something to work from, and could audition with.

Then, the script and character sheets were posted (again, thanks to NineStar), and we waited for narrators to audition. I was fortunate that I had a couple who were interested. After listening to their reads of the script I had prepared, there was one that clearly felt ‘right’. Robbie Molinari’s (find Robbie here) voices and tone were perfect.

Robbie was then sent the offer to produce the book. He sent a sample back, reading the first few chapters. The content was fantastic.

When he was done narrating the book, I sat down with my own book in hand, and listened to Robbie as he narrated Magic or Die, following along in my book. If I came across a mistake, it was noted. Mistakes were sent off to him, they were corrected and then the entire book was uploaded to the Audible website.

One month later – 43 downloads! WOOHOO!

Now, I also know, you were busy creating a book trailer as well. Tell us about that process?

I thought it might be a good idea to advertise the release of the audiobook, as no one would even know about it otherwise. So I contacted Baz Collins (learn more about Baz and Akwekon Media here) – a fellow author from NineStar – and a media whiz, and asked him if he could create a video book trailer. He had done some in the past which I thought were stunning.

Baz and I worked together. I sent him the same character tip sheet that I sent off to the Narrator, along with a couple lines about the plot of the book, something that would ‘hook’ the readers, or make the project sound really interesting.

From there, Baz found stock images for the various characters, overlaid a number of effects with a perfectly paired soundtrack, and from all that work, he created a fantastic trailer!

Click here for the link – go watch – Baz did an incredible job.

Tell me, if there was one thing you would like readers to take away about your writing, what would it be?

Being Urban Fantasy, the stories are meant to be fantastical. To make the unreal, real. So I would hope that readers get lost in the stories and immersed in a world full of magic and possibilities.

But each book has its own theme or dilemma. So there’ll be lessons in each book, or takeaways, or things that I hope will make readers ponder and question. For instance, Magic or Die is about dealing with your own Inner Demons, and in fact, that’s the name of the series. Perhaps readers will self examine their own monsters and come to terms with them

The last thing I want, is for members of the LGBTQ+ community to have stories where they can see themselves being the hero. So often, we’ve had to fight, and fight hard in order to have the same things as our heterosexual friends and family. It’s nice to see ourselves depicted in fiction in positive ways.

Lastly, I want others who are not part of the LGBTQ+ community to see that we can be the heroes too. Members of our community are strong, smart, capable, reliable, clever, resilient, and creative. We are just as capable of fighting off the monster, defeating the villain and overcoming our own faults to be a character to look up to and strive to be.

How are your Demons treating you? What about your African Violets?

My demons are always tormenting me. They do it for fun. Sometimes they come for snuggles and pets, other times it’s to claw, bite, and scratch. They are unusual beasties, but I love them.

The violets are great right now! I have about 200 seedlings slowly growing, and a couple of seed pods ripening on some plants. New violets are on the way!

What else do you have coming up? What are you working on?

I’m really focusing on finishing the second book of the Inner Demons series – that’s the next book after Magic or Die.  It’s called Blood and Sacrifice and it’s all about dealing with James’ sister, Shauna and her use of Blood Magic. There are ghosts, zombies, vampires, siphons, and a whole new brand of magic that has a Voudon feel to it.

Then I have a couple of short stories I need to write – ideas that have come to me.

And then it’s time to start cracking down on Nephilim – Book Two of the Apocalypse. I’m equally terrified and excited to be continuing this project, and it’s long overdue.

***

I want to extend a big thanks to J.P. Jackson for stopping by and chatting with us today. if you like it a little creepy and dark then I absolutely recommend that you go out and pick up a copy of Magic or Die and listen to chilling tale. Until next time I hope you stay safe and have a great week.

Find the Book trailer:

Click here to view the trailer for Magic or Die

Magic or Die Details:

James Martin is a teacher, a powerful Psychic, and an alcoholic. He used to work for the Center for Magical Research and Development, a facility that houses people who can’t control their supernatural abilities, but left after one of his students was killed, turning to vodka to soothe his emotional pain. The problem is he still has one year left on his contract. When James returns to the CMRD to fulfill the rest of his contract, he finds himself confronting the demons of his past and attempting to protect his new class from a possible death sentence, because if they don’t pass their final exams, they’ll be euthanized. James also discovers that his class isn’t bringing in enough sponsors, the agencies and world governments who supply grants and ultimately purchase graduates of the CMRD, and that means no profit for the facility. James and his students face impossible odds—measure up to the facility’s unreachable standards or escape.

Find the audiobook here.

Find the ebook and paperback here.

About J.P. Jackson

J.P. Jackson works as an IT analyst in health care during the day, where if cornered he’d confess to casting spells to ensure clinicians actually use the electronic medical charting system he configures and implements.

At night however, the writing happens, where demons, witches and shape shifters congregate around the kitchen table and general chaos ensues. The insurance company refuses to accept any more claims of ‘acts of the un-god’, and his husband of almost 20 years has very firmly put his foot down on any further wraith summoning’s in the basement. And apparently imps aren’t house-trainable. Occasionally the odd ghost or member of the Fae community stops in for a glass of wine and stories are exchanged. Although the husband doesn’t know it, the two Chihuahuas are in cahoots with the spell casting.

J.P.’s other hobbies include hybridizing African Violets (thanks to grandma), extensive travelling and believe it or not, knitting.

Where to find J.P. Jackson

Twitter find him here.

Facebook find him here.  

Goodreads find him here.  

Instagram find him here.  

NineStar Press find him here.

Blog RSS

Updates from Shelter-in-Place Land

Hello Scribblers. Wow! My last blog post was on March 25th that seems like a lifetime ago. My family and I are now on day 30 of our shelter-in-place order. I’m an essential worker (technically) as I work for a nonprofit that has been working the front lines of the pandemic; delivering food, preparing meals, providing mental wellness, helping the homeless, etc. Physically I’m not on the front lines, however, I’ve been working the back end and supporting our agency efforts, which is a lot of phone calls and emails with other nonprofits to track down necessary items so our work can continue. Unlike several of my coworkers, I’m working from home and only going into the office on rare occasions.

As for my husband, he works from home about 50% of the time, but because of his job he is also an essential worker (keeping his companies lights on, paying of staff, etc.) When he goes into the office he works alone, so he doesn’t come into contact with others.

When it comes to my 80-year-old father he stays at home 95% of the time, every day he takes his car for a short drive and about once a week he will go to the grocery store and pick up food. He wears a mask and does what he needs to do to not come in contact with others.

Now, before you yell at me about him going out. We tried to keep him home, but short of handcuffing him to his chair, there is no way to do it, so we mitigate the risk, for him, as best we can. He wears a mask and he goes to the store during the early morning senior hours. He washes his hands and uses non reusable bags (i.e. paper)

I’m happy to report we are all healthy, which at this point is the most important thing.

On to something lighter.

I have two announcements today. First, I’ve been working on two new writing projects. One is about a lost continent off the Pacific Coast, and the second is about a future where vampires, lycan, humans and witches all live together. Both ideas have been fun to work on. I’m not 100% sure where either story will land, but it’s been nice to jump back into writing.

Lastly, for today, my publisher is continuing its 40% off sale on all eBooks, including mine. If you need something to read, please click here and check out all the amazing books available. Read more about them below.

That is all for now, my lovely Scribblers. Do you have any ideas for keeping busy while we are all at home? Share them below. Please remember to drop me a heart/like letting me know you stopped by. If you want to help support me and my writing efforts please consider sharing this post with folks to help me get the word out, especially about the book sale, it’s a great deal for eBooks and you are supporting a local business and local artists. Until next time I hope you stay safe and have a great week.

Blog RSS

What we can control

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I can’t believe we are halfway through March and we are heading into Spring. How has your 2020 been going? Are you looking forward to Spring? Summer? Are you worried about the COVID-19 Virus? Worried about the coming election? There is a lot happening all around us and it can feel overwhelming, right?

These last few months I’ve felt like I’ve been in a fog, a kind of holding pattern of sorts. I go to work; I come home; I work on my writing (mostly editing); I spend some time on my marketing (i.e. social media) and that’s been about it. I have a new story idea that is floundering around in both my writing files and in my brain. I’m about seven chapters in and that is where it’s sitting.  The characters aren’t talking yet, and the story idea feels lacking.

When I throw in everything that is going on around me; the virus, the coming election, not seeing enough rain so far, the weirdness of my family since the passing of my sister, I feel stuck. It all feels like I have no control. Life is happening around me, and I’m a passive passenger.

I don’t like it.

I suppose it could be the mourning for my sister. Heck, it could be a winter funk. I’m not sure. So, today, I wanted to spend a moment writing this, get all these random thoughts out of my head and down on paper. Hoping to hear that I’m not alone. That I’m not the only one that feels this way.

I’ve been realizing how out of control the world seems, even in my personal world, and how I have little ability to control any of it. I think also, I’m angry about the death of my sister. Her dying wasn’t the plan. We were supposed to outlive our folks and grow cranky and old together. We were supposed to sit around and talk about how nutty mom and dad were and how no one would ever really understand our lives growing up except us. She and I were supposed to make fun of our own aging and our spouses and how they annoy us at that moment for whatever reason. But now I don’t get to do that. My sister meant a lot to me. We didn’t talk often, and we could annoy the hell out of each other, but I knew she was there and I could pick up the phone to call her. We could sit and bitch about anything and laugh at everything. That was taken from me. It sucks. It hurts. And I hate it. So, I’m angry about that. If I’m honest, I’m even angry with her and that is hard to admit. I know she didn’t get cancer on purpose, however, I’m still allowed to be angry. Right?

Then you throw on all this garbage happening with the coming election. We have a broken political system allowing the least qualified among us to become President. Look at our current options. They’re all terrible. I don’t want any of them, sure I can vote, and of course I will, but where will it get us? Who will it get us? What lays ahead of us? We trust these people not only with our country, but with our lives and livelihoods. Yet, I wouldn’t trust any of these idiots to make me a PB and J. Ugh. I don’t really want to think about it, because it’s terrifying.

Yet, here I am.

Remember to wash your hands and don’t touch your face… Seriously! This is the best our idiot leaders have to fight the COVID-19 virus. A virus that at the time of writing this well over 111,00 confirmed cases worldwide with more confirmed cases each hour. And Santa Clara County had its first (of what I’m sure will be many) death related to the virus. What are we supposed to do? Where is our government? What are they doing? What about the CDC and WHO, where are all the scientist? I know everyone is doing their best and people are trying, but it’s not good enough. Yes, of course, the regular flu has killed more people, and I’m sure there is a lot of media hype that is freaking everyone out. I get it. I’m not stupid. Still, we deserve better, and we’re not getting it.

Think about this for a second. I mean really think about this.

In all levels of governmental leadership, they are failing, and we keep voting these morons in. Do any of you really think the next person will do any better? Nope. Again, would you want any of them to make and serve you a PB and J. I sure as hell wouldn’t.

Now, what used to be my bright spot was my writing. It was where I went to escape. To dream of better worlds, adventures that I would love to take. All that fun stuff. But these last few months the well has been dry. And it doesn’t hold that spark for me right now. It’s no one’s fault and from everything I’ve read these things happen. Which allows me to appreciate the break. Sort of. I’ve spent this time editing and refilling the writing well. I haven’t been inactive. I’ve submitted a new novel to my publisher with another soon to be hot on its heels. With luck, they will pick them up… I’m still waiting.

I’m also feeling a bit let down by it all. It’s kind of like my day job, I feel like I give and give and I get very little in return. It’s like I’m there for everyone else and who’s there for me? Of course, there are people there. Of course, people reach out. And I enjoy it. All of it, but there are moments like right now where I wonder why I bother and I question if it’s all worth it.

So, what do I have left right now? I’m angry. I’m annoyed. I’m scared. And I’m in a writing funk.

I know I have limited control over any of it, so I shouldn’t worry about it and I’m trying not to.

In the meantime, I’m working on what I can control. I still talk to my sister now and then, but she doesn’t talk back. I even have a good chuckle now and then over our crazy antics we got into.

I vote, I pay attention to politics, and learn what I can. When it comes to it, I make the best decision I can based on the options presented to me.

And I wash my hands, use purell sanitizer, and try not to touch my face (which I fail at continually).

Mostly, I carry on. That is what I can control. I regulate my reactions and how I respond. I will not wallow in sadness, or angry, or fear, or anything else. I chose how I want to see things. Instead of focusing on all the garbage and all the negative I prefer to look for the positive. I enjoy the little things and the big things. I may not be able to control the world, but I can absolutely control how I respond to it and that’s something.

My point with sharing all this is because I want to let you know you’re not alone, none of us are. Also, we can’t control what is going on around us, but we can 100% control how we respond to it. I’ve said it before and will say it again. Be kind, be the change you want to see. Respect each other (even when it’s harder than hell). Don’t wallow in sadness and self-pity, that doesn’t help anyone. Last, don’t waste your time or emotions on people who affect you in a negative way, you don’t want them to live rent free in your brain.

I’m not only saying this for you, but for me.

Well, my lovely Scribblers try to focus on all that is positive and good. You, we, can only control our small part of the world. We can also control how we respond. Please be kind to one another and when all else fails take a deep breath; in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Until next time have a great week.

Blog RSS

New Decade New Year. Happy 2020

Wow it’s 2020, who would have thought we would make it this far, yet here we are, despite all the negativity and doomsday prediction. I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season and got to relax and enjoy. If you haven’t noticed I took a few weeks off to relax and refresh. I don’t think I feel that relaxed or that refreshed, but it was worth the shot.

This week I thought I would look back at all that occurred over the last decade… well maybe not everything, but definitely at my writing career and maybe I’ll peek into what’s ahead.

Back when 2010 started, I was wrapping up the first draft of what would eventually become the first two books of my A New World series, Contact and Conviction (find Contact here and find Conviction here). To say that draft was rough would be an understatement. It would take fourteen more drafts/revisions and nine more years before the book release and recent win as the 2018-2019 Rainbow Awards for Best Gay Alternative Universe/Reality & Sci-Fi / Futuristic novel (check out the details here).

In the early 2010s, I had no real idea what I was creating or what I wanted to do with A New World (what I called Contact and Conviction at the time). I had thought about maybe someday having A New World published, to see what happens, but I never thought it would become much. I also didn’t believe my writing would become anything either. So, much of the early 2010s I muddled along and wrote off and on.

Around 2015 I got this idea of a vampire novel, something different, something that I hadn’t seen before. I spent a whole lot of time playing the ‘what if’ game. What if vampires had to live in our modern society. How would vampires adapt with all our technology; cell phone, camera phone, social media, etc. I spent a lot of time playing with those ideas. What started as an idea for a story took shape and turned into The Calling (find it here), which after three years would become my debut novel released in January 2018 and it would go on to come in third place in the 2018-2019 Rainbow Awards for Best Gay Debut novel (check out the details here).

In early 2017 I had finally polished The Calling enough to where I felt comfortable in sending the manuscript to publishing houses for consideration. Up to this point, A New World wasn’t ready for anyone to look at. I was more confident with The Calling, so I started shopping it around. I received more rejections then I care to remember, but in May 2017, I got an offer by NineStar Press (learn more about the publisher here and check out all the other amazing authors) to publish The Calling.

It was an amazing day. If felt like winning the lottery.

After that initial offer by NineStar Press I dug back into A New World as well as worked on two short stories that I thought might be fun. One was The Reunion (check it out here) and the other short story was A Dragon for Christmas (find it here), both short stories were published prior to The Calling to build up buzz for my debut novel. The Reunion came out in Oct 2017 and A Dragon for Christmas came out in December 2017.

Between 2017 and 2019, I began work on my author platforms. I created a website, started a Facebook Fan Page (find it here), added a Twitter account (follow me here), began playing around with Instagram (click here) and Youtube (find it here), all in a vain effort to allow myself and my new works to be found. Additionally, I got to know several local and out of the area authors, several of whom I’ve interviewed here on my blog. During this period I’ve had the honor of being interviewed on Outlook Video (find the video here and here, I was on the show twice). In addition, I’ve had an article written about me in the San Jose Mercury News (check it out here), I’ve been on the WROTE Podcast multiple times (find me here), as well as The Writescast Network (check it out here). Divine Magazine did an article on me talking about my writing and my Dyslexia (you can find it here). Howmetown Authors published a piece I wrote titled, “Marketing and Public Relations” (find it here).

Sadly, during this time, my family had some trying times. We lost my father-in-law Jim in December 2017. Also, my sister was diagnosed with cancer in 2017 losing her fight to this awful disease in September 2019. These losses were difficult and made what should have been exciting happy moments bitter sweet.

In 2018 while these good and bad things happened to me and my family, I continued to write, I worked on the edits to A New World cutting that one story into two novels; Contact and Conviction. Also, I went to work on my novella T.A.D.-The Angel of Death (find it here), which was released in September 2019 about the same time as when my sister passed away.

Through these last ten years it has amazed me how much my life has changed and how blessed I’ve truly been despite the bad times.  When I glance into the future and wonder what these next ten years are going to bring, I can only hope I’ll be equally as blessed.

What I do have planned in 2020? First, a few author friends and I will be launching the Bay Area Queer Writers Association (BaqWa) (you can find our landing page on Facebook here) to bring our works forward to the greater Bay Area and hopefully beyond with public readings and showing up at local events. Also, I’ll be releasing the sequel to The Calling tentatively titled The Called. I have finished the third installment in my A New World series, book three, tentatively titled Conspiracy. I’m hoping Conspiracy will be released either at the end of 2020 or early 2021. Currently, I’m writing a new fantasy adventure book about a lost continent. Along with all of that, I’m working on lining up more readings and interviews as well as perhaps being a guest host on a podcast. Lastly, I’m looking at some other media opportunities.

Well, my lovely Scribblers remember to like this post below (click on the heart) and please help spread the word by sharing this blog post on your social media platforms it really does help and I greatly appreciate all the love and support you send my way. Got a question for leave it below in the comments or you can email me at info@mdneu.com. Until next time have a great week.

Blog RSS

2018-2019 Rainbow Awards

Happy Wednesday Scribblers have I got some amazing news to share with you this week. Over the last year several of my books have been part of the Rainbow Awards, and this weekend the award winners were announced. I won in several categories and received some wonderful Honorable Mentions, check it out:

The Calling - Two Honorable Mentions and came in third place for Best Gay Debut Book (click here to view all the winners).

Here’s what the judges said:

"This book, by far, was the best read. The emotional connection between the characters and story were paced very well and the story, as a whole, was awesome. I hated to see this end with no word if there will be more."

"I enjoyed this interesting twist on vampires, and particularly liked the idea of the choice of light or dark. The final showdown rocked, and had me turning pages. The characters are interesting, although they feel a little emotionally detached at times, yet this does mesh with the perspective of the MC narrator."

Buy the book here.

Contact-A New World Book 1- Two Honorable Mentions, Winner for Best Gay Alternative Universe/Reality & Sci-Fi/Futuristic, and came in twelfth place for Best Gay Book (click here to view all the winners).

Here’s what the judges said:

"This is a well written story and pulled me in from the beginning. I like sci fi stories that keep me wondering and this is just what Contact does. Can’t wait to see what happens in book two."

"An excellent book that I'd highly recommend to readers of the genre it had me laughing crying and praying for the characters. A book I thought about often for a long time after I'd read it."

Buy the book here.

Conviction-A New World Book 2 - Three Honorable Mentions, Winner for Best Gay Alternative Universe/Reality & Sci-Fi/Futuristic (click here to view all the winners), and came in third for Best Gay Book (click here to view all the winners).

Here’s what the judges said:

"I loved this story. It was fortunate that I had already read the first book Contact, as this next installment flows seamlessly into the next section of the tale. Todd is the perfect 'everyman'. I completely connected with the character, and Neu had me turning pages wanting to discover how he fairs in his precarious new position as an emissary to an alien race, and in his burgeoning new interspecies romance! There are a lot of parallels here to be tied to our current world, which made the book even more appealing, and without being preachy, really sent home the message of kindness, love, bravery and doing what's right. I highly recommend not only the book but the series."

"I read this book in one session. A well-rounded sci-fi story that I could imagine as a movie. "

"The two books in this series are easily among the best books I've read in 2019. They have everything I want from a Sci-Fi book. An emotional roller coaster with twists and turns and world building. They are excellently written."

Buy the book here.

As you can imagine, I couldn’t be more please. If you want to help me celebrate, you can share this news via the share button below. Let’s get the word out so folks don’t miss out on these award winning books. If you have questions or comments please share them below and I’ll jump back over and respond. As always don’t forget to share and like this post. Until next time have a great week.

Blog RSS

Holiday Traditions

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you all had an amazing couple of weeks. If you haven’t already seen a post about it, one group I belong to (The Sparkly Badgers) is doing a month long giveaway. Each day you can download a new free eBook. This is a great way to find some new authors who you may not have found otherwise.  The books are free and you can get a new book each day, with the last book being given out on December 25, 2019. 

To access the Sparkly Badger’s Christmas Advent Calendar click here.

This is the second year I’ve taken part in such an event, so it’s becoming a bit of a tradition for me. This got me wondering what kinds of Holiday Traditions do you have (share them in the comments section below)?

My family and I have several traditions and today I figured I would share with you. First, we bake cookies. Not a few cookies but several dozens of quite a few varieties (chocolate chip, peanut butter, snicker doodles, lemon delights, etc.) After we back them we give them out as gifts each year. It is a fun tradition, that I will admit I don’t always feel like doing, but in the end we have a great time and it always helps to get me in the holiday spirit. Over the years the day of baking has grown from a family event to include several friends. I’m sure there will be photos so I’ll be sharing those over on Instagram (if you’re not following me, you should, I post all kinds of family friendly photos over there) here is where you can find me: authormdneu

Second, we cook wontons. I know it sounds strange, but ever sense I was a kid my cousin and her family made them. Then over time my mother, sister and I picked it up. Now it’s my husband and my father. It’s a blast and we always have a good time, even if we end up being exhausted by the end of the day.

Lastly, this is a much more recent tradition, my husband and I will host a holiday party for family and friends. It’s a great way for us to connect with folks who we may not have seen in a while. We have hors d’oeuvres, mulled wine, cider, and deserts (typically homemade cookies).

Those are some of what me and my family do during the holiday season. What do you and your family do? Let me know in the comments below. Remember, you can like and share this post, which makes a difference in helping me reach new readers. Well, until next time have a great week.

Blog RSS

What to Share – Siblings and Family

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, can you believe we are little over a month away from Christmas and the end of 2019. It’s been an insane year with so much happening and now we are slowly marking to the end of it all… Wow!

This week I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone for all your support, not only over the last several years, but over the last few months. Some of you may know that I lost my sister to cancer a few months ago. I would be lying if I said it hasn’t been difficult. Most of the time I’m fine, but really I’m not. Every day I have to remind myself that just because she is gone from our physical world doesn’t mean she is gone. She’s still in my heart and in my memories. She is there with my mom and everyone else who has gone before.

Today, if you’ll indulge me, I thought I would share what I wrote for her memorial (it was this past weekend). Some of you may have seen it already posted on my Facebook Fan Page or in a post on Facebook. Still I wanted to share it here:

Dawn Marie Neu (Cooper)

Dawn and I at my nieces wedding.

Fifty-seven years, that’s not very long in the grand scene of things; however in Dawn’s life she made every moment count. She was a daughter, grand-daughter, sister, cousin, aunt, friend, 4-H All Star, Letterman in Swimming, DECA member, wife, mother, contractor, designer, Lion, partner, volunteer, grand-mother, and much more. Fifty-seven years may not be a long life, but when you live as full as Dawn did, you don’t need anymore. Dawn made the most out of her life living it to the fullest, always having fun and bringing a bright light to the world, not only around her, but also beyond her immediate touch. Whether it was a vacation with the family, business trips, day trips, parties, or simple visits with family and friends, Dawn never failed to brighten a room with her smile and warm personality. We can’t be sad for someone who had such a wonderful heart, joy for life, and bright light about them, because not even death can extinguish such life. Dawn will live on in our smiles, our laughter, and every time we think of her silliness and sense of humor.

Today, we aren’t sad, but joyful. We celebrate her life and all the people whose lives she lifted near and far, including those lives that none of us will ever learn about, of which, knowing Dawn, there are many.

As you all know, Dawn wasn’t about anything fancy. She was about family, laughter, good food, great friends and fun times. In the spirit of celebration this is how Dawn will be remembered. She will be the light at every party, the sparkle in our eyes and, of course, that extra spice in something delicious we enjoy together.

---

I wanted to say this to anyone who is reading this and who is lucky enough to have a sibling still alive:

Family is a pain in the ass. We all know this. We all know that we can work each other nerves and that if anyone can drive us to the crazy house faster, it’s family. However, despite all the garbage we put each other through, siblings are the only ones who know what they have been through. They have a shared history and are the only ones who understand their parents, for good, or for bad. Siblings, not only fight each other, but fight for each other. I know that some people grow apart; I know that for some family is a source of great pain, I also know that for others it’s best they keep clear of their families, and I know that for some they have no siblings at all.

Dawn, Mom, and me with Mickey Mouse

I only had my sister for 48 years, and I can tell you it wasn’t enough and I can also tell you that despite our strong relationship there is much I wish I could have still shared with her. Just like mom (who I only had for 37 years), no day will go by where I don’t think about her. What I’m saying here today is, if you are able to be part of your family’s life, do it, even if it’s just a phone call, text message or whatever, don’t let any more time pass between you, because our time is fleeting and when the final goodbye comes, it will be too late.

Well, Scribblers be kind to each other, love your families, forgive them if you can, and enjoy them while they are still around. Remember, if you have questions for me leave them in the comments below or you can email me at info@mdneu.com Don’t forget to show your love by liking and sharing this blog post with other readers. In the meantime have a great week and see you next time.

Blog RSS

My Favourite Sci-Fi Properties by Matt Doyle

When M.D. Neu invited me to come back to his site, we had a chat about what sort of post to do. In the end, we settled on my talking a little about some my favorite Sci-Fi properties. Now, I’m an author, but I’m not going to directly mention books too much here. The thing with the franchises includes is that most of them do have books attached. I want to talk about franchises as a whole though, with a focus on how I first discovered them, regardless of the medium. So, let’s dive in!

Live-Action TV

Star Trek: The Next Generation – My first sci-fi love. When I first started watching the show, it was already a few seasons in, so I missed the whole pre-growing-the-beard-in bits originally. Everything about it really stuck with me though. The characters were great, the stories were cool, and I loved the futuristic multi-cultural society within the Enterprise. Picard remains my favorite Captain – and I’m super excited for the upcoming series – but there wasn’t anyone that I disliked in this.

Farscape – In my opinion, one of the more underrated sci-fi shows. The big selling point of the show was that it was using puppet work rather than just doing CG for everything, and boy did that risk pay off! To this day, I still feel like you forget that some of the characters are puppets, and just view them as people. Alien people, but people, nonetheless. The show had some wonderful concepts too, like the idea of living ships that can give birth and the way they’re connected to their pilot.

Battlestar Galactica (2004) – I never saw much of the original series, only catching snippets of the occasional episode here and there before Buck Rogers. This remake though…wow! I was hooked from the get-go, loving the dark story tones, enjoying the battles, and falling in love with the characters. Honestly, if either Starbuck or Gaius Baltar were on screen, I was happy. They both had awesome story arcs. Okay, and they were both nice to look at too. The main thing though is that I really loved the way it all played out.

Anime

Ghost in the Shell – The 1995 film is one of those masterpieces that, even if the animation is a little dated, still holds up well today. From the sprawling cyberpunk cityscapes to the high octane action, it was – and still is – something special. The Tv series that follows Standalone Complex 1st Gig and 2nd Gig was also excellent, updating the animation for a more modern market. It also touched on Matoko Kusanagi’s bisexuality a little bit more too, though never making it the focus of the show.

Psycho Pass – Another cyberpunk masterpiece from Japan, this time focusing on a Utopian society that isn’t really. This was a show that I saw long after its release, and I’m really glad I finally got to see it. The Crime Coefficient concept is a really interesting one, and the longform story that the first season tells is a wonderful mix of philosophy and memorable characters.

Children’s Franchises

Sonic the Hedgehog – Now, how you classify this one may vary a little. The trick is to look at the complete universe rather than just the early games. That way, not only do you have Dr. Eggman/Dr. Robotnik and his advanced tech machines, but you also have a whole lot more. There’s aliens, genetic creations, massive mechs and alternate dimensions! Regardless, Sonic has been with me since my childhood and I’m still very kind to the Blue Blur. I still love the franchise and buy the new games the first chance I can get, I still collect the comics, and I even cosplay some of the characters. As to why I love it so much? As a kid, it was colorful fun that spanned games, comics and cartoons. As an adult, there’s a touch of nostalgia, sure, but I adore the extended universe. The bigger tales they’re telling, the massive cast, it’s all so much fun!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Another franchise that has been with me since childhood, and spanned multiple incarnations over games, comics and cartoons. This is a bit more cut and dry in terms of classification with the mutagenic ooze and Dr. Stockman’s machines, I think. This is still a favorite because I feel like it has grown with me. The simple stories that aired in my childhood fit my age bracket, and as I got older, I found that the comics touched on more complex themes. As an adult, I enjoyed the CG animated series from Nickelodeon; it balanced being child friendly with references for the adults well. My favorite though is the current comics. I wouldn’t recommend them for kids given the darker tone, but my word they are phenomenal!

Cross-Over

Alien vs. Predator – So, I love both franchises individually. Alien 1 and Alien 3: The Assembly Cut are among my favorite films. The same can be said for Predator 1 & 2. When it came to the cross-over films, things were a bit mixed for me. The first AvP film was, in my opinion, underrated. The second was mostly disappointing. No, for me, the best AvP release are SD Perry’s novels. Machiko Noguchi’s story in the novels AvP: Prey and AvP: War was absolutely fascinating as she dealt with xenomorphs and tried to integrate with the Yautja. Both are great reads. I’d recommend avoiding Hunter’s Planet though.

Honorable Mentions

RoboCop – My Nan’s favorite film was RoboCop. She even called her dog Murphy after the titular character. Looking at it, the original film is really quite a wonderful piece though. I once heard it described as a smart film pretending to be a dumb film (the remake was described as the opposite). It is also generally taken that some of the themes around large corporations have become reality to a degree too. In that respect, it’s an enjoyable film with a mildly prophetic nature. And an awesome earworm of a theme song. Honestly, I enjoyed the second film too.

Ancestor by Scott Sigler – This is the only item on the list that is a standalone rather than a full-blown franchise. I picked up this book because it was described as Jurassic Park meets Predator. It didn’t disappoint. It basically tells the story of a team that trying to recreate the ancestor of all humanity in order to harvest organs for life saving operations. As it happens though, the ancestors aren’t exactly friendly. It has a wonderfully likable cast of characters, the action is excellent, and the conclusion is plenty satisfying.

So, there’s my list. There are plenty that I missed, like Terminator and new Dominion Tank Police, but on a whole, I think that’s pretty solid. But what about yourselves? What do you think of the titles listed above? What would you include?

Thank you to Matt Doyle for stopping over to share his favorite Sci Fi stories. Remember to like and share this post below. Until next time have a great week.

---

About Shadows of the Past

PI Cassie Tam is not the only person who lives with regrets, and like most people, she just wants to get on with her life. But in New Hopeland, the past never remains buried. When she’s hired to track a stalker that’s been using some interesting tech to mask their identity on the city’s security cameras, Cassie ends up face-to-face with her darkest memory.

Can Cassie find out who’s responsible before her past mistakes tear her – and her friends – apart?

Pre-order Now: NineStar Press

AUTHOR BIO

Matt Doyle is a speculative fiction author from the UK and identifies as pansexual and genderfluid. Matt has spent a great deal of time chasing dreams, a habit which has led to success in a great number of fields. To date, this has included spending ten years as a professional wrestler, completing a range of cosplay projects, and publishing multiple works of fiction.

These days, Matt can be found working on multiple novels and stories, blogging about pop culture, and plotting and planning far too many projects.

Website - Twitter - Instagram - Pinterest - Facebook - LinkedIn

Blog RSS

Three Year Bookaversary! The Reunion

Happy Wednesday Scribblers. As I touched on last week this is the three year anniversary of my novella The Reunion. This short little ghost story was what wet the appetite of readers and introduced me to the reading community. Before my debut novel The Calling came out, The Reunion was picked up by my publisher NineStar Press and released as part of their Halloween Anthology. It was an exciting moment for me. I had never done anything like this before and it was a huge step outside of my comfort zone.

I remember worrying that no one would buy the eBook. They did. Then, I was worried Readers would hate the story. They didn’t. Then, I was terrified people would hate me and my writing. Luckily that didn’t happen either.

As of this posting The Reunion is:

21st on Goodreads List of Short Reads

295th on Goodreads List of Best Gay Paranormal Book

183rd on Goodreads List of Best M/M Novellas, Short Stories

I really couldn’t be more pleased with how well this wonderful novella has done. Okay, well if they were number one that would be pretty freaking cool.

Anyway, today is The Reunion’s third birthday so how about going out there and picking up a copy and showing it some love. It’s less than $3 for the eBook and it’s a fun read that will get you into the Halloween Spirit for sure. Buy your copy from one of the many online retailers here. Do you need more convincing? Click here for the reviews.

Here is the story blurb:

It’s been twenty years since the quiet Midwestern town of Lakeview was struck by tragedy. But every year on the anniversary of the event Teddy returns home for ‘The Reunion’. Lakeview, like Teddy, has secrets and not all mysteries should come to light.

If you’ve read The Reunion and want to help celebrates its third birthday, share this link below and tell your friends and family all about it and why you love Teddy and his friends. What’s your favorite ghost story? Let me know in the comments below. Until next time have a great week.

Blog RSS

Am I Really a Fraud and a Failure?

Wow! A new month, October no less. This time of year happens to be my personal favorite. However, these past few weeks a blanket of sadness has covered me and my family as I have lost my sister, Dawn, to cancer. It has been a challenging time, and each day has both highs and lows. These past few weeks have seen more lows than highs, and I have taken many moments to stop and ponder my writing and what I’m doing. I debated quite a bit about this blog post, but I finally decided I would post it and share some of my thoughts about this writing adventure I’ve been on.  So, here we go.

This month is special as back on October 23, 2017 my first short story was published by NineStar Press. The story in question, The Reunion, it’s my first short story and if you aren’t familiar with the plot here is the brief blurb:

It’s been twenty years since the quiet Midwestern town of Lakeview was struck by tragedy. But every year on the anniversary of the event Teddy returns home for ‘The Reunion’. Lakeview, like Teddy, has secrets and not all mysteries should come to light.

This time period was special for a different reason a darker reason, it was also around this time that we learned that Dawn had a cyst on her neck that needed to be removed. We would find out later that it was cancer.

This is me with my sister Dawn. I often say that my husband, Eric, is my biggest supporter, and he is, however, Dawn was my fist Champion and Protector.

When it came to my short story, I remember being thrilled. Of course I told Dawn, and she was as excited as I was. I wasn’t able to believe that anything I wrote would ever be published. She of course never doubted me.

I still have these feelings two years later, but now she is no longer here to remind me that I am good enough.

With The Reunion coming out I knew I had one more short story coming out in December 2017, A Dragon for Christmas (which was dedicated to her and my niece), and in January 2018 my debut novel, The Calling would be launched. So much was happening, and it was crazy roller coaster ride. At the time I had a group of wonderful people around me helping me work through planning a launch party and helping me set up all the back end details that are associated with being a Writer. With these amazing people including my sister and the rest of my family, I could be more excited.

It was great.

Fast forward to today and here I am, I have four novels out, and two short stories. I’m currently working on the edits for the next novel in my A New World series Conspiracy and I’m working on the edits for the sequel to The Calling. This is all amazing. I’ve accomplished something that hundreds, if not thousands, of people are never able to do, and I’m grateful. I count myself as a lucky man.

But as I mentioned, Dawn isn’t physically here to share in my joy anymore and that is difficult.

By now you are probably wondering why the title of this post is called Feeling like a Fraud and a Failure. Well, because if I’m honest I feel like a fraud and a failure, since October 2017 I’ve learned a lot about the writing and publishing world. I’ve also learned about and met so many amazing authors who tell these stories that touch your soul, and here I am writing fluff. I’m not complaining, I love my stories and I love the writing I’m able to share with people, however, my writing is mind candy, it doesn’t really do anything for you, it’s enjoyable for the moment and just as easily forgotten when you are finished.

I think part of all this, has to do with the loss of Dawn, I know she is still around me spiritually. She is still, of course, cheering me on, but I miss being able to call her and talk to her on the drive home. Somehow talking to her reminded me of my specialness.

I never set out to be a serious, hard-hitting author who tells stories that make you think. I’ve only wanted to write stories that are fun and take you on an adventure.

Now, I sit here wondering why. Why not write something profound? Why not write something with meaning? Why not write something that will change the world? Why not write something that makes a difference? The answer I come up with is that I’m a fraud. I’m not a real author, real authors write those kinds of stories, but I don’t. I’m the empty calories you enjoy for the moment then when you’re finished you wonder why you ate that candy at all.

I think, as writers, we all want our work to have some kind of meaning. Some kind of impact on people or on society. Part of my writing journey has been listening to other authors share their stories some write to make a difference, some write to be famous, some write to make money, some write for fun.

Why do I write?

I like to think I write to tell good stories that people can relate to, but looking back on what I’ve written I wonder are they good stories that people can relate to? Are they anything more than just a random collection of words on a page that a few people will enjoy? Does it matter? Mostly, I wonder why I feel like I’m a fraud and a failure when I’ve accomplished more in my writing in the last two years than most people will every accomplish?

Dawn, was older than me and I always wanted her to be proud of me. I know she is, I saw it the last time I went to visit her and brought her copies of my books and she cried, because she was so excited. I know she supported me in what she shared on Social Media about me and my silly little collection of words.

Please, forgive this whining and this moment of reflection I don’t want anyone who reads this (all five of you, including my husband) to think I’m unhappy or ungrateful, because I’m not. I wake up every day look at the copies of my physical books sitting on their little stands and remind myself of what I’ve accomplished and how blessed I really am.

I think, today, as we are getting closer to my family’s private memorial for my sister, all of this is hitting me hard, because it’s all becoming more and more real to me.

Thank you for letting me share this. I shall step out of the light and move on to brighter topics and continue to remind myself of what I’ve done. I won’t just be doing this for me, I’ll be writing for my sister too, because I can’t let her down, she has faith in me and my writing and that is pretty powerful, well, at least to me. Tell me do you ever feel like you are a fraud or a failure in what you do? Do you have moments of doubt and indulge in a little self-pity? Do you have someone in your life who reminds you to keep following your dream? Share your comments below and let me know that I’m not the only one who feels like this.  In the meantime have a great week and see you next time.

Blog RSS

Mother of Words – By Claire Buss

Being an indie author is a lot like being a mum. I have two wonderfully challenging, sometimes obtuse, often hair pulling, irritating, confounding and then randomly awesome WIPs (works in progress). I also have two children – haha! The key juggling point is time. Time to think, write, edit, format, publish and promote my beloved books on top of keeping two smalls alive and well. It’s a lot. And I get grumpy when I can’t write when inspiration is knocking and then I get guilty for being the grumpy mum.

All that aside, I love and adore being a writer. My kids aren’t too bad either! It’s both challenging and rewarding and when you get a moment to catch your breath you suddenly realise how much you’ve achieved and how far you’ve come. You get that ‘wow’ moment.

Three years ago, I was not a writer. Today, I have 15 published titles and it is my business. I am a multiple award-winning author who is beginning to earn a small crust as a result of my imaginations. That is a thrill like no other. There are people out there who have never met me, I don’t know them and yet, they have picked up one of my books, read it and enjoyed it. I think that will always be a source of joy for me.

My latest projects include working on Haunted, an anthology of Halloween inspired short stories and poems written by a group of very talented indie authors. It is the second Sparkly Badgers anthology and the first one that I’ve been solely in charge of and the pressure was intense. Obviously, I wanted good writing in the anthology but also there was an element of imposter syndrome as I wondered – who am I to say yes or no to other writer’s submissions. In the end, I enlisted some help for the selection process from Brent A. Harris, one of the Inklings Press guys who himself is a great writer and incredibly generous with his time and expertise. 

Haunted will be released at the end of September and will be a free ebook which is very exciting. All the authors involved in the anthology will have the book to giveaway in their newsletters, competitions and giveaways and I can’t wait to find out what readers think of the spooky tales. 

Here’s the blurb:

Join us on a pumpkin spiced, ghost-riddled, spooky journey amongst the imaginations of fifteen horrifyingly excellent indie-authors. Let them take you on a candle-lit journey through the minds of the depraved, departed and desperate as they tell you their haunting tales. Lock the doors, close the curtains and don’t turn off the light! 

You may be asking who on earth are the Sparkly Badgers? Allow me to introduce them – they are a collection of indie-authors who get together on Facebook and support each other with their writing endeavours. We share marketing tips, promote other authors, give shout-outs for new books upcoming, have a weekly critique spot, flash fiction prompts and writing exercises to improve our craft, a weekly blog share and of course the Sunday check in where I make sure everyone is alright and that cake has been eaten. Very important! If you’d like to join the Sparkly Badgers group, come find us on Facebook. We also have another anthology available to buy and all profits go to the Avon Riding Centre for the Disabled. The Sparkly Badgers’ Christmas Anthology is available on ebook and paperback at mybook.to/SBxmas. 

The other project I’m working on at the moment is the third in my hopeful dystopian series, The Gaia Solution. Beta readers are hopefully enjoying the first part of the book while I scramble to finish writing the second half of the book – I’m afraid the summer holidays beat me on time management this year. In addition to working on that, I’m also gearing up to go wide with books one and two so The Gaia Effect and The Gaia Projectwill be available on Nook, Kobo, iBooks as well as Amazon and a whole plethora of independent book outlets plus large bookstores like Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. The Gaia Solutionwill obviously join them and there will be a box set and an audio book collection in the semi-near future. 

Here’s the blurb, or at least, this is the blurb at the moment lol:

Kira, Jed and their friends have fled New Corporation and joined the Resistance, but their relief is short lived as they discover how decimated the human race has become and learn of an environmental crisis that threatens to destroy everyone’s safety. Kira and Jed must travel up the mountain to the New Corporation stronghold, City 50, to bargain for sanctuary while Martha and Dina risk everything to return to City 42 and save those who are left. Gaia, the fading spirit of the Earth, uses her remaining influence to guide Kira and her friends but ultimately, it’s up to humanity to make the right choice. 

It’s been a real roller coaster writing this series because The Gaia Effect was my debut novel, my first book baby to be released into the wide-world and really, the first time I’d ever let anyone read my work. I have always loved reading and making up stories, I loved writing stories and poetry as a young girl but life, as if often does, got in the way and my writing was set aside. It wasn’t until I had my son and found, by chance, a local writers’ workshop at my library that my passion for story telling was reignited. I took a break after writing The Gaia Effect and wrote a completely different genre, a humorous fantasy novel, The Rose Thief, inspired by my love of Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. In between these two books I’ve released collections of short stories and flash fiction as well as poetry books and had short stories published in other anthologies. 

The Gaia Solution isn’t up for pre-order yet but if you want to be kept in the loop you should sign up for my author newsletter - http://eepurl.com/c93M2L. You’ll get a free copy of The Blue Serpent& other tales, my flash fiction collection, as well as Ye Olde Magick Shoppe, a short story from my humorous fantasy world, Roshaven. If everything goes to plan, The Gaia Solutionwill be out this November. In the meantime, you can get your hands-on book one, The Gaia Effect, at mybook.to/gaiaeffect and book two, The Gaia Project, at mybook.to/gaiaproject. 

---

I can be found lurking on Facebook in my author group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/BussBookStop/and you can follow me on Twitter @grasshopper2407. My website has the details of all my books and various other projects including the first chapters of bothThe Gaia Effectand The Rose Thiefso be sure to check it out at www.cbvisions.weebly.com.

Thank you, Claire, for stopping by and sharing a little about yourself and your books. Scribblers you need to go out, right now, and grab these books. They are amazing, and a lot of fun to read. Remember you can help out both Claire and I by liking and sharing this post with your readers friends. If you have a question for Claire leave it below and she’ll swing by and answer it. Until next time have a great week.

---

Author Bio

Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet based in the UK. She wanted to be Lois Lane when she grew up but work experience at her local paper was eye-opening. Instead, Claire went on to work in a variety of admin roles for over a decade but never felt quite at home. An avid reader, baker and Pinterest addict Claire won second place in the Barking and Dagenham Pen to Print writing competition in 2015 with her debut novel, The Gaia Effect, setting her writing career in motion. She continues to write passionately and is hopelessly addicted to cake.

Blog RSS

Top Ten List with Jacqueline Church Simonds

It’s a new month, can you believe it. We are well on our way to Fall and Winter.  This week I have another fun Top Ten list with fellow author Jacqueline Church Simonds, her Top Ten is all about why she decided to write her Heirs of Camelot series. Let’s get to it shall we:

10. I am a King Arthur fangirl. I have been ever since I saw Disney’s “The Sword and the Stone” when I was 4 and it first came out (yes, I’m old).

9.  I have read books like “The Once and Future King,” Stewart’s Merlin trilogy, and “The Mists of Avalon” so often, the pages now come out of the books. Did I mention I like King Arthur stories?

8. So naturally, when I returned to writing, I decided to play with my favorite story. I originally meant to write a “mouse’s eye view” of the Round Table and all the characters and doings. Yes, Anya interacts with Merlin, King Arthur, and Morgaine (OK, more than “interacts.” Ahem), but she knows she isn’t the focus of the story; she is the chronicler—how we know this epic tale at all. The book that became “The Priestess of Camelot” (prequel to the series) is Anya’s own story, which her daughter demands be written.

7. In my first draft, I thought it would be fun to make a frame tale (a story that starts and finishes, and sometimes interrupts, of what happens with the heirs of King Arthur, Merlin, and Anya as a result of Anya’s work in the novel. (This is a common enough story-telling technique. Think “Princess Bride,” etc). But beta readers said, “What the heck is going on with the characters in the frame tale? I want to hear more of that!” (I took out the frame tale, and “Priestess” stands alone.)

6.  I have long been interested in the concept of reincarnation, both personally and as a writing topic. David Mitchell attempted something with it in “Cloud Atlas” (one of the few times the movie was better than the book). What do we owe each other in next lives? Can we feel the ties across time to those we have loved and hated? Is there such a thing as timeless love? And so, “The Midsummer Wife” was published by Strange Fictions Press/Vagabondage Press on Midsummer Day, 2018.

5. The minute I wrote the end of “The Midsummer Wife,” I knew it was a series. The air turned blue with my swear words. I am not a big fan of series. I had no interest in writing one. Yet, here we are.

4. I decided that if I was stuck writing a series, I’d approach it more like C.S. Lewis did in the Narnia and Out of the Silent Planet series; each book is different in tone, few of the original characters are present throughout—and those who are, are vastly changed. So, “The Priestess of Camelot” is a Historical Fantasy; “The Midsummer Wife” is an Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance.

3. I’m sort of veering off on this point, but I should advise readers I write sex-positive love scenes. I know many folks don’t like reading about it, or call the sexual bits “racy,” or whatever. But adults have sex. Consensual, loving sex is in my personal top ten list of being an adult. However, I try to give folks a heads up on this. One of my beta-reads was on a New York subway train and read one of the “juicier” scenes in “Midsummer.” I got a text from her exclaiming that it might have been nice to know she should read it in the privacy of her own home (LOL).

2. The next book in the series, “The Solstice Bride” (launching in October, it’s in the publisher’s hands. Click here for the GoodReads placeholder), is an Urban Fantasy/Dystopian. It is DARK—I mean, we bump into an actual Black Mass. The world is in the crapper and the protagonists have to correct what went wrong in “The Midsummer Wife.”

1. I have “completed” the final book of the series, “Mistress of the Rose Moon,” about 8 times. Each time I go back and tear it apart. I’m currently in mid-rubble-rebuild. I’m really hoping we can put it out for Midsummer Day, 2020. We’ll see. In “Mistress of the Rose Moon,” we return to King Arthur-y stuff, with an actual hunt for the Holy Grail, but with aliens, talking cats and dogs, and all the happy endings you can eat. Well, except for the bad folks.

Thank you Jacqueline for that great Top Ten list and I can’t wait to started reading the series. As Always I want to thank Jacqueline Church Simonds for stopping by today and chatting with us. As always don’t forget to share and like this post. Until next time have a great week.

About Jacqueline Church Simonds:

Jacqueline Church Simonds is an author and publishing consultant. Her first published book was “Captain Mary, Buccaneer,” a historical adventure novel loosely based on the real pirate women Ann Bonney and Mary Reade.  Simonds has done the usual authorly wanderings in life: she was a lady’s companion, a sound and lights roadie for a small Southern rock band, and managed an antiques shop. She’s sold everything from computers to 1950s pulp magazines to towels and baby clothes. The one constant in her life is a love of words, books and writing. She sold some short stories and poetry early, but didn’t pursue it until later in life. She has had a life-long love of King Arthur and was always drawn to novels about that great hero. Finally, she sat down and wrote stories from her own point of view. She lives in Reno, Nevada with her husband and beagle.

Where to find Jacqueline:

On Twitter https://twitter.com/jcsimonds

On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jacquelinechurchsimonds

Website: http://www.jcsimonds.com/

Check out the Pinterest storyboard for “The Midsummer Wife”: https://bit.ly/2sqTnLy

and “The Priestess of Camelot”: https://bit.ly/2Qg3gpB

and “The Solstice Bride”: https://bit.ly/2YRUxxN

---

Heirs of Camelot series

THE PRIESTESS OF CAMELOT https://amzn.to/2QgKSg8

Anya, a pagan priestess of the Nordic Rus tribes, leaves her home country and arrives in Britain. There, she joins the sisterhood of Avalon, headed by the scheming Morgaine.  When Anya runs afoul of the Avalonian high priestess she is sent to Camelot to spy on the court while acting as healer. But there, she falls in love with the High Druid, Merlin, and King Arthur, bearing sons to both of the great men of her time.  After losing both of the men she loves to Morgaine’s treachery, she embarks on a plan that unfolds over the next 1,500 years to return Goddess worship to the island nation and save it from a danger Anya can see but cannot understand.

---

THE MIDSUMMER WIFE  https://amzn.to/2IM1qgS

After a nuclear attack on London that heralds The Time Foretold, Ava Cerdwin, the high priestess in charge of fulfilling a 1,500-year-old prophecy, must assist the heirs of King Arthur and Merlin in healing the devastated country. The descendants of Britain’s great men of legend have kept the myths and relics for sixty-one generations, but no one is quite clear on what they must do next. Nothing goes as planned: Ava falls for the wrong heir, the panic attacks are getting worse, the complex obligations of reincarnation are straining old relationships, and Morgaine and her henchwomen are trying to kill them. Somehow, some way, Ava has to make the Healing happen, or Britain is finished.

---

THE SOLSTICE BRIDE  (Due Out in October)

In this second book in the Heirs to Camelot series, it is twenty years after the Healing. Morgaine has taken over Ava’s body, defeated Harper, humiliated Ron, and is the authoritarian leader of dysfunctional Britain. After years of study with the Goddessians, Falke returns to Britain and, with the aid of Ravenna, the queen’s daughter, must go back in time to stop Morgaine from defeating Ava. But first, they must help the resistance discover why all the psychic adepts in Britain are disappearing—and what monstrous plans Morgaine and her son Prince Robert have in service to the Dark Lord, Adramelech. Falke and Ravenna struggle to find a way to accomplish their goals as their love deepens. The Solstice Bride is a dark adventure and love story with implications for the entire universe.

Blog RSS

On Reading – by Joyce Hertzoff

As my t-shirt says:

I love to read. I’ve been reading since I was five, I think, usually three or four books at a time, even when I was young. Now I have fifty or more unread books on my Kindle app and at least thirty on my to-be-read piles.

I recently listened to a vlog about monogamous knitting, i.e., knitting only one thing at a time. I’m a polygamous knitter and reader, usually two print and three or four eBooks at a time. Somehow I keep the plots straight.

Once I started a book, I always felt I had to see it through to the end. Then I took a course called The Art of Reading based on lectures by Timothy Spurgin. One precept of that class was to read the first fifty pages before deciding whether or not to go on. If you weren’t engaged in the story, it was quite alright to stop. I've become much more intolerant of books that don't 'grab' me right away. Those that don't stimulate my mind or appeal to my own interests are often set aside, and might never be picked up again. I'm also turned off by books that should have been edited with more care; poor grammar, spelling and paragraph construction make it difficult to read, so I don't bother. I see this most often with self-published books, but this isn't always the case; many self-published books are excellent and well edited, while some poorly proofed books come from established publishers. There are too many books being published now that we have to be more selective in the ones we read. But if we limit ourselves to writers we’ve read before, we miss out on many of the great new ones out there.

Spurgin's lectures say we can all learn to read more artfully, with increased appreciation and absorption of the material the same way we can learn to listen to music or look at any visual art on less than a superficial level. But some of that has to come from the artist that created the book, music or painting and some of it has to draw on our prior experiences. If they haven't infused their work with something meaningful, how are we to create meaning? And if our life experiences haven't prepared us to understand, much less appreciate the work, how can we?

Spurgin emphasizes that he's talking about Literary fiction (with a capital L). But I contend that what he says about characters is applicable to all sorts of stories. We wouldn't read what he calls pulp fiction if the characters weren't interesting, rounded, surprising. Likability is not necessary. Often I find the antagonist in a story more interesting than the protagonist, especially when the author paints the hero as someone who can do no wrong, who is admired by all, and/or is the handsomest/most beautiful character in the story. In stories where the author takes the time to give the bad guy a history that explains his current behavior, then that antagonist can elicit sympathy even more than the protagonist. The good gal sometimes has no internal conflicts, but those doing wrong do. They feel guilt and fight with their inclination to be evil.

I find extensive, detailed recitations about what something or someone looks like usually takes me out of the story. Spurgin says descriptions can trap us. That's a major tool of the mystery story, but can be used sparingly for any genre.

Descriptions should serve a purpose in a story. We don't have to know the hair color of every minor character, unless it's important, say when everyone else has blond hair but that serving girl is a brunette and this figures in the story. Does it matter that a character has brown hair or black? If so, than describing it is fine.

Frankly, I rarely pay much attention to style when I'm reading unless it's unusual, such as the style one of my favorite writers, Rumer Godden uses.

Lovejoy to her continual disgrace, could hardly read. ‘She has changed schools too often and missed too much,’ the Inspector had told Mrs. Combie severely. That was true. When Lovejoy and her mother first began to come to Catford Street between their bookings, Lovejoy had appeared and disappeared so often in school that the teacher asked her, ‘Are you a canal child?’ Canal children sometimes came to school if their fathers’ barges had to go into the dock for repairs. Lovejoy had said nothing but she had been mortally offended. ‘Do I look like a canal child?’ she might have said. An Episode of Sparrows by Rumer Godden

I've tried to write that way and found I couldn't sustain it. But that’s just it. If a writer has a unique style or voice and can sustain it throughout a book, we enjoy that novel all the more. I've enjoyed books in all kinds of styles. Perhaps paying attention to style is one way we can read artfully.

I have a hard time with authors who are so ambiguous, so opaque, that I can't even grasp what they're saying or even what their story is about. I don’t want to have to think too much when I read for pleasure, but that’s not to say I don’t want to think at all.

Probably the most important for me is a bit of mystery or intrigue. Spurgin used Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude as an example.

Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.

That's a great first line! There've been some great ones used by authors in various genres over the years, but I always look forward to those awards every year for worst opening line. They're so laughable.

I don't go to movies often. Occasionally I'll catch one on Netflix. I've heard that the movie made from The Martian is better than the book, belying the claim that movies are never as good as the book they’re based on.

Like others, I always develop my own idea of what a character looks like, even if the author doesn't say and then I’m disappointed by the movie (or TV) version; lately, though, I believe producers and directors are more careful casting characters.

I don't know how often it happens now, but years ago, it was popular to novelize popular movies. Those books were often not much more than the script, reformatted to a novel. Never very good because they lost some of the action and expressions in the movies.

What reading taught me was that I…had at least one story that needed to be told…that other people’s stories could speak to me in ways I never imagined…that the story I had to tell could speak to other people in ways I never dreamed. ~ Glynn Young

***

I want to thank Joyce Hertzoff for stopping by my Scribbles Page today and sharing her thoughts on reading.  If you have questions for Joyce leave them below, or you can find her on Social Media, see the links below. As always if you enjoyed this content and want to help spread the word not only about Joyce Hertzoff like and share below. What do you look for in a book?  What is requirement to read a story? Tell us below. Until next time have a great week.

---

About Joyce Hertzoff:

Joyce Hertzoff retired in 2008 after forty-five years in the scientific literature publishing business. The Crimson Orb, the first novel in the Crystal Odyssey series, was originally published by the Phantasm Books imprint of Assent Publications in June, 2014. The flash mysteries, Natural Causes and Say Cheese were published in the anthologies The Darwin Murders and Tasteful Murders. A short story, Princess Petra, appears in The Way Back anthology and another one, A Woman Hobbles Into a Bar appears in the charity anthology Challenge Accepted.. Her young adult fantasy novella A Bite of the Apple, published in 2016, won the New Mexico Press Women’s fiction contest prize in the YA category. It earned second place in the National Federation of Press Women contest. In 2017, she republished The Crimson Orb and published the sequel, Under Two Moons. In March 2018, she published the third book in that series, Beyond the Sea as well as a middle grade book, So You Want to be a Dragon. Joyce often shares a booth at conventions and markets with RJ Mirabal.

She is a mentor and facilitator at Writers Village University, an online university offering MFA certificates. She is managing editor for the school’s MFA program eZine; The Village Square. She’s also a member of Southwest Writers.

Where to Find Joyce:

Website: http://joycehertzoffauthor.com

Author Blog: www.hertzoffjo.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyce.hertzoff.3

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/JoyceHertzoff

Book website: www.fantasybyjoycehertzoff.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jhertzof

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7793384.Joyce_Hertzoff

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Hertzoff/e/B00KVSPXWG/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

About Joyce Hertzoff’s books:

A Bite of the Apple is a novella. It won the New Mexico Press Women’s Association prize for YA fiction in 2016.

Short Blurb: Anabet Haines dreamed about traveling from the family farm to the exotic places her Aunt Gillian described, so when her aunt recruited her as the next portal traveler, Bet jumped at the chance. In the capital of Nokar, Bet and Gill were tasked with traveling through a portal to locate a thief, Rolf Peters, and the portal key he stole.

After one lesson in hand-to-hand combat and the use of a knife from weapons instructor Morgan, a visit to Cass the magician to obtain a substitute key for the portal, and a dressmaker for appropriate clothing for the journey the situation escalated. A rebel group threatened the High Council and abducted Morgan, forcing Gill to remain behind while Bet had to travel alone.

Cass provided Bet with a green apple as the substitute portal key, and three enchanted red apples to help her find anything that isn't natural to the world at the other end of the portal. He led Bet to the entrance to the portal and sent her on her way.

With little training, four enchanted apples and a knife from Morgan, can Bet locate the thief and return him to Nokar? Or has she bit off more than she can chew?

Click here to buy.

---

The Crystal Odyssey series:

The Crimson Orb: While others seek the Crimson Orb, teenage Nissa searches for her mysteriously missing magic teacher, Madoc the wizard, and discovers how little she knows about her world and how resourceful she can be.

Click here to buy.

Under Two Moons: In the sequel to The Crimson Orb, Nissa, Madoc and their siblings seek the source of two mysterious books. Instead, they learn the truth about their world and its two moons.

Click here to buy.

Across The Sea:  In the third story in the series, Nissa, Madoc, their siblings and friends continue their search for the source of Madoc's books, hoping the technology one shows is still alive in the continent of Fartek, across the Great Sea.

Click here to buy.

---

So You Want to be a Dragon: When the harbor of Lorando is torched by three dragons, Bekka, her little sister Cora and their neighbor Derry devise a plan to keep the dragons away. They will parlay with the dragons, plead with them. But to get close enough to do that, they must transform themselves into dragons. They ask a shapeshifter for help, and he reluctantly tells them the steps needed to take on the form of a dragon. Can the three children achieve their plan to convince the dragons to leave Lorando alone? If they do, how will they shift back into their human forms?

Click here to buy.

---

Challenge Accepted: A Charity Anthology: A blind spaceship pilot. Cops and maintenance personnel in wheelchairs. Taking on bad guys with only one leg or no arms. It's not what you are that makes you something special. It's who you choose to be. Seventeen stories about people who rise above anything that tries to stop them, even their own limitations.

Click here to buy.

Blog RSS

Podcasts and More

Here we are, it’s Wednesday again Scribblers. I hope you are having a great week. This week, I wanted to give a shout out to some of my favorite podcasts. If you don’t listen to podcasts you need to start, they are fun and a great way to keep up with the topics you find most interesting. I also love that they make my commute to the office and back home bearable.

Here is my list of favorite podcasts in no particular order:

WROTE Podcast: WROTE is a weekly podcast where the hosts Baz and Vance chat with guests about LGBTQ storytelling in all genres and mediums. However, there podcast isn’t just about LGBTQ storytelling, they talk to all kinds of LGBTQ content providers and consumers.

What I love about Vance and Baz is how lively the conversations are. You can tell they have fun with their guests. You never know where they conversation will go, but you will have a great time getting there. I can’t tell you how many wonderful new authors I’ve learned about thanks to this podcast. Each podcast is about an hour which is nice.

Find the WROTE Podcast here.

The WritesCast Network: This podcast is a writing-podcast collective for writers, by writers, with the mission to gather all of your favorite writerly audio on one convenient RSS feed. The Writescast Network started with the R. R. Campbell writescast, which features author, editor, and agent interviews full of writing wisdom from storytellers across the globe. They have expanded to include Biblio Breakdown and Novel Approaches, both of which are more craft-intensive.

R.R. Campbell and his co-host Sione Aeschliman are intelligent and great to listen to, as a writer, I find myself agreeing with a lot of what they share and taking mental notes on how to improve my writing.  As a Reader I love R.R.’s one-on-one conversation with authors, it’s a great way to find out about books and new authors I wouldn’t have heard of otherwise. The Writescast Network episodes are about a half hour and the indebt writing conversations on Novel Approach last bout an hour. Both are high quality and very informative.

Find The Writescast Network here.

GayTalk 2.0: The Ultimate PodCast: Is a group of three friends that come together every Monday to provide listeners with hilarious commentary on all the current events of the week.  The hosts sit around the table with cocktails in hand bringing the latest on art, current events, news, music, and other topics that impact the LGBT community.  The show consists of several segments that are chosen to provide listeners relevant, current, informative content with a funny gay twist. Most topics discussed on the show are those that closely affect the LGBTQ+ community. The hosts don’t shy away from any topic; Sex, politics, alcohol, addiction, fetish, gossip, celebrities, or tragedy. They cover it all.

The banter, oh my goodness the banter. Tom, Chris, and Nick (or Trish) are funny as hell. These guys are great. I may not always agree 100% with them, but if you are looking for conversations on current events that are discussed with a lot of heart (and seriousness when applicable) then you have to check out this podcast. I can’t recommend them enough. This podcast hovers around an hour to an hour and a half and it’s worth every minute.

Find GayTalk2.0 here.

Queer Words: Conversation with queer-identified authors about their works and lives.

That really sums it up, Wayne Goodman is charming and welcoming to his guest, who are all authors. Wayne will have them answer a few questions and then do a reading from one of their works. It’s another way to find some amazing books and learn about some fantastic authors. The podcast typically goes anywhere from twenty to thirty minutes.

Find Queer Words here.

You really need to check out these amazing podcasts, they are always a wonderful break from your day-to-day.

---

As a reminder, this week I have two events coming up. First, Friday (August 16th) at 7 p.m. I’m going to be part of a Meet the Authors event here in San Jose at the Billy DeFrank Center.

I’ll be joined by the amazing J.Scott Coatsworth, the outstanding SA ‘Baz’ Collins, and the brilliant Jeanne Marcella.

Find more information by clicking here.

---

Second, this Saturday at 11 a.m. I’ll be live on Facebook with A. F. Stewart for their live stream Between the Pages. We’ll be chatting about my Sci Fi series and my upcoming work. Check out the details here.

A lot is still going on. I hope you check out these podcasts they are all top quality and every entertaining. I learn a lot from each of them and wouldn’t miss a week. Do you have any favorite podcasts? What do you listen to on the drive to and from work? Let me know in the comments below. In the meantime have a great week and see you next time.

Blog RSS

A Non-Binary Perspective on M/M Fiction by L.A. Ashton

Happy Wednesday Scribblers, this week I have fellow NineStar Press Author L.A. Ashton over as a guest blogger.  L.A. will be sharing their perspective on writing M/M romance. It’s a thought providing post that I hope you all enjoy:

For many readers, books are an escape. We slip between the pages to experience a life more interesting, be a person more daring, and revel in stakes immensely dire. But the thing that makes readers really connect with a story isn’t usually the wild rides or fantastical surroundings. It’s the thing that speaks to us and our lives—it’s the very real and very relatable.

Whether its sharing religious or philosophical beliefs with the protagonist, having the same dry humor or sharp temper, or maybe being a boy who also loves boys, it’s the similarities that can make a story speak to our heart. All those little details that can make a person feel seen for the first time, or maybe feel like they can better see themselves.

I was a voracious reader before I was a writer, but I rarely felt seen. It wasn’t something I even realized I was missing until I started penning my own stories, and for some reason the main characters kept turning out bisexual. The reason for that became apparent over time. I was also writing a lot of M/M, which was something I was neither ashamed of, nor thought had any deeper meaning—I was a queer person who wrote queer fiction.

All sorts of people write M/M, and while I am a huge supporter of #OwnVoices, the movement was never meant to snatch stories out of other people’s hands. The M/M stories I read and wrote were ones I cherished, and so long as they were written with care and kindness, I wouldn’t be giving them up.

To be clear: I am not an “M/M Author”. While I have written three gay romances, I have F/F and other things in the pipes right now. But M/M was where I kept landing, and where I was finding myself most often.

As time went on and I became more comfortable in my own skin, I couldn’t help asking myself some questions. Questions like, “Why have I gravitated toward M/M so fiercely?”; “What about M/M is especially lucrative right now?”; and eventually, “Why is it easier for me to connect with male main characters?”

I hadn’t heard the terms non-binary, genderfluid, agender, genderqueer, etc., until I was well into my twenties. Finding those terms was like a lightning strike: illuminating, but terrifying. I had never questioned being a girl, because I had never been taught beyond the binary. If being a man didn’t feel right, then, obviously, I was woman.

But it wasn’t obvious. I had just been ignorant, and now my world was exploding.

It took me a while to accept those terms for myself, which feels strange in retrospect; I would never call myself a girl now—it’s not what I am.

I don’t understand gender at all. As someone who has spent massive amounts of time thinking about their gender, I am startlingly clueless. And I think that’s one of the traits that comes along with being who I am: sometimes I’m closer to one end of the spectrum, and sometimes another, but usually my gender could be summed up with the general idea of a void or black hole, or perhaps an old fashioned question mark.

I will never have a body that aligns with who I am inside. I would have to be a shapeshifter or something else from legend; there is no single form that I feel can capture me best. But I can escape.

For me, writing M/M is like slipping into a skin that binds and frees me. I can experience life in ways that aren’t possible, and envision something sure and certain. It is the exact magic that made me fall in love with reading in the first place: the transportation out of myself that also connects me even more firmly with who I am. It is the fantastical and the relatable, the real and the imaginary.

Reading and writing are liberating. They have been my safe haven and my refuge, a place to feel powerful as well as peaceful. All I can hope to do with my writing is offer some of that in return, whether it helps someone feel-out their identity, or just makes their afternoon a little brighter.

***

Wow! A special thank you to L.A. Ashton for stopping by today and providing this wonderful guest blog post.  If you have questions for L.A. Aston leave them below and I’ll ensure they swings by to answer, or you can find them on Social Media, see the links below. As always if you enjoyed this content and want to help spread the word not only about L.A. Ashton like and share below. Until next time have a great week.

---

About L.A. Ashton:

L. A. Ashton is an LGBT+ author writing LGBT+ fiction. They were born and raised between neat grids of corn and soybean fields. They enjoy rock music, traveling, and anything else that adds color to their daydreams. They believe in the healing properties of art and of having a cat firmly stationed on one’s lap.

Where to find L.A. Ashton:

Official Site: http://laashton.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LAAshton_

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshtonLA

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17171457.L_A_Ashton

---

About: Valhalla

Sakuma has served as a Valkyrie for centuries, smoothly escorting thousands of souls to the grand halls of Valhalla. While the world tears itself apart during WWII, he is summoned to retrieve the soul of a fallen Japanese soldier, Ishii Hiroshi. To Sakuma’s surprise, Ishii refuses his invitation to eternity.

The two meet again and again as the war repeatedly sends Ishii to death’s door, and what should have been a fleeting encounter becomes something much greater for the both of them.

Sakuma is determined to give Ishii the reward he so deserves, but Ishii’s stubbornness may condemn him to an eternity outside Valhalla.

Where to Buy:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2E71zWY

Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/y6yh8sw5

Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/y2op2pd6

Smashwords: http://tinyurl.com/y4qyz268

Ninestar Press (publisher): http://tinyurl.com/y4afrz2l

---

About Echoes

After one thousand years of listless eternity, Oskar is used to his particular brand of loneliness. But a long walk through middle America and a few chance encounters will lead him straight to a man he’d known to be long since dead—his childhood best friend, Aranck.

Being undead hasn’t stopped Aran from living life to the fullest. He has all the money and power his charm and business savvy could earn him, and plenty of friends. Lately, though, something seems to be missing. After a millennia, perhaps the world’s shine has worn off—and that’s when Oskar stumbles back into his life, reminding him of who he used to be.

Together the two vampires remember what it felt like to live, all the while navigating a conflict with the local pack of werewolves. A lot has changed in a thousand years, and only time will tell if those changes will bring Oskar and Aranck closer together, or ensure they remain apart.

Where to Buy:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2E71zWY

Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/y6yh8sw5

Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/y2op2pd6

Smashwords: http://tinyurl.com/y4qyz268

Ninestar Press (publisher): http://tinyurl.com/y4afrz2l

Blog RSS

Top Ten List with Kay Doherty

Happy July Scribblers, I hope you all had a safe and joyous 4th of July. This week I welcome fellow NineStar Press author Kay Doherty for a fun Top Ten List about shifterwolves and shifterdragons. Let’s get to it shall we:

What are the top ten reasons you picked shifterwolves and shifterdragons to write around?

1. When I first started writing I joined Out in Colorado Fiction. There was talk about doing an anthology centered around dragons. The short story I started for that soon became a novel and by the time I reached the end, I realized there was potential for a series. Thankfully, my editor at NineStar, BJ, agreed and the Chevalier Series was born.

2. I’ve always been drawn to characters with special abilities. When I was teen, my youngest brother and I were fascinated with the X-men and the things they could do. I would make up stories in my head where I was the one who could control the weather or start fires in the palm of my hand. Such a cool idea.

3. I love dragons. Always have. They embody strength, fearlessness, loyalty, and danger.

4. My husband loves wolves and volunteers monthly at a wolf sanctuary in southern Colorado called Mission: Wolf. They give tours, educate visitors about wolves to help dispel rumor and myth, and allow you to meet them. You can go into the enclosure and touch them. It seemed natural to me that when Luca stumbled on his mate, that mate would be a wolf.

5. I wanted to explore the paranormal genre as a writer because I love it as a reader. I probably have hundreds of MM romances with shifters, vampires, witches, you name it.

6. Luca, Tanner, and the rest of the pack give me the opportunity to explore racism, hate, and discrimination, and find a way to live in a world thick with it. I’d not experienced any of those things until I came out as omni and polysexual. These guys give me a chance to work through it all with them. Tanner really embodies a lot of my struggles with my day job and learning to accept that people will hate me simply because I’m in a committed bisexual poly-family.

7. Writing shifters and other paranormals freed my writing. I love the two contemporary MM romances I’ve written, but I felt like my creativity could really fly when I didn’t have to follow the “real world” rules. I could make my characters whatever I wanted and give them all these sweet-ass abilities. It’s been so much fun to write.

8. Having wolf-shifters and dragon-shifters opened the door to have other paranormal beings. As the series progresses there are vampires, phoenix, sorcerers, lion-shifters, hawk-shifters, and whatever other creatures I can imagine. Pretty sure I threw a gryphon in there just for the hell of it.

9. Writing shifters gave me the opportunity to write complex characters. It’s one thing to write a human with human thoughts and emotions. Add in a supernatural half and you create a whole new level of problems. Animal behavior is so different from human behavior and its fun trying to weave those together in a way that’s cohesive and believable.

10. It’s sexy!

I love these quick top ten lists, they are so much fun and I believe you get a real feel for the author and the stories they create. I want to thank Kay Doherty for stopping by today and chatting with us. What do you think about dragons and wolves? What about shifters? Let us know in the comments below and I’ll be sure to have Kay stop by and respond. As always don’t forget to share and like this post. Until next time have a great week.

---

About Kay Doherty

Kay Doherty is an omnisexual/polysexual who lives in Colorado with her poly-family, Mike, Keri, and Tigz. Her house is overrun with cats and dogs. Family is important to her so there are daily texts, frequent visits to her parents, and constant banter with her brothers. She happily suffers a severe addiction to coffee and Mexican food. She loves to read and write and can easily become consumed by it for hours, much to the dismay of Mike and Keri (Tigz is an enabler). On occasion she can be convinced to venture out into world of the living despite being annoyed by the sun shining in her face.

Where to Find Kay

Email address: kaydohertyauthor@gmail.com

Website: kaydohertybooks.com

Fine her on Facebook: @kaydohertyauthor

Find here on Twitter: @kdohertyauthor

---

About Hearts of Fire (Chevalier Book One)

Luca Duray has been quite happy living a solitary existence for decades. But when a steel trap around his leg catches him when he’s weak and hungry, his life is irrevocably changed. He knows the wolf shifter who offers him assistance is more than he appears and immediately makes plans to keep the pup close.

Disowned by his pack for being gay, Tanner McBane is forced to become a lone wolf. While on a hunt, he stumbles upon an injured dragon shifter and provides aid. It’s not easy surviving on his own and when money gets tight, he finds himself face-to-face with the dragon shifter once again during an interview. Tanner isn’t sure a wolf should be working for a dragon, but he accepts the job and unknowingly creates a bond to his new boss. Soon, Tanner learns Luca isn’t just his boss—he’s his mate.

The mating of a wolf and dragon shifter is uncharted territory for both Luca and Tanner, but they are determined to make it work despite widespread prejudice, death threats, and the untraditional pack Tanner finds himself leading. Tanner only hopes that the bond he forms with Luca will prove to be unbreakable.

Where to buy Hearts of Fire

Find it on NineStar Press here.

Find it through GoodReads here.

---

Coming in August 2019 Hearts of Blood (Chevalier Book Two)

Interview with Author Andrew Peters

It’s now fully summer, can you believe it. Well, happy Wednesday Scribblers. Today I’m thrilled to bring you fellow NineStar Press Author Andrew J. Peters.  Andy, has a bunch of works out, now only for young adults but for adults as well.  This week I invited Andy over to chat about his newest work Irresistible. I had the pleasure of reading the book before the interview so today we get to dive into the book and, of course, Andy’s work as an author. Let’s dive in shall we:

MN: Andy, I have to tell you I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I started reading Irresistible. It’s such a unique tale, especially considering it’s based on Chariton’s Callirhoe, which I had honestly never heard of, so what made you decide to write this type of novel, especially giving it the gay treatment? What drew you to the story?

AP: Few people outside of classical scholars have heard of Callirhoe, so you’re in good company. I included in my Author’s Note what led me to that obscure inspiration point because it definitely warrants some explanation.

I’m better known for writing fantasy, and I was doing research for my novel The City of Seven Gods, which is a near-world historical fantasy with ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Greek touchpoints. I wanted to read translated material written in that era to get a better ear for how people talked about their daily lives. So I stumbled upon Callirhoe, which has the distinction of being the oldest extant romance novel according to literary scholars. Lots of things about that intrigued me, including the fact the author is Chariton of Aphrodisias, which is kind of awesomely on-the-nose for a romance author.

But I was also really curious what a romance novel looked like in the 1st century C.E., and the shocking thing to me was the story reads like a comedy mash-up of Harlequin romance and Shakespeare play. It’s funny because it was panned by “serious” literary critics of the time while still achieving commercial success, so there was something really interesting to me about how ancient sensibilities weren’t so different from modern attitudes about literature.

The story is totally absurd and painfully earnest. Callirhoe is the most beautiful woman in the world, and she falls instantly in love with young, handsome Chaereas when they spot each other on the street. They immediately make plans to marry, but a group of Chaereas’ friends try to sabotage their union because they’re jealous that he gets to marry her. An outlandish comedy of errors ensues involving kidnapping, forced marriage, a military insurgency, and finally a trial to sort out who has the right to Callirhoe during which the judge plots to steal her for himself. All the while, Callirhoe has impassioned soliloquies cursing the gods for making her so beautiful and pining for her true love Chaereas. When they’re reunited, they literally faint from the ecstasy of the moment.

To me, that was winning material for a modern send-up reclaiming the story for rom-com fans. In a sense it took me back to my writing roots. I wrote a lot of absurd humor in high school and college but got on a fantasy kick when I started writing for publication. Callirhoe reminded me of one of my favorite comedy movies There’s Something About Mary, and I felt gay rom-com doesn’t get as much daylight as it should. It was fun to approach the subject of gay relationships from a light, really madcap perspective. 

MN: One of the things that is difficult for me, as a reader to relate to, are physically perfect characters. And, this book had the lead characters as physically perfect. What I love about the story is that you made these guys incredibly flawed, was this your intention from the start so the reader would be able to relate to them? Or, is it just how the characters are? I guess the big question here is how to keep these characters likable and believable, which is a hard line to balance, so what were your goals to that end? In the end I did find the characters likable and I thought you did a good job with it, but how do you think you did? Are you happy with their characterization especially now that the book is out? Do you think it all worked the way you wanted?

AP: My intention was heartwarming parody, and I think you’re right, that requires a well-measured balance. Because on one hand, I wanted to blow things up to point out certain social hypocrisies and superficialities while also saying something true about the world. Partially, I thought a story about a tragic, irresistible beauty in the gay community worked really well because I think we do fall prey to an obsessive search for beauty, which is defined as youthful, physical perfection. We see that in advertising, dating apps, gym culture, the whole cosmetic surgery and beauty industry, and I’ve known so many guys with body image issues as well as those who will only pursue young, conventionally-attractive men like it’s some validation of their worth.

So in developing the story’s tragic beauty Callisthenes (Cal), I did call upon those stereotyped traits. He’s twenty-four, blond-haired, boyishly handsome, slimly built. But it was important to me that he’s naively unaware of how attractive he is. That’s partially for the comedy. At a crowded outdoor theater, everybody makes way for him to have a prime seat on the grass, and he thinks it’s just this friendly thing. He’s come to New York for the summer, and when people shoulder each other aside to give him directions, he’s like: “Everyone in the country has it wrong about New Yorkers. They’re really kind and helpful.” I imagined him as this sweet, earthy, unpretentious guy who’s actually a bit more goofy and nerdy than you might expect. He’s a broke, grad student so he goes to random things like free lectures on writing true crime fiction, and he’s reading Artur Rimbaud’s love letters in the original French for fun. So with that portrayal, I hoped to make him more relatable and endearing.

With his love interest Brendan, I needed to create Cal’s handsome prince, so physical attractiveness was definitely an ingredient, but I also considered that Cal would be drawn to an intellectual type. Part of the parody with Brendan is he’s a trust fund brat who’s kind of rudderless and filled with angst. He definitely suffers from rich guilt, but I didn’t want to make that superficial. He’s trying to be socially conscious, and he’d rather take a guy out on a date for ice cream rather than impressing him with his wealth. But I drew on certain familiar observations about people of privilege in a light-hearted way. He’s got the requisite psychotherapist, has studied Buddhism, is over-educated but lacking the basic work skills to actually handle a job. I wanted to make him kind of a hot mess who finds a sense of grounding and belonging in Cal.

I love the story and the characters, so that hasn’t changed since Irresistible came out; but I also learned the comedy point-of-view isn’t for everyone. Some readers thought it was hilarious and refreshingly different. Some thought it was an eye-rolling train wreck, which in some ways is the point. Humor is really subjective, so it’s definitely a risk, and I don’t have the right perspective or I guess literary sensibility to write a satisfying story for traditional romance fans. I’ve never written stories “to trend,” just more so hoped they’d reach some readers who relate. That approach hasn’t launched me into the stratosphere as an author for sure, but for me, it’s been a risk worth taking.

MN: As I read the novel, I kept shaking my head at the wacky circumstances you got your characters into. This is a rom-com and of course there is a lot of misdirection (I think that is the correct way to say it) was this true of Callirhoe, or did you take liberty with the story?

AP: Yes, misdirection would be right. I actually had to tone down the ridiculous plot devices from the source material. Callirhoe may also be the oldest extant example of the “they’re not really dead” trope. When Chaereas is manipulated into believing Callirhoe cheated on him, he kicks her in the precise spot on her diaphragm that induces a death-like coma, and they go through a funeral and she wakes up to be kidnapped by grave robbers.

Most of the circumstances that thwart Cal and Brendan are loosely based on characters and plot points from the original, and I had to give them some tweaks for modern times. Cal’s pursuers like the Romanian mobster, the old hermit widower, his horny adolescent naval prison guard Faraj, and the despotic Arabian king are re-imagined. The one thing I somewhat kept is the journey, which goes through the Greek isles and ends up in the Middle East. I of course invented the Sultanate of Maritime Kindah as Cal and Brendan’s final destination.

MN: As I mentioned above I’m not at all familiar with the source material you wrote this story off of, did you have issues adapting this story for modern times? I thought you dealt with the whole social media aspect of it quite well, given the nature of the characters, especially Cal, how he didn’t end up a Social Media star or internet celebrity still has me curious, what were your writing strategies for this and how do you think it all worked out?

AP: Yeah, besides being a heterosexual love story, the original has the heroine being trafficked by sail boat through the Greek isles in a time when women were property. Beyond figuring out what a tragically beautiful gay man would look like in the modern world, I did have to consider technologies and political and law enforcement aspects to bring a story of obsession and abduction into a contemporary setting.

A guy who turns heads wherever he goes would face some creepy situations for example, and probably my biggest challenge was balancing a responsible portrayal of that while keeping the tone light. Part of Cal’s history involves stalkers and guys who send him dick pics, and then of course, he has a host of men who he thinks are going to help him get back to Brendan but are covertly plotting to keep him for themselves. As a contemporary story, it could easily have turned out feeling more like horror or crime drama than rom-com.

It helped a lot to have those sections vetted by beta readers and editorial staff to get the tone and balance right. For example, I tried to make one of Cal’s stalkers more comical by having him drive his Smart car into his house and ending up jammed in the car with local news crews filming him being sawed out by welders and carried out in a stretcher. I think the key was placing creepy situations in a world which feels silly and safe enough to readers to trust nothing too dark could possibly happen.

I think that’s why outrageous rom-coms by the Farrelly Brothers work like my fave There’s Something About Mary. Things could go to a dark place given the circumstances, but the danger and violence is given an absurd treatment. Like when Ben Stiller’s character picks up a hitchhiker who turns out to be a serial killer, and the guy runs off on him at a late-night rest stop. Then Ben is caught up in a police raid because it’s a gay cruising area, and the police find one of the hitchhiker’s victims in the rucksack he left in Ben’s car. They’re all really serious issues, but you don’t take them truly seriously because you feel safe in the storyteller’s hands. My early readers and editor helped a lot with finetuning that tone. I actually had a supporting character die in the first draft, and they helped me realize it was too off-putting to go there.

MN: You give this story a solid ending, but do you have any more planned adventures for Cal and Brendan or is their story done?

AP: I don’t think so. Writing the story has plucked up some interest in doing more rom-com, but the projects I’m working on have new inspiration points.

MN: You have quite a collection of books out there, and they cross several genres (which I love), so between us guys, what is your favorite genre to write in?

AP: That’s tough. I’ve truly enjoyed everything from paranormal to young adult to epic fantasy and rom-com. I’ll say this: I find contemporary a lot easier to write, whether it was my Werecat series or Irresistible. There’s so much research with epic and historical fantasy. So much internal logic to figure out.

MN: What do you currently have in the works? What will we be seeing in the future?

AP: I have a short story collection based on retold fairy tales and legends coming out from NineStar later this year. Besides that I’m working on a young adult comedy adventure based on The Odyssey, and I’m shopping around the follow-up to The City of Seven Gods.

MN: As with many of us, writing is either a hobby or a part time gig. You don’t appear to be any different in that regard. In general, we write because we love to tell stories. What motivates you to keep writing? Do you have stories in your head that need to be told? Or, is it something else? Do you feel the need to have LGBTQ+ content available for generations to be able to read and learn from?

AP: It’s important to me that I call my writing a job rather than a hobby, though it wasn’t always that way. Getting my work published was the dividing line, and thereafter I started building the confidence to take my writing more seriously; though not too seriously! It’s also been a journey of humility since rejections are an inevitable part of it, and there’s always more to learn about improving your craft.

I write because it’s intrinsically rewarding for me, from the creative process when I’m all amped up about a new idea, to accomplishing a story from start to finish, to the little bits of acknowledgement here and there, and seeing my work in print. I am a big advocate of increasing queer portrayals and #OwnVoices in particular, and equally, I just love stories with queer characters. I don’t know if you remember this t-shirt that used to be pretty popular at Pride events: “I can’t even walk straight.” Well, mine would be: “I can’t even write straight.” So the queer part is both purposeful and inevitable for me.

MN: Was there anything else you wanted to share with us today?

AP: I think that’s all. Thanks so much for having me over Marvin!

Andrew thank you for stopping by today and chatting about your latest title Irresistible. If you have questions for Andrew leave them below and I’ll ensure he swings by to answer, or you can find him on Social Media, see the links below. Until next time have a great week.

---

About Andrew J. Peters:

Author Andrew J. Peters is the third most famous Andrew J. Peters on the Internet after the disgraced former mayor of Boston and the very honorable concert organist of the same name.

He’s an award-winning author, an educator and an activist. His novel The City of Seven Gods won the 2017 Silver Falchion award for Best Horror/Fantasy and was a finalist for 2016 Sci Fi/Fantasy Book of the Year at the Foreword INDIES. His Werecat series was a 2016 Readers’ Choice finalist at The Romance Reviews. He has written two books for young adults (The Seventh Pleaide and Banished Sons of Poseidon), and he is the author of the adult novel Poseidon and Cleito. His latest title Irresistible is a gay rom-com based on the oldest extant romance novel in the world.

Andrew grew up in Buffalo, New York, studied psychology at Cornell University, and spent the early part of his career as a social worker and an advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. He has been a contributing writer at Queer Sci Fi, The New York Journal of Books, The Good Men Project, Gay YA, YA Highway, La Bloga, and All Romance e-Books (ARe) Café.

While writing, Andrew works as an administrator and an adjunct faculty at Adelphi University. He lives in New York City with his husband Genaro and their cat Chloë.

Where to find Andrew J. Peters:

Find his website here.

Find him on Facebook here.

Find him on Twitter here.

Find him on Goodreads here.

---

About his latest title Irresistible:

Brendan Thackeray-Prentiss is an Ivy League-educated trust-funder who Gotham Magazine named the most eligible gay bachelor in New York City. He lives for finding his soulmate, but after walking in on his boyfriend of three transcendent months soaping up in the shower with an older female publicist, he’s on a steady diet of scotch, benzodiazepines, and compulsive yoga. Men are completely off the menu.

Callisthenes Panagopoulos has a problem most guys dream of. With the body and face of a European soccer heartthrob, the vigorous blond hair of a Mormon missionary, and a smile that makes traffic cops stuff their ticket books back in their utility belts, he’s irresistible to everyone. But being a constant guy-magnet comes with its discontents, like an ex-boyfriend who tried to drive his Smart car through Cal’s front door. It makes him wonder if he’s been cursed when it comes to love.

When Brendan and Cal meet, the attraction is meteoric, and they go from date to mates at the speed of time-lapse photography. But to stay together, they’ll have to overcome Cal’s jealous BFF, Romanian mobsters, hermit widowers, and a dictatorship on the brink of revolution during a dream wedding in the Greek isles that becomes a madcap odyssey.

A gay romantic comedy of errors based on Chariton’s Callirhoe, the world’s oldest extant romance novel.

Buy his novel here.

Blog RSS

Interview with Author KD Fisher

Can you believe it’s the first week of June already? I’m really looking forward to the Summer and I’m hoping that all the rain is done for a while, but I’m not going to complain especially with this weeks guest around. To start off June, I have this great interview with romance writer KD Fisher. KD is a queer author who lives in New England. Let’s get into shall we.

Thank you for agreeing to be here today for the interview KD, now before we get started why don’t you tell us something about yourself. Something not in your bio.

Let’s see…my other favorite thing to do (aside from writing) is cooking. I even thought about going to culinary school! Spending a day shopping for food, trying new ingredients, and cooking a big meal for my friends and family is my idea of heaven. I also love reading cookbooks and own far too many of them.

That is so cool. I enjoy cooking as well. It’s a great way to be creative and get something delicious in the end.  Of course I’m not a fan of cleaning up, so there is that too.

I love that you are a romance writer, what got you interested in writing romance? Within romance what is your favorite to write about? What makes your romance work so unique and different?

I was very into reading romance growing up. Because, as a reader, I care about character development more than plot, I enjoyed getting to know two people and watching them fall in love. Then, as an adult when I discovered queer romance, I knew I’d found my absolute favorite thing to read. Knowing queer characters will get their happily ever after feels both comforting and radical to me. A lot of LGBTQ+ media has been dominated by stories of suffering, so happy stories about queer folks finding love and joy have power.

I love writing contemporary romance because, at least for me, I feel it gives the most opportunity to dig into character development and all of the nuance of what it really means to enter into a new relationship.  And since I’m in my late twenties, I like writing about characters my age trying to juggle careers, friendships, and finding their happily ever after. 

While I’m not sure it makes my romance work unique, one thing I care a lot about is including politics in my stories. Writers are frequently told to keep politics out of their work, but everything we do is political! 

Nicely said. I think politics, if done well, can only add to the richness of any story, including romance. Romance has a stigma that it’s basicially erotica, where the lines can blur a bit. We know this isn’t the case, so what are your thoughts on the whole line blur between romance and erotica?

Hm. I think a lot of the stigma around romance stems from intrenched cultural misogyny and discomfort with women enjoying themselves. But that’s a rant for another time!

Romance comes in all heat levels for sure, ranging from clean or sweet romance (terms I don’t love but, again, that’s a rant for another day) all the way to erotic romance. I think the biggest distinctions between romance and erotica are the goal of the work and why the reader seeks it out. When choosing a romance novel, a reader is going to expect character development, rich worldbuilding, and a traditional arc ending with the characters finding love. Emotional satisfaction is a hugely important aspect of romance. Erotica is more focused on sensuality and sex scenes.

I do include on the page sex in my novels and stories. One, because I like writing it, and two because I think, particularly for stories about queer women, it’s important that positive, consensual, and satisfying depictions of queer sexuality by queer creators exist in the world. In romance, however, sex scenes have to do the same work as any other scene. They should further the plot and develop character, otherwise they feel gratuitous.

Nicely said. I agree that there is a lot to unpack on this topic, however, I think you did a great job with the question. I love seeing positive pretrains of consensual adults being romantically involved.  Now, without spoilers why don’t you tell us about A Little Rebellion.

A Little Rebellion is a f/f romance novella that came out in May in theRogue Ever Afteranthology. I used to teach high school English and always wanted to write a story about two queer teachers falling in love. The plot centers around Ruth Chan, a veteran teacher and union representative, and Mia Davis, a brand-new educator. The two women develop a close friendship and commiserate over terrible new school policies. There’s plenty of awkward banter, progressive politics, and queerness!

Sounds like a must read. Okay, given the above do you have a favorite character in the story?  I know that’s like asking you to pick your favorite arm, however, sometimes there is a character that we have an easier time writing, so if you don’t have a favorite, then what about a character that was easy to write for?

I really loved writing Mia’s character because she’s so different from me! She’s bubbly and athletic and isn’t afraid of a challenge. The novella is dual point of view and I always looked forward to getting into Mia’s head. But I also really love Ruth in all of her awkward butch glory.

From your bio, I see you want to one day move to a cabin in the desert, that isn’t something you hear a lot from people, so I’m curious what is it about the desert you love so much?

It’s kind of a silly line because I’m pretty sure I never want to leave Maine (where I live now.) But I do love the desert. I’m a sucker for a beautiful but harsh landscape. And the American Southwest is one of my favorite places to hike because I love to geek out over desert plants and birds. 

LOL, plus I’m sure it’s quite a contrast from Maine, which I love by the way and got a chance to visit there a million years ago… I’m hoping to go back.  Anyway, moving on, what are you currently working on? What will be seeing from you in the future?

I’m currently working on a f/f foodie romance about a baker and a chef. It has been a lot of fun to write!

This fall I have a queer romance coming out with NineStar Press, followed by a holiday romance coming out with Dreamspinner Press. So stay tuned!

Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Thank you so much for having me! You are always welcome. Hit me up when you have a new book out and we can do this again.

Thank you KD for stopping by today and telling us about yourself and your writing.  If you have questions for KD leave them below and I’ll ensure she swings by to answer, or you can find her on Social Media, see the links below. Until next time have a great week.

---

About A Little Rebellion:

Veteran public school teacher and union rep Ruth Chan is always ready for the curveballs life throws at her--an updated curriculum, a new principal, a replacement superintendent… But she’s not ready for a cute woman at the dog park to divert her attention the day before a new school year. Ruth can't afford to pursue love when her students need her.

The last thing Mia Davis needs is a distraction. It’s her first year teaching and she’s going to do things right, dang it! No matter how much she wants to fantasize about a certain colleague she met at the dog park, Mia has to stand up to the intolerant jerk of a principal and help her students learn despite the horrible new test-prep curriculum.

As a close friendship develops between Mia and Ruth, the women must fight to save the school they both love and decide if their friendship can turn into something more.

Where to Buy KD Fisher’s books:

For A Little Rebellion in Rogue Ever After

Buy it on Amazon here.

But it on Barnes & Noble here.  

Find it on Apple Books here.

Buy it on Kobo here.

For Nature's Heart in Rogue Passion

Find it on Amazon here.

Buy it on Barnes & Noble here.

Find it on Apple Books here.

Buy it on Kobo here.

---

About KD Fisher:

KD Fisher is a queer New England-based writer of authentic, heartfelt LGBTQ+ narratives. 

KD grew up all over the United States: bouncing from North Carolina, to Hawai'i, to Illinois, and finally settling in Maine where she spends far too much time at the beach. As much as she loves the Northeast, she daydreams about one day moving to a cabin in the desert.

When KD isn’t writing she can usually be found hiking with her overly enthusiastic dog, obsessing over plants, or cooking elaborate meals. She loves classic country, perfectly ripe tomatoes, and falling asleep in the sun.

Where to find KD Fisher:

For Twitter click here.

For Facebook click here. 

For Instagram click here.

For Goodreads click here.

Blog RSS

Top Ten List with Abigail de Niverville

Happy Wednesday Scribblers this week I’m pleased to have fellow NineStar Author Abigail de Niverville on my Scribbles Page to do a Top Ten List for her debut novel, I Knew Him. Without further ado let’s get to the question.

What are ten things about Julian that make him unique and an interesting character that readers will be excited about?

1. Julian lives in a small town called Riverview, which still exhibits a lot of backwards notions. It makes it difficult for him to decide if he wants to come out.

2. He doesn’t like being the centre of attention, mainly because that gives more opportunity for people to speculate things about him.

3. His star sign is Aquarius, and he definitely embodies certain traits. He runs from his emotions, he finds it difficult deciphering those of others. But he’s also very adaptable in different situations and with different people.

4. He has a lot of constellations memorized.

5. His parents are divorced and he’s having trouble unpacking his feelings surrounding his father’s absence in his life.

6. He’s not very talkative and prefers the company of people who give him space to speak instead of demanding information out of him.

7. He bought his car off someone’s front lawn.

8. Though there were other signs he found in retrospect, Julian first began wondering about his sexuality when a boy kissed him at a party a couple years before the beginning of I Knew Him.

9. He loves action movies and sci-fi, though he might not be willing to admit that to everyone.

10. He throws a lot of his energy into school instead of dealing with his problems.

Blurb:

In his senior year of high school, Julian has one goal: be invisible. All he wants is to study hard, play basketball, and pretend he’s straight for one more year. Then, he can run away to university and finally tell the world he’s bisexual. And by “the world,” he means everyone but his mom and best friend. That’s two conversations he never wants to have.

When he’s talked into auditioning for the school’s production of Hamlet, Julian fears that veering off course will lead to assumptions he’s not ready to face. Despite that, he can’t help but feel a connection to this play. His absent father haunts him like a ghost, his ex is being difficult, and he’s overthinking everything. It’s driving him crazy.

The decision to audition leads Julian on an entirely different path. He’s cast as Hamlet, and the boy playing Horatio is unlike anyone Julian has met before. Mysterious and flirtatious, Sky draws Julian in, even though he fears his feelings at the same time. As the two grow closer, Julian begins to let out the secrets he’s never told—the ones that have paralyzed him for years. But what will he do if Sky feels the same way?

---

Buy Links:

Universal Link click here

For Amazon click here

For Barnes and Noble click here

For NineStar Press click here

Author Bio:

Abigail de Niverville is an author and composer based in Toronto, Canada. Born on the East Coast of Canada, Abigail draws inspiration from her experiences growing up there. When she’s not writing frantically, she also composes music and holds an M.Mus from the University of Toronto.

Find Abigail here:

Website: adeniverville.com

Twitter: @adeniverville

Blog RSS

Interview with Author Glenn Quigley

Happy Wednesday everyone. This week I want to say a big hello to fellow NineStar Press Author Glenn Quigley. Glenn has two amazing novels out The Lion Lies Waiting and The Moth and Moon and he is coming to us from beautiful Northern Ireland.

---

Before we jump in, I just want to say welcome to my Scribbles Page.

Thanks very much for inviting me along!

Let’s start off with you telling us something about yourself that we won’t see in your bio.

Hmm, let’s see. I’m a huge fan of Transformers, and have been since 1984. I trained with a paranormal investigation group and have been on ghost hunts in people’s homes, a jail, and the Belfast Opera House. Oh, and I used to make teddy bears from socks. New socks, mind you!

No way! That is so cool.  Okay, I need to focus.

I know you’re also a graphic designer and I’ve seen some of your amazing art that you’ve posted on Social Media, you are very talented, clearly being creative most be a passion of yours so what came first the writing or the art?

Oh, thank you very much! I’d say the art came first, I was always a doodler as a child, but I also read a lot. Books and comics. I was never any good at schoolwork (I hated school), except for essays in English class, which I really enjoyed. Once I left school, I kept working at my art and taught myself Photoshop and other art programs. The writing took a back seat for many years, but I would often note down story ideas and write little passages that usually never really went anywhere.              

It’s amazing how that works. I sort of did the same thing. I had all these ideas, but nothing ever came of them. Of course, the extent of my drawing is creating an amazing stick figure. So, what inspired you to start writing?

From secondary school onwards, my mother urged me to keep writing. It was always her dream to one day have a book with my name on the cover and she would regularly ask me if I was still working on my writing.

I went back to college as a mature student in 2014 to study photography and graphic design, and while the first year went really well, the second year was in a different college and it was a horrible experience. It was like being back in school. I dropped out of the course and thought I’d better have something to show for that year, so I decided to try writing a short story. When I managed that, I thought I’d try expanding it into a full novel, and it became The Moth and Moon.

Speaking of The Moth and Moon, let’s talk about your books, you have two out right now, The Lion Lies Waiting and The Moth and Moon why don’t you tell us about them.

Click on the image to buy the books.

The Moth and Moon is set in the 18thcentury and is about a burly gay fisherman named Robin Shipp who lives on a tiny island off the coast of Cornwall. One day a storm blows in and turns his life upside down. 

The Lion Lies Waiting is set four months later, and sees Robin embroiled in political intrigue, family drama and a possible revolution on sinister Blackrabbit Island.

The books are set in a world without religion, so nobody suffers any kind of prejudice for their sexual orientation or gender. I knew when I started writing the story that I wanted it to be historical fiction but I didn’t want it to all happen behind closed doors, or have characters face any hardship for their orientation. Frankly, the real world has enough of that, and I wanted an escape. I reasoned that religion was the excuse many people used to persecute LGBT+ people so if I removed that, I removed a huge stumbling block for equality.

I needed the world of 1780 (the year the books are set in) to be recognizable, but believably different. The answer I came up with was to still have the Romans invade Britain, which gave me the history, cultural impact, names, language, etc. needed to make the world recognizable, but then when their empire falls, the church goes with it. Word spread throughout the world of what life could be like if people just believed in themselves and in each other, and gradually all religion is left by the wayside. So by the time the books are set, a thousand years later, society has embraced all genders and orientations. Oh, and there’s a clockwork technology in there too, just to serve as a little reminder that this is meant to be *a* past, not *the* past.

The main characters are a mix of gay, lesbian, bisexual and straight. 

That is an interesting concept. I have heard people say work could be called historical fiction, but considering the changes your made is that a correct assertion? Why did you pick this genre to write in? 

I think given the massive liberties I’ve taken with history a more accurate label would be Historical Fantasy. I love history documentaries; I find them a great source of inspiration. I chose the late 18thcentury because I think there’s something about being on the cusp of the industrial revolution that’s romantic, in a funny way. It’s like the last few years before the birth of the modern world.

Tell us about the characters we are going to meet in these novels, are they based on real people or are they completely made up? 

They are completely made up, although Robin, my main character, has a lot of my clumsiness in him. I think, as I was writing, some mannerisms from friends and family creeped in to characters here and there, but there are no direct similarities. I based characters appearances on real people just so I could keep them consistent, but I think a lot of writers do that.

Robin Shipp is 50, extremely tall, broad, heavy, and not that bright. He’s a fisherman who lives in the little village of Blashy Cove. When we first meet him, he’s living a quiet life, ostracized by the wider community as they believe his father murdered a local artist forty years ago. He has no family, and lives alone in a tall, thin house. He has friends named Edwin, a handsome baker, and Morwenna Whitewater, an elderly neighbor who took pity on him after his father died. We also meet Robin’s ex-lover, Duncan. A short, stocky man who works as a toymaker. He and Robin have a very frosty relationship and can’t bear to be around one another. Over the course of the first book we meet the grumpy innkeeper, Mr. Reed, the married aristocrats Ladies Eva and Iris Wolfe-Chase, Edwin’s mother Sylvia (who loves to stir up trouble) and a whole host of other characters.

That sounds like a fun cast. Now, living in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, I would love to hear about your home, what are five must does if I were to ever make it over there?  

Lisburn is a small city, but it’s good for shopping as it’s so compact. It’s close to Belfast, which has lots of great bars, restaurants, and shops. Also nearby Hillsborough village is picturesque, with a lovely forest.

That sounds amazing. Ireland is on my list of places to visit so I hope to get there. Lastly, is there anything else you would like to share with us today?

I design geeky tshirts for Moodybear, so head over to www.themoodybear.comand have a look!

I have a fun little series of Five Questions with Ninestar Press authors on my website, www.glennquigley.comand I’m always happy to chat on Twitter, so anyone can contact me on there. I’d also like to say thanks again for having me on your blog!

I want to thank fellow author Glenn Quigley for stopping by today and chatting with you us about his two books. If you have questions for Glenn leave them in the comments below and I’ll have him swing by and answer them. Remember to like and share this post with your family and friends. You can share by clicking the share tab below. Until next time have a great week.

About Glenn Quigley:

Glenn Quigley is a graphic designer originally from Dublin and now living in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. He creates bear designs for www.themoodybear.com. He has been interested in writing since he was a child, as essay writing was the one and only thing he was ever any good at in school. When not writing or designing, he enjoys photography and watercolour painting.

Where to contact Glenn Quigley:

Click here for his website.

Find him on Facebook here.

Find him on Twitter here.

---

Blog RSS