This Week’s Author: Shelley Nolan

Book Spotlight:

Six young women discover hidden powers that make them the target of unscrupulous adversaries. Only by learning to harness their newfound abilities and work together will they be able to gain their freedom. As they fight to break free, they soon learn that more is at stake than just their lives.

Arcane Awakenings – a fast-paced paranormal fantasy novella series

When Merry inherits a bookshop from a grandmother she never knew existed, the last thing she expected was to be transported to another world. But while claiming her inheritance, she accidentally triggers a spell that takes her to Tirana; a world where magic is real, and where her grandmother left behind powerful enemies.

Now those enemies are after Merry, and she has to return home before they catch up with her. With the transportation spell broken, and mages and enforcers on her tail, she flees with her grandmother’s familiar, Sadie. But the black cat can’t save her when she draws the attention of the guild. On the run and searching for a way to remake the spell to take her home, Merry encounters dangers that may prove costly to both worlds.

Merry must learn to wield elemental powers of Air, Earth, Water, Fire and Spirit to have any hope of returning home. If she fails, she will be stuck in Tirana forever, while an ancient enemy may gain the foothold it needs to rid the world of magic for good.

Five hundred years ago, the cure for the common cold went horribly wrong, turning those infected into freaks consumed with hate and rage. Forced underground, the freaks return above ground at night, driven to attack the surface dwellers – their bite infecting thousands more.

To fight the freaks and protect mankind from extinction, scientists created genetically enhanced soldiers. Stronger, faster, with enhanced senses, wardens are trained from birth to protect the weaker humans.

The Captain of the Ward, Jackson Kyle, is infected while saving the life of another warden. Due to his genetic enhancements, he is like no other freak. His faculties intact, he escapes from the Ward and encounters a mysterious young woman. The second he touches her, he is caught in a bond, compelled to protect her at all costs. For she will decide the fate of humankind.

‘The first dead body I ever saw was my own’ – Tyler Morgan. Twenty-five. Murdered by the Grim Reaper

Welcome to the Reaper’s Ascension Series, where death is only the beginning!

After she is resurrected by the Grim Reaper, Tyler Morgan discovers a dark and hidden world. Not sure who to trust, and with enemies closing in, she will have to master her newfound abilities to have any hope of staying alive.

This set contains all three books, and the prequel short story, delivering a spine chilling urban fantasy sure to delight fans of the supernatural and suspense.

About the Author:

Shelley Russell Nolan is an avid reader who began writing her own stories at sixteen. Her first completed manuscript featured brain eating aliens and a butt kicking teenage heroine. Since then she has spent her time creating fantasy worlds where death is only the beginning and even freaks can fall in love, with more fantasy and sci/fi series in the works

The first two books in her debut adult urban fantasy series, Lost Reaper and Winged Reaper, were published by Atlas Productions in 2016, with Silver Reaper published in 2017 to complete the series. 2018 saw the release of her Arcane Awakenings Novella Series, while Odyssey Books published Dark Justice, the first book in a new post-apocalyptic series, in 2019. The sequel, Dark Vengeance, was released in April 2021 with the third book, Dark Allegiance, released in December 2021. In 2020 Shelley also released the first three books in her Merry Magic Series, portal fantasy books featuring witches, magic and talking cats.

Born in New Zealand, moving to Australia with her family when she was seven, Shelley currently lives in Central Queensland, Australia, with her husband and two young children. They share their home with two wrecking ball kitties, and two crazy dogs on a mission to chew. She loves to hear from her readers so feel free to contact her on Facebook, Goodreads, or at her website – shelleyrussellnolan.com.

Interview with Shelley Nolan:

Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels?

I currently have 12 books published, in four different series, as well as a number of short stories.

My debut series, Reaper’s Ascension, is a paranormal fantasy about a young woman who ends up working for the Grim Reaper after she is murdered. There are three books in the series, and a prequel short story.

My second series is Arcane Awakenings, a Young Adult paranormal fantasy set in the same town as my Reaper series, and follows six young women as they discover psychic abilities – abilities that make them the target of unscrupulous scientists. This series is six novellas, though I have put two novellas in each book.

My third series, The Last Ward, is a bit different, as it is a post-apocalyptic urban fantasy set 500 years after the cure for the common cold went horribly wrong, creating freaks filled with rage towards the uninfected. The story focuses on the former captain of the Brimfield Ward after he is infected. His struggle to retain his humanity is put to the test when he encounters a mysterious young woman with the power to destroy all humankind. There are three books in this series, with the last book released in December 2021.

I am currently working on Merry Magic, a portal fantasy series about a young woman who accidentally triggers a spell that transports her to another world – a world where magic is real and she is mistaken for an infamous witch with powerful enemies. The first three books of Merry Magic have been released and I am working on book four now.

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author? 

I have wanted to be an author ever since I was sixteen and I starting turning my daydreams into stories. Those daydreams usually involved me being swept up in some kind of adventure by  discovering magical powers, being transported to another world or into the pages of my favourite books. As an avid reader it felt natural to turn my daydreams into stories. Using my friends as inspiration for the characters, I fell headlong into creating my stories and knew that being an author was all I ever wanted to do.  Only, I didn’t know how to go about it.

Back then there were no creative writing classes or groups locally and no internet to connect with other would be authors. So my desire to be an author sat on the back burner for many years. I was still writing, but it wasn’t until I got my first computer and was able to connect online with other writers and discovered workshops that I realised I could finally achieve my dream. 

What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing?

Impostor syndrome is something most authors deal with, and I am no exception. Often when I am writing a first draft I think it is terrible. But if I let it sit for a while and come back to it with fresh eyes I realise it isn’t as bad as I think it is. It is amazing what some distance can do. Sometimes I read through my older books, and when I get caught up in the story, I know I didn’t do too bad a job. I also have trusted beta readers who will tell me straight if something isn’t working for them.

While I know not every reader will enjoy my stories, it helps to remind myself that I have spent years working on my craft. Long before my first book was published, I was attending masterclasses and workshops where I had the opportunity to work one on one with industry professionals. Having the acquisitions editor of a major publisher tell me how much they loved my story was a huge boost to the ego, and was the first time I thought I could make a career out of writing stories.

Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing? 

I lost my father to cancer when I was thirteen, and it took me years to realise that I had created story worlds where death could be overcome. One of these is in Reaper’s Ascension, where the main character is resurrected after she agrees to work for the Grim Reaper. I have another story, outlined and partially written many years ago, in which the main characters dies in this world only to be reborn in another one. I also tended to write characters who had lost their fathers at an early age or who were estranged from them.

A less morbid way I have included actual life experiences is by setting Reaper’s Ascension and Arcane Awakenings in the fictional town of Easton. Only, Easton is really the town I live in. I changed the name so I could alter some of the town’s characteristic as needed.

While the black cat familiar who mentors Merry, in Merry Magic, is based on my house panther, and my other cat makes an appearance as the familiar of Merry’s love interest.

Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why?

The easiest character for me to write about was the teenage heroine in my very first story, Intergalactic Heroine for Hire. I started writing IGH when I was sixteen, and Sharon Chambers was a mix of my friends and me. That story was a full on romp where Sharon (AKA me and my friends) got to be sharp witted, sharp tongued and save the universe. That story has not yet been published, as I had no idea what I was doing way back then and Sharon came across to initial readers as mean rather than witty. But IGH and Sharon still hold a special place in my heart, and I hope to one day go back and take the kernel of the idea and turn it into a proper story.

The hardest character for me to write was Jackson, the main male character in Dark Justice, The Last Ward Book One. This was my first time writing from a male character’s point of view and I had to show how hard it was for him to hold on to the last shred of his humanity after he was infected with the freak virus. Dark Justice has a beauty and the beast vibe, but the initial draft had him acting too beastly to ever be considered a love interest for the main female character. It took a few rewrites to nail his character down and provide a satisfying read. The third and final book in the series, Dark Allegiance, was published in December and I will admit to shedding a tear as I penned the last chapter. After taking such care to create a memorable character, it was hard to say goodbye to Jackson and the rest of his Ward.

Contact me at nikkiereads@starsbooksandtea.com if you’d like to be featured here!

This Week’s Author: Sheri Lynn

Book Spotlight:

A pirate. A lady. He decides she belongs to him.

Priscilla is bored with her life. She yearns for adventure and excitement. She pleads and begs her father to allow her to go on his next trip to the intriguing pirate infested islands. When she’s told no, she sneaks on the ship anyway.

Nathaniel is the quartermaster on the ship he currently sails on. His quest for his own ship is almost complete. When he visits a harbor town, he discovers the greatest treasure he could imagine and like any other trinket, he takes her with him.

Her dreams and her realities aren’t coinciding. Priscilla learns the hardships and threats on the open sea and of living on an unrefined island. But Nathaniel and his amber eyes burn her in every conceivable, delicious way.

Nathaniel is committed to silencing his harrowing past. When an opportunity for revenge presents itself will he pursue it? Can Nathaniel keep Priscilla safe?

Once Priscilla experiences the true pirate in Nathaniel, will it be more than she can withstand?

Publisher’s Note: This steamy, sexy pirate tale includes elements of danger, action, adventure, mystery, suspense, sensual scenes, and power exchange. If any of these offend you, please do not purchase.

On Nysa, women exist solely as recreation for men.

Calliope dreams of escaping Nysa, traveling to Earth and living free. Her plans are thwarted when she ends up placed with a dedicated soldier as his plaything. Regardless of her developing feelings for Amerrande, she knows she must not let anything get in the way of her plans to escape, and after a terrifying attempt and hazardous journey, she reaches Earth – only to discover freedom is not long lasting, as Amerrande is sent to find and execute her.

Phaedra has one purpose: service assignment soldiers for one month in whatever capacity they desire. Her doctor sedates and forces her to leave for the desecrated and disease-ridden Earth, followed by transport to Neoma, the frozen death planet. His plan was to save her from a life of servitude and offer her a freedom she wouldn’t have had. But all isn’t as it seems. And when Phaedra learns to see and trust with her heart and not her eyes, she will risk not only her life, but the life of the man she wants to share it with.

This is a two book collection consisting of Charm Him, Disarm Him and Impress Her, Possess Her. Both books read as standalones and have a HEA.

Publisher’s Note: These steamy sci-fi, apocalyptic romances contain elements of action and adventure, and power exchange.

Traveling to the island of Roatan, Honduras, for her college best friend’s wedding, it never crossed Sophia’s mind that her college boyfriend, Trevor, could be in attendance. She hadn’t heard anything from or about him since graduation when he left to bounce around to different locations and pursue his immature dreams. She assumed no one else had either. Wrong. He has quite a reputation in West End, Roatan.

Trevor was told of and agreed to the unlikelihood of Sophia traveling to the simple island destination. He didn’t give it a second thought. Until he saw her sitting on a barstool at the tiki bar. Now he can’t stop thinking about her. Fantasizing about her. She still has flowing, auburn hair and a fiery attitude to match.

Both recognize the fire still burning between them. But neither is inclined to relight the match.

They wanted different things. They took separate paths and found success. Did either find the happiness they had together? Will either act on the passion between them? If they do, it will force them into the exact dilemma they suffered a decade ago.

Can and will Trevor let her return to the lucrative lifestyle she always wanted and obtained? A decade without her couldn’t silence his doubts about losing her the first time.

Will Sophia leave her ‘West End Wonder’ living the satisfying life he chose for himself? She’s dated the high-powered business moguls she dreamed of. But she’s never appreciated and enjoyed them as much as she does Trevor and experiencing his laid-back island lifestyle.

When secrets come to light…

Emma is returning to the scene of her indiscretion, unsure of the welcome she will receive. But after five years, it’s time to ask for her former fiancé’s forgiveness and to introduce her young son to his rightful father.

Annabelle is fleeing after being betrayed and humiliated by her beau and her best friend. Going west to stay with her cousin and her family, she hopes to make a new start. But when her curiosity gets the best of her, she meets Clyde, who promptly decides she needs to be taken in hand.

Claude and Clyde are twin brothers who work on the Big G Ranch, but they are keeping a secret about the past. When it is discovered, will they lose their positions and the women who have stolen their hearts?

This is book two in the Big G Ranch series and can be enjoyed independently.

Publisher’s Note: This historical western contains elements of action, adventure, mystery, suspense and power exchange. If any of these offend you, please do not purchase.

Together they were combustible, but every fire can burn out of control.

Holly’s life wasn’t really working out the way she expected. She’d graduated high school and gone off to college only to be forced home. She worked a depressing job in the local diner, giving her paychecks to her mother, and dreaming of the day she could return to school.

Ash entered the diner she worked at one cold, rainy night and the spark between them flared immediately. He made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. She was offered a contract providing her with a substantial amount of money —her family desperately needed—if she agreed to his terms for one week. Seemed simple enough.

Little did she know what he actually bought and how much she would relinquish.

Publisher’s Note: This dark, contemporary romance is intended for adults only and contains elements of mystery, suspense, possible triggers for some readers, sensual scenes and power exchange. If any of these offend you, please do not purchase.

About the Author:

I’m Sheri and I write as Sheri Lynn and Sheridan Knight. I grew up an Army brat, so my childhood involved moving every three years. However, truly a southern gal, I currently split my time in Alabama and Florida with my husband, one Chihuahua, two Golden Retrievers, and a turtle. I have two sons, who live on their own, a daughter in college, and a stepson and stepdaughter.

Romance novels have always been my first reading choice. I’m a hopeless romantic, and that trait materializes in every aspect of my life. “Wearing your heart on your sleeve” has been a common phrase repeatedly heard throughout my life. Writing romance and happily ever-afters come naturally.

Whether a result of my childhood, or not, I love to travel. Warm weather and beautiful beaches are always my choice destination.

Social media:

Tweets by sherilynnauthor

https://www.facebook.com/sherilynnauthor/

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sheri-lynn

https://www.instagram.com/sherilynnauthor/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SexyScintillatingRomancebySheriandSheridan/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14678523.Sheri_Lynn

https://mailchi.mp/sherilynnauthor/sherilynn-sheridanknight

https://sherilynnauthor.com/

my email:  sherilynnauthor@yahoo.com

Interview with Sheri Lynn:

Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels?

I write romance across several genres.  Vampire.  Western.  Contemporary.  Sci-Fi/Post-Apocalyptic.  Historical Suspense.  Historical Fantasy.  Whenever I get inspired, I go with it.  I enjoy writing characters who aren’t necessarily looking for love, but it finds them.  Some of them reject it and fight against it… but I do love a happy ending.

This year is the first year since I began publishing in 2015 that I intentionally did not sign onto any new projects, and I have no deadlines to meet (except my own). I want to finish the next books in several series I started, and I am currently working on a contemporary story which will release in June of this year.

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author? 

I’ve always loved reading and writing.  I’ve always had a creative imagination. I was the girl who cried when the day came to finally pack up her Barbie dolls because I was too old to continue crafting lives for them. 

I sat down at my laptop after my second son was born and wrote my first novel.  I shopped it around a little bit, but I had two young sons, a full-time job, and gave birth to a daughter a few years later. It would be over twenty years before I published anything where others could read it.  But during those years, I stayed active in a writers’ group and kept writing and eventually decided to submit another story which did get published in 2015.

What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing?

Remember or reread the positive reviews. And yes, there are negatives ones too. But we are all different and what one person hates… another can love. Remind myself why I write. I write because I love it. Even if I never become a ‘huge success’, I am successful because I stuck with it and people have read my words and enjoyed them.

I also walk away from it periodically. Writing can be a lonely endeavor. It can be harsh. And I feel beaten down on occasion. So, I force myself to step back for a week or two or even a month. And, by the time I sit back down at my laptop I’m anxious to get back at it.

Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing? 

I think all my characters have parts of me in them. They say we write what we know. I tend to write about small towns because I lived in them most of my life and I love the laidback lifestyle.

In my book, West End Wonder, there is a wedding on the island of Roatan, Honduras. My husband and I spent many years frequenting the island. I changed the names of the resort, bars, and restaurants, but they are based on my experiences. The entire scooter accident scene and my description of the hospital are also factual (well, it was me driving with my mom on the back).

Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why?

Hmm. I love them all, but there are occasions that getting inside their mindsets, understanding them, and delivering it through my words proves difficult.

I think the easiest characters I have written would be the females I wrote for a co-authored series with Isabella Kole. They are Western romances, the Big G Ranch series. All their stories came easy to me, and it was so much fun bringing them to life.

The hardest character might be Echo from a sci-fi series I started with one novella in an anthology which is no longer available and continued the story in a separate anthology, Chosen By An Alien which will be no longer available in February. I plan on combining them this year and re-releasing with new material and the next story.

If you could include any graphics you’d like added, the books you want me to spotlight (up to five), and your author photo and bio. I so appreciate you for participating in this feature! 

Contact me at nikkiereads@starsbooksandtea.com if you’d like to be featured here!

This Week’s Author: Breezy Jones

Book Spotlight:

Christmas is for losers…
It’s bad enough Nina Winters is failing epically at being a werewolf – throw in corny songs, hot cocoa, and snow angels, and she’s on the brink of insanity.
The last thing Nina needs is self-proclaimed ‘Christmas Miracle’ Ryker to show up and tangle her tinsel.
Between pack dynamics, Genies, and Christmas Fae, Nina and Ryker have to fight for their lives and their burning attraction for each other.

Welcome to Once Upon Academy where Magic is real and Princesses really do have happily ever afters.

Once Upon a time, in the realm of Fairytales there is a little known school only the best are accepted to attend. The Academy is deep inside the fantasy forest hidden in plain sight. When those who have not been invited in, they see a normal school, brick and mortar but when the acceptance letter is received it becomes the beautiful estate for those to continue their college education in the magical world.

Join the descendants of classic fairytale characters as they navigate through their college lives at the prestigious Once Upon Academy.

About the Author:

Breezy lives in a small town in Florida with her husband, daughter, son and three furbabies, as a SAHM. If you ask what first got her into writing, she’ll tell you it was over the ending of Divergent. She remembers laughing at the first person to suggest that she could write a book, but chose to give it a shot.

When she’s not writing Breezy splits her time among her many hobbies; reading, repainting dolls, makeup and graphic design, just to name a few. These things don’t come without a cost; coffee and wine. While writing hasn’t always been her goal, she has fallen in love with building a world from nothing and watching it flourish.

Interview With Breezy Jones:

Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels? 

So I have my main series The Winter Series. Book one Winter’s Rise is about a girl who has recently found out she’s a werewolf and is learning how to handle that with her new pack alpha Ryker to help guide her. But when shifters start disappearing Nina gets caught in the middle and must learn to embrace who she is to save the day. Upcoming I have vol. 2 of that series will be out for LLS exclusively first in July. And also I have vol 2 of Once Upon Academy coming out in December. Besides that, I’m a part of a handful of other really awesome box sets starting with a Christmas set with the first one in the series which has my year one story from OUA!

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author? 

I guess after I wrote Winters Rise the first time and figured out I hated it but then knew what I wanted to do with it and rewrote it. That’s when I decided I actually wanted to publish.

What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing? 

I don’t per se doubt my actual writing. I feel like I have good story ideas and do a good job getting them on paper. What I doubt is the editing. If I don’t feel as though the story got the edits it needs I’ll doubt the overall book. That’s when I worry. So I usually end up passing the story through multiple people and editors to really flush it out so I feel confident with the end result. Two sets of eyes are better than one.  Editing is what makes your story from good to great so I always worry about making sure it gets from that point to the next.

Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing? 

I think we all weed a bit of ourselves and our life experiences into our stories. Though with the ones I have out at the moment, there not any particular situation I’ve experienced but rather details from multiple experiences woven throughout.

Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why? 

Raven from Malefic Mixology was my easiest because she’s very much like me. She’s bubbly and bright. Very girly. Loves all things pink and glitter. A cheerleader at her core. I tend to have at least one character like this in all my stories because it’s hard not to weave yourself into your books.

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

This Week’s Author: Joesph Gage

Book Spotlight:

Fourteen-year-old Joven can’t deal with his brothers constantly teasing him for being shy, so he runs away from his family farm to the darkenwood, a forest claimed by some to be magical. He hates his nickname, Mouse, and vows to prove to his family that he isn’t afraid of everything. When he meets a talking mouse named Eek, the forest proves to be magical indeed. Aided by his new companions, he tries to overcome many obstacles to climb out of the shadow of his brothers and be his own person. He meets a few really special people and creatures on his adventure, who show Joven that even a mouse can have the heart of a lion!

Twas the eve before Christmas
And all through the night,
The creatures were stirring to give you a fright.
The monsters came out from their warm nestled nooks, in search of some mayhem so dear reader come look.

Explore the twisted side of the holidays with this dark collection. Serial killers enjoying their Christmas vacation. Zombies terrorizing the holiday. Santa revealing his true colors. Learn about Frau Perchta and more winter legends who are here to delight and terrorize the holiday.

About Joesph Gage:

Joseph was born and raised in the Piney Woods of East Texas. He is a painter, musician, and even writes a bit. You can visit him online at www.josephgage.com

www.linktr.ee/justjoe300 for all of my links in one place.

You can see his art at www.facebook.com/rideordieart

Interview With Joseph Gage:

Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels?

I wrote my first book, The Mouse, while I was unemployed, recovering from a nervous breakdown after my parents died. It was a labor of love. I had always wanted to write but never thought it was something I could do. Then I lost both of my parents, my girlfriend was killed in a hit and run while crossing the street, and I had a nervous breakdown. I ended up in jail and then on the street homeless. It was a traumatic time in my life. I turned to writing to find a way to cope with things. I think I had most of the book done before I considered publishing it. My friend and fellow author, DC Gomez, was a huge encouragement to me. I will remain forever grateful for her advice as I went through the process of publishing my first book. I also designed the cover, edited the book, formatted it, etc. No other hand touched that book from conception to publication. It was a huge learning experience to me, but more than that, it gave me the courage to pursue writing full time.

Fast forward, now I have a story in an anthology coming out December first, called Once Upon a Twisted Christmas. My next full novel is book one in my new series, The McAlister Chronicles. It is a thriller, Eye for an Eye, and will be out in December or January. The book follows the life of retired Navy Seal Nathan McAlister, called Mac by most people. The first book will most likely be out in January. Book two is already in the planning stage. I am really excited for both books. Not to mention this Christmas anthology. I am trying to finish out the year with a bang, and it has been a quite the journey! I am pretty open about sharing my story. I went through a lot, but I always try to encourage people. I have come so far, and I really just want to write interesting stories that people enjoy reading.

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author?

When I was younger, I spent a lot of time writing but never considered it something I could do professionally. After I lost my parents in 2016, I felt adrift in the world. Grief was overwhelming, but  writing short stories helped me cope. The Mouse started out a short story  just for fun, but I fell in love with the characters, and as the story unfolded on the pages I was writing, I started to take it more seriously. Slowly the idea that I could do more than write as a hobby began to take hold.

What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing?

Great question. I have struggled with so much doubt. I was bullied and abused as a child. My self esteem used to be zero. I have fought tooth and nail against my own negative self image. It takes constant vigilance. One thing I did is I started paying attention to what I was saying about myself. If I am saying negative things, even jokingly, I am crushing my self esteem. So I shut that down. I say positive things about myself. Even when I don’t feel like it. It might sound cheesy, but I have to tell myself that I do deserve good things, that I am good enough, and other affirmations. Doubt and low self esteem are truly dangerous enemies of happiness and success. And I never forget where I came from. I had a nervous breakdown after my parents passed away. I was homeless, living on the street, on drugs, hopeless. I really learned about who I am through it all. Now, when the doubt creeps in, I stop and mindfully remember where I was and how far I have come. Also, every time a reader tells me how much they enjoy one of my books, it makes my day. That’s what it is really about.

 Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing?

Oh yes, for sure. I battled addiction for a large portion of life. I have lived in a world that most people don’t know exists. I have known true fear, terror, and seen things I will never forget. Phillip K. Dick said it best in the book A Scanner Darkly when the main character talks about what the world of addiction is like, saying “Now in the dark world where I dwell, ugly things, and surprising things, and sometimes little wondrous things, spill out in me constantly, and I can count on nothing.” (Philip K. Dick, A Scanner Darkly)

The stories I write are completely fiction, but the emotional response of the characters comes from my experience. I write damaged characters, anti-heroes, flawed people who are dealing with life on their own terms. My first love with books was as a reader. I love books with characters who I can believe in, so I try to write books with characters who are relatable. I know pain. I know grief. I know happiness, joy, and love. These are the things I write.   

 Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why?

My easiest character I think was Joven, the main character of The Mouse. I was shy as a child. Seriously so. That is a whole other story about that, and how I overcame it. I may blog about it one day if enough people want to hear about it. My hardest character has been Mac, the anti-hero in my next novel, Eye for an Eye. I don’t want to give too much away, but he isn’t your typical good guy. It took some thought to write his character the way I really wanted.

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

This Week’s Author: H. Gorlitz Scott

Book Spotlight:

In a desert kingdom, a sixteen year old girl is determined to escape a vile sorcerer, but is challenged by the maneuverings of an unseen insurrection.

Home to the largest library in Sivoa, Libris Del Sol is a wonder to behold. It has stood since before known civilization and is the most desired Kingdom in the world.

Dragonira is desperate to leave it behind.

Tormented by a lifetime spent at the mercy of her abusive father, she steals an escape spell that puts her face to face with the prince. Surprised by her appearance and wary of an underground rebellion, he and his family force her to stay within the palace walls.

Meanwhile, a troubled oracle struggles to cross the continent to warn of the kingdom’s demise before it is too late to save them.

Do you know a child who loves Halloween? Do you remember that one haunting house where the fear was not worth the candy? Move over Great Pumpkin! Children will have fun trick-or-treating with the fearless, mysterious Captain Halloween!

Schoolchildren taunt and tease Peter “Pumpkinhead” because of his love of pumpkinseeds, which ultimately leads to a schoolyard dare: to trick-or-treat at the haunted house of the wicked witch on Halloween night. Peter never returns. For a generation, Halloween is all but banned. Until a brave schoolgirl named Clare takes the same Halloween dare Peter once took. In costume eerily similar to Peter Pumpkinhead long ago, a school-age Captain Halloween, along with a black cat named “Boo,” saves both Clare and Halloween from the wicked witch, forever!

About H. Gorlitz Scott:

H. Gorlitz Scott was born somewhere between orange groves and raised amongst the alligator people of America’s most phallic of states – Australia Lite. There, she and her sentient hair have taken to drawing a land of make-believe to live in so that she did not become one of the zombie hoards.

This hobby turned fully professional after she and her husband spawned a swamp elf that constantly needs to be fed. In addition to publishing her own line of comics, Scott has provided illustrations for gaming companies such as Aldorlea Games, Rose Portal Games, and The Historical Game Company.

Not wanting to leave the make-believe adventures of her early life behind, she turned to writing them down; a process that was significantly faster, and more effective, than interpretive dance (which she is terrible at).

Scott continues to write, draw, and stare at spaceships from her home in Orlando, Florida to this day. “Hey, somebody has to live here.”

Interview With H Gorlitz Scott:

Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels?

I’ve had a hand in quite a number of publications, but I’ve only a couple of novels that are totally mine – those being Sivoa in its various forms.

This setting and story was originally published as a comic series, but because I was a single person doing all of the things that a small team would normally do, it took me an uncomfortable amount of time to produce. Switching to a strictly prose format sped things up considerably.

The first book in the series, Sivoa: Sunrise, covers the comic from the beginning on past where it left off. In a nutshell it’s about Dragonira – a teenaged girl trying to escape an evil sorcerer, while indirectly contending with a secret insurrection.

The mini-sequel, Sivoa: Mourning takes place a short time afterward and features a bunch of Sivoa: Sunrise side characters that don’t continue on into Sivoa: Zenith, which is the proper second book in the series. As a reader, it drives me nuts when I don’t know what happens to a character outside of the main timeline, so I decided to write about them a little. 😅

Sivoa: Zenith continues with Dragonira’s story and features a drastically different world than the one she grew up in (not that it would take much). She finds herself having to deal with life in magic-using capitalist society, crazy religious factions, culture shock – all while having to hide who she is. It gets pretty nuts.

This novel is still in progress, but because I’m not restricted by the exclusivity rules of a publishing house, I have been sharing some work-in-progress snippets from it to patrons at http://patreon.com/dragonmun 

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author?

I can’t say that I actually had an aha! moment, but it definitely stemmed from comics. I read comics and I liked to draw, so I started creating comics. At first they were these weird one-page things involving aliens trying to sort Earth shit out (which made my kid brother laugh immensely), then they went one to more, uhhhh, structured things like a webcomic about samurai vegetables being idiots. Eventually – and in response to my BFF asking me endless questions about characters that appeared in my sketchbooks -I started drawing Sivoa as a comic.

10+ years later I had something of an emotional meltdown, where I realized that I wasn’t enjoying making comics anymore – even though I still wanted to get this story told. I guess that was when I wanted to become “an author.”

What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing?

This is going to sound egotistical, but I focus on the good reviews that the book has received. Most of them are by close friends and fans of the comics. The fact that they like my writing in that form as well is a pretty huge confidence boost. I mean, jumping from comics to prose is a pretty big leap for the readers as well and that they liked the story enough to do that means a lot to me. I love my readers so much and I appreciate their patience more than I can put into words (ironically). 

Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why?

I’m going to out myself as an extreme nerd here, but because I spent so many years “role-playing” villains online, Flag was actually my easiest character to write. He is nothing like me and I definitely don’t relate to him on any kind of moral level, but I learned how he thinks in all this time, so I can drop right in and write him without much issue.

Dragonira, on the other hand, started off as a fighting game character concept that then morphed into a coping mechanism for things that I witnessed dear friends go through. I had to learn who she was for the comic and then even moreso for the novel. It’s been a lot of fun figuring her out, but there’s also been a lot of prose thrown out because it wasn’t exactly her.

Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing?

Indirectly, yes. Certain interactions with toxic people has led me to realize that people can indeed get fixated on horrible motivations for extended periods of time and that interventions don’t always work. My going through the process of having and raising a child informs a viewpoint I need for Sivoa: Sunset, the third book in the series. I also learned that family doesn’t necessarily mean blood and that reflects a bunch in Sivoa: Zenith…

I feel I must stop here to say that my own family life isn’t reflected in the story at all. My parents are amazing and my brother is awesome. My extended family is dear to me and I am totally blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. 🥰

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This Week’s Author: Sophie Bartow

Book Spotlight:

“I fell in love with this little harbor.”
“Charming beginning for a series.”

Enjoy this steamy small-town romantic suspense series with a sense of family that will have you falling in love.

From the moment Sally Miller arrived in Swan Harbor, she felt at home. And after a year in the small town, she’s ready to look toward the future instead of living in the past. Then a note appears. And another; leaving her worried, she might have to run once again.
Danny Patterson gave up his dream of going to medical school, when his father had a stroke. He spends his days on a lobster boat, and his nights caring for his parents and siblings. But his response to Sally has him remembering the dreams he’d long buried.

Welcome to Swan Harbor, where Granny’s is the place for gossip and apple pie. Will Sally trust Danny enough to let him in? Will Danny put his heart on the line? Will their friends meddle? Find out in this Prequel to this small-town series.

Welcome to Swan Harbor
Welcome to Swan Harbor is the Prequel in Swan Harbor: A Contemporary Romantic Suspense Series. Each novel stands alone with a guaranteed happy ending, but threads from secondary stories weave throughout. Grab a chair, open your book, and come meet my friends.

https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/f444de2a-be62-11eb-98c0-a3a5fdb1eb8f

Swan Harbor’s Hope

About Sophie Bartow:

Sophie Bartow is married, a mother of four, and currently lives with two spoiled cats and a dog. When she is not involved with her family, you’ll find her writing, reading, or watching some of her favorite televisions shows while plotting her next book. You can connect with her via her website:

SophieBartow.com

Interview with Sophie Bartow:

Tell us about the books you’ve published so far.

I write small town romantic suspense books. On 10/8, my 9th book came out. Each book stands alone, but there are multiple stories that carry through the series. And so, I try to give hints about past stuff, but they are really more fun to read in order.  I also have ‘stories’ within my series. “Swan Harbor’s Hope’ is a set of 5 books that revolve around ‘saving’ the town’s hope, and a Spanish Galleon pirate ship that has been docked in the center of town forever.  

Book 1, Book 9, and the next 2-3 books are connected in what I’m calling my ‘love trials’ books.  

In addition to the above, I also have free novellas. One of them can be downloaded from my website. And the second one shows up in promos on BookFunnel and StoryOrigin.  

Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels?

Book 10 of my series is due out 11/12/2021. It’s called The Innocence of Love and centers around the Sheriff of my town and his wife, Molly. She is pregnant with twins and well… let’s just say that they have been a lot of fun to write. But – the book isn’t part of my ‘trials of love’ set for nothing. Books 11 and 12 were set up in Book 9.  I also have about 5 novellas in my head and I’m participating in a romantic suspense anthology due out next April called Love is Fatal. 

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author? 

I loved to write as a kid and have always had a vivid imagination. But for the past 34+ years, I have been a speech/language pathologist working with adult post stroke patients. When my daughters were seniors, I decided that I needed a new journey and allowed my R Brain out to play. My first book was published in March 2020. And I’m having a blast. 

What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing?

I know this is probably uncommon, but I don’t really have doubts about my writing. I know that I can weave a good story and that some people will love my series and others won’t. My doubts come in when I think about all that’s involved on the business side and what if no one buys the books. BUT I’ve run a private practice for 23 years so… I’m trying to tell myself that it’s a marathon and go from there. 

Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing? 

As I said before, I’m a speech path and yes, I write my career into my stories.  I have several characters who stutter, a couple who’ve had strokes. One who has Alzheimer’s. And in Book 10 that comes out 11/12, a baby has a cleft palate. A teen boy has had a head injury (which happened in Book 4), the MFCs mother has Parkinson’s AND the MFC is carrying twins.  But she’s having boys and I have twin girls. 

Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why?

Easiest character – That’s a tough question but maybe Ava King. And not because she’s anything like me. But somehow her personality flowed. She’s the mother of my MFC in Book 3. And then gets her own book, in Book 5. In the beginning, she sees herself as Rapunzel and is looking to be rescued.  Needless to say; her MMC is definitely the perfect book boyfriend.  This book, Kisses, Family & Hope just won 2nd prize in Romance in the Royal Palm Literary Competition. 

My hardest character was probably Liam Reade, but darn has he been a lot of fun. He’s the brother of the MMC in Book 3, is the MMC in book 4 and has shown up in several since. He hid behind his affability to keep from giving his heart to Elsa and that boy held his cards close to his vest forever…

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This week’s author: Ellie Raine

Book Spotlight:

Multiple Award-winning Gothic Fantasy. A Reaper knight embarks on an epic adventure to free his soul from his twin brother’s body.

Xavier, an apprentice Reaper knight with split magic, is thrust into a dark prophecy when his soul is ripped out and sealed inside his twin brother. To free himself, he must cross the five realms of Land, Sky, Ocean, Dream, and Death to find his missing body, hopefully alive. Unaware of their secret life, a young woman Reaper is sent on a mysterious mission to reunite the brothers. For it’s been Foreseen that the end of existence is near and the fate of the world hinges on these cursed twin Reapers being whole again. But none of them are prepared for what’s to come…

A vivid new world filled with deep lore rooted in magic, shrouded in gothic mystery, and seeping with extraordinary world-building.

Foreboding dreams. Visions of destruction. An epic adventure of mystery, magic, and mayhem…

The Orbs of Azure, relics of the Dream kingdom obscured in legend, are said to be hidden in Aspirre’s subconscious plane and blessed by the wise Shepherd of Dreams. Xavier and his twin, Alexander, have a destiny to fulfill that will lead them to the Orbs of Azure, in time. But with Xavier’s soul still trapped in his brother’s body, even Willow’s ominous visions can’t show her what it will mean for the world. But there is one Seer who has more answers… her grandfather, the King of Dreams.

Icy waters. Intertwined fates. An epic adventure of mystery, magic, and mayhem…

The Pearl of Emerald, a relic of the Ocean kingdom drowned in ancient fables, is said to be lurking in the depths of Marincia’s icy waters and blessed by the graceful Artist of Beauty. Xavier and his twin, Alexander, learn of their destiny that leads them to the Pearl of Emerald. But when a selfish queen goes to war with Grim, they must survive a dual battle with both the living and the dead.

High storms. Air-bound ships. An epic adventure of mystery, magic, and mayhem…

The Phoenix of Scarlet, a relic of the Sky kingdom overshadowed by ancient tales, is said to soar through the thunderous skies of Culatia’s floating islands and blessed by the thrilling Archer of Storms. Xavier and his twin, Alexander, learn that their destiny isn’t what they were told as they meet the Phoenix of Scarlet. Now they want nothing to do with the prophecy surrounding them. But it’s too late to turn back now, for if they stop now, they could lose the ones they love most.

Divided kingdoms. The End of Existence. An epic adventure of mystery, magic, and mayhem…

The Blossom of Gold, a relic of the Land kingdom thought lost to the times, is said to rest within the overgrown ruins of Everland’s lost city and blessed by the nurturing Gardener of Life. Xavier and his twin, Alexander, reluctantly face the destiny they’ve grown to despise as they are taken to the Blossom of Gold. They only hope it’s the right choice.

About Ellie Raine:

Writer’s Digest award-winning fantasy author Ellie Raine is a voracious BookWyrm when it comes to epic adventures, detailed world-building, and thrilling battles. Fueled by coffee-bean concoctions brewed by the finest caffeine alchemists in the kingdom of Atlanta, Georgia, she only emerges from the depths of these daring tales when she is summoned back to the physical realm to spend time with her brood.

Her high fantasy series, the NecroSeam Chronicles, has won several awards including First Place in Fantasy for Writer’s Digest, a Silver Medal for Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards, and additional awards from Readers’ Favorite and  the Book Excellence Awards.

She is a lover of ravens and a dreamer of dragons, but above all else, she is a scribe to the stories that guide her.

EllieRaineAuthor@gmail.com

www.NecroSeam.com

www.EllieRaine.com

Interview With Ellie Raine:

1.    Tell us about the books you’ve published so far. Can you tell us about some of your upcoming novels?

My main series right now is the NecroSeam Chronicles, an award-winning gothic fantasy adventure saga. There are five books total for the general series, and two prequels out so far. Outside of the NecroSeam universe, I also have a children’s illustration book, and an adult fantasy noir called Nightingale with Pro Se Productions. I have a few books in the works right now that I’m testing the waters of, but I’m still deciding which one to finish next.

2.    What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author? 

That would be my first creative writing course in college. I went to the Art Institute of Atlanta for Game Art and Design, then needed an extra elective to fill up my credits. I picked creative writing because it wasn’t full. Didn’t have anything to write, so I just wrote the story I was going to make into a game, and boom—I was in love. Never looked back after that.

3.    What are some things you do to overcome doubts about your writing?

When I was first starting out, I had to constantly remind myself that I was writing for me, and that I was writing what I loved, not what someone else wanted. When I started getting positive feedback for my books in messages and reviews, I printed those out and framed them on my wall so I didn’t forget that someone out there at least loved what I did. Nowadays, I’ve received a few awards and fan mail, so when I’m feeling like the worst writer in the world, I see them on my wall right above my computer so I can’t forget they exist.

4.    Have any actual life experiences reflected in your writing? 

Absolutely. One example is a character in the NecroSeam books named Octavius. He has a type of magic that lets him sense the presence of germs that he describes as feeling like little pin pricks against his skin. The inspiration for that comes from a condition I have called Irlene Syndrome. Basically, I see in pixels. My vision is filled with little colorful dots that vibrate and dance around everything I look at, like static on a T.V. screen. When I created Octavius, I translated my visual experience as if it were a tactile one, and I imagined the static would feel like prickling if I could touch it.

5.    Who was your easiest character to write about and why? What was your hardest and why?

The main twins Xavier and Alexander were definitely the easiest characters to write about for me because their personalities are more or less modeled after the two moods of my husband, whom I met when we were 10. I’ve known him for so long, it’s hard not to accidentally slip him into some character personalities at this point.

As for the hardest character to write, I think the villain, Macarius, was the hardest. I’m not a murdering megalomaniac, so trying to write in the eyes of a psychotic serial killer was challenging.

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