#PromoPost #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources / #PriceDrop : Passport to Happiness – Carrie Stone @CarrieStoneUK @HarperImpulse

– ‘The Magic Of Wor(l)ds’ blog is a hobby, reviews and other bookish stuff on this site are done for free. –

Today I’m on a blogtour, organised by Rachel’s Random Resources, to promote ‘Passport to Happiness’ by Carrie Stone.

I would like to advertise a price drop. The book will be only 99p on Amazon UK, but please be aware that this price is just accurate at time of posting this blogpost, so check before purchasing!
I would say grab a copy before it’s too late. 😉

Not yet convinced? Here is some ‘basic’ information to persuade you further.

About the Author :

Carrie was born and raised in London, but her love for travel and adventure has seen her spend the last fourteen years living and working internationally. She is currently based in Spain alongside her husband, young daughter and adopted Indonesian dog, Bali.
Carrie is a traditionally published author with Harper Impulse, as well as an independently published author. When not writing, she works as a Psychic Medium & Spiritual Coach (www.carriebattley.com). To find out more about her, connect on Facebook or Twitter.

Synopsis :

An inspiring and escapist read – Eat, Pray, Love meets Bridget Jones!

Will the trip of her dreams …

Everly Carter is bored.
With her job, with her single status and with the never ending line of rubbish men on Tinder. Tired of going through the motions of seeming happy, Everly wants to be happy!
So, in a spontaneous moment of bravery (perhaps spurred on by a few cocktails) Everly books a holiday. Time away, alone, to find out what she really wants from life.

Become the journey of her lifetime?

Everly’s search for happiness takes her to picturesque Swiss villages and the sunsets of glamourous Bermuda. But with every new stamp in her passport, Everly still feels as though something is missing…
Could it be that true happiness is hard to find, until she finds herself?

The Magic of Wor(l)ds

Advertenties

#BlogTour #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources / #Excerpt : Space Dragons – Robin Bennett @MonsterBooksRaw

– ‘The Magic of Wor(l)ds’ blog is a hobby, reviews and other bookish stuff on this site are done for free. –

Today I’m on the ‘Space Dragons’ blogtour, organised by Rachel’s Random Resources.
To promote Robin Bennett his book I have an excerpt, but before I let you read it first some ‘basic’ information.

About the Author :

Robin Bennett is an author and entrepreneur who has written several books for children, adults, and everything in between. Listed in the Who’s Who of British Business Excellence at 29, his 2016 documentary “Fantastic Britain”, about the British obsession with fantasy and folklore, won best foreign feature at the Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards, and his first book for young adults, Picus the Thief, won the Writer’s News Indie Published Book of the Year Award in 2012. Robin is also a director at Firefly Press.

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Synopsis :

If Stan Pollux had known he would be spending his summer holidays in the outer reaches of our solar system, he would have put on different underpants.
But when he gets kidnapped by the Planet Dragon Mercury, most things suddenly seem small and insignificant. Stan finds himself in a universe of dragons who had once ruled the skies as gods: Mars, Venus, Saturn and even Uranus way out back. This is shaping up to be the best summer holiday in the history of the cosmos until Stan discovers his stupid sister is missing and that Pluto (AKA Hades) is trying to use her to destroy the Solar System. And it will be all Stan’s fault if he doesn’t get Poppy back.
So, all Stan has to do is learn how to fight like a hero in space armour, defeat the dragon god of the Underworld, Hades, rescue his sister and save the world. All before his parents realise she is missing.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK
Amazon US

Excerpt :

In this extract, Stan is crossing the River of Rock that marks the dividing line between the old and the new planets in our Solar system. He is with the Space Dragons Mars, Venus and Mercury. They are on their way to see the leader of the gods, Jupiter, when they are ambushed by the forces of Pluto who has stolen the Particle of Light and, with it, Stan’s little sister, Poppy.

A wailing noise made him spin around. He shrank back in horror as everything bad or scary that had happened to him – ever – just faded away compared to what he now saw: seven hags scrabbled their way over the lip of a rock then propelled themselves forward on bony legs but at terrible speed, huge claws extending, long tongues flapping through cheekless mouths.
‘Nothing for it!’ Mercury gasped, fire still leaking from his nostrils, ‘We’ll have to make a run for it.’
‘Too late!’ cried Venus as she sent out short bursts of flame in every direction, ‘Our Auras can’t break through the rock and they’ll just cut us off and we’ll be finished.’
Looking around, Stan could see she was right. ‘What do we do?’ he asked.
‘We fight.’ Mercury actually grinned. ‘Not really my idea of fun, but it’s what we do best, after all. You stay behind Venus, and try not to do anything heroic. Last thing you want is to die here, you’ll end up like one of them,’ he shuddered, ‘with very bad breath.’
‘But …’ although Stan was scared, it didn’t seem right he should hide. He’d argued to be on this mission after all, and felt responsible for all this, somehow. But before he could move forward, Venus shielded him with her wings.
‘Stand aside, creatures of the dead!’ she cried and blew a flat sheet of fire that shot out in a wave of flames ahead of them, like a deadly tide, ‘or you will burn!’
But the ghouls showed no fear of the threat nor, indeed, any sign of having heard.
Hundreds now burst from holes in the rocks, the shadows and overhangs where they had been waiting to ambush Stan and his Dragon escort. They scuttled forward, jumping from boulder to boulder, bones clicking, lipless teeth grinning insanely, rusted swords and axes raking the air.
Venus and Mercury extended their necks to the full, whipping fire all around as Mars, who had been gaining height, finally joined the battle. He came in at supersonic speed, his own flames adding to the twisting infernos: crimson, purple and silver. ‘I’ve cleared a way through the rocks!’ he shouted at the others, ‘this is not his whole army, it’s just a search party Hades sent. We just have to get rid of these and we’re through.’
The heat from the Dragons’ furnaces lit up everything, making the floating boulders surrounding them glow red, then white hot as rank upon rank of the dead exploded into balls of fire and fell away, down into the inky, icy blackness below.
‘Go back to the Realms of the Dead, from whence you came!’ Venus roared.
‘Ha, that’ll learn yer!’ Mars shot out red fireballs in every direction, which smashed the boulders and sent stone shrapnel into the oncoming hordes.
The battle was all but won now; Venus and Mercury doused their flames, leaving the survivors to Mars who flew after them, smashing their brittle bones with his powerful wings, racking them with his claws as he sent out narrow jets of flame like small missiles at the fleeing army. ‘Ha ha! I haven’t felt so good in centuries!’ he cried.
‘What a dear poppit,’ Venus turned and flapped through the corridor in the boulders Mars had cut for them, ‘I just knew he’d have a lovely time and he obviously hasn’t been out, not properly, in such a while.’
‘He’ll sleep well tonight,’ said Mercury.
They were passing a large rock the size of a floating island, but Venus and Mercury did not notice the last ghouls until it was too late. Bursting from where they lurked in a small cave, they made straight for Stan, as if sensing the weak spot. Venus tried to rear up to get out of range, but they were just too quick and they leapt at her, bursting through the Aura, right at Stan.
As if he’d been the target all along.
Before Stan could react, he realised he was sharing his safe bubble of Aura with three of the Undead. He smelled rotting flesh and saw fleshless hands with long yellow nails grasping for his throat. One carried a sword.
Fear was going to make him try to run away or just stand there and do nothing. Just as he had done in front of Poppy at the bus stop, he was going to embarrass himself and these Dragons were going to see he was just a frightened little boy and they really were going to make him go home.
He knew what he should do … no, more than that, much more … right there and then, Stan knew what he had to do.
Stan Pollux blinked once and lunged forward, grabbing the creature’s rusting sword. It attempted to leap away, surprised that this smallish Human seemed to actually be attacking back, but Stan was too quick, he pulled hard and felt the brittle bones of his assailant come apart. Suddenly the sword was free. Stan swung blindly and was surprised to see the ghoul’s head roll off. That was pretty easy, he thought. He heard a sound, the clicking of dry bones and spun round, swinging the sword as he did so, taking another ghoul in the midriff, slicing it in half as it fell with a silent wail. Sensing a movement at his back, he turned again, the ancient sword raised above his head, and brought it down, crunching through bone and the rusting breastplate of some long dead warrior.
It was over in less than three seconds flat. Stan turned this way and that, looking for more creatures to fight, becoming slowly aware that there was a strange silence all around him. He stopped and looked up. The ghouls had gone and three Dragons were staring at him in stunned silence.
‘Bloody hell, just who are you?’ said Mercury under his breath.
‘Doesn’t talk much, but he can fight … my kind of Human,’ remarked Mars.

Giveaway :

Win 10 x Hardcover Copies of Space Dragons – UK Only
*Terms and Conditions – UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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The Magic of Wor(l)ds

#BlogTour #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources / #QandAs : Tabby’s Big Year – Hollie Anne Marsh @Hollieannemarsh

– ‘The Magic of Wor(l)ds’ blog is a hobby, reviews and other bookish stuff on this site are done for free. –

Today I’m on the ‘Tabby’s Big Year’ blogtour, organised by Rachel’s Random Resources.
To promote this book I have a Q&As post, but before I let you read it first some ‘basic’ information.

About the Author :

Hollie Anne Marsh is an Australian author who lives in Barcelona, Spain with her partner, baby boy and horse Frieda.
Hollie has been horse riding since she was a little girl, enjoying activities such as Pony Club, showjumping, eventing, and trail-riding in the great Australian bush. Hollie lived in England for almost ten years where she had two horses and trained them for dressage.
The Sweetbriars series is inspired by all the special moments Hollie spent with horses – good, funny, and challenging moments!
Additionally the ‘coming of age’ and ‘growing up’ experiences that Hollie had.
Hollie hopes that readers will be able to identify with the characters, find the books fun to read, and they will help readers learn more about horses.

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Synopsis :

After Tabby’s father vanishes, a deep rift develops in Tabby’s family. Tabby’s mother is focused on being a star performer in her pharmaceutical sales career, while Ava, Tabby’s older sister, is living with grandparents in Cornwall. Tabby feels neglected by her mother and jealous of Ava and although outwardly diligent and responsible, she’s like a kettle about to blow its top… bottling things up until it’s nearly impossible to keep a lid on her frustration and sadness.
Tabby finds solace with her best friends Cate and Violet at Sweetbriars Farm where she is nursing her dream horse Bliss back to peak performance, to be able to participate in the try-outs for the British Young Riders Squad.
Tabby also finds herself facing other challenges – saving her beloved horse Nancy from the knacker’s yard and finding the courage to tell her friends the truth about her family.
Will Tabby be able to save the horses she loves and be brave enough to tell people how she really feels?

Purchase Link:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
GoodReads

Q&A :

Hi

First of all thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions, I really appreciate it. Here we go! 🙂

Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
I am from Australia, however, I have lived overseas for over twelve years; first in England and now in Barcelona in Spain where I live with my partner and toddler. Since living in Europe, I caught the travel bug and I’ve travelled pretty extensively all over the world; both for work and pleasure!
My horse journey started when I was eight years old… I first had lessons at the local riding school and then I loaned a pony. Once I was able to get a part-time job at age fourteen, I took on an ex-racehorse to retrain. At university, I also rode racehorses at the crack of dawn and when I had a ‘proper’ job e.g. a job that paid a half decent salary, I went on to buy more ‘purpose-bred’ horses. I also participated in various activities and competitions over the years, in dressage and jumping.
I wrote the manuscript for the first Sweetbriars book over ten years ago. I had a dream to create a premium equestrian series; with a balance of pony and ‘coming of age’ themes, like the successful Saddle Club series. After having a baby and being made redundant from a corporate job, I finished the first book; Leaving The City and more recently, the second book; Tabby’s Big Year. It has been great to do something creative again and fulfil a lifelong dream of mine.

Which books did/do you love to read as a child/now as a grown-up?
As mentioned, I loved to read ‘coming of age’ series such as the Saddle Club and also the Babysitters Club. I guess I liked these books so much as it was easy for my friends and me to relate to the characters.
I also liked classics such as the Flambards series from K.M. Peyton – as a teenager, I found the classic English horse books captivating, especially since they were so different from what I knew growing up in Australia.
Now I read most genres and a few books that I read recently and loved are Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón and La Catedral Del Mar by Ildefonso Falcones, both set in Barcelona. They bring Barcelona to life in a very different time, with fascinating characters and intriguing stories. They’ve given me a whole new perspective on the city; various sights and streets I pass through every day.

Is there a writer whose brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?
I think Ernest Hemingway would be fascinating to talk to and learn more from. What a life and I love his books… Timeless, with a unique writing style and full of adventure.

If you could, which fictional character (from your own book(s) or someone else’s) would you like to invite for tea and why?
A grown-up Cee Cee Bloom from Beaches would be awesome and fun.

Do you have some rituals or habits while writing?
Nothing super interesting I’m afraid! I usually have coffee, take my toddler to day-care and tidy the house a bit. I’m a bit OCD and have to be in a nice environment with fresh air to work. I usually try to break the day up with exercise, like yoga or running on the beach. I’m quite lucky living in Barcelona, only a ten-minute stroll from the Mediterranean.

Where do you come up with your idea(s)? Do people in your life need to be worried? 😉
Mainly from life experience, growing up in Australia and then living in the UK and Barcelona. Also, everyday life; watching television, movies, reading, meeting people on the street and funny random interactions or events. I haven’t really copied anyone close to me… but I do get ideas from people in my life and then the character evolves. Also, the animals definitely get copied, but I think they’d be happy about it if they knew! Most of the animals in my life have been lovable… so I mainly write good things about them.

Are you a plotter or do you go with the flow, as a pantser?
So far, I plotted each book, and as I began to write the first draft, the books evolved somewhat, but they both didn’t stray too far from my original story idea.

Can you give novice writers some tips (do’s/don’ts)?
Find a good editor who you will learn so much from.
Allow as many people as possible to read your book before you publish, for feedback. However only take on board constructive feedback!
Be realistic with timelines and enjoy the process of learning. You always need more time than you think.
Create a good cover and research what is working in the genre you want to write in. Again, share it with loads of people to get feedback.
Have a thick skin and be proud of the accomplishment of just writing your first book. I think getting that first book out is really the beginning of something and at least for me… I think it’s something I will do for the rest of my life. Even though I have written since I was a teenager, my writing wasn’t very structured, and I didn’t have a goal. Once I realised I could write a book, it’s a great challenge to have going forward… I also now see situations differently with stories everywhere.

What are your futureplans as an author?
Well, the obvious thing seems to write another Sweetbriars book from the third main character, Violet’s point of view. There is also a quirky neighbour called Sophia that many readers have commented on and seem to love. I think it could be fun to write a book about her life… she is a bit of an enigma. Then the books could continue – as the series is in its infancy. At this stage, I am not sure how far I will take it, but I do think it has a lot of potential.

Last, but not least : Can you give my readers one teaser from your book, which is featured here on my blog, please?

Tabby’s heart was racing and she shivered and swallowed, feeling no pain this time. She rubbed her glands in her neck softly as she braced herself for action. Taking a deep breath, she pressed her finger firmly on the buzzer.
Silence.
She buzzed again – nothing.
She banged daintily on the gate and waited.
She banged harder, feeling a sense of panic and then another feeling.
Certainty that Nancy was inside.
Finally, the peephole opened abruptly and Tabby jumped.
A middle-aged man with ruddy skin and beady eyes appeared, “Good afternoon. What do you want?” he asked gruffly, jutting out his chin.
“Hello. I wonder if you can help me… I heard that a chestnut horse came here today. A cob,” Tabby held her phone up with a picture of Nancy against the peephole and tried to stop her hand shaking.
The man paused and scratched the stubble on his chin seemingly uninterested. “Yeah, she is here. And what business is it of yours?”
“I want to take her off you,” Tabby said firmly.
The man scoffed, then said, “Look, little girl, we are a business, we aren’t giving away ponies to little girls willy-nilly.”
“Please, I will pay you,” Tabby said.
The man shook his head and said, “Nah, I have contracts to fill and we have plans for her.”
Tabby shuddered and stood on tiptoe as he reached his hand out to close the shutter, “Please – I have money.” She pulled out the fifty-pound notes.
The man paused and opened the peephole again. Tabby stepped back. He rubbed his chin and squinted with mean looking eyes.
Tabby could feel the heat of his stare on her cheeks but she stood her ground and didn’t even flinch.
Finally, he spoke, “Well she isn’t cheap… a solid mare like her.”
“How much?” Tabby commanded, suddenly angry.
He scratched his head, seemingly enjoying the suspense, “She would fetch us around five hundred and fifty.”
Tabby took a deep breath; she wasn’t expecting that much – which she didn’t have.
She knew she couldn’t show weakness. Stay cool, keep calm.
“I can give you two hundred and fifty pounds today and the rest within the month,” she said, thinking quickly and in her best business voice.
“Look little girl I am not a bank,” the man replied shaking his head and he started to close the peephole.
Tabby blocked the peephole closing with the palm of her hand, “Please, I work at The Dales saddlery and I go to Dalesea College, so you know where to find me. I am true to my word,” she said, looking straight into his eyes and trying her hardest not to beg.
He opened the peephole again and studied her face. “OK, but you will have to add another fifty on for interest,” he said slyly.
Tabby was brimming with anger and surprised herself by testing him, “I can’t afford that, and that is my final offer,” she said turning on her heel. She felt a deep hate for this guy and inside she knew she’d have to turn back if he didn’t concede, as she needed to get Nancy out of there instantly.
She shuddered as she heard an ominous scraping noise and turned back around to see the big gate opening.
“OK then, come in little girl, she’s up the end,” the man said in a menacing voice and ushered her in.
As Tabby walked through the gate she was presented with a pitiful sight. Rows of rickety wooden stables were on the left, and on the right, pens for cows and pigs. It stunk of manure and urine. Beyond the pens were large industrial metal sheds. Tabby didn’t want to think what went on there. There was no humanity whatsoever, only dankness and the smell of the end.
Tabby saw horses of every colour hanging their sorry heads over the stable doors. As they walked past, they shied away, back into the safety of their stables.
In the pens were Friesian cows with sweet doe eyes and young calves that stuck to their mothers’ sides.
A shiver ran down Tabby’s back, she felt a strong desire to just run away, but she had to pull herself together. There was nothing more she wanted than to save them all.
As she followed the man to the end of the stables Tabby focused straight ahead and willed herself not to cry. She heard a whinny and Tabby caught her breath as she caught sight of Nancy peering out over the stable door, her eyes full of desperation.
It was no use, tears were streaming down Tabby’s face and she ran to Nancy, completely forgetting the man. Nancy rapped her front leg on the door and rubbed her nose affectionately against Tabby’s shoulder over the door. Tabby held her chestnut head in her arms and kissed her soft muzzle, then whispered in her ear, “I will get you out of here pronto, don’t worry.”
Nancy nickered softly and Tabby asked the man where Nancy’s headcollar was.
He handed over an old headcollar with a broken nose piece and rusty buckles.
Tabby stared at it with disgust.
“This is all I was given, I’m afraid,” he said indifferently.
Tabby hated Emilia even more than the man. Tabby had bought Nancy a new headcollar and left it with Emilia, and she didn’t even have the decency to put the horse in her own headcollar.
She opened the stable door and Nancy pushed her way out eager to leave, the whites of her eyes flashing, “Whoa girl,” said Tabby stroking her shoulder, trying to calm her. She put the broken headcollar on and attached the lead-rope as Nancy stood patiently. Once out in the stronger light, Tabby could see that her leg was swollen and when she began to walk she was lame, but it could have been worse and she seemed eager, nonetheless.
Tabby thrust the money at the man. He stuffed the notes in his pocket and whistled cheerfully as he walked them out. Tabby couldn’t look at the other animals and stared fixedly ahead. At the gate, they couldn’t leave fast enough and the man shut the gate with a scrape and clang behind them, startling both Nancy and Tabby.
He opened the peephole one last time, which made Tabby jump.
“I will see you soon little girl – don’t forget our debt or I will be coming for you,” he said menacingly as his beady eyes narrowed and went all dark.

Isn’t that a great reason to pick up this book and to find out more?!
Thanks once again for this lovely interview, Hollie Anne Marsh.

The Magic of Wor(l)ds

 

 

 

P.S. Are you an author (or publisher) who also wants a FREE interview like this? You can always contact me via e-mail!

 

 

#BlogTour #SilverDaggerBookTours @SDSXXTours / #Excerpt and #GiveAway : Once Upon a Death – Dzintra Sullivan @DzintraSullivan

– ‘The Magic of Wor(l)ds’ blog is a hobby, reviews and other bookish stuff on this site are done for free. –

Today I’m on the ‘Once Upon a Death’ blogtour, organised by Silver Dagger Book Tours.
To promote Dzintra Sullivan her book I have some ‘basic’ information, an excerpt and a giveaway for you.

About the Author :

My name is Dzintra Sullivan and I am an international best selling author based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. I fell in love with books as a young girl, reading Judy Blume and Enid Blyton. Progressing onto loving the supernatural genre as a teenager and never left. I write paranormal romance, romantic comedy and cozy mysteries. I love to laugh and making my readers laugh,snort,fart is my primary goal. I won’t apologize for who I am, I was born to stand out.

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Synopsis :

Title: Once Upon a Death (Days of Death Series Book 1)
Genre: Cozy Mystery

I never chose death—death chose me.
Now I choose change.

Kaah Maah had been the reaper for over a millennia. The mundane repetition of collecting souls night after night from an ever-increasing population was beginning to grind on him. Kaah had witnessed an ocean of unique faces, all confronted with their final moments on earth. Though different in appearance they all showed one final emotion—fear.
Kaah wanted a change. He craved quiet serenity, where he could perfect his yoga poses while listening to his favorite singer Michael Bublè. Kaah wanted nothing more than to retire and become a ‘no one special’ in a ‘nowhere special’ town.
When strange things began happening in Deadend, Ohio, the question had to be asked.
You might be able to take the reaper away from death, but can you ever actually take death away from the reaper?

Goodreads

Amazon

Excerpt :

It was surprising to him, watching humans go about their normal day without fear of meeting in a dark alley. They weren’t anywhere near as annoying as he had previously thought. If anything, they seemed generous, kind and thoughtful. Take the last week for example? He had just moved into town, and right from the first hour their neighbor was extremely friendly. He had found his favorite place to eat, a park to walk in at night time, a new job with people that seemed to accept him. Now, he had been given a car, a hearse no less. For the first time since he had made a decision to retire, he actually felt it was the right choice.

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Giveaway :

Follow the tour here for exclusive content and win $10 Amazon (1 winner) or a signed paperback (5 winners) via this Rafflecopter giveaway. Good luck, everyone!

The Magic of Wor(l)ds

Blog Tour Organized By:

Silver Dagger Book Tours

#BlogTour #SilverDaggerBookTours @SDSXXTours / #QandA and #GiveAway : The Sydney St. John Mysteries – Cary Osborne @Hathor1112

– ‘The Magic of Wor(l)ds’ blog is a hobby, reviews and other bookish stuff on this site are done for free. –

Today I’m on the ‘The Sydney St. John Mysteries’ blogtour, organised by Silver Dagger Book Tours.
To promote Cary Osborne her books I have some ‘basic’ information, a Q&A and a giveaway for you.

About the Author :

Cary Osborne has been writing for more than two decades, delving into many genres including science fiction, fantasy, mystery, horror, and romance. Having once been told that there aren’t enough generalists in the world, and having an interest in many worldly aspects, makes it difficult to settle into a single mold. Ancient history, being one of those interests, she uses her studies in the subjects and backgrounds for her stories, both long and short.

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Synopsis :

Title: Oklahoma Winds (The Sydney St. John Mysteries Book 1)
Genre: Mystery

In Oklahoma, spring brings storms raging across the American prairie, too often spawning tornadoes that lash the land. But this spring Sydney St. John finds herself fighting for her life against another danger, one from the past. When her intern’s body is discovered in the archives processing room, everyone wants to believe the girl’s death was an accident or a horrible mistake. But Sydney sets out to discover whether the cruel murder of today resulted from another crime committed nearly seventy years earlier, searching for clues as only an archivist can. Her search leads her to another danger, different, in the person of Ben Bartlett, grandson of the creator of the very collection at the center of the mystery. Is he to be her lover? Or her murderer?

Goodreads

Amazon

Title: Oklohoma Winter: Black Ice (The Sydney St. John Mysteries Book 2)

Oklahoma, the state that ranks second as most dangerous in the U.S. when it comes to weather. Too often, the wind comes sweeping down the plain, with a vengeance. In winter, black ice glides onto the roads, barely seen, and when the wheels of a vehicle run onto it, a driver had best beware.
It’s winter in Oklahoma, and Sydney St. John finds murder among the papers of the Filmore County Historical Archives. The collection is that of Carl Blair, rancher, politician, father, and husband, who ruled his land and his family without the need for compassion, or love. Although gone these many years, his grandchildren and Lawrence, his only surviving son, still suffer from his cruelty and heavy hand. It’s Sydney who must untangle the web that begins with racism and murder. Ben Bartlett her lover, still living in California, is helpless to save her from natural disasters and festering family hatred.

Goodreads

Amazon

Title: Saving Souls (The Sydney St. John Mysteries Book 3)

Sydney St. John, still living and working in Gansel, Oklahoma, hopes to never be involved in a murder investigation again. She plans on being content with organizing the historical documents in the Filmore County Historical Archives. But when Patrick O’Kelley, preaching to no one on the corner opposite the archives in twenty-degree weather, is found murdered, her curiosity once again gets the better of her.
The facts she discovers lead her to hidden gold, oil rights, and Edward Capeheart O’Kelley, the man who shot Bob Ford, Jesse James’s killer. What does the murder in the late 1800s have to do with Patrick O’Kelley’s death in the 21st century?

Goodreads

Amazon

Q&A :

What inspired you to write this series?
For several years, I worked as an archivist. That’s someone sort of like a librarian – most people in the field have degrees in library science – but an archivist processes collections of papers and memorabilia created by people, companies, families, educational entities, etc. I loved the work. I’m an organizer by nature and working on a collection of papers so that researchers can access them is perfect for me. It’s amazing what one finds in such collections.
And that’s what Sydney St. John does. She finds information that is dangerous, something that the descendants or others involved in the story want to keep hidden. They’ll do anything to keep even her from reading it, much less the authorities.

What did you enjoy most about writing these books?
One of the fun things was, and still is, doing the research necessary for the novels. Since the story actually begins in the past, and I want an historical flavor to each story, I need to read Oklahoma history, where the characters and stories occur. Each novel has some basis in actual history. Then the story moves into the present where past events present problems for descendants.

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Sydney St. John mysteries?
Like me, Sydney has lived in a lot of different places. She isn’t an army brat; her father worked for a large, unspecified, international company, like G.E. or IBM. She was married once; her husband died. They were very much in love. She’s been a widow for twelve years. Yes, she’s middle aged, the sort of woman character not much seen in fiction. She’s driven by curiosity, the need to know, and a strong sense of justice.
The man she falls in love with, Ben Bartlett, is a tax accountant living in the Los Angeles area. They met in the first book, Oklahoma Winds, when she was working on his grandfather’s papers. Sydney is satisfied with a long-distance romance, but Ben wants them to live together, mostly in L.A. She, however, loves her job and doesn’t want to leave the archives. The situation may be resolved in the fourth book, but I haven’t decided how that will happen.

Have you written any other books that are not published?
Oh, yes. There’s Cross Over the River, a Civil War alternate history. Remember, a modern-day romance with a touch of magic realism. A science fiction romance, titled The Blue Man. Checkout, a suspense, trapped-in-the-shopping-mall novel. And several fits and starts.

Is there a writer whose brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?
Although I do talk with him every so often, one author whose work and attitude I admire is Joe Lansdale. He is a prolific writer with the most vivid prose. His stories come alive in a way I can only envy. He writes all sorts of fiction, from young adult to gory horror. His Hap and Leonard series has been made into a TV series.

Fun Facts/Behind the Scenes/Did You Know?-type tidbits about the book or the writing process of the book.
When I was trying to decide where to place the archive and Sydney’s story, I wanted a town name that wasn’t known. You know, the names of streets, the directions they go in, etc., can’t be wrong since they don’t actually exist. The history of the town I can make up. I looked through a book of ghost towns and pulled up maps on the computer. I came across a single mention of a town named Gansel. I managed to zero in on north-central Oklahoma on Google Maps. There was nothing there. I even got my husband to drive out there one Saturday. It was a railroad crossing with a few houses to one side. Nothing else. It was perfect. A name that once existed, that no one had ever heard of, at least anyone I told about it. I could populate it, give it a history, design the buildings and streets. It was mine. Well, it was Sydney’s.

Giveaway :

Follow the tour here for exclusive content and win $20 Amazon or an ebook of Oklahoma Winds (1 winner each) via this Rafflecopter giveaway. Good luck, everyone!

The Magic of Wor(l)ds

Blog Tour Organized By:

Silver Dagger Book Tours

#CoverReveal #XpressoBookTours @XpressoTours : QUASI REDUX – Christina Bauer @CB_Bauer @MyMonsterHouse

– ‘The Magic of Wor(l)ds’ blog is a hobby, reviews and other bookish stuff on this site are done for free. –

Today I’m super pleased to be on the blogtour, organised by Xpresso Book Tours, to reveal the cover of

But first some information

About the Author :

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
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Synopsis :

Title: QUASI REDUX (Angelbound Origins, #8)
Published by: Monster House Books
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

Myla Lewis has her life back. Wife. Mother. Queen. Great Scala. Queen of the Thrax. Yay! Then one day, Myla runs across a supernatural waterfall that makes her igni screech like crazy. Our heroine speaks the fateful words: some days, I wish I weren’t the Great Scala.
The waterfall grants her wish.
A moment later, Myla is back at Purgatory High. No husband. No child. No powers beyond her old quasi days. And without Myla around as the Great Scala, all quasis now live under Armageddon’s rule. That sucks. Hard. So Myla sneaks into Antrum—she simply must find Lincoln and figure this out. Once she arrives, two problems arise.
First, her husband doesn’t know her. At all.
Second, Lincoln is married to someone else.
Fuuuuuuu…

Goodreads

After this great teaser I hope you are still excited for the cover reveal, because this is happening

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right now!

Did this all pique your interest in reading the series? It will be released fall, 2020.

The Magic Of Wor(l)ds

Cover Reveal Organized By:

Xpresso Book Tours

#BlogTour #RandomThingsTours @annecater / #QandAs : Angenga #Angenga – John Broughton @broughton_john

– ‘The Magic of Wor(l)ds’ blog is a hobby, reviews and other bookish stuff on this site are done for free. –

Today I’m on the ‘Angenga’ blogtour, organised by Random Things Tour.
To promote this book I have a Q&As post, but before I let you read it first some ‘basic’ information.

About the Author :

John Broughton was born in Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire, studied at the local grammar school and went on to take an honours degree in Medieval and Modern History at the University of Nottingham, where he also studied Archaeology.
John retired in January 2014 and chose the period that fascinates him most – the Anglo-Saxon period – as the setting for his first historical novel, ‘The Purple Thread’, followed by Wyrd of the Wolf. He published Saints and Sinners and Mixed Blessings with Endeavour Media. Sward and Sword are scheduled to be published autumn 2019.

Synopsis :

When Rick Hughes receives a reliquary pendant as a gift from an old friend, he has no idea what’s coming next.
Drawn to an old excavation site, Rick stumbles upon a portal that takes him back to the 8th century, and in the middle of a Viking invasion.
After discovering a shocking link to the present, Rick is determined to intervene and save the inhabitants of the village from devastation – and to find a scientific explanation for what is happening.
With the perils of 8th century England surrounding him, can Rick save his new friends and live to tell the tale?

Q&A :

Hi

First of all thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions, I really appreciate it. Here we go! 🙂

Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
I was born in Cleethorpes Lincolnshire UK in 1948: just one of the post-war baby boom. After attending grammar school and studying to the sound of Bob Dylan I went to Nottingham University and studied Medieval and Modern History (Archaeology subsidiary). The subsidiary course led to one of my greatest academic achievements: tipping the soil content of a wheelbarrow from the summit of a spoil heap on an old lady hobbling past our dig. Well, I have actually done many different jobs while living in Radcliffe-on-Trent, Leamington, Glossop, the Scilly Isles, Puglia and Calabria. They include teaching English and History, managing a Day Care Centre, being a Director of a Trade Institute and teaching university students English. I even tried being a fisherman and a flower picker when I was on St. Agnes, Scilly. I have lived in Calabria since 1992 where I settled into a long-term job, for once, at the University of Calabria teaching English. No doubt my lovely Calabrian wife Maria stopped me being restless. My two kids are grown up now, but I wrote books for them when they were little. Hamish Hamilton and then Thomas Nelson published 6 of these in England in the 1980s. They are now out of print. I’m a granddad now and happily his parents wisely named my grandson Dylan. I decided to take up writing again late in my career. You know when you are teaching and working as a translator you don’t really have time for writing. As soon as I stopped the translation work I resumed writing in 2014. The fruit of that decision is my first historical novel, Die for a Dove, an archaeological thriller, followed by The Purple Thread and Wyrd of the Wolf, published by Endeavour Press, London. Both are set in my favourite Anglo-Saxon period. Currently my third and fourth novels are available too, Saints and Sinners and its sequel Mixed Blessings set on the cusp of the eighth century in Mercia and Lindsey. A fifth Sward and Sword will be published in June 2019 About the great Earl Godwine. My new publisher Next Chapter/Creativia have released Perfecta Saxonia about the life of King Aethelstan, Ulf’s Tale, set in the reign of King Cnut and a new departure, Angenga, which takes the main character from the present back to the ninth century. finally In the Name of the Mother, a sequel to Wyrd of the Wolf.

Which books did/do you love to read as a child/now as a grown-up?
My granddad gave me an illustrated book of historical adventures when I was little. I loved that book and it accounts for my passion for the Anglo-Saxons. But I’ve always been a great reader. In my teens I read as many of the classics as I could get my hands on. I even called my son Adam – after Adam Bede, not Adam and the Ants! Recently, I’ve enjoyed reading Murakami but my all-time favourites are Italo Calvino and Hermann Hesse.

Is there a writer which brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?
It’s hard to say which writer’s brain I’d like to pick – there are so many brilliant authors. Forced to choose, I’d go for Italo Calvino for the sheer ingenuity of his work. One of my favourites of his is Invisible Cities. It’s the concept of Marco Polo who can travel all over being asked by Kublai Khan to describe the great cities of his empire since the Khan is bound to stay in his court. Polo feigns knowledge of each city but is always describing just one aspect of his own city of Venice. For example the signs, which means he describes a city of signs. The Khan listens intently but is no fool and finally realises Polo’s deceit. It’s brilliant. I try my best but I wish I could reach this level of ingenuity.

If you could, which fictional character (from your own book(s) or someone else’s) would you like to invite for tea and why?
Invite a character for tea. Well, I’m going to choose one of mine because I feel I know them better. but hang on! I’ll have to cheat and choose two. Let me explain. From my first book for adults, The Purple Thread I’d choose the remarkable Saint Leoba. Just think, she lived in the eighth century and was centuries ahead of her time. So brilliant, she was the only woman allowed into the masculine world of abbey conferences. She rose to become counsellor to Charlemagne and as a sideline founded two or three abbeys in modern-day Germany. She was a learned example to all her nuns. But I’ve chosen another character entirely of my own creation – Cynethryth from Wyrd of the Wolf. Whereas I might find Leoba’s spirituality and learning intimidating, Cynethryth would put me at my ease. I enjoy creating and writing about strong women and she fits the bill. She’s intelligent, loyal, loving and beautiful. but she has some human faults too, manifested when she has to choose between her father’s will and love. It seems I wasn’t the only one besotted by Cynethryth. To my gratification, some of my lady readers begged for a sequel because they wanted to find out what happened to her. It took me two years to come up with In the Name of the Mother – but I’m so glad I managed to give her a rewarding life with a happy ending. I’d enjoy tea with Cynethryth. She could tell me what she thinks about the way I made her suffer and her subsequent joy and triumph.

Do you have some rituals or habits whilst writing?
Not really. I like to write early in the morning and late in the afternoon. If I’m in a period of writer’s block, which happens to everyone, I go for a walk and usually ideas come. One habit is to re-read the pages of the previous day before embarking on new writing.

Where do you come up with your idea(s)? Do people in your life need to be worried? 😉
I’ve joined a lot of groups on Facebook dealing with my period. I read so much fascinating material and often a reference to a place, monument or object can trigger off a train of thought. Recently I read about a cave in Yorkshire and the legend that King Aldfrith lay wounded after a battle there. It triggered off my latest completed novel, now under consideration Elfrid’s Hole with my editor. It’s a ghost story. I’m now working on a second book with the same main characters – I’d like to write several as a series of stand-alone novels.

Are you a plotter or do you go with the flow, as a pantser?
A bit of both really. My first two novels were plotted to an obsessive degree. The next two to a lesser extent. It was when I shifted in my fifth novel from third to first person point of view that the plotting diminished. I’d now describe myself as a modified pantser. Modified, because I start off without a plot and run into mid-book crisis, so I have to sit down and create a road map. But within that framework, I’m very flexible. Only recently have I been able to write a chapter out of sequence for later inclusion. I enjoyed the liberty it gave me.

Can you give novice writers some tips (do’s/don’ts)?
Yes. Don’t be worried about polishing your novel until you’ve slung the whole thing down on paper. It’s far better to finish a book than to get bogged down. Don’t become neurotic about sales. Just write because you love doing it. Do treat your characters as real people. Read all the advice about writing available – there’s lots of it. Absorb the best advice and don’t be slavish about following it – do your own thing.

What are your futureplans as an author?
I think I’ve anticipated this but I’d like to expand. I feel there are two directions in my writing. They are connected by the common period of the Anglo-Saxons but one direction is pure historical fiction. The other is an involvement with the paranormal. This began with a time-slip novel Die for a Dove and then by dabbling with quantum physics in the time travel novel Angenga. My latest venture in this area involves a psychic, Jake Conley, whose gift of retrocognition is triggered as synaesthesia by a road accident. As I said, I hope to make him a frequent guest of my readers in several stand-alone novels.

Last, but not least : Can you give my readers one teaser from your book, which is featured here on my blog, please?
Mmm. This requires thought to avoid spoilers but let’s try this about the advantages of being from the twenty-first century whilst experiencing the ninth:

To his horror, Rick watched his chestnut locks drop to the floor. From the corner of his eye, he saw Garr laughing and Esme looking worried but it was Leofwen who halted her husband. To his relief, she said, “Give me the razor, husband. A woman’s touch is better for delicate work.” He felt cold steel drawn gently across his scalp and appreciated the systematic nature of her shaving. Soon, she pronounced herself satisfied by her efforts.
“Welcome among us Brother Rick” Garr laughed.
“No,” said Lord Eowa, “use a different name. We can’t have suspicion falling on Rinc.”
“Then I shall be Brother Garr,” Rick glowered at the grinning man whose name he would purloin.
Dressed in a grey habit and with sandals, Rick looked like a monk should. His academic past helped by lending him a suitable air of bookishness.
In his head, he concocted a tale ready for when he presented himself at the Abbey gate. With his knowledge of Anglo-Saxon history, he could turn the present state of England to his advantage. He recalled that the Vikings under Ivar the Boneless had already captured Nottingham and soon enough would attack and drive out Burgred from his kingdom of Mercia. Pretending to be a seer had helped his acceptance in Little Carlton, perhaps feigning to be a visionary mystic wandering the land would work in the Abbey. He remembered the sermons of Wulfstan about the end of the world. True, it was only 871 and Wulfstan composed it in 1010 but he had learnt the Sermo Lupi ad Anglos by heart, for his studies. He ran through it in his mind and smiled grimly at recalling what an effect it had on Wulfstan’s contemporaries. How much better to use it ahead of its time! The menace of the Vikings was as real now as then.
He gained admittance to the Abbey as Brother Garr and spun his tale well, with the result that a monk led him to meet the Abbot.
“Father Abbot,” Rick strove to recall the sermon and began, “ ‘recognise what the truth is: this world is in haste, and it approaches the end; and thus it is in the world always the longer the worse; and so there must be great evil before the coming of Antichrist.’ ”
The Abbot’s jaw set and a vein pulsed visibly at the temple.
“My son, why do you speak thus?”
“These are not my words, Father,” Rick said, “but are inspired by the Holy Spirit and they are true. It is my mission to wander the land and save as many souls as possible,” he faked his faraway look, “in the light of what is to come. Doom is imminent!”
“Do you refer to the apocalypse? Are you saying the Day of Judgment is at hand?”
“I am. And my mission is such that I must start with the Church itself. I am sent by archbishops and bishops to check that religious houses are in order. I beseech you, Father, allow me to preach to the brothers.” Rick had faith in his memory. He had learnt the lengthy Sermo Lupi ad Anglos until word perfect and knew he could recite it with dramatic flourishes. It would gain him all the credibility he would need in this Abbey. And I wish also to inspect your documents. But he kept this thought to himself for the moment. He must not press too hard.
“You may address our community in the chapter room after the brothers have eaten lunch. Would you care to join me for this repast, Brother Garr? I will introduce you to the brothers after I speak the grace. I must say, I look forward to hearing your speech.”
And so you should: one of the most spiritual intellectuals of the eleventh century composed it.
Rick smiled and bowed to the elderly Abbot, encouraged by the air of respect accorded him. He marvelled at the impact just the first lines of the sermon had evoked.

Isn’t that a great reason to pick up this book and to find out more?!
Thanks once again for this lovely interview, John Broughton.

The Magic of Wor(l)ds

P.S. Are you an author (or publisher) who also wants a FREE interview like this? You can always contact me via e-mail!