Thursday, April 30, 2015

Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month for April 2015

Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month
It’s that time of the month again, time for “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”.

So what is “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”? It’s a round-up of speculative fiction by indie authors newly published this month, though some March books I missed the last time around snuck in as well. The books are arranged in alphabetical order by author. So far, most links only go to Amazon.com, though I may add other retailers for future editions.

Once again, we have new releases covering the whole broad spectrum of speculative fiction. We have science fiction, space opera, military SF, paranormal romance, utopian fiction, dystopian fiction, post-apocalyptic fiction, epic fantasy, urban fantasy, time travel, weird western, Steampunk, Cyberpunk, horror, dragons, djinns, zombies, sarcastic demon hunters, teenaged half-demons, quirky inns, telepathic assassins, trolls, fairy queens and much more.

As always, I know the authors at least vaguely, but I haven’t read all of the books, so Caveat emptor.

And now on to the books without further ado:

With Honor Intact by Cat AmesburyWith Honor Intact by Cat Amesbury

When the Cat’s away…

Honor Desry hadn’t applied to be the Innkeeper of a sentient Inn with magical guests, but her sisters and her right-hand fox-man are making the job a lot sweeter. Unfortunately, the supreme Cat God has disappeared on Honor’s watch, and Honor’s old life is about to interfere with her new life in a major way.

The Naked Glassblowers Association has booked a holiday vacation at the Virtue Inn, and Honor’s old boss and his partner are coming along to chaperone. Honor needs to find the Cat, keep the strange guests away from the supernatural guests, and somehow hold family and mind together.

But the Virtue Inn hasn’t revealed all of its secrets and Honor will need to summon every last piece of her courage and cunning to save the day With Honor Intact.

Warning: Contains violence, profanity, innuendo, and homicidal cardigans.

This is the sequel to The Guests of Honor.

Aberrated by S. Elliot BrandisAberrated by S. Elliot Brandis

IRRADIATED told the story of Jade and Pearl, sisters fighting for their lives in an harsh and twisted wasteland.

DEGENERATED delved into the tunnels–a twisted underground society, at odds with the outside world.

ABERRATED is the epic conclusion.

Humanity is on its last legs. Only outlaws and outcasts remain. They are mutants, mongrels, and orphans. They are experiments, degenerates, and visionaries. Every last one is aberrated.
Will they tear each other apart? Or will humanity find a way to survive?
















 Albrecht, the Nightmare by Cora Buhlert

Germany in the near future: When supernatural beings come out of the closet and reveal themselves as having lived among humanity all along, the country quickly adjusts to the new reality after some initial uproar. Romances between humans and supernaturals soon become common, such as the relationship between Lina, a human single mother, and Albrecht, a nightmare demon.

But Albrecht’s and Lina’s love is threatened when they leave Berlin for Lina’s home village in rural North Germany. For it turns out that the village is suffused with an ancient magic, a warding spell specifically designed to keep nightmares out.

Tormented Slumber by Paul DeaverTormented Slumber by Paul Deaver

War doesn’t always end after the last shot is fired. Returning home begins a whole new battle.

A veteran discovers that demons followed him home from the battlefield and threaten to destroy his life. The soldier regains hope when he finds unexpected allies to confront his worst nightmares.

3,000 word short story.

Seeking Sorrow by Zen DiPietroSeeking Sorrow by Zen DiPietro

An earth-like world of high-tech humans faces the reality that their world is not as safe as they thought it was. Five people are thrown together to quietly get to the bottom of an unfathomable event that must stay quiet. If the population of Terath becomes aware of the truth, it will spark a civil war. That war would pit the majority of the population against the powerful minority with the ability to harness and manipulate mana. The resulting cataclysm would decimate the population and tear apart the foundation of society.

The five people chosen for this must reconsider everything they thought they knew about mana, even as they learn to trust one another’s abilities. They must embrace everything they never wanted in order to prevent the devastation of their world. One of them will be forever changed. Love will be denied, badassery will be unleashed, and Terath will never be the same.

Even success comes at a price.

New Sun Rising by Lindsay EdmundsNew Sun Rising by Lindsay Edmunds

New Sun Rising is about a girl who was raised in a utopian community and leaves home to make her way in a dystopian society. The year is 2199; the place, the Reunited States

Story 1, “The Town With Four Names,” describes the lakeside village in which the girl was raised. It has survived against all odds for more than three hundred years. Cassie Stillwater, a 90-year-old descendent of the original founder, writes down the town’s history.

Story 2, “Leaving Home,” is about the girl’s decision to seek a life outside the town gates. She finds a job that horrifies her parents, who think they raised her too well and protected her too much. They fear she is not suited for life anywhere BUT their idyllic town.

Leinster Gardens and other subtletiesLeinster Gardens and Other Subtleties by Jan Edwards

Fourteen short stories by Jan Edwards, including the BFS award short-listed 'Otterburn', plus a previously unpublished tale. "All adeptly told, often with a sense of locale and time neatly placed within the narratives. Her family history informs and inspires some of her stories. Folklore figures as a focus in more than one story, whether urban myth or historical lore. But ghostly they are and deceptively disturbing." (42,000 words)

  A King in Time by Mary EnckA King in Time by Mary Enck and David Gutscher

Arthur, Prince of Wales and future King of England, must decide if he wants to return to his own time in 2100 A.D.

Like his predecessor, the Legendary King Arthur, the passion of the young prince is to rebuild ancient Camelot. When he visits the original site, he encounters a prophetic gentleman who seems to know the future, or perhaps he speaks of the past.

Later, as Prince Arthur ponders the true identity of the man, a total solar eclipse occurs and propels him into the Fifth Century. It is only when the prince finally accepts the eclipse has directed the event, time begins to slip once more. It is then he discovers there is more to consider than space-time theories.

No Mere Zombie by Chris FoxNo Mere Zombie by Chris Fox

The sun has wiped out nearly all technology in the largest coronal mass ejection in history. In its wake comes the zombie apocalypse. The dead have risen, and they are hungry.

Yet there are greater threats than the walking dead. The deathless have returned, slumbering in the same Arks that carried the werewolves into the present. If they are not stopped they will build a massive necropolis in the remains of San Francisco, and the entire continent will pay the price.

Only the few werewolves created before the apocalypse stand between humanity and annihilation. Yet they are outnumbered and alone. Their only hope comes from the very enemy that sought to stop their creation, Mohn Corp.

This is the sequel to No Such Thing As Werewolves.

Battleframe by Michael GilmourBattleframe by Michael Gilmour

Resource rich planet Alpha Three becomes the focus of a galactic wide conflict. In the midst of a remorseless Scourge invasion a lone human battleframe pilot, call-sign Whizzbang, strives to find and rescue his closest friend from the invaders.

With the extermination of the human colony seemingly inevitable, Whizzbang’s squad of veteran pilots struggle to turn the tide of the war. Just when he thinks they may have a chance, members of the squad begin vanishing before his eyes and the odds of winning the battle become slim to none.

The mysterious nano-robots, unknowingly developed by an alien intelligence, appear to be all that will enable humanity to survive the onslaught. But all is not what it seems as the micro-machines begin to dramatically transform Whizzbang’s friends in astounding ways.

Safe within his command dome, the enemy General plots on how he can cover the world in the enigmatic Barrier, a force that kills humans in seconds. It is then that Whizzbang discovers that the Earth may be the next Scourge target.

Book one in the “Mindwars” opens with our galaxy in turmoil and humanity on the brink of extinction.

The Rancher's Daughter by Kyra HallandThe Rancher’s Daughter by Kyra Halland

Once a hunter of renegade wizards, Silas Vendine is now on the run from the law himself. He and Lainie are living on what Lainie can win at cards and whatever odd jobs Silas can get from people who need his skills and don’t ask too many questions.

When Lainie’s luck with the cards turns sour, they are led to a meeting with one of the richest ranchers in the Wildings. Brin Coltor wants Silas and Lainie to undertake a dangerous mission into A’ayimat territory for him, and they can’t afford to turn him down. But Coltor is hiding a few secrets of his own, that lead Silas and Lainie right into the trouble they’ve been trying to avoid.

Book 3 of Daughter of the Wildings.

Caught in Crimson by Heather Hamilton-SenterCaught in Crimson by Heather Hamilton-Senter

CAUGHT IN CRIMSON, sequel to the Amazon Bestseller BOUND IN BLUE:

What if you were the monster of your own story?

Armed with Excalibur, Rhi comes to Las Vegas to learn to control both her ability to see magic as color and her hunger to possess it, but from the moment she arrives, she’s consumed by the colors of flame. Rhi has to find her mother—the earth witch Guinevere—before Merlin decides she’s outlived her usefulness, but an ancient artifact of the earth magic keeps calling to her with a fire she may not be able to resist, even at the cost of her life.

The choices caught up in color and magic are never black and white.

Dragon's Luck by Richard HardemanDragon’s Luck by Richard Hardeman

Tips for Survival on the Goblin World

(1) Never trust a goblin.
(2) There are no more dragons. There are other monsters.
(3) Don’t piss off the fairies. Seriously.
(4) Almost everything here will want to eat you.

Studying the list in his hand, Dobbins knew he had to escape the Goblin World. He had a shape- changer to help him, so that was good. He’d had to join forces with a woman who hated him, so that was bad. For any chance at survival, his group of three would have to rely on the fairies. But the fairies can’t stand Dobbins, either.

And that tip about dragons?

Zneeth, the Dragon King, is angry, hungry, and on their trail….

A1gTl59vR-L._SL1500_Crepier by R.D. Henderson

The scene shifts to Hartshire in the Earth Realm from Nambroc in the Nether Realm in Crepier, the third novella in the Nambroc Sequence, a fantasy series.

Crepier, an accountant and black market financier, wants to retire and be financially set for the rest of his life.
To achieve this goal, he convinces Watley Greywall, local crime lord in Hartshire, to get behind his idea of establishing Hartshire Bank.

Other elements of the Hartshire criminal underworld are of two minds about this possibility.

One segment of the Hartshire criminal underworld wants to get involved with this opportunity to start a bank because it is a legitimate commercial enterprise and a way to launder their ill-gotten gains.

Another segment believes the bank will the draw attention of the Hartshire Constabulary, which would be more problems than it is worth.

All that matters to Crepier is establishing the Hartshire Bank, and nothing or no one will stop him.

This is book 3 in the Nambroc Sequence.

Melody of Demons by Ros JacksonMelody of Demons by Ros Jackson

In her home village, Aivee is worse than nobody. If her secret identity as a half-demon leaks out, she’s dead. But in the capital city she will reinvent herself as a dancer. She’ll be wealthy, and adored by thousands. Nobody will be able to hurt her.

Will they?

Nori knows how cruel the city can be. She’s lost her mother to its plagues, and lately her younger sister has joined the ranks of its disappeared. But she’s not giving up. The ruling classes think they can treat people worse than beasts and strip them of their human rights. Powerful factions want to keep the epidemic of missing people a secret. Well, they can eat her blades.

Nori joins a group of vigilantes fighting for answers, and voices in her head urge her to recruit Aivee to the cause. These vigilantes are bumbling amateurs, as likely to get themselves killed as to save anyone. But Nori is changing, going mad, lusting for battle and remembering centuries-old conflicts. She will whip them into shape, or die trying.

Bloodthirsty gangs, inhuman mages, and dragon gods have it in for the people of Kaddon city.
Yes, Nori is mad. But she’s not nearly even.

Venus in Red by Therin KniteVenus in Red by Therin Knite

Grayson Dynamics, led by the illustrious Mick Grayson, is the most powerful technology firm in the world. But underneath the fame and fortune exists a dark and dirty history. Corruption. Lies. Betrayal.

Now, a woman with a grudge intends to wipe clean that filthy slate—by killing the CEO who wronged her years ago and ending the global coup he’s been planning for years.

And how will she accomplish this? With her newly acquired neural enhancements, of course. Complete with the power to manipulate the minds of others.

Linear Shift by Paul B. KohlerLinear Shift by Paul B. Kohler

No one said time travel would be easy.

Peter Cooper, a widowed father of two whose life is crumbling around him—until a bizarre encounter with a desperate Army general launches him on a risky mission: to go back to 1942 and change a moment in time. The repercussions will almost certainly alter the conclusion of World War II. But will the ripple effects stop there? And what kind of life will Peter return to?

Unknown Consequences:
A successful mission may not have the success he had intended.

The Holy Dark by Kyoko M.The Holy Dark by Kyoko M.

Sarcastic demon-slayer extraordinaire Jordan Amador has been locked in a year-long struggle to hunt down the thirty silver coins paid to Judas Iscariot. The mere touch of these coins is enough to kill any angel.
Jordan’s demonic opposition grows more desperate with each coin found, so they call on the ultimate reinforcement: Moloch, the Archdemon of War. Moloch puts out a contract on Jordan as well as her estranged husband, the Archangel Michael. Now Jordan and Michael will have to find a way to work together to survive against impossible odds and stop Moloch’s plan, or else he’ll wage a war that will wipe out the human race.

The Holy Dark is the third novel and fourth book in the Black Parade series, following The Black Parade, The Deadly Seven: Stories from The Black Parade series, and She Who Fights Monsters.

For Whom the Bell TrollsFor Whom the Bell Trolls, edited by John L. Monk and Lindy Moone

Funny, touching, suspenseful—sometimes romantic, titillating and shocking—there’s something for all adult readers in this unique illustrated anthology from 23 authors. Arranged from light to meaty fare, the antrollogy’s “menu” offers up fanciful and farcical stories, family-oriented tales, romance, mystery, high peak adventure, even magically surreal literary stories—starring all sorts of trolls, from the all-too-real Internet variety to the mythical mountain and bridge-dwelling trolls of legend. Readers will laugh nervously at Humphrey the half-breed’s unfortunate beginnings, and bite their nails on behalf of Fergus Underbridge, hard-boiled troll detective. They’ll cheer a not-so-ordinary troll-fighting girl and want to hug—or slap—a woman lost in her own neighborhood. And whatever should be done about the boy with the head of a dragon…?

Time Quirks by A. Peter PerdianTime Quirks by A. Peter Perdian

*** Quirky Time Portals ***

Time Quirks is a science fiction novella, a tale of alien colonizers desperately searching for a new home. Long-range sensors and remote probes have located a distant planet that meets the requirements of their species. A ship is sent to investigate this new world, but upon taking up orbit around the planet, the ship’s crew encounters a major problem. The world is already occupied.

Excerpt:
Jazloo faced the captain in his private study adjacent to the ship’s briefing room, trying not to lose her temper. “I can’t believe you’re seriously planning on bringing back live bipeds for dissection.” She’d waylaid Tusec in the corridor outside his quarters as his sleeping cycle ended, demanding to speak with him about the upcoming shuttle mission to the planet below.

Excerpt:
An odd prickling sensation engulfed Eric. “What the—” He stopped in mid-sentence, scared at what felt like crawling bugs on his flesh. The frightening sensation raced inward until it imploded at its point of convergence. His feeling of being compressed into nothingness vanished, smothering his scream.

Taken by Christine PopeTaken by Christine Pope

With her Djinn lover captured by a band of human survivors intent on discovering a way to defeat their otherworldly foes, Jessica Monroe must make a terrible decision — throw in her lot with the humans, forsaking the one who helped her survive the destruction of civilization, or turn her back on humanity and follow the urgings of her heart.

This is book 2 of the Djinn Wars, following Chosen.

Maiden by Jennifer PoveyMaiden by Jennifer R. Povey

In what used to be the suburbs of Chicago, a community lives and breathes despite the Silents in the wilds beyond. Until the unthinkable happens – the zombie-like Silents begin to recover their reason. The stage is set for a conflict between survivors and recovered, and between old ways and new.

This is book 3 of The Silent Years series, following Mother and Crone.
 
Independence by Alasdair ShawIndependence by Alasdair Shaw

In the aftermath of a battle a ship drifts helplessly in space. Is the strange new warship they were fighting still out there? Will it come back for them? Commander Johnson faces a desperate race to get her destroyer back into action and save her crew.

“This is an incredible work … suspense, mystery and intrigue.”
“Loved every word of it.”

‘Independence’ is a short story (6000 words) in the Two Democracies universe. The series will continue with the novel ‘Liberty’.

Cold Hands, Warm Heart by Hollis ShilohCold Hands, Warm Heart by Hollis Shiloh

Jason is self-conscious about his metal arm and uncomfortable with his sexuality. A big, quiet guy who intimidates a lot of people without even trying to, he works as a cook — and has a hopeless crush on his friend, Dr. Kingsley. Will Jason ever have a shot with his friend? Or does life have a different curveball to throw him?

Approx. 22,000 words
A steampunk-themed gay romance.

Priestess of the Dragons' Temple by Amelia SmithPriestess of the Dragons’ Temple by Amelia Smith

Once, Iola flew with a dragon. She might fly again, but only if she can become ambassadress to the dragons’ realm. First, though, she must navigate life as an ordinary priestess, which is not quite what she’d hoped for. Some of her fellow priestesses dragon-blind and corrupt. Worse, they see Iola’s devotions as evidence of greed.

Then the ambassadress returns, too sick to fly again. Iola and three other young priestesses are chosen nurse her, and to have a chance at taking her place. Iola’s main rival, Tiagasa, was raised in a prince’s palace. She thrives on political intrigue and gossip, and her lover is about to become governor of the city.

Iola is just a village girl dazzled by dragons. Her few friends and allies aren’t much more savvy than she is. Still, they hope to persuade the new governor – whoever he might be – to make Iola ambassadress, and to choose faith over scheming, one way or another.

This is the sequel to Scrapplings.

A Conduit for Man by M. Stephen StewartA Conduit for Man by M. Stephen Stewart

Seventeen-year-old Henry Malone’s mind is no longer his own—along with the sum total of humanity’s knowledge, another consciousness has been stuffed into his brain. It plagues him with visions, speaks and acts through him, and worst of all, it’s killing him. He’s quickly running out of time, and if he dies, all of humanity’s knowledge goes with him. His only hope for survival is finding Planetary Link’s top Neurotechnician, Doctor Carter. But in order to get to her, he must cross into a world where his actions have plunged society into chaos—then compel the Doctor to betray her employer before his own mind destroys him.

To Catch a Queen by Shanna SwendsonTo Catch a Queen by Shanna Swendson

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown–especially the crown of the fairy realm…

Sophie Drake has made a promise, and she never breaks her word. She will free Michael Murray’s long-lost wife from the fairy realm even if her intensifying feelings for him make it the most painful thing she’s ever done.

But Sophie is running out of time. Dark fae forces are stirring, threatening the human world. To make matters worse, humans are being cast out of the Realm, whether or not they want to leave, and the shock from these sudden evictions can even prove fatal. It’s only a matter of time before it happens to Michael’s wife.

All this in the name of the fairy queen.

Stunned, Sophie knows this is impossible because she’s the queen. She won the throne fair and square, through trials and blood.

Now she must find and fight an impostor for a crown she never wanted in order to save both the Realm and the human world.

This is the sequel to A Fairy Tale.

The Straysider's Dream Journal by Stephanie TsikrikasThe Straysider’s Dream Journal by Stephanie Tsikrikas

ONE FIRST DATE CAN CHANGE YOUR ENTIRE LIFE…

When Celeste Cannonier takes her best friend’s advice to try online dating, she finds herself instantly intrigued by Valentine “Bug” Warren, an antiques dealer with a tumultuous past. It was hardly love at first sight, but one thing led to another and what should have been a one-night stand has turned into a life-and-death adventure as Celeste and Bug uncover the meaning of their dreams — dreams they share, that are really memories from another dimension.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

With Honor Intact (Tales from the Virtue Inn, Book 2) by Cat Amesbury

Release date: April 22, 2015
Subgenre: Urban fantasy, folk tales

About With Honor Intact:


When the Cat's away...

Honor Desry hadn't applied to be the Innkeeper of a sentient Inn with magical guests, but her sisters and her right-hand fox-man are making the job a lot sweeter. Unfortunately, the supreme Cat God has disappeared on Honor's watch, and Honor's old life is about to interfere with her new life in a major way.

The Naked Glassblowers Association has booked a holiday vacation at the Virtue Inn, and Honor's old boss and his partner are coming along to chaperone. Honor needs to find the Cat, keep the strange guests away from the supernatural guests, and somehow hold family and mind together.

But the Virtue Inn hasn't revealed all of its secrets and Honor will need to summon every last piece of her courage and cunning to save the day With Honor Intact.

Warning: Contains violence, profanity, innuendo, and homicidal cardigans.

Excerpt:

 

There were days when Honor missed her previous job wrangling naked Glassblowers and artisans as a general manager/accountant for a high-end art gallery.
There were days when Honor missed tax season.
There were also days when there wasn’t enough coffee in the universe.
 “How,” said Honor Desry, “does a house-sized cat disappear?”
A human-sized cat in a three-piece suit should have looked ridiculous. The High Priest of Baz looked intimidating as his whiskers sizzled in agitation. 
“It’s your Inn,” he hissed, tail fluffed to twice its normal width. “It has stolen her Godliness.”
To be honest, if the Inn had figured out some way to temporarily hide Her Godliness, patron deity of cats, Honor really wouldn’t have blamed it.
Honor half-wished it had found a way to disappear the High Priest, too.
“Are you accusing the Innkeeper of harming her honored Guest?”
While Honor normally appreciated Kay’s help, she wasn’t sure that sprouting five inch long claws from his fingers was going to soothe the situation.
Even as she was thinking of the words to take down the tension, she couldn’t help admiring Kay’s immaculate butler outfit and equally immaculate long, red hair. Honor had long since resigned herself to the impossibility of her attraction to him, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t look.
Unfortunately, she had forgotten that someone else was watching her.
The High Priest of Baz sniffed, most of the tension mysteriously leaving his body. “Your mating rituals are ridiculous. Mount him and be done with it. I will forgive your lack of attention.”
To Honor’s increasing horror and embarrassment, the High Priest’s squashed, furry face gave Honor a sympathetic look. “I understand the drive, but work out your yowling and get back to the most important business.”
Here he straightened, front paws behind his back.
“Which would be me.”

Amazon

 

About Cat Amesbury:

Cat Amesbury has lived in both the small town and the big city, but knows that all the best mysteries are hidden where you least expect them. Her thoughts and stories are drawn from a lifetime of looking underneath the rocks and inside the trees rather than where she was actually going.

Cat loves to talk to readers, either about her stories or about any of the things that she does that inspire her stories. Please feel free to contact her at her e-mail.

Blog | Twitter | Tumblr | Facebook

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Tormented Slumber by Paul Deaver

Release date: April 8, 2015
Subgenre: Military science fiction, short story

About Tormented Slumber


A veteran discovers that demons followed him home from the battlefield and threaten to destroy his life. The soldier regains hope when he finds unexpected allies to confront his worst nightmares.


3,000 word short story.

Excerpt:

 

For my friends who didn’t make it home.


The nightmares always start the same way. I have a door seat in the back of a UH-60 with the desert wind scorching my face. We're flying low and fast, and I catch a glimpse of the lead bird as we cross a ridge line. We're a minute out from the landing zone. I check my rifle then look at the rest of my squad. Something is wrong. Their faces are all blurred. My stomach sinks in anticipation of what I know is about to happen.
We're on short final, and the lead bird catches a rocket propelled grenade in the belly. Our pilot barely avoids the fireball that used to be a helicopter when another rocket takes out our tail rotor. We're spinning out of control and hit the ground hard. The helicopter rolls to the side and the main rotor blades disintegrate as they dig into the sand. The engines scream as they overspeed and then shutdown. I'm dangling by my seatbelt. I rotate the release and fall to the floor. No one else is moving.
I'm choking on dust and smoke, and the sky looks like blood. The ground rumbles, and through the haze I see a horde of black demons filling the horizon. They're almost humanoid but have a frenzied gait, using their arms and legs to run. Their flesh is flowing like molten tar and the foul stench of raw sewage is overwhelming as they get closer.
I slap a magazine in my rifle and unload on the closest monster. The beast doesn't even flinch as the bullets pass through him. I throw the rifle down and get on the door gun. The machine gun sings with expended brass dropping to the ground, but the horde only picks up speed. The gun falls silent, and the ammo can is empty. The demons crash into me like a wave. Their claws pin me down and tear into my flesh. Saliva drips on me from oozing faces with needle-like teeth. They hesitate for a moment then rip me apart.

---

I woke up in a pool of cold sweat. At first I thought I was in my hooch in Afghanistan, then realized I was at home once I heard my wife chewing me out. "Damn it Jimmy, you woke up the kids again with your screaming."

Amazon


About Paul Deaver:

As a child I read to seek new adventures. When I got older, I read to escape the confines of reality. Books can show you unexplored places and unlock the door to distant worlds. They shape the way we perceive everything around us.

Please allow me to take you on an adventure. If my stories provide even a few moments of insight, amazement, or happiness, then it makes the journey to share them worthwhile. Thank you for reading my books.

Website

Monday, April 27, 2015

Priestess of the Dragons' Temple (Anamat Book 2) by Amelia Smith

Release date: April 27, 2015
Subgenre: Epic fantasy

About Priestess of the Dragons' Temple:


Once, Iola flew with a dragon. She might fly again, but only if she can become ambassadress to the dragons' realm. First, though, she must navigate life as an ordinary priestess, which is not quite what she'd hoped for. Some of her fellow priestesses dragon-blind and corrupt. Worse, they see Iola's devotions as evidence of greed.

Then the ambassadress returns, too sick to fly again. Iola and three other young priestesses are chosen nurse her, and to have a chance at taking her place. Iola's main rival, Tiagasa, was raised in a prince's palace. She thrives on political intrigue and gossip, and her lover is about to become governor of the city.

Iola is just a village girl dazzled by dragons. Her few friends and allies aren't much more savvy than she is. Still, they hope to persuade the new governor – whoever he might be – to make Iola ambassadress, and to choose faith over scheming, one way or another. 

Excerpt:

 

As she stepped up, she felt the weight of Ara’s inheritance descend on her. She was heir to the movement between the realms, to transcendence of the earth and sea, to seasons and growth, to all that makes the earth whole and good, to all that can compel the dragons to bless the places in which they dwell. The force of the priestesses’ task and the dragons’ presence was in her, as it was in all of them. She set down her offering and her surroundings faded away. She drank from the cup she found on the shrine just as she had been told to do. Somewhere, far away outside, a drum beat. She touched the floor and felt the earth spreading out around her in all directions, the paths of its dragon-lines beneath the surface, the bulk of the mountains, the inexorable rhythm of the sea.
Someone touched her shoulder and a fraction of her mind returned to the present. The two priestesses made her stand in the middle of the room and stripped off her novice robes, turning her in a spiral around the center, invoking the dragons who were already there in every fiber. Myril felt the dancing-skirt slide onto her naked hips, over her bare legs. She felt every stitch and weave, felt the dragons embroidered there like living things, twining around, reaching into her, pausing only at her gates, waiting for the appointed time to hasten on. The scarf around her shoulders teased at her neck, shadowed her breasts from the thin lamplight. It was loose-woven, fluid, shimmering.
The priestesses led her back up into the courtyard, back out into the open air. She didn’t even see the others when they emerged from their chambers, not even Darna and Iola. All she could see was the sky. At some point, she sensed their bodies beside hers as if from some unbridgeable distance. The sky was fiery with sunset, smoky at its fringes with burning torches. Their flames flashed against the polished stone walls shining in the light of the rising moon. The priestesses, all but the Most Blessed One herself, processed to the stage to dance, Myril's eyes were drawn to the horizon, far out beyond the harbor, beyond the temple’s walls. They were all one together, she thought, unbound, undifferentiated, whole. A starting rhythm beat up from the drums below. For the first time, Myril wondered who held those instruments. She didn’t know.
That was her last coherent thought. The dance began. A sea of faces spread below them, petitioners great and small, curious country folk and admirers. Fire flowed through her, stronger than the torchlight. She spun through the rounds, bending low, honoring the crowd and the dragons who dwelt within the earth and beyond the edge of the sky. They danced on the horizon, unnamed dragons. They swirled among the gold and purple clouds in a flowing meditation of their own. As Myril stepped alone across the stage, she felt their power crash down on her, but she did not fall. The other priestesses’ stomp and sway drew her back into their ranks, and she relaxed into that backing rhythm as another and another crossed the stage before her.

 

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple | Google Play | Smashwords | DriveThru | OmniLit/ARe

 

About Amelia Smith:


Amelia Smith takes an odd-jobs-and-adventures approach to writing. She has written volumes of unpublishable journals, magazine articles, and a variety of fiction, most of it with historical and/or fantasy elements.

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Saturday, April 25, 2015

The Holy Dark (Book 4 of The Black Parade) by Kyoko M.

Release date: April 24, 2015
Subgenre: Urban fantasy, paranormal romance

About The Holy Dark

 

Sarcastic demon-slayer extraordinaire Jordan Amador has been locked in a year-long struggle to hunt down the thirty silver coins paid to Judas Iscariot. The mere touch of these coins is enough to kill any angel.

Jordan's demonic opposition grows more desperate with each coin found, so they call on the ultimate reinforcement: Moloch, the Archdemon of War. Moloch puts out a contract on Jordan as well as her estranged husband, the Archangel Michael. Now Jordan and Michael will have to find a way to work together to survive against impossible odds and stop Moloch's plan, or else he’ll wage a war that will wipe out the human race.

The Holy Dark is the third novel and fourth book in the Black Parade series, following The Black Parade, The Deadly Seven: Stories from The Black Parade series, and She Who Fights Monsters.

Excerpt:

 

Chattanooga had been a nice place to live for the past ten months, a fact proven by my utter disapproval of the hotel we checked in the following night we left. The safe house was in Montpelier, Vermont and by car it was an eighteen-hour drive. However, the two of us were exhausted from the recent fights we’d had and needed some sleep so we stopped in Newburgh, Connecticut. We’d camp out here for the night and then leave first thing in the morning.
Myra worked at an office supplies store back in Tennessee, which paid alright, but neither of us were exactly swimming in cash. The hotel we chose was not of the highest caliber. The only benefits it boasted were cable television and air conditioning. I missed my thin pillows and slightly lumpy mattress back home.  
We were behind schedule, but only slightly. Myra went to buy some dinner while I opted for a long, hot shower. It wasn’t a nice place to stay, but it had one admittedly awesome amenity—a handheld sprayer with plenty of settings. I stayed in until my fingertips were pruny, mulling over recent events and hoping that a clear solution would arise. No such luck. We were still on defense. I didn’t like it, not one bit. The weight hanging off my soul was starting to make my knees buckle. I had to fix this. I had to save the angels. I owed them. They had shed blood for me more than once. I wasn’t going to disappoint them, not again. Never again.
I finished rinsing out my hair and groped for the towel with my eyes closed to avoid getting any residual shampoo in them. Weirdly, my fingers hit nothing but the moist air near the rack. Frowning, I reached out farther. It wasn’t there. Had it fallen onto the floor?
“Lose something?”
I froze. A deep, mocking, dry-as-sandpaper voice. No. Please, God, let it just be my imagination.
I pried my eyes open and ducked my head around the shower curtain. There, in front of the sink, stood a tall, pale-skinned man with shoulder-length hair as black as soot and a smile as sinister as the devil himself. His eyes were the lightest hue of blue that existed and the pupils were thin and diamond-like rather than round. His features were vaguely European—small forehead, narrow nose, thin but sensual lips, arched eyebrows—but I knew he didn’t have an accent.
He clutched my towel in his long-fingered hand, the other tucked in the pocket of his easily seven-hundred-dollar black suit pants. I recognized his favorite dark color scheme—a charcoal grey button up shirt, black silk tie, and Gucci dress shoes.
“Looking good, my pet.”
The archdemon Belial was standing in my bathroom.
Shit.

Amazon

About Kyoko M:

Kyoko M is an author, a fangirl, and an avid book reader. Her debut novel, The Black Parade, has been on Amazon's Bestseller List at #5 in the Occult Horror category. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Lit degree from the University of Georgia, which gave her every valid excuse to devour book after book with a concentration in Greek mythology and Christian mythology. When not working feverishly on a manuscript (or two), she can be found buried under her Dashboard on Tumblr, or chatting with fellow nerds on Twitter, or curled up with a good Harry Dresden novel on a warm central Florida night. Like any author, she wants nothing more than to contribute something great to the best profession in the world, no matter how small.

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Friday, April 24, 2015

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for April 24, 2015


And here is our weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this time in another special Hugo Awards debate edition:

Speculative fiction in general:

Awards:

Writing, publishing and promotion:

Interviews:

Reviews:

Crowdfunding:

Con reports:

Science and technology:

Free online fiction:

Odds and ends: 

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Crepier (Nambroc Sequence, Book 3) by R.D. Henderson

Release date: April 12, 2015
Subgenre: Sword and Sorcery

About Crepier



The scene shifts to Hartshire in the Earth Realm from Nambroc in the Nether Realm in Crepier, the third novella in the Nambroc Sequence, a fantasy series.

Crepier, an accountant and black market financier, wants to retire and be financially set for the rest of his life.

To achieve this goal, he convinces Watley Greywall, local crime lord in Hartshire, to get behind his idea of establishing Hartshire Bank.

Other elements of the Hartshire criminal underworld are of two minds about this possibility.

One segment of the Hartshire criminal underworld wants to get involved with this opportunity to start a bank because it is a legitimate commercial enterprise and a way to launder their ill-gotten gains.

Another segment believes the bank will the draw attention of the Hartshire Constabulary, which would be more problems than it is worth.

All that matters to Crepier is establishing the Hartshire Bank, and nothing or no one will stop him. 

Excerpt:

 

Earth Realm – Continent – Weyland – Cremner Pub – Private Dining Room – Evening
Fox Duarte licked his lips as he raised his hands while perspiration beaded his forehead. “Listen, Tiger, no reason to do anything that I’ll regret. Didn’t anticipate that one of the Guyles Gang would be implicated in the forgery scheme.” The wood elf shook his head. “Really sorry about that.”
Tiger Keegan held the dagger as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “I would like to believe you. Sander and Crandall Guyle would like to believe you, Fox.” The mountain elf nodded. “The problem is that you have a reputation as a liar.” He chuckled. “A well-deserved one at that.”
Duarte clenched his jaw. “No reason to talk like that, Tiger.”
“Sure it is, Fox.” Keegan reached for his tankard of ale. “What do you think, Gesby? Can you trust Fox Duarte?”
A woman stood near the door and held a small double loaded crossbow aimed at Fox Duarte as she held a cracked and chipped gold coin in the other. “Trust him as much as I trust this counterfeit mark could get me a hot meal and a warm bed for the night at any nice inn in Weyland.”
“You’re right about that, Gesby.” Tiger took a sip of ale. “Three moneybags filled with these cracked coins isn’t good for business. The Guyles Gang paid for you to make these coins with understanding they would look like the genuine queen marks. No one could tell they were counterfeit. That is what you told us, Fox. We planned to use them in the money changer shops owned by the Guyles Gang.” He grimaced. “How much did we pay for the three bags, Gesby?”
“Two thousand queen marks per bag.” Gesby put the coin in her pocket. “Six thousand for three bags, Tiger.”
“How many marks were supposed to be in each bag, Gesby?” Tiger put his tankard on the table.
“Fifty thousand queen marks per bag, Tiger.” Gesby scowled.
“The problem is that Sander didn’t give me enough time to produce the coins.” Fox shrugged. “I did the best I could with what I had to work with, Tiger.”
“When I approached you with this job, you assured me that you could have it done on a shorter deadline.” Gesby reached for her tankard of ale. “Were those assurances nothing more than puffery and bluster, Fox?”
Fox cleared his throat. “Of course not, Gesby. You know me better than that.” The wood elf clasped his hands. “You and I had something very special.” He sniffled. “You were the reason I came to Weyland. When I first saw you, I knew you were the one for me.” He turned to Tiger Keegan. “Maybe I didn’t have a clear head when I produced the coins because I was distracted by this vision of loveliness.” He pointed to Gesby. “I admit I could have done better work, but I don’t think that means you have to point weapons at me, does it?”
Tiger glared at the woman. “Is this true, Gesby? You suggested this counterfeiting scheme to me and to bring in Duarte to engineer this. Based on what you told me about Duarte, I went to Sander and Crandall Guyle with this forgery scheme.” He clenched his jaw. “I vouched for Duarte and this scheme because you are in love with him?”


Amazon


About R.D. Henderson:


R.D. Henderson is a writer of fantasy and sword & sorcery stories featuring elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, kobolds, goblins, mages, clerics, rangers, and other characters prevalent in fantasy stories.

He, however, does not write stories in the same vein as LORD OF THE RINGS by Tolkien or fantasy writers that have followed him.

Besides reading fantasy, GODFATHER by Mario Puzo, NOBLE HOUSE by James Clavell, and the trilogy by John Gardner about Professor James Moriarty as the gaslight godfather are among some of his favorite books.

He has taken the above as inspiration to create fantasy and sword & sorcery stories that meld the criminal with the fantastic.

R.D. Henderson is a pen name for the author. He and his family live near Seattle, Washington.

R.D. is currently working on the next installment in the Nambroc Sequence.

Blog 


Monday, April 20, 2015

Time Quirks by A. Peter Perdian

Release date: April 12, 2015
Subgenre: Military science fiction space colonisation

About Time Quirks:

*** Quirky Time Portals ***

Time Quirks is a science fiction novella, a tale of alien colonizers desperately searching for a new home. Long-range sensors and remote probes have located a distant planet that meets the requirements of their species. A ship is sent to investigate this new world, but upon taking up orbit around the planet, the ship's crew encounters a major problem. The world is already occupied.

Excerpt:

Jazloo faced the captain in his private study adjacent to the ship's briefing room, trying not to lose her temper. "I can't believe you're seriously planning on bringing back live bipeds for dissection." She'd waylaid Tusec in the corridor outside his quarters as his sleeping cycle ended, demanding to speak with him about the upcoming shuttle mission to the planet below.

Excerpt:

An odd prickling sensation engulfed Eric. "What the—" He stopped in mid-sentence, scared at what felt like crawling bugs on his flesh. The frightening sensation raced inward until it imploded at its point of convergence. His feeling of being compressed into nothingness vanished, smothering his scream.



Excerpt: 

 

"How do you know the Master's niece?"
"Go get her," he said, his voice commanding more authority than he felt. "She’ll know who I am."
While the armed slave stayed with him, the other went to wake Cloelia. He'd bought himself a little time, but what would happen when they returned? Would this Cloelia be the same Cloelia as before?

* * *

Gabriella's eyes and mouth were wide open. A moment ago, she'd halfway believed Eric was delusional, but she'd just watched him vanish. She stared at the shimmering light, and then haltingly approached it until she was directly in front of it.
She stared up at the column's capital. In the sunlight, the radiation emitted by it was clearly visible as it filled the open doorway with a transparent white light. On the other side of the shimmering curtain, the rest of the ruins were clearly visible. Eric wasn't anywhere to be seen. She tried to swallow as excitement and fear played havoc with her emotions. She then reached out with her right hand, tempted to touch the shimmering light, to follow Eric to . . . to wherever he'd gone. After all, she was an archaeologist, and she could think of no better way to explore the past.
As common sense took hold, she jerked her hand away. You don't just stroll into the past, she scolded herself. You have to be prepared. Besides, she needed to guard the entrance. She hurried back to the column and grabbed Eric's daypack before moving to the edge of the slope. With a view of his Land Rover at the bottom of the hill and a view of the ruins in the other direction, she struggled to take it all in.
Was Eric now in the past? Was time travel really possible? She trembled as she replayed the image in her mind that she'd just witnessed. What were the implications? And how were the aliens involved? She mumbled to herself as one question after another rose up. How would this impact her? The three of them? The world?
The edges of her mouth turned down as she remembered her husband's warning last night. He'd said that the Italian government was under intense pressure by their allies, especially the Americans, to launch a full-scale search of Tuscany for the alien receiver. She dropped to the ground and pulled her phone out of Eric's daypack.
"Hi, it's me," she said as her husband answered. "It's all real, Dean. I saw Eric vanish right in front of me. No, I'm serious. There was a white shimmering light just like he said. Yes, I'm sure. He vanished. No, he's not hiding from me." She rolled her eyes, unsure of how to convince him as she remembered her own denial. "I don't know if he's in the past. All I know is he vanished." As she waited for him to stop talking, she shook her head. "Yes, it looks like the receiver's hidden inside the capital. Uh-huh. Okay. Sundown, yes, it's still on."

 

Amazon 

 

About A. Peter Perdian:


A. Peter Perdian is an American writer with ten e-books currently available. His aim is to entertain with thought provoking tales. He lives in the Pacific Northwest and his work is available in Amazon's Kindle Store.

When not writing, he enjoys the outdoor activities the Pacific Northwest provides, such as biking, hiking and climbing. He also enjoys traveling and exploring new places. As for reading material, his preferences are all over the spectrum.

The title of his latest book is "Time Quirks," a science fiction novella published on April 13, 2015.

His next tale will be published sometime between the end of 2015 and the first quarter of 2016.