tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1670302649102134192024-02-10T13:50:29.584-08:00Untethered RealmsTap into worlds, wings, and spec fic thingsM Paxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.comBlogger460125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-41234214937960687672022-05-22T21:30:00.004-07:002022-05-22T21:30:00.200-07:00Release Day for Ravage of Revenants (Khthonia #2)<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qO_ZSe4KVeT8XjgPd8hUa94DMBE5ff2f7yI-0Ds98Ob0WXDCSQvLwhxAHhyCm0y_tban5cQPShHVh6aGnRbRHs9Mb75I9-qLozQpDqBGhc7sHPL0cpJwk_xv1iWqNiZapP5lYy18ClFZ9ko93o4Xcpt4qy2uAl7F4L-Micx97QXZwyAfxHAzYDeL/s2625/Ravage%20of%20Revenants%20cover-kindle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2625" data-original-width="1641" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qO_ZSe4KVeT8XjgPd8hUa94DMBE5ff2f7yI-0Ds98Ob0WXDCSQvLwhxAHhyCm0y_tban5cQPShHVh6aGnRbRHs9Mb75I9-qLozQpDqBGhc7sHPL0cpJwk_xv1iWqNiZapP5lYy18ClFZ9ko93o4Xcpt4qy2uAl7F4L-Micx97QXZwyAfxHAzYDeL/s320/Ravage%20of%20Revenants%20cover-kindle.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 700 !important; text-align: start;">Everyone knows if you split the party, the players will die.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />But what if it’s the only way to discover who the villain might be?</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Nora Quinn has spent years honing her mystery solving skills, and when the game calls for several days of gathering information, she’s excited to uncover who the evil necromancer is. She plays Essaerae, an elven bard who is at home with the aristocrats of Willowbright Woods and political maneuvering. Yet her friends are not. They’re enjoying their new lives trapped in the dark fantasy world of Khthonia and finding the way home is no longer a priority, especially if it means hours of tedious investigating.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Assassins set their sights on the heroes and undead attack the city. Someone on the esteemed Council is likely the necromancer, and to end the curse on Khthonia, the players must unmask them. Nora’s left to figure the puzzle out on her own. The problem is, if she splits from the party, she will die.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />A fantasy LitRPG/GameLit for fans of table-top role-playing games.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09V5T392C" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">BUY THE BOOK HERE!</span></a></b></span></p>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-68002952682461235472022-05-03T16:32:00.004-07:002022-05-03T16:32:40.511-07:00Inspiration from real life ghost hunts<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPozXuObnIvSWvNhq5Q4OLuZQY4iacUDOecuxlc-cYKzGZxmexmMjmPxOHRty-35vpMhLH_gu0svFS3Afmux7Zap9H14pFqCkqt4p75TginteiD0Fiudm2rw9Xaue05LJjGdYgrKkxyRgByZompqXpWwa6QRILyR2OMNFnT52vKfLKWDd5dVnOSxg-/s1500/OSR-GhostHunt-16-1500x1072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1500" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPozXuObnIvSWvNhq5Q4OLuZQY4iacUDOecuxlc-cYKzGZxmexmMjmPxOHRty-35vpMhLH_gu0svFS3Afmux7Zap9H14pFqCkqt4p75TginteiD0Fiudm2rw9Xaue05LJjGdYgrKkxyRgByZompqXpWwa6QRILyR2OMNFnT52vKfLKWDd5dVnOSxg-/s320/OSR-GhostHunt-16-1500x1072.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you believe in ghosts? Whether you do or don't, would you go on a ghost hunt?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've been trying to find an active group of paranormal investigators in my area. Perhaps they'll let me join, or, at least, allow me to tag along a few times. Many have disbanded due to the epidemic, but surely there must be people out there like me, eager to explore haunted places. I've made plans twice to meet fellow enthusiasts, but both times, I was ghosted. And not by the spirits!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">None of my small group of local friends are interested. Many claim to be too frightened, even if they don't know if they believe in the paranormal. I do believe there are things we can't explain, but I've never had a definite paranormal experience myself.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I get a lot of inspiration from watching ghost hunting shows. The investigators themselves are marvelous characters. Many of them had experiences when they were young which compel them to seek out answers. Of course there is the tension of the investigation. The dark places, weird noises, and flickering shadows. Will something big happen? Or will there be a mundane explanation?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">What I especially love are the tales about the locations and the people who lived there. Old asylums, hospitals, museums, manors, mines, and whole towns. There are always layers of stories which spark marvelous ideas in my head. While the ghosts are spooky, it's the real history that is astounding and sometimes immensely disturbing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'll keep looking for companions who are brave enough to investigate the unknown. Until then, there are countless paranormal shows for my enjoyment and my muse.</div><p></p>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-13484777313977344352022-04-18T23:00:00.045-07:002022-04-18T23:00:00.215-07:00#Fantasy Worth Reading: Seven Strengths: A Tale from Turaset #BookReview<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEF4U7IxwfNJ_guKGBKdgqGBTJ_aLpao5mrkTdHCgnYP-Th8wSn6YGUyCp9LSFNdS5t_Qc8AJyzXziUaWJ6oCCq_2d-WOWMp51mcmeSVze_LJiVtKurLHTJZxo5HRSiIllMB8ENwgx9gB_3jV7yHXXF8Zgji9UyP7_GChNmfxYOFKlpdxiKivVbCfl/s500/SevenStrengths.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEF4U7IxwfNJ_guKGBKdgqGBTJ_aLpao5mrkTdHCgnYP-Th8wSn6YGUyCp9LSFNdS5t_Qc8AJyzXziUaWJ6oCCq_2d-WOWMp51mcmeSVze_LJiVtKurLHTJZxo5HRSiIllMB8ENwgx9gB_3jV7yHXXF8Zgji9UyP7_GChNmfxYOFKlpdxiKivVbCfl/s320/SevenStrengths.jpeg" width="205" /></a></div><b>Blurb:</b> Discover the world of Turaset.<p></p><p>In a remote country village, seventeen-year-old Celeste yearns for excitement. When the bright lights of a distant city beckon, she makes her way there, and city folk show Celeste more of the world than she ever imagined.</p><p>But these people have their reasons to cozy up to a country teenager, because Celeste’s family carries an ancient genetic ability to track carbon emissions by sight. The trait is powerful enough to undercut Turaset’s oil industry, and the titan running that industry wants Celeste’s family killed. Soon, she realizes how out of her depth she is.</p><p><i>Seven Strengths</i> is an otherworldly but familiar coming-of-age story. It highlights the enduring strength borne of family and friends.</p><p><b>Jeff's Review:</b> <i>Seven Strengths</i> is a novella in P. L. Tavormina's Industrial Age series. The tale is a coming-of-age story in which Celeste journeys from her sheltered life in the country to attend school in a city. She chafes under the drudgery of work in the family business, a country inn--a business she is destined to inherit some day in the future if her parents get their way. City life broadens her horizons and certainly has its appeals but also teaches her, through some hard lessons, the value of her family and the opportunities at home.</p><p>The setting is a planet called Turaset, which was colonized by a group of refugees from planet Earth. The refugees had hoped to create a world where people lived in harmony with the environment, so as not to destroy it. The state of technology is roughly early twentieth century. Automobiles and electricity have been introduced in some places and the major source of power is fossil fuels. The conflict between the combustion industries and the wisdom of the original refugees is the story's underlying driving force.</p><p>The story has some elements of science-fiction, but there are some characters who have pseudo-magical abilities. Some of these abilities are seen as threatening by the combustion industries and those who possess these abilities are hunted. Some members of Celeste's extended family have such gifts. The level of technology is certainly not futuristic, so I enjoyed the story as a fantasy set in another world. If you're looking for lots of action and fighting, this is not the book for you. If you want more of a domestic story with lots of character development, give <i>Seven Strengths</i> a read. You'll be glad you did.</p><p><br /></p>Jeff Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08374806472853391788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-8929555633950606052022-04-05T13:05:00.001-07:002022-04-05T13:05:44.266-07:00The challenges of writing a long series & Guardian of Monsters<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlxKR3yItdWk5wkBQyd1kFw69tL2oiuBanYq-Frde1BqJxn3K9ZJJOv7ARkqr4KJZFbHCSvU1Y5Hfz2lgCmurFCuLX6jTK8jU8t6xfC4Y0BGMYvCJxmUJkRJRwAs5vdQNMDqdHlBgqQGynqrXCavr0GfDvdWinY8AWP5BpT0dUtIEH93lp1P7CbWZ_A/s792/Bonaventure.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="742" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlxKR3yItdWk5wkBQyd1kFw69tL2oiuBanYq-Frde1BqJxn3K9ZJJOv7ARkqr4KJZFbHCSvU1Y5Hfz2lgCmurFCuLX6jTK8jU8t6xfC4Y0BGMYvCJxmUJkRJRwAs5vdQNMDqdHlBgqQGynqrXCavr0GfDvdWinY8AWP5BpT0dUtIEH93lp1P7CbWZ_A/w203-h206/Bonaventure.jpeg" width="203" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaventure plots</td></tr></tbody></table> I’ve wanted to write a long series, like forever. I am a slow-ish writer and the longest series I've written to date is the Fireseed series, only two books and a sequel novella. Finally, I'm embarking on a long series, and I’ve completed book one! I will wait to launch until I have two or three books done.</p><p><i>Guardian of Monsters</i> is urban fantasy, a genre I have grown to like, having penned two shared world titles in this genre (<i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CWVBZM7">Alpha's Revenge</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Mermaid-Paranormal-Romance-Knowledge-ebook/dp/B08QJSB14G">Secrets of the Mermaid</a></i>). It’s a private investigator series, set in Savannah, and starring two supernaturals I created in my other books, Luna Finley, a mermaid and water mage, and Celestine LeBlanc, a witch and wolf-shifter. </p><p>I just returned from a research and fact-checking trip to Savannah. I had scenes set in Bonaventure Cemetery, where I took a two-hour walking tour and discovered mistakes in my plotting. I had Celestine just walking in there at night. Turns out there’s a huge, locked fence around it. I also went to the salt marshes where I'd set scenes. Such beauty! I went to the Savannah School of Art and Design, where I set scenes, and discovered it’s the largest art school in the country, with 70 buildings scattered around the city! And who knew Savannah is the third largest port city in the USA. </p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzUZ9WLu-xfKiZcd_Xhqvr-Fezg1O0G9GkgMuVA9YUyX7SW1LBuLrm2iLaS_FaEaTlU7O9OEBrandMqOQZS-ZPfHs7mkZJuuAELXFIVVBzaZ1-aQdv9xc7Opvz3iMnquvF3I0LET-XmlKh556ruTpCcAmpx3BXR8KCGjzgpIlWJ0QzExXDMo_UechQQ/s864/savannah%20porch.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="648" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzUZ9WLu-xfKiZcd_Xhqvr-Fezg1O0G9GkgMuVA9YUyX7SW1LBuLrm2iLaS_FaEaTlU7O9OEBrandMqOQZS-ZPfHs7mkZJuuAELXFIVVBzaZ1-aQdv9xc7Opvz3iMnquvF3I0LET-XmlKh556ruTpCcAmpx3BXR8KCGjzgpIlWJ0QzExXDMo_UechQQ/w168-h224/savannah%20porch.jpeg" width="168" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Savannah historic district porch</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>Anyway, it's smart to do extensive research into your subject, whether you're a plotter or pantser. Another challenge of writing a long series with romance, is that you have to find ways to keep the love interests from totally getting together. I’m used to having them commit to each other at the end of a single title novel. And since this is a PI thriller series, I want the next client to walk in at the end of each book and hire them, to intrigue readers into reading the following book. That means I have to figure out at least the rough plot of the next novel each time! </p><p>Here’s the VERY rough blurb for book one, and some photos from Savannah.</p><p><i><b>Guardian of Monsters </b>(Sleuths of Shadow Salon, urban fantasy PI series, Book 1)</i></p><p><i>Celestine, witch and wolf shifter has a talent for prophetic drawings. She’s shocked when she draws her landlord Ray with his eyes gouged out and a strange winged-mermaid leaning over him. Later she finds an eyeless Ray dead on the sidewalk. All she wanted to do was open a gallery, but first she must apprehend his killer. In a posthumous note, Ray wrote he wasn’t just a leather-smith but a supernatural pirate mage. Years back, his Jekyll crew trapped the evil Demon Three Eyes clan. Ray feared they’d escaped, were stalking him, and would soon wreak havoc on Savannah.</i></p><p><i>Oryn, a fellow student in Celestine’s continuing ed art class, is a fae and a thorn in her side, when he asks nosy questions about the case. Yet, she’s drawn to him when he’s her masseur at the spa she frequents, and he’s clever at brainstorming leads regarding Ray’s case. He insists his air magic could come in handy.</i></p><p><i>When pirates in Ray’s old crew are murdered, their body parts stolen, Celestine puts more horrifying clues together. She’ll need everyone on board, including Luna, a mermaid asking to show her sea-glass sculptures at Celestine’s new gallery—and the very same mermaid in Celestine’s tragic drawing of Ray. Otherwise, the lethal monstrosity Demon Three Eyes is unleashing on Savannah will destroy the city and everyone in it. </i></p><p><b>Have you penned a long series? If so, what were some of your challenges?</b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrntNnaY5YFRL4uUIF5g4ssoeMq4KytPBIyqXZ22jbVOBKEcW892rtQQkPcWJtDZHt6JhSS3a6WFJoIj4b1RJKZtn9AT8rM0Z8sSKYk07fON8hiht-P94r7HB7hmqd9XIFdDtVVDd-3Q0BjteAdfKI6VxTEv0WdFqrR4EowXLoSNJyZG0zYdUU5cLXg/s960/savannah%20salt%20marsh.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrntNnaY5YFRL4uUIF5g4ssoeMq4KytPBIyqXZ22jbVOBKEcW892rtQQkPcWJtDZHt6JhSS3a6WFJoIj4b1RJKZtn9AT8rM0Z8sSKYk07fON8hiht-P94r7HB7hmqd9XIFdDtVVDd-3Q0BjteAdfKI6VxTEv0WdFqrR4EowXLoSNJyZG0zYdUU5cLXg/w257-h193/savannah%20salt%20marsh.jpeg" width="257" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salt Marsh</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div>Catherine Stinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08131569196977321229noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-67103795346129392322022-03-31T09:17:00.000-07:002022-03-31T09:17:19.545-07:00Untethered Realms is accepting short story submissions for Fantasy in Bloom<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkYkR8VKqIaSSm6P0pUCStOKjxi9jceZKHbiE6tF8jGLRO9ZPaPo-PnHmUXZi_pyPBjstLUtzEPIHL3SUK0WfTpnO97Jjei4af0Da5OTTDgIM74BiI72XRDGf2Mq_yxt5VP27wnEtmoWzfExtBvnKs8vXKugPiDVhy8neUt2DuctawE5SjbBcENo7/s2000/FiBseekingsubs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1395" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkYkR8VKqIaSSm6P0pUCStOKjxi9jceZKHbiE6tF8jGLRO9ZPaPo-PnHmUXZi_pyPBjstLUtzEPIHL3SUK0WfTpnO97Jjei4af0Da5OTTDgIM74BiI72XRDGf2Mq_yxt5VP27wnEtmoWzfExtBvnKs8vXKugPiDVhy8neUt2DuctawE5SjbBcENo7/s320/FiBseekingsubs.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Untethered Realms is seeking short fantasy stories (3,000 to 10,000 words) with the theme of spring.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Fantasy in Bloom will feature several speculative fiction authors, including some of our UR authors. It's the first anthology in the Seasons of Untethered Realms series.</p><p style="text-align: center;">You can be a first time author or a veteran. We welcome all kinds of fantasy. While we cannot pay any participating writers, the anthology is a wonderful way to get exposure. Our previous series, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HJH93FJ/" target="_blank">Elements of Untethered Realms</a>, does well in that regard.</p><p style="text-align: center;">There is no deadline. We will close when we are full.</p><p style="text-align: center;">If you are accepted, you will receive an invitation to write stories for upcoming anthologies in the Seasons series. Along with this spring edition, we will have summer, autumn, and winter with different themes like sci-fi, paranormal, and steampunk/cyberpunk/hopepunk/solarpunk.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Please submit your stories to Christine Rains at christinerains [dot] writer @ gmail [dot] com. Put Fantasy in Bloom Submission in the subject heading and attach the story to the email as a doc, docx, or rtf file. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. You can email us, leave a question here on the blog, or on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/UntetheredRealms" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.</p>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-32159194709303479672022-03-15T00:00:00.007-07:002022-03-15T00:00:00.223-07:00#Fantasy Worth Reading: Tentacles and Teeth #BookReview<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51fT005JCLL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="500" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51fT005JCLL.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;">Tentacles and Teeth by Ariele Sieling starts off at a gripping, intense pace and doesn’t let up. Immensely enjoyable, I eagerly kept returning to this novel until I devoured the last page like a hungry Pok.<br /><br />Something happened to the Earth we know. We don’t find out what, but the mystery made the story richer. The end of the world is ushered in by a plethora of monsters, referred to as gorgs.<br /><br />There are lots of different kinds, and the surviving people are constantly fighting. Besides squaring off with the deadly monsters, Askari also battles some of the rules set by the elders. She doesn’t agree with them all and doesn’t always follow them.<br /><br />This gets her punished and sent on a mission alone, a mission that will most likely kill her before she completes it. On her journey, we learn more about her and the changed Earth. She learns why some of the rules are wise, and decides she was right to question others.<br /><br />This story is not lacking in monsters, action, and suspense. The characters were easy to identify with and root for. They were believable-flawed as well as strong. There were some twists and turns with the monster-action, which made this a fun and delightful read.<br /><br />Good news! There are more books in this series! I would definitely recommend Teeth and Tentacles.</span><br /><br /><br /><blockquote><i>The apocalypse wasn’t what anyone expected–no rising flood waters, no zombies, no nuclear bombs. Instead, monsters. Their sudden invasion left the world in shatters, and now, decades later, all that’s left of human civilization are a few nomadic bands struggling to survive off the land.<br /><br />Askari was born to this world, and lives, fights, and survives alongside the community that raised her. But when she breaks one too many of the community’s rules, her punishment is severe: leave.<br /><br />Armed with her bow and blade, Askari sets off alone, guided only by a map and the promise that if she can find a book hidden in a nearby town, then she can return. But what can one person do alone in such a harsh, violent landscape? How will she survive?</i></blockquote><p><br /></p><p> </p>M Paxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-19320799731374279312022-03-01T07:39:00.002-08:002022-03-01T07:39:29.473-08:00In Other News<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkvOmyadzgzdc01nC4GRMYH0clD12OCO7NnrIDWxdkc2J40YexYgNk5Y8x2dzVz4YJ7pjKTj4mKq43FyE1oevboUw0F0Vy2prll5YiF6pD8Y8b049HvjruVFx4bzt3egR2Pyy5Vox7FFn5gm556S2vlNRsRnUqoRtg4BM3kRmoP6WWxTy8ms5NdbCC=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1920" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkvOmyadzgzdc01nC4GRMYH0clD12OCO7NnrIDWxdkc2J40YexYgNk5Y8x2dzVz4YJ7pjKTj4mKq43FyE1oevboUw0F0Vy2prll5YiF6pD8Y8b049HvjruVFx4bzt3egR2Pyy5Vox7FFn5gm556S2vlNRsRnUqoRtg4BM3kRmoP6WWxTy8ms5NdbCC=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Watching or reading the news today can be absolutely depressing. These past few years have made me want to hide in a blanket fort and never come out. Yet as a writer, I do get inspired by happenings in our world. So I have turned to news about the strange and the awesome.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Could 2022 be the year aliens come to Earth? ( <a href="https://www.space.com/2022-turning-point-study-ufos-uap">https://www.space.com/2022-turning-point-study-ufos-uap</a> ) There was a rise in sightings last year. Keep an eye on the skies.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This might also be the year that fairies come out of hiding and put humans back on track in taking proper care of the planet. Along with UFOs, there has been more sightings of tiny winged creatures like this one supposedly caught on a doorbell camera. ( <a href="https://www.coasttocoastam.com/article/watch-fairy-filmed-by-doorbell-camera/">https://www.coasttocoastam.com/article/watch-fairy-filmed-by-doorbell-camera/</a> )</p><p style="text-align: left;">With more people having cameras and satellites snapping pictures of remote places, there aren't many places Bigfoot can hide. Believers have been telling us all along that the creatures exist, and maybe this year we'll find out for certain. ( <a href="https://ocj.com/2022/02/searching-for-ohios-bigfoot/">https://ocj.com/2022/02/searching-for-ohios-bigfoot/</a> )</p><p style="text-align: left;">Let's not forget about ghosts. In the past few years with so many people quarantined, incidents of ghost sightings have skyrocketed. Is this because people never noticed the paranormal activity before, or because some people are lonely? ( <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/im-engaged-ghost-im-inundated-26354750">https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/im-engaged-ghost-im-inundated-26354750</a> )</p><p style="text-align: left;">Whether you're a skeptic or not, all these headlines in Other News does spark the imagination!</p>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-87056936334599883862022-02-15T06:15:00.000-08:002022-02-15T06:15:10.240-08:00#Fantasy Worth Reading - Review for Nemesis (Sparta Online #1) #LitRPG #Gamelit<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0PujwZrkYhWMbaft8rC69-lPcIA9g-xdIw-JivDCxljAfDj4tw53MiCowEnR-P08wOzgxxLrPnIfuH7mHmkzdTELusqYQtaPIXQ-sbJaB4hF0MgEhw1Oli04_lCn6egvRy9NToWIE2Pn9-dUFzCqUhlPkB3PMy8B2aj_dujyP4RaggIffKKBlSI_V=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0PujwZrkYhWMbaft8rC69-lPcIA9g-xdIw-JivDCxljAfDj4tw53MiCowEnR-P08wOzgxxLrPnIfuH7mHmkzdTELusqYQtaPIXQ-sbJaB4hF0MgEhw1Oli04_lCn6egvRy9NToWIE2Pn9-dUFzCqUhlPkB3PMy8B2aj_dujyP4RaggIffKKBlSI_V=s320" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Blurb:</b></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The might, myth and magic of ancient Greece returned to life... via a deadly combat training game.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Locked in a never-ending war, the city of Technoburbia strives to emulate the military genius of ancient Sparta. To do so, recruits like 15-year-old Troy will enter Sparta Online, learning the skills and mindset of the Spartan hoplite soldiers of old.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Now, Troy finds himself forced into a battle for survival. Facing hunger and having to fight with his fellow soldiers for the most basic of equipment, he is sure that death in the simulation would have dire consequences.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">But why are the young recruits being sent on increasingly deadly quests, ill-equipped and with no guidance from their captains? And where are all of the previous trainees?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">As his questions mount up, Troy begins to realize that his only way out is to play the game... and win.<br /><br /><b>Christine's review:</b> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">When Troy comes of age and is recruited into Technoburbia's military, his misery turns into curiosity when he discovers he's been chosen for a special program to train in a video game called Sparta Online. Inside the realistic world, Troy is thrust into a harsh training routine that seems more likely to kill him than make him a great soldier. Will he manage to survive and figure out what's wrong with the game or will he become another Spartan fatality?</span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">This YA historical fantasy LitRPG was a fun and enthralling read. The kids recruited by the military for Sparta Online have a lot of pluck, and Troy's empathy and determination makes him stand out. He's clever and quick, but he's still a 15-year-old kid stuck in a bad situation. I liked seeing how things unraveled from a cruel training program to something much more. Something that has major consequences for the players in the game and possibly out of it. What I especially loved was the peek into history to the life of a Spartan warrior's world when they start to train. How difficult and dangerous it is, how the people of different castes interact, and the everyday life. Plus, on top of that, all the magic and mythological creatures are real!</span></span>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-29021609413242988552022-02-01T00:00:00.028-08:002022-02-01T00:00:00.224-08:00The Stars: What's Out there? E<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlJsiXgx2ISqZ10zveMtJlEN5Ngvn98IPd43_S-QFJb2tQVYGVMNwtw2EFBfX4wmxyoeEd4tINnMAwTANDvyRBjCCUqaI6x0oK73nXWD6s7zhraerdi2qQ44uLx-K9tKAgpfLl3Dk1WjMVGGTMoRkyQf-_kWnjVuii3AHNTBtRNLVyCJWFJ6MZE-bm=s1028" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1019" data-original-width="1028" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlJsiXgx2ISqZ10zveMtJlEN5Ngvn98IPd43_S-QFJb2tQVYGVMNwtw2EFBfX4wmxyoeEd4tINnMAwTANDvyRBjCCUqaI6x0oK73nXWD6s7zhraerdi2qQ44uLx-K9tKAgpfLl3Dk1WjMVGGTMoRkyQf-_kWnjVuii3AHNTBtRNLVyCJWFJ6MZE-bm=w640-h634" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: NASA / Artist concept of the James Webb Space Telescope</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-size: large;">At last, at last! There's a new space telescope out there to get better looks at the origins of the universe, distant planets, and galaxies, plus our own solar system. The James Webb Space Telescope is<span face=""Open Sans", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> </span>an orbiting infrared observatory. It will complement and extend the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope with longer wavelength coverage and massively improved sensitivity.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEip44xGszLm71icRQfwvovsTvwuwpPVIca7zjnajaERtIstG0kJXGLjl8AntOgj7fn8ycxnrrZJ69uG4Lmric0XPbnxBwz6guTlh4wpFnasGWc9TPXj9m9xi9X9SMtoTm0sNaRa77Q9c8spoaoCIhLrjOHEJj1Egtz86QzSbD2bl0t-CGnqmoNIe4WP=s700" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="700" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEip44xGszLm71icRQfwvovsTvwuwpPVIca7zjnajaERtIstG0kJXGLjl8AntOgj7fn8ycxnrrZJ69uG4Lmric0XPbnxBwz6guTlh4wpFnasGWc9TPXj9m9xi9X9SMtoTm0sNaRa77Q9c8spoaoCIhLrjOHEJj1Egtz86QzSbD2bl0t-CGnqmoNIe4WP=w640-h568" width="640" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herbig-Haro / Credit ESA/Hubble & NASA, B. Nisini</td></tr></tbody></table><h1 class="page-header__title" id="firstHeading" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #3a3a3a; font-family: rubik, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.25px; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></h1><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />The James Webb is bigger and more powerful, and I'm sure we'll learn things we have yet to imagine. The telescope will orbit Earth 1.5 kilometers away. It is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.</span></p><span style="font-size: large;">Webb has a primary mirror made of 18 segments comprised of ultra-lightweight beryllium. Its biggest feature is a tennis court-sized five-layer sunshield that attenuates heat from the Sun more than a million times. The telescope’s four instruments - cameras and spectrometers - have detectors that can record extremely faint signals. One instrument has programmable microshutters, which enable observation up to 100 objects simultaneously. How Cool!</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Exciting news! James Webb has now reached its orbit and successfully deployed the mirrors. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Its first target is</span><span style="font-size: large;"> star HD 84406 in the Big Dipper.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Can you hear me squealing?</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Although we don't have flying cars yet or live on the Moon, amazing discoveries about our solar system, galaxy, and universe have been made in recent years. There's water on the moon and Mars. There are possible signs of life on Venus. So, I'm excited to see what James Webb will discover. What do you think we might find?</span><p><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhy9T-Es68nJ6Xj9TZzS0BMFQ8s724asxdUNpS-nleo0NQDFEy0XBgSBoQFCMv078q7I_SwBwt63mLYdBSagQvPqKdpEi_6Nc-fEfzjr56kctW6VbcK3t9GM2S7itrWIXH2L-C24CFVQT-88P2esPP0Orvs-9tP2RIt6rOnYkJ-kTv-s8iGw36luWS1=s460" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="14" data-original-width="460" height="13" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhy9T-Es68nJ6Xj9TZzS0BMFQ8s724asxdUNpS-nleo0NQDFEy0XBgSBoQFCMv078q7I_SwBwt63mLYdBSagQvPqKdpEi_6Nc-fEfzjr56kctW6VbcK3t9GM2S7itrWIXH2L-C24CFVQT-88P2esPP0Orvs-9tP2RIt6rOnYkJ-kTv-s8iGw36luWS1=w400-h13" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Speaking of stars and space, I have a new book out! Endpoint, Backworlds Book 8 is now available!</span><br /><p></p><p><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgW4ptfpN6Sar7mQuDqkJ7lmkfLMl7V1tSPTIXR-zV_uWoncEILJNRJa6g367Cf-0dj8NQmojxBRlM9HDnHIxkAzxvjpVC3nrta40ae-J2FVhe1i8VbI2uTu5LiFM1g-NBYRFAnWxBQQ0VElGU3OqLc1_PyyYcIGxRIETBW86xR9N3CYEvgoDeWeLCj=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1200" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgW4ptfpN6Sar7mQuDqkJ7lmkfLMl7V1tSPTIXR-zV_uWoncEILJNRJa6g367Cf-0dj8NQmojxBRlM9HDnHIxkAzxvjpVC3nrta40ae-J2FVhe1i8VbI2uTu5LiFM1g-NBYRFAnWxBQQ0VElGU3OqLc1_PyyYcIGxRIETBW86xR9N3CYEvgoDeWeLCj=w400-h226" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/boaGY9" target="_blank">GET ENDPOINT</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://payhip.com/b/ECpwk" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Direct from M. Pax</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Buy direct from me and get 25% off all purchases. Use coupon code 4XCZKXTR2W / Referral Bonus: When you refer any purchased product to a friend who becomes a customer, you both get 10% off.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">What are you willing to lose in order to win?<br /><br />Craze can no longer keep the evil Quassers contained, and winning the war gets harder. The Quassers unite forces with another enemy and become more threatening, more destructive, and more murderous.<br /><br />Planet after planet falls, and Craze is desperate. The only chance he has is a glimpse at little hopes that might grow into a viable strategy. But only if the other planets work with him. So far, everybody is still looking out for themselves and hates him for the gut-wrenching decisions—the deaths of innocents in exchange for all of humanity’s survival.</span><p></p><p><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p></div>M Paxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-64455337317449140022022-01-17T21:00:00.001-08:002022-01-17T21:00:00.214-08:00@UnRealms #bookreview #mystery #crimefiction #psychologicalthriller @JenniferHillier<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimY9M_2mmwII_RhpN1Xk3CArj8UrFFbPMyxAonsegKDhx0NhLLQ0i6gwiIoTyYDn0I7jSlp_jr0IWSEYFw0oqfhzgWv910nbe-tRW9tShYr_DJ_Q8uEOTAyz4dxQLnkwD2zj4-JrJx4JN4uflHsr_PHfIJnJX3ATUl-jseaLEad9v-nHBREYLpHpFN=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimY9M_2mmwII_RhpN1Xk3CArj8UrFFbPMyxAonsegKDhx0NhLLQ0i6gwiIoTyYDn0I7jSlp_jr0IWSEYFw0oqfhzgWv910nbe-tRW9tShYr_DJ_Q8uEOTAyz4dxQLnkwD2zj4-JrJx4JN4uflHsr_PHfIJnJX3ATUl-jseaLEad9v-nHBREYLpHpFN=w263-h400" width="263" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"></span></p><p style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">This is the story of three best friends: one who was murdered, one who went to prison, and one who's been searching for the truth all these years . . .</span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #660000; font-size: medium;"><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">When she was sixteen years old, Angela Wong—one of the most popular girls in school—disappeared without a trace. Nobody ever suspected that her best friend, Georgina Shaw, now an executive and rising star at her Seattle pharmaceutical company, was involved in any way. Certainly not Kaiser Brody, who was close with both girls back in high school.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">But fourteen years later, Angela Wong's remains are discovered in the woods near Geo's childhood home. And Kaiser—now a detective with Seattle PD—finally learns the truth: Angela was a victim of Calvin James. The same Calvin James who murdered at least three other women.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">To the authorities, Calvin is a serial killer. But to Geo, he's something else entirely. Back in high school, Calvin was Geo's first love. Turbulent and often volatile, their relationship bordered on obsession from the moment they met right up until the night Angela was killed.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">For fourteen years, Geo knew what happened to Angela and told no one. For fourteen years, she carried the secret of Angela's death until Geo was arrested and sent to prison.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">While everyone thinks they finally know the truth, there are dark secrets buried deep. And what happened that fateful night is more complex and more chilling than anyone really knows. Now the obsessive past catches up with the deadly present when new bodies begin to turn up, killed in the exact same manner as Angela Wong.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">How far will someone go to bury her secrets and hide her grief? How long can you get away with a lie? How long can you live with it?</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #660000; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><u><b>Cathrina's Review</b></u></span></span></p><table border="0" cellspacing="1" class="myActivity" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; line-height: 21px;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: medium;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Listening to the audio book, I cringed many times. I was terribly disturbed by the story. The author, Jennifer Hillier held nothing back, painting a horrific picture of murder, death, and the main characters stint in prison. <br /><br />However, the enticing narrator had me on page one. And while the story was alarming, I couldn't put it down. Every blunt detail crawled under my skin and grabbed me.<br /><br />I've read many reviews, and disagree with those readers complaining about the rushed ending. It was excellent. I couldn't have written a better ending. Throughout all the pulsating trauma, I could breathe again, and found a smile on my face.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Cathrina Constantinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16960849263181625782noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-30130496997115470082022-01-04T08:08:00.000-08:002022-01-04T08:08:27.056-08:00The Importance of Book Reviews Especially For Speculative Fiction Tales<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQZy7jJ8nqryEbDH2ZQJGpVjWzeyFVXlRCvuSlNTCr8t0UECeA7c39A1F1orr9UUQN22_UcITMh5CulU-LW4gPP6yHIUvyQsfmAeNaOFqtFMYva-j4Uu8IyN2ZAZQBAklWoWJqhGp6fAP58rEQF-8Jp4MbJh3xyIEZAZYemL4zi936uA7aauuIie2a=s285" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="285" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQZy7jJ8nqryEbDH2ZQJGpVjWzeyFVXlRCvuSlNTCr8t0UECeA7c39A1F1orr9UUQN22_UcITMh5CulU-LW4gPP6yHIUvyQsfmAeNaOFqtFMYva-j4Uu8IyN2ZAZQBAklWoWJqhGp6fAP58rEQF-8Jp4MbJh3xyIEZAZYemL4zi936uA7aauuIie2a" width="285" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm sure you've heard authors pleading for reviews, and while they are important for all writers, they're even more so for speculative fiction. Romance books get a lot of ratings, and that's followed closely by crime and thrillers. Fantasy/sci-fi/steampunk and everything hard to categorize in speculative fiction are lowest on the list when it comes to reviews.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Why is this? It may be readers feel they can't review something that isn't so easily slipped into a definite genre slot or they're timid about sharing their thoughts on world-building or societal issues. They might be intimidated by what they believe are intellectual books, and there are others who consider speculative fiction "lazy intellectualism." No matter what movies and shows we see in the media, readers still shy away from fantasy and sci-fi books.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">No matter the genre though, reviews are beneficial to both the authors and readers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For authors:</div><div style="text-align: left;">- reviews help them see what readers like and what they don't like.</div><div style="text-align: left;">- they can help motivate authors.</div><div style="text-align: left;">- the more reviews a book has, the more visible it is to other readers.</div><div style="text-align: left;">- reviews help authors and readers connect.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Reviews are even more important to readers. The number one reason a reader buys a book is because they know and like and an author. Yet to gain new readers, the best way to do so is through word of mouth, and that is done primarily through reviews. Over fifty percent of readers state they read reviews before they consider buying a book from an author they don't know.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sometimes speculative fiction can be hard to categorize, but readers shouldn't feel the need to do so. Reviews can be simple. Something along the lines of: "I liked that there were fairies in a steampunk world flying on airships and using magical cannons." This tells potential readers this is a mix of genres, and even if they are attracted to one aspect of that statement, they may like it as a whole.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While some people may fear one and two star reviews, those can also be very helpful. A person might say: "I hated it. Too much elf politics." Another reader may enjoy politics in a book and be happy to discover there is a lot of it in the story. Not every reader is going to like a book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Writing a review doesn't need to be complicated. The star rating is easy to follow. Don't feel bad if you give a book three or two stars while saying: "I liked Fred. He made me laugh. I didn't like annoying Marcy." It's not an insult as long as it's an honest review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZdZbGxz0LfzMsLYJPeLSGji_iMCfFcetLLljBse4tirwAu9kdU2dTd3T3bz8ZwoQiO5kxL9Ls5-9Lw1-_7hghzv-VDZWtNXRAvv4Psvc-_11d98dcC5AtYUl2lmXHnr2_IWl_W9g09556rJb7Tq76yTJ9a5VTmK8XZABR7jeqFg4EKy8RxTMCDDDo=s400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="400" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZdZbGxz0LfzMsLYJPeLSGji_iMCfFcetLLljBse4tirwAu9kdU2dTd3T3bz8ZwoQiO5kxL9Ls5-9Lw1-_7hghzv-VDZWtNXRAvv4Psvc-_11d98dcC5AtYUl2lmXHnr2_IWl_W9g09556rJb7Tq76yTJ9a5VTmK8XZABR7jeqFg4EKy8RxTMCDDDo=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Speculative fiction is a great big melting pot of characters, worlds, and ideas. It may intimidate readers who might want to venture into the genre, but reviews will greatly help bring in those readers. I tell myself that writing reviews is like a super power as a voracious reader who wants other readers to like fantasy and sci-fi as much as I do. A super power which you, too, can have if you put the reviewer cape for a minute or two after finishing a book.</div><p></p>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-59834389655363392402021-12-06T21:30:00.105-08:002021-12-06T21:30:00.214-08:00Happy Holidays from the Untethered Realms Authors - Our Favorite Holiday Reads<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8boscBosfI5Fx0pYYYNYO-S545UPZy4aFkWyL9J2J20zTqGu8k4eUFZN6a0RNQq3Ml9CF6GQ6zLk9bxkQFhz4tGc6ZuZHOdTzxXlzWGSNPIFxMzmPCExFg61q8uxRxj7H5rL_oZ1stc/s1920/christmas-g838741470_1920.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8boscBosfI5Fx0pYYYNYO-S545UPZy4aFkWyL9J2J20zTqGu8k4eUFZN6a0RNQq3Ml9CF6GQ6zLk9bxkQFhz4tGc6ZuZHOdTzxXlzWGSNPIFxMzmPCExFg61q8uxRxj7H5rL_oZ1stc/s320/christmas-g838741470_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">“It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” <i>How The Grinch Stole Christmas</i> by Dr. Seuss</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Happy holidays from the authors of Untethered Realms!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">What is your favorite holiday read?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><b>Christine Rains</b> - <i>Hogfather</i> by Terry Pratchett. The Hogfather, Discworld's equivalent of Father Christmas, is missing and Death takes his place. As Death goes about his job, his granddaughter Susan tries to find the Hogfather and must deal with an assassin looking for him too. Hilarious, surprising, and wonderfully fun. It's a different sort of holiday read, but right up my alley.</span></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><b>Gwen Gardner </b>- <i>A Christmas Carol </i>by Charles Dickens is always my go-to Christmas read. Ebenezer "Scrooge" became synonymous with someone who hates Christmas. But through the visit of three ghosts over the course of a single night, Scrooge learns the real meaning of Christmas. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Here's my favorite quote: </span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“And how did little Tim behave?” asked Mrs Cratchit, when she had rallied Bob on his credulity and Bob had hugged his daughter to his heart’s content.<br /><br />“As good as gold,” said Bob, “and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.”</span></blockquote><div style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: right;"><br /></div></span></span></div>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-90410089745632861962021-11-22T21:30:00.029-08:002021-11-22T21:30:00.230-08:00Speculative Fiction Worth Reading - The Rayatana Series by Tyrean Martinson #scifi<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCFY-GZ_5c-e_Zv731UcpE-zIX7jg9596T9vJUMhAsskL0CMlzA7I4_1wOOB5FYW8SIM4U5WmNnNmkVsnWy0k8kvecwPZwD1-nBXQc6oBO61myhAtPy9wmgOL5e_2tqQbrTc2qc-wDK4/s475/Liftoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCFY-GZ_5c-e_Zv731UcpE-zIX7jg9596T9vJUMhAsskL0CMlzA7I4_1wOOB5FYW8SIM4U5WmNnNmkVsnWy0k8kvecwPZwD1-nBXQc6oBO61myhAtPy9wmgOL5e_2tqQbrTc2qc-wDK4/s320/Liftoff.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>Blurb:</b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">A spaceship in disguise,</span><p></p><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">An Earth girl searching for a sense of home,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">And a Thousand Years' War between alien races,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">All collide on a summer afternoon.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">An old movie theater welcomes Amaya in and wraps her up in the smell of popcorn and licorice. But one sunny afternoon during a matinee, the movie screen goes dark. The theater rumbles.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Amaya gets trapped in the middle of an ancient alien conflict. Angry and frightened, Amaya entangles herself in a life-changing cultural misunderstanding with Sol, a young alien who keeps omitting key information, even while they're on the run from his enemies.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">What will it take to survive a battle between alien races involved in an ancient war?</span></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><b>Christine's review:</b> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Amaya is settled into an old movie theater with friends when suddenly the whole place shakes as if an earthquake. While her friends make it out, Amaya is held back from jumping by Sol (seemingly a guy who works there) as the theater now spaceship propels up into space. Now she's in the middle of a centuries old war and bonded to a cute alien who she doesn't know if she can trust or not. There are so many things she doesn't understand, but she has to learn what she needs soon or she may not survive her next trip through space.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">A fantastic start to this YA sci-fi series. I immediately felt sympathy for Amaya, dealing with normal Earth teen problems like her parents being divorced and trying to fit in at a new place. Then the new place becomes a whole new world as the story immediately blasts off with the spaceship. I loved that the ship was disguised as a movie theater and the descriptions of what the high tech the everyday Earthling things hid. We're introduced to a lot of history and aliens in this novella, but it didn't bore me and the tension kept taut throughout. It's a solid ground to set the series on, and I can't wait to dive in to the next book.</span></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6Z_AThGmcadEngQUiAoMPW4xcfF-zhYzi842376q2hF0i1wUtLtNPz5P5-gnt6hQ_LX9a9QCD3LR6lhQqP0WUHTObEEcQPxSvxZ2fJEtR6Fmo59PmHYE7SKcNIMG_Gtg9bJGAVGz7U0/s475/Nexus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6Z_AThGmcadEngQUiAoMPW4xcfF-zhYzi842376q2hF0i1wUtLtNPz5P5-gnt6hQ_LX9a9QCD3LR6lhQqP0WUHTObEEcQPxSvxZ2fJEtR6Fmo59PmHYE7SKcNIMG_Gtg9bJGAVGz7U0/s320/Nexus.jpg" width="199" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><b>Blurb:</b> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Amaya is supposed to bring peace to the galaxy. Which is tough when she’s being held for crimes against the Neutral Zone. Her imprisonment is on her own ship with her own crew. But close quarters create tension.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Honestly, her role as Rayatana is a mess.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">She may never get to use her powers for anything good. Not if her teacher continues to keep secrets, and not if her powers keep harming others. Putting her mother in a coma should put her in prison, but she has a mission. She wants to bring peace to her people. She needs to become the Rayatana.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><b>Christine's review:</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amaya is the child of three worlds, the Rayatana, and she is prophesized to bring peace to the galaxy. She struggles with what to do as she didn't grew up with the knowledge of the vast peoples and the galactic politics. What she must get through first is the Trial of Integrity. In a simulation, not all is as it seems. Amaya wants only to help everyone and bring every-lasting peace, but to do so, she must learn how to control her own power before it destroys everything and everyone she loves.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">This is the second book in the YA sci-fi series, The Rayatana. This one is even better than the first! The reader already has the base of the galaxy and the various people. There are many layers in the history and current politics, and even different forces within each species. Amaya tries her best to maneuver through all of it and admirably stays true to her heart and morals. I especially liked Cheleth, the living planet of a species similar to what we would call dryads. It is at once high tech and beautifully natural. As each piece of the action-filled plot unfolds, more surprises are revealed. I cannot wait for the next installment of this fabulous series.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">You can find <a href="http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tyrean Martinson on her site here</a>!</span></span></div>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-324864801090379232021-11-09T06:34:00.003-08:002021-11-09T06:34:39.113-08:00Caution: Over-scheduling Pile-On!<p> In the excitement of getting out of my covid cave and rejoining the world, I find that I've <i>waaay</i> over-scheduled myself. It resembles burnout but there are differences. Since I'm now double-vaccinated with a booster shot, I have carefully attended a movie, a concert, and some indoor eating. It feels freeing and hopeful for the future. I want more concerts, more live experiences. </p><p>I am also doing Zoom and online teaching, conferences, and author events. I figured that since I aced Zoom and Canvas and IG live, these online events would not add much to my workload. Wrong. They are still labor intensive, stressful, and time consuming. </p><p>In my exuberance, I signed onto four online author conferences. Two whizzed by in the last three weeks and I still haven't watched the videos! Granted, they are accessible for a month at least, but just the thought of watching all of the lectures is exhausting. While at the same time, I <i>want</i> to see them all. It's too much. It makes my brain hurt.</p><p>One excellent thing was that I got a NOV BookBub, granted a free one. It's hard to get any kind, so I consider that a huge accomplishment. <i>Witch of the Wild Beasts</i> is at the time of this post, #1 in Paranormal Witches and Wizards Romance and #1 in Historical Fantasy and #95 in all of free books. Not too bad.</p><p>Here's the link in case you want to nab a free copy. <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Free through NOV. </b></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Amazon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0848RGQVY" target="_blank">USA</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Witch-Wild-Beasts-Catherine-Stine-ebook/dp/B0848RGQVY" target="_blank">UK</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Witch-Wild-Beasts-Catherine-Stine-ebook/dp/B0848RGQVY" target="_blank">AU</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Witch-Wild-Beasts-Catherine-Stine-ebook/dp/B0848RGQVY" target="_blank">CA</a>, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1496695006" target="_blank">Apple</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/witch-of-the-wild-beasts-catherine-stine/1136271447?ean=2940163747184" target="_blank">Nook</a>, <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/witch-of-the-wild-beasts" target="_blank">Kobo</a></span></b></p><p><b>And some blurbs:</b></p><p><i><span style="color: #800180;">“Adored every moment; from the imaginative, gothic plot to the compelling characters!” - Chicks, Rogues and Scandals</span></i></p><p><i><span style="color: #800180;">“Witch of the Wild Beasts is a beautiful story… absolutely heartbreaking yet also completely heartwarming. Evalina is such a lovable protagonist, and her rag-tag group of friends is just as interesting. I could absolutely read a book dedicated to Dolly!” </span></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMkHHDkMeHKEPfYHW3J0X3ZZyTGahd9vKyqiLeoecmsilaeu9yA9w2KhqPXQ3Gm_M8Oc2LnsEh5Hs2hTiiZGC_d0R9k9CTk3waz_4XEAeD0yyfLzlsknkQNufHLmlfbeFGqBY7lLfmUtvw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMkHHDkMeHKEPfYHW3J0X3ZZyTGahd9vKyqiLeoecmsilaeu9yA9w2KhqPXQ3Gm_M8Oc2LnsEh5Hs2hTiiZGC_d0R9k9CTk3waz_4XEAeD0yyfLzlsknkQNufHLmlfbeFGqBY7lLfmUtvw/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Question: Do you get burnout or do you ever <i>waaaay </i>over-schedule? How do you handle it?</span></b><p></p>Catherine Stinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08131569196977321229noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-88439321834600737052021-10-19T00:30:00.105-07:002021-10-19T00:30:00.243-07:00Book Review: Elemental Thief by Rachel Morgan<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrN2g_LtyZOfQXqHW1tHVm8qWm3mz2uCd5sTURbul46_UcRrA_UPZiWGx0quL3o4xQJuRpJFGFUBaxlnt8JzP9lIsuYuFbhfEf4w_YLmkdssMRkD9xSmLn7PGcDSipkQaLfPvugrIY-NQ/s500/Elemental+Thief.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrN2g_LtyZOfQXqHW1tHVm8qWm3mz2uCd5sTURbul46_UcRrA_UPZiWGx0quL3o4xQJuRpJFGFUBaxlnt8JzP9lIsuYuFbhfEf4w_YLmkdssMRkD9xSmLn7PGcDSipkQaLfPvugrIY-NQ/w200-h200/Elemental+Thief.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Elemental Thief is book 1 in the young adult fantasy series,
the Ridley Kayne Chronicles, by Rachel Morgan. Set in a futuristic
dystopian-esque environment, the Global Simultaneous Magic-Energy Conversion
caused a devastating world-changing magical overload, which subsequently caused
magic to be outlawed, and created a deep divide between the have and have-nots. Ridley Kayne is like a modern-day Robin Hood, robbing from the rich and giving
to the poor, in order to narrow that gap. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Magic, in a land where it has
been outlawed, is Ridley's superpower. It's how she's able to slip through the cracks and infiltrate high end properties to steal valuable items, sell them to her fence, collect the money and give to those in need. Chaos is bound to explode when using magic. Using it is risky. But in
this world, magic for some is as inherent as the air they breathe. Tamping it down and denying
it has dire consequences.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As in most YA, Ridley has a love interest in her nemesis Archer who is good looking and full of secrets. I've no doubt we are going to be seeing the pair working together more in subsequent books because they have a world to right again. </div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Though not listed as a dystopian read, the setting in this book has the vibe of a planet damaged by human's overuse of magic and has echoes of the challenges we're now facing with out own planet. It reminded me that we are living in the future now...an interesting thought. </p><p class="MsoNormal">There is plenty of action in this book, fast-paced with lots of twists
and turns. A murder, a wrongful arrest, and a quest for justice where maybe none is
due…</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lots to like and hold your attention. I had forgotten how
much I liked YA and this book reminded me.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">If you'd like to read it, it's FREE on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Elemental-Thief-Ridley-Kayne-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B07F863RQF/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Amazon</a>. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Gwen Gardnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-7578378616711364812021-10-06T18:11:00.000-07:002021-10-06T18:11:06.793-07:00Seasonal Reads<p>Do you find yourself drawn to reread certain books during specific seasons? I certainly do. I never think about rereading <i>The Hobbit</i> until the approach of Thanksgiving in late November. I suspect I associate hobbits with rural life and Thanksgiving is kind of a harvest celebration. I can't imagine attempting another pass through <i>Crime and Punishment</i> except in the dead of winter. I associate Russia with winter, which is silly since Russia experiences all the seasons.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItOn3eCziVBHdb3BGyjYKI8HuFh_DsPTcGRd_yJLYVVqJQ0SJQncW2_KCj3qSrg1CaiDhkDxhBBrKVvA7rpy_N6fhCGX6Vg6ZCmSuFdzgfhwL5dGA8evriLhftNszyNaPgc9k38fNbTo/s399/CoverNightLonesomeOctober.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="266" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItOn3eCziVBHdb3BGyjYKI8HuFh_DsPTcGRd_yJLYVVqJQ0SJQncW2_KCj3qSrg1CaiDhkDxhBBrKVvA7rpy_N6fhCGX6Vg6ZCmSuFdzgfhwL5dGA8evriLhftNszyNaPgc9k38fNbTo/w213-h320/CoverNightLonesomeOctober.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>When October rolls around I immediately think of two books: Roger Zelazny's <i><b>A Night In the Lonesome October</b></i> and Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's <i><b>Carmilla</b></i>.<p></p><i>A Night In the Lonesome October</i> is Zelazny's last novel. Set in late Victorian England, the story tells of a "game," a competition between openers and closers, concerning a gate between this world and the realm of the Great Old Ones. The story draws heavily on Lovecraft's mythos as well as characters from Victorian gothic fiction. Frankenstein, Count Dracula, and Sherlock Holmes, among others, populate the tale. Each player in the game has a familiar. Snuff, the guard dog and familiar belonging to Jack, tells the story. It's fun to pick out all the references to other stories within the narrative. For better or worse, this novel inspired me to craft some fantasy tales with a cat as the protagonist.<p></p><p>The title comes from a line in the first stanza of Edgar Allan Poe's "Ulalume."</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>The skies they were ashen and sober;</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p> The leaves they were crisped and sere—</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p> The leaves they were withering and sere;</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>It was night in the lonesome October</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p> Of my most immemorial year;</p></blockquote></blockquote><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh418jv-akSwKjVPuvr4whgK7WYgMSBDYsgHVUtaMijecVvTmez4jR8lbyfzV9CIoNjwGUEYEuQtkCmKYrp7-ga2Bsht0xtms-aqbd8RUqBtYel5TV9dfn5sK12wfLc33SUe3s7MSvmYDE/s320/Carmilla_fromDarkBlue.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="320" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh418jv-akSwKjVPuvr4whgK7WYgMSBDYsgHVUtaMijecVvTmez4jR8lbyfzV9CIoNjwGUEYEuQtkCmKYrp7-ga2Bsht0xtms-aqbd8RUqBtYel5TV9dfn5sK12wfLc33SUe3s7MSvmYDE/w320-h226/Carmilla_fromDarkBlue.jpeg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i>Carmilla</i> first appeared in the magazine <i>The Dark Blue</i> in serial form from December 1871 through March 1872 and later as part of Le Fanu's collection <i>In a Glass Darkly</i> (1872). Laura, the narrator and protagonist of <i>Carmilla</i>, lives with her father and two governesses in a schloss in Styria, an Austrian province near Hungary. Laura and her father are English expatriates. Her mother, a Styrian lady, died when Laura was an infant. Laura recalls that when she was six, she experienced a nightmare vision of a beautiful young woman in her bedchamber who lay beside her and bit her on the chest, although Laura's nurse found no wounds on her. Laura is nineteen when the events of her narrative take place and leads a lonely, isolated life in the Austrian countryside. <p></p><p>Following a carriage accident a young girl named Carmilla is placed under Laura's father's care for three months. Laura recognizes Carmilla as the woman from her dream. Carmilla responds with a story of a similar dream involving Laura. Carmilla evinces many strange habits, including apparent sleepwalking, and complains of incessant languor. The pair become close friends despite Carmilla's occasional romantic advances towards Laura.</p><p>Yes, this is a vampire story so Laura's life is about to take a sharp turn for the very weird. A highly entertaining story.</p><p>Do any books call to you at a particular season? Let us know in the comments.</p><div><br /></div>Jeff Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08374806472853391788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-23901489053331097412021-09-21T08:46:00.001-07:002021-09-21T08:46:58.007-07:00Book Review of Heart of Malice by Lisa Edmonds<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnivfjRx50-H_ox5bk5qNFrbxwA9LoFRV4QKsmXDPJWBGXYhjyePMNmGoVSi0Estfek5CJvqtu0hxrWIH7fcEDAu-8irhzgc0LFVqvKc9a4chScY2w3tjmtDqImgQ2kl0NwKVKghQ4V6f0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnivfjRx50-H_ox5bk5qNFrbxwA9LoFRV4QKsmXDPJWBGXYhjyePMNmGoVSi0Estfek5CJvqtu0hxrWIH7fcEDAu-8irhzgc0LFVqvKc9a4chScY2w3tjmtDqImgQ2kl0NwKVKghQ4V6f0/" width="160" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This was my first time reading a book by Lisa Edmonds. She writes urban fantasy, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Malice-Alice-Worth-Book-ebook/dp/B071QZ6K3N" target="_blank">Heart of Malice</a> is the first in a six-book series called simply, the “Alice Worth” series. </p><p>Alice has a very disturbing backstory of being tortured by a paranormal organized crime cabal run by her grandfather (how many grandpas are heartless psychos!!!?), and of having to use her wit and magic to escape the deadly org. This is set up to explain her extreme PTSD and inability to trust or get close to anyone, plus her need to create an entire false identity (Alice Worth) for herself going forward. Talk about high stakes!</p><p>The story has tons of action, and the magic is explosive. In fact, the author’s descriptions of the magic are what stick in my mind most clearly. This is both a strength, but also a minor critique, in that while I learned a lot, I sometimes found her almost mathematical blow-by-blow explanations of how the magic worked too clinical and almost boring. </p><p>That said, the romance between Alice and Sean, an alpha werewolf, who she finally learns to trust just a little (LOL) by novel’s end is hot and I do like both characters. Edmond also creates interesting side characters in Malcom, her ghost assistant who must hide in her earring, Alice’s client, a seemingly wispy victim, and the fashionable, edgy vamp who advises her.</p><p>I don't want to reveal any plot points so I dare not explain any more. I will say, it was a big deal for me to read an entire book since the pandemic year, where my desire and ability to read was almost non-existent. I'm happy to report that I am reading at a decent clip again, and working on a new book series, so I will always associate this book with my renewed sense of creativity.</p><p> Nothing is simple and the twists keep on coming. A fun start to a long urban fantasy series.</p><div>Get the book at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Malice-Alice-Worth-Book-ebook/dp/B071QZ6K3N" target="_blank">Amazon </a>and see the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BHZ7GVT" target="_blank">series here</a>.</div>Catherine Stinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08131569196977321229noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-45671452971386142232021-09-06T21:30:00.126-07:002021-09-06T21:30:00.217-07:00The Latest Releases from the UR Authors<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> It's been an exciting year for the authors of Untethered Realms. We're putting together a new fantasy anthology to be released mid-2022. Until then, enjoy the latest wonderful releases from us. Click on the covers for the buy links.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Upside-Down-Nora-Gaines-ebook/dp/B08V8KFBD7/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghUq20cSAtoOPefDU8FjnTRs5tb1u1FK8uViYmUckGzknNaR805W9xFDIMJAZ0t8QMiRZr4ucTFJW_rtlRH9nvCpZfzUfUJq-YtQFGOrFLWUi0ORs2pghgPLGNd8oW6T1UViJwoIfxqEo/s320/upsidedown.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>YA paranormal from Cathrina Constantine</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Nora has visions of horrific things. Things that lurk in the shadows and feast on bones. After moving with her mother into an old farmhouse, Nora discovers a blank journal that fills itself with an ominous warning. A cursed beast is coming for her and time is running out. When the blood moon rises, so shall the beast.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sniggards-Revenge-Fantasy-Adventure-ebook/dp/B09BDVHDWL/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiksV3AnAPnn5FAdOIa6d4UYvkcVDVXacl7zcbPpPbWVDT8OFzR5dsunD_gfJX8y77CEGq2TcPr7kfxmMHk1_uz1Jw8kjlYg8GpSIP5xjsQhvX-5Uxbi9eIHxIjsIgG8qNO6s8OGP8ipg/s320/sniggardrevenge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: large;"><b>Fantasy adventure from Jeff Chapman</b></span></div><p></p><h4 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: center; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Taking from a Barrow? Not a good idea.</span></h4><p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">As Ethan approaches manhood, his prospects don't look very promising. And Arabella, the girl he's set his sights on, is the daughter of the Squire. Ethan's plans go awry, and he ends up in Faerie as the Sniggard kidnaps Arabella.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Mermaid-Paranormal-Romance-Knowledge-ebook/dp/B08QJSB14G/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgVx2pcg57WzxJ4L1IjOaQQDPiDIPkqaMsn3S5IUm4DqpqLQ5lotDQdZ3ayRfON1HW3cp5O4sNm11SmXfxRp1GutTTE3bmyk2vYRviZz3i9mfy0v1qAw0T5Slep3aFfvejMRr1dxu8dw/s320/mermaid.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Paranormal romance from Catherine Stine</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Meet Indigo Rain, a beautiful but lonely mermaid. Regretful of a dark past, she has vowed to remain alone and research ancient merfolk tribes. When she unearths a seabed burial site that even she cannot identify, she shares this with a High Council merfolk historian. But she keeps one shocking secret to herself.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3TsUgUboaRI7KNV_xGuCC6_bbEkClEpBsOK2Yo6B4VABiFW18jxQ0ti72l7J2RdFW_8-EGEqMD8T9sys0HGBb05pWBBE2_GsNB8WOJMDiIRE31kEnLUIErMbQL-F1SKyKeF8x04oHr4/s500/triplestars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Triple-Stars-Trilogy-complete-box-ebook/dp/B08HJMNZLZ/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="385" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3TsUgUboaRI7KNV_xGuCC6_bbEkClEpBsOK2Yo6B4VABiFW18jxQ0ti72l7J2RdFW_8-EGEqMD8T9sys0HGBb05pWBBE2_GsNB8WOJMDiIRE31kEnLUIErMbQL-F1SKyKeF8x04oHr4/s320/triplestars.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Science-fiction trilogy from Simon Kewin</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The unfolding mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">A hidden trail among the stars</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The return of an ancient galactic threat</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The darkness at the heart of the galaxy.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mpaxauthor.com/books/backworlds-series/freefall/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9c_h381RqIp-PQ5UsSvdhbKPSzI83Kb9bVzUycPymrSdiV_uzAo60G8yAvoG_2JP4uSQtaqRPKYv1gEQ13wOMdrhLOBmjYZX4Fo3fGpJgCZp438j8iOgAHdhI-U1ypx8njeK7qE-1T10/s320/FreeFall_BackworldsBook7-683x1024.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Science-fiction from M. Pax</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The first shot of a new war echoes through the galaxy. Craze has high hopes for what the alliance with an old enemy, the Foreworlds, will do to defeat a worse enemy, the Quassers.</span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">With nothing left to lose, Craze sets in motion one last chance for survival.</span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bloboids-Faeries-Bloboid-Wars-Book-ebook/dp/B08QZJW4BJ/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XcCbkThRkikEIe2QFkt0TecrpBZ8tVC-vsszsSE9rVkghVp_kY1XL-JLBdVzi4Bm0JlGnmfXdJDvscPPJPpp9cKb4yCPiDEN2B-UQX0-YV4faBdiwLPyMjcoVijpNZkxIwOKyUNrC4A/s320/bloboids.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Science-fiction fantasy from Jeff Beesler</b></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The Bloboid Wars begin with the first strike in Bloboids Vs. Faeries! A massive ball of slime falls out of the sky and crashes against the northern shore of Faer’s Atoll. At once, the Bloboids conquer Faerie and animal life alike in their quest to dominate the universe.</span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stitch-Crime-Indigo-Mystery-Short-ebook/dp/B082GN1NHS/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="334" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifC5yy8SyhqgfCqjSYv1s2pz6zNBZ7oVLbq-2ec0NZgTj-Vfv3Tdr27YxNLg4_ZG3ThRGft_3ecMDBagzvMW07RfZapj9otzUSjeUpfROrxHziDD4YexrtZc45w1WtkVqekdXfsvQNEHg/s320/stitch.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span><p></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Cozy paranormal mystery from Gwen Gardner</b></span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">While not the crime of the century, Indigo and Franny must stop a candy store ghostie with a sweet tooth from dumping valuable merchandise on the floor. Sounds simple enough. Until they discover, not a mischievous spirit with a wanton disregard for inventory, but a little ghost girl on a mission to save the nun who raised her.</span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Defiance-Fate-Coincidence-Makers-Novel-ebook/dp/B08QHHB7H5/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitwoJlkjQ1EZAgWL-dllExKMBJD7szYY0-BvJNoVlhHLPImLkbtoHgeYZv-LcgCdmCB5JLyVLUZJ1SZjG1qUvmx0gGp6hMpCfMDX0p3YjN3Rlx3iQl_7lHJ7l_HemkODjItwIENZlyCw/s320/defiance.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Supernatural thriller from Meradeth Houston</b></span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Controlling people’s fate is what Ami and Luke do: it’s what they’ve been tasked with for millennia by an inscrutable force. But when fate demands the impossible, what will defiance cost?</span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1f473d; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0979PJRL8/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPcIOSU8hiWLz8XJ4SUS3vWew145VXOhP19s4brKXMYq7F1yFq9SP39eXkgXWTCcbGP0HArbFbql_5Wpi-tguaV2XOCmXFC9912i6gWIT6Yyw5y2O13ZEtrhyphenhyphenhyr9qNjTWzhjKMEkK5M/s320/shudders.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Fantasy LitRPG coming next month from Christine Rains</b></span></p><p class="StyleFirstline03" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In every one of their games, the bard dies first. But this time, she may be the only one who can save them.</span></p></div>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-16063700747225247362021-08-24T00:00:00.001-07:002021-08-24T00:00:00.203-07:00#Fantasy Worth Reading: Flex #Bookreview<p><em></em></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41KiubeO0bL._SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_FMwebp_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="194" height="400" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41KiubeO0bL._SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_FMwebp_.jpg" width="265" /></a></em></div><em><br />Flex b</em>y Ferrett Steinmetz is an engrossing fantasy set on modern-day Earth. I loved his space opera, <em>The Sol Majestic</em>, so had to try another book by this talented author.<p></p><p>The magic system has a bad side. For every wonderful gift, a dire consequence is required. The costs of doing magic are high and leave the ‘mancer with less and less. Something of value has to be given in order to do magic.</p><p>Magic takes their homes, their friends, everyone and everything they love. Using magic is like a drug in this realm, and the magic users are addicts. They give up everything for their moments of glory and marvel.</p><p>The main character, Paul Tsabo, is an ordinary person dealing with some bad luck. He was once a cop, who gained notoriety for taking out a ‘mancer. He lost a foot during the battle, and the loss required him to take a new job. He now works as a claims adjustor at an insurance company.</p><p>Thing is, it’s there he learns he has a gift – bureaucracy ‘mancy. He can do extraordinary things with forms and reordering the world. He has to hide his gift, but he can’t stay away from it, especially once his daughter is horribly burned in a fire caused by the consequences of someone else doing magic.</p><p>He's as obsessed with saving his daughter as finding quiet moments to do ‘mancy. This leads to him tracking down the ‘mancer who caused the fire that injured his daughter. Although he wants revenge in the worst way, he also needs to learn to hone his magic so he can help his daughter. This odd alliance and the search to find a better way to do magic drives the story.</p><p>The characters are very relatable. Most of us love to get lost in the beauty of our daydreams, which is very much like how the magic works in this book. It’s a great adventure with a great dose of self-discovery. Paul has to figure out what matters most and how to tame his ‘mancy for good.</p><p>I was entertained until the last page, and was rooting for Paul, his new ally, and his daughter. I was also rooting for magic. I highly recommend this fantasy.</p><p>Here's the official blurb:</p><blockquote><p><b></b></p></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><p><b>The first in a series by the author of <i>The Sol Majestic </i>that is “what might result if you put <i>Breaking Bad</i> and Reddit in a blender and hit ‘frappe.’ ” (B&N Sci-Fi Blog)<br /></b><br /><b>FLEX</b>: Distilled magic in crystal form. The most dangerous drug in the world. Snort it, and you can create incredible coincidences to live the life of your dreams.</p><p><b>FLUX</b>: The backlash from snorting Flex. The universe hates magic and tries to rebalance the odds; maybe you survive the horrendous accidents the Flex inflicts, maybe you don’t.</p><p><b>PAUL TSABO</b>: The obsessed bureaucromancer who’s turned paperwork into a magical Beast that can rewrite rental agreements, conjure rented cars from nowhere, track down anyone who’s ever filled out a form.</p></blockquote><p>But when all of his formulaic magic can’t save his burned daughter, Paul must enter the dangerous world of Flex dealers to heal her. Except he’s never done this before—and the punishment for brewing Flex is army conscription and a total brain-wipe. </p></blockquote><p> </p><p></p>M Paxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-34559172439863898292021-08-10T00:00:00.003-07:002021-08-10T00:00:00.203-07:00Skywatch: Perseids Meteor Shower 2021 #astronomy<p><span style="font-size: large;"> The Perseids is the biggest and showiest meteor shower of the year. Every year, it's at the same time-mid August. The peak is August 12th, but you should already be able to view some lovely shooting stars if you have a dark sky.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaOwGCrd6ivpJERrUaiZNDWFW6zpg6sDd5J1T6YV1j-KKnDIsOj7wViQkLWEfHLJ4dqyW_hHoAwQ3ofLLO7jfI4ZhqD66OmNxXfSsHlggxLCB5rqaN_08vLJTFdjSrzj-ippBTCEeJ1w/s1920/shooting-star-3603845_1920.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaOwGCrd6ivpJERrUaiZNDWFW6zpg6sDd5J1T6YV1j-KKnDIsOj7wViQkLWEfHLJ4dqyW_hHoAwQ3ofLLO7jfI4ZhqD66OmNxXfSsHlggxLCB5rqaN_08vLJTFdjSrzj-ippBTCEeJ1w/w640-h426/shooting-star-3603845_1920.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: large;">Even without it being Perseids season, there are 6-10 shooting stars every hour.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">The Perseids will appear as quick, small streaks of light. They get their name because they look like they’re coming from the direction of the constellation Perseus.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">The Perseids are fragments of the comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits between the Sun and beyond the orbit of Pluto once every 133 years. Every year, the Earth passes near the path of the comet, and the debris left behind by Swift-Tuttle shows up as meteors in our sky.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">Perseus is located under Cassiopeia: looks like a big W to the right of the Big Dipper. Here's a star chart.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0WgMY6PHpABDIZaNplfJAD0aTF7Pucs7Kd5fDg671BC6xE2y6Jh-4XOjtAPZS3edfjXyf3u4lQgyveS7AOiz01LXm7yKw7BYN3fF8LGS64SOQXCjiN3KHW4jBOtovgOM91Xo64NikQc/s800/800px-Perseus_IAU.svg.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="800" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0WgMY6PHpABDIZaNplfJAD0aTF7Pucs7Kd5fDg671BC6xE2y6Jh-4XOjtAPZS3edfjXyf3u4lQgyveS7AOiz01LXm7yKw7BYN3fF8LGS64SOQXCjiN3KHW4jBOtovgOM91Xo64NikQc/w640-h602/800px-Perseus_IAU.svg.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By IAU and Sky &amp; Telescope magazine (Roger Sinnott &amp; Rick Fienberg) - [1], CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15412172<br /><br /><p><br /></p></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;">For the next two years, the Moon will interfere with the viewing of the Perseids. So this is your best chance for a lovely show until 2024.</span><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'll be out astronomizing. Hope you get out too! If your skies are sucky, you can watch live with NASA at </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYKfAzPEXMQsGtNfBCNa_BA">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYKfAzPEXMQsGtNfBCNa_BA</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>M Paxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-25389578195861101992021-07-21T08:30:00.000-07:002021-07-21T08:30:11.817-07:00#Fantasy Worth Reading: The Cat Who Would Be King #Bookreview<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuLBSfYOCYRiiANgpCMQKXg8jME-J0nzUP8EIMUhM1l-T_rRBdEWKC1XmYaoa_mpSgTm6LqRGy5M_i71Sa_-PEMirNXfd-nZP3QArSDVH9IMmhKtuqQ9tCNkLcmOWyx6E4Z5A7uya_6s/s475/CatWhoWouldBeKing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuLBSfYOCYRiiANgpCMQKXg8jME-J0nzUP8EIMUhM1l-T_rRBdEWKC1XmYaoa_mpSgTm6LqRGy5M_i71Sa_-PEMirNXfd-nZP3QArSDVH9IMmhKtuqQ9tCNkLcmOWyx6E4Z5A7uya_6s/s320/CatWhoWouldBeKing.jpg" /></a></div><i><b>The Cat Who Would Be King</b></i> by Bethany Hoeflich is a humorous novella about an alleycat's accidental rise to the top of society.<p></p><p><b>From the blurb:</b></p><p><i>The sky is blue.</i></p><p><i>Water is wet.</i></p><p><i>And cats most definitely do not talk.</i></p><p><i>Reporter Thomas Kane knows that boring articles don’t sell newspapers, and as the newest hire at the Daily Gazette, he’s always on the lookout for a tantalizing story to write. When he gets a tip about an interview with Bastien the First, the elusive and presumably dead king of Qar, Thomas assumes it’s a cruel prank by jealous coworkers determined to see him fail.</i></p><p><i>As a cat, life is far superior for Bastien than his two-legged counterparts. Bastien has settled nicely into retirement where he enjoys a quiet life as a pampered tavern cat while keeping his true identity a secret. Obscurity has its downsides, however, and it’s time for his extraordinary story to be told.</i></p><p><b>My thoughts:</b></p><p>Bastien the cat has decided it's time to tell his story. And what a story. It seems Bastien's life as a wharf-prowling feline is over when a wizard acquires him for experimentation. The wizard doesn't expect him to survive and tells him so, but Bastien not only survives the experiment, he gains the ability to talk in human speech.</p><p>At first the wizard is pleased. He believes he has the perfect spy to serve his mysterious plans. However, the wizard soon discovers that cats rarely do what others want them to do. As the wizard reveals the depths of his evilness, Bastien discovers that the kingdom is tottering on a knife edge. Bastien proves to be the right cat at the right time.</p><p>Hoeflich does a wonderful job portraying Bastien's perspective. The reader gets a very credible cat's-eye-view of the wharfs and the castle. The contrast between the characters of Bastien and the wizard is also well done. Bastien searches for kindness and a good meal while the wizard exhibits a maniacal obsession with political power. If you like cats and some humor with your fantasy, you'll enjoy <i>The Cat Who Would Be King</i>. </p><p><b>Story links:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57934608-the-cat-who-would-be-king" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094267T57" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p>Jeff Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08374806472853391788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-54692980257853617042021-07-06T12:28:00.000-07:002021-07-06T12:28:12.624-07:00What People 100 Years Ago Thought Life Would Be Like Now<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBhufKYsb81PrhnPpt915e7aBhw1IzY2IqT9Ijx7X-rvyb2OUQv_kF2N0gkzv4KmmZlgmbZ2QTFVPihNiEIc_IqtEQCo4jnb1RjmcXfJnCTQlOeQgH_mHHDT5Aa57NsaZQPxnUggWmV0/s792/1800s-predictions-of-future-london-2500_resize_md.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="744" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBhufKYsb81PrhnPpt915e7aBhw1IzY2IqT9Ijx7X-rvyb2OUQv_kF2N0gkzv4KmmZlgmbZ2QTFVPihNiEIc_IqtEQCo4jnb1RjmcXfJnCTQlOeQgH_mHHDT5Aa57NsaZQPxnUggWmV0/s320/1800s-predictions-of-future-london-2500_resize_md.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">We may think we're living in a world no one could have ever imagined, but there are some creative minds who believed they could see what the future might bring. Life one hundred years ago might seem like medieval to us now. Yet there were folks with eyes to a technological tomorrow.</p><p style="text-align: left;">One of the big themes people in the last century imagined were domed cities. We don't have those. Yet. It's something scientists and science fiction authors still see in our future based on pollution and climate change. We could at least control the climate inside the domes.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Everything flying. Whoosh! People thought cars, jetpacks, houses, even cities, would be flying by now and part of everyday life. While that still could be a possibility, it isn't as practical as it might have seemed. Now a vast system of ultra fast monorails to travel the world...</p><p style="text-align: left;">Robot helpers. While we aren't overrun by robots yet, more and more things are becoming automated. We're rushing faster toward that world. Finger crossed it isn't a Skynet future!</p><p style="text-align: left;">People thought we'd be able to control the weather. I think Earth is winning on that front. We need to use our technology to learn to adapt rather than control it. Though, wait... Wasn't there the rumor that someone did have a weather machine?!</p><p style="text-align: left;">We should have the moon as our playground, right? Folks a century ago thought we'd be taking regular recreational trips to our moon by now. While I don't see the moon as a playground, it would be a vied-for source for companies to mine materials. Though, then we'd have to imagine our world without a moon and the trouble its loss would cause. Mars seems to be our fascination for our next home these days.</p><p style="text-align: left;">What do you think life will be like one hundred years from now?</p>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-26699191629369780252021-06-21T21:00:00.001-07:002021-06-21T21:00:00.263-07:00#Review #CurseoftheHunted #ParanormalRomance #NewRelease @CRainsWriter #Fantasy<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPcqsoiy2bd2XMrpxDqhNO-K0Dr4-4900YOc3eDT8CFeCxY0br0cZ-96GfSw0ILoWN351Ls85wR71IvxireUUAGUFpGsE_vJn5nHh7fD_eE79rpmBTp_4nBdkDAzM8Hc4iksdSBu_MmU/s346/56651279.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="215" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPcqsoiy2bd2XMrpxDqhNO-K0Dr4-4900YOc3eDT8CFeCxY0br0cZ-96GfSw0ILoWN351Ls85wR71IvxireUUAGUFpGsE_vJn5nHh7fD_eE79rpmBTp_4nBdkDAzM8Hc4iksdSBu_MmU/w249-h400/56651279.jpeg" width="249" /></a></div><p><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">Meet Akila Levesque, Sphynx...</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">Akila's well-ordered world has fallen apart. Her delinquent brother, Cairo is the only family she has left after their mother's death. When she receives the letter from the High Council of the Supernatural to become a Keeper, she believes this could be a fresh start for both of them.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">But the moment Akila presents a family heirloom to give to the Keepers as her part of her initiation, everything erupts into chaos as the cracked Egyptian statuette runs away. Corrupted by its broken aura, the rogue artifact hunts Akila in the ghost riddled seaside town.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">It's doesn't help when the gorgeous Chaz Nowiki keeps turning up wherever Akila goes. She doesn't want a gargoyle in shining armor to save her, even when he looks so hot his firefighter's suspenders. Yet even with the help of a powerful guardian, things grow desperate when the relic targets Cairo as well.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">Now Akila must risk everything to save her brother. But will that even be enough when she has no idea what it means to be a Keeper or a Sphynx?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">"After all, every secret needs a Keeper."</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><b>Cathrina's Review: </b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">A pleasurable, unique story! Gargoyles. Sphynx. Witches. Merfolk. Vampires, Fae, and more, are all part of the Council of Supernaturals.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">The Curse of the Hunted is about Akila, a Sphynx and her brother Cairo. With their mother deceased, Akila moves them into a Supernatural Village to train as a Keeper. Akila has the ability to see ghosts, but keeps this information to herself until....I never leave spoilers...LOL....She brings with her an ancient relic, and then all hell breaks loose.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">There is fast-paced action with each turn of the page as Akila and Cairo battle the elements the relic, ushabti throws at them. I never thought of gargoyles as good-looking until Chaz! Chaz has given me a newfound love for hot gargoyles. Somewhat behind closed doors, but with plenty of teasing innuendoes, the reader enjoys romance within the pages of Curse of the Hunted.</span></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">I highly recommend, <i>Curse of the Hunted</i>!</span></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Amazon Link:</span></b></span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Hunted-Paranormal-Romance-Knowledge-ebook/dp/B08Q7TK5GH/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Curse+of+the+hunted+by+christine+rains&qid=1623767099&sr=8-2">https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Hunted-Paranormal-Romance-Knowledge-ebook/dp/B08Q7TK5GH/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Curse+of+the+hunted+by+christine+rains&qid=1623767099&sr=8-2</a></b></span></p>Cathrina Constantinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16960849263181625782noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-60691331590494806132021-06-07T21:30:00.076-07:002021-06-07T21:30:00.232-07:00Playing the alien cicada what if game<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy13QYY5YyRxkjCPbwwZBmsxcfIpLkW-lp5HT8M3gBFEBVcxvvYTBBHLjhXmGw0l7NXoangsQRdy2f3CVk5qCHXAYpkZyjwgKbHlcaE0SdwHPzb6AH2ggSY9bdl6RIFCApw3fzK7w27qY/s2048/cicada1_custom-344f581e5b0a564a75d7ba62d2e52121fc26cb29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1348" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy13QYY5YyRxkjCPbwwZBmsxcfIpLkW-lp5HT8M3gBFEBVcxvvYTBBHLjhXmGw0l7NXoangsQRdy2f3CVk5qCHXAYpkZyjwgKbHlcaE0SdwHPzb6AH2ggSY9bdl6RIFCApw3fzK7w27qY/s320/cicada1_custom-344f581e5b0a564a75d7ba62d2e52121fc26cb29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Their serenade keeps getting louder and louder. Am I strange for finding it somehow enthralling?</p><p style="text-align: left;">People have been freaking out this year as the Brood X cicadas have emerged from the ground in eastern and central US. When I first experienced the swarm 17 years ago, I stayed inside and cringed every time one of the bumbling flying bugs hit a window. This time, I'm out in the yard and letting them land on me as I wonder what if...</p><p style="text-align: left;">More aliens would likely be like insects than mammals. What would aliens similar to cicadas be like?</p><p style="text-align: left;">The aliens would only come above ground once in a long cycle. That way they're safer from being invaded themselves. Maybe there were frightening creatures on their home planet that hunted them long ago, but are now extinct or very rare.</p><p style="text-align: left;">To ensure their success in populating a new planet, they swarm. There are so many of them, it doesn't matter if the planet's native lifeforms fight back. The shear number of the aliens would eventually overwhelm everything else and take over. When they do breed, they lay hundreds of eggs to increase the chances of some surviving.</p><p style="text-align: left;">While they cannot bite or sting, the noise they make can drown out most other noises. These aliens may have taken it a step further, and their song deafens other creatures. Can you imagine their ships coming down on a sunny day with such a chorus it explodes your eardrums?</p><p style="text-align: left;">A lifeform doesn't need to be extremely smart or deadly to survive a long time. Cicadas have been around for nearly 200 million years. Maybe they are aliens who landed on Earth long before humans evolved!</p><p style="text-align: left;">What do the cicadas inspire in you?</p>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167030264910213419.post-7623161637652922172021-05-19T07:32:00.004-07:002021-05-19T07:32:28.098-07:00Speculative Fiction Worth Reading - 3 Reviews for Untethered Realms Authors<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNgrob5nP7C__ebJRP5uov1yHGpO9HXHM8oCRZQH-0eGTgHGHefaIdU1VxYCWiy3lGQaN-kbzsh2v2bDLA1kgVMmNBVEqwzZezlcf24oDNFcuShAZzvLIr81UcpnMPKsqRrAH4zD6QvI/s475/upsidedown.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNgrob5nP7C__ebJRP5uov1yHGpO9HXHM8oCRZQH-0eGTgHGHefaIdU1VxYCWiy3lGQaN-kbzsh2v2bDLA1kgVMmNBVEqwzZezlcf24oDNFcuShAZzvLIr81UcpnMPKsqRrAH4zD6QvI/s320/upsidedown.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nora's life goes from rotten to worse when she moves with her newly divorced mother to a decrepit farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. As soon as they move in, strange things start to happen, and Nora discovers a magical journal in the attic. She learns about the past and what is going to happen again, if she doesn't stop it. All the while, she finds herself falling for a gorgeous local boy whose parents may have been victims of this horror. Will Nora be able to figure how what's happening in time to save not only those she cares about but herself as well? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a fantastic YA paranormal read. I was sucked into the detailed setting of the old farmhouse and little town. The perfect creepy atmosphere for all the supernatural happenings. There are a lot of layers to the plot. What was happening in the past, how it is touching the present, and everyone going on in the modern day. It was very well done how Nora is dealing with her parents' divorce, and even how her writer mother is dealing with it. It is in no way painted as an easy thing. Then to add just being a teenager moving to a new place, trying to fit in and make friends, and falling for a guy named Rebel who may or may not be trouble! Plus ghosts, a beast, and magic. It was so much fun!</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08V8KFBD7/" target="_blank">Buy <i>The Upside Down of Nora Gaines</i> here!</a></span></div></div></div></div><div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-U4IjD28ySpiqxXnWm_DRF3NRU9mCsLh8fGBWbpaKTy5pWvSXfJdkQkwzCA4XUkbFjxY9IXKy34wCTmf1mILeCMcRHkkiDuCE3exdK4yt2JkWpHvkJKMFqjKZlcIAV8q2_c5D8-Yq9k/s346/mermaid.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="224" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-U4IjD28ySpiqxXnWm_DRF3NRU9mCsLh8fGBWbpaKTy5pWvSXfJdkQkwzCA4XUkbFjxY9IXKy34wCTmf1mILeCMcRHkkiDuCE3exdK4yt2JkWpHvkJKMFqjKZlcIAV8q2_c5D8-Yq9k/s320/mermaid.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span>Indigo Rain discovers an ancient plaque in a seabed burial site and is asked to become an esteemed Keeper. She is paired with the handsome Bay Finley, who is a Royal merfolk Keeper. His haughty attitude infuriates her, but there is something that draws her to him. Indigo must unravel the mystery of the plaque before the threats on land and in the sea kill her.</span><br /><br /><span>This is another incredible book in the paranormal romance series, The Keepers of Knowledge. I love the author's take on merfolk. The marvelous history of the merfolk and how they evolved to mingle with people on land. Indigo is not your typical sea beauty. She's the daughter of a kelp farmer and an intelligent scientist. Bay seems like a playboy prince at first, but his layers peel back as Indigo gets to know him. I love the twists and turns this story took me on, and the unique settings underwater alongside the now familiar town of Pyreshore.</span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1733390162/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">Buy </span><i style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">Secrets of the Mermaid</i><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> here!</span></a></p><p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiweHsHwhow23p_BpzPhXW4xFknCq4rfn60F8lT71x9WDF100oUnG30NryMr8hsZOASqHSpBRT5IO8MvbGcIltwbQzZLDRvREB9_r4-AUmi2sEs-gw7lStUm0YaMKmhsWXhO3Igok_-rRQ/s475/indefiance.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiweHsHwhow23p_BpzPhXW4xFknCq4rfn60F8lT71x9WDF100oUnG30NryMr8hsZOASqHSpBRT5IO8MvbGcIltwbQzZLDRvREB9_r4-AUmi2sEs-gw7lStUm0YaMKmhsWXhO3Igok_-rRQ/s320/indefiance.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">Ami and Luke are immortal coincidence makers, but it isn't a fate Ami would wish on anyone. When they are tasked with getting two people to meet to become like them, Ami isn't certain she wants it to happen. Luke disagrees, and things are rocky as they meet up with old friends as they discover that perhaps the bio-terrorists they believed they had thwarted are readying for another attack. While they have not been tasked to stop it, can they stand by and let millions of people die or will they take the chance and do this on their own?</span><p></p><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"></span></div><div>This is the second book in this thrilling speculative fiction series, and it is even better than the first. It's immensely well-written and smart with a layered plot. I empathized with Ami as she struggled with wanting to recruit the new coincidence makers and wanting to let them choose their own fates as she did not feel she got to choose her own. The rogue coincidence makers had decided they're not taking orders any more and want to act as gods, but that's not the role Ami wants to play either. All the while there is a job to be done and a huge terrorist attack to stop. There are twists and turns which made me gasp, and while this could be a stand alone book, it sets the stage for even bigger things to come. I can't wait!<p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Defiance-Fate-Coincidence-Makers-Novel-ebook/dp/B08QHHB7H5/" target="_blank">Buy <i>In Defiance of Fate</i> here!</a></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div>Christine Rainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.com7