An epic fantasy buddy flick/bromance with a dark edge as well as humor, the Assassins of Landria series veers into horror, action, family, angst, comedy, and the occult. Think Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid recast as medieval assassins.
A year after the evets of Fugitive’s Vow, the worst of Rett’s wounds are healed. His recovery came at a high cost, leaving Ridge indebted to a mage of dubious integrity. Rett is functional, but he remains scarred and bitter, and self-loathing over his damaged mind and body strains his bond with Ridge. When the mage Ridge owes assigns him a quest to cancel his debt, Rett fears betrayal, though Ridge has no choice but to comply. The additional dream-walking and astral projection abilities awakened by the fracturing of Rett’s mind might be their only advantage, since Ridge’s quest is a suicide mission to retrieve an artifact capable of altering the past and rewriting history.
Ridge and Rett will need to regain their unshakeable trust and unwavering loyalty to have any hope of surviving the mission. Their enemies are legion and their friends are few, but the greatest threat to their survival lies in their own unresolved guilt, anger and fear. In order to save history, they’ll have to revisit deeds and memories best left buried, and make peace with the past to rescue the future. They think the artifact is to be used to try to save Kristoph. In reality, it enables them to make a tiny change that saves the life of the missing bastard heir, though they don’t realize it at the time.
Buddy flick epic fantasy! The fourth in the Assassins of Landria series from the award-winning, bestselling author of Scourge: A Novel of Darkhurst and The Chronicles of The Necromancer.
A vacant throne. A dark mystic intent on the crown. Two fugitive assassins risking everything to save the kingdom that exiled them.
Rule-breaking, unconventional assassins Joel “Ridge” Breckenridge and Garrett “Rett” Kennar are caught between dangerous allies and deadly enemies as the future of Landria hangs in the balance. The council of regents controlled by the Witch Lord threatens the succession after King Kristoph’s murder. Rett escaped his brutal captors scarred in body and mind. Now he’s struggling to control the untested powers unleashed by his ordeal and dream walks to a hidden cloister full of forbidden magic. Falsely accused of treason, Ridge hunts the mage who damaged Rett and uncovers a terrifying new threat.
Can a desperate gamble by outlaws and exiles avenge the king and save the crown?
Exile’s Questis an action-packed epic adventure filled with loyal friends, honorable fugitives, secret sanctuaries, hidden magic, and unexpected explosions.
Buddy flick epic fantasy! The third in the Assassins of Landria series from the award-winning, bestselling author of Scourge: A Novel of Darkhurst and The Chronicles of The Necromancer.
Rule-breaking, unconventional assassins Joel “Ridge” Breckenridge and Garrett “Rett” Kennar are back, and the stakes have never been higher.
The Witch Lord remains at large, orchestrating his plot against Landria’s throne from the shadows. Then tragedy strikes, the kingdom is in jeopardy, and Rett disappears. Framed for murder, Ridge flees with a bounty on his head, still intent on fighting the Witch Lord’s threat. Landria’s fate hangs in the balance, leaving only hard and dangerous choices.
Can an unlikely alliance of outlaws and fugitives turn the tide for justice and vengeance?
Buddy flick epic fantasy! The second in the Assassins of Landria series from the award-winning, bestselling author of Scourge: A Novel of Darkhurst and The Chronicles Of The Necromancer books!
Wandering mystic Yefim Makary, known to his followers as the ‘Witch Lord’, disappeared before he could be accused of inciting dissent against King Kristoph. His supporters among the disenchanted aristocrats who weren’t arrested have fled or died by their own hand. The king is happy to put the matter behind him. Yet Burke, the commander of the elite King’s Shadows, doesn’t believe the threat is over, and he assigns his two most troublesome, rule-breaking—and successful—assassins to ferret out the real threat and put a stop to Makary’s plots.
Joel “Ridge” Breckinridge and Garrett “Rett” Kennard rose through the ranks of the Landrian army together, from teenaged conscripts to seasoned fighters. Together, they became the most feared team of assassins in Landria, surviving longer that most in their profession by virtue of excellent fighting skills, legendary bravado, peerless strategy, and an uncanny synchronicity.
As the threads of a new plot come together revealing disloyalty among the priests and generals, Ridge and Rett once again find themselves on the run, hoping they and their allies can figure out the Witch Lord’s latest scheme before it costs them their lives—and the king his throne.
First in the new Assassins of Landriaseries from the award-winning, bestselling author of Scourge: A Novel of Darkhurst, and the Chronicles Of The Necromancerbooks!
Friends since their orphanage childhood, Joel “Ridge” Breckinridge and Garrett “Rett” Kennard rose through the ranks of the Landrian army together, from teenaged conscripts to seasoned fighters. Together, they became the most feared team of assassins in Landria, surviving longer that most in their profession by virtue of excellent fighting skills, legendary bravado, peerless strategy, and an uncanny synchronicity. Henri, their long-suffering squire, tends to the thankless jobs of provisioning and logistics, while Ridge and Rett fight and recover.
When wandering mystic Yefim Makary becomes the darling of disenchanted aristocrats, Rett and Ridge fear Makary—or the Witch Lord, as his followers call him—is a threat to the crown. As treasonous whispers spread, Ridge and Rett go rogue to stop the threat, save the kingdom and protect the king—while landing on the “Most Wanted” list themselves!
Gail Z. Martin writes urban fantasy, epic fantasy, steampunk and more for Solaris Books, Orbit Books, Falstaff Books, SOL Publishing and Darkwind Press. Urban fantasy series include Deadly Curiosities and the Night Vigil (Sons of Darkness). Epic fantasy series include Darkhurst, the Chronicles Of The Necromancer, the Fallen Kings Cycle, the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga, and the Assassins of Landria.
Together with Larry N. Martin, she is the co-author of Iron & Blood, Storm & Fury (both Steampunk/alternate history), the Spells Salt and Steel comedic horror series, the Roaring Twenties monster hunter Joe Mack Shadow Council series, and the Wasteland Marshals near-future post-apocalyptic series. As Morgan Brice, she writes urban fantasy MM paranormal romance, with the Witchbane, Badlands, Treasure Trail, Kings of the Mountain and Fox Hollow series. Gail is also a con-runner for ConTinual, the online, ongoing multi-genre convention that never ends.
Audiobook Narrators: Erin Mallon and Teddy Hamilton
Tropes/Themes: Small Town, One Night Stand, Reunion Romance, Secret Baby, Strangers to Lovers
Description:
Ana DaSilva is looking for a palate cleanser. A one night stand. A reboot.
Instead, she got fireworks, sparks, chemistry, and the perfect guy. No one wants to meet Mr. Right when he should just be Mr. Rebound, but Mr. Right is so, so right.
But then he went from Mr. Right to Mr. Never, because when she learns she’s pregnant three days after that wonderful night with Dennis, she realizes her sleazy drug dealing ex not only left her with the legal mess she knew about, he gave her a life-long present.
One that means ignoring Dennis’ texts and phone calls, no matter how much she wants to answer.
Dennis Luview wants to escape his pain. Coming back to his hometown of Luview, Maine – the cheesy tourist trap where every day was Valentine’s Day – means facing a past he left behind twenty-four years ago. Yes, his family is loving, and sure, he has roots that go bone-deep in the small town community where people step up for each other.
But the naive eighteen-year-old who left to serve his country is now a retired Special Ops vet with a heavy entourage of ghosts and PTSD. No woman deserves all the baggage he’s lugging around.
Including Ana, who clearly wants nothing to do with him, no matter how intense their one haunting encounter really was.
Which is why six months after that hot night, he’s stunned to find her in his hometown, at a bridal shower, her ripe, pregnant belly swelling under a gorgeous yellow sundress.
A public confrontation turns into a very private reunion, and as Dennis pursues Ana she opens up, but is he crazy to want her — and what turns out to be another man’s baby — to settle down and find stability and love?
Or is he deluding himself that he’s remotely worth the happiness an instant family could offer, after his terrible past?
If you’re looking for a secret(ish) baby, one-night stand, strangers-to-lovers romance set in a town where every day is Valentine’s Day, with a veteran with PTSD who volunteers at an animal-rescue sanctuary and a therapist who keeps picking the wrong men (until now), then settle in with a cup of coffee to read the final book in the Love You, Maine series that features the Luview family.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. Since 2013, she has sold more than 2 million books, with 4 New York Times bestsellers and more than 21 appearances on the USA Today bestseller list. Her books have been translated into French, German, and Italian, with more titles releasing in the future.
From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men’s room toilet (and he isn’t a billionaire she met in a romantic comedy).
She lives in New England with her husband and three children where she is the only person in the household with the gene required to change empty toilet paper rolls.
She loves to hear from her readers by email at julia@jkentauthor.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, on Facebook at @jkentauthor, and on Instagram @jkentauthor. Visit her at http://jkentauthor.com
“If I thought you’d say yes, Ana, I’d ask you to come back to my hotel room and finish what we’re starting here.”
“What makes you think I’d say no?”
The way he laughed, a gentle huff through his nose, made a piece of her heart melt a little more.
“Most women would say yes or no to that. Instead, you open the question wide and give it nuance.”
“What’s wrong with nuance?”
“Never said there was anything wrong with it.”
“From what I’ve seen, you are a crystal-clear man, Dennis. Why don’t you try the direct approach?”
Inching closer, his inhale like the rush of a conch against her ear, Dennis smiled, his grin broadening, genuine happiness filling his features in a way that made her feel pride.
Pride that she could elicit that from him.
“Come to bed with me, Ana. I love the feel of you in my arms on the dance floor. Your kiss tastes so good, I want to taste all of you. My room or yours?”
Pure energy shot through her, most of it between her legs, coalescing into a throb. Fire lit up her skin, his caress as he cupped her jaw and kissed her again so anchoring.
And so damn hot.
Few moments in life call for complete abandon, but for Ana DaSilva, this was one of them.
Leave your sunscreen and passport at home and join in the fun! Join our Spring Break Bookapalooza and reach readers!
We’re pleased to announce sign-ups are open for our fifth annual Spring Break Bookapalooza. April is typically when many adults, children, teens, and families go on spring break. Readers want books to read while lounging in the sun in faraway lands. We believe your books are the perfect spring break reads and we’d love to promote your books in our upcoming event.
What is our Spring Break Bookapalooza? It’s a month-long series of spotlights (like the Binge-Worthy Book Festival and Fall Into These Great Reads Bookathon events) in April where readers can get their fill of any genre, any format (e-copy, print or audiobook) books that readers won’t get enough of (new releases or backlist) plus enter to win a $75 Amazon gift card.
Your book can be any genre, new release or backlist, any format. We want everything from middle grade to erotic romance, and everything in between. If you have nonfiction, we’d love to feature those as well. This event will be promoted as a take a break with these books this spring event.
If you have a sale or a new release in April, this is a smart way to promote your sale or new release for a low price. We can schedule your spot to go live on your release day or on your sale day. Please be sure to tell us the dates so we can coordinate.
Also, if you have a preorder going on, this is a great way to gain more preorders.
Note: your book does NOT need to be on sale for it to qualify for this event.
The price is $18 USD per book and all heat levels are welcome. As an added bonus, you can purchase social media follower add-ons for $10 per platform. Your options are Mastadon, Counter Social, Medium, WhatsApp, Reddit, TikTok, website, newsletter, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Bookbub, Amazon, Goodreads, YouTube, Book + Main, Tumblr, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. This is an inexpensive way to gain followers the organic way.
Please take note of the increased pricing. This is the new pricing for all month-long events going forward. We have an office and a staff which do an outstanding job of making sure your books are marketed to readers. We have to increase prices slightly to pay for their salaries.
When signing up for an add-on, please make sure you already have an account. We don’t create an account for you. The entrants will need to sign up voluntarily, as per GDPR and CAN-SPAM rules. We don’t collect email addresses and hand them out to you in an Excel spreadsheet like other promotional companies do.
Each book spotlight will be posted on N. N. Light’s Book Heaven on a scheduled day throughout April. We don’t post them all up at once but staggered throughout the month. It’s a proven marketing technique as our readers love coming back each day to see what books are being featured. We’re also giving out a customized graphic ($20 value) for every book featured in this event. To see an example, please scroll up to the very top of this post to see the graphic.
Like all of our promotions, the Spring Break Bookapalooza will have its own event page, will be promoted every day and we will hand out promotional materials which includes graphics and promo copy before the event starts.
The Spring Break Bookapalooza will go live April 1 so sign up today. There’s a limited number of spots so don’t delay. I don’t want you to miss out on this inexpensive and successful promo to market your books.
Click the link below to be taken to our general contact page. Put “April Author Event” in the subject line so I know which event you’re signing up for. Please be sure to include: author name, book title(s), how many book spots you want to reserve, how many social media follower add-ons you’d like along with which platforms and your Paypal address.
Όταν η παλίρροια του πολέμου κυλήσει ποιος θα παρασυρθεί στο πέρασμά της; Μια σύντομη ιστορία φαντασίας για την αποφασιστικότητα μιας γυναίκας σε καιρό πολέμου.
I am a USA Today Bestselling and Literary Classics award-winning author, social anthropologist, and transformational life coach. I grew up in South Africa and currently live in Malmö, Sweden (after having lived in many exciting and interesting places). I live with my husband and our two children.
My South African-German heritage and the experiences of living and integrating into other societies have given me a great deal to think about and process.
The training in anthropology has given me the tools to think beyond simple stereotypes and ideological explanations of social interaction while the understanding I have of human potential underlying my certification as a transformational life coach allows me to see what is possible and to appreciate the human capacity to achieve success in the face of adversity.
My parents instilled in me a love for books, and the natural world that we inhabit. This love has led to a deep appreciation of the written word and the desire to contribute as much as I can towards improving the state of the world. I would like to use my expertise and passion for cultures to help us move forward.
I write transformation fiction: incorporating transformation principles in novels, rather than writing another self-help book. This is more than Up-lit. My books are intended to be uplifting, but also to provoke thought and help people question the situations they find themselves in, and to identify how they themselves can transcend their circumstances.
Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short)
So far, I have four novels in a series of fairytale retellings and my focus is on lesser-known fairytales, The Elisabeth and Edvard’s World series. I have published two novels in a futuristic fantasy quartet, The Wishmaster series, which follows an itinerant storyteller in her late forties and her young apprentice. Accompanying The Wishmaster series is a spin-off series of novellas recounting the tales that are mentioned in the course of the storyteller and her apprentice’s journey. I am also currently working on an urban fantasy series with a bear shifter clan set in modern-day Sweden.
Additionally, I have also contributed to several permanent charity anthologies raising funds for causes close to my heart. The most noteworthy are:
Children of War: an anthology to support the children of Ukraine
The Enchanted Anthologies series, thus far three books each raising monies for a different environmental cause
What’s in a Name series, thus far two books raising monies for global literacy
When did you start your writing adventure? What was the inspiration for it?
I’ve been writing since I was twelve and started publishing four years ago. I read Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock and had an idea. I was also acutely aware of the inherent Westernness of Fantasy and wanted to change that despite it being my favorite genre. Making fantasy more representative is definitely something that drives me to write.
What writing plans do you have for the future?
I have so many story ideas, I’ll just keep going until my time is up, because as the past twenty-four years have proven, there’s no lack of ideas in my head.
What do you like to read?
I read anything I can get my hands on. Although I’m not a particular fan of horror, if written well, I’ll even give that a try. Essentially, as long as the writing is good and the plot is solid, I’ll enjoy it.
What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you’d started your writing adventure?
It’s okay to just go with what you love. I kept pushing writing away because I didn’t believe it was a sensible career option, instead of embracing what I love and trying to make it work.
Author bio and book synopsis
Author bio:
Award-winning and USA Today Bestselling Author, Astrid V.J. was born in South Africa. She is a trained social anthropologist and certified transformational life coach. She currently resides in Sweden with her husband and their two children. In early childhood, she showed an interest in reading and languages—interests which her family encouraged. Astrid started writing her first novel at age 12 and now writes fantasy in a variety of genres, exploring her passion for cultures and languages. When she isn’t writing, Astrid likes to read, take walks in nature, play silly games with her children, do embroidery, and play music.
Series synopses:
The Wordmage’s Tales:
In The Apprentice Storyteller, the boy learns and performs the tales Viola Alerion taught him. Immerse yourself in the tales of the Haldrian Empire and experience these folktales as they fit into The Apprentice Storyteller and Finding the Way. Each tale is a stand-alone and every one of them refers back to the moment it was mentioned in The Apprentice Storyteller or Finding the Way. The twists of life confront us with the worst within ourselves. At the same time, these moments provide us the opportunity to offer up that which brings out the best in us. Dreams are the seeds of our potential. They are the life-giving guides that unfold the path of our highest achievements. Our dreams require belief—in both the possibility of that intangible dream becoming a reality, and also in our capacity to make it happen. Love. Loss. Longing. Loyalty. The Wordmage’s Tales bring it all to life.
These tales are a continuation of Astrid V.J.’s exploration of human transformation and expand her journey as a writer of transformation fiction, literature exploring human potential and our capacity to achieve success in the face of adversity. Each one of The Wordmage’s Tales is dedicated to a key principle of transformation.
The Wishmaster series:
A master-storyteller and her apprentice share stories on their travels through the Haldrian empire, where things are not as blissful as the empress would like people to believe. Can they bring change to the galactic empire through their stories?
Elisabeth and Edvard’s World series:
This is a series of retellings of lesser-known fairy tales and folk tales by award-winning and USA Today bestselling author, Astrid V.J. These books can be read as standalones or enjoyed as a series with unexpected interconnections. Currently includes the following retellings:
The Siblings’ Tale duology – Brother and Sister (Grimm)
Gisela’s Passion – Giselle (original Slavic folktale on which the French ballet is based)
Naiya’s Wish – The Nixie of the Mill-pond (Grimm)
Johara’s Choice – The Tinderbox (Hans Christian Andersen)
Looking for an audiobook or awesome read? Check out The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I
In a dark world where magic is illegal, and elves are enslaved a young elven sorceress runs for her life from the house of her evil Keeper. Pursued by his men and the corrupt Order of Witch-Hunters she must find sanctuary. As the slavers roll across the lands stealing elves from what remains of their ancestral home the Witch-Hunters turn a blind eye to the tragedy and a story of power, love and a terrible revenge unfolds.
18 rated (for adult content).
Available Amazon, Audible, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Google Play, Scribd, Angus and Robertson, and more on the link below – hardback, paperback, ebook and large print editions.
Johara is a bundle of contradictions. She has spent her life behind four walls with only small window onto the world beyond because her parents fear a prophecy regarding her future. All Johara wants is the freedom to be herself, unbound from her parents’ fears and worries, but at the same time she wants to be a dutiful daughter and make her parents proud. Forced to stay where she is, Johara escapes through her grandfather’s correspondence, exploring the world beyond her tower through the reports from his advisors and bureaucrats, and gaining a mountain of knowledge.
Erik has always had a lust for adventure. It’s what got him into this fix. Now, he’s been fired, suffers nightmares from all he’s witnessed, doesn’t have a penny to his name and is stuck in a foreign country that hates his people. All he has left when the debt collectors come knocking is a mysterious tinderbox he came by on one of those adventures he loved to seek out before life broke him.
Synopsis:
Locked in a tower with the fear of prophecy holding her parents back, Johara dreams of freedom. However, her time in confinement is spent well, researching the true state of her country. When she realises her father has ignored the importance of ancient ritual, Johara must find a way to break free and avert the gathering catastrophe, or risk the annihilation of her people and their way of life.
Haunted by the horrors of war, Erik has given up hope of ever finding anything truly worth fighting for. When a twist of fate allows his path to cross Johara’s, everything changes and he begins to hope there might yet be a chance at happiness. But can he embrace life and the spitfire princess who never does as she’s told, running headlong into danger at every turn? Or will he let that, too, slip through his fingers.
Embark on a magical high-stakes adventure in this retelling of Andersen’s fairytale, The Tinderbox.
Brief Excerpt 250 words:
How could Father think, even for a moment, that this is a better use of my time?
Johara swayed her head from side to side as she tried to absorb the stacks and stacks of parchment the servants carted in by the crate-full. Earlier that morning, she’d rejoiced at the prospect of her dance and embroidery lessons having been cancelled, but this was beyond all reason.
She stared open-mouthed at her father and was even more perplexed by the satisfied smile playing on his lips as he twirled his moustache. How could he possibly be pleased with himself at this solution to Johara’s ‘problem’, as he termed it?
“You wished to be useful, Johara,” the sultan announced. “And nothing could please me more. I have meant to go through my late father’s correspondence for quite some time now, but the pressures of ruling have not given me a moment to do so and none of my councillors has the spare time. You could serve the realm and your dear father greatly if you sorted through this and reported to me the most important findings from your grandfather’s letters. Now, I must attend a meeting about the drought over in Derakhtan province.”
He marched out the room in a swirl of silks while Johara sank into a cushioned seat. Her mother stepped through the doorway, a smug smile painted on her features.
“I dare you to complain about this one, Johara.”
Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?
Johara’s Choice includes representation unusual in Fantasy. Mental health is a key consideration in this novel. Additionally, I include nudges for my readers to embrace their own transformation instead of merely reading about the characters’ transformational journeys. I am a certified transformational life coach, and seeing readers embrace their potential is very rewarding.
Σε έναν σκοτεινό κόσμο όπου η μαγεία είναι παράνομη και τα ξωτικά είναι σκλαβωμένα, μια νεαρή μάγισσα-ξωτικό δραπετεύει για να σώσει τη ζωή της από το σπίτι του μοχθηρού Κατόχου της. Καταδιωκόμενη από τους άνδρες του και το διεφθαρμένο Τάγμα των Κυνηγών Μαγισσών, πρέπει να βρει καταφύγιο. Καθώς οι δουλέμποροι αλωνίζουν κλέβοντας ξωτικά από ό,τι έχει απομείνει από το πατρογονικό τους σπίτι, οι Κυνηγοί Μαγισσών κλείνουν τα μάτια στην τραγωδία και μια ιστορία δύναμης, αγάπης και τρομερής εκδίκησης εκτυλίσσεται.
Library of Erana 