A haven of magic, myth and mayhem! Blog stops, books, reviews, interviews and more. The site of fantasy author, poet and blogger A. L. Butcher.
For information about my Dark Adult Fantasy Romance Series please visit the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles page.
Wanneer het tij van de oorlog vloeit, wie zal dan in zijn kielzog worden gevangen? Een kort fantasieverhaal over de vastberadenheid van een vrouw in tijden van oorlog.
#Fantasie, #Historischefictie, #Novelle
https://books2read.com/Outsidethewalls-Dutch
https://books2read.com/Lgrimas-e-Veludo-Vermelho-TCV-Port
Quando o assassinato e o mistério começam na Opera House uma mulher sabe quem está por trás disso, e o que realmente está sob a máscara. Segredos, mentiras e tragédias cantam uma canção poderosa neste conto “poderia ter sido”.
Madame Giry encontra-se envolvido na tragédia que se desenrola na Casa de Ópera; mistério e assassinato perseguem os corredores e, dizem, um fantasma assombra o lugar. Giry sabe a verdade, pois ela se lembra do homem enjaulado que conheceu há tantos anos. Esta é a história dela, a história deles.
Quando o assassinato e o mistério começam na Opera House uma mulher sabe quem está por trás disso, e o que realmente está sob a máscara. Segredos, mentiras e tragédias cantam uma canção poderosa neste conto “poderia ter sido”.
Uma curta e trágica história baseada em personagens de Fantasma da Ópera.
#Histórico, #Fantasia, #FICÇÃO
Love across time and space, in lands of magic and mayhem, sizzling sorcery, fairy-tale retellings and classic twists, lonely fae, passionate Vikings and demigods searching for their magic in a land of mortals. Love, passion, and magic in a fantasy/sci romance/paranormal romance bundle from:
Robert Jeschonek
Kathryn Kayleigh
Charlotte E English
A J Tipton
Kristine Grayson
A L Butcher
Barbara G Tarn
Meyari McFarland
Alexa Lynsey & Belle De Ver
Links
https://books2read.com/LoveMagicBundle
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/love-and-magic-5
Amazon https://amzn.to/3s8Ycaa
Apple Books https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1548175688
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-and-magic-kristine-grayson/1138594941
https://bundlerabbit.com/b/love-magic-fantasy-romance
I had all sorts of plans in 2020. Didn’t everyone?
Stress does not help with the writing process. Some people thrive on stress – I am not one of those people. I looked at my writing plan and knew I hadn’t fulfilled it. However when I investigated further – it was not as bad as I thought.
10 Bundles – not quite one a month
Light Beyond the Storm Box Set
Print edition of Dark Tales and Twisted Verses, several large print editions and many translation editions.
I’ve finished a course on Editing and Proofreading, and 19 work-related courses.
Editing for Perseid Press and some freelance editing.
I now have a Fiverr profile.
All things considered, not too shoddy.
In 2021 I plan to finish a couple of novellas, get some more translations sorted, find more editing clients and continue learning Photoshop.
Tears and Crimson Velvet has won best Short Story for 2020 on the NN Light Book Heaven reviewer site.
https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/2020-nnlight-book-award-winners
See the comments from the site below
Tears and Crimson Velvet by A.L. Butcher
Someone haunts the Opera House and while Madam Giry tries to keep her distance when the hauntings turn to murder, she knows she must act. Will she finally break her silence about what is going on or will she do what is necessary to protect those she loves?
For fans of Phantom of the Opera, this is a must-read. A.L. Butcher weaves a masterful story filled with emotion, angst, mystery, and murder. I do believe Gaston Leroux would consider this variation on his immortal tale a wonderful addition to his work, The Phantom of the Opera.
In the original story, Madam Giry is a mysterious character and the reader is left wondering whose side she’s on. Christine’s? Erik’s? In this tale, Butcher takes us inside the mind of Madam Giry and what she knows about the hauntings and the Phantom himself.
A brilliant short story that tore my heart out. Highly recommend!
Madame Giry finds herself embroiled in the tragedy unfolding at the Opera house; mystery and murder stalk the corridors and, it is said, a ghost haunts the place. Giry knows the truth, for she recalls the caged man she met so many years ago. This is her story, their story.
When murder and mystery begin at the Opera House one woman knows who is behind it, and what really lies beneath the mask. Secrets, lies and tragedy sing a powerful song in this ‘might have been’ tale.
Hurrah! I am delighted to announce Tears and Crimson Velvet is a finalist in the NN Light Book Heaven category for short stories in 2020
https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/2020-nnlight-book-awards-finalists
Madame Giry finds herself embroiled in the tragedy unfolding at the Opera house; mystery and murder stalk the corridors and, it is said, a ghost haunts the place. Giry knows the truth, for she recalls the caged man she met so many years ago. This is her story, their story.
When murder and mystery begin at the Opera House one woman knows who is behind it, and what really lies beneath the mask. Secrets, lies and tragedy sing a powerful song in this ‘might have been’ tale.
A short, tragic tale based on characters from Phantom of the Opera.
A Legacy of the Mask Tale.
*Name: Lesley Dessalles
*Tell us a bit about yourself:
How did you become involved with audiobook narration and production? That is a long story…but I have an Actor friend who has always said I should use my voice, eventually I reached a time in my life when I could investigate that option. I approached a voice artist local to me, Andy Turvey who is somewhat of a guru and whose advice I have valued and continue to appreciate. Audible told me to contact ACX and here I am, just over 18 months later, 16 books through ACX and various voiceover jobs completed.
Tell us about some of the titles you’ve narrated. Do you have a favourite amongst these? Titles have varied from Thrillers, the paranormal, Ghost stories, the story of Joan of Arc, and Children’s books.
Do you have a preferred genre? Do you have a genre you do not produce? Why is this? I seem to work on a number of Ghost stories. I am not sure why. My first commission was Veiled by Kat Green, which was pretty gruesome. I have now completed 3 books for Kat and numerous other ghost stories, including a phantom caper in Las Vegas, the sad tale of a Mistletoe Bride, and of course The story of Blossom Rise.
If you could meet anyone from history or literature for dinner who would it be and what would you eat? I think it would have to be Joan of Arc, having narrated a book about her life. I have had connection with France for over thirty years, I would be interested to see what she would have eaten with the Men that supported her quest, although not in battle when she simply had bread and wine, to see if there are dishes that are still recognised on a French menu today. I expect so!
What are you working on at present/just finished? I have just completed a children’s book and I am about to work on a new genre for me, it feels very like a ‘chick flick’, in style.
*Tell us about your process for narrating? (Be as elaborate as you like.) First thing, is to read the book carefully and think about the tone and the accents of the characters. I like to know the author’s take on characters too. It is important that the author recognises their work! I then work through chapter by chapter, usually working with the author to ensure that they are happy every step of the way.
What aspects do you find most enjoyable? I enjoy finding the voices and accents for each character. It is not always easy, and if it is a long book I make sure I know in which chapter the characters appear, so that I can ensure the voice is right later on in the book.
What do you find least enjoyable? The editing side. The ironing out the lumps and bumps within the sound file. I don’t think listeners necessarily appreciate how long this takes for a humble narrator in their own studio or sound booth. They are used to seeing clips of famous actors in a studio with a sound engineer on the other side of the glass who will ultimately edit and clean the files.
Do you consider royalty share when looking for books to narrate? If not why is this? Do you think this a fair split for your time? It is a good way for a beginner to gain experience. I am hoping that one day I get to have a sound engineer on the other side of the glass!
Why do you think audiobooks are becoming so popular? My friend, who has been shielding over Lockdown says that audiobooks stop her feeling lonely. I guess, in our busy lives, audiobooks can be absorbed whilst doing something else such as driving or exercising.
Do you prefer a spoken book, or reading? For you how do they differ? Reading, every time I am afraid!
Can you remember the first audiobook you owned? To Kill a Mocking Bird, Narrated by Sissy Spacek, she is perfect.
If you are an author, do you produce your own audiobooks or do you prefer to look for an independent narrator? Why have you made this choice? Maybe I’ll write something one day…
What is the best piece of advice you’ve had? I was told to be persistent and patient.
If you could narrate any book you wanted which would it be and why? A book that went on to be an unexpected bestseller would be nice…especially if I was able to narrate it with a sound engineer behind the glass!
Please tell us a silly fact about yourself. I sneeze when I eat mints and good quality chocolate! I am the same height as Dolly Parton!
Where can we learn more about you?
Social Media links:https://www.facebook.com/LezDezVoice/
Facebook Lesley Dessalles – Voice
Lesley has narrated the Secret of Blossom Rise
Amazon.com audio https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Blossom-Rise-Ghost-Story/dp/B08CNCBNJC/
Amazon UK audio https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Blossom-Rise-Ghost-Story/dp/B08CNF6KJP/
I am in the process of producing large print editions of as many of my books as possible. Some people have asked me why I bother.
I did a quick search of LP editions available on Amazon UK – there were only 7 pages worth (109 results) , and most of those were calendars/planners.
Of the rest I found:
The Karma Sutra
Frankenstein
The Picture of Dorian Grey
Siddhartha
The Crimson Cryptogram: A Detective Novel
Dracula
Pride and Prejudice
Great Expectations
Emma
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The Prince (Machiavelli)
Razor Sharp
The Yellow Wallpaper
The Importance of Being Earnest
Final Justice
Moby Dick
A Patricia Cornwell book
A Christmas Promise
Give Me Death
Eight Days to Live
Southern Lights
Capital Crimes by Stuart Woods
Most of these were via 3rd party sellers and may or may not have actually been available.
There may have been more which were incorrectly marked.
Abe books has a large print section https://www.abebooks.co.uk/docs/LargePrint/ and better accessibility than Amazon however Abe charges sellers to sell on its site – so that may exclude indies and small presses from considering it as an option.
https://www.wfhowes.co.uk/browse/formats/large-print – has a reasonable catalogue
W.F.Howes Ltd is the UK’s leading audiobook, digital services and large print publisher, releasing around 100 new unabridged audiobooks every month under a number of imprints including Clipper, Jammer, Avid, Lamplight, Nudged and Jammer Teen.
Our digital arm provides eAudiobook and eBook lending to the library market through the RBdigital platform, alongside several other platforms specialising in same-day newspapers and magazines, adult learning and language tutorial programs.
But unless you know that is there, or are accepted by them you’re book won’t be available in this accessible format.
Why do I do this?
My father was partially sighted, having lost some of his sight serving in the army. He enjoyed reading but struggled to read printed books for any length of time unless they were large print. In his later life he could barely read regular print books at all. What a shame – he loved to read. Why should a person miss out on literature because they cannot see well?
It is easier now with e-readers and audiobooks, but these are not suitable for everyone (especially older technophobes like my dad), and audiobooks are pretty expensive. Listening to a story read aloud is a very different experience to reading the printed word. Surely the joy of reading should be available to all?
Our local town library (when there were such things) had a small assortment of LP books, but not many.
It’s better now than it was but lots of indie authors with great books simply don’t offer then in large print – maybe because they don’t think about it much, or don’t know.
How easy is it to produce a book in large print?
RNIB states large print is font 16-18 and giant print is anything larger than this. Regular print is 10-12-point font, so there is quite a difference. And some people really struggle with smaller fonts.
Amazon will allow authors to produce book in large print, there is a little box to tick stating it’s in large print format. Other than that it’s a case of formatting the book for a larger trim size (8×10 or above). KDP will provide a template of all of the trim and cover sizes. It’s relatively easy to copy the text into this template and use MS Word styles to change the font size (and pick a font like Times New Roman or Arial) and the chapter headers etc. The cover would need to be enlarged – but most of the image design programmes can do that, or you can use the cover creator and select the appropriate size for the book.
That’s it. There’s no extra cost, other than ordering a proof copy.
There are restrictions on expanded distribution for some trim sizes but there are a few which are suitable. ED puts the price up – and as LP books tend to be meatier they will likely be more expensive than the regular sized one. KDP print only caters up to 400 pages – so anything longer than that will need to be split – again this raises the cost to the buyer. I am going to investigate the logistics of that at some point soon.
So why not produce a large print edition when you produce your paperback? All it takes is a little extra time. Everyone should have access to books, and it’s easy to produce.
https://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-reading/large-and-giant-print
The Third Edition Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles Book I is now available in Large Print format – currently on Amazon only – but should aggregate to the Barnes and Noble online store in a few weeks.
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. Amazon, Audible, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and more on the link below.
In a dark world beset by tyranny and lies can love and magic entwined bring freedom? A dark adult fantasy with sizzling sorcery, romance and revenge.
What stalks the land cannot be but is.
Where magic is outlawed a troll Shaman calls from her deathbed to her heiress, Mirandra Var, daughter of the storm. Mirandra vows to find her missing kin, sort friend from foe, and claim the dangerous secrets guarded by unthinkable creatures. If she succeeds, she will become the leader of her tribe. If she fails, there will be no tribe to lead.
Amazon US Audio https://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Tower-Light-Beyond-Chronicles/dp/B08K4G75VB/
Amz UK audio https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08K3SDVBS/
Audible.com https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Stolen-Tower-Audiobook/B08K3SQFCB
Audible.co.uk https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Stolen-Tower-Audiobook/B08K3RND8F
