Swift Six Author Interview – Wren Handman #Specfic

Please introduce yourself (250 words or so): I’m Wren Handman, and I write speculative YA fiction—mostly paranormal and scifi. I love to craft and I’m always trying something new, whether that’s my ancient knitting machine or making my own book nook.

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short): The Phantasmer Cycle is a duology about prep school, bullies, and fairies. Wire Wings is a dark scifi about the nature of identity in a world where everything is changeable. And Havoc & Happiness is a sapphic comedy about monster monsters! As you can see, I’m all over the map.

When did you start your writing adventure? What was the inspiration for it? I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. I wrote my first play when I was six, and got all of my friends to perform it for our class. I wrote my first novel in middle school (it’s still sitting on my harddrive, never to be published!!).

What writing plans do you have for the future? I’m working on two books right now, I should really focus up! One is my first adult paranormal, about monsters that live in dreams. I’m having a lot of fun with that. I also just finished plotting the sequel to Havoc & Happiness. More sapphic love!

What do you like to read? If it’s fantasy, scifi, or paranormal, I love it! Huge fan of V.E. Schwab, N.K. Jemisin, Juliet Marillier, Naomi Novik…the list goes on and on and on!

What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you’d started your writing adventure? Revise, revise, revise, and don’t send it out until it’s ready! I cringe at some of the manuscripts I sent out when I wa eighteen. But also – heck, why not take a chance? It didn’t hurt me, after all!

Author bio and book synopsis

Wren Handman is a novelist and screenwriter from Vancouver, Canada. She writes a wide range of stories, from science fiction (Wire WIngs) to young adult paranormal (In Restless Dreams). All of her stories are connected by one thing: the magical blended with the everyday… probably because she secretly wishes magic were real. You can find Wren spending way too much time on Facebook or Instagram.

Book Synopsis: Graciela does as she’s told: she cowers beneath the towering intellect of her parents, goes to school, toes the line. But in the Waves, a virtual reality world, Graciela can be anyone, anywhere, anytime. Free.

In the real world, Graciela is drowning. Her best friend recently passed away, she’s suffering from crippling panic attacks, and her only connection to life is Khaiam, who keeps trying to draw her back to reality.

But how can he compete with the Waves? There, she can be whoever she dreams. And in that world, there’s Thomas, the stunning stranger with haunted eyes she’s only ever met online. Thomas seems to be able to defy the rules of the Waves, and he holds secrets of his own—about the origins of his creation, the nature of AI, and about Gracie’s own past. He will lead her on a dangerous road to truths she isn’t ready for, and the ultimate decision between acceptance and identity, duty and love, life and freedom.

Links/Social media

https://wrenhandman.com/

https://twitter.com/wrenhandman

https://www.facebook.com/wrenhandmanwriter/

https://www.amazon.com/Wren-Handman/e/B0043GEVMA

Love and Magic – A Fantasy Romance Bundle

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

Here Be Pirates Bundle #Pirates #Fantasy #HistoricalFiction #HerebeSeries

Here Be Pirates Bundle

https://books2read.com/HereBePirates

Pirates, marauders, ghosts and legends of dread and daredevils of steam fight foe, heroes and one another to bring you adventures from the high seas, outer space, time and myth. Here Be Pirates, Me Hearties!

The Blade Was Not Brass Meyari McFarland

Heart’s Revenge Michael Jasper

Hook Island Russ Crossley

Stealing from Pirates Stefon Mears

Bloody Betty, Queen of the Pirates Russ Crossley

The Scarlet Curse Rita Schulz

The Wise Guy and the Pirates Russ Crossley

Duchess Rampant Alison Naomi Holt

Queen of the Pirates: Jessica Keller Chronicles #2 Blaze Ward

Confessions of A Bold Maiden Rita Schulz

Where the Purple Grass Grows J.A. Marlow

New Release – Here Be Brave New Worlds Bundle

Here Be Brave New Worlds

Myth, Monsters and Mayhem Vol 11

Worlds on the brink of apocalypse, or already there.

Nature’s wrath and dominion over humanity, and humanity’s folly incarnate.

Dark magic, terrifying tech, greed, ravaged environments, rare courage and grim hope in lost cities and fallen worlds.

Brave new worlds or last best hopes — Dare you glimpse the future?

https://books2read.com/HereBeBraveNewWorlds

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086RWZ1X1/?tag=kydala-20

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B086RWZ1X1/?tag=kydala-20

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/here-be-brave-new-worlds

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/here-be-brave-new-worlds-a-l-butcher/1136805009

https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1506430845

https://bundlerabbit.com/b/here-be-brave-new-worlds

Platypus J. D. Brink

Six Sci fi Stories Volume Four Robert Jeschonek

Dystopia Charles Eugene Anderson

Of Myst and Folly Leah Cutter

UTOPIAS – Book 1 Don Viecelli

Brainwaves Barbara G.Tarn

Ultraviolet Joseph Robert Lewis

Terra Incognita Karen L. Abrahamson

The Reckoning Russ Crossley

Ice Monarch Michele Laframboise

The Last Ant Dawn Blair

The Consensus Harvey Stanbrough

The Last Forest A. L. Butcher

Book Spotlight – Portal Bundles

Basic Book Spotlight

Title: Fantasy Portals

Author: VV.AA.

Genre: Fantasy

Main character description (short). This is a collection of short stories, so there’s no main character.

Synopsis: Whether you’re sucked in, you fall into it or you see it and decide to explore what’s beyond, a portal is always an opening to a great adventure. From our world to others, alone or in good company, our heroes and heroines reach “somewhere” down the rabbit hole and meet strange creatures. Sometimes those creatures are the protagonists and help humans. Sometimes the other world is not as shiny as it first looks. 10 stories of fantasy portals.

Brief Excerpt 250 words:

Since I can’t pick and choose even if I’m the curator, I shall put the Table of Contents, so you can see who’s in it – all great writers!

“A Flat Above the Wynd” by Alexandra Brandt

“The Earthbloods of Carapet” by Joe Cron

“The Faerys Choice” by Jamie Ferguson

“A Walk With Georgia” by Debbie Mumford

“A Chance to Escape” by Laura Ware

“Queen of the Mouse Riders” by Annie Reed

“The Portal” by Barbara G.Tarn

“The Traveler” by C.A. Rowland

“Wolf Warlock” by Meyari McFarland

“The Dancer at the Red Door” by Douglas Smith

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?

Award-winning stories and brand new ones sitting side by side

Cover Art (add as attachment please)

Title: More Portals

Author: VV.AA.

Genre: SFF

Main character description (short). This is a collection of short stories, so there’s no main character.

Synopsis: More portals coming your way, with aliens and mythical creatures mingling with us. You’ll be transported all over the world and beyond, or even between worlds with some time-travel and some archeology thrown in for good measure. 10 stories of portals.

Brief Excerpt 250 words:

Since I can’t pick and choose even if I’m the curator, I shall put the Table of Contents so you can see who’s in it – all great writers!

“And Then There Are Cats” by Jamie Ferguson
“The Avalon Pub” by Barbara G.Tarn
“What We’re Going To Do Next” by Jennifer Rachel Baumer
“The Angle Between Worlds” by Stefon Mears
“Sideways” by Lana Ayers
“Tethering the Sun” by C.A. Rowland
“Beneath and Beyond” by Debbie Mumford
“Ten Escher From Here” by Fulvio Gatti
“Nite 2 Remember” by Pati Nagle
“My Julie” by Ron Collins

Fantasy Portals eBook universal link and paperback.

More Portals eBook universal link and paperback.

More portals, including science fiction ones that either take to other worlds, aliens, back in time or other dimensions. With some traditional portal fantasy and a couple of weird tales of passages between worlds. 10 portal stories of discovery that sometimes lead to love.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CuratedAnthos/

BundleRabbit Series page: https://bundlerabbit.com/s/curated-anthologies

Curator’s website: http://www.unicornproductionsbooks.com/curated-anthologies/

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MPebook cover_resize (1)

Swift Six Author – Linda Jordan – Fantasy/Bundle author

Name: Linda Jordan

Queen of May

What attracts you to the genre in which you write? I write in several different genres—fantasy, science fiction, young adult fantasy and mystery. Basically, I go where my ideas lead me. Sometimes, mystery gets mixed into the other genres. I also write the sort of books I loved to read as a kid. Not so much the mystery—I watched those on tv. But fantasy and science fiction were my core reading material from fifth grade on. As soon as I discovered them, I knew I was home. So when I began writing in my twenties, it was just natural that my characters and worlds would fit there.

What piece of writing advice do you wish you’d known when you started your writing adventures? I wish I’d understood the importance of practice. That I had to let many words stream out my fingertips before I’d get to the good stuff. And how essential it was to sit down on a regular basis, hopefully daily, and just get out of my own way. Tell my critical brain to take a few hours off.

And. Just. Write.

If you could have dinner with any famous person or character who would you choose? The first person who popped into my mind was Tyrion Lannister. I think he’d make a truly entertaining dinner companion. The things he could tell me. Maybe even how the books end!

Who has been the greatest influence on your own work? I can’t pick just one person. I’ve absorbed everything I’ve ever read. Edgar Rice Burroughs, Anne McCaffrey, Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, J.K. Rowling, Connie Willis, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Robin Hobb and Sarah Addison Allen come to mind.

I’ve also had fabulous teachers. Taken workshops from Steve Perry, Terry Carr, Suzy McKee Charnas, Norman Spinrad, Vonda McIntyre, Kris Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith. The last two being the teachers I’ve benefitted from the most.

I’ve belonged to critique groups with wonderful writers. Been supported by other wonderful writers. Probably one of the largest influences on my work is my husband, who goes out five days a week and brings back money and benefits. Which allows me to stay home and write! And our daughter, another inspiration. At 14, she’s tapping away at her own keyboard, creating her own stories. For hour upon end. She’s amazing.

Do you think the e-book revolution will do away with print? No way. I can’t see that. Too many people love the tactile experience of paper books. Even kids who’ve grown up with their brain always attached to a phone or tablet. They read paper books. Ebooks are convenient, I love them. I don’t see paper leaving us anytime soon.

Which 3 books would you take to a desert island and why?

Only 3?

They would have to be large. Something I could take my time and delve into. The compact Oxford English Dictionary? Is that still even around? Maybe I’d just take one volume.

I’d need a non-fiction book. Something entertaining and enlightening. Maybe Barry Lopez or Terry Tempest Williams.

But how could I live without a Fantasy or SF book? Maybe I could cheat and say Blackwatch & All Clear by Connie Willis, since they’re all one book.

Seriously, questions like this make me want to throw up my arms in defeat and run screaming from the room. Being limited to only 3 books for the rest of my life would be a special kind of hell.

So maybe I’ll toss all the above out and just say a trilogy by Robin Hobb. Any trilogy. Just three fat books to chew on until I’m rescued from the island.

Author bio and book synopsis Linda Jordan writes fascinating characters, funny dialogue, and imaginative fiction. She creates both long and short fiction, serious and silly. She believes in the power of healing and transformation, and many of her stories follow those themes.

In a previous lifetime, Linda coordinated the Clarion West Writers’ Workshop as well as the Reading Series. She spent four years as Chair of the Board of Directors during Clarion West’s formative period. She’s also worked as a travel agent, a baker, and a pond plant/fish salesperson, you know, the sort of things one does as a writer.

Currently, she’s the Programming Director for the Writers Cooperative of the Pacific Northwest.

Linda now lives in the rainy wilds of Washington state with her husband, daughter, four cats, seventeen Koi and an infinite number of slugs and snails.

That’s the official bio.

In reality I divide my days between writing, doing massive amounts of publishing (editing, copy editing, formatting, creating covers, keeping up two websites—one very badly—and pretending to do social media.). That’s my day job. The other jobs include herding the four cats and the teenager, planning everything in our lives (and re-planning them when plans go astray), keeping the budget together, cooking, organizing the to-do list for the half-acre garden, shopping and everything else. Sometimes I clean, but not often. Mostly when I’m procrastinating on writing, because I can’t figure out what comes next. Or I’ve set up an unsolvable problem and my brain is working on it as I clean places that haven’t been touched in a decade, maybe two.

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short)

The Queen of May is set in the same world as the entire Bones of the Earth Series. Just a whole lot earlier in time. Faerie Unraveled is the first book in the series. Followed by Faerie Contact, Faerie Descent and Faerie Flight. The final book in the series comes out this April—Faerie Confluence.

Linda has a VERY impressive library to her name – I have posted a selection here, but suggest you check out her bio links for all the others.

Promoted books Faerie Unravelled

Bundles

Faerie Summer Bundle

Spring Surprise

Novels:

Faerie Flight, 2018, print, ebook, Fantasy

Horticultural Homicide, 2017, print, ebook, Cozy Mystery

Faerie Descent, 2017, print, ebook, Fantasy

Faerie Contact, 2016, print, ebook, Fantasy

Faerie Unraveled, 2016, print, ebook, Fantasy

Collections:

Bibi’s Back, 2017, ebook, Fantasy

To the Stars and Back Again, 2017, ebook, Science Fiction

Stories of the Jeweled Worlds, 2017, ebook, YA Fantasy

Bibi’s Bargain Boutique, 2012, ebook, Fantasy

Elements, 2011, ebook, Fantasy

Elemental: 5 Stories for Teens, 2011, ebook, Fantasy & Science Fiction

Short Fiction:

Coming Into Being, 2018, ebook, Fantasy,

The Magic of Clay, 2017, ebook, Fantasy

To Death and Back Again, 2017, ebook, Fantasy

A Breath from Elsewhere, 2012, ebook, Fantasy

Links

My website: www.LindaJordan.net

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LindaJordanWriter

Metamorphosis Press website: www.MetamorphosisPress.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/creativelunatic/

Twitter (where I rarely go): Linda Jordan@LindaAJordan

Instagram: lindajordanwriter

Writer Wednesdays – Debbie Mumford #WriterWednesday #Indies #Writing

Here is the first of the new 2018 Writer Wednesday posts. Today we welcome Debbie Mumford, a writer who has had a busy year in 2017. I have to say I’m envious, I plan to write far more than I do, and I have great respect for writers like Debbie who have the discipline to write as much as she does.

Happy 2018!

A Writer Welcomes the New Year – A Guest Post by Debbie Mumford

2017 was a good year for me. I achieved some goals and failed spectacularly at others, but all in all, when the year ended I was pleased to find that I’d failed forward!

A large part of that forward motion is due to my yearly review in late December and the goals I put in place for the coming year. Stretch goals, not easy ones. Goals I’ll have to work to achieve, but goals that will carry me forward even if I fail to meet all of them. And I’m realistic enough to know that some of them won’t be met.

An important part of this process is recognizing what is and is not a goal. I’m not talking about resolutions. Everyone makes those in early January … and most people have forgotten what they were by February or March. I’m talking about really, truly GOALS.

I like to use S.M.A.R.T. goals, which are, by definition:

Specific: Goals need to be specific, not some loose, vague, impossible to quantify statement. “I will write better this year″ is not a specific goal. “I will write 2 pages a day” qualifies.
Measurable: Goals need to be measurable. Again, a concrete goal is far better than an amorphous wish. You need to know whether or not you achieved it! “I will write for 45 minutes a day” is a measurable goal.
Achievable: Goals need to be reasonable and achievable. Don’t set yourself up for failure by shooting for the moon. “I will complete the first draft of my 90,000 word novel in 6 months″ is much more achievable than “I will write a 90,000 word novel in January.” Also, as I mentioned above, make sure your goals are within your control. “I will write the first draft of my novel” is achievable and within your control. “I will become a NY Times bestselling author” is not.
Realistic: Goals need to be realistic. Evaluate your time and your lifestyle. Be honest with yourself. Set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic for who you are and how you live.
Time-Bound: Goals need to have a time frame. Lots of people dream of writing a novel…someday. But without a deadline, a time pressure, there’s no reason to do anything today. Put a date on your goal and then get started on it today. When you reach the specified date, you’ll know whether or not you accomplished your goal.

One of my goals for 2017 was to publish 18 new titles. I write under two names for two very different audiences: Debbie Mumford writes speculative fiction, often with romantic elements, for grown-ups, and Deb Logan writes contemporary fantasy for middle grade and teen readers, so my actual goal read something like this: “During 2017 I will publish one title a month as Debbie Mumford and one title every other month as Deb Logan.“

That qualified as a SMART goal. It was specific – one title (short story, novella, novel, collection) for Debbie every single month and one for Deb every other month; it was measurable – at the end of the month, I knew whether or not I’d accomplished the task; it was achievable – I had a backlog of published stories where the rights had reverted to me plus a selection of new work that I was ready to release into the wild; it was realistic – I knew I could create the covers and run the manuscripts through Vellum (my formatting tool of choice) in a timely fashion; and it was time-bound – everything would happen in the 2017 calendar year.

I achieved that goal, plus a little bit more. The final breakdown for 2017 was 14 short stories (9 of Debbie’s + 5 of Deb’s), 3 collections (all Debbie’s) and 1 novelette (Deb’s) published digitally, plus 3 novels, 2 novellas, and 3 collections released in print. (The print titles were already available digitally, so they didn’t count toward the actual goal, but the print release was a task that needed to be accomplished.)

I also had a goal in place to grow my newsletter lists. I didn’t put a specific number on this goal, but I did record a starting number for each list and I had a plan in place as to how I would accomplish the task: by searching out and taking advantage of promotional opportunities on Kobo, Amazon, and Instafreebie. I’m pleased to say that I accomplished this goal as well – each list more than doubled in 2017.

Where I fell down, rather spectacularly, was in my production goals. I intended to write at least three novels in 2017 and as many short stories as I could squeeze in. Since I’m still working a full-time day job, this goal probably didn’t qualify as SMART – it failed the “realistic” test. Still, I managed to write a short story a month in addition to all the publishing and promoting, so I failed in the right direction.

So what’s in store for 2018? Recognizing that life happens and the day-job must be done, publishing will take a back seat to production this year. I’ll be published in 2018, but it will be in anthologies and magazines rather than under my own imprint … at least, that’s the plan!

How about you? Have you mapped out your intended journey for 2018? I hope your destination will be grand and glorious. I’m sure I won’t end up exactly where I’m planning to go, but I’m positive the journey will be amazing!

Links:

Debbie Mumford’s Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/a2q5l8

Deb Logan’s Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/s1c9o3

Websites:

http://debbiemumford.com/

http://wdmpublishing.com

https://deblogan.wordpress.com/

Swift Six Author Interview – Barbara G. Tarn – Fantasy Secondary Worlds Bundle #Fantasy #Specfic

Name: Barbara G.Tarn

What attracts you to the genre in which you write?

It’s speculative fiction! I can make up stuff! Or so I thought when I started writing. I still write more fantasy than sci-fi because historical research is easier for me than science and technology…

What piece of writing advice do you wish you’d known when you started your writing adventures?

I think I unknowingly followed most of Heinlein’s Rules… I wrote. I finished what I wrote. I moved on. Problem was putting it out there. In the 20^th century and legacy publishing world. Sigh.

If you could have dinner with any famous person or character who would you choose?

Since I’m currently mad with Da Muse who posts pictures of snow in the middle of the hated long hot summer, I’d go back to the previous Muse who lasted some 15 years anyway (but then, they say he’s immortal, LOL)… that would be Keanu Reeves!

Who has been the greatest influence on your own work?

When I grow up I wanna be Dean Wesley Smith. Or Kristine Katryn Rusch. Or both. For the work ethic, mostly, although I have my own! 😉 Stylistically, dunno. I have found my own voice long ago. Even the English voice is now quite established and I don’t know where I got it from.

Do you think the e-book revolution will do away with print?

I doubt it. Probably not. And audio books will rise in the new illiteracy. I’d understand visually impaired, but other people listening to a story? Not for me. I still prefer paper for non-fiction and comics and graphic novels. But fiction? E-book are just fine!

Which 3 books would you take to a desert island and why?

My Kindle Keyboard has a long lasting battery! Besides, I’m afraid I’d use any paper available to write or draw (if I have a pen or pencil, that is). Of course, if it’s a shipwreck, none of this would be possible. And if it’s a willing vacation… it’s even more impossible. You’ll never see me on a desert island willingly! 🙂

Author bio and book synopsis

Please introduce yourself (250 words or so):

Barbara G.Tarn had an intense life in the Middle Ages that stuck to her through the centuries. She prefers swords to guns, long gowns to mini-skirts, and even though she buried the warrior woman, she deplores the death of knights in shining chainmail. She likes to think her condo apartment is a medieval castle, unfortunately lacking a dungeon to throw noisy neighbors and naughty colleagues in. Also known as the Lady with the Unicorns, these days she prefers to add a touch of fantasy to all her stories, past and present – when she’s not wandering on her fantasy world of Silvery Earth or in her Star Minds futuristic universe.

She’s a writer, sometimes artist, mostly a world-creator and story-teller. Two of her stories received an Honorable Mention at the Writers of the Future contest. She writes, draws, ignores her day job and blogs at: http://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com.

She can now be found on Patreon, where you can pledge as little as 1$ a month to read exclusive content and sustain her and other creators in their endeavors.

Check her Vimeo channel for book trailers and other funny stuff.

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short) (I’ll put both bundles here, and then send a Book Spotlight for both)

The Path of Water (Quests Book 1) also included in the Fantasy Secondary Worlds Bundle with 11 other fantasy novels

Hinrik survives the battle outside the walls of Moriana, battered and hurt. He drags himself to the River Ondan to put an end to his misery.

But it’s just the beginning of a new life of discoveries about himself and the world, a quest for his true calling in life. He is a half-blood and must learn what it means with the help of Bellinda the healer and Keneith the magic user.

The warrior, the healer and the magic user are all outsiders or outcasts looking for a place to call home in a hostile world, away from the aggressively expanding Varian and Blackmore Kingdoms.

A story of the northern kingdoms of Silvery Earth with magic and pain, loss and rebirth.

Star Minds Next Generation also included in the Sci-fi July Fever Fun with 10 other sci-fi novels

A sequel to Star Minds – the Trilogy, it’s the story of Shan-leo, Ker-ris’s son, now no longer an imperial prince.
Raised as imperial prince, Shan-leo doesn’t miss his former status. At twenty-two, he gets to define his destiny without being forced on a path traced by his family. Following his love for calligraphy, he discovers a black market of stolen manuscripts, which starts the adventure of a lifetime.
Aristocratic adventurer on a starship called “outlaw”. The next generation of Star Minds is out in the galaxy.

Links

Social media

blog: http://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraGTarn

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4717133.Barbara_G_Tarn

Author Central http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-G.Tarn/e/B0050P0R2G

Where to find everything: www.unicornproductionsbook.com

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BarbaraGTarn

Vimeo (book trailers): https://vimeo.com/user65901088

SFF Bundles Galore on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sff4bundles

Book Spotlight – The Path of Water/Secondary Worlds Fantasy Bundle

Secondary Worlds Bundle

Title: The Path of Water (Quests Book 1)

Author: Barbara G.Tarn

Genre: fantasy

Main character description (short).

Hinrik is a warrior and a half-blood trying to find his place in the world. Interview wih Hinrik and Bellinda on author’s blog.

Synopsis:

Hinrik survives the battle outside the walls of Moriana, battered and hurt. He drags himself to the River Ondan to put an end to his misery.

The warrior, the healer and the magic user are all outsiders or outcasts looking for a place to call home in a hostile world, away from the aggressively expanding Varian and Blackmore Kingdoms.

A story of the northern kingdoms of Silvery Earth with magic and pain, loss and rebirth.

Brief Excerpt 250 words:

Hinrik’s eyes widened in shock. This couldn’t be. He was already dead and the underworld was underwater.

The man’s hand on his chest calmed his heartbeat. He looked sorrowful now.

“You are my son, Hinrik. And you are badly hurt. But the kingmaker is coming this way and he is with an excellent healer, she will help you.”

Hinrik closed his mouth and gulped. He still couldn’t believe all this was happening underwater. His mother had told him his father was a magical being, but he wasn’t expecting this! She’d been blamed all of her life for having a son outside of marriage and now, twenty-five years later, this… stranger walked, no swam up to him and told him he was his father!

“You are half-Waiora, Hinrik, that’s why water heals you. But what you’ve been through needs more healing power, and only the Genn can give you that. Go back to the surface, the kingmaker is making camp on the river shore with his friends, you will find him easily and they will help you.”

“I don’t want anybody’s help!” Hinrik’s scream was lost underwater. He didn’t want anybody to see him right now. He was naked, bruised and hurt. He wasn’t going to go back to the surface and meet people.

His father hugged him and gently rocked him as he burst into sobs. His tears were lost in the water and he was too weak to free himself from the unwanted embrace.

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?

A personal, non-heroic quest to find one’s place in the world in the company of other “different” people.

http://www.unicornproductionsbooks.com/books/the-path-of-water-quests-book-1/

is also in Quests Volume one http://www.unicornproductionsbooks.com/books/quests-volume-one-the-paths-of-water-and-air/

and the First Glimpse of Secondary Fantasy World bundle along with 11 other authors.

Title: Star Minds Next Generation

Author: Barbara G.Tarn

Genre: science fantasy

Main character description (short).

Shan-leo Shermac is the descendant of the last emperor, but he’s never going to sit on his grandfather’s throne. He’s not interested.

Synopsis:

Brief Excerpt 250 words:

Shan-leo got out of bed, showered and dressed, grabbing his bandanna. He went downstairs and found his father and uncle in the living room, seated at the breakfast table side by side as usual.

Uncle Kol-ian saw him first and greeted him. “Good morning, birthday boy!”

“Good morning,” he answered as his father rose to give him a bear hug.

“Already twenty-two… where did time go?” he whispered in Shan-leo’s ear.

“You mean the past twelve years went even faster than the previous ten?” Shan-leo teased, giving the bandanna to uncle Kol-ian who wrapped it around his nephew’s arm with a smile. Shan-leo knew his father disapproved of his showing off the bionic arm – especially when he had on a tank top like today – but Uncle Kol-ian was very supportive, having had prosthetics himself.

“Shan-leo…” his father chided.

Shan-leo smiled at him. It wasn’t his fault if he’d been mind-controlled for all the time he’d been married to Shan-leo’s late mother and had missed most of his son’s childhood.

“I love you anyway, Father.” He sat with them to eat breakfast. “Even if you want to hide my beautiful prosthetic! Why don’t you ever suggest Uncle Kol-ian cover the scars on his back with synthetic skin?”

“Your uncle doesn’t go around bare-chested to show off his scars!” his father protested while Kol-ian guffawed.

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?

If you loved the Trilogy and the Snippets or if you’re new to the Star Minds universe, you will enjoy this wandering prince’s adventures in space.

Swift Six Character Interview – Travis

#Graphicnovel #Horror

Character Name: Travis Malone

Which book/world do you live in?: Hell Bent

Tell us about yourself: Well, I’m pretty damn hard to kill, for one thing. Also, I’m part-monkey. Both of those come from some genetic stuff my mom did. Not like that, though! I’m adopted, and she’s a scientist. Also, my hair grows a little every time I come back from the dead.

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

Strengths, hm? I’m…uh…well, I guess I’m kinda cute in some way? I know I’m not that smart. Hell, if I were, I might’ve made it through college. I’d say I’m perfectly fine, but the multiple nightmares and shit have made that a complete lie. Uhh…please don’t tell McManus, Jesse, or my dad that one. They’d totally take advantage of that. Plus, my nose is too big, and… Damn. I think I focused on the weaknesses a little too much.

Name three important people/creatures/institutions in your world (such as lovers, pets, government institutions, leaders, gods etc).

Ooh, first up is Spencer. Dude’s my best friend, has been since we were kids, and he married my sister a few years ago. And then there’s the law enforcement around Hell Bent..UGH, they need to fix that. Seriously, homelessness isn’t a reason to experiment on people. Actually, the only good reason to experiment on someone is if it’s to help people, AND if you, y’know, get the test subject’s permission (Thanks for that one, mom!). Oh, wait. I need to pick a third one. That’d probably be my mom, Dr. Serena Taylor. She adopted my sister and me when dad threw us out. And as it turns out, she’s one of the leading scientists working with genetics and cybernetics.

What does ‘heroism’ mean to you?

Heroism, I guess, would be when someone does whatever they can to help someone else, no matter how much it might hurt them.

What do you think of your ‘creator’?

Do NOT get me started on that psycho! Do you know how many different labs I’ve been taken to against my will because of her?! Oh, and then? Then we have the times I’ve died and come back and then been killed again. And y’know the worst part? She says I’m one of her favorites!

Give us your favourite piece of advice: “Play through pain”, I guess. I dunno. I really can’t remember too many different pieces of advice, and I suck at giving it out. Though I will say to be careful about random strangers offering to help you get some pictures taken. Sometimes they’re friendly and legit. Other times, they turn out to be a serial killer that creates snuff films.

Links to book

Visions: http://a.co/7r6yv6d

Retribution: http://a.co/diK2Q6m

Destruction: http://a.co/6FFtSx3

Start of arc 2 (Deception): http://a.co/gVOpegE