» Sci-Fi/Fantasy http://tbfreviews.net Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:03:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Letter from a Dragon Legacy {Guest #Author: Denise Thompkins} http://tbfreviews.net/2011/11/11/letter-from-a-dragon-legacy-guest-author-denise-thompkins/ http://tbfreviews.net/2011/11/11/letter-from-a-dragon-legacy-guest-author-denise-thompkins/#comments Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:59:17 +0000 The Book Faery http://tbfreviews.net/?p=5845 [CONTINUE READING]]]> Photobucket “Dear Reader,
I had a few minutes and thought I’d jot you a quick note.” Bahlin settles back in his chair and adjusts the pad of paper of on his knee, propping it just so before he continues to write. “You’re interested in the Niteclif—more specifically, Maddy—and I’m going to tell you to steer clear.” His eyes narrow slightly as he focuses on the page. “The Niteclif is my charge and I won’t run the risk of—” He pauses then scratches the last paragraph out and begins again.

“The Niteclif is a compelling woman and I can understand why you might be interested in her. However, I’d be much obliged if you’d keep a respectable distance until she’s well-settled. Her job is incredibly important. She walks the line between the mundane and the paranormal, administering justice and keeping the paranormal from bleeding into the mundane with frightening efficiency in one so young into her Evolution. When the time comes, you can thank her for keeping the darkness from your cozy lounge.”

Bahlin pauses, scratches his upper lip and smiles, once again setting pen to paper. “Come to think of it, you might want to wait a bit before you approach her for an entirely different reason. She’s a bit klutzy as of yet, not entirely comfortable in her own skin and definitely not square with her job. She’s fiercely determined, though, and proud along with it. You’ll like her.” His face softens and he hesitates before shaking off whatever he’d almost decided to say. Instead, tears off the sheet of paper and crumples it up, drops it to the floor and starts fresh.

“Dear Reader,
The Niteclif is an amazing woman. She’s common, from a middle-class family, and she has no idea what she’s truly capable of. Maddy—never Madeleine—is bloody brilliant, a sharp mind with an eye for detail and an innate ability to spot trouble just before she’s neck-deep in the thick of it. From what I’ve learned, she’s independent, caring and loyal, though she’s always afraid for another’s feelings before her own. It’s a hard thing to watch in many ways, because that tenderness may cost her. Of course, I’d never tell her that and would ask you to keep it to yourself.” He snorts. “She’s also bullheaded—as stubborn as they come. That’s as likely to cost her as anything else.” Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sets the pen down and wads up this piece of paper, tossing it into the growing pile of false starts. One final time…

“Dear Reader,
The Niteclif has arrived. She’s untried but willing, unproven but brave and an unknown but for her heritage. You’ll have to trust her because she’s all that stands between my world and yours. Hers is the only voice for justice that can be heard above the chaos. It’s her will alone that holds the darkness at bay and keeps the line drawn in the sand—the line that separates us and keeps you safe at night. Don’t underestimate her. Don’t undervalue her. Above all, pray to your gods that she doesn’t fail.”

He stands, folds the paper and shoves it in an envelope addressed to you, and leaves it for the post master to pick up with the morning’s mail.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Denise Tompkins lives in the heart of the South where the neighbors still know your name, all food forms are considered fry-able and bugs die only to be reincarnated in aggressive, blood-craving triplicate. Thrilled to finally live somewhere that can boast 3 ½ seasons (winter’s only noticeable because the trees are naked), her favorite season is definitely fall. It’s the time of year when the gardens are just about to pass into winter’s brief silence, and the leaves are out to prove that nature is the most brilliant artist of all.

Denise is married to the love of her life. Both she and her husband are owned by two dogs and three opinionated parrots who keep her in stitches — literally and figuratively. One bird hates broccoli, one scared the pizza man to death upon delivery, and one bird loves to call out and invite stranger to “Come on in!” The birds thoroughly enjoy scolding the dogs. One dog, the mutt, has turned a deaf ear. The Bullmastiff, however, probably needs emotionally reconstructive therapy.

A life-long voracious reader, Denise has three favorite authors. Why three? Because favorite authors are like chips: a person can’t have just one. Her little house was so overrun with books last year that her darling husband bought her an e-reader out of self-preservation. He was (legitimately) afraid she might begin throwing out pots and pans to make room for more books, and he didn’t want to starve.

Along with reading, Denise loves travel, is obsessed with the British Isles, practices photography, enjoys cooking and looks forward to Christmas as an excuse to bake.

Her debut novel, Legacy, is the first book in The Niteclif Evolutions and will be available in both e-book and later, in print, from Samhain Publishing.

Find and follow Denise Tompkins: Author Website | Author Blog | Twitter | Goodreads |Facebook Page

PhotobucketWhen Fate makes you her bitch, accept it and adapt. Or die.

Looking back on the wish she made on Midsummer’s Eve, Maddy Niteclif should have been more specific. She only wanted to escape the shadowy nightmares that plagued her nights, not to be thrust into a completely altered reality.

If a strangely familiar, sexy dragon-shifter named Bahlin, who causes a never-to-be-mentioned-again fainting spell, isn’t enough to make her question her sanity, his insistence she’s the Niteclif ought to do the job. Prophesied super-sleuth of the supernatural world—a world that desperately needs her help—isn’t a job she’s remotely qualified for no matter what her family tree says.

Catapulted into a very different London ruled by dark mythology, mystery and murder, Maddy makes a few startling discoveries. Paranormal creatures exist. Getting shot really sucks. And her body responds remarkably well to dragon magic—in more ways than simple wound healing.

But in this kill-or-be-killed world, reality bites. And Maddy must choose to go back to what she knows…or stay and fight for the man she knows she can’t live without.

Warning: This book contains a shape-shifting dragon with a Scottish accent, modern and archaic weapons, global inter-species politics that make democracy seem mild, some very steamy sex underground, a severed head, murder, and…oh yeah…a woman caught in the middle of it all.

Time becomes irrelevant to the immortal.

But to one human woman, every second counts.

Buy the eBOOK at: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Barnes & Noble | Samhain Publishing, Ltd. | All Romance

  • Genre: Fiction – Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
  • Published by: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (October 18, 2011)
  • Age Recommendation: 18+ For Mature Content & Explicit Sexuality
  • Format: eBook
  • ASIN: B005IZUXZE

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]]> http://tbfreviews.net/2011/11/11/letter-from-a-dragon-legacy-guest-author-denise-thompkins/feed/ 3 The Way I Write {Guest #Author: Gerald Griffin} http://tbfreviews.net/2011/11/10/the-way-i-write-guest-author-gerald-griffin/ http://tbfreviews.net/2011/11/10/the-way-i-write-guest-author-gerald-griffin/#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:24:25 +0000 The Book Faery http://tbfreviews.net/?p=5890 [CONTINUE READING]]]> Really, my distractions determine what type of day it will be, plus what research remains to be done. Assuming my research is finished and my distractions are minimal, if any, my writing pattern goes something like this when writing a novel: Before ever getting to the computer, my first draft of a novel is always written in longhand on yellow legal pads. My thinking and corrections and original rewrites getting my creative juices started and flowing seem to come more easily when working on legal pads rather than on a computer.

As for my writing pattern itself, when I awaken it’s usually with an urgency to get started. So after coffee and a cigarette, and a quick bite to eat, it’s then on to writing, usually at least eight straight hours, with short breaks and more food as I get hungry — and of course more coffee and a cigarette or two, this process first beginning with a quick review of what I’ve written the day before. I write — involving plenty of rewriting, until my mind gets tired and I know it’s time to quit. On Sundays during the football season, or when Tiger Woods is playing in a televised golf tournament, this pattern is not so stringent. The only part of my writing which determines what type of day it will be is my passion. If my creative process really becomes engrossed in the writing at hand, rendering me oblivious to all around me, my writing can extend way beyond eight hours. My creative process is often still working even as I prepare for bed, finding myself jotting down ideas to pursue the next morning. On occasion, after I’m asleep, I’ll awaken to jot down important thoughts and insights I don’t want to chance forgetting when I begin my writing the next day. This has resulted in some fantastic narrative. When I sleep my creative process doesn’t.

Such gives birth to my novel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…A native of Flint, Michigan, Gerald Griffin wrote his first short book of fiction while in the 9th grade. Ever since then he has felt compelled to write — his style reminiscent of Frederick Forsythe, with a dash of Damon Runyon and Tom Clancy.

He received his Ph.D. in psychology from Michigan State University and set up practice as a consulting psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia — though unable to resist writing part-time as his busy practice permitted.

Following several years of private practice, his two sons grown and away, Gerald eased into writing full-time — non-fiction, fiction, and ghost writing, first turning out the published non-fiction work, THE SILENT MISERY — WHY MARRIAGES FAIL. This was followed by his three published novels, THE CORRUPTORS, THE DEATH DISCIPLE, and THE LAST COMING, this last novel written in collaboration with Robin Moore.  After this came his published non-fiction ghost writing works, TRAPPED IN THE LAWYERS’ DEN WITH BLOODSUCKERS and GBI AGENT.

A nature lover, he relocated from Atlanta to the lake scenery of Gainesville, Georgia. He lives in a quaint home, high on a hill, surrounded by inspiring forest foliage not far from the waters of Sidney Lake Lanier; the forest floor a protective canopy for the passing deer.  In this setting, Gerald wrote the novel OF GOOD AND EVIL, followed by its sequel A TIME OF RECKONING.

Nancy Cline, a member of MENSA, said in review of Gerald’s writings: “In this age, yes, there is a nobility of spirit and the courage to preserve and to protect that nobility.  In the field of fiction we have men of great stature… To that list add the name of Gerald Griffin…”

Gerald is a member of International Thriller Writers (ITW). While in practice in Atlanta he was listed in Marquis Who’s Who in the South and Southwest, Personalities of America and Notable Americans.

Visit Gerald’s Author’s Blog at: http://geraldggriffin.blogspot.com.

 Overall, a gripping action thriller with a touch of paranormal and a captivating love story.

Ron Sheffield, an ex-Green Beret discharged from the Army for going crazy, has discovered top secret terrorist documents endangering his life by an unsavory White House political cell, the documents revealing al Qaeda plans threatening the existence of Western civilization. He also possesses uncanny mental talents which enabled him to survive fierce covert battles in the Middle East while the men serving under him perished, these tortured memories leaving him distraught with merciless guilt to the point of suicide—staved off only by desperate “hiding” activities.

This potent mixture of documents, guilt, hiding and uncanny abilities, combined with Ron’s remarkable and irrepressible love affair with Amber Ash—who saves Ron’s life through talents similar to his own—propels the two down volatile paths of relentless danger, troubles and confrontations defining their destiny, including, among other things: sanity-saving killings; Ron having no choice but to become a specialized Mafia hit man; a White House plot on Ron’s life; conflicts with a divinely gifted secret society headed by Amber’s billionaire father; acquiring the specifics of the 9-11 terrorist attacks beforehand, but the attempt at warning ignored; disturbing honeymoon intrigue; devastating discovery of who really orchestrated the U.S. invasion of Iraq; struggles to thwart Bin Laden’s startling scheme of global domination; frustrating hindrances to cornering the most important and dangerous terrorist alive—not Bin Laden, rendering success of the pursuit bleak; frightening dreams prophesying disturbing reality; and a fight against the impossible to prevent the nuclear obliteration of a large American city.

Spine-chilling, with unending surprises. The reader never knows what’s coming next, and is left on edge, unable to put the book down.

  • Paperback: 342 pages
  • Publisher: Eloquent Books (July 27, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 160976014X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1609760144

BUY THE BOOK… Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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NURTURE YOUR BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE…
]]> http://tbfreviews.net/2011/11/10/the-way-i-write-guest-author-gerald-griffin/feed/ 2 Are Books Really Dead? {Guest #Author: T.M. Wallace} http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/29/are-books-really-dead-guest-author-t-m-wallace/ http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/29/are-books-really-dead-guest-author-t-m-wallace/#comments Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:28:03 +0000 The Book Faery http://tbfreviews.net/?p=5796 [CONTINUE READING]]]> There are nasty rumours floating around the web these days about the demise of the book. Some people in the industry are afraid that the rise of the e-book means that the printed copy of a book will soon be extinct. Many tie the future of the book to the baby boomer generation: that is to say, the book will die out after that generation leaves. As a writer and educator, I like to believe that there is room for both e-books and the printed copy in our complicated modern world.

As a writer who loves to read and write printed books, I can’t help getting a little nervous when people say that the printed book is on the verge of extinction. Yet, there is a place for different kinds of books, just as there is room for many different kinds of art. In fact, saying that there is no place in the world for the printed book is a bit like saying there is no room for paintings, that all the visual arts will be replaced by the electronic versions of themselves. At the extreme end, it is like saying that our lives in this physical world will be replaced by lives in a digital one – and that is simply not going to happen.

As an educator, I can see that the printed book is still very much alive and well. While the new generation is reading more electronic versions of both fiction and non-fiction books in the classroom, the majority of students still read the printed versions of books. Younger children are still absorbed by picture books and that early experience with paper. Even though children are at the same time exposed to all kinds of computer learning games, the experience of reading a paper book remains an important and primary way of learning about the world. The library is still a favourite place for students of all ages and book fairs are still popular, especially as a fund-raising activity.

There is room for both printed books and e-books in the modern world, but that necessitates a lot of change within the book industry. There is no doubt that publishing is becoming a complicated business. It used to be enough to print and publish the paper copy of a book and distribute that book via physical bookstores and libraries. Now, the same book has to be published simultaneously in many different e-book formats such as; mobi, epub, azw, ereader and pdf, just to name a few. This plethora of ebook formats has aptly been referred to as the “Tower of eBabel.” Yet, this confusing variety of ebook platforms only highlights what is driving ebook pubishing in the first place: the fact that people like choice.

Now you can choose whether to read a paper book or an ebook of the same novel. Right now my husband is reading a paperback novel. However, he will at various times also read on his ipad or his kindle – this depending entirely on the situation. When he reads in bed at night, he reads on his ipad, which is back-lit. In his sunny backyard, he reads on his kindle. (The kindle has E-ink which, like the printed book requires bright light for optimal reading.) When having a bath or when going to the park, he takes along the paperback version, which is much more forgiving of moisture and sudden falls.

Happily, the end result of all this choice is that people can read more, and more often. Literacy is even more important (and more accessible) with the rise of the internet than it has ever been in the past, and the future is brighter for authors and readers alike. No one really knows what the future holds for the printed book, but there is no reason to assume that a new technology must completely supplant the old way of doing things. Like many thousands of others, I have elected to enjoy the choices that technology offers. I am happy to read an e-book or a paper version of a book as the mood strikes me. In my world, both paper and E-ink peacefully co-exist.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…T. M. Wallace lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and four children. At eight years old, she won a short story contest and was published in a local newspaper. She wrote her first book at ten years old called The Adventures of Pinkstar, about a stuffed rabbit who magically comes to life. T. M. Wallace received her Master’s degree in English Literature from Carleton University and a degree in Education from the University of Ottawa. In 2010 her latest book, Under A Fairy Moon, was a quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel awards.

You can visit her website at www.tmwallace.com. Follow her on Twitter (@TMWallace1).

Under a Fairy Moon by T. M. Wallace: Book CoverAddy Marten sets out to explore her new neighbour’s beautiful garden, and especially the rows of mysterious stone statues that she has glimpsed through her bedroom window. Instead of the enticing hideaway she has imagined, however, she finds herself trapped in the Median Realms, and an unwilling pawn in a game of Fairy Chess. She must use all her courage and wits to win the game and free herself from malicious fairy creatures and their twisted fairy-tale world.

  • Paperback: 222 pages
  • Publisher: Brownridge Publishing (July 19, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0986865702
  • ISBN-13: 978-0986865701
]]> http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/29/are-books-really-dead-guest-author-t-m-wallace/feed/ 1 Under a Fairy Moon, T.M. Wallace {#Book Review} http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/29/under-a-fairy-moon-tm-wallace-book-review/ http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/29/under-a-fairy-moon-tm-wallace-book-review/#comments Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:17:16 +0000 The Book Faery http://tbfreviews.net/?p=5783 [CONTINUE READING]]]> Under a Fairy Moon by T. M. Wallace: Book CoverAddy Marten sets out to explore her new neighbour’s beautiful garden, and especially the rows of mysterious stone statues that she has glimpsed through her bedroom window. Instead of the enticing hideaway she has imagined, however, she finds herself trapped in the Median Realms, and an unwilling pawn in a game of Fairy Chess. She must use all her courage and wits to win the game and free herself from malicious fairy creatures and their twisted fairy-tale world.

  • Paperback: 222 pages
  • Publisher: Brownridge Publishing (July 19, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0986865702
  • ISBN-13: 978-0986865701

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…T. M. Wallace lives in Ontario, Canada. She received her Masters degree in English Literature from Carleton University and has a degree in Education from the University of Ottawa. Writing for children is a passion that began early in her youth when she started writing stories for the local paper. Her first novel, “Under A Fairy Moon” was a quarter-finalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards.

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…First, you know that I HAD to get a copy of this book since I absolutely LOVE fairies, bad and nice, (as if it’s not obvious…haha). Second, I LOVE this cover. I’m honestly drawn to this cover whenever I see it. To me it evokes secrets, magic, and adventure in a hidden world. GORGEOUS! And that is exactly how the book was. It was a delight to read Under a Fairy Moon with the kids. Each night they looked forward to the next adventurous scene. When I asked my 10 year old son what he thought about the book he said…

UNDER A FAIRY MOON was so descriptive that I could envision myself as Connor fighting a skeleton to save Addy. (side-note: Hearing my kids use words like “envision” just absolutely blow my mind…you can tell they read a lot and/or pay attention to how others speak when describing something.) I very much enjoyed all the different magical creatures and people in the story. I recommend this book to other kids like me who like to pretend to be in other worlds filled with magical things and adventures.

Our book Rating: 4 out of 4 stars

I received a copy to review for the book tour with Pump Up Your Book in exchange for my honest opinion. No monies were given for this review. I am however a LinkShare/B&N affiliate.
]]> http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/29/under-a-fairy-moon-tm-wallace-book-review/feed/ 3 On My Shelves…09.23.11 http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/23/on-my-shelves-09-23-11/ http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/23/on-my-shelves-09-23-11/#comments Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:04:28 +0000 The Book Faery http://tbfreviews.net/?p=5773 [CONTINUE READING]]]> OnMyShelves

On My Shelves is a weekly post at The Book Faery Reviews which shares THREE books from our personal collection. These books could be favorites, books to be read as soon as possible for our own enjoyment, as well as books to be read soon for scheduled reviews.

Books let us into their souls and lay open to us the secrets of our own.  ~William Hazlitt

Stolen Child by Keith Donohue: NOOK Book CoverThe Stolen Child by Keith Donoghue - The double story of Henry Day begins in 1949, when he is kidnapped at age seven by a band of wild childlike beings who live in an ancient, secret community in the forest. The changelings rename their captive Aniday and he becomes, like them, unaging and stuck in time. They leave one of their own to take his place, an imposter who must try–with varying success–to hide his true identity from the Day family. As the changeling Henry grows up, he is haunted by glimpses of his lost double and by vague memories of his own childhood a century earlier. Narrated in turns by Henry and Aniday, The Stolen Child follows them as their lives converge, driven by their obsessive search for who they were before they changed places in the world. Moving from a realistic setting in small-town America deep into the forest of humankind’s most basic desires and fears, this remarkable novel is a haunting fable about identity and the illusory innocence of childhood.

 

The Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie: NOOK Book CoverThe Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie - Before his death in 1609, Queen Elizabeth’s spiritual consultant, astrologer, and scientific advisor John Dee hid many of his most astonishing written works, believing that the world was not yet prepared to face the shocking truths that they revealed. For seventeen generations, his female descendants have carefully guarded the secret of his hiding place, waiting for the right moment to bring Dee’s ideas to light. That time is now. In The Rose Labyrinth, popular British author Titania Hardie masterfully blends historical fact and fiction as she introduces readers to Lucy King, a beautiful, young documentary producer based in London. With the help of a brilliant group of friends, Lucy races through London, France, and New York to decipher the clues that will eventually lead her to the hidden treasure of the Rose Labyrinth. Along the way she finds true love with Alex Stafford, the doctor who saw her through a life-threatening heart condition and transplant. A sweeping adventure for readers who loved The Da Vinci Code and The Expected One, The Rose Labyrinth is a decadent, romantic novel with a historical twist. It features a wonderful mix of literary references, from Shakespeare, to the Romantic poets, to Gabriel Garcia Marquez; the folklore and history of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Paganism; and of course, astrology and numerology, of which Titania Hardie is an expert. As the Rose Labyrinth tells us, the world we think we know is not all that it appears to be.

 

Red Tent (10th Anniversary Edition) by Anita Diamant: NOOK Book CoverThe Red Tent by Anita Diamant - Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that tell of her father, Jacob, and his twelve sons.

Told in Dinah’s voice, Anita Diamant imagines the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood—the world of the red tent. It begins with the story of the mothers—Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah—the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through childhood, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah’s story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past.

Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction: a new view of biblical women’s lives.

 

All book summaries come from Barnes & Noble.
]]> http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/23/on-my-shelves-09-23-11/feed/ 5 Simple? Or Not So Much? {Guest #Author: Richard Blunt} http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/13/simple-or-not-so-much-guest-author-richard-blunt/ http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/13/simple-or-not-so-much-guest-author-richard-blunt/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:23:20 +0000 The Book Faery http://tbfreviews.net/?p=5711 [CONTINUE READING]]]> Since I published “Lucas Trent – Guardian in Magic” about eight months ago I wrote quite a number of blog posts about many different topics, like consistency, writing style or magic, but it just now occurred to me that I never actually wrote a post about my book. I am sorry Lucas Trent, let me make it up to you by starting right now.

If you read the excerpt at my “Pump up your book” tour-page, or took a “look inside the book” at Amazon and read through the very first pages, you should know by now what the story is about: Magic. But is this what the book is all about? Well, it wouldn’t be me if it were… There is of course much about magic in there, and if you are looking for a fantasy story full of magic you still make a good choice reading “Guardian in Magic”. But behind the very blunt words of the magic is a story of friendship and loyalty. A story of adventure and danger, battles, great victories and great losses, and a story that is placed so close to reality in most aspects that you could easily forget that it is fantasy at all. (If it weren’t for the magic of course.) And it is one thing more: A story that will with a close to brutal directness show you that things are not as simple as they seem to be, and well, that’s one more thing where “Guardian in Magic” quite directly resembles the real world, because even if things look simple here, you can be almost certain that there will be a catch somewhere.

So… Now some might ask: “Do I really need to dive that deeply into the story to like it?” Well,… No, of course not. I did my very best to make the story easy to read and the feedback I got so far seems to confirm that I succeeded with that. And still, even those who only read the book with “brains switched off” came back to me later on and told me about some “AHA”-effects and deja vous they had while reading it.

OK, now I am again near to the end of a blog post and once again have not told too much about Lucas Trent and his companions. Well, there are a couple more posts coming up on my virtual book tour, so maybe I make it to that point next time. ;-)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Richard Blunt is the author of the fantasy novel, Lucas Trent: Guardian in Magic. He is currently working on his second book in the Lucas Trent series. You can visit his website at www.lucastrent.com and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lucas_trent and Facebook at www.facebook.com/people/richard-blunt.

 

Guardian Magic“Guardian in Magic” is a fantasy novel located in a world very similar to the one we live in. It tells the story of 16 year old Lucas Trent, an IT student living in Luton, England. His fascination for the supernatural leads him to take a glimpse at the world from an angle only few others look at. An angle that teaches him the true meaning of friendship, loyalty and trust in ways he had never experienced before.

Journeying through a secret community, that is hidden in plain sight, he suddenly finds himself forced into living two lives at once, keeping his true identity even from his close family. In a struggle to handle this situation, he gets pulled deeper and deeper into a swamp of conspiracies and coincidences surrounding a young girl and the very truth about magic in the real world…

  • Paperback: 268 pages
  • Publisher: AuthorHouse (January 21, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1456773119
  • ISBN-13: 978-1456773113

B&NAmazon



]]> http://tbfreviews.net/2011/09/13/simple-or-not-so-much-guest-author-richard-blunt/feed/ 2 Paradise 21 {#Book Trailer} http://tbfreviews.net/2011/08/25/paradise-21-book-trailer/ http://tbfreviews.net/2011/08/25/paradise-21-book-trailer/#comments Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:07:04 +0000 The Book Faery http://tbfreviews.net/?p=5642 It’s another Thursday and today’s book trailer comes from the book Paradise 21 by Aubrie Dionne. You can read about her book, see her guest post on Space Opera, and even enter the giveaway on my earlier post here.

 
]]> http://tbfreviews.net/2011/08/25/paradise-21-book-trailer/feed/ 1 What Makes Space Opera So Awesome {Guest #Author: Aubrie Dionne + #Giveaway} http://tbfreviews.net/2011/08/25/what-makes-space-opera-so-awesome-guest-author-aubrie-dionne-giveaway/ http://tbfreviews.net/2011/08/25/what-makes-space-opera-so-awesome-guest-author-aubrie-dionne-giveaway/#comments Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:57:47 +0000 The Book Faery http://tbfreviews.net/?p=5638 [CONTINUE READING]]]> Paradise21

 

I’ve been a fan of space opera my whole life. I started watching Star Wars as a young kid on VHS tapes. (remember those?). I watched episodes IV, V and VI so many times, I memorized the dialog. I’d then go out into the backyard with my sister and act it out. Our swing set was our spaceship. And we’d always fight over who could be Princess Leia.

I guess you just couldn’t ever have two of them.

Then, in my teen years I moved on to Star Trek-The Next Generation. I watched every episode: weeknights at 7pm. My favorite character was Data, and I wanted him to learn how to be human so badly. My least favorite character was Lieutenant Worf, because he seemed so mean and grumbly, but he had a heart of gold underneath.

So I decided to come up with what makes space opera so awesome and write my own. Paradise 21 is the result, and here’s my list:

Awesomeness of Space Opera includes:

  1. Space ships that can do really cool things
    Not only does Paradise 21 have a colony ship, and a pirate ship, it also has an alien ship…(can’t elaborate- it’s a plot spoiler!)
  2. Adventure on other planets
    Paradise 21 isn’t all in space. Aries crash lands on a barren desert planet with all sorts of indigenous species. If you stick around for the trilogy, you’ll see an ice planet, and a jungle as well.
  3. High stakes melodrama
    Aries must choose between her freedom and the man she loves. You’ll have to read to see which one she picks.
  4. Aliens that look really weird
    Again, I can’t spoil the plot here: but if you read enough of it, you’ll find this as well.
  5. Laser fights
    There’s one big laser fight at the end of Paradise 21, and someone gets shot! (Again- can’t tell you more than that!)

What do you think makes space opera so awesome? I’d love to hear your comments below.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Aubrie is an author and flutist in New England. Her stories have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, A Fly in Amber, and several print anthologies including Skulls and Crossbones by Minddancer Press, Rise of the Necromancers, by Pill Hill Press, Nightbird Singing in the Dead of Night by Nightbird Publishing, Dragontales and Mertales by Wyvern Publications, A Yuletide Wish by Nightwolf Publications, and Aurora Rising by Aurora Wolf Publications. Her epic fantasy is published with Wyvern Publications, and several of her ebooks are published with Lyrical Press and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. When she’s not writing, she plays in orchestras and teaches flute at Plymouth State University and a community music school.

Visit the author’s Website and Blog.

Paradise21

Aries has lived her entire life aboard mankind’s last hope, the New Dawn, a spaceship traveling toward a planet where humanity can begin anew—a planet that won’t be reached in Aries’ lifetime. As one of the last genetically desirable women in the universe, she must marry her designated genetic match and produce the next generation for this centuries-long voyage. But Aries has other plans.

When her desperate escape from the New Dawn strands her on a desert planet, Aries discovers the rumors about pirates—humans who escaped Earth before its demise—are true. Handsome, genetically imperfect Striker possesses the freedom Aries envies, and the two connect on a level she never thought possible. But pursued by her match from above and hunted by the planet’s native inhabitants, Aries quickly learns her freedom will come at a hefty price.

The life of the man she loves.

  • Pub. Date: August 2011
  • Publisher: Entangled Publishing
  • Format: Paperback , 248pp
  • ISBN-13: 9781937044039
  • ISBN: 1937044033

THE GIVEAWAY…We’re giving away an eCopy of one of Aubrie’s previous titles and a signed post card from Aubrie. This giveaway is a REALLY quick one that runs now through Friday August 27th. The selected reader will get the opportunity to choose one of her previous titles here: http://www.gypsyshadow.com/Aubrie.html#top. All you have to do is leave a comment below! That’s it! 

There is also a grand prize pack that will be given away on Aubrie’s blog on Tuesday, August 30th.  The grand prize pack consists of three gorgeous necklaces made by Aubrie herself.  To enter for a chance to win the grand prize pack all one has to do is leave a comment on one of the blog tour posts. One entry per tour stop with the chance to enter 15 times (once on each tour stop).  I’ve noted the tour stops below.

 
]]> http://tbfreviews.net/2011/08/25/what-makes-space-opera-so-awesome-guest-author-aubrie-dionne-giveaway/feed/ 10 Chasing a Dream {Guest #Author: Malcolm Petteway} http://tbfreviews.net/2011/08/04/chasing-a-dream-guest-author-malcolm-petteway/ http://tbfreviews.net/2011/08/04/chasing-a-dream-guest-author-malcolm-petteway/#comments Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:56:28 +0000 The Book Faery http://tbfreviews.net/?p=5507 [CONTINUE READING]]]> MalcolmPettewayChasing a dream, we all have dreams we chase. Some call them goals and some call them rewards. Sometimes chasing a dream is like a dog chasing his tail. You can see it, it’s part of you, but you just can’t quite grasp it. We all have chased a dream, but have you been chased by a dream? I want to tell you about a dream that is chasing me…even to this day.

It started when I was a young boy, followed me through high school, dogged me in my Air Force career, and its hitting me upside the head right now. But before I tell you about the dream, let me tell you how the dream began to chase me.

When I was young, I was fascinated by science fiction stories on T.V. in the movies and in books. I was so fascinated by science fiction; I made up my own stories about two sisters running away from a war on their planet only to find themselves in the antebellum south. Their descendants are then plucked from Earth and given the reigns to a universal peacekeeping organization…like a U.N of space. I would play these stories in my head on long car rides during family trips down south or when I was alone during the day and had nothing to do. To me at the time, this was just daydreaming; a way to pass the time.

When I was in high school, I enrolled in creative writing classes. There I took my favorite science fiction characters and used them to spawn a couple of my projects. Boy, did I get razzed by the other students, but the teacher commended me for well thought out and very creative characters. Now let me tell you how the dream pushed into my subconscious.

During my time at the Air Force Academy, on those long lonely nights, wondering what the hell did I get myself into, those characters and those scenes lulled me to sleep and gave me encouragement to put up with the pain of the coming day. This continued well into my adult life. These characters and the action sequence, I placed them in, began to invade my dreams at night, where I no longer controlled the outcome. Now they were telling me the story. They were old friends, and I welcomed them as part of a peaceful night’s rest.

One day, in 2000, I had a setback in my Air Force career. At which time, I received some sound advice. Do something to keep your mind busy. So I decided to write down the stories that plagued me. Every day for three months, after work, I would lock myself in the office and type away at the keyboard. Until one day I emerged from the dark pit of imagination and dropped on the kitchen table a 450 page manuscript. I felt a sense of accomplishment. Then, my wife, Karen looked at me and said, “Now what?” I thought I was finished, but I guess I wasn’t. My wife, Karen said, “You’ve sacrificed three months away from me and the kids, you are going to do something with this manuscript.”

Well, with Karen’s insistence, we shopped it around for a couple of months. I received many reject letters. Some said nothing important, but a couple indicated that if I changed my main characters, they would reconsider. I thought about doing this for a while, but like I said, I grew up with the characters…they were a part of me, and doing so, felt like betrayal. So I rejected the idea and because I am an impatient man, I decided to self-publish the book.

Unfortunately, it came out in September of 2001. We all know what happened that month. Being in the Air Force, I was a little bit busy and unable to market like I wanted. But I did go on to write and self-publish two more books. However, self-publishing wasn’t the dream that was chasing me. It was the catalyst to the dream.

After retiring from the Air Force, I put any thought of writing away. I even stopped visiting these characters in my dreams. I began work as a military analyst at the Pentagon. There I ran into people who read my books, and one of my workmates at the Pentagon showed a keen interest in my writing. He read the books and we would talk at lunch. It was encouraging to discuss the intricate details of my characters, their lives and the story. That motivated me to republish the books. Then my friend from work, on one of our discussions, planted the idea of starting my own publishing company. Bang…the dream revealed itself. Start your own business as an independent publisher of science fiction and fantasy.

With the help of friends and family, I launched Rage Books with my first Osguard book, Homecoming in January 2010. Since then, I have printed second editions of the Revelations and Armageddon, and released the fourth book in the series, Revenge.

In conclusion, the route I took was a little bit circuitous. It started out as a fascination of science fiction as a kid; day dreaming and writing short stories in high school; dreaming as a young adult; self-publishing some books; and finally after talking with family and friends, taking the deep plunge and beginning my own publishing company. I’m just starting, but a life-long dream can take a life time to achieve. Like the dog chasing his tail, I don’t know if it will hurt or not, when I catch it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Malcolm Dylan Petteway is a senior military analyst, a retired military officer and a twenty-year veteran of the United States Air Force. He flew B-52’s as an Electronic Warfare Officer and has 3,000 flight hours and 300 combat hours. In his distinguished career, Malcolm has used his knowledge in the art of war, military weapons and combat defenses in planning over 400 combat sorties. Besides his Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters and numerous other awards, Malcolm is the recipient of the U.S. Air Force Air Medal and the U.S. Air Force Air Achievement Medal for his actions during Operation Enduring Freedom. Malcolm Petteway is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and California State University.

You can visit Malcolm at http://www.ragebooks.net.

His latest book is Homecoming – Osguards: Guardians of the Universe (Book 1).

Homecoming

 

For centuries the planets of Kulusk and Chaktun have battled in the heavens above Earth. In 1860, twin Chaktun princesses, Laurona and Nausona Osguard, fled to Earth and were beaten and raped as slaves in the United States’ antebellum south. Unbeknownst  to the people of the 21st century Earth, their descendants, the Osguards now govern a universal peacekeeping organization called the Universal Science, Security and Trade Association of Planets — USSTAP. The First Osguard, Michael Genesis leads the Osguards in protecting the 60 known galaxies of the universe from Kulusk tyranny. Now Earth has become an unwitting pawn in the Kulusk Empire’s thirst for revenge against the people of Chaktun, forcing Michael to prepare USSTAP, for the first time, to go on the offensive and wage an all out universal war. If he is successful, many people will die, and if he is not, Earth will be destroyed.

  • Paperback: 300 pages
  • Publisher: Rage Books; Reprint edition (February 3, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0984364501
  • ISBN-13: 978-0984364503

BUY THE BOOK…Smashwords | Amazon | CreateSpace
]]> http://tbfreviews.net/2011/08/04/chasing-a-dream-guest-author-malcolm-petteway/feed/ 29 Halith, Kirsten Kelly {#Book Spotlight} http://tbfreviews.net/2011/07/26/halith-kirsten-kelly-book-spotlight/ http://tbfreviews.net/2011/07/26/halith-kirsten-kelly-book-spotlight/#comments Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:28:47 +0000 The Book Faery http://tbfreviews.net/?p=5463 [CONTINUE READING]]]> PhotobucketCan one ever recall the very moment when the first step of destiny was taken? Retrospect can make this possible; or in 462 BC, the aid of a powerful relic can bring the needed clarity. However, for Halíth, it might have been but a slip of the tongue; a fleeting lack of sensibility…

Or one Bitter Black ale too many…

Sixteen-year-old Halíth, known by her friends and comrades as stubborn and reckless, rarely listens. Choosing joy and youth, she tends to delve into her wellspring of purity for her own brand of truth. Often she closes her ears to whispers of destiny, even when they speak her name. In a fit of passion, she runs away in the deep of night, with nothing to her name, to a place she can barely recall the way to: Nordanshire Abbey. There, she hopes to reunite with only woman she has known as a caring mother figure: Mother Superior Almara. Yet, her idyllic fancy of a peaceful hamlet life is dashed. In a harrowing incident, young Halíth discovers that bandits have invaded her holy land. The world, as she knew it, would be forever altered, and Halith is the key for her land’s survival.

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Halmth presents the fantastical world of Aessyra where prophesy tells of an evil brewing and only the One can stop it. Halmths journey begins when she steals away from an impending marriage to a fat merchant, deemed by her uncle to be a good match. In a fit of passion, she runs away in the deep of night, with nothing to her name, and is soon transformed from a scared sixteen-year-old girl to a young warrior ready to answer her fate. In the beginning, Halmth embraces her new adventurous lifestyle, but her true test of maturity comes when the Great War finally breaks out across Aessyra. The Haddu, a coalition faithful to a demonic religion, are swarming over the land, seeking to usher in the Third Darkness. Halmth must grapple with many challenges as she dodges assassins, endures the betrayal of those closest to her, and tries to make sense of her so-called destiny.

  • Perfect Paperback: 423 pages
  • Publisher: Pale Criminal Works (April 1, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0615330207
  • ISBN-13: 978-0615330204
BUY FROM… Amazon | Barnes & Noble
ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Kirsten Kelly lives in Miami, FL, enjoying the great mix of city life and the outdoors. She is an avid fisherman, pursuing snook wherever they swim from her kayak.

When not in Miami, Kirsten prefers the seaside of Cornwall, England, walking the Cornish path aside Tintagel castle, or sloshing through the moors of Camelforde to gaze at ancient stone circles. She has a passion for adventure. A good day to Kirsten is a hike with her back pack, trying to light fires that will not cooperate at all, and cooking up something interesting with naught more than some tin foil for utensils. And a good aventure must end with a proper pint in a cozy pub, with a harrowing story to tell.
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