Uncaged Book Reviews

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

My new computer is still sitting in the box. Did I ever tell you how much I hate setting up a new computer? I even have a new portable hard drive to start moving stuff off of my old one. The new one will support dual monitors, something that would make my life so much easier with the magazine. But nope, still in the box. Did I tell how much I detest setting up a new computer? *wink*

One of the reasons the computer remains in the box is my ongoing car issues. I’ve been trying to keep fixing my mom’s older car, because well, it was my mom’s. But it was beginning to nickel and dime me to death, and the last issue was major. So I junked it. Very sad. Now I’ve pulled my Monte Carlo out of storage and am running it. It still has some minor issues that pop up, but it’s easy enough to deal with. This fall, we will probably lease a second vehicle. The car issues have also kept me from being able to do some fixing up of the house we moved into. Hopefully soon I’ll be able to share our before/after pictures of renovations.

Life in Motion has returned, and I am highlighting my meal prepping this month. This saves me time and money, one day of cooking and everyone is fed for a week, including lunches and I’m free to spend my time however I’d like, mostly going to see my horses.

We will be continuing with the “Buy 2, Get 1” promotion we’ve been running, with some changes for 2022/23. The promotion will only be for Full Page Ads, so if you buy 2, you will get one free. No other advertising will be eligible. With the issues selling out advertising more frequently, this gives more opportunities for all in advertising in the magazine. It really does help from a marketing standpoint, to have an advertisment run three months in a row to repeat in the readers mind. You don’t just see a commercial on TV one time and remember it, right? So we will continue to try and provide the best bang for your buck and get the most eyes we can on your work.

Enjoy the September/October issue of Uncaged Book Reviews and I wish for 2023 to be a great year for all.

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Paranormal lover’s rejoice. Uncaged review contributors.

upcomingconventions

Uncaged will watch for any cancelations or modifications for the 2023 season.

Please watch their websites for information as the dates get closer.

The New Orleans Book Festival

September 3, 2023; New Orleans, LA

https://bookfest.tulane.edu/

Printers Row Lit Fest

September 9 & 10, 2023; Chicago, IL

https://printersrowlitfest.org/

Black Authors & Readers Rock

October 6 & 7, 2023; Oxon Hill, MD

https://blackauthorsandreadersrock.com/

Romantic Galena Reads

September 9th, 2023; Galena, IL

https://www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100075518934249

Twin Cities Book Festival

October 14, 2023; St. Paul, MN

https://twincitiesbookfestival.com/

Kentucky Book Fair

October 21, 2023; Lexington, KY

https://www.kyhumanities.org/programs/kentuckybook-festival

York Book Expo

September 15 & 16, 2023; York, PA

https://yorkbookfair.com/

Southern Festival of Books

October 21 & 22, 2023; Nashville, TN

https://sofestofbooks.org/

Anthology

Historical Romance

Available Oct. 10

A Bluestocking Belles with Friends Collection

As the village of Reabridge in Cheshire prepares for the first Harvest Festival following Waterloo, families are overjoyed to welcome their loved ones back from war. But excitement quickly turns to mystery when an orphaned child turns up in the town—a toddler born near Toulouse to an English mother who left clues that tie her to Reabridge. With two prominent families feuding for generations and the central event of the Harvest Moon festival looming, tensions rise, and secrets begin to surface.

An engaging and enchanting collection of interrelated tales from nine award winning and bestselling authors.

Moonlight Wishes and Midnight Kisses by

Collette Cameron

A wounded veteran with no future…

The war has left its mark on Cortland’s body and soul. Scarred and disabled, all he wants is to be left alone. However, fate—and the Scottish lass who once stole his heart—have another plan in mind… An heiress who mourns the past…

Avery was heartbroken when Cortland went off to war and never responded to her letters. He’s back, and she’ll do whatever it takes to win back her wounded warrior’s heart and prove they were meant to be together.

Time can heal most wounds. Only love can heal what remains…

The Morning Light by Caroline Warfield

A physician, Adam went to war to save lives, not take them. The ones he cannot save haunt him. Asleep or awake, the nightmares won’t stop. The fear he is going insane keeps him from his daughter and the lady he was courting before he left. Now he can only protect them by staying away.

Meg lives on the charity of her cousin, Earl Barlow, and serves the community as a midwife. She doesn’t understand how Adam could turn his back on her so thoroughly, but she isn’t about to let him get away with it.

A Harvest Blessing by Rue Allen

What can the son of an English vicar and the daughter of a French Comte possibly have in common?

Returning from Waterloo, Thom meets Charité and her aunt. No gentleman would abandon a damsel as brave and kind, but how can he help her? With no clear solution in mind, Thom escorts the ladies home to his father, Reabridge’s vicar.

Charité ‘s aunt believes her niece and Thom are engaged. Charité fears Thom’s father will not welcome them. She is French after all. His father and others might disapprove of a marriage between former enemies.

Coming Home by Mary Lancaster

Old memories, new love

Captain David Buckley comes home restless yet weary of war, yet his home town of Reabridge is full of painful memories of his late wife and the eternal enmity between her family and his, which goes back hundreds of years.

He is not looking for the added complication of love when the mysterious Lady Lorna falls literally into his

arms, though he is happy to retrieve her stolen property and scare off rejected suitors. Only with the harvest moon festival does he begin to understand the true meaning of love and home.

Under the Champagne Moon by Alina K Field

Fleur comes to Reabridge looking for an advantageous marriage to keep herself and the beloved lady she serves from dire poverty. Gareth, who long ago rescued her from bullies, is a distraction she does not need.

Gareth’s real purpose in visiting Reabridge is finding Fleur, the little French girl he met years ago. She is heir to a wealthy French vitner who saved his life, and who wants to see Fleur married to a cousin.

Gareth must choose between honoring a promise or trying to win the hand of the woman he loves.

A Quiet Heart by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

Widowed in the Napoleonic Wars and traumatized by the horrors she has seen, Veronica Petersham’s road to Reabridge has been paved with tragedy.

Now she is here as bearer of bad news for one of the families in the town.

But she falls ill just short of her goal and finds herself in the care of kind and stoic Martin Bromelton, a local farmer, and his family.

As Veronica recovers, she learns there might be hope for the future after all and the opportunity to find love once more.

from the war. He never expected to find the girl he once loved still unwed. Now, he must prove to her that he never forgot her.

Can love at first sight be reborn after heartbreak, proving a second chance is all you need?

The Widow’s Harvest Hope by Cerise DeLand

The new Earl Barlow returns home from Waterloo, intending to live by his own rules. The woman he loved and lost years ago visits for the Harvest festival—and he plans to offer the Widow Wright what they both want.

Being an obedient female has brought Vicky only sorrow. But with the need to visit Ford’s home to identify a mysterious toddler who may be her deceased sister’s son, she questions if a lady who has lived by the rules can throw them all away to seize her last chance for happiness.

Love In Its Season by Jude Knight

At Waterloo, Jack, lost the use of one arm and his army career. With nothing better to do, he sees his doctor home to Reabridge—and stays because of the female farrier he rescues from a lustful lord. After all his years of wandering, Gwen’s cottage feels like home.

Gwen intimidates most men. Tall and strong, she runs her own business. She doesn’t have time for courtship. She accepts Jack’s offer to help her father, who is in his second childhood. She’d be a fool to read too much into his kindness.

A Love Beyond Time by Sherry Ewing

Hannah fell for a young lord years ago, only to see him leave. After no word in eight years, he returns to their small town, wounded and broken. Now, Hannah must reconcile her old feelings with the heartbreak he caused, knowing he plans to stay.

Brandon returns to the town of Reabridge to recover

Pre-order Available Now

feature authors

Trey

Trey everett

Trey Everett was born in Houston, Texas in 1988 and grew up just south of the city in the suburb of Pasadena. His mother and father were both single parent, blue-color workers in the medical industry and with the United States Postal Service, respectively. Despite his family having no real ties to any creative professions, from a young age he was drawn to the arts. For college, Trey flew the coop, and moved to sunny Southern California to attend a conservatory for film & television acting, with aspirations of becoming a working actor. After many years of flirting with a livable income from acting, he finally realized he wasn’t quite cut out for the life of a movie star, and settled back into his truest, and longest running passion; storytelling.

Now based in New York City, Trey is the author of two suspense novels, and continues to seek opportunities to tell stories on the stage. Whether crafting a character’s words in the throes of a staged play, or discovering the depths of a set piece in a novel, Trey is always carefully and meticulously telling the stories he feels most compelled to tell.

Uncaged welcomes Trey Everett

Welcome to Uncaged! Your second book, “For It Will Be Yours” will release in September. Can you tell readers more about this book?

Hey, thanks for the welcome! I’m excited to be talking with you. Yes! I am so excited for my second book to hit the shelves. This book is really about the struggle of identifying as an artist. The hustle, the grind, the grit it takes to try and find success as an artist in today’s America. Throw in the possibility of a cursed canvas, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

You are also a musician, does that experience contribute to writing?

I love this question! It absolutely does. Whether I’m writing a book, or a play, or a song, I really challenge myself to follow the impulse. Where does this particu-

lar piece of art lead the story I am telling? I think there is a fluidity in writing music, particular in finding the appropriate melody, that translates almost identically to me in trying to find the voice of my manuscripts’ protagonists.

What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

I actually just finished writing a play that I am hoping to get a reading of in New York City, where I live. I am also working on completing a new album of music, and I may or may not have just recently started writing a third manuscript! All exciting to me, just trying to keep myself creatively busy.

What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?

I think the most difficult scenes to write are the ones

I spent the most time thinking about. I am someone that crafts an idea in my head for months before I ever put pen to paper. Once I’m writing the actual words, the scenes that come from my impulse are always the easiest. The ones that just naturally and organically appear on the page. The scenes I spend the most time thinking about, however, always prove to be the most stubborn. The hardest ones to actually put words to.

How do you come up with names for your characters?

I struggle with this so much! I actually spend quite a bit of timing thinking of potential names for my characters. I want my characters to have unique enough names where you know you are in a new world, and new place. That being said, I also try to come up with names that feel natural enough that you aren’t taken our of the story. The main character in my new book, “For It Will Be Yours” is names Wyatt. I wanted something unique but still not out of the norm, and Wyatt felt like a fun option.

Do you read reviews? What do you take away from them?

I do read reviews, but I try to not obsess over reviews. I think when it comes to art in general, people either like it, or they don’t. It is so intimate, personal, and subjective for every individual consumer, and to be honest, I can’t do anything about either of those outcomes. I try to find the joy in the process of creating the piece, and then have the hope that it will resonate with anyone else. I have been on the receiving end of art that really made an impact on me, and I just try to find the chance to be that inspiration for someone else.

What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

I think one behind-the-curtain peek into my lie that might surprise people is that I have a big, fancy day job in medical technology! I would love for

my plays, music and books to be my full-time career, but it’s tough in today’s world. I work for a medical software company that affords me the ability to still put energy into the passions I have for writing words and music, and it’s a tremendous blessing.

Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?

I think for me, personally, the plot will come first. I will sit with an idea for a long time before it starts to manifest in actual writing. I also then usually base my character on people I know, or people I have met. That way, the plot is fully formed, then I can help the characters navigate through the obstacles I’ve created for them.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

When I am not working on something creative of my own, I am big consumer of art. Here in New York City,

I love going to see theatre. Plays, musicals, immersive experiences; it can all be so inspiring. I also love seeing live music. I think it’s safe to say that when I am not actively trying to create art of my own, I’m an avid consumer of other’s.

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

Nothing, and I mean nothing, will beat the feeling of turning the page of a physical book. That being said, I do love an audiobook from time to time. I’ll often find myself utilizing both simultaneously. I’m a remarkably, tragically, slow reader, so I will usually allocate time to read a physical copy of a book, then when I am out and about, I will queue up the audiobook version to pick up where my physical page left off. It’s a pretty fun way to change it up, and also helps me get through or start more books quicker!

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

I would just extend an incredibly sincere thanks for reading my words. I spend a lot of time typing them, and the fact that anyone would read them is beyond comprehension to me. I’m incredibly honored that anyone would read my books, let alone enjoy them. So sincerely, thank you for reading anything I’ve written! The best place to follow me right now is on my Instagram. That is where I update people in my life regularly with anything I have going one! My handle is just my name: @treyeverett

Stay Connected

Thriller

Releases September 22

After another failed gallery opening, struggling artist, Wyatt Brone, receives the sudden news that his world-renowned, artist uncle has committed suicide. As part of his inheritance, Wyatt receives a painting from his uncle’s collection. This painting also comes with a mysterious letter that says as long as Wyatt obeys these three simple rules, all of Wyatt’s dreams will come true. Wyatt begins obeying the simple rules, and everything about his life begins to turn around,

seemingly overnight. His girlfriend becomes his fiancé, his galleries begin selling out, he gets large contract offers for worldwide galleries, and even a full, front page expose in The New York Times. Wyatt becomes a world-wide sensation. When Wyatt accidentally disobeys the rules of this cursed painting, however, all of these dreams begin to show cracks. He becomes the primary suspect into the investigation of his uncle’ death, and his international fame turns to infamy. In a race to discover the truth, Wyatt must find out if his sudden fame is due to his years of hard work and dedication to his craft, or is the painting he inherited from his uncle actually cursed?

Excerpt

He pulled out his cigarettes and remembered that his pack was empty. He tossed the package in a trash bin on the sidewalk, and then saw a small magazine stand a few feet ahead of him. He walked up to the stand, and saw a copy of GQ Magazine sitting in front of the display.

After signaling to the employee he wanted a new pack of Marlboro Lights 100s, Wyatt picked up a copy of the magazine. The cover displayed an animated image of a man with a grey beard, in a perfectly pressed suit. The caption simply read, “What’s left to accomplish?” Just above the caption, Wyatt saw the name of the magazine’s subject... his uncle, “Jackson Brone.”

The employee snapped Wyatt out of his trance with a simple, “Did you want that too?”

Wyatt nodded, and paid for both. As he walked away, he did not break his stare into his uncle’s judging, illustrated eyes on the cover of GQ. Wyatt slung the magazine under his arm as he pulled out a cigarette from his brand new pack, and lit it up. He took a long drag of the fresh cigarette before he grabbed the magazine from under his arm, and tossed it into another sidewalk trash bin.

Wyatt made it back to his workspace loft after about a twenty- five-minute walk through downtown. He pulled his front door open slowly, picked up some mail from the ground just inside, and flipped on the lights. The loft itself was beautiful. Huge, with twenty-foot ceilings and tall windows that overlooked the vastness of the fatigued city streets he had just walked through. Lights twinkled in the distant Hollywood Hills, and the faint sounds of the chaotic city below barely made its way through the windows. A small kitchen rested in the corner of a main living space, with multiple workspace rooms connected to it. The living space doubled as Wyatt’s bedroom, with his bed chaotically placed in the middle of the area. It’s rent controlled, micro-rate seemed to be the only reason Wyatt could still afford this place; a fact he never let himself forget.

Wyatt walked into his kitchen, and pulled his cell phone out to make a call. Wyatt fingered through his mail, and held his cell phone up to his ear. After a few moments of silence, he heard a gentle voice speaking through his phone’s speaker.

“Hi, you’ve reached Samantha, I’m sorry I missed you. Leave a message, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can! Or just text me, that’s probably better. Bye!” Beep. Wyatt ran his hand through his hair, and spoke into his phone.

“Hey, babe, it’s me. I didn’t see you tonight, so I was calling to see if everything was okay. I assumed you’d be late, but I thought you’d at least be there. Okay. Well, give me a call back, I guess. Love you.” Wyatt gently tapped the red “End Call” button on his cell phone’s screen, and stared at the photo of he and Samantha that served as the wallpaper of his phone before he slid it back in his pants pocket.

He shook his head, and noticed his answering machine blinking with an unread message. Much to the chagrin of his sister, Wyatt always insisted on keeping a landline as his “business line,” versus just using his cell phone for both work and pleasure.

Wyatt continued looking through his mail, walked

over to the machine, and pressed the “play” button to listen to his unheard message.

“Hi, Wyatt, this is Maurice Pallen. I — uh, my apologies, I’m your uncle’s attorney.” The words caught Wyatt’s attention and he turned towards the answering machine. “Listen, I am very sorry to say this to you in this way, but your uncle is dead.” Wyatt lightly tossed his mail onto the countertop. “Again, I’m very sorry to leave this in a voicemail, but I need the chance to connect with you regarding your uncle’s estate. There’s a particular item I need to discuss with you. If you could please give me a call back tomorrow, so we can go over some logistics, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you, and again, my condolences.”

Wyatt stood silently in his kitchen, and stared at the answering machine. After a few moments, Wyatt hit the button, and listened to the message again.

“Hi, Wyatt, this is Maurice Pallen. I — uh, my apologies, I’m your uncle’s attorney. Listen, I am very sorry to say this to you in this way, but your uncle is dead. Again, I’m very sorry to leave this in a voicemail, but I need the chance to connect with you regarding your uncle’s estate. There’s a particular item I need to discuss with you. If you could please give me a call back tomorrow, so we can go over some logistics, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you, and again, my condolences.”

Wyatt stood in silence and disbelief, as the truth of this message sank in.

The world had lost one of its greatest artists. The art world had lost one of its most influential talents. The revered, unconventional, disruptive, and once-in-ageneration talent Jackson Brone had died.

Wyatt’s uncle was dead.

nzondi

Nzondi (Ace Antonio-Hall) is an American urban fantasy and horror writer. He was born Acemandese Nzondi Hall in Queens, New York on July 4th. In 2013, his debut horror novel, Confessions of Sylva Slasher, was published by Montag Press. His science fiction/horror mystery, Oware Mosaic (Crossroad Press, 2023), is a Bram Stoker Awards Winner for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel; making him the first African-American to win the prestigious award in a novel category.

Nzondi’s non-fiction book, Lord of the Flies: Fitness for Writers, that shares his weight-loss tactics used for optimal health, and his YA zombie novel, Lipstick Asylum (The Girl Who Could Raise the Dead), were both originally published by Omnium Gatherum Media. A former Director of Education for NYC schools and the Sylvan Learning Center, the award-winning educator earned a BFA from Long Island University, and currently lives bi-coastal in Los Angeles and New York.

Uncaged welcomes Nzondi

Welcome to Uncaged! Your latest book is a postapocalyptic thriller called Oware Mosaic. Can you tell readers more about this book?

Absolutely. The story is set on alternate Earth and follows the life of Feeni Xo, a teenage enhuman girl who wants to become an investigative forensic coroner. Similar to vampires, ‘enhumans’ need human blood for sustenance but thanks to the creation of synthetic blood, don’t need to break enhuman laws by harming humans for survival.

One night, coming home from a party, Feeni seems to kill a young girl. Her brother, who is a police officer, helps her cover it up but when Feeni retreats to the neuralverse to play a virtual reality game that uses data from police cold cases, she discovers the dead girl in real life is actually the younger sister of her neighbor, who also happens to be a police officer.

Overwhelmed with guilt, she’s forced to help her neighbor investigate her sister’s death in a case that becomes ominous when they play the House of Oware game that’s been reprogrammed to kill every participant.

Note: The neuralverse is much like the metaverse except that gamers access the platform through their neural implants. In other words, the game is played in their minds and not through a gaming system or online.

What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Right now, I’m working with a Hollywood production company: Dan Shaw Productions. We’re developing a TV series based on Oware Mosaic called Feeni Xo (pronounced Zo), which is the main character’s name. We’re about four months in with a project we believed will take us about two years from concept to pilot. It’s a lot of ambitious work obviously but fortunately, we’re building a strong production team, as well as actors and directors that are attaching themselves to the project. Working in the entertainment industry as a stand-in rehearsal actor for fourteen years is starting to finally pay off as I have developed some strong relationships.

What is the most difficult scene for you to write?

The most difficult scenes to write are usually technical in nature or scenes in which I want to be accurate as far as the setting, topic, etc., and have to do the work—the research, to make sure what I’ve created in a fictional world would make sense if it existed in a real world.

What is the easiest?

Scenes that deal with emotions like grief. I’ve had many experiences in the area of melancholy that gives me strong insight.

How do you come up with names for your characters?

A mentor and good friend of mine, Art Holcomb, once told me to pull from real experiences so whenever I can, I use day-to-day happenings in my life to affect my writing. Mostly though, I think it’s just instinct.

Do you read reviews?

I’ve had four books published, so I’m still green behind the ears. Unlike some of my seasoned contemporaries, I get extremely excited when I get a review. Needless to say, it’s like a hammer to the stomach when I get one that’s not so complimentary. I understand why many authors don’t read them. It can make one doubt himself. One has to truly have thick skin as a writer in this business. I won’t let rejections stop me from honing my craft and I can’t let an unfavorable review hinder me from doing all that I can to write a good story. One year, I had 582 rejections. That’s the downside. The upside is that same year, I had 18 of my stories published.

What do you take away from them?

I not naïve. I know that I’m in the beginning stages of my career. It comes with the territory. I still get a bit frustrated because I haven’t developed the fan base yet that dives deep into my characterizations,

plots and storytelling. I can tell that’s the case by what’s revealed or not revealed in the reviews. A lot of reviewers, even literary agents, skim through a novel. Not because they’re being malicious but because they’re usually backlogged and don’t have the luxury to really dig into a novel. There’s bound to be missed opportunities to really see what a book is all about therefore, it is what it is. I can’t take it personal but rather take it as an opportunity to keep writing and keep reading classics, as well as contemporary authors and hone my craft.

What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

Without coffee, my writing wouldn’t exist.

Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?

Definitely, the characters. They come into my life and refuse to shut up until I write their story.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

I know that my hobbies make me different from most of my contemporaries. They don’t share my enthusiasm for the majority of things I like to do when I’m not writing and many times, I’m the odd man in the room, ironically. However, I love running and I don’t mean a mile here or there, I mean six-to-eight-mile runs. I also love running wind sprints. Both of which I enjoy doing surrounded by nature, golf-green grass, oak trees, fellow joggers, blue skies, flowers, even bobcats. It relaxes me, and countless times, I’ve developed plots during those runs.

I also love playing Madden Football. I haven’t played Resident Evil in a long time, but I can see myself getting back into playing it again, one day in the future. I also love writing and recording music. I actually have several alternative rock songs out on all streaming platforms. Music is more of a hobby for me though. It’s like an ex-girlfriend that I run into and ask her out because she looks great but as soon as I hang with her,

remember why we broke up. I recently released an EP called the Tequila Anthems.

*Subscribe to Nzondi on YouTube: https://youtube. com/@Nzondi3

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books?

I like to hold a book in my hand. I’d say the ratio is 5-to-1 when it comes to reading a hardcopy versus an ebook. I don’t do audiobooks. Partly because I think that’s lazy and partly because I know that I’m not an auditory learner. I’m more of a tactile and visual learner, therefore if you tell me to get some milk and a bottle of whiskey from the store. Sure, I’ll remember the liquor but if I don’t write it down, count whatever else you asked me to pick up, forgotten. It’s not that I don’t listen well. If you talk to me, I’m a great listener but I’ve learned to do that well. Especially when someone is pouring their heart out to me. However, an audiobook? I’d forget most of what I heard from one stoplight to the next.

Are you reading anything now?

Funny that you ask. To contradict myself, I’m actually reading “It” by Stephen King on my Kindle reader now. Like every writer I know, my TBR list never stops growing!

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

Thank you to each and every person who has read my novels. I truly appreciate it! Wait until you read my next book. It’s about a group of teenagers who, when they’re not playing in their band, are solving supernatural crimes.

Stay Connected

Enjoy an excerpt from Oware Mosaic

Oware Mosaic Nzondi Dystopian

In the Metaverse, No One Knows the Dead Better than Feeni Xo

The story is set on alternate Earth and follows the life of Feeni Xo, a teenage enhuman girl who wants to become an investigative forensic coroner. Similar to vampires, “enhumans” need human blood for sustenance but thanks to the creation of synthetic blood, don’t need to break enhuman laws by harming humans for survival.

One night, coming home from a party, Feeni seems to kill a young girl. Her brother, who is a police officer, helps her cover it up, but when Feeni retreats to the metaverse to play a virtual reality game that uses data from police cold cases, she discovers the dead girl in real life is actually the younger sister of her neighbor, who also happens to be a police officer.

Overwhelmed with guilt, she’s forced to help her neighbor investigate her sister’s death in a case that becomes ominous when they play the House of Oware game that’s been reprogrammed to kill every participant.

Excerpt

CHAPTER 17

Flames. So hot, yet so cold. Cold like an emotionless lover. Cold like the last breath of someone trapped under an avalanche. Breathing. Breathing. Breathing slow. No slower. Slower! Not breathing.

Hold me, Dad. Cover my face. No, don’t smother me. I can’t breathe. Stop. Stop. Barely breathing. Dying. So young. So smart.

“Xo! Xo,” Lamp called.

“Jinni!” I screamed. “Yes. That’s her name. I told you. She could’ve been anything she wanted to— what, what’s that—what’s happening?”

Something draped over my shoulders, and I shuddered, opening my eyes. It was Lamp!

“You’re shivering,” she said. “Here, let me help you up.”

I looked up at her, and I swear, for a moment. I didn’t know who she was, or why she was touching me. Her hair was now wet, and part of her clothes. There was sadness in her eyes like a priest who had lost his faith, like a dog who had learned being mistreated was a daily part of life. I recoiled and wanted to cover my nakedness, looking down, expecting to see blood. I was covered with a large white towel, not Jini’s blood. It seemed so real. Lamp gently guided me out of the shower. The water from the shower continued to run. I don’t even know how, but somehow, I ended up leaning against the bathroom sink, shivering. Lamp held me, her arms comforting me like a warm blanket. I was cold. So cold. Why was it so cold?

“It’s going to be all right,” she said.

“I don’t know what got into me,” I said, my lips quivering with fear.

I don’t know why I was afraid, I just was, and I didn’t know how to make the feeling subside.

“Shh,” Lamp said. “That…was guilt leaving your body.”

“I was the one who did it. I killed—”

“Shh,” she said, and placed her fingers against my lips. “You hurt me, and I may never forgive you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t forgive yourself.”

I wanted to thank her. Can she forgive me? She was there when I needed her most. Knowing that brought to surface something so confused, but so sure, at the same time. I kissed her finger. And I kissed it again, this time opening my mouth, and letting a sliver of her skin into my mouth.

“Whoa,” she said, and stepped back.

“What are you doing?”

There was such horror in her eyes, I froze, scared, embarrassed, humiliated. My towel fell, and there I was, standing in front of her, nude. Part of my body was still wet from the shower. The anger in her face softened. Her mouth opened slightly. I saw her eyes fight not to look, but they lost the battle. Lamp rushed me, slamming me against the side wall of the bathroom. I gasped and before I could close my mouth, she bit my bottom lip.

“This is…wrong,” I said.

The words had barely escaped my mouth before her lips were on my neck, sucking. I inhaled abruptly, and she bit hard, breaking my skin. Lamp drank my blood. And it was good. I cradled my face on her shoulder, and let the darkness swallow me.

Don’t miss this title:

G.S. Gerry

G. S. Gerry is the award-winning author of Meth Murder & Amazon. His books are quirky and utterly unique, jam-packed with humor, suspense, satire and more. He is a father of 5, Navy veteran, cybersecurity expert, and tattoo enthusiast. He creates humorous experiences, writing wrongs along the way. Gerry’s original writing style has been compared to the likes of Hunter S. Thompson and Lemony Snicket. Gerry grew up in the world of books working for his father’s book bindery business when he was just a child. Little did he know the literary universe had something more in store for his life.

G. S. Gerry’s creations offer an escape from life’s harsh realities by providing a hilarious perspective in turning lemons into lemonade. Constructing a world where the unbelievable seems made up and yet, oddly relatable. Gerry’s visionary approach towards life, laughter and entertainment bridges comedy and originality with memorable creations, leaving no stone unturned to help others laugh their way to a better today.

Uncaged welcomes G.S. Gerry

Welcome to Uncaged! You write humorous horror, and your latest will release on September 22 called Hysterical Hangouts with the Hindlegs. Can you tell readers more about this book?

Hysterical Hangouts with The Hindlegs is a contemporary fiction story infused with humor, satire, suspense, and more. It is a groundbreaking concept that is a true to life reality show in literary form. It follows the timehonored tradition of finding the partner of your dreams, falling in love, and meeting the family. But not everything is at it seems and the main character, Viktor Sniperbone, secretly records all of the interactions with “the family”. What happens when families stop being polite and start being real? Follow along as you immerse yourself in the unforgettable family dynamics, unparalleled drama, near-death antics, and outrageous escapades of Hysterical Hangouts with The Hindlegs.

I like to use my own personal experiences to shape my stories. I am blessed to have been married for 18 years to my beautiful wife and we have 5 children together. I still remember to this day when I met her parents for the first time and later finding out she has 7 brothers and sisters! So, for my second book I thought it would be fun to create a reality show experience based on meeting the family. When you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, it’s a magical experience. And part of that experience is being introduced to their side of the family and forming relationships with your significant other’s family. Sometimes those relationships and the events that transpire can be outrageous and out of this world. Family drama and the family dynamics are fascinating. Families are good and bad, crazy and wild, funny and so much more. Then, you throw an outsider into the mix and you have a recipe for something truly incredible.

What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

I am working on creating a suite of characters for each of my books using the power of AI (artificial intelligence). AI is a trending topic and I thought this presented a great opportunity to try something unique to bring my characters to life. Using AI, I can really see my vision come to life for each of the characters. Once they are complete, I plan to upload the characters to my Amazon listing as well as to my website with a short bio and some fun facts about the main characters of each book.

What is the most difficult scene for you to write?

What is the easiest?

The opening scene I think is the most difficult. Not that it is difficult to write, but it is the first opportunity to really draw the reader in and welcome them to the journey of this story. If the opening scene isn’t captivating, then I have lost the audience before the story ever gets going. I typically write a chapter at a time, then re-read and revise, and revise until it flows well and is as captivating as possible.

The easiest scene to write is the ending. The ending is my final chance to summarize the story and keep the reader guessing on just where this journey will end. Sometimes it is a happily ever after, story closed. Other times, I will leave the ending open, so the readers know to expect a follow-up book at some time in the future.

How do you come up with names for your characters?

The characters names are my favorite part of the entire writing process. My goal is to create memorable characters and use names that induce laughter upon every reference. Usually, I create the characters and choose their names based on their positive or negative traits. If the character has positive characteristics and adds value to the story, then I will use that aspect to create a fitting name and prop them up throughout the story. Similarly, if the character has

negative characteristics or is the villain of the story, I use that to my advantage to give them a humorous and awful name that I poke fun at constantly throughout the story.

Do you read reviews? What do you take away from them?

I absolutely read the reviews for my books. I really enjoy seeing what people think of my stories and the writing style I use in my stories. My writing style is unique and stands apart from anything else out there right now. So, I will read the reviews and then actually use them for content to post on social media or create a testimonial section on my website.

What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

I’m not an avid reader. Growing up, I was an athlete and was always outside playing sports. I was the kid that watched movies to complete my book reports because I didn’t have the time, or rather didn’t make the time, to read the books. As I’ve gotten older, I realize that reading is a part of everyone’s life. Especially for work. I read a ton for work and so the kid who didn’t want to read, reads a ton for his cybersecurity job.

Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?

The plot comes first. I really like to create unique experiences for the readers and as I think about what to write, I will do some research to determine if that plot has been done before. Has it been successful? What was the premise? What were the reviews like?

Once I determine my path for the plot, I then start coming up with the ideas for the characters and their names. I do have a bank of humorous character names that I reference, but sometimes I just create them on the fly based on how the story starts to unfold.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

I like to workout with my sons and wife and enjoy

watching entertaining shows and movies. We recently finished Peaky Blinders, which is one of the best shows ever made. We also like Breaking Bad (no surprise, I’m sure, given my exposure w/ Meth trying to sell my house haha), Prison Break, House, and a ton of others.

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

I prefer audiobooks. I just finished C. S. Lewis’ ‘A Grief Observed’ not too long ago. It helped me deal with the passing of my mom and C. S. Lewis is just a tremendous author. I also came to realize that his writing style and mine have a lot of similarities, which was really cool to see personally.

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

I would like to end by telling the fans, BE YOURSELF!

We are all as unique as our fingerprints. This is your biggest competitive advantage in life and as an author. Use your uniqueness to bring something new and fresh to the world. If you are a writer, write what you know and you can’t go wrong. That also happens to be a famous quote by Mark Twain…so you are in good hands writing what you know.

You can find me on my website https://gsgerry.com. My website features humorous blogs, news, interviews, some merch, as well as free recipes to make at home. My website also has my social media channels, which I primarily use Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

Stay Connected

Enjoy an excerpt from Hysterical Hangouts with the Hindlegs

Hysterical Hangouts with the Hindlegs

G.S. Gerry Humorous Fiction

Releases September 22

What happens when families stop being polite and start being real?

In a world where reality is stranger than fiction, Viktor Sniperbone’s inspired idea takes you on a hilarious wild ride filled with near-death antics, secrets, and the crazy dynamics of one unforgettable family.

Meet Viktor Sniperbone, a guy who seems to have it all — youth, good health, independence, and a promising future. But something’s missing. When he meets Mandi Hindleg, the woman of his dreams, his life takes an unexpected turn.

They’ve only been dating for six months, and yet Viktor is convinced she’s “the one”. The only hurdle? Meeting Mandi’s quirky family, the Hindlegs.

Viktor then hatches a crazy plan to secretly film the Hindleg family, capturing their real-life drama like you’ve never seen before. Get ready for an uncut, authentic reality show that will redefine the literary game and leave an indelible mark.

gsgerry.com

As family members shed their polite facades and embrace their true selves, hilarity ensues and a wild rollercoaster of events awaits. Experience the erratic highs and lows, the stomach-aching laughter, as Viktor navigates the Hindlegs’ very own unpredictable make-shift reality TV.

Will his audacious endeavor lead to discovery, chaos, or a revelation that changes everything?

Excerpt

. . . something else entirely.

CHAPTER TWO

Attempt #2: To Dawbee, From Hell

With Caffwe out of the way, The Grake’s are finally able to solve the equation to the complex formula; buy low, sell. As they continue advancing their plan, charging towards Attempt #2.

If you thought June was a rollercoaster filled with meth-ic twists and turns, and sphincter-inducing excitement, you haven’t witnessed a thing yet! Buckle up, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

The ‘methacoaster’ picks up speed, careening down the track. Executing a menacing, deathdefying drop at a bajillion forces of g. Before you can relax your cheeks, the coaster completes another aerial maneuver, the vertical loop.

You’re down.

You’re up.

Sideways. Slantways.

Screaming. Crying. Whatever suits the mood, in the never-ending chase for the ultimate thrill. As with any good ‘coaster, there’s more than the initial butthole puckering drop and a single loop. There’s so much more! It’s a series of chaotic loops, corkscrews, twists, and unpredictable drops. Each turn more unnerving than the next. Gravitational forces jolt and jerk your body around, whiplashing you violently about with extreme prejudice. Transforming your innards into liquid-y outtards. Gurgle, gurgly, gurgles, gurk, gurk...KerSplat! Whoopsie someone had a poopsie. June marked the beginning, the beginning of the end.

July marks

An abundance of dreadful trauma and tragedy awaits The Grake’s. It’s gonna be a brutal assault on your senses as you ride aboard the one-of-a-kind thrill ride. You’re gonna twist. You’re gonna flip. Wrack your brain till you get a migraine. Your eyeballs will be sucked to the back of their sockets.

There’s no end. No way out. No way off the ride. Not even death can save you…

It’s time to settle in and get ready for the sheetshow. The stage is set for Attempt #2.

Dawbee the Snobby and Mr. Grake enter into a seller’s agreement, under the misguided direction of himself on July 6th, which will henceforth be known as Attempt #2.

The ink is dry with Slashosaurus Max and it’s time to put in work. With a name like Slashosaurus Max, what do you imagine happens next ?

.

That’s right, genius.

You guessed it.

The Sky Scrapin’ State dream listing price, Slash/ed. $4.80 apparently being expensive; I believe the technical term is “overpriced”, so The Grake’s must settle on a more affordable listing price…$4.69. They’re basically giving this away. Offering their property in secluded Stage Coach Estates at the fraction of a cost. Interested parties will kill for a chance to take this off The Grake’s hands.

In hindsight, switching assassins and changing realty firms doesn’t seem like a difficult process. Just dot the I’s and cross the t’s. Eazy, breezy. Seem-ple.

No eaze, zero breeze.

A Life in Motion

Life in rural Wisconsin

A New Beginning

A Life in Motion – September/October 2023

A New Beginning

Even though I’ve left that small farm I lived on to a rural home on about 1/2 acre, I still maintain my country roots. The home we moved into was built in the 50’s, and even though the bones of the house are in excellent condition, the interior needs a lot of love. So I will share my renovations of this home as we go along. The yard and new garden will be worked on next season, as we moved in too late in the year to really get much accomplished. I still have my horses, but they were moved into a boarding facility. I will have some chickens next year, the great thing about being rural is I can still have those, and my daughter is wanting ducks too. We will see....they might want to mingle with the neighbors ducks...

My mother passed away in March 2023 after a year long battle with cancer. After the whole summer of 2022 going to treatments which wore her out just getting her to the car, and into the facility, when the cancer popped up in her lymph nodes, she called it. She was done with going to treatments, she wanted to spend the rest of the time in her home with her family. So seeing the signs, I moved my horses into a nice boarding facility and it took a lot of pressure off me, since I was the main caregiver. I gave my goats to a great couple who spoil them rotten. After she passed away, it was time to figure out our next step. The house was under a reverse mortgage, and none of us in the family wanted to purchase the home. My brother’s wife owns two houses that were left to her from her father that she rents out. One of those homes had a women who hadn’t paid rent in over a year and because of Covid, she had to wait to take her to court and evict her. So when that was finally accomplished, we had a place to move to without worrying about the pets that we still have.

So the home we moved to, needs a lot of care. Paint, plaster fixing, and floor refinishing. But we will take it one step at a time, since every room needs our help, and as renters, we have my sister-in-law’s ap-

proval to fix up the place. It’s a charming home, and in a pretty quiet area where we are still considered rural. This year we will concentrate on the inside, and next we will concentrate on the outside and I’ll share my before and afters as we go along.

Today I’m going to share a money and time saving way to feed a family of three for a week without having to cook every single day. When I plan meals and do the meal prep, I can work around the sales at the different stores I go to for all my meals. Anytime I see a recipe that would be great as a meal prep, I normally double the recipe to get extra servings. So I’ll make a minimum of four different meals that will fill at least six meal prep containers of each recipe. All the meals I prepare will last in the refrigerator for a week. If they aren’t eaten within that week, I put them in the freezer for a later time, and then they can store up to three months.

First off, you’ll need meal prep containers. I have 3 sizes, 28oz, 32oz and 36oz. and got them off Amazon. I also

got some dissolvable labels which are the coolest thing ever. They just dissolve in the dishwasher or sink with water and nothing remains.

Gather your ingredients and plan on spending some quality time with your appliances in the kitchen. I’ve been known to have a crockpot, air fryer, NuWave oven and rice cooker all going at the same time. Even the grills jump in on the action.

The best meats that work well with meal prep is ground beef, chicken, shrimp, turkey and some porks. Some of the cuts of beef don’t do as well because when you go to warm up the food, it over cooks and becomes tougher. Pasta, rice and most potatoes do well also.

Here is a couple of my meal prep bowls that I’ve done and were good choices:

Smoked Beef Brisket

The first is a cajun spicy shrimp, layered with cilantro lime rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes and cheese. The second picture is a vegetarian meal with sweet potatoes, broccoli and zuchini - but you if you want meat with this group, you can always fix a nice steak to go with it, it will still save you a ton of time.

This recipe is grilled chicken breasts with fresh asparagus, tomatoes and avocado on a bed of rice with green goddess dressing drizzled on top.

So find your own groove if you’d like to get out of the kitchen and spend more time doing other things. These meal preps have saved me so much time and after we moved, I’ve barely had time to get them going again. Don’t be afraid to experiment and some good websites that I frequent are listed below.

http://budgetbytes.com, https://www.yummly.com, https://gimmedelicious.com/ and https://tasty.co

©Copyright 2023 Cyrene Olson

www.uncagedbooks.com

Cyrene@UncagedBooks.com

I don’t have a traditional smoker outside, but I purchased a Slow-n-Sear insert for my Weber kettle grill and it works amazingly. Great for people just starting to get into the smoking. This brisket recipe is the bomb, the meat will melt in your mouth and if you’ve never had smoked brisket, you are seriously missing out on one of the best meats to use on a smoker.

Ingredients

1 Beef Brisket (4-8 lbs)

Olive oil

Apple Cider Vinegar in a spray bottle

Seasoning/Rub (I use a seasoning that is premade at the local store I shop at, but all you need if you don’t have that is below:

Smoked Paprika

Salt and Pepper

Garlic Powder

Heat your smoker or your grill. On mine, the water is placed in the first thin channel and the charcoal and soaked wood of choice is in the larger side. I put a drip pan under the open spot on the bottom rack.

If your brisket has a ton of fat, trim off a lot of

excess. My briskets come pre-trimmed at the store. Next rub the brisket with some olive oil to help bind the seasonings to the meat. Rub the meat liberally with the seasonings, nicely coating both sides. Place on a oiled rack in the smoker, flat side down. I’ve smoked brisket in a foil pan on top of the rack, and without. It works well either way.

Depending on the size of the roast you are smoking, the minimum smoking time is 6 hours. I’ve done a 4 lb at 6 hours and an 8 lb at 10 hours. So plan accordingly!

Every hour, check on the charcoals and wood chips and the water in the channel (keeps the brisket very moistif you don’t have a regular smoker - place your coals on one side and a metal container of water near the coals on the bottom). Add more coals as needed and spray the brisket with the apple cider vinegar every hour. Try to keep the smoker low in temperature, around 225 degrees. On a kettle grill it’s trial and error, but opening the bottom holes only halfway is how I keep it lower. Don’t hurry the brisket, the longer times will get it to the tenderest meat, and when the internal temp reads 190-195, you are ready.

Let it stand for 15 minutes before slicing and enjoy!

Let me know if you try it!

Wales: My Country and its Influence on my Writing

Guest column by Catherine McCarthy

Guest Column

Wales: My Country and its Influence on my Writing

by Catherine McCarthy

Wales, one of four small countries which make up the United Kingdom, is a land of contradiction and contrast. From the former coal mining valleys in the south, to the mountainous National Parks in the north, Wales is renowned for its language, its friendly people, its national flag which features a red dragon (Y Ddraig Goch), and... rain! Yes, we have plenty of rain here.

And one more thing: in Wales, sheep outnumber people four to one.

As a writer, my surroundings provide a wealth of opportunity for writing. I grew up in the industrial south, and went on to teach there for twenty-eight years. As a child, the landscape, with its many coal mines (almost all of which are now closed), was pretty bleak. Slag-heaps and abandoned coal carts were our playground, and after a day playing outdoors we would arrive home with faces as filthy as the coal miners’.

In every valley, towering metal structures loomed out of the ground. Winding wheels groaned and spun as they lowered the men into pit bottom, and you knew, even as a child, that ‘down there’ was pitch dark, nothing but coal dust which corroded lungs and turned wounds into everlasting blue-black scars. I remember an uncle who wore one such scar above his left eye. It fascinated me, the colour. If your dad didn’t work down the pit, your uncle did, or your grandfather, or neighbour. It was impossible to be brought up in a coal mining town and not be influenced by it.

I’m a little too young (just) to remember the Aberfan disaster which featured in the Netflix series, The Crown. However, the tragedy struck just a few miles from where I lived, and, like J.F.K’s assassination or 9/11, no-one forgot where they were when they heard the news. Days of relentless rain caused 150 000 tonnes of coal sludge to avalanche onto the primary school, killing 116 children and 28 adults. Those were the kind of stories I grew up with. And those are the kind of stories that stick.

After teaching in South Wales for twenty-eight years, I escaped the valleys and moved to West Wales where the grass is greener, beautiful beaches can be found within spitting distance, and Welsh is still most peoples’ first language. Now I’m free to write every day, free to roam the scenic coast-path or amble beside the many rivers, and life is glorious!

My husband is an artist/photographer, so we often pack a picnic and set off on a shoot at a moment’s notice (or when the rain finally stops). We adore old churches and graveyards and can often be found haunting such places. Ancient churches provide a wealth of story potential: unique atmosphere, incredible architecture which seems to defy everything the Welsh climate throws at it, and they also offer a dip into personal stories inscribed on gravestones. My novella, Mosaic, which published in August 2023, is set in such a church. It’s the story of a stained glass artist who is asked to renovate the window of a 13th century church, nestled in ancient woodland. I don’t want to give too much away, but what she uncovers during the restoration is far more dramatic than she expected.

Many of my stories are set on or close to the Atlantic coast. During the pandemic I wrote a story called Ysbrid Y Môr (Spirit of the Sea). The story was published in a

local arts magazine, and can be listened to via the link on my website. (See biography)

A little further along the coast from where Ysbrid Y Môr is set lies the tiny hamlet of Mwnt, with its tiny whitewashed church set on the cliff-top. In 2018, the funeral of Ray Thomas, founding member of The Moody Blues, was held in this little church beside the sea. It is also the setting of my novella, Immortelle, a Gothic ghost story, which was published by Off Limits Press in 2021.

Another story set locally is my dark fantasy novel, The Wolf and the Favour, which publishes in October 2023 with Brigids Gate Press. In fact, this novel is set in the two-hundred-year-old farmhouse in which I live. It tells the story of Hannah, a young girl who has Down syndrome and plenty of ambition. However, in order to achieve her true potential Hannah must first overcome the many stumbling blocks that are in her path, both literally and figuratively.

I’ll end by mentioning Carreg Samson from my short story collection, Mists and Megaliths. This one is told from the point of view of a cromlech. Wales is riddled with standing stones, cairns, cromlechs and castles, and this one is set in the former fishing village of Abercastle, in the neighbouring county of Pembrokeshire. It’s a love story of sorts, but not your usual kind. It also carries a moral message about the way we treat the natural environment. I will be forever grateful to horror master, Ramsey Campbell, for the kind words he wrote about this story. Referring to it being told from the point of view of a cromlech, he said... “Catherine McCarthy’s extraordinary saga gives a stone a voice. Might it be a distant cousin of those rocks that inhabit a nightmarish landscape in Machen’s “The White People”? As well as a heart unhappily close to human, it has the soul of the land it inhabits, on whose behalf it exacts a terrible revenge. That the author makes us care about the dilemma and the suffering of such an object is an achievement close to mystical.”

So, Wales... Land of my Fathers, Land of Song, Home of the Red Dragon... you will always hold a special place in my heart.

Long may you offer a nudge to the nib of my pen!

Please note: Links to the stories and books mentioned in this article can be found via my website below.

©Copyright 2023 Catherine McCarthy for Uncaged Book Reviews

www.uncagedbooks.com

Published with Permission

Catherine McCarthy is the author of the novellas Immortelle and Mosaic and the novel A Moonlit Path of Madness. Her short fiction has been published in various anthologies and magazines, including those by Black Spot Books, Brigids Gate Press, and Dark Matter Ink.

In 2020 she won the Aberystwyth University Prize for her short fiction, a competition judged by the assistant editor of the Times Literary Supplement.

A former primary school teacher, she now weaves dark tales from her farmhouse in West Wales. Time away from the loom is spent hiking the Welsh coast path or huddled in an ancient graveyard reading Dylan Thomas or Poe.

Find her at https://www.catherine-mccarthy-author.com/ or at https://twitter.com/serialsemantic

feature authors

Kim Confrey

Larynn Ford

Mads Rafferty

Kim conrey

Kim Conrey is the recipient of the Georgia Author of the Year Award for Romance. She’s also the author of the sci-fi romance series Ares Ascending and the urban fantasy series The Wayward Saviors. When she’s not working on her next book, you can find her trail running or cosplaying as a Box Hero Wonder Woman in Atlanta’s Dragon Con Parade. She also writes about living with the misunderstood condition of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Her stories and essays have been published in regional and local press as well. In addition, she serves as VP of Operations for the Atlanta Writers Club and collaborates on the Wild Women Who Write Take Flight podcast.

Uncaged welcomes Kim Conrey

Welcome to Uncaged! The second book in the series “Ares Ascending” called Losing Ares will release October 12. Can you tell readers more about this book and the series?

Beginning with book one, Stealing Ares, for which I am over the moon (note the sci-fi-like space reference there) to announce I recently won Georgia Author of the Year in the Romance category, is set on Mars 500 years in the future. The colony there has been neglected since the caldera under Yellowstone National Park erupted, spreading ashen death around the Earth. Worse, the grandest starship of all time, the HMS Ares, has gone dormant when the colony needs her most. This creates a horrible situation for the colonists and an opportunistic one for the Earth coalition: they use the colonists as a type of slave labor. Naturally, my oh-sostrong protagonist Harlow Hanson, the Robin Hood of the colonies, is having none of it. She will steal, fight, or scheme to help those she calls family. When Prince Jack Windsor arrives, grief stricken after the death of his wife and child and ready to throw himself into the mystery of the sleeping HMS Ares, everyone doubts

his so-called good intentions for the colony. Harlow Hanson sneaks on board to strip the sleeping ship of its resources, and it springs to life and begins speaking to her. The prince realizes the woman stealing from him is the key he’s been searching for. She awakens the ship and the grieving prince’s heart, but all too soon she’s forced to betray him while the fate of two planets hangs in the balance.

In book two, Losing Ares, everyone’s good intentions backfire on them. Prince Jack’s newly formed coalition to get fair wages for the colonists ends up sparking upheaval in the colonies between the loyalists and rebels, leading to clashes that cost lives. The love story we follow in book two between Sgt. Carlos Gonsalves and Safia Asfour is fraught with difficulty as Carlos attempts to love her, but she’s running so fast from her demons that this takes her away from him as well. When Harlow teaches Safia to fight, she becomes a force to be reckoned with, but nothing can stop the predator who shows up to torment her under the guise of a savior. Losing Ares shows just how far the colonists will go to protect the people they call family. Carlos is about to prove it, even if he must punch a hole through

two planets to save the woman he loves.

What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

I have three projects going on now because I thrive on being in over my head! As VP of Operations for the Atlanta Writers Club, I know writers who are published with the huge publishing houses all the way down to those published by the smallest presses and self-published authors, but what they all have in common is that they don’t know much or anything about book marketing. So, an author friend who was published by a large publishing house only to find that they did no marketing for him then cut him loose when the book didn’t sell well, decided to write

a book with me for first-time authors about nearly all aspects of marketing. I’m also writing the third book in the Ares series and the next book in my paranormal romance series The Wayward Saviors. The first, Nicholas Eternal, was released this summer. I’m never bored.

What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?

Because I’m a “quilter,” I start by writing random scenes. I might write opening scenes, some in the middle, and the end, and then need to go back in and stitch them all together. So, the hardest part is how to get from A to G or H to T. I attribute this to being a very visual person. I see everything in my head first. Sometimes I even dream scenes. I strike while the iron is hot. I know, it’s a cliché, but it works. I refuse to waste the inspiration in my

head and force myself to write in order when I feel inspired to write a particular scene right now. So, the most difficult scene for me to write is the one that stitches together two of the disconnected scenes I felt passionate about. In the end, I feel good about those difficult scenes as well, but they do challenge me. The easiest scene is the one I can see clearest in my head—every action and each line of dialog.

How do you come up with names for your characters?

I believe naming a thing is of utmost importance. I once read in one of Gabaldon’s Outlander books, “Ye do not call a thing unless ye wish it to come.” Therefore, the meaning of a name is important to me, whether they sound strong or weak. How they feel. It all matters to me. When I first came up with Carlos Gonsalves’ name, it felt like a strong, honorable name the very moment it drifted into my consciousness. The more I wrote, the more I LOVED Carlos. He was kind, loyal, and honorable and had a good heart. What was it about this Marine? I felt compelled to look up the name. When I did, I sat there stunned, just staring at the screen. There was a real Marine with the same name who had a base named after him—a jungle warfare training camp in Okinawa— because he had thrown himself on a grenade to save his fellow Marines. He was only 19. I ended up weaving a little of this into the story to honor that real-life hero.

Do you read reviews? What do you take away from them?

I do read them. While I know I can’t please everyone, I do try to see if there is a pattern among them. If there is, I pay attention. I’d be a fool not to. I refuse to let my ego stand in the way of improvement.

What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

I used to take Kung Fu from a traditional Chinese master who would fill a canvas bag with rocks and

have us punch it. When the skin would come off our knuckles and leave blood on the bag, Sifu Lau would say, “See, that’s because you aren’t snapping the punch correctly. Go again.” Pain is a fine teacher. I love to see the way people’s face twist when I tell that story. It makes me laugh. I do have a degenerative elbow now, which I attribute to that, but, hey, I was where I wanted to be, and I learned what I wanted from the experience: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It doesn’t have to make sense to everyone. We’re all wired differently.

Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?

It’s a mix of both, but it leans more character heavy. As a reader, I don’t care if you have a phenomenal plot. If you can’t make me care about the characters, I’m out.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

I don’t relax well. I’m working on that. I’m nearly always writing or working on something related to writing or books. I do a podcast with three other women writers called the Wild Women Who Write Take Flight and serve as VP of Operations for the Atlanta Writers Club, but I try to carve out time to run in order to decompress and work through plot problems in my head. A hard run tends to knock them loose. I also enjoy spending time with my family. I’ll put everything on hold if I feel like they haven’t been getting enough time from me.

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

I prefer physical books, but when I realize I’m running out of shelf space, I’ll force myself to buy ebooks for a while, but I don’t really care for the experience. I’m on book 6 of Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series. I also read local authors books to help support and encourage them.

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

To fans, I’d like to say that I respect their time. There are millions of books out there. If they choose my books out of those millions, I consider it an honor, and I don’t take the honor lightly. I hope they consider the time they spend on my novels to be time well spent, and I hope they’ll review those books online to encourage others to take a chance on my work.

Stay Connected

Enjoy

13

Losing Ares shows just how far the colonists will go to protect the ones they call family. Carlos Gonsalves is about to prove it, even if he must punch a hole through two planets to save the woman he loves.

Excerpt

Since Safia had left him, Carlos had found it nearly impossible to be alone in his quarters at night. The place was haunted now. It made his chest hurt. He’d taken to either having beers with some of the others

at O’Malley’s or patrolling the area around the Ares or village streets. He watched a figure emerge from the shadows near Judith’s home, look in every direction, and slip into yet another shadow, and then just when he thought he’d lost them, he caught a shimmer of something, a chameleon cloak. Thanks to his night vision implants and training to see the subtle displacement in the visual field the cloak created, he could follow whoever it was as they continued to the outskirts of the village. This was someone looking to do something on the sly, and that meant trouble. He couldn’t see their face in the darkness. It occurred to him to simply call out, but he worried he’d be passing up a golden opportunity to find out where a terrorist cell might be hidden, a chance to gain info that might save Jack’s life someday. That thought alone kept him from making his presence known.

They were getting closer to that jackass Vince’s house. Anger flared deep in his gut. Just that morning he’d been discussing with Jack how they might bring him to justice. He’d beaten his wife on more than one occasion, and now he was threatening to take their son from her if she didn’t return to let him do more of the same. He was claiming it wasn’t him who did it but her lover. She swore she’d not been seeing anyone. Plus, there were old charges filed on Vince for assault. So, he clearly had a history. His father was on the colony council and had made some deals previously to keep his son out of the Bastille. If this stealthy person was planning on breaking and entering, then Carlos had a moral obligation to call colony security, but he didn’t want to. What if this person killed Vince? Did he care? After seeing what he had done to Maricopa and knowing he wanted to get his son back just so he could teach him to do the same, Carlos wasn’t sure this man deserved to live.

The shadowed figure paused a good thirty feet from the home and scanned it. They knew what they were doing. They were tagging the man’s location within the house. Smart. Oddly, though, they ditched their chameleon cloak. That part made no sense to him, unless they wanted him to know who they were, or they didn’t want any advantages. He studied the

person as they scanned the house. They were actually fairly small. Maybe 5’6” and was this a woman?

What if the person going in got killed? How skilled were they? The men and women under his command were very well trained, gender aside. He had confidence in them. The person pulled a mask over their face, though he still couldn’t make out who it was in the shadows, took a key from their pocket, and went inside. Still, he worried. Was it Maricopa going in there to kill him? No, she was shorter than this woman. How did they get a key? He ran low to the window where the vigilante had just stood. Vince walked into the living room with a sandwich. Now he moved out of view. Damn it!

Carlos moved to another window, hearing muffled voices from inside, but he couldn’t see past the curtain. He searched one window after another and ended up running all the way around the house, looking for a way to see what was happening. By the time he found a window with an unobscured view, Vince had gotten the woman on the ground. He saw only their legs. Panic flared in Carlos’s gut. Then, to his relief, he saw only one set of legs, Vincent’s, and the man had rolled onto his side. Carlos spotted a small ledge of brick jutting from the wall and tucked the toe of his boot in so that he could pull himself up and to the left to see more. The vigilante held a phaser weapon on Vincent, shot him, then turned to leave, he assumed.

He ran around to the front door just in time to hear it opening. When he saw the woman emerge, he ducked back into the shadows and exhaled a deep breath.

He began following her, but she seemed to walk in circles. Whoever she was, she had thought about this, received some training, and prepared for the possibility of being followed. Then she walked to Judith’s house, and Carlos knew the silence had to end. He didn’t know what business this person had there, but it couldn’t be with Safia and… dear Lord, was Harlow at it again? Prince Jack had enough problems without his wife going

“Harlow?”

The woman whipped her head around. “Carlos?” she said in a voice thick with distortion and took off running.

She ran into a bank of trees behind Judith’s house, but he guessed her miners mask would end up being a hindrance to her once they entered the uneven, rocky ground of the forest. It wasn’t long before she tripped and quickly scrambled to her feet but not before giving him the advantage he needed to tackle her.

As she lay gasping beneath him, he yanked the mask from her face. “Safia! What are you doing?”

She shoved him off and stood. “I’m doing what no one else will do. We…” She stopped speaking, turned off the distortion necklace disguising her voice, and continued. “We have an entire army, and we can’t bring in one wife-beating SOB?”

He exhaled his own frustration over the issue. “You’re absolutely right, but I don’t want you doing it.”

“I didn’t ask your permission.”

“I don’t mean it that way. Why are you so mad at me? I just don’t want you to get hurt or killed. I couldn’t live with that. I couldn’t…” He clamped his mouth shut as he realized he was talking to the woman who left him. He felt suddenly vulnerable and angry. He’d already said too much. Tipped too much of his hand. Now she could see she’d hurt him. Why did it matter? Why was he protecting her? She did hurt him.

“I’m not mad at you,” she breathed. “I’ve never been mad at you.”

“Vince could’ve killed you.”

He watched as she sighed, took the miners mask the rest of the way off her head, removed her gloves, shook her hair from its bun, and looked at him. “It’s something I had to do.”

“Because of what happened to you in Toledo? Vince was a stand-in for whoever that guy was?”

She remained silent.

In the distance, they heard the emergency

code repeating from a colony security vehicle headed, likely, to Vince’s home.

Carlos turned to look through the tree line and confirmed the security vehicles in the distance. “Oh, my God. You didn’t kill him, did you?”

“Of course not!”

“Well, I wasn’t about to turn you in if you did. I just wondered—”

“You wouldn’t? I mean, no second thoughts. You wouldn’t?”

“Well, no.”

He held his breath for a long moment as her eyes locked with his. He watched her take a long, shuddering breath.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. Carlos, I thought about it. You know, I could free Maricopa by killing Vince. I didn’t know it was so easy to consider doing something like that.”

Carlos watched her struggling to breathe. She reached underneath her shirt and pulled at some sort of undergarment. “It clearly isn’t easy for you. It’s tearing you up.”

“I can’t breathe. I’ve got to get this thing off.”

“What thing?”

“I wore a binder to hide my shape.” She turned around and removed her shirt. She twisted and struggled to get out of it. “I’m stuck in this damn thing.”

“Hold still. I’ll help you.”

He ran his hands underneath the binder, feeling her warm skin beneath his. She felt so good. She’d only been gone a few weeks, but already he ached every night as he tried to fall asleep without her next to him. He was barely able to get his next words out. “Hold your arms up.”

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Author William “Bill” Fortenbaugh

Mads rafferty

Mads Rafferty since the day she was born lived her life through her heart and dreams. Letting her imagination run wild while her heart filled the gaps of the story, making her experiences feel like her true reality. Like her fur baby Lola, she too is a water child at heart. An intricate part of herself feels at peace when around the ocean.

Like all others, her life has been full of hardships, and at the young age of twenty-four, she has not only battled mental illness, but also celebrated four years of sobriety, moved across the world alone, chased her dreams, traveled the world, and written a book. She did not let her hardships drag her down, no matter how hard they tried, instead, she let it fuel her.

By taking her life experiences and emotions she’s written a book with the message of holding onto hope. She also adores morally grey fictional characters and books that make you swoon.

Uncaged welcomes Mads Rafferty

1) Welcome to Uncaged! Could you tell readers more about your book, Heir of Broken Fate? Is this a debut novel?

Heir of Broken Fate is my debut romantic fantasy novel. It is the first book in a four-book series, following the journey of Delilah. It is a glorious romantic fantasy story, with the representation of grief, mental health, and what it means to hold onto hope in the darkest of times.

What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

I’m currently in the process of editing book two in the Heir of Broken Fate series! I’m extremely excited about this project. To be able to continue Delilah’s story not

only for myself but for the avid readers that adored Heir of Broken Fate. For those that were lovers of the first book, I can say with certainty that you will fall in love with book two.

What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?

The hardest and yet easiest chapters I find to write are the emotionally driven responses. As a person who feels deeply, I feel grateful to have an art form to pour my emotions into. So, as I find it easy to tap into the well of emotions at my disposal, it is difficult to feel what I make my characters experience.

How do you come up with names for your characters?

I have a list on my phone with close to fifty of my

favorite names. Whenever I hear a name or find inspiration to create one, I write it down. (Conscious to keep any possible baby names away from the steamy fantasy as well)

Do you read reviews? What do you take away from them?

In the beginning, I did, however, I now have my loving partner bring me positive reviews as opposed to myself scrolling on Goodreads. I found that while I was writing book two of Heir of Broken Fate, if someone left a questionable review it would burrow into my mind and get in the way of what I adore most…writing.

So now I am blissfully ignorant of Goodreads and hear the gushing reviews on social media when people message me.

What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

That I didn’t start reading until I was twenty years old. (I am currently twenty-four)

I despised reading when I was younger. I firmly believe that was due to being forced to read textbooks and Shakespeare. If someone put a young adult thriller or romance in my hands my reading journey would have started sooner. Despite that, I’m grateful for my story and how I became a writer.

At the age of twenty, I stopped drinking alcohol, I am now happily four years sober, however at the time I needed something to distract me and to help me through the recovery. Through fate, I picked up a young adult thriller book written by Natasha Preston. I read it in one day and then proceeded to purchase every book she had ever written.

I then devoured those and headed to Barnes and Noble to try and find something similar.

Shortly after, covid hit and I lost my source of income. I had to move back home to Sydney Aus-

tralia from Los Angeles and start all over again….it felt like starting life from scratch.

To deal with the immense anxiety and depression I picked up books again…day in and day out for a year during lockdown I read. I ended up reading over three hundred books that year, averaging around a book a day and so my obsession with romance, thriller, and fantasy began.

Books got me through not only one awful and hard stage in my life but two.

I firmly believe because I read such an immense volume of books in a short amount of time it is how I wrote Heir of Broken Fate. Learning and picking up on what usually took others years to learn about writing, in just

a short amount of time.

For context, I never finished high school.

From then on, my daydreams and fantasies about characters for acting turned into characters for stories in books. Every time I came up with an idea, I wrote it down in my notes app on my phone, until one day I noticed it was a rather large note.

I read through the entirety of it, expecting various story ideas only to come to read the plot for a four-book series. I spent that weekend plotting out not only Heir of Broken Fate but the three books that come after it and the following Monday I began typing. Heir of Broken Fate was written within eight weeks.

Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?

The plot, yet going into most stories I already have an idea of what characters I want to bring into the world and create. I usually start out with tropes and themes I want to write about and then try to choose a story to link it all together.

Similar to how I first created Heir of Broken Fate, every time I have a story idea I write it down in my notes app, and when I’m ready to write the book I read through it, taking away what I think fits and will create a beautiful story.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

Reading. As cliché as that is I adore reading and it is a beautiful escape from reality for my mind. If I’m not reading, I’m usually with my fur baby and partner, creating memories and a story of my own.

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

I prefer physical books! I adore the feel and smell of physical books. I also like being able to put it on my bookshelves as an accomplishment.

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

Thank you for giving Heir of Broken Fate a chance and for loving it as much as I do. I put my entire heart and soul into this story, and it means the world to me that people even read it. Keep an eye out for all updates on book two. Coming early 2024 it will be in your hands!

Stay Connected

Enjoy an excerpt from Heir of Broken Fate

Heir of Broken Fate

Mags Rafferty

Epic Romantic Fantasy

It’s exquisite to see, that something so beautiful, shrouded and hidden by darkness, can still shine bright.

One hundred and fifty years ago the Fae race vanished. Along with their magic and creatures. With the fallen Fae lands the humans were soon to follow as corruption spread throughout the realm. Heir to the throne, Delilah Covington is forced to watch her people suffer under the sinful hands of her father, the king—while she herself suffers his cruel hand. Delilah has longed for change, her prayers going unanswered until she discovers salvation. Fae are alive.

In desperation, Delilah flees her home and crosses the border, in hopes that the Fae will save her people.

Yet she isn’t the only one who needs help. Caught in a web of lies and riddles Delilah’s only chance at hope is Knox, one of the irritating, yet frustratingly charming Fae kings. Together they’ll need to unravel the many mysteries to bring freedom to both their oppressed people, or damn them all.

pain of my lungs screaming for air as it’s stolen from me.

My body sees it coming before I do, locking up every muscle until I’m frozen in place, my blood slowing in preparation to pour out of me. No matter how much I scream no sound slips between my lips. Never mind screaming, it will never do any good. I can never move, never fight. Not with him, never with him. My father is beating me again.

The one who’s supposed to protect me, cherish me, and love me is the one who breaks me every day. Chipping tiny pieces away until I’m nothing but a broken shell of what I used to be. I can never do any good, because it is never enough.

“How dare you disrespect me with such filth!” he booms, the heel of his boot connecting with my stomach.

I don’t dare speak, for the fear of his fists never stopping until I’m buried six feet underground.

“You’re an embarrassment to this family. You should be ashamed of yourself,” he seethes.

Shame? No.

I never feel anything when this happens—not emotionally. Just the brute force of my father’s assault on my body. It’s as if my heart can’t bear to witness, so it checks out until my father is long gone.

I’m not sure what I did to earn this particular beating. Perhaps it was my horrible training lesson this afternoon. My father doesn’t view mistakes as a normal human experience; he sees it as an abomination to not be a perfectly unflawed person.

However, I don’t see Easton running to tell him about my little mistake today. He hates my father more than I do.

Excerpt

No matter how strong I get, I always end up here. Lifeless, helpless, and hopeless.

I feel it physically first, the burn in my cheek as my skin tears open. The protests of my ribs fighting to stay intact. The blast throughout my body as my knees hit the marble floor and the indescribable

My father retracts, straightening his rumpled tunic as he slowly eases himself into the dining room chair. Gently picking up the silver cutlery beside his plate, he cuts into his roast, as if nothing happened. He snaps his fingers once, twice. “Take care of it.”

It. Not daughter.

Servants are next to me in a flash, gentle hands under my arms lifting me to a standing position. I steal a glance toward my mother, who predictably is staring at nothing. She hasn’t been mentally present in a long time, let alone ever stopped this. If she didn’t wear the same bruises I do, I’d hate her more than him for sitting by silently while her only daughter is beaten to a

bloody pulp.

I don’t need to look up to know where I’m going. The aftermath of my father’s rage has become as predictable as a ritual. The servants help me walk the long corridors to the nurse’s quarters where Annie will suck in a deep gasp and rush forward to tend to my wounds, while trying to inconspicuously wipe away the tears that escape.

Annie was hired as the palace’s head nurse before I was born. Besides the graceful ageing of her features, not much has changed over the years. Annie’s still got her gorgeous bright red curls pulled into a tight bun on her head, held by her signature white bow. Gold-ringed, kind eyes that see too much and plump, heart-shaped lips that smile extra wide when she sees me. Annie was unable to conceive children, she says it allowed her to focus all her motherly instincts on me over the years. If it wasn’t for Annie and Easton…I don’t know how I would have survived the past twenty-two years.

“Mean old bastard. I’m surprised he still finds the time to do this, considering the number of people he butchers,” she spits.

My cheeks burn red. There’s the shame my father wanted to see.

Annie clicks her tongue. “His barbaric actions have nothing to do with you. You can’t so much as drop a pea on the floor without getting hit.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that my father kills innocent people.”

That makes Annie pause. “No, it doesn’t,” she says quietly.

I lower my voice. “Any updates on the people?”

I know I can trust Annie with my life, and hers with mine, but my father has people everywhere in this castle that kiss his ass to gain the slightest lick of attention from him. Not to mention the spies that riddle these halls.

Annie’s features visibly shut down, her face going wholly blank, her telltale sign.

“What?” I ask.

Her only response is a muscle ticking in her jaw, the silence in the room suffocating.

“Tell me what happened,” I demand.

“I’ll tell you in the morning. It won’t make a difference whether you know now or later. Right now, you need to rest,” she states.

“How bad is it?” I ask, my stomach sinking as I search

Annie’s eyes.

“Bad.” Hopelessness rings out in her voice.

Everyone’s losing hope that the world will change. The prayers for peace are few and far between. I can’t say I blame them.

I wince as Annie moves in closer, applying a butterfly bandage to my cheek. Her voice comes out so quietly, her lips barely move. “There are too many guards around this evening.”

Before I can respond the chamber doors burst open so hard, they ricochet off the wall, then slam closed from the force. All six foot two of powerful, taut muscles stride across the room. It only takes a second for him to be in front of me, cupping my face gently in his palms. I lift my head, finding green eyes peering down at me.

A sigh releases involuntary, my body relaxing fully. Easton.

I scan every inch of him, each passing second of his presence easing the ache in my chest. Short shaggy brown hair that used to be blond but with age has taken on a rustic brown shade. Tan honey skin that makes his forest green eyes twinkle. Easton’s rigged jaw, clamped teeth, and scowl can’t even make him look unattractive. How can anyone look this attractive while they’re pissed off?

“I’m going to kill him,” he says vehemently. “No, you won’t,” I say gently.

We’ve had this conversation many times before. I used to argue that despite how horrible my father is, no one deserves to be murdered. I stopped arguing that point a long time ago.

Easton pauses, scanning me head to toe before landing his beautiful eyes on my ice blue ones once more. He dips his head, as if coming to an internal decision.

A lopsided grin spreads across his lips. “Yes I will. Annie will help me set the trap.”

“In your dreams, pretty boy. I quite like my fingers and toes,” Annie teases, swatting his hands off my face to apply healing lotion to my new bruises. Easton plants a kiss on my forehead, moving aside to take a seat beside me, his eyes never leaving mine.

Thank you, I mouth.

Easton is my best friend, my other half. We’ve been inseparable since the day we met. His father is the chief guard at the palace, and we met in a truly Easton-fashioned way. He found me crying, hiding in a bush from my guards in the back garden after falling off my horse and skidding my knees raw. He climbed inside the bush, taking a seat beside me, only to pull one of my braids as he made a raspberry sound. “Stop crying so much, you sound like a girl,” he had said. I then enjoyed giving him a thirty-minute tongue lashing, teaching him the proper etiquette on how to care for someone who is crying. Girl or boy, there was no need to be a sexist pig. I had no idea what “sexist” meant at the ripe age of five; I did, however, hear Annie muttering it under her breath the day before when speaking about my father. Looking back on it now, it was most certainly the right word to use. Learning from his lesson, Easton’s now a professional at consoling me. He knows what I need before I do.

“All done. No training tomorrow, you’ve got two bruised ribs, and a split lip and cheek.” Annie stares me down, her eyes as hard as steel. “I mean it, Delilah Covington. No training tomorrow.”

I nod, suddenly too tired for words.

Easton’s eyes flash with pain for a split second before his happy demeanor returns. Holding out his hand, he offers, “Come on, I’ll run you a bath.”

I ease to my feet, Annie and Easton both lunging forward to grab my arms.

Planting a quick kiss on Annie’s cheek, I murmur, “Thank you.”

Her eyes soften. “Don’t thank me. Not for this.” ~

I don’t know what home feels like, but I’m certain it doesn’t feel like this. The palace itself isn’t the problem; it’s the most beautiful palace I’ve ever seen—which doesn’t surprise me, as my father has to be and have the best. Cream walls line the corridor with columns painted black, while crimson red-carpet runners contrast the white marble floor. Every ten steps showcase a new art piece, each one having an outrageous price tag attached. There’s color everywhere in the palace. Yet no matter how many flowers or colorful art pieces they place around the halls, it never takes away the

slithering cold and detached feeling it emanates. Walking up the grand double staircase, we reach the top floor, rounding the corner to the east wing. I have the entire wing to myself, while my parents have the west. It’s an outrageous amount of room, but I don’t complain. I can go days without seeing my father. Easton shares the east wing with me, his room being across the hall from mine and as big as my own. When he became my personal guard, I insisted that he stay near me. Convincing my father of my idea for once, I sold the pitch with the safety of his precious belonging always being guarded and watched.

Considering Easton and I both have troubled homes and families, I thought it would be best if we stuck together.

In my peripheral, I see Easton glancing my way every second step. I know because I’m counting. I give him ten more steps until he spits out whatever’s on his mind.

We pass the black glass side table housing red roses— three steps. A painting of a rainbow arching over the Claremont River—six steps. Then finally, my white ensuite door—nine steps.

“I can come in and keep you company, if you want,” Easton offers, taking his tenth step.

“East, you know I love you…” I trail off. “But no.” Like I said, it’s a routine at this point and unfortunately, I know it won’t change anytime soon.

Wrapping my arms around his waist I lay my head on his chest, listening to the beating of his heart.

“Just give me an hour, okay?” I whisper.

“Okay,” he mumbles, laying his cheek on the top of my head.

Disentangling myself I turn around, stepping into my room without a backward glance.

Walking through the center of my dressing room, I enter the attached bathing room. To the left sits my vanity sink and to the right a deep clawfoot bathtub, with a floor-to-ceiling window that can only see out, thank the lords for that sliver of privacy. The view overlooks the eastern Claremont River. Sometimes I sit in the tub for hours and stare at it, fantasizing about where it leads to.

Filling the bath with water, I add oils to help with the new bruises and stiff muscles. Peering down at my

hands I watch as they tremble, my fingers shaking wildly as I peel off my clothing. Wincing, I maneuver out of the tight corset. My knees and arms wobble as I lower myself into the scalding water, the bruises marring my creamy skin disappearing under the bubbles. Tears begin streaming down my freckle-covered cheeks, no matter how hard I try to keep them at bay. This part never gets easier. My heart has finally decided to return to me. I never know where it disappears to when my father hurts me, but I’m grateful he doesn’t get the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

I thank whatever gods who listen for that. The floodgates have opened, and I have no choice but to allow myself to feel the burning rage, disgust, and deep unending sadness. I’d like to think I’d be used to it after all these years, yet it never gets any easier. The worst of it all is the emptiness in my heart as I realize that not only does my father hate me, but I am truly stuck with this miserable life, that there will never be any escaping his fists.

He’s the only person I can never fight back against, and I hate myself for it.

My body begins to shake with the force of my sobs, becoming more powerful with every breath I take, my ribs screaming in pain as I do.

Each time, I say never again, next time will be different, I refuse to be my father’s punching bag again. Yet when the time comes…I shut down.

I might not be able to fight back, but at least I see him for who he truly is.

I’m no longer a little girl, praying and dreaming every night for the next day to be different. I no longer spend my nights lying awake crying, wondering why my father hates me.

I no longer dream of waking up to a loving father who doesn’t grimace at the mere sight of me. That dream died years ago.

I chuckle quietly to myself an hour later as I exit my bathing chamber to find Easton sitting in the middle of my bed, devouring chocolates. He has the biggest sweet tooth I have ever seen.

He’s also never been able to stay away when he knows I’m hurting.

Sighing, I look around my room. This palace might feel like a cold and detached prison, but I made my room feel safe over the years. The servants and deco-

rators furnished it for a princess, going above and beyond to prove that the heir of Aloriah had the best in all the lands.

A four-poster white bed covered in silk sheets dominates the center of the room, its headboard backed into the very far wall. It’s covered in so many pillows it feels like a cloud. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases stretch across the right side of the room, filled to the brim and overflowing with every book I’ve ever collected in my life. Behind me houses my dressing room and bathing suite. Both sides of the closet are filled with frilly dresses, skirts, tops, and of course accessories. According to my dressers a princess can never have too many pieces of clothing. My favorite spot is to the right of the dressing room. Past the center seat cushions, tucked away in a little corner are my fighting leathers and swords.

The only section the servants aren’t allowed to touch.

Settling on the bed beside Easton, I watch as he shovels creamy chocolates into his mouth, smirking at me with it smeared across his lips.

“I’ve never seen someone love chocolates as much as you.”

Speaking around a mouthful, he taunts, “I’ve never met anyone so enamored with something so simple as a doughnut.”

I gasp. “How dare you question the goodness of doughnuts.”

“It’s fried dough with a hole in it,” he quips. I snatch the box of chocolates out of his lap, holding them behind me. “Take it back or I’ll let the cooks know who’s being sneaking into the kitchens and stealing their chocolate stash.”

He narrows his eyes. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.” I smirk.

Easton rolls his eyes as he sighs. “You win by default, pulling the princess card with your connections.”

“I would never take advantage of my title,” I mock pout, placing a hand over my heart.

There’s truth behind my words—the only threats I ever make using my title are against Easton and those are always a joke.

His face turns grave. “Any news about the sectors?”

Just like that, any happiness I was feeling dies. “Yes, but Annie won’t tell me until morning,” I say, sliding further into my pillows. His voice lowers. “Not good news then.” “No.”

Easton and I fall into silence.

The only time Annie withholds information regarding the people of Aloriah is when it’s horrible. She spends the day fretting about how she’s going to tell us. Easton being my personal guard has isolated him. The other guards don’t trust gossiping to him about the people of Aloriah, knowing how close we are, so our updates come from Annie. The sectors started rebelling seventeen years ago when my father, the King of Aloriah, added a long list of laws to an already corrupt system. He became the ruling king when his father died, passing the title down in the family. My father has always been a cruel and wicked man, yet as the years pass, the sliver of kindness in his soul deteriorates. The people of Aloriah broke the day he announced his new rulings. Their patience and prayers for a better world were not heard. Instead, they were mocked. The protests started peacefully, yet my father didn’t see it that way. The first execution was set three days after the new rulings. The socalled “rebels” were few and far between after watching their friends and loved ones be whipped and hung at the gallows.

My father was pleased with the fear that spread throughout the sectors, utilizing his people’s pain and fear to control them. His armies and council members revel in the changes, knowing they live behind the capital wall, hidden and safe. Profiting off the sectors’ misery.

Then ten months ago, my father started changing the laws again.

Curfews are being set earlier each week. Every crime no matter how small—something as simple as being late for mandatory labor—is punishable by death. Executions are set daily at five p.m., mandatory for all to watch. Those who dare speak ill of the king have their tongue cut out before being executed.

Freedom doesn’t exist anymore, not for those who can’t buy it.

My father doesn’t care that families are lining the streets at night, that children are starving, morgues are overflowing, the hospitals turn away the ill, and orphanages deny children due to being at max capacity. He doesn’t notice that children no longer run around playing, no one smiles in the street, and you rarely smell food burning from the chimneys of homes. We no longer live in a kind world.

Easton’s deep voice drags me from my thoughts. “We should leave.”

I groan. Not this again. “To where?”

This isn’t the first time Easton’s brought up running away. If he could get away with it, I believe he’d smuggle me out in my sleep.

“Anywhere but here, as far as we can go.”

“I think you’re forgetting I’m the princess of Aloriah. There’s nowhere I could hide…” I trail off on a whisper. “My father would hunt us.”

“It’s not right. It hasn’t been for a long time.”

“I couldn’t agree more, but I can do more being here.” I sit up, turning to face Easton. “Besides, it’s wrong to flee, to leave the people of Aloriah to suffer while I run for a better life they will never see.”

Easton’s jaw clenches, his eyes focusing on the veranda doors, peering at the lake.

“I know I can’t do much…but I have to hold onto hope that one day I’ll be reigned queen and be able to fix everything he’s broken,” I whisper.

Easton turns his forest green eyes to me. “You would make a beautiful queen,” he murmurs.

“I don’t care about the title or being the best queen. I care about people being able to live a life worth living.”

“I know.” Easton wraps an arm around my shoulder, bringing me down to lay beside him. “That’s why you would make a beautiful queen, Delilah. Because you care.”

MAGGIE & Toby

We have a 15yo Corgi Yorkie mix, Toby, who sleeps more than he is awake, but still enjoys his (much shorter these days) walks. Last year, our neighbor’s cat had kittens, and we scored two. They are still crazy but keep each other busy and out of the old dog’s hair. Bubbles because she is the color of champagne, and Sheila because as a kitten, she’d sit up straight on her butt and hind legs like a kangaroo to investigate things.

KIM & Aizawa

Aizawa is a gentle giant, and the sweetest cat I have ever known. He even has a belly smile to prove it. Nope, it isn’t a Photoshop trick. His fur grew in that pattern! He sits in my lap much of the time while I write the Ares Ascending series. He likes to throw a leg over the arm that is petting him, even while I’m typing. This, of course, makes my arm unreasonably high for him to be trying to throw a leg over, but he keeps trying. So, his furry leg keeps popping up over and over again while I’m typing.

MADS & Lola

& Abby

I don’t currently own a pet! (I’m not home enough to take care of a fur baby the way that he or she would deserve!)

But I am the proud frequent doggy-sitter of a beautiful, energetic corgi named Abby. Luckily, her parents Jason and Brittany love us both enough to let us spend time together whenever we can!

My fur baby Lola is a chunky yellow Labrador with the sweetest heart. She is almost ten and through those ten years, she has been my absolute rock and best friend. The word companion doesn’t begin to describe how much I love her. She’s been by my side through hardships and through

happiness. She has followed me around the world on my crazy adventures, having lived in not only Australia but Los Angeles. She prefers the

EVE

AUTHORS AND THEIR PETS

Pets and companions come in many shapes and sizes. From furry to feathered to hairy and scaley - there is a place for all of them. Authors have a special relationship with their pets - whether they remind them to get up and take a break or they inspire their writing. Meet the critters that share their love and devotion to Uncaged Feature Authors.

beaches of Australia, being part fish if she could, she would live in the water. She is a foodaholic, no one can open any food wrappers in the house without her hearing and my gym shoes are now her gym shoes, because if you put them on that automatically means walkies. Lola’s favorite days of the year are birthdays, not just her own but others. She adores the birthday song almost as much as she loves water. She was also the inspiration behind Aurora and soul pairs with animals in Heir of Broken Fate because I believe she is my soul mate.

LARYNN & Evy & Ivy

Evy and Ivy resided in a kitty rescue home for much of their first four months of life. When we adopted each other, boy, did my life change! Playtime at three in the morning was more fun for them than me but after a few months they settled into a better night time routine. They are eight years old now with different personalities but are loving and really enjoy the lazy time we spend out on the porch. We certainly saved each other that chilly November adoption day at Petsmart.

SUZY & Zues, Mr. Spot & Cally

I have a chunky one year old British Bulldog called Zeus, and 2 rescued cats – Mr Spot, a huge 11 kg harlequin, and Cally, a pretty calico. Both cats are 14 years old.

Larynn ford

Larynn Ford began reading romance in her early teens and became interested in writing in high school. She’s a daydreamer and a romantic who is intrigued by fantasy and the paranormal. She loves to let her mind wander, always searching for a happily ever after ending to her dreams.

Besides writing, she loves gardening, spending time with her family and kitties, Evy and Ivy.

Uncaged welcomes Larynn Ford

Welcome to Uncaged! Your latest release is Heiress to the Flame. Can you tell readers more about this book?

I’d love to share more about Heiress to the Flame. Roxie Sanders made her debut appearance as a secondary character in one of my earlier books, Rescued. A troubled teen, she was befriended by a seemingly caring couple who convinced her they were part of a foundation that would make all her dreams come true. The main storyline focuses on two PI’s, Rose and Marty, conducting separate investigations into multiple missing persons cases involving teens. After joining forces, the two have a couple of chance encounters with Roxie and the three come together to bring a kidnapping ring to justice. I considered this to be the end of the story, however, Roxie being such a headstrong teen didn’t let it go at that. She continued to make herself known (in my head) and insist she had more to say.

As it turned out, she was right and in Heiress to the Flame, her story continues with her decision to pay forward her second chance at life by helping others. She joins the PI team and is assigned a case in the place

all her troubles began, her hometown. The man who used her as a cover for his illegal business had been searching for her for years and was now determined to get his payback. A bond forms with her partner and mentor Nelson Crawford but when he is kidnapped, Roxie discovers her feelings go beyond a working relationship and will stop at nothing to save him.

What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Although it may not be the best idea, I’m working on two projects right now. One is shaping up to be full length book featuring Kheelan Sinclier, a resident of a dark fairy realm who escapes to the human world to live in the light. He stumbles upon a fascinating woman and is caught up in troubles she begins to have but helping and protecting her is something he can’t resist.

The second project is a Fall/Winter holiday trilogy to include a Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas story. Characters in the Halloween story are also fairies living in the human world. The Christmas story reveals a spirit not able to move on

to his final rest with so much undone and unsaid, and a hero and heroine yet to be determined for the Thanksgiving portion of the trio.

What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?

Writing a death scene is always difficult. As a spinner of tall tales, I rely on my own life experiences to describe the emotion a character feels when someone dies but this also forces me to remember the pain associated with my personal losses. Happy and festive scenes are easiest for me to write because memories of happy times ease the pain of the bad times.

How do you come up with names for your characters?

Names come to me in several ways. First, family pet names have become many character names and no one, except my family would ever connect the dots on that one but now you know. Second, when I want to find the perfect name for my main characters - hero, heroine, or villain - baby name books always supply fitting names. There is a third source as well. Ever heard the saying relating to authors, “don’t make me mad or I’ll put you in a book and kill you off”? Yeah, I’ve done that too.

Do you read reviews? What do you take away from them?

I read them all and it goes without saying, fouror five-star reviews melt my heart and make me look forward to writing another story that might touch a reader. The one- and two-star reviews put me at a fork in the road. On the one hand, I can’t understand why these readers didn’t enjoy the book as much as everyone else. Then, I must take a breath and ask myself what I can do in future books to make the reader’s experience better. World building and a more in-depth character come up as reader complaints from time to time and that reminds me it’s up to me to find the right balance between not enough and too much information.

What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

Like I said, I do all my own yard work. The mowing, weed eating, gardening both flower and vegetable, and if a tree needs to be pruned or in some cases cut down, I bring out my chain saw and get the job done. I’ve even started cutting and stacking my own firewood for the coming winter months. So, a great-grandmother wielding a chain saw might surprise some but I’ll bet some of you can relate. Am I right?

Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?

I have a note page full of single scene ideas; cool (to me) titles with no idea about setting, characters, or plot; or a line or two of dialog between characters. All intended to branch off in multiple directions once the decision is made to grow the scene. The other day, I even found a stash of old post-it notes and scraps of

paper with ideas scribbled down for future use. Some still sounded good, others . . . not so much. So, in short, there is no method to my writing madness.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

I love working in the yard and do all the outside chores myself. I have a garden where I grow asparagus, green beans, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, watermelon, and pumpkins. Some did better than others

possessions are books autographed by my favorite authors. That’s something an e-book can’t offer. As for audio books, I’ve never purchased one. I’m too easily distracted and feel I’d be forever rewinding to catch the parts I missed. I’m not reading anything now but like I said, my tablet is full and many titles are waiting.

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

First, thank you to all who have taken a chance on me and read my books. I hope I brought a smile to your face, made you chuckle a time or two, or brought a tear to your eye. Y’all are the best.

Stay Connected

larynnford.com Enjoy

Heiress to the Flame

Larynn ford

but the heat here in the South can be brutal. It’s a lot of work but with a satisfying outcome.

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books?

Are you reading anything now?

Because of the space I have for physical books, I prefer loading my tablet to packing used books in multiple boxes for storage. However, some of my prized

Roxie Sanders has dodged a few dangerous situations dating back to her teen years. After being rescued from certain death, she becomes a private investigator as a way of helping others and paying her blessings forward.Nelson Crawford, part of the PI team who helps her escape a harmful situation, serves as her role model. The two form an immediate bond partnering on many cases and along the way, a flicker of attraction ignites between them, refusing to be

snuffed out no matter how hard Roxie tries.

Shadows from Roxie’s past pop up to haunt her and when a case involving a kidnapped child takes them to the place where all her troubles began, her hometown of Osyka, Mississippi, she finds that trouble waiting for her. When Nelson is kidnapped, Roxie can no longer deny her feelings for the man and will stop at nothing to gain his freedom, even awakening the power of the flame sleeping within her.Will her efforts pay off or will her dreams go up in smoke?

Excerpt

The evening was quiet, not much traffic on the street and only a few other vehicles remained on the third level with hers. Several spaces down, a white service van and a late-model Mustang were parked. A blue, rust-sprinkled pickup straddled the line, taking up two spaces on the row opposite her.

She laughed out loud when she spotted the fake bull package hanging from the trailer hitch. Shiny and silver, it was the driver’s message to the world that he had balls of steel. She shook her head and rolled her eyes as she reached for her keys. “Somebody’s compensating for some major shortcomings.”

Chapter One

The hot, muggy air pressed down like a damp, steaming blanket, clinging to Roxie as she ventured deeper into the parking garage toward her car. Early evening temperatures had subsided a degree or two, but the humidity still held steady in the upper nineties, clamping down tight on her chest and limiting the depth of every breath.

As she passed by a homeless man huddled on the stairwell in the corner, he grunted or belched, she wasn’t quite sure. All his worldly possessions were crammed into a couple of grubby gym bags he now used for his pillow. A sad sight for sure. She shook her head, thankful she had caught a break when she did or that just might be her lot in life.

The sun was setting, casting gold and orange splashes of color across the horizon, and creating an eerie mood swirling around her, reinforcing a fact she’d been told all her life: a woman shouldn’t be out alone and unprotected. A truth that had multiplied with reports of the increase of crimes being committed in the downtown area over the past couple of weeks, but her job demanded late hours from time to time. She had an edge on the average woman out on her own, however. Her onthe-job training and the fact her team had her back was a comforting reassurance.

She slipped her hand inside her bag, fumbling through the contents for her car keys that always managed to sink straight to the bottom then play hide and seek with her when she needed them. The jingling sound she heard from under all the other necessary contents led her in the right direction allowing her to fish them out with a minimum of complications.

She brushed her chestnut bangs out of her eyes, glad her efforts to grow them out had been successful and they were at last long enough to tuck behind her ears. She peeked through the window. “Ah, there’s my ponytail ring hanging on the gear shift right where I left it.”

Her thumb slid to the unlock button on the key fob but froze, her eyebrows crinkled as her head jerked in the direction of a sound coming from nearby. “PlPlease. Help me.”

The weak, pitiful request echoed in the silence of the evening from several feet beyond her. Moving a few cautious steps away from her car, Roxie stepped out into the open area to get a glimpse of the person calling out. Her breath seized in her chest at the thought of someone sick or hurt. Inching toward the faint plea for help, she reminded herself to stay alert, keep her eyes scanning the area around her for any movement, keep her ears tuned to any sound, any danger.

Her hand curled around the pepper spray container

clipped to the strap of her purse, her finger easing into position, readied on the trigger.

“Who’s there? Are you hurt?” She inched two steps closer to the sound of muffled whimpers, keeping a safe enough distance, and peeking between the van and the black car residing in the space beside it, attempting to lay eyes on the person begging for help. The back doors of the van squeaked as they swung open fast and hard, slamming against the rear panels with a double thud. A man dressed in grimy, paintsplattered coveralls jumped from the inside, latching on to her arm and growling his demand, “Get in!”

The forceful jerk swung her slender frame toward the van, slamming her face first into an open door. Her bag, along with her keys and pepper spray canister, scattered across the concrete floor. Dazed from the impact, Roxie struggled to keep herself upright on two feet, while resisting her assailant’s forceful insistence. Her instincts screaming the end of her if she allowed him to force her inside the van.

She jabbed her heel hard in the direction of his knees as she twisted her body, fighting to find the strength she needed to loosen his hold on her arm.

His claw-like grasp bit into her flesh as he yanked her in a circle, grabbing hold of the back of her neck and banging her head against something hard inside the vehicle doors. Stars danced in her eyes, her head swimming in circles as her legs weakened and she crumbled toward the floor.

A third wrench on her aching bicep spun her in another semicircle, allowing her assailant to grab hold of her other arm, and shake her like a limp dishrag. With a shriek, she jabbed her knee upward in the direction of his groin, just missing the exact target and failing to deliver the full effect intended to send him to the floor but making an impact in any case. Pivoting to face her attacker again, she planted both feet in a firm stance, bracing herself to counter his next move. A rumble from the bed of the well-endowed, ill-parked pickup produced two additional men rushing toward

LARYNN FORD

her. A roar from the stairwell where the homeless man slept rocked the quiet evening. “Noooo!” Her assailant grabbed his crotch with both hands, stumbling backward toward the open van doors, freezing a split second with a labored groan before snarling at the men rushing in his direction. He pushed away from the vehicle, lunging at Roxie, and shoving her into the path of the oncoming men as he bolted in the opposite direction.

Stunned from the sharp blows to her forehead, Roxie lost control of her footing, fighting the impending meeting with the concrete garage floor. She braced her hands on her knees, swaying and struggling to remain upright.

The now wide-awake vagrant from the stairs skidded to a stop, scooping her up from her stooped position and folding her into his arms. “Are you okay?”

Roxie’s face twisted in disgust as she pulled away from him. She held her pounding head with one hand and covered her mouth and nose with the other. The stench threatening to overcome her before her head injuries. “Nelson! Ughh, you stink! Where’d you get that coat anyway? The dumpster?”

“It’s from my undercover wardrobe. Pretty believable, huh?” He held out his free arm and made a fashion wave to show off his street dweller ensemble.

The other half of her team for this assignment, Garth and Daily, the pair leaping to her rescue from the bed of the truck, made their way back to Roxie and Nelson’s side with their suspect cuffed and subdued. “Is this the man who assaulted you, ma’am?”

“Uh, yeah, superheroes. You two need to do some serious work on your timing.” She shot another glance in Nelson’s direction. “I’m calling a team meeting as soon as we get back to the office.”

Garth and Daily shared a look.

She eased her hand from her head. Blood covered her palm, streaking jagged lines down her arm and face. The sight of the red stains caused her legs to wobble a bit, her knees buckling and protesting the support of her weight. The lights around her dimmed as she sank down toward the floor just before Nelson caught her in his arms again.

“Hold on there, darlin’, we need to get you to the office and get those goose eggs checked out.” Brushing the hair from her face and standing up straight, he kept one arm around her to prevent her from falling, allowing the oversized coat to slide from his arms, and fall to the floor, kicking it aside. “Sorry about the smell. I guess the clothes can look grubby without the actual scent to go along. Anyway, we gotta see to these bumps.”

Roxie’s head pounded with an increased bass drumbeat. “Ya think? I wouldn’t have multiple bumps if Humpty and Dumpty here weren’t dragassin’ around.” She slumped into his arms, her head spinning from the expanding lumps.

“I sure am sorry, Roxie. We bailed out as soon as we heard the ruckus. We had no idea he was gonna body slam you.” Garth winced. “Twice.” He held out his hands accompanying a sympathetic shrug. She raised a finger, pointing in his direction. “Sorry is only a Band-Aid, mister. What I need is—” She paused her verbal assault, her brows bunched tight together again as she searched the air around them. “Did y’all hear that?” Everyone stopped in their tracks, scanning the area and paying close attention to any odd sounds around them.

“I don’t hear nothin’.” The scruffy kidnapper blurted out his two cents’ worth as if Roxie or anyone in her group gave a hoot.

“Shut. Up!” she barked, her finger stabbing the air in his direction accentuating her warning as she continued her search for the tiny sounds she had

detected moments earlier.

The soft, muffled whimper brushed her ears once again. “There it is. Did you hear it?” Roxie stood up straight and glared through the open rear doors of the van, her focus falling on the toolbox filling a fourfoot space in the rear of the enclosure, her attention snapping once again to their suspect. She pointed her finger at the box inside the doors, the same one he had, moments before smashed her head against. “Open it!” she spat out her command through clenched teeth.

“I ain’t opnin’ nothin’. Ain’t none of y’all even real cops. You ain’t got no warrant, so you can’t touch my stuff. That’s private property and y’all need to let me go.” He huffed out his legal declaration with a selfrighteous snarl.

Roxie curled her fist into a tight ball and drew back to clear that know-it-all smirk off his face only to be stopped when Nelson’s arm hooked inside hers, blocking her swing. He nodded with unspoken instructions in Daily’s direction.

“We don’t need a warrant if it’s not locked.” Daily shrugged, inventorying the junk scattered on the floor of the van. He grabbed up a hammer he spotted in the rubble, popping a single smack to the padlock causing it to separate, and clatter to the floor. “Well, what d’ya know, it’s not locked.”

Roxie rushed to the open doors of the van. Her fingers trembling as she fumbled to remove the shackle still looped through the latch and flip it up at last. She shoved the lid open and gasped. Her heart lunged upward, lodging in her throat. The whimpers from inside became open sobs.

“Oh. My. God.”

Remembering Our Ancestors: A legacy of African Spirituality

Guest column by Mack Little

Guest Column

Remembering Our Ancestors: A legacy of African Spirituality

by Mack Little

In my series, Love & Peace, I re-examine the African religions that were often condemned as “primitive” or “pagan” by colonial powers and Christian missionaries. Because these beliefs were considered incompatible with the dominant Christian worldview, and attempts were made to eradicate or assimilate them. The suppression of African religions was a means of asserting colonial control and justifying the exploitation of African peoples. So, aside from entertaining readers with stories of adventure, magic, and love, one of my goals is to dispel the misconceptions foisted upon such a rich and valuable belief system by the colonizers.

The demonization of African religions can be traced back to the historical context of colonialism and the influence of Christian invaders during the era of slavery. As European powers expanded their empires and engaged in the transatlantic slave trade, they imposed their own religious beliefs and sought to suppress and delegitimize African spiritual practices. In the context of slavery, the forced separation of Africans from their ancestral lands and the rupture of social and cultural ties resulted in a displacement of traditional religious practices. However, despite these severe disruptions, African slaves in the Caribbean adapted and preserved elements of their spiritual beliefs, integrating them with Christianity and creating syncretic traditions like the African diaspora religions such as Vodou, Santeria, and Candomble.

Today, there is a growing recognition of the value and resilience of African traditional religions and their cultural significance. Efforts are being made to reclaim and revitalize these belief systems, promoting a more accurate and respectful understanding of their role in African history and culture.

Ancestor worship, as practiced in traditional African religions, refers to the veneration and communication with deceased ancestors. It is rooted in the belief that the spirits of ancestors have the power to influence and protect the living. In pre-colonial times, ancestor worship played a significant role in African communities’ religious and social lives.

African traditional beliefs encompass a rich tapestry of spiritual practices and customs. These often involve beliefs in spirits, higher and lower gods, as well as a supreme being. The veneration of the dead, the use of magic, and traditional African medicine are also prominent aspects of these beliefs and practices[1][2][3].

Throughout different African cultures, there is a belief in spirits that can embody various forms, such as elements of nature, animals, or even deceased ancestors. These spirits are perceived to directly influence the lives of individuals and communities, and they are often revered and communicated with for guidance and protection[1] [3].

In addition to spirits, many African traditional belief systems acknowledge the existence of higher and lower gods. These gods often represent specific aspects of life, nature, or human experience. Moreover, there is often recognition of a supreme being, who is seen as the ultimate creator and controller of the universe[1][4].

The veneration of the dead holds immense significance in African traditional beliefs. Ancestors are believed to maintain a connection with the living world and possess the ability to influence human affairs. Therefore, rituals and offerings are commonly performed to honor and seek the guidance of ancestors, invoking their benevolence and protection[1][2].

Magic and traditional African medicine are deeply intertwined with African traditional beliefs. Magic, often considered a form of spiritual power, is utilized for purposes ranging from healing and protection to divination and influencing events. Traditional African medicine involves the use of natural remedies, plant-based medicines, and spiritual practices to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being[1][5].

It’s crucial to note that the beliefs and practices of African people are highly diverse and can vary across different regions and ethnic groups. If you would like more detailed information on specific African countries or cultural groups, or if you have any other specific areas of interest, feel free to let me know!

Sources:

1 Wikipedia - Traditional African religions

2. Africa Inland Mission (Europe) - What are traditional African beliefs?

3. SpringerLink - Beliefs and Veneration of Divinities

4. The Lausanne Movement - Africa Traditional Religious System as Basis of Understanding Christian

5. slife.org - Bantu Mythology

©Copyright 2023 Mack

Little

for Uncaged Book Reviews

www.uncagedbooks.com

Published with Permission

I was born in Conyers, Georgia. Leaving my small town, I landed smack dab in the middle of another small town to earn a BA in English from the University of Dubuque, Iowa.

After a while, I revisited my first passion: writing magical, adventurous, and romantic sagas with heroes that reflected the diverse world I inhabit because, frankly, it was frustrating seeing black representation only in terms of social injustices and our struggles.

More recently,I published Daughter of Hades, 2021. It is a Historical novel set in 17th century Caribbean. Among the novel’s many awards, it received the Grand Prize for the Chaucer Award for Pre-1750 Historical Fiction category of the Chantincleer International Book Awards, and it was shortlisted for the Hawthorne Prize.

Currently, I rarely leave the confines of my home as I work remotely as an IT Analyst from 9 to 5, and from 5 to 9, I am writing. I do leave the house to travel. Once a year, I try to get to Paris and a little town called Les Trois Moutiers to help renovate the castle,

feature authors

Maggie Sims

Suzy

Shearer

Eve Madison

Maggie sims

Maggie Sims began her love affair with romance before her teen years, drawn to the Regency by her mum’s British influence. In her twenties, she did her best to live the Carrie Bradshaw life in New York City, albeit with less expensive shoes and more books.

Despite reading hundreds of romance novels in her life, she was still blown away when she met the love of her life, an ex-Marine cinnamon roll with creative woodworking and culinary skills.

Having retired from corporate life, they live in Central Texas and are parents to a varying number of dogs and cats. When not writing, Maggie is a wine enthusiast, a travel junkie, and a romance reading fiend. She also sporadically crochets for KnotsofLove.org and does just enough exercise for that second glass of wine at night.

To find out more about Maggie’s latest reads, favorite wines, and travel destinations, sign up for her newsletter and follow her on social media.

Uncaged welcomes Maggie Sims

Welcome to Uncaged! You are releasing a new book, Beth’s Behavior on August 22. This is the fourth book in the series, “School of Enlightenment.” Can you tell readers more about this series and the new book? Are you planning on writing more in this series?

Thank you for offering me this opportunity!

My series, the School of Enlightenment, is a deliciously steamy Regency series about women who take their future and their pleasure in their own hands.

This book is the 4th and last in the series, and features an outrageous, curvy, bi-sexual heroine who falls for an introvert. Little does she know, he’s bashful in the ballroom but bold in the bedroom.

What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Oohhh, several things. I have a Regency sapphic workplace romance set at the School coming out next year that is a standalone spinoff from this series.

2024 will also bring 2 books in a follow-on series that will feature secondary characters from this series, but won’t be as directly related to the School. I am playing with something completely different, but I can’t share that yet, it’s too unformed.

What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?

There are two most difficult types of scenes for me. At the dark moment, when they think all is lost, I just want to smack them and make them fix it immediately instead of giving them time to wallow. Second, that last scene or two – the snippet of HEA. I always feel like I’m done and if anything, that

should be an epilogue, and I want to rush it. But really the reader needs to relax and enjoy the sunshine of happiness after the storm before saying goodbye.

As an author of spicy romance, the sex scenes are the easiest. They’re arguing? Write them having sex. Someone’s confused? Sex will cure it. Certainly in some cases those are appropriate to resolve/address/escalate the emotions, but should not be used as substitutes. So I write them to get unblocked as to what has to really happen next, and later edit a few out of most books’ first drafts.

How do you come up with names for your characters?

I don’t have one answer for that. There are definitely friends and family sprinkled into my books, mostly as secondary characters. But I want to be historically accurate too. Research shows that plainer names were the norm for women in the Regency, and the most frequent male name was George for the kings of the period. But I can’t bring myself to name anyone George, as I just don’t find it a sexy guy’s name. Apologies to Georges out there.

Do you read reviews? What do you take away from them?

Yes. It was not a shock to me that I can’t please everyone all of the time, LOL.

I learned from reviews of my first two books that I needed to ensure my heroes had as robust a character arc as my heroines – or at least be ready to field criticisms if I chose to focus a book on the heroine’s journey much more (as romances that are closer to women’s fiction do).

I have a pretty thick skin, and a lovely Bookstagrammer (@michelle_reads_romance) came to my defense when one reviewer was petty, mean, and made false allegations. So I can look past those who did not like my book, thankfully.

What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

Assuming they didn’t read my bio, the fact that my corporate career was focused on Finance and Technology for over 30 years probably doesn’t fit with one’s expectation of a romance writer.

Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?

The plot. It then evolves as I develop the characters, and their goals, motivations, and conflict. It just seems that my brain latches onto a premise, or the start of a plot, and starts imagining from there. I often let that simmer for days before even putting form to the characters or the greater story.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

Reading romance, of course! I read over 130 books a year. I have a wine habit – oh, I mean affinity! I actually share wine recs and my current reads with newsletter subscribers, as well as updating them on my writing and giving bonus content. I also drag my husband around the globe as much as he’ll let me.

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

I pretty much only read ebooks these days. It took me years to switch from paper, and then I never looked back. It also helps me hide the number of books I read and amount I spend on them from my husband (I control our Amazon account, bwahaha!).

I am always reading. Judith Falcon has a couple recent releases, I’m about to start one of her medieval books, Seduced by the Squire. I just started Cecilia Rene’s Scandal with a Scoundrel novella, and just finished Vivian Murdoch’s HistRomVerse (historical romance omegaverse mashup) free prequel, The Duke’s Christmas Rejection – woo!

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

My debut novel, Sophia’s Schooling, is the first in this series. Despite it being my first, it is some readers’

favorites. However, I know I am a new-to-you author for many people. Roslynn’s Rebellion is a free prequel novella you get when you subscribe to my monthly newsletter, so you can try before you buy – at www. maggiesims.com

In social media, I am primarily on Instagram and BookBub, somewhat on TikTok and Facebook. @maggiesims.author everywhere except BookBub. Thank you again for having me!

Stay Connected

Enjoy an excerpt from: Beth’s Behavior

Beth’s Behavior

Maggie Sims

Historical Regency

An outrageous free spirit meets her match in an introvert with a secret leather business

Raised as a free spirit, Beth Jenkins refuses to submit to the Ton’s rigid rules. She has fun where she wants, with whomever she wishes. By day, she excels at matching people’s needs with those who can provide them. That talent and her cousin, Lady Althea Egerton, are the only barriers standing between her and complete ostracization.

When her cousin requires an investor for her business, Beth gains them an entrée to a house party hosted by a wealthy earl, where she encounters Robert Orford. The intimate leather apparel and toys of pleasure he creates entice Beth as much as the man himself, and she is determined to pursue him.

As the stocky second son of an earl, Robert was bullied as a child and hates being in the public eye. Beth’s behavior is far too outrageous for his tastes. If only she didn’t have the curvy figure he most admires, perfect for testing his leather pieces. But Beth refuses to be tamed, so if she can’t convince him to care less about society’s disapproval, they could be forced to walk away from the perfect partnership for leather and love.

Excerpt

Robert stirred, sitting up and running his hands through his hair.

She straightened.

“I’d be annoyed at you poking through my things, but I was enjoying the show too much.” He grinned. “Thank you. Shall I join you again then? Mayhap with another design to test?” She gestured to the trunk.

“Unfortunately, that shall have to wait.” He leaned over to grab his trousers, then slid across the bed to the opposite side from where she stood. Dropping his feet to the floor, he shuffled into his clothes as he stood.

Beth recalled his comments about their respective beauty.

Is he shy? Or ashamed of his body or even scarred? Is that why the room is always dimmed, and why he kept his shirt on? Is that why he declines to play in public?

After all his lovely praise of her, she hoped she could return the favor and reassure him. “Why must it wait? I assume Cheltie asked you to entertain me today whilst they take care of business.” She gave him her practiced coquettish moue.

“Yes. I have a few appointments. If you care to accompany me, I can show you a bit of Bath at the

same time.”

“I’d enjoy that. Shall we meet downstairs for breakfast in thirty minutes?”

He nodded again.

Forty minutes later, Beth sailed into the breakfast room of the guesthouse.

Robert had a teacup waiting for her and poured a cup from the pot on the table as she sat.

“Care to tell me about your appointments?”

“Blacksmiths.”

“Is that why you have half-finished pieces with you?” Beth asked, undeterred by his one-word answer. She was already pondering how to help him solve this, and who she might know to ask.

“Yes.”

“Where have you been getting the hardware for your designs until now?”

“I have an excellent blacksmith, but he is getting older and finds the more detailed work difficult during the cold dark winter months. He also has a grandchild he wants to see more often.”

“So, you are looking to replace him?”

Robert nodded, his lips twisting. “Over time, anyway.”

“What do you look for in a blacksmith? How do you judge quality?”

“Much of what I need is on a smaller scale than many smiths’ usual work. The ones that supply horse outfitters know what is needed for leather attachments. On the other hand, furniture requires more detail and finesse with the metal. Unfortu-

nately, I rarely find a smith who works with both.” Beth nodded. He still hadn’t answered her question, though.

“Sometimes, I can evaluate their work if they have pieces in progress. Otherwise, I carry a few samples and get their reaction to them. If they think they could recreate them, I will give them one, and offer a small fee for them to duplicate it.”

“What of availability? I presume these men already have enough work to feed their families.”

“Ah, yes. That will be more difficult to judge. When I found Burke, my business was smaller. One saving grace is that I have the luxury of being able to order the fasteners I use most in bulk and maintaining inventory.”

That means he is doing enough business to afford such a thing. Good for him. Beth was impressed. She’d never cared how a man supported himself because her affairs were short term. But the more she discovered about Robert, the more he fascinated her. “I am surprised Cheltie could not find one for you.”

“He does better on the investing end and hasn’t funded anyone’s smithy business.”

“Ah. Right, then. Shall we begin?” ****

By the end of the day, they’d talked with several smiths and one apprentice. None of them did indoor work, as they called it. When Robert produced his samples, two of them shook their heads.

“Not worth my time,” said one.

“D’you know of another smith who might be interested?” he asked.

“Not here in Bath.”

Beth chimed in, asking where belts were made, and they shrugged and guessed, “London?”

As the day went on, Robert talked less and less. She picked up on his detailed questions after the first stop, and was so bubbly and charming, the smiths preferred to talk to her, so he stepped back and watched.

She had a knack for honing in on the aspects of his work that differed from others’ and tailoring her questions about the skills needed without offending the blacksmiths. It was easy to attribute it to her outgoing nature and inquisitiveness, but he perceived the sharp intellect simmering below her seemingly carefree surface and was awed.

They strolled back to the guesthouse to change for the evening meal. Thoughts swirled as Beth chattered about what she’d liked about each smith’s work.

I could so easily fall in love with her. That sharp wit, her creative ideas, her caring nature.

She clearly wanted nothing more than to see people around her happy, despite how Bags and Michael said the Ton treated her. Her conspicuousness and outlandishness were challenges, however. Her star shone too brightly. While he did not wish to dim it, neither did he want to stand in its light. He preferred the shadows. He attended the parties because Evan dragged him and for inspiration, but he hated imagining what might happen if the Ton learned he was the designer of those pieces they loved so much.

No matter. She will quickly tire of me—the quiet outcast, the second son, the frumpy friend. His lips twisted.

He would enjoy this time in Bath, away from the Season and the Ton. Not because she was helping him, although that was a nice benefit. Rather, he could bask in her light safely and enjoy the warm glow of her joie de vivre.

DON’T MISS THESE TITLES:

Eve madison

Uncaged welcomes Eve Madison

Welcome to Uncaged! Your latest book will release on September 29 and is part of your “A Seattle CEO Novel” series. Can you tell readers more about the series? How many are you planning on writing for this series?

The Seattle CEO series is a collection of steamy billionaire romance stories set in the vibrant city of Seattle, Washington. Each book follows the romantic journey of an Anderson brother, with each stand-alone story delving into the lives of this successful group of businessmen as they navigate the complexities of love and business.The series explores the electrifying chemistry between these successful entrepreneurs while exploring the challenges they face in both their personal and professional lives.

As for the number of books planned for this series, I’m committed to five (5) books in the series, but I’m also open to delivering captivating stories for as long as my readers’ hearts desire, so there’s no definite end in sight!

What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Currently, I’m immersed in crafting the next tantalizing

installment of the Seattle CEO series, NANNY FOR THE BILLIONAIRE. It’s a story that will take readers on an emotional rollercoaster through the world of high-stakes mergers and passionate romance.

Without giving away too much, I can reveal that this book will explore the dynamic between a fiercely independent Chief Financial Officer and his charismatic intern-turned-nanny for his four-year-old daughter. Expect sparks to fly both in the boardroom and the bedroom!

What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?

The most difficult scenes for me to write are often the ones filled with intense emotional conflict. Capturing the raw emotions and vulnerabilities of characters during heated arguments or heart-wrenching confrontations requires a delicate balance to ensure authenticity.

On the other hand, the easiest scenes are those charged with sizzling chemistry and flirtatious banter. The playful interactions and passionate exchanges flow naturally and add that signature heat to my stories.

Eve Madison is a Billionaire Romance author who has a passion for crafting fun, steamy, feel-good stories that will make your heart race faster than a Ferrari on the Autobahn.

How do you come up with names for your characters?

Naming my characters is a meticulous process. I draw inspiration from various sources – sometimes from real-life individuals who exude the qualities I want my characters to possess, or from historical figures who embody a certain elegance or strength. I also keep a list of unique names that catch my attention, which I can mix and match until I find the perfect fit for each character’s personality.

Do you read reviews? What do you take away from them?

I do read reviews, and I find them both exhilarating and enlightening. Positive reviews fuel my creative spirit and motivate me to continue crafting engaging stories that resonate with readers. Constructive criticism, on the other hand, offers valuable insights that help me refine my writing style and storytelling techniques. Every review, whether glowing or critical, contributes to my growth as an author.

What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

One behind-the-scenes tidbit that might surprise my readers is that I often take inspiration from my own experiences as a traveler. Exploring new cultures, interacting with diverse individuals, and immersing myself in unfamiliar environments provide a rich tapestry of emotions and sensations that find their way into the pages of my books.

Right now, I’m spending time in Málaga, Spain with pit stops in Barcelona, Sevilla and Marbella, and every day is a new adventure. With each city, culture and environment I visit, I find new pieces of myself to add into the fabric of my stories.

Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?

For me, characters usually come first in the planning stages. I try to do my absolute best to create

complex and compelling characters with distinct personalities, desires, and conflicts. Once I have a clear sense of who they are, the plot naturally unfolds as I explore how their individual journeys intersect and collide.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

When I’m not writing or working, I love indulging in culinary adventures. Trying out new recipes, savoring exotic dishes, and sharing meals with loved ones brings me immense joy. I also find solace in nature, whether it’s taking leisurely strolls through picturesque parks or embarking on weekend getaways to recharge my creative spirit.

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

I appreciate all forms of books, but I absolutely love, love, love e-books. Spending an evening browsing through Amazon calms me, and when I buy, I can start reading right away. Doesn’t get any better than that! Currently, I’m enjoying a single dad romance called “Intrigue” by the one and only Melanie Harlow.

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

To my cherished fans, I want to convey my deepest gratitude for embarking on these romantic journeys with me. Your unwavering support and passion for my stories inspire me to continue weaving tales that captivate your hearts. Stay connected with me on my website, www.evemadisonbooks.com, where you can find updates on upcoming releases, exclusive content, and glimpses into the world of the “A Seattle CEO Novel” series. You can also follow me on IG at @evemadisonbooks (when I’m not in the writing cave) to join in the excitement and connect with a community of fellow romance enthusiasts. Remember, fellow book lovers, the most passionate chapters are yet to be written!

Stay Connected

“Sorry, Mr. Anderson.”

I stare at the brunette intern in front of me as her deep brown eyes peer upwards and into my own.

“I-I didn’t see you there,” she says to me. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

I nod. Neither was I. I was too busy putting Shelby down for the night. And cursing myself for the being the world’s worst dad.

Enjoy an excerpt from Nanny for the Billionaire

Nanny for the Billionaire

Eve Madison Contemporary Romance Releases Sept. 29

He’s a billionaire with a nocomplications policy. She’s his charming intern-turnedunqualified nanny. Will chaos or love merge as their worlds collide?

----- Alton Anderson -----

Life and business thrive on simplicity, but everything changes when my own intern Lena Cho bursts into my office, offering to be my daughter’s nanny. She’s a ray of sunshine, but I don’t need complications. Yet, her dark eyes and contagious laugh leave me questioning if she’s exactly what I’ve been missing.

----- Lena Cho -----

I’m no nanny, but I saw an opportunity to impress my devilishly handsome boss. Now, I want something absurd—him. Alton’s not the sensible choice, but who cares? Maybe he’s the man I never knew I needed. Excerpt

To add insult to injury, now I’m colliding right into the intern I’ve been trying to avoid for weeks. The one whose daily bounce into my office with coffee was starting to get under my skin.

And now she’s ruined my suit.

I grimace, quelling the anger welling inside me. I move forward in slow increments, the way I shift during board meetings gone bad.

“It’s fine,” I say to her, my voice as cold as the icy, bubbly liquid inside the glass. My fingers clench around the slightly-damp glass in her hand. “I wouldn’t let the rest of your champagne go to waste, though. This stuff might taste awful, but it’s about fifty dollars a swallow.” I scoff, shaking the golden drips of liquor off my suit lapels. “Might as well get the money’s worth.”

I set the glass down on the grand staircase’s railing and take a step back so that she can reclaim her champagne. She doesn’t, stepping forward to stand closer to me.

“Are you sure? I...don’t want to look belabor the point, but I just spilled half my drink all over your gorgeous suit. The least I can do is replace the drink and apologize.”

I shake off more droplets. “You didn’t hear the part about this swill being awful, did you? It’s not worth it. Consider it a freebie.”

“O-kay, well, the champagne might be crap, but the suit’s not. That’s an Armani Milano, right?”

Surprised, I shift my eyes to see her better. The intern is inspecting my suit. My gaze moves down to see where she’s looking. At the perfectly-fitted suit lapels. At the expensive watch. At the Italian shoes.

I clear my throat when she looks back up to my eyes. “It is. You have good eyes, Lena.”

She hesitates. “You know my name...”

I blink. “Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I?”

She twists her lips, eyelids fluttering fast. “Well, every time I come into your office with coffee for you and papers and proposals for you...”

“I’m aware of who comes into my office, Lena.” I straighten and thrust my hands into my pockets. “I make it a point to know who works for me.” Inspiration strikes me. “Maybe you should make it a point of knowing the people in the office, too?”

She scoffs slightly. “Excuse me?”

“If you’d bother to find out,” I say with a smirk at her incredulity, “you’d know that I don’t drink coffee.”

“You don’t drink coffee?”

“Tea only. I don’t like dark bitter things that require lots of caffeine or sweetener.”

“Like yourself, Mr. Anderson?”

I cross my arms, as the smug expression on her face quickly falls.

DON’T MISS THESE TITLES:

Suzy shearer

Renaissance woman, best-selling and Award winning author Suzy Shearer writes contemporary and paranormal erotic romances filled with mature and interesting characters. Her books always feature older heroes and heroines; ranging from mid 40s to 60s. The heroines are usually confident plus-sized women who are proud of their curves. Suzy feels it’s important for readers to connect. Suzy also wants her readers to understand just because people are older doesn’t mean they aren’t intriguing, desirable, open to challenges and willing to experiment. They may be older but not always wiser. Remember sexy isn’t just for the under 30s.

Single, a Buddhist and artist, Suzy lives in the Lake Macquarie region of Australia. When Suzy is not writing, she is usually painting - an accomplished watercolour Artist her subjects range from portraits and animals to nudes and landscapes. She is also a knitter, quilter, toy maker, sculptor, potter, and baker.

Uncaged welcomes Suzy Shearer

Welcome to Uncaged! The latest book in “The Silk Rope Masters” series, called Nico just released this year. Can you tell readers more about this book and the series? Can they be read as standalones?

Thank you for the opportunity to talk about my author life.

So Nico is the 4th book in this series and in this one the hero is a police detective who meet the love of his life, Elizabeth, but makes an assumption that almost ruins his chance of ever seeing her again.

The story that follows is about Elizabeth com-

ing to terms with what she wants and Nico giving her the time to choose.

You can read all the books in the series as standalones but they do mention characters from previous books. If you’d like to learn about those other characters it’s best to read from the first book.

What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

At the moment I am finishing the final round of edits for a new standalone book called Caitlín’s Choice which should be released very soon. As with all my books the characters are all mature people in their 40s, 50s, & 60s.

Caitlín’s Choice is about a 54 year old Australian woman who goes undercover in the US office of her father’s media company when it’s discovered someone is stealing photos and selling them to the opposition. She is a submissive and sexual masochist. The hero is a world renowned 55 year old photographer who is a dominant.

As well I’ve started writing books 5 and 6 of The Silk Rope Masters series. Hopefully I will have at least finished book 5 in the next 6-8 months.

What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?

I think getting that first meet scene is hardest. You have to set it up so the readers get excited about what may happen without giving too much away.

The easiest for me is generally the sex ones…lol.

How do you come up with names for your characters?

That’s so hard! In my first dozen books I used name of my own ancestors but now I’ve read 29 books and run out of them. Now I often name the hero Fred & the heroine Mary until I can hit on names that suits them as each character develops.

Do you read reviews? What do you take away from them?

When I first began writing I read them over and over – sometimes they were really

awful and hurtful. At times there were useful suggestions. But as I’ve developed my craft I read them once and if there is sometime useful I store that away and try and improve with the next book.

I’ve also realised you can’t please everyone –some people are going to love your books while others will hate them. As an author you have to develop a ‘thick skin’.

What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

Probably the fact I’m a recluse. I live alone, don’t have a partner, and rarely leave my house or have contact with other people except family.

I also didn’t start writing until my mid 60s.

Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?

Sometimes it’s the plot, other times the charac-

At the moment I’m reading The Biggest Ideas in the Universe by Sean Carroll

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

A big thank you to all my readers, you’re the reason I continue to write. I hope you enjoy my future books as much as you have my previous. Love hearing from you.

Stay Connected

ter. I don’t really plan a story. Usually there’s this vague idea in my head and things flow from that.

I call myself a butterfly pantser because I might write chapter 1 then flit to chapter 17, maybe write the ending then back to chapter 3. Thankfully it all comes together at the end.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

As well as being an author I’m an artist, although I no longer take on commissions, so I love to paint. I also love knitting, always have a few WIPs on the go. Naturally I love reading too, not a big fan of TV.

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

I much prefer physical books. Love the feel and smell of them. I tend to get distracted with audio books. I do own an ereader but certainly don’t use it as much as a physical book.

suzyshearer.com

Enjoy an excerpt from Nico Nico Suzy Shearer

Contemporary Romance

They ooze power, control, natural dominance—and sex. They are The Silk Rope Masters. None have ever found love but watch out! When they fall, they’ll fall fast and hard!

Master Nico Morelli, 54, knows most of his friends at the club jokingly refer to him

as a wolf. He’s happy accepting the title but deep inside he longs to meet that one woman who would rock his world. A woman who would drop to her knees in submission in the bedroom but outside of it would be his equal.

Divorcee Elizabeth Cook, 53, goes to Silk Rope hoping to discover what’s lacking in her sex life. Instead, she finds a wolf. Frightened by the intensity of her feelings for Nico, she runs, knowing she’ll never see him again.

Be Warned: BDSM, anal sex, public exhibition, sex toys

Excerpt

Nico walked into the squad room just before 7:00 to hear his boss, Captain Ed Wallis, bellow.

“Morelli! Get your ass in here!”

“Sir.”

“Go home.”

“What?”

“You heard me, go home now.”

“But, sir, I don’t understand.”

hour days for almost four months.” Nico went to speak but Ed Wallis glared at him so he shut his mouth. “When was the last time you took a day off?” he demanded.

Nico shrugged.

“I know we have to put this fucker behind bars, but working nonstop will kill you. It’s been over five weeks since the last attack. He’s either gone to ground or moved.”

“We can’t be sure of that.”

“True, but he’s been raping and killing one girl a fortnight since the first murder was discovered, you think he’s going to break habit now?”

“No.”

“Me neither. I want you out of this office. I don’t want to see you until next Monday.”

“Sir! No. Look, I’ll take a couple of days—” The captain’s voice had lowered beyond a shout but now he roared once more. “You’ll take what I f**kin’ tell you!”

Furious at being sent home Nico said, “What if I come back Friday?”

“Monday.”

The captain raised his hands and shook his head.

“You’ve been pulling sixteen, eighteen-

“Captain! Please. I’ve spent months on this case.”

“I’m aware of the time you’ve put in and that’s why I’m sending you home.” He lowered his

voice to a more reasonable level. “Nick, this case is soul-destroying. You can’t let it eat every second of the day. Take the week and forget all about him. It’s either that or I take you off the case.”

Shocked, Nico pleaded, “Sir, you wouldn’t!”

“Don’t f**kin’ press me, Morelli. You’re an excellent detective, one of the best I’ve ever known, but I know better than you on this.” Nico knew he had to accept the captain’s offer, but there was no way he was giving up this case.

“Saturday?”

“You’re really a stupid son of a bitch, you know that, Morelli? Fine, you can come back in on Sunday.”

Nico realized he couldn’t argue any further. “Hobson will fill in while you’re missing.”

“What if something happens? What if—”

“Anything changes and she’ll call you. Don’t worry. If the fucker surfaces you’ll be the first to know.”

“Sure I can’t come back Friday?”

The captain growled in anger, “Sunday!”

Put everything back on the desk! Get the f**k out!”

A reluctant, “yes, sir,” escaped his lips. His partner, Cheryl Hobson, shared a sad smile and mouthed, “I’ll ring you if anything happens,” as Nico dropped the file with a loud bang. He stalked from the squad room and drove home furious. Deep down he knew the captain was right, he had been working himself to the bone, grabbing a few hours’ sleep whenever. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone to Silk Rope or even when he’d last caught up with friends. Still, he drove home cranky. On the way he called into a drive-through and grabbed a coffee, and bacon-and-egg roll. Once home he sat out on his condo balcony to eat, relaxing—but only slightly—in the morning sun. Next thing he knew it was 12:30. He couldn’t believe he’d fallen asleep but did admit he felt better for it.

Nico started to leave but he grabbed the backup files he’d made from his desk as he did. Unfortunately, the captain read him like a book and had followed him out of the room. “Go, Morelli. You don’t need any paperwork.

Nico knew there was a munch on tomorrow night and decided he’d go to it, catch up with everyone, but he felt at loose ends. Nico wished he’d been able to grab a few of his files before the captain kicked him out, but he had some notes here he could go through. He wasted the rest of the day poring over the files he had here learning absolutely nothing he didn’t already know. Tuesday night, Nico walked into the Chinese restaurant and grinned. Most of his friends were already there and they greeted him as if it had been years since they saw him instead of about four months. “Nick!”

“Hey, man.”

“Nico, you’re back!”

“Hi, all. Great to see you again. How’s things?”

Steven gave him a huge grin and asked, “Great. So how’s things with you? You still on the hunt?”

“Yeah, still hunting.”

“Are you any closer?” Avril, Steven’s wife, asked, her voice holding a tinge of the same fear everyone had.

“Not really but we’ll catch him.”

They all agreed as they walked to one of the tables and sat.

“How’s the family, Nick?”

“Good, Avril, I think. Spoke with my mother last week, I think it was, and she’d let me know if they weren’t.”

A moment later Kaden walked in and saw him. He thumped him on the shoulder, pulled a nearby chair, and grinned at Nico. “Hey, Nick, long time no see. Still chasing the bad guys?” he asked as he sat opposite.

“Hi, Kade, yeah.”

Ash leaned forward and looked down the table toward Kaden.

“Kade, where’s the girl?”

“Oh, she couldn’t make it. Had to go away for her job but she’s going to ring me when

she’s back so we can catch up.”

“Oh, that’s a shame, but at least she might come next time,” Ash said with a hopeful tone. Nico caught the look shared between Sophie and Avril that spoke volumes. Obviously the women thought he wouldn’t be seeing her again. Nico wondered when Kaden had met her, it seemed he’d missed a lot these past few months.

He looked at Kaden. “Girl? Don’t tell me you’ve met someone.”

Before Kaden could answer, there was an outburst of laughter from the small group surrounding him. Ash spoke up, “Nico, ask him to tell you how he met her. He was telling us all about this beauty by the side of the road and how lovely she was. Turns out he meant a car!”

Puzzled, Nico questioned, “A car?” Nico looked from Ash to Kaden and back again. “Well, she’s a classic Customline, people. She really is beautiful,” Kaden said in defense.

“In that case, where does the girl come into this?”

“She was driving it and it broke down. I stopped and got her going again. Then last week she dropped it at the workshop and then agreed to come tonight.”

Nico shook his head and laughed. “Only you would put a car before a woman, Kade.” Kaden gave a shrug and a grin. Jake and Emily joined the group, sitting opposite Nico alongside Kaden.

“Hey, Nick, how’s it hangin’?”

“Jake.” Nico nodded. “Good, what about you?”

“Great. Been a long time since we’ve seen you, you okay? You haven’t dropped by to see us.”

“Yeah, been busy.”

“Heard you’re the lead on the hunt.”

“I am.”

Jake nodded then said, “Glad you came tonight, good for you to take a break.”

“Yeah, that’s what my captain said when he ordered me out until Sunday.”

Those within earshot laughed and Ash said, “Bet he had trouble getting you out the door.”

“Well…”

Emily looked over the table with pity on her face. “You should take a break more often, Nick, you’ll end up burnt out if you don’t.”

“I get that, Emily, but it’s hard to push it aside when you know people are dying.”

“Well, just enjoy tonight and relax the next few days. Try and forget all about murderers.”

“I will.”

Uncaged Reviews

Kiss of Midnight Lara Adrian Paranormal Romance

He watches her from across the crowded dance club, a sensual black-haired stranger who stirs Gabrielle Maxwell’s deepest fantasies. But nothing about this night--or this man--is what it seems. For when Gabrielle witnesses a murder outside the club, reality shifts into something dark and deadly.

Uncaged Review: I read some of this series many years ago, but I had forgotten a lot of it, but I did remember how much I loved Ms. Adrian’s writing. I never reviewed back in those days. This book opens up the Midnight Breed series of warriors that protect humans from the rogues. If you like the Black Dagger Brotherhood from J.R. Ward, you will like this series too. There are some similarities as to the extent that the warrior class live together in a large compound while the vampires that are not under the warrior class are protected in the Dark Havens. In this series, the original vampires were aliens, that came to Earth and adapted to live by drinking blood. Some of these vampires have gone Rogue with bloodlust, and use human minions to work during the day for them. The warriors do their best to keep them in check. There is a larger arc running through this series, but this book concentrates on the leader Lucan and Gabrielle. The Breed can’t procreate without a special woman, one is designated as a Breedmate with a small tattoo somewhere on their body as a drop of blood inside a crescent moon. Most of the Breedmates have no idea what any of it means until they are faced with the truth and their destined mate.

This is great start to this series, Gabrielle won’t take any gruff from Lucan, and with Lucan being the leader, there are a lot of road blocks in the way of him claiming Gabrielle. This is an invocative read, with hard hitting but tasteful sex scenes, and great battle scenes. The warriors you meet you will like immediately, and I can’t wait to get into the rest of them. Reviewed by Cyrene

A Lady’s Addiction Angelina Jameson Historical Regency

A Foreign Office linguist returning to England from self-imposed exile. A recent widow who wants a family above all else. Can these two very different people find happiness together?

Anna, a widow battling alcohol addiction is convinced she is worthless unless she bears a child. She hires a lover to prove she is not frigid and may marry again and have children.

Uncaged Review: This is a good story, but it took me a bit of time to get into it. Anna, who is battling addiction to alcohol, wants to prove she’s not a frigid lover as she’s been told by her dead husband. Anna hires a man to find her passion and with a series of mistakes, she gets Devlyn to her room instead of the greasy man that was hired. Devlyn, being the gentleman that he is, waits until Anna is sober before he becomes her lover.

After the initial meeting, the book gets going a bit better. The mystery and suspense kept me turning the pages to see what happens. Although I didn’t really get too attached to Anna in this book, Devlyn was a character that was easy to like. This is a good story with a few twists you don’t always read about in the historical genre. Reviewed by Cyrene

The Pirate Duchess Rue Allyn Scottish Historical

The fate of two strangers collides in a midnight brawl.

Esmeralda Crobbin inherits her ship and her letters of marque from her adoptive father, an infamous privateer. She plans to leave the sea on a quest to find her birth family when she encounters a man who haunts her dreams.

Uncaged Review: Whenever it comes to a good pirate story, I’m all in. And this one was definitely different than most, with Esmeralda the pirate and Brandon Gilroy out to arrest her and bring her after her crew defeated his ship and she left him and his crew stranded on an island. During his time on the island, Brandon plans his revenge on “Irish Red” as Esme is known. Esme can’t seem to forget about the man she left behind on the island.

A chance storm has Esme and Brandon stranded at the same Inn, and even though Esme has concealed herself by dying her hair and wearing dowdy gowns, Brandon knows her immediately.

This is a good, well-paced read that did have a few slower parts, but all-in-all, it was enjoyable and kept my interest and the enemies to lovers trope works pretty well here. Reviewed by Cyrene

The Stalking Dead Eva Chase Paranormal Romance

Kinda dead. Straight-up psycho. Totally obsessed with her. I did a bad, bad thing. Thanks to a blank in my memory, I’m not sure what that thing was, but it was horrible enough to get me locked up in the mental ward for seven years. Horrible enough that my little sister won’t even speak to me.

Uncaged Review: This is perfect book if you’re looking for something different in the paranormal landscape. Lily has lost several years of her life, not knowing why she was put into an institution. When she was a young, she spent time at a marsh, making up imaginary friends to help herself cope. Little did Lily know, is that those imaginary friends were actually real ghosts, and when she gets released from the mental institution and is off to university, she gets a lot of bullying from the other students. All Lily wants is to be close to her sister, whom she hasn’t seen since she was put away. But the ghosts that entertained Lily as a kid, are now wanting to help protect her, but they can’t do it without bodies. One of the ghosts, Kai, devises a hair-brained scheme to get bodies and all chaos erupts. Eventually, they convince Lily of who they are.

This is a bit slow at times, but overall, it’s got a sense of humor and doesn’t take itself too seriously. It looks like it’s a slow burn to a reverse harem and the book changes from chapter to chapter with each character’s POV. Good start to a series, and I’m definitely planning on continuing.

Reviewed by Cyrene

Uncaged Reviews

A Sky Like Blood Everly Frost Fantasy

I belong to the Vandawolf. My heart and my power are his to control.

I am a Blacksmith, a wielder of the arcane magic that once scorched our land and brought blood-storms to our skies. Now, I live at the mercy of the Vandawolf, the dark king whose power forced the Blacksmiths to their knees.

Uncaged Review: A fantasy like no other I’ve read in recent years, and that’s a good thing. This book is the first of a trilogy and even though the 2nd book won’t be out until 2024, the cliffhanger was not the type that bothers me, since the overall arc in the book is ongoing.

Asha is a Blacksmith, and in this world, Blacksmith’s would form tools with magic and protect their city. But part of Asha’s family, including her Uncle and her parents used the magic for power to rule and devastated the lands with their cruel magic and by killing many of the people. Asha’s brother and sister were sent to live with adoptive parents as their magic was drained, but Asha is used by the leader of the city, the Vandawolf who was transformed by the dark magic and is half beast, to guard the city from the horrible creatures that pop up outside the city walls.

This world is different and interesting, and you will find out more as you read along. Not all is as it seems. The beast part reminds me of the beauty and the beast, but that’s really where the similarities end. This is a decent fantasy start, and I’m along for the ride. Reviewed by Cyrene

The Duke’s Masquerade Maggi Andersen Historical Regency

Tate faces a nefarious criminal in the fight for his love and his estate.

A duke fighting to keep his estate. A lady intent on discovering what the man she loves hides from her. In disguise, beneath the very noses of the curious ton, His Grace Tarleton Fanshawe, Duke of Lindsey, works to solve a mystery and get the better of a villain intent on stealing all that he holds dear.

Uncaged Review: All the elements for a good historical romance is here in this book. We have a slow burn romance, deception, danger and a mystery. Tate’s father died before he could tell him that he’d been taken by a con man and with Tate inheriting the Dukedom and facing to have everything taken away from him by a criminal who had almost the classic mob boss mentality. Donovan who owns several gambling hells has Tate concealing his identity to infiltrate the gambling hells and find a way to get the paperwork that he knows his father never signed to prove innocence. On the way, he runs into Brett, a man that looks very similar to Tate, so the two of them set up a deception so Brett will take Tate’s place in the tons season, and Tate will be free to investigate. During this time, the women that Tate loves is being courted by a different man, and Tate is losing hope that he’ll be able to finish in time.

This is a good story, with good secondary characters. I wasn’t all that attached to Ianthe, but I liked her well enough. It’s not that she did anything wrong, just seemed immature. All in all, this is a fast paced historical and fun to read, but pay attention as the story jumps from chapter to chapter. Reviewed by Cyrene

Making Waves

D.K. Marie Contemporary Romance

He’s a risk she shouldn’t take. She’s a complication he can’t have. But when currents of desire run deep, can they resist the tide of passion?

Lilith Brooks is desperate for a divorce. But with her gaslighting husband refusing to sign the papers, the protective mother escapes with her daughter to their lake house they’d abandoned years ago. And after an amateur attempt at fixing the kitchen sink turns into a plumbing disaster, she’s blushing at the rather risqué blockage when her handsome neighbor wades in to help.

Uncaged Review: It’s been awhile since a book captured me right from the first chapter and kept me hooked throughout the book. This is a genre that I don’t read a ton of books in, but once in awhile, I find a book that really grabs my interest. Both Lilith and Asher have past events that get in the way of their blooming relationship, and both will need to come to terms with it before they can both truly move on. Lilith was married to a jerk of a husband and Asher needed to come clean about his past. Both characters have young daughters, who fortunately for them, become best friends. The kids are likeable, and the secondary characters are fun and interesting. There were times I laughed out loud, especially with Hope and Tate.

This is a good, steamy romance that goes at a good pace, and even though it’s a normal sized book, it felt like a quick read. Can’t beat that. Reviewed by Cyrene

Never a Proper Lady Collette

Cameron Historical Regency

He only hired her because he lost a bet…

• Forced proximity

• Fake engagement

• Forbidden romance

• Class difference

• Second chance

• Enemies to lovers

• Opposites attract

She was exactly what he needed…and everything he could never have…

Uncaged Review: This is the fifth book in the series. But can be read as a standalone. I loved Lord Con and Faiths relationship. Filled with lots of banter and misunderstandings. I enjoined the journey this book took. Perfect for any romance readers. After all who does not like an enemy to lovers theme. Reviewed by Jen

Uncaged Reviews

Only in Darkness

Brenda Stanley Paranormal Suspense

Based on ancient Mayan mythology comes a story of bloodlust, love and the horrors of coming of age. In ancient Central America, the legend of the Camazotz: large, bat-like creatures that desire blood and terrorize the villages in search of prey. When the volcano, Masaya, erupts and kills the tribe from which the Camazotz are from, they discover a miracle ash in the ruins.

Uncaged Review: A new take on a coming of age book and not your typical vampire book these days. This book is geared more toward the horror side of vampires, instead of the romanticized version we read so much of these days. The author does a great job building up the history and it’s intriguing, creepy and suspenseful at the same time. This book is the first I’ve read from this author, and I’m quite happy I did. I finished this book in one day, because it truly grabs a hold of the reader and is well researched and written.

I would definitely pick up more titles from this author and is a perfect creepy addition to your October reads. Reviewed by Cyrene

Legacy Witches Cass Kay Ghost Suspense/Occult

Coming from a long line of murderous witches hasn’t exactly been sunshine and rainbows for Vianna Roots. When she inherits the family’s haunted house after her mother dies, she decides flipping the rundown dump is her smartest move-but the ghosts that haunt her have a different plan

Uncaged Review: Vianna inherits her family’s haunted house and her initial plan is to get rid of it. When she starts meeting the ghosts that live in the house, the plan is turned upside down with a mystery, since her friend Nancy died in the home. This is a good creepy read that should go on everyone’s reading pile for spooky reads. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, this book does give a good history of the witches in history, but these are the true witches that society didn’t see, and they aren’t all fun and games.

This is a good book, it starts a bit slow but if you keep going it will pick up and grab your interest. The secondary characters are actually a bit of fun, so it levels out the creepiness. The local coven is not helpful and Vianna will have a few hurdles to get over to solve the mystery of her friend’s death.

Reviewed by Cyrene

Blood River Alexander Lane Suspense/Horror

Trapped in the Borneo jungle, British eco-tourist Tara must protect her fellow travellers from a killer possessed by a bloodthirsty animal spirit.

Tara wants to forget her abusive ex. Wild child Alison yearns for the rainforest to heal her soul. Student Maya’s thrilled by her first long-haul adventure. Bad boy Cristian’s chasing his next conquest. Everyone else wants to see the orangutans.

Uncaged Review: A trek through the rainforest vacation turns into a nightmare. This book is slotted into the Women’s Adventure Suspense category, but it really sits more firmly in the horror/thriller genre. Even though it’s an adventure, it is a scary, gory paranormal tale with a whacked out killer on the loose.

This book is a bit choppy in places and has a bit of a slow start, but once it grabs hold of the reader, it’s a quick paced read. It has a unique story telling way, through writings and diaries, but I didn’t get a good feel for most of the characters, which would have made me care a little more about what happens to them. There is some good plot twists that I didn’t see coming and unique enough to keep me reading.

Reviewed by Cyrene

Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews

P.O.W. Wartime Log of F/ Sgt. T.D. Glenn

Rod Glenn

Nonfiction/Memoir

SR384, BU-A “Able” took off from Oulton shortly before midnight on 24th May 1944 and flew under radio silence at a height of 2,700m between Antwerp and Amsterdam. Shortly after midnight the B-17 was picked up by the radar of German night fighter ace Oberleutnant (flying officer) Leube who went in pursuit of the bomber stream.

Amy’s Review: A powerful and raw story of a POW

What a magnetic story in P.O.W. Wartime Log of F Sgt. T.D. Glenn by Rod Glenn. Rod Glenn shares his grandfather’s Tom Glenn in a word for word, recreation of the POW’s log. It’s the true account of the British POW, and many of the details that Tom decided to write about were probably to help keep himself together, and alone with his own thoughts. I was very honored to read this book. He kept information about his crew, what his parcel contents were, and the reader can learn every little thing about his camp and what the conditions where. I am a definite fan of this author! I’m so glad to read this, this is such a legacy of a family legend, and I treasure this read, just as much as the Glenn family. An embraceable story. The reader just embarks on a superb journey. This is a magnificent plot that kept this reader turning the pages.

The Silver Prison

Peter Shokeir YA/Military/Sci-Fi

A hero unearthed…

In a war-torn future, a mysterious man has been dug up in the Sahara—somehow alive, buried for who knows how long, wearing an indestructible helmet that cannot be removed. He is a man with strange abilities and an even stranger personality.

Amy’s Review: Intriguing!

Peter Shokeir writes a sci-fi tale with The Silver Prison. I haven’t read anything by this author before, and what a hidden gem. I enjoyed it so much, that I have now followed the author and look for more books to read. This author has a grand imagination, and talent for showing the story. The reader is introduced to a war borne world, and then, a mysterious man, they refer to as Helmet Man. Helmet man is very odd, but has great abilities and skills that not everyone can comprehend or explain, and then there is his personality, a bit rough and raw, intense, and a great character for the story. This author really brings the story together, with hints of suspense, and building a future world, that makes you wonder about your own future. This is one of those books that grabs you from the start and pulls you in. Impressive writing. I really loved the story, and its action, and levity when necessary. Peter Shokier can certainly write and share a story, and anyone who reads this would understand the honor of reading it. Un-put-downable! Shokier has just found another fan! Tantalizing and intriguing!

Division X August Hill Adventure/Horror

The monster killing business isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. We all have a monster within... understatement of the year. For 24-year-old Randi Matheson, she quite literally does. On every full moon, it rears its hairy head. She wasn’t always like this. Ever since her attack, the animal comes out to play. And on one full moon, the beast inside tries to eat her younger brother.

Amy’s Review: Wonderfully Harrowing!

August Hill writes an adventurous horrifying tale with Division X. I haven’t read anything by this author before, and what a hidden gem. I enjoyed it so much, that I have now followed the author and look for more books to read. The reader is introduced to the resident monster, Randi Matheson, who was attacked and transformed into a beast on every full moon. OK, so that part seems stereotypical, but it gets better. Randi tries to get to her little brother and not in a good way. Enter Division X, the group that is supposed be in charge of the monsters’ extinction. But something other than just saving Randi’s brother happens. She’s captured, and instead of being destroyed, she has the opportunity to work for them as their weapon. That’s when it gets better. The chemistry between the characters is not forced, but seemed to tell a story of its own. To kill or not to kill the beasts that are waiting to turn by the light of the moon, so they can hunt their next prey. Both thrilling and intriguing, all the way to the end.

The Upsetter Blog Brett Marie Urban/Literary/Drama

To write the Upsetter Blog, washed-up author Henry Barclay will have to leave behind his adult son Patrick, who has Down Syndrome, and follow the Flak Jackets, a rock band of no renown, on a grueling, months-long nightclub tour for the obscure magazine startup, Upsetter.

Amy’s Review: Riveting!

Brett Marie writes a dramatic, urban tale with The Upsetter Blog. I haven’t read anything by this author before, and what a hidden gem. I enjoyed it so much, that I have now followed the author and look for more books to read. The reader is introduced to Henry and his son, Patrick. Henry is teetering and is looking for something, to redeem himself. He’s given a job for a magazine, to tour with a band, not something he really wants to do. He has to leave his son behind, who has Down syndrome, and go on the road. It’s as harrowing as he knows it will be and more. There is something about the band, and the lead singer, Jack, who has a lot of secrets, and is basically a jerk (and that’s being nice). Henry still tries to get the story, while things start falling apart. It’s a dramatic story, and can be emotional, heartbreaking, and even make you angry, but sometimes know the reason behind the mask of anger, can help alleviate it. The author weaves a tangled web of story, and captures the reader. A genuine character driven story!

Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews

Cap’n Hook Philip and Stella Lemarque Satirist, humor

In another hilarious adventure, Pierre and Sophie are hired by an easygoing Beverly Hills couple whose entrepreneurial gardener runs a cannabis farm from the greenhouse. They are soon poached away by a pair of Francophiles with a second home in their beloved Provence.

Amy’s Review:Entertaining.

Philip Lemarque and Stella Lemarque write a satiric and humorous tale with Cap’n Hook. This book is part of the Bonjour Never Land series, and this is volume four. I am a fan of Philip Lemarque and Stella Lemarque and read whatever they write. These author has a grand imagination, and talent for telling the story. I recommend reading all four books in order, and the reader can learn more about Pierre and Sophie. As you read the stories, you can see the play on “Peter Pan,” and each character is very interesting and intriguing. Pierre and Sophie are an interesting couple who runs a Garden of cannabis. It’s dramatic and funny, and quite emotional, as you get attached to the characters, especially if you read all of the books. And of course, you wish you were tasting Sophie’s drunken squid, or just watching the life-threatening antics as they find themselves a bonafide billionaire sea captain, who seems to be quite the pirate. This is one of those books that grabs you from the start and pulls you in. The authors weave a tangled web of story and captures the reader. Pierre and Sophie are quite the couple

Samuel Sailing: The True Story of an Immigrant Boy

Karl

Beckstrand

YA/NonFiction/Journey

Two lost souls find a tether in the power of love.

Pru Blum’s life hasn’t been easy, but working as a cellist with the Lower Georgia Symphonic Orchestra is her solace. She depends on her friends and uncle for support, but she’s resolved to become stronger and more independent.

Amy’s Review: Very impressive story telling. Karen Janowsky writes a romantic tale with Dear Prudence. I am a big fan of Karen Janowsky and read whatever this author writes. This author has a grand imagination, and talent for showing the story. There are two sides to this story, and the reader is introduced to both Pru (Prudence) and Shawn. Pru is a magnificent cellist, and she’s under the support umbrella of her friends and uncle. However, Cliff, her abusive ex, seems like he is always there, and he is, as he’s part of the orchestra. Her scars from Cliff and constantly seeing him in her life, as he thinks he needs to be everywhere she turns, is hard for her to overcome, and deal with it, no matter how hard she tries. Insert Shawn, who is only engaged because his family expects him to marry Helena, so he can get a job with her father’s business. It’s not what he wants, and when he almost figures it out, there is an obstacle, namely his family. It’s just happenstance that the couple meet each other, keeping their backstories quiet. This is one of those books that grabs you from the start and pulls you in. The story is endearing and heartbreaking. he characters are so real, it’s like being with them within the story. The chemistry between the characters is not forced, but seemed to tell a story of its own. This story is very alluring, especially with the ups and downs of the couple.

The Last Gil Snider Medical Thriller

Dr. Anne Mastik, renowned Infectious Disease specialist, is called to a remote mountaintop in West Virginia to consult on Ruth Morehouse, a headstrong teenage girl with a mystifying life-threatening disease.

Amy’s Review: Brilliant writing! Absolutely Riveting!

Gil Snider writes a compelling and thrilling tale with The Last. I am a big fan of Gil Snider and read whatever this author writes. This author has a grand imagination, and talent for showing the story. I like how Gil Snider tells stories and makes every word feel so real. His background gives him plenty of expertise when he writes, and here, the reader is introduced to Dr. Anne Mastik. She is a very interested character, and she is an infection disease specialist. Dr. Mastik is called to a remote area in a mountain top of West Virgina. There is this disease, and she is supposed to help Ruth, a strong and tenacious teenager, who has a life-threatening disease, of unknown origin. Dr. Mastik becomes involved with Dr. Garaud, that has his own research and ideas for this disease. Suddenly people are dying, and Dr. Mastik and Ruth must find out the truth, as they escape for their lives. This is one of those books that grabs you from the start and pulls you in. Impressive writing. This author brings the story to life. The characters are so real, it’s like being with them within the story. The chemistry between the characters is not forced but seemed to tell a story of its own. A well-written plot. It is always an honor to read Gil Snider’s books. A definite attention grabber, so much I couldn’t put it down. Both thrilling and intriguing, all the way to the end

It’s a Good Day to Liquidate Ed Borowsky Organized Crime

Can Eddy Ackerman, a thirty-five-year-old professed loser, liquidate his shortfalls while trying to find success helping failing business owners transition to a new life through liquidation sales?

Eddy inherits a retail furniture store from his deceased father. On the day his business goes belly up, his wife walks out on him and cleans out their bank account.

Amy’s Review: Magnetic

What a magnetic story in It’s a Good Day to Liquidate by Ed Borowsky. When I discovered Borowsky’s work, I couldn’t wait to read all that this remarkable author wrote. Each one, was definitely not a disappointment. The reader is introduced to Eddy Ackerman, a self-proclaimed loser. Everything he did, he failed at, miserably. Then, all of a sudden, he seemed to find his niche in the furniture liquidation business, but unwittingly entered the dark, the very dark side of business. The story is full of creative and interesting characters, showing the downside of the owners of failing businesses, the corruption of the business, and how it leads to organized crime. It’s a well-written dramatic read, that brings Eddy into something he may not get out of it, making the reader wonder what will happen next. This author brings the words to life. It’s definitely un-put-downable! The author brings the reader on a superb journey. This is a magnificent plot that kept this reader turning the pages. Very impressive story telling. Definitely an unpredictable story, my favorite kind.

Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews

Road To Nowhere

Karl G. Trautman

Literary fiction, coming of age

Manny’s still got something to prove. Follow our hero as he:

• Returns to Boston for graduate school

• Tests personal and legal boundaries

• Begins an on-again and offagain romance

• Travels out West once more for adventure

• Moves to politically act

Amy’s Review: A Grand Read

Karl G. Trautman writes a coming-of-age tale with Road To Nowhere. I am a big fan of Karl G. Trautman and read whatever this author writes. This author has a grand imagination, and talent for showing the story. The reader is introduced to Manny, who believes he has something to prove, not just to others, but himself as well. Manny narrates his story, and shows us his interactions, actions, and thoughts about almost everything. He is a very interesting character, that seems to have his life planned out, but there is still something bothering him. The story starts with Manny becoming a TA for a very interesting professor, and life has other plans for Manny. The author weaves a tangled web of story and captures the reader. This author brings the story to life. The characters are so real, it’s like being with them within the story. It’s a great story to follow and try to figure out what will happen next. As most coming of age stories are, this one also brings in the Manny’s self-discovery, and also coming face to face with his life’s journey. Manny makes the story his own.

The Shroud George Bachman Fantasy

In 16th-century England, Queen Elizabeth’s former spymaster, Hertford, is recruited by a court faction, the Owls, to recover the Shroud of Turin from Rome before a rival faction can do so and use its supernatural power to usurp the throne.

Amy’s Review: Grand Read!

George Bachman writes a fantastical tale with The Shroud. I haven’t read anything by this author before, and what a hidden gem. I enjoyed it so much that I have now followed the author and look for more books to read. I enjoyed reading this story, as it had a mix of history, magic, and adventure, all the things that make up a great fantasy, while making the story feel so real. There are a bit of twists, along with betrayal, intrigue and the wonder of what is coming around the corner next. The reader is introduced to Hertford, a former spy who is recruited to find this supernatural shroud of Turin and use the powers, something that everyone wants for themselves. A simple assignment brings action, and enemies all vying for the same thing. Power. The author weaves a tangled web of story and captures the reader. This author brings the story to life. The story brings in the believable, even if almost impossible. A very unpredictable story, my favorite kind!

Sexual Awakening

Melina Druga

Chick Lit/Coming of Age

This coming-of-age story, set against the backdrop of the mid1990s Midwest, follows Cassandra, a high schooler whose big dreams clash with her family’s conservative expectations, as she comes into her own while navigating the complexities of teenage sex and dating.

Amy’s Review: Provocative!

Melina Druga writes a woman’s coming of age tale with Sexual Awakening. This book is part of the Rock Star’s Wife series, and this is volume one. I am a big fan of Melina Druga and read whatever this author writes. This author has a grand imagination, and talent for showing the story. She is a remarkable writer, and writes in a vast number of different genres, and she has a unique style based on the genre, which helps her show the story. The reader is introduced to Cassandra, a teenager who thinks she has it all, but she is also looking for something, her own intimate awakening. She comes from a strong, but dysfunctional Greek family, and they have a lot of rules. Cassandra feels stifled by her family, but she is very interested in searching for that boy. Cassandra is also the narrator, which gives the story an interesting perspective, and the reader gets to know what she is feeling, hiding from her family, and her intentions. Of course, she is a big fan of Kurt Cobain, the founder of the rock group, Nirvana. And his death affects her immensely and brings out emotions she never realized she could feel. She’s growing up and trying to figure out what that means. A definite eye-opener. The story is endearing and heartbreaking.

The Last Invention-The Day Death Died

Diane Lilli

Sci-Fi/Dystopian

This is the fight between AI and one brilliant activist to create the last invention, where the ultimate question is not why human beings are alive, but what price will they pay to kill death?

Amy’s Review: Imagine a world where you fight to defeat death!

Diane Lilli writes a magnificent dystopian tale with The Last Invention-The Day Death Died. I haven’t read anything by this author before, and what a hidden gem. I enjoyed it so much that I have now followed the author and look for more books to read. This author has a grand imagination, and talent for showing the story. I recommend the reader starts with the prologue, and learns a snippet about Emily, because chapter 1 changes everything. The reader is introduced to sisters, Amanda and Emily, and from the beginning, things aren’t the same as they were for these sisters. Amanda shares her story, and it’s something incredible, but in a way that’s not-so-great. And then, in a twist, Emily tells her story. This is one of those books that grabs you from the start and pulls you in. I like that the story builds up to what has happened, what is happening now, and what may happen, if things stay on this path. This is a unique story that I found myself lost in. I may not have read the work from Diane Lilli before, but I definitely will. The story is endearing and heartbreaking. The author weaves a tangled web of story, and captures the reader, and brings the characters to life. Death may be extinct, but will it really?

And with that, there is always a price. The reader just embarks on a superb journey. This is a magnificent plot that kept this reader turning the pages. Both thrilling and intriguing, all the way to the end. Yes, it’s the end of the world as we know it.

Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews

Matthias: The Ghost of Salvation Point

Jodi Auborn

Middle-Grade Paranormal Adventure

Ten-year-old Dylan is excited when his father inherits an old lighthouse and cottage in Maine. Dylan and his family get to live there all summer! He goes sailing on the bay, explores the small town down the road, and searches for a legendary pirate treasure that was said to be buried nearby.

Audiobook The Connellys of County Down

Tracey Lange

Women’s Fiction

Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik

When Tara Connelly is released from prison after serving eighteen months on a drug charge, she knows rebuilding her life at thirty years old won’t be easy. With no money and no prospects, she returns home to live with her siblings, who are both busy with their own problems.

Amy’s

Review:

Entertaining and full of adventure

Jodi Auborn writes a middle-grade paranormal tale with Matthias: The Ghost of Salvation Point. I haven’t read anything by this author before, and what a hidden gem. I enjoyed it so much that I have now followed the author and look for more books to read. The reader is introduced to ten-year-old Dylan, and he is so excited that his family inherited an old lighthouse and a cottage, a place they can spend their summers. What could be more cooler than that? Dylan becomes quite the explorer by sailing, and searching the intricacies of the lighthouse. There was a pirate legend of a buried treasure. Then, he meets Matthias. A ghost who is residing in Dylan’s bedroom. They become friends, and then realize, others may want to get their hands on that treasure as well. So, they because a team of detectives to investigate and protect their home. This author brings the story to life. The characters are so real, it’s like being with them within the story. Dylan is not your typical 10 year old, but he’s still a kid, an acts like one, and that’s what makes this story work. The story brings in the believable, even if almost impossible.

Amy’s Review: A compelling story about second chances.

Tracey Lange tells an intriguing story in The Connellys of County Down. I haven’t listened to anything from this author before, and I really enjoyed it. I did read the print version of the story, and enjoyed it, but I also really enjoyed this audiobook. The listener is introduced to the Connelly’s, and Tara, who spent the last 18 months in prison due to drugs, is released and hopes to put her life back together. She seeks out help from her family, but they also have their own problems. The story is about loyalty of family, and even the best intentions aren’t always successful. Secrets, rebuilding, and familial connections are the building blocks of this story. The story is endearing and heartbreaking. The characters are so real, it’s like being with them within the story. This author is a great storyteller, and the narration brings the story to life. The listener just embarks on a superb journey. The author’s technique of raw, magnetic characters and great plotlines is a gift.

Firebomb L. R. Starr Action/Suspense

How does a P.I. and a rogue assassin named Hawk start working together?

Let’s just say... it involves things blowing up, an off-the-wall ex bomb specialist, and fifty five dead already. The cause; a blonde beauty editor from Manhattan.

Amy’s Review: Enjoyed this story!

L. R. Starr writes an action filled tale with Firebomb. This book is part of The Sara Clemens Mystery Series, and this is the prequel. I recommend reading book one, CheckMate, first before reading this one. Firebomb shows the connection between Sara and Hawk. Sara, a new private investigator, still learning the ins and outs of private detecting, and investigations, meets Hawk, an assassin by trade. Now, with their first case together, things keep blowing up, literately. It’s a great story to read and to learn about the history of Hawk and Sara. It’s definitely an eyeopener. I have become a big fan of this author! Absolutely chilling, with death around every corner. Both thrilling and intriguing, all the way to the end. Even though the reader knows that there are future stories, this one is still very unpredictable.

Annie’s Apple

John Heldt

Historical fiction

Six years after emerging from a fountain of youth, siblings Bill, Paul, and Annie Carpenter, time travelers from 2022, make their way in 1911.

Amy’s Review: Very impressive story telling. John Heldt writes a historical time travelling tale with Annie’s Apple. This book is part of the Second Chance series, and this is volume two. First, Heldt is very proficient and a magnificent storyteller, who specializes in historical fiction and time travelling characters. I recommend reading the first book in this series, as well as other books that Heldt has written. The first book was in the series was The Fountain, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. These stories revolve around the family Carpenter, Bill, Paul, and Annie. Six years ago, they came out of the fountain of youth, to go back to their regular lives. Bill and his wife, Cassie, are trying to start a family, and Annie becomes a society reporter. For all of them, life seems to be getting back to normal, even for Paul and Andy Lee, back in 1911. Things don’t always work out for the family, and sometimes they are in the wrong time, even if they are trying to get to a normal life for them, in that era. Whatever this author writes, I want to read. This author brings the story to life. The story brings in the believable, even if almost impossible. This journey was very unpredictable.

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