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Barbara V. Evers is the author of THE WATCHERS OF MONIAH epic fantasy trilogy as well as several short stories and essays. From the mysterious Dark Corner of South Carolina, she crafts fantasy stories with strong women matriarchies and unusually gifted and clever animals. A twotime Imadjinn Best Fantasy Novelist, she’s won several awards for her writing over the years including a Pushcart Prize nomination.
The characters would not leave me alone, specifically Adana, the warrior princess in THE WATCHERS OF MONIAH trilogy, as well as the Watchers who are female warriors. Plus, I’ve always known I’d write a book. I’ve been crafting stories since I was four years old.
The big picture answer is all of life prepares you for being an author. Your experiences creep way into your stories. I’m amazed when I look back through my writing to see what aspects of my life appear on the page and, in most cases, not on purpose. It’s mind-blowing.
Also, my career and participation in writing groups helped prepare me.
I’m a corporate trainer and instructional designer. Basically, I write training materials and then I conduct workshops using those materials. To date, I’ve developed several thousand hours’ worth of training materiasl and conducted training to tens of thousands of people. This skill set helped me recognize how differently people see and interpret a topic. Most experienced trainers aren’t surprised by what happens in a workshop. Those unexpected responses made it easier for me to accept that readers will perceive ideas or themes in my novels and short stories in different ways than I meant or anticipated.
the first two years with that group. It’s a far better story than if I’d tried to forge my way alone. Plus, a writing group helps you explore the business side of publication and gives you a group to encourage and support you.
LOL. Fun. Entertainment. A lot of authors have a theme or cause they want to promote, but I don’t work that way. There are themes in my work—strong women role models, domestic violence, animal conservation, diversity of cultures and race—but they happened organically. I did not set out to create stories that focused on those themes.
Also, I want people to feel my characters. Just the other day, someone told me, “I’m so disappointed in Samantha. I want to strangle her.” This is music to my ears because my characters have become real to this reader. They are very real to me! And it’s a lot of fun to hear from people while they’re reading the books and haven’t found out what’s finally going to happen to each character. I smile with anticipation at the discoveries awaiting them.
Q YOUR LOVE OF GIRAFFES IS EVIDENT, WHY DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE SUCH A CONNECTION TO THEM?
As for my writing group, I joined a critique group in 2007, and their meetings really opened my eyes to the best way to tell a story. I learned a lot in those first few years especially. I finished writing THE WATCHERS OF MONIAH in
When I was sixteen, my family visited relatives in the Washington DC area. We went to the National Zoo, but, being a teenager, I had no interest in walking through the zoo with my parents, aunt and uncle, and siblings. I wandered ahead of them and eventually stopped to wait at the giraffe exhibit. There was an empty bench (shocker), and I sat down and studied the giraffes. One giraffe studied me right back. He watched me, and I
watched him. It intrigued me that a giraffe, who must be accustomed to thousands of people watching him, would stop and watch me the entire time. I’m not sure how long I waited on my family, but it had to be fifteen minutes or more. That began my fascination with giraffes.
Q HOW DOES YOUR LOVE OF GIRAFFES WEAVE INTO YOUR WRITING?
The giraffes are a crucial part of the world of Moniah. Hundreds of years ago, the first queen of Moniah nursed an orphaned giraffe calf she’d found in the desert. As she spent more time with the calf, she realized they were communicating. Through their telepathic communication, she learned that giraffes were dying out, so she made it illegal to kill a giraffe. In return, giraffes agreed to bond with the members of the royal family. Each royal forms a bond with one giraffe, and the decision is mutual. The communication between them is visual, so they can see through each others’ eyes and share information through visions.
By the time period of the first book, THE WATCHERS OF MONIAH, giraffes are no longer endangered and play a crucial role in Moniah’s protection. From this relationship, a group of female warriors, the Watchers, arose. Watchers possess gifts of enhanced sight, much of it reminiscent of the giraffe’s incredible vision. All Watchers are tall, can distinguish minute details farther away than others, have impeccable aim, and are skilled readers of body language. In fact, their skill at reading body language is so well developed that all Watchers learn to remain stoic no matter what their inner thoughts.
Q WHAT CAN THE AVERAGE PERSON DO TO HELP WITH GIRAFFE CONSERVATION?
Share information about the giraffe’s silent extinction. Giraffes are dying out but don’t get the attention other endangered animals do. For example, in the wild there are four elephants to one giraffe. When you consider that there are four species of giraffe, the numbers become more alarming.
The Giraffe Conservation Foundation works tirelessly to repopulate giraffes in areas where they’ve died out and to educate people about the giraffe’s plight. Contributing to their work helps, and I give 5% of my royalties to them annually. They’ve seen positive results in giraffe populations in the last few years. When I first started talking about the giraffe’s silent extinction, there were approximately 111,000 giraffes in the wild. Today, I believe the numbers are closer to 117,000.
Q YOUR BIO SAYS YOU TEACH ADULTS.... WHAT DO YOU TEACH THEM?
Common sense. LOL. Really, a lot of corporate training falls into learning a better way to conduct yourself around others. I teach communication (written, verbal, and public speaking), emotional intelligence, teamwork, leadership, customer service, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, empathy, assertiveness, problem solving, and the list goes on. Oh, and I teach software classes, too (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.). I usually tell clients if they want a workshop just me if I teach it. I don’t always list all of the topics on my training website (EversWorks.com). I, also, teach creative writing workshops at conferences including character development, dialogue, point of view, editing, proofreading, pitching your work, and running a critique group.
Q WHEN TEACHING, WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST REWARDING?
I believe in people and their potential to grow and improve professionally and personally, and training provides a unique opportunity to do that. As an extravert, I love interacting with my trainees and seeing them discover something they haven’t considered before. The other day, I taught a workshop for the staff of a local university. During introductions, one woman said she took the class because I was teaching. She’d been to several of my workshops in the past and knew she’d gain something from it. Those responses tell me I’m doing something worthwhile in this world.
Until my late twenties, I primarily read historical fiction, mysteries, and contemporary fiction. I’m an eclectic reader, but I grew bored; everything felt the same. My brother reads science fiction—the reason I steered clear of the genre as a kid—so I asked him for suggestions. I gave him two criteria: the stories needed to feel believable, and I didn’t want high tech.
He gave me Katherine Kurtz’s Camber of Culdi series, and I was hooked. The world building made the stories fresh and new. Over the next few years, he introduced me to David Eddings, Robert Jordan, and George R. R. Martin and many others. My imagination took off in very different directions from that point on. In fact, Jordan’s Wheel of Time series had a huge influence on me when I decided to write THE WATCHERS OF MONIAH.
Q YOU HAVE 3 BOOKS IN THE WATCHERS SERIES.... DO YOU PLAN TO EXPAND THE TRILOGY?
Some day. I’m currently working on an urban fantasy, but there are secondary characters in the Watchers whose stories need to be told. Plus, the history of how the traitor Maligon switched from a loyal friend to a traitor after Adana’s throne begs to be written.
Q YOU WIN AWARDS FOR YOUR BOOKS; DO YOU THINK WINNING AWARDS IS BENEFICIAL TO AUTHORS ON A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL?
It helps, especially when you’re querying an agent or publisher on your next project. Being able to say my novels won the Imadjinn Best Fantasy Novel award tells them my work is more than the average manuscript in their slush pile. It doesn’t hurt that one of my short stories was nominated for a Pushcart Prize, too. But, you want to be careful about which contests you enter. As in any industry, not all awards are equal. Do your research.
Q DO YOU THINK A BOOK BEING AN AWARD WINNER HELPS READERS FIND THEIR NEXT READ?
Yes. I run a booth at most of the conventions I attend. When I tell people about the books, two points seem to make the biggest difference in their purchase decisions: telepathic giraffes and the Best Fantasy Novel awards. With the glut of self-published fiction available to readers today, an award tells them a book has passed a test. It doesn’t hurt that the Imadjinn Awards are juried awards, too. They are not decided by popular vote like so many others.
Q IS THERE A GENRE ASIDE FROM FANTASY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO WRITE? WHY?
Yes. There are a few books I’d like to publish about writing and revising your work. Also, I’ve recently come up with an idea for a devotional.
Q WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF ADVICE TO GIVE TO ASPIRING AUTHORS?
Don’t wait until you have your manuscript finished to seek out writing critique groups, workshops, and conferences. I don’t know how many times people tell me, “I need to finish writing my book first.” No you don’t! If you don’t surround yourself with people who know something about the current expectations in book publishing, you will make mistakes, some of them major.
Hampton Road Writers, September 21, virtual First Coast Romance Writers, Nov. 8, Virtual Appearance updates and recording can be found on my website: Barbara V Evers
Barbara V. Evers is the author of THE WATCHERS OF MONIAH epic fantasy trilogy as well as several short stories and essays. From the mysterious Dark Corner of South Carolina, she crafts fantasy stories with strong women matriarchies and unusually gifted and clever animals. A two-time Imadjinn Best Fantasy Novelist, she’s won several awards for her writing over the years including a Pushcart Prize nomination.
I occasionally take on a developmental editing job. Each time, I request to see the first five pages before quoting a price. Every single project I’ve edited, I declined at first because the writer had not learned what works and what doesn’t work in writing. Yes, rules can be broken, but it’s harder for a newbie writer to get away with something a long-time best selling author does. I take the time to explain the issues I find and tell them I don’t feel comfortable taking their money yet. Every time I’ve done that, they eventually bring their work back to me for editing.
Q DO YOU HAVE ANY IN-PERSON OR VIRTUAL EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR 2024?
I have quite a few confirmed and several that are pending. The confirmed events are:
Women in Publishing Summit, March 6-9, virtual
JordanCon, April 19-21
AtomaCon, May 4-5
Imaginarium, July 19-21
Barbara is a supporter and advocate for animal conservation and seeks to educate others about endangered species. The giraffes in THE WATCHERS OF MONIAH are no longer endangered, but giraffes in our world are suffering a silent extinction. As an advocate, Barbara contributes a portion of her royalties to support the work of The Giraffe Conservation Foundation. When she’s not writing, Barbara uses her degrees in Zoology and Communication to conduct training workshops for businesses. Maybe she really can speak to animals!
Any other time, she can be found herding her husband, two grandchildren, and her rescue dog, Roxy (but don’t tell them).
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We are excited to announce the inaugural FIRE Book Awards honoring the best independently published titles which carry a 2024 copyright date, as well as the Embers Book Awards featuring titles with a copyright date from 2019 to 2023.
IN THE TAPESTRY OF ANCIENT GREEK MYTHOLOGY, THE STORY OF PROMETHEUS STANDS AS A BEACON FOR THE CREATIVE AND REBELLIOUS SPIRIT. THIS TITAN BRAVED THE HEAVENS' WRATH TO BRING HUMANS THE GIFT OF FIRE, THUS KINDLING THE EMBERS OF KNOWLEDGE, HOPE, AND PROGRESS IN THE HUMAN SPIRIT. IN A SIMILAR VEIN, THE FIRE & EMBERS BOOK AWARDS EMERGE AS A MODERN-DAY PROMETHEUS, ILLUMINATING THE PATH FOR INDEPENDENT AND SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHORS, BY CELEBRATING THE INDOMITABLE SPIRIT OF THOSE WHO SEEK TO FORGE NEW FRONTIERS IN THE WORLD OF BOOKS.
Houston, TX: After illustrious careers in the book publishing industry, Rita Mills and Sandy Lawrence are returning from retirement with a new project to promote books and the authors who wrote them. Rita and Sandy are teaming up with Aimee Ravichandran of Abundantly Social and Deena Rae of eBookBuilders to introduce the FIRE & Embers Book Awards, an innovative literary award program to celebrate independently published books.
Sandy Lawrence stated flatly, “The passion for storytelling is alive and well, and we want to encourage and promote the incredible work of authors who have chosen to publish their books independently. We hope to encourage creativity and innovation in the literary world by helping these books sell, which is what everyone wants.”
This exciting global venture encompasses a wide range of genres, from fiction to non-fiction, fantasy to romance, and mystery to science fiction. The variety of genres will ensure independent authors from diverse backgrounds and literary interests have an opportunity to shine.
Aimee Ravichandran, a visionary in the book industry, expressed her excitement about the collaboration, saying, “At Abundantly Social, we have always believed in the power of storytelling and community. The FIRE & Embers Book Awards align perfectly with our mission to support and connect authors and readers.”
The FIRE & Embers Book Awards will be a game-changer in the world of literature. The award’s uniqueness lies in its unparalleled international marketing campaign, which showcases the winning books. This online vote will allow the reading public to select the grand prize winner.
Early registration ends on May 31, 2024, with the final deadline for entries on September 30, 2024. Stay tuned for further announcements and details about the FIRE & Embers Book Awards. Authors, publishers, and book enthusiasts are invited to join this exciting journey as we usher in a new era of literary recognition.
For additional information, visit FIREbookawards.com or contact admin@FIREbookawards.com
Deena Rae emphasized the significance of independently published works, stating, “We have seen a surge in high-quality indie books, and it’s time to celebrate the authors behind these extraordinary works. The FIRE & Embers Book Awards will play a pivotal role in raising the profile of those authors who venture into independent publishing.”
About Rita Mills: Rita Mills is a publishing industry veteran whose career started at The Houston Post over 50 years ago. She entered book publishing in the early ’90s as the Managing Editor of Arte Publico Press at the University of Houston, where she worked with numerous authors and publishers and contributed significantly to the literary landscape.
About Sandy Lawrence: Sandy Lawrence had a highly respected career in marketing and promotions for years at HP. Upon leaving HP, she gravitated to her love of books, and she spent over twenty years helping authors and publishers with her wealth of marketing and promotions expertise.
About Aimee Ravichandran and Abundantly Social: Aimee Ravichandran is the founder of Abundantly Social, a dynamic consulting platform dedicated to helping support authors connect with their reading audience.
About Deena Rae and eBookBuilders: Deena Rae is the founder of eBookBuilders, a leading book packaging service provider specializing in publishing solutions from editing to design. Her gift is , shepherding independent authors and publishers through the book industry maze.
About the FIRE Book Awards: The FIRE Book Awards is an upcoming literary award program celebrating independently published books. It will provide a platform for authors to showcase their talent and connect with a global audience.
The FIRE & Embers Book Awards are unique in that the winners are posting from both the FIRE & Embers Awards for an internet vote for two weeks in December 2024. This Online Internet Vote with its unique blend of recognition and reader engagement to pick the Grand Prize Winner, will garner massive exposure worldwide bring awareness to all the winners.
During the Online Internet Voting period, all of the winners will also be showcased in an online catalog with links to where the books can be purchased, taking advantage of the point-of-purchase opportunity from the massive amount of traffic generated. The Showcase Catalog will also be advertised in leading online trade magazines for even more exposure for the titles.
REMINDER: This is an interactive magazine. Click on book cover or link to follow.
Q: TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOOK, THE LAST MAGDALENE.
The Last Magdalene is based on extensive historical research into the Roman occupation of Judea in the first century CE. It is a retelling of the people and events recounted in the New Testament from the perspective of Miriam of Bethany, who becomes The Magdalene, the High Priestess of Judea and Israel. While the timeline follows the gospels, Miriam’s training as a priestess of the goddess Asherah brings to light the important role women played as healers and midwives in Hebrew society.
It is a story of love, passion, determination, and courage that does for The New Testament, what The Red Tent did for The Old Testament.
Q: HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE TOPIC FOR THIS NEW BOOK?
A Magdalene scholar, Jani Kozina, read my memoir, House of the Moon: Surviving the Sixties and asked if I would speak with her. She suggested that I write about a strong, independent, passionate woman, Mary Magdalene. I knew practically nothing about Magdalene, but Jani offered to help me research the historical Magdalene. She took me to the Magdalene sites in and around southern France and introduced me to scholars Margret Starbird and Shanna Lax, as well as the work of other biblical scholars. The more I read about Magdalene the more I became impressed with her life and the times.
of fate and destiny, self-sacrifice, the power of love to overcome hate and prejudice. But most of all, finding one’s passion, loving oneself, and being open to the beauty of love in and of itself, are the underlying themes.
The character that was the most demanding was Miriam of Bethany. There is so little unbiased information about her and her life available. I felt she must have had great courage, passion, and intelligence to be recorded in history at all. So I went with those characteristics to start, then found out more and more about her as I wrote. To date, Miriam is my all-time favorite character.
A fun character, who is completely fictional, is Jesse bar Soloman. He’s my “every man” who is outside the main sphere of the protagonists and so can ask the questions and receive answers on behalf of the reader. He appears to be a ne’er-do-well wastrel but is a man of integrity and honor that proves to be invaluable.
Q: WHAT WAS THE JOURNEY LIKE FOR YOU, AS AN AUTHOR, IN FOLLOWING MIRIAM AS SHE GREW UP?
Q: WHAT THEMES WILL READERS FIND IN YOUR HISTORICAL/BIBLICAL FICTION NOVEL?
The main themes running throughout the novel are that
The journey was exciting. Following Miriam from a child of five to a grown woman of passion and courage allowed me to also grow as a writer. Writing from the POV of a child was difficult at first, as Miriam’s understanding of her circumstances and the events surrounding her are limited by her life experience. As she grew, I found great joy in writing her ever increasing awareness of her place in the temple of Asherah and her role in the dynastic demands made upon her.
As Henry Miller once said, “All writing is
autobiographical,” and it’s so with Miriam’s journey. Her defiance and desire to control her own destiny is a mirror of my own struggles to remain true to myself when I grew up in the Sixties, and even now when I’m negotiating the publishing world.
Q: WHAT OTHER PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
I’m writing the second book in the series, The Lost and the Holy. It follows Miriam into exile in Alexandria, Egypt. The high priestess of Isis, befriends Miriam and becomes a mentor, expanding Miriams concepts about divinity and the place of women in society.
The third book in the series takes place in southern Gual, where Miriam coalesces her understanding about passion, love, and kindness, to become a renowned teacher and healer.
The fourth book will be from Miriam’s daughter’s POV, which will be a different perspective of the events that changed the future for the western world.
Q: FOR ASPIRING WRITERS, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?
Never give up. Keep moving ever closer to realizing you dreams. Also, find a critique group that understands your genre and supports you as you grow as a writer. And last but not least, attend writers’ conferences where you can be with your tribe while honing your craft.
Q: WHERE CAN READERS CONNECT WITH YOU ONLINE?
www.donnconrad.com
donna@donnaconrad.com
When this one starts out, I’m dropped into a post EMP-event world, so a fun, post-apoc setting, but it rotates in past tense so you can see a bit of what happened to the leads—I enjoyed this approach.
I found myself deeply immersed in this world and never wanted it to let me go. 4 stars
For book 2, there are no more looks into the past, it’s very focused on this group being on their journey. They make a few friends along the way, there are funny moments, lots of heart-breaking scenes, some action and of course, non-stop challenges. A fun read, despite a few continuity issues. 4 stars.
Book 3 packs more of the same from Book 2 for much of it, but with a bit more action sprinkled in and focuses on the personal relationships a little more. It manages to be even more heartbreaking at times, and still ever as adventurous as its predecessors.
Overall:
The author does a good job of showing the worst of people, the best of people and everything in between during trying times. You’re going to want to read on in the series.
Audio:
Overall good, though the sound quality wasn’t perfect. It was okay, just a bit fuzzy and the narrator sounded muffled. Took a bit of getting used to. 3 stars on this front. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Q: TELL US, READERS, ABOUT YOUR ANTHOLOGY, IT CAME FROM THE TREES AND OTHER VIOLENT ABERRATIONS.
It Came From the Trees and Other Violent Aberrations is a short anthology of five stories all tied by the theme of dread. There’s a creature feature novelette that’s an ode to an X-Files episode, a science fiction thriller about teleportation technology, a Lovecraftian adventure tale, a grim dark fantasy and a splatterpunk western. They’re all different, none of them linked except through the common theme of dread. I did that on purpose because I enjoy anthologies that really mix narrative and genre.
It’s also designed to be a throwback to the pulp horror stories of the 40s and 50s –yarns, page-turners, that sort of thing. My only goal is to get you to the next page, five times over. To that end, I also made it short. The collection clocks in at 130 pages. This, admittedly, is also about me. I have the attention span of a gnat, so I’m appealing to people who, like me, love a good short story collection but not a 300-page one.
To sum up, if you like page-turners, creature-features, variety, and short reads: this collection is for you. Please go buy it now.
Q: WHEN DID YOU BEGIN WRITING IT CAME FROM THE TREES?
The titular story It Came From the Trees was written at the start of the pandemic. Honestly, I didn’t care for it at first. It was written in a different format and so I shelved it for two years and worked on other things. Eventually, I kicked
it over to an editor for feedback and he, surprisingly, loved it and had some great advice to improve it. Once that was done, I knew I wanted it out, but it wasn’t long enough to justify a release on its own. That’s when I decided to create a cornucopia collection, adding in four other stories I had written, all previously unpublished, that I thought paired well with the titular story. Here we are four years later and it’s finally out!
Q: WHAT THEMES WILL READERS FIND IN YOUR HORROR STORIES?
Dread. Paranoia. Cynicism. Friendship. Perseverance. Honor. I try to create characters that are facsimiles of real human beings– they’re dynamic, they’re imperfect, they say and do things that create problems for themselves, but they’re also self-reflective, kind and survivors. I think that’s a solid gamut of the human experience. There’s even love in these stories – friendship, both the adult and child kind, and even that type of romantic love that takes you unexpectedly and transforms you.
Q: HOW HAVE YOUR OTHER PROFESSIONS SUCH AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROFESSION, JOURNALIST, AND FORMER PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST SHAPED YOUR WRITING CAREER AS AN AUTHOR?
I think my work in economic development gives me a little bit of knowledge about a lot of things. Frankly, journalism and public relations do the same. Makes me a whizz at trivia, most times. That’s helpful for writing because it largely means I have no problems coming up with ideas or shaping stories around existing structures and systems. As well, that work makes you a quick study, which really helps if you feel you have to conduct research for a story. Although I love researching and learning, I don’t get lost in it. Honestly, I’m more interested in the characters than I am the setting, structures or systems, though I do want those latter elements to function logically and consistently to keep the reader in the story – then watch and see how the characters react in those settings. So,
overall, I’d say it helps a lot. One thing journalism gives you is a better-than-average ability to write fast, which really helps with first drafts.
As an aside, one of the biggest skill gaps I see in the business world is the ability to write effectively. That’s why I recommend that journalism education in postsecondary is not only important for people who want to pursue that profession, but for anyone who goes into business. Journalism 101 – researching, interviewing, writing a lede and disseminating information quickly and accurately – should be a mandatory course in every business school in North America.
Q: WHY BE AN AUTHOR WHEN YOUR MAIN PASSION IS IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS?
My main passion is writing fiction. I started writing fiction when I was 12 and never stopped. The only reason I’m in business is because I became a journalist (hoping to becoming a novelist), and that led me to business journalism and that, eventually, translated into business and economics.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my day job. I’m good at it and extremely privileged to work in that space. But if you put a gun to my head and asked me to choose between writing horror and doing economic development to pay the bills, it’s going to be the former seven days a week. No apologies.
Q: WHAT OTHER BOOKS WOULD YOU LIKE TO PUBLISH?
I have two novels drafted already that I need to edit and start submitting. One is a sword and sorcery fantasy (in the same world as the grim dark story in the It Came From the Trees anthology), and another is what I call industrial horror. The goal this year is to get them edited and see if I can find a publisher.
Meantime, I’ll keep writing whatever comes to mind, short stories, novellas, and novels. I don’t ever intend to stop. In fact, I’m just getting started.
Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WRITING STYLE?
Accessible. Page-turner. Yarn. Pulpy. My work isn’t heady, and it’s never going to be welcomed in the esteemed circles of high literature (p.s. I love high literature). I’m writing for the everyday reader, the beach or cabin reader, the person who takes a paperback with them wherever they go. I’m not looking for the reader to have a transformative experience, but I would like them to turn the last page and say, ‘That was fun.’ That’s it. If I achieve that, I feel good.
Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING WRITERS IN THE HORROR GENRE?
Just do it. Write it. Don’t worry about being perfect or comparing yourself to others. Don’t worry about who is ahead of you, who has more sales, or any sales for that matter. If you want to be in this business, be in it for you. Write for you. Finish for you. Finish for that feeling. Connect and become friends with others in the business, but at every step resist the urge to compare yourself, grade yourself or, for that matter, anyone else. This is a craft. You can learn it. Discipline beats talent seven days a week. Get at it, have fun, and stick with it and you’ll find success. But always remember the definition of success is your own to make.
Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CLASSIC HORROR STORIES AND MODERN DAY HORROR STORIES LIKE YOUR COLLECTION, IT CAME FROM THE TREES?
Well, obviously, any story set in the contemporary with
current-day culture and technology is going to be your most obvious point of separation. I think word choice, pace and structure would be the next most obvious. Beyond that, not much. I think you’ll find that stories haven’t really changed all that much throughout human history – they’re about people who face internal and external conflicts and their journey through those conflicts to an eventual, or lack of eventual, transformation. This is true all the way back to the mythology of cultures throughout the world – there are common themes, elements, archetypes, and lessons present in myths from every culture throughout the planet. Whether it was written four thousand years ago or four minutes ago, ultimately, all stories are human stories.
The benefit of being a modern horror writer is that we get to draw on all the examples of horror written by the people who came before us. We have a rich archive to draw on for inspiration, lessons, et cetera. That makes it an exciting time to be writing in this genre or any other.
Q: WHERE CAN READERS FIND YOU AND YOUR WORK ONLINE?
My work can be found on Amazon – Wolf at the Door (horror novella) and It Came From the Trees (horror anthology). My work has also been published in anthologies from Brigids Gate Press, Eerie River Publishing, Locust Candy, Bewildering Stories, Tyche Books and Sley House Publishing. You can also find me on X (Twitter @joelcmckay), Instagram (author_joel_mckay) and Threads. I’ll get a website going, eventually.
Joel McKay is an award-winning writer. He calls Prince George, B.C. home, where he lives with his wife and two daughters. Wolf at the Door is his first novella, which won the 2022 Global Book Award gold medal for horror. His most recent published fiction was the short story Number Hunnerd in Tyche Books’ anthology Water: Selkies, Sirens and Sea Monsters, and the splatterpunk western short
story Hands, which was published in Brigids Gate Press' anthology Blood in the Soil, Terror on the Wind.
The inspiration for his fiction is drawn from the landscapes and people of British Columbia, particularly the province's vast, untamed and often misunderstood north. It's the small towns and the people who call them home that inspired the good ol' boys featured in Number Hunnerd, or the cool, crisp evenings and early sunsets of October that planted the idea for werewolves at a Thanksgiving feast.
Joel is passionate about Canada, its history and the history of the peoples who have called it home since time immemorial. As far as he's concerned, New England has got nothing on Northern B.C. when it comes to perfect settings for supernatural tales.
In his spare time, Joel is an avid fly fisherman, mountain biker, hiker and reader. His work as an economic development professional, public relations specialist and journalist has earned him numerous national, provincial and local awards and recognitions.
Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR NOVEL, A FIFTH OF THE STORY?
A Fifth of the Story was inspired by my fascination for the work my husband did in the intelligence community as an Army officer and as a contractor. This story was also inspired by the rise of extremist organizations and beliefs in our country. It’s concerning to see how these ideologies have gained traction in recent years, and I wanted to shed light on the issue through my writing. I believe it’s vital to understand the root causes of extremism and work towards creating a more tolerant and inclusive society. I also treasure deep friendships, and I wanted to delve into how relationships are impacted by life’s circumstances, family, and values.
Q: TELL US MORE ABOUT THE MAIN CHARACTER, BROCK.
Brock is a fascinating and multifaceted individual who appears to be successful and well-put-together on the surface but struggles with a complex and troubled past. Having worked for the CIA, Brock now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a constant source of internal conflict for him.
Despite his challenges, Brock has a solid support system in place, which includes his close friends, loyal dog, and loving parents. These relationships help him to stay grounded and provide a sense of stability in his life. However, when Brock is thrown into a dangerous and horrifying situation that threatens his life and the lives of those around him, he is forced to confront his inner demons and embark on a journey of introspection. As he grapples with his past mistakes and struggles to protect those in his care, Brock must confront his deepest fears and find the strength to overcome them.
Q: WHAT THEMES WILL READERS FIND IN YOUR THRILLER SUSPENSE NOVEL?
The themes readers will find in my thriller can vary, but common themes include international conflicts, betrayal, loyalty, secrets, and danger. Other themes may include the ethics of espionage, the moral dilemmas faced by traitors, the consequences of their actions, and the impact of espionage on personal relationships. A Fifth of the Story explores the tension between national security and personal freedom, as well as the blurred lines between good and evil in this shadowy world.
Being a host of the podcast Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality, which airs weekly, can be exciting. I get to explore and discuss different stories and perspectives with my guests, most of whom are authors. It requires a lot of research, preparation, and attention to detail to create a compelling and engaging episode. The thrill of keeping my audience on the edge of their seats while discussing thrilling and suspenseful stories can be a great experience. However, it can also be challenging to keep things fresh and exciting week after week. Overall, it’s a rewarding experience because I enjoy the thrill of suspense and storytelling.
When it comes to writing, I prefer to describe my style as edgy, with a hint of creativity that adds a unique flair to my work. To fully capture the essence of my ideas, I tend to use the third-person perspective, which allows me to showcase a wide range of emotions and plot twists. I believe it’s essential to create a vivid and captivating story that engages the reader and leaves a lasting impression, and this is something I strive to achieve with every piece of writing I produce.
“I have a passion for writing and enjoy exploring different genres. Some of my favorite types of writing include devotionals that help me connect with my faith, Bible studies that deepen my understanding of scripture, and thrilling stories that keep me on the edge of my seat. Whether I’m crafting a thought-provoking essay or a page-turning novel, writing is a creative outlet that brings me joy and fulfillment.”
Q: CONGRATULATIONS ON SERVING AS CHAPTER
PRESIDENT AND MENTOR FOR WORD WEAVERS! PLEASE,
I serve as a member of a local chapter of Word Weavers, I’m also a chapter president and a chapter mentor. Word Weavers International Founded in 1997, is dedicated to providing a forum for Christian writers to critique one another’s work in a face-to-face format, whether in a traditional chapter or in Word Weavers’ unique online “pages,” so as to improve craft. Writers of all levels are welcome!
“I have transformed from being a plotter to a pantser and I am enjoying it immensely. Earlier, I used to meticulously plan out every detail of my writing, but now I prefer to let the story unfold organically as I write. This approach has given me the freedom to explore new ideas and create more authentic characters and plot twists. I am finding it to be a more enjoyable and rewarding way of writing.”
Q: WHERE CAN READERS FIND YOU AND YOUR WORK ONLINE?
If you’re interested in staying updated on my work, you can connect with me on my personal website at www. drkatherinehayes.com.
On my website, you’ll find information about my latest projects, upcoming events, and other news related to my work. Additionally, you can also sign up for my newsletter to receive regular updates on my work and other relevant industry news. Feel free to visit my website and connect with me to stay informed.
Q: WHEN DID YOU BEGIN WRITING THE PRELUDE FOR THE COURT OF SHADOWS SERIES?
In August of 2020, during the pandemic, I found myself in Mont St. Michel in France. Mont St. Michel is a tiny island with a Medieval monastery at the top, connected to the mainland by a causeway that used to be submerged during high tide, cutting island off entirely. It’s one of those places that’s full of beauty and mystery that fills one’s imagination with visions of swordfights and scullduggery.
At this particular point in time, travel was permitted again and I’d gotten all my vaccine shots, but I still assumed the place would be mostly deserted. To the contrary, Mont St. Michel was absolutely packed with tourists. Everyone had to wear masks, but still, the sheer weight of numbers meant that ascending the roughly four blocks from the bottom of the island to my little hotel took almost half an hour. I was rather disheartened by the experience. Luckily for me, jetlag kicked in and at three o’clock in the morning I was wide awake. I decided to go out and take a walk to clear my head, and suddenly found myself in what felt like an entirely different world.
Most tourists don’t spend the night on Mont St. Michel, and those that do don’t venture out into the night. So there I was, strolling through the winding streets of this Medieval town, utterly alone except for the hordes of cats who live on the island but only come out at night. I felt as if I’d travelled back through time, exploring alleys and graveyards all by myself. It was positively magical.
When I returned home, I began writing Crucible of
Chaos: a fantasy mystery set on an island inspired by that strange, wonderful night on Mont St. Michel.
Q: HOW MANY BOOKS DO YOU PLAN TO HAVE FOR THE COURT OF SHADOWS SERIES?
Crucible of Chaos acts as a prelude to the series, which will have four more books, beginning with Play of Shadows coming out this March. However, each book works as a standalone as well, and can be read in any order, so readers aren’t forced to wait to get the end of the story.
Q: WHAT WILL READERS FIND INSIDE OF YOUR NEW NOVEL, CRUCIBLE OF CHAOS?
There’s swashbuckling adventure, of course, as that’s one of my favourite aspects of writing the Greatcoats novels, but Crucible of Chaos is also very much a mystery novel. Estevar Borros is my “swashbuckling Hercule Poirot”, and part of what I love writing about him is the way he investigates crimes, unconcerned whether the means by which those crimes are commited is a sword blade or a supernatural curse.
Q: WHAT THEMES ARE EXPLORED INSIDE YOUR NEW NOVEL?
Theme is such an integral part of a novel, but one best discovered by the writer rather than planned. I begin with a sense of a mystery or question I want to pursue, and let the themes reveal themselves through the characters. In the case of Crucible of Chaos, the question of faith and devotion are central to how the characters deal with the strange events threatening the island. Many of the monks come to blows over which gods they should worship, whereas Estevar’s allegiance is to the law – and specifically, to the entirely human notions of fairness and decency that underpin those laws. When he finally solves the mystery at the heart of the book, that question of faith becomes even more crucial to what happens next.
Crucible of Chaos features a relatively small cast compared to most of my books. This is by design: I wanted Estevar to feel alone, always at the edge of failure, never quite knowing who to trust. That said, once I began writing the book, I found he needed someone he felt was truly on his side, which is how Imperious the mule became such a vital – if unexpected – sidekick.
The main characters we meet are:
Estevar Velejan Duerisi Borros, also known as The King’s Crucible due to his duty as the Greatcoat sent to investigate crimes of the supernatural. Estevar is my reimagining of a kind of swashbuckling Hercule Poirot with a dash of Fox Mulder from the X-Files. He’s fascinated by the supernatural, but his passion is solving mysteries, whatever the cause.
Imperious: Imperious is . . . well, he’s a mule. Perhaps the most cantakerous mule in all of Tristia. But he’s also loyal to a fault, and patient enough to listen to Estevar’s musings while offering an occasionally helful grunt or bray.
Caeda: a high-spirited and enigmatic young woman who seems intent on assisting Estevar in his investigation and yet whose own motives are shrouded in secrecy.
Brother Agneta: a religious inquisitor whose own methods of investigation are rather more extreme than Estevar would like.
The Wolves, the Trumpeters and the Bone Rattlers: three factions of monks warring against each other over whose gods are the ones that should be worshipped in Tristia.
No, each book in the Court of Shadows is set in a different part of Tristia, a troubled country reeling from the aftermath of a long interregnum and a war that nearly
turned its citizens in to slaves of an enemy nation. I wanted readers to be able to enjoy the books in any order, and so each volume of the Court of Shadows works as a standalone even as it slowly builds the broader mystery of who or what is plotting against the people of Tristia.
Every genre has its benefits and challenges. Fantasy affords you the means to create a world perfectly suited to your themes. However, any narrative world, whether adapted from our own or entirely invented, has to have intenral cohesion. You can’t introduce magic spells that can turn lead into gold without having that radically affect the economy. You can’t have orders of travelling, swordfighting magistrates without inventing a cultural context in which trial by combat is more widely accepted than it was in our own world. So, it’s all a process of creating a world that’s internally consistent, not merely in terms of physics or geography, but also of culture and sociology.
Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WRITING STYLE?
I’ve always been inflenced by noir (or hardboiled) writers like Raymond Chandler as well as by fantasy novelists who also borrowed from them stylistically like Roger Zelazny and Steven Brust. But I’m also a fan of William Goldman (the legendary screenwriter who gave us The Princess Bride) and Aaron Sorkin (whose lightning-fast dialogue was at the heart of The West Wing).
I try to bring those influences into my own style, aiming
for something that’s readily approachable to most readers, but where every word is intentional. Writing schools and books often skim over prose these days, treating it as if it were simply a varnish you paint over the more important structural elements of character, plot and theme. But if you think about it, the prose – the words on the page – is the entirety of what makes up a book. The prose is the book. So, I try to craft my words so that there’s a flow and rhythm to them that the reader never needs to notice or think about, but which pulls them along on the journey from the opening words until the final sentence.
My books have been translated into fifteen languages and are in all the usual bookstores and online retailers around the world. The best way to reach me online is through my website at www.decastell.com, and if someone wants to write to me, they can do so at www.decastell.com/ contact. I reply to every e-mail I receive.
Sebastien de Castell had just finished a degree in Archaeology when he started work on his first dig. Four hours later he realized how much he actually hated archaeology and left to pursue a very focused career as a musician, ombudsman, interaction designer, fight choreographer, teacher, project manager, actor, and product strategist. His only defence against the charge of unbridled
dilettantism is that he genuinely likes doing these things and that, in one way or another, each of these fields plays a role in his writing. He sternly resists the accusation of being a Renaissance Man in the hopes that more people will label him that way.
Sebastien’s acclaimed swashbuckling fantasy series, The Greatcoats. was shortlisted for both the 2014 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fantasy. the Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut, the Prix Imaginales for Best Foreign Work, and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. His YA fantasy series, Spellslinger, was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and is published in more than a dozen languages.
Sebastien lives in Vancouver, Canada with his lovely wife and two belligerent cats. You can reach him at www. decastell.com
Meet Dr. Paul D Corona, MD, a Southern Californiabased physician who is reshaping the future of psychiatry and family medicine. With over 30 years of medical experience, Dr. Corona is not your typical physician. Starting his career in family medicine, he seamlessly transitioned into psychiatry, ultimately pioneering an approach he calls “Mind and Body Healing.”
He’s authored three books in his “My Mind & Body Healing” series. And in his latest book, “The Corona Protocol”, he unlocks revolutionary insights into the treatment of mental health, challenging conventional methods that have been stagnant for decades.
Are you tired of one-size-fits-all mental health
solutions? Dr. Corona offers an unconventional yet triedand-true approach to psychiatry, which includes offlabel use of medications, combined treatment methods, and aggressive strategies that get results. Above all, he believes that mental health treatment is not about quick fixes but a carefully calibrated balance that leads to holistic healing.
The Corona Protocol: What makes Dr. Corona's treatment methods revolutionary in the realm of psychiatry?
Mind Body Medicine: How does this approach offer a more holistic treatment model?
The Controversy of Off-Label Use: Why is this a rule rather than an exception in his practice?
Critique of Conventional Psychiatry: Why does Dr. Corona believe the traditional psychiatric model is flawed?
The Role of Primary Care in Psychia-
try: How does a family medicine background bring a unique perspective?
Supplements and Other Therapies: Are they useful or just a profit-making scheme?
Holistic Health in Modern Times: How does Dr. Corona's approach resonate with the trending focus on holistic health?
Addressing Societal Problems Through Psychiatry: Can early intervention prevent societal issues like school shootings and suicide?
Teaching Healthcare Providers: Why does Dr. Corona feel the need to educate not just patients but also other healthcare providers?
The Patient Journey: How do patients typically find Dr. Corona and what keeps them coming back?
Men’s Mental Health: Why is mental health particularly stigmatized among men and how can we address it?
Telemedicine: How is Dr. Corona adapting his practice to the virtual world, especially in the wake of the pandemic which opened the world of tele-medicine to be more accessible and obtainable for all?
For more information, visit Dr. Paul D Corona’s website.
Dr. Paul D Corona is not just challenging the status quo; he’s rewriting the book on it. If you’re looking for a mental health discussion that goes beyond the surface, he’s the expert to consult.
A MORTALLY WOUNDED MAGISTRATE FACES HIS DEADLIEST TRIAL INSIDE AN ANCIENT ABBEY WHERE THE MONKS ARE GOING MAD AND THE GODS THEMSELVES MAY BE TO BLAME!
Estevar Borros, one of the legendary sword-fighting magistrates known as the Greatcoats and the king's personal investigator of the supernatural, is no stranger to tales of ghosts and demons. When the fractious monks of the abbey rumored to be the birthplace of the gods begin warring over claims of a new pantheon arising, the frantic abbot summons him to settle the dispute.
But Estevar has his own problems: a near-fatal sword wound from his last judicial duel, a sworn knight who claims he has proof the monks are consorting with demons, a diabolical inquisitor with no love for the Greatcoats, and
There’s an attack on US soil, and Brock— an agent of the CIA—finds himself in the middle of the mess. He soon discovers that there’s been a breach that threatens not only to destroy the nation’s safety, but very possibly, Brock’s own life.
In the race against the clock, Brock tries to keep his field officer’s wife and children safe and stay alive.
In the midst of the chaos, Brock discovers one of his closest allies is a part of the dangerous intelligence breach responsible for a recent string of crimes by an extremist organization.
a mysterious young woman claiming to be Estevar's ally but who may well be his deadliest enemy.
Armed only with his famed investigative talents, his faltering skill with a blade and Imperious, his ornery mule, Estevar must root out the source of the madness lurking inside the oncesacred walls of Isola Sombra before its chaos spreads to the country he's sworn to protect.
Investigate alongside Estevar and the most heroic mule ever to appear in print in this thrilling swashbuckling fantasy mystery by Sebastien de Castell, author of the Internationally acclaimed Greatcoats and Spellslinger series!
It’s up to Brock to either take down the organization, or find himself—and those he loves most—at their mercy.
A Fifth of the Story is the suspenseful, action-packed tale of one man's courage and resilience as he works against the
clock to save the lives of his two best friends and, ultimately, the freedom he's fought for as a CIA agent during one of the US's history's darkest hours, using the backdrop of espionage, loyalty, betrayal, and the ultimate test of friendship.
Shahrazad’s Gift is a collection of linked short stories set in contemporary Cairo— magical, absurd and humorous. The author focuses on the off-beat, littleknown stories, far from CNN news: a Swedish belly dancer who taps into the Oriental fantasies of her clientele; a Japanese woman studying Arabic, driven mad by the noise and chaos of the city; a frustrated Egyptian housewife who becomes obsessed by the activities of her Western gay neighbor; an American journalist who covered the civil war in Beirut who finds friendship with her Egyptian dentist. We also meet the two protagonists of McCullough's Confessions of a Knight Errant, before their escapades in that story. These stories are told in the tradition of A Thousand and One Nights.
A heart-racing new psychological thriller from USA Today bestselling and multiple award-winning author, Hank Phillippi Ryan.
One wrong word can ruin your life. And no one knows that better than savvy crisis management expert Arden Ward. Problem is, she's now forced to handle a shocking crisis of her own. Unfairly accused of having an affair with a powerful client, Arden’s life and dreams are about to crash and burn. Then, Arden is given an ultimatum. She has just two weeks to save her career and her reputation.
Is Cordelia Bannister the answer to her prayers?
Cordelia needs Arden’s help for her husband Ned, a
Boston real estate mogul. Though he was recently acquitted in a fatal drunk driving accident, his reputation is ruined, and the fallout is devastating not only to the Bannisters' lives, but the lives of their two adorable children.
Arden devotes her skill and determination—and maybe her final days on the job—to helping this shattered family, but soon, revelations begin to emerge about what really happened the night of the accident. And then—another car crash throws Ned back into the spotlight.
This case is Arden’s final chance to protect her own future and clear her name. But the more she tries to untangle the truth, the more she’s haunted by one disturbing question—what if she’s also protecting a killer?
Gossip. Lies. Rumors. Words like that can hurt you. And Arden knows the reality. Sometimes one wrong word can kill.
How do you learn from the past if there isn’t one?
Sixty years ago, something awful happened. Something that killed everyone except the people at Blue Ring. Something that caused the Headmasters to appear. But Maple doesn’t know what it was. Because talking about the past is forbidden.
Everyone at Blue Ring has a Headmaster. They sink their sinewy coils into your skull and control you, using your body for backbreaking toil and your mind to communicate with each other. When someone dies, their Headmaster transfers to someone new. But so do the dead person’s memories, and if one of those memories surfaces in the new host’s mind, their brain
breaks. That’s why talking about the past is forbidden.
Maple hates this world where the past can’t exist and the future promises only more suffering. And she hates the Headmasters for making it that way. But she doesn’t know how to fight them – until memories start to surface in her mind from someone who long ago came close to defeating the Headmasters.
But whose memories are they? Why aren’t they harming her? And how can she use them to defeat the Headmasters? Maple has to find the answers herself, unable to tell anyone what she’s experiencing or planning—not even Thorn, the young man she’s falling in love with. Thorn, who has some forbidden secrets of his own . . .
The editor of a tyrannical bestselling author thinks she’s finally escaped their hellish relationship when the author dies . . . but she couldn’t be more wrong. A retired ghost-hunter’s life takes an unexpected turn when an immensely valuable magical vase from the nineteenth century is brought to her attention. At the end of a millennia-long journey to the edge of the galaxy, a man who has lived a hundred lifetimes is reunited with his first true love in the midst of a battle for survival. Scarecrows that appear overnight on a lonely man’s lawn prove to be far more than the teenagers’ prank he thinks them to be. A man travels back in time to confront the attacker who destroyed his life, only to make a horrifying discovery. The Monster Under the Bed finally meets his match . . .
Shapers of Worlds Volume IV hasnew stories by David Boop, Michaelbrent Collings, Roy M. Griffis, Sarah A. Hoyt, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Noah Lemelson, Edward M. Lerner, David Liss, Gail Z. Martin, Joshua Palmatier, Richard Paolinelli, Jean-Louis Trudel, James van Pelt, Garon Whited, and Edward Willett, plus previously published stories by James Kennedy, Mark Leslie, R.S. Mellette, and Lavie Tidhar. Each story features an illustration by Wendi Nordell.
Travel into the past, the present, and the future in stories set in our world, in deep space, in worlds scattered across the multiverse, and in worlds that exist only in the imagination, all shaped by an outstanding collection of authors, many of them bestsellers and awardwinners.
An unforgettable journey awaits. All you have to do is turn the page . . .
“A delightful weave of supernatural mystery and family drama, balanced against a tale of found family and pain.”.
—Alexander James, Author of The WoodkinArcane archivist Harper has always been plagued by dreams of grotesque creatures and bloody deaths. When she bumps into a ghostwalker in the Shambles and has a visceral experience of his execution, she knows it’s a foretelling. Yet fear of the Queen’s Guard stops her speaking out. When her vision indeed comes true, the unusual markings on the ghostwalker’s corpse, combined with his neatly excised vocal cords, send a
When Janis Goodrich retired from her life as The Red Star of Death, she was one of the most feared and accomplished assassins in the world. Through a middleman, intelligence agencies, criminal organizations, and wealthy individuals hired her, confident that the target would be killed and there wouldn’t be any blowback.
During her 19 years of retirement and wealthy beyond her dreams, Janis enjoyed life with her lover Karin Egger while she raced her vintage Porsche race cars, skied, learned to fly, and traveled. 9/11 and Karin’s death changed her life.
ripple of terror through York.
The witch hunt is on. As the body count rises, Harper knows her magic is the only way to find the killer – if she can avoid being hanged as a witch. To protect both human and supernatural, Harper walks the thin line between their worlds. She and her demonhunter foster-sister form a multi-faith team with a forensic scientist, a spirit Harper accidentally summoned, and a techno-witch, to catch the killer before more people die.
Combating terrorism was now a focus of intelligence agencies. Cuba’s Dirección de Inteligencia, the organization that trained her in 1971, wants Janis for its purposes. CIA and Mossad want to use her services again. No one knew where
Janis was, what name she was using, or even if she was interested in working.
Mossad’s Aliyah Skylar was told to recruit Goodrich “by any means.” She got lucky and was the first to find Goodrich, who agreed to work with Mossad and the CIA in exchange for full immunity from prosecution for her past actions.
Hearing the woman known as The Red Star of Death had been found and was about to be debriefed by the CIA, FBI Special Agent William Smith III makes it his mission to put her behind bars.
Skylar and Goodrich are tasked to conduct a series of missions to weaken Hezbollah while their employers hunt for Abd al-Bari Ghulam, a Hezbollah operational planner. His attacks in France, Germany, and the U.S. killed and injured hundreds, made him a target.
To take down Ghulam, Goodrich and Sklyar must battle traitors within Mossad and CIA along with Smith III’s obsession with Goodrich.
Karen Black crafted an exciting whodunit that spans decades and multiple generations. It begins with a unique character, Juan Velasquez. He was raised as a premiere tracker in the Mexican desert and broadened to the United States when he became a border agent. Over the years, he became highly sought after for finding criminals and investigating robberies. He fell in love and married. They were very in love and had a daughter, Elizabeth. After his wife was killed, he took his daughter to a remote place in Wyoming. Here, Juan crafted a secluded, secure home and taught his daughter his tracking methods; they often traveled together. Juan adopted a young man who tried to steal food and turned out to have connections with the mafia. Juan’s reputation protected him and the young man who became like a son. After his daughter and son-in-law are murdered, he hunts the culprit to protect his granddaughter, Elaina.
Ms. Black is a master at character development. Based on the role played in her stories, her unique characters are relatable, either loved or hated. The rich stories capture mystery readers’ interest from page one. Juan’s investigative career allowed for complex interconnections of people over time, which kept readers guessing as the years of the story unfolded. Every question and thread is woven into a mesmerizing tapestry, filled with love, survival, death, hope, and a tenacity for justice.
Deadly Repercussions is a non-stop action-adventure tale with breathtaking scenes, heartbreaking loss, and nail-biting moments. Fans of Karen Black’s writing will recognize her perfect timing for each piece of the conundrum to align. Readers of mystery, thrillers, and vigilant justice greedily consume the story. I highly recommend this winning tale and all the other works of Karen Black I’ve read. Outstanding!
John Posner interlaces genetic engineering and artificial intelligence advancements four hundred years in the future to allow humans incredible choices. In 2435, parents can genetically engineer their children and then decide to continue living in a digital eternity as a Mindar.
The exceptional dystopian world-building highlights the similar social and family interactions of people relatable to the individual’s needs today. The places, activities, and people painted in the reader’s mind are vibrant, like a park, baseball field, classrooms, restaurants, or bike riding.
Captivating, memorable, and endearing characters are the mark of a master storyteller. John Posner crushed it in this area. Each character is key to telling this larger-than-life adventure, and readers will no doubt select their favorites. Most memorable include Jake and Shannon, brilliant high school sweethearts; Stanley, the ever-efficient robot; and Noah, a young hero who is physically different and mentally superior.
Creating new inroads into technology and bending the functionality to meet one’s vision allows infinite possibilities and outcomes. Who better to control the delicate balance between physical life and digital time without end than AI-enabled programs and machines with the capacity to change and evolve sometimes without guardrails? The fear, uncertainty, and doubt about giving too much power to machines and technology can have consequences, especially with ongoing human traits of greed, power, and evil.
Read the complete review on the RoxB's site.
https://roxburkey.com/forever-is-too-long/
This is Marlon and Camilla’s book in the Wedpocalypse series and pretty much picks up right where ‘Conquest’ left off, only it’s of course, in the aforementioned characters’ POVs.
I found that I absolutely loved it early in and it got me thinking about my own issues, because the female lead was soo relatable—she’s had to rely on herself and make something out of nothing. She’s never had a strong support system (until now) so once she has one, she’s too afraid to rely on it, go with it, etc. And she’s keeping secrets. It made it SO FUN and of course, packed substance.
* Forced proximity.
* Roommates to lovers.
* Overprotective male lead.
* Headstrong female lead with hyper-independence.
* Seedy loan shark.
* Multiple crime plots.
* Extortion.
* Secrets.
* Protective male lead.
This is both a romance and an action-packed read with crime, mystery, full-on villains and of course a tale of a couple of broken people finding their way. Wholeheartedly recommend. 5 stars.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐
Audio:
The audio was perfect! Both narrators were great and it was beautifully produced..
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐
REVIEWED BY PELICANFREAK
This was … okay. Not bad and I was pretty much interested enough to finish it, though I almost DNF’d it a time or 2. Continuity could’ve been a bit tighter.
For a book that was supposed to be suspense-y, it sure was slow-paced and predictable. There’s a pastor who treats his daughter and wife like absolute sh!t and basically comes out and says that women are just mindless objects—I hated him, normally it’s fun to hate a character. But in this instance he never ‘got his’, there was no closure, etc.
I did like a few of the characters, though they weren’t particularly developed and I liked the small town vibes. Would be open to reading more from this author based on this.
3 stars.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Audio:
The audio was great and a very smooth production. 5 stars.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐
Deena Rae
Design, Writer, Reviewer
Danielle Interviewer & Reviewer
RoxB Writer, Reviewer
PelicanFreak Reviewer
Mickey Mikkelson Co-Publisher
Aimee Ravichandran Co-Publisher
.”