Ellwyn’s Blog

Infiniflash Fiction New Release

RELEASE DAY- INFINIFLASH FICTION VOLUME ONE!

Have You Ever wondered…

What a date between Vex and Azure would look like?

How Lucien found Ebonara?

What Thane thought in her final moments as a mortal?

What happens at a Mer funeral?

What the cats in the series are really plotting?

Explore the world of Queens of Fantasy, its characters, magic, and history in more ways than ever before in this collection of over thirty-five flash fictions from author Kristy Nicolle.

It is advised you enjoy this book after reading the core Queens Of Fantasy Saga titles to avoid spoilers.

books2read.com/infiniflashfiction

About The Author

Award-winning author of over a million published words, I’m currently working on a supersized series called The Kristy Nicolle Fantasy Infiniverse.

This enormous project captures an ever-growing magical universe that will span up to and beyond seventy published works where characters from across multiple storylines and dimensions can collide in the most magical and unexpected ways possible.

Why is the Infiniverse exciting for you as a reader?

When I was a kid, I loved stories. I still do, with some of my favourites being Harry Potter (Of Course), The Hunger Games, Percy Jackson, and Divergent. One of the things all these series have in common is that they construct entire worlds for the reader.

So, now it’s my turn to give my readers what i always craved.

What did I want, you ask?
I always wanted more.
More backstories, more insight, more details that made the world real. I wanted the story to go on forever, but with how publishing has worked for so long, there was always a limit to how much an author could do.

That limit is gone now, what with self-publishing putting the control completely in my hands, and it is my intention to create an ever-expanding fantasy universe where the reader gets a say in what stories are told, and which moments are further explored and elaborated.

Imagine if you could tell J.K Rowling which character’s backstory you wanted most, and then a few months later she actually gave it to you. Imagine if you could decide how much or how little of a fantasy world you explored, along with the author?

Well, that’s what I’m offering. In this new age of self-publishing, my options are pretty much infinite, which means that so are yours.

Ready to dive into my fantasy infiniverse that could span as much as one hundred stories?

Let’s see how rich, how large it can grow, and just how much readers can contribute to shaping my fantasy Infiniverse into somewhere they never want to leave.

After all, It was built with no-one but you, the reader for whom one story, one series, or one point of view is never enough, in mind.

Pooneh Sadeghi Guest Post

All About You: 

Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

Like many authors I am a voracious reader. I learned the alphabet at age 4, started reading at age 5 and picked up my first Agatha Christie Mystery in 3rd grade—I knew I’d be an author since childhood. I was always thinking of stories and writing them down in my diary.

What is something unique/quirky about you?

Prior to starting a book, I live with my characters for several weeks. We talk and I get to know them to the point I’d know how they’d dress, what food they would order in a restaurant or how they would react in a situation.

I also have many interesting plot discussions with my two dogs (golden doodles). They’re great listeners.

Tell us something really interesting that’s happened to you!

I don’t know if it’s interesting but it was life changing. I was 9 years old when a revolution took place in my country.

I’ve lived in total oppression and then experienced the freedom of first world countries, added to that I’ve lived in war and all that—well, it changes one’s perspective.

You tend to really value what others take for granted and not pay attention to topics that many media sites focus on.

What are some of your pet peeves?

People who use books for decoration but never read them! People who mistreat books (really not acceptable!)

Where were you born/grew up at?

Born in Tehran, Iran, Raised in many countries across Europe and in the USA. This was due to my father’s job.

If you knew you’d die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day? 

1-I’d cook a delicious meal for my family and prior to eating it I’d take a lot of food to a shelter and we’d dance and laugh and play games.

Who is your hero and why?

Gosh there are many but for me Rumi, Ghandi, anyone who tries to be kind to others.

What kind of world ruler would you be?

One who ensures every human being is treated fairly and that all humans have the same rights—I’d also have a wicked sense of humor, maybe play tricks on my government/cabinet members….

What are you passionate about these days?

Writing, writing, writing, reading but also trying to do one good thing a day to help make the world a better place.

What do you do to unwind and relax?

Walk, swim, and read! And in no particular order.

How to find time to write as a parent?

I make time to write a 1,000 words a day.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less!

Mom-booklover-Author-Tree hugger

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

For as long as I can remember I knew I wanted to write.

Do you have a favorite movie?

Ohhh several: “oh goodness too many—I always find myself watching the BBC Agatha Christie Series with David Suchet…..so much fun and Midnight in Paris! 

Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?

Really all of them because they are visual as I write them. RUMI & THE RETRIBUTION could definitely be a movie or mini-series.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

A dog! They are loyal, fun and loving.

All About Rumi and the Retribution Schedule: 

What inspired you to write this book?

I have always wanted to write engaging thriller/mysteries, I also wanted to combine life lessons I’ve acquired as part of living and working across the globe for 25 years with the beauty and richness of the Persian culture and literature.

That’s what I’ve tried to bring to RUMI & THE RETRIBUTION

What can we expect from you in the future?

I have at least 10 stories for this series and each will be a bit different. 

Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?

YES and that’s all I can share for now!

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in (RUMI & THE RETRIBUTION)? 

Gabriel McKnight (MC): courageous, loyal, kind yet distant to everyone outside of his family circle. Has a global outlook in life.

Is a former Navy SEAL, successful author—scarred by a past incident—an incident that would change who he is and how he’d approach life.

Noor Rahman: Sharp, witty, kind, a little lost and scarred by the death of her parents. She has a strong drive, global mindset and just can’t accept reasons given to her for the death of her parents death.

How are these two people connected? How are their pasts intertwined?

READ THE BOOK & YOU WILL FIND OUT! 

How did you come up with the concept and characters for the book? 

I have always loved puzzles and mysteries. I also enjoy high stakes plots, I wanted to take that and combine it with my global experience and Persian poetry and culture. And that’s what I did. 

Where did you come up with the names in the story?

Noor, well, there are several reasons for her name which you will see in the books. Gabriel is a name I’d give to an honorable, yet scarred hero.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Every part of it. For me writing has the same sensation one has when wrapping a Christmas gift for a loved one. 

Tell us about your main characters- what makes them tick? 

Gabriel McKnight (MC): courageous, loyal, kind yet distant to everyone outside of his family circle.

Has a global outlook in life. Is a former Navy SEAL, successful author—scarred by a past incident—an incident that would change who he is and how he’d approach life.

He is a natural hero although he would be the first person to deny it. Present him with a problem and someone who needs help—he’ll dive in.

Noor Rahman: Sharp, witty, kind, a little lost and scarred by the death of her parents. She has a strong drive, global mindset and just can’t accept reasons given to her for her parents death. Justice and finding the truth drive her.

How did you come up with the title of your first novel?

I strive to find a title that captures the soul of the novel. RUMI & THE RETRIBUTION does that for book 1 of my series.

Who designed your book covers?

Roan and Weatherford Publishing, my publisher.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No! 

Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

Yes, that Gabriel and Noor’s arcs continue. They evolve as they go through each adventure. 

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead? 

Ah, I’d say Jake Gyllenhaal as Gabriel, and maybe Nazanin Bonyadi, Sara Shahi, or Golshifteh Farahani as Noor.

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

My goal is to take you on a journey where you experience a thrill, try to work out interesting puzzles, become good friends with captivating characters while learning a bit about the Persian culture—I want to do all this and make your head spin (in a good way) with a surprise ending!

How did you come up with name of this book?

I strive to find a title that captures the soul of the novel. RUMI & THE RETRIBUTION does that for book 1 of my series.

What is your favorite part of this book and why? 

The unraveling of clues as well as moments characters share in their private world like dinners with family etc…

If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?

I’d spend a day talking writing with Gabriel and Noor—I’d also have dinner with “Sheila” we’d have some interesting discussions.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

A bit of both

Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?

A bit of both

Convince us why you feel your book is a must read

My book will transport you into another world and won’t give you a moment to think about anything else—let alone miss the world you left behind! 

Have you written any other books that are not published?

Yes 4 others. And they are in line to be published. 

If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?

A combination of Jasmine, the scent of damp tree leaves and Persian spice.

What did you edit out of this book?

Not much I only tweaked the line editing.

Is there an writer which brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?

Anthony Horowitz, he wrote the moon flower murders which is the story of an editor who solves the murder of her publishing house’s writer by reading the book. It’s a novel within a novel and you aren’t bored for a moment. 

Matthew Quirk: love his plots 

Tidbits:

1) There are pieces of me scattered across several characters

2) I have lived in 4 of the settings where the story takes place. 

typewriter
Photo courtesy of: Free-Photos; courtesy of: Pixabay

All About Your Writing/ Reading: 

What are your top 10 favorite books/authors? In no particular order

  1. Jane Austen : Pride and Prejudice– Persuasion
  2. Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre
  3. LM Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables
  4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  5. Agatha Christie :All the Poirot Novels and Marple novels: some favorites are The Moving Finger-Cards on the Table-Funerals are Fatal
  6. Anthony Horowitz: Magpie and Moonflower Murders, then the Hawthorne and Horowitz Mysteries
  7. Richard Ossman’s Thursday Murderclub Series
  8. Nora Roberts :Suspense/mystery series
  9. JK Rowling’s Harry Potter Series 
  10. Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar Series

What book do you think everyone should read?

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee

How long have you been writing?

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing—Although I’d say I started my novel around 2019.

Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write? 

I know my characters well before I write about them. I spend time with them in my head until they are real and then I write about them.

What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book? 

I do the historical research or whatever research is needed based on the topic I’m writing about.

Do you see writing as a career?

YES ,YES, AND YES!

What do you think about the current publishing market?

I think like many other industries it’s going through change, but what I do believe is that readers will continue to want good stories!

Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre? 

Yes, voraciously, my favorite genre is mystery/thriller, then literary books.

Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?

In silence without distractions.

Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?

One at a time because I’m totally immersed in my world with my characters.

If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose?

Ah now that’s a tough one—I love many authors however their styles are different from mine so I’d say my own books!

Pen or type writer or computer?

laptop!

Tell us about a favorite character from a book.

Myron Bolitar from Harlan Coben’s Bolitar series. He has a quirky sense of humor, is kind and dives into mysteries. Also Joyce from the Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman. She sounds a bit flaky but is very shrewd and sharp.

What made you want to become an author and do you feel it was the right decision?

I’ve always known I’d be an author. I just wanted to add meaningful life experience to my novels which is why I started in my late 40s after 25 years of global travel, living and working across the globe.

A day in the life of the author?

I have a full 9-5 job. Then when I come home I spend some time with family and write from 9:00 pm to midnight. Everynight!

Advice you would give new authors?

Don’t give up!

What makes a good story?

To me a good story, regardless of the genre, is one that makes the reader keep turning the pages, gives them a delightful ending and makes them want more when the story is over.

What are you currently reading?

Anthony Horowitz’s Close to Death

What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first?

I have a general outline with key milestones mapped out. I know where I start and what the end will be. Then the characters fill in the rest.

What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Doubting yourself

What is your writing Kryptonite?

Life’s responsibilities, work projects, etc….

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I can’t be anything but original and hope that readers will like what I write.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Trust your gut and go for it!

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

4-5 months

Do you believe in writer’s block?

I believe it exists—thankfully it hasn’t happened to me yet! Too many stories with too little time to tell them.

Thank you for spending time with us, Pooneh! We wish you luck with Rumi and the Retribution Schedule!

Rumi And The Retribution Schedule Book Tour

The Da Vinci Code meets Rumi in a global thriller/mystery

Rumi and the Retribution

Gabriel McKnight Book 1

by Pooneh Sadeghi

Genre: Global Thriller, Mystery

You Are What You Seek.

Gabriel McKnight, a decorated former U.S. Navy SEAL and bestselling author, sees his perfect life come unraveled when he’s named the prime suspect in a murder case after his twin brother vanishes without a trace.

Now on the run from the law, Gabriel embarks on a desperate worldwide quest to clear his name and uncover his brother’s fate.

His only ally is Noor Rahman, the scion of a once-powerful Iranian dynasty whose past intertwines with a mysterious book of Rumi’s poems left behind by her deceased parents.

Together, Gabriel and Noor decipher cryptic passages suggesting a link between the historic murders of Noor’s family and his brother’s disappearance. From the back alleys of Washington, D.C., to the bustling streets of Paris, and the vibrant vistas of Tehran, they navigate a labyrinth of danger and deception leading them inexorably to Rumi’s mystical resting place in Turkey.

But discovery comes with a perilous cost. With every revelation, Gabriel and Noor inch that much closer to unlocking the sinister truth behind their parallel destinies.

Can they outwit their unseen foes and decode the final mysteries before they themselves become the final casualties in this deadly game?

Get the paperback on Amazon or B&N! 

Or get the ebook:

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rumi-Retribution-Gabriel-McKnight-Book-ebook/dp/B0CZ1DBZLR

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/rumi-and-the-retribution/id6504419789

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rumi-and-the-retribution-pooneh-sadeghi/1145815063?ean=2940186008590

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Pooneh_Sadeghi_Rumi_and_the_Retribution?id=KaoOEQAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/rumi-and-the-retribution

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/rumi-and-the-retribution-gabriel-mcknight-book-1-by-pooneh-sadeghi

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214676717-rumi-and-the-retribution

Excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

Paris, July 14, 1997

Dying for your loved ones is a noble sacrifice, but outsmarting a killer before you die is a  sweeping triumph. That’s what Shiraz Rahman thought as she rushed out of the Trocadero metro station on a balmy summer evening.

The sun had begun its descent, making way for midnight blue skies. Paris dressed in lights, welcoming all to its various restaurants and cafés. Shiraz’s gaze darted around as she turned into the Delessert Boulevard. Her posture was stiff, her pace fast, and her breath labored.

Up ahead, the Café Delessert bustled with activity. Waiters rushed about delivering trays of food. The aroma of coffee and French cuisine drifted in the air. Parisians and tourists clustered around the tables lined by the sidewalk, their carefree laughter carrying into the night.

Shiraz recalled the days when she, too, laughed freely, unaware of the evil surrounding her. A loud clatter broke through the night. Shiraz bit back a scream and jerked around.

A waiter had dropped a tray on the sidewalk. He bent over to pick it up. Shiraz clutched her purse and hastened her pace. Every so often, she looked back to make sure she wasn’t being followed.

The Delessert Boulevard swarmed with people. It was no surprise. This area offered the best view of the Eiffel Tower. Each year, thousands of people gathered here to celebrate and watch the dazzling fireworks display from the Eiffel Tower and the Trocadero gardens.

It seemed like a normal night, and by all accounts it should have been, but Shiraz knew better. I will die tonight. Beads of sweat formed on her upper lip. I’m not afraid. I’m prepared.

After all, her daughter’s life depended on it. Noor, my sweet Noor! Shiraz rubbed her chest as she considered her options another time. 

There was one way to keep Noor safe, and when the time was right, Noor would know the truth. Shiraz had made sure of it. She approached her bookstore and risked another glance over her shoulder.

A shiver ran up her spine. The killer was in the crowd, waiting for an opportunity to strike. She squared her shoulders. Come and get me. That’s all you’ll get.

She entered her bookstore and let her head fall against the door. The scent of worn leather, polished wood, and new books were welcoming and familiar.

Jean Luc, her friend, and the bookstore’s sole employee, sat by the reading nook.  Shiraz pasted a smile on her face. “Why are you working when you should be outside celebrating with the rest of the country?”

Jean Luc placed a book on a shelf close to the armchair he occupied. “Cheri, we have a splendid view. I can watch the celebration from here.”

Shiraz placed her hands on her hips and furrowed her brows into a mock frown. “It’s Independence Day. Go drink wine, celebrate your freedom, and flirt with someone nice. I’ll close the store tonight.”

“Come with me,” Jean Luc pleaded. “We’ll find two delicious men and party all night.”

Shiraz snorted. “The only man I’ll ever love is Parviz.” She rushed on before Jean Luc could  say anything. “I know my husband died years ago, but what Parviz and I had was unique. Something like that happens once in a lifetime.” She made shooing motions with her hands. “That’s why I’m closing, and you’re leaving. It’s your turn to find your soulmate.”

A movement outside of the window caught her eye. For an instant, Shiraz saw a familiar figure standing in the crowd outside of her store. She gripped the armchair and craned her neck to get a better look.

The Trocadero gardens overflowed with people wearing France’s national colors. Its fountains switched from red to blue and back. The Eiffel Tower shone tall and proud. 

Her heart thudded wildly. “Why did it take me so long to figure out the truth?”

“Shiraz, are you all right?” Jean Luc asked, concern evident in his ruddy round face. “You were mumbling to yourself.”

Shiraz studied her hands. Her knuckles had gone white. She let go of the armchair and relaxed her features. “I’m fine. I was just thinking, that’s all.”

Jean Luc looked uncertain. “Are you sure you want to stay here?”

Shiraz bobbed her head. “Yes, Noor and I have plans. Go enjoy your evening.”

Jean Luc finally gave in and left the store. Shiraz shut the door behind him then poured herself a cup of tea. She sat behind the counter and picked up a volume of Rumi’s poems.

“Life is a multitude of patterns that rise, fall, and flow together. You taught me that.” She traced her hands along the book’s spine. “It’s Noor’s turn to find her place and purpose in life. I know you’ll guide her as you did me.” Shiraz opened the book and lost herself in Rumi’s compelling verse.

The sound of chimes announced a newcomer. Footsteps echoed in the silent store. The grandfather clock ticked in the corner, counting every second that remained of her life. Shiraz closed the book and stared into the stone cold eyes of a killer.

The killer aimed a gun at her. “I put the ‘Closed’ sign up. Let’s go to the back of the store.”

Shiraz grimaced, revulsion evident in her face. “I can’t believe it. All the lies, and the betrayal. How could you do it?”

The killer spoke with a coldness Shiraz had never heard before. “Easily. Now move. I don’t have all night.”

She rose and headed toward the small office at the back of the store. Her enemy held the gun at her back and pushed her into the office. She stumbled and straightened herself. “I know why you’re here. You shouldn’t have come.”

“Where is the package?”

Shiraz raised her chin. “I don’t know.”

Her enemy slapped her with enough force to knock her head against the bookshelf behind the desk. Shiraz stumbled and straightened herself. She spat blood, and at that moment the future of her daughter was all that mattered. Her face flushed.

There was a moment of stillness on both sides, then Shiraz charged her foe. She was no match for her opponent’s strength, but it took her assailant off guard.

They fell to the floor in a struggle. Shiraz kicked her opponent as hard as she could and  struggled to rise to her feet. Outside, voices rose as thousands of Parisians sang their national anthem.

The murderer grabbed Shiraz’s ankle and dragged her back down. Shiraz reached out and grabbed the volume of Rumi’s poems. She knocked her assailant over the head with the book.

“Argh!” her assailant grunted, nonplussed.

Shiraz wobbled to her feet. Her breath hitched as she forced her shaky limbs to move. She made it halfway to the exit when the murderer grabbed a fist full of her hair and dragged her back to the office.

Shiraz’s chest heaved, and her lungs burned as she gulped air.

The killer aimed the gun at her. “I’m in no mood to play games. I’ll ask one more time. Where is the package?”

Shiraz met her foe’s gaze defiantly, and for an instant, her mouth turned up. “You’ll never find it.”

Nostrils flared. “Then you’re no use to me.”

Gunshots echoed in the store just as the fireworks at the Trocadero started. Shiraz blinked. She felt nothing for a few seconds, then fell to the floor as pain gripped her body. She tried to rise. Her body didn’t cooperate. Her body twitched and convulsed as blood drained from her wounds. She flung her hand out, trying to reach for the telephone cord a few feet away. Her vision grew blurry, and her breath came gasps.

She didn’t know how much time had passed when footsteps approached her. A man bent over her. Shiraz squinted through the haze of pain. It was Morris, her late husband’s friend. Morris pressed his hands over her wounds, trying to stop the bleeding. He shouted something, but a tremor shook her body, drowning out his words. 

She coughed blood.

Sweat formed on Morris’s upper lip. “Hold on.” He tore strips of his own shirt to bind her wounds. The pain began to ease and grow distant. A bright haze filled her vision. Shiraz felt light, as if she was floating. She looked up and blinked. 

Her late husband, Parviz, stood by the doorway of her office. He gazed at her lovingly, then opened his arms.

No, not yet! Shiraz mustered all her strength and gripped Morris’s arm. “Noor,” she whispered.

Morris’s eyes glistened with tears. He nodded grimly. “I’ll keep her safe. You have my word.”

Satisfied she’d done everything she could for her daughter, Shiraz Rahman took her last breath and stepped into her husband’s arms.

Giveaway

Print Copy of Rumi and the Retribution, $10 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner each!

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/RumiRetributionTour

About the Author

I was born to a diplomat and housewife in Tehran-Iran then whisked across the globe to whatever country my parents had been assigned to.

Raised to appreciate various cultures, landscapes, languages, and viewpoints, my life was one grand adventure until a revolution took place in my country and turned our lives upside down.

Between then and the age of eighteen I had experienced both the joy, freedom, and magic our world offers as well as wars, deprivation, and oppression.

My undergraduate studies were in the Middle East and my post graduate studies were at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France.

So, when did I become a writer? Books had always been my greatest friends, teachers, refuge, and the inspiration to forge my own future.

In college I realized I wanted to write engaging mysteries and thrillers. At the same time, I wanted to give readers more than a story. I wanted to share the rich beauty of Persian literature as well as that of other cultures.

For that I embarked on a twenty-two-year journey, traveling to various countries, and experiencing life while establishing a successful career.

Gabriel McKnight and his first story had been on my mind for several years yet it wasn’t until my mid-forties that I picked up the proverbial pen. The time had come to share my stories.

The next step was making my dream come true. I queried several agents and one glorious day in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic my wonderful literary agent reached out to me with an offer for representation. She took my story to publishers and before I knew it, we had a publishing contract –and here we are.

Today, I live in Oklahoma City, USA with my family and two dogs. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s the power of words. Words can heal, teach, entertain, inspire, and evoke change. I hope you enjoy Gabriel’s adventures as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

Author Links

Website: https://poonehsadeghi.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557188217131

X: https://x.com/SadeghiPooneh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poonehsadeghi_/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Pooneh-Sadeghi/author/B0D7DPZ2VD

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/50396878.Pooneh_Sadeghi

Portals Of Science And Magic Series Blitz

A heart-pounding adventure, and a conflict that could shatter worlds.

When science and magic collide so do two realms that were never meant to meet. When a connection is created between the human and fae kingdoms, both races must learn to work together to restore the balance.

A Kingdom of Water and Destiny 

Portals of Science and Magic Book 4 

By Liz Cain 

Genre: Urban Fantasy Adventure Romance 

Destinies combined. A goddess freed. The possible end of two worlds lies at their feet.

war that began thousands of years ago is brewing once more. Sacrifices made by the ancients, and millennia of planning, all comes down to a group of ‘outcasts’ amongst the fae.

The fate of the worlds lies with a lower fae treated as less than simply for being born, twins raised by humans, and a prince. If the fae refuse to follow them, then their world will perish.

A life of a seer is in the shadows, not interfering with those you love. But Silene has spent decades preparing for a war that could destroy the world she loves. Her power has taken a toll, and with the end in sight, she musters her remaining strength to help her friends and family survive.

Silene will give up everything to ensure the fae world is saved. Even if in the end it costs her everything.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D6X5LP6L

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-kingdom-of-water-and-destiny-portals-of-science-and-magic-book-4-a-portal-urban-fantasy-adventure-by-liz-cain

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214738178-kingdom-of-water-and-destiny

A Kingdom of Fire and Delight 

Portals of Science and Magic Book 3 

A lost fae princess. A family united. A world on the brink of war.

Rebecca works with her colleague to fix the equipment that can send all the fae home. While Alexy searches for the lost princess, the two worlds are soon to be torn apart, and something doesn’t feel right. Will Kaval have to leave behind the love he’s found?

When the dark fae finally break into the lab, all chances of escape to the fae realm hangs on the brink of collapse. Rebecca and Kaval must fight to survive, there is little hope they will make it out alive.

Rebecca must dig deeper than ever before to find the strength to save herself, and the fae she loves. Even if she is only human.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D54TW8KW

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-kingdom-of-fire-and-delight-portals-of-science-and-magic-book-3-a-portal-urban-fantasy-adventure-by-liz-cain

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213837319-kingdom-of-fire-and-delight

A Kingdom of Earth and Devotion 

Portals of Science and Magic Book 2 

Forgotten on Earth . A chance to return home. A love she never expected.

Abandoned on Earth for over a century, Alexy has yearned for a chance to return home. However, her duty to safeguard the fae world’s secrets kept her tethered to Earth. Everything changes when she unexpectedly befriends Rebecca, the co-worker of a brilliant physicist who is on the verge of unraveling the secrets of interdimensional portals.

An accident transports a fae from Alexy’s homeland to Earth, endangering his kingdom’s very existence. Alexy must help her friends return him before his kingdom falls. As unimaginable powers surge through her, Alexy grapples with the truth she has concealed from her friends. With betrayal and peril lurking in every shadow, she finds herself standing at a crossroads.

To preserve everything she holds dear and expose her true self, or doom the two realms. She must decide.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D54V8PF5

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-kingdom-of-earth-and-devotion-portals-of-science-and-magic-book-2-a-portal-urban-fantasy-adventure-by-liz-cain

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213837323-kingdom-of-earth-and-devotion

A Kingdom of Air and Duty

Portals of Science and Magic Book 1

A scientist’s assistant. A portal to a new world. A strange male she never should have met.

Venture into the unknown with Rebecca, the brilliant assistant to renowned physicist Howard Bristol, as they open a portal to the fae realm. When the portal explodes and leaves behind a mystery creature, Rebecca must shelter this unusual being, known as Kaval.

In a race against time, Kaval and Rebecca desperately seek a way to send him back before he attracts dangerous attention. As a malevolent presence hunts the newcomer, threatening their every move, Rebecca finds herself entangled in a battle not only against their adversaries but also against the irresistible pull of this enigmatic stranger. Journey through a spellbinding urban fantasy where the lines between science and magic blur, and the power of friendship and love become the ultimate weapons against the encroaching darkness.

Prepare to be swept away by an epic tale of two beings who should never have met.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Air-Duty-Portals-Adventure-ebook/dp/B0D54RS6WR

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-kingdom-of-air-and-duty-portals-of-science-and-magic-book-1-a-portal-fantasy-adventure-by-liz-cain

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213836812-kingdom-of-air-and-duty

Giveaway 

$20 Amazon 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/PortalsOfScienceAndMagicTour

About the Author

Liz Cain is an urban fantasy writer and NHS frontline staff. She was born in East Yorkshire in the UK and grew up near the sea with her parents and two sisters.

She moved to the midlands, which was much too far south for her, graduating from Leicester University with a degree in Physics and going on to complete an MSc in Medical and Radiation Physics.

he has worked in the NHS since 2008 as a Nuclear Medicine Clinical Scientist, helping with cancer treatment and diagnosis.

She has traveled at every opportunity from Thailand and Australia to touring national parks in North America.

Liz has done lots of crazy things for charity, including skydiving, running, swimming, and even cutting off her hair. While out on adventures she finds herself weaving intricate tales in her head which one day she had to write down. 

Liz has loved reading her whole life, growing up with Anne McCaffrey, Mary Stewart, and Terry Goodkind.

Becoming an author happened by chance when she jumped at the opportunity to help a friend tell a story that deserved to be told.

It inspired her to follow her lifelong dream and now she has published books with her coauthor Anne K. Whelan in the fantasy romance and paranormal romance genre, finally taking that last step and publishing by herself in 2023.

Website * Facebook * FB Group * X * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Author Links

Website: https://www.lizcainauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.cain.31149359

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/citizensofcain

X: https://x.com/LizCainAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizcainauthor

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lizcainauthor.com

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/liz-cain

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Liz-Cain/author/B09L4LY187

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21733599.Liz_Cain

The Moldy Orange Bandage Book Tour

As much as we may love our families and friends, they possess the ability to drive us crazy!

The Moldy Orange Bandage:

Playbooks and Short Stories 

by Lirio Blanco Show 

Genre: Literary Fiction

As much as we may love our families and friends, they possess the ability to drive us crazy!

In this pair of theatrical playbooks (with a few short stories as an added bonus), two family-friendly plays for tweens and up showcase two different dramas.

In The Moldy Oranges, married life between an American husband and his Latin immigrant wife never proves dull . . . especially when the mother-in-law lives under the same roof.

And then, when their trusted neighbor requests a mysterious brown bag be hidden in their closet, it provides the trigger for family secrets, suspicion, and intrigue.

What is in the brown bag? A diary? Stolen jewelry? A secret detonator for a kitchen stove, perhaps?

Based on the events of Atlanta’s 2014 ice storm, a group of middle school girls are trapped in their after-school classroom, seemingly abandoned by the last faculty member, who flees to protect her own family during the crisis.

Three girls and the class bully must learn to cooperate for survival until help arrives in The Box of Bandages.

From architect/author Lirio Blanco Show, these stories provide a peek into family life with an in-law, stranded girls struggling to cope with a bully, as well as a handful of short animal stories . . . some based on true events, some completely fiction. Who dares to say which is which?

The answers lie within…

Amazon * BookLogix * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Moldy-Orange-Bandage-Playbooks-Stories-ebook/dp/B09J67P5D5

BookLogix: https://shop.booklogix.com/product/the-moldy-orange-bandage/

B&N: https://valsec.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-moldy-orange-bandage-lirio-show/1140257810?ean=2940162476467

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-moldy-orange-bandage-playbooks-and-short-stories-by-lirio-blanco-show

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59203907-the-moldy-orange-bandage

Book Trailer:

EXCERPT:

Terry the Chipmunk

Terry the Chipmunk was running through the mead-ow when he caught a glance of beautiful acorns in the distance.

He was hypnotized by their beauty. The acorns were fat and shiny. They captivated Terry’s eyes. He did not waste time to run and start filling his cheeks with these attractive acorns.

His two cheeks were so puffy, and they got puffier, puffier, and puffier, until they both looked like a pair of furry water balloons.

However, Terry wanted these acorns all for him-self. . . So he started to plan how to conceal them inside his cave.

Realizing his neighbors would return soon, he became frantic, his eyes swelling with the emotion of owning these marvelous acorns.

Venus, one of his friends, approached him and he tried to run and hide from her. Curious, she chased him for some time until she cornered him against a tree root.

Terry was so afraid to share his nuts that he pressed his teeth together protectively to hide them . . . tighter, tighter, and tighter until—Snap! Crack! Ping!

Tiny pieces of his teeth began to chip off. Hearing a desperate yelp from Terry, Venus tried to get a better look.

Somehow, she convinced him to  open his mouth. Not only did the shiny acorns fall to the cavern floor, but tiny pieces of pearly white inci-sors, the two front teeth Terry had been so proud of, tumbled all over the ground.

Terry kneeled down in disbelief and cried and cried and cried in his distress, sobbing “What a pain, oh, what a pain!”

Feeling compassion for her friend, despite his greedy behavior, Venus tried to calm Terry down.

Terry couldn’t stop crying until, suddenly, he realized among the spilled acorns, he saw all that was left of his beloved incisors. He held his head with his two paws 

in disbelief and scrambled to rapidly retrieve his trea-sures. This time Venus clutched a few in her own paws to challenge his attention.

She held one paw out, and Terry hesitated. Venus smiled at him warmly, and when Terry saw her teeth reflecting the radiant sun-light, he remembered his own lost teeth.

Terry dropped the few acorns in his grasp and his fingers touched his naked gums with the realization that he had lost some-thing far more precious than a few acorns . . . 

He had lost his teeth.Venus explained that, had he not been so greedy by trying to hide the extra acorns—more than he could have ever eaten all winter—he would never have bro-ken his teeth.

“But don’t worry, Terry,” she continued soothingly, patting his quivering paw with her own, “Dr. Drill, the Chipmunk dentist, will fix your teeth.”

Terry replied, now calm, “Thanks Venus . . . but will you take me to him?”

“Of course,” Venus said. “But next time, Terry, you have to remember—when we give to someone, we are entitled to receive as well.”

Giveaway

Giveaway 

$10 Amazon 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/MoldyOrangeBandageTour

About The Author

Albalis Vargas-Smith, a.k.a. Lirio Blanco Show, is an architect, painter, muralist, and writer from Panama.

She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture from Universidad Autonoma de Centroamerica in San Jose, Costa Rica. In addition, she received a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts from Auburn University, Montgomery.

She has more than twenty years of experience in architecture, having worked both in Montgomery, Alabama, and the Atlanta area.

She has done theatrical scene and set design as volunteer work for community theatre groups. Back in July 2016, Albalis went solo as an entrepreneur, architect, and painter, founding the Vargas-Smith Studio.

The reason? To spend more time with her daughter. In 2020, she decided to finish a series of backburner short stories and theatrical plays.

One of the theatrical plays is presented in this book. Currently, Albalis lives in Johns Creek, Georgia, with her daughter, husband, her dog, Toni, and a precious bird, Ruperta.

Website * X * Instagram * TikTok * Etsy * Goodreads

Author Links

Website: https://www.albalis.com/

X: https://x.com/Lirioblancoshow

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/lirioblancoshow/

TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@lirioblancoshow

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LirioBlancoShow

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21880276.Lirio_Show

New Zealand Freebie Blitz & Giveaway

A tale of treachery, lust and conflict, it spans almost 500 years and covers the respective discoveries of New Zealand by Pacific Islanders and Europeans.

New Zealand: A Novel

By Lance Morcan

Genre: Historical Romantic Adventure 

New Zealand: A Novel spans almost 500 years and covers the respective discoveries of New Zealand by Pacific Islanders and Europeans.

From the outset the two stories are interposed. It starts in the 1300’s with the departure of Islanders from Hawaiki in search of land far to the south.

The hardy, brown-skinned people who arrive here first call themselves Maori and they call their new home Aotearoa – land of the long, white cloud.

The fascinating, eventful and sometimes violent lives of descendants of those first arrivals are traced through the centuries until the arrival of Europeans aboard Captain James Cook’s bark the Endeavour. Cook names the new land New Zealand.

Maoris call the white intruders pakeha. Their arrival heralds a clash of two vastly different ideologies as European civilization collides head on with indigenous culture.

The misunderstandings, tension and bloodshed that follow are relayed as seen through the eyes of one of the Endeavour’s youngest and most engaging crewmembers, Surgeon’s Assistant Nicholas Young, as the vessel embarks on its historic circumnavigation of the country.

Amidst the life-threatening challenges Nicholas faces at sea and on land, the young man finds true love when he meets Anika, a beautiful Maori princess who steals his heart.

**Get it FREE Dec 14th & 15th!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/New-Zealand-Novel-Lance-Morcan-ebook/dp/B0DPTJTDCQ

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/new-zealand-a-novel-by-lance-morcan

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221413728.New_Zealand

Excerpt

Alongside the same headland Captain Cook had named Young Nick’s Head aboard the Endeavour moments earlier, a young Maori sat looking out to sea, basking in the sun.

The headland was on his right. Close by, on his left, was the outlet to a river that flowed past his iwi’s inland pa, which was located just half a mile upriver.

Moki was the oldest son of the chief of the Ngati Porou, the region’s predominant iwi, or tribe.

He was also a direct descendant of Mahanga, the rangatira who had saved his people from being overrun by Te Arawa invaders more than two centuries earlier.

His lineage could be traced back to the Hawaikan rangatira Hotu, who, with his son Kafoa, landed on this very beach aboard the Ronui waka some four hundred years earlier.

Barely eighteen, Moki was a blooded warrior, having claimed his first kill in a clash with warriors of another iwi more than a year earlier.

Since then, he’d proven himself several times over, as a warrior and as a hunter, and despite his youth was considered a worthy successor-in-waiting to his father.

As the young warrior continued to daydream, something caught his eye on the horizon.

At first, he thought it was a cloud. Then he wondered if he was hallucinating. Coming around the headland was what looked like a giant bird. Sunlight reflected off its huge white wings, which appeared to be flapping in the light breeze.

Alarmed, he jumped to his feet. He waved frantically at the fishermen out in the bay, but they were too busy fishing to notice him.

Moki, his heart pounding, fled into the bush that bordered the beach. He didn’t stop running until he reached the safety of his pa.

The fortified village, located on a rise above the same river he’d been sitting alongside a short time earlier, was home to almost a thousand Ngati Porou villagers. Fifty wakas of all sizes rested along the riverbank – either in the water or high and dry on the bank itself.

The river provided ready access to the freshwater that the unoccupied pa on the nearby headland lacked. In terms of its construction and fortifications, it was reminiscent of the coastal pa.

Smoke from cooking fires spiralled up through openings in the rooves of at least half the pa’s whares, which numbered in the hundreds. The rangatira’s whare, the largest of the dwellings, occupied a commanding position on the marae alongside an even more impressive meeting house.

Constructed primarily of timbers from the native totara tree, the meeting house displayed intricate carvings relating the history of the iwi going all the way back to Kafoa and Hotu. The carvings were replicated throughout the pa and on the bowsprits of the wakas as well.

“Papa!” Moki shouted as soon as he was within earshot of his father’s whare. “A great bird comes to attack us from over the sea!” Breathing hard, he repeated his warning twice over as his father and other villagers emerged from their dwellings.

Giveaway 

$10 Amazon 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/NewZealandFreeBlitz

About The Author

New Zealand novelist and screenwriter Lance Morcan is a prolific author with more than 35 published fiction and non-fiction books to his credit as well as several screenplay adaptations of his work.

A former journalist and newspaper editor, he regularly writes in collaboration with his son James Morcan, and their books are published by Sterling Gate Books.

The father-and-son team’s published books include the new release horror Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) and the bestselling historical adventures White Spirit, Fiji: A Novel and Into the Americas.

They also have several series including The Orphan Trilogy, an international thriller series, the globetrotting action-romance series The World Duology, and the controversial non-fiction franchise The Underground Knowledge Series, which includes Genius Intelligence and The Catcher in the Rye Enigma. 

Several of their books have been regular visitors to Amazon’s bestseller lists over the years.

An additional non-fiction title they’re especially proud of is Debunking Holocaust Denial Theories, which was written in collaboration with Holocaust survivors to document the genocide. 

Lance’s first solo-authored novel, a historical adventure-romance titled New Zealand: A Novel, was published late 2024.

Spanning almost 500 years, this novel covers the respective discoveries of New Zealand by Pacific Islanders and Europeans.

From the outset the two stories are interposed. It starts in the 1300’s with the departure of Islanders from Hawaiki in search of land far to the south.

Researching and writing this epic was literally half a century in the making for Lance who described the task as “A labour of love that spanned 50 years.”

The Morcans’ production entity Morcan Motion Pictures has a number of feature films in early development, including adaptations of Silent Fear, Into the Americas and White Spirit. 

Website * X * LinkedIn* Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Author Links

Website: https://morcanbooksandfilms.com/

X: https://x.com/SterlingGate

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-morcan-4b87ba43/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lance-morcan

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lance-Morcan/author/B005ET3ZUO

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5099267.Lance_Morcan