Tamys, a lad cast out by his seemingly royal father, holds keys to the realm’s destiny but is somewhat blind to that. He does not have the Faith of his companion but seems pulled towards it at times. And Padraig, our main character, is his companion and a man of deep faith who also is highly skilled with a bow, and more importantly, with words. Padraig is my favorite character in any book I have ever read. I don’t say that lightly. My favorite characters used to be Simon in Memory, Sorrow and Thorn and Don Quixote. Padraig has swayed me. His depth of mind, heart and skill with herbs, bow, sword and faith make him my ultimate protagonist. To say that I look forward to Markham’s next in this series is a severe understatement. I look forward to her writing for years to come.
A beautiful fantasy novel with solid bones and depth, The Willow Branch took hold of my mind and encompassed me. I loved its setting of a Celtic realm and the reflections of Christianity really completed this work for me. Complete with a dragon, elven people, humans and long abandoned dwarven mountain paths, it easily created a wonderful fantasy realm, and the individual characters here really took hold of my emotions and made me care about the characters’ fates.
Tamys, a lad cast out by his seemingly royal father, holds keys to the realm’s destiny but is somewhat blind to that. He does not have the Faith of his companion but seems pulled towards it at times. And Padraig, our main character, is his companion and a man of deep faith who also is highly skilled with a bow, and more importantly, with words. Padraig is my favorite character in any book I have ever read. I don’t say that lightly. My favorite characters used to be Simon in Memory, Sorrow and Thorn and Don Quixote. Padraig has swayed me. His depth of mind, heart and skill with herbs, bow, sword and faith make him my ultimate protagonist. To say that I look forward to Markham’s next in this series is a severe understatement. I look forward to her writing for years to come.
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Author Ken Mooney has just released two more books in his popular 'The Last Olympiad' series! The Fall of BacchusA father paces, ready to give his daughter away to the man of her dreams. But an old enemy awaits their happy moment, an unwelcome guest at the wedding and she cannot wait to pay her respects to the bride. In Godhead, Ken Mooney brought the Greek gods to life in the present day; now, discover more about their world in Stories From The Last Olympiad. The Fall Of Bacchus is a short flash-fiction companion piece to Godhead; this story takes place after the fall of Olympus, but before the novel's present. Please note: this is a work of less than 1000 words that was previously available on other sites. It has been published on Kindle at the request of fans of The Last Olympiad who want to complete their collection. As a bonus, The Fall Of Bacchus also includes the opening section of Godhead. The LibationsAn angry goddess has struck once more. The Greek gods continue to die. They must regroup. They meet to honor their dead...and to decide their future. In Godhead, Ken Mooney brought the Greek gods to life in the present day; now, discover more about their world in Stories From The Last Olympiad. The Libations is a short story companion piece to Godhead and a prelude to the sequel, The Hades Contract. It is also a direct sequel to The Fall Of Bacchus. This story takes place after the fall of Olympus, but before the present-day of Godhead. Please note: this is a work of approx 2500 words that was previously available on other sites. It has been published on Kindle at the request of fans of The Last Olympiad who want to complete their collection. This interview originally posted on my website. Scott is one of the founders of Breakwater Harbor Books, a prolific writer and a great friend. https://aurorawatcherak.wordpress.com/2014/08/06/interview-with-scott-toney/ Today, I am meeting with Scott Toney, a prolific author and founder of Breakwater Harbor Books, an independent small-press authors’ cooperative. Tell us a little bit about yourself, Scott -- I am a father, husband, author and barbershop singer. I have a degree in Journalism and Public Relations from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and I utilize the skills honed in achieving those degrees in my writing. Above all things I strive to dedicate myself to my family and faith. Without them, the writing on my pages would be without worth. When did you write your first story? And what was it about? Phew, I wrote my first story when I was in Middle School. My neighbor Julie and I would get together and make up stories to go along with the computer game Oregon Trail. I guess you could say it was ‘Fan Fiction’. We had a blast and buried somewhere I’m sure those early stories are still around. I know you from Authonomy, where your book “The Ark of Humanity” made the Editor’s Desk. I’ve read the Autho versions of Ark and Eden Legacy. Both of those are fantasy, but you also write historical fiction, romance, and Christian lit. What is your favorite genre? It’s so hard to pick one, as I’m sure is evident when you look at the genres I publish in, but I guess I have two answers. My favorite genre to write in is Fantasy/Sci-Fi because it allows for so much creativity. Literally anything can happen at any time. But when I go back and reread things my favorite genre is Christian. That is perhaps why so much Christianity and faith-based concept shows up in all of my books. NovaForge even has weavings of faith inside. I think it’s really hard for us to keep our faith to ourselves in something as personal as writing. It’s just too integral to everything we do. You were one of the writers on Authonomy that first attracted my attention. I think Ark of Humanity is a truly amazing book in part because you conceptualized a world where water was like air is to us. How did you develop that concept? What were some of the challenges you faced in writing that story? When I wrote The Ark of Humanity I quickly realized that many of the rules that apply to the world above water changed. Even the way a character would speak. We use certain slang and phrasing that someone under the waves would never have in their vocabulary. I studied up on fish and underwater plant species and the way they interact with one another and made sure I knew about the makeup of things in the sea before I began. I also did a lot of research regarding Noah and The Great Flood to make sure I was as historically accurate as I could be in sections there as well. I probably had the most fun writing The Ark of Humanity and one day I hope to write a sequel, though it is intended as a stand-alone book. You are self-published through your own author group Breakwater Harbor Books. Can you tell us a little bit about that experience? Oh, being part of BHB is a blast. We are an Independent Author Imprint and support each other in our books and on our websites. We are currently finishing up our second short work anthology (a Christian one). We bounce ideas off one another often and I have been honored to have the edit assistance of fellow members as well. If you are an independent author then this is the way to boost knowledge of your writing and to be part of a community that is dedicated to each others’ success. One of our authors, Mike Lee, was #1 in overall Kindle book sales on Amazon for a weekend and one of Claire C Riley’s books, Odium II, was recently #1 in the British Horror Fiction Genre. All of your writing touches on matters of faith. How does your faith influence what you write? I don’t always set out to insert faith in my books, but faith finds me. That’s because when I think of how I solve problems in my life, my answer is always faith, is always God. That’s why in my books when a character needs the ultimate assist, what better assist than God or faith, and what better way to steer them than the moral course or the course that will get them where they need to be than faith? Your latest book is Nova Forge, which was released in May 2014. Tell us a bit about it. Solaris. A planet like any other, rife with wars, science and love. But at the peak of its civilization, a great meteor fell, bringing long-dead souls to Solaris, souls that had been sustained by the life-force of one lone man, Ineal. At the moment of impact, these souls scattered across Solaris, giving inhuman abilities to mortals while scarring their bodies and corrupting their lives. Samuel was one such man, a man of faith who thought to use his powers to worship his God: he watched his followers, and his planet, die. Seas turned to lava and the skies darkened. And as Samuel’s heart grew weary and angry, he used his powers to manipulate the world to serve him alone. Samuel became god of a planet whose only life was the symbiotic life so like his own. Centuries later, he discovered others, threats that had not been on this planet before. A winged woman; a cyborg; a future-seer and a child. A great vengeance burned a comradery between them. They were souls that could overthrow him. Souls that he would need to destroy. The genre for NovaForge is Sci-Fi/Fantasy and it is a fast paced work. What I’d say to my readers is that although this is Sci-Fi/Fantasy it also incorporates elements of romance and faith. When you read one of my books you will always be enthralled and surprised. Where did you get the inspiration for the story? I’ve always wanted my own Sci-Fi/Fantasy trilogy and now just seemed the right time. My love of Star Wars and Marvel Comics highly inspired me here, as well as the workings of the humanity we are a part of and what humanity becomes when enhanced or wounded. What are you working on next? Breakwater Harbor Books’ Christian Anthology is my next release, and I’m in the first quarter of writing NovaForge’s sequel, NovaSiege, which I’m thoroughly enjoying. Many other books are running around in my mind, but those will have to wait at least a year. How do readers find your books? The Ark of Humanity – God flooded the earth to annihilate humanity’s sins. What if that sinful race didn’t die when floodwaters covered them but instead adapted to breathe water? http://www.amazon.com/Ark-Humanity-Scott-Toney-ebook/dp/B008O7O8UE/ref=sr_1_5_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405796407&sr=1-5 NovaForge – Solaris. A planet like any other, rife with wars, science and love. But at the peak of its civilization, a great meteor fell, bringing long-dead souls to Solaris, souls that had been sustained by the life-force of one lone man, Ineal. At the moment of impact, these souls scattered across Solaris, giving inhuman abilities to mortals while scarring their bodies and corrupting their lives. Samuel was one such man, a man of faith who thought to use his powers to worship his God: he watched his followers, and his planet, die. Seas turned to lava and the skies darkened. And as Samuel’s heart grew weary and angry, he used his powers to manipulate the world to serve him alone. Samuel became god of a planet whose only life was the symbiotic life so like his own. Centuries later, he discovered others, threats that had not been on this planet before. A winged woman; a cyborg; a future-seer and a child. A great vengeance burned a comradery between them. They were souls that could overthrow him. Souls that he would need to destroy. http://www.amazon.com/NovaForge-Scott-Toney-ebook/dp/B00K11R0FQ/ref=sr_1_3_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405793930&sr=1-3&keywords=scott+toney Eden Legacy – Thomas, the young King of Havilah, is drawn to a forest beyond his lands. Here he discovers seven figs, fruit from the long forgotten Eden. In the land of Cush, Princess Lilya suffers under the rule of her father, until the day when young King Thomas of Havilah invites her away to his lands. There, she hopes to find peace she has never known. But Thomas has been drawn to a foreign land, to figs he hopes are from Eden and the Tree of Life. When he eats them to heal his wounds things change within him, distorting him in ways he could not predict. Now Lilya must make a decision. Does she stand by Thomas’s side or act to dispel the evil consuming his soul? Amidst this world Lilya has befriended a dragon. There are secrets within the beast that could determine all their fates. http://www.amazon.com/Eden-Legacy-Scott-Toney-ebook/dp/B009H8WZR2/ref=sr_1_7_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405796435&sr=1-7 Lazarus, Man – This is the story of Lazarus of Bethany, told through tale and tribulation. http://www.amazon.com/Lazarus-Man-Scott-Toney-ebook/dp/B008FVMQWG/ref=sr_1_3_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405796569&sr=1-3 Hearts of Avon – In Avon, a beach town along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Ben is falling fast for the beautiful and intelligent Caroline, even as they both deal with her stalker ex-boyfriend who has followed her south on vacation. As Ben learns the depths of the other man’s madness his and Caroline’s relationship runs into another wall, level 3 Hurricane Irene moving quickly toward the Outer Banks. When the storm arrives, all of their lives will be drastically changed. How will they learn to cope with the consequences? When they are tested with a disaster on the brink of their comprehension, how will they pick up the pieces of their lives? http://www.amazon.com/Hearts-Avon-Scott-Toney-ebook/dp/B00B90KGOK/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405796595&sr=1-1 Author Page – http://www.amazon.com/Scott-J-Toney/e/B0098JRXWC/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 Breakwater Harbor Books’ Website – http://www.breakwaterharborbooks.com/ Lela Markham https://aurorawatcherak.wordpress.com/2015/01/21/interview-with-cmt-stibbe/ Today’s interview is with C.M.T. Stibbe, author of Chasing Pharaohs and The Fowler’s Snare, exquisitely written historical fantasies set in ancient Egypt. Tell us something about yourself: Hi Lela, thank you so much for interviewing me. I’m originally from Berkshire, England. My father was a housemaster at Bradfield College for many years before becoming Head Master of the King Edward School in Norwich. I think it was his courage to survive a war, his stories and his love of English literature that inspired me to write. I moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1995 and I have been there ever since. They call New Mexico ‘the land of enchantment’ and for those of us who have never found our way home, ‘the land of entrapment.’ My husband is American and my son is half Navajo. What do you do for a living? I’m doing a course to qualify as a part-time proofreader and copy editor. Then I will be working full-time for Kingdom Writing Solutions, dividing half my day between proofreading for authors and writing my own books. What were your major literary influences? The first adult novel I read was Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, a Victorian poet who wrote about a declining rural society set in Wessex. I was fascinated by the way Hardy made his characters so life-like, how we could easily resonate with their suffering and sadness―a theme so central in his work. Your bio says you’ve done a lot of traveling. Have you been to some of the places you describe in Chasing Pharaohs? Yes. Location is extremely important and it often becomes a character in itself. I have stayed in Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in Upper Egypt. It is a magical place, so easy to imagine Thebes as the major military capital and to see the pharaohs in their luxurious palaces. The Valley of the Kings makes a perfect setting for Commander Shenq’s ambush in my novel―slopes of scree spill into rock spurs and limestone clefts make for great hiding places. What type of central characters do you like to write about? My central characters are outcasts, people thrust outside society by flaws and emotional torment. These people are the stuff great stories are made of and many readers enjoy relating to them. What is something you cannot do without? The Bible, a God-breathed book that describes the founding and preservation of the nation of Israel’s people. A few other things would definitely include my family, a laptop, and a really good cup of coffee! You and I could definitely hang-out and get along. Tell us about Chasing Pharaohs. How did you develop it? The research for Chasing Pharaohs took almost a year, including interviewing historians, researching databases, visiting libraries, and travelling to Egypt. There is nothing like smelling, tasting and sensing the sights of the places we write about. I chose the 18th dynasty because these were the golden years comprising some of the most famous Pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Chasing Pharaohs is loosely based on the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose II and his sister-wife Queen Hatshepsut. Their court is far from straightforward: wives competing for power and priests brandishing the flail. Ancient Egypt has always lent itself to mystery and intrigue, and a little scandal here and there. Not only are these characters manipulative, they are robust and entertaining. Some are true to history and some have been conjured from my own imagination. And, The Fowler’s Snare continues the story? The Fowler’s Snare is the second in the series. Only this time Pharaoh Kheper-Re holds a chariot race to determine who will be the next Supreme Commander of Thebes. This book is set outside Thebes, a race to the death that takes place in Egypt’s infamous white desert. The third book is about a princess, a gift from a foreign King to cement ties with Egypt. This time Pharaoh Kheper-Re is so lovesick, he forgets all his other wives, including his Queen. Oh-oh, that sounds like trouble. Now tell me about your detective fiction. At the moment, I’m writing a novel set in New Mexico. The central character is a middle-aged, pot-smoking detective of Ethiopian and British descent. It gives just the right mix of character to spice up the plot and for readers to enjoy the cultural differences. Detective Van Straubenzee must solve a crime that involves the kidnap and slaughter of young girls. What do you enjoy the most about being an author? I think one of the rewards of writing is being able to make up your own characters, living with them, and watching them endure the most lethal conditions and coming out of it better than they went in. What other projects are you working on? I always have several projects on the go and there are a few Medieval/Tudor stories languishing in my head. Right now, the Chasing Pharaohs series and the Detective Van Straubenzee series are full time babies. To find out more about CMT Stibbe’s books, visit her website at http://www.cmtstibbe.com. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaireStibbe Google: https://plus.google.com/+CMTStibbe/posts Twitter: https://twitter.com/CMTStibbe Claire is also a member of the New Mexico Book Coop and the Southwest Writers Association. Chasing Pharaohs: (Historical Fantasy Fiction) In the aftermath of a battle between the great powers of Egypt and her old foe Kush, Pharaoh Kheper-Re rules Thebes, the city of the golden gates. But still the wars rage on and the kingdom is on the brink of chaos. Kheper-Re fears an invasion by his old nemesis in Alodia and with the help of his most favored Commander he musters a group of men more deadly than the enemy he fears. As the future of Egypt hangs in the balance Commander Shenq, leader of Pharaoh’s Most Honored Ones, must protect Thebes from a Shadow-Hunter and his army of ten thousand men. The Queen, too, is making plans―with a few followers of her own. And as a Hebrew prophet interprets dreams and a bodyguard hears rumors, the quest for peace has never been more challenging. Commander Shenq must drive out all threats to the throne and bring the assassin to heel. The Fowler’s Snare: (Historical Fantasy Fiction) When a band of Alodian outcasts crosses the border to Egypt, Pharaoh Kheper-Re invites them to compete in a grueling chariot race across the western desert against his bodyguard, Commander Shenq. The prize is great; the winner will be awarded the title of Supreme Commander of Thebes. Determined to win, Commander Shenq and his team enter the race confronting the most brutal of obstacles. Not only must they beat the Alodians, they must also triumph over the punishing terrain, the savage desert jackals, and above all the Imazi, a group of flesh-eating nomads. With so much at stake, treachery and sorcery are once again in season as the princes of two rival kingdoms go head-to-head. It is a race that will cost the loser everything he holds dear. The 9th Hour: (Suspense/Thriller) Will be released 2015. Until a man loses his daughter to a serial killer, until he loses his best friend, until he is down on his luck, Darryl Williams must put all thoughts of retaliation out of his mind. Nine year-old Kizzy Williams is taken from a campsite in the night. Partial human remains discovered at a remote ranch and a small red journal is known to be hers. A serial killer is on the run and Detective Van Straubenzee must piece together the last days of Kizzy’s life by way of an interview with the only prisoner he has. My weekly feature Writing Wednesday often focuses on author interviews. A while back, I sat down with Dee Harrison, author of Firelord’s Crown, which is published under the Breakwater Harbor Books imprint. Tell us something about yourself, Dee. Hi, thank you for giving me this opportunity. Well, I was born in Nottingham, UK, which is famous for its associations with Robin Hood. My grandmother would often take me and my sisters to Nottingham Castle when we were young. It’s basically a Victorian house now but there are still parts of the medieval castle left, including some spooky underground tunnels. We also went to Sherwood Forest and other such places so, from an early age, I was steeped in myth and history. I went on to study Medieval History at Nottingham University and got really interested in the myths and legends of the time. That set me off on the idea of creating my own ‘historical’ tales. Oh, I’m jealous! What a great world for a fantasy writer to grow up in! These days, as well as writing, I work as a specialist teacher and assessor. I feel for those people who find reading a burden or too difficult and try to help them build their skills to the point where they can function in the hopes that, one day, they may come to enjoy reading as much as I do. That’s interesting. I used to teach English as a second language to the foreign born as part of our church’s ministry. It’s very rewarding and I built some great relationships with some wonderful people. So, what are the major literary influences in your writing? I don’t expect there are many fantasy writers who haven’t been compared, favourably or not, with J R R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. I first read the trilogy when I was ten and I still dip into it every now and then. I must admit, I do skip over some of the wordier descriptive passages but, when he wrote it, he did not have the advantage of people being well-acquainted with foreign landscapes from film and TV as we do. Michael Moorcock, too, was and is an influence (more below) and so is Roger Zelazny, especially his Amber series. Female writers are in there as well: Anne McCaffrey, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Katherine Kurtz and Mercedes Lackey, to name but a few. I loved Kurtz myself! Is there a book or books that inspired you to become a writer? When I was a young teen I went on a caravan holiday with my best friend to the south coast. It rained virtually the entire week and we spent a lot of time inside the van. Luckily we both enjoyed reading but soon got through the books we’d brought with us. The campsite shop had a small book section and that’s where I found The Sleeping Sorceress by Michael Moorcock. I was amazed. I’d never read a book like that before and immediately fell in love with Elric. From then on I was a fantasy fan and I have been ever since. When I came to write my own books that’s what I had in the back of my mind. What is your writing process? I roughly map out where the story is going, with major plot lines, characters etc. I literally draw a map as I go along and keep a timeline, as well as lists of characters. I write chronologically in the main, though if I’m hit by inspiration for a scene or piece of dialogue I’ll note that down at the time. I tend to craft most sentences as I go along, I don’t just bang the words down then tidy up later. This makes me slower initially than a lot of other writers but saves me editing time later on. Sometimes I’ll come up with an idea for a short story and write it up straight off. Then I have to resist turning it into a full-length novel! Every short story I’ve ever written has become a novel at a later date. I compliment your self-control. Let’s say you were about to be banished to a remote Alaskan cabin. I’ll make it easy for you. It’s summer, so it’s warm and the cabin is already stocked with basic food stuffs and bug spray. What books do you take with you? Whichever book I’m currently reading tends to be my favourite! I would take Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files; Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels trilogy; lots of Michael Moorcock books, especially the Elric ones; Mercedes Lackey’s herald-Mage series; and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. For starters, of course! Well, of course. You can never have too many books! Tell us about the Firelord’s Legacy, which is a series of books in the epic sword and sorcery vein. Firelord’s Legacy has been described as a classic fantasy series. Originally planned as a trilogy, I decided to divide books two and three in half to make a total of five, as those volumes were quite substantive. The books are based on a world called Riom which, thanks to a magical catastrophe two thousand years previously, is facing destruction. The only hope is to restore The Firelord’s Crown, which was instrumental in the original disaster. However, as the blurb says, “the circlet was divided up amongst six companions who took ship and headed for safety when their homeland was destroyed. During the voyage one of the ships vanished but the segment her captain guarded will be needed to complete the Crown.” Thus you have the premise for a good, old-fashioned quest but also, something very important to me, the book deals with how the main characters face up to the demands made on them. Book 2 in the series, Firelord’s Heir, was recently reviewed by a Harper Collins editor and they picked up on how each character is a mixture of light and dark with issues to work through. I’m not afraid to kill people off in the books either, though not as regularly as George RR Martin! Well, that’s good because Martin is positively homicidal, but I also applaud the ability to let characters die. So what are the plans for the future? I’m currently working on the final book, tentatively called Firelord’s Vow. Several threads will be wound up, there might even be the odd happy ending, but for whom? Even I’m not sure yet! Your next series is the Mirrorsmith Chronicles, featuring Junah, the brash and wisecracking mirrorsmith who is sworn to seek out the shards of the Dark Mirror before its evil can plunge the world into chaos. You’ve published a short story “teaser” in the Fusion anthology that Breakwater Harbor Books put out. When will the first book be published? The first full novel is currently doing the round of agents until I get bored of waiting, probably. It’s a standalone, unlike the Firelord books, although I may write a few more short stories of Junah’s adventures. His companion, Sissik the wail (think lemur) is quite popular so she might even get her own tale or two. What inspired you to write a science-fiction/fantasy hybrid book? I think I like the idea of a character who is free to move among different worlds, a bit like Dr Who I suppose, where he is from a technologically advanced civilisation whose gadgetry seems magical to less advanced peoples. Again, this likely reflects my love of Moorcock, and Zelazny for that matter, who both did it so well. You can find Dee's books on Amazon Or check out her Facebook page. Any small-press or independent author interested can request an interview at lelamarkham@gmail.com. When Scott invited me to post in the blog, I thought "Whoa, awesome responsibility! Does he not know what a loose cannon I am?" But I'm sure he's checked out my main website and trusts me not to behave badly here. Of course, there's always the possibility that I will delete the website or something equally fun.
So, this is my "howdy, howyadoin" post just to see if I can actually post here. If I don't make a complete mash of it, I'll start off by posting the BHB author interviews I've done. Now let's see what happens when I hit "post." Lela Markham Author of The Willow Branch Breakwater Harbor Books welcomes our newest author, Simon Paul Wilson, and his Wasabi-Punk style!1/27/2015 Simon Paul Wilson writes quirky fiction. Originally from the UK, Simon traveled to Asia and forgot to go back. Heavily influenced by his time in China and Thailand, Simon's stories usually feature kooky Asian girls and ghosts with very long hair. Simon has released several short stories, a novella called 'End Credits' and a novel with the rather wonderful title of 'Yuko Zen Is Somewhere Else'. When not writing, Simon listens to post and prog rock at a very loud volume. He also likes to play air-guitar. Readers can learn more about SPW on his website, quirkyfiction.com He can also be found lurking on Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6586179.Simon_Paul_Wilson His first release with BHB is set for an April or May release later this year and Wilson describes it as Wasabi-punk / a mixture of horror, sci-fi and black humor. In 2055, Tokyo was lost. Now, it is a city of ghosts. My name is Kichi, I live in Osaka Sector. I love hearing ghost stories. This is mine... ‘GhostCityGirl’ is set in Japan in the year 2155, a hundred years after Tokyo was devastated by a ghostquake. The story is from the viewpoint of a young girl called Kichi, and tells of how she gets involved with conspiracies, ancient rituals and the end of the world. Another excellent release by Simon Paul Wilson is Zuko Zen is Somewhere Else. It's available now and was highly reviewed by Harper Collins' Authonomy review board! ------------------------------------------------------------ My name is Yuko Zen and I am somewhere else ... After a strange encounter with a beautiful girl in a Chinese take-away, Chris Winter discovers she's left her journal behind. He only opens it to search for her contact details, but he's quickly pulled into her mysterious world – a nameless Asian city filled with tales of Buddhist dogs, hedgehogs and yogurt pots, and a magical girl named Pixie. When Chris is totally hooked, Yuko's journal takes an unexpected turn. It starts to talk to him ... Magical (sur)realism for Young Adults of all ages, editors at Harper Collins have likened YUKO ZEN to works by Audrey Niffenegger and Haruki Murakami. If Zoya can survive the day, she just might live forever. Moscow, 2138. With the world only beginning to recover from the complete societal collapse of the late 21st Century, Zoya scrapes by prepping corpses for funerals and dreams of saving enough money to have a child. When her brother forces her to bring him a mysterious package, she witnesses his murder and finds herself on the run from ruthless mobsters. Frantically trying to stay alive and save her loved ones, Zoya opens the package and discovers two unusual data cards, one that allows her to fight back against the mafia and another which may hold the key to everlasting life. Cover Illustration © Stephan Martiniere There are two things in the world that transcend time: Love and Music. Lea was a girl named after a song. The one constant in her lonely life was the voice of the man who sang her name. The day she saw him sing for the first time, she knew he was her fate and that no other man would ever have her heart. The fact that he was twenty years older than she was simply didn’t matter because it was love. Stephen was genius obsessed with an obscure theory that might open the door to time. But just when his program became a success, it locked him out and opened a door to take Lea twenty-two years into the past to meet Elliot, the man she loved her whole life, the man who sang the song that made her Lea. Time made Lea Elliot’s muse but then took her back to her own empty reality with only his promise that he would find her. Could a love affair that spanned just three days stand the test of time? Sometimes Fate requires a Leap of Faith, but music and love last forever. Welcome to the New Year on Manhattan's Upper East Side, where talk might be cheap (though nothing else is), scheming and manipulation are second nature, intentions are never pure as driven snow, and not even the shrinks can be trusted. None of the names have been changed, because no one is innocent. You'll have to look hard to find redeeming qualities in what is surely a bleak cast of characters, and we'll start with the conception of a clever ruse and a chameleon call girl lacking both sleep (of the restful variety) and original thought (that comes from her adoptive madam mother). A parasomnia disorder and a surprising client introduce our escort to a psychiatrist neither caring nor empathetic, but he cleans up well and is an accomplished actor (not unlike his nemesis, Madam Miranda Crosland). Can he work out the kinks in this twisted web of secrets, cons, and lies? Without a doubt. The real question might be can he be bothered to do so. Listening to tragic backstories isn't high on his list of entertainment, but then watching master plans explode in faces is a pastime Dr. Carrington enjoys. Choosing a side is difficult when most everyone involved is morally bankrupt. It's going to be a wicked winter. |
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