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178 posts

Twelve Days of Faery cover image

Characters I Love: Althea and Markon

More adorable characters from W.R. Gingell! Althea and Markon are the two main characters in Twelve Days of Faery. Althea is confident and competent, magnificently understated, and somehow adorable rather than intimidating. She’s kind and funny and endearing, while remaining supremely focused on her mission. She’s quite understandably fascinating to Markon (and to the reader), and she’s a wonderful example of a “strong female character” who isn’t written as a physically rough-and-tough sex symbol with too much attitude. Markon is the point-of-view character, and he’s immediately likable. He’s overworked, beset by annoying visiting dignitaries, and deeply upset by the curse […]

Help Me Focus!

I’ve started on a number of new projects, but I need to focus after my long period of post-surgery recuperation. Why yes, I’m almost functional again! Thanks for asking. I’m getting better! I don’t want to go on the cart! I’d originally posted this on G+, but I figured my blog is a better place to do this. Plus a lot of you aren’t active on G+ so maybe you’ll vote this way. What should I work on next? I have an abundance of ideas at the moment. All of these are started but only the first has anything approaching […]

Want free books? Sign up for my ARC Team!

Would you like free books? Of course you would! I’m forming an Advance Review Copy (ARC) team – that’s a team of readers who will read my books before they’re available, and post reviews as soon as the books are launched. What do you get out of it? Free review copies, of course! I send you a free ebook, you read it, write a review, and post the review when the book goes live. You’ll need to post on Amazon, but posting on other retailers and review sites like Goodreads is also very much appreciated. What do I get out of it? Reviews! […]

Playing Hearts cover image

Characters I Love: Jack

 Did I mention I’ve been loving W.R. Gingell’s work lately? I have. All of her characters are delightful (except the horrible ones, who are horrifically horrible). Jack is the son of the Queen of Hearts. Jack is a self-centered, untrustworthy liar, shallow and prickly and sarcastic and utterly, completely delightful. He’s disappointing and brilliant, and he makes the story infinitely more personal to narrator Mabel. And Mabel is his equal, impulsive and brilliant and dangerous in her mounting terror at the Queen’s evil manipulations. Playing Hearts is a novella, but there is so much story crammed in a relatively short […]

Fantasy Giveaway Image - C. J. Brightley

Another Fantastic Giveaway!

I’m hosting another fantasy giveaway! This giveaway is also for a Kindle Fire and 30 clean fantasy ebooks (mostly different books than the last giveaway). Click here to enter! If you didn’t see the previous giveaways, you might be wondering “what’s the point?” Well, we’re all looking for new readers! By entering, you’re sharing your email address with us so we can tell you about our new releases and other writing news. Don’t worry… you can unsubscribe at any time. Many of us also have special freebies for subscribers, so even if you don’t win, I hope you’ll be glad you entered. You […]

Spindle cover image

What I’m Reading #6

Some of you may know that I had major surgery a while ago. Although the recovery isn’t fun, it’s going very well. Nevertheless, I’ve been forced to slow down a bit from my normal energetic pace. I’ve had more time to read, which has been lovely. Here are a few of the books I’ve been reading:  Spindle by W.R. Gingell – I have discovered another favorite indie author. This was the first book I read by Gingell, and it’s a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. That was never my favorite fairytale, and I haven’t really jumped into the fairytale retelling trend anyway. But I decided […]

What I’m Reading #5

These are a few of the books I’ve been enjoying lately.  The Worth of a Shell by M. C. A. Hogarth – This is not light reading, although it’s not “difficult” in the sense of reading level or language. It’s a story of consent and culture and the value of a person as an individual, not for the role in society they occupy but simply for existing. I discovered the book when it was included in the StoryBundle last year with The King’s Sword and only recently got around to reading it. Color me impressed. Hogarth managed to present an alien society as […]

Romance E-Book Giveaway graphic

Occoquan Craft Show and Another Fantastic Giveaway! Win a Kindle Fire and 30 Clean Romance Ebooks!

Occoquan Arts and Crafts Show I sent an email, but I realized I forgot to actually post about the Occoquan Arts and Crafts Show on my blog! Sorry about that. Remember last year, when I didn’t get the organizational email and my dad hauled 8 million tons of books halfway down Mill Street? That didn’t happen this year, so the show got off to a good start! Saturday was hot and humid; there is nothing quite like a long day in humid heat to make me appreciate air conditioning and a shower before bed. Thunderstorms were predicted for Sunday, but the rain and wind […]

The Beginning of Wisdom (A Long-Forgotten Song, Book 3)

It’s done! It’s finally done!   The Beginning of Wisdom – A Long-Forgotten Song, Book III When Edwin reveals his true colors, Colonel Grenidor realizes he has run out of options. The Fae prince Niall offers Grenidor a way out, but defection forces Grenidor to face the repercussions of his actions. Feichin’s redemption has rocked the Fae, who struggle to understand El and their own place in creation. Lord Owen, still not recovered, turns to Dr. Bartok for answers. When new information sheds light on Edwin’s terrifying plan, both the Fae and humans must decide what obedience and love really […]

Fantastic Fantasy Giveaway! Win a Kindle Fire + 30 Fantasy Ebooks

The last giveaway was so much fun I’m hosting another one! This giveaway is also for a Kindle Fire and 30 clean fantasy ebooks (mostly different books than the last giveaway). Click here to enter! If you didn’t see the last one, you might be wondering “what’s the point?” Well, we’re all looking for new readers! By entering, you’re sharing your email address with us so we can tell you about our new releases and other writing news. Don’t worry… you can unsubscribe at any time. Many of us also have special freebies for subscribers, so even if you don’t win, I […]