Book Review: Hex in the City
Posted: June 16, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Review, Speculative Fiction, Urban fantasy, Werewolf Fiction | Tags: Book Review, Canadian Werewolf, Hex and the City, Julie Strauss, Mark Leslie, Supernatural Romance, Supernatural Thriller, Werewolf romance, Writing to be Read 1 Comment
About the Book
HER LOVE WILL BRING ABOUT HIS DEMISE.
Michael Andrews and Gail Sommers have finally found the love that had eluded them for so long.
But their romance has uncovered an ancient evil curse neither of them could have anticipated. It does more than bring down a plague on their houses – it unleashes something far more sinister that can destroy humanity.
Now they must choose: battle the evil forces out to destroy them, or continue to meet in secret while the rest of the world burns.
If you like thrilling action, paranormal adventure, and quirky humor, you’ll love Hex and the City. Read it today!
Though this is book six in a series, it can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel. A “the story so far” summary is available for readers.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Hex-City-Canadian-Werewolf-Book-ebook/dp/B0B1XPGVHZ/
My Review
Hex in the City, by Mark Leslie and Julie Straus, is Book 6 in Mark Leslie’s Canadian Werewolf series. Admittedly, I have read all of the novels which came before this one in the series, so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect, but Leslie and Straus never fail to fill their pages with supernatural surprises.
After listening to the audio version of the first book Leslie co-authored with Straus, Lover’s Moon, they became the voices of Michael Andrews and Gail Sommers for me. As I read the digital version of Hex in the City, I could hear the authors’ voices in my head, I swear, and that made the story ever so much more real for me. In book 6, Gail and Michael have found each other once more and are determined to be happy together. But, once again, forces beyond their control just seem to get in the way.
But in this book, more is revealed about two of the supporting characters, who have been there, but taken a back seat, all along, Gail’s BFF, Isabeau, and her brother, Ben. And in learning more aboutn these two, many of the missing pieces of Gail’s past fall into place. And we also learn a thing or two about Michael’s mysterious traveling friend, Buddy, who always seems to show up in the right place, at the right time. After reading this book, I have more of the pieces to the puzzle, I still hae the feeling that there is so much more to this story.
Enjoyably entertaining, as are all the books in this series. It’s so much fun to watch the story unfold between the two main characters, who by book 6, are starting to feel like good friends. I give Hex in the City five quills.
_________________________________________________________________________
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.
Share this:
Growing Bookworms – Meet children’s fiction and adult fiction and non-fiction author, Toni Pike and a review #growingbookworms #childrensfiction #bookreview
Posted: June 14, 2023 Filed under: Book Promotion, Book Review, Books, Children's Books, Fiction, Mystery, Review, Thriller | Tags: Author Interview, Book Review, Children's Books, Cody Brody and the Step Mother From Outer Space, Growing Bookworms, Robbie Cheadle, The MAgus Covenant, Toni Pike, Writing to be Read 61 Comments
Today, I am delighted to introduce children’s and adult fiction author, Toni Pike. Toni is a prolific writer with at least two non-fiction books, six adult thrillers, one women’s fiction, and two children’s books, all available from Amazon. Today, we are focusing the discussion on Toni’s two children’s books in the Brody Cody series. I’ve read both and they are wonderful for middle school children.
I love your books about Brody Cody as they are filled with excellent, age-appropriate humour without resulting in facetious child characters which is a pitfall with many modern children’s books. Is there any particular children’s book author whom you admire and consider to be a role model for your writing?
Thank you so much for your lovely comments, Robbie – I’m delighted that you liked my characters. That means so much to me, coming from such a wonderful writer.
Roald Dahl is my favourite children’s author – his irreverent stories and characters are so wickedly delightful, and his plots are so beautifully constructed. I find children love this irreverence, and I was horrified to read recently that his stories were to be “sanitised” for the modern world. I think young readers could only benefit from enjoying his classic stories.
One of my other favourite role models is Judy Blume – I love the characters and familiar situations in “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.”
Is Brody Cody entirely fictitious or are some of his characteristics based on real life models?
I always say that they are entirely a figment of my imagination – but quite a few aspects of Brody’s character are drawn from various real-life situations. In particular, I drew on memories of my own children and their friends, and also some snippets and ideas from children I taught at school. Having said that, nothing would be recognisable. I also drew on my own experience of childhood – even though that was a very long time ago! Two examples were Brody’s reluctance to get involved with extra-curricular activities, and also his insecurities, things Brody and I have in common.
How do you go about ensuring the language and flow of ideas in your children’s books are appropriate for the target age group?
Whether it’s for adults or children, I always try to write fast-moving stories that are plot-driven to keep the reader turning the page. That style seems suit me best, and it’s one of the reasons I like writing thrillers. To keep the language age-appropriate, I tried to think of how my children spoke when they were that age. I also made sure I used simple words and sentences, and always attempted to add humour. The setting was Australia, which of course is my home, so I knew the local idioms. I didn’t worry too much about the latest slang expressions – I tried to avoid that.
The theme of your first book, Brody Cody and the Stepmother from Outer Space, is very relevant in our modern age of frequent broken families and remarriages. Was there anything specific that compelled you to write this type of story? What were your aims with this book?
I wanted to write about a little boy who had lost his mother, because that immediately created sympathy for the character. I wanted it to be both scary and funny, but to have a very positive message about children and parents. I know there are a lot of blended families these days, so I hoped it would strike a chord but also be something all children could enjoy.
What are your goals for the Brody Cody series? Can we expect another book in this series soon?
I have a list of ideas for future Brody Cody stories, and want to add to the current two-book series. However, I also love writing books for adults, and I’m currently working on another thriller – which is still at a very early stage. I feel torn between the two, and don’t want to disappoint my grown-up readers who’ve followed me for a few years now. So, for the moment, I think my adult writing is winning.
Books for children are harder to market than books for adults. How do you go about marketing your books and what works best for you?
Attracting readers for the series has been far more difficult than I anticipated – much more so than for adult books. Of course, that’s only my experience and other writers may not find that. I was thrilled with the response from those who did read them, and many of the reviews were wonderful. But I would prefer to find a wider audience.
I use the same techniques for marketing that I used for my other books The first essential is to have some reviews – and I send out advance copies for that. I enrol my books in Kindle Unlimited, and have both the ebooks and paperbacks on Amazon. I find reads on Kindle Unlimited account for a fair proportion of my royalty income. Occasional free days, especially for the first book in the series, helps to boost subsequent sales of all books in the series and also helps to get some reviews. I also use Amazon sponsored ads, targeting similar books and authors. I do, however, keep a tight rein on my budget for that.
The best marketing tool of all, though, is a supportive writing community. I’ve become good friends over the last few years with other writers like yourself from all over the world, and supporting and sharing each other’s writing and blog posts is a great way to spread the word. Your Growing Bookworms series about children’s writing is a great inspiration for children’s writers, and a great learning tool for parents.
My review of Brody Cody and the Stepmother from outer space
This book is a hilarious and fun read for young readers aged 7 to 13 years old. It is quite reminiscent, with its quirky and slightly dark humour, of Roald Dahl’s books, in particular, it reminded me a bit of James and the Giant Peach where James’ parents are eaten by a rampaging rhinoceros.
Cody, the young hero if this book, is raised by his relaxed and nonchalant father after his mother is mowed down unexpectedly by a runaway bus. Cody is spared because he flies out of his pram and across into the hands of the police constable who catches him like a baseball.
Cody is a happy boy who lives with no rules and little parental intervention. His father works from home in the afternoons, and is not given to checking on Cody’s homework or making sure it is done. They have an interesting diet too that comprises of sweet and sickly cereal in the morning and some fabulously unhealthy father created meals in the evenings.
Cody is happy and doesn’t believe he needs a mother like other children have. He has freedom and he is happy living with his father.
One day, Cody’s father needs to go away to an out-of-town conference. Cody cannot go with him and is sent to his friend’s home for this period. Cody’s friend has a mother and she sets about trying to mend Cody’s lackadaisical ways. Just before Cody is due to go home, he gets a quick call from his father telling him he has met and married a woman he met at the conference.
Cody is horrified and returns home quite determined to reject this new mother, but things don’t go quite according to plan. Cody discovers things about his new mother than lead him to believe she is an alien.
This really is a rollicking good story and young children will love it.
My review of The Magnus Covenant
The Magnus Covenant is an exciting thriller that starts of with an unusual and strange murder. From there the excitement and pace just keep increasing, keeping you on the edge of your seat.
Jotham Fletcher and his girlfriend, Antonella Pavoni, a lecturer at the University of Rome, arrive at a famous Catholic Church where Jotham is expecting to deliver a lecture about Simon Magnus just in time to view the body of an elderly man in a black cape who may have committed suicide. As an expert on Simon Magnus, a cult leader from the time of Jesus, who thought he should be the head of the church and who was believed to have been a magician, Jotham mentions to the police the similarities between the deaths of Simon Magnus and this old man. Unfortunately, Jotham’s comments and interventions make him a prime suspect for murder.
Jotham does give his lecture and is the recipient of an extraordinary question from a journalist who subsequently disappears. He is also the recipient of antagonistic comments from a young Catholic brother who is also a member of the audience.
Shortly after the delivery of the lecture, Jotham is kidnapped and becomes embroiled in a complicated intrigue involving the members of the Simon Magnus cult, which has been in existence for 2,000 years, a brotherhood of extreme Catholics and a wealthy individual who may be the cause of all the agitation through the discovery and restoration of an ancient document. Jotham quickly realises that he can’t trust anyone he knows or meets and that his life is in danger.
Jotham is a great character. He has suffered personal loss through the deaths of his wife and child and is struggling with his faith. He’d thrown himself into researching Simon Magnus as a distraction from his loss and emotional turmoil. The deception of many people around him comes as a complete surprise to Jotham and he gets himself into a mess. He is able to pull himself together, discover his survival instincts and set about unravelling the intrigue all around him.
I thought the plot of this book was clever and interesting and the action kept me interested throughout.
About Toni Pike
Toni Pike is a multi-genre author who enjoys writing page-turning fiction for adults, hilarious books for children, and non-fiction. She also loves travelling and being with family and friends. She lives in Australia and firmly believes that coffee and long walks are an essential part of any day.
Do you like books that you can’t stop reading? Pike is the author of LINDA’S MIDLIFE CRISIS, DESOLATION BLUFF, DEAD DRY HEART and The Jotham Fletcher Mystery Thriller Series: THE MAGUS COVENANT, THE ROCK OF MAGUS, THE MAGUS EPIPHANY and HOLY SPEAR OF MAGUS.
The Brody Cody Series is for children aged 6-9: BRODY CODY AND THE STEPMOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE and BRODY CODY AND THE HAUNTED VACATION HOUSE.
She’s also the author of two non-fiction books. THE ONE WAY DIET is a no-nonsense guide to losing weight. HAPPY TRAVELS 101 is a short book of travel tips with advice for anyone who wants to travel overseas.
To find out more, her website is tonipike.com.
About Robbie Cheadle
Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published thirteen children’s book and three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
The ten Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.
Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/
Share this:
Book Review: Undercover on the Calypso
Posted: June 9, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, cozy mystery, Fiction, Mystery, Review | Tags: Book Review, cozy mystery, Lizzie Josephson, Undercover on the Callypso, Writing to be Read 1 CommentAbout the Book
Adrianne Chrisander inherited a small cruise line from a great uncle she hadn’t seen since she was two. Exciting, huh? But there were problems..
Somebody was occupying the Owner’s Cabin on The Cosmos Calypso, and the crew seemed to think he was their new boss. Who was he? What was his game?
And was the famous Contessa Cosmetica owner Sylvie Marconi telling the truth about the theft of her fabulous rejuvenating skin cream, or did she stage the incident for publicity?
Adrianne and her friend Carol needed to get to the bottom of it all before the reputation of The Cosmos Cruise Line was severely damaged!
Purchase Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Undercover-Calypso-Book-Cruise-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0892QDZS2
My Review
Undercover on the Calypso, by Lizzie Josephson is a cozy mystery aboard a luxury cruise ship. There is plenty of light-hearted antics, which move the story along, but there isn’t enough conflict to make me buy into this story. For one thing, the cruise line is inherited in a surprise revelation, and the heroine, Adrianne, seems to take all in stride, when an inheritance such as that would knock most people off their feet, or at least cause them to stop and catch their breath. She immediately decides, for no apparent reason, to check out her new cruise line undercover, before it becomes public knowledge that she is the new owner. In fact, everyone in this story seems to just accept that things are what they are, without expressing any doubt or resistance, and nothing really stands in the way of the mystery being solved.
That being said, it would be a great read for someone looking for a light read with a plot that runs smoothly, for a warm summer day, although it is not the book for me. I give Undercover on the Callypso three quills.
______________________________________________________________________
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.
Share this:
Writer’s Corner: What’s an Author to Do?
Posted: June 5, 2023 Filed under: Book Sales, Books, Indie Publishing, Publishing, Self-Publishing, Writer's Corner, Writing | Tags: Book Sales, pricing strategies, Writer's Corner, Writing to be Read 8 Comments
I usually try to avoid letting loose here when something angers me, but I’ve encountered a situation which I feel deserves a good rant, and so I’m going to tell you what urks me, because I can. You don’t have to listen, or continue reading. If I get too caried away, you can just stop, click out of this blog, and go on to read or view something else, but I’m hoping that you will stick with me. If you are an author on Amazon, it concerns you, and maybe even if you are a reader who makes purchases from Amazon, so that’s just about everyone.
As most of you know, I released Delilah through distributors last month. Now, Amazon always drags their feet when I submit for publication, pre-order and distribution, and they are always the last distributor to accept books for pre-order and sale. The print book comes up early, but the Kindle edition is never accepted until the release day. The same happened with Poetry Treasures 3: Passions, and I had folks chomping at the bit to find the pre-order on Amazon, for their Kindle readers. I’m of the opinion that this is their way to express disapproval of my use of a third party aggregator, instead of publishing direct and exclusive to Amazon, and I expect it. This is obviously detrimental to my pre-orders, but what’s an author to do?
Delilah didn’t show up as available on Amazon until the day of release, but then I noticed that the price they had listed for print was listed as much higher than the price that I had set for the book, and down below, where they show third party vendors, it showed that there were at least four copies that were new or like new, at lower prices, with three supposedly used copies available at the price point I had set. I asked myself, how could there exist all these copies of my book, when it just released and hasn’t even sold that many copies yet? And how can they put a $21.81 price tag, (which is a ridiculous pricing strategy anyway), when the price I set, and the price with all the other distributors, is $16.99? What happened to price matching? I mean, seriously. I put a lot of time in to setting that price. Print books are always overpriced anyway, because of the cost of materials, but I was hoping to find a few readers out there willing to pay $17 for a book by a relatively unknown author, did they really think people would pay almost $23? No wonder I wasn’t selling any books. And if someone did buy a book at that price, I wouldn’t get additional royalties for it, it’s all pure profit for Amazon. How is that fair? Since it is my product, shouldn’t I have control of what price is set?
I directed my questions to Draft2Digital, whose support team is excellent at getting back to you and doing whatever they can to solve any issues their authors and publishers my have. The response I got, was the same reponse that they recieved when they inquired at Amazon – a copy of the Amazon ToS, with the section pertaining to third party vendors highlighted. I signed it, I have to abide by it. D2D support claims this is occuring even with traditionally published authors, whose books are still on pre-order, and third party venders claiming that they have used or like new copies before the first copy has been shipped, and Amazon claims, “We see this practice as a no harm, no foul, just some free (if odd) advertising for the book.”
As consumers, we’ve all seen those little third party vendor boxes, claiming to have copies available for cheaper. I’ve even taken advantage of the lower price for the used copy when I needed the book and my pockets were near empty. I didn’t realize that this might really be false advertising which undermines the authors and publishers of the book. What they are doing is not illegal. The customer does recieve a book for the advertised price. They are saying that these books are being offered by third party venders, but I have my doubts when I know those books aren’t even out there yet. The way I figure it, it has to be Amazon, because there is no way a third party vendor could order a book before it is even released, and get it out to the coustomer in a resonable amount of time, but Amazon can meet the demand and make it appear third party.
As authors, there is only so much much we can do, and the effects of what we can do are very limited. We either sign the Amazon ToC, or we don’t sell on Amazon. As a proponant of going wide, that doesn’t sound so bad, to eliminate Amazon distribution, which you have to jump through extra hoops to get anyway. But I think I need to really evaluate where my book sales are coming from, but I’m guessing that a majority of my book sales come from Amazon, because that’s where most readers go when looking for a book. I know I get some through Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and Kobo, but I’ll bet the sales from all of those channels don’t equal the sales I get from Amazon, regardless of their slightly shady sales tactics.
So, it looks like Amazon has authors right where they want them. They don’t even have to price match anymore. They can set whatever price they want for your book, claim third party vendors, (who may or may not truly exist), have copies which they couldn’t possibly have, regardless that their shady marketing strategies may be sabotaging our book sales. What they are doing is no accident. No. It is purposeful. They are aware of what they are doing, and they covered their butts by writing it into their ToC. Basically, we are helpless to do anything about it. I really am going to take a close look at my numbers, but I doubt I will find that Amazon isn’t as big a part of my sales as I think they are. It would be nice if I could drop Amazon to show them I won’t put up with dishonesty surrounding my product, but the truth is, authors need them, bacause they have become this big conglomerate monster who is the biggest global book distributor, for better or for worse.
I can shout from my blog site, alerting my readers that they can purchase from other distributors and not pay the extorted Amazon price, and I feel I need to, because what Amazon is doing may be legal, but it still feels dishonest, and they are doing it with my product and misrepresenting my brand. I can encourage readers to purchase from other distributors, but I can’t change the reality that most of them will buy through Amazon. I can cancel my Prime subscription, which I did, but I doubt Amazon will loose much sleep over that.
But there may be some hope in sight. Angela, over at Writer’s Weekly, talks about this same problem for other authors, explaining what Amazon has been doing, but not why, and offers some hope that these practices may change soon. It seems backm in 2011, Amazon purchased Book Depository, and they’ve been making them the main buy button on some books, with a higher price and no free shipping. I think the higher prices would be detrimental to sales, and certainly having to pay for shipping would be, especially to Prime memebers who already payfor that benefit in their monthly subscriptions, but apparently Amazon felt they could make more monhey that way? What happened to their price matching strategy? They can’t even match the price the author set for the book, let alone match a discounted price for a book. The good news is it seems like this problem may be ending, as they are getting rid of Book Depository, but I brace myself to see what Amazon will do next to put the screws to authors.
We are not totally helpless. As a publisher, (and if you self-publish, you are a publisher, too), we can publish wide, and offer readers a choice of book distributors. Many may still choose to purchase through Amazon because of ease, because they pay for Prime, because they read digital books on a Kindle device, or just because that’s what they are used to, but at least this way, they have a choice. And to make it easier still for readers, we can use a linking service, such as Books2Read, which gathers all available distributors into one link and visually shows readers that they have a choice. It’s much easier than posting links for each distributor with each promotion, even if you copy/paste. You get Books2Read links automatically when you publish through D2D, but I think it’s free to create an independent account. I’m not sure on that last point, because I have mine through D2D, but I believe it to be true. Let me show you one of WordCrafter Press‘ Books2Read links. When they click on the purchase link for the book in your promo, this is what potential readers see. Then they can choose the distributor of their choice to make a purchase.
This works for authors who choose to hybrid publish, too. Say you want to publish to most distributors through D2D, but you wish to publish direct to Amazon, because they get better service that way, and you want to publish your book in hard cover, which D2D doesn’t do. Books2Read allows you add those other distributor links, so everything is found in one place. WordCrafter doesn’t do this, but I’ll show you what Mark Leslie’s Books2Read landing page looks like for his latest release, Hex in the City, because I know that he is a hybrid publisher, meaning he has some books published traditionally, and others that he’s published himself. I don’t see anyway to purchase direct from his site. That may still be down the road a ways. Publishing wide and using Books2Read to give readers a choice of distributors is one small way that authors can encourage readers to use distributors other than Amazon, distributors that won’t deal with your book in a shady manor or try to screw authors just because they can and get away with it. It probably won’t bring about any drastic changes, but it’s something.
Again, according to Writere’s Weekly, I’m not the only one unhappy with Amazon. Even their own KDP authors appear to be grumbling about the way they treat their own authors by falsely marking books “In Stock”, a determination which apparently effects the costs for shipping authors pay. It’s not exactly the problem which I ran into, but similar. If you think I’m upset, you should check out this story. Some authors are having to fight for their royalties due, it seems, because they spoke out against the big A. Now this is scary. Just think about being an exclusive KDP author and having Amazon decide they don’t like you for whatever reason. If you are exclusive, that’s all of your book sales income. By going wide, you couls at least fall back on the income from other distributors. Even if it isn’t much, it would be better than just loosing everything. You can read more about that here:
It seems like, whether we publish direct through Amazon, or through a third party aggregator, authors are all in the same boat, and Amazon is going to do whatever they want. They aren’t going to change their pricing practices, or their shipping processes, for anyone. They have us over a barrel, because they are the biggest global book distributor. Most book sales come from Amazon, because most consumers chose the ease of shopping and satisfying customer experience which Amazon offers and the other book distributors cannot compete. We could all pull our books and only sell through the other book distributors, but that might be like cutting off our noses to spite opur faces. Let’s face it, for an author, not having your books available on Amazon would be like commiting writing career suicide. Publishing wide and offering readers a choice of distributors sounds like a much better option to me no matter how much Amazon peeves me.
__________________________________________________________________
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
_________________________________________________________________
Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.
Share this:
Book Review: The Clock Maker’s Secret
Posted: June 2, 2023 Filed under: Audio Books, Audiobook Review, Book Review, Books, Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Review Leave a commentAbout the Book
A buried clock holds the key to a decades-old mystery….
On holiday to escape the nightmares of his last case, disgraced soldier turned private detective John “Slim” Hardy comes upon something buried in the peat on Bodmin Moor.
Unfinished, water-damaged, but still ticking, the old clock provides a vital clue to an unsolved missing-persons case.
As Slim begins to ask questions of the tiny Cornish village of Penleven, he is drawn into a world of lies, rumors, and secrets – some of which the residents would prefer to stay buried.
Twenty-three years ago, a reclusive clockmaker left his workshop and walked out onto Bodmin Moor, taking his last, unfinished clock with him. He disappeared.
Slim is determined to find out why.
The Clockmaker’s Secret is the stunning sequel to Jack Benton’s acclaimed debut, The Man by the Sea.
Purchase Links:
Amazon/Audible: https://www.amazon.com/Clockmakers-Secret-Slim-Hardy-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07GSM1LKK
Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/the-clockmaker-s-secret-by-jack-benton
My Review
I listened to the audio book, The Clock Maker’s Secret, by Jack Benton and narrated by Kevin Green. The British voice of Green helps to set you in both time and place, although Benton gives us enough to determine this even if reading a print or digital copy. But I do think Green’s voice adds an extra allure to the story. Benton has skillfully laid out this well-crafted mystery, filled with surprising revelations, as all is not as it seems.
Detective John ‘Slim’ Hardy is on holliday, trying to outrun the demons of his past, but true to his nature, when he finds an old clock buried and hidden, he just can’t resist a good mystery. It’s made by a clockmaker who disappeared many years ago. But there are those in Penleven who perhaps don’t want to see the clock’s secrets revealed. As Slim works to unravel the clock’s mystery, he finds that the clockmaker had a few secrets of his own, and the deeper he gets, the more he wonders if the clockmaker’s secret isn’t best left buried.
A gripping mystery which takes several surprising turns. I give The Clockmaker’s Secret five quills.
_________________________________________________
Important Update
If you have never tried Chirp audiobooks, but would like to, I have great news! Chirp has given me this special link for me to share the above book with new Chirp readers/listeners. So, if you haven’t tried Chirp and you’d like to give The Clockmaker’s Secret a try, click on the link and give it a go: https://www.chirpbooks.com/r/a75333e42889/link
_____________________________
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.
Share this:
Book Review: Tales Told ‘Round Celestial Campfires
Posted: May 31, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Review, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Stories, Writing | Tags: Book Review, Fantasy, horror, Joseph Carrabis, Science Fiction, Short Fction, Short Stories, Tales 'Round the Celestial Campfire, Writing to be Read 3 CommentsAbout the Book
… everything written here actually happened
No, really, it did. I’ve seen things and been places and met…creatures…most people can’t imagine. Or wouldn’t want to. Or should. It all depends on the person and the creature.But much like Gahan Wilson’s “I only paint what I see”, I only write about what’s actually happened…
So sit back, relax, have something tasty near at hand or tentacle or claw. Read these when other people are around…if you can trust they’re really people. Or read them alone, when it’s dark out. Maybe. Unless you’re not sure what things go bump in the night or scurry unseen in the dark.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Told-Round-Celestial-Campfires/dp/0984140336
My Review
Tales Told ‘Round Celestial Campfires, by Joseph Carribis is a collection of tales of wide variety. A little fantasy, a little science fiction, a bit of horror. They are not tales for the faint of heart, but tales for the strong of mind. The stories which make up this collection create a cross between science fiction, and legend and lore, with a bit of philanthropy thrown in for spice. Readers who enjoy pondering the story, savoring it, delving into the inner depths of it, this collection is for you. Carrabis’ stories make you think. They make statements on human nature and humankind, and the not-so-human kind.
Most Memorable
- “Winter Winds”, where children are taught about some unusual animals which only come out in foul weather has a clever twist at the end which brought a smile ot my face.
- “Those Wings Which Tire, They Have Upheld Me”, a rich fantasy story about the ultimate sacrifice and learning human kindness.
- “The Goatmen of Aguirra”, which is an unusualand thought provoking story about a visit with goat-like creatures on a distant planet.
- “Cymodoce”, is rather sad tale of forbidden love.
- “The Boy Who Loves Horses”, is about a gifted boy, more comfortable with horses than with people.
- “Them Doore Girls”, a hauntingly eerie tale about two sisters who were the only survivors of the shipwreck which took their parents’ lives, is probably my very favorite.
Joseph Carrabis is a master storyteller. He has created a delightfully amusing collectionstories with he potential to keep you awake at night. I give Tales Told ‘Round the Celestial Campfires five quills.
__________________________________________________________________________
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.
Share this:
“Lion Scream” rakes in another five star review
Posted: May 29, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Collection, Poetry, Review | Tags: Book Review, Lion's Scream, Robbie Cheadle, Writing to be Read 2 CommentsShare this:
WordCrafter News: Book Release & Blog Tour, WIP Update & Anthology Cover Reveal
Posted: May 29, 2023 Filed under: Action/Adventure, Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Covers, Book Release, Books, Cover Art, Dark Fantasy, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Horror, Poetry, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, Time travel, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press | Tags: 2023 Short Fiction Contest, Adventure, Anthology, Book Blog Tours, Kaye Lynne Booth, Midnight Roost, New release, Poetry, romance, Small Wonders, The Rock Star & the Outlaw, Time-Travel, western adventure, WordCrafter Press 19 Comments
New Release from WordCrafter Press
I’m pleased to announce the release of my debut poetry collection, Small Wonders: Reflective Poems, which will be June 20, and is available for pre-order at the purchase link below. A lifetime of poetry, for better or worse, I’m throwing them out there for all to see.
About Small Wonders: Reflective Poems
The world is filled with amazing things, if we will just stop a moment and take notice. In this vast universe, we are but tiny individuals, filled with awe and amazement. From reflections on first love, to reflections on growing old. The poems within these pages express a lifetime of unique reflections in Small Wonders.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/b6WZ6E
The WordCrafter Small Wonders Book Blog Tour
The WordCrafter Small Wonders Book Blog Tour is scheduled for June 19 – 23.
Join us to learn more about this unique poetry collection and its author, Kaye Lynne Booth. I will be sharing here on Writing to be Read, and visiting the lovely blogs of Robbie’s Inspiration, Un dawnted, and Carla Loves to Read, with guest posts and poetry readings, an interview with DL Mullan, and reviews of my debut poetry collection. And I’ll be giving away three digital copies of Small Wonders, and all you have to do for a chance to win, is show up and comment at any of the stops. There’s one chance possible at each stop if you follow the tour.
Midnight Roost Winning Story & Cover Reveal
The 2023 WordCrafter anthology, Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories, will be scheduled for an October release. This year we did the anthology like last year’s Visions anthology, with some of the stories coming from the annual short fiction contest and others that came by invitation and were not subject to the competition. Invitational stories include tales by Mario Acevedo, Paul Kane, Chris Barili, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Christa Planko, Julie Jones, Rebecca M. Senese, Keith J. Hoskins, Michaele Jordan, Joseph Carrabis, DL Mullan, and Patty Fletcher.
There will be some new author names added to the list from the entries that were judged: Robert Kostanczuk, Denise Aparo, Sonia Pipkin, and MJ Mallon. And now…
The Winning Story
I am pleased to announce that the winning story in the 2023 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest is…
Drumroll please.
“Red Door House”, by Isabel Grey.
The Cover Reveal
And before I go on to the next June news item, I would also like to call your attention to our awesome new and original cover, courtesy of DL Mullan of Sonoran Dawn Studios, below. I had a cover planned for this anthology, but when Dawn offered up this one, I just couldn’t say no. I really like it, and I hope you do, too.
WIP Update: The Rock Star & The Outlaw
In June, I plan to finish up The Rock Star & The Outlaw and gear up for a Kickstarter campaign in July & August. I’ll be setting up the Kickstarter with some awesome reward teirs and creating content to fill those tiers, so you know I will be hard at work. If all goes as planned, I will be wrapping up the final edits and setting it up for a September release by the end of the month. I’m excited to able to share this western time-travel romance adventure novel with all of you, so be watching for it soon.
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
________________________________________________________________
There’s still time to get your FREE digital copy of Hidden Secrets, my paaranormal mystery novella.
My Memorial Day gift to you.
Get your FREE copy here: https://books2read.com/u/38RZ2O
Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.
Share this:
Book Review: The Dragon Business & Skeleton in the Closet
Posted: May 26, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Review | Tags: Book Review, Epic Fantasy, Humor, Kevin J. Anderson, satire, Skeleton in the Closet, The Dragon Business, Writing to be Read Leave a commentAbout The Dragon Business
Is your kingdom bothered by a pesky dragon problem?
Need any giant monsters slain?
Are your own knights in shining armor unreliable or—worse—cowards?
Young Cullin, wanting to see the world, joins a band of renowned knights errant who will slay your dragon for a price. Satisfaction guaranteed!
The only problem is, it’s all a scam. The “dragon” is no more than rumors and tall tales spread by Cullin and his gang, giant three-toed footprints stomped into the ground near strategically burned-down huts and charred skeletons (procured from the local graveyard). It’s a great con job, so long as Cullin and company can take the money and run, move on to the next kingdom before anyone catches on.
But even con men can be caught in their own game. Clever, spunky Princess Affonyl doesn’t want any part of the arranged marriage to an evil duke from a neighboring kingdom. And she realizes that a fearsome dragon, even an imaginary one, is the perfect cover for her escape.
It’s one caper after another as these medieval dirty, rotten scoundrels try to outsmart one another. And they discover that the dragon business is more than just a game…especially if a real dragon might be involved.
Purchase Links:
WordFire Press: https://wordfirepress.com/books/the-dragon-business/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Business-Kevin-J-Anderson/dp/1680570692
My Review
This book was originally released in 2018, but the digital copy which I read came from KJA’s January 2023 Kickstarter campaign.
The Dragon Business, by Kevin J. Anderson, drops readers right into the middle of a medievil con game. The marks are the kingdoms our three slightly bumbling tricksters travel to, selling their services as dragon slayers, which is fairly safe, since the dragons were all killed off long ago. But rumor of dragons in the area stir kingdoms to fear and it might be worth a great deal to a kingdom’s rulers to see the matter settled and the people calmed, wouldn’t you think? But eventually, all good capers go awry, and when a real dragon comes to town, it may now be up to our three heros, and a runaway princess, to save the day.
The funniest epic fantasy story you’ll ever read. Humorous and thoroughly entertaining. I give The Dragon Business five quills.
__________________________________________________________________________________
About Skeleton on the Closet
The Princess Bride meets Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels
Join former scamp Cullin and his merry band of confidence men (and one liberated princess) as they put The Sting in the Middle Ages. With dreams of being a hero, or at least a storyteller, Cullin travels with Sir Dalbry, a washed-up knight in shining armor; Reeger, ready and eager for any part of the dirty work; and Affonyl, former princess, who wanted to study science and alchemy, rather than embroidery.
Together, they cross the land with one scam after another, concocting their own heroic deeds, preparing mock dragon heads, or selling kraken tusks and mermaid scales.
But when attempting to con King Longjohn, whose castle is supposedly bursting at the seams with treasure, the caper turns sour. The powerful Wizard-Mage Ugnarok and his army of ugly and muscular (if not too bright) orcs takes over Longjohn’s castle, imprisoning the king, pillaging the halls, and carrying on with typical orc-like mayhem.
Cullin and his friends are trapped in the castle’s labyrinth of secret passages, just trying to survive … or is this the opportunity for a grander scam than they have ever attempted before?
Orcs are terribly superstitious—you can’t bash a ghost, after all—and it’s like Die Hard in a castle, as Cullin, Affonyl, Reeger, and Dalbry set up a grand haunting that will scare off even the scariest orc army.
Purchase Links:
WordFire Press:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Skeleton-Closet-Dragon-Business-Adventure-ebook/
My Review
After coming to know these characters in The Dragon Business, I couldn’t help but feel right at home as King Cullen begins the telling of this new tale for his son, Maurice. In my review of The Dragon Business, I said it was “the funniest epic fantasy story you’ll ever read”, but I may stand corrected here, as Skeleton in the Closet had me rolling with laughter even harder than that first book. Our troupe of con artists are up to new tricks as the market for the Dragon Business becomes saturated, with every con artist in the land jumping on the bandwagon. So Cullin, Reeger, Dalbry and Affonyl are back and they are thinking up some new tricks for conning Kings and Queens out of their vast riches.
What starts out as an artisitc masterpiece scam turns into a ghost haunting scam, when a group of vile Orcs invade the castle of our scammers mark, King Long John, looking for treasure which doesn’t exist. The Orcs won’t leave until they find the treasure, which our heros know they won’t, so they have no choice but to haunt the castle and save the king, in hopes that there will be a reward beyond his empty coffers.
Several questions still lurks in my mind, such as, how did Cullin and Affonyl finally discover that they were meant to be together? How did Cullin end up being king? And how did Reeger end up a tavern owner with a wife? And what happened to poor Dalbry, who doesn’t seem to be around anymore? So you see, there could be more tales to come, and that makes someone who has quickly become a fan of this series, very happy.
Funny and entertaining, This is a book you won’t want to put down. I give Skeleton in the Closet five quills.
___________________________________________________________
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.
Share this:
Celebrate Memorial Day with WordCrafter Press with a FREE Book
Posted: May 20, 2023 Filed under: Advertising, Book Promotion, Books, Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal | Tags: Free Book, Hidden Secrets, Kaye Lynne Booth, Memorial Day, WordCrafter Press 3 CommentsPurchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/38RZ2O
This year, for Memorial Day, WordCrafter Press is offering up a free digital copy of my paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets. (This book is not available in digital format on Amazon, but the Books2Read link above will allow you to purchase from most of the other digital book distributors.) It’s my gift to you, just because you are my readers. I do hope you will click on the link and get your free digital copy today.
Thank you for being my readers!
About the Book
By Author Kaye Lynne Booth
Cassie is nervous about her return to her ancestral lands with her boyfriend Tony for more reasons than one. She hasn’t been up in these mountains since the unexplained drowning of her parents. And her parents aren’t the only ones who have died or mysteriously disappeared in the area. Cassie doesn’t really believe the old legends passed down from her Native American ancestors, but she harbors no desire to become the keeper of her tribal legacy or the protector of the gold that goes with it. In fact, she plans to tell her Grandmother to pass the legacy to someone else, perhaps her cousin Miranda, who has been searching for the treasure for years. Cassie wants nothing to do with it now that she carries Tony’s baby in her womb.When Cassie forces herself to go out on the lake that took the lives of her parents and she discovers a cave which holds the treasure of her people, she must admit that the legacy is real, which means the curse that guards the treasure and threatens the males of her tribe must also be real. When Miranda’s boyfriend, Jake disappears on the lake, Cassie must find a way to stop the curse, before Tony becomes the next victim.
______________________________________________________
Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.
