Book Review: The Shaman

Posted: November 11, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Magical Realism, Review, Self-Discovery, Speculative Fiction | Tags: , , , , | 3 Comments
Box of Books Text: Book Reviews

About the Book

Gio Fortuna, a boy spurned by his parents for being “slow,” is raised by his grandfather in the ways of the Practice, a rich esoteric discipline drawing upon mystic traditions passed down over thousands of years from a multitude of cultures. Written in five parts chronicling Gio’s life, The Shaman sees Fortuna embark on a journey from initiate to adept, young boy to old man, as he navigates a network of teachers, each with their own unique lessons and challenges. Steeped in wisdom applicable to all, The Shaman is an inspiring story that proposes a unique path to self-discovery and growth unlike anything written before.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Shaman-Joseph-Carrabis/dp/B0CJ43GCDH/

My Review

I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Shaman, by Joseph Carrabis is an adventure into the human coondition and beyond. I’ve learned more about myself from this book than I ever have from any work of fiction. A journey into the magical worlds of world cultures, this tale uses magical realism to guide us through an amazing adventure. As always, Carrabis is a master at lining his fiction with valuable lessons for all of us.

The magic of shamans lies within Gio Fortuna and Shaman is the story of his journey to discover the magic within himself, learn to use it, and teach others who are eagar to learn. But as he learns, others don’t understand, and they fear him for what he does. Feeling outcast and trying to find his place in life, Gio is on an amazing life-long journey of self-discovery. He learns something new with every interaction, whether they be teacher or student. For Gio, the incredible is ordinary, although most everyone else is left in awe.

Carrabis skillfully crafts his tale into life lessons learned by his character, Gio. As Gio ventures through life on a soul searching journey, each lesson is portrayed in a way which leaves them open to interpretation, for the reader to attach their own meanings. If you read this book, you will, too, without even realizinng that you’re doing it. I read chapters over repeatedly in order to grasp the meanings that were waiting there for me, although sometimes differing from their meanings for Gio.

I have always been interested in the mystical, but it hasn’t come naturally to me. I’ve never truly been able to meditate, and often fallen asleep during my attempts at it. Gio shows me what I need to do, but I need to learn to do it: lower – center – relax -breathe. The lessons which Gio learns and teaches are within the grasp of us all, and the author kindly lists them at the back of the book, where they can be referred to easily. As for the rest, we must each seek out our own path in our own way.

A spiritual oddesy in human nature, with so many lessons inside. I give The Shaman five quills.

Five circles with WordCrafter quill logo in each one.

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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.

WordCrafter News: Giveaway Winners, A Halloween Book Event, NaNoWriMo and a New Blog Series

Posted: October 30, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Event, Books, Dark Fantasy, Dark Humor, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Giveaways, Horror, NaNoWriMo, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press | Tags: , , , , , , , | 8 Comments
Newspring background with WordCrafter logo and text: WordCrafter News

Wrapping up the WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour

We had a great tour for Midnight Roost and many of you visited one or more tour stops and commented, for a chance to win a free digital copy of Midnight Roost. We were giving away three copies for this tour, and all that’s left to do now is to give you the winners. So, without further ado…

(Drumroll please.)

And the winners are…

  • BeetleyPete
  • Vera Day
  • Lauren Scott

If your name appears on the above list, please contact me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com to claim your free digital copy of Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories.

In Case You Missed the Tour

Midnight Roost is a truly creepy anthology from 20 talented authors that you won’t want to miss. But, if you missed the tour, you can still get a copy here: https://books2read.com/u/318L0l

About Midnight Roost

Book Cover Dark and scary graveyard background Text: Midnight Roost, Weird and Creepy Stories, A WordCrafterr Anthology, Edited by Kaye Lynne Booth

20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon, and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare.

Halloween Book Event

Tomorrow is Halloween. My favorite holiday. To celebrate, WordCrafter is cohosting the author takeover during Sonoran Dawn’s Black Cauldron All Hallow’s Eve Book Event all Halloween day. Join us for promos, games, and giveaways, Halloween music and a whole lot more. Sign up and join in at the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/events/876710947358939/

Author takeover spots are available. If interested in promoting your books, artwork, or other creative projects, contact me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com and put Author Takeover in the subject line.

November NaNoWriMo

I’m so excited about participating in National Novel Writing Month this year because I’m itching to delve into Sarah. I’m still not prolific enough to think I’ll write the whole novel in a month, but I know from last year, with The Rock Star & The Outlaw, that participating in NaNoWriMo can offer one heck of a start.

For those who don’t know, Sarah is book 2 in the Women in the West Adventure series. Last January I ran a Kickstarter campaign for book 1, Delilah. I plan to run another Kickstarter campaign for Sarah this coming January, so it is time to write the book. In preparation, I’ve done my research and have a working outline ready. I’ve already had a lot of fun fleshing out the two supporting characters that backers got to name from Delilah’s campaign, Lillian Alura Bennett, and Owoz Crebo. One historical female character which will make an appearance in Sarah, which is a trademark of the series, is Kate Elder, a.k.a. Big Nose Kate, Doc Holiday’s infamous companion. So, I have everything I need at the starting gate, and I’m just waiting for the starting gate to open on November 1st.

New Blog Series Starting in November

I’m so pleased to be able to make this particular announcement. The first Wednesday in November, Jeff Bowles will be returning to the blog with a new blog series about pop culture, “Pop with Jeff Bowles”. He’ll be talking about the many areas of pop culture: comics and comic hero movies, video games, television, music, and more. Drop by Writing to be Read the first Wednesday of each month and check it out.

Note: Also in November and December, you may notice some extra reviews coming out on Saturdays as I try and get in all of my 2023 reads, so I can start fresh in 2024. For requested reviews, I like to post in a timely manner, and I don’t want to wait into the new year to post, as I’ve probably already passed their release date due to my back log. So, if you have requested a review and sent me an ARC copy this year, be watching, because they all should be coming up.

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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.

Meet the authors of “Midnight Roost”: Today, Joseph Carrabis

Posted: October 23, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Anthology, Book Release, Books, Dark Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Press | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment
Book Cover Dark and scary graveyard background Text: Midnight Roost, Weird and Creepy Stories, A WordCrafterr Anthology, Edited by Kaye Lynne Booth

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/MidnightRoost

My ‘Binky’ in WordCrafter Press’ Midnight Roost Anthology

Final Stop on the Wordcrafter “Midnight Roost” Book Blog Tour

Posted: October 23, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Anthology, Audio Excerpt, Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Dark Fantasy, Dark Humor, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Giveaways, Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments
Tour Banner Spooky graveyard background with one-eyed bird roosting in a tree. Foreground: Print copy of Midnight Roost and WordCrafter logo Text: Wordcrafter Book Blog Tours Presents Midnight Roost Weird and Creepy Stories, Contributing Authors, Zack Ellafy,Chris Barili, Joseph Carrabis, DL Mullan, Christa Planko, Paul Kane, Sonia Pipkin, C.R. Johansson. Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Patty Fletcher, Keith J. Hoskins, Denise Aparo, Isabel Grey, Rebecca M. Senese, Mario Acevedo,Kaye Lynne Booth, Michaele Jordan, Robert Kostanczuk, M J Mallon
WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour

It’s the final stop on the WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour and today we’re going to wrap things up with a reading by contributing author Denise Aparo from her haunting story, “The Pines”,and some excerpts from stories from authors who weren’t able to participate in the tour. So, kick back and enjoy the reading and peruse the excerpts, meet the authors and join in the discussion by leaving a comment and earn a chance at a free digital copy of Midnight Roost.

Meet Author Denise Aparo

Denise Aparo is a new WordCrafter Press author, so I’m just getting to know a little ab out her, too. Her story, “The Pines” wasn’t the winning story in the short fiction contest, but I still felt that its dark parnormal feel would fit into the anthology. Now that the book is compiled and I can see the finished product, I think I made the right decision. It is a perfect addition to the Midnight Roost collection. Listen to the reading below and see if you don’t agree.

Reading from “The Pines”

Reading from “The Pines” by Denise Aparo

About Denise Aparo

Denise Aparo is a New England native, born and raised in the clockmaking city of Bristol, Connecticut. She lives with her husband, Joe, and they have five grandchildren. She is also a freelance writer who spends her time working on her novel and writing short stories. She also spends her time gardening, crafting, and crocheting.

Denise likes to write Paranormal Fiction, genre of Historical Fantasy. She recently completed her first novel, Crossbows. She has a Masters of Arts in English and a Fine Arts/Creative Writing with concentration in Fiction from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and a member of Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society, and The National Society of Leadership and Success, Sigma Alpha Pi, with SNHU.

She is a member of the Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association (CAPA) and the author of a new WordPress writing blog, The Write Voice, The Write Voice | The write voice at the write time, a blog that boasts, “Like multiple genres, there are many cultures – each with an individual voice.”   Denise is a new addition to the WordCrafter Press authors.

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Excerpt from “Melina” by Kaye Lynne Booth

Dark and Scary Graveyard in the background. One eyed owl and print copy of Midnight Roost are perched in branches of old, scraggly trees. Text: From WordCrafter Press, "Melina" by Kaye Lynne Booth - "Not gonna do it," Ralph says, crossing his arms and planting his feet. "No way, no how. That's Augie's corpse floating in the pool. Uh-uh." Melina had thought Ralph might come to her aid, yet now it seems he would be the one to block her escape. But she can't let that happen. Not when she is so close. Her skin is searing in a fiery rage. She must get out of this pool now. She raises her head and opens her mouth, letting her siren song pour out. Ralph's eyes glaze over, as Augie's had, and he turns and starres directly at her. A blank stare crosses Eddie's face, and he turns toward her , as well. Did not expect that.

Excerpt from “She Shed Galleria” by C.R. Johansson

Dark and Scary Graveyard in the background. One eyed owl and print copy of Midnight Roost are perched in branches of old, scraggly trees. Text: From WordCrafter Press, "She Shed Galleria" by C.R. Johannson - "You're an artist." He sipped some of the wine, surprised by its fruity flavor. His wine experience went only as far as a box of bitterness from the corner grocery store. "It's a Zweigelt," she said as if reading his mind. He looked at her. Something in her gaze. He fidgeted in his seat. A sudden twinge of panic rushed through him, driven by a primitive intuition deep within him, driven by a primative intuition deep within him, and like a dog who squeezes in between the washing machine and the wall only to find itself trapped. He suddenly wished he hadn't got in the car.

Excerpt from “House on the Plains” by Zack Ellafy

Dark and Scary Graveyard in the background. One eyed owl and print copy of Midnight Roost are perched in branches of old, scraggly trees. Text: From WordCrafter Press, "House on th Plains" by Zack Ellafy - “I just needed somewhere new and quiet, away from drama. I saw this was a place out of the way and the houses were cheap. Oh, sorry - I hope I didn’t offend you.” “Oh, no ma’am. We like it that way. You married? Husband didn’t come in with you?” “No. No husband. Recently divorced, but nope,” Madison said. “Really? I don’t want to alarm you, ma’am, but why is there someone sitting in your car?” Jeff asked. “What?” Madison said as her head turned towards the large windows at the front of the store. There wasn’t a perfect line of sight to her car, so she slowly inched back for a better view. A chill ran up Madison’s spine - she could make out someone sitting in the backseat. His back was turned, but she thought she could make out some sort of hat on his head. It can’t be him, she thought. I covered all my tracks. No one except my family knows I’m even here.

Excerpt from “Take Two” by Rebecca M. Senese

Dark and Scary Graveyard in the background. One eyed owl and print copy of Midnight Roost are perched in branches of old, scraggly trees. Text: From WordCrafter Press, "Take Two" by Rebecca M. Senes - Sondra handed her mother a mirror. “What do you think?” Her mother caught her breath, mouth opening a little. “Oh my,” she breathed. “I never… I had no idea.” Sondra grinned. “Want to learn how to do it?” Her mother glanced up, almost sheepishly. “Could I?” “You sure could,” Sondra said. She turned to the camera. “What do you think of Florence’s new look? Let me know in the comments! And join us in future videos where I teach Florence, and you, how to achieve this look. It’s easier than you think. Until next time!” She waved and turned off the camera.

Excerpt from “A Visitor Comes to the Window” by Robert Kostanczuk

Dark and Scary Graveyard in the background. One eyed owl and print copy of Midnight Roost are perched in branches of old, scraggly trees. Text: From WordCrafter Press, "A Visitant Comes to the Window" by Robert Kostanczuk - This time, the winged thing was in the center windowpane, middle row. As it stalked about his window, the glass seemed to move with slight waves—undulate—as the mysterious thing methodically crawled from pane to pane. It was an odd, mesmerizing visual. He felt a pane that was not occupied by the bug, but there was nothing abnormal; the surface was smooth. Then, the vision of the interloper on an adjacent pane caught his eye. The surface seemed to ripple ever so slightly.

That wraps up today’s stop, and the whole tour. I hope you enjoyed meeting Denise and the excerpts from the other stories. Be sure to visit any stops you missed through the links in the schedule below for more chances to win a free digital copy of Midnight Roost. I will announce the winners in next Monday’s “WordCrafter News” post, here on “Writing to be Read”

Giveaway

A chance to win a free digital copy of Midnight Roost at every stop. Just leave a comment to show your support for the tour, the anthology, and all of the fantastic authors.

Tour Schedule

Monday – October 16 – Opening Day –Isabele Grey (Interview & Reading) & Joseph Carrabis (Reading) – Writing to be Read

Tuesday – October 17 – M J Mallon (Reading) & Christa Planko (Interview & Guest Post)– Undawnted

Wednesday – October 18 – Chris Barili (Guest Post) & Paul Kane (Guest Post) – Patty’s Worlds

Thursday – October 19 – Julie Jones (Reading) & Keith Hoskins (Guest Post) – Robbie’s Inspiration

Friday – October 20 – Michaele Jordan (Reading) & Mario Acevedo (Guest Post) – Writing to be Read

Saturday – October 21 – Patty Fletcher (Guest Post) & DL Mullen (Guest Post & Video) – Roberta Writes

Sunday – October 22 – Sonia Pipkin (Guest Post) & Roberta Eaton Cheadle (Reading) – Kyrosmagica Publishing

Monday – October 23 – Closing Post –Denise Aparo (Reading) & excerpts from other stories – Writing to be Read

About Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories

20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon, and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/318L0l

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Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!

Meet the Authors of “Midnight Roost”: Today, Joseph Carrabis

Posted: October 22, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Anthology, Book Release, Books, Dark Fantasy, Dark Humor, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Press | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment
Book Cover Dark and scary graveyard background Text: Midnight Roost, Weird and Creepy Stories, A WordCrafterr Anthology, Edited by Kaye Lynne Booth

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/MidnightRoost

My ‘The Beach’ in WordCrafter Press’ Midnight Roost Anthology

Day 7 of the WordCrafter “Midnight Roost” Book Blog Tour

Posted: October 22, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Anthology, Audio Excerpt, Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Dark Fantasy, Dark Humor, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Giveaways, Guest Post, Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment
Tour Banner Spooky graveyard background with one-eyed bird roosting in a tree. Foreground: Print copy of Midnight Roost and WordCrafter logo Text: Wordcrafter Book Blog Tours Presents Midnight Roost Weird and Creepy Stories, Contributing Authors, Zack Ellafy,Chris Barili, Joseph Carrabis, DL Mullan, Christa Planko, Paul Kane, Sonia Pipkin, C.R. Johansson. Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Patty Fletcher, Keith J. Hoskins, Denise Aparo, Isabel Grey, Rebecca M. Senese, Mario Acevedo,Kaye Lynne Booth, Michaele Jordan, Robert Kostanczuk, M J Mallon

Day 7 of the WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour brings us to Marje Mallon’s Kyrosmagica blog with a guest post from Sonia Pipkin about her dark fairy tale, “Once Upon a Time”, and a reading from Roberta Eaton Cheadle from her story, “The Behemoth”. Click on the link to join us and comment to enter the giveaway for a free digital copy of Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories.

https://mjmallon.com/2023/10/22/blog-tour-midnight-roost-anthology-blog-tour-wordcrafterpress-midnightroost-readingcommunity-booklovers-whattoread-booksworthreading-halloweenreads

Meet the Authors of “Midnight Roost”: Today, Joseph Carrabis

Posted: October 21, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Anthology, Book Release, Books, Dark Fantasy, Dark Humor, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Press | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment
Book Cover Dark and scary graveyard background Text: Midnight Roost, Weird and Creepy Stories, A WordCrafterr Anthology, Edited by Kaye Lynne Booth

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/MidnightRoost

My ‘The Beach’ in WordCrafter Press’ Midnight Roost Anthology

Day 6 of the WordCrafter “Midnight Roost” Book Blog Tour

Posted: October 21, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Release, Books, Dark Fantasy, Dark Humor, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Giveaways, Guest Post, Horror, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments
Tour Banner Spooky graveyard background with one-eyed bird roosting in a tree. Foreground: Print copy of Midnight Roost and WordCrafter logo Text: Wordcrafter Book Blog Tours Presents Midnight Roost Weird and Creepy Stories, Contributing Authors, Zack Ellafy,Chris Barili, Joseph Carrabis, DL Mullan, Christa Planko, Paul Kane, Sonia Pipkin, C.R. Johansson. Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Patty Fletcher, Keith J. Hoskins, Denise Aparo, Isabel Grey, Rebecca M. Senese, Mario Acevedo,Kaye Lynne Booth, Michaele Jordan, Robert Kostanczuk, M J Mallon

For Day 6 of the WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour, we’re over at Roberta Writes with contributing authors Patty Fletcher and DL Mullan. They each share a guest post about their stories, “Casualties of War” and “Mangled” respectively, and I think they may have a couple surprises for you. Join us for the fun, and don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a free digital copy of Midnight Roost.

Roberta Writes – Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour featuring Patty Fletcher and DL Mullan #MidnightRoost #Halloween #readingcommunity

Day 3 of the WordCrafter “Midnight Roost” Book Blog Tour on Patty’s Worlds

Posted: October 19, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Dark Fantasy, Dark Humor, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Giveaways, Guest Post, Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
Tour Banner Spooky graveyard background with one-eyed bird roosting in a tree. Foreground: Print copy of Midnight Roost and WordCrafter logo Text: Wordcrafter Book Blog Tours Presents Midnight Roost Weird and Creepy Stories, Contributing Authors, Zack Ellafy,Chris Barili, Joseph Carrabis, DL Mullan, Christa Planko, Paul Kane, Sonia Pipkin, C.R. Johansson. Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Patty Fletcher, Keith J. Hoskins, Denise Aparo, Isabel Grey, Rebecca M. Senese, Mario Acevedo,Kaye Lynne Booth, Michaele Jordan, Robert Kostanczuk, M J Mallon

For Day 3 of the WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour we’re over at Patty’s Worlds where contributing authors Chris Barili and Paul Kane share the inspirations for their stories, “Shaken” and “The White Lady” respectively.

Midnight Roost Blog Tour Stop – Day 3

Meet the Authors of Midnight Roost: Today, Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Posted: October 17, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Anthology, Book Release, Books, Dark Fantasy, Dark Humor, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Press | 5 Comments
Book Cover Dark and scary graveyard background Text: Midnight Roost, Weird and Creepy Stories, A WordCrafterr Anthology, Edited by Kaye Lynne Booth

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/318L0l

Robbie Cheadle’s ‘The Behemoth’ in WordCrafter Press’ Midnight Roost Anthology
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