WordCrafter News: “Shadowblade” Re-release from Chris Barili
Posted: June 30, 2025 Filed under: Book Release, Book Sales, Fantasy, Fiction, Smashwords, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Chris Barili, Curses, Kaye Lynne Booth, Marta, Midnight Anthology Series, Midnight Oil, Shadow Blade, Women in the West, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press Leave a comment
WordCrafter Press July Release
WordCrafter Press is proud to announce the re-release of Shadow Blade, by Chris Barili, coming July 22, 2025. Chris was in my cohort at Western State and today, he is a talented author. As an Ask the Authors series contributor, he participated in both rounds of interviews for the blog series, and the only author to contribute to both books. Chris is a contributing author to the Midnight Anthology series.
I reviewed Shadow Blade just after its release through WordFire Press, back in 2019. You can read my review of Shadow Blade here. I so enjoyed the book, that it pleases me to no end to be able to re-publish it under the WordCrafter Press label now. The WordCrafter Press edition will also include a free bonus story , the prequel to Shadow Blade, Baiting the Hook.
About Shadow Blade
Ashai Larish is an assassin from the brutal Denari Lai order. Religious zealots, Denari Lai are kept loyal through an addiction to the same magic that makes them unstoppable. They have become the primary weapon for the nation of Nishi’iti, and in a hundred years, they have never failed.
Until now. Ashai must kill Pushtani King Abadas Damar and his daughter/heir, Makari. He infiltrates the king’s inner circle, putting him in the perfect place to strike, with only Captain Bauti of the Royal Guard at all suspicious of Ashai’s intent.
Except Ashai has fallen for Makari and cannot complete the hit. When a second Denari Lai kills the King, Ashai finds himself fighting for Makari’s life instead of taking it. To make matters worse, the order cuts him off from his magic, leaving him weakened and in withdrawal.
Meanwhile, far north in the Pushtani mines that border Nishi’iti, a slave named Pachat learns that his love, a hand slave to Makari, died at the hands of a Denari Lai assassin. His grief ignites a slave rebellion, and Pachat becomes the unwilling leader of the revolt. Urged on by Nishi’iti guerrillas, the rebellion sweeps across the borderlands, threatening to erupt into all-out war. Yet all Pachat wants is to avenge his beloved’s death by killing the assassin, so he walks away from the rebellion to seek when it needs him most.
As Pachat makes off for the capital of Dar Tallus, Ashai is forced to rely on that city’s organized crime gang to hide from the second assassin, and from Bauti’s guards. Despite his best efforts to hide it, Makari discovers Ashai’s true identity, and suddenly, he finds himself without her love, without his faith, and without the Denari Lai. At rock bottom, he doubts he can do anything but cause more damage.
Can Ashai kill the second assassin and win back Makari’s love? Will Pachat gain the revenge he so lustily seeks?
About Chris Barili
Currently oppressed by his day job, Chris has his sights set on retiring after 42 years in the Intelligence Community and writing full-time. Chris Barii writes all kinds of stories, and has published fantasy, science fiction, horror, western, paranormal romance, and most recently crime, with a noir story in the inaugural print edition of Toe Six Magazine. He is author of the self-published, weird western Hell’s Butcher series, and also writes under the pen names B.T. Clearwater (Supernatural romance) and T.C. Barlow (western). Chris is a retired intelligence officer, having served over 45 years between active duty, contractor, and government employee roles. He lives in Colorado with his wife.
The WordCrafter Shadow Blade Book Blog Tour
To celebrate the re-release and launch Shadow Blade off right, the WordCrafter Shadow Blade Book Blog Tour will run July 21-25. Be sure to drop in and join us as author Chris Barili shares guest posts and readings. Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a free digital copy of this unique and original story, and its prequel.
Meanwhile Back at WordCrafter Press…
2025 WordCrafter Anthologies
After making the difficult decision to let the second book in the Time Travel adventure series simmer on the back burner, for a while, it has freed me up to work on other projects, such as Chris Barili’s book above. In July, I’ll be working on the compilation of Curses and Midnight Oil. My own stories for these anthologies will be passed by my beta reader and final revisions done, as well. Curses is scheduled for release in August, and Midnight Oil is scheduled for October.
Women in the West: Marta, book 3
Also, I’ve been fine tuning my outline and completing my research for Marta, the third book in my Women in the West Adventure series. In July, I hope to begin the actual writing of the story.
Where Delilah and Sarah both did a lot of solo traveling of necessity, Marta travels in the company of others, expanding the cast of characters and the number of plot lines. And, while the first two books take place in the mining camps and towns of Colorado, Marta will be venturing into new and unexplored, at least by this author, territories with some colorful old west characters in 1890, presenting me with new challenges and a ton of research. I’m looking forward to venturing into this new story world.
However, Marta was originally scheduled for a September release. However, this is another of the projects that got pushed back when I struggled with the second Rock Star book, and I’m still working with disadvantages in the technology realm, so I’m doubtful that I’ll make the original deadlines. I’ll keep you posted.
WordCrafter Press Books on Sale on Smashwords in July
I’m excited to announce that many of the books in the WordCrafter Press catalog will be available as part of a promotion on Smashwords for the month of July as part of their Annual Summer/Winter Sale! WordCrafter Press books will be discounted at 50% or free all through the month of July, so look for all the WordCrafter books that are sitting on your TBR and take advantage of the Smashword store pricing while it lasts. This is a chance to get WordCrafter Press books, along with books from many other great authors, at a discount so you can get right to reading.
You will find the promo here starting on July 1, so save the link:
https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/
Please share this promo with friends and family, and all the avid readers in your life!
Thank you for your help and support!
Happy reading!
About Kaye Lynne Booth
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; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.
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.
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“The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2” Postponed
Posted: June 9, 2025 Filed under: Book Release, Books, Science Fiction, Time travel, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Kaye Lynne Booth, The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles, Time Travel Adventure Series, WordCrafter 16 Comments
It was a hard decision to postpone The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles yet again. Originally scheduled for release in March, and pushed back twice to this month, I have to postpone once more. But that is what I’ve done.
i have been having various computer issues since February and currently I have no screen on my laptop. In order to do anything with my files, I must connect to my television screen, which takes extra electricity and requires me to run my generator. Thus, I’m operating on only one or two hours a day computer time. While I can create blog posts on my phone, all my writing and editing activities have been extremely limited. But, I’ve been managing to plug along on this book, which I am so anxious to get out there.
I know there are some of you who read the first book and are eagerly awaiting the release of the second, and I hate to disappoint. As I finished my final edit last month, I had planned to skip my final read through and go ahead and publish in June as scheduled.
But then I got to thinking. To write the second book, I had to go back over the first, and I found several errors that had made it past me and found their way into that first book. Once I solve my computer problems, I plan to go back and correct those errors and republish, but I didn’t want to have to do that with this one.
I did not make this decision lightly. Pushing the deadline for this book back and concentrating on it to the exclusion of other projects has pushed everything on my publishing calendar to the line, and is throwing some things behind. So instead of putting other projects behind as well, I’ve decided to take my focus off of Rock Star until I can do the final read through without interfering in my other projects. This will allow me to focus on keeping the other projects on schedule, which is important because I’m working with other authors on most of them.
This decision has taken a load of stress off me, although I still must struggle with my technical issues, I can now work on the scheduled projects and not feel so rushed I’ve been writing the short stories for this year’s anthologies on paper, in longhand. They all need to be transfered into digital, and I’m scheduled to re-publish Shadow Blade for author Chris Barili in July, which I can now work on without feeling quite so pressed for time.
To my readers, thank you all for your patience. I apologize for the delay, but really want this story to be the best that it can be. I’m looking at the beginning of next year for an early release. If you read the first book and can’t wait to dig into the second, I must ask you to wait a little longer. I think it will be worth it in the long run. So hang in there for me. I think it will be worth it.😘
About Kaye Lynne Booth
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; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.
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.
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This segment of “Chatting with New Blood” is sponsored by the Time Travel Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
When a Girl with a Guitar Meets a Man with a Gun, It’s Time to Travel
The Rock Star & The Outlaw: https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Star-Outlaw-Time-Travel-Adventure-ebook/dp/B0CJBRRCN1/
The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles: Coming in May, 2026.
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Wrapping up the “Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures” Book Blog Tour
Posted: April 27, 2025 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Release, Books, Editing, Giveaways, Poetry, Treasuring Poetry, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Kaye Lynne Booth, Poetry, Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, Robbie Cheadle, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours 40 Comments
Picture Caption: WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures Tour Banner
We’re wrapping up the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures Book Blog Tour. We’ve had a great tour this past week and I hope you all visited each stop and left a comment for a chance to win one of three digital copies of Poetry Treasures 5 in our giveaway. If you missed a stop or joined us late, you can still go back and meet more poets featured in the anthology, but the giveaway ends tonight, so get your comments in now.
I want to thank contributors Michelle Ayon Navajas, Dawn Pisturino, Barbara Harris Leonard, Ivor Steven, and DL Mullen for their participation in the tour. And thanks also goes out to the hosts for this tour: Colleen Chesebro of Colleen Writes & Publishes, Patty Fletcher of Patty’s Worlds, Carla Johnson-Hicks of Carla Loves to Read, Michelle Navajas of Poetry by Mich, Kay Castenada of Book Places, and DL Mullen of Un dawnted. I feel everyone did a great job and it is appreciated.
I’d like to.make this stop a celebration of the author/poets who contributed to the anthology-those who shared their work on the tour and those who weren’t able to join us. They are all talented poets, and I feel fortunate to feature their lovely works in a WordCrafter poetry anthology.
Tour Schedule
April 21-28 – Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, by Kaye Lynne Booth, et.al.
Mon. 4/21 – Opening Day- Writing to be Read – (Intro. post & Book Trailer)
Tues 4/22 – Colleen Writes & Publishes – (Dawn Pisturino. Guest Post)
Wed. 4/23 – Patty’s Worlds – (Michelle Navajas Guest Post)
Thurs. 4/24 – Carla Loves to Read– (Ivor Steven’s Reading)
Fri. 4/25 – Poetry By Mich – (Barbara Harris Leonhard Reading)
Sat. 4/26 – Book Places – (DL Mullan Reading)
Sun. 4/27 – Writing to be Read – (Wrap up) – Undawnted (Interview with Dawn Pisturino)
Today we have a double stop. Along with the final stop here, we have DL Mullen interviewing Dawn Pisturino over at Un dawnted. You can’t comment on that site, but you can leave your comments for DL and Dawn here. And here on Writing to be Read, I’ll be introducing you to the contributing poets who did not provide content for the tour. Their valuable contributions to the anthology are not to be overlooked, for it was a group effort that made this anthology such an exceptional collection of poetry.
About Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures
Open the cover
and you will discover
Poetry Treasures
from the guests on
Robbie Cheadle’s 2024
“Treasuring Poetry”
blog series
on Writing to be Read.
Join poets DL Mullan, Barbara Harris Leonhard, Jude Itakali, Ivor Steven, Robbie Cheadle, Michelle Ayon Navajas, Gwen M. Plano, Elizabeth Gauffreau, David Bogomolny, Dawn Pasturino, Maggie Watson, and Colleen Chesebro share their own small pleasures in poetic verse.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/PT5-SmallPleasures
Giveaway
This tour we’re giving away digital copies of Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures to three lucky winners. Follow the tour and comment at each stop, so we’ll know you were there. You’ll be entered for another chance in the giveaway at each stop. Winners are chosen through a random drawing by WordCrafter Press. Winners will be announce in tomorrow’s “WordCrafter News”.
Meet the Contributors Who Didn’t Make the Tour
David Bogomolny
You can catch David’s interview with Robbie Cheadle on “Treasuring Poetry” here: https://writingtoberead.com/2024/09/18/treasuring-poetry-meet-poet-and-blogger-david-bogomolny-the-mastermind-behind-the-skeptics-kaddish-blog-and-w3-prompts-poetrycommunity/
Maggie Watson
You can catch Maggie’s interview with Robbie Cheadle on “Treasuring Poetry” here: https://writingtoberead.com/2024/11/20/treasuring-poetry-meet-poet-maggie-watson-and-a-review-of-pieces-of-me-a-collection-of-poems-treasuringpoetry-poetrycommunity-bookreview/
Elizabeth Gauffreau
You can catch Liz’s interview with Robbie Cheadle on “Treasuring Poetry” here: https://writingtoberead.com/2024/08/21/treasuring-poetry-meet-author-and-poet-elizabeth-gauffreau-and-a-book-review-poetrycommunity-bookreview-treasuringpoetry/
Gwen M. Plano
You can catch Gwen’s interview with Robbie Cheadle on “Treasuring Poetry” here: https://writingtoberead.com/2024/07/17/treasuring-poetry-meet-talented-author-and-poet-gwen-m-plano-and-a-review-poetry-bookreview-readingcommunity/
Jude Itakali
You can catch Jude’s interview with Robbie Cheadle on “Treasuring Poetry” here: https://writingtoberead.com/2024/03/20/treasuring-poetry-meet-poet-and-novelist-jude-itakali-and-a-review/
Robbie Cheadle
That’s it for today’s stop on Writing to be Read. Be sure to visit the second part of this double stop over at Un dawnted, where DL Mullan is interviewing author/contributor Dawn Pisturino. I hope you enjoyed the tour and the poetry samples shared enough to get you to buy the book. By using the Books2Read UBL, above, you can purchase from your favorite distributor around the world. Be sure to drop by and catch tomorrow’s “WordCrafter News”, here on Writing to be Read, to find out who the winners in the giveaway are.
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Welcome to the “Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures” Book Blog Tour
Posted: April 21, 2025 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Release, Books, Editing, Giveaways, Poetry, Treasuring Poetry, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Barbara Harris Leonhard, Colleen Chesebro, David Bogomolny, Dawn Pistrurino, DL Mullan, Elizabeth Gauffreau, Gwen M. Plano, Ivor Steven, Jude Itakali, Kaye Lynne Booth, Maggie Watson, Michelle Ayon Navajas, Poetry, Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, Robbie Cheadle, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours 27 CommentsPicture Caption: WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures Tour Banner
Welcome to the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures Book Blog Tour. We have a great tour planned, and I hope you all will stick with us and visit each stop, because comments at each stop enters you for another chance to win one of three digital copies of Poetry Treasures 5 in our giveaway. We’ve got guest posts from from contributors Michelle Ayon Navajas and Dawn Pisturino, readings from Barbara Harris Leonhard, Ivor Steven, and DL Mullen, and a special interview with Dawn Pisturino. Plus you may find a couple of early reviews from our wonderful tour hosts. So please join us and follow along on the schedule below to learn more about this outstanding poetry anthology and enjoy a few Small Pleasures.
Tour Schedule
April 21-28 – Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, by Kaye Lynne Booth, et.al.
Mon. 4/21 – Opening Day- Writing to be Read – (Intro. post & Book Trailer)
Tues 4/22 – Colleen Writes & Publishes – (Dawn Pisturino. Guest Post)
Wed. 4/23 – Patty’s Worlds – (Michelle Navajas Guest Post)
Thurs. 4/24 – Carla Loves to Read– (Ivor Steven’s Reading)
Fri. 4/25 – Poetry By Mich – (Barbara Harris Leonhard Reading)
Sat. 4/26 – Book Places – (DL Mullan Reading)
Sun. 4/27 – Writing to be Read – (Wrap up) – Undawnted (Interview with Dawn Pisturino)
About Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures
Open the cover
and you will discover
Poetry Treasures
from the guests on
Robbie Cheadle’s 2024
“Treasuring Poetry”
blog series
on Writing to be Read.
Join poets DL Mullan, Barbara Harris Leonhard, Jude Itakali, Ivor Steven, Robbie Cheadle, Michelle Ayon Navajas, Gwen M. Plano, Elizabeth Gauffreau, David Bogomolny, Dawn Pasturino, Maggie Watson, and Colleen Chesebro share their own small pleasures in poetic verse.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/PT5-SmallPleasures
Giveaway
This tour we’re giving away digital copies of Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures to three lucky winners. Follow the tour and comment at each stop, so we’ll know you were there. You’ll be entered for another chance in the giveaway at each stop. Winners are chosen through a random drawing by WordCrafter Press. We’ll be watching for your name.
Book Trailer
A special thanks goes out to Teagan Genevieve for our lovely book trailer. Thank you so much Teagan.
About the Editors
You will meet some of the contributors along the way on this tour, but in this opening day post, I’d like ton tell you a little about the editors who put this project together and made it happen. I also thought it might be interesting to share a brief glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes when putting together a poetry anthology, which I hope you’ll find of interest.
Kaye Lynne Booth
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; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. 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.
My job is to edit the final manuscript, format and publish it. I find poetry to be a personal endeavor, so I do very little editing of the actual poems for fear of changing the poet’s meaning, since poetry often does not follow the rules of grammar and punctuation which apply to the English language. In addition, we have poets from all over the globe included in the anthology, which makes for variation in style and differences in spellings, so I pretty much leave the poetry as is unless it is something I know is a typo or mistaken word.
But the person who truly makes this anthology possible is my co-editor, Robbie Cheadle, who finds and schedules poets to be interviewed on the “Treasuring Poetry” blog series on Writing to be Read. It is Robbie who selects and interviews each poet, and she usually reviews their latest release, as well. Then, at the end of the year, Robbie sends out invitations to the anthology and collects and compiles all the materials into a manuscript before turning it over to me. Without Robbie to do all of the preliminary work, there would not be any Poetry Treasures Anthologies. I couldn’t do it without her.
Robbie Cheadle
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
That’s it for today’s stop. I hope I gave you enough of a taste of this delectable poetry anthology to make you want to sample more. There are several more tasty morsels from then contributing authors along the way. Join us tomorrow, on Colleen Writes & Publishes, where author/poet Dawn Pisturino will share a guest post and poetry from Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures.
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WordCrafter News: “Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures” Release & Deadline for Anthology Submissions – Plus Welcoming a New Member of the WtbR Blog Team
Posted: March 31, 2025 Filed under: Anthology, Book Release, Books, Call for submissions, Dark fiction, Poetry, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press 16 CommentsWe’re approaching the end of March, and hasn’t this month gone fast. This month began with my birthday on the 3rd, and a came down with a nasty flue the following week, which set everything behind for me. Life hasn’t dished out a bowl of cherries for me this month, more like a bowl of sour grapes. But I’m finally getting things back on track, although I’ve had to play a little catch up.
I’m still looking for sponsors here on Writing to be Read, so if you’d like to see your book or blog at the end of a series post once, or repeatedly, please consider sponsoring a series. You can sponsor a blog series from the WtbR Sponsor Page. All sponsors will also be listed on the Sponsor Page. Or, if you prefer to make a one time donation, you can do that here. All support is greatly appreciated.
New Release! Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures
Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures will be released in April, in honor of National Poetry Month, but due to a couple of delays on my end I don’t have the release date yet. I’m still doing my final edit on it, and then it’s off for a final approval from the poets. Once that is complete, I’ll be able to give you a release date, as the dates for the blog tour, so stay tuned.
I must say we have a fine group of poets this year. Featured poets are DL Mullan, Barbara Harris Leonard, Jude Itakali, Ivor Steven, Robbie Cheadle, Michelle Ayon Nevajas, Gwen M. Plano, Liz Gauffreau, David Blogomony, Dawn Pisturino, Maggie Watson, and Colleen Chesbro. These poems about the simple pleasures in life are sure to warm your heart, and I’m proud to place the WordCrafter brand on this collection.
Submissions Deadline for WordCrafter 2024 Dark Fiction Contest
The submissions deadline for the 2025 WordCrafter Dark Fiction Contest is fast approaching on April 30, so get those stories into me. Contest submissions may be offered the opportunity to be featured in the Midnight Oil Anthology, which will be released in October of 2025. The winner is guaranteed a spot in the anthology and display their winner’s badge in social media and on their site.
You can find all the submission guidelines here: https://writingtoberead.com/2025/01/01/call-for-submissions-2/
A Big Welcome to Lindsey Martin-Bowen From Writing to be Read
I hope you will all join us in giving a big welcome to the newest member of the Writing to be Read team, Lindsey Martin-Bowen. I met Lindsey as a fan who left comments which sparked a conversation between the two of us. Last year, I reviewed her poetry collection, Cashing Checks with Jim Morrison here. More recently, she offered a rave review of The Rock Star & The Outlaw, which prompted me to invite her to join the WtbR team. Lindsey has spent many years teaching, so a series with writing lessons seemed to be the obvious choice. You can learn more about her on our newly updated WtbR Team Member’s page, so please drop in and see what’s new there.
April will bring the first segment of Lindsey’s new blog series, “Lindsey’s Writing Practice”. In it, she will share writing exercises, tips and advice to help improve craft. Say hello in the comments. Then join us the first Wednesday of each month as we stretch our writing muscles and add to our writer’s toolboxes to make our writing shine.
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This post sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services.
Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.
Stop by and check out our services today: https://writingtoberead.com/readings-for-writers/wordcrafter-quality-writing-author-services/
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Writer’s Corner: Listening to Your Characters
Posted: March 3, 2025 Filed under: Books, Character Development, Dialogue, Fiction, WordCrafter Press, Writer's Corner, Writing, Writing Process | Tags: characters, Kaye Lynne Booth, Writer's Corner, Writing Process, Writing to be Read 11 Comments
Do your characters talk to you? I’ve met authors who say, “How could they? They aren’t real. They are fictional characters which I made up.” But if you are in touch with the characters which you created, I don’t see how they could not talk to you. I believe these authors who claim to not hear their characters maybe just aren’t listening.
My characters talk to me and help guide my stories. My characters refuse to stay silent. I don’t actually hear or see them, of course, but they do talk to me in my head. I hear the dialog as it goes on the page, and they are sure to tell me if I get it wrong.
I recall when this first happened while writing my first novel, Delilah. There was a scene in the story which I recognized wasn’t working, but I couldn’t figure out why. I sat in front of my computer re-reading the chapter, which was the dialog of a conversation between Delilah and another character. I said to myself, “Something isn’t right here, but what is it?” And a voice in my head replied, “I wouldn’t react that way.” Re-reading it once more, I realized that the voice of Delilah was right. I had my character reacting in a certain way because it was necessary in order for events in the future to occur, but it wasn’t a reaction that would come naturally from the character I had created. I rewrote the conversation, changing Delilah’s reaction to be true to her character, and it changed the direction of the story, completely. It required extensive revisions throughout the story, including total rewrites of the chapters which came after that scene, but it made it a much better tale than the one I had planned to write, so it was better for the story in the long run.
While writing Sarah, my character hijacked a conversation between her, Big Nose Kate, and a high-society woman, and her opinions on corsets set off an unexpected suffrage movement in Glenwood Springs, complete with a protest and corset burning. When I began writing the story, I had no idea that this would happen in the book, but when I placed the words upon the page, it all just clicked, and I said, “Oh, yeah”.
With both books in my Time Travel Adventure series every chapter is paired with a song. All of Amaryllis’ music was done by The Pretty Reckless, which first inspired her character. But for LeRoy and the other characters who were given P.O.V. in the second book, the music from various artists were used. As I perused the radio stations, searching for just the right song for each chapter. I can think of several times when a song I wasn’t familiar with would come on and LeRoy would give my mind a nudge that said, “Listen to this song.” Paying attention to what he had to say, I focused on the music, listening to the lyrics, and found that the song was perfect for a specific chapter, and the song ended up in the book and on LeRoy’s play list.
Of course, I’m aware that my character’s voices are really voices from my own subconscious, because every one of the characters I create are a part of me. But being in touch with them enough to them to hear their voices in my head makes them feel more like old friends and helps me bring the story to life.
We all have the ability to hear our characters if we’ll only listen to what they have to say. I’ve found that their observations are right on the money. My stories turn out better for listening to them. So, tell me. Do you listen to your characters?
About Kaye Lynne Booth
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; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. 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.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press.
The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.
Get Your Copy Now.
Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-HeatherHummingbird
Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-TimothyTurtle
Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home (Ages 6-8): https://books2read.com/MBF-CharlieChickadee
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Rave Review for “The Rock Star & The Outlaw”
Posted: February 26, 2025 Filed under: Book Release, Books, Review, romance, Science Fiction, Time travel, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Book Review, Kaye Lynne Booth, Lindsey Martin-Bowen, The Rock Star & the Outlaw 1 Comment
Three cheers for The Rock Star & The Outlaw! Check it out.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/RockStarOutlaw
Review by Lindsey Martin-Bowen
BOOK REVIEW: The Rock Star & The Outlaw by Kaye Lynne Booth
At first glance, the title The Rock Star & The Outlaw intrigued me. Archetypes spur my interest, and here were two of them. Add to those archetypes, other genres: romance, adventure-thriller, time-travel adventure, and an author hooks me—a tough audience (veteran college/university literature and writing instructor/professional writer and editor).
Within this novel, author Kaye Lynne Booth created an offbeat love story that never lapses into sentimentality or becomes “precious.” Instead, it hooks the reader with precise external descriptions and character’s thoughts, actions, and crisp dialogue—beginning with the initial interplay between the two main characters, “Amaryllis,” a 2025 rock star who encounters “LeRoy,” a cowboy outlaw tossed into the twentieth century from 1887 after he watches a horse for a time-traveler Nick, who lands his time machine into the Old West. (Fortunately for LeRoy, Nick had set the controls to return a user to 2025.) After landing there, shortly afterwards, Cowboy LeRoy met Amaryllis performing at a club—while she attempted to avoid a group of thugs seeking “vengeance most foul” for the death of their leader, Amaryllis’s former paramour, Claude, whom the rock star killed in self-defense.
Although unbeknownst of LeRoy’s arrival and background, Amaryllis was ready for him. Using apt external and internal descriptions of Amaryllis, Booth prepares the reader for her initial encounter with LeRoy.
“She’d donned one of her sexiest dresses—the short black sequinned one with the
low-cut back and oval slits that ran up each side, covering the blue and purple areas on her torso
with foundation, so they wouldn’t be noticeable. This dress never failed to turn heads, and tonight,
that was just what she was after . . . There was no question she’d be sharing her bed tonight.”
After she surveyed the room again, she spotted LeRoy, “the guy she’d locked eyes with up on stage standing at the end of the bar, tall and lanky in his denims. His leather vest was cut to display his muscular biceps through the chambray fabric of his shirt. This guy looked like he just walked out of the pages of a western novel. He wore a red bandana around his neck, a black felt cowboy hat . . .dusty cowboy boots . . . and … ooooh … a gunbelt on his hip, complete with six-shooter. A real live cowboy, right here in the middle of Las Vegas. My, my.”
Obviously, Amaryllis didn’t realize how apt her perception was of a “real live cowboy,” because he perplexes her when he lights her cigarette with a stick match. “I guess you’re just an old-fashioned kind of guy,” she said . . . “I like that.”
Yet LeRoy’s reply, “I guess you might say that . . . Some of this new-fangled stuff is kind of overwhelming to me,” perplexed her. She wondered if he was “genuinely naīve or if he was putting on a convincing act.” Nevertheless, she found him “refreshing and different,” perhaps “even a challenge to get into bed.”
After awhile, when the two of them escaped from the backstage entrance to avoid Claude’s gang-mates, she became frustrated with what she considered LeRoy’s personna, especially after he looked “puzzled” when she asked him to point out his car.
“Look, drop the country bumpkin act,” she retorted and was shocked to discover he’d arrived at the club on his horse.
Meanwhile, when she maneuvered her Corvette like an Indiana-500 driver, applying techniques she’d learned from a former boyfriend, who was a professional race-car driver, LeRoy was impressed.
And thus, the romance took off. Together they loved the speed, the adventure of escaping the gang pursuing her. This ensues for awhile, albeit mainly by horseback. And they fortunately are still riding horses when they hit the setting on the time machine to send them to 1887.
So do they settle in 1887, away from Claude’s gang? Or do they gallop into more misadventures there? Well, dear Readers, I urge to read the novel to discover what happens.
Nevertheless, I offer one hint: At the story’s end, I screamed, “Sequel! Kaye Lynne must write a sequel.”
And guess what? Today, I discovered she did, and it will be available in May. Check out both this incredible novel and its sequel on Facebook’s Global Writers and Poets, artists or on Kaye Lynne Booth’s Writing to be Read at https://www.facebook.com/groups/writingtoberead/
I’ll bet fifty cents you’ll be glad you did.
—Lindsey Martin-Bowen, author
Poetry collections include Where Water Meets the Rock,
CROSSING KANSAS with Jim Morrison,
CASHING CHECKS with Jim Morrison;
Fiction: Cicada Grove, Hamburger Haven, and
Rapture Redux
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WordCrafter News: Looking Ahead
Posted: February 24, 2025 Filed under: Book Release, Books, Dark fiction, Poetry, Science Fiction, Time travel, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Midnight Oil, Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, Rock Star 2: Seeing Doubles, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press 17 CommentsThe Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles
Scheduled for release in May, The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles is in the final developmental editing stages. I have a beta reader sitting at the ready before a final proofread and formatting of the book. I’m finding solutions to a couple of problems I’ve had from early on with this story because of the multiple time lines it deals with, which may require some extensive rewriting. It has already taken longer than anticipated and I’m behind schedule with it, which is why I’ve pushed back to May. But hey, when you’re dealing with time travel, you have all the time in the world, right? Even if it gets pushed back to a May release, this book will be well worth the wait. I have had tons of fun with the writing of it, and I know readers will have fun reading it.
In 1887, LeRoy is stuck, bringing trouble down on those around him. When Sissy is kidnapped and he’s the only one who can save her.
In 2030, Amaryllis will stop at nothing to find LeRoy fix what she messed up in the past, when she wakes up in a future very different to the one she knows, one in which she may not be born.
She and a version of Monique which is different from the one she grew up with travel back to 1887 to try and make things right.
When they cross the other time loops, already created, things change, but not the way Amaryllis intended.
Add two time travel regulators from the future who are after the time module, and things start to get wild.
2025 WordCrafter Dark Fiction Contest Reminder
Just a reminder: There’s still time to enter your dark fiction story into the 2025 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest, for a chance to have your story featured in this year’s dark fiction anthology, Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares. The submission deadline is April 30, and you can find submission guidelines here.
Preparations for Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures
Robbie and I will both be working on compiling Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures, which will be scheduled for release in April, during National Poetry Month. This year’s contributors are DL Mullan, Barbara Harris Leonhard, Jude Itakali, Ivor Steven, Robbie Cheadle, Michelle Ayon Navajas, Gwen M. Plano, Elizabeth Gauffreau, David Bogomolny, Dawn Pisturino, Maggie Watson, and Colleen Chesebro.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This post sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services.
Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.
Stop by and check out our services today: https://writingtoberead.com/readings-for-writers/wordcrafter-quality-writing-author-services/
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WordCrafter News: Calls for Submission & an Upcoming Release
Posted: January 27, 2025 Filed under: Book Release, Books, Call for submissions, Dark fiction, Story Bundle, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press | Tags: 2025 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest, Call for submissions, Midnight Oil, Story Bundle, The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press 1 CommentCall for Submissions for Midnight Oil
The Call for Submissions for the Midnight Oil anthology went out on January 1. Submissions which submit the required $5 entry fee will be entered in the 2025 WordCrafter Dark Fiction Contest for a chance to be featured in the anthology, which is the third book in the Midnight Anthology Series from WordCrafter Press and display the winner’s badge on your site. The deadline is April 30, 2025.
You can find submission guidelines here: https://wp.me/pVw40-9SL
Looking for Books for Story Bundles
In 2025, I hope to currate a couple of Story Bundles. Specifically, I’m looking at one Supernatural Fantasy bundle, and one Paranormal bundle. However, I still don’t have enough authors interested to make it work. So, I’m looking for authors with books in these catagories who would like to be considered for the bundles. If you are one of those authors, I’d like to1 hear from you. You can contact me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com and put “Story Bundle Submission” in the subject line.
The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles to be released in March
The second book in my Time Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Oulaw 2: Seeing Doubles, will be coming out in March, and I’m really excited about it. If you thought the first book was crazy, this one will blow your socks off. Amaryllis and LeRoy are back after the disastrous jump in time which seperated them, along with most of the characters you came to love or hate in the first book, and a few new ones. With multiple story lines, multiple time loops, and multiples of the characters. This book was so much fun to write, and I know that you’ll enjoy reading it.
About The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles
In 1887, LeRoy is stuck, bringing trouble down on those around him. When Sissy is kidnapped and he’s the only one who can save her.
In 2030, Amaryllis will stop at nothing to find LeRoy fix what she messed up in the past, when she wakes up in a future very different to the one she knows, one in which she may not be born.
She and a version of Monique which is different from the one she grew up with travel back to 1887 to try and make things right.
When they cross the other time loops, already created, things change, but not the way Amaryllis intended.
Add two time travel regulators from the future who are after the time module, and things start to get wild.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by The Rock Star & The Outlaw and WordCrafter Press.
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.
In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, 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.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/RockStarOutlaw
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WordCrafter 2025 Dark Ficton Contest – Call for Submissions
Posted: January 1, 2025 Filed under: Anthology, Dark Fantasy, Dark fiction, Dark Humor, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, Supernatural, Suspense, WordCrafter Press, Writing Contest | Tags: 2025 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest, Midnight Anthology Series, Midnight Oil, WordCrafter Press 5 CommentsIt’s time for the annual WordCrafter Press short fiction contest. This year’s entries will have a chance of being featured in the third volume of the WordCrafter Midnight Anthology Series, Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares. The theme is dark fiction, but it can be dark fantasy, dark science fiction, dark paranormal, dark humor, or horror, as long as it is dark and scary or thought provoking. I like stories that make me think. The contest entry fee is $5, and the submission deadline is April 30, 2025. You’ll find the submission guidelines below.
Submission Guidelines
WordCrafter Press is looking for original short stories with dark elements. Previously unpublished stories only.
Genres: Any genre as long as the story is dark.
Length: up to 5000 words
Submission Deadline: April 30, 2024
Pay: Royalty share
Rights: First Anthology Rights and audio rights as part of the anthology; rights revert to author one month after publication; publisher retains non-exclusive right to include in the anthology as a whole.
Open to submissions from January 1 through April 30, 2024.
Submit: A Microsoft Word or RTF file in standard manuscript format to KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com
If you don’t know what standard manuscript format is, review, for example, https://www.shunn.net/format/classic/
Multiple and simultaneous submissions accepted.
Find some helpful tips for submitting short fiction here, but mainly just follow the guidelines.
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Submit your story with a cover letter to KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com with “Submission: [Your Title]” in the subject line and pay the $5 entry fee below.
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Contest Entry
Enter the 2025 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest for a chance at an invitation to the Visions anthology, with a small royalty split.
$5.00
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This Call for Submissions is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
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. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Roost-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0CL6FPLVJ
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow: 17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Garden-Where-Tales-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0DJNDQJD3
