Last week we stayed busy sending off the re-launch of Shadow Blade with the WordCrafter Shadow Blade Book Blog Tour. WordCrafter Press also released the original story prolog, Baiting the Hook, but we’ve added it as a free bonus book when you purchase Shadow Blade. The tour went off wonderfully, with many visitors who commented and entered in the giveaway. We were giving away three digital copies and one signed print copy of the book. Now it’s time to announce the winners of that drawing.
(Drumroll Please)
And the winners are…
BeetleyPete
HouseofHearts
Kamal at Boundless Blessings Blog
The winner of the signed print copy is Esther Chilton. If your name appears on the list above, please contact me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail to collect your prize.
August Projects
In July, I had an angel sent to me, or if not an angel, at least a guardian spirit, and as a result, I once again own a working computer, and I am slowly getting caught up on my production schedule. Because I was trying to operate Writing to be Read and WordCrafter Press mainly from my phone for the past few months, I’ve had to make some drastic changes, like putting my own personal projects on the back burners and pushing back my release schedule for collaborations.
So, for August, I’ll be playing catch up. I’ve pushed back the release of the Curses anthology to September, and I am currently working like mad to get my own two stories for the anthology, (“Death Clock” & “Carverna Del Oro (Cave of Gold)”, which were created in longhand, digitized and sent off to my beta reader before compiling and publishing the anthology in August. I’ll also be digitizing my story for Midnight Oil, (“Zombie Elephant”), and getting it off to the beta reader. Midnight Oil will be the third volume in the Midnight Anthology Series, which will be released in October.
Reminder
There are only a few days left before the Writing to be Read WordPress subscription runs out. We’ve raised part of the money through the annual fundraiser, but we’re not quite there and time is running out and we need your help.
So, if you enjoy the great content you find here, on the blog, please consider visiting the link below and giving a small donation. Every $10 donation will receive a digital copy of the WordCrafter Press book of your choice as my way of saying “Thank You”.
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.
___________________________
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.
Today is the final stop on the WordCrafter Shadow Blade Book Blog Tour. We’re wrapping up the tour tonight with a live appearance by author Chris Barili, where you can ask him questions about the book and the Denari Lai universe. If you are following the tour and want to get in on the giveaway, comment or ask a question at the event or on the blog. (Details below)
Meet Author Chris Barili
Tonight only, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., join author Chris Barili in a Facebook Live event, where you can chat with him, ask questions about the books or the series in general. Join in the fun by clicking on the link below.
Currently oppressed by his day job, Chris has set sights on retiring after 42 years in the Intelligence Community and writing full-time. Chris Barili 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.
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?
That’s about it for the WordCrafter Shadow Blade Book Blog Tour. I hope you have enjoyed meeting Chris and learning about this stealthy fantasy romance adventure. Be sure to pop over to the live event tonight, at the link above and chat with Chris. He’ll be there live to answer all your questions or just shoot the shit.
One thing we weren’t able to get in time for the tour were reviews. We had a tight time schedule for this one and the reviews haven’t come in yet. But if you’re interested in seeing a review, I reviewed the story when it was released by WordFire Press and you can read my review here.
And don’t forget to leave your comments. Each stop you visit and comment on gets you an entry in the giveaway. If you missed a stop, you can go back and visit by clicking on the links in the tour schedule below. For tonight’s event, you can come back here and comment if you like, but if you participate in the chat with Chris, that counts, too. WordCrafter has never done a live event like this before, so I’m anxious to see how it turns out. Any thoughts on would be appreciated.
Thanks for joining us in this re-launch of Shadow Blade. Remember, there’s a free copy of Baiting the Hook when you purchase the WordCrafter Press edition of the book, so what are you waiting for?
Welcome to Writing to be Read and the WordCrafter Shadow Blade Book Blog Tour, where we’re launching the release of the second edition of Shadow Blade, the fantasy adventure/romance by author Chris Barili. Shadow Blade is now Book 2 in the Denari Lai series by Chris Barili. WordCrafter Press is also releasing Book 1 of the series for the very first time, but the cool thing is, if you purchase the WordCrafter Press edition of Shadow Blade, you can also get the first book absolutely free.
Give Away
If you follow the tour and leave a comment at each stop to let us know you were there or share your thoughts about the book, you can win a free copy of Shadow Blade. We’re giving away three digital copies of the book, and one lucky winner will receive a print copy of the book signed by author Chris Barili. Each stop you comment on earns you an entry into a random drawing, and the winners will be announced on Writing to be Read in the “WordCrafter News” post on July 27.
And now that I’ve told you a little about the tour, let me tell you about this dangerous and exciting adventure into the Denari Lai universe.
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?
Currently oppressed by his day job, Chris has set sights on retiring after 42 years in the Intelligence Community and writing full-time. Chris Barili 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.
That wraps up today’s stop on the WordCrafter Shadow Blade Book Blog Tour. To learn more about the book, the Denari Lai series, or about author Chris Barili, just follow the tour via the links in the Tour Schedule above. Just keep in mind that each link will not be active until the attached stop goes live, so you can’t get sneak previews of upcoming stops. I do hope you’ll join us. We’ve got an interview with the author and a live event where you can chat with the author,, excerpt readings, and the inspiration for this tale coming up later in the week. And don’t forget, the author is giving away three digital copies and one signed print copy of Shadow Blade, and all you need to do is comment to enter. The more stops you visit, the more entries you can get.
Join us tomorrow on Robbie’s Inspiration. We’ll have a guest post where author Chris Barili shares his thoughts on the inspiration for the story and the series.
It’s that time of year again, and the WordPress subscription and Writingtobe Read domain are coming up for renewal. I have until the end of July to come up with the money to renew, and the WordCrafter coffers are empty.
As followers of the blog know, Writing to be Read has some really great content. You may be a fan of one of my monthly or bi-monthly blog series: “Writer’s Corner”, “Review in Practice”, or “Everyone is a Critic”. Or perhaps you come here to enjoy the very popular blog series by Robbie Cheadle: “Read and Cook”, “In Touch with Nature”, or “Treasuring Poetry”. Or maybe you enjoy something by our single series authors, like Arthur Rosch’s “Mind Fields”, or DL Mullan’s “Undawntech”, or Lindsey Martin-Bowen’s “Writing Practice with Lindsey. Or maybe you just visit for my hard hitting book reviews that call them like I see them. Whatever the reason thar you visit or follow Writing to be Read, I want you to be able to keep coming back for more.
As avid readers of this blog, I’m asking for your help through this fund raiser. Below, you will find a list of books from the WordCrafter catalog, and for a small donation of as little as $10, you can pick any book of your choice and I’ll send you a free digital copy in appreciation of your support. If you wish make a larger donation, you may do so by clicking up to increase the amount. You may pick one book for each $10 donated.
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2025 Fund Raiser
Support Writing to be Read with a donation.
$10.00
You can make a donation through the portal above. Then choose a book or two from the list and email your choices for your free book(s) to KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com. I’ll send you a Bookfunnel link for your book(s) as a thank you. Easy peasy.
Whispersof the Past paranormal anthology
Spirits of the West paranormal anthology
Where Spirits Linger paranormal anthology
Once Upon an Ever After dark fantasy anthology
Refracted Reflections dark fiction anthology
Visions dark fiction anthology
Midnight Roost dark fiction anthology
Midnight Garden dark fiction anthology
Hidden Secrets paranormal mystery by Kaye Lynne Booth
Last Call and Other Short Fiction, short story collection by Kaye Lynne Booth
Delilah, western historical women’s fiction by Kaye Lynne Booth
Sarah, western historical women’s fiction by Kaye Lynne Booth
The Rock Star & The Ourlaw, time travel adventure by Kaye Lynne Booth
Small Wonders poetry collection by Kaye Lynne Booth
Poetry Treasures 4: In Touch with Nature poetry anthology
Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures poetry anthology
I am appreciative of your readership and your support. So, let’s gear up for another year of great content from Writing to be Read and WordCrafter Press.
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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.
_________________________________
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.
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 WordFirePress, 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 WordCrafterPress 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.
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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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.
___________________________
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.
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.
______________________________
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.
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.
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.
It’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
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.
____________________________________
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
We’re approaching a new year once again, and folks are busy making New Year’s resolutions and planning for the year to come. Things are no different for WordCrafter Press and Writing to be Read. I’ve been planning and preparing for projects I want to accomplish in 2025, including two dark fiction anthologies – Curses and Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares, the annual poetry anthology – Treasuring Poetry 5: Small Pleasures, and I’m hoping to curate a couple of Story Bundles, if I can pull it all together. (Watch for the “Call for Submissions” for the annual WordCrafter Press Short Fiction Contest in my post on January 4th.The winning story will be featured in the Midnight Oil Anthology.) And I plan to have Marta, Book 3 in the Women in the West Adventure Series, out by the end of the year.
In addition, I’ve been working hard to finish the second book in my Time Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Double, which will also be coming out in 2025.
The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles
In 1887, after clearing his name, LeRoy McAllister is once again a reluctant outlaw, trying to save the people he cares about and win the heart of the woman he loves.
In 2030, the once thrill-seeking rock star, running on the fast track, Amaryllis Sanchez has lost her Cowboy during a time jump, which changed things in her present. Now she must go back to find her man and try to fix her future, crossing time lines to do it.
In 1887, things turn crazy fast, when Amaryllis tries to change events in a previous timeline. And, the outlaws try to bring LeRoy back into the fold by placing Sissy in peril.
To make matters worse, Nick, the time travel tester who started it all, is back, along with two temporal regulator agents, and they are all after the time module which Amaryllis has in her possession.
Amaryllis and LeRoy are both seeing doubles, and sometimes triples, by the time this story unravels. It seems there’s dopplegangers everywhere when you go to the past to try to change the future.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year (1876) by Currier & Ives. Original public domain image from the Library of Congress. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel.
This year my resolution is the same as it is every year. I’m not big on resolutions, mainly because they are usuall broken, and I like to finish what I start. However, I always make one resolution, every single year. I resolve to do better and be more successful in my writing endeavors than I was the year before, with the ultimate goal being the ability to write full time and give up the day job. That hasn’t happened yet, so I guess I just keep working on the baby steps. With several releases planned for 2025, (mentioned above), hopefully I’ll be able to see it through again this coming year.
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This post is sponsored by WordCrafter Press, with a reminder that there’s still time to get all WordCrafter Press books at a 50% discounts during the Smashwords 2024 End of Year Sale. But time is running out. The sale ends January 1st. So get them while you can: https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/
We’ve had a great year here at WordCrafter Press & Writing to be Read, and it’s all because of you, our fabulous readers!
2024 Publications from WordCrafter Press
The D.I.Y. Author: Writer’s Resource
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two but being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
Sarah: Book 2 of the Women in the West Adventure Series
Sarah is a young girl trying to make a place for herself in the world.
Sarah is not the young girl stolen away from Delilah anymore. Now she is Hair of Fire, mate of Three Hawks, even as she blossoms into a young woman and tries to make a place for herself among the Ute tribe.
When she is stolen away from the life she’s made, she struggles to survive in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. A streak of stubbornness and determination take this tough, feisty heroine up against wild beasts of the forest and the rugged mountain landscape to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, where she receives a less than welcoming reception by some.
Will this young woman find her way back to the Ute tribe, which she’s come to think of as family, or will she discover a place among the colorful inhabitants of the Colorado hot springs and mining town?
Follow along on her journey to learn who she truly is and where she belongs in this rough, and often hostile frontier.
If you like strong and capable female protagonists, you’ll love Sarah.
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.
Tales From the Hanging Tree: Imprints of Tragedy Anthology
There exists a tree that is timeless, spanning across all dimensions, which absorbs every life as those who are hanged as they die… and it remembers every one. The stories within are a select few of the Tales From the Hanging Tree.
Stories by Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Kane, DL Mullan, C.R. Johannson, Joseph Carrabis, Sylva Fae, and Matt Usher.
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow Anthology – Book 2 in the Midnight Anthology Series
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.
Contributing authors include Paul Kane, Ell Rodman, DL Mullan, Joseph Carrabis, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Denise Aparo, Jon Shannon, Zack Ellafy, Danaeka Scrimshaw, Robb T. White, Abe Margel, Julie Jones, Molly Ertel, Peter McKay, Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Martz, and M.J. Mallon.
Reminder: ALL WordCrafter Press Books 50% off through January 1 on Smashwords
That’s right. You can get those WordCrafter Press books that have been sitting on your wishlist at 50% of during the Smashwords 2024 End of Year Sale. But you must act before January 1st, when the sale ends and these great discounts go away. And don’t forget that WordCrafter Press books make great holiday gifts, too. Get your copies today.
On Writing to be Read, we’ve had several new monthly blog series debut. I introduced a new Monday blog series, “Everyone is a Critic”, where you can find out what I think about movies or television series I’ve watched. I brought back “Chatting with the Pros” on the second Saturday of each month, along with the debut of its sister series on the fourth Saturday, “Chatting with New Blood”, where I interview professional authors who are making it work, and rising authors about their books and lessons learned, respectively, and post my reviews of their books.
And Robbie Cheadle said goodbye to “Growing Bookworms” and introduced her new monthly series, “Read and Cook”, where each month, she reviews a book and provides a complimentary recipe with delectable photos. I believe this series will be quite popular, or at least, it has been so far. Robbie’s series appear on Wednesdays, and “Read and Cook” appears the second Wednesday of the month. The third and forth Wednesdays see her “Treasuring Poetry” series, featuring interviews with poets and reviews of their books, and “In Touch with Nature” featuring facts about African wildlife and Robbie’s brillant wildlife photography, videos and artwork.
2024 also saw a new addition to the Writing to be Read blog team, DL Mullan, with her new series “Undawntech”, where she explores the pros and cons of AI and other technology in our rapidly changing world.
In addition, Arthur Rosch’s monthly contribution, “Mind Fields”, brings poetry and essays with Art’s unique outlook on life, appears randomly, where there is space for it, often a fifth Wednesday or Friday, if there is one, or sometimes on the first Wednesday, as that’s an open spot, as well.
If you want to be sure to not to miss any of this great content, you can subscribe to Writing to be Read and receive notification of all new content right in your inbox. We’ve got a great new year ahead of us, so don’t miss a post.
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Note From the Author
That’s a recap of this past year for WordCrafter Press and Writing to be Read. I’m thankful for all that’s been accomplished and excited about the year to come. To find out what is in store, watch for this month’s “WordCrafter News” on the 30th.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from WordCrafter Press and the Writing to be Read blog team
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About author 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 post 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 drug 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.
