Yes, I’ll admit it – I am a huge geek! Star Wars, Doctor Who, RPGs, Manga – you name it, I love it.
In this post (stop 2 on the 4WillsPublishing blog tour) I talk about how those geeky interests of mine have influenced my writing, and what impact they have made upon The Phoenix Project.
http://www.wendyjscott.com/my-blog/introducing-the-phoenix-project-by-dmcain
Why not pop over and check it out?
My 4Wills blog tour for The Phoenix Project will take place over the next few weeks, stopping at the blogs of lots of wonderful writers. To see where I’ll be on each day, check out the tour schedule here:
https://4willspublishing.wordpress.com/upcoming-events/blog-tour-author-d-m-cain/
You can also win some goodies!
I am giving away two free book bundles, where you can win a signed paperback of The Phoenix Project, plus a paperback of my children’s book, Soren.
The first stop on our tour starts today at the blog of the wonderful John Fioravanti, where you can learn about the changes from the first to the second edition of The Phoenix Project:
http://fiorabooks.com/introducing-d-m-cains-the-phoenix-project-2nd-edition/
Don’t miss my Author Party Event (http://4Wills-DMCain.chatovod.com/) on Friday, January 15th at 1pm CST!!
The Eye of Mares Blog Tour
To celebrate the release of the second instalment in the Rise of the Elohim chronicles, the Eye of Mares is going to blog hopping like a headlining rockstar, multiple showings for over the course of two weeks, with a new page shared with each appearance, continuing from where the last one went off and today I get to host the latest page:
The Eye of Mares – Part 22
…“What news?” Mako probed.
An illness of an unknown origin, has taken hold of Retina. Already half of its inhabitants have fallen seriously ill and the island’s doctor is struggling to identify the cause.
“That is most serious, but we are warriors, not doctors. Just what is it you expect us to do about it?”
Well, for starters, I believe the illness may well be the work of the Shanzi.
“Shanzi? I can see how you would make such a conclusion. We both know of a Shanzi who fits the bill.”
You refer to Shaymon, bringer of diseases?
“I do, and furthermore, if Shaymon is the cause, than it only stands to reason that Mongra and Stavros are too.” Dark thoughts filled Mako’s mind. If all three were roaming Mares, true danger lay in wait. Together, the combined powers of Darkari’s sons and trusted Generals overwhelmed that of the Shanzi King’s. “If they are indeed the freed Shanzi, we must find all three at once.”
I am of the same mind and I believe I may have already found all three of them. Izal’s words sparked hope inside Mako.
“Let mind form words and make them heard,” Mako replied immediately, eager to know.
On Pupill, some mouths let slip a story of a phantom wolf. One that came to their little island in the dark of night before it was slain by Cooper, the resident Watcher.
“How long ago did such an incident occur? I never heard of this.”
If the accounts I have heard are true, it was the same night that you and Zach drew swords against Shimay.
“Stavros has been known to take the form of a great wolf and Pupill is just the kind of place he would strike.”
Again, I am of the same mind.
“And you say the phantom wolf was defeated by…
****Here concludes todays Page****
Be sure to pick up a copy direct from Amazon: The Eye of Mares – Out now!
You could even let the adventure continue and check out its prequel, where the story began and the series was created: The Spirit of Iris – Out now!
****Book specifics****
Author: Rocky Rochford
Illustrator: Ashleigh Longman
Title: The Eye of Mares
Series: Book 2 of the Rise of the Elohim Chronicles
Genre: Illustrated YA fantasy adventure
Book Content Rating: Suitable for ages 12 and up
Tag-line: “Darkness has many forms and Mares is its playground.”
Blurb:
Nearly four years have passed since Zach drew blade against the Shanzi Shimay and now the time has come for him to draw his sword once more. The Realm of Mares has fallen victim to invasion as three terrifying beasts of darkness, seek to destroy the world around them, as they await the inevitable arrival of their King.
With dark times ahead, the numbers of the Watchers on Iris has grown, as Zach is joined by seven fellow students, all too eager to prove their worth. It’s not long before the students are put to the test facing off against the Nein Navy and uncover a dark secret.
The stage is set and the Battle for Mares is under-way.
Rocky Rochford Biography
Rocky Rochford is your standard guy, if your standard guy scuba dives, partakes in underwater photographer and is a wake-boarding, adventure seeking, sword collecting, marine conservation supporter. After living life on the road and the places between, he finally settled down but not without benefiting from all the lessons life had to teach him.
Self-professed “Student of Everything, and Master of Nothing,” Rochford does not choose what he writes, but writes what chooses him, be it fantasy, crime, poetry, philosophy or even adventure. Life is a journey we all get to experience, just like a good book.
Every read into another of his typed works is another trip into the imagination of his mixed up, crazed and deranged mind and this year along those works include the likes of full novels and novellas such as:
London Calling – a Deep Water Novel (Spy Thriller)
Don’t Even Blink – Part of the Don’t Turn Around Trilogy (Horror)
Wait and Bleed – The Don’t Turn Around Collection (Horror collection of the entire Don’t Trilogy)
And now The Eye of Mares – Book 2 of the Rise of the Elohim Chronicles (Illustrated YA fantasy adventure)
Other works released by him, are a number of short stories pertaining to horror, paranormal and romance, as well as other works released as part of an anthology:
The Devil You Know (Paranormal short)
Salt in the Wound – Part of the Entwined Saga (Paranormal short)
The Food of Love (featuring Him & Her) – An Anthology by Solstice Publishing (Romance filled Anthology)
Him & Her (Romance Standalone release)
Don’t Say A Word (Horror)
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Volume II (featuring The Devil Before) – An Anthology by the Solstice Shadows (Paranormal themed Anthology)
Awethology Dark (featuring Ghosts) – An Anthology by the #Awethors (Adult stories pertaining to a darker theme)
The December Awethology Dark Volume (featuring Seven Years Bad Luck) – An Anthology by the #Awethors (Adult stories pertaining to a darker theme, set around December)
****Welcome to the World of Rochford****
Social Media Links:
Rocky Rochford’s website: rockyrochford.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IamRockyRochford/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RockyRochford
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7310280.Rocky_Rochford
Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Rochford/e/B00O3AA3KU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1449272442&sr=8-1
Rochford writes a little something for everyone, so if Mares isn’t your cup of tea, you can guarantee one of his many other works certainly is!
The Bridge Between Yesterday and Tomorrow – Book Release!
Today Lisa Veldkamp’s first short-story will be released on Amazon. The Bridge is available both as paperback or e-book.
She found her inspiration in magical Dalarna, a county in Sweden. As her family-in-law lives there, this allows her to visit the country on a regular basis, especially in winter. This is where her creation of Eydis was born, a little troll girl who falls in love with a human boy.
Releasing The Bridge sort of became a family effort as the original sketch was made by her cousin Trudy v/d Bosch-Veldkamp. The poem featuring in both the book and the book trailer was made by her cousin Tom v/d Vlies. And her own husband, a goldsmith, created the emerald ring Eydis receives from her father.
The Bridge was first released on the 18th of October 2015 as part of an anthology created by the #Awethors, Awethology Light. As the word implies, there was also a Dark version released by Plaisted Publishing House. You can download both e-book versions for FREE on Amazon!
To get you in the holiday spirit, here’s the booktrailer for The Bridge Between Yesterday and Tomorrow. The music was provided by pianist Donna Verdell.
About the book
“Hello human child. My name is Eydis. I’m a troll-girl who’s in big trouble. You see, I’ve fallen for one of your kind. A human boy. Talib. He’s just so nice – I can’t stay away from him. If my father finds out though, I don’t know what will happen. Humans are not supposed to know we exist and I just broke the rules. Oh, did I mention he’s also the king and I’m heir to the throne? Yes – like I said. Big trouble.”
Deep in the woods, below the rocks and in the caves, there lies a world unknown to us. They are part of our stories though. Part of our heritage, our legends and myths. Trolls. However, they might not be what you expect them to be. What if you meet one of them? Would you believe your eyes? Would you be brave enough to follow them? To go on an adventure?
Available to buy here:
Paperback US
http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Between-Yesterday-Tomorrow-Swedish/dp/1522818669/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450538674&sr=1-4&keywords=lisa+veldkamp
Kindle US
http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Between-Yesterday-Tomorrow-Swedish-ebook/dp/B019KHHI6C/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450538674&sr=1-3&keywords=lisa+veldkamp
Paperback UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1522818669/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1450538838&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX220_SY330_QL65&keywords=lisa+veldkamp&dpPl=1&dpID=511pppZZlBL&ref=plSrch
Kindle UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B019KHHI6C/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1450538838&sr=8-3&keywords=lisa+veldkamp&dpPl=1&dpID=61zHdbbVl-L&ref=plSrch&pi=SY200_QL40
About the author
Lisa is the author of the poetry collections Nothing is Forgotten, When Words Start To Sing and The Elemental, book I of The Fire Trilogy. The Elemental is her first full-length novel, released on Halloween 2015 by Booktrope Publishing, Seattle WA. She also wrote The Bridge Between Yesterday and Tomorrow, her first short story for teenagers, which was released 18 October 2015 in the anthology Awethology Light by Plaisted Publishing.
Lisa has a background in social services and music, but writing has always been a part of her daily life. One night she dreamed the outlines of The Elemental and took it as a sign from the Universe to pursue a career in writing.
She grew up in a small town in the Netherlands where her parents always taught her to think outside the box. She has a degree in social studies and joined the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids as an adult.
Lisa loves London, according to her ‘the city where magic dwells’ and can often be found there. She still resides in the Netherlands however with her partner and their dog Miss Ginger Rogers and if you’re lucky, you may find her in her favourite coffeehouse, Barista cafe.
Lisa is also a freelance copywriter for CAPSLOC, a music venue in The Netherlands and an editor for Folk Harp Folks, a magazine published by The Dutch Folk Harp society.
Links
Website: www.the-elemental.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theelemental
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Lisa_Elemental
Blog: themoderndruidess.wordpress.com
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/628519.Lisa
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOoWcrbEWpIm31mP3owna_A
Newsletter: http://the-elemental.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c33e2d60719e4f014ec9cfadb&id=bc650b1a7e
Would you like to win a £10 Amazon giftcard?
All you have to do is share the links below for The Phoenix Project to your facebook wall and tag five friends who might be interested in reading it. (Also tag DM Cain so I can see your post!) Then you will be entered into a draw to win the giftcard. It’s that simple!
Here are the links you can share:
Amazon:
US http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195A6AYK – http://amzn.to/1NKjbrt
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0195A6AYK – http://amzn.to/1QAoJW9
Nook:
http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/the-phoenix-project-by-dm-cain/2940157645656
Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-phoenix-project-dm-cain/1123117161
I am so delighted to be hosting the wonderful Megan O’Russell today for her release of ‘Nuttycracker Sweet’. Earlier this year I read her magnificent ‘The Tethering’ so I am always keen to read new works by her. I was lucky enough to interview Megan about herself and this new book.
About the Book
Title: Nuttycracker Sweet
Author: Megan O’Russell
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC
Release Date: December 8, 2015
Pointe shoes, tutus, and a snowy road trip with the man she hates. What could possibly go wrong?
The plan was simple. Get to Portland, dance The Nutcracker, and don’t murder your dance partner. And most definitely, do not, under any circumstances, fall in love with him.
A snowy road trip strands Elle Grant in a tiny cabin better suited for serial killings than rehearsals for two professional ballet dancers. With no one but the incredibly talented, excruciatingly handsome, and notoriously terrible Zachary Benson and a few taxidermy woodland creatures for company, Elle’s Christmas plans are officially ruined. Can she and Zach learn to like each other enough to dance together? And can Elle get home without losing her heart to the Christmas Cavalier?
Interview
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a professional musical theatre performer. I spend most of my time (when I’m not writing) onstage, wearing sequins and fake eyelashes. I spent a lot of time in ballet class when I was little and as a dance major in college, but I never had any desire to be a professional ballerina. Now I’ve finally found a use for all those hours in pointe shoes.
Which books or films inspire your writing?
For Nuttycracker Sweet a lot of the inspiration comes from not only the ballet the Nutcracker, but also the legendary womanizers that filled the ballet world. Mikhail Baryshnikov in the movie White Nights is a great example of how sexy male ballet dancers can be.
Which character from the book would you most like to meet and why?
Ty, Elle’s roommate, just because I think the two of us would have a fabulous time together.
If you could be transported into the world of your story, how would you spend the day?
I would spend my day enjoying Christmas. Either holed up next to the fireplace in a log cabin or enjoying the sights of Manhattan. Either way, I’m a sap for a snowy Christmas.
Do you have any quirky writing traditions or habits?
I make my husband read my manuscripts aloud to me before I’ll even consider submitting them. It really does help with catching mistakes. It could just be the actor in me, but hearing the words read aloud helps me to understand a character’s speech pattern and make sure the story flows properly.
Are you a planner or do you tend to ‘wing it’ when you’re writing?
I know where I’m starting from. I know where I want to end up. But I just sort of wing it in the middle and see where the characters and the story want to go. Sometimes you end up with taxidermy. But that’s what makes writing an adventure!
About the Author
Megan is thrilled to be working with Fiery Seas Publishing! Her other published works include Young Adult fantasy novels The Tethering and The Siren’s Realm. Megan is also a featured author in the Athena’s Daughters 2 anthology of women in speculative fiction.
Megan is a professional performer who travels the country living out a thousand lives on stage. Her wonderful husband and frequent dance partner is always by her side.
For more information on Megan’s books, you can visit her website at meganorussell.com
Social Media:
It’s taken many an hour slogging away over the manuscript, making tweaks and changes and tearing my hair out, but the new version of The Phoenix Project is finally here!
This brand new edition of my dystopian, psychological thriller The Phoenix Project will be re-released on December 11th. It was originally published in May 2014, and this new Booktrope edition has had a complete editing overhaul plus a stunning new cover design.
The book will be available to buy from a wide range of digital and paperback distributors, including Amazon:
Nook:
http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/the-phoenix-project-by-dm-cain/2940157645656
Amazon:
US http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195A6AYK – http://amzn.to/1NKjbrt
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0195A6AYK – http://amzn.to/1QAoJW9
Synopsis:
How can you fight to the death, when you’ve given up on life?
A thought provoking and compelling dystopian world that will change the way you view justice…
A man fights for life—and redemption—in D. M. Cain’s riveting re-released novel, The Phoenix Project.
Britain has descended into chaos as violence and terrorist attacks seethe across this once-peaceful country. Outraged by the steady stream of lawlessness, citizens demand a harsher penal system, and the Phoenix Project is born.
In prisons across the country, inmates fight to the death in a weekly bloodbath while the nation cheers them on.
Raven Kennedy, a prisoner who has never forgiven himself for his unspeakable crime, struggles against his own guilt and self-loathing. But even as the real war wages on within himself, Raven is forced to battle some of the prison’s most ruthless killing machines. Can he survive long enough to unravel the anger and regret that shackle him—and one day find the forgiveness he seeks?
‘The Phoenix Project by D.M. Cain is a superbly written debut, soaked in tension and intrigue,’ Jack Croxall, author of the ‘Tethers’ trilogy.
An interesting fact about The Phoenix Project: The horrifying ‘dark room’ in The Phoenix Project (a pitch-black sensory deprivation cell) was inspired by D.M. Cain’s visit to the Terror Haza in Budapest—a museum dedicated to the fascistic and communistic regimes that operated from the building. In the cellar of the Terror Haza are the old cells used to imprison and torture inmates. D.M. crawled inside a very low cell and shut the door, casting herself into total darkness. It was terrifying and claustrophobic, and she only lasted five minutes in there!
Extract from Chapter One:
This is the opening, which throws us straight into Raven preparing for his first fight to the death
Cold, dark terror trickled through Raven Kennedy’s veins, freezing him on the spot. There was a thunderous drumbeat echoing around his skull and it took him a while to realise it was the relentless, agitated pounding of his own heart.
As he became more nervous, more afraid of his looming fate, his breath came quickly, sticking in his throat and choking him. A cough threatened to burst forth from his lips, but he held it in, afraid it would bring with it the contents of his stomach—the bland, tasteless meal he had been given in his cell.
It was the worst possible time to feel weak, but Raven felt like he could hardly lift his arms, his exhaustion was so great. He hadn’t slept a wink last night. How could he with today hovering over him?
The time for his first fight had come around quickly. He’d hardly been given time to think about it at all. Raven looked down at his hands and was not surprised to see they were shaking.
His opponent’s name was Wilson. Raven knew nothing else about him. He’d never spoken to him, had never even met him. Had they passed one another in the dining hall and never even looked up? If he had spoken to him would that make what he was about to do any easier?
He heard heavy footsteps in the corridor and his heart jumped into his throat. They were coming for him.
I had the chance to talk to the amazing Chess Desalls today about my upcoming re-release of The Phoenix Project on December 11th. Check out the interview here!
Want to win these AMAZING prizes? Simply enter our rafflecopter giveaway for multiple chances to win 3 paperbacks and a whole lot of extra goodies!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d333a7cc5/?
Hi everybody! I need some help with my release of The Phoenix Project through US publisher Booktrope. I have set up a Thunderclap campaign to try and get the word out. Any support would be greatly appreciated.
https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/35467-the-phoenix-project-release
Thank you so much!
Immersive fantasy fiction 