Immersive fantasy fiction

‘Nuttycracker Sweet’ – a contemporary Christmas romance

Around six months ago I was lucky enough to read ‘The Tethering’ by Megan O’Russell. this fantastic YA fantasy blew me away with its engaging storyline and likable characters. Well, here she is again with another cracker (pun thoroughly intended!)

Nuttycracker Sweet by Megan O’Russell

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC

Pre-order/Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Nuttycracker-Sweet-Megan-ORussell-ebook/dp/B018DDKLR2/

Release Date: December 8, 2015

Book Trailer Link: https://youtu.be/JtCwOu8QT58

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?

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:

Twitter

Facebook

Blog

Nov 24, 2015Nov 24, 2015 by dmcain84

50 Awesome Moments Only Writers Would Understand

I have experienced pretty much all of these (and many of them on a daily basis!)

Nov 14, 2015 by dmcain84

I wrote a book!

As an author, I constantly beat myself up about my work – day in, day out. Why haven’t I finished my work-in-progress yet? This piece isn’t edited well enough. Am I clearly defining the plot/character/location? Why isn’t my book getting as many reviews as other people’s?

I often forget to just sit back and look at what I do objectively. I wrote a book for goodness’ sake!

Do you know how many people yearn to write what is inside their hearts and never manage to actually get it down on paper? Well, I did.

So I say, forget all the stressful hard work and confidence bashing that comes with writing and, from time to time, just sit back and say to yourself – I achieved something incredible.

Nov 9, 2015Nov 7, 2015 by dmcain84

I won the #awethors opening lines competition!

Hooray! I won the #Awethors ‘opening lines’ competition with the first line of my psychological dystopian thriller The Phoenix Project:

“Cold, dark terror trickled through Raven Kennedy’s veins, freezing him on the spot.”

I will now be featured on the #Awethors website and have earned bragging rights 😉

Dark, dystopian thriller The Phoenix Project - soon to be re-released through Booktrope — Dark, dystopian thriller The Phoenix Project – soon to be re-released through Booktrope

Nov 7, 2015Nov 7, 2015 by dmcain84

Secrets of The Phoenix Project

Secrets of The Phoenix Project…

The Phoenix Project was an idea floating around in my head for 10 years before it finally saw the light of day. All the characters, locations and events were gradually built upon to become what they are today. So here are some of the early influences on the novel.

When hunting through my old notes from the very early versions of the book, I found these pictures. I cut them from magazines when I was around 18 years old and for years they were the perfect images for my characters. My ideas have changed somewhat (especially for Khan, who looks far too sweet here!), but the main ideas remained the same.

Alexia, Khan, Kiri and Seraphia

I even tried drawing some of my characters years ago! I have absolutely no talent in drawing so these are not very good – but they allowed me to get a better idea of the characters early on. Alexia and Raven

Raven has also been a mixture of various people – both real and imaginary. I was working on the same character for a long time and he grew and developed into both Vincent Wilder from the Light and Shadow Chronicles, and Raven Kennedy from The Phoenix Project. Therefore, much of Raven’s character is from him. However, parts of him have been based around the following people:

Raven has always had dark hair and intense eyes. The first person I saw in a movie that really looked like my image of him was Billy Crudup as Tommy Marcano in the film ‘Sleepers.’

Then I watched ‘Sunshine’ starring Cillian Murphy, and I loved the intensity of his eyes, and the haunted look he always has about him!

Another good model for Raven is Aidan Turner – especially in ‘Being Human’. I like the darkness of his eyes, (though I think he may be a bit too ‘pretty’ for Raven!)

The closest I’ve come yet to an actor who looks a lot like my image of Raven is Santiago Cabrera as Isaac in Heroes. As a character that deals with mental health issues, Isaac reminded me a lot of Raven and that brooding intensity he has is just perfect!

So, what do you think? If you have read The Phoenix Project why not drop me a line and let me know who you pictured when you were reading the book. Maybe your idea of Raven (or any of the characters) will be very different to mine, but I’d love to know!

Nov 2, 2015Sep 27, 2020 by dmcain84

Relaunch promotion for Marnie Cate’s ‘Remember’

Remember: Protectors of the Elemental Magic

Relaunch Tour

To celebrate the relaunch of Marnie Cate’s beloved first novel, Remember: Protectors of the Elemental Magic, it will be available on Kindle for $0.99 / £0.99 beginning October 29, 2015 through November 4, 2015

Author: Marnie Cate

Title: Remember: Protectors of the Elemental Magic

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Synopsis

Hiding the truth from you is no longer protecting you. Sit and I will tell you what you need to know.

With those words, the secrets of my great grandmother, Genevieve Silver, were unburied and my role as a protector of the elemental magic was revealed.

My name is Marina Addisyn Stone but Mara is what my friends and family call me. I had always felt that there was something missing and that nothing was permanent. Why would I feel that way? I was being raised with my little sister by my grandmother that loved and doted on me. Then, there was Cole Sands. Who could forget the blue-eyed boy that had stolen my heart? What more could a girl need? I always thought I was just being dramatic and that bad things do happen to people but that is part of life. People die. People go away. Little did I know that with one secret, my life would change forever and my new world would be surrounded by the world of elemental magic?

————————————————————————–

Excerpt

As I felt my determination build, the mirror in front of me began to change and the reflection filled with rippling water. The image made me think of the choppy water of Sparrow Lake. At first, the small waves were calm but the speed and intensity of each movement of the water grew. I found myself being splashed as the waves grew harder and began to slap against the mirror. Standing up, I moved away just in time to watch the mirror before me shatter and the violent water burst out towards me.

The room began to fill with rushing water. Feeling around the room, I searched for an exit. Behind the shattered mirror, I only found solid rock. Looking to the ceiling, I could see the same hard stone. Feeling the emotions build inside me, I began search the floor and walls around me for any exit.

“Damn! Damn! Damn it!” I cried.

The water did not slow. Instead it continued to fill the room as I frantically searched for my escape. The water soon reached my knees and, what seemed like seconds later, I was wading through waist high water. As the water continued to rise, I was soon struggling to keep my head above water. It was not enough that the water was filling the room so rapidly but soon the water felt alive. The cold waves kept tossing me back and forth as the water rose and I began to feel like I was in a game of Ping-Pong where I was the ball. Soon, I found myself pulled under the icy water and surrounded by thousands of bubbles. Frantically kicking my feet to keep my head above water, I broke the surface.

Remembering the swimming lessons my grandfather insisted on, I thought about the times I spent with my grandfather learning to swim. I began to feel less scared as I recalled his calm voice and gentle words telling me that I would be safe. As I floated in the rising water, it seemed to respond to my emotions. The thrashing became calmer as I focused on my grandfather’s words. My brief moment of peace did not last. Before I knew it, I had almost reached the ceiling that had no exit and I began to panic. At this rate, I would be trapped and drowned in minutes. As if it was feeding off my fear, the water began to toss me around again.

As the water began to rise up my neck and almost over the top of my head, I tried to calm myself. You are the granddaughter of Mae Veracor and the great granddaughter of Genevieve Silver. You are the descendent of strong women. You have nothing to fear. With these words, the water once again calmed and I was able to tilt my head back above the water. How am I going to get out of this?

Remember: Protectors of the Elemental Magic is on sale $0.99 / £0.99 Kindle from Thursday, October 29th to Wednesday, November 4th!

————————————————————————–

Amazon Book link: My Book

Marnie Cate Biography

Marnie Cate was born and raised in Montana before adventuring to the warmer states of Arizona and California. Her love of Dame Judi Dench and dreams of caticorns and rainbows inspired her to chase her dreams. One great sentence came to mind and the world of elemental magic and the humans they lived amongst filled her mind. With Remember, the story has begun.

Other Works by Marnie Cate

Exigency: Protectors of the Elemental Magic – Coming Soon

The story of Mara Stone continues. Her world was shaken but she is a fighter. Facing new adversaries, Mara is learning what it truly means to protect the magic.

Awethology Light – Contribution Story

Beginnings: Protectors of the Elemental Magic (Novellette)

The story of Genevieve Silver and the origins of the protectors of the magic. With the balance of the elemental world shaken, four elementals take on the task of protecting the magic.

Links:

http://www.marniecate.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarnieCate

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00UJNT7J8

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Marnie_Cate

Twitter: @Marnie_Cate

Oct 29, 2015Oct 28, 2015 by dmcain84

Wondering What The Shield On My Book Covers Means? Find Out!

Many people have asked me about the meaning of the shield and symbols on the front of A Chronicle of Chaos and The Shield of Soren, so I thought I’d take some time out to explain the significance of the artwork.

Each of the symbols on the shield represents a different faction in the war which rages across the land in the Light and Shadow Chronicles series. Some of the symbols are linked to the Children of Light, some the Brotherhood of Shadow and some entirely different groups of people (or creatures!) altogether.

Avalanche

Avalanche – a small elite unit of warriors fighting for the Children of Light. Some of the best soldiers in the whole series fight under this banner.
Characters you may have met: Raven Lennox, Deacon Thialdor, Ryan Thialdor, Tiger Lennox

Light and Shadow Chronicles Children of Light army sigil symbol — Children of Light

Children of Light – One of the armies in the eternal war, led by immortal matriarch and warrior, Callista Nienna.
Characters you may have met: Callista Nienna, Hayden Lennox, Scorpio Bast, Kham Nitaya, Deveron Nitaya

Light and Shadow Chronicles Nightfall army sigil symbol — Nightfall

Nightfall – another elite unit of soldiers, this time from the generation below Avalanche. They formed their unit out of jealousy that they couldn’t get into Avalanche! They are impetuous, rash and often uncompromising.
Characters you may have met: Chaos Lennox, Dana Thialdor (originally named Deianira Thialdor), Mercury Lennox, Syfer Lennox

Light and Shadow Chronicles demons army sigil symbol — Demons

Demons – residents of Hell who have been summoned to fight for the Brotherhood of Shadow.
Characters you may have met: Anathema, Phantom, Malla (originally named Maleficia), Anubis, Reign (half demon)

Light and Shadow Chronicles Valhalla Elite army sigil symbol — Valhalla Elite

Valhalla Elite – an elite unit of warriors in the Brotherhood of Shadow which formed to counterbalance the threat from Avalanche.
Characters you may have met: (There is not much mention of these guys in A Chronicle of Chaos – the only character briefly seen is Vincent Wilda’s son, Silas)

Light and Shadow Chronicles Brotherhood of Shadow army sigil symbol — Brotherhood of Shadow

The Brotherhood of Shadow -the army opposing the Children of Light in the eternal war, led by immortal warrior Vincent Wilda.
Characters you may have met: Vincent Wilda, The Bavelize (ish – he is working with them currently), Guardian, Reign,

Light and Shadow Chronicles DUSK army sigil symbol — D.U.S.K.

D.U.S.K – The Democratic Union of Separatist Knights – a group of people who broke away from the two warring sides to form their own nation.

Characters you may have met: They haven’t appeared in the books yet, but will do soon!

Light and Shadow Chronicles Angels army sigil symbol — Angels

Angels – a group of Heavenly beings that come to the Human Realm when the world is threatened by demons.
Characters you may have met: Icarus, Samael, Ceres, Tenshi, Cassandra, Anna

In A Chronicle of Chaos the two most prominent factions are Nightfall and demons. As such, those two sections are highlighted. The Shield of Soren has angels and the Children of Light highlighted. In future books, different sections will be highlighted depending on the characters featured.

Comment below – which symbol/faction do you like best?

Wondering What The Shield On My Book Cover Means? Find Out!

Many people have asked me about the meaning of the shield and symbols on the front of A Chronicle of Chaos, so I thought I’d take some time out to explain the significance of the artwork.

Children of Light – One of the armies in the eternal war, led by immortal matriarch and warrior, Callista Nienna.
Characters you may have met: Callista Nienna, Hayden Lennox, Scorpio Bast

Demons – residents of Hell who have been summoned to fight for the Brotherhood of Shadow.
Characters you may have met: Anathema, Phantom, Malla (originally named Maleficia), Anubis

D.U.S.K – The Democratic Union of Separatist Knights – a group of people who broke away from the two warring sides to form their own nation.

Characters you may have met: They haven’t appeared in the books yet, but will do soon!

Angels – a group of Heavenly beings that come to the Human Realm when the world is threatened by demons.
Characters you may have met: Icarus, Samael

In A Chronicle of Chaos the two most prominent factions are Nightfall and demons. As such, those two sections are highlighted. In future books, different sections will be highlighted depending on the characters featured.

Oct 28, 2015Oct 28, 2015 by dmcain84

Stunning new cover for ‘A Game For Assassins’

This month, thriller author James Quinn has re-released his edge-of-your-seat political thriller ‘A Game For Assassins’. This stylish new cover casts the perfect image for such a gripping, dramatic storyline.

I spoke with James Quinn about his book:

Introduction:

In association with my publishers – Creativia Publishing – we have decided to spruce up the cover of AGFA. It was felt that since the interior of the book had been brought up to a high standard in terms of story, proofing and editing, we should also afford the same courtesy to the cover.

What we have now is a stylish, theme orientated cover that oozes “Cold War” espionage and action and which grabs the reader’s attention.

I hope you all approve.

Please feel free to share and thanks for all your help

James Quinn

Synopsis:

The assassination of a Caribbean dictator….

The “hit” on a traitor in Beirut……

The brutal murder of a young CIA officer behind the Iron Curtain…..

It is 1964, the height of the Cold War, and British Intelligence is riding high with its top double agent network: Constellation.

But in the secret war fought across Europe the enemy is never far away and soon the agents of Constellation are targeted by an unknown team of assassins. In desperation British Intelligence sends in their best agent to protect the network and hunt down the killers.

Jack “Gorilla” Grant isn’t your typical Cold War secret agent. Short, tough, uncompromising, rough edged. He doesn’t fit in with the elitist spies and debonair intelligence agents. He prefers working at the rough end of British covert operations.

But “Gorilla” is one of the best “Redactors” in the business. He’s an expert at close quarter combat: quick to the draw and deadly accurate when it comes to the elimination of traitors and extremists on behalf of the British Secret Service (SIS). He is soon drawn into a game of cross and double cross where nothing is as it seems and even the most perfect spy can die in a wilderness of mirrors.

“A Game for Assassins” is an action packed edge of your seat thrill ride played out across the global stage of the Cold War.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

James Quinn spent 15 years in the secret world of covert operations, undercover investigations and international security before turning his hand to writing.

He is trained in hand to hand combat and in the use of a variety of weaponry including small edged weapons, Japanese Swords and Hunting Bows. He is also a crack pistol shot for CQB (Close Quarter Battle) and many of his experiences he has incorporated into his works of fiction.

He lives in the United Kingdom and travels extensively around the globe.

For more information check out the James Quinn Website:

http://jamesquinn.webs.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/James-Quinn/1558765681046413

Twitter: James Quinn – Author @Ape101Quinn

http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00VRR0DYI?ref_=pe_1805931_64002121

http://www.amazon.com/James-Quinn/e/B00VRR0DYI/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Oct 20, 2015 by dmcain84

Awethology Dark

Extract from D.M. Cain’s piece in this anthology, entitled ‘The End’:

How do you convince people you’re not crazy when the world around you is insane and you’re the only one who can see the truth? These stupid people are walking to their deaths, every single one of them. They don’t even know it and no matter how much I scream it at them, they won’t listen. I wave my sign backwards and forwards in front of their faces but they back away from me, their eyes wide and afraid as if I’m threatening them, rather than trying to save their skins. So I shout louder and soldier on pointlessly, knowing that I must do something. Knowing that I am the only one who can save them when the end comes. Because it is coming, and it’s coming soon.

My name is Wayne Dixon. I’m fifty-seven years old and I’ve been chosen to save the world.