I’m going to be hosting a 30 minute takeover slot at the cover reveal party for ‘Hart of Country’ by Kris Nacole on Sunday. I’m excited – it’s going to be so much fun! Why not pop over and join us? I’ll be discussing my soon to be released fantasy ‘A Chronicle of Chaos’ as well as a brand new project I’ve started 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/events/768043390006722/
BLOG BOOK BLAST TOUR
Exigency (Protectors of the Elemental Magic Book 2)
Author: Marnie Cate
Title: Exigency
Series: The Protectors of the Elemental Magic Series
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Romance
Synopsis:
There is a world around us that most people don’t take the time to see.
Mara Stone’s world was shaken, but she is a fighter. Facing new adversaries, Mara is learning what it truly means to protect the magic. As she starts to rebuild her life, the web of her family’s secrets continues to unravel. Mara is forced to face her fear of losing everything she holds dear.
She said that you would be a challenge to my children. I thought I had made the right choice when I selected Eliza. If only Mae had not interfered. But, enough of those sad thoughts, I think the two of you will be perfect replacements.
When Mara and Cole find themselves in the cold world of Snowstrum, they will have to choose either to be true to their promise to protect the magic, or to follow their desires. Magic may not be enough to free them from the icy fortress they are trapped in.
The second book in the Protectors of the Elemental Magic series, Exigency is a compelling, magical young adult fantasy tale.
Excerpt
As I continued walking, the air died down but I quickly found myself encompassed by a dense fog. My hair was no longer blinding me but I could barely see my hand in front of me. A soft voice in me told me to just to keep walking and I listened until I stepped into cold water.
“Damn it,” I cried out.
Not sure where I was I stopped and called, “Air, please blow away this fog and let me see where I am.”
Sitting down, I waited while the moist vapor drifted away showing me that I was on the rocky shore of Sparrow Lake. Sitting down, I wrapped my arms around my legs and gently began to rock myself. How did I get so far from home? I felt as if I was losing a connection with reality. I kept telling myself that if I just listened to my heart everything would be as planned. As I questioned my recent behavior and my faith that the Goddess would guide me, I heard a crackling sound behind me. Turning to the direction of the noise, I saw a shadow quickly dart through the tree line.
Calling out, I said, “Stop! Who are you? Why are you following me?”
No response came from the forest. Standing to face the unknown, the cold breeze off the lake picked up and covered my arms with goosebumps. Rubbing my arms frantically to warm up, I called out again.
“Whoever is out there, show yourself,” I said.
“With all the magic you hold, you could easily climb up the mountain and give them what they deserve,” said the bewitching voice of a woman.
“You could start a little fire. One little ball of your magic could ignite the forest surrounding them. It would grow and grow until it would burn the mansion down. Or you could call a great wind and bring everything and everyone inside down into a crumbling ruin.”
With more anger, the voice said, “And there is always my favorite. You can call the rain and demand it to pour down. Calling more and more of your magic until you finally send everything off the mountain. Mudslides happen all the time.”
“Or if you wanted to be lazy, you can just ask the ground to shake and shake and shake until you have created dust out of them all.”
The voice taunted, “Wouldn’t it be so easy? Don’t you think they deserve to be punished for what they did…?”
————————————————————————–
Amazon Book link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BVSJU5K
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 her first book Remember: Protectors of the Elemental Magic, the story has just begun.
Links:
Marnie Cate’s website: marniecate.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarnieCate
Twitter: twitter.com/Marnie_Cate
Pinterest: pinterest.com/marniecate
Goodreads: goodreads.com/Marnie_Cate
Amazon page: amazon.com/dp/B01BVSJU5K/
Today I am absolutely delighted to be hosting sci-fi and horror mastermind Stewart Bint as he releases his newly-edited version of Timeshaft. I LOVED this book – so gripping, so enthralling, so utterly mind-bending! If you like Doctor Who, the Time Machine and other time-travel stories, you are sure to love this too!
Blurb:
By the twenty-seventh century, mankind has finally mastered time travel—and is driving recklessly towards wiping itself out. The guerilla environmentalist group WorldSave, with its chief operative Ashday’s Child, uses the Timeshaft to correct mistakes of the past in an effort to extend the life of the planet.
But the enigmatic Ashday’s Child has his own destiny to accomplish, and will do whatever it takes within a complicated web of paradoxes to do so. While his destiny—and very existence—is challenged from the beginning to the end of time, he must collect the key players through the ages to create the very Timeshaft itself.
“Do our actions as time travellers change what would otherwise have happened, or is everything already laid down in a predetermined plan?” he asks. Stewart Bint’s Timeshaft is an expertly synchronized saga of time travel, the irresistible force of destiny, and the responsibility of mankind as rulers of the world.
Following the fortunes of two sets of time travellers, Timeshaft extends Stewart Bint’s popular novellas, Malfunction and Ashday’s Child (both published by Smashwords in 2012), linking the two completely unrelated storylines into a full-length novel.
Set in Australia, London and Scotland, along with an unknown geographical location called Thiecon, Timeshaft combines Ashday’s Child’s activities and hidden agenda, with an accident befalling the very first time journey by the fledgling Time Research And Exploration Project, rocking along to the past and future with paradoxes and twists galore.
Buy Timeshaft on Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Timeshaft-Stewart-Bint/dp/1513706888/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Buy Timeshaft on Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/Timeshaft-Stewart-Bint/dp/1513706888/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Barnes and Noble:
About the author:
Stewart Bint is a novelist, magazine columnist and PR writer. He lives with his wife, Sue, in Leicestershire, in the UK, and has two grown-up children, Christopher and Charlotte.
He is a former radio presenter, newsreader and phone-in show host, but always wanted to become a fiction writer — a dream that came true when his first novel was published in 2012 at the age of 56. Now the author of five novels, a collection of short stories and a compilation of his early magazine columns, he was signed by Booktrope in 2015, who published a revised edition of his paranormal novel, In Shadows Waiting, in August.
Other books by Stewart Bint:
In Shadows Waiting http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadows-Waiting-Stewart-Bint-ebook/dp/B013F7WOGW/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
The Jigsaw And The Fan http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jigsaw-Fan-Stewart-Bint-ebook/dp/B00D0ST8G6/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Malfunction https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/166088
Ashday’s Child https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/211833
Thunderlands http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thunderlands-Stewart-Bint-ebook/dp/B00QPBGVR4/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Up Close And Personal http://www.amazon.co.uk/Up-Close-Personal-Stewart-Bint-ebook/dp/B00ONSE3SU/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
He has also contributed to three short story anthologies:
Awethology Dark http://www.amazon.co.uk/Awethology-Dark-Awethors/dp/1518726453/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
December Awethology Light http://www.amazon.co.uk/December-Awethology-Light-Awethors-ebook/dp/B018XWC4WS/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Blood Moon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Moon-Anthologies-Heart-Book-ebook/dp/B00WN8HKEQ/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
As a member of a local barefoot hiking group, when not writing he can often be found hiking in bare feet on woodland trails and urban streets.
Stewart Bint online:
Website and blog: http://stewartbintauthor.weebly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StewartBintAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorsjb
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stewart-Bint/e/B00D18IARS
Amazon USA: http://www.amazon.com/Stewart-Bint/e/B00D18IARS
Today is the cover reveal day for science fiction thriller ‘Timeshaft’ by the amazing Stewart Bint. This book was originally published on Smashwords in 2013 and is a firm favourite of mine. Mind-bending time-travel science fiction and excellent writing make this an excellent read.
Now with with a brand new dazzling front cover by Troy Johnson, and a thorough re-editing (plus a number of new scenes including new begining and ending), I am very excited to read this brand new Booktrope edition!
So without further ado, here is the striking new cover!
Blurb:
By the twenty-seventh century, mankind has finally mastered time travel—and is driving recklessly towards wiping itself out. The guerilla environmentalist group WorldSave, with its chief operative Ashday’s Child, uses the Timeshaft to correct mistakes of the past in an effort to extend the life of the planet.
But the enigmatic Ashday’s Child has his own destiny to accomplish, and will do whatever it takes within a complicated web of paradoxes to do so. While his destiny—and very existence—is challenged from the beginning to the end of time, he must collect the key players through the ages to create the very Timeshaft itself.
“Do our actions as time travellers change what would otherwise have happened, or is everything already laid down in a predetermined plan?” he asks. Stewart Bint’s Timeshaft is an expertly synchronized saga of time travel, the irresistible force of destiny, and the responsibility of mankind as rulers of the world.
All about Stewart Bint:
Stewart Bint is a novelist, magazine columnist and PR writer. He lives with his wife, Sue, in Leicestershire, in the UK, and has two grown-up children, Christopher and Charlotte.
He is a former radio presenter, newsreader and phone-in show host, but always wanted to become a fiction writer — a dream that came true when his first novel was published in 2012 at the age of 56. Now the author of five novels, a collection of short stories and a compilation of his early magazine columns, he was signed by Booktrope in 2015, who published a revised edition of his paranormal novel, In Shadows Waiting, in August.
They are publishing a revised and re-edited edition of Timeshaft shortly.
As a member of a local barefoot hiking group, when not writing he can often be found hiking in bare feet on woodland trails and urban streets.
Stewart Bint online:
Website and blog: http://stewartbintauthor.weebly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StewartBintAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorsjb
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stewart-Bint/e/B00D18IARS
Amazon USA: http://www.amazon.com/Stewart-Bint/e/B00D18IARS
Inspiration for The Phoenix Project
The Phoenix Project is a story that is very close to my heart. I had the original idea in 2002 and it has slowly grown with the input of a variety of influences and inspirations.
Raven Kennedy: Raven began as the villain, Vincent, in my first novel “Dead End” (an idea which never came to fruition). The plot didn’t work, but I adored his character so I kept him and developed him more as an antagonist in the fantasy world of ‘The Light and Shadow Chronicles’ (You may have met him in the first of the series, ‘A Chronicle of Chaos’).
I loved the character so much that I took the idea of him and developed it in another direction—into the dark and depressed Raven in my next novel, ‘The Phoenix Project.’
Having worked with Raven for so long, I am very emotionally attached to him. Even though he is fictional, I feel that he is a part of my heart and soul. Hence this tattoo:
Raven also features as a major character in ‘The Light and Shadow Chronicles.’ I don’t think I will ever write a book that doesn’t have Raven in it in some way. He is my muse and my access to my creativity.
The decline of religion: Religion plays an important role in my life, which is unusual, as I am agnostic. I feel that faith is beautiful and special. I, sadly, am not lucky enough to have it myself, but I don’t understand why people blame religion for the world’s problems. I wanted to portray a world which was clearly worse for the decline of religion in an attempt to show the benefits of faith.
Salverford prison: I travelled a lot whilst I was writing ‘The Phoenix Project’ and many of the places that I visited helped to fuel my imagination and give depth to my work. On a trip to Rome, I visited the Colosseum and was inspired by the ancient building. The exhibits on gladiators gave me a deeper understanding of the life of a person forced to fight to the death. I was able to pick out certain details and use them in ‘The Phoenix Project’ – such as the type of food gladiators were given to eat.
I also spent some time in Krakow, Poland, and visited Aushwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. I’ll never forget the horror of the place, particularly Block 11, the torture and incarceration block. The long, thin cell which Raven passes in the Ruby Tower dungeons comes directly from a cell I saw at Auschwitz-Birkenau. The descriptions of smoke billowing from small chimneys also come from things I saw at Auschwitz.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_11
The place which gave me the most inspiration for Salverford, especially the underground cellars of Ruby Tower and the dark room, was the Terror Haza Museum in Budapest. This museum is the old offices of the Soviet Union Stasi and, later, The Nazi party’s Gestapo. Underneath the building, in the cold, dark cellars, is a grim and depressing dungeon of tiny, damp cells and a crushing sense of futility. I crept inside one of the waist-high cells and sat in pitch darkness and felt despair crowding in on me. This is where the ‘dark room’ was born.
For more information on the Terror Haza Museum, visit:
http://www.terrorhaza.hu/en/museum/about_us.html
The Colosseum:
I love the city of Rome. I’ve visited three times and have loved it more every time! Setting the finale in Rome fitted in well with the religion theme and gave the novel a focus, but I also enjoyed writing about a place I loved so dearly. The Colosseum was a great place for Raven to end up as an ironic safe place.
As I was coming close to finishing ‘The Phoenix Project’, I was preparing myself to write the epilogue about Rome. My incredibly thoughtful husband surprised and delighted me by treating me to a holiday in Rome for Valentine’s day in 2010. It meant that I was able to write that final chapter in Rome itself.
Buy ‘The Phoenix Project’:
Nook:
http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/the-phoenix-project-by-dm-cain/2940157645656
Amazon:
US http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195A6AYK
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0195A6AYK
Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-phoenix-project-dm-cain/1123117161
iTunes:
Tales of Crime & Violence
The three book collector editions
BLURB.
This remarkable three volume collection encompasses numerous and varied stories of acts and deeds of crime and violence. Paul White has once again woven his masterly spell of intrigue into each stories plot. Secrecy, scheming, plotting and conspiracy live hand-in-hand with outrageous and shocking violence, viciousness and brutality.
All three volumes of Tales of Crime & Violence are packed with carnage and bloodshed and mayhem, while an ominous sense of sinister, physiological apprehension lingers in the dark shadows.
Tales of Crime & Violence contains graphic acts of violence, profanities and sexual reference. It is not recommended for reading for those under adult age.
Tales of Crime & Violence is available in a paperback collection of three volumes, or on Kindle as a complete ‘box-set’.
EXCERPT.
……….The Sheriff stopped, as did the two deputies in the following cruisers. Together we walked to the car. I handed one of the deputies the keys. You could feel the heat reflecting from the steel of the bodywork.
It was one hell of a hot day.
When the deputy opened the driver’s door a blast of superheated air escaped. It was so extreme it forced us to take a step backwards and twist our heads away from its intensity. But it was the smell which was most overpowering. I saw, but did not comprehend the glance between the law men. However, I knew that my day was going to get worse when they handcuffed me.
My day certainly became a living nightmare when they opened the trunk. Bobby lay inside. His throat had been sliced from ear to ear and his eyes gouged out. The heat had caused his body to swell and the blood to cook.
I only recognised him by his jeans and boots.
After that it was all a bit of a blur. I was bundled into the sheriff’s car and we raced the few miles to the motel. It looked as deserted as when I left a few hours ago.
From room fourteen all the way to room twenty the doors were open. They were the doors I kicked open during my frantic search for the others.
I explained this to the Officers.
The thing that interested the Sherriff was the sign hanging from the doorknob of room thirteen.
I had not noticed that sign in my earlier panicky state. It said ‘Do not disturb’. What was interesting the lawmen most was the smudged bloody handprint on that sign.
The Deputies drew their guns and crashed the door.
It flew open. The intense odour of putrid dead flesh flooded my nostrils.
Inside the room, laid out across the bed were Kathy and Taylor. They were tethered to the bedstead with strands of rusting wire cable, spread-eagled and naked. Their stomachs had been slit open and their entrails extended across the floor.
Those black flies and an army of brown rats were busily feasting on their remains………
BUY LINKS.
UK Paperback
US paperback
Kindle (worldwide).
My psychological dystopian thriller The Phoenix Project has a brand-new mini trailer! I’m so happy with the results 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXvGZoQ_Ftc
Want your own teaser trailer? This was from a fiverr gig, which you can access here: https://uk.fiverr.com/nomansalehzada/create-animated-book-cover-intro-video
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!
Immersive fantasy fiction 