Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Writing in Theory & Practice: Don't Lose Your Head

Words can heal or entertain, to be sure, but they can also become steely knives that cut uncomfortably deep, either leaving everlasting scars as cruel reminders or putrid wounds that pus and fester, oblivious to the march of time.

You would think that having a thick skin would be a prerequisite for being a writer, but as there has been an influx of folk taking the plunge, in no small part due to technology making publishing as easy as filling out an online form (funny how so many still manage to get it wrong, even when coddled by well-intentioned programmers), it looks to me that there's a whole flock of ink-slingers out there with raw nerves, eager to regurgitate their 140 characters of pompous bile.

Everyone's a small press, vanity, or self-publisher these days.

Everyone's a writer, author, wordsmith, warrior poet.

And everyone has a bloody opinion and a soapbox from which to voice it.

The internet is awash in drama. Every day there seems to be a new race, gender, genre war, or some "writer" casting dispersions in regard to unfavorable reviews or entering into full prima donna mode over some perceived slight or another.

Let me give you some writerly advice. Nowadays — you know, in a world where anyone can call themselves a writer, where anyone can be published — maybe, just maybe you might want to adopt a modicum of professionalism.

Think before you type.

Going through life all butthurt and crazy isn't good for you or anyone around you. And more often than not, it's going to drive readers away from you, not towards.

I'm not saying not to stand up for what you believe in, by all means, I'm as guilty as the next guy or gal, but you should always approach online discourse as a professional.

Always.


Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Series Spotlight on Steven L. Shrewsbury's Gorias La Gaul Tales and One Day eBook Sale for Overkill!

Today we are bringing the Series Spotlight to Steven L. Shrewsbury's Gorias La Gaul novels, powerful dark fantasy and sword and sorcery that readers of Robert E. Howard are sure to love! Gorias is featured in novels such as Thrall and Overkill, and short stories like the collection featured in Blood and Steel: Legends of La Gaul. Today's spotlight features a special 99 cent eBook special on the novel Overkill, at Amazon.com, Nook, and Kobo. We invite to read the review quotes and synopsis of the books in the series.

If you have not done so already, pick up the action-packed Overkill today on eBook for just 99 cents on the Kindle, Nook, and Kobo platforms, and begin your adventures with Gorias!



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Here is what a few reviewers had to say about Overkill:

"If you take a 700 year old legendary warrior, and dragon slayer, add Smartass with a dash of finesse, and more charm than a 700 year old man ought to have at his time of life. Toss in shocking violent fight scenes and a lot of humor, sex, gore, and more sex, and even more gore... you have Gorias La Gaul!" - Amazon.com reader review

"Gorias LaGaul is back and as I said in my review of Thrall, he would kick Conan's butt." - Azure Dwarf Blog Review

"The action scenes are vivid. The world and culture feels real once you become immersed. And the story never bores. If you enjoy Sword & Sorcery or Epic Fantasy with a dark edge, then you will love Overkill." - SpecMusicMuse Blog Review


Synopsis: Deliverance will come... A great flood once wiped clean the earth, destroying everything upon it. Before the deluge, in a time now forgotten, the world was a place of warriors and witches, conflicts between kingdoms, and, until their extermination, dragons. In this world, men may live centuries, fallen angels have begotten terrifying spawn, and sometimes, the best hope can be found in a brothel.

In the land of Transalpina, a new religion spreads, and important men are dying mysteriously, slain by what can only be the fire of dragon breath. Summoned by the Queen Garnet, the legendary warrior Gorias La Gaul returns to the place where he once saved the queen's young granddaughter from treachery and enslavement. The Princess Nykia is gone, and soon others may try to claim the throne. The queen has little choice but to turn to the only man who ever told her no.

With the aid of one of the queen's elite guard, the battle maiden Alena, and the young palace servant Orsen, the old mercenary will face pirates and traitors, monsters and foul magic in the quest to find the missing heir and learn the truth behind the disconcerting murders. Deliverance will come for Gorias La Gaul, but for now there are women to love, secrets to discover, and killing that needs doing.
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Here's what some reviewers had to say about Thrall! 

"Shrewsbury is a student of REH and it certainly shows here with THRALL. He hits all the right notes and his prose is sparse, brutal, and directly to the point, there are no wasted words here." - Amazon.com reader review

"Steven Shrewsbury has a gift - he writes stunningly good fantasy which is gritty and realistic. There is no airy-faerie whiff about his work, and no long, over-complicated back story either." - Evie Bookish

Steven Shrewsbury crafts an engaging tale, much in the tradition of Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith. The action scenes are depicted in brutal detail, putting the reader at the center of the action." - Amazon.com reader review





Synopsis: Set in the mists of ancient times, Thrall tells the story of Gorias La Gaul, an aging warrior who has lived for centuries battling the monstrosities of legend and lore. It is an age when the Nephilum walk the earth, demonic forces hunger to be unleashed, and dragons still soar through the skies … living and undead.

On a journey to find one of his own blood, a young man who is caught in the shadow of necromancy, Gorias' path crosses with familiar enemies, some of whom not even death can hold bound. Thrall is gritty, dark-edged heroic fantasy in the vein of Robert E. Howard and David Gemmell. It is a maelstrom of hard-hitting action and unpredictable imagery, taking place within an incredible antediluvian world. In Gorias La Gaul, Thrall introduces an iconic new character to the realms of fantasy literature.

Thrall invites the reader to go on a perilous journey where it is not a matter of whether one has the courage to die, but whether one has the courage to live.

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Here's what a few reviews had to say about Blood and Steel: Legends of La Gaul:


"I highly recommend checking this one out. Its a short read and allows a reader to try out Sword and Sorcery, get to know Gorias and for those Gorias/Steven Shrewsbury fans its a must read." - Jess Resides Here Blog Review

Synopsis: Journey into the dangerous and exciting world of Gorias La Gaul in this collection of short stories from highly-acclaimed author Steven Shrewsbury! Volume One includes the tales “Day of Iniquity”, “Ashes of the All-Father”, “Author and Finisher of Our Flesh”, “Insurmountable”, and “Beginning of the Trail” (a prequel story leading into the events found in the novel Overkill).

Fans of authors such as Robert E. Howard are sure to love the adventures of Gorias La Gaul, as he battles all manner of adversaries wielding two blades fashioned from the wings of angels!

Blood and Steel: Legends of La Gaul is Sword and Sorcery as the genre was intended to be!

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About Steven: Steven L. Shrewsbury, from Central Illinois, enjoys football, history, politics and good fiction. Over 300 of his short stories have been published in print or digital media. His small press novels include OVERKILL, HELL BILLY, THRALL, BAD MAGICK, BEDLAM UNLEASHED, STRONGER THAN DEATH, HAWG, TORMENTOR, GODFORSAKEN, PHILISTINE and BLACK SON RISING. His works also include the weird western novella The Black Bible of Juarez. These titles run from horror to historical high fantasy. He tries to drown out the rumors that he is Robert E. Howard reincarnated with beer. When not wrangling his sons, he can be found outside in his happy place.


Connect with Steven Online at:

Monday, February 23, 2015

Series Spotlight on Jackie Gamber's Leland Dragon Series and One Day eBook Sale on Redheart


Today we are bringing the Series Spotlight to Jackie Gamber's Leland Dragon Series, a fantastic YA Fantasy adventure that takes readers into an imaginative world of dragons and humans.  Today's spotlight features a special 99 cent eBook special on Book One, Redheart, at Amazon.com, Nook, and Kobo.

We invite to read the review quotes and synopsis of the books in the series.  If you have not done so already, pick up Redheart today on eBook for just 99 cents on the Kindle, Nook, and Kobo platforms!






Here's what a few reviewers had to say about Redheart, the first book in the Leland Dragon Series!

"Redheart is a captivating and enthralling book. A lot of things were done right; the language is beautiful, the writing is solid, the pacing is great, the characters, while sometimes their actions were a little haphazard and unpredictable, are fully fleshed out with their own unique complexities." - Evie Bookish

"So I'll end by declaring "REDHEART is like SNICKERS - it satisfies the hunger. Jackie Gamber is like MARS - she's created a craving!" - Amazon customer review

"Gamber has created loveable and despicable characters. She imbues them with real feelings, emotions and frustrations. Jackie Gamber brings alive dragons and adventure with colorful, involved storytelling." - Azure Dwarf


Synopsis:  Enter the lands of Leland Province, where dragon and human societies have long dwelled side by side. Superstitions rise sharply, as a severe drought strips the land of its bounty, providing fertile ground for the darker ambitions of Fordon Blackclaw, Dragon Council Leader, who seeks to subdue humans or wipe them off the face of the land.

As the shadow of danger creeps across Leland Province, a young dragon named Kallon Redheart, who has turned his back on dragons and humans alike, comes into an unexpected friendship. Riza Diantus is a young woman whose dreams can no longer be contained by the narrow confines of her village, and when she finds herself in peril, Kallon is the only one with the power to save her. Yet to do so means he must confront his past, and embrace a future he stopped believing in.

A tale of friendship, courage, and ultimate destiny, Redheart invites readers to a wondrous journey through the Leland Dragon Series.


Available for just 99 cents today on Kindle, Nook, and Kobo eBook platforms! 


Purchase Links







What some reviews had to say about Sela, Book Two of the Leland Dragon Series!

"Final Verdict: Sela delivers a rich cast of characters and an outstanding plot that will blow you away." - The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia Blog Site

"Jackie Gamber is a master story teller who draws you in and keeps you going with twists and plots that surprise and delight with every turn of the page." - Amazon customer review

"Once again Gamber has constructed a novel with care and executed it with precision. With themes as far ranging as deception, prejudice, misunderstanding, redemption and forgiveness this is certain to appeal to children and adults of all ages. Magic!" - Daniel Cann



Synopsis: Peace was fleeting. Vorham Riddess, Venur of Esra Province, covets the crystal ore buried deep in Leland's mountains. His latest device to obtain it: land by marriage to a Leland maiden. But that's not all.

Among Dragonkind, old threats haunt Mount Gore, and shadows loom in the thoughts of the Red who restored life to land and love. A dragon hunter, scarred from countless battles, discovers he can yet suffer more wounds.

In the midst of it all, Sela Redheart is lost, driven from her home with only her old uncle to watch over her. As the dragon-born child of Kallon, the leader of Leland's Dragon Council, she is trapped in human form with no understanding of how she transformed, or how to turn back.

Wanderers seek a home, schemes begin to unfurl, and all is at risk as magic and murder, marriage and mystery strangle the heart of Esra. A struggle for power far older and deeper than anyone realizes will leave no human or dragon unaffected.

In a world where magic is born of feeling, where the love between a girl and a dragon was once transformative, what power dwells in the heart of young Sela?

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What some reviewers had to say about Reclamation, Book Three of the Leland Dragon Series



"Reclamation is a tale of thrilling action and suspense, plus mystery and sage advice, with some well-drawn myths and pleasingly complex social structures. It’s enthralling and thought-provoking both at once, and it’s highly recommended." - Sheila Deeth Blog Site Review


"I highly recommend this book to all ages and all genre lovers. This rich, complex book will grab on to the reader and hang on tight until the end. It was a brilliant ending to the trilogy." - Bees Knees Reviews

"This was a fitting end, and I love the characters and feeling of friendship and acceptance that this book portrays. It’s a very uplifting and positive series, and I want more stories from it." - Workaday Reads Blog Site

Synopsis: The exciting conclusion of the Leland Dragon Series!
Leland Province remains in danger. The sinister Fordon Blackclaw has returned from the shadows to strike at the heart of neighboring Esra, killing its Venur and making clear his intentions to retake what was once his: Mount Gore, seat of the Leland Dragon Council.

All around, the land grows weaker and weaker. Leland, once thought saved by Kallon Redheart, is without purpose, and within its borders, Murk Forest, a place of mystery and danger, has driven its inhabitants to seek aid. Esra is in flames, and the Rage Desert grows. Dragon and human alike struggle to find their way, and the wizard Orman can sense that there may be more at stake than the affairs of dragons.

Hope remains, yet it is not without obstacles. In Esra, Sela, the daughter of Kallon and Riza, found the well, a source of life, and made herself whole again. But her homecoming is not what she had imagined.

Old wounds buried deep must reopen if life is to continue. Dragons, humans, wizards, and shape shifters are all at risk as the peace between dragon and human has finally been broken.

War is here.
The stakes?

Perhaps the whole world.



Purchase Links


About Jackie: Jackie Gamber is an award­-winning writer and editor of genre ­bending science fiction, fantasy, horror, and paranormal short stories, novels, and screenplays. Jackie is a member of the professional organizations Science Fiction Writers of America and Horror Writers Association. She was named honorable mention in L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Award, received a Darrell Award for best short story by a Mid­South author, and is winner of the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award for Imaginative Fiction.

During Jackie’s tenure as Executive Editor of Meadowhawk Press, the indie publisher captured Science Fiction’s Philip K. Dick Award. At the time, only the fourth small press to win the coveted award. Jackie also edited the award-­winning benefit anthology Touched by Wonder, and has been guest editor of the acclaimed dark fiction magazine Shroud. Jackie is also co­founder and writer/director of Big Imagine, a creative studio established to explore breakout visual fiction. Because she believes there’s more than one way to tell a good story.


Connect with Jackie online at: 


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