First Lines #2

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Hi everyone and welcome back to the series on my blog where we look at the first sentence of different books! I love doing this. A first sentence can really capture your interest and imagination. You can find my first lines posts and other indie book lists over on this page. So let's take a look at some first lines!

Eventually we all end up in the same place.

The book: Masquerade in Chaos (Choosing Chaos Series 1)

So, you’ve been gone for a while and you’re probably wondering what’s going on with us.

The book: Chasing Chaos (Choosing Chaos Series 2)

Explosions light up the dark, midnight sky, ruining my night vision, and giving away my position.

From: Chaotic Roots

Author Interview: R. G. Roberts

1. Please introduce yourself (who are you, what genre/s do you write in, what books do you have out)

R.G. Roberts. I write military sci-fi/thrillers, epic fantasy, and alternate history. In ebook/paperback, I have the following published:

Military SF:
Before the Storm (novella)
Cardinal Virtues (releases 23 Feb)

Alternate History:
Against the Wind (novelette)

On Kindle Vella:
Night Rider (epic fantasy)
War of the Submarine (military SF)
Caesar’s Command (alternate history)

Author Interview: Erik S. Meyers

1. Please introduce yourself (who are you, what genre/s do you write in, what books do you have out)

I'm Erik Meyers, an American who's lived in Europe for years and years, currently in Germany.

I have published two books:

A business book based on my years of experience in the corporate world: The Accidental Change Agent (published in 2020)

A Jewish, LGBTQ, historical fiction novel Caged Time, a fictional account of a sad family story (published in 2021)

I'm also working on a cozy crime/murder mystery series.

Indie Book Recs! Part 1

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Hi everyone! I've decided to start doing posts where I share with you some random books by self published/small press authors! Take a peruse and find something new to read! My members get priority promotion from me so you may see their books popping up among others, please check them out! For more indie book recs, please see my indie books page.

Haven Lost (The Dragon's Brood Cycle Book 1)

Legends never die …

Sixteen-year-old Emily Haven, heroine of the girls’ hockey team at Lindsey High, has spent her young life keeping two secrets: her rapidly deteriorating home life and the seemingly supernatural power that makes her a star on the ice. When she begins seeing visions of a ragged boy reflected in mirrors and shop windows, a series of events unfolds that tears her from twenty-first century Minneapolis and leaves her stranded in another world with horrors to rival those she has left behind. Lost amidst creatures of fantasy and legend, she is forced to confront the demons of both her past and future to unravel the riddle of the mysterious boy and embark upon a journey to uncover long forgotten histories and the dark, cloaked figure in the shadows behind them all. Caught between opposing forces of a war she does not understand, Emily must find new strength within herself and, above all, the will to remember her friends.

Haze

When Eliza Owens gets a phone call in the middle of the night from a girl she’s never met, she doesn’t know what to think. The girl introduces herself as Paige, and says she used to date Erik Stern, Eliza’s fiancé. What’s more, she has something important to discuss.

The only problem? Paige has been dead for years.

Believing it to be a sick prank, Eliza tries to force it from her mind until Sam, Eliza’s older sister, tells her she met Paige only a few weeks before. And, according to Sam, Paige has nothing nice to say about Erik.

The fight which follows shatters the lives of everyone involved, and Erik disappears without a trace.

Five years later, Erik returns to town after his father’s death. Old wounds quickly resurface, and with them several burning questions. None the least of which is: Who spoke to Eliza and Sam if it wasn’t Paige? And why?

Author Interview: Barry Ryerson

1. Please introduce yourself (who are you, what genre/s do you write in, what books do you have out)

I’m Barry Ryerson. Musician, composer, lecturer, private pilot and martial artist; recently disabled with ME and neophyte to the world of writing.

Currently have just one book out: The Child of Fire and Earth, a middle grade fantasy adventure. Also working on a YA scifi where, decades after global nuclear war, magic returns to Earth.

Author Interview: Josh de Lioncourt

1. Please introduce yourself (who are you, what genre/s do you write in, what books do you have out)

My name is Josh de Lioncourt, and I’m a blind indie author and writer of (mostly) fantasy fiction. I have several books available now in The Dragon’s Brood Cycle series, including my latest short novella, Treasures and Trinkets.

Author Interview: MJ Hutto

1. Please introduce yourself (who are you, what genre/s do you write in, what books do you have out)

Hi, I’m MJ. I write Urban Fantasy/occult fantasy. The themes shift but the main one is a strong female lead who has trouble accepting herself. Found families, love, good vs evil, and heroism being small acts along with larger ones are also included. My current published works are Masquerade in Chaos (1 in Choosing Chaos Series), Chasing Chaos (2 in Choosing Chaos Series), and Chaotic Roots (A prequel Vella in Choosing Chaos Series/KableVerse).

Author Interview: Steven Neil

1. Please introduce yourself (who are you, what genre/s do you write in, what books do you have out)

My name is Steven Neil. I am the author of The Merest Loss, a historical fiction novel based on the life of Harriet Howard. I am retired now, but in my working life I was a bookmaker’s clerk, management tutor, management consultant, bloodstock agent and racehorse breeder. I am married and live in rural Northamptonshire. I have a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics, a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing from the Open University and an MA in Creative Writing from Oxford Brookes University. The Merest Loss was conceived during my BA studies, drafted during my MA and completed in the two years following.

To Not Letting Anxiety Win

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Anxiety is a horrible thing. It's like a monster, a parasite, that lives in your body and mind. It darkens happiness and excitement, shading them under a thick dome. It makes you feel so in fear, that anything means something bad is coming, or happening.

It's very difficult to deal with and it can't be beaten, not defeated completely. 

It's a constant cyclone, coming round and round, throwing you down at every opportunity. 

You can't fight it, that strengthens it. The only way to win is to exist alongside it but not to let it have all of your time. 

What Are The Big Challenges For Your New Business Venture & How Can You Beat Them?

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Starting a new business is immensely exciting, especially if it’s something you’ve always wanted to do. However, before launching the startup, it’s vital that you understand the obstacles you’ll face. More importantly, you must plot the ways you plan to overcome them.

You will encounter a lot of challenges but they needn’t stop you from achieving your goals. Pay attention to the following aspects and you won’t go far wrong.