Author Interview: Cendrine Marrouat & David Ellis

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

Cendrine Marrouat: I am a poet, photographer, fiction writer, and the co-founder of Auroras & Blossoms, a platform dedicated to inspiration and upliftment in the arts. I have authored and co-authored more than 40 books in several genres: poetry, photography, theatre, humor, and social media marketing. My latest releases include A Particle of You: Love Poetry (2022), Tree Reflections (2022), In Her Own Words: A Collection of Short Stories & Flashku (2022), and After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartine (2021).

I am the creator of the Sixku, Flashku, Sepigram, and Reminigram; as well as the co-creator of the Kindku, Pareiku, Vardhaku, and Hemingku.

A Particle of You: Love Poetry, our latest book, explores how embracing love can shape and change you and inspire your inner life.

David Ellis: I am the author and co-author of over thirty books, with a specific focus on found poetry (romantic, inspirational and occasionally humorous), along with short stories and co-founder of Auroras & Blossoms with Cendrine Marrouat. My most notable releases to date include Life, Sex & Death (which won an Inspirational Poetry Award), Soul Music the Colour of Magic, Lemons, Vinegar & Unvarnished Truths, See A Dream Within (based on the entire collected poetic works of Edgar Allan Poe), along with a Fifty Shades of Grey parody 50 Shapes of Cakes.

Think of me like the thriller genre in that I am fast paced, relentless and impossible to put down!

To find out more about my own individual books, visit https://toofulltowrite.com/my-books

To find out more about my co-authored books, visit https://abpositiveart.com/store

Author Interview: Alan McGill, multi-genre author

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

My name is Alan McGill, I’m an American author residing in North-western Pennsylvania. I consider myself a multi-genre author. Most of my stories are horror, fantasy, science fiction, or crime thrillers. Almost all of them have a strong romantic element as well. My debut novel is A Cry in the Moon’s Light. It’s the first in a series set in the late 1700’s of southern France. A young woman must travel through the Dark Forest to be by the side of her dying grandmother. She is stalked by a mysterious creature and a deadly wolf pack is determined to kill her. I also published a companion artbook/guidebook called Father Daniel’s Compendium of the Undead. It serves as a closer look at the characters and world of this series. On September 9th, I’ll be releasing a prequel novella called RED DOOR: A Cry in the Moon’s Light Story. This is a look at how our heroine falls in love with a farm boy and we get our first glimpse of the black wolf.

2. What are your favourite books?

The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Wizard and Glass, The Gunslinger being my favorites.

The Hobbit by Tolkien.

The Princess of Mars series by Edgar Rice Burrough

Canary Row by Steinbeck

3. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I don’t know that I ever wanted to be an author. I enjoy storytelling and I’ve been writing stories for a long time. Most I never published or submitted. I decided to narrate A Cry in the Moon’s Light as an audio drama I podcast form. After it reached 30k in a year, got great reviews, I went ahead and self-published. Now I’m hooked and determined to get the other books out there.

4. What is your favourite part of the writing process?

I enjoy crafting the story. The initial process of hammering out the first draft.

5. What is your least favourite and how do you get through it?

I normally edit the first draft, then send it to the editorial service. They do a round and send it back to me for approval. They make the corrections then send it back for a final run through to catch any mistakes. This entire sequence is my least favourite. I just buckle down and remind myself this is for the people purchasing the book, they are spending hard earned money and I should make sure it is as good as can be.

6. What is your writing routine?

I normally write in the evening after work and the weekends. Weekend morning are the optimum time for me.

7. How do you balance writing (and everything else to do with it) with the rest of your life?

I write when I can but try to keep to a schedule.

8. What inspires you? How do you beat writers block?

There are a lot of things that inspire me. When people enjoy the story and take the time to comment on the podcast, it helps to confirm my belief the story is good and worth telling. As for writer’s block, I don’t get it that often. Normally I’ll come to a point where I need to figure out the next steps. Clearing my mind and doing other things so I can think about the story and where it needs to go always does the trick.

9. How do you keep consistent/write a lot?

Sticking to a schedule.

10. Does anyone read or edit your work before publication? If so, how did you find them?

I have a few people who read the story or excerpts in advance to make sure the story is interesting, keeps them curious for more, and is entertaining. I use a professional editorial service to sharpen the book. They do the editing, layout design, and placement. I hire my own book cover specialist preferring to give the basic design and have her professionally assemble everything. I’m hands on with the entire process from start to finish.

11. Can we have a sneaky look at your future plans?

Sure. I write and narrate all my own books starting with A Cry in the Moon’s Light. This is a three-part trilogy with an accompanying artbook/guidebook and a prequel novella. Eventually, all three books will be available as a paperback, e-book, audio-drama podcast, and audiobook. Only book one and the prequel novella are available. The first draft of Book two, The UNDEAD WARS is complete. I’m releasing a special edition of Book One with a variant cover, but this will also have two chapters from the Undead Wars. A sneak preview of what is to come.

I also have a sci-fi crime thriller detective noir about a private detective in a futuristic city. He gets pulled into a case involving two serial killer clowns. Big Tech and corrupt politicians are covering up the murders, but the plot goes way deeper. This story won’t be ready until next year. I have three chapters left and I’ll be recording the book in my studio along with all the others. I already have the cover ready to go and my beta readers are loving it so far.

12. Finally, what advice would you give to other writers (inspiring, those publishing and those published)?

First, realize that everyone has an opinion. This including editors, agents, publishers. Nobody is going to like everything. Singular opinions don’t mean much, but if everyone is saying similar things, good or bad, it might be worth taking stock. Be wary of criticism and don’t take it to heart. Lots of people like to hide behind the idea they helping an author grow. Siskel and Ebert didn’t agree on much. So, who was right? There are tons of examples of critics rejecting artists of all kinds. Yet the work not only endured but people loved it. Carrie was rejected 30 times. Led Zeppelin and The Beatles had albums trashed by critics. This means nothing if the audience likes it, and there is an audience for everyone.

Second, if you can afford it, hire a good editing service to polish your work. Fresh eyes find things you may miss. It’s your name on the cover, even if it’s a pen name, so make it as professional as it can be.

Lastly, to paraphrase King, write the story and worry about making it perfect later.

Check out all of Alan's books here.

Indie Non-Fiction Book Recommendations!

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Do you like reading about other people's experiences or learning about things? Here are some non-fiction books by indie authors that you might like to pick up! For more books, see my indie books page!

Black, White, and Gray All Over: A Black Man's Odyssey in Life and Law Enforcement

 

From shootouts and robberies to riding in cars with pimps and prostitutes, Frederick Reynolds' early manhood experiences in Detroit, Michigan in the 1960s foretold a future on the wrong side of the prison bars. Frederick grew up a creative and sensitive child but found himself lured down the same path as many Black youth in that era. No one would have guessed he would have a future as a cop in one of the most dangerous cities in America in the 1980s---Compton, California. From recruit to detective, Frederick experienced a successful career marked by commendations and awards. The traumatic and highly demanding nature of the work, however, took its toll on both his family and personal life---something Frederick was able to conquer but only after years of distress and regret.

"Black, White & Gray All Over not only recounts the stories of Frederick's life and career but also the stories of his fellow officers. An honest, no-holds-barred history of the city of Compton's gang violence, crack epidemic, and legacy of government corruption leaves readers of all backgrounds with a better understanding of race relations as well as the gray areas of policework in one of America's most brutal cities."
-Zora Knauf

"If Fred Reynolds's memoir Black, White and Gray All Over was just about being a cop in Compton, California, dealing with gangs, murders, officers killed in the line of duty, and the politics that drives it all, it would be worth the read. This book goes deeper, into what it means to be a man, more particularly a Black man, and to overcome every obstacle along the way to redemption. Don't miss this one!"
-#1 Bestselling Author J.J. Hebert

Gut Feelings: Coping With Cancer and Living With Lynch Syndrome

"Lynch syndrome is a genetic condition that makes it more likely for a person to get cancer. In other words, it’s the world’s worst loyalty programme." Colon cancer, uterine cancer, duodenal cancer. Colostomy bags, infertility, genetic testing. But also, joy. Also adventure. Also grit. GUT FEELINGS spans ten years from the author's first cancer diagnosis to the life-changing surgeries for her second and third. Racking up a collection of medical experiences - and losing countless organs along the way - Sam Rose has stories for anyone facing the uncertainty of cancer or Lynch syndrome, to help patients and survivors feel less alone.

Free on Kindle Unlimited

Sad, Black, and Fat: Musings From The Intersection

This book delves into the experiences of a young woman trying to navigate life’s twists and turns. She often finds herself standing on the corner between one identity and the other trying to decide which road to take. This collection of poems and essays are a reflection of the joys and sorrows of traversing through the intersections of life.

Book Spotlight: A Particle of You: Love Poetry by Cendrine Marrouat & David Ellis

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Title: A Particle of You: Love Poetry

Authors: Cendrine Marrouat & David Ellis

Genre: Poetry

Synopsis: 

In this new collection from well-established authors Cendrine Marrouat and David Ellis, enjoy a series of love poems delicately crafted to stimulate emotional and endearing aspects of our deep connections with each other. 

Cendrine and David have selected poems for this volume that perfectly capture feelings and nuances relating to romantic notions. They explore how love can fundamentally shape and change you, how it can feed your innermost muses/desires and ultimately how it can define you as a person, if you fully embrace it with every fibre of your being. 

Love need not be scary or complicated. This collection shows us that even the simplest of intimate gestures can mean more to us when speaking from the heart and soul.

Available everywhere books are sold: https://abpositiveart.com/particle-you/ 

Author bios: 

Cendrine Marrouat is a poet, photographer, and multi-genre author. Her work has appeared in many publications, including Synkroniciti Magazine, On Landscape, Real Creative Magazine, and eight cuts. She is the creator of the Sixku, Flashku, Sepigram, Vardhaku, and Reminigram. 

David Ellis is a poet, multi-genre writer/author and co-creator of literary forms, with a fondness for found poetry. He has released several poetry collections along with a Fifty Shades of Grey parody 50 Shapes of Cakes. 

Think of him like a thriller novel - fast paced, relentless and impossible to put down! 

Cendrine and David are the founders of Auroras & Blossoms, a platform dedicated to positive and inspirational creativity. Its flagship publication, the PoArtMo Anthology has given a voice to artists ages 13 and over from around the world for the last three years. 

Cendrine and David have co-authored many books together, including "Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography" (2021) and "Rhythm Flourishing: A Collection of Kindku and Sixku" (2020). They have also created several poetry forms: the Kindku, the Pareiku, and the Hemingku. 

For more information about Auroras & Blossoms, visit https://abpositiveart.com.

Guest Post: Why I decided to self-publish my debut trilogy as audio-dramas and novels. By Alan McGill

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I’ve always been a creative, even at a young age. As I got older, I fell away from art for a time. In the mid 90’s I wrote two unpublished science fiction novels about a private detective in a futuristic city but never pursued it beyond that. 

Several years later I began playing an online fantasy game. As part of the game, the message boards served as a tool to create. Using the boards, I weaved tales of battle for my teammates. This led to my writing the short story, A Cry in the Moon’s Light. It was derived from those gaming stories and Little Red Riding Hood. But much like my science fiction crime thriller, I didn’t do anything with it.

Then in 2019 I started a podcast for a non-profit. The podcast wasn’t wildly successful, but I did receive a lot of positive feedback about my voice and production. 

I had always believed A Cry in the Moon’s Light was a great story, so in late 2019 I thought about publishing the story. With the positive feedback about my voice, I decided to narrate the book myself. 

Sampling several audiobooks left me underwhelmed. For me, unless the narrator is exceptional, most seemed dry. I wanted more from the experience, and I bet most audiences felt the same. This prompted me to purchase sound effects to enhance the storytelling. I also hired professional musician Joseph McDade to create an original score.

For nearly six months I edited everything. I cleaned my narration, added sound fx, and put Joe’s music in the right places. All fifteen chapters ready to go. I commissioned Patrick Boyer to create an eye-catching podcast cover and was set to offer it for sale on Podbean Premium.

But Podbean over complicated the purchasing process. It was at that point I decided to offer A Cry in the Moon’s Light for free. Starting on Halloween night 2020, the first episode was released.  

The downloads were slow at first with very little advertising. Then in May 2021 the show took off. For the next four months it averaged over 4000 downloads a month. In less than a year it had over 30,000 downloads in 100 countries around the world. The show did so well it was named to Podbean’s Top 10 in Fiction Drama for 2021.

Over 150 positive reviews and 30,000 downloads inspired me to publish the book. I decided self-publishing was the way to go, after all, I had produced the entire podcast by myself, and it was doing great. So, I set out to produce the book along with an artbook/guidebook called Father Daniel’s Compendium of theUndead. I commissioned seven artists to put all the characters, places, relics, and creatures in visual form. Both books were released on Halloween 2021.    

                                                                              

A Cry in the Moon’s Light is the story of a beautiful woman who must travel through the Dark Forest to be by the side of her dying grandmother. But a mysterious creature stalks her and a deadly wolfpack is trying to kill her. 

I completed book two of the trilogy: The UNDEAD WARS which is not yet available. It’s a continuation of book one where we find our heroine living peacefully in a small city after the death of her grandmother. But that peace is disrupted when hideous night creatures begin terrorizing the town. It’s a prelude to a coming war with an Army of the Undead and we see her become a warrior and leader.

But followers of the podcast wanted more. Not ready to release The UNDEAD WARS, I wrote a prequel RED DOOR: A Cry in the Moon’s Light Story. Three friends are on a daring adventure in the Dark Forest where they encounter deadly highwaymen, deceitful castle guards, and a monstrous creature. It’s a story of true love but also jealousy and evil. The novella and audio-drama will be released on September 9^th. The audiobook will be released later this year. Here is a snippet from RED DOOR: A Cry in the Moon’s Light Story:

Boggs shuffled his hooves nervously and let out a strong puff of air from his nostrils. All sounds stopped. The crickets and frogs fell silent. 

A long, piercing howl broke the quiet. Its eerie reverb echoed through the valley. Then another. And another from the opposite hill. 

The howls were coming from everywhere! 

The wolves were on the hills all around them. Seth ran to the gate and wedged the shovel between the bars, using the tool as a lever to pull the gate closed in front of him. He grabbed the other gate in the gap he’d created in the greenery when he pulled away the dead man’s hand. With a tug, he closed it. Using the rope, he carefully tied the two gates together, mindful of the thorns. Poison drops let loose, hitting the ground with a sizzle.

Alessandra held Boggs’s reins to steady him. She stroked his muzzle to calm him, but the sounds were frightening. Each time a wolf howled, Boggs shuffled and showed the whites of his eyes. 

After the gates were closed, the smell of the flowers got more intense. This seemed to lessen the howls. As the wolves stopped calling out, Boggs became calmer. It was as if the flowers somehow hid them from the wolves. 

Alessandra and Seth could still see the beasts moving across the hillside like quick flashes of shadows. The creatures made their way to the bottom of the hill and circled the cemetery. Thankfully, the high stone walls prevented them from seeing Alessandra and Seth, and the flowers’ aroma masked their odor. 

At the top of the hill to the north, another wolf watched the valley. He was a male and dark as midnight, with a bit of silver around his mouth indicated he had lived a long life. This was the leader of the pack. He was much larger than the rest and twice as vicious. From his viewpoint, he could see inside the cemetery.

Alessandra and Seth saw the big wolf’s silhouette on the hill. Both swallowed hard. Seth gripped the shovel tightly; he knew that if they could see the black wolf, the beast could certainly see them. “Get on Boggs,” he whispered.

“Boggs can’t outrun them,” she whispered back, unable to hide the fear in her voice.

“He can get you to the church while I fight them off,” Seth whispered.

“No. I’m not leaving you. I’d rather die with you than live without you!”

“If we don’t do something, that may just happen,” Seth said.

If you enjoyed reading this, RED DOOR: A Cry in the Moon’s Light Story will be available September 9^th. Book one will also be re-released later this year as a special edition with a new cover and two chapters from Book Two: The UNDEAD WARS. Look for this cover as well as the titles on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or wherever books are sold.

Indie Books with Animals or Creatures on the Cover! Books to Read

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Time for a fun book recommendation post! Here are some books by indie authors which have animals or creatures on the cover, that you should check out! For more books, see my indie books page!

My book!!!

There is Light: Poems about Mental Health

From book blogger and poet, Lucy DeRose, comes her debut book, There is Light.

A series of poems about mental health, anxiety, self-care, social media and what's important in life. Honest thoughts and feelings from someone who has dealt with depression, anxiety and OCD. Lucy tries to end each poem with a positive note, focusing on the hope and help that is out there. Because, no matter how dark things seem, there is light.

Free on Kindle Unlimited, 0.99 on Kindle, 3.99 in paperback

Add it on Goodreads

Lord of Ravens

Hunter and prey. Which is which?

Laurence Riley believed that he was nothing. He couldn’t have been further from the truth. Descended from Herne the Hunter, his own need to seek prey has long gone unfulfilled. Now it’s out of control.

Something ancient is coming to take Quentin home: a creature of nightmare who feasts on the flesh of children. But Laurence has seen the real monster. The one who is pulling all their strings from afar.

Only Herne can prepare Laurence to face an evil which far outmatches him. Their enemy wields the most powerful weapon of all, and will destroy everyone Laurence loves unless he can master the same power.

He must learn magic.

The Man and the Crow

Some witches curse, others are cursed. And sometimes, the cursed want revenge.

Free on Kindle Unlimited

A SLICE of Truth

Run, hide, and don't let them get you. Once SLICE gets their hands on you, there is no coming back. They take your family; they kill your friends— all in the name of some twisted scientific authority.

Jax and Jericho Masterson saw firsthand what SLICE could do when they came for their parents. Now on the run, the two are struggling to live in a world neither of them has ever experienced. Being raised off the grid in the woods of the Smokey Mountains has left them without the skills needed to deal with human society, but they will learn... the hard way.

Marris Stratford only wanted to be the best big brother any little girl could ask for. He never did anything to call attention to himself, and always tried to do the right thing. Never would he have thought to be the target of a government agency no one had ever even heard of. With a dead heart, he will save his kind, even if it kills him.

SLICE- Supernatural Laboratories for the Investigation of Chaotic Entities

Free on Kindle Unlimited

The Fast Little Fox (The Fast Little Fox & Friends)

Have you ever wanted to go on an adventure through the forest? Follow the fast little fox as he discovers more than he can imagine along the way! What will he learn? Can he make it home in time for supper? Read on to find out!

Free on Kindle Unlimited

Guest Post: How My Love of Nature Became My Debut Novel (including snippets from my debut A Year at Honeybee Cottage) by Alexandra Wholey

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From a very young age, I was always interested in nature, and loved watching wildlife shows on TV, was a massive fan of David Attenborough (still am) and especially in literature. One of my favourite authors as a child was Henry Williamson’s Tarka the Otter. 

I loved the realistic descriptions of the otters, and of Devonshire where the story takes place. I tried to reflect this in my own writing when writing A Year at Honeybee Cottage. For research, I watched a lot of videos on the amazing Gwenyn Gruffyd beekeeping YouTube channel to try and demonstrate the process of beekeeping in a realistic way. I learnt a lot from these videos, and it really helped the way I wrote the descriptions of beekeeping within the book:

Here is a snippet of the prologue which introduces you to Eilidh, the heroine, and her love of beekeeping: 

“So, we use the smoker to calm the bees so that we don’t get stung. Like this.” A white plume of smoke filled the air as Marianne Andersen, kitted out in her bee suit, moved the smoker across the hive. Eilidh, wearing her own mini bee suit, nodded enthusiastically as they stood in the centre of the back garden of Honeybee Cottage, in the quaint village of Mossbrae, in the Inner Hebrides. 

Eilidh had been fascinated by the bees since she was very young, loving to watch them collect pollen from the buddleia and carry it back to the hives. Early March, the beginning of the honey season, was Eilidh’s favourite time of year. She got to help out, breathe in the scent of the early spring flowers, and listen to the quiet humming of the honeybees as her grandmother gently brushed them away so she could open the hive and check the frames. 

Marianne had kept bees for the last twenty years and was now teaching ten-year-old Eilidh all she knew hoping that, one day, she would follow in her footsteps and become a beekeeper. 

“Can you see? You just brush them away with the bee brush. Then we can … do what?” 

“The spring checks,” Eilidh said knowledgeably. 

“Good girl! That’s exactly right.” Marianne smiled indulgently at her only grandchild. 

Today’s inspection was the first of the year. It was a brief job but a fun one just the same. Marianne lifted the lid off the hive and looked into the top of the hive. There was no need to take the hive apart so early in the year. Scraping off the beeswax, putting the frame to one side, and replacing it with a fresh frame, before letting the bees get the honey. 

“So what do we do first? Can you remember?” 

“We need to check the frames,” said Eilidh. 

Marianne lifted a frame out of the brood box. “And how do we know we have a healthy hive? What do we need to look for?” 

“Wax. And fresh eggs. There’s some here,” Eilidh said, pointing to white bubbles in the corner of the frame. 

“What else?” Marianne prompted. 

“Pollen. That means the bees are making honey.” 

“What pollen do you think this is?” 

“Dandelion, because it’s orange.” 

“Exactly right. Good girl!” Marianne marvelled at how quickly Eilidh was picking all of this up. She was going to make a great beekeeper one day. “What can you not see, and why is that good at the moment?” 

Eilidh looked, frowning slightly. “No drone cells.” 

“What does that mean?” 

“The bees aren’t going to swarm yet.” 

“Exactly. We don’t need to worry about that just yet. So yes, this is a healthy hive. There’s already brood on here too, some fresh pollen, and stores on here,” Marianne explained, pointing to the other side of the frame. “We’re nearly done. What do we do next?” 

“Put the queen board on to stop the queen flying off.” 

“Aye, that’s right. We don’t want that! And what do we need to add before we close the hive?” 

“The honey supers for when they start making honey!” Eilidh replied excitedly. 

If you enjoyed reading this, A Year at Honeybee Cottage is available now on Amazon on kindle and paperback, and on kindle unlimited.

A Look At... The Inheritance Series by A. K. Faulkner

This is a post promoting one of my members' books, check out my memberships here

A queer adult urban fantasy series

Book 1 is free on Kindle!

Reviews for book 1:

“Effortlessly handling weighty issues of addiction, class, and sexuality, Faulkner keeps her heady mythology grounded in reality and lays a promising foundation for future installments. Readers will be eager for the next in the series.”

- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review


“Faulkner’s lustrous passages turn basic scenery into beautiful imagery.”

- Kirkus Reviews


“Written in an easy-to-read, conversational style, the story is first rate. It will keep fans of this sub-genre engaged from beginning to end.”

- BlueInk Reviews, Starred Review


“AK Faulkner thrusts together two deliciously flawed main characters (a former heroin addict and a mysterious member of British nobility), then weaves an empowering plot of destiny, inheritance, and self-improvement—all while letting the reader languor in the glow of a glorious slow burn romance.”

- Stephani Hren for IndieReader, Approved Review


“Will keep readers flipping pages well past the point where they probably should have gone to bed.”

- Stephani Hren for IndieReader, Approved Review

The books:

Jack of Thorns

Laurence Riley might be able to see the future, but he can't see a way to fix his messed-up life. He can't control anything—not his supernatural talents, not his drug addiction, and not his violent ex-boyfriend. Laurence needs help and he knows it. A lifelong pagan, he turns to his god... and he gets Jack. Jack can help Laurence tame his powers and take control of his life. But it comes at a price: Laurence will need to keep him fed with regular offerings of sex. For the old Laurence, that would've been a pleasure. Problem is, Laurence has met Quentin.

Quentin is devastatingly handsome, way out of Laurence's league (like British nobility levels of out-of-his-league), and unbearably chaste. If that weren’t enough to keep Laurence away, Quentin's wild telekinesis is even more uncontrollable than Laurence's precognition. But Laurence doesn't want anyone else, and Jack is getting hungry.

Then Laurence foresees a glimpse of Jack's true plan. It will leave a trail of death across San Diego--and Laurence has been helping him do it. The past has taught him that the future can't be changed. But if Laurence and Quentin can't stop Jack, there won't be any future at all.

Jack of Thorns is the first book in a dark urban fantasy series where X-Men meets The Magicians.

FREE on Kindle

Knight of Flames

Some men are forged in fire.

Quentin d’Arcy may have survived a showdown with a god, but now he faces something far more terrifying: falling in love. And the secret he’s hiding from Laurence could burn them both.

Kane Wilson says he wants to make a better world—one in which psychics are out and proud without fear of reprisal or hatred—but there’s a trail of bodies buried in his past. Kane’s power is his words. When he commands, everyone obeys. They have no choice.

Everyone except Quentin. As the only person in San Diego immune to Kane’s mind-control, he is the psychic community’s last line of defense against Wilson’s murderous schemes.

The fire has been foreseen.

Quentin’s survival hasn’t.

Lord of Ravens

Hunter and prey. Which is which?

Laurence Riley believed that he was nothing. He couldn’t have been further from the truth. Descended from Herne the Hunter, his own need to seek prey has long gone unfulfilled. Now it’s out of control.

Something ancient is coming to take Quentin home: a creature of nightmare who feasts on the flesh of children. But Laurence has seen the real monster. The one who is pulling all their strings from afar.

Only Herne can prepare Laurence to face an evil which far outmatches him. Their enemy wields the most powerful weapon of all, and will destroy everyone Laurence loves unless he can master the same power.

He must learn magic.

Reeve of Veils

Truth is a matter of perspective.

Frederick d’Arcy is determined to unearth the truth behind his mother’s untimely death, but the only witness is a man whose mind Frederick cannot read: his twin brother, Quentin. And Quentin is up to his neck in trouble half a world away.

That trouble’s name is Kane Wilson. As Wilson works to out psychics and kill anyone who gets in his way, Frederick enters into a deadly game of cat and mouse. He must outwit, outthink, and outmanipulate Wilson without revealing the extent of his own powers, or the vengeance he seeks could be snatched from his grasp.

This isn’t the Knight of Flames you remember.

Page of Tricks

There’s nowhere left to run.

Quentin d’Arcy has escaped his father’s clutches for six years, but the life he has built in San Diego is about to come crashing down. The skeletons in his closet won’t stay hidden.

The Duke of Oxford’s pawns are all in place. One move triggers a catastrophic chain of events: Freddy kidnaps Laurence, and Quentin is thrust into a race against time to save both his lover’s sanity and his own.

Every family has secrets, but the d’Arcy line is built on them.

Nothing will ever be the same again.

Rites of Winter

Let the Wild Hunt begin!

Tortured. Broken. Laurence and Quentin need time to heal. A layover in New York offers just that, but then Quentin vanishes in the worst blizzard the city has ever seen, and all Laurence’s Hunter gifts aren’t enough to track him down.

Two gods have warred for centuries. One is trapped in Manhattan, and needs Laurence’s aid if he’s to continue his vendetta. The other is confined to Annwn, the Land of the Dead. He needs Quentin’s help if he’s to win once and for all.

Unlike gods they’ve encountered before, these ones aren’t frail. Not even close. But there really can be only one, and Laurence must fight to save Quentin before they both get trampled into dust.

He can’t do it alone.

Sigils of Spring

We all fall down.

When Quentin is accosted by YouTube ghost-hunters with a crackpot theory about his mother, he writes it off as nonsense — until they kidnap him right off the street in broad daylight. Not even his psychokinesis can save him, but Laurence will. He must.

Except Laurence can't find Quentin. His powers have never failed him like this before. There's only one hope left: a stranger called Angela is willing to teach him more magic than he currently knows. Normally he'd write her off as bad news, but Quentin is running out of time, and Laurence is all out of options.

He has less than 48 hours to save Quentin's life, and no price is too high.

The clock is ticking.

Spells of Summer

Learning magic doesn’t come cheap, and the bill is long overdue.

Rufus needs his student’s help to solve his parents' murder, and after a year of tuition, Laurence has run out of excuses to put off witnessing the gruesome secrets buried in the past. But his vision only raises more questions. The mystery isn’t how they died, but how Rufus survived.

The only clue is a teddy bear nobody remembers, and it holds magic powerful enough to hospitalize Freddy, entangle a god, and hide a murderer.

Maybe some secrets are better left buried.

Have you read this series? If not, would you like to?

Indie Witchy Book Recommendations!

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Do you like fantasy books? Here are some witchy/wizard/witchy vibes books by indie authors that you should check out! For more books, see my indie books page!

Speechless in Achten Tan: Book 1 of The Sands of Achten Tan

Mila hasn't spoken in the five years since she became an Onra, a first level Everfall witch. After failing the test to reclaim her voice and control her magic, her mentor sends eighteen-year-old Mila to Achten Tan – City of Dust – a dangerous desert town, built in the massive ribcage of an extinct leviathan.

To reclaim her power, Mila must steal a magical staff capable of releasing it, from Bone Master Opu Haku's sky-high lair.

Her only resources are the magical luminous elixirs of the cursed caverns where she grew up, and a band of unlikely allies; a quirky inventor, a giant-ant rider, a healer, a librarian's assistant, a Tar-tule rider and the chief's playboy son.

But in the City of Bones, enemies & friends are not who they seem and trusting the wrong person can be deadly.

If Mila fails, she will never speak again and her bones may be added to the desert.

This book includes a kick-ass female protagonist covered in tattoos, giant ants, first-person present-tense narration, magic, banter, lots of innuendoes, and cute boys kissing.  

Free on Kindle Unlimited

Tom And The Hedgewitch

When Tom Fisher, a timid boy of eleven years and his cheeky best friend Jenny Summers meet Freya; a real-life witch she teaches them the ways of the forest. Kidnapped by the dark elves, the children must find a way to save her, but is Freya all that she seems?

The hedgewitch is keeping a powerful secret that will change Tom's life forever.

An exciting fantasy adventure for children aged 8-12, and their parents too. Full of folklore, magic myth, and legend, with a modern twist. Enid Blyton, meets the Sword and the Stone.

Arigale: Spite in the Spirit

Judith and Chit are called to the lonely tower outside their city with little explanation. The one who summoned them is an old Elven wizard named Maleth, who will send them on a quest to lower their floating city of Arigale to where it once resided. Maleth is intrigued by Judith's strange form of necromantic magic, yet he is also certain of the anxious young man training to be a spearman and scholar.

Judith, a bubbly yet mysterious young woman, is eager to accept. Chit remains withdrawn and cautious, a remnant of being raised by the Order that presides over their land. Soon, both discover their meeting with the wizard carried dire consequences. Can they accomplish what has been asked of them and save Arigale by exploring the land below, no matter the lengths they must go to?

Born of Shadows and Magic: An Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Boxset

As myths, legends, and ancient tales rise from the shadows, these heroes and heroines are left to face the darkest challenges of them all.

Life’s hard enough as a paranormal. Shifters, vampire, elementals, witches, fae… we all have our weakness, our curses, our wars to wage and battles to fight.
But being a hybrid or a halfling, things just get worse. We don’t fit in anywhere, our powers are thwarted or out of control, and everyone wants us dead.
Can we overcome these trials…or are the odds stacked too high against us? We’ll risk it all—even our lives—to find out. And hope we don’t die trying.
This paranormal and urban fantasy romance anthology includes 19 brand new, never before published novels from today’s bestselling authors and exciting up-and-coming talent!

0.99 on Kindle!

Book Spotlight: Mortal Angel by Daz James

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Book Title: Mortal Angel 

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited 

Blurb: 

Her death was only the beginning. 

When 18-year-old Mickey, a crass veterinary student and nerd extraordinaire, unexpectedly gets in a serious car crash, she should, for all intents and purposes, be dead. 

She is certainly pronounced dead, and she is soon taken to the mortuary, like a normal dead person should. 

That’s exactly where she finds herself when she wakes up. 

Stuffed in a body bag while a British government agent searches her body for evidence. 

Using powers she never knew she had, Mickey fights back and tries to escape, only to be rescued by Elize, a Tribal Knight who vows to protect her. 

When they meet the rest of the team in a Tribal Knights safehouse, she is shocked to discover that she is now a fugitive hunted down by the Government. 

As she learns about her magical gifts, the secret cold war waged by the Government and The Six Tribes, a society of magic users banished to Earth over two centuries ago, and the high-profile assassinations that broke the fragile peace between them, Mickey realizes her life might never go back to normal. 

Not before the people behind the assassinations are brought to justice and this war comes to an end. 

Then again, maybe change is not a bad thing. Especially when it includes a sword fight or two 

Includes: 

✨Hard Magic System

🫂Found Family

🏳️‍🌈LGBTQ Characters
🐉Dragons and Magical Creatures
⭐️Anthropomorphic Creatures
🌆Modern Day Setting
🔎Mystery, Conspiracy and Action

Trigger Warnings: Gore, Violence and Swearing.