Month: March 2024

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Coming Up On Not for Vanity: Books We Are Reading This Easter

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We always love to bring the freshest, most interesting self-published books to your attention, so here’s a sneak peek at what to expect from us in April…

Death’s Emissary By EMILY DEVEREUX | Release Date: 31st March 2024

Pre-Order At: https://amzn.to/49gx3Gx

About: When sixteen-year-old Scarlet is nearly killed by a tyrannical god, the cost of survival is to bind herself in service of the goddess Death. Though now obligated to do Death’s bidding, Scarlet also gains what she’s always desired—someone to teach her magic. With her newfound strength as a fire mage, she must rescue her mother from the god who nearly took her life, Riordan, before he’s able to extract the secret her mother holds: the key to unfathomable power and the ability to take down the other gods of Quintras. But slaying a god is no simple task, and Scarlet can’t do it alone. When she finds kinship with a reluctant seer and joins forces with a rebel faction that shares her quest to destroy the god that terrorizes his own kingdom, she thinks they have a chance of overcoming the impossible odds. That is, if her bond to Death doesn’t hold her back… How can Scarlet win her freedom in time to save her mother—and the world—from Riordan’s grasp?

Marionette: Pulling Strings By QUINN CAMERON | Release Date: 1st April 2024

Pre-Order at: https://amzn.to/3TyTHV7

About: Fitch Farrow never wanted to be a killer, but he’s damn good at it.
Using his powers of telekinesis, Fitch made a name for himself as the murderer Marionette. His criminal lifestyle never bothered him until he sees his younger brother headed down the same dark path. As a member of the Bloody Hex, a notorious gang of witches, Fitch faces jail and a possible death sentence to keep his brother from following in his footsteps. While incarcerated, Fitch’s loyalties are tested to their limits. Torn between the gang and the opposing government, Fitch teeters on a knife’s edge. Both sides try to control him by promising freedom or threatening harm. Ultimately, Fitch must decide what and who he believes. If that means betraying the gang, his brother, or himself… so be it.

/Please Note: This book contains graphic content and is best suited for adult readers. Book One in a Series/

Spectral By A.J. CERNA | Release Date: 2nd April 2024

Pre-Order At: https://amzn.to/3x9eBCv

About: Spectral is a serialised novel made up of 12 episodes at around forty to fifty pages each. Each episode will be release weekly from April to May 2024, until completion. Each episode is not meant to stand alone, but rather build to a complete story, not unlike a twelve-episode anime series.

A taste of Episode One… When Luna wakes to her room engulfed in flames, she knows it’s happened again–a haunting she can no longer ignore. For as long as she can remember, she’s been controlled by a domineering Spectre, forced to commit acts of violence threatening her and everyone around her. Determined to seize control of her life, Luna teams up with Hiro, a generations-old man who promises not only answers, but a method to rid herself of this malicious entity. But to do so, Luna must enter an unfamiliar and unsettling world buried within the futuristic, neon-laden streets of Los Angeles, destroying other Spectres and building her own superhuman abilities along the way. Between government agents hell-bent on capturing her and a myriad of Spectral threats, it’ll take every ounce of Luna’s being to reclaim the life that’s been taken from her.  Will she finally be able to rid herself of this mysterious entity that’s been haunting her entire existence, or will she lose a piece of herself along the way?

Elimination (Experiment A) By NIKKI HAASE | Release Date: 8th April 2024

Pre-Order At: https://amzn.to/499MtMZ

About: Jack Cortex is a Subject of Experiment A, an Elemental super-soldier created by the United States government. At seventeen, he only knows the inside of the Lab and its horrors. Jack has lived at this facility for nearly his entire life, training alongside other Subjects to become the perfect weapon. The weakest of them are disposed of through rounds of near-constant torture and fights that lead to death. After all, if they cannot be shaped into the deadliest soldiers to walk the streets, they will not be able to save those they were created to protect. Conversations of a new form of elimination begin circulating throughout the cells in hushed, terrified whispers. The rumors are confirmed when Doctor James Thaddeus begins picking off the Subjects himself, seemingly at random. Those who survive the execution rounds are forced to kill each other in bloody battles. Jack Cortex and his friends know one thing for sure: they must survive… By any means necessary.

/Editor Note: Prequel to Book One of the Experiment X Series/

The Desperate Trials of Phineas Mann By MARK ANTHONY POWERS | Release Date: 16th April 2024

Find It Here: https://hawksbillpress.com

About: Pulmonary and critical care specialist Dr. Phineas Mann is fighting a losing battle with a severe, progressive form of Parkinson’s disease. He is accepted into a novel trial to insert programmed stem cells into his brain. This experimental treatment is his last desperate hope to reverse his debilitating Parkinson’s symptoms. While grappling with his own declining health, Phineas is asked to consult on a difficult case. The patient is conservative congressman Quentin Tate, whose misdiagnosed lung condition has rapidly worsened. Phineas draws on his decades of experience in a quest to identify the mysterious cause of Tate’s life-threatening condition.Then his wife, Iris, develops an obscure blood disorder that is taking her from him “one bite at a time.” When her medical specialist orders a surprising and risky treatment, Phineas is compelled to bring his keen eye and medical knowledge into her struggle. Time is his enemy as he, with his loyal service dog Ernest at his side, fights to save his beloved Iris, then himself.

Medea: Priestess, Princess, Witch By JJ TAYLOR | Greco-Roman Myth & Legend Fantasy

About: This is not the story of the woman you think you know. You know only the tales told through the ages. No, this is the story of a dangerous woman fighting for her freedom in a world dominated by cruel gods and ego driven men… In the house of King Aeetes on the shores of the Black Sea, Medea plays with gods in the forest as visions of a dark future haunt her. Descendant of Helios and daughter of sea nymph Idyia, Medea holds the kind of power meant for the heroes of the epics, the heroes who have yet to arrive in the world. But as a woman, her place is decided by the men around her. Until Jason and his Argonauts arrive, bringing with them the winds of change and the goddess’s voice ringing out of Medea’s lips. Sacrifices. Politics wrapped in layers of deceit, blood, and ego. Gods with their own agendas not meant for mortal flesh. Magic. Monsters. Love. Who will Medea become in her desperate search for freedom?

Conversations

In Conversation With… Jan Foster

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To conclude our ‘Author of the Month’ feature, we’ve asked Jan a few questions about his work and life as a writer

Hi Jan, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for us today. The first thing we’d like to know is when you started writing and why: did you get inspiration from a famous writer, or did you just put pen to paper and start?

I’d taken a career break to raise my family, and when the moment came for me to return to work, my husband asked me, what did I actually miss about my job? I said, I liked the writing, and er… helping people. It was going to be very hard for me to return to my old job and look after the children as we have no local family and childcare is expensive, so he suggested I just write, and see what happened while I thought about it. I was also volunteering in our local school reading with children so the first book I wrote was a children’s book about trying out new activities. While that was being illustrated, I started to write what I love to read, which is historical fantasy, and that was my first book, Disrupting Destiny.

Fantasy is one of the Top 3 best-selling fiction genres. However, it seems to us you opted for ‘the road less travelled’ and put an historical spin to a very popular genre. Can you tell us a bit more about the reasons for your choice? 

I genuinely didn’t know historical fantasy was a genre, but my sister lent me A Discovery of Witches, which is more magical realism (like Harry Potter is, with magical beings hidden among humans) and I adored it! I started to read more and more books like that, where fantasy is blended with the real, but my favourites were by far when they were set in a specific point in history. It got me thinking about history, and how we view the past based on what we are experiencing in the present. At the time, Britain was going through Brexit, which was a very divisive topic, a bit like Henry VIII’s Reformation when he broke from Rome and the Church of England was created.
I wanted to write about what that might have been like for the common man, as our nation was going through something akin to it, and I wanted to explore what it would be like to have to stay hidden because you were magical… or different in some other way.

For all of my books, I look first at the history, because it’s always been a passion of mine and I love to research. The Tudors are my favourite, so that’s where I started researching. I asked myself, what would this event look like if you were an immortal, who had lived through difficult times before? How would you view what was going on – would there be a sense of inevitability because, in many ways, history does repeat itself, or would you be tempted to intervene and prevent the same happening again? Sometimes, the research and subsequent plotting isn’t comfortable – like when I was writing my prequel, Destiny Awaiting, which is set in Henry V’s campaign which ended at Agincourt, and Putin had just invaded the Ukraine. I couldn’t help but draw the parallels between the two leaders.

For those who don’t know it (yet), would you be able to summarise the essence of your ‘Naturae’ Series in three sentences?

Historical events are threaded together with strands of magic to create a tapestry rich with detail and thrills in the Naturae Series. Hidden from human’s view are immortal fae, an ancient race who have survived by not getting involved in our affairs, but when the threat to their existence causes a fae girl to expose herself to a human, everything changes. Faced with vampires, helped by witches, and frustrated by daemons, she and her partner battle to rebuild faith, faeth and the future. 

What message would you like readers to draw from your books?

I suppose that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope. My characters suffer, partly as a result of the changing times and partly because it’s never easy to achieve goals. They wrestle with big problems, and there are dark and very human themes discussed in the books, yet they survive and live to fight another day. In writing the Naturae series, I primarily wanted to offer my readers an escape, into a vivid past, where in some ways life was simpler, but the challenges humanity faces (love, loss, faith, keeping the peace, survival etc) are familiar. I love reading as an escape into someone else’s world, and that’s what I want to provide for my readers.

Have you ever attempted to be published the ‘traditional’ way (or would you ever consider it in the future)? What are your thoughts on the publishing industry in general if you don’t mind us asking?

With my business consultant hat on (my other job which I do on the side), if you are starting any business, it’s important to define what success looks like to you, which will inform the strategy you employ to get there. When I started looking at how to get my stories in front of people, I realised very quickly that traditional publishing takes a lot of time, probably a fair amount of rejection and the author is, in a sense, not in control once the book is accepted. For me, I just wanted to hold my books in my hands and feel I have achieved something, and I wanted to manage as much of making that happen as possible. So, the choice was quite simple for me – waste a lot of time and feel rejected trying to get an agent then hope they get a book deal, or, crack on with it and achieve my goals myself. I learned a lot from doing it, and decided to keep doing it my way. I love it and although I would adore to have the opportunities which traditional publishing can offer, my goals are more modest – to enjoy what I do and provide an escape for my readers.

Indie publishing isn’t for everyone though. It takes a huge amount of effort to do the background work, which I hadn’t anticipated the scale of when I started. You think, oh – I can publish a book (which is hard enough just to finish and have a viable ‘product’!) and everyone will just want to read it, right? But the reality is you spend a lot of time telling people you have published a book, trying to market it, searching out those readers who might like it, and often, that can feel as fruitless as trying to land an agent and get a publishing deal. 

What I write, specifically the genre, is a tricky ‘sell’ – it would be just as tricky if I had gone the traditional route, as very few historical fantasy books are published! Especially as I don’t really ‘write to market,’ but instead I tend to write about what I enjoy reading. Often, I look for what tropes I have used after I have finished, as that can be a useful way to market the book, for example, enemies to lovers in my romance book, Destiny Awaiting. I probably should start with them, I know, but, *shrugs* I am led by history and my heart, I suppose, not marketing angles and sometimes predictable endings.

What is amazing about being an indie author/publisher is the community though. I proudly run my own business and that’s not been without a lot of learning (yay! I love learning!) and help from others who are successful in the industry. As a group of like-minded people, I have never worked in an industry so willing to lift each other up and that’s so refreshing. There is no competition with each other, which is odd to wrap your head around, but it’s true and unlike any other business. We share an audience (or client base, if you want to be business-y) but you almost never hear of a reader who exclusively reads one author, do you?

As a writer, we assume you are also a great reader. What are your favourite genres/books? What are you currently reading?

I adore having time to read! It’s my weekend treat to just curl up with a book and a brew and escape. I’m currently reading an ARC (advance reader copy) of The Thief’s Keeper, a low magic historical fantasy set just after the Norman invasion of England by Kyrie Wang. After that, I have a historical thriller set in post revolution Paris to look forward to. I do tend to read historical fiction or historical fantasy as a preference, but I also absolutely adore thrillers of any kind – legal, like John Grisham or contemporary (with a historical twist) like Scott Mariani.

On a parting note… Any advice you’d like to give to authors who are only starting out in their self-publishing journey?

Firstly and foremost, believe it can be done. Seek out people who are successful and learn from them, but don’t assume that their strategies will work for you. Everyone’s journey is different and that’s hard to remember when it gets tough. Although it’s tempting to draw comparisons with other authors, they are NOT your competition! Some people bash out 5000 words a day, a book a month, and seem to be making millions, but others ‘achieve’ far less but get all the accolades. The person setting the bar is YOU, and it’s perfectly ok to say, I set the bar too high and I got burned out. Be S.M.A.R.T in your goals, and learn as much as you can before you commit any money to something. Facebook groups like 20Booksto50K are a fantastic resource as well as a supportive community.

Remember, as soon as you put pen to paper, or fingers to keys, you ARE a writer and no-one can take that away from you. What you choose to do with your words is in your hands.

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Book Spotlight: Destiny Awaiting by Jan Foster

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Introducing Prequel Two to The Naturae Series

Destiny Awaiting. So Simple Published Media, 2023.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR BOOK IS ABOUT?

Lost and alone in Henry V’s dangerous world, runaway fae Aioffe must rely on her newfound human captor, Tarl, to keep her safe. Yet his secrets could put both of them in greater peril than either could have imagined.
Forced to enlist with Henry V’s army, Tarl battles his conscience to keep flighty Aioffe hidden, while she struggles to find her place in medieval human society. As they travel through medieval Scotland, Wales, and England towards war with France, they must discover the power of true love and reveal themselves if they are to survive the destiny awaiting them at Agincourt.

WHAT SETS YOUR BOOK APART FROM THE COMPETITION?

Brimming with betrayal, drama and magic, Destiny Awaiting re-imagines history in a medieval historical fantasy adventure. Explore the personal cost of warfare alongside the joy of finding love in the most unexpected of places in this thrilling and romantic prequel to the Naturae Series. Weaving historical events with fantasy, escape into a magical past filled with danger and intrigue. If you enjoy authentic history with a twist of the fantastic, you’ll love Aioffe and Tarl’s journey to Agincourt, where their battles of the heart are destined to fight with faith and hope.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF…

By day, I juggle consultancy work with family, but by night I sneaks off into the past. My penchant for sprinkling history with magic is fuelled by coffee and Cadburys. When I am not writing, I take my dogs and small monsters into the countryside, especially if there is a castle or historic building there with a cosy coffee shop in which to escape the rain of Manchester, England. I fed all my love for history and folklore into my ‘Naturae’ historical fantasy series of novels.

HOW CAN OUR READERS GET IN TOUCH?

On my website, blog, Amazon, Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Goodreads. You can also subscribe to my newsletter and receive a free copy of the ‘Naturae’ Series prequel Destiny Awaiting (full length novel, enemies to lovers historical romance/fantasy) to enjoy!
And if you fancy getting Advance Reader Copies (ARC) of all of my books you can join the Launch Team here.

short stories

Spring Rescue

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An Original Short Story By Jan Foster

I know my destined love will come for me. I’ve sensed his faceless presence in my lonely se’er visions. I didn’t foresee my journey to this moment involved being ship-wrecked, then captured. Visions are unreliable and I should know better than to trust them entirely. But, this moment has fuelled my fantasies and filled my witchy senses for years, long before I was even trapped here in the Beneath. My powers are useless for escaping such a hole, but in my heart, I know my brave knight will charge to my side, kind and strong, bursting with the best of humanity, to rescue me from the darkness. 

Having screamed for hours, when the door crashes open, I have only the strength to raise my head and peer at the flickering lamplight. This is the moment we will meet. I swallow, heart pounding as the familiar image of the door opening to my love flashes before my eyes, and then is made real.

“C’mon. Hurry up, Nemis!”

My heartbeat falters. It’s Joshua, my fae friend. And he sounds like he’s swallowed a turnip.

He is definitely not The One. 

From the moment we met, he’s been steadfast in his devotion to his kidnapped wife. They are as fated to be with each other as the moon is to the earth. She is the reason I navigated us for weeks to this wondrous island of Naturae, so that he may find his true fae love. 

Joshua is not my destined one. He cannot be. Cross-creature relationships are ill-fated.

My heart sinks further, for I do not wish this terrifying adventure to ever be repeated. Yet it must, for my foresight is never wrong and I do want to meet my true love.

I scramble to my feet and stagger towards the light. Another presence lurks behind Joshua in the tunnels, but I ignore them and fling my arms around my friend. As I squeeze him, he winces. 

“Sorry.”

“Ish alright,” he says, his swollen lips slurring his words. “Jus’ a toof and a few ribs.”

Before I can question him about being tortured, the ground beneath our feet shakes. Chunks of earth rattle down, splattering dust upon us. The lamp hisses as it dies.

“This way, witch!” The man in the shadows speaks and I realise he is also a fae. He grabs my hand and I hear the rustle of his wings flutter behind his back. “Quick as you can,” he says, in an imperious tone and pivots into the air.

I cannot fly, so I stumble after him, head down in his back draft. My long dreadlocks slap my back with every step. 

The ground shaking beneath my feet vibrates with the anger of the gods as they spit their displeasure ever closer to my heels. With their night-sight and wings, my fae companions would be faster if they left me in the tunnels. I am the impediment to our escape, but driven by fear, I keep running.

Blinded by wind and dirt, I lose my footing in my long skirts and stumble. From behind, Joshua hauls me up from the earth. Another firm hand grasps my arm, the touch sending a jolt of adrenaline through my body. As I’m hoisted between them, up into the air, my legs flail. The rush of wind whistles past my ears; every inch of my body feels weightless and vulnerable, suspended in this precarious moment.

A deep rumble swells from behind us. Huge wings beat even faster; their back-draft pushing tears from my screwed-shut eyes. I have no choice but to trust them. 

The air suddenly clears of dust, and I smell trees – fir and the sweet blossom of cherry and blackthorn. The scent reminds me of springtime when these trees are in bloom and I gather wild garlic that grows at their roots to disguise the bitter taste of my remedies. My eyelids fly open; we are hovering – myself dangling – above the forest canopy.

“Take me down!” I cry, my arms straining from being hauled and held. 

Joshua swings me into the arms of his companion.

“Not yet,” the other fae says, so I raise my head to look at him. 

There’s a reassuring glimmer in his eyes that eases me, a bold firmness in the set of his swarthy stubbled chin which reminds me of a Spanish priest I once knew. Dark-haired, with a red cape flowing gracefully between his wings… 

I have seen this fae before! 

He stood by cowardly, behind a tree trunk, and let Joshua and I be manhandled down the tunnels to our prison holes. 

“You were watching us all along, yet you did nothing!” 

His steadiness against my wriggling holds my panic in check. He inclines his head. “For everything, there is a time.”

Only minutes ago, I thought I was going to meet The One. How stupid of me! And now, I’m captured again, mid-air, dallying with this riddler! 

When the whiteness of his smile stretches across his face, the heat of frustration rises on my neck. As it flushes into my cheeks, he chuckles.

I grit my teeth and look away, past the city in the treetops and across the flat, wooded landscape, to beyond where the sea meets the shore. Then I remember. 

“Joshua! The stones! You must go now to the circle, to Aioffe.”

His lips press together and he nods at me. His eyes flick to the other fae. “Sorry.” 

As my friend flies away to find his destiny, the popinjay fae adjusts my body in his arms so I am held like a babe as he swoops around, delaying. But why?

My usual habitat, the ground, seems awfully far below, so I crook my arm around his neck and cling to his shoulders. “Why didn’t you do anything earlier, in the clearing? If you had, Joshua wouldn’t have been beaten up.” 

My anger at him has not dissipated despite his rescue, but I refrain from beating at his chest. Fire my voice as I order, “Put me down, right now!”

We descend slightly, then he says, “Sometimes, it is better to wait for fate to intervene.”

A snapping crack and then a whoosh precedes a cloud of dust puffing up through branches, enveloping us in grey. I cough and glance down through the fug. One of the immense trees has fallen across the clearing, completely covering the opening in the earth to the tunnels we had just escaped from.

I crane my neck to survey the citadel below and gasp. My blood freezes as, to my eyes and ears only, the ground ripples. The roofs of the treehouse dwellings linked by rope bridges crack, then crumple. I am powerless to stop trunks toppling, halt the bodies tumbling, screaming as they fall, to be impaled on broken branches and shafts. 

I shudder, blinking, and then the rooflines are straight again. 

But the early leaves on the branches quiver a warning of what will come. My heart thumps as I push away the icy chill of my vision.

“If anyone is down there, we must warn them,” I say, my voice still wavering but sure. “I can hear the heart of the forest, breaking.” 

His arms stiffen around me and his jaw sets. He gazes into my eyes. “I believe in you.”

Then, he blinks and we plummet. Both of us shouting, “Get out, get out! Fly!” 

Faces peek out from the ramshackle structures, white with fear, but we urge and beckon the fae out to safety. There are fewer of them here than I imagined, considering the number of treehouses, and for that I am thankful. 

Just as the air is peppered with a flock of drably clothed, small-winged fae, the earth rumbles again, deep and ominous. My vision begins to unfold; cracking branches echo like thunder as one after another tree is uprooted by the quaking soil, accompanied by shrieks and sobs of the devastated community. 

I cannot watch; I have already seen what will be, so I bury my face into the chest of my hovering ride as I pray we have done enough. 

Through the cries and screams, I am kept safe by this stranger. Held up from harm’s way, shuddering but close in his arms as the citadel crumbles. I splay my hand over his heart as gratitude and sorrow wash over me. Homes can be rebuilt, but people’s lives are harder to replace.

An eerie silence replaces the noise of destruction. I exhale, turn my head and peer down, expecting the worst.

The swarm of fae have already dropped to the ground. As they hug each other and then pick through the debris for their possessions, I watch for a moment; there are no tears. No life has been lost after all.

My companion catches my glance as I turn to look at him. He has sea-green eyes like my own, reflecting the relief I feel. With his help, my terrifying vision did not realise. Yet, my foresight is never completely wrong…

There is only he and I, high above the trees. My skin tingles, but not from a chill. 

A witch and a fae, two species who should never cross paths, and yet, here we are. Bound by disaster, saved by each other. 

I could accept that The One is a fae, but what a peacock! With his finely stitched jacket, expensive cape, and linen shirt still whiter than white even after the dust has settled, I could not appear more his opposite in my simple gown, grubby with saltwater and dirt.

Yet, I hear his steady heartbeat and it beats in time with mine. 

He is, even underneath the frills, so different from me. Not at all what I’d imagined a saviour to be. He leans over to kiss my forehead and, at the brush of his lips, I know he has truly rescued me.

Without knowing me, he trusted without question in my foresight. Even Joshua wants details before interpretation of my visions, but this fae did not hesitate to believe in me.

He protected and held me through the terrors of my visions and beyond, when they threatened disaster. For once, I was not alone. 

Although I do not know his name, his gentle smile is for me only. 

“Ambassador Spenser,” he says, as if he heard my thoughts. “I know you, Nemis. I have been waiting for this moment all of my life too.”

High above the land, far away from everything familiar, my heart calms. I am home in his arms.

© Copyright Jan Foster 2024

A Note by the Author: This short story is set in the middle of Disrupting Destiny, Book 1 of the historical fantasy Naturae Series. Nemis and Spenser are side characters throughout the series, which spans the Tudor age and features real historical events as viewed by magical beings. For more information about the series and other short stories, please visit www.escapeintoatale.com/naturaeseries

self-published

Risking Destiny

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Delving into Prequel One of the ‘Naturae’ Series

Risking Destiny. So Simple Published Media, 2021.

Risking Destiny is a prequel to Foster’s Naturae Series. In this book, a fae Queen and a Viking Yarl fall in love despite conventions that don’t allow the fae to have relationships with humans. Sigurd, the Viking, is kidnapped by the fae after his people invaded an island in Orkney and killed many of the humans that were under Queen Lana’s care, but the Queen finds that her relationship with the tall Viking does not go the way she expected.

Ordinarily, I don’t read books featuring fae, and especially vampires, but I gave this book a chance, and I’m pleased that I did. There is mention of vampires, although none appear, but the fae received their Lifeforce from humans in a worship ceremony, and occasionally drink the blood of animals in a vampire-like way to top up their Lifeforce.

The story intrigued me, although I would have preferred a little more of the Viking side of it to have been included. As a prequel to a series I hadn’t read, the book stood strongly on its merits, and at the end, two young fae are pupated whom I presume go on to be important characters in the series. For people who have read some of the Naturae books, I’m sure this backstory will add to their enjoyment of them.

There is a subtle subtext of societal conventions and how love refuses to be constrained by them, but in the end, needs must, and the Queen, Lana, is forced to make difficult decisions that place expediency ahead of her own desires.

The historical fiction element was blended into a fantasy setting by the clever use of a fantasy world that cohabits our Earth, hidden from sight by a mysterious mist. The worldbuilding and interplay between the two realms was good throughout, and when the fae ventured into the humans’ realm, the dangers of them being spotted created some nice tension, especially Queen Lana, who proved to be something of a reckless risk-taker.

Despite this genre being well outside my comfort zone, the book proved easy to read and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Anybody who reads my reviews will know I’m picky about typos and the like, and I can’t deny that there are quite a few. Most people probably don’t notice them, and the story is entertaining enough to make them seem unimportant.

Give this a read, whether you’ve read the Naturae series or not. If you haven’t, then, like me, you’ll probably end up curious enough about it to move on the first book of the series.

‘Risking Destiny’ and the whole Naturae Series are available for purchase at: https://amzn.to/4ckORDb

(Review By Hayley Price)

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Book Preview: Destiny Arising By Jan Foster

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A sneak peek into Book Three of the Naturae Series, which will be released in April 2024!

Destiny Arising. So Simple Published Media, 2022.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR BOOK IS ABOUT?

Aioffe and Joshua return to Tudor England seeking a safe haven for their family, yet celestial portents predict disaster. Under Queen Mary I’s rule, the Catholic church has gripped power and the fae are in danger and unwelcome. Imprisoned for murder, their friend and se’er witch Nemis awaits her trial, but is crippled by visions of royal deaths.
When Queen Mary dies, political and religious upheaval shroud the horrifying truth. Aioffe and Joshua are the only people who believe Nemis’s prophecy… a killer of queens has started a campaign of terror.
As the trial looms, with Nemis’s life at stake, the murderer strikes again. It becomesclear – being different doesn’t mean you are invincible. Aioffe is destined to die next, unless the hunted becomes the hunter.
Past and present collide as the family embarks on a dangerous and forbidden journey across Elizabethan England and Scotland in search of answers. Can they capture the murderer before more queens die and a Treaty protecting all fae, witches and vampires is destroyed? Or is Aioffe’s destiny foretold after all?
But… if five crowns tumble… King Henry Fitzroy, a vampire ruling over a fae nation, can’t help but see the opportunity in Nemis’s prophecy. Is this the moment when he arises into his destiny?

WHAT SETS YOUR BOOK APART FROM THE COMPETITION?

Here’s the 5 reasons why you’ll love Destiny Arising:

  1. Tropes you’ll love: hidden worlds, suffering main characters, murder-mystery thriller style, created families, formidable villains and morally grey characters;
  2. A complex plot with dramatic twists;
  3. While there are romantic elements, the main characters are already in a long established couple;
  4. A multiple 3rd person omniscient point of view that gives depth to the story;
  5. A chance to escape into descriptive writing and experience accurate historical events including the death of Queen Mary I, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth I; Mary Queen of Scots and all her drama! Oh and witch trials…

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF…

By day, I juggle consultancy work with family, but by night I sneaks off into the past. My penchant for sprinkling history with magic is fuelled by coffee and Cadburys. When I am not writing, I take my dogs and small monsters into the countryside, especially if there is a castle or historic building there with a cosy coffee shop in which to escape the rain of Manchester, England. I fed all my love for history and folklore into my ‘Naturae’ historical fantasy series of novels.

HOW CAN OUR READERS GET IN TOUCH?

On my website, Amazon, Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Goodreads. You can also subscribe to my newsletter and receive a free copy of the ‘Naturae’ Series prequel Destiny Awaiting (full length novel, enemies to lovers historical romance/fantasy) to enjoy! And if you fancy getting Advance Reader Copies (ARC) of all of my books you can join the Launch Team here.

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Book Spotlight: ‘Anarchic Destiny’ By Jan Foster

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Book Two of the Naturae Series

Anarchic Destiny. So Simple Published Media, 2022.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR BOOK IS ABOUT?

Family should be loyal, or so Aioffe and Joshua thought. When a rival claimant to her Naturae throne returns, the balance of power shifts. Division and threats appear and a witch’s prophesy goes unheeded. Naturae’s stability as a growing realm seems doubtful without an heir. In England, Edward VI has died, and a fight for his throne will follow. Henry Fitzroy, a forgotten heir and Edward’s bastard vampire brother, awakens to the destiny he was promised in tatters. Denied his crown and place in the human world, Henry sets his sights on claiming what was due to him, even if that means hurting everyone who was loyal to him before. The price of an heir to bring Aioffe, Joshua and the Queendom back together is a sacrifice – their marriage or their loyalty to Naturae. As darker forces gather, a decision must be made, or chaos will reign…

WHAT SETS YOUR BOOK APART FROM THE COMPETITION?

There is plenty to love in this book: hidden worlds, insta-love, formidable villain, morally grey character, LBGTQ themes and a complex plot with twists you won’t see coming. Romantic elements are presents but the main characters are already in a long, established relationship, clean and with no spice, meaning that it can be enjoyed by a wider public. The multiple 3rd person omniscient point of view creates a round and comprehensive perspective on the story. Escape into descriptive writing and experience accurate historical events including Mary I march to power, coronation and her wedding to Phillip of Spain, Wyatt’s rebellion, Lady Jane Grey and Princess Elisabeth’s captivity.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF…

By day, I juggle consultancy work with family, but by night I sneaks off into the past. My penchant for sprinkling history with magic is fuelled by coffee and Cadburys. When I am not writing, I take my dogs and small monsters into the countryside, especially if there is a castle or historic building there with a cosy coffee shop in which to escape the rain of Manchester, England. I fed all my love for history and folklore into my ‘Naturae’ historical fantasy series of novels.

HOW CAN OUR READERS GET IN TOUCH?

I am active on most digital channels: my website, Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok.

You can also subscribe to my newsletter and receive a free copy of the ‘Naturae’ Series prequel ‘Destiny Awaiting’ – a full length novel, enemies to lovers historical romance/fantasy – to enjoy! And if you fancy getting Advance Reader Copies (ARC) of all of my books you can join the Launch Team here.


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Flash Promo 2024 (Ep. 5): Egil R.R. Moe

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Introducing ‘The Man Who Came Down from the Mountains’ (Allfirda Saga, Book 1)

The Man Who Came Down from the Mountains. Sogesmia Publishing, 2021.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR BOOK IS ABOUT?

“I was not there, with Sigismund, that night at the Pettitoe, when the Beginning of the End of the World came about. So, you see, I was not a part of it, and therefore have no responsibility in it, contrary to what people say. It is because I took an interest in the story and came to be at every other incident in this travesty, that they have named me: the Bard of ill Fortune, or the one responsible for the undoing of the world. Marhall be cursed, they even named me the usurper’s son, yet it is not true. I am but a simple Bard, and Bard be my name, the one I prefer, anyway, though they have called me by many names in my time on this earth.”
In a secluded glen, where two trade routes meet lies the Pettitoe Inn. Tomorrow is Wyrdsday, a day of worship to the God of Destiny, and travellers have found refuge here from the danger of the wilderness. If not for the Sacred Fire, monstrous horrors will pour from the mountains to hunt for human flesh, and the dead will rise to feast upon the living.

WHAT SETS YOUR BOOK APART FROM THE COMPETITION?

This is a fantasy story based on a LARP (live action role play) I hosted far back in the old days. Swords and sorcery and monsters at an inn in the wilderness. This is also my first book written entirely in English, it’s not published in Norwegian.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF…

I am an established author. “Kingship” is my first historical novel series, packed with thrills and intrigue from start to finish. Based on historical events from medieval times in Scandinavia and the Kingdom of the Isles, it introduces us to real historical figures. My enthusiasm for the subject and my in-depth knowledge of the
period are unequaled. I have even personally participated in jousts – and have hosted five European Jousting Championships in Denmark.

HOW CAN OUR READERS GET IN TOUCH?

You can find me on Facebook and on my personal website.

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Book Spotlight: ‘Disrupting Destiny’ By Jan Foster

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Introducing Book One of the Naturae Series

Disrupting Destiny. So Simple Published Media, 2021.

CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF YOUR BOOK?

The book is a historical fantasy thriller adventure through the reign of Henry VIII’s Reformation England to the fantastical realm of Naturae. After a confrontation with a shadowy figure from her past, any hope of a quiet life in deeply religious northern England for the runaway soulmates is destroyed. Homebody Joshua is torn apart from his secretive wife. Only his belief in her innocence and the kindness of strangers keeps him alive. In a dangerous quest through the turbulence of Reformation, he sets out to recover what he has lost, but finds himself questioning his own faith and future. Heartbroken and alone, Aioffe refuses to comply with the destiny envisaged for her, until she discovers a darker secret which threatens to destroy the Naturae realm and fae immortality. The fate of an entire race rests on their shoulders, can they reunite in time to disrupt destiny?
Rebellion, danger and intrigue threaten the future in a thrilling journey, weaving Tudor times with magical fantasy.

WHAT ARE YOUR BOOK USPs?

There is a unique magical system drawn from human characteristics, made of hidden worlds, fated mates and a punishment that fits the crime. There is a strong female protagonist with a secret destiny, there are romantic elements but main characters are already a long established couple. The story is clean, there is no spice, meaning anyone can read it, and the multiple 3rd person omniscient point of view creates a round and comprehensive perspective on the story.
Escape into descriptive writing and experience accurate historical events; unlike some other historical fantasy, this book is set in a very distinct time and place, and examines the effect of Henry VIII’s reformation on ordinary people.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF…

By day, I juggle consultancy work with family, but by night I sneaks off into the past.
My penchant for sprinkling history with magic is fuelled by coffee and Cadburys.
When I am not writing, I take my dogs and small monsters into the countryside, especially if there is a castle or historic building there with a cosy coffee shop in which to escape the rain of Manchester, England.
I fed all my love for history and folklore into my ‘Naturae’ historical fantasy
series of novels.

HOW CAN OUR READERS GET IN TOUCH?

I am active on most digital channels: my website, Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok.

You can also subscribe to my newsletter and receive a free copy of the ‘Naturae’ Series prequel ‘Destiny Awaiting’ – a full length novel, enemies to lovers historical romance/fantasy – to enjoy! And if you fancy getting Advance Reader Copies (ARC) of all of my books you can join the Launch Team here.

self-published

Ro: Breaking The Chain

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A Brand New Novel From the Author of ‘The King of Gravesend’ Series Peter Draper

Ro: Breaking The Chain. Peter Draper, 2024.

Peter Draper, the man who pushed the concept of endlessly typing on a keyboard to a totally new level, is back with another spin-off of ‘The King of Gravesend’ saga!

Chuds Douglas has, unfortunately, passed away, leaving a hole in the lives of all the people who met him. Meanwhile, Ro, his wife, is doing her best to hold on and move on with her life. Chuds would have wanted that for sure. She is a business owner, can count on the support of her friends and has a wife too, called Angel. Life is being generous with her, she really has nothing to complain about. Everything is running smoothly, her days plain-sailing. Right? Kinda.
When Marvin tells her during a Zoom call that she has been selected to run for the position of Councillor at the local elections, Ro’s life is about to take a totally different turn. While Ro and Angel are busy checking on their businesses and friends, they stop at Lorraine’s for a drink and notice a man in a business suit and leather gloves leaving quickly, too quickly to feel right, given he has been staring at Ro for a very long time. The incident is creepy and concerning in equal measure so Ro sends the CCTV recording to Marvin. Better safe than sorry, that’s what they say.
In the meantime, Trevor is introduced to Ernesto, who works for the Philippine National Police. Ernesto’s nephew, Lando, went to England to work as a nurse to support his family, but has been missing since landing at Heathrow, so Ernesto is looking for Chuds to get help and find him. Ernesto knew Chuds, as he was the Lead Officer when Chuds was kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf and worked closely with his attorney to free him. He trusts Chuds, he knows he’s a good guy. Unfortunately, it is Trevor who needs to deliver the bad news of Chuds’s death to Ernesto. Being the selfless person she is, Ro decides to take matters into her own hands and help. This is when things take a very dark turn. Will Lando be found? How will this delicate matter end?

This book is simply impressive, from beginning to end. Besides the fact that it kept me glued until the very last page, its content is an absolute delight – even though you can hardly consider human trafficking delightful. The themes discussed are, unfortunately, current, but dealt with delicately and kindly, with the narrative never slipping into the patronising or the overdramatic. There is a perfect balance of seriousness and humour, there are old characters that are always a welcome presence and new ones that are introduced with a few, simple brushes.
Draper’s style is always impeccable, straight to the point, with a crafty balance of description and dialogue. While he avoids beating around the bush, he is capable of dragging you into the story like no one else. His control over the story production process is incredibly tight and it shows, something that allowed him to write and publish this book in less than two months.
‘Ro: Breaking The Chain’ is definitely his best work so far.

For more information about Peter’s work, visit his website or his Author Page on Amazon.