Explore with us the enchanting world of Riley Cain
Riley Cain was born in Dublin in 1968. Riley’s first published book, The Halloween House, was released in 2020. The following year, Riley published his first full novel for younger readers, Banshee Rising, inspired by his love of ghost stories and Irish folklore. In 2023, Riley published his third book, The Curse of Silver and Sunlight, Book One in the Benjamin Blake series. Have a look at each in more detail:
About: Do you dare enter The Halloween House? Have you courage enough to Trick or Treat with the cast of ghastly characters who dwell there? From witches, werewolves, ghouls and ghosts, all are assembled in its moldy rooms to offer thrills and shivers – and quite a lot of laughs. For the ‘spooktacular’ month of October, thirty-one tales crammed with ghostly fun dare you to book a seat on the Fright Flight; enter the The Witches’ Broomstick Race, fight vampires with fearless Gran Helsing, and ride with The Phantom Highwayman. Listen for the whistle of The Devil’s Locomotive as you set sail on midnight waters with The Ghost Pirates. And if you should be tempted by A Shortcut Through the Graveyard, we guarantee, you will only do it once! Haunted by creatures such as the dancing Manky Franky Twinkle Toes and Dexter Blood, The Handyman from Hell, The Halloween House offers a wealth of rotten rhymes for the bravest readers. One tale each night for the foulest, freakiest, fun-filled Halloween ever.
About: She sees ghosts. Everywhere. All the time. It’s a pain. Caitlyn never asked to see floating nuns, dark highwaymen and phantom warriors. She did not ask to have different-coloured eyes or be attracted to the haunted ‘Magic Man’ Danny from school. But her gift is undeniable, forcing Caitlyn to share her life with a host of quirky spirits as she tries to navigate a ‘normal’ day of bullies, boys, and Gran’s bad cooking. And then Professor Sackimum Brody steps into her life and nothing will be the same again. Mortal yet mysterious, the Professor seems to know far more about Caitlyn and her lost parents than he reveals, even as he guides her to understand the secret of her gift. When at last he offers a glimpse into a deeper realm, one where an ancient evil is stirring, Caitlyn is plunged towards an impossible truth and a threat to her worlds. To defeat what is rising from Ireland’s haunted heart, Caitlyn McCabe must face an adventure that is, literally, life and death.
The Curse of Silver and Sunlight: Benjamin Blake Book | Benjamin Blake Series, Book One (Young Adults, 2023)
About: A witch’s whispered promise. A book of wicked spells. A band of rebellious vampires, and a battle to control dark magic. Rural Essex, 1645 – a time of sorcery and civil war. When 15-year-old Benjamin Blake falls victim to a witch’s fatal prophecy, death comes creeping in. The only chance for survival comes with a price: the curse of silver and sunlight. Banished from the daytime world forever, Benjamin joins vampires Juno, Darach, Varney, and Brill, as they flee the clutches of evil enchanter Adefina Corvus. Hopes of freedom lie in a stolen book of spells, ready to offer power to whoever can decipher its coded text. None but Adefina has ever succeeded. The grimoire’s secrets must be revealed if Benjamin and his friends are to escape England’s most wicked witch. Benjamin is about to open its ghastly pages. But Adefina is coming, murdering her way back to her precious book. The chase is on!
We are thrilled to announce that Equilibrium is now available in audiobook format too! Grab your copy here and refresh your mind about the book right below!
WHAT IS THE BOOK ABOUT?
Experience Kassius Kanex like never before in the epic conclusion.
In anticipation of the arrival of an evil that could rob Kassius Kanex of his power, he must go off-grid, in search of the only hope there is to defeat it.
With the help of his larger-than-life best friend Rock, the engineers, his faithful pod keepers, a secret-keeping crow and a time-travel-enabling octopus, Kassius Kanex must expand his organization to levels even he did not dream to be possible.
Can the world survive the evil long enough for Kassius to find the only thing powerful enough to stop it?
The whole of humanity depends on one thing: EQUILIBRIUM.
This is book three of a trilogy. The sci-fi and horror in this book are biblical in proportion. The conclusion of the story will leave readers with their jaw dropping.
All you need to know about his literary work in one place!
Joseph Roy Wright is a British independent author from Cheshire who focuses mostly on horror. Whether it be occult, dark fantasy, psychological or even Sci Fi, he does have a story to tell that will satisfy your morbid curiosities.
Joseph has been writing since 2017 and already has 10 books under his belt, an achievement he’s very proud of (and who wouldn’t…). Here they are:
The New Order of Alexandria: The Island of Hella (Post Apocaliptic Thriller, 2017)
About: Post Apocalyptic thriller, inspired by The Walking Dead, Fallout and Mad Max.Join Jack Carr and his brother Derek as they join The New Order of Alexandria, a new army that wants to take control of what remains of The United States of America after climate change in the year 2050. Jack and Derek will witness the horrors of the western world, they will see humanity at its worst. Derek will meet the beautiful Jade Sanders and fall in love, Jack will get lost on the island and he will have to learn how to survive on his own and people will die as a killer stalks the island and a war will take place. A post apocalyptic adventure intended for mature audiences.
Paranormal Homicide | Book One: The Skinners Incident (Horror, 2019)
About: When teenagers start disappearing in the British town of Runcorn, Officers Sarah White, Michael Carr and Homicide Detective John Prescott are assigned to the case. What begins as a simple Missing Persons Case soon spirals into a much darker tale full of genuine horror as an insidious presence haunts the northern town. Paranormal Homicide is a gruesome Crime Thriller with a supernatural twist. Intended for a mature audience, this book contains gore, sexual themes and strong language.
Paranormal Homicide | Book Two: The Cult Of Lucien (Horror, 2022)
About: It is Halloween in 1978, Lori Ripley has been haunted by demons her whole life. However on this night, demons rise onto earth in search for her, they call themselves The Cult Of Lucien. They wish to resurrect their dark lord Lucien by sacrificing her life, so the devil can possess Lori’s body. They have chosen her, for she does not know that her resistance to spirits has given her unknown occult powers. Police Officers Jason Arquette and Michael Loomis soon fall into this hideous rabbit hole, as the demonic cultists kill many in the British town of Runcorn in search of Lori. Can they save this poor woman, or will the dark lord rise once again to rain hell onto earth?
The Town Named Bilmo (Psychological/Supernatural Horror, 2021)
About: Bucky Cartwright travels to the mysterious Welsh town of Bilmo, to escape his old life. He soon discovers that he may be able to run away from his past, but he cannot run away from himself, as old demons come back to haunt him, in this creepy Welsh town. Bucky will slowly descend into madness, as his worst nightmares become a reality. Soon enough horrifying manifestations from his tormented mind conjure, as Bilmo is a town that unleashes all your darkest fears into the world! It is a town that Bucky must desperately escape, before his sanity ultimately breaks. Will Bucky Cartwright escape the town named Bilmo? Or is it his destiny to suffer eternally?
Realms of Solaride | Book One: Lucien’s Wrath (A Gothic Adventure, 2021)
About: The Darkest Lord Lucien, rises the dead within the Eastern Village of Riverfall. It will be up to Scott T. Ericsson and his Fellowship of warriors to restore the village to its former peace. With medieval inspired horror elements in mind, such as dungeons and torture chambers, bloody fights and horrifying sacrifices…
About: The Fellowship have entered the Southern realm of Farshore, here Vikings rule the land. Unfortunately these foul tempered men are not so easy to get along with. To earn their trust, our heroes must travel across The Endless Sea, where no man has returned before. Yet it is a risk that they must take, in order to build trust with Farshore’s Queen. All the while, The Darkest Lord Lucien grows evermore powerful and wicked, summoning more demons, zombies and cultists onto Solaride with every passing night.
Small Town Horrors (Short Stories Collection, 2022)
About: The stories contain murder mysteries, supernatural thrills and horrifying monsters. Each story has a unique theme and antagonist, there are demons and serial killers awaiting you in this horrifying book of pure terror and dread! The book visits famous towns like Warrington, Runcorn, Delamere and Northwhich among many others. If you’re afraid of clowns, witches, demonic frogs, creepy crawlies and evil pirates then this book is guaranteed to keep you awake all night! The horror within does not hold back any punches, every grizzly murder is written in vivid detail, every monster has an unimaginably evil intention and not every protagonist survives. You will never guess who lives or die until you read every single page of this terrifying book.
About: Explore a Cyberpunk Liverpool with the cloned fugitive known as Tom-12, in the not too distant future of 2042. Tom must discover his humanity by escaping from his birth place prison, The Facility. In this dark future, men are no longer born, but merely produced in labs, for a life of forced labour. All so the naturally born can live in a utopian world, free from the shackles of an everyday job. However, Tom-12 soon discovers that the reality behind this false dream is far darker and disturbing than anyone could possibly imagine.
Cursed Valentine: Til Death Do Us Part (Murder Mystery, 2023)
About: When the promiscuous Stacy Thompson is found dead on Valentine’s Day, Detective Arthur Bloom investigates. He soon falls into a disturbing rabbit hole, unfolding a massive conspiracy that will shock the entire city of Liverpool. In this murder mystery thriller, you, the reader, will have to solve this horrifying case. For there is no killer reveal, yet there are still plenty of clues to find, which will point you in the right direction. Can you discover who murdered Stacy Thompson? Or will her death remain a mystery forever? This fictional story explores the underbelly of Liverpool One, as Detective Bloom investigates the mysterious Club Diamond and the many murder suspects who drink there. A mature murder mystery that will leave you with more questions than answers. Only you can solve this convoluted puzzle of secrets and death!
About: It was December 31st, 1946 when the dead rose from their graves, just hours before New Year’s Eve! 1947 is off to a terrifying start, as it could spell the apocalypse for all of America. Yet, not all of these undead are brainless zombies. Some still retain their personalities, but must feast upon the living to remain intelligent and “alive”, ironically humanity’s last hope lays within the hands of one of these grave walkers, Detective Harry Reed. He’s been resurrected from the dead, with the mission to solve this horrifying outbreak, while having to deal with his own physical and psychological decay. Can he solve the mystery behind this outbreak, before it is too late?! Could it be UFOs from out of space who started this madness? Or maybe it was a mad scientist? Or perhaps, this is the devil’s work… Detective Dead is a satirical take on noir horror, a retro zombie outbreak story, with a Mad Scientist, little green Aliens and a hard boiled Detective who is slowly losing his mind!
Stay tuned throughout October as we immerse ourselves in Joseph Roy Wright’s world of books with reviews, interviews and more…
This month’s spotlight on authors Joseph Roy Wright & Riley Cain
In the run up to Halloween, we are thrilled to introduce you to our latest feature, supernatural season. This month we introduce you to the work of Joseph Roy Wright and Riley Cain, two authors who will transport us to the world of the magic, the unusual, the inexplicable (with some hints of horror too…).
Stay tuned to read more about their writing career, their take on writing and the self-publishing community and to discover exclusive content.
High school freshman Marcia Torres finds her life flipped upside down when she’s forced to come out as gay in front of her entire 9th grade class. Suddenly she’s the most well-known lesbian in her conservative little Indiana town. She falls for her high school crush (and has her heart shredded), she works with her best friend Charlie (Charlotte) Parker to start her school’s first Gay/Straight Alliance, and she finds true love in the form of a sweet little genius named Patience Lancaster. Now Marcia, Patience, and Charlie have to figure out how to stop a conservative parent group dead-set on making life miserable for same-sex couples in the school.
10th grade – It’s the best of times, and the worst of times. But mostly the worst.
Marcia Torres is back, along with Charlie and Patience, for their 10th grade year of high school. And things look great, at first: Charlie’s got a newfound passion for art, Marcia’s widowed mom gets proposed to by her long-time boyfriend, and things between Marcia and Patience are going great. But then Marcia loses her student council election, gets badly injured on the soccer field, and has to spend Christmas without her girlfriend Patience. And that’s before things get really bad. What looks at first like a string of unfortunate coincidences turns out to be the work of someone doing their best to give Marcia the worst year ever. Is her freshman-year nemesis Ashley Harwood seeking revenge, or is there a new villain in town?
Marcia, Charlie, and Patience enter their 11th grade year with a new high school principal, which would be fine if he wasn’t also a racist and a homophobe (and an idiot). The student council elections are rigged to keep out anyone who isn’t straight and white, and things go south from there. With racists and bullies in charge of the school, Marcia, Patience and Charlie have to find sneaky and subversive ways to fight back. Along the way, they help old friends, attend marches and help organise rallies. They quickly discover that their new principal isn’t just a bigot, but also a criminal. Now, with the help of a brilliant rules-breaking freshman student named “Tiny” Tina Hampton, the girls take on their biggest challenge yet – fighting an entire system designed to work against them.
They came. They saw. They burned the castle to the ground.
During the summer between their junior and senior years, Marcia, Charlie, and Patience agree to play a tabletop role-playing game with sisters “Tiny” Tina Hampton and her older sister “Mouse”. The story switches back and forth between the ‘real world’ story of the girls getting together, and the ‘fantasy world’ story of Marcia the Fighter, Patience the Wizard, and Charlie the Cookie Elf. Just like in real life, the fantasy version of the girls take down bad guys and protect the innocent by bending and breaking every rule in the books. And they just might destroy a castle or two along the way.
Marcia Torres starts her final year of high school with a slight touch of existential dread. After all, she knows the school year will end with her saying goodbye to her mom, to her stepdad, to her best friend of a decade, Charlie Parker and, unless she can find a way to get into Princeton, to her genius girlfriend, Patience. But first things first – Marcia has to take care of the here-and-now. She gets elected Student Council President, she gets a job tutoring a snarky nine-year-old, she manages to secure her future with Patience, and she befriends new students Katrina Jimenez and Anna DeTollo. But tragedy befalls Charlie at the same time that a new group of hateful bullies pops up, and suddenly making it to graduation becomes the least of Marcia’s problems.
Sometimes life gives you the chance to start over.
High School freshman Katrina Jimenez has a theory – sometimes life gives you the chance to start over. So, she decides to take advantage of her first year of high school by resetting and redefining herself. “New Katrina” joins the soccer team alongside her best friend Anna DeTollo even though she’s never played before. She somehow wins election to the student council even though she wasn’t officially running. She ends up on stage doing Shakespeare even though she’s never acted before in her life. And she ends up coming out as gay, falling in love, and having her heart broken. Not necessarily in that order. She and Anna also end up taking on a group of racist school bullies with the help of fellow students Tina Hampton, Marcia Torres, Patience Lancaster, and Charlie Parker. After all, what’s a little anarchy and rebellion among friends?
“Island Games” (stand-alone adventure novel) published 2022
Lies. Cameras. Factions.
A group of twelve teenagers sign up for a new reality survival show called “Island Games”. They’re flown out to a small, unnamed island and stranded with only one female producer, a hapless show host and an army of small robotic drone cameras. When teenage skate punk Anika Bright is voted out the game, she thinks her adventure is over until she finds a cryptic note that reads EVERYTHING YOU’VE BEEN TOLD IS A LIE. Now Anika has to work alongside her former competitors, including a numbers-obsessed girl, a preteen genius, and a giant football player with the personality of a teddy bear. They have to figure out why exactly someone would decide to fake an entire TVshow, and what kinds of secrets are worth killing for.
Roses are red, two girls are blue. First love and heartbreak often travel by two.
Dora Roberts is a sophomore transfer to the famous Crestwood School of the Performing Arts. She happens to arrive at the same time as a film crew there to shoot a documentary on the school and its students. Besides Dora, the producers of the documentary focus their sights on former child star Solace Abernathy and musical prodigy Benji Carmichael, a strange girl with a strange name and strange, short blue hair. Benji and Dora form a quick friendship before Benji admits that she has a crush on Dora. Dora, who has never had a crush on anyone, is unsure of how she feels. But just when Dora is finally, finally honest about her love for Benji, tragedy befalls the girls, and they find themselves with only a few weeks left together before they’ll be pulled apart for good. This is the story of two girls finding themselves, finding each other, falling in love, and falling apart. This is love and loss and everything life can be. This is Art School Blues.
Losing someone you love can leave you feeling shattered inside. Like a piece of you is missing. Chipped. Cracked. Broken. High school sophomore Katrina Jimenez has a theory about that. She believes that, sometimes, broken can be beautiful.
“Wayward magic” (stand-alone fantasy novel) published 2023
Magic is everywhere, if you know where to look.
A female knight named Raven is on a mission to save the girls of Wayward. Girls who can use magic. Girls like Tam, the farm girl. Cressa, the runaway wild-child. Tam and Cressa live in a world where simply touching magic could mean a death sentence. But the world these girls know is only half of the story. Raven is about to show them the truth. And the truth will change everything. Welcome to our world. Welcome to Wayward.
Coming Fall 2024 – “Katrina’s Theory of Infinite Possibilities” (Katrina Book 3)
Clint Chico is an inner city high school media teacher, and the parent of LGBTQ+ kids. He’s the author of nine YA novels that feature diverse characters and focus on LGBTQ themes.
He says about himself
I love to write stories that are fun and funny while still hitting on themes and topics that are important and timely. I specialize in bright, colorful characters and sharp, clever dialogue. I’ve been told that my books will make you laugh and cry, often in the same chapter. But most of all, I hope my books will make you smile.
You can listen to his podcast interview at “Tell Me About My Book” where he talked about “My Name is Marcia” and watch his “Stay Woke” Book Club interview for “Island Games”.
And definitely you can drop us a comment too, letting us know what you liked about his books!
We are thrilled to introduce you to our lates feature! From this month, in addition to the usual reviews and authors self-promo/interviews, we will turn the spotlight on a new author each month, showcasing all their work so far. We are kicking things off with…
CLINT CHICO!
Stay tuned to read more about what he writes, his opinion on the meaning of writing and authorship, today’s society and much more!
And with this, we conclude our self-published appreciation week showcase. But we are not done! More authors and more books will come soon, so stay tuned and as usual buy, review and let us know what do you think!
As usual, you know the drill! Make sure you support them purchasing their books, leaving reviews and sharing their works! And if you want to let us know what do you think about them, you can send us an emailer contact us on our social media.
