Another Narrow Escape.

Narrow Escape in Norway. Christine Keleny.

See the world through the eyes of a young, spunky child. A young, spunky child born into a family of secret agents. “Narrow Escape in Norway,” is the second Agnes Kelly Mystery Adventure (the first is “Intrigue in Istanbul”) and both titles are perfect for adults with children, or, children reading with adults. Join the hunt for the truth about our heroine’s deceased father and you’ll find laughs, intrigue, and action.

The counterpart to the childish narrator, Grandma Agee, adds a solid platform on which the young sleuth can craft her clever hunt for her father.

You’ll love reading this book to your children, or enjoying it all by yourself.

Highlights:

Narrator: Little Agnes is adorable.

Tone: Light, bubbly, and engaging.

Pace: This narrative flows with in a wonderful stream of action and drama.

The Battle is O’er

Guest Post!

The Battle is O’er, Book Five of The Blue Bells Chronicles, by Laura Vosika

Shawn means self and Kleiner means centered,one of Shawn’s (many) ex-girlfriends proclaimed.  So begin The Blue Bells Chronicles, a tale of time travel, mysteries and miracles, romance and redemption, in an epic adventure ranging across modern and medieval Scotland against the backdrop of Scotland’s Wars of Independence in the 1300s.

Shawn has it all—wealth, fame, women—until the night Amy, his girlfriend, has enough and abandons him in an ancient tower.  He wakes up in the wrong century.  

Two years in medieval times, two years of fighting beside Robert the Bruce and James Douglas, two years of living with and as his medieval twin, the devout and upright Highlander Niall Campbell, working to protect those he has come to love, and perhaps mostly, his growing friendship with Niall, whom he initially despised, all work changes in Shawn. 

Throughout their adventures, he and Niall seek a way to get Shawn back across time, to fulfill his desire to ask Amy’s forgiveness and finally be the man she always saw in him—succeeding at last in the middle of a fierce battle for Niall’s home, Glenmirril, against their old enemy, the MacDougalls.

Safely back in his own time,Shawn is steadily regaining all he lost—his career as a world-traveling musician, the son he feared he would never know, and finally, maybe—even Amy’s heart.  

He can’t let go of the past, however, or stop agonizing over what happened to Niall and all his beloved friends, left behind in a fight for their lives. In his search for answers, hoping to find that all ended well, he learns instead of the dangers still lurking in fourteenth century Scotland: to Niall who will pay a horrible price for Shawn’s last deed, committed in Glenmirril’s tower just moments before escaping to the safety of his own time; to his own infant son, the subject of prophecy and an ancient letter predicting a fateful battle; even danger to the whole world as Simon Beaumont, known to history as the Butcher of Berwick, seeks to use his knowledge of the future to destroy it.

In this gripping conclusion to The Blue Bells Chronicles, Shawn faces the ultimate test. His selfishness once cost him everything.  His newfound selflessness may do the same. 

·      Find The Battle is O’er on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2tU67Or

A Comedy With Bite

Language in the Blood. Angela Lockwood.

More than a few laughs, “Language in the Blood,” is a riot of comedy, romance, and savagery. Not the stereotypical vampire, Cameron’s life is a whirlwind of peculiar dietary requirements and agitating, eclectic comrades. Set in a variety of classic locations across Europe, this narrative will transport you to beautiful French manors, and the most terrible of battlefields.

The band of secondary characters are a pleasure to discover, and their recurring appearance in the riveting plot builds suspense as well as engagement. You’ll love “Language in the Blood.”

Highlights:

Time: As the protagonist is immortal, you’ll travel through the modern century without feeling the sting of age.

Setting: So many locations, this hilarious story almost reads like a selection of travel recommendations.

Protagonist: Cameron’s irritability and violence make for a very interesting read.

Weapons of Light & Power

Guest Post by Raquel Byrnes

"A soldier leaned out the window, taking aim at Charlotte. A frisson of energy pulsed from the weapon, barely missing her. She screamed, flailing. 

Ashton flipped the rocket ignition on the power cycle and the force of the thrust slammed him against the seat as he shot skyward toward the roof. Pulling his tracer gun, he fired blindly at the building. The soldier dove for the floor." ~Ashton Wells, The Tremblers

Creating the weapons for my YA Steampunk novel, The Tremblerstook me on a fascinating path. The invention of destructive devices was vexing and addicting all at once.

Weapons of light -- Tracer Gunsare the weapon of choice for the soldiers of the Peaceful Union. Powerful blasters that syphon the glowing purple energy from the massive Tesla Domes caging the city-states are feared by the average citizen. Constantly recalibrating to the dome's pulse, they are outlawed to everyone but the soldiers of the government.

Charlotte is a tinkerer and inventor. The daughter of a renowned soldier and chemist, her weapons needed finesse. I designed the metal spheres of her Shrieking Violetgrenade to cluster together like a flower. Its shrill screech disables her enemies while a curtain of magenta gas shields her escape.

The outlaws and Lawmen of Outer Cityfavor guns and pistols of the old world. Sheriff Sebastian Riley's revolver helped him to rise to power among the pirates and pioneers of the sky settlement. 

Another daunting tool as the Lightning Stick. Capable of lashing whips of energy. Used by the ruthless Lawmen of the floating ports, Charlotte learns of its devastating effects while trying to flee with Ashton. 

However, it is the power and might of the Peaceful Union Aero Squadthat strikes fear into the heart of every citizen. Their searing lamps and concussion bombs send rioters scrambling. Creating airship battles and designing the infamous rebel ship, The Stygian, was great fun! Myself the daughter of a military man, I grew up visiting airshows and sitting at the controls of massive machines of war.  I wanted to bring that fascination and awe to the Blackburn Chronicles.

If you love mechanica, mayhem, and monsters, then check out The Tremblers and Wind Reapers available now wherever books are sold.

1860 Never Looked So Good!

The Hollows. C.L. Monaghan.

This Midnight Gunn Novel plunges the reader into a world of sorcery, magical abilities and 19^thCentury London. Midnight Gunn (what a great name!) has a few more tricks than the average detective, and Scotland Yard hurls his talents towards every major mysterious case they have trouble solving. But has he met his match?

A beautiful blend of fear and excitement, The Hollows manages to draw out the reader’s curiosity with a historically intriguing setting. Within the dark, threatening alleys of a long-past London, you’ll find both joy and desperation: not a bad combination in a thriller novel!

Highlights!

Setting: don’t you just love a classical murder mystery bursting from the womb of industrial Europe?

Characters: the people in this novel will repulse or enthral you (or maybe even both!).

Audiobook: also available as a captivating audiobook.

Get it here: The Hollows

Quest for Vengence

Guest Post! By David Tindell

            On our honeymoon, my wife and I visited an exotic island. We had a great time as we celebrated the beginning of our new life together. Everything went well.

            But suppose it hadn’t? Suppose something had gone wrong? And not just lost-a-suitcase, bad-sunburn wrong? What if my bride suddenly turned up…gone?

            In Quest for Vengeance, it’s a year after the events of Quest for Honor, and brothers Mark and Jim Hayes are with their new brides on a honeymoon tour of Italy, the native country of Jim’s wife, Gina. The violence and danger of their recent past is behind them. In the city of Capua, a chance encounter with an old Army buddy of Mark’s leads to a festive reunion. While the guys swap stories at a trattoria, the gals make one last visit to the city’s boutiques. But there’s been one more chance encounter on this trip, and now that’s about to turn into the greatest challenge the brothers have ever faced.

            Like the Hayes brothers, I grew up in Wisconsin, and like them, my two brothers and I wound up living considerable distances apart. Although we were never estranged, as Mark and Jim were, not being able to see them often created a distance between us that no amount of phone calls or emails could close. It’s only been in recent years that we have made efforts to get together more often. Our reunions have not been as dramatic as those of the Hayes brothers; we go to ballgames and museums, while Mark and Jim go to war.

            Still, I don’t think what happens to Mark and Jim in the Quest novels is too much of a stretch. Mark’s military experiences are certainly not outside the realm of those for many of our soldiers, and while Jim’s encounters are somewhat out of the ordinary for the average American abroad, I myself have once or twice had situations overseas that could’ve developed into something a little too adventurous for my taste. Last summer, for example, Sue and I hiked the Salkantay Trail of Peru, and we never saw the armed guerillas our guide told us he faced on the same trek a few years earlier. But I had the feeling they weren’t too far away. 

            If something like that does happen to us, though, we can only hope we will face the situation with courage and honor. These are traits that are not inborn; they are learned, through dedication and self-discipline. Both the Questseries and my White Vixen novels feature protagonists who exemplify those traits. Yes, my fictional creations are highly-trained individuals, but they are not superheroes by any means. They are ordinary people who have chosen to train themselves to face whatever extraordinary challenges may come their way; indeed, to seek them out. Most of all, they have chosen to serve a higher calling. I don’t believe we were put here to simply meander through life. We were put here to strive, to achieve, to overcome our inevitable stumbles. When we choose this life, we are taking on challenges that will make our communities, our country, our world, a better place. 

            So come along with Mark and Jim, as they embark on their latest Quest. You can find the book here: http://amzn.to/2HnlFfN

A Gory Little Short Story.

Dog Soldiers. K A Denver.

A clever mix of horror and brutality. Dog Soldiers throws the reader into a terrifying cage with depraved humans AND monsters. The suspense builds with the development of the protagonist and (along with a healthy dose of gore) you get as much action as you can handle.

This tale is a short story, and it’s a lot of fun to sprint through it on a long bus ride, or while waiting for your dentist to call your name; Wherever you are, this book is sure to provide you with a wonderful literary escape from any time-consuming task.

Highlights!

Gore: An unashamed, confident portrayal of action (and violence).

Suspense: Like waiting for a court date, Dog Soldiers has you dreading and anticipating the thrilling ending.

Pace: No time to waste! This story rockets along at an amazing speed.

Get it here: Dog Soldiers