A little steampunk for your Monday

A new steampunk romance  Released July 2018:

Synopsis: When Vesta Bartlett, a wealthy alchemist and inventor, arrives in England to finalize an arranged marriage and help overhaul a family friend's outdated ironworks, she never expects to find the family so secretive, nor to develop feelings for her fiancé’s younger brother, Henry.
But the growing attraction between Vesta and Henry is just the beginning of their troubles. Things really heat up when they're drawn into a secret project for Queen Victoria's military, one that requires Vesta's knowledge of clockwork and Henry’s iron.
An epidemic has wiped out all the dogs in Britain, and beyond. If the military fail in their effort to restore the species, a clockwork creation may be all that stands in the way of a world without canine companionship.
Are Vesta and Henry up to the challenge?

Read a sample here. .

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Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the steampunk and Victorian Romances, and the Antique Magic paranormal series, among others. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.

 

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What lurks on that horizon?--Druid Warrior Prince snippet #2---Weekend Writing Warriors

Druid Warrior Prince is the latest book in the Celtic Steward Chronicles series. Genre: Historical Fantasy Romance. 

BUY NOW! at Amazon in ebook and paperback

Synopsis
Gwenevieve Macken’s well-ordered world falls into chaos as encroaching interlopers scheme to possess both her and her land. Although she’s been trained to spot the signs of inhuman evil in men, the amassing armies take on guises she never expected.
When a foreign guardian presents himself as her only option for salvation, Gwenevieve must make a choice between her desires, and fulfilling the mythic fate to which she was born. A forced marriage to a Tuatha dé Danann warrior isn't part of her plan.


You may read a sample here:

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Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the steampunk and Victorian Romances, and the Antique Magic paranormal series, among others. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.

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Clean Indie Reads Christmas in July eBook Sale

There's a special sale going on right now via the
Clean Indie Reads Christmas in July eBook Sale:



To quote their marketing:

 "It's mid-summer and most people are thinking of the beach, baseball, barbecues, and family fun. Christmas, most likely, is not a high priority. Unless you're a reader who melts at the end of  a romantic Christmas story or a heartwarming holiday tale. If that's you, any time's a great time to pick up a stack of Christmas reads, and I've got a bunch of them right here. The Clean Indie Reads Christmas in July eBook Sale offers 15 titles in a variety of genres - novels, novelettes, short stories, mysteries, and sweet and paranormal romance - sale-priced from FREE to 2.99. Stock up to read on vacation or save them for the holiday season. "

Sale ends July 21, 2017.

You'll find the books included in the sale here.

(Psst! Our friend Suzanne G. Rogers has included her novella A Gift For Lara in the sale, so do check that out.)

Note: please check all prices before clicking the "BUY" button. Each individual author is responsible for ensuring the correct sale price for her book(s).

*Most all these books are, well, clean. No swearing, or anything that; one or two might be inspirational in theme so do be aware of that if that's not your thing.

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Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the Gothic fantasy romance LADY OF THE TAROT, now available in Audiobook from Audible and in ebook and paperback, MOURNING DOVE LOCKET, the latest in the Antique Magic paranormal series, also the Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series, as well as the Victorian Romance HOUSE OF DARK ENVY, among others. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.

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New review for House of Dark Envy

Hi everyone. I hope you're doing well. I am writing my fingers off and will have a new book for you soon! Literally fingers off. I ended up hurting again Friday and Saturday and had to take a few days away (so no typing blog posts for me!). 

I also got whacked with a little sideline research that I have no idea what I'm going to do with except that it's one of those things that may or may not be only cool to me. What, if anything, the ole muse makes out of it, only time will tell.

Grr... But the book is in it's final final pre-flight check round, and I hope to have it done... before or after July 4th.

In the meantime, I've found a great review for House of Dark Envy that I wanted to share with you.

From Twitch at Night Owl Reviews:
"I found the story between the pages to be a great read. I cannot help but like the history lessons in some of the story lines. I had no clue how the story or mystery was going to end. Overall there are great twists and turns...I would actually love to read more from this author." ~ Twitch

Cool, huh? Thanks, Twitch and everyone at Night Owl Reviews. :)

Folks, if you've read, and enjoyed the book, please leave a review at Amazon (or on your blog, or both). More are always welcome!

 
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Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the Gothic fantasy romance LADY OF THE TAROT, now available in Audiobook from Audible and in ebook and paperback, MOURNING DOVE LOCKET, the latest in the Antique Magic paranormal series, also the Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series, as well as the Victorian Romance HOUSE OF DARK ENVY, among others. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.

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Top 4 things that make me crazy when I read....

If you're wondering what these posts come from, I'm following (unofficially) this set of prompts here.

Top 4 things that drive me crazy when I read

 

Okay, you guys. Small disclaimer, I do hope I don't shoot myself in the foot with this post. It asked, I have opinions. (Those that know me know, oh, lordy, do I have opinions!!!) So with that small disclaimer in mind.... Things that make me crazy in reading....and I guess a little bit in writing too.

#1 Every girl wants to have a baby!

Thank you, No! I am happily child free. No children for us. Gives me way more time to write. :) This absolutely ruined Friends for me. The chick gets pregnant--or believes she must get pregnant otherwise she'll not be whole? Nope. I'm out. Feh. CLICHE! No.No we don't, Hollyweird/NYC. Thanks all the same.

#2 Torture or rape, after which the characters fall in love.

 Gag me. Sure you can tell me the heroine's been tortured or raped in the past, but I'd rather not see it. And if she falls in love with her rapist and "reforms" him (don't laugh, I could, but I won't, name you some books I've read where this happens--in the Romance genre. Not the horror genre, mind you), no. Just no. No. Do that, I'm out.

#3 Witches are evil/wear black/wear robes/wear pentacles/own cats/casts spells that fill the air with swirly colors and sparkles....

OMG, don't even get me started. Okay, I love wearing black, but that came before, you know *whispers* I found paganism. And look, some of us don't even use the term witch--or wear pentacles...or own cats. And just once, just once, I'd like a nouveau fantasy movie/tv show to let the magic happen with no visual representation. Snap their fingers, maybe; twitch their noses, okay. Swirly colors and smoke and sparkles? What is that, even? Disney, again? (Yeah, yeah, Cait's magic has a color; some cliches have to be, begrudgingly, used and Cait's magic has a lot of "kitchen sink" stuff in it.  My harshad warriors ... don't, though, do they? No. No they don't....not yet, anyway.)

#4: Stereotypes. Okay, I guess #3 above qualifies to go here, but there are other stereotypes that are used far too often that drive me the crazy, so they deserve their own number. Some you're probably not going to believe. Some have become so overused in the industry they're downright clichés. Take a deep breath now. Agree to disagree... Ready?

a): All girls love to collect shoes.

Where the hell did this one even come from? Sex in the City? Look, I don't live in NY, I don't live in a high rise, I don't lust over guys in suits--and I only wear shoes when I fricken need to. I hate wearing them. The only time I put them on is when I'm leaving the house--and then, it's tennies. (and there was this one time, I left in my Crocs, instead of my actual tennies.) I tolerate boots too but they're more for practical reasons, because...well, let's just say they stay on my feet better. But I'd much, much rather go barefoot. All girls love shoes? CLICHE!

b) Southerners are podunks, beer-swilling, gun-totin', pickup driving, country music lovin', sports fan, hillbillies/hicks.

 *GAG SPLUTTER RAGE* Can we just drop this one, please? I am living proof that NONE of those apply. (Okay, maybe the country music, if you count Jason Isbell, Drive By Truckers, and Shovels & Rope as country) but I also prefer Metallica, and have been known to listen to Enya and jazz, blues and classical. The rest? Nope. I don't resemble that at all. Neither do many of my southern-born and dwelling friends. (Especially those of us with college degrees.) Have the southerner host an art opening for once, or take his girl to the symphony without whining, and checking his phone for the latest sport stats, please?

There are more that I could add to this list but I fear I've already bored you. *eg* So those are my top 4 things that make me crazy in books. How about you?

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Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the MOURNING DOVE LOCKET, the latest in the Antique Magic paranormal series, also the Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series, as well as the Victorian Romance HOUSE OF DARK ENVY, among others. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.

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Smashwords sale take 2: #ebookweek17 #sale #pnr #BookBoost #BYNR #IARTG #YA #fun

Oops, I should've added,  CHANGELING'S CROWN is also in the Smashwords #ebookweek17 sale:  

Synopsis:

When Ianthe began her career in Everland as a faery godmother, she stumbled so badly that Snow White will probably never speak to her again. After a long suspension, she’s finally been given a chance to redeem herself…but everything on this latest assignment is going wrong.

But why?

Worse, she definitely doesn’t need an attractive mortal man distracting her from her duties. Of course, needs and wants are two different things.

Briak has had his eye on Ianthe for a very, very long time, but he’s been waiting for just the right moment to make his move. Despite the fact all hell’s about to break loose on his watch, he can’t resist the opportunity to insert himself into her earthly assignment. Can he convince Ianthe of her true calling and thereby win her heart? Or will his subterfuge ultimately cost him her love? 

  You can find it here. Thanks again, for reading and everything you do! :) Have a great rest of your Friday!

  ***     Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the MOURNING DOVE LOCKET, the latest in the Antique Magic paranormal series, also the Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series, as well as the Victorian Romances VESTA'S CLOCKWORK COMPANIONS, HOUSE OF DARK ENVY, among others. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.

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Blood Ice & Oak Moon by Marsha A. Moore is now available as an audiobook!

One of our favorite fantasy romance authors, Marsha A. Moore, stopped by to tell us a little about her new audiobook, Blood Ice & Oak Moon. Do read on for more on this exciting development in Marsha's career.





Blood Ice & Oak Moon by Marsha A. Moore is now available as an audiobook!

I’m excited to announce the release of Blood Ice & Oak Moon in audio format. Working with the narrator, Jean Lowe Carlson, was a tremendous treat. I’m in awe of her talent. Scene after scene came to life with the exact images I envisioned while crafting my first draft. For her to capture my initial inspirations was nothing short of magic. To hear what I mean, check out the 5-minute sample on the purchase page. Incredible!


Purchase Link audiobook: https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Ice-Oak-Moon-Hollow/dp/B01NAWL0WY/


Genre: Paranormal romance

Description:

Esme Underhill is about to discover a darkness hidden inside her that could destroy her chance for independence and possibly kill her.


Esme’s mother took her young daughter away from Southern Indiana’s Coon Hollow Coven to prevent her from learning about the unusual witchcraft she had inherited. When Esme is twenty-seven, her beloved Grammy Flora passes away and leaves her property in the Hollow to her granddaughter. With this opportunity to remake her life and gain independence, Esme attempts to emulate Grammy Flora as a wildwood mystic who relies on the hedge world of faeries to locate healing herbs. But fae are shrewd traders. When they open their world to her, she must meet the unknown malevolence of her birthright.


Thayne, the handsome king of the fae Winter Court, faces his own struggle to establish autonomy as a new regent. He is swept into the tempest of Esme’s unfolding powers, a dangerous threat to his court. His sworn duty is to protect his people, despite Esme’s beauty and allure, which tear at his resolve.


Both Esme’s and Thayne’s dreams of personal freedom are lost…unless they can trust each other and overcome surmounting dangers.


Series description:


The Coon Hollow Coven Tales series is about a coven of witches in a fictitious southern Indiana community, south of Bloomington, the neck of the woods where Marsha A. Moore spent her favorite childhood years surrounded by the love of a big family. The books are rich with a warm Hoosier down-home feel. There are interesting interactions between coven members and locals from the nearby small town of Bentbone. If magic wasn’t enough of a difference between the two groups, the coven folk adhere to the 1930s lifestyle that existed when the coven formed.


A note to readers: ALL THE COON HOLLOW COVEN TALES NOVELS CAN BE READ AS STAND ALONE BOOKS. The series is about one community, and its residents may pass in and out of various books, but each book has its own unique and special story to be told.



Purchase Link audiobook: https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Ice-Oak-Moon-Hollow/dp/B01NAWL0WY/

Purchase Link ebook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWS4V2G

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31248013-blood-ice-oak-moon


Excerpt:


From Chapter One: Winter Began

Dear Miss Rebecca Esmeralda Underhill,

Please accept our deepest sympathies concerning the loss of your grandmother, Flora Esmeralda Freestone. She was much loved and well-respected in our community.

As per her documented wishes, the ownership of her property on 10510 East Lost Branch Run passes to you. This transfer has been filed in our office. At the request of High Priest Logan Dennehy, all council members have voted to reinstate you as a member of Coon Hollow Coven after your absence of twenty years.

However, despite Coon Hollow Coven being your birthplace, a majority indicated the lapsed time was sufficient cause to withhold transfer of Ms. Freestone’s ceremonial standing to you, which customarily would accompany a property transference to blood kin of adult age. For explanation of how you may attain ceremonial approval in your name, please visit the council office at 50013 Owls Tail Creek Road.

Enclosed, please find pamphlets describing the expected dress and personal property code of our coven, which adheres to the time period in which the coven was founded in 1935. This is to best protect our witchcraft traditions.

Sincerely,

Nathan Wells

Coon Hollow Coven Council, secretary

Esme’s gaze fixed on the words that acknowledged her as the property owner. She’d never lived alone. First her mom, then a roommate and finally Doug. Esme’s shoulders straightened and chest lifted with strength and independence at the thought of owning her own place. But, why wasn’t she approved for ceremonial status? Her hands gripped the edge of the table, knuckles whitening, and her heart raced. It’s not fair. I won’t be accepted as a healer. Only children not yet graduated from the coven’s secondary school were kept from participating fully in ceremonies. Esme loved learning the ways of a hedge witch and helped Gram every summer from grade school through college. Fascinated with tending Gram’s plants, Esme even studied botany in college.

The research company she worked for had already accepted her request to work offsite and study mystic plants…at the stipulation she be reduced to part-time. She needed work here as a healer to supplement her income. She’d assumed incorrectly that her experience with Gram and college studies would’ve qualified her as an accepted healer. Her standing in the coven would be important to patrons, all except Gram’s closest friends who knew Esme well. An attempt at independence seemed bound to fail before she started.

Her gaze drifted to the name used in the letter’s greeting. She hadn’t seen her full name in print for decades. It didn’t even appear on her birth certificate, which labeled her as Rebecca E. Underhill, one of the many things her mother insisted upon. Mother wanted nothing to do with the coven or witchcraft and said, “Esmeralda sounds too much like a witch. No need to encourage the darkness out.” Grudgingly, she accepted her own mother’s middle name for her child to uphold custom. Esme never understood Mother’s view since Gram was well-respected for her kind and gentle strength by all who knew her.

To Esme’s Indianapolis friends, she was Becky. Only her mother addressed her as Rebecca. But inside, she was Esme. Gram had always called her that, or Esmeray in carefree moments. Her middle name suited the mystic inside Esme, something Gram must have known. If only Esme could use Gram’s last name Freestone. Underhill felt like a lead weight.

Esme set the letter aside and paced the length of the rag runner through the small kitchen. Frustration wound her along a circular track through the sitting room, to her closet-sized guest room, and back. The space was too small to work answers out of her tangled mind. On the second pass, she sank onto the goose down comforter of Gram’s iron bed. Billowing fluff sheltered her from the problems. Gram’s linens, scented with homegrown lavender and rose sleep liniment, comforted Esme and tugged on her eyelids.

She forced her eyes open and pushed herself up and off the bed. Hiding wasn’t the way to begin this fresh start in life. She’d done enough kowtowing to stronger wills, letting Doug and her mother run over her. At the back door, she paused long enough to grab a rain parka and pulled it on as she strode outside.

Gram’s cat, Dove, zipped alongside with a sharp meow, slipping out before the door closed. Esme smiled, grateful the tomcat kept Gram company during her illness. She’ doted on the smoky blue stray that happened into her garden one early fall afternoon and never left. Gram swore he was an omen and chose his name ‘cause of his white-winged breast patch. She used to say, “One day soon my spirit will fly on those outspread wings, and together Dove and me we’ll roam the wooded hills.” Gram loved those hills. Thinking about the hills drew Esme to gather Dove and head outside.

Ice still peppered down, adding more layers to the spiky crystalline grass blades. A breeze blew at Esme’s back. She allowed the wind to guide her toward the woods behind the cabin. At the trailhead, ice coating the bittersweet vine berries glistened the same shade of blue she’d rubbed from Dove’s coat. Alert to the strange color, she followed a line of branches dangling sky blue icicles, each one more fanciful and richer in hue than the last. A beautiful play of light, ranging from cerulean to ultramarine. Even worth the chill at her ankles, which were bare in her cropped jeans.

Whenever Esme paused to marvel at the colored icicles, Dove pawed them and then dodged when they dropped.

Minutes later and deeper in the forest, the ice pelted heavier, and Esme reached for the hood of her raincoat. Strands of hair fell forward, woven with frozen ultramarine threads. The same purplish tint coated twigs along the path. Light from the sky reached this far into the woods since all but the oak trees had lost their leaves. The unusual color couldn’t be caused by light refraction. She’d never seen any rain, sleet, or snow like this, not even in the Hollow. Grammy had taught her a little about omens. Was this a sign?

Esme scurried along the trail, sliding at times and spotting richer and deeper shades of purple and red-violets. At the far side of the woodlot, iris-hued spider webs clung to berry brambles. She gasped at the beauty. Tempted to touch, she extended a hand but at the last instant resisted.
A deep groan echoed from the adjoining property ahead.

She snatched her hand back and scanned for some god of nature angry at her ruinous attempt. Grappling for Dove, Esme crouched behind a thicket.

The cat gave a single hiss, then clung to her leg.

In the distance, a big middle-aged man, both tall and wide, staggered behind a shed, dragging a long, clumsy load wrapped and tied into a blanket. His balding head snapped in her direction, eyes wide and face blanched gray-white. “Who’s there?” His booming voice sliced the delicate webs from their branches. Crimson freezing rain assaulted both trail and yard.

Esme froze, afraid to move and attract his attention. Her heart, drumming against her ribs, threatened to give her away. She wanted to run home. But if the colored ice omen was meant for her, she needed to stay and learn its meaning. Could the man see the omen?

Thankfully, her cover must’ve fooled Baldy. He resumed lugging the limp bundle, and didn’t seem affected by the magical ice.

From between the tangle of branches, Esme studied him.

His wet, black shirt clung to his round belly. Blood-red ice coated his load, tracing the outline of a human body. Smaller than his, probably a female. Was she dead? Of natural causes? Or had he murdered her? The thought wrapped around Esme’s breath and trapped it deep in her lungs. Her legs twitched. Gaze riveted on Baldy, she positioned to bolt from potential danger.

He rolled the body into a depression Esme couldn’t see.

She leaned to one side, bracing herself with a hand on the ground.

Over what looked like a freshly dug grave, Baldy grunted as he shoveled and kicked dirt and large rocks. Clumps of red clung to long strands of his comb-over, now hanging along one ear. Was it ice or real blood?

Dove huddled closer, and Gram’s voice from years ago spoke in Esme’s mind. “Blood ice is stained with revenge.”

Crimson liquid dripped from the man’s eyes and fell from grimacing jowls. The face of a demon.



Author Bio:

Marsha A. Moore loves to write fantasy and paranormal romance. Much of her life feeds the creative flow she uses to weave highly imaginative tales.

The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing, as well as other pursuits of watercolor painting and drawing. She’s been a yoga enthusiast for over a decade and is a registered yoga teacher. Her practice helps weave the mystical into her writing. After a move from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, she’s happily transformed into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors where she’s always on the lookout for portals to other worlds. Marsha is crazy about cycling. She lives with her husband on a large saltwater lagoon, where taking her kayak out is a real treat. She never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at stories with toes wiggling in the sand. Every day at the beach is magical!



Social Media Links:

Website: http://MarshaAMoore.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marshaamooreauthorpage

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarshaAMoore

Google +: http://google.com/+MarshaAMoore

Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/marshaamoore/

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Marsha-A.-Moore/e/B004NF6E08

Goodreads author page  http://www.goodreads.com/marshaamoore

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marsha-a-moore

Newsletter: https://www.marshaamoore.com/Mailing-list.php


This does indeed sound intriguing. I can't wait to hear it! :) Thanks for being with us, Marsha and good luck in the world of Audiobooks! Folks, if you'd like to check it out, see the links above. Enjoy, and as ever, keep reading!

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Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the MOURNING DOVE LOCKET, the latest in the Antique Magic paranormal series, also the Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series, as well as the Gothic romance LADY OF THE TAROT. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.

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The pain in Emilie's eyes.... Lady of the Tarot #Gothicromance #18thcentury #8sunday #snippetsunday

Welcome to yet another Weekend Writing Warriors.

I thought I'd share a few lines from my latest Gothic Romance with you this week's Weekend Writing Warriors. Enjoy!




As the carriage driver tittered to the horses, the pain in Emilie’s lovely eyes echoed that in Linton’s heart.

They exited the Maigny’s property as if hell chased them and Linton wondered, did hell’s invisible minions trail him? He envisioned his next visit to Nightingale’s Reste

Linton wished he could spend the day breathing in Emilie’s wonderful scent. Or kissing her. She loved him, but a rogue stole her away even before he met her.

He considered himself a rebel like his father, but he’d never thought of himself as a warrior. For her, though, he might entertain becoming one. He wouldn’t give her up without a fight. What did her nightmares have to do with Bartram, though?

Would you like more? Here's the synopsis:

WHAT THE CARDS FORETELL MAY BE REAL, AFTER ALL

1793: Having escaped the Reign of Terror, Emilie Maigny took refuge in England, trying to come to grips with the life and loss she left behind. When her brother, Sinjon, returns, a terrifying evil swoops down upon her. Nightmares plague her now, providing strange clues ... but to what?

Scottish-born Linton Morrison spent his entire life in luxury, whiling away the hours in intense study of the tarot and the cards' hidden meanings, but until he met the lovely Emilie Maigny, he would never have guessed how important his study might be--to his life and Emilie's survival when terrible evil strikes.

A Cypher is all Emilie needs, but what is it? Is Linton the key? He may charm her heart--and he may be her only salvation.

 Lady of the Tarot is available to borrow with Amazon Prime at, Amazon, in paperback, and in Audiobook.

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The pain in Emilie's Eyes...Lady of the Tarot #Gothicromance #18thcentury #8Sunday http://bit.ly/2jB2OES @julidrevezzo [Tweet this!]

*** Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the MOURNING DOVE LOCKET, the latest in the Antique Magic paranormal series, also the Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series, as well as the Gothic romance LADY OF THE TAROT. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.

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Nanowrimo update day #19 #amwriting #Nanowrimo2016

Just a quickie for today. How ya'll doing? I'm ...ouchie! And a day...well,I won't say wasted. Some days I've not hit the 1667 needed, and some days I've exceeded the count. It just all depends on the day. I did do some writing yesterday, but I'm starting to feel my carpal tunnel rear it's ugly head, so I needed a break. So I shot some videos for the Youtube Pagan Challenge. Who, me? Perpetually behind? Surely you jest?

The Videos are:



and more here, if you'd like to take a break and do some mindless Youtube surfing.

On the writing front, I decided to make a left turn with my Nanowrimo manuscript so a little bit of the wip has changed. It's been a fun change, though. I've also noticed (again) that Nano's counter vs. my computer's word count are slightly different so I always have to seem to do a little more than my goal mark to make sure Nano's goal fits correctly. Oh well. it's not a big deal.

How'm I doing today?  25k words down, more to go, and 10 days to do it. Yeah. I got this. :) I think, with the idea I'm coming up with, in the end the manuscript will exceed 50,000 words. I'm just hoping I can hit that 50,000 before November 30th's cut off. I've managed before (yes, even with Thanksgiving break).

How are y'all doing with your Nano projects? 

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  Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the MOURNING DOVE LOCKET, the latest in the Antique Magic paranormal series, also the Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series, as well as the Gothic romance LADY OF THE TAROT. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere.

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Top ten books I'd want my student to read

A meme by the Broke and the Bookish.

This week's top ten deals with school reading. I guess I should change it a bit and call top ...er, ten ish books I wish I'd read in school (pre-college). I have to be honest, when I was of the age to worry about back to school, I wasn't a huge reader. Shocking for a writer to admit, I know, but books didn't become a thing for me until much later. I read what I had to read because I had to read it, and admired storytelling, but ...it wasn't until high school when a friend introduced me to (yes, again) Michael Moorcock's Elric that I was truly a fan of stories that, well...weren't in poetic or musical form. To that point I was a huge music fan and got my poetic fix that way. And movies (Sword in the Stone and the Abbott and Costello comedies my dad enjoyed and Creature Feature on Saturdays) were my biggest exposure to stories. I was going to say my reading list pretty much mimics this one, but you know what? Beyond Of Mice and Men, Hamlet, Tom Sawyer and a shit-ton of poetry, I really don't recall what I was required to read before college. (I'm not even truly certain of when or where or how I read Tom Sawyer, to be honest).

What would I have a child read these days? This is my all-time Dream education list, so feel free to think this is a sarcastic list (it is and it's not).

Homer The Odyssey (yes, Homer) , and Ovid, and Plato, first and foremost. Quit feeding children this "your brain is so small you can only handle See Dick Run" baby stories crap and give our society a true classical education. Homer, Ovid, Plato, Seneca the Younger, (No, not Socrates. Socrates should just die...oh, wait.) I wonder what would happen if we did. 

To get to more popular titles:

How commendable that some list puts Gulliver’s Travels by Swift, The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, and Tarzan, on the sixth grade reading list (and I, Robot by Asimov for others). Woohoo!As I say, I don't recall what we read in 6th grade, but I know it wasn't Asimov, because that might of got me off to the sf/fantasy writing world earlier than I got there. I didn't read Asimov's Robots of Dawn until 12th grade, only because a teacher's assistant recommended it to me, personally, outside of a classroom lesson. And To the Lighthouse that they mention? one of my favorite books of all time? 2nd year of college. Although, why the same list would put Le Morte d’Arthur by Malory  off until 11th grade but gives Count of Monte Cristo to 6th graders, I can't figure out. (I'd swap them around,myself). So yeah, those seven. And how nice to see Color of Magic by Terry Prachett and A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess and Dune by Frank Herbert on these Summer Reading Lists.
 Because yeah, those too.

I'd also add The Once and Future King. Because it's the classic King Arthur tale.

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin (or A Wizard of Earthsea, both are good!)

 Room with a View by EM Forrester. Because I love this book and wish I'd read it before I graduated....college. Yes, this was a "discovered it later" book. *sigh*

Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene  (Yeah, I'm bowing to popularity, but my mom is a huge fan and I read a couple of the books because of it.)

Frankenstien by Mary Shelley (Because dude, every writer at least, should read this book. This is the story of a creative genius who lets his drive get the best of him. Not a crazy man whose monster IS OUT TO KILL EVERYONE OHMYGODWE"REGOINGTODIEBECAUSEOFSCIENCEWHATHAVEWEDONE?!? story. I mean, really. Most of the movies lean more toward that interpretation. Or at least, that's how I see it. If you've only seen the movies, there aren't many that do the book real justice. So this would be on my-every-student-must-read list.

 "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" from Sherman Alexie's The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven because what a great movie/story. :)

Ahem, 1984 by George Orwell. Because let's face it.... society pretty much comes and goes with mimicking the world in 1984. (And in case you're wondering, I'm not being sarcastic there. I wish I could say I was!)

Also, Maus by Art Spiegelman. Because...well. .Maus.

Or Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Because, well....Handmaid's Tale. :)

And yes, Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, because it's still the best warning against censorship story out there. And while we're being dystopic, I would definitely make everyone watch Brazil, and (especially for the robotics students) I'd make them eat er, watch, Terminator and Terminator 2. Until the folly of it is seared into their brains. Make 'em think before they flick the switch on those too-smart robots they want to build. ;)

Also The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (because ghost stories! :)) and why not Sherlock Holmes? Or The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, instead of Poe's Murder in the Rue Morgue? (Though I do love that story, and which I don't see any of those on the reading lists I consulted for this article. why not?). I'd also add The Many-colored Land by Julian May which takes an alternative look at the Pliocene era (History and Anthropology and science fiction all in one!). Why is it not on recommended reading high school (at least?) lists? That stumps me. I'd also add Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke or Contact by Carl Sagan. (you never know when first contact might happen! :))

Obviously I could add a ton of fantasy novels to this list: Magic Kingdom of Landover series by Terry Brooks is one I loved-that whole series is fun. Obviously, the Elric Series by Michael Moorcock, Gloriana by Michael Moorcock is a thinly-veiled Elizabethan era. But I'm not sure many parents would be happy to find them on their kids' reading list. *g*. Romance? Maybe Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, or Jane Austen, even Jane Eyre or Poe's Annabell Lee, or even (yes) Stoker's Dracula. Besides, the mothers reading this would just shoot me if I said D.H. Lawrence instead of Jane Austen, now wouldn't they? ;)

Oops! That's way more than 10, isn't it? I'd better stop. What would be your dream list?

Related Posts:

Top 10 books with X (Fantasy) settings

New dark fantasy (horror) novelette

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  Juli D. Revezzo is the author of the Antique Magic paranormal series and the Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series, as well as the Steampunk romance Watchmaker's Heart. Her books are available at Amazon and elsewhere

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Freebie alert take two--Duke of A Gilded Age by Suzanne G. Rogers

For your reading pleasure, author Suzanne G. Rogers is sharing her fabulous Victorian Romance DUKE OF A GILDED AGE, for free today. Check it out on Amazon.

Synopsis:

When American-born Wesley Parker inherits a dukedom in 1890, he must learn to be an aristocrat. Assigned to the task is his attorney’s daughter, prim Belle Oakhurst. As they travel to England together on a luxurious ocean liner, their tempestuous relationship encounters more than rough seas. Although Wesley is increasingly attracted to Belle, she is already engaged. While Belle begins to regret her hasty promise to marry, she is bound by honor and duty to keep her pledge. Furthermore, a thoughtless fabrication on her part threatens to expose her as a liar. Neither Wesley nor Belle can foresee that their voyage across the Atlantic will be fraught with peril, and will cost more than one man his life.

If you'd like to add it to your TBR's you can pick up your copy at Amazon.


*~*~*~*
Juli D. Revezzo has written the Victorian romance novel WATCHMAKER'S HEART. Check it out at Amazon. and in audiobook Audible


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Interview at Book Musings

 I keep meaning to post this, but you see, I get into my blog and find all these interesting posts by my friends and get totally distracted.

 

So, before I forget again, a while back (well, three months, now), I was interviewed about my previous release Druid Warrior's Heart, at a little zine called BookMusings, if you'd like to check it out, it's here: http://witchesandpagans.com/pagan-culture-blogs/bookmusings/interview-juli-d-revezzo.html And if you're inclined to, I'm sure Rebecca would appreciate some looksees at the rest of her reviews and articles. She's awesome. Do check BookMusings out. :)    



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Free Form Tales--War Hero
Passion's Sacred Dance in paperback 

New release: Celtic Stewards Chronicles returns 

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Smashwords Site-Wide July #Sale including my #paranormal book The Artist’s Inheritance and #PNR book Changeling’s Crown #discount

Just wanted to pop in here and announce I've got two books in the Smashwords summer Sale.

First,The Artist's Inheritance:

The balance between good and evil can be an art... or a curse.
Trevor and Caitlin were once happy newlyweds, profiting from Trevor's art. Until Trevor inherits his brother's house, and with it, his part of a family curse. Now, Caitlin will stop at nothing to save her beloved husband from insanity and suicide, even if it means becoming a witch.



If you’d like to get yourself a copy (of the ebook versions, all readers) for some summer reading, go to Smashwords, here, and use the code SSW25 at checkout for 25% off during their site-wide promotion!
The Smashwords sale is over but the book is still available at Amazon.

And for those of you who want something a little more fun for your summer reading…(again in ebook)
Changeling’s Crown.
(ON SALE AT AMAZON.)

When Ianthe began her career in Everland as a faery godmother, she stumbled so badly that Snow White will probably never speak to her again. After a long suspension, she’s finally been given a chance to redeem herself…but everything on this latest assignment is going wrong.

But why?

Worse, she definitely doesn’t need an attractive mortal man distracting her from her duties. Of course, needs and wants are two different things.

Briak has had his eye on Ianthe for a very, very long time, but he’s been waiting for just the right moment to make his move. Despite the fact all hell’s about to break loose on his watch, he can’t resist the opportunity to insert himself into her earthly assignment. Can he convince Ianthe of her true calling and thereby win her heart? Or will his subterfuge ultimately cost him her love?


(Offer good through July 31, 2016)




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Weekend Writing Warriors #1: WATCHMAKER'SHEART #historical #romance #steampunk #8sunday

Entering a new blog hop, this week. The Weekend Writing Warriors.  This week's excerpt for Weekend Writing Warriors is from my novel Watchmaker's Heart. A little glimpse at Cora's first hint of the (possible) new man in our heroine Phoebe's life.
Available on Amazon.

“Mortimer,” Cora muttered.

Phoebe nodded.

“So, to top everything, you’ve already memorized his first name and what he does for a living?” Cora said.

“Yes. He thinks the goddess [ed note: Phoebe's diffuser] will work,” she said. “Even suggested I give it to—”

She glanced to Cora’s chaperone, strolling ahead, and clamped her mouth shut.

“Who?” Cora demanded.

Phoebe gulped. “I forget.”

Cora’s light eyes lit with mirth. “You do not! Tell me everything!”

She waved a hand, batting the conversation away. “No one important.”

“Important or exotic enough to make you uncomfortable.”





Who did Mortimer suggest and why does it make Phoebe uncomfortable? You'll have to read WATCHMAKER'S HEART to find out! :)

Genre: Historical Romance with Steampunk elements.

Synopsis:



 London, 1898: For Miss Phoebe Lockswell, fashionable London tea parties and balls aren't her style. Instead, she prefers to tinker tirelessly with a clockwork diffuser she's built from scratch. If only she can get the invention to work on command, she might earn her way out of an arranged marriage to a repugnant member of the House of Commons.

London watchmaker Mortimer Kidd was brought up hard in the arms of an infamous London gang. Despite the respectability he strives for now, the gang leader is blackmailing him. When Mortimer sees Phoebe's diffuser, he thinks he's found a way to buy himself out of trouble. The brash Phoebe manages to steal his heart, however, before he can purloin her invention.

Will Mortimer's unsavory past catch up to him before he convinces Phoebe of his devotion? Worse, once Phoebe learns the truth, will she ever trust him again?






Thanks for reading! To see more of the authors participating in the hop, visit the Weekend Warriors Snippet Sunday list .


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Good reads and small update.

And for a little light housekeeping...

 Watchmaker's Heart is up on Good Reads! If you'd like to add it to your TBR lists, go here:

London, 1898: For Miss Phoebe Lockswell, fashionable London tea parties and balls aren't her style. Instead, she prefers to tinker tirelessly with a clockwork diffuser she's built from scratch. If only she can get the invention to work on command, she might earn her way out of an arranged marriage to a repugnant member of the House of Commons.

London watchmaker Mortimer Kidd was brought up hard in the arms of an infamous London gang. Despite the respectability he strives for now, the gang leader is blackmailing him. When Mortimer sees Phoebe's diffuser, he thinks he's found a way to buy himself out of trouble. The brash Phoebe manages to steal his heart, however, before he can purloin her invention.

Will Mortimer's unsavory past catch up to him before he convinces Phoebe of his devotion? Worse, once Phoebe learns the truth, will she ever trust him again?

If you're waiting for the paperback it's coming. *rubs hands gleefully* It shouldn't be long now! :)

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new release–Watchmaker’s Heart

Announcing something new.

I’ve released a new book…something a little different than you might expect from me… A little steampunk, a little Victorian romance. It’s a genre I’ve been noodling around with in Works in Progress well.. forever. It’s not as dark as you might expect from reading the Antique Magic series, et al, But hey, a girl’s got to have a little fun and I had fun writing this one.

What is it? WATCHMAKER’S HEART is an historical romance about a young woman in the very late 19th century who likes to build things and doesn’t like attending balls like most young ladies her age… 

The synopsis is as follows…

Watchmaker’s Heart

Genre: Victorian romance, steampunk

Synopsis:

For Miss Phoebe Lockswell, fashionable London tea parties and balls aren’t her style. Instead, she prefers to tinker tirelessly with a clockwork diffuser she’s built from scratch. If only she can get the invention to work on command, she might earn her way out of an arranged marriage to a repugnant member of the House of Commons.

London watchmaker Mortimer Kidd was brought up hard in the arms of an infamous London gang. Despite the respectability he strives for now, the gang leader is blackmailing him. When Mortimer sees Phoebe’s diffuser, he thinks he’s found a way to buy himself out of trouble. The brash Phoebe manages to steal his heart, however, before he can purloin her invention.

Will Mortimer’s unsavory past catch up to him before he convinces Phoebe of his devotion? Worse, once Phoebe learns the truth, will she ever trust him again?

Excerpt:

Phoebe pretended the landscape outside the train window held her attention, but it didn’t. Her gaze fixed instead on the reflection of the skulking reporter as he oozed down the aisle. His beady, searching gaze swept over the passengers. She knew he sought her out, had seen him at the Royal Mechanics Society Expo and done her best to avoid him. Of all the bad luck! How did we end up on the same train? She had no intention of becoming a building block for his journalistic ambitions.

Could be worse. Could be a friend of her father’s. On the other hand, if this journalist cornered her she knew “no comment” wouldn’t suffice. Respectable young ladies didn’t travel alone. She knew no other respectable young lady like herself, however. Maybe she should’ve asked Sally to accompany her. Oh, but if the press ever caught them together, a flurry of scandal would ensue. She’d find her name splashed across the gossip pages attached to the word harlot.

An old man coughed. A baby squealed. Neither one distracted the journalist.

Blast it! Phoebe dipped her head, to hide behind her hair, and stood. She pushed her way through the cramped car.

Oh dear God, if that man recognizes me there will be hell to pay! If her name ended up in print, her father would know she’d come to the Expo. If the reporter cornered her, would she be able to lie her way off the front page? Bad enough her intent in coming to Southend-on-Sea, bad enough she’d gone against her father’s wishes in the trip, but to see her rebellion splashed over the newspapers would be nigh unforgivable!

I hope he hasn’t seen me! She quickened her steps.

A door loomed before her and she slipped through it gratefully. Thinking she was safe, she pulled off the veiled hat hiding her chestnut hair—only to find herself standing on the tail end of the train, staring at a strange man. He blinked at her in surprise, a perplexed look on his angular face. A pair of screen-sided coal goggles covered his eyes, and he held an indigo blue bandana in his light, strong hands. For a moment, he said nothing, simply gaped at her as if she’d caught him at no good.

She laid a hand over her pounding heart. “Oh! Excuse me.”

“I say,” the man protested, “I … uh. Hello.”

“Hello.” She glanced back toward the door and bit her lip.

“I don’t advise jumping,” the man said. “Life is intolerable sometimes, but it’s not worth that.”

“What?” Phoebe said. “No. I took a wrong turn. I thought this was the ladies’ lounge.”

A mixture of amusement and relief crossed his features. “That’s one door back.”

She looked over her shoulder doubtfully. To go back in, though? She stamped her foot. “Oh bother! Well, you see, sir … the truth is, I’m a little worried someone might be following me.”

The man frowned, his gaze on the door. “Someone’s following you? We’ll see about that.”

He stuffed the bandana into the pocket of his gray jacket and took a step forward only to bump into her. Phoebe shifted backward, mumbling, “Excuse me.”

He smiled at her, his eyes laughing behind the gray-tinged lenses. “I can’t do anything to help you if you block the door.”

“Hiding won’t help?”

“Not for long, I daresay, Miss….”

“Locks—” No, that would never do. She couldn’t disclose her real name and risk any accompanying gossip. If her father found out about her day, he would blame her life’s work. The fog and coal dust causing a tickle, she cleared her throat. “Locksley.”

“Ah. A female Robin Hood, are you?” he teased. “My name’s Kidd.”

“Like the pirate?” She couldn’t believe his parents had given him such a famous name. But she knew stranger things had happened in life.

His lips twitched and she wondered, in amusement, or annoyance?

“Yes,” he said. “As to your shadow, I’m sure you’ve lost him.”

She shifted the hat in her hands to better hold her bag. “You think so?”

He wiggled a finger to the door behind her. “Shall I check if the coast is clear?”

****

If you’d like to check WATCHMAKER’S HEART out, it’s up at Amazon now. The paperback is forthcoming. I can’t wait to see this cover in full real life color!I hope you will enjoy it! (Thanks, Suzanne G. Rogers, for the beautiful cover.) For those of you waiting for the next Antique Magic novel, I got the final edits back recently and I just have to get them in the computer. So, it’s coming… before Spring ends, I hope.

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Chameleon Soul--Chequered Flag #1 by Mia Hoddell--NEW Release #newadult

Title: Chameleon Soul

Series: Chequered Flag #1

Author: Mia Hoddell

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Limitless Publishing

After one fateful night, Raine Wilkins’ life has never been the same…

Two years into a relationship with Formula 1 driver Teo Coates, Raine walks out of his life without offering an explanation. To shield him from horrifying events that are best kept secret, Raine breaks her own heart and the heart of the man she loves. And left with no choice, Teo is forced to abandon Raine to finish his race season.

However, Teo always wins, and losing Raine’s heart has only made him more determined to reclaim it…

Now, a year later, he’s back, and she’s his only goal. But Raine is no longer the same girl he left behind; she’s broken by the past and struggling to cope with each day. Unbearable memories have her nights plagued with fear, while her days are spent deliberately hiding away to avoid triggering full-blown panic attacks. Therefore, when Teo returns as England’s favourite driver, and demands answers, all of Raine’s careful planning is destroyed.

She is thrown into the one place she never wants to be—the spotlight.

Her newfound fame as Teo’s public girlfriend raises old dangers, and exposes her to a group who will stop at nothing to tear them apart. If Raine and Teo are to be together, they must confront their past. However, only Raine knows the truth behind what happened during that sinister night, and revealing her secrets may cause Teo to leave for good.

Amazon Canada  Amazon UK  Amazon Au

“Raine, wait!”
Footsteps thundered behind me, forcing me to run faster as my vision began tunnelling. Bouncing off the walls as I rounded corners, I attempted to trace my steps back to the exit through the labyrinth of hallways.
I could hear the footsteps growing louder, as if Nadine was right on my heels, but I couldn’t look without losing my rhythm.
Abruptly, I was jerked to a stop by a hand on my wrist. I spun at the touch, flinging my back against the wall with a scream. My movements were too fast to take anything in.
“What the f*** are you doing here?” The voice that snarled the words was not Nadine’s. Even full of malice I could never forget his tone. Despite that, my brain was no longer thinking logically.
I raised my hands instinctively to shield my face, the line between reality and my memories blurring. The brightly lit corridor was too tight and darkness encroached from every corner.
I was back in the alley. The rough bricks bit into my spine as I cowered into the building praying I could make myself invisible.
“No, not again,” I whimpered, my hands shaking. “Please, not again.”
In my mind they were coming at me, closing the distance.
No matter how tiny I made myself they could still see me.
“Don’t hurt me. Let me go!” White-hot panic rose in my chest, consuming me and fuelling the memory. Everything felt so similar, I wasn’t even seeing what was really in front of me.

#1 Amazon bestselling author Mia Hoddell lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends most of her time writing or reading, loves anything romantic, and has an overactive imagination that keeps her up until the early hours of the morning.

Mia has written over ten titles including her Seasons of Change series, the Chequered Flag series, the Elemental Killers series, and her standalone novels False Finder, Not Enough, and Bet On Me.

Her favourite genres are contemporary romance or romantic suspense, and with an ever growing list of ideas she is trying to keep up with the speed at which her imagination generates them. She also designs book covers on her website M Designs.

Follow Mia on FacebookTwitterAmazon Author pageOn Good readsMia's Website

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