Showing posts with label The Finishing Fairies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Finishing Fairies. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

"Stray Ally" by Troy Lambert

NEW RELEASE and GIVEAWAY
Stray Ally
by Troy Lambert



It's launch day for Stray Ally, the newest book by Troy Lambert, and you're invited to participate! This incredible book is being released by Tirgearr Publishing on 4 March. As ever, Troy's kept everyone abreast of the writing of this book on Facebook, and even had a mini-competition to name it. Troy is a stalwart supporter of other writers and is well worth following. Join Troy's Stray Ally release party on Facebook.
This book launch and giveaway is brought to you by The Finishing Fairies.



Description
A strange accident on the freeway, accusations of murder, and an encounter in the Idaho wilderness all propel Todd Clarke into a new friendship with a dog named Sparky. But Sparky is no ordinary dog, and there is more going on than Clarke could have imagined.
A military commander he investigated for Aryan activity and links to domestic terrorism is after him, and he’s not sure why until another chance encounter provides the answer.
With Sparky and the help of his canine friends, will he be able to figure out the Colonel’s plan and stop him in time? All Clarke knows for sure is none of it would be possible without the help of his Stray Ally.

Excerpt
The skateboard collided with my windshield, and I braked with both feet, screeching forward. The body hit the glass next, spider-webbing it as the skater’s helmet-clad head struck the glass in the center of my vision. The rear view mirror separated from the window and hit the center of the seat with a thud as the car skidded to a stop.
Marsha is gonna be pissed, came the unbidden thought. We just replaced this windshield.
Where did he come from? Creedence still blared from the stereo speakers and I turned the ignition key to the rear. Silence descended, broken a moment later by distant sirens.
I lifted my hand and felt wetness on my forehead, cut by - something. Glass? Must have been.
I opened the door, dazed. Under the helmet, a young face offered a blank stare. Nothing but blackness in the eyes: no color. Not good.
“You okay, kid?” I felt stupid asking. Stupider for expecting a response. “What were you doing on the freeway?”
I heard distant voices. Looked up. Kids, on the overpass above. Did he fall?
They pointed. One slugged the other one. A scuffle broke out and they ran. All of them.
The sirens came closer. Another car pulled up, tires squealing as it stopped, rocking on its springs.
“What happened? Is everyone okay?” the driver asked.
Struck dumb, I just pointed. The skateboard rested half on the roof, half on the shattered windshield. The skater lay below it, unmoving, his left foot against the hood ornament, the Mercedes star cocked sideways.
“Is he ...?”
He didn’t finish, but rushed over, feeling for a pulse, checking for breath. All things I should have done, but couldn’t.
He shook his head, glanced over at me. “What was he doing here?”
I shrugged.
“Did you see him?”
Head wag, substituted for speech.
“Are you okay?”
Another head wag. I couldn’t articulate what was wrong.
“You’re bleeding.”
I managed a nod, and then my legs gave out. I dropped to the pavement and grimaced as my tailbone impacted the hard surface. I heard a whimper. It must have been me, because the other driver rushed over.
I stared ahead, seeing and not seeing the scene.
The sirens got closer, red and blue light illuminated Marsha’s car, the body, the skateboard, the chrome of her wheels, even making the brake lights appear to flash.
Help arrived, even though the boy was clearly beyond help. So was I, but no one knew it yet.

Review
There are no reviews as yet for this NEW RELEASE.

About the Author
Troy Lambert works as a freelance writer, researcher, and editor. He writes historical site characterization reports for those performing remediation on former resource extraction sites, software instruction and help guides, and edits the research of others as well.
Troy's true passion is writing dark, psychological thrillers. His work includes Broken Bones (a collection of his short stories), Redemption (the first in the Samuel Elijah Johnson Series), Temptation (the sequel to Redemption), along with the horror Satanarium (co-authored with Poppet, a brilliant author from South Africa and published by Wild Wolf Publishing). His latest novel, Stray Ally, was published March 2014 by Tirgearr Publishing. Confession, the final book in the Samuel Elijah Johnson Series, will be published May 2014.
Troy lives with his wife of twelve years, two of his five children and two very talented dogs. He is a skier, cyclist, hiker, fisherman, hunter, and a terrible beginning golfer.

Giveaways
Send your story of a dog (your "Stray Ally") that you rescued or that helped you through a hard time to author@troylambertwrites.com by 29 March for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card. The winner and story will be shared on Troy's blog Monday, 31 March.
You can also enter the shared giveaway for a chance to win a $25 gift card.

Links



Saturday, January 4, 2014

"The Coming Storm" by Valerie Douglas

INTERVIEW
The Coming Storm
by Valerie Douglas


Spanning an epic series of books, The Coming Storm series by Valerie Douglas takes you to the heart of a conflict between magic users, and those without magic, good and evil, love and loss. Join Ailith and Elon as they have to choose between love, duty, and everything they've battled for.
The Coming Storm is the first in the series. Also available: A Convocation of KingsNot Magic Enough, and Setting Boundaries.



Valerie is currently on tour with The Finishing Fairies and stops by today for an interview. Please visit all the other tour stops as well.







Description
Elon of Aerilann, Elven advisor to the High King of Men, helped negotiate the treaty between Elves, Dwarves and men. He suddenly finds that fragile truce threatened from without by an unknown enemy and from within by old hatreds and prejudice. With the aid of his true-friend Colath, the wizard Jareth and the Elven archer Jalila, he goes in search of the source of the threat.
Ailith, the Heir to Riverford, fights her own silent battle. Her father has changed, but her quest to discover what changed him puts her life and very soul in danger and leaves her only one direction in which to turn. Elon.
To preserve the alliance, though, Elon will have to choose between his honor, his duty and everything for which he fought.

Review
Very good story! The plot is well developed and fast moving with strong, well developed characters that are easy to identify with and yet complex. The battle scenes are intense, and the ending left me eager for more - both on the history of the world the author created and on what happens to the characters afterward. Well written epic fantasy in the middle earth tradition and definitely a must read!




Interview with the Author
Hi Valerie, thanks for joining me today to discuss your book, The Coming Storm.
Which writers have influenced you the most? J. R. R. Tolkien, George R. R. Martin, Anne McCaffrey ...
What age group do you recommend your book for? Adults over 18
What sparked the idea for this book? I missed classic fantasy, with people who understood the difference between good and bad, and some who couldn’t. I wanted a book, characters and a story that would wrap you up and draw you into that world, a world full of characters that you would miss when you finished.
Which comes first? The character's story or the idea for the novel? I’ve always felt that you can’t have one without the other, that they come together to become complete.
What was the hardest part to write in this book? As in life, there’s good and bad. It’s difficult to write the painful parts, the loss of people, or describe the battle scenes accurately – reflecting the death and dying, the struggle, the grief and sorrow.
How do you hope this book affects its readers? Books are a refuge and an escape, I hope they love the characters, laugh and cry with them, and miss them as much as I sometimes still do.
How long did it take you to write this book? The first draft just swallowed me up – I wrote it in 72 straight hours, fell into bed, slept, woke and started in on the second draft. Additional drafts followed…
What is your writing routine? *laughing* I don’t have routines… When the muse strikes, I write.
How did you get your book published? I had been told that no one was taking chances on epic fantasy, that I needed to establish myself, so I tried another genre and submitted to a small publisher. I got some good reviews but it wasn’t a good fit. About that time Indie/Self-publishing was just breaking out of the ‘vanity’ label and phase, so I tried that with a standalone fantasy. It still does well for me.
What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer? Don’t limit yourself – try self-publishing even if you want to go with a traditional publisher. Having established writing credentials will only stand you in good stead.
What do you like to do when you're not writing? Read, read and read. Watch movies. Play with my dogs, cuddle my cats and my husband.
What does your family think of your writing? My husband – bless his heart – is hugely supportive. He’s actually read some of my books. An uncle let me know he read one. No one else has commented. *laughing*
Please tell us a bit about your childhood. I was the independent one, the wanderer and explorer – I had friends in places my parents didn’t know about.
Did you enjoy school? I loved school – I was bright, and curious. Dictionaries were way cool.
Did you like reading when you were a child? I loved to read. I went through the children’s section in 3rd grade, by the time I was in the 7th grade, I was into some classics. My reading teacher ran out of assignments for me, so she had me tutoring others in the class.
What was your favorite book as a child? To Kill a Mockingbird. I identified with Scout and wished my father was Atticus.
Who were your favorite authors? As I grew, I had a lot of favorite authors – most of the classics. I’d also discovered sci-fi fantasy thanks to Jules Verne and H. G. Wells.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? I wrote my first book at eight – non-fiction about dinosaurs *grins* - but I didn’t consider it a career. I kept writing – a book at thirteen, and a sixteen. Following the advice of the time, I wrote a short story and submitted it to an anthology (they said it was ‘too dark’). Discouraged, and with so much life getting in the way, it would be almost 15 years before I tried again.
Did your childhood experiences influence your writing? No, I try to stay away from that. It’s boring. *grins*
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say? I hear from them now and then, mostly – “When’s the next book coming out” kind of thing. That’s always gratifying! Sometimes just “Hello,” which is great, too.
What can we look forward to from you in the future? A prequel to The Coming Storm, a short novella that’s part of my Servant of the Gods series, and a sequel to Nike’s Wings. At least, that’s the plan. The muse may have another.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Best of luck with future projects. It sounds like you're busy!

About the Author
Valerie Douglas is a prolific writer and a genre-crosser, much to the delight of her fans. A fan of authors of almost every genre from Isaac Asimov to Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, she writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and as V. J. Devereaux, erotic romance. Who knows what will pop up down the road!
Happily married, she’s companion to two dogs, four cats and an African clawed frog named Hopper who delights in tormenting the cats from his tank.

Links




Sunday, December 15, 2013

"The Coming Storm" by Valerie Douglas

BOOK BLAST
The Coming Storm
by Valerie Douglas


Spanning an epic series of books, The Coming Storm by Valerie Douglas takes you to the heart of a conflict between magic users, and those without magic, good and evil, love and loss. Join Ailith and Elon as they have to choose between love, duty, and everything they've battled for.
The Coming Storm is the first in the series. It is currently ON SALE via a Kindle Countdown Deal, so get it as quick as you can before the price starts going up. Also available: A Convocation of Kings, Not Magic Enough (ON SALE for $0.99), and Setting Boundaries (ON SALE for $0.99).







In January, Valerie is on tour with The Finishing Fairies and will be visiting blogs, talking books and sharing her experience. As author of more than twenty books, she's got a lot to say about indie publishing and would love to visit with you. If you'd like to join in, you can sign up here.







Elon of Aerilann, Elven advisor to the High King of Men, helped negotiate the treaty between Elves, Dwarves and men. He suddenly finds that fragile truce threatened from without by an unknown enemy and from within by old hatreds and prejudice. With the aid of his true-friend Colath, the wizard Jareth and the Elven archer Jalila, he goes in search of the source of the threat.
Ailith, the Heir to Riverford, fights her own silent battle. Her father has changed, but her quest to discover what changed him puts her life and very soul in danger and leaves her only one direction in which to turn. Elon.
To preserve the alliance, though, Elon will have to choose between his honor, his duty and everything for which he fought.




Valerie Douglas is a prolific writer and a genre-crosser, much to the delight of her fans. A fan of authors of almost every genre from Isaac Asimov to Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, she writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and as V. J. Devereaux, erotic romance. Who knows what will pop up down the road!
Happily married, she’s companion to two dogs, four cats and an African clawed frog named Hopper who delights in tormenting the cats from his tank.

Links