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After The Ending by Lindsey Pogue & Lindsey Fairleigh

4/29/2022

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Title: After the Ending
Authors: Lindsey Pogue & Lindsey Sparks (Fairleigh)
Genre: New Adult Post Apoc
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR

Blurb:

The Walking Dead meets X-Men in this evocative post-apocalyptic love story and adventure!

 

→ superpowered post-apocalyptic survival

→ unbreakable friendships

→ gritty dystopian settings

→ a touch of romance

 

The Virus spread. Billions died. The Ending began.

We may have survived the apocalypse, but the Virus changed us…

 

If someone had told me three months ago that 90 percent of the people in the world were about to die, I would’ve laughed.

 

If someone had told me the survivors would develop unbelievable abilities, I would’ve called them crazy.

 

If someone had told me I’d find love with the least likely person, I would’ve rolled my eyes.

 

And if someone had told me that, after everything, the people I cared about most would be torn from my grasp, I would’ve walked away.

 

I wish I could walk away now…

 

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★  “Never a dull moment! What an amazing story.”

★ ★ ★ ★ ★  “A fantastic series. Loved every book!!!”

★ ★ ★ ★ ★  “This was a highly unexpected addicting surprise.”

★ ★ ★ ★ ★  “Simply amazing!”

★ ★ ★ ★ ★  “This was a truly amazing and emotional ride.”

★ ★ ★ ★ ★  “I have never ever read such an intense story. Gripped my soul. Best series EVER!”

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Lindsey Pogue is a genre-bending fiction author, best known for her soul-stirring, post-apocalyptic survival series, Savage North Chronicles and Forgotten Lands. As an avid romance reader with a master’s in history and culture, Lindsey’s adventures cross genres and push boundaries, weaving together facts, fantasy, and timeless love stories of epic proportions.

 

When she’s not plotting her next epic storyline, or dreaming up new, brooding characters, she’s wrapped in blankets watching monster flicks with her own leading man. Lindsey and her husband live in Northern California with their rescue cats, Beast and Blue.

Author Links:

Amazon | Facebook | Reader Group | Instagram | Twitter

TikTok | Bookbub | Website | Goodreads | Newsletter

FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!


Lindsey Sparks is a bestselling Science Fiction and Fantasy author who lives her life with one foot in a book—so long as that book transports her to a magical world or bends the rules of science. Her novels, from Post-apocalyptic to Time Travel Romance, always offer up a hearty dose of unreality, along with plenty of history, mystery, adventure, and romance.

 

When she's not working on her next novel, Lindsey spends her time hanging out with her two little boys, working in her garden, or playing board games with her husband. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and their small pack of cats and dogs.

 

Author Links:

Website | Facebook | Reader Group | Instagram

Pinterest | Newsletter | Amazon | Bookbub

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Winter Dawn by Alex Callister

4/29/2022

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Author: Alex Callister
Narrator: Ell Potter; Lorelei King
Length: 10 hours 53 minutes
Publisher: Audible Originals⎮2020
Genre: Thriller
Series: The Winter Series, Book 3
Release date: Dec. 10, 2020

​
Meet Winter: she’s the audacious, hyper-intelligent GCHQ agent with more notches on her bedpost than James Bond and more hacking cred than Lisbeth Salander. 
Winter Dawn is the third instalment in the Winter series, journeying back to the beginning of her story. This time, she’s grappling with Colosseum: a sinister online phenomenon that has gripped the world. It promises a massive cash prize to the successful hunter of its victims, unleashing an unstoppable tide of violence - and the world’s authorities are powerless to prevent it.  
When a New York senator is targeted, Winter is called in to protect her. But with all the world watching, there’s nowhere to hide. No one has ever survived Colosseum. It’s the winter solstice and as they journey together into the dark heart of the longest night, they soon discover that nothing about Colosseum is what it seems. 
There are rules and there is a purpose, if only they can solve the riddle in time. Colosseum is more than a hunt: it’s a challenge. Targets must face their darkest fear or die at dawn.
Winter Dawn is the third instalment in the Winter series - the first of which was Audible’s Thriller of the Year in 2019 - and journeys back to the beginning of her story.


Buy Links for Audiobook #3
Buy on Audible


About the Author: Alex Callister
Alex is an action movie fan and her books are full of cult references and movie one-liners. Her kick-ass heroine, Winter, was inspired by Bond, Bourne, John Wick, Vin Diesel, Jack Reacher and many others. She has a history degree, a certificate in creative writing and a murderous imagination. She writes when she gets a chance, which is mainly at night between 10pm and 2am at home in London, with her three Bengal tigers. Her debut WINTER DARK was the Audible UK Thriller of the Year and was a finalist at the Audies in 2020.
Website


About the Narrator: Ell Potter
Ell Potter is an actor, writer, and award-winning narrator. While training at LAMDA, she was named Audible’s ‘Breakout Star’ and her debut audiobook was subsequently nominated for an Audie. She has since recorded extensively with numerous publishers, winning multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards in the process. Her narrator credits include Hamnet, the Winter series, Dark, Salt, Clear (BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week), In At The Deep End , and little scratch.

​
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A Long Ways from Home by Mike Martin

4/29/2022

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Author: Mike Martin
Narrator: Francis G. Kearney
Length: 9 hours 16 minutes
Publisher: Mike Martin⎮2022
Genre: Modern Detective
Series: Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series, Book 5
Release date: Mar. 21, 2022
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 A weekend visit to picturesque Newfoundland by a large crew of outlaw bikers leaves behind another mess for Sgt. Windflower to clean up. This time, he’s facing violence, murder, mystery, and intrigue. This adventure has Windflower questioning everything he thought he knew. There are troubles on the home front, cutbacks in the policing budget, old friends leaving, and new ones not quite here yet. Windflower is seeking to find answers in territory that is both dangerous and unfamiliar. 
This installment in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series has our hero dashing all over the beautiful little island of Newfoundland. Along the way, he never wavers in his pursuit of justice. But he stills tries to find a way to enjoy the natural beauty that lays all around him, and to bring out the best from everybody he meets. 
A Long Ways from Home is about more than just homicides or the dirty dealings of outlaw bikers. It is also about helping people and communities face up to and overcome new and very difficult challenges. Windflower relies on his friends and allies, including some four-legged ones, to help him and them find the answers. He also discovers that we are never really alone, even when we are a long ways from home.


Buy Links
Buy on Audible
​About the Author: Mike Martin
Mike Martin was born in St. John’s, NL on the east coast of Canada and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a long-time freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand.
He is the author of the award-winning Sgt. Windflower Mystery series set in beautiful Grand Bank. There are now 12 books in this light mystery series with the publication of Dangerous Waters. A Tangled Web was shortlisted in 2017 for the best light mystery of the year, and Darkest Before the Dawn won the 2019 Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award. Mike has also published Christmas in Newfoundland: Memories and Mysteries, a Sgt. Windflower Book of Christmas past and present.
Some Sgt. Windflower Mysteries are now available as audiobooks and the latest A Long Ways from Home was released as an audiobook in 2022. All audiobooks are available from Audible in Canada and around the world.
Mike is Past Chair of the Board of Crime Writers of Canada, a national organization promoting Canadian crime and mystery writers and a member of the Newfoundland Writers’ Guild and Ottawa Independent Writers and Capital Crime Writers.
Website

Top Ten Literary Inspirations

​Charles Dickens
Stephen King
Donna Leon
Elizabeth George
JRR Tolkien
George Eliot
Michael Ondaatje
The Velveteen Rabbit (Margery Willams)
Anne Lamont
Agatha Christie

About the Narrator: Francis G. Kearney
Francis G. Kearney is a former actor/performer, and aviator. He has worked on films & TV programs. He describes his evolution into narration and the joy of storytelling is the culmination of many years of a life fully lived and is reflected in a voice of experience.
Website
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Buck's Landing by Cameron D. Garriepy

4/29/2022

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Author: Cameron D. Garriepy
Narrator: Amy Jo Steele
Length: 4 hours 27 minutes
Publisher: Bannerwing Books⎮2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: New England Seacoast Series, Book 1
Release date: Mar. 18, 2021
Listen Here
Summer always ends. Love doesn’t have to.
Sofia Buck fled Hampton Beach a decade ago, never looking back until her father’s untimely death forces her to return for the summer to deal with the family business. Her one goal: sell Buck’s Landing so she can move on with her life. 
Silas Wilde believes in serendipity, especially when it brings an irresistible woman into his life. He’s certain they belong together, and sets out to convince Sofia to give him—and Hampton—a chance at forever.  
Rediscovering the magic of her hometown with Silas tempts Sofia with a future she never imagined—if only she can let go of the past that waits around every corner.
​

Buy Links
Buy on Amazon⎮Audible⎮iTunes
About the Author: Cameron D. Garriepy
Cameron Garriepy is a New England-based author of smart, sexy, small-town love stories. She’s been devouring romance novels since she discovered Princess Daisy on her mother’s bookshelf. She’s been a nanny, a pastry cook, a camp counselor, a ticket resale specialist, an office manager, and a content writer. In her spare time, she’s an archer, a gardener, a baker, a knitter, and a reader of a lot of romance. She writes from the greater Boston area, where she lives with her husband, son, a naughty pug, and four ridiculous hens.
Website

About the Narrator: Amy Jo Steele
Amy Jo Steele is a classically trained actor who studied theatre at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts NYC, and the New York Acting Conservatory for film acting. She grew up in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and after living and learning in New York, she made the move to Los Angeles. She continued doing theatre but focused more on film work. She studied and performed at Upright Citizens Brigade and was part of a small comedy production group where she first experienced a bit of voice-over work and short story narration which she found an instant love for. When Covid inspired the need for more indoor activities, discovering and stepping into audiobook narration was a perfect and very rewarding solution. One she hopes to continue and evolve in regardless of the state of the world.

​

Interview with Cameron D. Garriepy

Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing? 
Never in a million years. I wrote Buck’s Landing ten years ago, when I was just starting out. It wasn’t until the last year or two that I decided to have my titles produced. 

How did you select your narrator?
Amy Jo’s audition piece sounded like Sofia, the heroine of the story, and she handled the material the way I would if I were reading it aloud. That connection to not only the characters, but my writing style seemed like a natural fit. 
Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, is a real place, and I’ve tried to be as true to it as the story allowed. I invented a lot of the businesses in the story, but not all of them. You really can go get the most amazing fried dough at Blink’s FryDoe, and the Funarama arcade is real, too. We play skeeball there every summer. 

How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
Enthusiasm for writing is easy. It’s so much of who I am. Enthusiasm for all the rest of the stuff involved in publishing? That’s trickier. I am an archer and an avid reader, and I love knitting and crochet, so I try to balance my hobbies and my family with the harder work of marketing and promoting, editing, acquiring cover art, and, and, and…

Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you? 
Only in the last couple of years, and I’ve discovered I really like the “radio drama” format, where there’s a whole cast, and it’s mostly dialog, written specifically to be recorded, which is ironic, I suppose, since I’m releasing audiobook adaptations of books I never dreamed of having recorded when I wrote them. Now that I’m doing audiobooks, I think that informs my newer writing. I want it to read smoothly and engage the reader, but I also think about how it will sound when it’s performed. 

If this title were being made into a TV series or movie, who would you cast to play the primary roles?
When I wrote this (back in 2012), my husband and I were watching Sons of Anarchy, and Charlie Hunnam then was a perfect Silas. 

How did you celebrate after finishing this novel? 
I wrote a lot of it while I was on vacation in Hampton Beach with my family, so I probably went for fried dough with butter, cinnamon sugar, and powdered sugar.

  1. What's your favorite:
    1. Food: sushi
    2. Song: depends on the mood? I love a lot of music. An old David Gray song called Debauchery is a perennial favorite
    3. Book: Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne du Maurier
    4. Television show: West Wing 
    5. Sports team: What are sports?
    6. City: Florence, Italy​
​Are any of those things referenced in appearance in your work? I don’t think any of them are in Buck’s Landing, but they definitely get woven into the fabric of my written world.

What’s next for you? I’m working on a full-length, second-chance romance that’s really dear to my heart.
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Reflections - The Crane Diaries by Apryl Baker

4/25/2022

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Title: Reflections
Author: Apryl Baker
Genre: YA PNR/Horror
Publisher: Limitless Publishing, LLC
Cover Designer: Deranged Doctor Design
Publication Date: May 4th, 2022
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb:
Emma Rose Crane.

Mattie Louise Hathaway.

Human.

Demon.

Living Reaper.

Goddess.

 

She is all of these things, yet she’s none of them.

 

She doesn’t understand how to be any of them.

 

She’s lost.

 

She’s about to come face to face with her own demise.

 

In the end, which will she be? All of them? None of them?

 

Or will the darkness take over and create something new altogether when she touches the Eternity Jewels?

 

Are Emma Rose and Mattie Louise gone forever?

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So who am I?

Well, I’m the crazy girl with an imagination that never shuts up. I LOVE scary movies. My friends laugh at me when I scare myself watching them and tell me to stop watching them, but who doesn’t love to get scared? I grew up in a small town nestled in the southern mountains of West Virginia where I spent days roaming around in the woods, climbing trees, and causing general mayhem. Nights I would stay up reading Nancy Drew by flashlight under the covers until my parents yelled at me to go to sleep.

Now, I live in a small town in West Virginia where I entertain my niece and nephew and watch the cats get teased by the birds and laugh myself silly when they swoop down and then dive back up just out of reach. The cats start yelling something fierce…lol.

I love books, I love writing books, and I love entertaining people with my silly stories.

Author Links:

Facebook | Twitter | Wattpad | Website | Instagram

Newsletter | Goodreads | Amazon | Bookbub | Blog | Reader Group

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Semyon by Shyla Colt

4/25/2022

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Title: Semyon: Orlov Bratva
Author: Shyla Colt & Kyra Nyx
Genre: Mafia Romance
Cover Designer: Dreams2Media
Publication Date: May 25th, 2022
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb:

Semyon

My nanny quit, we’re on the verge of war, and I have a meeting with a new person seeking assistance from the Orlov family. I’m at my wit’s end when she walks in, the answer to my prayers with her bachelor’s in child development and impeccable resume. She’s here to take care of my daughter. This means she should be off limits, but my heart and body have other ideas.

 

Oksana

The Guesev family had never had much monetarily, but we’ve always had each other. So, when my sister disappears, I know foul play has happened. After the police dismiss my concerns, I’m forced to look into old-world justice. There’s only one man powerful enough to find her. I’m willing to offer the ruthless millionaire whatever he wants to find my baby sister before it’s too late.

 

Kyra Nyx proves that Happily Ever Afters aren’t reserved for knights in shining armor. Her heroes swagger in, drag you into the gray area, and make you rethink your fairy tale. Follow these interconnected stories and get swept away by heroes who put romance on the edge.

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USA Today Bestselling author Shyla Colt is a chaos wrangler, chronic crafter, and imaginary friend collector. The mom of two and a wife road trips with her weird brood when she’s not taking on a new hobby or bingeing on spooky podcasts and documentaries. She writes strong women with sass, plenty of nerdy tendencies, and the intriguing intense males who love them.

Author Links: 

Amazon | Goodreads | ReaderGroup | Twitter

Facebook | Bookbub | Instagram | Website

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Foundra by Emmanuel M Arriaga

4/24/2022

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​Author: Emmanuel M Arriaga
Narrator: Melissa Reizian
Length: 16 hours 7 minutes
Publisher: EA Starchilde Company⎮2022
Genre: Science Fiction; Space Opera
Series: Foundra Series, Book 1
Release date: Mar. 4, 2022
15th Annual National Indie Excellence Award Finalist
2021 Reader's Favorite Finalist for Best Sci-Fi Romance Novel
The Huzien Empire has existed for 80 millennia and a powerful invisible force known as the enesmic permeates every aspect of the Twin Galaxy.
Neven is an engineer working for the pinnacle of scientific achievement known as the MinSci on the Huzien homeworld of Thae. His genius draws the attention of one of the immortal Founders and he finds himself drafted into the military as part of an elite group of special forces known as the Founder’s Elites. Not given much time to adjust, his team is called to investigate stories of otherworldly creatures attacking fringe colony worlds.
Soahc is the most powerful wielder of the enesmic in the Twin Galaxy. He’s also incredibly cocky. That is, until he senses a powerful shifting in the enesmic that he can’t explain. Terrified that something is horribly wrong, Soahc leaves his comfortable planet and hitches a ride with Neven and the Founder’s Elites as they investigate the carnage on the fringes of the empire.
Neven, Soahc, and their allies discover something ancient from another plane of existence. Something that exposes the fragility of their galactic empire as they fight to survive annihilation from enesmic beings.
Buy Links
Buy on Amazon⎮Audible
About the Author: Emmanuel M Arriaga
Emmanuel M. Arriaga is an imaginative award winning author with an engineering background working in the Technology sector. He is best known for the Foundra Series, a sci-fi space opera and National Indie Excellence Award (NIEA) Finalist. His rich worlds introduce diverse characters and expansive worldbuilding with innovative technologies and concepts. He is a bronze winner of the Readers' Favorite Award for Best Young Adult Action Novel and a TopShelf Book Award Finalist.
Website

About the Narrator: Melissa Reizian
Melissa Reizian has been a full-time voice actor for 20 years. She is an Audible-Approved Producer for audiobook narration and has accreditation from the  World-Voices Organization. 
Over the years, Melissa's work has been featured by popular global brands, corporations and government agencies, including: Dr. Pepper, Sam's Club, the Humane Society of the United States, The American Heart Association, Lytx (formerly Drivecam), Verizon, Motorola, 5/3 Bank, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.
Previously, Melissa was an award-winning, Emmy-nominated television journalist. Most recently, she was a reporter/producer/anchor at WLEX-TV in Lexington, Kentucky, where in addition to daily reporting and anchoring duties, she produced the award-winning half-hour education TV show,  “Rising Star.”
Melissa's news reports from Armenia aired on CNN World Report during the early 1990s, where she reported on the blockade there and war in neighboring Nagorno-Karabagh. Melissa is a 2nd-generation Armenian-American, and was there to help train journalists in that country in the ways of “American style  journalism” after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Melissa holds a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she minored in Theatre.
Website

Interview with Emmanuel M Arriaga

Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
When I created Foundra, I had a mental image of how the characters looked and sounded. It was incredibly valuable to document this process during the creation of Foundra, especially the phonetic process because it helped me further flush out aspects of the universe and language that had simply been in my head before hand. When you have to explain to a narrator how to pronounce something, it makes it real, and the first time you hear it spoken by an incredible professional like the narrator for Foundra, it blew my mind. During our collaboration on this project, Melissa invested a lot of energy in getting the pronunciation just right and I appreciated that professionalism.
Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format? 
I spend most of my reading time listening to audiobooks, I think it brings the content to life in a way that is true to life for the original author and their vision of the characters. With that said, I think audiobooks with a lot of action translate very well. Combat scenes and intense moments of conflict build up that suspense in a way unique to the format.
Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing? 
I always planned to have Foundra made into an audiobook. When I was in the final editing stages, I actually read the novel out loud, to make sure it flowed well. It was something I did unintentionally that really brought the story alive for me and something that I was excited to work with a professional to bring to everyone. 
How did you select your narrator?
I spent a lot of time with auditions for Foundra. I utilized the acx platform and invested a lot of time and energy in going out and looking for great narrators. I would reach out to them directly and ask them to audition. This was how I met Melissa. After I heard her read my book, and the care and thoughtfulness that she spent in bringing the story to life, I knew immediately that she was the right narrator. People say it all the time but honestly, once I heard her audition, I knew I found the right person. I had over 15 people who had auditioned, many of them very good, but Melissa was heads and shoulders above the rest and just treated the content like it was special, putting energy into it that I hadn’t seen from anyone else.
How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters? 
We worked very closely during the original creation process, many text messages were exchanged with audio clips and questions about how to say something. It was a learning process for me and a valuable experience for understanding the process for how an audiobook is created. It’s not as simple as most people think and involves a lot of time and effort, re-listening to clips, noting down changes, etc. It’s a time investment for the narrator and the author (and producer if the narrator doesn’t do their own production).
Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
Some of the characters in Foundra were inspired by people I know in real life. I say inspired because they aren’t carbon copies, rather someone's personality, style or character trait influenced a character and then that character took on a life of their own and became a unique individual. In many instances, characters are mash ups of multiple people I know and done in a way that allows for originality in the characters' decisions and life choices.
How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
Honestly, the best way to avoid burn-out is to write every day. It sounds counter intuitive, but it’s actually surprisingly effective. I find when I take breaks from writing, or write infrequently, it actually becomes harder to write. It is less of a muscle and more of monumental effort that I have to find time for. But when I write daily, I find myself easily able to hop onto my computer, write a chapter and then head off to go do something else. The creative energies are constantly flowing, my subconscious continuously at work building out plots and sub pots and cool scenes and other things and I just have to sit down and get it into a doc to allow the creative process to continue. When I wait a long time to do that, my writing suffers and my progress slows. I also feel less fulfilled in everything else in my life and that tells me that writing is truly something that brings me joy. Something that influences every other aspect of my life. So for me, to avoid burn-out, I have to write daily.
Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you? 
I love audiobooks, it’s the primary method that I get through books today with two young boys and a full-time job in Tech. When I think about how I best digest information, lecturing and hearing information has always been most effective for me. So when I listen to audiobooks, I process it quickly and usually listen at a faster speed than normal. This allows me to get through books quickly in a life that would otherwise make it difficult for me to sit down and physically read a book.
Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format? 
There is this section of the story that deals with this monumental battle. It’s this pivotal section toward the middle of the story that switches between characters fighting in starships in space orbiting this planet and then characters on the ground of the same planet fighting in frontline combat. Without giving anything away, the emotions that come out across the two conflicts are raw and showcase the creative power of Melissa in bringing the story to life through the eyes of characters in this conflict, both on the side of the protagonists and the side of the antagonists in this conflict.
If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes, when and where would you go? 
If I had the power of time travel, I would go forward in time, there isn’t anything for me back through history and I’m not just a sci-fi author but a huge fan of sci-fi. I’d love to travel forward to the time where we’ve mastered faster than light space travel and to experience that first hand while exploring the galaxy. That is a true dream that I sadly don’t think will be realized in my lifetime so I’d love to jump forward to when it’s the norm.
If this title were being made into a TV series or movie, who would you cast to play the  primary roles?
I’ve thought about this funny enough. Originally my thoughts went to a lot of older actors like Dwayne Johnson, Idris Elba, Kumail Nanjiani, etc. but the reality is that the characters in Foundra skew young and/or look to be in their early twenties given their immortal nature. So, I had to change my preference to favor characters who appear younger than the older actors I grew up with. With that said, I’d want Michael B. Jordan to play Lanrete, Donald Glover to play Soahc, Mena Massoud to play Neven Kenk, Maya Hawke as Brime and Michelle Yeoh as Zun Shan.
What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
I don’t think this is true at all. That’s like saying attending a lecture on a topic is cheating when compared against just reading the textbook. I think they are two different ways to consume content that really just comes down to a personal preference and how you best consume content. Life situation plays a big part in this as well, if you have a long commute, audiobooks are a saving grace.
How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
I started the next novel! No joke, the moment I was finished with Foundra, I immediately started work on Pride of Ashna which is the sequel. That energy of completely wrapping the story up carries over into planning the next book. I have a lot of ideas that I didn’t’ get to explore in the first novel that manifested in the following one. Starting from scratch, I can shape it to include that content.
What gets you out of a writing slump? What about a reading slump? 
Writing every day helps me avoid this. And if I run into any roadblocks while in this mode, that’s usually my subconscious telling me that whatever I’m trying to do right now in the novel isn’t working. The moment I acknowledge that and play around with a different concept, the energies are flowing again and I can move forward. As for reading, it may just be that I’m not that into a book and i’ll stop it and start something else. I’m not afraid to do this as I’ll eventually come back to the prior book when I have the energy needed to finish it. I hate not finishing a book but sometimes it takes moving onto something else and then coming back to accomplish that.
In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series? 
When I wrote Elevator Quest, my award winning fantasy novel, I always intended for that to be a stand-alone novel. It was an inspired dream that I had become obsessed with and became an homage to D&D with a modern flair. I had no intentions of turning that novel into a series and once the story was complete, I was satisfied. I’ve had fans ask me if I planned to write a sequel but I don’t believe one is needed. The freedom you get from doing a stand-alone novel is leaving it open ended. You don’t have to craft this multi book narrative or worry about building continuity. You just tell a story that’s in you and move on. The challenge with this is that sometimes you start to envision what a series could be but when you come back after the fact, and try to tack on a sequel when you didn’t originally plan one, it doesn’t usually have the spirit of the first novel in it.

Now when you look at a series that you intended to become a series, the spirit is in the series, you spend a lot of time worldbuilding in your first book and building excitement for this new universe that you’re creating. The character arcs, overarching narrative and sub-plots that you create continue throughout multiple stories and manifest in creative and interesting ways that bring life to the characters and the evolving nature of the universe. You get more time to flush out this detailed narrative that allows you to take the reader on a journey over the course of the series. It’s a completely different writing process and requires a lot of effort to pull off effectively. I keep so much material, a library if you will, of my Foundra Universe that I reference when I’m writing. At some point, all this lore and content that you create when world building has to become a reference that you can come back to in order to ensure continuity. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve created an interesting class concept, scene or piece of lore that I “discover” when digging through my reference material that I simply wrote down and forgot about.
Have any of your characters ever appeared in your dreams?
Many of my characters are inspired by dreams. I write down my dreams on a regular basis and many of them have become scenes or whole story ideas (Elevator Quest was one of those dreams). I have a dream log of over 200 scenes / ideas that I’ve started categorizing. Some fall in the Foundra universe, others are completely new book ideas with a few of them already future planned series.
​

What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Write every day, you become a better author by doing primarily three things, read a lot, write a lot and get your work critiqued by a professional editor. I have learned so much as a write through the editing process and reading great books has helped me understand different writing techniques and storytelling methods that improve my own personal toolset. This is such a valuable thing that many aspiring authors overlook. 
Do you have any tips for authors going through the process of turning their books into audiobooks?
Invest in finding a good narrator, it’s a lot of work and something you don’t want to shortcut, because the quality of your narrator directly influences the quality of your audiobook.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on the third book in the Foundra series, additionally, I’m in the editing phase for a new fantasy novel that I’ll share more about in the coming months. I’m also hoping to start work on the audiobook to Pride of Ashna, the sequel to Foundra, toward the second half of 2022.

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The Undiscovered Descendants by Jo Visuri

4/22/2022

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​Author: Jo Visuri
Narrator: Hana Lass
Length: 10 hours 59 minutes
Publisher: Auor LLC⎮2022
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: Nordri Series, Book 1
Release date: Feb. 25, 2022
Listen Here
A captivating real-world fantasy adventure filled with intrigue, suspense, Norse mythology, magical objects, and special abilities, Jo Visuri's best-selling tale will sweep you away to mystical Auor Island - where nothing is quite as it seems! 
A remote island. Old secrets. And a cascade of unintended consequences. Long ago, four clans from earth's four corners were given magical abilities to help save humanity from oblivion. For generations, their descendants have lived in hidden communities and occasionally intermingled with regular humans—leading to whispers of unforeseen consequences. Now, in the present-day and for unknown purposes, one Clan quietly and desperately seeks the rumored, undiscovered offspring.
Meanwhile, in the heart of a northern archipelago, Elin Bodil leads a perfectly ordinary, happy life on Auor Island with her family. When, through accident and circumstance, she meets both a motorcycle-driving stranger and the new mysterious boy next door, Elin's world is turned upside down. As Elin is drawn into a brewing supernatural conflict - with her two unusual acquaintances on opposite sides, she must decipher who to trust while unearthing her island's secrets and those buried deep within herself. But when the search for answers triggers the Clan's sinister schemes, Elin and her companions will have to confront far bigger and deadlier secrets than they ever imagined. And they'll need much more than themselves to survive! Welcome to Auor Island - and the legend and magic within its ruins! 
Told from the perspective of Elin and her two unusual acquaintances, the best-selling first-in-series book blends Norse myth, magic, adventure, science fiction, and fantasy with a touch of romance. Delighting listeners of all ages, The Undiscovered Descendants is perfect for fans of real-world fantasy adventures with heart and tales of family, friendship, secret societies, hidden worlds, and magic powers.
Buy Links
Buy on Amazon⎮Audible⎮iTunes
​

Interview with Jo Visuri

1. Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
 
The process was actually quite fun, although a bit more work than I expected. The first step was choosing passages for The Undiscovered Descendants' audition script. Then the second step was to hold auditions where narrators could showcase their vocal talents. After that crucial step, the next step was choosing a narrator and crossing your fingers that you had chosen the right one. Then you get down to the hard work of giving lots of vocal notes for each character and a pronunciation guide for all the foreign words—which there are many in The Undiscovered Descendants. An additional challenge was that Old Norse is a dead language, so that had me scrambling to find good pronunciation examples. But I got very lucky with Hana. She was very diligent about working through all the obstacles, brought fresh ideas to the table, and of course, she is a very talented narrator. Once the preparatory work was completed and Hana had created the audio, it was off to production for clean-up. Then the last steps were final approvals and release to the world, bringing to life all the characters of Auor Island!
 
2. Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing? 
 
Not really. I was too busy writing down the story the characters were telling me to focus on anything else. It wasn’t until the book was published that I started to think about an audio version.
 
3. How did you select your narrator?
 
In my mind, there was only one way, which was to hold auditions to find the right voice. I had three main criteria. I wanted to make sure the narrator could vocalize the three main characters distinctly—especially given the chapters alternating between Elin, Aedan, and Tristan. The second criterion was someone who could believably do both female and male voices. Lastly, I wanted a narrator who wouldn’t be intimidated by foreign words and would work to get the right pronunciation down. Anything beyond that the narrator could do, such as accents, etc., elevated them on the shortlist. Hana did all of those things and more right off the bat.
 
4. How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? 
 
As I mentioned earlier, we worked closely together before the recording process to get everything nailed down. Once the recording process started, we did a quick check-in to make sure everything was sounding right. But after that, it was really up to Hana. Not much I could add—I’m neither an actress nor a recording expert, so I was happy to let the professional handle it. As the last step, I listened to the entire audiobook for any minor fixes, but there really wasn’t anything. Hana had done a great job!
 
5. Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters? 
 
Yes! I had a full spreadsheet of character insights plus a pronunciation guide. I also annotated each chapter with additional comments on the characters’ emotional states. It was a collaborative process with Hana, and I wanted to give her as much support as possible. 
 
6. Were there any real-life inspirations behind your writing? 
 
Yes, there are many pieces of real-life inspiration to the book's backstory. One, which The Undiscovered Descendants’ fans frequently ask, is whether Auor island is actually real. The answer is no. However, the island I grew up on in the Finnish archipelago did indeed inspire Auor—although the geographic nature does differ. Auor has mountains, an actual town center, and a larger population. My island could only boast of a post office and grocery store scattered along its main road.
 
7. How do you manage to avoid burnout? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
 
To avoid burnout, I try to vary my book activities. Some days it is all about marketing efforts or working on side projects. Other days, I buckle down to write. Luckily, once I scribble a few sentences, I’m back in the world of my characters, and they can’t wait to share their adventures with me again.
My writing enthusiasm stems from the energy the book’s fans generate. They keep me motivated to continue sharing Elin, Aedan, and Tristan’s stories. There’s nothing quite like someone expressing how much they enjoyed your book and asking about the next one to keep you inspired. So, a big thank you to all those who take the time to leave a review or send me a personal note. They are so appreciated!
 
8. What's your favorite book?
 
It’s impossible for me to choose a favorite book. I just have too many, and choosing a favorite is completely dependent on my mood. I tend to read fairly broadly in terms of genre, but one of my favorites is young adult fantasy. Both historical and contemporary fantasies with a hidden world component are my jam, which is why, I suppose, The Undiscovered Descendants is a blending of those elements. If I had to pick a few books that top my list, then they would be as follows in no particular order: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, Ruby Red trilogy by Kerstin Gier, The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, and, of course, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.
 
9. Are any of those things referenced in appearance in your work? 
 
Yes, The Lord of the Rings is referenced in the book. While LOTR is a renowned epic fantasy, it does share an element with The Undiscovered Descendants. They were both inspired by Scandinavian and Norse mythologies. So, it felt only appropriate to pay it homage in The Undiscovered Descendants.
 
10. What’s next for you?
 
Well, I’m feverishly working on book 2 of the Nordri Series at the moment. It’s almost done and will soon be handed off to my editor. And if all goes well, it’ll be published in Fall 2022. I’m so looking forward to and excited to share Elin’s, Aedan’s, and Tristan’s new adventures with everyone! If you want to get exclusive sneak peeks and updates on the progress, I suggest joining my newsletter on my website: www.jovisuri.com.

​
About the Author: Jo Visuri
Jo Visuri was born and raised on an island in Finland’s famous archipelago, where she found her one and only Viking coin at the age of six. After spending a few formative years living by a Norwegian fjord, Jo’s family uprooted to the sunny beaches of Los Angeles, CA.
A graduate of Brown University, Jo has been privately writing stories since she could read one and launched her debut The Undiscovered Descendants in Fall 2021. She now lives and writes in San Diego, CA, when she isn’t distracted by her cuddly and demanding senior dog.
Jo writes myth-inspired fantasy stories appropriate for all ages that take the reader on adventures in the real world with magic, hidden worlds, secret societies, and tales of family and friendships.
Subscribe to Jo's Newsletter for FREE fiction, exclusive content and to be automatically notified when she releases her next book: https://www.jovisuri.com/newsletter
Website

​About the Narrator: Hana Lass
Hana Lass is a noted actress who has worked on stages and screens from New York to Seattle. As an obsessive reader, she delights in bringing stories to life. She enjoys recording all genres, from YA to fantasy and everything in between.

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The Book of Souls by Kevin Moore

4/18/2022

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Author: Kevin Moore
Narrator: Luke Welland
Length: 9 hours 36 minutes
Publisher: NineStar Press⎮2022
Genre: Paranormal Suspense
Series: Souls, Book 1
Release date: Feb. 22, 2022
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The dead don’t come back, but some never leave...
Jack Kelly remembers everything about his wife and children. The wonderful smell of his wife’s hair, the way she whispers to him at night. His three children running through the house, the sound of their laughter.
That was his life before the accident. His near-death experience left him in the in-between space, somewhere between this world and whatever comes next. But he recovered and woke up as his 13-year-old self.
The doctors tell him it is a false memory, a result of his fall and the insult to his brain from his injuries.
“How can a 13-year-old boy have a wife and three children”? They ask.
But how can he see and hear dead people, demons, ghosts, and shadowy creatures? And if they exist, then is it so inconceivable to believe that Jack’s life as a 47-year-old man with a wife and children existed, too?
Jack begins his journey to find out why and how. And, in the end, he resolves to find his way back to his true existence, back to his family.
The Book of Souls is the first book in the series. The Book of Demons is coming...
Buy on Audible


About the Author: Kevin Moore
Kevin Moore is the author of "Christmas Stories 7 Original Short Stories". He also had his first Children's picture book released in May 2021. His play "Conversations From The Sports Arena” was performed at the HBO Theater in Hollywood. "The Book of Souls” is his first novel. Based on a true event, Moore considers this a "self help book, which just happens to be a paranormal thriller. The sequel "The Book of Demons" will be released October 11, 2022. Moore practices Lucid Dreaming and Bardo Dreaming which has helped him with his writing. He is a Yogi and an Advanced Reiki Practitioner  — most importantly, he is Matthew and Madison's father.
Website

About the Narrator: Luke Welland
Luke Welland is a Canadian film and TV Actor based in Vancouver, BC. He has appeared in TV shows such as Supernatural, Caprica and Travelers; Movies such as Footsteps Into Gangland and Eat It Raw, and in commercials for Virgin Mobile, Mini-Cooper, Bud Light and several others. He used to tour as the singer and guitarist in punk band No Other Way, and still writes and records his own folk/acoustic music. He also is a working voiceover artist completing several audiobooks including The Vista, Soul Meets Body, Riding the Edge, and best-seller: The Imperial Alchemist, and Book of Souls.
​

Author Interview

​
  1. Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook. *My wife is in a book club and the majority of members listen to books, so I knew we had to do an audiobook. When we started listening to narrators it was a bit overwhelming because there were so many talented people. In the end we had an actor with a big booming voice and an actor that's voice captured Jack at 13. We went with him. You know someone is going to be listening for 10 hours, so the voice must be easy to listen to - while still capturing the vibration of the book.
  2. How did you select your narrator? *We had chosen an actor who could do the "haunted" part of the book very well and we were suppose to stop listening and make an offer. Luke's audition came in a day later with several others and I thought - I'll just listen to these three just for fun before we make the offer. When I heard Luke I thought - wow - that is Jack as a teenager and we went with him at the eleventh hour.
  3. Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing? *Yes! The story is based on these recurring dreams I was having about these shadow people who kept trying to get my son. It put me on guard. My son ended up in the hospital a month later in intensive care and I felt it was a "God call," because Matthew and I were ready to fight. I slept with him in the hospital every night for three weeks. We had a ghost experience while we were there with one of the nurses which is also in the book.
  4. If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes, when and where would you go?* I would definitely use it! My mother died when I was a teenager and she was with us for such a short time, but had a gigantic impact on my life. She introduced me to my spiritual life. I would go back to New York City, 1973 the year before she got sick - just to experience the wonder of her again.
  5. What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”? I'm a firm believer in meeting people where they are - if someone drives a lot for work or has a long commute and that is how they are able to listen/read through audiobooks, how can that possibly be cheating? Remember oral story telling started long before books were in hand. I think just do you. If you like sitting with a book - great. If you can't sit still and need to listen to a book on a walk - great. It really is all about the story. I happen to love them both. I love the feel and smell of books, but as I have gotten older I love the company of a good audiobook.
  6. Have any of your characters ever appeared in your dreams? *Oh yes! I am a lucid dreamer so several of my characters came to me. I met Kasper at a party in New York - he was unaware that I created him and had a full life of his own - we hung out an entire weekend - in my dream. Jack Kelly came to me with a another story right before the release of The Book of Souls" in a dream that was super fun and maybe the start of another book. The Book of Demons comes out on 10/11/22 which is the sequel.
  7. What's your favorite:*
    1. Food - Mustard Salmon
    2.  Song "Mercy Mercy Me" by Marvin Gaye
    3.  Book "The Cat in The Hat" Dr Suess
    4. Television show 
    5. Movie "To Kill a Mockingbird"
    6.  Band "Pink Martini"
    7.  Sports team "Dodgers"
    8.  City "NYC" my home town.
  8. Are any of those things referenced in appearance in your work? *Yes. It's set in Manhattan - which is where I grew up and also "To Kill a Mockingbird." Mr Cairo had a stroke and lost his ability to communicate verbally and can't use his writing hand. Jack realizes he can see symbols over Mr Cairo's head which don't always make sense. Jack is asking him if he knows the movie To Kill A Mockingbird? Mr Cairo keeps pulling up Woodie Wood pecker to represent the mockingbird and a whale to represent Gregory Peck, because Gregory Peck was in the movie Moby Dick. I hope it's a cute little segment and its away for the reader or listener to see the building of their relationship.
  9. What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors? *Listen to your inner voice, your intuition and write. And fall in love with your characters - enjoy the process - that is where I had the most fun. Some people will like your book and some will not; it's all about the journey.
  10. What’s next for you? * I like to surprise myself - so I'm opening myself to the possibilities. However Jack did show up in a dream last week, so I don't think he is done with me yet.
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Bloodlust by Karina Espinosa

4/12/2022

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Title: Bloodlust
Author: Karina Espinosa
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Narrator: Nicole Poole
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb:
 The countdown has begun.

 

Mackenzie Grey is tying up loose ends before she says goodbye to the life she knows. In doing so, that means closing up all her cases that are left open at the Supernatural Investigative Unit, and nothing prepares her for the blood thirsty vampires roaming the streets of New York City. It is time to rein them in and bring order back to the city. Except Kenz is just as blood thirsty as they are.

 

Úlfur is a shadow Mackenzie can't seem to shake amidst all the chaos, and when all the pieces fall into place, and his identity is revealed nothing will be the same again.

 

Saying goodbye is hard, but staying alive is even harder.

 

Contains mature themes.


NOW AVAILABLE ON AUDIO!

 


Karina Espinosa is the Urban Fantasy Author of the Mackenzie Grey novels and The Last Valkyrie series. An avid reader throughout her life, the world of Urban Fantasy easily became an obsession that turned into a passion for writing strong leading characters with authentic story arcs. When she isn't writing badass heroines, you can find this self-proclaimed nomad in her South Florida home binge watching the latest series on Netflix or traveling far and wide for the latest inspiration for her books. Follow her on social media!

Author Links:
Web | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter
Reader Group | Instagram | Bookbub

NOW AVAILABLE ON AUDIO!



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