Blog Archives - 2 Girls & A Book

Spoktacular Reads Author Spotlight ~ Kelsey Ketch

10/6/2021

Title: Bly
Author: Kelsey Ketch
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Fantasy/Ghost Story
Release Date: September 22nd, 2021

I left the United States to find inner peace. Instead, I find myself confronting a malicious ghost.

Astyr Salt is a spiritual and emotional empath who moved to England with the intent to forget about a traumatic, supernatural event that occurred during her freshman year of college. However, when she takes a spiritual cleansing assignment in a haunted country home in Essex, she is isolated with all her own pent-up emotions.

These emotions energize the ghosts inhabiting the country home, helping them draw their own tragedies to the surface. Searching for the truth, Astyr is forced to relive the past. And the deeper she dives into the country home’s horrific history, the more the intertwined memories place her in the path of an evil and demented predator.

A blend of contemporary fantasy, horror, and mystery, Bly is inspired by Henry James’s classic novella, The Turn of the Screw.

Meet Kelsey Ketch

Kelsey Ketch is a young-adult/new-adult author, who works as a Wildlife Biologist and Data Analyst. During her free time, she can often be found working on her latest work in progress. She also enjoys history, mythology, traveling, and reading.
For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.

Stalk Kelsey at
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Golem by PD Alleva

10/5/2021

p>

Title: Golem

Author: PD Alleva

Genre: Horror

Publication Date: Oct. 5^th, 2021

Hosted by: Lady Amberâ€™s PR

Blurb:
â€œAn extraordinary psychological horror book. Excellently written, with a twisted, spiraling, unexpected end that will leave you speechless.â€ ~ TBM Horror Experts

Detective. Angel. Victim. Devil.

A haunting tale of suspense, loss, isolation, contempt, and fear.

On November 1, 1951, war hero John Ashton was promoted to detective. His first assignment: find the district attorneyâ€™s missing daughter. But his only lead is Alena Francon, a high society sculptor and socialite committed to Bellevueâ€™s psychiatric facility.

Alena has a story for the new detective. A story so outlandish John Ashton refuses to heed the warning. Alena admits to incarnating Golem, a demonic force, into her statue. A devil so profound heâ€™s infiltrated every part of New Yorkâ€™s infrastructure. Even worse, he uses children to serve as bodily hosts for his demonic army, unleashing a horde of devils into our world.

When Alenaâ€™s confidant, Annette Flemming, confirms the existence of Golem, John is sent on a collision course where fate and destiny spiral into peril, and the future of the human race hangs in the balance.

The Devil Is In The Details!

Fans of The Silence of the Lambs, Clive Barker, John Connolly, old Stephen King, and Anne Rice will be fascinated by this edge of your seat psychological horror thriller with a story that rips out the heart of humanity and throws it on a slab to be feasted on.

GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!

PD Alleva is an alternative fiction author. His novels cross genres, blending mystery, conspiracy, psychology, and action with horror and dystopian science fiction. Alternative fiction is PD's attempt at describing what readers uncover in any one of his books, a new discovery towards mainstream storytelling. He's been writing since childhood, creating and developing stories with brash and impactful concepts that he would describe are metaphors for the shifting energies that exist in the universe. PD exists inside of his own universe, working diligently on The Rose Vol. II and exceptional horror novels. Be prepared for Golem, PDâ€™s upcoming horror thriller.

Author Links:

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Website | Goodreads | Bookbub | Newsletter

GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!

That Pale Host by L.G. McCary

10/5/2021

That Pale Host
by L.G. McCary
Published by Monster Ivy Publishing
Release Date October 5, 2021
Genre Psychological Thriller

"One need not be a chamber to be haunted..."

Charlotte brings her baby girl home from the hospital to the usual sleep deprivation and worries of a new mom, but something else has changed. Nightmares and moving shadows fill her with dread, and something or someone seems to be watching her.

As her daughter grows, so does Charlotte's fear. Whoever is watching has a message and will do anything to make her understand.

Even tear her family, her faith, and her self apart.

Review

This was one of the hardest reviews I have had to write. I devoured That Pale Host in a day. When I closed the book I was left feeling gobsmacked. I went into this story expecting a ghost story but what I discovered was a haunting tale of depression, abuse, sacrifice, and love. The raw emotions invoked by McCary were tangible. The fear, palpable.

The story was a slow build but I couldn't put the book down once I started. Even though I am not a mother, the MC, Charolotte, resonated with me.

McCary addressed several taboo issues in the Christian world as well. She showed us that evil can lurk in even the most sacred places and within ourselves.

It's hard to review That Pale Host without including spoilers. But trust me, it's well worth the read.

4Stars
Lynn

Meet the Author

L.G. McCary is an old school Whovian (Fourth Doctor is her Doctor) and a lifelong Trekkie. She has a bachelors in psychology which means she knows enough to mess with readers’ heads but not enough to diagnose their problems. She is the wife of an Army chaplain and the homeschooling mom of four rambunctious kids.

She writes supernatural and science fiction with intense emotional cores, complex characters, and plots that twist your brain in knots. Her Christian faith fuels every creative work, whether it’s a short story about sentient snowmen or a novella about a purveyor of potions disturbing the peaceful town of Pucklechurch.

Her first novel, That Pale Host, won third place in the speculative category at the 2018 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Foundation Awards.

Her short story, “Rendering,” was selected for the Rebirth anthology from Havok Publishing and is available on Amazon! Find L.G. on her website www.lgmccary.com.

I am Odd, I am New by Benjamin Giroux

10/4/2021

While I don't typically review a lot of children's books, I am honored that this young man reached out to me. Benjamin has a story to tell and I am excited to share that you. ~ Lynn

I am Odd, I am New
by Benjamin Giroux
Publisher Schiffer Kids
Release Date October 26, 2021

Through the eyes of 10-year-old Benjamin Giroux, being odd is different, and different is a good thing. This is what the then fifth-grader hoped to convey in his poem, beginning every few sentences with I am," about what it is like to live with autism. Inspired by a school assignment, Benjamin's raw and emotional words poured out onto the page, but when he feared they were not any good, his parents shared the poem with friends and family. Little did they know that it would go viral and end up inspiring thousands of strangers who identified with him to share their support. Now for the first time, Benjamin's iconic poem I Am Odd, I Am New, comes to life in this lovingly illustrated picture book with a foreword written by the National Autism Association. So whether you know the poem, or it is new to you, discover how Benjamin's honesty will reassure children of all ages that it's okay to be different.

Benjamin Giroux, a Kirkus Reviews Star Author, has been featured on many websites, in the Huffington Post, and on the Today Show and Good Morning America. He was named Poet Laureate of Plattsburgh, New York, and has also been the face of the National Autism Association's antibullying campaign. His poem has been translated into several languages.

Connect with Benjamin

Review

I am Odd I am New is a beautifully illustrated poem that lends insight to the world of autism. Even though it is told from the POV of a 10-year- old, it conveys the raw emotion of someone much older. Benjamin is a wonderfully talented young man and I can't wait to see where life takes him.

~ Lynn
5 Stars

The Sojourn ~ Season 1 by Daniel Orrett

10/3/2021

Authors: Daniel Orrett
Narrators: Larissa Thompson, Emily Serdahl, Ben Prendergast, Jimmy Lockett, Laura Faye Smith, Lelia Symington, Matthew Kaufman, Stephen Trafford, Tim Parker
Length: 1 hour 34 minutes
Publisher: Spacedock International⎮2021
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: The Sojourn, Book 1
Release date: Aug. 1, 2020

The Tantalus Cluster is the fragile cradle of humanity.
Adrift in the divide between galaxies and surrounded by the vast emptiness of the intergalactic void, the Tantalus Cluster is the only home humanity has ever known.
Desperate and facing starvation, humanity’s only hope is a strange nebula that has suddenly appeared beyond the edge of the cluster. It’s shifting clouds may hide a source of salvation for the people of Tantalus, but time is running out.
Signing on to the ambitious Avalon Expedition, Privateer Captain Cassandra Farren will face the shadows of both the past and future as she leads her small crew into the unknown in a last, desperate bid for the survival of the human race.
Directed and produced with careful scientific consultation, The Sojourn captures every detail of life aboard ship, from the sounds of the smallest airlock seal to the largest space battle.
Featuring a full cast of veteran voice actors, backed up by high-quality sound effects and an epic original soundtrack, The Sojourn is a unique and striking audio experience.
Starring Larissa Thompson as Captain Cassandra Farren, Emily Serdahl as Director Elizabeth Ancelet, Laura Faye Smith as Tamara Melari, Ben Prendergast as Mathias Croft, Stephen Trafford as Inquisitor Castian Vadric, also featuring Matthew Kaufman as Lieutenant Jasper Ravi, and Lelia Symington as Empress Valendra the Sixth. Written by Daniel Orrett, sound design and audio editing by Kennedy Phillips, music by Sam Redfern.

Buy on Author’s Direct⎮Other Platforms

About the Author: Daniel Orrett
Daniel enrolled in Bangor University, North Wales in their film program, but quickly found that his work on his YouTube channel ‘Spacedock’ was proving to offer more experience in the entertainment industry than his formal education. His work on the channel quickly drew the attention of popular video game company Slitherine Software, which had been given the license to work on the Battlestar Galactica property.
Recognizing Daniel’s knowledge of science fiction and writing acumen, they granted him free reign to contribute to the canon of the Battlestar Galactica world. He was later brought on by SyFy to do similar work for ‘The Expanse’, which turned into his popular series ‘Force Recon’.
In his spare time Daniel enjoys reading and learning from the works of heritage science fiction authors and screenwriters, such as James S.A. Corey, Ronald D. Moore, and D.C. Fontana. He took several courses through The Open University to hone his craft in creative writing and screenwriting, practices his writing abilities with several screenplays and short stories, and frequently analyzes narrative theory in video essays on his channel.
Website

Character Profiles...

Cassandra Farren:
Height:
Hair/Eye Colour: Brown
Nationality: Centran Assembly, Centrum
Job: Privateer Captain of the Guinevere, Defense Adjutant of the Avalon Expedition
Favourite beverage: Tea

As the only child of a renowned military family, Cassandra Farren was groomed for a naval career from birth, attending numerous War Colleges and Military Academies. Through studied dedication and hard work, Farren graduated with high acclaim and became an officer in the Centrum Defence Forces.

After a traumatic event that ended her naval career, Cassandra was eventually convinced by her friend Tamara to begin applying her skills and qualifications again in a freelance role. The two women began to accept privateer work across the Tantalus Cluster.

Assuming the role of a captain again was extremely difficult for Cassandra, but she ultimately accepted command over two crew members. In the months prior to the events of The Sojourn, Cassandra has pledged her ship and crew to the civilian Avalon Expedition, an ambitious project to travel into unknown space in search of desperately needed resources.
Elizabeth Ancelet:
Height:
Hair/Eye Colour: Red hair, brown eyes
Nationality: Centran Assembly, Firewatch
Job: Director of the Avalon Expedition
Favourite vice: Cigarettes

Elizabeth grew up hearing about the Wanderer Expedition that first colonised her homeworld and became fascinated with science and exploration. She studied at the most prestigious centres of education on Firewatch, where she was noticed for her natural ability and was personally tutored by Doctor Sadavar Edric – eventual designer of the Edric’s Gate Program. Elizabeth’s family was killed in a collateral explosion caused during a Union/Assembly skirmish in orbit when she was a student, and Sadavar Edric adopted Elizabeth as his daughter. Ultimately, they worked together on the Edric’s Gate project until his retirement just before the launch of the Avalon Expedition.

Elizabeth is confident, outgoing, passionately enthusiastic and somewhat reckless, behaving with an ever-apparent love for life and the universe. She brings this attitude to her leadership style, taking the responsibility of leading 60,000 personnel into unknown space without hesitation.

Tamara ‘Meds’ Melari:
Height:
Hair/Eye Colour: Brown
Nationality: Frontier Union, Maiala’s Rest
Job: Medic, communications
Favourite song: “Love Me Once Again” by Travis Lock.

Tamara Melari learned medicine working in improvised clinics on her poverty stricken homeworld. When the Frontier Union (including Maiala’s Rest) rose in revolt against the Centrum Assembly, an enraged Tamara abandoned her people. Feeling that the Assembly was doing everything it could to help the worlds struck by famine, she joined the Centrum Marine Corps as a field medic, where she met and befriended Cassandra Farren.

After years of fighting her own people, the Frontier Wars ended as work began on Edric’s Gate, and Tamara left the military to become a freelance doctor, helping those who suffered at the hands of her people.

Mathias Croft:
Height:
Hair/Eye Colour: Brown
Nationality: Merician Freehold, Meric’s Keep
Job: Pilot, engineer, chef, morale booster
Favourite activity: Cooking

Born aboard Towershield Station over the planetoid Meric’s Keep, Mathias Croft has lived an adventurous and independent life working in dozens of different jobs, both safe and dangerous, both legal and not, across the Cluster.

Eventually Mathias Croft met Cassandra Farren and Tamara Melari in a bar on Valeria Sibus, where they hired him to complete the crew of their new ship, the Guinevere. Mathias became very fond of the Guinevere and his new crewmates, and over the years he slowly decreased his service fee until ultimately accepting an equal cut and a permanent position aboard the ship, which he had come to see as his home.

League of Lords ~ The Lady is Trouble by Tracy Sumner

10/3/2021

Author: Tracy Sumner
Narrator: Kimberly M. Wetherell
Length: 11 hours 5 minutes
Publisher: Tracy Sumner⎮2020
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: League of Lords, Book 1
Release date: May 6, 2020

Synopsis: In the first in Tracy Sumner’s sizzling League of Lords historical series, mysticism and paranormal abilities in Victorian England set the stage for a captivating love affair...
He’s a viscount with a dark past who yearns for the one woman he can’t have. She’s a psychic firebrand. Rebellious, spurned by society and determined to change his mind.
What’s a defiant woman to do when the man she’s meant for doesn’t believe in love?
After three years of waiting for Julian Alexander to realize they are destined to be together, Lady Piper Scott takes matters into her own hands. Because her gift as a healer has never done anything but distance her from the most principled man in England. A meaningless diversion as a medium, all done to gain a certain wandering viscount’s attention, backfires. As most endeavors have for a woman known in the ton as Scandalous Scott.
What’s a reluctant viscount to do when the woman he can’t have becomes the woman he can’t live without?
Julian Alexander, Lord Beauchamp, battled his way from the lowliest slum to assume his title. He carries not only a turbulent past, but a mystical psychic gift that separates him from society. Honorable to his core, he is committed to protecting a community of outcasts with abilities like his own. He has no time, no place, for love. Or repeatedly rescuing the most outrageous, beguiling woman he’s ever known. Even if she needs his protection most—and he desires her above all others.
Seduction, intrigue and desire lead to an explosive passion…
Julian vowed to shield Piper from the deadly foes seeking to possess her powerful gift. Although he needs her help in controlling his own, the mix could be deadly. Soon what was once a simple agreement to work together becomes enchantingly complex as they surrender to a timeless love…
Buy Links for Audiobook #1
Buy on Amazon⎮Audible⎮iTunes

About the Author: Tracy Sumner
Award-winning author Tracy Sumner’s storytelling career began when she picked up a historical romance on a college beach trip, and she fondly blames LaVyrle Spencer for her obsession with the genre. She’s a recipient of the National Reader’s Choice, and her novels have been translated into Dutch, German, Portuguese and Spanish. She lived in New York, Paris and Taipei before finding her way back to the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
When not writing sizzling love stories about feisty heroines and their temperamental-but-entirely-lovable heroes, Tracy enjoys reading, snowboarding, college football (Go Tigers!), yoga, and travel. She loves to hear from romance readers!
Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Instagram

About the Narrator: Kimberly M. Wetherell
I’m Kimberly, an award-nominated SAG-AFTRA voiceover artist and director in Brooklyn, NY, specializing in audiobooks. When they let me, I do a little commercial VO and animation on the side.
My voice is best described as a bright, warm mezzo, and my range effortlessly spans from plucky tween to snarky Millennial to my own belovedly blasé GenX.
I’ve narrated for “Big Five” publishers Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster, and I also direct audiobook productions for Macmillan and Penguin Random House. Additionally, I’ve narrated for Dreamscape Media, Tantor Audio, Deyan Audio, and OrangeSky Audio (among others), along with several independent authors through ACX and Findaway Voices.
My 30-year career in the Arts has made me a certifiable polymath. I’m a classically-trained actor, an award-winning filmmaker, an accomplished international opera director and producer, a professional pastry chef, an NYC reading series host, and not for nothin’, I’m a pretty decent shuffleboard player. Above all, however, I’m a life-long book nerd and I can’t believe I’ve finally figured out how to read books for a living!
Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Instagram

Interview with Tracy Sumner

Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
I worked with a fantastic narrator, Kimberly M. Wetherll. I loved her voice, asked her if she wanted to work on the series, which is steamy -- and she said yes! She sent samples of the characters, and it was hard at first hearing them on audio, I have to say. Because before that, they were only in my head. ;)
Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?
I don’t know. i’ve listened to fiction and non-fiction, and loved both. But I think romance translates very well! So much emotion and great dialogue!
Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
No. I just write as it goes -- but I’m SO THRILLED to have the various formats available. Ebook, print, audio. Because it’s very subjective, how we like our romance/entertainment!
How did you select your narrator?
I listened to a lot of samples on ACX and decided Kimberly was the rockstar! (I also work with another fabulous narrator, Robin Siegerman on other series.)
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?
Yes, I gave her a character sheet with some thoughts about the personality of the characters. And some tips on speech -- but really, very little there. Kimberly is a TRUE pro!
How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
I’ve been reading historical romance since I was 19, and I love the genre! I’m a huge reader aside from writing, so this keeps me going. But I do need to take breaks and just read. Right now, I’m reading Roni Loren. (I read contemporary and historical romance -- and I prefer steamy reads!)
Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
I love audiobooks -- and used to listen a lot while driving to work. (Non-writing gig) But now I’m working from home, so I’m behind on my listening!
Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
Maybe the love scenes. :)
If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes, when and where would you go?
I’d go back to the Regency period and go to a masquerade ball!
If this title were being made into a TV series or movie, who would you cast to play the primary roles?
This series is a cross between The Nevers and Bridgerton. Hard question! My inspiration for Finn (The Rake is Taken) was Sam Claflin. And for Bastian (The Duke is Wicked), Benedict Cumberbatch in his role as Sherlock!
What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
No way! It’s such a submersive experience - and takes your imagination just as much as reading! And it’s calming. And exciting. Depending upon what you’re listening to.
How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
Started on the next. ;)
What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Nora Roberts once told me: patience, when I asked this same question of her. KEEP TRYING. Don’t give up. (I’ve done that at points, so I know what I’m talking about.) It’s hard but perseverance is the way to make it.
Do you have any tips for authors going through the process of turning their books into audiobooks?
Interview narrators, ask for other author’s recommendations and HAVE FUN. There are narrators who will defer royalties so you can record and pay them as it sells. IF the narrator is willing to do this.
What’s next for you?
On the audio front, THE HELLION IS TAMED (#4 in this series) is coming out. 2022. On the writing/writing front, I’m working on a new series, THE DUCHESS SOCIETY. The novella intro is out -- #1 in the series coming later in Sept!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0979L4Z6Y

Voyager

10/1/2021

Author: Michael MacBride
Narrator: Jonathan Belville; Deanna Anthony; Anna Caputo
Length: 6 hours 23 minutes
Publisher: Michael MacBride⎮2021
Genre: Science Fiction
Release date: Jul. 22, 2021

On Earth, Grover Baines (a NASA scientist) is murdered in 1979 when he stumbles upon a secret third Voyager flight. Unlike the two other probes, Voyager 3 was a small manned craft loaded with reproductive material in hopes of finding a suitable planet for habitation on Alpha Centauri. The scientist's family continues to unravel clues about what happened, and whether there's any truth to the papers they discover. Years later, in 2001, a fourth Voyager is sent on the same mission. Though technology has advanced dramatically in the 24 years since the first three Voyagers were launched, this mission manages to remain secret amid the attacks on the Twin Towers. When contact is lost with Voyager 4, plans are put into motion for a 5th Voyager to retrieve its lost siblings. As NASA struggles to reconcile the past, the crews on each ship wrestle with the boredom of space and limitations of the technology available to them, and the Baines family attempts to find peace with the past.

Buy Links
Google Play⎮Audiobooks.com⎮Scribd⎮Chirp⎮Nook

About the Author: Michael MacBride
Originally from Michigan, Michael MacBride now calls Minnesota home. He has delivered newspapers, worked for UPS, delivered pizzas, done collections at a bank, was a roadie for a country band, was a grant-writer and funder-researcher for non-profits, taught English, Literature, and Humanities courses at universities and colleges in Minnesota, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Illinois, and held a few other jobs in between. Regardless of his "regular job", he's always been a reader and a writer.
Website

About the Narrator: Jonathan Beville
Jonathan Beville is audiobook narrator voicing globe-spanning suspense and thriller titles, science fiction, and business audiobooks. A classically trained actor, Jonathan has also enjoyed a long career in international business and has lived in both Europe and the Middle East. Jonathan also works in corporate and commercial voiceover, where he has leant his voice to a variety of clients including Phillips Healthcare, The Consumer Financial Protection Board, The American Bureau of Shipping, and many others.
Jonathan is an avid SCUBA diver, and the father of two daughters. He and his family reside in Maryland.
Website

About the Narrator: Anna Caputo
Anna fell in love with books at an early age and has spent most of her adult life indulging in the spoken word. She was raised in Wisconsin and currently resides in California. You can hear her voice narrating audiobooks in many genres, including Young Adult, Cozy Mysteries and Literary Fiction. She received her Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Touro University and has trained in voice acting with many renowned instructors including Joel Froomkin, Carol Monda, and Christina Rooney.
Website

Jonathan Beville Interview

How did you wind up narrating audiobooks? Was it always your goal or was it something you stumbled into by chance?
I grew up acting but stopped completely about 20 years ago when life took me in new directions. Years later, I was looking for something creative in my life and discovered voiceover broadly. I still do corporate, e-learning, and medical voiceover, but I didn’t find something that truly scratched the creative itch until I was able to immerse myself narrating a novel.
A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?
I do think a theatrical background is helpful and has been a great toolkit for me to get inside the heads of different characters, but it is certainly not the only way to get into narration. I think my experience in business has been just as helpful as any theatrical training I had twenty years ago. Audiobook Narrators are their own small business, and between recording, production, audio engineering, auditioning, marketing (themselves), marketing (a book), there are a lot of hats that narrators have to wear every day.
What type of training have you undergone?

I studied theatre in the Syracuse University Drama Department in the mid 90s but left that world behind before more than 20 years. Since returning to performing through the world of Audiobooks and VO I have been lucky to learn from coaches who are themselves at the top of the audiobook and VO world including Scott Brick, J Michael Collins and Joe Cipriano.

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook?
I tend to get lost in the preparation stage---beyond the reading the book, I like to do a second pass to make notes, record snippets of character voices, and play around before I start recording in depth. The most anxiety however comes with pressing the “Submit” button that sends it off for final review and distribution. Many times, I have to convince myself that “I’ve done enough” or “I’ve done as much as I can right now” because every time I listen to a chapter I find something that I could/would do different (not necessarily better, but different): maybe a longer pause here, a different intonation there, was the attitude right on that line? It could go on forever.
What would you say are your strongest narration abilities?
I’ve been lucky in my life to live and work and travel all over the world. As I said earlier I draw a lot of inspiration from the people I have met in my life, but also the places I have been. The first novel I narrated opened with the line “The heat him like a body a blow.” While I’m generally against starting a story with the weather (it was a dark and stormy night is about as a bad a beginning as I can think of even if it was a dark and stormy night), that first line “The heat him like a body blow.” really resonated with me. The character was walking down the steps of an airplane arriving in the Democratic Republic of Congo in central Africa. I lived/worked in the Middle East for many years, and indeed, the first thing that hits you is the wave—or rather wall—of oppressive heat. The second thing (in many places) is the smell—and that was the second sentence. So, I knew from my personal experiences exactly how Dan (the character) was feeling at the moment, and I am incredibly thankful for that.
What about this title compelled you to audition as narrator?
I love a good opening line. Hemingway once said (paraphrasing) start with a simple statement of fact and move on from there. While Michael isn’t Hemingway-esqe in brevity, the first sentence or two of the book really grabbed me. “Troy’s father worked for NASA, which meant for much of his life his father was seen as a hero. No, he wasn’t an astronaut.” It just kind of grabbed me and made me want to know more. There’s also a beautiful passage later in the 1st chapter that describes Troy and Grover’s stargazing throughout the year. It’s written in a way that is both technical and lyrical at the same time and was a pleasure of a tongue twister to narrate!
How did you decide how each character should sound in this title?
Most often I try to draw on people that I know. Other times I create a mental movie of the book and cast the roles from various actors in my mind. Of the two, I think I use people I have met in my own life more often. With people from my experience there is a more a personal aspect (positive or negative) that creates a vivid connection to way that a character is voiced, and getting the attitude right is far more important than the sound per se.
Who is your “dream author” that you would like to record for?

Either Michael C. Grumley or Tom Clancy (When he was alive and writing his own books). Unfortunately, my coach, Scott Brick, has both tied up---but then again, there is a reason I look to him for guidance.
What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”
Oral story telling is the oldest art and pastime in human civilization. We’ve been telling each other stories longer than we’ve been doing anything else. In his book Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harrari (I’m paraphrasing here) identifies our ability to share an imagined set of circumstances as one of the defining features of what it means to human.

What’s next for you.
I am currently narrating a 5-book series for Wolfpack Publishing, the Steve Dane Series by Brian Drake, which started with Skills to Kill, and Another Way to Kill. The audiobooks for the last 3 books in the series will be out in September and October.

The Forsaken Descent by Martin Ferguson

10/1/2021

Title: The Forsaken: Descent
Author: Martin Ferguson
Genre: YA Fantasy, Adventure
Cover Designer: Jacqueline Sweet
Editor: Karen Sanders
Publication Date: Oct. 1^st, 2021
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR

Blurb:

To the north of the Realms of Centuros lies the nation of Castille. From the vast cities of Aelthorn and Rheins, the wild and mysterious forests of Aranach and Derrien and the pirate-haven ports of Hightide and Bladeâ€™s Edge, Castille is home to many dangers and adventures to come. From their citadel in the Skypeak Mountains the sorcerers of the Sacred hold dominion over the realms of Centuros, forcibly inducting any they chose and punishing all who deny them.

When challenged by a fellow Guildmember, Wraith and her allies known as The Forsaken descend into the Lockwood Mausoleum, crypts that have claimed the lives of many would-be treasure hunters and graverobbers.

All Wraith seeks is to recover a single lost relic, but in the darkness of the tombs she will discover an evil that cannot be allowed to escape and a lost friend she cannot abandon.

Martin Ferguson is a UK based author, a keen runner and father to two crazy, unstoppable children.

Martin's debut series, Relic Hunters, is a Young Adult adventure series, drawing on the myths and legends of different time periods and blending them with thrill-seeking action in the modern age.

Martin's most recent work is the Young Adult fantasy series The Forsaken, set in the collaborative world of the Hidden Realms, writing alongside NY Times best selling authors.

Author Links:

Amazon | Goodreads | Instagram

Twitter | Facebook | Bookbub | Website

Cover Reveal for Rise of the Earth Elemental by Shyla Colt

10/1/2021

Title: Rise of the Earth Elemental
Author: Shyla Colt
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Cover Designer: Dreams to Media
Publication Date: Oct. 22^nd, 2021
Hosted by: Lady Amberâ€™s PR

Blurb:

Eliaâ€™s survival has depended on the two rules she developed growing up in the foster system.

1. Take care of yourself.

2. Never let the fae realize she can see them.

One slip up lands her in an icy cell underground, waiting to be placed on a selling block. Unbeknownst to Elia, her return to the fae lands set an ancient prophecy into motion. When accidental magic begins to explode from her body, sheâ€™s able to escape and flee into the enchanted forests where secrets are unearthed one by one. With the truth exposed, she finds herself ruling a court she knows nothing about.

Kheelan has been asleep for eons when the presence of his mate wakes him. The return of the earth elemental fae starts a ticking time bomb toward Armageddon. The fate of the fae realm rests in the hands of a mate meant to return his soul. Has the fae race come to the end of their reign, or can they prove theyâ€™re worth saving?

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

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 sheâ€™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

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

Preorder Blitz for Fire & Ice by Michelle Barrow=Belisle

10/1/2021

Title: Fire & Ice

Author: Michele Barrow-Belisle

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

Cover Designer: AMDesign Studio

Publishing: BarBelle Publishing

Publication Date: Oct. 26^th, 2021

Hosted by: Lady Amberâ€™s PR

Blurb:

Adventure wasnâ€™t something Lorelei was interested in. Gifted by a dark Faerie with two other-worldly talents for singing and healing, sheâ€™s always shied away from her gifts, preferring invisibility, over attention and fame. But when she meets the enigmatic Adrius, with his dark and dangerous mystique and eyes that see into her soul, her life becomes irrevocably altered.

Adrius turns up in every one of her classes and knows more about her than any newcomer should. Including the condition of her mother who is suffering from a mysterious illness. Accepting his offer to help leads her into a terrifying and thrilling world, where Elves are even hotter than Legolas, and Faeries...are nothing like Tinkerbell. The two magical beings are fire and ice opposites. One Lorelei canâ€™t help falling for, and the other she's compelled to be with.

Now sheâ€™s trapped, expected to prevent a war between witches and faeries, or forfeit her motherâ€™s life. Nothing is what it seems. Not her family. Not the Fey. Not even Adrius, whose feelings for her balance precariously between desire and danger. Despite her better judgment, she canâ€™t stay away.

As secrets unravel and unsettling truths are revealed, Lorelei must fight to save much more than her motherâ€™s life. One mistake could put the fate of his world, and her soul in jeopardy.

But hey, no pressure...right...

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

Michele Barrow-Belisle is a USA Today bestselling author who spends most of her days eating chocolate while talking to imaginary people. It's technically not considered crazy when they're your book characters. Her favorite genres to write are YA fantasy romance and paranormal romance, and her debut series FIRE AND ICE (Faerie Song Saga) is currently in development for a feature film.

Michele resides in southern Canada with her husband and son who indulge her ever-expanding obsession with reading, writing and most importantly... chocolate.

Author Links:

Website | Blog | Facebook Author Page | Facebook Street Team | Goodreads

Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | BookBub

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!