Eager to escape the shadows of a tragic loss, Diego built a new life with his best friend, Beck. When he finally decided one night to admit that he’s in love with Beck, that new life takes a new, hot and happy turn. But happiness is easily shattered, as he’s learned all too well, and this time it’s ruined by the arrival of a mysterious package and then men bent on violence.
Memories of a dead brother and an untouchable drug lord rise inevitably to the surface, and Diego dreads that the man he loves is mired in the world that Diego tried to escape. But Beck’s secrets aren’t so simple, and neither is the world in which Diego has been living…
John Fletcher, a former musician, is stuck in limbo after losing his long-term partner two years ago. He’s shut himself off from everything that reminds him of what he’s lost. When his neighbour persuades him to join the local community choir, John rediscovers his love of music and finds a reason to start living again.
Rhys Callington, the talented and charismatic choir leader, captures John’s attention from the first moment they meet. He appears to be the polar opposite of John: young, vibrant, and full of life. But Rhys has darkness in his own past that is holding him back from following his dreams.
Despite the nineteen-year age gap, the two men grow close and a fragile relationship blossoms. Ghosts of the past and insecurities about the future threaten their newfound happiness. If they’re going to harmonise in life and love as they do in their music, they’ll need to start following the same score.
1. The ability to do something that frightens one.
2. Strength in the face of fear, pain, or grief.
~*~
Courage is resistance to fear,
mastery of fear,
not the absence of fear. ~Mark Twain
Blurb:
High school senior Michael Sattler leads a charmed life. Almost. He has great friends, parents who love him just the way he is, and he was a champion hurdler until someone took out his knee when they kidnapped his boyfriend. Yet, Michael is determined to make the USATF tryouts in spite of his injuries.
Christy Castle is Michael’s entire world. Healing from years of abuse, his abduction by a predator has left him hiding a new secret as he tries to start his life again. Together, Michael and Christy work to recover from their wounds in time to make prom and graduate high school. To complicate matters, Christy is astonished to learn a fellow victim from his native Greece has survived. Christy will stop at nothing to bring him to the US to keep him safe.But the prosecution of Christy’s kidnapper looms large in their futures and the struggle to return to normal only worsens. Christy’s past continues to haunt them and, when the prosecution turns ugly and Christy’s new life is torn apart, only their unrelenting courage and determination can save them from the nightmare that threatens to destroy their future together.
Cody is an award-winning author who lives, most of the time, on the West Coast of the United States. Raised on the mean streets and back lots of Hollywood by a Yoda-look-alike grandfather, Cody doesn’t conform, doesn’t fit in, is epic awkward, and lives to perfect a deep-seated oppositional defiance disorder. In a constant state of fascination with the trivial, Cody contemplates such weighty questions as If time and space are curved, then where do all the straight people come from? When not writing, Cody can be found taming waves on western shores, pondering the nutritional value of sunsets, appreciating the much-maligned dandelion, unhooking guide ropes from stanchions, and marveling at all things ordinary. Among many other awards, Omorphi was a runner up in the 2014 Rainbow Awards, and Slaying Isidore’s Dragons was a finalist in the 2015 Rainbow Awards. Cody does respond to blog comments and emails because, after all, it is all about you, the reader.
LAPD Detective Sean Hennessey has one person he’s repeatedly tried to arrest and bring to justice: his nemesis, Mitchell Yates.
Yates has been in and out of trouble for years, always skating around the edges of LA’s underbelly; however, Sean can never pin anything on him.
But one night all of that changes.
Caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, instead of arresting Yates, Sean is rescued by him and taken to Yates’ home—a satellite high above Earth. There, Sean discovers a world he thought possible only in Science Fiction.
Everything he believed he knew about Yates is turned upside down, and Sean must make a decision: to remain with the LAPD or join Yates and work toward intergalactic peace.
BLURB: A whole different world exists beneath the surface.
The last thing Nisha expects while patrolling his territory is to find his mate, but his instincts tell him the handsome human diving into the surf is the one meant for him. Two bites and Kannon will be joined to him forever. But when Kannon’s father disrupts the mating process, Nisha releases his claim, hoping beyond hope his mate will one day return.
While free diving with his father, Kannon is bitten by a seductive merman. Although he swore to never go near the ocean again, the pull to return to the water and his mystery man remains strong. Finally, after fifteen years away, an impromptu wedding brings Kannon back to the Seychelles, and his destiny.
Kannon only plans to stay on the island for a week, but this time Nisha won’t let his mate go without a fight. Merfolk and human culture collide as the embers of Nisha and Kannon’s mate bond ignite, and Nisha must complete the mating before it’s too late.
Welcome Michelle. It’s been a bit since your last visit, so remind readers who you are by telling everyone a bit about yourself.
Well, there isn’t really much to tell, lol. This October I’ve been married for twenty-three years. Both of our kids are grown and have moved out of the house. I no longer work, thanks to medical issues, but that’s given me the chance to explore writing full-time.
Beneath the Surface.Mermen. How cool. Tell us a bit about the book?
Nisha stumbled across his mate years ago and, reacting to instinct, started the mating process. Many years pass before his mate returned to the islands. Nisha has a limited amount of time to convince Kannon, his mate, to stay. But Nisha’s a merman. His way of thinking doesn’t often aligned with a human’s.
The setting for the book is the Seychelles. (for those who don’t know, the Seychelles are an island group in the Indian Ocean) What made you choose this as your setting?
The story idea came from a program I was watching on the History Channel about different African tribes and their varied beliefs. A few days later there was a documentary on mermaids on the Animal Channel.
Next thing I knew, I’m researching what islands are located off the off the coast of Africa with the idea of doing a merman book. The original story idea involved an African tribe who worshiped the ‘water gods’ and an underwater photographer sent to live with that tribe as part of a documentary. That idea didn’t exactly pan out, but the setting stuck.
What part of the story was the most to write and why?
I most enjoyed writing was the ending scene. I don’t want to do a spoiler, but it was something I don’t normally write. It was a lot of fun, lol. (Yeah, that’s vague, I know. Sorry!)
What part made you struggle the most?
Getting Nisha’s attitude—a non-human—to mesh with Kannon’s—a human who is none too pleased when he figures out just what exactly Nisha did years ago.
Tell us something interesting that is not in the blurb.
Nisha has a sister, Brooke. She’s marrying Kannon’s best friend, Brett.
Since there is always another story to tell, what are you working on now?
Right now a short shifter story called Paws and Claws is my main focus. That’s going to ARe. Plus I plan to do a sequel to Beneath the Surface. Hopefully that’ll get out this year.
Last question is all yours – feel free to talk about anything you want your readers to know about you, your book, anything at all.
Five Things About Me
If I get to laughing really hard, I’ll snort—which makes me laugh even harder.
I kick ass on Galaga.
We sometimes open the window in the master bath for Kitty. We call that window the ‘Kitty Window’. I swear, if we ask him if he wants to get in the Kitty Window, he runs to the bathroom, lol!
The older I get, the more hot-natured I’ve become. I used to hate the cold, but now I’m reassessing that.
I love home improvement shows. I especially like the shows where houses are flipped for profit. I find the ‘before and after’ images fascinating. The hubby dreads me watching them because I end up with all these great ideas, lol!
A whole different world existed under the sea—lighting, sounds, even the feeling of otherworldliness. No matter how clear the water, it still played tricks, even on experienced divers.
The colorful tropical fish, artifacts, and the remnants of history buried beneath the waves—along with a mysterious landscape mostly untouched by humans—always gave Kannon a thrill. Parts of the reef weren’t very deep, so he had no trouble freediving.
This year for vacation, Kannon and his dad rented a boat and guide to take them to the reefs around the Seychelles. This was by no means the first time he’d gone snorkeling. Growing up along the California coast guaranteed Kannon was comfortable in the water.
The guide had warned them to stay together, but Kannon had other ideas. Besides, he wasn’t going that far off. After investigating the colorful reef fish and interesting coral formations—and seeing his dad was distracted—Kannon slowly but steadily wandered off on his own. An outcrop of rocks covered in algae caught his eye, and he went to investigate.
Many of the multihued native fish swam past him, curious as to what he was. It was funny how they circled him. Kannon held his hand out. A few braver fish darted in, nibbled at his fingers, and then swam off. God, what a rush it was. Nothing was better than this.
He drew closer to the outcrop, surprised it was much deeper than he’d first thought. Huh, not an outcrop, but the mouth of an underwater cave. Cool. From a distance it appeared to be nothing more than oddly shaped rocks. Peering inside, he was unable to see past the murky blackness within.
Curious, he reached his hand out, stretching toward the mouth of the cave. His scalp prickled. A tingle washed through him. The water around him caressed his body as he hung weightlessly, staring at the cave entrance as his dick swelled in his trunks. What the…?
It wasn’t as if he made a habit of getting horny while diving, so what the hell? Torn between desire and unease, he hovered in the tropical water. Chills chased up his spine, and goose bumps broke out over his body.
His heart rate sped up—not a good thing underwater—and the feeling of being watched crept across his nerves. Something was in there, and his mind screamed at him to get away even as the urge to reach inside nearly overwhelmed him.
Kannon’s body swayed dangerously closer. His nipples ached as the water flowed past, and he had to force himself not to whimper as need struck him. He jerked back. There’s something waiting for me, just waiting for me to reach in so it can… what? So it can do what?
Jesus, he needed to get a serious grip on his imagination, and crap, he had to surface too. Lack of oxygen made the decision for him. All this panicking on his part had used up his air—stupid of him.
He surfaced and shook the hair out of his eyes. Wow, is that our boat way over there? Oh man, Dad’s going to kill me. Worried about the fit his dad was going to have, he was totally unprepared for the strange guy who popped up next to him, although “guy” might have been overly nice.
Kannon yelped, but the dude across from him just smiled. The androgynous, fey face wasn’t quite human. The long pointed ears were a good indication, as was the glimpse of sharp little teeth.
Oh, and the gills at its neck.
Azure blue hair floated in the water around shapely shoulders and cobalt blue eyes stared back at him. It was a visage that was hauntingly beautiful, otherworldly, and a tad disconcerting. The creature smiled slightly as if he agreed. It—whatever it was—scared the bejesus out of him.
Then it reached out and dragged Kannon under the water.
M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles. It’s a full time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!
When not writing, she’s on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two grown children.
She was a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards, runner up in the 2015 Rainbow Awards, and is a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
With an impending war breathing down his neck and an ornery group of councilmen trying to keep him on track, accidental and unlikely King, Alistair Ellesmere, struggles to find a balance between being young, having fun, and ruling his realm his way.
Alistair befriends Brandon, one of his prodigy new recruits, whose smart-ass personality drives him to the brink of insanity when he shows him up at every turn. Through an unexpected bit of witty manipulation, Alistair finds himself drawn down a forbidden path where he shares more than just a similar past with this man. Terrified at the idea of loving another man, but unable to tear himself away, Alistair is faced with the trials of secrecy, jealousy and the law.
Please welcome Asta Idonea to the Land of Make Believe. She has agreed to let me ask a few questions and she’s brought an excerpt and giveaway as part of her blog tour.
An Interview with Asta Idonea
Welcome Asta. You’ve not been interviewed on the site before, so let’s start by telling everyone a bit about yourself.
I’m British-born, but I have lived in Australia for 8½ years now. I was backpacking here when I met my husband on the bus. I just never went home. I worked in admin until 2014, when I left to try my hand as a freelance editor and author.
Beastly Businessmen and Guitar Gods is a mouthful, but an awesome title. How did you come up with that for a list of short stories?
The stories themselves gave rise to the title. One involves a stolen guitar (in the original myth the owner of the stolen item is a god) and in another a businessmen takes on the role of the Beast in Beauty and the Beast.
Talk about the theme of the collection. What genre(s) would you say it fits into?
There’s some contention here, as several people have wanted to call it fantasy because the stories are based on myths and fairytales; however, my retellings are in all a modern setting without any hint of magic, so to my mind they are contemporary MM romances.
So, much like you’re not allowed to have a favorite child, yet people do, which of the stories in the collection is your favorite?
How mean you are! There are things I love about each, but if you force me to choose, I think the final story: A Debt is a Debt. I love Dunstan and Wynn, and the way they develop through the tale.
What story was the most fun to write and why?
Probably Dragged into Love, because the original myth is so amusing and it was great fun adapting it to the modern era. It’s the most comical of the six, for sure.
What story made you struggle them most?
That would be Assignations and Ultimatums. Not for writing the story itself but for choosing which one to adapt. I had the five and I knew I needed one more; however, all those that came to mind relied too heavily on magic. Then my eye fell upon my book of Maori folktales, and at last I had the answer.
Tell us something interesting that is not in the blurb about one of the stories.
All these stories tie-in to one another, so watch out for brief appearances of characters in tales outside their own. In particular, a mysterious figure arrives towards the end of Assignations and Ultimatums, but you won’t find out who he is until you read the remaining stories.
Since there is always another story to tell, what are you working on now?
Wow, I have so many things underway; it’s hard to know where to start. Between now and June, I have five short story releases either as singles or in anthologies (or both). Four are MM, the other is MF (under my alternate pen name Nicki J. Markus) Also coming within that time span is an MM sci-fi novella called Fire Up My Heart.
I have another ten short stories submitted I am waiting to hear back on, along with an MF novel. Meanwhile, I am currently working on three MM shorts, two MM novellas, and two MF novellas. So, as you can see, I am keeping pretty busy and should have plenty of new stories to share during 2016 and into 2017. As usual, it’s an eclectic mix of historical, contemporary, sci-fi, and paranormal, so hopefully there’s something for everyone.
Synopsis
Fairytales and Myths for the Modern Gay
The modern age is devoid of magic.
Or is it?
How else could a stolen guitar or a lost shoe lead to love?
What but magic could spark romance at a workplace assessment?
Or turn a mean-spirited monster into a man?
Six fairytales and myths are given a contemporary MM twist in this collection of stories, proving that sometimes the mundane can be magical too.
DRAGGED INTO LOVE (Þrymskviða)
When Theo’s landlord steals a prized guitar in lieu of rent owed, he informs Theo he will return the instrument on one condition: he wants a date with Theo’s twin sister.
LOVE’S CODE (Ariadne and Theseus)
Andre must pass the examination if he wants to keep his job.
However, he is distracted by his unspoken love for fellow programmer, Eren.
GUESSING GAMES (Rumplestiltskin)
Sasha told a little white lie in his job interview and it won him the role.
Only now he is faced with a pile of work he doesn’t know how to complete.
ASSIGNATIONS AND ULTIMATUMS (The Strange Elopement of Tinirau)
Hunter and Ross are in love, but Ross’ father keeps trying to set him up with undesirable, yet powerful, older men, the latest of whom happens to be Ross’ boss.
LOST AND FOUND (Cinderella)
Cillian is dreading the work masquerade ball, but once there he finds himself romanced by a dashing stranger, only to flee when he discovers the man’s identity.
A DEBT IS A DEBT (Beauty and the Beast)
Dunstan Griffin is not a man to let a debt slide, so when debtor Alfred Siskin offers the EA services of his son, Wynn, in lieu of payment, Dunstan accepts.
Excerpt
EXCERPT—Guessing Games
“Good evening, handsome. What’s a pretty boy like you doing sitting all alone, looking so sour-faced?”
Sasha glanced up to find a young man perched on the edge of his desk, watching him from behind a fringe of golden hair that hung over his right eye. He seemed young. Too young to be an employee, surely, and yet how else would he have gotten in here? Unless he was another staff member’s son. Or maybe—
“Twenty-one.”
“I’m sorry?”
“You were wondering how old I am, and the answer is twenty-one.” He grinned. “I know I don’t look it, but I promise it’s true. I am one hundred percent legal in every way.”
“I suppose you’re going to tell me next that you read minds?” Sasha found himself smiling despite himself, a little of his despair lost in light of his companion’s merriment.
The man laughed and the bright, airy sound echoed around the room. “I wish! Think how delightful that would be. I could learn everyone’s deepest, darkest desires…. But, no, it’s just I’m used to it being the first question anyone asks me, so I’ve learnt to anticipate it and get it out of the way as quickly as possible. You’re Sasha, yes?”
“Yes. How did—?”
The man cut Sasha off with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I’ve heard talk of you around the departments today. Figured I’d come and see you for myself, though I fully expected you to be gone by now.”
“I’ve got a bit of a—” Sasha broke off, unwilling to divulge his terrible secret to this stranger, however infectious the young man’s cheerful mien might be.
“Oh, come on, you can tell me. I don’t work in this department and I swear I won’t blab. Scout’s honour. Cross my heart and hope to die.” His expression was one of dramatic, wide-eyed sincerity that was too overblown to be anything other than put-on.
Sasha hesitated a second longer, but the need to share his burden won out. “I’m supposed to log all these files in the records management system, but I don’t know how. I don’t understand the software, all the codes and terminology.” Saying it out loud, a weight lifted from Sasha’s shoulders and he breathed more freely than he had all day.
The young man cocked his head. “Suppose I could help you. What would you give me in payment for my assistance?”
Book Trailer
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NICKI J. MARKUS was born in England in 1982, but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia with her husband. She has loved both reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist, having studied several foreign languages.
Nicki launched her writing career in 2011. She published works through Wicked Nights Publishing and Silver Publishing before both companies closed their doors. She is now self-publishing some of her works, including the novella Time Keepers and the fantasy novel The Ragnarök Chronicles.
Nicki also writes M/M fiction under the alternate pen name of ASTA IDONEA and has had several short stories published by Wayward Ink Publishing. She is currently working on her first M/M novella.
Nicki works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and in her spare time she enjoys: music, theatre, cinema, photography, sketching, and cross stitch. She also loves history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel.
Today I get to welcome my friend, Susan Mac Nicol, back to the blog. About two years ago, she and I met when she was promoting Double Alchemy, her urban fantasy series. Now, those who follow my blog know I’m a fan of fantasy, and modern day warlocks and the like are fun reads.
To celebrate the two year anniversary, Susan is doing a small tour to re-introduce Cade and Quinn to the speculative fiction world. She was gracious enough to do a short interview with me and she also has a tour giveaway.
I’ll also post a review soon—I suck at reviews so getting it right without spoiling things is never easy for me, but if you’ve not read the series, you should.
An Interview With Susan Mac Nicol:
Double Alchemy has different elements than your Men of London series. What is it that drew you to write an Urban Fantasy?
Various elements got me to thinking about this book. I love magic and the occult, and all things mysterious and incorporating this into a book seemed like a lot of fun. Also, I live in the county of Essex which is where the Witch Finder General, Matthew Hopkins ‘did his business’ and if the rumours are to be believed, died. I love King Arthur stories, so using Taliesin, Welsh bard and sorcerer, who lived in those times, was a cinch. So bringing this all in together into one story was easy enough to do. It lent free reign to my imagination and brought in all the elements I loved that I could use any way I liked.
Do you like writing speculative fiction and would you consider writing one without a true romance?
I love writing this kind of fiction. Creating your own worlds and letting your imagination run riot- there’s something liberating about it. I would definitely consider writing a book without the romance, maybe just a touch of a love interest. In fact, I’ve already got one on the go. It’s called ‘Soul Quest’. I even drew a map showing the kingdom the events take place in. I’ve been writing it for over 30 years and it’s the typical stuff- battle between good and evil, a quest for something, a coming of age, a journey made by a young man destined to be someone. Yep, it’s got tropes but I believe that as long as the story is fresh and exciting- who cares?
What was the hardest part in writing Double Alchemy?
Without doubt getting the Withinner, Taliesin, to have his own voice distinct from that of his master, Quinn. They are so inextricably intertwined with each other that sometimes they could have blended into one. The other tough bit was all the magic the Withinner could do, like being in another place, taking over from Quinn, only being able to die in a certain way, and the logistics of bringing this character into the story. I didn’t want to contradict myself. It was challenging.
One young reader was so entranced by the Withinner concept that I had to put together a Cheat Sheet for him so he could better understand the facets of the book dealing with this magical being. He was fascinated with Taliesin.
Given the romantic element is somewhat ‘magically’ affected, did you find it harder or easier to write the romance than if it were a contemporary romance
Heh, are you asking in your polite way whether the sex scenes were more difficult to write because of the fey attraction and the fact they couldn’t keep their hands -and other parts- off each other? No, it was fun to write the quick instalust scenes just as much as it was to write the softer, more emotional ones that take place after the intitial Fey ‘bonk my brains out’ feelings were lessened due to the emotion becoming more prevalent. I didn’t really think the sexy bits were any different to my usual ones actually, other than of course in the one scene where Taliesin gets hold of Cade. That was a little worrying as I didn’t know how the readers would see it- was this cheating or not? I decided to hell with it, the magical influence was over riding so I did it anyway. And no one so far has really minded, although there were some slight rumblings of discomfort. The story needed what the story needed, so *shrugs* I wrote it the way I wanted to.
Can we expect more stories that have that paranormal, speculative fiction edge like Double Alchemy?
You can indeed. As I mentioned, I’m writing a fantasy novel (or will be once I get down to it) but I’ll probably be about sixty before this gets anyway (and yes, dear reader, that IS still a ways to go J)
Double Alchemy
Powerful yet tormented modern warlock Quinn Fairmont must initiate the silver-eyed Cade Mairston into the world of witchfinders, Withinners, and what can happen when two men fall truly, madly, deeply in love.
THE WORLD IN SHADOW
In modern London there lurks a warlock, Quinn Fairmont. Dangerous, powerful, tortured, sharing his body with the soul of an ancient Welsh sorcerer, Quinn is never alone—and never wholly himself. He fights against all those who would exploit his kind. He takes pleasure where he can find it.
In the forest of Hampstead Heath, Quinn’s hometown, Cade Mairston appears to him like a waking dream. Lithe, lean and silver-eyed, he evokes feelings in Quinn unlike any other: lust with true affection, immediate and shocking. Cade is clearly more than he seems. And yet, if a man of the world, Cade is innocent. He knows nothing of warlocks, witchfinders or Withinners. He knows nothing of what he is, what he might be, or what he might feel. For him, the story is just beginning. Magyck, peril and passion await.
Excerpt:
Cade Mairston was no ordinary man. Quinn had known it from the minute he’d touched Cade’s hand, smelt his scent and heard the rushing of his blood through his veins. Cade was Fey.
Not overtly Fey, but something resided there, buried deep down within him. Quinn didn’t think Cade Mairston had any idea who or what he was.
Quinn shivered. The way Cade had crouched in a fighter’s stance, fierce glare and strong body ready to do battle— he’d been inspiring. It was only due to Quinn’s Warlock skills that he’d the ability to anticipate and deflect the other man’s moves and not be grievously injured. Cade Mairston was a strong, agile presence and Quinn wouldn’t have liked his privates to be on the receiving end of the other man’s foot, which was attached to a muscled leg which he wished would wrap itself around his legs as he pounded the man’s arse….
Quinn checked himself mentally.
Christ, Quinn. Get a grip! Hell, my hormones are running riot.
Thank God the man was gay. Quinn’s gaydar worked very well, thank you, despite noticing the evidence of the large erection the man had sported in his trendy cream chinos for him.
What were the odds of meeting another gay Fey? Quinn chuckled softly. If things had turned out the other way, Quinn would have been in danger of deflowering a straight man and that one never worked out for the best.
Cade had looked a little rattled himself. For a moment, from the look in Cade’s smouldering grey eyes, Quinn had thought he might be about to get savagely violated. While Quinn topped most of the time he was definitely not averse to being taken by a man like Cade. There’d been anticipation so strong for Cade to touch him, kiss him right there, that he’d lost his breath for a moment. Quinn had a really tight feeling in his boxers right now as his cock threatened to burst into song and dance a jig out of his pants.
He sighed. Best get home, have a cold shower and do whatever else was necessary to relieve the turmoil snaking through his nether regions. Cade’s sexy stubble on his jawline and light silver eyes were playing havoc with Quinn’s sexual urges. Next time they met— and he was sure there’d be a next time— he’d have to search his apothecary for something that would deaden the sexual attraction. If not he’d never make it through a next meeting without ripping off Cade’s clothes until his need was fully satisfied for the first time. After the first time, it became more controllable. Experience had taught both he and Taliesin that.
Susan Mac Nicol is a self- confessed bookaholic, an avid watcher of videos of sexy pole dancing men, geek, nerd and in love with her Smartphone. This little treasure is called ‘the boyfriend’ by her long suffering husband, who says if it vibrated, there’d be no need for him. Susan hasn’t had the heart to tell him there’s an app for that…
She is never happier than when sitting in the confines of her living room/study/on a cold station platform scribbling down words and making two men fall in love. She is a romantic at heart and believes that everything happens (for the most part) for a reason. She likes to think of herself as a ‘half full’ kinda gal, although sometimes that philosophy is sorely tested.
Lover of walks in the forest, theatre productions, dabbling her toes in the cold North Sea and the vibrant city of London where you can experience all four seasons in a day , she is a hater of pantomime (so please don’t tar and feather her), duplicitous people, bigotry and self-righteous idiots.
In an ideal world, Susan Mac Nicol would be Queen of England and banish all the bad people to the Never Never Lands of Wherever -Who Cares. As that’s never going to happen, she contents herself with writing her HEA stories and pretending, that just for a little while, good things happen to good people.
Sue is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America and is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK.
In keeping with the concept that Fantasy is Fantasy, and we don’t need the LGBTQ qualifier, a fellow Fantasy writer is guesting today. Cheri Roman’s Fire Candidate is the second in her Witch of Forsythe High series. It is not an LGBTQ Fantasy series, but it is Fantasy. And while many of the books on the Land of Make Believe are LGBTQ oriented, my true passion is for Fantasy. So please welcome Cheri as she talks about – Fantasy. Don’t forget to enter her giveaway.
Fantasy
The Oxford Dictionary defines the word fantasy as “the product of imagining impossible or improbable things.” That’s not a bad start for defining fantasy as a genre. However, when you have such a name, it can be challenging to get the literary world to take you seriously.
One of the things that appeals to me most about fantasy writing is that literally anything can happen. You can have sentient storm clouds and flying houses and mice who fence and speak with the facility of an Elizabethan stage actor, because it’s fantasy. Nothing is out of bounds so long as it fits within the plot line.
That said, fantasy is not fluff. The basis of all fantasy stories lies in the question stem, “what if…” What if a boy found out that he was really a wizard? What if a group of siblings was transported to an alternate universe? What if a group of supernatural beings came to Earth and fell in love with humans? Such questions are interesting, not just in and of themselves, but for the deeper ideas they point to about what it means to be human. Heroes and villains in fantasy are experimental models we can mentally climb into for a test drive. In fact, a good book in any genre should be like entering one of those virtual reality games, but with fewer limitations. By immersing ourselves in the world and characters created by a talented author, we are able to safely explore the extreme edges of moral and emotional dilemmas we hope we never have to face in real life. And just like lifting extra weights at the gym, the lessons we learn in those imaginary worlds can strengthen us for the everyday challenges of real life.
The boy wizard begins by searching out who he really is, something all of us must do at some point. The group of siblings must decide whether landing in a new world means finding a new moral center. Their example can inspire us to cling to our own moral code under much more “normal” circumstances. The supernatural beings have to learn that there is a cost to every decision we make; a fact we might ignore or fail to discover on our own. None of these are “light” matters. All of them hold eminently human lessons. The value of fantasy, and indeed of literature in general, lies in its ability to reveal such lessons, allowing us to see the world from a point of view other than our own, and learn from it.
Fantasy is often discounted as “light reading,” or worse, the less than brilliant sibling of science fiction, herself a distant cousin to literary fiction. But don’t sell it short. Considering the lyrical prose and plot complexity created by such authors as Ursula K. Le Guin, J.R.R. Tolkien, and George R.R. Martin, one should resist the temptation to dismiss fantasy as “light” anything. Instead, we should judge the writing by its own merits just as we do any other genre, and thereby enjoy the ride twice as much.
Fire Candidate
Sometimes learning to trust yourself is the hardest lesson of all…
Most girls don’t set their birthday party on fire, no matter how rebellious they feel. But Lila Stuart isn’t most girls, and she never has been. Now her brand of strange is attracting a very bad crowd. She and her family must relocate, leaving everything she knows behind.
Tracked to her new home by a predatory demi-god, Lila is sold to a human trafficking cartel that specializes in people like her, first generation angel-human hybrids with powers that could make them heroes or deadly villains.
When the cartel threatens her family, Lila must choose: serve as an assassin or live as a slave. Will she find a way out, or is the cost of fighting back just too high?
The second installment in The Witch of Forsythe High series is a fast paced fire-storm about the choices life requires of us and the consequences they bring in their wake.
About the Author:
Cheri Roman writes fantasy and paranormal young adult. She currently has two series in the works: Rephaim and The Witch of Forsythe High. Most days you can find her on her blog, The Brass Rag, or working on her next novel or short story. Cheri lives in the not-so-wilds of Northeast Florida with her husband and Jack E. Boy, the super Chihuahua.
Eager to escape the shadows of a tragic loss, Diego built a new life with his best friend, Beck. When he finally decided one night to admit that he’s in love with Beck, that new life takes a new, hot and happy turn. But happiness is easily shattered, as he’s learned all too well, and this time it’s ruined by the arrival of a mysterious package and then men bent on violence.
TITLE: Beneath The Surface
