Published: “Beneath the Wax” by Nthato Morakabi

 

In October, I was thrilled to publish Beneath the Wax, the first novella in Nthato Morakabi’s sci-fi horror series! With the latter half of 2018 proving to be a very busy year, the publication of this book ranks as one of my highlights!

With a gorgeous cover design by Nico Venter (who is currently working on the artwork for Jozi Flash 2018 – YAY!), and exceptional story-telling by Nthato, Beneath the Wax is a perfect Christmas gift for fans of horror and sci-fi.

 

1723: Constantine Bourgeois is a man of many secrets. Artisan by day, killer by night, he turns his victims into wax figures for his shop.
2045: Richard Baines works for the renowned Anthony Garfield Historical Museum. His mundane existence is a stark counterpoint to his fascination with serial killers and science fiction.
Constantine’s nightmares drive him to undertake a journey to uncover a long-forgotten secret. Richard’s research uncovers a company secret and the mystery of Madame Bourgeois.
Two men, two timelines, and truths that will only be revealed when they look Beneath the Wax…

Purchase the novel on Amazon* today, or if you’re a book blogger and would like to review the novella, please leave a comment below and I’ll get in touch with you ASAP.

*I would like to state that Chasing Dreams Publishing operates as an independent publisher, and 100% of royalties earned from the sale of Beneath the Wax go to the author. If you would like to make his Christmas that much more festive, please consider supporting him by purchasing a copy. If you’d like to make it doubly festive, an honest review on Amazon would be even more appreciated!

 

 

Jozi Flash 2017 – Release

It’s not quite the Gummi Bears, but it certainly bounces around a lot.

Jozi Flash 2017 combines the talents of ten brilliant authors with one gifted artist, to bring you a collection of 80 flash fiction stories across eight different genres.

From a children’s story about the folly of summoning dragons, to the horrors held in deliciously treacherous ice cream, the authors take you on journeys that weave fantasy and folklore together alongside practical detectives and everyday tragedy.

With stunning artwork prompts by Nico Venter, these South African authors have created an anthology that will leave you breathless.

It is done.

I have no words.

DOWNLOAD LINK:

Jozi Flash 2017 – PDF

Cover Reveal – Song of Leira – Gillian Bronte Adams

I’m so pleased to be taking part in Gillian Bronte Adams’ cover reveal for Song of Leira, Book Three of the Songkeeper Chronicles!

The book releases June 5th, 2018 and is available for preorder here.

And here is the gorgeous cover (excuse me while I swoon):

THE SONG BIDS HER RISE TO BATTLE

Reeling from her disastrous foray into the Pit, Birdie, the young Songkeeper, retreats into the mountains. But in the war-torn north, kneeling on bloodstained battlefields to sing the souls of the dying to rest, her resolve to accept her calling is strengthened. Such evil cannot go unchallenged.

Torn between oaths to protect the Underground runners and to rescue his friend from the slave camps, Ky Huntyr enlists Birdie’s aid. Their mission to free the captives unravels the horrifying thread connecting the legendary spring, Artair’s sword, and the slave camps. But the Takhran’s schemes are already in motion. Powerful singers have arisen to lead his army—singers who can shake the earth and master the sea—and monsters rampage across the land.

As Leira falters on the verge of defeat, the Song bids her rise to battle, and the Songkeeper must answer. 

Books 1 and 2 in the Songkeeper Chronicles can be found on the author’s website.

I’m definitely adding this to my TBR pile.

 

 

 

#FindJoziFlash17 Winner, #200WT & Monday Writing Prompt!

I’m so thrilled to announce that the winner of the #FindJoziFlash17 was drawn just after midnight last night, and it was none other than Faye Kirwin over at Writerology!

I’m also thrilled to let you know that because of his AMAZING support of both the competition, and Faye’s #storycrafter sessions on Twitter, we decided John Cordial needed some sort of runner’s up prize. Luckily, Faye has just released her #StoryCrafter Collection workbook and she very kindly agreed to send John a copy! (I’m going to be working through the collection in the next couple weeks, as I work on my NaNoWriMo project, so stay tuned for daily reviews of how it’s going!)

The support and encouragement from everyone across all our social media platforms has been absolutely incredible and I cannot thank you all enough!

For those who couldn’t enter the competition, we’re sorry you missed out, but don’t worry! Jozi Flash 2017 will be releasing soon, and it’s a free download!

It’s not quite the Gummi Bears, but it certainly bounces around a lot.

Jozi Flash 2017 combines the talents of ten brilliant authors with one gifted artist, to bring you a collection of 80 flash fiction stories across eight different genres.

From a children’s story about the folly of summoning dragons, to the horrors held in deliciously treacherous ice cream, the authors take you on journeys that weave fantasy and folklore together alongside practical detectives and everyday tragedy.

With stunning artwork prompts by Nico Venter, these South African authors have created an anthology that will leave you breathless.

I’m also excited to let you know that a few of the Jozi Flash 2017 authors have teamed up with Musae Mosaic to contribute to their #200WT this month! This is the perfect opportunity for you to get a sneak peak at the talent that awaits you in the anthology!

Now, without further ado, here is this week’s writing prompt:

Hopefully we’ll see a host of entries this week!

Jozi Flash 2017 Cover Revealed!

I can’t even word! So much excitement!

 

Go check it out:

A Scribe to Describe

 

 

 

Ablaze in Mirth – Matthew Thompson

I was recently given the opportunity to beta read Ablaze in Mirth by Matthew Thompson. A short story, Ablaze in Mirth is a gripping action tale of a vampire enslaved to humans, determined to save himself and his family by any means necessary.

I loved the return to “traditional” vampires, vulnerable to sunlight – a vulnerability which leads to an age-old struggle of life and death in a battlefield created for human entertainment.

The author weaves a tight-paced tale of action balanced by softer emotions that serve no purpose in the struggle to survive.

Ablaze in Mirth is available as a free download on Smashwords.

“The humans cheered and booed and bet on us blood suckers. And they enjoyed it too, watching us burn every year in the Nile Valley during the summer solstice, the sun beating down on us, incinerating us like bugs beneath a magnifying glass.”

Once a year, the Ablaze Games attracts thousands of spectators from around the world for a two-week tournament, wherein the winner attains his or her freedom.

Matias Carlos Bassi is one of this year’s contenders, risking his life to gain a better one. And it’s not only in the arenas he must strive to survive; the underground Ablaze Complex leaves its competitors to circulate amongst themselves, including assassins. All of which is televised for the human populace, the current rulers of the world.

Seven arenas separate Matias from becoming the 189th victor. It will mean keeping out of the deathlight, and to kill his fellow kind. But he’s hungrier than ever, and willing to do whatever it takes to remove the shackles from himself and his loved ones.

About the Author

Matthew Thompson was born in England in 1983, and is the creator of Domino Galaxy, a book series set in an afterworld. He has previously worked in the video games industry as a game and level designer.

You can view his website here: http://dominogalaxy.crevado.com/

Kristian’s War – Peter Wisan

I was recently given the opportunity to beta read Kristian’s War, a novel by Peter Wisan. He has now published the story, and it is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

A modern take on an age-old spiritual journey, what I truly enjoyed about this story is the universal message that salvation is found within, not without. Congratulations on publishing Peter, and I look forward to seeing more in the Searcher Series.

Kristian Anders, a dirt-poor farmer, lives in a dark land where evil forces take the form of men. The sins of his past weigh heavily on his mind. When a stranger directs him to take a new path, Kris begins the journey of a lifetime towards a distant King who is rumored to solve all problems. But then a ruthless soldier is dispatched by the ruler of the dark land to capture or kill Kris. Everything leads to one final fight, where Kristian must defeat the demons of his past or die.

Marine Corps veteran Peter Wisan delivers a gripping, tactical take on the spiritual journey in a blend of heart-stopping action and heart-rending loss.

 

 

The Invisible Crown – Cover Reveal

Chasing Dreams Publishing is once more showcasing a cover design for Royal James Publishing. The Hazzard Series looks like it’s going to be worth keeping an eye on, so diarise those release dates, folks!

 

Pre-sale: November 21, 2016

Blog Tour: December 11-18, 2016

Release date: December 19, 2016

 

About The Invisible Crown:

The city of Arcadia is a craphole, but it’s my craphole. I’ve walked its streets my entire life, always searching for something: a purpose, a suspect, or a stiff drink. My name’s Eddie Hazzard, and I’m a hard-boiled detective. Yeah, laugh it up. It’s a ridiculous job description, but this is a ridiculous town. It’s full of every cliché you can imagine: corrupt city officials, police officers on the take, greedy businessmen, and crime so organized it has an accounting department, a health plan, and retirement benefits. Which is more than I can say for myself.”

Meet Eddie Hazzard: he’s tenacious, a certain kind of clever, and usually drunk. When a beautiful woman comes into his office and asks him to find her husband, Eddie takes the case because the alternative is having his creditors show up at his door and do terrible things to his limbs. But the case takes a series of bizarre turns, getting Eddie caught up in a tangled web of reluctant cops, sketchy businessmen, and shadowy crime bosses. The deeper he gets, the worse things look. Will Eddie solve the case? Will he save the day? Most importantly, will he get paid?

The Invisible Crown is the first full-length novel of a series featuring Detective Hazzard and the bizarre, bewildering array of tough mobsters, genetically-modified creeps, and ruthless scumbags who inhabit the city of Arcadia.

 

About Charlie Cottrell:

WEBSITE /FACEBOOK/TWITTER/INSTAGRAM/GOODREADS

Charlie Cottrell is a history and special education teacher in Northern Virginia by day and a writer of “speculative noir” (near-future, science-fictiony, hard-boiled detective stories) by night. He likes to blend action, mystery, and a healthy dose of humor and sarcasm in his work.  He also writes music and draws comics and thinks he vaguely remembers what free time was, but he’s not one hundred percent sure on that.  Charlie hates tucking in his shirt, because he is a rebel. To read more about Charlie, you can visit him on his website.

 

 

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If you would like to review The Invisible Crown by Charlie Cottrell or join the blog tour, click here or send an email to royaljamespublishing@gmail.com

Seeking: Blog Tour Participants

We’re looking for some amazing bloggers who would like to participate in After the End‘s Blog Tour in January 2017.

If you like sci-fi/fantasy, short stories and blogging, please consider signing up for the tour which will run from the 14th to the 21st January 2017.

About After the End

There are few things that are considered in science-fiction as much as events which lead to the end of the world. After the End features ten short stories from author Sharon Ruth Parkinson which explore life in post-apocalyptic worlds.

In Mutation, mutated slaves are willing to do anything to save their race. As technology replaces humanity, the Technophobes are born.  When the universe gets Sucked In, a young couple discover the meaning of love.

From Earth, through space, time and even reality, humanity and the loss of it will answer the question, “What happens after the end?”

You can sign up here.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below or send an email to nicky@chasingdreamspublishing.com

We look forward to having you join us on our journey!

 

 

After the End – Cover Reveal

I am so thrilled to present the exquisite cover of After the End! Designed by Nico Venter the cover embodies many of the elements within the collection of short stories written by Sharon Ruth Parkinson.

About After the End

There are few things that are considered in science-fiction as much as events which lead to the end of the world. After the End features ten short stories from author Sharon Ruth Parkinson which explore life in post-apocalyptic worlds.

In Mutation, mutated slaves are willing to do anything to save their race. As technology replaces humanity, the Technophobes are born.  When the universe gets Sucked In, a young couple discover the meaning of love.

From Earth, through space, time and even reality, humanity and the loss of it will answer the question, “What happens after the end?”

About Sharon Ruth Parkinson

I once read a book… It was called “Triplanetary” by EE “Doc” Smith and from that day on I was completely hooked on Sci-Fi. I was about ten, and my imagination had been fired and I began putting those imaginings into words. My grandparents fostered my love of words by collecting all their envelopes (way before e-mail was a reality), and giving them to me to open up and use as scrap paper when I stayed with them during summer holidays. A passion was born.

It wasn’t until I was in my forties and self-publishing became a reality that I decided to publish, starting with my anthology Possibilities on Lulu.com in 2006, and then my NaNoWriMo entrant, CODDS  was later published (I have since pulled CODDS since it needs some serious editing).

My main love is still Sci-Fi Fantasy, but I have discovered a delicious addiction to flash fiction, thanks to the Jozi writers and our WhatsApp group. My other passion is NaNoWriMo, which I attempt every year, not always succeeding, but enjoying the challenge it offers. And I have done all this while raising four children! I am busy with several novels, short stories and series at the moment, so like my Facebook page for updates

The Artist

Huge thanks go to Nico Venter for his gorgeous cover art. For more info visit his website or find him on Instagram.

After the End releases 31 January 2017