Kasper's Ramblings from Kasper Beaumont - Hunters of Reloria

Hunters of Reloria

An exciting book launch: 'Alpha and Omega Anthology' at Pine Rivers

10/25/2014

Kasper with Sue Sander, author of 'Journey's End'

Alpha and Omega Anthology book launch
The Alpha and Omega Anthology is a collection of short stories from the Writers' Anthology Group (W.A.G.) of the Arts Alliance of Pine Rivers. I am new to the group and this is the first short story I have submitted for an anthology.

It was a different experience for me to be part of a collaboration and I can't wait to read the other authors' works.
We were all asked to write a story fitting the Alpha and Omega theme - the beginning and the end. My short story is 'The Tragedy of Garass and Asher', a story of two dragons who fight over a beautiful maiden. It is a prequel to my Hunters of Reloria trilogy and is aimed at an older audience than my other PG-rated works. I am aware that many of my readers are mature and thought they might appreciate this short insight into Asher's history.
The book launch was held at the Pine Rivers Art Gallery and attended by most of the authors and well as their families, friends and other local writers. I really enjoyed meeting the authors, especially Bernie Dowling, the publisher of the series, who called me a Lone Wolf. The writers' anthology is now in its 5th year and I hope to be a part of this talented community in years to come.

I spoke to many of the writers, including two budding young authors, Sarah L. Wilson and Paimarie Teague. Other contributors include: R.William Penshorn; Phil Devine; Santina Cardillo; Maurice Hardy; Anne Olsson; Bakthi Ross; Kelly Brettell; Sue Sander; Sarah Wilson; Vera M. Murray.
Other authors I met include: Raelene Purtill, Lorraine Noscov and Lexcia Dalton.

Way to go Writers' Anthology Group of Pine Rivers! Congratulations on the Alpha and Omega Anthology.

Copies available through: bentbananabooks.com.au

I managed to snare a few autographs at the book launch. Wish I had the entire set.

Another satisfied customer - great review for Elven Jewel

10/25/2014

'Elven Jewel' artwork by Riley Malyon

Good start for a Debut Novel I am Enjoying the series By Kat
This review is from: Elven Jewel (Hunters of Reloria trilogy Book 1) (Kindle Edition)

Book 2 was on special one time and I one-clicked it not realising it was the 2nd book - and it sat on my TBR for a while, until I got a Tour request for the final book, so I was happy to sign up for reviewing as I could read the whole series without waiting ( So Glad that I did as I have really enjoyed delving into this fantasy world of Kasper Beaumont's).

If you like LOR and the Hobbit then you will enjoy this series. Its easier to read than the two mentioned Fantasy novels above so its a good book for younger readers who like a bit of fantasy in their book choice.

My Grandson is 8 and I think he would enjoy this series in a year or two.

The story line is pretty much explained in the synopsis, and although I can say in writing this now after reading 2 of the books, you can see Kasper's writing style improve as you read book 2.

In book 1 Kasper has laid down the foundations and world building, the characters are developed, bonds are formed between former adversaries.

There are some plot lines that are predictable in that they follow most fantasy story lines, but Kasper has created a world that grows with the books and I am now on Book 3 and I can honestly say that I would recommend that you give all 3 books a go as you do get enthralled in the in the Hunters journey to gather troops to do battle to save Reloria from the invaders.

Amazon.com

Author interview with German fantasy author, Nadja Losbohm of the Huntress book series

10/25/2014

Author bio: I was born on December 14th, 1982 in a small town, called Glienicke, Germany. My family moved to Berlin in 1989. I’ve spent my whole life in the German capital, where I still live and work. My parents are both quite artistically gifted, so maybe my interest in that was naturally. Since I was a kid I was into painting and drawing (I went to an artistically minded school), later photography and writing followed. I struggled with reading at first, but thanks to a famous mouse with big black ears I learned to read and became an avid reader. I also love movies and to listen to music – something I couldn’t live without. I love to travel, too; my favourite country is Great Britain, where I spent several of my summer vacations.
I started writing my first fantasy novel, “Alaspis – The Search for Eternity”, in 2002. It took me more than nine years to finish it. Why? Well, I’m a bit sentimental and finishing a book means you have to let go of your beloved characters. Back then, I didn’t want to say goodbye to them, so I delayed the completion. But at some point I knew I would have to finish “Alaspis”, and so I wrote the last sentence in 2011 and in 2012 the story about a magical flower with healing power was published (in German). Since then I’ve worked on the fantasy-romance series of books “The Huntress”, telling the story of a young woman, who’s so unlike any other superheroine and has to deal with a radical change in her life. So far I’ve published three parts (in German) and am working on the English edition of the first part. I love the English language and it’s been a huge dream of mine to publish that story also in English. We’ve been working on that since about eighteen months, with many ups and downs. I had to change the translator in 2013, published the book in 2014 just to find out, that it wasn’t the way it should’ve been. So I cancelled the publication and the book was translated anew. But I fight for “The Huntress”, as it means so much to me and is very special. We’re making small, tiny steps forward and hopefully it can be published in 2014.
Book title: The Huntress – The Beginnings
Genre: Fantasy-Romance

Synopsis: Ada Pearce is an average young woman. She is 5’4” tall, overweight, and doesn’t play sports of any kind. Shortly after her 21st birthday a mysterious priest informs her of her destiny as a huntress. Ada doesn’t believe that story at first, but when she finds out that creatures of the night threaten the human population, she accepts her destiny, gives up her former life, and moves into the secret rooms of St. Mary’s Church, which had been built hundreds of years ago, and begins her training.

In flashbacks, the protagonist herself tells her story, beginning with her first meeting with the enigmatic and unapproachable priest, through her first year of training and her secret life, to the problems she encounters on her first hunt, and the issues which crop up when a priest and a woman live together…

Excerpt from The Huntress

25. Come out, come out, little monster!

I had sent the reporter home early enough and had dinner with Father Michael before I got ready for my evening rounds. Father Michael wasn’t too thrilled about it, but I wanted to keep doing my rounds as long as I could to eliminate as many monsters as possible before I went on my maternity leave. After I had put on my arsenal of weapons, the Father walked me to the church door.

“Be careful!” he said, looking at me like he wanted to do nothing more than to strap me down to the altar and stop me from leaving. I patted his arm reassuringly and told him not to worry.

Unfortunately for me, the night was actually worrisome. I had barely been out for fifteen minutes before I saw the first monster in an alley. There was something on the ground in front of it, and judging by the sound, it was someone suffocating. Furious with myself for having arrived too late, I screamed. Had I left out dessert, I would have made it on time, I thought bitterly.

The monster turned towards me. When it realized who I was, it roared at me before a surge of foul reeking breath hit me. Oh man! Why can’t these things smell more like vanilla or strawberries, for example? Mm … strawberries. Yummy! I would love—concentrate now, Ada!

I pulled my sword from under my coat and grinned diabolically at the beast.

“Your last hour has come,” I shouted.

Actually, I didn’t know if these beasts understood what I said and never really found out if they did in all the years I’d fought them. In fact, I didn’t care and still enjoyed making fun of them. Besides, I liked thinking aloud.

It kind of reassured me and calmed me down. I have to admit that I still get scared sometimes while walking the streets at night. A casual remark, every now and then, helped me get over my nervousness.

The monster roared again before it jumped over the dying man and ran away. Before I went after it, I checked the person lying there. It was a young man; he couldn’t have been older than twenty-five. I couldn’t do anything for him anymore.

I ran through the alley after the monster. It turned left and then right, crossing an empty square before it turned between two houses. It was damn fast and I was starting to get a side ache, but I wasn’t done yet. My anger at those beasts drove me and gave me strength. I followed it relentlessly until I suddenly found myself standing in an old factory hall. There was hardly any light and everything looked gray. The glass on the windows was broken and old machines stood in the corners. There were remnants of all kinds of things on the floor. I pulled the flashlight I always carried with me and looked around the hall. “Come out, come out, little monster,” I whispered. My eyes darted across the shadows in the hall anxiously, trying to find my enemy. There was nothing down there, so I looked up. There it was, hanging onto a steel beam like a bat.

It let go so suddenly that I’d barely had time to get out of the way. The ground under my feet shook as it hit the floor. It roared at me before I inhaled its foul breath. Even if it hadn’t done anything else, I had to kill it just for that!

All at once, it jumped at me. I rolled away from under it just in time. That was close. I got up quickly and pulled myself together. That thing stood there lurking and waiting. I did the same. Suddenly, it took a run and came right at me. I started running towards it too, holding my sword up in the air; I rammed it into him with a loud scream before I heard one of my favorite sounds: that of a dying monster. Then it slumped on top of me. Great!

Disgusted, I pushed the heap of a monster off me. It fell on the floor with a loud splat! I lay there for a moment, taking a breather, but the eerie atmosphere in the factory hall had me up on my feet soon enough. I got my sword back, pulled a cloth out of my pocket, and cleaned it before I called the Padre and told him where to send the cleanup team. I stifled his anxious words crudely. I wanted to get on with my round and not waste any more time on pointless rambling.

It wasn’t long before I came across the next monster. This one didn’t take that long; I was really grateful that it spared me all the running around and decided to attack me right away. It was a short process and the cleanup team had yet another job to do… except, the night was far from over. I found three more creatures later on. The last in line was the worst. Maybe because I was exhausted by then. Fatigue crept over me and my concentration was waning.

..... the story continues in The Huntress ...

Author interview with Nadja

Hi Nadja, welcome to my interview couch here in Australia. It's wonderful to have you here all the way from Germany too. Guten Morgan.

Nadja: Many greetings from Germany. This is my first English interview.

Kasper: That is so exciting. I'm sure you'll be great. Let's start at the beginning: When did you start writing and why?

I started writing my first fantasy novel “Alaspis – The Search for Eternity” when I was 19. I’ve always loved writing; I had lots of pen pals when I was a teenager. I still

prefer to write a letter/ email than to call someone. And I’ve always loved reading and watching fairy tales and fantasy stories. One day I wanted to write one myself.

2. Which one of your characters from The Huntress would you like to be?

That’s hard to choose. I think I’d like to have qualities from each of the main characters. I’d like to be as independent and strong as Ada, the huntress. And I’d like to be as disciplined as Father Michael, Ada’s mentor and guardian, especially when it comes to eating chocolate. ;-)


Ah, I see we share a love of chocolate. Good to know.
3. Have you used any real events or places as inspiration for your writing?

Yes, I did. Close to where I live there’s a small church. When I had finished writing “Alaspis”, I didn’t know what to write next but thought it should be something about the church in front of my house. So, the home of “The Huntress” really does exist, though I changed the name, of course. I also used some personal experiences and memories to create the characters and to develop the story.

4. Do you have another job outside of writing?

Yes. From Monday to Friday I’m a dental nurse. J

Awesome. I'm a part-time health care worker too. I guess we have so much experience meeting folks from all walks of life, that it helps us develop characters for writing.

5. What song would you choose as the theme song of your book?

It’s a song called “Immigrant Song” by Trent Raznor, Atticus Ross and Karen O. Some may know it from the movie “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”. From the first moment I heard that song I wished I could have used it for the book trailer I made for “The Huntress”. The music is just so fitting. I can clearly see the huntress running through the streets of her hometown.


6. What do you do when you have writers’ block?

Fortunately I haven’t had any real writers’ block yet. If I don’t know what to do about a certain scene in a book I stop writing for the moment, do something else like watching TV or going outside. I think that’s the best you can do: do something else, clear your mind.


7. I love the intriguing covers of The Huntress series. How did you go about developing your cover artwork?

It was pretty strange. I hadn’t even finished writing “The Huntress – The Beginnings” when I saw an image in my mind’s eye: a woman holding a sword and a man watching over her. It was clear to me: I didn’t want and also couldn’t imagine anything else. The graphic designer, Tom Jay, is well known to German self-publishers and he looked for the right images and put them together perfectly, adding some mysterious red smoke and the fantastic red letters and ornaments, which make it all complete. He did a great job and so I asked him to do the covers for the other parts of “The Huntress”, too, which are available only in German so far.


8. Who are your favourite authors?

I’m a huge fan of Karen Marie Moning and Cody MacFadyen, and I also like to read Simon Beckett, Jonathan Nasaw, J.K.Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien.


9. What is your favourite quote?

“Each of us has heaven and hell in him” – from “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. It’s simple but so, so true.

Oil painting by Nadja

10. Who would you choose to read your audiobook?

Good question. I think I’d choose actors Sean Bean or Richard Armitage. They both have great and powerful voices. To hear them reading “The Huntress” would be quite interesting.

11. What’s your dream job and do you think you’ll do it one day?

I wished I’d be a full time author someday. That would be fantastic. I love writing, to play with words and create new worlds.

Kasper: That would be wonderful, Nadja. I really hope that dream comes true for you. It has been lots of fun interviewing you today. Thanks so much for stopping by. I find it hard to believe that English is your second language and that you ever struggled with reading. You're doing so well now. Best wishes for the future. Viel Glück in der Zukunft.

Nadja: Thank you for having me.

Please check out Nadja's links:

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Die-J%C3%A4gerin-Die-Anf%C3%A4nge/480953518619399

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nadlo82

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMu_bSkLjTUreFuUHYy6Kcg/videos

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Nadja%20Losbohm

Kaspar Beaumont artfully combines adventure, humor, and a little bit of romance' review by @mandytrouten

10/22/2014

Reminiscent of some ways of the worlds created by Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, and J.R.R. Tolkien, Kasper Beaumont artfully combines adventure, humor, and a little bit of romance with the message that any differences can be overcome if the motive is strong enough. Dragon's Revenge is a book I would recommend to any highschooler or 20-something seeking a good fantasy novel."

--Mandy Trouten, author of Maybe Today and Shadows of Night

Author interview with apprentice necromancer, Travis Simmons @TravisSimmons5 #FSFNAuthor

10/21/2014

Travis Simmons was kicked out of magic school for his refusal to study and his penchant for mundane activities like cooking. While selling his sword he stumbled upon dogs that he wrongly thought were magical and imagined he could commune with them. After a vicious zombie attack in which witches helped him push back the undead horde, Travis found himself apprenticed to a necromancer.
Afraid that winter was coming, Travis tucked into his magical studies, but always chased his dreams of writing tales science fiction tales and fantasy stories where he could explore his wild imagination about life on other planets. Adamant that Travis learn the esoteric ways of the occult his master made his life a horror of practice and studies. But no matter how he tried, he could never conquer Travis' questing mind.

Book title: The Bonds of Blood, The Mirror of the Moon, The Well of Wyrding, A Guardian of Shadows, On Wings of Chaos, The Turquoise Tower, DESOLATION. (Forthcoming) A Plague of Shadows (2015)
Genre: Fantasy/Horror
Synopsis: “In the world of Saracin, the Goddess damns the earth that killed her two beloved angels and tears it into six realms. As a reminder of their transgression, each person is branded with a stigmata on their palms as testament of their home realm and their separation from the Goddess.”
Publish date: 2012
Publisher: Wyrding Ways Press (self-pubbed)
Publish date: 2014
Publisher: Wyrding Ways Press (self-pubbed)

Kasper's interview with Travis

Hi all, I'm pleased to report that the creative author, Travis Simmons has escaped his necromancer master for a short while to chat with us about his writings. I'm a little scared of his dark master, so we will have to keep things short and sweet today, but never fear, Travis has teleported a snippet of his writing here to share with us all today. Strap yourselves in and come with us for a ride on the Wyrd side.

Hi Travis, welcome to the FSFN throne.
I'm just wondering how you pronounce your series name Wyrd - is it 'weird' 'word' 'wired' - so many possibilities?

Wyrd can be pronounced tons of different ways. I pronounce it weird. :-D

What other writing have you done?

I have dabbled a little into erotic romance under the pen name of Talus Ripley. I chose a pen name because I really didn’t want my target audience to stumble upon one of my romance books, buy it thinking it was a new fantasy/horror of mine and be really, really surprised! That wouldn’t be fun for them at all. Also, my target audience under my real name, Travis Simmons, range from late teens to early twenties.

K: Well that was a surprise right off the bat! You do have diverse writing skills. I think that the pen name is a great idea in this case.
Now, what made you choose the fantasy / horror genre?

I’ve always loved fantasy! You know, I read to escape my life, to escape Earth, and what better way to do that than to read fantasy where you are literally thrown into the pages of another world? Also, magic rocks, and there’s the problem of not having lightning throwing baddies on Earth! Bummer.

How do you develop your characters?

Fortunately I haven’t really had to develop any characters, they tend to grow on their own. Normally I’m given a name and then their stories start to come to me. Honestly, it’s like they are saying: “Hey, I’m (insert name) and this is my story! Do you mind if I set up my crazy shop in your head for a while and hold you (and your keyboard) hostage?”

K: Wow! Your characters are quite the forceful bunch.
What is your favourite quote?

“Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking.” The Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz said that, and I don’t think there’s ever been a truer statement.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

I do, I’ve just recently started working with authors helping them with editing of their books as well as interior formatting for ebooks and print. Other than that, no. I am a fulltime care taker for my mother, so that doesn’t allow for an out of the home job.

K: You're a good son. :-)
Do you have a blog?

I do have a blog, it’s actually the same address as my website included below.

What do you write about in your blog?

All kinds of things. I like to share some interesting life tid-bits as well as videos I think are awesome and a new column I’m working on, a top five list of the best/worst fantasy things. Recently I’ve written Five Reasons Magic Sucks!

Who would you choose to read your audiobook?

Morgan Freeman because his voice is just epic.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?
Eating? HA! Watching Netflix, handing out with friends, chatting, that kind of thing. I really have a boring life, but I do love catching up on The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Drop Dead Diva, Scrubs, and tons of other older shows that I’ve just recently found thanks to Netflix!

Do you prefer ebook or hardcopy?
Honestly a hardcopy, but I use my ereader more often than not because it’s just easier and I am so scattered that I hop between several books.

What’s your favourite pet?

I am totally a dog person!

You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?

I would totally be Gandalf because he’s really awesome. Oh, maybe Storm from the x-men. I could gender-bend the crap out of Storm!

K: Oh yeah! That would be great.
Thanks so much for flying over to chat here today. Best wishes with your writing and necromancy studies.

Travis's Links:
Please check them out and keep an eye out for his new release:
'The Turquoise Tower' on October 28th.

Website: http://travissimmons.net/

Blog: http://travissimmons.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authortravissimmons

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4342608.Travis_Simmons

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TravisSimmons5

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Travis-Simmons/e/B002QKB6WI/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/travis-simmons

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/travissimmons

I had to twist Travis's arm, but here is the sneak peak of his new release:

The Turquoise Tower

Experience the harrowing conclusion to The Revenant Wyrd Saga.

In the mystical lands of the Great Realms, Angelica, Jovian, and Joya search for their kidnapped sister, Amber. Their quest has led them through many dangers and revelations, but nothing has prepared them for what’s about to come.

The mythical Turquoise Tower is calling to all beings with angelic blood to witness a rising darkness in the mountains to the west. Siblings Angelica, Joya, and Jovian travel with their cousin Cianna to the west, where the Turquoise Tower promises to empower their angelic half and restore their wings. But there’s a darkness at the tower, one that promises a final resolution with their long lost sister, Amber.

Meanwhile Grace, Rosalee, and Dalah make their way to the holy city Lytoria where they are to make their final stand of the Goddess against the legions of Chaos. Can they overcome the army of dead, verax-acis, and fallen angels? Or will the city be raised, and the Goddess lose all power in the Realms?

Fantasy Sci-Fi Network:

The Fantasy & Sci-Fi Network is a collection of authors, bloggers, and reviewers who are passionate about finding and creating quality fantasy/sci-fi books which are also teen safe (G, PG, or PG-13 rated). The FSF Network believes it is possible to create fantastic works of fantasy and science fiction without resorting to graphic violence, explicitly harsh language, or sex.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FSFNet

FSFN website: http://fsfnet.com/

Twitter hashtag: #FSFNAuthor

Twitter handle: @FSFNet

Elven Jewel is in the 2nd round of the 'best fantasy' award

10/20/2014

I'm so excited to hear from fan, Claire Rees, that Elven Jewel is now in the 2nd round of the fantasy category in the Paranormal Book Awards. Woot! To think my fun adventure is so well loved by strangers is a blessing indeed.
If you agree that Elven Jewel as the best fantasy book of the year, I'd appreciate your votes too please
(award #30). Cheers, Kaz https://www.facebook.com/events/652603994860923/

Great new reviews of Elven Jewel from Emile and Evels 'very good young adult fantasy series'

10/18/2014

Emilie
The Elven Jewel will slowly and deliberately draw you into a new world created by a talented author. The characters are well described, as well as the landscape. The plotline flows cleanly and blends with a few back stories of some of the characters nicely. You are not bogged down with weighty prose and even the lulls in the story are intriguing. The character that I thought needed more personality was Prince/Sir Varnon. He was too monochromatic for me. He needed to do something either extremely mean or extremely funny. Nothing made me like him or hate him (except for the fact that he hated Ash). I found this to be a very good young adult fantasy series and enjoyed reading it.

Evels rated it 4 of 5 stars
I haven't read a fantasy book since The Hobbit trilogy which I loved. Never got around to reading the Harry Potter series although I have seen all the movies. Elven Jewel is right up there with these books. It is very imaginative with an abundance of interesting characters. Book 1 will leave you wanting to read Book 2. After all, we have to find out what happens to the jewel, don't we? If you want a quick read that will take you away from your daily routine, I recommend this well thought-out boo...more I haven't read a fantasy book since The Hobbit trilogy which I loved. Never got around to reading the Harry Potter series although I have seen all the movies. Elven Jewel is right up there with these books. It is very imaginative with an abundance of interesting characters. Book 1 will leave you wanting to read Book 2. After all, we have to find out what happens to the jewel, don't we? If you want a quick read that will take you away from your daily routine, I recommend this well thought-out book. I'm looking forward to Book 2.

Elven Jewel is on sale for a limited time only for 99c.
Discover the magic today
Amazon.com

I was hooked from the moment I started reading. 5 stars for Elven Jewel

10/16/2014

I was given this book for an honest review. Though it is not my usual genre, I found it to be thoroughly entertaining. It took me away into another world. The characters were so well described, likeable. And you felt as though you were along on their journey with all of their trials and tribulations. Even the descriptions of the forests put you right in there.

Author Kasper Beaumont skillfully takes you into the fantasy world of elves with their own tiny fairies, dwarves, and of course the evil doers. I was hooked from the moment I started reading; and it kept me needing to know what was going to happen next.
Looking forward to reading the next book to see how the story continues. I give this book a solid 5 stars!

Amazon.com

By Amazon Customer
on 2 October 2014Format: Kindle Edition

Author interview with exciting sci-fi and steampunk #FSFNAuthor, Bridget Ladd @Raiderladd

10/15/2014

Award-Winning author of The Lotus Effect and the Rise Of The Ardent Series. Bridget Ladd never quite grew up. She's most likely to be caught carrying a pocketful of souvenir rocks and shells (to the washer's dismay) and gets excited over trivial things like colorful ponies and raiding tombs alongside her long-time favorite video game pal, Lara Croft. The smell of freshly turned dirt and the sea air are her favorites, and she isn't above doing twirling spins barefoot in the grass on a beautiful day in her yard.

Her books are her shields and she will admit to having her head in the clouds more times than she probably should . . . but she doesn't let any of this bother her too much, remembering her favorite quote by Le Guin, and knowing that the creative adult is indeed the child who survived.
Book title: The Lotus Effect (Book 1), Ardent Ascension (Book 2), Dash and Cinder (short-story)
Genre: Young-Adult, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Romance
Synopsis: An improbable partnership. An unforgettable love.

Lily Emerson, daughter of the Head of Council and Mistress of Science, has lived a privileged life. It's Lily's 18th nameday, the day she is to follow in her mother's footsteps, becoming the next Mistress of Science--the most powerful woman in all of City Prosper. The Architect and designer of Prosper's future.

During the night of her Coronation, the corruption of the Council spreads before her . . . opening her eyes to the cruelty that resides in the Council, even within her own parents. Lily realizes now the title of Mistress only comes with superficial power, and to truly save the citizens--she has to fight.

Fight in the Barrage--the mechanical gladiatorial tournament in which one chosen pair of volunteers from each Sector fights, armor-clad and as a team, utilizing unique weapon specialties: the Gatling gun, the Cestus, Klaives, Crescent Knives, mechanically engineered beasts--in the hope to win the right to change the Law. A law that has remained unchanged since its creation almost eighty years ago.

The tournament that Xander, Engineering Blacksmith and Lily's partner, believes she has no business being in.

But Lily's different. And she sets out to prove just that.

If you're a fan of adventure, fighting for survival, unlikely female heroines, and romance--then grab your copy today!
Publish date: July 18th 2013

Author interview:
It's a real delight to catch up with the beautiful and talented Bridgett Ladd today. Welcome Bridget.

What’s the basic plot of your book?

The Lotus Effect is about a girl who comes from a privileged life, a princess if you will, who, on the night of her coronation to become the next Mistress of Science (leader of her city),

starts to see the corrupt acts of the government and decides she wants no part in it.
Instead, she throws her title away in a rash moment, turns her back on everything she’d ever known, and steps out into the unknown. (The often dangerous territory her citizens must live in.) To make matters worse, she volunteers herself into a battle which is held every thirteen years to earn the opportunity to change the Law. An opportunity she knows is likely to kill her, but she’s willing to take the risk to prove her worth to the people of her city.

That’s when she meets the mysterious Xander. Together, with his help and valuable training, they take on the government and fight to take back their city.

The Lotus Effect is packed full of action, adventure, and romance!

What other writing have you done?

Other than my two novels in the Rise Of The Ardent series, I just recently published a short story entitled, Dash and Cinder. It’s a Cinderella retelling. A Cinderella retelling with an Indian, Steampunk, Sci-fi, romancy, twist!
Which scene from your book do you like best and why?

Action scenes. I enjoy writing them and from what I’ve been told from reviewers, they can be a BIT dicey. As in, brutal. Not gory or anything like that, just edge of your seat, rollercoaster of a ride sort of action. Fight scenes, near death rescues. The type of action that makes you cringe a little if you were to imagine yourself in the main character’s shoes. (But then again, Xander is present during a good majority of those scenes with Lily, soooo imagining yourself in her shoes wouldn’t be so bad. ;) *Omigosh, that’s sad, I’m crushin’ on my own characters!*
Which is your favourite character and why?

I strive to make all my characters believable so readers can connect with them on a personal level and feel empathetic towards their struggles. I also imagine up entire backstories for side characters too! With that said, I have lots of favorites. But of course, I have to mention Lily (the story is seen through her eyes) and Xander (her partner). Someone once told me Xander was their new ‘Book Boyfriend’. (I’m okay with this. J) I’ve noticed he’s a favorite of many of my readers. Xander’s character traits took a little more molding on my part than Lily’s did when I was first developing them, but now, he comes so naturally to me. It’s almost as if Lily and Xander are demanding I write their story and I have no other choice than to type feverously away. *Nope, that doesn’t sound crazy at all...!*

What song would you choose as the theme song of your book?

Oh, that’s easy! It’s no secret I enjoy listening to music while I write (I post about inspiring songs all the time on my facebook page), but I do tend to always have a favorite song which I correlate to each of my novels. They are: *Drum Roll*
The Lotus Effect:

Starvation by Thomas Bergersen (Two Steps From Hell)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1xkBYKpyQQ

Ardent Ascension:

Critical Mass – Prophesy Of Divine Judgment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-jUcd1pm5U

Soul Arbor: (This one might be a Spoiler! Just a warning! It’s awesome though.)

C21 FX – Blood Red Roses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hosCuzo6JKo

And for my recently published short story, Dash and Cinder: (The YouTube image matches the story perfectly too!)

Future World Music – The Ascent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk9JrnREZUg

What are you working on now?

Book #3, Soul Arbor. Writing has been going swimmingly. There’s more action, more romance, more sheer craziness all around.
Who would you choose to read your audiobook?

There’s already an audiobook for The Lotus Effect. *Yippie!* It’s narrated by the talented Elizabeth Klett and is currently available on Audible, (Free with a trial membership!), ITunes, and Amazon. J
What is your favourite quote?

“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still find it to be a beautiful place.”

-Iain Thomas

(That’s a little sneak peek from Soul Arbor’s first few introductory pages. I love this quote; it’s beautiful and I find it to be a perfect mantelpiece to the story to follow.)

Thanks for taking a look at this interview and my work. If you do ever feel inclined to read The Lotus Effect, please let me know what you think. If anything, I hope you fall headlong into Lily and Xander’s world and I hope it brings you all kinds of joy.

-Bridget Ladd

Thanks so much for stopping by, Bridget. You’ve been absolutely charming.

It’s good getting to know more about you and your exciting writing.

Bridget’s Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bridget-Ladd/e/B00E3DPNCU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lotus-effect-bridget-ladd/1117298943?ean=2940045360531

Website: http://thelotuseffect.weebly.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelotuseffectbook

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Raiderladd

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7200271.Bridget_Ladd

Fantasy Sci-Fi Network:

The Fantasy & Sci-Fi Network is a collection of authors, bloggers, and reviewers who are passionate about finding and creating quality fantasy/sci-fi books which are also teen safe (G, PG, or PG-13 rated). The FSF Network believes it is possible to create fantastic works of fantasy and science fiction without resorting to graphic violence, explicitly harsh language, or sex.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FSFNet

FSFN website: http://fsfnet.com/

Twitter hashtag: #FSFNAuthor

Twitter handle: @FSFNet

Interview with quirky steampunk author Ichabod Temperance @MtrofTemperance #FSFNAuthor

10/8/2014

I was expecting something out a little unusual from an author named Ichabod and am pleased to say that the author of the 'Temperance' series doesn't disappoint. Sit back and enjoy the witty musings and trivia from author, Ichabod Temperance.

Author bio:

* Ichabod Temperance is a silly little fellow living in Irondale, Alabama, U.S.A. along with his lovely, gracious, kind, and ever-patient muse, Miss Persephone Plumtartt and their furry pack family.

Book titles:

A Matter of Temperance

A World of In Temperance

For the Love of Temperance

A Study in Temperance

In a Latitude of Temperance

Coming Soon: The Measure of Temperance

Genre: Steampunk / Paranormal

Synopsis: {A Matter of Temperance}

In 1869, the Earth experiences the close pass of a new comet. In its wake, thousands of Terra's inhabitants find themselves strangely changed. Among humanity, many find that any talent they may naturally possess has been elevated to an astounding degree. Likewise, a number of animals become self-aware and intelligent. A young 'comet prodigy' from humble beginnings, Ichabod Temperance, has become one of the world's foremost inventors in this age of prolific genius. Travelling to England to deliver his latest brilliant device to a famous explorer, the young tinker is unexpectedly struck by the fearsome hand of fate. Meanwhile, a lovely young aristocrat, Miss Persephone Plumtartt, survives an experimental accident only to find herself imbued with a power she can neither understand nor control, while dark forces and malevolent creatures pursue her, leaving a gruesome wake of death.
Yet, worse is to come. The naive young inventor and the lovely intellectual find themselves fighting not only to save their own lives, while concurrently coming to terms with their own budding romance, but to prevent the destruction of all life on Earth in this humourously told and poignant steampunk adventure!

Publish date: April 17, 2013

Publisher:{Self-published} GoldenBear Creative Works

This excerpt is from 'A Matter of Temperance'

I reach into the hidey hole and retrieve the small, iron-bound box. Forcing the mysterious chest inside my vest, I grab Miss Plumtartt by the hand and deliberately pull her from the chapel. Miss Plumtartt led the way in, but with my sense of direction and urgency, I have decided to lead the way out. We fly to an outside door. I hurriedly unlock it and pull.

The door opens an inch.

I put my boot to the wall and pull with strength. The door slowly opens another couple of inches, but stops. Some horrible glue-like substance holds the portal fast. A thick, sticky, organic rope-like material criss crosses the doorway in many places from the outside and refuses to let the door be swung inward. We can hear rapid movement outside and upon the house. A frenetic and freakish scuttling resounds through the old stones as something big scurries about the mansion with inconceivable speed. Dashing to the front entry hall, the way we came in just a few minutes prior, we find the exit in the same condition as the other door. The thick sticky ropes hold the great double doors shut against us. I ram my shoulder into the barrier in an attempt to force it open, but it stubbornly refuses me. It is amazing, and impossible to conceive, but something has bottled us up in the house. We have been wrapped up like a Russian papoose in only a few short minutes. Taking up a heavy bust (that of King George III, I think) and with a running start, I heave the weighty object through a window. Impossibly, it sticks, halfway through. The marbled Imperial Monarch appears to sputter, 'what? what? what?' as he realizes himself in such an undignified and strange position. The windows are sealed against us.

We hear the sounds of something heavy enter an upstairs hallway. Something big has come through the open aperture of the stained glass window Miss Plumtartt told me about. I put on my 'Green Beauties.' The rapid and terribly stout tapping of impossibly fast footfalls quickly reveals our antagonist.

I blanch and nearly falter at the sight. Bigger than a grand piano, is our uninvited guest. This creature is very different than the crustacean from evening last. Putting a few of his too many legs on the upstairs rail, the grotesque aberration looks down upon us. Several clusters of eyes, much like bunches of grapes, seem to spin with happy and dizzy thoughts of yummy consumption. Many pairs of slathering mandibles work and click in fevered expectation.

What appears to be an enormous, slavering Black Widow spider props itself up on the rail of the landing. It looks down upon us with delight, for all the world like some horrific family pet. Despite the creature's bloated size, it leaps to the ceiling of the grand entrance hall, scurries across the wide expanse, and drops its bloated weight upon us.

Author Interview:

Hi Ichabod. Welcome to the FSFN interview throne. I've been looking forward to meeting you after our fun chats about your writing.

Ichabod: Thanks for conducting the interview Kaz! I really appreciate it!

You're welcome. Although that excerpt from 'A Matter of Temperance' with the massive spider has shaken me up a little. Eeeek!
OK, down to business ...Why did you start writing and what made you choose the steampunk / paranormal genre?

I am an accidental author. I have an extensive background in Martial Arts and Professional Wrestling. This led me to coming into contact with some local indie

film-makers, that wanted fighters / stuntmen for a sweeping, no-budget epic movie, 'Engines of Destiny'. This was my introduction to the genre of 'steampunk'. I immediately realized that this was a perfect fit for me. I started reading steampunk novels, but many were more grim than I cared for. 'Engines of Destiny' had created a charming image of the genre, but I found much of the literature too dark for my tastes. I was directed to a website, 'The Steampunk Empire'. Here, folks are encouraged to develop a character and backstory. A friend of mine had written a blog series adventure on the site. I decided to do the same for my character. So too, my gal. Prior to this, February 2013, I had never written as much as a grocery list, but once I came up with the first line, 'The rumbling purr of an impossibly big cat thrumms through my body', I realized that maybe I could do it. Miss Plumtartt kept up her end of the adventure on her site. Once we had finished, we crammed them together and called it a novel and published it in April of 2013. Then I popped out another book. I got away from them for a minute and when I returned, I realized that they had been published prematurely and required a lot of editing. I apologize to anyone that had to suffer through my books before they were ready!

What's the basic plot of your book?

*Boy fights monsters to save the world and get the girl. There, that's it in a nutshell. I have themes to the books, in that with the first book, I battle Lovecraftian creatures, and in the second, megalomaniacal power mad tyrants. The third book is an homage to 'War of the Worlds'. The fourth is a tribute to Sherlock Holmes. The fifth book is my vampire study. The sixth will be my zombie book. These are all humorous, though thrilling tales. Oh, and the monsters are big. So far, every book finishes with a Godzilla sized monster to contend with.

There sounds like a great variety to your book themes. It must be fun to write.

Which scene from your book do you like best and why?

* I can track a steady improvement and development of style with each novel. I like to have funny sound effects. I like to play with the fonts. I like to give my characters funny accents. One thing that I am proud of in my writing is my fight scenes. I do not like violence and the books get progressively less violent as they go, but my fight scenes get much better. A funny thing that I have developed, is rhythms in the books. The zombie book has lots of singing, and a little dancing. The scenes I like best, though, are my tearjerkers. I do not kill off loved charcters just to make the reader cry. I like for a few scenes to be so poignant, sweet, and touching that they might get the reader to pool up a little.

How do you develop your characters? Have you used any real people in your characters?

* Ha, ha! Well, if I use real people, the character is already developed! That's what I do! I put my friends in my books. It is so much easier if I can imagine my friends in the particular role, to bring that character to life. Many are my friends that I have made on the internet. Watch out, Kaz, you might be next!

That would be awesome, thanks Icky. I hope I can bring my golden dragon with me.

Icky and Kitka

Which one of your characters would you like to be?

* I would be the author, silly. Ichabod Temperance, Consulting Protagonist.

Doh, I was asking or that one, hey? Haha
Have you used any real events or places as inspiration for your writing?

* Yes! I live in Irondale, which is an outlying town of Birmingham. I was born here and have been a lifelong Birminghamster. A major landmark in this city is an old iron plant in the center of the city, Sloss Furnaces. In the third book, Martian invaders burn Birmingham to the ground and capture the Sloss Furnace, turning the metal producing plant to their insidious intents.

What song would you choose as the theme song of your book?

* Each book has its own theme song. Every book but the first has a bit of singing, but as previously mentioned, the sixth book has lots of singing. To answer your question, though, I will say that the second books theme song is 'Immigrant's Song' by Led Zeppelin.

How did you go about developing your cover artwork?

* When I was writing the first book, and it was still a blog, a friend of mine from the Steampunk Empire', Wolfgang Metzger, did a silhouette of myself and Miss Plumtartt. I have always had a soft spot for silhouettes! When we decided to cram the blogs into a book, I asked him if I could use the images on the cover. I gave those to a friend of mine that does graphics work. I did not know it at the time, but we had a theme going. Now I just tell Mr. Metzger the sort of silhouette I want and then I send it to my graphics guy, the obstreperous Sergeant Turk. And yes, they both appear frequently in the books.

It sounds like intriguing names are par for the course with you Steampunk types! What's your favourite line from a book?

* May I quote myself? "T'was the hand of fate that brought miss Plumtartt and me together, for in truth, we have been happenstance stricken and adventure prone ever since'.

Sounds like a match made in Steampunk heaven ...aww.
Who would you choose to read your audiobook?

James Earl Jones!

Yes, that would be great.

Thanks so much for stopping by Icky. It has been great fun.

Ichabod's Links



Blog: Ichablog

Facebook: Icky on Facebook

Goodreads: Ichabod on Goodreads

Twitter: Ichatwit

Amazon: Ickys Amazon page

Barnes & Noble: Icky at Barnes and Noble!

Fantasy Sci-Fi Network:

The Fantasy & Sci-Fi Network is a collection of authors, bloggers, and reviewers who are passionate about finding and creating quality fantasy/sci-fi books which are also teen safe (G, PG, or PG-13 rated). The FSF Network believes it is possible to create fantastic works of fantasy and science fiction without resorting to graphic violence, explicitly harsh language, or sex.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FSFNet

FSFN website: http://fsfnet.com/

Twitter hashtag: #FSFNAuthor

Twitter handle: @FSFNet

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