Thanks for stopping by for the Tales of Ferres Blog Tour! I got a special treat for you filled with fantasy stories that will keep you wanting more. Tales of Ferrês is Speculative Fiction author K.M. Jenkins’ first official book in print. The stories are filled with wonder, magic, and fantastical creatures. You won’t miss a thing and will die for more. Don't forget to check out the other blogs too! They make this tour happen and each one has something special to showcase. Sit back, read and enjoy. Also on a special note Tales of Ferrês is discounted to $1.99 until Friday, May 29th, so grab it for the low price while you can. ​

​Author Interview with K.M. Jenkins: 
Welcome K.M., I'm pleased to have you here today.

What was the defining event that made you start writing?
I loved reading books since I was a kid. The books mostly focused around the fantasy genre. But, I would also eat through any genre pretty much. I didn’t really start writing hard core until I was a freshman in college. I was inspired in high school to journey down that road but never took the leap. One day I sat down with my dad and talked about a book idea I had. He was so in love with it he told me to write it and never stop. I decided after that to give it a try. But it was a lot of working in the making so I didn’t start publishing until September of 2018.
 
What made you choose this genre?
I love fantasy. I love reading about knights, dragons, elves, and magic users. Shifters are another big favorite of mine I love to read about. This love is what fuels the books I create and how I create worlds.
 
What’s the basic plot of your book?
The basic plot for Tales of Ferrês is centered around the Forest of Ferrês. Each individual story has different characters but they all have a common denominator, the forest itself. The Forest of Ferrês is a magical land that plays by its own rules. This forest shows its abilities throughout these stories. My characters just get sucked up within the forest without a choice in the matter. 
 Sounds exciting!

What advice would you give to someone wanting to write a book?
I would say write as it comes. It doesn’t hurt to plot out the chapters ahead to get an idea where you want to go but sometimes you just need to let your characters lead the way. Another big thing to think about before you write a book is to find your target audience and build interest before you even begin to write.
 
What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on the next series of short stories that will be a part of the Legendary Tales series. This series of short stories will be stand alone stories that are inside the kingdom of Tarza.
Another big project I am working on is my first novel: Gargoyle Sighted. I release a chapter to my newsletter subscribers each month and so far they are enjoying this book immensely.
 
What do you do when you have writers’ block?
I tend to step back and relax. If I get writer’s block it usually means I’m overly stressed so I just need to find things to do beside write. If that doesn’t work then I will read books until my head explodes.
 
How did you go about developing your cover artwork?
I actually created my own cover. I saw this pre-made cover I loved and thought it would work with my book. The only thing was it wasn’t the best of quality. Loved the concept just didn’t have the final wow factor for me to purchase. So, I started looking around at stock images and thought I would stick with the color scheme. Then work on images to make the cover. I decided to go with tribal symbols for the cover because I thought it would bring character to it. In the end I was happy with how it turned out and got great feedback from my readers.
 Wow, so clever.

What are your writing plans for this year?
This year I am working on my Tales of Tarza short story series and my novel in process Gargoyle Sighted. I want to get Gargoyle Sighted written and ready to go out to subscribers. Then start releasing the stories in my Tales of Tarza series around October or November. It depends on how much writing I get done this summer.
 
What’s your dream job and do you think you’ll do it one day?
My dream job is being an author. I know I am doing it right now but I would love to work towards doing it full time. Right now it brings in some income just not enough to live off of.
 Good luck.  With your motivation, hopefully it will come true soon.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?
I spend time with my kids, watch tv, read books, and take walks around the neighborhood.
 
Quick quiz:
Favourite food: Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Silliest saying: Get up and jiggle with it.
Best holiday spot:
Favourite song at the moment: Let’s Go
With writing, are you a plotter or (seat-of-your) pantser? Both
Star Wars or Lord of the Rings: Lord of the Rings
Best superpower: Super Strength
Number one thing to do on your bucket list: Go to Hawaii’s volcano national park

Thanks K.M. for taking the time to chat with us.  I hope all the readers have enjoyed the interview and will continue on the blog tour.

Stalk K.M. Jenkins @ the Following:
Website/Blog:
https://authorkmjenkins.com/
FB Author Page:
https://www.facebook.com/authorkmjenkins/
Become a Dragon Ryder (Street Team):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/401132917085336/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/@authorkmjenkins/
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/kmjenkins_specfictionauthor
BookSprout:
https://booksprout.co/author/3717/k-m-jenkins
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/K.M.-Jenkins/e/B07GDSWDK7
Bookbub:
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/k-m-jenkins


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Follow the tour on the following blogs...

Blog Tour Hostess: The Bursting Bookshelf Blog
​

Here's a new release from an author I met online many years ago.  It's Cerberus by A.R. Silverberry.  I took this opportunity to quiz him about the new release.   Strap in for a quick Q&A


The brilliant cover of Cerberus is a real eye-catcher. What inspired it, and who created it?


I really don’t know what inspired it. An artist named Viergacht created it. I found it on the selfpubbookcovers site. When I saw it, I snapped it up, not knowing which book I would use it for. When I settled on publishing an anthology, I knew this was the cover!


How does Cerberus differ from your previous books, The Stream and Wyndano’s Cloak?


They’re all very different! Cerberus is a collection of my fantasy tales for adults and teens: six short stories and three flash fiction stories. Wyndano’s Cloak is a fantasy for children ages ten and up. The Stream is a fable for adults.


How do you think your writing has grown since your earlier stories?


Early on, I loved the feeling of discovering where the story would go as I wrote it. I have an entire novel sitting in a dusty box to prove it! The problem was that the whole thing didn’t hang together, so over time I’ve gradually moved from pure intuition to crafting stories more intentionally. I still want to be surprised, though, and the best scenes are the ones I don’t expect.


Short stories seem to be your preferred style. I see you are in various anthologies on Amazon. Why does the short format appeal to you and do you plan to write any novels in the future?


It’s all up to the muse! I’m finishing up a novella and novel that are paired prequels to Wyndano’s Cloak. An agent requested the full manuscript for a sci-fi novel, and books two and three of that series just need one more draft. So, I’m still very much a novelist. These short stories were penned while taking a break from the above, so it made sense to make a collection out of them.


Here’s a bit about Cerberus:

Nine Timeless Tales of Enchantment
Does Magic Exist? Discover the strange and curious events that unfold when …
· A belligerent bailiff has his fortune told
· A little girl searches for one last spell
· A reclusive actress receives a mysterious knock on her door
· An orphan fights to survive in the shadow of a menacing terror
Don’t stop there … a wizard, a friendless boy, a devil cat, and Shakespeare’s fairy queen lie within. From the boundless imagination of A. R. Silverberry, these irresistible tales conjure up a wondrous brew of MAGIC AND MALICE.

FEATURING SEVEN ALL-NEW STORIES: Cerberus, Tangles, The Willow Sister, Titania, Blaze, and The Mask

Pre-order from Amazon. Book goes live on May 18!

Follow A. R. Silverberry:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

About the Author:
A. R. Silverberry writes science fiction and fantasy for children, teens, and adults. His novels, Wyndano’s Cloak and The Stream, earned numerous awards, including the Benjamin Franklin Award gold medal for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction. He lives in California, where he explores enchanted forests, searching for pixies and elves. 

We have something special today
a Rafflecopter giveaway where you can win copies of Cerberus and The Stream

Hi readers, you know I like to post new and exciting things.  Today I scored you an excerpt from Nix Whittaker's new release that's just hit the virtual shelves.  Check this out!

​White Lady Release


Book title: White Lady
Author: Nix Whittaker
Genre: Steampunk
Series: Book 2 Wyvern Mysteries
Release date: 1 September 2019
Amazon link: amzn.to/2LhR1Js


Other books in the series:
Lady Golden Hand – Book 1 Wyvern Mysteries

Blurb: Hunted by a witch doctor that had already managed to sever a foot, Medea is forced to run from city to city. That is until she lands in Everett's store for mechanical limbs. Everett is not only able to give her back what she had lost but just maybe he could help her break free from the witch doctor that haunts her. Website: https://www.nixwhittaker.com/

Author Bio:
Nix Whittaker is an English teacher in the heart of the North Island of New Zealand. She lives with her cats and her dog in the shadow of an active volcano where she writes in her spare time.
Nix started as a reader to help improve her spelling as she is dyslexic but was hooked by the marvellous worlds of Mercedes Lackey and Terry Pratchett. As time passed and she read out the library, she was forced to write to feed her ferocious need to read. Now her books are influenced by Patricia Briggs and Anne Bishop as she is still very much a reader and so writes books she would like to read herself.

​Excerpt:
The bell tinkling above the door made Everett raise his head sharply. Whacking his head on the counter he was under as he was searching for an errant bolt. Rubbing the back of his head he angled out of the space to see who had entered his store.
A ghost in an emerald pinstriped skirt and cream blouse stood in the light from the store windows. He recoiled, knocking a half-constructed hand off the table behind him. The ghost leaned on a single brass and mahogany crutch tucked under her arm. Skin as pale as a frosty field, her wavy hair reigned free in the same absence of colour as her skin. A pair of green-tinted glasses hid her eyes.
She tilted her head to one side at his reaction. “Are you Ancaster?” Her plain tone lacked the ethereal nature of a ghost which left Everett with only one explanation for her appearance.
Albino.
He’d only heard of albino’s. Mostly from his younger sister who was training to be a doctor. The only other mention he’d seen of albinos was for fairs.
“Sorry Miss, you surprised me.” He dusted off his shirt, hoping nothing from under the counter still clung to him. He offered his hand. “I’m Ancaster.” She took his hand. Even the briefest of touches had palpitations interrupting his heart. Flustered, Everett asked, “Are you here for a
prosthetic?” Laughing, he ran a hand through his hair. “Of course, you are here for a prosthetic.” Everett waved a hand to a stool tucked under the table. He dragged it out and dusted it off with his hand.
She raised an eyebrow high enough that it peeked over the top of the tinted glasses. As she drew closer, he took in her ageless beauty though he judged her to be younger than himself. She tucked her crutch against the counter and lifted herself onto the stool. He pulled another stool from under the counter and positioned himself across from her.
With slate and chalk in hand, he asked, “What are you looking for? Limb-wise I mean.”
She smoothed her hands over her skirt. “Aren’t you going to ask whether I can afford it?”
He flapped the hand with the chalk to dismiss the issue of payment. As the son of a Duke, he didn’t have to worry about his store closing if he gave away a limb or two. “We can figure out cost once you’ve told me what you need.” Nibbling on her lip in hesitation, she revealed the wound by gathering up handfuls of material and lifting the hem of her skirt to uncover her amputated foot.
Everett speculated the reason for the injury. “Not frostbite. Not unless you enjoy climbing mountains.” He flashed her a grin, hoping she would welcome the humour. The glasses hid the intense gaze she levelled at him but he felt it all the same. “Sorry, I’m a bit rusty at this.”
“At what, Mister Ancaster?” Amusement laced her words.
“Flirting.” He blushed.


​If you like what you see, take a look on Amazon