Giveaway – The Mark Of The Salamander by Justin Newland @partnersincr1me

The Mark of the Salamander

by Justin Newland

February 12-23, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

The Mark of the Salamander by Justin Newland

1575.

Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder.

Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan hides in London, before he is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.

Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.

THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Fiction / Magical Realism
Published by: Book Guild
Publication Date: September 28, 2023
Number of Pages: 256
ISBN: 9781915853271 (ISBN10: 1915853273)
Series: The Island of Angels, 1 of 2
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 19

Home at Last

26th September 1580

It was midway through the afternoon watch. On a Monday. It wasn’t any old Monday. It was a special Monday. Not because of an extra beer ration; nor because of the smell of fish emanating from the galley. No – it was because, on that autumn day, nearly all fifty-eight surviving crew members hung over the gunwale, their eyes dripping with expectation and glued to the horizon. On occasion, they glanced up at the topmast and the barrel man as if waiting for a message from the heavens. None came, even after they’d passed the Isles of Scilly. Nor did it come after they passed Wolf Rock. It surely wouldn’t be long in coming.

As the creaking of the sails ceased, the Golden Hind glided serenely through the waters as if drawn forward by a divine wind. Even the gulls stopped squawking. A light rain shower washed the decks. The men gazed at the white flecks on the waves.

Amidst the quiet, a cry went out, and travelled down the mizzenmast, across the poop deck and into the soul of each crew member. “Land ho!”

Nelan stood next to Fletcher, who raised his hands like an Old Testament prophet and cried out, “Oh, my God!” Then he knelt on the deck, hands clasped in a prayer of thanksgiving.

The other hands – all long-haired, heavily bearded, and stinking of piss, ale and perspiration – planted their knees on the deck. To Nelan, that moment felt portentous. It was one of collective bliss in which men of all ranks, natures and ages shared a sublime experience and encountered, perhaps for a few seconds only, the most concentrated religious feeling in the world: that of belonging to each other and to a land. Perhaps they didn’t know it fully, then. Maybe they had an inkling of it, as Nelan did. But at that moment, each of them knew that, through their voyage, their endeavours and their courage, they had unchained the shackles of the past, cut most of the remaining threads of the Gordian Knot of papal suppression, summoned the fresh, clean winds of the future, and set the people of England on a course towards the discovery of themselves and towards an exploration of the world and its peoples.

As the familiar jagged promontory of the Lizard hove into view, the hardy souls who’d survived unimaginable hardships together were stunned to silence. For once, their tongues stopped wagging. Where before they had been vocal in their japes and musical in their jaunts, now they were mute, stilled by the awe and wonder of seeing the distant contours of their land, their England, appear on the horizon. Their journey neared its end. They knew that another would begin as surely as God gave them the grace of another breath. They had not seen this land’s green pastures and gentle slopes for over a thousand days; 1,018, the pilot told them. England. Home at last. They would greet friends they had not seen for two years and ten months. See children who’d grown from suckling babe to infant. Meet mothers who’d given birth in the interim. Comfort wives grown old from the worry, and embrace daughters who’d married during their long absence. They’d clasp hands with their brothers, fathers and sons, and hold them close. Such were the anticipated joys of homecoming. Since they’d set out twice from old Plymouth – once when storms had forced them to return to safe harbour, and later when they’d finally embarked on that fateful day in December 1577 – this was a second coming.

Nelan swallowed hard. He licked his parched lips. While he didn’t expect anyone to meet him on the quay, he remained as excited as the native-born mariners to see old England. She was his home now. She had been a haven for Protestants from all over Europe fleeing the cruel persecution of the Inquisition. He couldn’t go back to Sangatte or Leiden. The angels of the island coursed through his blood and enriched his soul. He belonged to them, and they belonged in him.

From within him there arose a poem of persuasion, a song of softness, a dance of deliberation.

One question hovered on the lips of the crew. But none dared speak it aloud. Not Nelan, and, for once, not even Tom. But it demanded to be asked. The answer would decide their fate; particularly that of the officers and gentlemen and, most of all, of the admiral. He had to be the one to ask it.

***

Excerpt from The Mark of the Salamander by Justin Newland. Copyright 2023 by Justin Newland. Reproduced with permission from Justin Newland. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Justin Newland

JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. His stories explore the themes of war and religion, and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe. Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.

  • The historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.
  • The Coronation (Matador, 2019) was another historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.
  • The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.
  • The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it’s an epic tale of England’s coming of age.
  • His work in progress is the second in the series, The Midnight of Eights, the charting of the uncanny coincidences that led to the repulse of the Spanish Armada. Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin appears on LitFest panels, gives talks to historical associations and libraries and enjoys giving radio interviews and making podcasts. Born three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

    Catch Up With Our Author:
    www.JustinNewland.com
    Goodreads
    BookBub – @justinnewland
    Instagram – @drjustinnewland
    Twitter/X – @JustinNewland53
    Facebook – @justin.newland.author
    Pinterest – @jnewland0711

     

     

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    This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Justin Newland. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

     

     

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    The Spotlight Is On – The Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers by Laury A Egan @ireadbooktours

     


    I am excited to have Laury A Egan here today, sharing her thoughts about whatever she wants. 🙂

    Thank you very much for featuring The Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers! Here are my interview questions:

    1. What was the inspiration for writing this very unusual work?

    To be honest, I haven’t a clue! The best I can say is that the beginning of the first novella (there are two, both linked, with the same main character) was strongly influenced by Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, in that it starts in a slow, introspective manner. After that, the plot picks up speed and begins a series of twists and turns, employing an Orlando-esque quality and magical realism. One of my main interests was telling a story about an older woman who is dealing with some physical infirmities and looking back on her life and investigating its mysteries.

    2. Can you explain what you mean by magical realism and how did you use it?

    This work is about an author, Sidonie Ross, who is depicted at age 64, 70, and at earlier ages as she tries to uncover memories and to look at her life as a narrative. In the book, I’ve intertwined the real, the half-remembered, and the forgotten and blended them together using a magical style. This is a difficult book to describe or categorize, but the reader is in for a dizzying ride.

    3. How does this work compare to the other thirteen novels and story collection you’ve written and published?

    Fog and Other Stories contained early short fiction and allowed me to experiment and try different styles, create a wide range of characters, and find the genres in which I was comfortable. Unfortunately—or fortunately—I discovered that my tastes were eclectic, from psychological suspense to coming-of-age to comedy to literary, as in this book. Of all of my writing, The Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers is my most creative and unusual. I’m really pleased to have this one published!

    4. The author in this book writes from a room within her home. Do you?

    Yes. Although my office is in the same quadrant of my house as Sidonie’s office, her house is based on my childhood home, which is only a few miles from my present residence. In both cases, there were woods visible through the right window, and the ocean was on the far side of the building (better to avoid distractions). I work every day, almost all day.

    5. Do you have other obligations? Family or career?

    Other than a prolific number of doctor’s appointments? As for job demands, I’ve retired from my career as a book designer (Princeton University Press and 20 other publishers) and as a freelance live opera/theater photographer, but I still hold fine arts photography critiques every two months. When my publishers allow, I create photographic illustrations and do the typography for covers, such as I did for this book. My life’s philosophy—which might also be that of Sidonie Ross—is best summed up by a line from Andrew Carnegie: “My heart is in my work.” Since I attended Carnegie Mellon University, I took this sentiment very seriously from an early age. My mother, who was a brilliant artist, did, too, and my father, who was a building contractor, was imaginative in his fashion. I have no family still alive, except for a few far-flung cousins, so my life is mostly free of distractions.

    6. Since The Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers features time regressions, what period of your life would you like to revisit?

    My early forties. I had just begun my freelance design and photography business, had fallen in love with opera and was attending the Met Opera regularly, with some magical evenings spent photographing live opera productions such as Philip Glass’ premiere of The Voyage at the Met. I was meeting so many fascinating people and, at the same time, was starting my first novel, which I’ve recently unearthed and am attempting to revise (a very heavy lift). Everything was exciting; doors were opening into new worlds I had only previously glimpsed. And, yes, there was a romance!

    Thank you so much for visiting and sharing your thoughts, Laury. Good luck with the tour.

    Book Details:

    Book TitleThe Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers by Laury A. Egan
    Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 306 pages
    Genre:  Literary, with magical realism
    Publisher:  Spectrum Books
    Release Date: Dec 16, 2023

    Content Rating:  PG + M.  Language is moderate; scenes of attempted incest and lesbian encounter.  

    Giveaway – The Mark Of The Salamander by Justin Newland @JustinNewland53 @iReadBookTours

     


    Author Justin Newland Guest Post for Sherry @ fundimental

    My latest historical fiction novel, The Mark of the Salamander, has just hit the shelves. It’s
    the first title in a two-book series, The Island of Angels, which tells the epic story and secret
    history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

    This blog post is about the title, namely The Mark of the Salamander.
    First of all, what is a salamander? Well, it’s a spirit of fire.

    In Medieval times, Paracelsus, the great Swiss alchemist, identified the four beings or
    spirits of the elements. While the salamander is the fire elemental, gnomes inhabit the earth, undines swim in the waters of the oceans, and sylphs are air spirits.

    As a spirit of fire, the salamander is a lithe creature that occupied the other world, and so would only be appear to be seen those who had the eyes to see them. Just like the other
    three elemental spirits, the salamander had healing properties, and had to those it attended, it gave the power of foresight, and of insight into the future.

    Fire is fascinating. It lives, it’s alive. At the hearth, it warms, and yet it destroys. It melts, it smelts, and it cleanses. It houses the phoenix who rises from the ashes, it begets new
    birth, and yet Hell is full of the stuff.

    It’s the living fire, the fire that we breathe that’s inside the air, the flame of life and living.

    And there’s a ruby salamander mentioned in the novel. The idea of it came from this image of a ruby salamander pendant. Gold filigree set with rubies, it was recovered from a Spanish galleon off the coast of Northern Ireland some years after the Armada. So, although it was probably not part of the treasure taken by Drake from the Spanish ship, the Cacafuego, the fact that it was a salamander gave me the idea to use it in the novel.

    What about the mark, the mark of the salamander? What’s that?

    Well, I got the idea from the Ancient Greek myth about the warrior Achilles. The legend goes that his mother dipped him into the River Styx to make his entire body invulnerable, except for the part of his foot where she held him—the proverbial Achilles heel. That was his identifying feature, in his case, his weakness and ultimately, his destiny.

    In a similar way, Nelan, the hero of my novel, is born with three wavy lines beneath the middle finger of his right hand. That’s the mark of the salamander. That way, his supernatural powers, such as clairvoyance, ESP, and telepathy, can be identified with a physical feature, an actual mark on the body.

    Justin Newland
    5th October 2023


    Book Details:

    Book Title:  The Mark of the Salamander by Justin Newland
    Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  246 pages
    GenreHistorical Fiction and Magical Realism 
    Publisher:  The Book Guild
    Release date:  September 2023
    Content Rating: PG-13 +M. Mild sex and cruelty. Mature themes.


    Book Description:

    1575.

    Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder. Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan hides in London, before he is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind. Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.

    THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.



    Meet the Author:

    JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. His stories explore the themes of war and religion, and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe.

    Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.

    The historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.

    The Coronation (Matador, 2019) was another historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.

    The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.

    The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it’s an epic tale of England’s coming of age.

    His work in progress is the second in the series, The Midnight of Eights, the charting of the uncanny coincidences that led to the repulse of the Spanish Armada.

    Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin appears on LitFest panels, gives talks to historical associations and libraries and enjoys giving radio interviews and making podcasts. Born three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.


    connect with the author: 
    website twitter ~ facebook instagram pinterest bookbub goodreads

    Enter the Giveaway:

    THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER Book Tour Giveaway



    MY JUSTIN NEWLAND REVIEWS

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    Giveaway – Violins Played Before Junsian by Lou Kemp @GoddessFish

    Violins Played before Junstan by Lou Kemp

    GENRE: Fantasy (magical realism)

    BLURB

    While on a mission to avenge the death of his lover, the immortal peyote-eating magician Celwyn is hired to deliver an automat, Professor Kang, to a priest. But Celwyn quickly learns that everything the priest told him was a lie. Now his ship, the Zelda, is stuck in a horrific storm and Celwyn knows he must reconsider his allegiance if he is to steer his vessel in the right direction and continue his quest.

    EXCERPT

    San Francisco, 1865  

    Late in the evening, thick ribbons of fog moved like a living animal, breathing, then thinning to vapor before revealing the shadows between the wooden barrels that lined the docks. Beyond the Opera House’s silhouette, oily glimmers of the bay cut through the darkness, only to be obscured by the fog again.

    As Celwyn neared the docks, he heard virulent cursing above the commotion from a carriage as it charged down the cobblestones toward him. When the coach drew level, the driver raised a whip above his horse. On its descent to the horse’s back, the tip suspended mid-air and snake-like, the whip shimmied out of the coachman’s hand.

    The man steered the hackney to a stop. As he slithered out of the high cab, the whip followed him, wrapping around his ankles, lifting him feetfirst into the air. His cursing echoed to screams as he disappeared into the night sky. A moment later, a splash could be heard, and a satisfied smile crossed Celwyn’s lips; he couldn’t stand to see anyone mistreating an animal. The horse trotted down the street, rather jauntily, back toward the stable yard as the magician stepped around a snoring drunk and into Salty’s tattered and dingy atmosphere. Celwyn could have sworn it was the same drunk he stepped over last night.

    AUTHOR Bio and Links

    Early work was horror and suspense, later work morphed into a combination of magical realism, mystery and adventure painted with a horrific element as needed.

    I’m one of those writers who doesn’t plan ahead, no outlines, no clue, and I sometimes write myself into a corner. Atmospheric music in the background helps. Black by Pearl Jam especially.

    More information is available at LouKemp.com. I’d love to hear from you and what you think of Celwyn, Bartholomew, and Professor Xiau Kang.

    Milestones:

    2009 The anthology story Sherlock’s Opera appeared in Seattle Noir, edited by Curt Colbert, Akashic Books. Available through Amazon or Barnes and Noble online. Booklist published a favorable review of my contribution to the anthology.

    2010 My story, In Memory of the Sibylline, was accepted into the best-selling MWA anthology Crimes by Moonlight, edited by Charlaine Harris. The immortal magician Celwyn makes his first appearance in print.

    2018 The story, The Violins Played before Junstan is published in the MWA anthology Odd Partners, edited by Anne Perry. The Celwyn series begins.

    Book 1, The Violins Played before Junstan reissue with the publisher, the 4 Horsemen on 10-17-22. The 4 Horsemen will publish the remaining books in the series beginning with Music Shall Untune the Sky, The Raven and the Pig, The Pirate Danced and the Automat Died.  The companion book, Farm Hall continues the story of Pelaez, another immortal magician and Celwyn’s brother will also be available.

    Website / Amazon / Book Depository / B&N

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

    • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
    • You can see my Reviews HERE.
    • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
    • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
    • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
    • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
    • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

    Giveaway – Secrets of a River Swimmer by S S Turner @GoddessFish

    Secrets of a River Swimmer by S.S. Turner

    GENRE: Literary Fiction

    BLURB:

    As Freddy gazes at the majestic river gushing past him in the depths of a Scottish winter, he’s ready to jump in and end his life. But what happens next is not what Freddy expects. From the moment he enters the river, Freddy starts a journey which is more beautiful, funny, and mysterious than he could have imagined. And through this journey Freddy’s story becomes interweaved with a cast of unforgettable characters who are equally lost and in search of answers. Eventually they all unite in their quest for an answer to the biggest question of them all: will the river take them where they want to go?

    In the tradition of inspirational works of fiction like The Alchemist and Life of Pi, Secrets of a River Swimmer is at once a profound exploration into living with meaning and an affecting story of people on the cusp of change.

    EXCERPT

    From Page 7

    I dip my toe in.

    It’s fucking freezing.

    I sit and watch the majestically sinister Scottish river hurtle along below me. I’m not sure whether to be in awe or terrified, but that was always going to be the case today, my last day. The idea of jumping into the river reminds me of the feeling you experience when you arrive at the beach, and you’re thinking about jumping into the sea, but you know it’s going to cause you grievous bodily harm from your nether regions up. For some reason, your legs are the one part of your body which can handle intense cold without too much stress. But all body parts above your legs are a whole different story. My voice just rose an octave, and I’m not even talking.

    So you sit and watch the sea while contemplating your next move, as if this thinking time will give you the required mental strength to leap into the cold blue water. However, this thinking time just gives the water an opportunity to look you in the eye with laughing menace, because the water knows the questions you are grappling with deep in your soul. The water understands it is strong and you are weak—the eternal power imbalance at play.

    The waiting period only makes it worse, of course. All it does is allow you to hand more mental power over to the cold water than a short and simple jumping-in maneuver would have done. Why do we employ such counter-productive strategies in our lives?

    AUTHOR Bio and Links

    S.S. Turner has been an avid reader, writer, and explorer of the natural world throughout his life which has been spent in England, Scotland and Australia. Just like Freddy in his first novel, Secrets of a River Swimmer, he worked in the global fund management sector for many years but realized it didn’t align with his values. In recent years, he’s been focused on inspiring positive change through his writing as well as trying not to laugh in unfortunate situations. He now lives in Australia with his wife, daughter, two dogs, two cats, and ten chickens.

    Buy Links: Amazon / B&N / AppleBooks / Indigo / Kobo

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    Follow the tour and comment. The more you follow, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

    • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
    • You can see my Reviews HERE.
    • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
    • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
    • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
    • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
    • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

    Giveaway – The Raven and the Pig by Lou Kemp @LouKempBooks @GoddessFish

    I am happy to have Lou Kemp here on fundinmental, sharing his thoughts. Take it away Lou.

    Are my characters extensions of me?

    Yes, to an extent. 

    The immortal magician, Jonas Celwyn, is world-weary.  For hundreds of years, he has been traveling from bloody wars to royal courts full of intrigue, on to famines and then to wild forests with fantastic animals and birds.  What he sees becomes part of his repertoire of magic.  For years he has wandered alone except for occasional acquaintances who do not try to kill him or trick him.  He gives an example in book 1, Music Shall Untune the Sky, when he describes the mental state of the poet John Dryden, someone he socialized with.  Celwyn spends most his time keeping Dryden from killing himself. His other activities took second place to help Dryden.

    When Celwyn meets Professor Xiau Kang, the fussy automat, they are on the ship the Zelda.  He is supposed to deliver him to Talos, but he and Kang become friends, and it is Talos who dies.  Celwyn has a history of helping those he meets, and when provoked, killing those he believes deserve to die.  Kang is worried that those tendencies, because they are done with fanfare and as “artful” as the magician is fond of saying, the result gives them more notoriety than they need.  To keep Kang from nagging him, Celwyn tries to be less noteworthy.  As the first few books of the series evolve, Celwyn does also to a point.  But he can’t control everything that occurs, and he reacts to.

    A strict sense of morality, of backing up those he cares about are the traits of Celwyn that are easy to identify with.  He has flaws, and usually doesn’t care about them unless Kang nags him.  When an event destroys Kang’s world in book 4, Celwyn feels it as keenly as the automat.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Lou. It was wonderful having you visit.

    The Raven and the Pig by Lou Kemp

    GENRE:   Magical realism

    BLURB

    Synopsis of The Raven and the Pig   Book 2

    As the music dies, the magician Celwyn is mortally wounded.  His darker, immortal brother Pelaez brings him back, barely, with his magic. The party of protagonists travel on the Nautilus to the Cape Verde Islands and the healer of immortals.  During the journey, Professor Kang and Bartholomew can not tell if Pelaez will keep his brother alive.  Captain Nemo is ready to evict Pelaez forcibly, and keeping Celwyn alive is the only thing that restrains him.

    After Celwyn is saved, the healer requests payment for his services. This sends the adventurers to the catacombs in Capuchin where their experience is one they will not forget. Before it is over, several of the protagonists question why it seems everyone from warlocks and vampires to witches, seem to be congregating in their world. Before it is over, some of them become surprising allies, and a few of their allies turn against them.

    In part II, work on the new flying machine begins in earnest bringing attention from the Mafioso and a cherub-like warlock called Duncan.  After a final battle with Duncan, the flying machine is destroyed and everyone at their compound is murdered by one of their own. 

    EXCERPT

    Prelude

    The rolling hills near Odessa, north of Constantinople   1867

    With each step he took, Professor Xiau Kang sensed the intensity, and importance of what he would find.  Above all, he felt the weight of his sadness.  He had done his best to ignore that there was no guarantee Captain Nemo had located Thales, if Nemo failed to find him, Jonas Celwyn would be dead within a matter of days, perhaps hours. 

    A long time ago, on the Zelda, the magician had doubted a mechanical man could feel.  Kang paused, swaying on his feet as he fought to regain his control; at this moment, the automat knew real despair, a wrenching grief that they would lose Jonas.  He swallowed hard and walked faster, climbing to the top of the berm.

    There she was!  The long black submarine lay still in the water.  A single sailor stood on patrol, and another perched in the cage on top with a spyglass.

    Kang called, “I’ll get Mr. Celwyn.  Please let the Captain know we’re here.”

    Conductor Smith joined him as they ran back to the coach.  The others had seen them and began unloading the magician onto the stretcher that Kang had fashioned for this moment.  He skidded to a stop and grabbed Celwyn’s hand.     

    “The Nautilus is here. It isn’t far.”

    In the distance, a low hum reached them; the sound sputtered and grew stronger.

    The magician’s eyes opened slowly, like a thread from his memory raised his lids, impelling him to look.  Everyone, including Jonas, gazed upward, as if they had already known what was to come.

    The noise grew louder, and then a bright yellow flying machine crested the low hills and headed toward the estuary.

    “Yes!” Kang shouted, raising his fist in triumph.

    The plane swerved to the north, banked, and then flew toward them again in a wide arc.

    “Oh, my God, it’s Bartholomew,” Elizabeth exclaimed.

    Bartholomew wore a broad smile and his scarf fluttered in the breeze as he sailed over them.  He waved.  As he banked again, the engine revved and he turned, descending for another pass.  Celwyn raised himself onto an elbow to wave back.

    “Hurry,” Kang said.  “Bartholomew is going to land.  We have to get Jonas onto the ship.”

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Early work was horror and suspense, later work morphed into a combination of magical realism, mystery and adventure painted with a horrific element as needed.

    I’m one of those writers who doesn’t plan ahead, no outlines, no clue, and I sometimes write myself into a corner. Atmospheric music in the background helps. Black by Pearl Jam especially.

    More information is available at LouKemp.com. I’d love to hear from you and what you think of Celwyn, Bartholomew, and Professor Xiau Kang.

    Milestones:

    2009 The anthology story Sherlock’s Opera appeared in Seattle Noir, edited by Curt Colbert, Akashic Books. Available through Amazon or Barnes and Noble online. Booklist published a favorable review of my contribution to the anthology.

    2010 My story, In Memory of the Sibylline, was accepted into the best-selling MWA anthology Crimes by Moonlight, edited by Charlaine Harris. The immortal magician Celwyn makes his first appearance in print.

    2018 The story, The Violins Played before Junstan is published in the MWA anthology Odd Partners, edited by Anne Perry. The Celwyn series begins.

    Present The full length prequel, The Violins Played before Junstan, to the Celwyn book series is published on Kindle. The companion book, Farm Hall is also published where Pelaez, another immortal magician and Celwyn’s brother, makes his first appearance. The remaining books in the series: Music Shall Untune the Sky, The Raven and the Pig, The Pirate Danced and the Automat Died, will be available beginning in August 2021.

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    #BooksFromTheBacklog – Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba @stacyjuba

    Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

    If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

    This weeks book to share is Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba. I downloaded this from Amazon as a freebie on 6.5.12.

    Dark Before Dawn

    Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

    GOODREADS BLURB

    When teen psychic Dawn Christian gets involved with a fortuneteller mentor and two girls who share her mysterious talents, she finally belongs after years of being a misfit. When she learns her new friends may be tied to freak accidents in town, Dawn has an important choice to make – continue developing the talent that makes her special or challenge the only people who have ever accepted her. This novel is aimed at young adults, and at adults who enjoy paranormal YA such as the Twilight series, House of Night, and The Vampire Diaries series, Meg Cabot’s The Mediator series, or Lois Duncan books.

    I love a good paranormal young adult story and when I saw they compared it to the Twilight series, House of Night, and The Vampire Diaries series, Meg Cabot’s The Mediator series, or Lois Duncan books, I thought it was hard to go wrong.

    3.80  ·  Rating details ·  167 ratings  ·  54 reviews

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    Magical Realism – Blood and Ashes by Marilyn Peake @marilynpeake

    .

    Marilyn Peake’s latest release, Blood and Ashes, is a fabulous paranormal/supernatural, fantasy novel with a touch of realism, except for the magical part…

    I love the colorful color and the red makes it pop off the pages. Very pretty and spills some of the secrets inside.

    Cover by Phatpuppy.com

    Blood and Ashes: A Paranormal Romance Novel

    Goodreads  /  Amazon

    MY REVIEW

    Miracles and magic are happening from the opening pages, and Kaelin’s acting like it’s an every day occurrence in these desperate times.

    The financial situation the characters find themselves in, makes me think of current events, with businesses closing, people being deported, people losing everything, and those with hope struggling to survive.

    When Kaelin found the baby, I really woke up, became hooked and knew I would have trouble putting the book down, even long enough for a bathroom break.

    Her mother has a heart so big, so open and giving, I wish more for her. No one deserves a break more than she does. Some characters…and people…amaze me with their ability to give, and the depths of love that is freely given.

    First an abandoned baby, then a kitty with itty bitty legs, Kaelin takes them home and makes them her own.

    And Devin, the new guy across the hall. What’s up with him? Why doesn’t she question his sudden appearances? Almost as if he knows something. I know he’s going to be special.

    Kaelin has friends, people looking out for her and her family, like Mrs Santiago, who owns the grocery store and Gwendolyn Griffin, a healer who offers to work with her to develop her healing abilities. If you ever want candy, be sure and visit Mrs Santiago’s store.

    Kaelin is very resourceful, and even though she dumpster dives for additional food for the family, you would never know it by her attitude. She knows where to find apples and blueberries, ripe for the picking. She has a green thumb, and her touch can be like Miracle Gro.

    She does everything she can to make it to college, wanting a better life for them all. But, even though she is accepted, due to cutbacks of the governmental kind, there is no money available to help her. She chooses an alternative, Gwendolyn Griffin’s traditional healing of the witchy kind.

    I can see the kids with bags of Halloween costumes, as they are tossed willy nilly, while they each choose the perfect costume. Kaelin goes to the thrift store and creates a mish mash costume that makes her beauty bloom.

    The book is divided into three parts.

    Part I is Kaelin’s story that takes place in the human world.

    Part II is Liliana’s Story that takes place in the fairie world. Liliana is a fairy that crosses into the human world. A romance goes wrong. But the world is not what it appears to be.

    Part III brings them all together, exposing secrets and Kaelin’s true calling.

    Human, Seelie, Unseelie, good fairies, bad fairies…Magic, danger, romance, love and loss.

    Blood and Ashes is written for the young at heart, with easy reading and a quick pace. I love the imaginative world and characters Marilyn Peake has created. Such a great story. I found myself smiling at the simplest things. Her ability to spin a tale keeps her high on my reading list…no matter what genre she writes in.

    Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

    GOODREADS BLURB

    With blood and magic, civilization rises from the ash.

    Worlds are falling apart in two realms: human and faerie. After the factories close and her father dies of alcoholism, Kaelin helps her family survive by foraging for food. Her world is thrown into chaos as she comes to realize she has incredible power as both blood and hedge witch. When a handsome stranger enters her life, it’s clear that he’s not from her neck of the woods. Although he and his family appear perfect in so many ways, they desperately need her help.

    Blood and Ashes is a Paranormal Romance novel with some adult content.

    ABOUT MARILYN PEAKE

    Marilyn PeakeFrom Goodreads:

    Marilyn Peake is the author of both novels and short stories. Her publications have received excellent reviews. Marilyn’s one of the contributing authors in BOOK: THE SEQUEL, published by The Perseus Books Group, with one of her entries included in serialization at THE DAILY BEAST. In addition, Marilyn has served as Editor of a number of anthologies. Her short stories have been published in seven anthologies and on the literary blog, GLASS CASES.

    Awards: Silver Award, two Honorable Mentions and eight Finalist placements in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards, two Winner and two Finalist placements in the EPPIE Awards, Winner of the Dream Realm Awards, and eight Top Ten Finisher Awards in the Preditors and Editors Readers Poll.

    Stalk Marilyn Peake:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook
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    Laughs and Tears – Review for Outsider by Becca Campbell @beccajcampbell

    Becca Campbell hooked me with Empath, The Flawed Series Book I, and I was super excited when a won a copy of The Outsider, Book II.

    I am always interested in who does covers for the stories I love to read.

    Great job, Steven Novak. Hop on over and check him out.

    Outsider (Flawed, #2)Amazon  /  Goodreads

    MY REVIEW

    Becca Campbell has outdone herself with the fabulous Flawed Series and Outsider, Book II, just keeps me craving more. If you love to get lost in magical realism, where the characters tug at your heartstrings and you feel their pain, you will want these books on your reading list.

    All his life, Josh felt like an Outsider.

    Why were Josh’s family and friends empowered with supernatural abilities and not him? As many supernatural books as I have read, I think he is being saved for something special. Am I right? I shall have to read on to find out and so will you.

    Alex came into his life. Her mom was too busy for her, her friends…out of sight, out of mind, so it’s time to make new ones. She’s not a plain Jane, she just doesn’t feel the need for makeup and likes her casual clothes. Alex gets along well with men and has few women friends. That makes it easy for me to relate to her, because I am the same way.

    When Nic met Alex, it wasn’t what he anticipated and I love it. His power of captivation didn’t work this time. LOL When he poured water over his eyes, I laughed even louder.

    Ah…young love and longing.

    We have college teenagers, hanging out, some of them in a band, some of them with superpowers. It starts out with teenage angst and doesn’t take long for some action and danger to rear its ugly head..

    Alex had no idea she had made an enemy and I see big trouble on the horizon.

    OH MAN Becca! WTF are you doing? How could you? And, as if it wasn’t already bad enough…THE DOOR!

    The blend of reality and fantasy, with engrossing characters who are growing and developing, becoming more complex as the story unfolds, ramps up to a white knuckle ending and I must have more. 

    Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

    GOODREADS BLURB

    After a psychopath tried to kill his friends, Josh Schuyler figured ‘normal’ was far off. The real problem: Josh’s friends have all acquired supernatural abilities, while he’s still the same average guy.

    Josh has always believed he was destined for greatness, but he’s been out of college for two years without a clue of his purpose. After watching his friends and siblings develop superhuman traits, he wonders if he might be meant for something grand, too. Can Josh even hope for an extraordinary event in his own future? And how long must he wait for this transformation – if there is one?

    When Alex met the Schuylers, she was grateful for new friends to whisk her away from her lonely life in California and give her an escape from her divorced, bickering parents and aimless future. But Josh won’t drop his defenses, and Alex isn’t sure she wants to trade her old life for this new, uncertain one.

    Nicodemus has an amazing ability he’s been milking for years to get whatever or whomever he wants. Things are going great until a young woman – Alex – inadvertently busts his latest swindle. Nic is furious when he discovers his power has been disabled, and he vows to find her in order to wreak his vengeance. She will be punished. All he needs is a little help from his friend, Ethan Black.

    Josh has been waiting for his big break, or for the chance to be a hero, or just the opportunity to stand out in his own, extraordinary way.

    Will Josh discover his purpose in time to stop Nic?

    ABOUT BECCA CAMPBELL

     IMG_9824 BW smallBecca J. Campbell writes New Adult (twenty-somethings) fiction that varies from Urban Fantasy to Thriller to Science Fiction. Her stories typically blend a taste of the fantastical with real-world settings and add a dash of romance for good measure.

    She’s always looking for a great speculative fiction read, and she holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity.

    Becca is also the co-creator of JuNoWriMo.com, where you can join a vibrant community and write a novel during June.

    To join Becca’s writing journey and be notified when her next book is released, sign up for her author newsletter.

    Author Blog | Amazon | Goodreads  l  Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google +

    MY REVIEWS FOR BECCA CAMPBELL

    Empath OutsiderProtectorEnchanterConstrictedThe Father HuntPulled

     
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    Giveaway – Like A Rainbow by Eileen Colucci @YABoundToursPR

     

    She’s Like a Rainbow
    by Eileen Colucci
    Genre: YA Magical Realism 
    Release Date: June 13th 2016

    Summary from Goodreads:

    “The summer I turned ten, my life took a fairy tale turn.” 

    So begins Reema Ben Ghazi’s tale set in Morocco, SHE’S LIKE A RAINBOW. Reema awakes one morning to find her skin has changed from whipped cream to dark chocolate. From then on, every few years she undergoes another metamorphosis, her color changing successively to red, yellow and ultimately brown. What is the cause of this strange condition and is there a cure? Does the legend of the White Buffalo have anything to do with it? As Reema struggles to find answers to these questions, she confronts the reactions of the people around her, including her strict and unsympathetic mother, Lalla Jamila; her timid younger sister, Zakia; and her two best friends, Batoul and Khalil. At the same time, she must deal with the trials of adolescence even as her friendship with Khalil turns to first love. One day, in her search for answers, Reema discovers a shocking secret – she may have been adopted at birth. As a result, Reema embarks on a quest to find her birth mother that takes her from twentieth-century Rabat to post-9/11 New York. 

    Reema’s humanity shines through her story, reminding us of all we have in common regardless of our particular cultural heritage. SHE’S LIKE A RAINBOW, which will appeal to Teens as well as Adults, raises intriguing questions about identity and ethnicity. 

    Add to Goodreads

    About the Author

    A native New Yorker, Eileen Colucci has been living in Rabat with her Moroccan husband for the past thirty-plus years. She is a former teacher and recently retired after twenty-eight years as a translator with the U.S. Embassy, Rabat. Her articles and short stories have appeared in various publications and ezines including Fodor’s Morocco, Parents’ Press, The New Dominion and Expat Women. SHE’S LIKE A RAINBOW is her second novel.

    Author Links:  WebsiteGoodreads

    GIVEAWAY

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    Blog Tour Organized by:  YA Bound Book Tours

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