Book Tour | Ellwyn Autumn

A Pioneer Christmas Beyond The Oregon Trail

Can the love that binds this family deliver Christmas miracles?

Or will the unforgiving wilderness crush their holiday spirit?

A Pioneer Christmas Beyond the Oregon Trail

A Ghosts Among the Oregon Trail Holiday Novella

by David Fitz-Gerald

Genre: Historical Holiday Western Adventure

Dorcas and her family endured a harrowing trip along the Oregon Trail in 1850. Now, they face their first brutal winter in the rugged wilderness. Can they survive the harsh realities of frontier life?

Devastating setbacks threaten their lives, crush their hopes, and test their faith in timeless traditions. Their cabin is unfinished. Wild animals shred their tents, ruin their food supply, and wreck their camp.

As winter closes in, a powerful storm strikes their remote homestead. How much more can they endure?

Dorcas suggests skipping Christmas to focus on survival, but her children balk. They don’t want to give up on the cherished holiday. Is Christmas a luxury they can’t afford?

When her husband, Agapito, fails to return from a critical supply run, Dorcas ventures into the wilderness with a rifle in search of food for her children.

She must brave the elements as a mountain lion stalks her through a violent winter storm.

Can the love that binds this family deliver Christmas miracles? Or will the unforgiving wilderness crush their holiday spirit?

Start reading A Pioneer Christmas Beyond the Oregon Trail today. Get wrapped up in this gripping western adventure of love, survival, and the enduring power of hope. Perfect for fans of frontier fiction and heartwarming holiday tales, this novella will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Christmas-Beyond-Oregon-Trail-ebook/dp/B0DHYNBNDR/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-pioneer-christmas-beyond-the-oregon-trail-a-western-adventure-novella-by-david-fitz-gerald

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219752155-a-pioneer-christmas-beyond-the-oregon-trail

**Don’t miss the rest of the series!**

Find them on Amazon!

Series Trailer:

Guest Post

Interview with Andrew Moon, 11 in 1850

Blogger’s Introduction: Today, we step into the dreams of Andrew, a thoughtful and determined young man from A Pioneer Christmas Beyond the Oregon Trail. Andrew’s mind is always working.

While journeying across the wilderness, he published his own daily newspaper. Someday, he hopes to attend college and become a true newspaperman.

Let’s hear his story and get a glimpse of the hopes and determination that fuel him.

Blogger: Hi Andrew! It’s wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard you published your own newspaper on the trail. What inspired you to do that?

Andrew: [Nods, eyes focused] Yeah, I did. It was called The Rolling Home Times. The trail was full of things happening—storms, stampedes, wagon troubles.

I thought folks needed a way to know what was going on and share news between wagons.

I’d talk to people, listen to their stories, and write it all down. It made me feel like I was part of something bigger, like I was helping keep us all together.

Blogger: That’s incredible. You must have quite the knack for storytelling. Do you still want to be a newspaperman when you grow up?

Andrew: I do. I’d love to be a real newspaperman, maybe even have my own paper someday. And I’d like to go to college, too, though I ain’t too sure what that would be like.

I just know it’s a place where you learn more and get better at things like writing and printing. But until then, I figure I’ll just keep learning out here on the frontier. And it doesn’t hurt to remember to say your prayers now and then. [He nods solemnly]

Blogger: Wise words, Andrew. I heard you helped build the family’s cabin. What was that experience like?

Andrew: [Smiles with a touch of pride] It was a lot of work, but it felt good. Agapito, Dunk, and I worked from sunrise to sunset most days. And you know, Mama cut down most of the trees herself, like she was a lumberjack.

She’s stronger than most men. Dunk and I would haul logs and notch them while Agapito made sure everything fit just right. By the end of the day, my arms ached, but it was worth it, seeing the walls go up and knowing we’d have a place to keep warm.

Blogger: Your Ma sounds amazing. And I hear you have a special way of sensing things before they happen. Is that true?

Andrew: [Looks down thoughtfully, then back up] Sometimes I get this feeling, like I know something before it happens.

It’s hard to explain, but it’s helped a time or two, like when trouble’s on the way or when there’s something important we need to do.

I don’t know if it’s luck or something else, but I trust it when it comes. Out here, you gotta take all the help you can get.

Blogger: That’s remarkable. I heard you wrote a song for Christmas, too. Can you tell me about it?

Andrew: [Smiles softly, eyes lighting up] Yeah, I wrote a song called Hope on the Horizon. It came to me while I was out working one cold morning.

I wanted to write something that made us all feel like there was a point to all our hard work. Like we were more than just settlers out here fighting the land. The chorus goes:

In this land of promise, where dreams come alive
We build a home, where hope can thrive
Through the darkest night, we find our way
Bringing light, keeping shadows at bay.

When I sang it at Christmas, Mama and the others joined in, and for a moment, it felt like we were back home, safe and warm.

Blogger: That’s beautiful, Andrew. What’s your biggest hope for the future?

Andrew: I want to write for a real newspaper one day, and I’d like to learn enough to make a good life for my family. Sure hope I can find my way to college one day.

But I know one thing for sure: telling folks about the world around them is important work. That’s what I tried to do with The Rolling Home Times. And if I can, I want to make Mama proud.

Blogger: I’m sure you already do. One last question: if you could give other kids a piece of advice about life out here, what would it be?

Andrew: I’d tell them to be ready for anything, because the frontier doesn’t play by the rules. Work hard, help your family, and don’t be afraid to dream.

And remember, even when times are tough, there’s always something to hold on to—whether it’s a song, a prayer, or the people around you.

Blogger: That’s wonderful advice, Andrew. Thank you for sharing your dreams and your story with us. Merry Christmas!

Andrew: Merry Christmas to you, too. And if you ever need news or a song, just come by. [He gives a small, proud smile as the dream fades]

Giveaway:

Giveaway

$20 Amazon

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/aPioneerChristmasTour

About The Author:

David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850.

Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.

Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head.

He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.

Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music.

It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Author Links

Website: https://www.itsoag.com

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

X: https://twitter.com/AuthorDavidFG

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordavefitzgerald

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/david-fitz-gerald

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/David-Fitz-Gerald/author/B076CJK284

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17341792.David_Fitz_Gerald

Act Of God Book In The Beginning

What could happen if climate change forced humanity to find a new home? To make the journey we must leave behind our most cherished beliefs and hatreds and have faith that God will find us again in the stars.

Act of God

Book 1: In the Beginning

By Jan Byron Strogh

Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera

Earth is facing a coming ice age. Humanity has marshalled its technology and resources in an attempt to delay the great cold; a diversion necessary to maintain hope for the people.

But some few know the truth. There is little hope left on Earth. But there may still be hope in the stars.

Michael, ward of the church since childhood is summoned for humanity’s most ambitious and secret undertaking. Shepard the human race to a new home.

Finished construction, 240 million kilometres from the sun is the Ark. The ship designed to carry one half million souls in suspended animation to a new world.

But the mission of the Ark is more than simply saving the human species. Its creator, the New Unified Church must save the human spirit and accomplish what humanity never attempted; bring together the religions of the world and expunge the ancient hatreds that dominate doctrine.

But the cost to the church will be its very existence. In order to unify, all agree that the Ark must not carry the symbols, books or even the knowledge of any of the old religions.

To survive, humanity must lose God and have faith that God will find them in the stars.

FriesenPress * Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
FriesenPress: https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000013194194/Jan-Byron-Strogh-Act-of-God

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Act-God-Jan-Byron-Strogh-ebook/dp/B0DM2CTJVV

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/act-of-god/id6737707230

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/act-of-god-jan-byron-strogh/1146503734?ean=2940184397023

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?_bbid=239699271&_bbreg=us&_bbtype=blog&id=n4cuEQAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/act-of-god-20

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/act-of-god-by-jan-byron-strogh

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221110264-act-of-god

Excerpt:

It felt like no time at all had passed when Michael woke again. This time the lights in the medical bay were bright.

His arms no longer felt like paper weights and the twitching was gone. As predicted, he was a bit hungry. “Hello,” he called again, sitting up on his elbows.

He looked around. The med bay looked stark and barren, and he could no longer see the panel on the wall. His was the only suspension berth in the room.

Deborah appeared from behind the berth. She smiled but looked tired and a bit haggard. “Is something wrong?” were the first words out of his mouth.

“Nothing is wrong,” she replied. “I knew you would start asking questions. That’s why I am still here, long after my shift was over. I must look like crap.”

She pulled a chair up along side his berth and handed him a closed flask. “Here, drink this while I give you a status report.”

He flipped open the lid of the flask and brought it to his nose. He thought he could smell vegetable soup.

“What’s this?” he queried. “It smells like vegetable soup.”

“Very good. It is vegetable soup. Now eat,” she replied firmly.

He began to sip the liquid as she spoke. “Michael, I was not completely happy with your blood results. Your hormones are slightly elevated. I have moved you to a private room. I want to keep you here for another day of rest. There’s nothing to worry about, I am just being cautious.”

“I feel fine, can I at least get out of this tube?”

“No not yet. I don’t want any physical stress on you at the moment. I want you to finish your soup now and rest. Now, Michael, promise me you’re not going to be a difficult patient,” she pleaded.

“OK,” he conceded. “If I can’t move, how about sending one of the officers here for me to ask a few questions.”

“Out of the question! I have asked you to rest and you can’t rest if you’re being a commander. You know the dangers of reanimation sickness. I am not going to allow anything that might possibly upset you.”

“But you said everything was going great. What can it hurt to speak to an officer?”

“Everything is going great. But what if the officer I send tells you that some, electro do dad, has shorted out? Even if it’s totally routine and easy to fix you might start giving orders and taking charge. I want you to rest,” she commanded.

“Alright, alright,” he gave in, “can I at least ask what star system we’re in?”

“Oh, so now I’m an asrto-navigator, is that it,” she complained jokingly.

“You’re going to get at least one more day of rest and another blood test before I allow you anything. Is that clear! Now everything is just fine.”

But everything was not fine, and she knew it. She needed to keep up her act. She needed him as strong and rested as possible before telling him the truth; that everything was far, far, from fine.

Giveaway

$10 Amazon

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway! https://bit.ly/ActOfGodTour

About The Author:

A graduate in computer science and electronics, Jan Byron “J.B.” Strogh has had a successful career in the tech sector.

Strogh is interested in writing about the pattern of evolution manifest in both humanity and machine.

The series Act of God is based in science and contemplates the long history of human spirituality and how the two must some day converge.

Website * Facebook

Author Links

Website: http://www.actofgod.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567722728627

Threshold Book Tour

On Threshold time travel is about to become possible. The huge space habitat, already 500 years in our future is about to go forward to a safer time and place. Aliens from the All-Time hold the keys. Wanna go?

Threshold

The Threshold Series Book 1

by Janet & Chris Morris

Genre: Science Fiction Thriller Adventure

Set a millennium from now on Threshold Terminal—virtually a Grand Hotel in space— a young test pilot, Joe South, is thrust five hundred years into his future and finds himself in the thick of interstellar smuggling, intrigue, and the rough underworld of an alien environment. It is a time of danger and ever-shifting powers . . . and the destinies of a lost test pilot, an underworld scavenger, and two young lovers become irrevocably intertwined . . .

*November’s Featured Title of the month with Perseid Press!*

**On Sale for Only $2.99!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Threshold-Book-1-Janet-Morris-ebook/dp/B09PRQ4P1W

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/threshold-by-janet-morris-and-chris-morris

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62315061-threshold

Giveaway

Choice of Print or ebook of Threshold, $20 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner each!

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/ThresholdBookTour

About The Authors

Best selling author Janet Morris began writing in 1976 and has since published more than 30 novels, many co-authored with her husband Chris Morris or others.

Most of her fiction work has been in the fantasy and science fiction genres, although she has also written historical and other novels.

Morris has written, contributed to, or edited several book-length works of non-fiction, as well as papers and articles on nonlethal weapons, developmental military technology and other defense and national security topics.

Christopher Crosby Morris (born 1946) is an American author of fiction and non-fiction, as well as a lyricist, musical composer, and singer-songwriter. He is married to author Janet Morris. He is a defense policy and strategy analyst and a principal in M2 Technologies, Inc. He writes primarily as Chris Morris, but occasionally uses pseudonyms.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Bookbub

Amazon * Amazon * Goodreads * Goodreads

Author Links

Website: https://theperseidpress.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Perseid_Press

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perseid_press

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/janet-morris

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/chris-morris

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Janet-Morris/author/B001HPJJB8

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Chris-Morris/author/B008L41JNO

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/121072.Janet_E_Morris

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/317667.Chris_Morris

Tune In Tomorrow Book Tour

Their fantasy is her reality.

Tune in Tomorrow

by Randee Dawn

Genre: Humorous Pop-Culture Fantasy

A funny, thrilling and mysterious adventure into the world of alternate reality television… Perfect for fans of Jasper Fforde and Christopher Moore.

She’s just a small town girl, with big mythic dreams.

Starr Weatherby came to New York to become… well, a star. But after ten years and no luck, she’s offered a big role – on a show no one has ever heard of. And there’s a reason for that. It’s a ‘reality’ show beyond the Veil, human drama, performed for the entertainment of the Fae.

But as Starr shifts from astounded newcomer to rising fan favorite, she learns about the show’s dark underbelly – and mysterious disappearance of her predecessor. She’ll do whatever it takes to keep her dream job – though she might just bring down the show in the process.

Raves for the book:

“I thought I’d seen everything in the galaxy of reality TV, until Randee’s book!” – Andy Cohen, Host / Executive Producer, Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen and New York Times bestselling author

“Randee Dawn has single-handedly created a glittering new genre: the Backstage Comedy Fantasy Romance — and I want more!” – Ellen Kushner, World Fantasy Award-winning author of Thomas the Rhymer and Swordspoint

“Randee Dawn’s Tune in Tomorrow is a wild ride through the world of reality TV, Faerie style. It’s a satire and a romance (of a sort) and a fairytale and a mystery, full of characters I loved (and loved to hate) and situations that had me biting my nails. It’s also hilariously funny.” – World Fantasy Award nominee Delia Sherman, author of The Porcelain Dove and The Evil Wizard Smallbone

“Tune in Tomorrow is a joyride. It takes you on a journey into the make believe world of a soap opera. It dives in and out of what could possibly be fantasy or in fact is reality. As with the sands of time, as you Search for Tomorrow, or you are feeling Young and Restless, get lost in the adventures of Starr and be taken over by all that is Tune in Tomorrow.” – Emmy-nominated actor Gregory Zarian

“Dawn’s Tune in Tomorrow is a ton of fun with a lot of heart, charming characters, and devilish foes. And it’s funny as hell.” – Zin E. Rocklyn, author of Flowers for the Sea

“Few authors can open the door to another world as easily as you might turn on the TV, but Randee Dawn has the key and the remote control firmly in her hand. Flip through the fae and the grindylows, let her be your TV guide and psychopomp. You will find yourself howling at the gate for a rerun.” – Meg Elison, author of Number One Fan

“This book is a BOUNCY CASTLE! This book is like a candy store and a screwball comedy had a fling in fairyland and the result was a mythic soap opera! There was no predicting it, there was only riding this dragon all the way to its rollicking rollercoaster conclusion. How dear and joyous it is, how satisfying, and how worthy of praise!” – World Fantasy Award-winning author of Saint Death’s Daughter C.S.E. Cooney

“Dawn balances over-the-top drama and comedy with genuine intrigue to create a fun story with plenty of heart. Fans of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett will want to snatch this up.” – Publishers Weekly

“Tune in Tomorrow is a hilariously well-constructed story with surprising complexity, and one that uses its reality TV premise not as a destination, but as a jumping off point to create something uniquely interesting that stays entertaining the entire way through.” – Lightspeed Magazine

“Dawn’s witty take on society’s fascination with peering at life through a camera lens spotlights the sometimes-blurred intersection between fantasy and reality, all captured on video. Her playful narrative propels readers into the realm of alternate possibilities while questioning what is real and what is make-believe, and if we can even tell the difference.” – BookTrib

Amazon * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tune-Tomorrow-Randee-Dawn/dp/1786186306

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tune-in-tomorrow-randee-dawn/1140376607?ean=9781786186317

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/tune-in-tomorrow-by-randee-dawn

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/59365823-tune-in-tomorrow

Excerpt

Tune in Tomorrow, by Randee Dawn

They twisted and turned so much Starr lost track of where she was, and Jason’s strange mixture of delight and nervousness was starting to make her feel anxious. At last, she came to a hard halt in the middle of a hallway.

Jason tilted his head.

“Look, I get it. You’re like a big VFX warehouse or something. I’m guessing Tune in Tomorrow is some kind of space opera on the web. But your showing me every nook and cranny and door hinge doesn’t give me a clue about what’s going on. What is this place?”

Jason took a dramatic pause and his green eyes lit up, “Tune in Tomorrow is many things to so many mythics. We are the longest-running, most-viewed reality TV show ever made in any dimension. We are made by mythics, for mythics—but starring humans. “

“Reality?” Starr twitched. “With dragon puppets and robots?”

Jason started to speak, took a breath and paced up and down. Raised a finger, lowered it, then stopped in front of her. Cleared his throat. “It’s been some time since I had to explain this to a human. Bear with me.” He pushed open another door and gestured inside.

Starr planted her feet in the doorway. “Jason, this is a toilet.”

“Yes, well, needs must. I don’t have any other handy water.”

He was speaking in riddles—and disappearing into a bathroom with a near-stranger was awkward at best, creepy at worst. Still, she didn’t sense Jason was up to no good.

He practically vibrated with excitement, or nerves, or both. Swallowing, Starr took the risk and stepped inside. The bathroom door swung closed behind them.

Jason turned on all four sinks in the room. Water cascaded from three; butterflies burst from the fourth. Starr gaped. Jason quickly shut that one off with a sheepish grin and turned his back on the sink. The butterflies disintegrated.

Starr blinked.

“You see,” he raised his sing-song voice over the noise of the remaining water, “we adore human to’ings and fro’ings. We are the original fans of stories-without-end. Some hundreds of years ago when the Seelie came up with the idea of telling stories to mythics, they were known as Stories Of All Purpose, or for short –”

“SOAP,” Starr realized. The room was starting to heat up and the mirrors fogged; Jason had apparently turned on only the hot water. She wondered where he was going with all this; the fantastical elements of his story were fanciful and charming, but silly. Maybe he was just being very method about the show. “You’re making a soap opera?”

“Shh!” he quieted her, glancing around. “Yes—and no. That’s how we started. But most mythics are self-cleaning. Bathing is a hobby, not a practice. SOAPs fell a bit out of fashion. Mythics wanted real human stories.

Finally, once humans on your side of the Veil began writing their own TV shows, one of us—me, in fact—infiltrated a few writing rooms and discovered that you were doing what we’d been doing for years and calling it ‘reality TV.’ That fit us perfectly . Our viewers tune in because they believe we are telling real stories, and that’s what keeps us going.”

Giveaway

$20 Amazon

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/TuneInTomorrowTour

About The Author

Randee Dawn is an author, journalist, and lucky denizen of Brooklyn. Her first novel, the humorous pop-culture fantasy Tune in Tomorrow, published in August 2022 (Solaris/Rebellion).

Randee’s short fiction has appeared in publications and podcasts including 3AM Magazine (“The View of My Brother’s Profile in the Rear-View Mirror,” 2001; “Warm, In Your Coat,” 2004) and Well-Told Tales (“Home for the Holidays,” 2015; “Can’t Keep a Dead Man Down,” 2017).

Dawn’s stories have appeared in anthologies including Where We May Wag (“The Last Dog,” Writing Piazza Press, 2018), Children of a Different Sky (“Can’t Find My Way Home,” Kos Books, 2018), Magic for Beginners (“Queen Zoe and the Spinning Game,” Fantasia Divinity, 2019), Dim Shores Presents (“Rough Beast, Slouching,” 2021), Another World: Stories of Portal Fantasy (“The Way Is Clear,” SummerStorm Press, 2021), and Horror for the Throne: One-Sitting Reads (“Cat Person”).

She has a short collection of dark speculative fiction short stories, “Home for the Holidays” (2014) and co-authored “The Law & Order: SVU Unofficial Companion” (BenBella Books, 2009). She co-edited the speculative fiction anthology of “what if” stories about The Beatles, “Across the Universe: Tales of Alternative Beatles” (Fantastic Books, 2019).

When not making stuff up, Randee publishes entertainment profiles, reviews, and think pieces regularly in outlets including Variety, The Los Angeles Times, Today.com and Emmy Magazine, and writes trivia for BigBrain.

She can be found at RandeeDawn.com and @RandeeDawn (on Twitter).

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Author Links

Website: https://randeedawn.com/

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

X: https://x.com/randeedawn

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randeedawn

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/randee-dawn

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Randee-Dawn/author/B002F1BDJO

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6568202.Randee_Dawn

Book Of Magic Book Tour

Unravel the secrets to crafting a masterful magic system from best-selling fantasy author Charlie N. Holmberg.

Charlie N. Holmberg’s Book of Magic

By Charlie N. Holmberg

Genre: Speculative Nonfiction, Writing Self-Help

Unravel the secrets to crafting a masterful magic system from best-selling fantasy author Charlie N. Holmberg.

Whether using magic as flavor or as an essential piece of plot, this book will guide fantasy authors, from new to experienced, through the delicate layers of creating, utilizing, and mastering magic systems.

In this book, we will…

*Discuss the schools, laws, and spectrum of magic

*Learn to build individual pieces of a magic system

*Dig into magic’s influence on worldbuilding

*Examine different types and styles of magic

*Develop and polish original magic systems

With workshops, work pages, and reference materials included, this succinct one-and-done guide to crafting the magical elements of the fantasy genre is a must-have for speculative fiction authors.

“If you haven’t had the fortune of attending one of Charlie’s writing classes (which I have), this is the next best thing.

Book of Magic contains so much wit, wisdom, and practical suggestions for helping any beginning author, or veteran, make their magic systems rise up and be noticed.

She uses expert examples from other authors you know as well as teaching a masterclass on developing magic systems from scratch based on methods she’s invented.

You just may need this book to help find out what kind of magic-based diseases might be festering in your neighbor’s cabbages.” —Jeff Wheeler, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Kingfountain series

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D4MZM3XK

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/charlie-n-holmberg-s-book-of-magic-by-charlie-n-holmberg

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217485012-charlie-n-holmberg-s-book-of-magic

Excerpt

Originality

Before we get into the bones of building a magic system, I want to take a page or two to discuss originality.

Originality really is what separates a lot of books and a lot of authors. In fantasy, it’s tempting to default to an “easy” magic system so we can focus on storytelling.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing—if I want to start my story in medias res, with a man being assaulted by a vampire in an alleyway, all I have to do is say “vampire” and the antagonistic force is set.

I don’t have to waste time grounding the reader, because vampires are so common, I can start the story with no learning curve. And if I’m trying to hook readers on the action, then this is absolutely a tool I’m going to use.

Books can employ simple or preset magic systems when the goal is flavor, highlighting power, or invoking a fantastical setting. Easy magic has a shallow learning curve, and therefore can attract more readers, especially those unused to the conventions of the fantasy genre.

But for those who want magic to be a large part of the story—tied in deeply with characters and plot—take a moment to differentiate yourself from the books that may sit beside yours on the shelf (or above and below you on the Amazon scroll).

Take your time with it—don’t rush development. Great magic systems, like great stories, need time to marinate in your brain before they come to life on paper.

A few tips to spark originality:

Take note of what’s currently saturating the market and avoid it. If you bank off writing to market, then jumping on the bandwagon of what’s hot now can pay off in the short term.

However, if you want something to stand out in one of the many slush piles of traditional publishing, or you want to guarantee your book will still be interesting ten years from now, consider taking the untrodden path.

Take a “done” magic and make it different. If your heart is set on elemental magic or powered-up tattoos, that’s okay! Just put a unique twist on it. This is what Stephenie Meyer did with Twilight.

She took vampires (done, done, and done) and made them her own. This is also why you can have two books with seemingly similar magic systems and have completely different stories.

Case in point, both Brent Weeks’ Lightbringer trilogy and Brandon Sanderson’s Warbreaker use color-based magic. But the magic is explored in such fundamentally different manners that the casual reader would never dream of comparing them.

In regard to my Paper Magician series, I wasn’t the first person to think of magical origami (though at the time, driving in my car between Idaho and Utah, I thought maybe I was).

Paper magic is also in the 1999 manga series Read or Die, for instance. But my expanding paper magic into the realm of manmade materials made it unique. If you’re trying to turn heads, you don’t need an entirely unique, never-seen-before magic system (or hey, let the book’s premise be the unique element and go ahead and write about fairies or fire or whatever makes your id happy). You can have something familiar with a unique twist or quirk.

Make a list. This process can be done with any aspect of brainstorming, not just magic. Make a list of whatever it is you need to figure out, such as what kind of creature will innately possess magic in your story (more on this in Chapter 6). And just start vomiting out ideas.

The further down the list you get, the harder your brain is working, and the more original your ideas will be. (Note that going too far down the list might leave you with something too bizarre to realistically work with.)

For example,

Unicorns
Vampires
Pegasi
Flying frogs
Flying fish
Giant bats
Giant butterflies
Wolves with butterfly wings
Forest-eating caterpillars
Three-headed snakes

Based on that list (which I literally did write off the top of my head and have not changed from the rough draft of this book for the sake of reality), I really like the idea of forest-eating caterpillars. And they can transform into giant butterflies, so that’s a two-for-one.

Remember, more often than not, simpler is better. It’s really easy for us to go overboard with our worldbuilding and open a giant can of worms that will devour and suffocate our readers, so it’s important to keep it simple.

Take a moment and think of the best magic systems you’ve read in your favorite books. More likely than not, you could explain them to someone quickly and concisely. Getting too complex with magic steepens the learning curve and frustrates readers.

Rule of thumb? If you, the author, have to continually look at your notes to remember how your magic works, your reader isn’t going to stick around to learn it.

Giveaway

Signed Book – 3 winners, US only, $10 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner, WW

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/CNHBookOfMagicTour

About the Author

Charlie N. Holmberg is a Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author of fantasy and romance fiction, including the Paper Magician series, the Spellbreaker series, and the Whimbrel House series, and writes contemporary romance under C. N. Holmberg.

She is published in over twenty languages and is a Goodreads Choice Award, ALA, and RITA finalist. Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names.

A BYU alumna, she discovered in her thirties that she’s actually a cat person. She lives with her family in Utah. Visit her at www.charlienholmberg.com.

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Author Links

Website: https://www.charlienholmberg.com/

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

Just In Time For Christmas Book Tour

Keep warm this season with these 4 tales of holiday romance!

Just in Time for Christmas: Tales of Romance

With stories by

Shay Lacy, Constance Phillips, Denise Lynn, Mila Winters

Genre: Holiday Romance Anthology

A Fiery Flamingo Christmas by Shay Lacy

What will ignite when a protected witness with a flamethrower meets the hunk next door?

The mob located Gina Weston two days before Christmas, but she refuses to run any more. Except maybe into the arms of her next-door neighbor after he extinguishes her burning flamingo Christmas tree. But are her gun and flamethrower enough to protect her from the lure of this sport hero playboy?

Former home run king Stone “Sledge” Hammer had been bored in the baseball off-season. Meeting Gianna has given him the chance to be a hero again, if she lets him in. While he’s showing her the true spirit of Christmas, can he get inside her defenses to show her the importance of home?

It’s no game they’re playing, and it’s a must-win against the mob.

Christmas Memories by Denise Lynn

When Kelly’s missing husband unexpectedly shows up with amnesia right before the holidays, will the miracle of the Christmas season help restore his memories and what they once shared?

Family Reclaimed by Constance Phillips

Is their new fragile love strong enough for these first tests?

Kayson and Jack swore eternal love to each other. Now all they want is some time alone to explore the meaning of Christmas as a new family. But the hustle of the holidays while building their dreams at once is testing the strength of that vow. Everybody wants a piece of them.

If they give all their time and love away to others, will they have enough left for one another and their young son?

What She Wants for Christmas by Mila Winters

When Leann’s hopes for spending Christmas with her daughter are dashed, she licks her wounds by indulging in a fling with Ben, the cute guy she meets at a bar.

All Ben wants for Christmas is to romance the beautiful woman he’s had a crush on for years. If Leanne learns all his secrets, she might not give him a chance to prove they can be great together.

Now, only Leanne can decide if Ben is really what she wants for Christmas.

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Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DFWY8SYF

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/just-in-time-for-christmas-tales-of-romance/id6670502552

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/just-in-time-for-christmas-tales-of-romance

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1613057

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/justintimeforchristmas/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/just-in-time-for-christmas-tales-of-romance-by-constance-phillips-and-mila-winters

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218398461-just-in-time-for-christmas

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Giveaway

$10 Amazon giftcard – 4 winners!

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/JustInTimeForChristmasTour

About the Authors

Shay Lacy

Lives in Ohio with her husband and cat GG.

She writes romantic suspense and erotic fantasy romance. Shay sees story ideas everywhere. Even something as simple as a sequin can spark a new romantic suspense. Many times a story has emerged from her musing, “You know, somebody could die from that.”

When not writing, she loves to bake, people watch, and shop flea markets and estate sales.

Shay enjoys hearing how couples met and what they love about each other. You can find more information about Shay, her books, and how to contact her at her website, www.shaylacy.com.

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Author Links

Website: https://shaylacy.com/books/

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/342562.Shay_Lacy

Denise Lynn

Lives in NW Ohio with her husband, son and an ever-changing number of 4-legged kids.

She writes medieval romance for Harlequin/Mills and Boon Historical and whatever she feels like writing for herself. Having read romance novels since she was far too young to do so, she enjoys having the opportunity to share her own stories with readers.

In her spare time, she gardens, sews, and basically putzes around with any craft project she can get her hands on.

Visit website at www.denise-lynn.com for more information on her books. Links to her social media pages, to the Denise Lynn Newsletter and contact information are on her site.

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Author Links

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Denise-Lynn/author/B0DJM7D1N7

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/333092.Denise_Lynn

Constance Phillips

Lives in Ohio with her husband, daughter, and three canine kids.

She writes contemporary and paranormal romance novels.

When not writing stories of finding and rediscovering love, Constance loves spending time in the garden, with her pups, or cooking with her fresh from the garden produce.

If she leaves the house, it’s to spend time with good friends or family…or go to an eighties pop concert.

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Author Links

Website: https://constancephillips.com/

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

X: https://x.com/CPhillips

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/constancephillipsauthor/

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Constance-Phillips/author/B009137VHM

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6470282.Constance_Phillips

Mila Winters

Loves romance. Be it written between the pages of a book, larger than life on the big screen or residing in her home. So, of course, she writes it too. That is, when

she’s not working with teenagers or hanging out with her wife and their dog Toby.

Creating likeable (and sometimes unlikeable) characters makes her do a happy dance and she hopes her readers enjoy them too. To learn more about Mila, her other stories and how her writing brain works, visit her at www.milawinters.com.

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Author Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008403161894\

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mila-Winters/author/B013O6V55K

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9830971.Mila_Winters

Darkest Delights Book Tour & Giveaway

Darkest Delights

by K.M Jenkins and Ben Merical

Genre: YA Horror, Dark Fantasy

Book Blurb

Don’t trust what lies within…

They don’t forgive, They destroy

Welcome to Medge Pond, a town where mischievous children go missing beyond the forest border. Something evil lurks within the forest, and those who enter are never seen again.

There are two rules you must follow: Do NOT enter the forest and never touch the berries. Ever.

If you break them, beware—not even your screams will save you.

**On Sale for Only .99cents until the end of October!**

Excerpt

I went to my room to wash up for supper and glared at myself in the mirror. She could have been more friendly. I would be lucky if Rob shows up tomorrow as planned. But whatever if he is a baby and chickens out, I guess it is up to me.

With that, I changed my top and headed down for supper. My eagerness for tomorrow was growing by the second, and I was super excited. Who cares about the noise? It was probably only a squirrel or something?

My thoughts drifted through my plans for tomorrow as the night carried on, and soon bedtime came. I slept like a baby even though something deep inside said something horrible was going to happen tomorrow. So many horrible things had already happened in my life, why not one more?

Giveaway

$20 Amazon

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/DarkestDelightsTour

Author Guest Post

What inspired you to write this book?

The inspiration behind this story was our love for camp fire type horror books like Goosebumps growing up. Ben and I wanted to focus on a fantasy creature story for an anthology we were joining. The main topic was to have some type of mythical creatures.

We couldn’t shake the fact that we wanted to write something with horror in it. The idea was to create a forbidden area in a small town that held a deadly secret that the towns folks tried to not think about. But Gracie’s Aunt was the exception. The horror of the forest was always on her mind since she lives on the borderline. Just in the backyard, she can step from safety into a deadly zone that could be the end of her.

The problem comes to fruition when Aunt Margaret takes in Gracie. She is in her teens and likes to get a sense of adventure throughout her day. Gracie has trauma of her own with her mom dying so she is trying to get her mind on other things.

Kids are always wanting to go into the woods and see what magic it can hold. I was one of those kids when I was young. My dad would take me to the forest to walk around and see what animals we could find. We would do this for hours. This feeling of wonder and adventure was one of my reasons for choosing this background for the story.

I also had an enormous love for faeries growing up. My goal was to twist the stories of faeries that were evil or sprites that would live in the forest to taunt children. Also, I have pulled some inspiration from movies I have seen in the past. One, for example, was: Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. That was one of the horror movies that scared me with faeries.

A lot of elements inspired the story, but it all came together when Ben and I put our heads together. You should give it a read to see the ins and out of our writing on this project.

About the Authors

Ben and Katie tied the knot in September 2024 but not before putting pen to paper. Together they crafted their first horror story together titled: “Darkest Delights,” back in 2022.

They loved stories like Goosebumps growing up and decided to create their own campfire story that would leave a little fright for the younger readers to enjoy.

They plan to work on more in the future. Make sure to subscribe to K.M. Jenkins’ newsletter to get updates on books when they hit the stores: https://www.subscribepage.com/author_km_jenkins

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