Category Archives: Guest Post

Jade Strings(Gemstones of Fate 1)by Elen Gait-review & guest post

Posted on by
16

Jade Strings (Gemstones of Fate Trilogy Book 1) by Elen Gait -review & guest post

 Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 15, 2024

Azriel is a talented guitarist with a rebellious streak, often the source of tension within his struggling band. Meanwhile, Seraphina, a university student haunted by the loss of her parents, is trying to move forward while holding on to their memory. When their paths unexpectedly cross, an undeniable connection forms, one that feels both new and strangely familiar, as if from a shared dream.

Falling for Azriel wasn’t in Seraphina’s plans. She’s always found it difficult to open up, afraid of the heartache that comes with loss. But as their bond deepens, Seraphina starts to believe in a future with him, something she never thought she’d be ready for. Yet with each step toward that future, she’s reminded of how easily life can change.

Can she risk her heart for a chance at real love, or will fate have a different plan, one that could change everything?

••••••

REVIEW: A debut author/book for me. The cover drew my eye, and the blurb had me one-clicking it.

Azriel

Ryder/Asher/Cade are members of the band with Azriel. They’ve been friends for a while. They dream of making it big. But fortune has not been kind lately, down on their luck, they just want a break….

Seraphina

“Sera” works in a bar, she’s also in her last year at University studying an option that wasn’t her first choice! (Sera and her best friend Mia lodge/work together) She was a singer/songwriter, until parents died 5 years ago. After they died she just couldn’t face all those memories that her music brought back to her! 😞

Meeting at the bar where Sera works was just electric ⚡️ sparks flew…. And they both realised their lives had changed…. But for the better? You need to read on 😉

It’s very much one step forward, two steps back… I understand where Sera was scared, but it did get just a little tedious 🙄 I kept shouting at my kindle (which for me usually signals I’m immersed in the world that’s being created) for her to seize the day. Azriel also made mistakes, but was willing to try and make this new connection that they had work.

It’s almost a small town romance vibe, with a splash of angst, well until the end…. Then I’d say it became a deluge!

Loved the banter within the boys on the band, and how they had each other’s backs. And the friendship between Sera and Mia was just so close, a true friendship/sisterhood.

We also have a mystery to solve….. who’s sending the flowers? And why are Azriel and Sera dreaming of one another? And there may or may not be another budding romance 🥰 could that be the next book? 🤞

OMG!!! The cliffhanger….. my kindle nearly went out the window!!! That second book had better be released soon 😱

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B🦋

From Dream to Reality: Crafting Seraphina and Azriel in Jade Strings

Every story starts somewhere, and for me, Jade Strings began with a dream, twice, in fact. I found myself dreaming of a moment so vivid that it stayed with me long after I woke up, a guy with light green eyes approached me and offered his hand. The dream felt so real, and it left me wondering: What if? When I didn’t meet that person in real life, I realized I had a choice: hold on to the lingering “what if,” or explore it through writing. Instead of letting it fade, I chose to turn it into a story.

Seraphina: A Journey of Fear and Impulse

I began to imagine Seraphina as a young woman navigating the loss of her parents, which left her reserved and uncertain about letting new people in. She’s cautious, but when emotions run high, her impulsive side takes over. Her fear of loss makes her hesitant to trust others and risk the heartache of losing someone again.

Before the tragedy, music was a significant part of her life, but now, those talents lie hidden beneath the weight of her past. Her journey isn’t just about confronting her pain, but also about rediscovering the pieces of herself she once lost.

Azriel: A Rebel with a Passion for Music

Azriel came to life as a rebellious spirit with a deep connection to music. Growing up in a challenging environment, he learned to rely on himself, which shaped his defiance and desire to break free from limitations.

His journey is marked by setbacks and a relentless drive to prove his worth, which built walls around him higher than even Seraphina’s. At first, success was his only goal, but meeting Seraphina changed his perspective, making him question what it means to be worthy, not just of achievement, but of someone who believes in him.

Side Characters: Adding Depth and Real Connections

While Seraphina and Azriel’s connection is at the heart of Jade Strings, the story wouldn’t be complete without the presence of the side characters who bring warmth and tension to their world.

Seraphina’s best friend, Mia, isn’t just a confidant; she’s like family. The two have faced so much together that their bond feels unbreakable. Mia is the bold risk-taker who pushes Seraphina to step outside of her comfort zone and embrace what life has to offer, encouraging her to follow her heart instead of letting fear hold her back.

On Azriel’s side, his bandmates, Ryder, Asher, and Cade, create a lively dynamic that contrasts with the emotional intensity of the main story. Ryder is more rebellious than Azriel, unafraid of anyone or anything, with a fierce personality that often leads the group. Asher is the grounded “good boy” who balances out the group’s energy. Then there’s Cade, the ultimate romantic with a sense of humor, who lightens the mood but often finds himself on the receiving end of teasing. Despite the teasing, the bandmates’ loyalty runs deep. They push each other’s buttons, but when things get tough, they show up for each other without hesitation.

Embracing the Role of Fate and Luck

In Jade Strings, I wanted to show how life, fate, and luck often intersect in unexpected ways. Seraphina once had everything, stability, family, and a clear path, only to have it all taken away in an instant. Meanwhile, Azriel, who had nothing, faced constant struggles and rejection until he found success. Their stories are a reminder that sometimes, no matter how hard we hold on, what isn’t meant to be will slip away, and at other times, fate and luck can offer us something we never expected.

Finding Inspiration in Unanswered Questions

Writing Jade Strings allowed me to explore the idea of unexpected connections and the courage it takes to open up to new possibilities. Seraphina’s journey isn’t just about facing her past, and Azriel’s isn’t only about breaking through his struggles, it’s about finding someone who understands you in a way that feels almost destined. And with side characters like Mia and the bandmates, I wanted to create a world that feels rich with real-life dynamics and lasting bonds.

Thank you for letting me share this journey with you. I hope that in Jade Strings, you find something that resonates with your own experiences and a reminder that every “what if” can be a doorway to something new.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Amazon Author/ Goodreads/ Website/ Facebook/

How It All Began

Ever since I was young, I’ve been captivated by the power of words. I started my writing journey in high school, crafting poems and short, humorous stories for fun. It was a way for me to express my thoughts and emotions, and I loved seeing how stories could make people laugh, think, and feel. Later, with some unexpected spare time on my hands, I decided to dive deeper into my love for storytelling and began writing full-length novels.

What Fuels My Creativity

I draw inspiration from countless books and literary works, and when I’m not writing, you’ll often find me reading, listening to music, or watching my favorite TV series. These moments of relaxation and inspiration help me recharge and often spark new ideas for my stories.

My Big Debut: Jade Strings

My debut novel has a rather interesting origin, it all began with a dream. I had this recurring, mysterious dream about a guy I didn’t know, and it left me curious. When I didn’t encounter this person in real life, I thought, what if? That simple question sparked an idea: what if two people dream about each other and then meet in real life? How would their lives unfold from there? This thought became the foundation of my first book, and I’ve been excited to bring this story to life ever since.

Share

Hera’s Curse (American Noir Trilogy 1) by Shaun Griffin-review

Posted on by
15

Hera’s Curse (American Noir Trilogy 1) by Shaun Griffin-review & guest post

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 27, 2024

A cell phone number triggers a deadly chain of events which pits assassins Matt and John against the enigmatic Anastasiya. She is a vampire who has lived in the shadows for two hundred years and is not about to allow the extermination of her kind by mere mortals.

When a desperate young woman named Faith joins the men, she becomes the key to Anastasiya finding them. The vigilante priest, the ruthless crime boss, the disillusioned PI, the unfaithful trophy wife — each has their part to play as Anastasiya’s hunt moves towards the inevitable deadly showdown.

Hera’s Curse is a blend of crime noir and deconstructed vampire myth unlike anything you will read.

••••

REVIEW:This is definitely not your typical vampire story. A pretty good plot. Good characters and twists that will keep you reading until the last page.

Matt and John are assassins, guns for hire. On the lookout for a target they’ve been assigned. One looks forward to the chase and killing, the other not so much. They’ve been friends for a while, but a rift is beginning to form…..

Faith made one bad choice and now she’s paying for it! But when a lifeline is thrown to her, Faith has to quickly decide to stay where she is (if she does then she won’t be around for much longer 💀) or to go with Matt and John her new heroes and help them find the guy she’s with. (I personally would go with option two.) Deciding on the second option, Faith hopes it doesn’t lead her down an even more dangerous path!!

And Anastasiya our villain of the story, but is she? Being persecuted by humans who feel threatened by her has Anastasiya on edge. Being hunted because of one silly mistake made by one of her progeny, Anastasiya will hunt them. And Faith maybe the key to finding the two killers…..

It has stories coming together from all the different characters, we get to see how they come to this point in their lives, why they are here, and how it’s all going to end!

The ending, although I vaguely saw coming, still surprised me.

But I’m going to be honest, I really struggled getting into the book and it keeping my attention. I usually inhale vampire stories. But this one…. I can’t put my finger on it, it just didn’t flow like the books I usually read.

But that’s not to say it’s a bad book, no it’s not. It’s written well, thought out pretty good, and executed nicely.

The characters felt just a little out of sync with each other and the book. But I could easily distinguish one from another.

A good read if you like a thriller with a noir feeling.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B 🦋

 

EVOLUTION OF A STORY
By Shaun Griffin

How does an author come up with an idea? How does it evolve? Is there some secret formula? Could a simple algorithm be designed to create our stories? Input some values and, hey presto, your story is done. I suppose to some degree this is happening.
All hail the AI tech wizards of creative oblivion.

The extent to which the art of weaving stories will be successfully mimicked by AI is much debated. There are times I grow despondent at the idea human beings would even think to relinquish their creativity to an algorithm. But then the muse wakes me at three in the morning with an idea and it is something magical. A magic I think AI will never be able to replicate.

This brings me to how I came up with my novel, Hera’s Curse. Although it was not called that in the beginning. It began as a short story called, Compound Vision.

It was 1998. I was driving to work one morning when I passed an old Ford Cortina (for American readers the equivalent would be a 1980s Chevy sedan) travelling well below the speed limit. Two young men, obviously closely related, sat upfront. They stared blankly ahead, blithely unaware of the world around them. The word ‘Hick’ immediately came to mind. Then it occurred to me—what if there was more to these two than met the eye? Rather than the slow-witted individuals they appeared to be, what if they were hitmen? I had this mental image of two brothers in dungarees and hobnailed boots sporting Magnum revolvers.

A few weeks later I was filling up at a gas station when a white minivan pulled up alongside. Seated inside were two prim rows of high school girls. What struck me was that they looked identical—from their immaculate private school uniforms to the blonde hair pulled back in a regulation ponytail. Every school principal’s dream. But what if that conformity hid something far more sinister?

That weekend I wrote a short story about two country bumpkin hitmen hunting a thug named Manny, who has been lured to a boarding house by some young women with the promise of sex. In the men’s search they meet Faith, a runaway who has been forced to work for Manny. She leads them to the boarding house where they discover the vampire women feeding on Manny. The story was told in a tongue-in-cheek style from the perspective of a fly-on-the-wall, hence the title. Everyone who read it remarked that I should expand it into a full-length story.

Work commitments got in the way and the story was shelved. Fifteen years later, I finally sat down to write. I thought about the original story. The characters in it were just caricatures and would not sustain the interest of anyone reading a novel. But where to start?

The first to change were the hitmen. They evolved into Matthew and John, two young men waging a war against drug dealers, though each for different reasons. Next were the young vampire women. Who were they? How did they become? For this story I felt things should be grounded in a plausible reality. Out went the usual tropes. These vampires would be a product of a virus and though enhanced in strength, agility, longevity and so forth, they could be killed like any human.

An infectious disease needs an origin and so the character of Anastasiya was born. Her noble origins and her motivation for creating her cult fell into place easily. It was then that I saw that the main conflict would be between Anastasiya and Faith, the last of my original trio. Mother and Maiden but who to be the Crone? Tammy is my interpretation of this aspect of the Goddess. All that was left was a way of connecting these protagonists. Enter Don Stone, the quintessential PI.

Once I’d completed my first draft, I realised I had the makings of a trilogy. I called it, American Noir. I hope you find the first part, Hera’s Curse, as enjoyable to read as I did to write it.

Share

CENTAURI’S SHADOW by Ross Garner-Review & Guest Post

Posted on by
13

CENTAURI’S SHADOW by Ross Garner-Review and Guest Post

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 8, 2024

‘Eight years ago they sent a single ship to test our defences. Now they’re building an armada.’

Cole grew up in the shadow of grief. Kyoko grew up in the shadow of war. Two pilots, separated by time, set out on parallel journeys to Proxima Centauri. What they find could be the start of something new. What they bring with them could be the end of all we know.

In this sweeping science fiction debut from Ross Garner, readers will find an Earth that is transformed by fear of an imminent invasion; a space station in orbit that acts as a gateway to other worlds; a Martian colony with all of the threat and violence of the Old West; and a distant star where answers can be found.

What is ‘the signal’? A greeting, or a threat?

••••

REVIEW: CENTAURI’S SHADOW by Ross Garner is an adult, science fiction thriller focusing on a potential war on the horizon with an alien race.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (Cole and Kyoko), focusing on two timelines, CENTAURI’S SHADOW follows in the wake of a message from space possibly signifying a senscient lifeform from beyond the sun but the UNSA’s (United Nations Space Agency) first attempt to circumnavigate the sun, ends in disaster, and years later, the sole remaining survivor, volunteers to set a plan into motion, to reach the Centauri system, in an effort to complete the original mission.

Meanwhile, several decades into the future, Earth and its’ colony on Mars have been attacked by an unknown enemy, and Kyoko and her crew of fighter pilots is tasked with ending all future attacks but Kyoko will quickly discover that all is not well on her voyage towards the end.

The characters are numerous, determined, dynamic and often lost. Mars is not so much a respite from Earth, but a virtual imprisonment for those who have been forgotten or have no direction home.

CENTAURI’S SHADOW is a detailed, complex and intriguing story of what ifs and whys. Humans have not learned from the past, and the past is gearing to repeat itself over and over again. Every generation or two fights for power and control, and in this, vengeance and greed lead to another war that no one will win.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Click HERE to read the first chapter of CENTAURI’S SHADOW by Ross Garner

The Wright Flyer to Apollo 11

By Ross Garner

In 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright made history as the inventors and pilots of the Wright Flyer: the first airplane. Of the first four test flights, the most successful was the last: covering a distance of 260 metres.  

Just 66 years later, astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins flew Apollo 11 a distance of 953,054 miles. They landed on the moon, and returned safely.

There aren’t many people who lived through both events. A person born in the United States in the 1880s had a life expectancy of just 40 years. But there were some: a miraculous few who experienced first hand the transition from the Old West to the Space Age.

What was their reaction to this dramatic change in our technological capability? Did they feel like time travellers, leaving the world of the horse and wagon behind in favour of rockets and satellites?

It was this idea that led to the writing of Centauri’s Shadow, my first novel.

I imagined an astronaut, setting out alone to visit our closest star: Proxima Centauri. The journey would take him 40 trillion kilometres away from Earth. With today’s technology, it would take 70,000 years.

He would need to be frozen somehow, waiting to be reawakened on arrival.

And how might his home planet have changed while he slept?

If humankind’s technology could shift from a flimsy biplane to a rocket-fuelled spaceship in just 66 years, how might it evolve over 70,000 years?

It seemed reasonable to conclude that our technology would continue to improve. That the journey time would shrink from 70,000 years, to something more manageable.

By the time our astronaut arrived, Proxima Centauri could be home to millions of people: living in spaceships, space stations, and on other worlds.

I thought about this astronaut: sacrificing his life on Earth to be the first great explorer to visit another star, only to find that the journey had been pointless. The time, wasted. The sacrifice, meaningless.

And I decided to turn this idea into a book.

The story of Centauri’s Shadow evolved in the writing. The astronaut in question became Cole Anderson, and he journeys to Proxima Centauri not with a traditional rocket but with the use of solar sails: a method of propulsion that already exists and uses the pressure from solar radiation to gain speed.

With a bit of science fiction fudgery, the journey time was reduced to 30 years: allowing for a stronger emotional tie to Cole’s life and relationships back home. But the core concept remained, including the themes of time and sacrifice.

And the original idea lingers in the novel in another major way: the notion of the Old West, complete with saloons, brothels, missionaries and violence, re-emerged in the form of the first martian colony.

It took me 10 years in total to finish the story. A rather damning reflection of my ability to get things done when compared to the accomplishments of those who followed in the steps of the Wright brothers.

But I came to have sympathy for Cole, with all his faults. He did his best to find his way, as we all do.

Readers can make up their own minds whether it was worth it.

Centauri’s Shadow is available now on Amazon (US / UK / Canada)

Share

BLACK HEARTED by Julie Ann Walker-review, excerpt, guest post

Posted on by
11

BLACK HEARTED (Black Knights Inc: Reloaded 2) by Julie Ann Walker-review, excerpt & guest post

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Apple /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 26, 2023

He’s everything she ever wanted. She’s everything he never knew he needed. Can she convince him she’s the one?

The Black Knights are back and better than ever!

Samuel Harwood has spent his entire career working in the black and gray areas of international intrigue. Living in the shadows for so long has made him forget who he was and where he came from. Then a blast from the past, in the form of his ex-girlfriend’s kid sister, arrives on the front steps of Black Knights Inc, reminding him of everything he left behind. Except, she’s no longer a kid. And she’s in serious trouble.

Hannah Blue has been in love with Sam Harwood since she was in braces. When someone sabotages her entire life, he’s the first person she turns to. She has critical information about a potential cyber-attack on the U.S. power grid that could end in catastrophic financial damage and loss of life. But the FBI thinks she’s a traitor. And now she’s on the run to save herself and the fate of the entire nation.

Who does Samuel trust? The smart, sexy woman he’s known since he was a teenager? Or the government authorities who give him his orders and cut his paychecks? He’ll make one desperate play to find out. A play that could cost him everything…including his heart.

•••••

REVIEW:BLACK HEARTS is the second instalment in Julie Ann Walker’s contemporary, adult BLACK KNIGHTS INC: RELOADED romantic suspense series-a spin off from the author’s BLACK KNIGHTS INC. This is thirty-four year old, former US Marine Raider turned BKI agent Samuel Harwood, and twenty-nine year old, DOD IT specialist / hacker Hannah Blue’s story line. BLACK HEARTED can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line or series is revealed where necessary. Several characters cross over from the original series for cohesion.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Hannah and Sam BLACK HEARTED follows in the wake of the arrest of our story line heroine. Hannah Blue uncovered a possible threat to the US power grid but someone has placed the blame squarely on our story line heroine. Arrested by the FBI and held on terrorism charges, Hannah’s one call to her best friend Cesar results in the escape and rescue of our story line heroine. Enter thirty-four year old, former US Marine Raider turned BKI agent Samuel Harwood, the man Hannah has love most of her life. What ensues is the search for the truth, and the building relationship between our story line couple.

The world building continues to focus on a new crew of Black Ops agents working for Black Knights Inc. Hannah Blue has lusted after Samuel Harwood since the first time her older sister brought Samuel home but Samuel sees Hannah as a younger sister, and as such is desperate to keep their relationship as friends but when the FBI comes looking for our story line couple, Samuel becomes guardian and protector of our story line heroine.

The relationship between Sam and Hannah is one of unrequited love. Sam has kept his distance from the woman that stirs something deep but it is only a matter of time, and a suspicion that Hannah has been set up to take a fall, that Sam will realize Hannah is the woman he loves. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Several of the original Black Knights Inc team return a secondary and supporting characters. We are re-introduced to Eliza Meadows, Fisher Wakefield as well as Grace Beacham and Hunter Jackson (Back in Black 1). The requisite evil has many faces. There is something developing between Fisher and Eliza.

BLACK HEARTED is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, espionage and terrorism, family, friendships, relationships and love. The fast paced premise is intriguing, captivating and dramatic; the romance is seductive and fated; the characters are powerful, determined and dynamic. BLACK HEARTED ends on a happily ever after for now-the main conflict and the people involved has yet to be resolved.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one BACK IN BLACK

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

She didn’t have the strength—or the will—to lift her hands to brush her tears away. Which meant they ran down her face, dripped off her chin, and plopped onto her shirt.
“I’m s-so sorry,” Sam said as he gingerly removed the last boot from the five-toed iceberg that was her foot. His hands were shaking so hard he dropped the boot the instant it came free. And she wondered why she wasn’t shivering. She was absolutely frozen. Shouldn’t she be quaking like him? “I kn-know you’re hurting, ’cause I feel like s-someone’s shoving f-frozen pokers into me, and you were more exposed than I was. B-but hang on a little bit l-longer, okay?”
“That’s not why I’m crying,” she whispered.
“No?” He cocked his head.
“I’m just…” She sniffed. “Thank you, Sam.” She hiccupped as a new sob shook her entire body. “You saved me.”
“You mostly s-saved yourself. I just d-did the d-driving.”
“No.” She shook her head, wanting to tell him how much she appreciated the risk he’d taken in coming for her. Wanting to explain how much it meant to her. But no matter how hard she tried, the words wouldn’t form. What came out of her mouth was, “I feel like I only have two brain cells functioning, and they seem to be fighting each other for third place.”
One corner of his mouth twitched. “There sh-she is, the funny, flippant H-Hurricane Hannah I know and l-love.”
The instant the word love left his lips, fresh tears welled. She’d waited her whole life to hear him say that. And now he had.
But he hadn’t meant it.
Not the way she wanted him to.
“C-come here.” He gathered her close and she thought he was going to hug her. She was more than a little disappointed when instead he scooped her into his arms so he could quickly transfer her into the tub, T-shirt, pajama bottoms, and all.
“No!” she yelped. Her brain went from slow and sluggish to blaring danger, Will Robinson! Danger! The water was burning tongues of fire licking over her skin. “It’s too hot!”
He kept her in the tub with a firm hand on her shoulder. “It only f-feels that way ’cause your sk-skin is f-frozen.”
Every instinct told her to jump from the lava bath lest her flesh melt right off her bones. But she trusted him. Gritting her teeth, she stayed put. And then watched, dumbfounded, as he peeled his White Sox sweatshirt over his head before tackling the zipper on his jeans.
Once he was down to black, thermal long johns that hugged his muscular body like a second skin, he stepped into the tub.
“S-scoot forward,” he instructed.
When he lowered himself into the tub behind her, his big body made the water rise. Every new inch of skin it touched burned like blue flames. She only managed to keep from hissing her pain by biting the inside of her cheek.
“Now l-lean b-back.” He patted the place over his heart and she gingerly reclined until her back was pressed against his chest.


 

Old world. New Characters. Who dis?

When I first considered jumping back into the world of motorcycles and mayhem—a world I left behind almost 5 years ago—I was worried. You see, I closed the door on the series when I penned the final Black Knights Inc. book. But…knowing me and knowing how much I loved the characters and their world, I did have enough forethought to leave open a window. My concern was the readers wouldn’t be willing to crawl through it. Not now. Not after so much time had passed.

Imagine my surprise and delight when the first book was met with hand-flapping excitement and rave reviews. Turns out, the fans were willing to crawl through, jump into, and throw rocks to break the glass of the window in order to get back to Black Knights Inc. And I am both humbled and so incredibly happy to be able to continue to write stories in a setting the feels like home to so many.

(Author’s note: You don’t have to read the original 12-book series to enjoy the new Black Knights Inc: Reloaded stories. All books can be read as standalones. Although, I would suggest starting at the beginning of the spin-off, with Back in Black.)

FOLLOW Julie: Facebook / Goodreads / Website /   Bookbub | Instagram | Newsletter

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Julie grew up in a house full of women – she has three older sisters. As you can imagine, there was no lack of drama… or romance. Her mother enrolled her in a book club as soon as she began to read and it was the small spark that ignited her voracious appetite for the written word.

Because of Julie’s early immersion in literature, she found writing came quite naturally. In high school, she won multiple writing contests and was the proud senior editor of The Tiger’s Tale – her school newspaper.

During her college years, however, she longed for a challenge. “Reading and writing felt like second nature to me, so I looked for a way to flex my mental muscles,” she recalls. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree, Julie began teaching advanced high school mathematics.
“I loved working with the students and facing the challenges of the classroom, but I longed for the occasional snow day when I could race to the local book store, buy two or three new novels, and curl up in front of the fire to read.”

It wasn’t until a fortuitous move to Chicago that Julie once more returned to her first passion.

Now Julie loves to travel the world looking for views to compete with her deadlines. When she’s not writing, she enjoys camping, hiking, cycling, cooking, petting every dog that walks by her, and… reading, of course

Be sure to sign up for Julie’s occasional newsletter at: http://julieannwalker.com

Share

Of Thieves and Shadows by BSH Garcia-review & guest post

Posted on by
12

Of Thieves and Shadows (The Heart of Quinaria) by BSH Garcia-review & guest post

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 1, 2023

Some secrets are best left to the shadows. But shadows have a mind of their own.

The ancient land of Quinaria teeters on the brink of war, as its most precious resource is unearthed and exploited. Three nations have maintained tenuous peace for centuries, but as the life-giving nevethium dwindles, rumors of an ancient evil long thought dead spread like wildfire.

Elaysia never wanted to lead. As the high chieftain’s only surviving heir, she’s thrust into a role that jeopardizes the already fragile peace. A deadly attack on the day of her induction strengthens her resolve—and her suspicion that her parents’ murders and these disturbing rumors are connected.

With newfound companions, she embarks on a journey to uncover the truth. But as they unravel layers of secrets, they find themselves in the clutches of a dictator whose unethical nevethium experimentation threatens to bring about a new world of terror and violence.

Elaysia and her allies could be all that stands between war and a dying world—if their conflicting ambitions don’t destroy them first.

•••••••

REVIEW:Elaysia is the Main Female Character(FMC) and I found her a joy to read. Her journey is a hazardous one, and at times she definitely has to step up and be the leader, through the book she grows up and I can’t wait to see her again in book two.

Secondary characters are interesting and they all get a say on this book, there is a little confusion as the characters multiply and split off into adventures of their own, but it soon settles back down.

The descriptions in this book captivate and transport to this new world with ease, you immerse yourself in the lives of the characters, you feel their pain, you hold your breath as each story unfolds.The smallest of detail wasn’t missed, gods had names, weather and villages were described, the journey to stop the chaos was tough going, you actually felt every step they took.

It is a little political and topical for what’s going on on the world at the moment, but it doesn’t detract from the story at all (I never got that the author was on a political podium).

The battle scenes are intense, the action doesn’t stop until the last page. If this were a rollercoaster, it would have left you breathless with the twists and turns…..

I’d call this a dystopian adventure with a murder/mystery vibe.
I throughly enjoyed this book, and although this author is a new one for me, I’m definitely going to be reading the next book.

It doesn’t leave a cliffhanger ending, the story is wrapped up pretty well. But it does leave a few questions that I’m hoping book two will clear up.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B ?

The Role of Setting in Storytelling: Creating Vivid Worlds
Close your eyes. Imagine your favorite story, recall a cherished fable from childhood, or replay a scene from a top-five film in your mind.
Chances are high that the setting or world-building of that story was one of the first things to take shape in your memory, if not the very first thing. Not only does setting make up the building blocks of any great story or character, it is also what shapes them, sets the tone, and often what makes them unique. Imagine Star Wars without the desert waste of Tatooine, or Lord of the Rings without the enchanting paradise that is Rivendell. How could we properly appreciate the stakes in Dune or Game of Thrones without the historical implications driving the narrative?
The world-building of a story shapes its characters, the plot, and conveys the culture intertwined through it all. It’s as subtle as a meal, and as glaringly obvious as a mythological being spewing prophecies. A story without a clearly defined setting is like a crew without a ship. All the players are there (the crew) ready to sail the ocean (the plot), but without a vessel (the world-building), they are going to flounder, and many will drown. But if your ship is too big and flashy, if it dwarfs the ocean and swallows your characters, that’s not much of a story either. Like most things, crafting a solid setting and weaving the right amount of it into the story is a precarious process. But when done right, it yields excellent results.
Now, I wouldn’t dare compare myself to Tolkien or one of my modern-day favorites, N.K. Jemisin, but I spent a great deal of time crafting the land of Quinaria until I could taste the Beridian Moonlight and dip my toes in the Khitamic Ocean off the northwestern coast of Neharem. I then spent even more time dropping in bits of it here in there, allowing it to shape the narrative, the characters, all while avoiding info-dump mode (or so I hope). What follows is a brief overview of my process and how it shaped my narrative and characters.
The world-building comes first. Now, this is partially a lie because, ultimately, the story idea itself comes first, doesn’t it? That burning question, that spark of a conflict, that character that just won’t leave you alone. However, once I embraced my story idea and sat down to work through it, the first thing I tackled was the world. Without knowing the societal norms and expectations, I couldn’t assess my characters’ dreams and fears. Without understanding the world’s history, I couldn’t determine sources of conflict. Without mapping out the terrain, I couldn’t understand what people ate, how they dressed, how they acted.
I began my process with simple questionnaires I found online, cherry-picking my favorites and throwing them together in a giant Word Doc. Some were as simple as, “are all the inhabitants in your world human?”, while others delved into matters of religion and history. From there, I expanded my brief answers, turning them into essay-style responses that eventually grew into a document the size of a novella. I spent nearly two months world-building alone, and only once I felt comfortable with the world I created did I dare to delve into the story itself. Everyone uses their own approach, but for me, I would’ve never done my story justice without this step.
What I found fascinating, however, is how my world-building continues to grow and change throughout drafts. Even now, as I work on book two, I find myself learning even more about the world. It drives the narrative, and the narrative enriches the world-building. The setting helps me better understand my characters, and my characters teach me more about their world. In a way, world-building is fluid for me. While I must strive to ensure it never contradicts itself, everything within those boundaries is fair game. Every question from a beta reader, every interesting tidbit I read in a non-fiction book or catch in a documentary, adds more depth and more believability. It’s a never-ending process, at least until the series ends. And by doing it organically and allowing it to play off the other storytelling aspects, I believe it inserts itself organically. I didn’t need a prologue dedicated to the history or setting because the story itself is those things, woven into the tapestry of the tale.
But you be the judge. Take a stroll through Quinaria sometime and let me know if you find yourself lost in her. If, for even a moment, I can transport you to an alternative reality, then I’ve done my job. I’ve given you escape from this world so you can better process it through the lens of another.
Until then, farewell.

B. S. H. Garcia is the author of the epic fantasy series, The Heart of Quinaria. A household manager by day, writer by night, she graduated with honors from The University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in English Writing. To get into character for her stories, she trudges through the woods in cosplay with a mead-filled drinking horn and has traveled from Oregon to New Zealand seeking inspiration. Visit her online at www.bshgarcia.com. There, you can get your hands on a FREE copy of The Heart of Quinaria prequel novelette, From the Ashes. All she asks for in exchange is your soul.

Share

The Shadow of Theron by Kathryn Troy-Review & Guest Post

Posted on by
13

The Shadow of Theron (Age of Shadows 1) by Kathryn Troy-Review & Guest Post

ebook only 99¢Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.UK /B&N / KOBO /

The powers of old are fading. A new Age is dawning.

Holy relics are all that remain of Theron’s sacred legend.

Now those relics, the enchanted weapons forged by the Three-Faced Goddess to help Theron defeat the wicked Sorcerer Argoss, are disappearing.

Lysandro knows the village magistrate Marek is responsible, and he searches for proof disguised as the masked protector the Shadow of Theron.

But when Marek wounds him with an accursed sword that shouldn’t exist, Lysandro must find a way to stop Marek from gaining any more artifacts created by the Goddess or her nemesis.

The arrival of the beautiful newcomer Seraphine, with secrets of her own, only escalates their rivalry.

As the feud between Lysandro and Marek throws Lighura into chaos, a pair of priestesses seeks to recover the relics and return them to safekeeping. But the stones warn that Argoss is returning, and they must race to retrieve Theron’s most powerful weapon.

While they risk their lives for a legend, only one thing is certain. The three temples to the Goddess have been keeping secrets: not just from the faithful, but from each other.

•••••••••

REVIEW: Another magical read for me. And I loved it. Although a little slow and confusing in the beginning, it’s worth continuing as it’s a really good read. Written really well, plenty of descriptions and feelings put into this book.

A little Zorro in places, he fights for justice wearing a mask, Lysandro wants answers and thinks Marek knows the answers to his questions.

Seraphine becomes entangled in the two’s world, she’s not a pushover by any means. She’s not impressed with Marek (who really is a nasty person) but with Lysandro that’s a whole different story, how she didn’t guess Lysandro wasn’t Theron I’ll never know (but look at the weak guise superman/Clark Kent used!) and her reaction when she finally knows the truth was a little overboard.

Both Lysandro and Marek make a play for Seraphine, but it’s Lysandro that wins her heart, but it’s not an easy task, it might be love at first sight for Lysandro, but it took a little time to convince her ?

There are triggers in this book, it’s a dark fantasy with a splash of romance. There is mentioning a of rape (not the MFC) there is a hanging scene, and scenes of torture! But the violence is kept to a minimum, and for those who don’t like bad language, that’s hardly used.

Can Lysandro find the missing relics that will help him overcome evil? Can he convince Sera to give them a chance, and if she does, then will they be able to stay together? Will he ever find the mystical items to help him beat the evil Sorcerer?

I really enjoyed the book. So I’d recommend this one to those who enjoy action and adventure with a little romance.

Copy supplied for review

? Reviewed by Julie B

Lysandro moved along the edges of the room, circumnavigating the central space occupied by countless dancing couples. Then he saw her. At the far end of the hall, the normal view out over the coast had been replaced by a painted backdrop of the Maghreve Desert, at the very farthest border of Mirêne. With her arms wrapped around herself, Seraphine looked out over the artificial horizon. She wore a sleek ivory dress covered in gold and copper crystals that left her shoulders daringly bare. That now familiar ache that hadn’t left him since this morning grew more pronounced.
As he observed the faraway, wistful look in her eyes, he realized he recognized it—homesickness. He took a deep breath and called on well-used skills to smooth his nerves and keep them tightly tucked away under a charming façade.
He inhaled the hypnotic scent of her hair again as he stood close to her, and almost lost his nerve. He agonized over what to say, knowing he might have only one shot to get her attention.
“Is the city of stars as beautiful as they say?”
She turned to face him, and he saw the truth in her eyes.

Guest Post: The Act of Creation by Kathryn Troy

So many writers are so often asked by avid readers and aspiring writers alike: “Where do you get your ideas?”

It’s a natural question to ask, but it can be just as hard for some authors to answer this as it is to come up with the “elevator speech.” Which got me to thinking what it is about this query that bothers everybody so much.

The simple, semi-redundant answer to “where I get my ideas” is: I get them from my head. Because I’m creative. It’s in my nature to be observant, thoughtful, and reflective. I also have a knack for stringing words together because I’ve been doing it so long and make it a regular habit. To read the question in an unkind way, asking someone where they get their ideas is another way of saying “I have no ideas of my own, and I don’t know why.” Some people are creative. Some people are not. It’s wiring in the brain that causes this, and it’s not a personal affront to people who can’t imagine or tell stories, the same way it’s not an affront to the large majority of people who can’t draw beyond a kindergartner’s level, or those who become nauseous at the sight of the formulae of an astrophysicist. It takes a certain kind of brain function, coupled with practice, instruction, and discipline.

The same is true of writing. There are multiple skill sets at work here: the ability to research (possibly), deep reading (to understand themes of other authors and engage with them in your own work), understanding narrative (plot, narrative tension, setting, character, etc. etc. etc.) the actual writing (technicalities like grammar and sentence construction, poetic ability, vocabulary, mood), an imagination, an understanding of tropes and how to bend them, just enough to be new but not totally out there…and the list goes on and on.

So again: Where do I get my ideas?

1. From what I read: I see divergent storylines, or ways to fulfill my anticipation if the actual writing did not. I also absorb character types, environmental description, the setting of mood, and dialogue patterns. In the case of my latest book, The Shadow of Theron, its influences were, for starters: Zorro, Wheel of Time, Pyrdain, Indiana Jones, The Legend of Zelda, Xena: Warrior Princess, regency romance, the Spanish Inquisition, Italian principalities, Chinese mystery novels, The Odyssey, Berserk…I could go on. And on.

2. From what I see and hear: my stories are shot in full trillion-dollar color in my head-then I find the words to describe what I see in my mind’s eye. A collection of movie aesthetics, sounds, actor mannerisms, lighting, framing, perspective. Inspiration has come from tense strains in music-like the theatrical accompaniment of a musical movement. It promotes mood production and emotion.

3. From what I’ve experienced: Places I’ve been have given me plenty of inspiration- places that speak of the past, or promise the future. Where I’ve traveled. The activities I participate in. Everyday circumstances and practicalities.

4. From daydreaming: experimenting with my characters, allowing them multiple possibilities to understand behavior, predictability, authenticity.

To summarize: if you’re looking for inspiration, some things you can do that might help you: Reading, Writing, Observing, Living, and Dreaming.
There. I’ve given you the keys to the universe. Use wisely.

I’m a history professor by day, a novelist by night. I like to write what I read – fantasy, romantic fantasy, gothic fiction, historical fiction,  paranormal, horror, and weird fiction. Horror cinema and horticulture are my other passions.

When I’m not reading or writing or teaching, I’m gaming, traveling, baking, or adding some new weird creepy cool thing to my art collection. I’m a Long Island native with one husband, two children, and three rats.

Blog/  Facebook/ Instagram/ Amazon Author Page/ Goodreads

 

Share

Siege by Robert DeSimone Jr-Review & Guest Post

Posted on by
10

SIEGE by Robert DeSimone Jr-Review & Guest Post

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 14, 2022

Year 2096. Earth is at war with a reptile-like alien race known as Architects who have invaded the planet alongside their android armies. Rain Tessio and his brother Jax are drafted into the war and assigned to an isolated military supply depot called The Krag. Their sleepy assignment soon turns into a full-scale conflict when a small Architect army surrounds The Krag. To make matters worse, when one member of the unit is mysteriously killed, they discover that the killer is one of their own.

••••••

REVIEW:  SIEGE by Robert Desimone Jr is a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi thriller set in the year 2096.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise including graphic violence, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from third person perspective SIEGE focuses on Unit 27 Romeo, a group of 19 nineteen humans conscripted to protect an isolated military supply depot called The Krag. With very little experience between them, and hundreds if not thousands of androids surrounding the depot, the rag tag team of unskilled and non-miliary fighters are forced to defend something they know nothing about. One by one, each member of Unit 27 Romeo is plucked off and killed, and some begin to suspect a killer from within. A war between the humans and the aliens reveals a secret hidden deep within the Earth’s surface, a secret that may threaten the existence of the rest of humanity.

SIEGE is a quick read; a story focusing on an alien invasion of Earth wherein the inhabitants of Earth are struggling to survive, struggling against an enemy who themselves are battling to thrive. The fast paced premise is dramatic, imaginative and tragic ; the characters are energetic, ill-fated but determined.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

The Many Sides of Morality in Siege by Robert DeSimone Jr.

Probably the most important part of writing any story for me is having likeable characters you can get attached to. To know their histories, wants, fears, etc. One important theme that goes into most of my stories is morality. As something of a goody-two-shoes since I can remember, I love exploring the idea of morality in my characters. And it is the main theme I try to (and hopefully) convey in the science fiction/mystery novella Siege.

What’s interesting about morality is that it is completely subjective based on the individual and/or the culture. Some say that there are universal truths regarding morality including not killing or stealing, however, if you consulted a Viking raider from the 9th century, he may disagree based on the norms of his culture. Regardless, when I wrote the characters of Siege, I installed some of my own ideas on right and wrong.

The four aspects of morality I explored was separated into four characters: Rain, the serial killer, Sofia, and Binder. Rain, as the de facto protagonist, is a character who has a strict black-and-white sense of right and wrong and generally follows the universal truths of morality. After finding the alien infant Crocadelia, he spends a great deal of time making sure she is safe and fed despite some of his teammates voting to have her killed. In this instance, his teammates argued that because she was the same species as their enemy and because she may one day, far in the future, be a threat, she should be killed, but Rain chooses to advocate for her life because she has done nothing wrong and is an innocent regardless of her species. To him the decision is easy: she’s innocent so she must be protected. Nothing else matters.

Rain’s biggest moral dilemma, perhaps, is the perceived temptation of the beautiful electrical engineer Sofia. Because Rain has a girlfriend named Annabelle back home, the question is: will Rain betray Annabelle in favor of Sofia or will he stay loyal? While I present this dilemma to the reader as if it is a possibility, Rain never actually considers betraying Annabelle. He simply admits to himself that he’s attracted to Sofia and that’s as far as he’ll ever take it. Because he has a cookie-cutter sense of right and wrong, he sees everything in black and white and would never betray someone he made a promise to. And he would never delve into the world of grays to satisfy his lust because that’s not in his moral programming.

Sofia, on the other hand, represents the gray area of morality. Partway through the story, it is revealed that Sofia is afflicted with a disease that will kill her by her mid-fifties and there is no cure in sight. Because her life will be cut almost in half, in her I explored morality mixed with mortality. She has a clock that is constantly ticking in the back of her mind, which is further exacerbated by the threat of being killed at any point during the siege, which leads her to make decisions she may not normally make if she were completely healthy. While she is empathetic, caring, and very protective (especially towards Crocadelia), she is more than willing to steal Rain away from Annabelle because she feels she may not have the time a healthy person would have to find a partner she truly loves.

The serial killer lurking within the walls of The Krag represents amorality. After the serial killer’s childhood and upbringing is explored, it is revealed he suffered trauma, lacked a mother figure, had a non-existent social life, and murdered his first person at a young age. Due to this, he grew up without morality being a factor in his life. Morality, in a practical sense, serves as a buffer to keep people from engaging in horrible

Immorality was explored, mainly in the character of Binder, but also in a few other minor characters as well. Binder is presented as a selfish person with little sympathy towards anyone but himself. This is shown in his treatment of Osman, one of his subordinates. He also has no empathy towards the animals he paralyzed during his time as a research assistant. He remarked that he preferred paralyzing the test subjects from their necks rather than their backs because it was more convenient for him. It didn’t matter to him that he would cause extra suffering to the animal who would no longer have use to any of its limbs.

I enjoyed being able to explore these themes in Siege. When writing the immoral and amoral characters in Siege, I tried to present them as cautionary tales to those who have no regard for others because I can’t imagine one can have a fulfilling life without empathy towards others and no moral code whatsoever. Consequences usually follow bad deeds.

And while these are my opinions on morality, others may find that people who do the right thing simply use morality as  the excuse for being a coward. Another may not think animal experimentation is an immoral act, rather a practical one to obtain data. What importance do you think morality plays in a story or life for that matter?

 

Follow the Author: Facebook /  Website/ Goodreads

Robert DeSimone Jr. was born in Long Beach, CA on June 9th, 1987. He is the second of six children. His first job was as a computer technician before he began working various jobs in the fire service including as an EMT, fire cadet, and finally fire inspector.

Robert published his first short story in 2021. His favorite book is Blood Meridian or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy. He spends much of his free time building his business as a writer and spending time with his wife and two dogs.

Share

Arachniss by Shawn C Butler-Review & Guest Post

Posted on by
14

Arachniss by Shawn C Butler-Review & Guest Post

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 2 2022.

Who would you sacrifice to save what you love?

David just wants to write children’s books and spend time with his infant son Jason. The only problem is, something’s eating Jason.

Something’s eating everyone, bit by bit, inch by inch, and no one else notices. They have great stories about how they lost a limb here or a body part there, until they lose something they can’t live without and just…vanish.

Jason’s just missing a pinky today. No, wait, two. And a toe. His son is dissolving in front of him, and David will do anything to save him.

But how can David save his son from something no one can see?

•••••••

REVIEW: ARACHNISS by Shawn C Butler is a stand alone, adult, sci-fi, horror thriller focusing on children’s book author David Chambers in the months and years after a ‘viral pandemic’ has killed or maimed most of the world’s population. Known as the vanishing or erasure but formally called SHAS-selective human autosarcophagic syndrome-a virus of unknown origins, SHAS ‘eats’ away at body parts, sometimes eating away at the entire human existence.

WARNING: Due to the detailed and graphic nature of the story line premise including domestic abuse, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from third person perspective (David ) ARACHNISS follows children’s book author David Chambers as he struggles in both his personal and professional life but a struggle that also includes years of potential hallucinations in which spider-like creatures are slowly or sometimes quickly devouring the people of Earth. David believes he is going mad. Every day millions of people are losing body parts from an unknown cause, memories erased without knowing what happened or why, but at some point David will discover that his hallucinations are real, a virtual albeit actual front row seat, into the demise of the human existence. The majority of Earth’s population have accepted their fate as a side affect of the SHAS pandemic but a few ‘lucky’ inhabitants, including David Chambers and his neighbor Franzia, bear first-person witness to the truth that lies beyond the veil of human acceptance and comprehension.

ARACHNISS reads like a study in social psychology; a sociological study of humanity and human nature; a psychological test of power and control bearing similarities to the Milgram Yale Obedience experiments of the 1960s. With a slight nod to more famous works of science fiction -War of the Worlds by HG Wells, Twilight Zone’s TO SERVE MAN episode, The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham, and Soylent Green by Harry Harrison-ARACHNISS is a graphic, detailed, haunting and complex story of artificial intelligence, alien invasion, human nature in opposition to everything around us, and the obliviousness of mankind. The thought provoking premise is dramatic and visceral; the characters are tormented, desperate, dismayed and vulnerable. ARACHNISS follows David Chambers as he must come to terms with those in charge, terms that would choose between life and death for the people he loves.

Heed my warning, ARACHNISS is a graphically detailed story line that will not be suitable for all readers.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Follow: Website / Goodreads / Amazon Author Page / Facebook  /Twitter

As a relatively new author, one thing I’m constantly focused on is how to build the most compelling worlds for my readers. This means not just things that are cool or make you say “Wow!” when you’re supposed to be sleeping, but all the details that make a story and its characters feel real and thus relatable.  So, here are some of the rules I try to follow…

Ten Sci-Fi World-Building Rules

As with all systems, you can probably come up with a hundred rules for world building, some vital, some trivial, and spend the rest of your writing life making sure you’re doing things “right.” There is no absolute right in science fiction world building, but there are pretty basic rules that will help you avoid obvious issues that will cost you readers.

The following are ten of those rules, which are a bit random because they reflect where I am in my writing career and process. A year ago, I probably focused on more basic issues. A year from now, I’ll be worried about something else, like what to do with all this money (buy one gumball, or two?). These are the ten that most concern me in my current WIPs.

1 / Know why you’re building worlds in the first place

All of my published works take place on Earth within 100 years of the present, in locations you can find on a map today (or close). The world building for these books was therefore the minimum necessary to encompass new technology, politics and the occasional alien invasion. I wanted this proximity to reality because each book is clearly about today’s society and/or warnings for things to come. You, however, might want to escape the planet, solar system, universe and time-space continuum entirely. Which is great. Just keep in mind that the more you leave the known, the greater obligation you have to build a world the reader can understand…and appreciate.

So ask yourself, are you building a world because it’s a cool way to procrastinate, and it’s fun, or because that’s what you need to tell the story? Neither answer is correct, but the more time you spending building the less time you spend writing…unless you’re building a world that will be used for multiple works, in which case, build away.

2  / Be internally consistent

Whether you’re writing fantasy or science fiction, the structure and behavior of your world should remain consistent by whatever set of rules you’ve defined for that world. If they’re not, you’re going to lose readers and, if you care, get worse reviews.

In Dune, there are rules about (not having) computers and artificial intelligence that allow for the semi-religious power dynamic of the books (not to mention the dependence on spice for navigation in space). Frank Herbert can’t then have robots magically appear later on to solve some poorly thought-out plot issue.

In Star Wars, you can’t jump straight from one point to another in space without running into things, which at least retroactively explains why the Kessel Run record was expressed in distance and not time (using the shortest safe route). The same franchise runs into massive consistency problems in later installments when, for instance, we learn that you can fly any ship into another at “lightspeed” (which in Star Wars is much faster than the speed of light) and destroy it, making it obvious that you could have obliterated the Death Star or anything else just by ramming it with a small ship. This breaks the plotline of almost every Star Wars film.

So, if you give readers a rule, you need to follow it unless there’s a clear and rational reason not to, and all other rules should make sense in that context. To understand how hard this is, look at Marvel’s Avengers. It’s practically impossible to keep clear which superhero has which relative power because they keep changing according to the needs of a movie or scene. We overlook this because we love the movies, but you probably won’t be as lucky in your books…

3 / If it’s in the near future, there should be a clear path from here to there

In writing Run Lab Rat Run, I had in mind a series of prequels that explained how the world got to where it was (as a hierarchical genetic dystopia), and thus left a lot of this backstory out of the book. A few readers asked how all this madness happened, and I realized that (absent the prequels), I’d left the backstory too vague. I can’t fix that now, but in future novels, this will be a key checklist item for me. Meanwhile, the prequels are coming!

4 / If it’s in the distant future or after a disaster that breaks the connection between the past and present, that should be clear

This is rarely a problem, as authors love to write about disasters / end of the world / plagues / meteors / viruses / invasions / loud noises that result in the rapid decline of society so they can talk about a woman and her dog lost in the radioactive wastelands of wherever, but it’s vitally important that you as an author understand what happened, when, why and how it impacts the world of your story–and communicate enough of this to give the reader an anchor.

Don’t get me wrong; sometimes this horrific event is the very thing you want to hide. In Planet of the Apes, the surprise is that the planet of brainy but mean apes is …Earth! Spoiler? Hmm. Anyway, you might be intentionally hiding parts of the world’s history to allow for this type of reveal, but it should still be very clear how the world got from A to B (at least by the end). I’m assuming the apes drank too much Red Bull.

5 / No matter what the world looks like, your story should be more about people / beings and the obstacles they face than the technology itself

I remember reading Larry Niven’s short stories, including one about how someone died inside an allegedly impenetrable General Products hull. But even with a black hole, killer gravity, an invincible ship and concerns about warranty violations, the story is still about a guy trying to solve a problem before he dies. Which is basically the same story as The Martian, where we care about Mark Watney a lot more than the technology he’s trying to salvage.

6 / You should have a massive backstory that never goes in your book

Because this gives your world a feeling of fullness / richness that you don’t get if there’s just a skeleton and no flesh. In world building articles, they’ll often talk about this in terms of hard vs. soft world building, which is different from hard vs. soft science fiction. Hard SF concerns itself heavily with science and the details of technology, while soft SF tends to use technology and science as (important) background that’s not central to the story. Hard world building is about how much of the world you know and show to the reader (a lot), whereas soft world building means more is implied and less is shown. I tend to think that even if you’re writing soft SF and doing soft world-building, you should still know far more about the world than the reader does.

The challenge here is, of course, that you’ve built this cool world and you want to show it to everyone. Trust me, almost no one cares. Share the parts that move the story forward and hide the rest. If you want to add adjunct materials to your website, great (I have a massive glossary for Run Lab Rat Run), but leave it out of the book. The story will move faster, the reader will stay more engaged, and your books will do better.

Why develop all this if you’re not showing it? Because you need to know how, when, where and why things happen even if the reader doesn’t. Otherwise, you’ll have trouble fleshing out the story and remaining internally consistent (See #2).

7 / The same is true of characters

Meaning, you should know the backstory of your characters even if the reader doesn’t need to. Where did they go to space laser college? Did they graduate with a minor in Babble Fish? What’s the scar from? Is they cybernetic right arm haunted or just made by the lowest bidder? Do they have past trauma their working through, and how does it affect them in your story? Do they prefer Twizzlers or Red Vines (there is a right answer, and it rhymes with lead mines).

Whenever I read something by Margaret Atwood, for instance, I know she knows way more about the characters than she’s telling, and that brings them to life. You know, until they die horribly. And then you’re really sad about that.

8 / If you’re doing hard science fiction, get your science right

Let me correct that: If you’re writing anything that is based on fact, even if it’s only the facts in your world, get it right. Don’t leave the reader picking up your bad math, physics, chemistry, laser optics or (in fantasy) spells. That’s not their job. This is especially true if you’re writing in areas that have…hobbyists. Enthusiasts? For instance, never screw up military ranks, military history, guns (even space guns), gravity, relativistic math, time travel paradox magicology, genetics, etc. At least one of your readers is going to have a PhD in that thing, and they’ll let everyone know you screwed up.

9 / In soft SF, the feel of your world matters more than the details (but see #2)

And because the feel of your world and its characters matter more than detailed scientific exposition, I’d suggest changing the minimum number of things from present reality and culture to tell your story. If having nineteen genders isn’t relevant or important, then leave it out. If you’re not comfortable changing languages and dialects, don’t. Tell your story using the world you build; don’t let the world take over your story. For instance, I love the lingo in Clockwork Orange and Blade Runner, but I try to minimize linguistic quirks in what I write so I’m not constantly explaining what a word means. Change a few things that matter, and move on. A little goes a long way.

10 / Minimize jargon, abbreviations, acronyms, etc.

One thing I know is technically “wrong” about Run Lab Rat Run is that there will be far more changes in language than I present in the book (whether my predicted future comes to pass or not). The reason is simple; if you’re not a native of that future world, you’ll need a while to learn the language, culture, usage, etc., and you don’t have time for full-immersion language class in the middle of your book. Your novel isn’t Lord of the Rings (sorry), where you can spend time developing entire languages and the reader will go along for the ride. They probably won’t. They won’t even look at a glossary if you put it in the book. You’ll just frustrate and lose your audience. For instance, I used “WIP” in the intro paragraphs (for Work in Progress). Many probably knew what it meant, but many didn’t, and I didn’t gain anything by using the acronym.

11 / Have a Little Fun

World building is a blast, and a great way to procrastinate. Don’t focus just on the serious stuff. What changes / new things are in this world that your reader will find humorous, disgusting or both? Put some of that in there. Science Fiction is about imagining alternate worlds and futures, including all of their glorious absurdity. If your dominant species is dogs, there should be some butt sniffing and dry humping because that’s what dogs do. If it’s about genetic engineering, like some of my books, then there’s going to be some random, stupid, irresponsible genetic experimentation that’s worth a joke or two (e.g., the sex model references in RLRR). Include eleven items in a list of ten. Get crazy.

In Blade Runner’s infamous “I only do eyes scene,” a replicant eyeball is placed on a man’s shoulder. It’s disturbing, threatening, and darkly funny, but it also reveals how truly synthetic the replicants are. In The Martian, we learn that you can’t grow potatoes on Mars without poop, which is both funny and pretty essential to not dying. If you’re enjoying your world, your readers will too. Unless they’re Vogons, in which case, run before the poetry starts.

Other Resources

It might surprise you to know that I’m not the first one to write about world building in science fiction. Here are some other articles that do a good job, especially the John Fox one. Most of them conflate SF with Fantasy as if all speculative fiction is just one big blob, but the rules are pretty much the same (just replace magic with science or vice versa).

Thanks your time. I look forward to hearing about your new worlds.

Peace, Shawn

Share