Where there are Cover Reveals, News and A Giveaway of Cashy Money & ARCs 😀 Head over to The Novel Approach and Enter!
Author: Rhys Ford
Rhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series, including Murder and Mayhem, a 2016 LAMBDA finalist. She is published by Dreamspinner Press and DSP Publications.
Andrew Q. Gordon’s New Release and a Giveaway!
I’d like to welcome Andrew Q. Gordon to the blog as he announces the release of his new book, The Eye and the Arm, from DSP Publications.
Title: The Eye And The Arm
Series: Champion of the Gods Book 2
After defeating Meglar at Belsport, Farrell returns to Haven to recover from his injuries, but Khron, the god of war, has other ideas. He gives Farrell a new mission: free the survivors of the ancient dwarf realm of Trellham from their three-thousand-year banishment. To fulfill Khron’s near impossible task, Farrell will need the help of his distance ancestor, the legendary wizard Kel. But Kel has been dead for a thousand years.
Farrell finds information hinting that Kel is alive, so he moves his search to Dumbarten, Kel’s birthplace. To reach Dumbarten unannounced, Farrell and Miceral disguise themselves as mercenaries on board a merchant vessel. Their journey is disrupted when pirates attack their ship. While attempting to subdue the attack, Farrell is struck down by one of Meglar’s minions.
Unconscious and trapped in his own mind, Farrell’s only chance for survival rests with Miceral and the peregrine king Rothdin entering his thoughts and helping him sort fact from illusion. To reach Farrell, they will need to rely on an untested spell from one of Kel’s spellbooks. If they succeed, Miceral can guide Farrell home safely. If not, Farrell will destroy not only himself, but Miceral, Rothdin, and everyone around him.
DSP Publications
Length: 99,775 words/296 Pages
Release Date: April 14, 2015
EXCERPT:
“Relax, my friend.” Klissmor’s presence calmed Miceral’s growing anxiety. “You won’t feel my presence.”
Miceral took a deep breath. “Will I be able to hear?”
“Every word. Ready?”
“No, but let’s do it.” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
“I need your eyes open for everyone to see.”
He snapped his lids open, blinking several times before could focus again. “Sorry.”
“Master Teberus.” Miceral knew the words came from him, but as promised, he didn’t feel anything. “I have Masters Erstad and Wesfazial as well as Wizard-Priestess Glendora. Ask your questions to Miceral and we four will also hear you.”
“Astounding.” The elder Arlefor glanced at the high priestess. “All four at once?”
“Wizard.” Miceral had heard that tone enough to know Klissmor’s mood. “Maintaining this link, this far away with this many minds, is a strain. If we are to save Farrell, you must focus on him.”
“Of course. My apologies.” Teberus bowed deeply. “My examination of the one who did this to Farrell confirmed that he is no wizard.”
“Then how in the eight gates of Neblor did that man defeat Farrell?” Even though Teberus couldn’t know, Miceral recognized the voice as Wesfazial’s.
“The obvious answer is the correct one. A wizard gave this man the weapon.”
“But Farrell could defeat all four of us and all the other wizards you brought with you and not be tested.” Erstad’s steady temperament sounded tested. “No weapon used by a nonwizard should be capable of this.”
Teberus raised the crest of his hairless eyebrow. “But since that is what happened, we must use it as the basis of our search for a cure.”
No one answered. As the silence dragged on, Miceral’s anxiety slowly returned. If Haven’s senior wizards didn’t know what to do, who could?
“Tell us what happened.” Erstad’s request almost didn’t register with Miceral.
“No,” Klissmor said. “Show them. Let them see the memory.”
Miceral closed his eyes and focused on reliving the attack. The clarity of the image caused his chest to tighten, making it hard to breathe. He knew the result, but watching it again, almost in slow motion, added to his agony.
When the image played over again, he realized Klissmor must have been guiding his thoughts.
“My apologies, old friend—the need is great.” Klissmor’s voice didn’t interrupt the stream of images.
“Do whatever you need. Just find a way to save Farrell.”
“Your friends are doing all they can. Have faith that Lenore will send us what we need.”
When the memory started for the third time, he didn’t find any comfort in Klissmor’s assertion. The Six wouldn’t—couldn’t—help. He needed something that didn’t exist—a great wizard like Heminaltose or Kel.
“In theory, I recognize the magic.” Erstad sounded confused. “But I’ll need to find a reference to be sure.”
“What about Farrell?” He knew he shouted, or at least what Farrell told him passed for shouting, but he couldn’t prevent it. “He could be dead before you find that.”
“It can’t be helped, Miceral. I need to be sure before I suggest a counterspell. If I’m wrong, whatever I try might kill him.”
“He is in no immediate danger.” Teberus put his hand on Farrell’s forehead. “But my fear is the number of spells that draw on him for power. I can only give him but so much. If he doesn’t wake, his body will burn out.”
“Do what you can, Master Teberus. We’ll begin searching immediately and contact you when we find the answer.” When Erstad stopped speaking, Klissmor’s presence left with him.
“Hurry. Please.” Miceral knew no one heard him.
BUY LINKS
DSPP Link: http://www.andrewqgordon.com/2015/04/champion-of-the-gods-books-one-and-two-available-now/
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Eye-Champion-Gods-Book-ebook/dp/B00VGZB6SS
Amazon UK Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Eye-Champion-Gods-Book-ebook/dp/B00VGZB6SS
Are Omnilit Link: https://www.omnilit.com/product-theeyeandthearm-1773344-234.html
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Q. Gordon wrote his first story back when yellow legal pads, ball point pens were common and a Smith Corona correctable typewriter was considered high tech. Adapting with technology, he now takes his MacBook somewhere quiet when he wants to write.
He currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his partner of eighteen years, their young daughter and dog. In addition to dodging some very self-important D.C. ‘insiders’, Andrew uses his commute to catch up on his reading. When not working or writing, he enjoys soccer, high fantasy, baseball and seeing how much coffee he can drink in a day and not get the shakes.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Website: http://www.andreqgordon.com
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/andrewqugordon,
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/dominic.andrews.7568
On Twitter: @andrewqgordon,
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AndrewQGordon/posts
Email: andrewqgordon@gmail.com
GIVEAWAY
FIVE Winners will win one e-copy of ANY book* each from DSP Publication’s backlist.
*Giveaway is of any currently released DSPP book, which excludes the books that are on pre-order and “The Eye And The Arm”.
Tonight’s Dinner
The lime and italian seasoning chicken wings. stuffing on the side.
So Here’s The Thing…
Just threw a bunch of chicken wings in the fridge to marinate for tonight’s dinner.
Lime juice, old bay, salt, pepper, garlic, chili oil and italian seasoning.
We’ll probably have pasta or potatoes. Debating making a macaroni salad but I don’t have eggs. Must have eggs.
Whatcha all having for dinner?
Cover Reveals and More from Rhys Ford. April 16 at the Novel Approach.
Oh. Just so you know…. April 16th!
From the Novel Approach…
On Thurs…. Rhys Ford pops in today with a “State of the Rhys” address. She shares news about her upcoming releases and will also be giving away some goodies, so stay tuned for that. Oh And Exclusive Cover Reveals *grins*
Huh
I’m just going to leave this here.
Morning!
This is a lovely shot for contrast of skin. The stark white is a great background and the tones of gold on his skin are highlighted by the deep blacks of the shot’s shadows. The off centre of the subject is nice.
Joe Cosentino Is At My Place! Welcome Mat Out!
Please welcome Joe Cosentino to the blog! Joe is an author with Dreamspinner Press and has written a fantastic story! Everyone please give a warm welcome to Joe. I’ll have you know I resisted the urge to use that last exclamation mark there.
JOE COSENTINO ANSWERS READERS’ QUESTIONS
Rhys Ford, thank you for hosting me today on your amazing blog. Via Facebook, I asked my readers to post questions they would like me to answer on your blog. They came up with some really interesting questions. It was great fun answering them. Enjoy!
When you were an actor, which director did you get along with best? Have you remained friends with any or your costars?
I am still friends with the writer/director of CIRCUS, a musical I did at the Cubiculo Theatre in NYC in 1975. I played Rodo, the clown. I looked adorable in my clown outfit and makeup. Hah. We are all still friends! We have reunions at each other’s homes. We literally have grown up and grown old(er) together sharing career changes, location changes, marriages, divorces, births, and deaths. Our story would make a great movie. I want to play me!
Over the next few years I also acted opposite Nathan Lane (ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT in dinner theatre), Rosie O’Donnell (AT&T Industrial), Bruce Willis (A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM in regional theatre), Holland Taylor (MY MOTHER WAS NEVER A KID ABC-TV movie), Jason Robards (Commercial Credit Computer commercial), and Charles Keating (NBC-TV’s ANOTHER WORLD) as well as with many many other gifted actors, writers, and directors. After our roles were finished, we moved on to other things and did not remain friends. That is one of the reasons I cherish the CIRCUS group so much.
Where do you get your inspiration for creating your characters? Which of your characters most resembles you?
Each of my characters is a composite of a few people I’ve known. The exceptions are Harold and Stuart in AN INFATUATION (Dreamspinner Press), which started as my one-act play and morphed into the novella. Harold is based on me, and his husband Stuart is based on my spouse. Harold has my sense of humor and ability to forge on despite amazing obstacles. Since it spans a twenty-year period, Harold matures throughout the novella as I did in my life. I love Stuart’s devotion to Harold as well as Stuart’s over planning of everything. My spouse makes lists of the lists he needs to make. He plans the itineraries for our vacations to the minute. Finally I love how Start isn’t jealous of Harold’s infatuation with Mario, because Stuart has the utmost faith in the strength of his and Harold’s relationship. Mario is a composite of a few studly guys I knew as an actor. They took it for granted that everyone was infatuated with them, and they were!
Jana Lane in the Jana Lane mysteries was born with PAPER DOLL by Whiskey Creek Press. She is based on a number of child movie stars like Hayley Mills, Shirley Temple, Patty Duke, etc. I cringe when my students tell me they’ve never heard of them!
The Nicky and Noah comedy mysteries (releasing this summer from Lethe Press with DRAMA QUEEN) take place at a college. Since I am a college theatre professor and department head, my colleagues tease me that if they tick me off I will kill them in one of my books. In actuality, the characters are conglomerations of many people I’ve known. I think that makes the characters more interesting and bit larger than life—which I like! Continue reading “Joe Cosentino Is At My Place! Welcome Mat Out!”
No April Fools’… All IN-STOCK Dreamspinner Paperbacks 50% Off
This is NOT an April Fool’s Joke. Dreamspinner Press is REALLY having a 50% off Sale on all IN-STOCK paperbooks. Time to raid the couch for pennies!
Down and Dirty is now $7.50. I think there are some Dirty Kiss and Sinner’s Gin there too.
I’ll have to check to see if you get the ebook as well when you purchase the paperback. For some reason that sticks in my head but I could be wrong. I need clarification there… LIKE BUTTAH!
Rhys Ford 