Category: 5 star Rating

A History of Halloween as Samhain (All Hallows Eve) Approaches and the Week Ahead at Scattered Thoughts

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Happy Samhain!

 

October 31st is almost upon us. Known by many names, this time of year is celebrated by people all over the world and in far different ways than we might imagine.  A little history first.  Known first as Samhain (pronounced Sa win or sow en depending upon which Celtic dialect you use), it is an ancient Celtic festival celebrated from sunset on October 31 to sunset on November 1. This date  falls about halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. The festival marks the end of summer and fall (harvest season) and the beginning of winter, the darker, colder half of the year.

During Samhain, people bring their livestock down from the upper grazing pastures.  Now was the time of separating the animals, choosing which to keep as breeding stock and which to choose for slaughter for winter. Households take careful stock of their pantries and food supplies in order to prepare for the long, cold weather ahead. Unlike the Gaelic festival of Beltane, which celebrates life and growth, Samhain honors the darker side of things.  These months are considered a “liminal” time of the year, passing from the abundance of summer into the darkness and harsh times of the winter. It is also thought to be the time of the year when the walls between our world and the next plane of existence thin and the spirits can reach out to the living.Lag_BaOmer_bonfire

It is believed that the deceased spirits would return to the homes and places they knew, seeking comfort and sometimes revenge.  In order to appease these spirits, people would place a dinner plate at their table and/or bowls of food or treats by their front door. People took special care not to offend any wandering spirits, and if they left their homes they would disguise themselves with masks and costumes to avoid recognition. Eventually the tables were turned, and the masked citizens started imitating the spirits they once feared by going door-to-door demanding treats and threatening to perform mischief of their own.

Into this celebration came large bonfires,  lit to keep away bad spirits and even act as an imitation sun.  The bones from  freshly slaughtered animals were tossed into the fires known as “bone-fires”, which eventually became bonfires.  People carried part of the bone-fires with them by placing a hot coal inside a hollowed-out turnip, potato or beet.  Yes, that’s where our jack ‘o lanterns came from.   According to lore and historian Hannah Kincaid*:

The lanterns were frequently carved with creepy faces to represent and scare away the wandering spirits. The term “jack-o’-lantern” comes from an old Irish myth about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” According to lore, the drunkard Stingy Jack tricked the devil into never condemning him to Hell. When Jack died, however, God wouldn’t allow such an unsavory soul into heaven, either, so Jack was sentenced to eternally wander the Earth with nothing but a coal nestled inside a hollowed-out-turnip for light. The Irish referred to Stingy Jack’s Jack-o'-Lantern_2003-10-31ghost as “Jack of the Lantern,” which eventually became “jack-o’-lantern” as we know it today.

So how did Samhain become Halloween?  Blame it on the Church…the Catholic church that is.  Here is the best explanation courtesy of Hannah Kincaid again:

The term “Halloween” is a result of Catholic interference with Samhain in the year 609. All Saints Day is a Roman Catholic holiday that honors and remembers all Christian saints both known and unknown. Pope Gregory IV decided to officially move the date of All Saints Day to November 1, the same day as Samhain. All Saints Day is also called “All Hallows” because “hallowed” means sanctified or holy (for those of you who know The Our Father prayer, think of the part “hallowed be thy name.”) The evening before All Hallows was a popular time to celebrate, so the term “All Hallows’ Eve” was used quite a bit. Eventually the term All Hallows’ Eve morphed into Halloween as we know it, and along the way it snatched up and mingled with many of the Samhain traditions that had already been happening for thousands of years.

The history of Samhain reminds us that we once celebrated holidays because of a shared human connection that resonated with the Earth’s cycles — the weather, the moon, the harvest — instead of a celebration of consumerism or heroic dominance.*

 

So how do you intend to spend this All Hallows Eve?  Masked, costumed, ready to explore into the night and see what spirits are afoot?  Or will you be staying home, listening for the sound of footsteps big and small, the sound of giggling and howls upon the night air?   Do you have your candy ready or will there be a trick or two in store for those who venture near?  Me and mine will light a candle or two, keep the wee doggies inside safe and warm, and have the goodies ready to share for those who visit.  Happy Samhain, everyone!raven and moon

Now for the Week Ahead at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words:

Monday, October 27:

  • Belinda McBride’s Prince of Faith Book Tour and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  Accidental Contact and Other Mahu Investigations (Mahu #7.5)
    by Neil S. Plakcy

Tuesday, October 28:

  • D.T. Peterson’s Seduction in Red Book Tour and Contest
  • Alexis Duran’s To Catch a Threeve Book Tour and Contest
  • A PaulB Review: Phoenix Heart (Stolen Elements #1) by A.L. Wilson
  • A MelanieM Review: Cutting Out by Meredith Shayne

Wednesday, October 29:

  • Silvia Violet’s Shifting Hearts Book Tour and Contest
  • Lila Bruce’s The Scent of Jasmine Book Tour and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  Red Dirt Heart 3 by N. R. Walker

Thursday, October 30:

  • John Simpson and Robert Cummings’ The Marine Book Tour and Contest
  • Iyana Jenna’s Love’s Home Book Tour and Contest
  • A Barb, the Zany, Old Lady Review:  The Trouble with Elves by Theresa Woodson

Friday, October 31 (Happy Halloween):

  • Garrett Leigh’s Heart Book Tour and Contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  Confetti, Cake, and Confessions by KC Wells
  • October 2014 Summary of Reviews and Best Covers of the Month

Saturday, November 1:

  • An Aurora YA Review:  The Key to Behliseth by Lou Hoffmann

 

*references Hannah Kincaid,  History of Halloween (history.com), Telegraph uk

 

A MelanieM Review: Brothers in Arms (The Broken Road Cafe #2) by T.A. Webb

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Brothers In Arms coverDaniel O’Leary fled his high powered life in Atlanta, exchanging it for ownership of the The Broken Road Cafe in Blue Ridge, a life he hoped would be simpler,honest, in all ways easier on the soul and emotions.  But life has a way of playing with your expectations.  Instead Daniel met Chief of Police Nick Oliver, a closeted, complex man and fell in love.  As did Nick.  Daniel also found his life filling up with new friends, neighbors, and town folk determined to pull him into the close knit soceity of small town life even as his connections to Atlanta refused to let him go.

Now Daniel finds himself immersed in the lives of those around him and finds that life in Blue Ridge is every bit as full of complexities, pain, and bullying as life in Atlanta.  One of The Broken Road’s high school employees is  being harassed by the local school bullies and his vulnerability  pulls at Dan’s heart while leaving him at odds as to what to do about it.  Nick’s semi-closeted status is starting to cause further issues between them and someone from Dan’s past in Atlanta arrives to cause more pain and heartache.

But there is an even bigger danger lurking, one that will change everyones life forever.  The Broken Road Cafe is supposed to be a new life for Daniel O’Leary but what happens when his old one won’t let him go?

The Broken Road Cafe charmed me with its plot and myriad cast of inviting characters.  I loved the premise and the relocation to a small town that felt so similar in culture and mannerisms to the places my  relatives grew up and still reside to this day in Georgia.  Now with Brothers in Arms, the author widens his lens to include more of the townspeople and places than we have visited before.

Small town, Georgia is a place that T.A. Webb knows intimately and that knowledge allows Webb to usher his readers into the minds and community of Blue Ridge, Georgia.  Whether it is the wonderful mayor or the bigoted hard-nosed high school football coach, these people feel as believable as they do familiar.  Outside Daniel O’Leary is slowly finding his way into the life of Blue Ridge, one he accessed by buying the town’s favorite eating spot, The Broken Road Cafe.   Whether it is through the people that come there to dine or the employees who work for Dan, the pull of a closely knit community is having its effect upon Daniel.

In this story, bullying at the high school level is having an impact upon one of Daniel’s most vulnerable employees.  Webb’s blunt, factual treatment of this issue serves to highlight all the victims of bullying, not just the direct target themselves.  It also points out just how difficult it is to stop the bullying at its origin, especially when it occurs on the playing field of high school sports.  This is a heartrending aspect of this story, and if you find yourself sniffling at the pain caused by the bullying and the aftermath felt by the victim, well, you aren’t alone.

Daniel’s new love, Nick Oliver, is still closeted to most and having issues coming out.  And Nick’s wavering is  having ripple effects in all his relationships, not just with Daniel.  Serious issues continues to pile up at an alarming rate and Nick is the first to wonder if he is able to handle them all.

T.A. Webb has a multitude of plot threads running throughout Brothers in Arms.  From the intimate messiness of relationships to the broader scope of business and family, the author weaves the past events and characters together with all the new ones for a complex, suspenseful and totally surprising wonder of a story.   It is hard to comment to  much on the plot and events as each could contribute to a spoiler alert for all the twists and turns Webb has in store for everyone here.

I really didn’t see that ending coming,  I don’t think you will either.  Sigh.

No matter.  Still, I want more.  More of Blue Ridge, more of The Broken Road Cafe, and all the people who pass through its doors.  Here’s hoping for a long and lovely run.  If you are already on board with this series, pick this up now and continue the tale of Daniel O’Leary’s new life in Blue Ridge.  If you are new to this series, start at The Broken Road Cafe to see how it all began.  Both are among Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words highly recommended reads!

 Cover Art by Laura Harner.  Sexy cover  and great job of branding the  series, but I wish there was more to it than the torso.

Sales Links:   All Romance eBook         amazon        Brothers In Arms

Book Details:

ebook, 150 pages
Published July 24th 2014 by A Bear on Books
ISBN139781311991799
edition languageEnglish
seriesThe Broken Road Cafe #

A MelanieM Review: A Taste Of Copper by Elin Gregory

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5 (rounded up to 5)

 

Your master has the field for today, but his name, whatever it might be, is without honour.

Taste of copper 400x600Sir Maheris Schade, the Black Knight, has been charged with guarding a strategic bridge that leads into his Master’s kingdom.  His orders?  To allow no one to pass over the bridge.  It doesn’t matter that recent horrific events have made his Master, the Count of Tancred,  the most hated man in all the land.  All that matters to Sir Schade is duty and honor.  Many times the Black Knight has been challenged and each time he has bested his opponent.  And the toll of that constant fighting is showing on his body and soul.

At the Black Knight’s side, his squire Olivier.  Olivier has had other Masters but none has he loved like he loves Maheris Schade.  Olivier only wished that the Black Knight showed any interest in returning his love.  Instead Olivier has settled for a gruff Master/Squire relationship with occasional benefits on the side.

But everything is about to change.  The King and his men are approaching the bridge and they intend to cross.  As the army approaches, an intriguing archer arrives first to upset their status quo and leave Olivier questioning not only his Master’s resolve but their relationship as well.

I first encountered the author, Elin Gregory, when I read her splendid book On A Lee Shore, another historical romance.  So I was delighted to see another story from Gregory, this time set in the Middle Ages.   A story of approximately 58 pages, it takes place over the course of three momentous days.

Sir Maharis Schade, with Olivier at his side, has been holding the bridge against an onslaught of knights as war wages in the lands around him.  Gregory drops us into the action as the constant battling and lack of resources is wearing the Black Knight and Olivier down.  Their armor, tents, and clothing are  showing the wear and tear of their circumstances.  The worn, oft-repaired state of their equipment is also starting to  reflect their mental, emotional and physical status as well.  Down to just the two of them, Elin Gregory makes us feel every bit of the weariness and exhaustion that is starting to overtake them.

In concise, detailed descriptions, Elin Gregory’s narrative uses the perilous situation, the depth of their honor, and the terminology of the times to bring these men vividly to life.   This is not the expected  romance per se but it exists, subtly at first.  Then the thread of love weaves itself through the story in a manner both dramatic and poignant.  There are  several scenes in A Taste of Copper that will make you weep.   The weight of honor and duty upon a chivalrous man has never been so heavy.  That it is born by two makes it doubly heartrending and affective.

The author builds the drama and suspense in just the right increments, allowing the readers to learn to like, then love, finally able to comprehend  and root for the complex relationship that exists not just between the Black Knight and Olivier but Hywel the archer and his love.  Looking back, I find it hard to believe that all the events and the emotions and actions they engendered took place in only three days.  But that timeline restriction works beautifully to build the sense of alarm and resignation as the King and his men approach.  That sense of urgency, along with regret, run like the warp and weft of a tapestry the author is weaving in A Taste of Copper.

At first, I wanted more from this story.  Then I realized that while I want more of these characters amidst the aftermath of their battle and war,  I wanted it to come in a sequel, not as additional length to this story.  I would love to see Elin Gregory revisit these characters and their relationship but if I only get them in this story, then I am content.  A Taste of Copper is a small bit of literary perfection.  It is a historical slice of two mens lives that happens to contain far more emotion and depth than is first seen at first read of the page.  I can see this will be one of my favorite historical reads of the year.  If you are a lover of historical stories and romance, put A Taste of Copper on your must read list today.

Cover Artist:  Meredith Russell. Gorgeous cover, worthy of the wonderful tale within.  One of my favorite covers.

Sales Links:   Love Lane Books    All Romance eBooks    amazon      A Taste of Copper

Book Details:

ebook, 26,900 words, approx. 58 pages
Published September 26th 2014 by Love Lane Books Limited
(first published September 24th 2014)
Love Lane Books

A MelanieM Review: Last Marine Standing (Heroes #2) by R.J. Scott

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

When the people you trusted turn on you, when you are the last one standing, should you take your secrets to the grave? Or make the murderers pay?

Last Marine Standing coverJapan 2004.   Marine Recon Mackenzie ‘Mac’ Jackson and his team are sent in to rescue two kidnapped children of a Congressman.  It was a horrifying mission that was to have a lasting impact  on Mac and  Samuel Larson , one of two siblings held captive.  Now ten years later, both men are dramatically different, changed forever in ways neither could have anticipated.

Mac Jackson is now a former Marine having been discharged on a disability.  His former team has been deactivated, with one dead from a mission gone wrong. Mac is in hiding, from himself and the world around him.  Until it appears that someone high up in the government is targeting the remaining members of his team.

Samuel Larson is now a park ranger, a surefire way to remove himself from his father’s world and influence.  But Sam has never forgotten the man who saved him and saw  him through the worst time of his young life.  When his best friend Aiden and his Marine lover, Viktor, finally look to have their HEA, Sam realizes that he needs to find the man who means so much to him and tell him so. But Sam never expects a simple journey to say thank you to turn into a mission of danger and deceit.  Once more its up to Mac to keep not only Sam safe and alive, but himself as well.  As the bullets fly, Mac’s inner barriers fall.  Now only if they can survive to see if they can have their own HEA.

When I got my first glimpse of RJ Scott’s Samuel Larson in A Reason to Stay (Heroes #1), he was a character that left little impression upon me.  Aiden’s best friend and all around good guy, Sam came off as bland.  Kind, a friend with benefits sort of to Aiden, Sam felt more like a “filler” character than one necessary for the story.  But RJ Scott had plans for Sam, ones that included an horrific event from his past that would help explain the man we met in the first Heroes book.

Without revealing too much detail, Sam and his sister were kidnapped by terrorists overseas, a horrific event made all the more heinous by Sam’s treatment by his captors.  The first part of Last Marine Standing takes place in Japan, the year 2004.  Mac’s Recon team is about to rescue  Sam and his 14 year old sister.  RJ Scott makes the reader feel every moment of this heart-stopping and heartbreaking event.  Using spare prose and tightly woven scenes of action, the mission jumps to life as does the aftermath as it falls so differently upon the rescued teens.  Trust me when I say these pages have staying power.   So much so that its easy to understand Sam and the man he has become when the narrative picks up ten years later in August 2014.

The contrast between the adolescent Sam and the mature Sam sees a young man who needs to put certain parts of his past behind him. That includes finally telling the men who saved him, one Marine in particular, thank you.  Far from the bland, undisturbed surface individual we saw in Heroes #1, this Sam has a large, complicated inner life.  It makes him likable, accessible, and vulnerable.

The man he is searching for is far more wounded, complex and haunted than Sam could ever expect.  Former Marine Recon Mackenzie ‘Mac’ Jackson is a man on the run.  A secret mission cost Mac everything. The wounds he incurred disabled him, releasing him from the Marines, a life he loved. It also cost Mac his fellow Marines, friends who were also his family.  Now secret messages from his former team members are warning him that his life is about to change once more.  Skillfully,  Scott leads us through the complexities of Mac’s past, his memories and feelings, to the uncertainties and mystery that is Mac’s present.  Mac’s honorable Marine is someone the reader connects with immediately.   And the ten years that pass only add to his attraction and strength of personality.

The strong past connection between Sam and Mac is necessary to believe in the pull and depth of their feelings for each other.  Add to that the suspense and action that gives each scene a charged atmosphere of danger and uncertainty, then the heat of their attraction to each other needs no explanation. I loved their burgeoning romance and their need for each other is hot, hot, hot!

I thought the first book in the Heroes series was wonderful, but Last Marine Standing has taken its place as my favorite.  I loved these characters,   the other Marines and the surrounding people and places that make this so memorable.  You could read this as a stand alone but it adds so much to read the stories in the order they were written.  There is another Heroes book on the horizon, Deacon’s Law (Heroes #3) out in January 2015, which sees a return to the Sanctuary universe (ok, its one we never ever truly leave or want to). I can’t wait to see what angst,  action, and, of course, romance  R.J. Scott has in store for us there.

While we are waiting, pick up Last Marine Standing, an action filled, heart stopping tale of love and suspense.   I think you will love it as much as I do.  I highly recommend it and the first story in the Heroes series.  Happy Reading!

Cover artist Meredith Russell does her usual terrific job of capturing the characters and bits of storyline.

Sales Link:   Love Lane Books   All Romance (ARe)  amazon Last Marine Standing

Book Details:

ebook, 211 pages
Published October 8th 2014 by Love Lane Books (first published October 6th 2014)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/SEALHeroes2.html
seriesHeroes #2

Heroes Series in the order they were written:

A Reason To Stay (Heroes #1)
Last Marine Standing (Heroes #2)
Deacon’s Law (Heroes, #3) to be released January 2015 from Love Lane Books

A Reason To Stay Heroes 1 coverLast Marine Standing coverDeacon's Law Heroes 3 cover

Back Into the Outback with N. R. Walker and her Red Dirt Heart Series! (tour and contest)

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N. R. Walker’s Red Dirt Heart series has turned out to be one of my latest obsessions.  I love every part of this series from the location to the characters and even the animals you meet along the way.  Now N.R. Walker has released the third installment, Red Dirt Heart 3.  Here is your first look at this must read series and book.  And don’t forget to enter the contest too.  Who doesn’t want a stuffed wombat of their own or a copy of this story?

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Nugget toy

I was thrilled to have a chance to “talk” to N.R. Walker, ask  a bunch of questions about the series, LGBTQ rights in Australia, and all things Aussie in general. It was a great interview. Here’s your chance to get to know this fabulous author a little bit better:

My N. R. Walker Interview

Q  I love this series and characters.  Where did the inspiration come from for Charlie and Travis?

N. R. Walker:  Aw, thank you so much! I had seen some pictures from an R.M. Williams clothing catalogue and just knew they were these boys. It fit them perfectly. I love writing these Australian Outback characters. I grew up in regional Australia (not the Outback) so I can relate to the people in these books. Every character is a little slice of someone I’ve known in real life.

Q  Since there is a real “Sutton Station”, have you visited it and experienced the red dirt for yourself?

N. R. Walker:  I did base Sutton Station on a real, working station in the Outback. You can see it here .  Though you’ll need to zoom riiiiiiight in. I based my fictional property on this location, not size.

I have been through the Outback, many years ago. Though it’s not a place that leaves you in a hurry. And I will say, the fine red dirt gets into everything. Every. Thing. Lol

I have climbed Uluru (back when it was known as Ayers Rock and it was climbable) and visited Kings Canyon. Quite a remarkable place.

Q .  The scenes with Matilda and now Nugget are adorable and yet so real.  Did you visit or have any experience with animal rehabilitation facilities for kangaroos and wombats?

 N. R. Walker: Not in the rehab facilities as such, but we had a pet kangaroo when we were kids. Growing up in a small rural Australian town, caring for sick or injured wildlife is common. I did a little research on proper care of joeys (both kangaroo and wombat) but most of what I wrote was just what I knew.

Q  Is there a set number of stories for this series or is it open ended?

N. R. Walker: There will be 4. I’m almost done writing book number four now, and I expect it to be released early 2015. I have no plans for more Charlie and Travis after that, but I do like to never say never. 😉

Q.  The current state of equality in Australia seems to go along the lines of state rights in the US regarding marriage and adoption. There is no gay adoption in the Northern Territory where the Sutton Station resides or gay marriage in Australia. Will that play out in the stories to come?

N. R. Walker:  It is something the boys discuss and encounter in book 4. I haven’t actually written that part yet, so I can’t say for certain exactly what will come of it, but yes, it is in the series.

Q. How do you feel about the status of LGBTQ rights in your country and do you feel stories such as yours help to bring greater acceptance? Australia has one of the biggest gay Pride events in the world.  Have you ever been?

N. R. Walker: I went to Sydney Mardi Gras a LONG time ago, and I’ve only been once. I’d love to get there again.

I hate that Australia is so behind in equality. I think we will need a change of Prime Minister before we see any move forward. Our current PM is a giant setback for a lot equality in this country.

I’d like to think my stories bring greater acceptance, and I’ve had people write to me and tell me they appreciate my ‘voice’ which has been lovely. I figure if I can make acceptance and understanding start in my house and bring my kids up to believe as such, then I’ve done my job.

Q.  Your favorite place you would want tourists to see in Australia?  What would you want them to experience and take away with them?

N. R. Walker: Oh, wow. There really is too much to see in Australia. LOL We have deserts, rainforests, coral reefs, beautiful cities and rolling country sides. I love it all for different reasons. I’ve seen a lot of Australia, and I’d have to suggest that people get off the tourist tracks and meet some genuine Aussies.

Q.  I love that we experience two national views that are so similar in some respects with Charlie and Travis.  It is a wonderful aspect to this story that we get the “insiders” and “outsiders” perspective on life on the farm and the Northern Territory.  Did you plan that from the beginning?

N. R. Walker:  It wasn’t really planned, but I have LOVED writing the differences between Aussies and Americans. I have a good friend in California who I talk to all the time and we quite often joke at the differences between us, even though we both speak English. And being an Aussie who has written mostly American characters for years, it’s been fun having the characters bicker about different word uses. I think it gives them a sense of realism.

I have loved writing in Australian English. And funnily enough, I have found myself having to change words back to “Australian” because I’m so used to writing “American.”

Q.  What would be a Australian comfort food?

N. R. Walker:  Well, that can vary from house to house given we’re such a diverse country. But I’m a seventh or eighth (not sure exactly) generation Aussie. My ancestors came out here from Ireland with the convicts LOL. So a “comfort food” for me would be maybe corned beef and béchamel sauce, or a pot of tea and something sweet like a cake or slice.

Q.  If you have a favorite childhood book, what was it and how did it impact your writing. today.

N. R. Walker:  I loved The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I’m not sure it impacted my writing, just my love of reading

Q.  What’s next for the Red Dirt Heart series and N. R. Walker?

N. R. Walker:  RDH4 is next. I would also like to get a short Christmas story out, and I have my next novel planned/outlined in my head. It’s a sci fi-ish vamp story which is not normally thing but these characters are not letting me get out of writing it. I will look at and aim to have between 6-8 releases next year, but looking at my very blank 2015 yearly planner, it feels a little ambitious.

Thanks for having me here today. Great questions

STRW:  Thanks for the great interview.  It’s been a joy.  Now for all you readers, here is a look at Red Dirt Heart 3!

Charlie Suttontravis craig

Red Dirt Heart 3

 Travis and Charlie

Book Name: Red Dirt Heart 3

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23155382-red-dirt-heart-3
Author Name: N.R. Walker

Author Bio: Who am I?

Good question…

I am many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer.

I have pretty, pretty boys who live in my head, who don’t let me sleep at night unless I give them life with words.
I like it when they do dirty, dirty things… but I like it even more when they fall in love.

I used to think having people in my head talking to me was weird, until one day I happened across other writers who told me it was normal.

I’ve been writing ever since…

Author Contact:

  • Website: nrwalker.wordpress.com.
    Facebook: N.r. Walker
    Facebook Fan Page: N.R. Walker Author
    Twitter: @NR_Walker
    Email: nrwalker2103@gmail.com

Reddirtheart3300Publisher: N.R. Walker
Cover Artist: Sara York

Pre sales Link:  Amazon  All Romance eBook

Red Dirt Heart 3 Blurb:

Life for Charlie Sutton has never been better, or busier. With Travis now a permanent fixture of Sutton Station, a permanent fixture at Charlie’s side, Charlie’s convinced he couldn’t do anything on his ever-growing to-do list without him.

He can run a multimillion dollar cattle business, finish his degree, try and further the local beef industry, deal with staff issues, Ma’s failing health, and an attention-demanding wombat. He can even deal with an unexpected visitor and some shattering news. 

He can deal with it all, as long as he has Travis.

But what happens when he doesn’t?

Red Dirt Heart 3 is the story of Charlie Sutton finally realizing he can be the man Travis Craig deserves, even if he doesn’t have Travis. It’s a story of love, family, holding on, letting go and coming home.

Red Dirt Heart  #3 Excerpt:

We climbed into the ute and Travis drove, only mumbling under his breath once or twice about what side of the road he was on. I thought we were headed to find something to eat, but he pulled up at a pet store.

“What are we doing?”

“You’ll see,” was all he said as he was getting out.

I followed him into the pet shop, past the puppies, fish and birds down to the kennels and produce. When he stopped at cat beds, I shook my head. “Oh, no no no. We’re not getting a cat. We used to have one, it lived in the shed and the bloody thing was feral.”

He didn’t even look at me. “It’s not for a cat, Charlie.” He picked up a cushion-box looking thing with a hole in the front. The label called it a cat igloo. “It’s for your damn wombat.”

“Oh,” I said brightly. “Well, that’s okay then.”

He pushed Nugget’s new bed into my chest. “So he sleeps in his bed, not ours.”

A sales guy, about eighteen years old, walked up and was looking at us funny. He probably just heard what Travis said, and I didn’t care. I just shrugged, guessin’ that I’d come a long way in the last six months. “How did I know he’d think it was playtime?”

Travis sighed and turned to the sales assistant. “Do you have any feed pellets for wombats?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Wombats?”

I nodded. “Yep, you know, ‘bout this big,” I held up my hands to show him, “shape of a brick, cute little thing.”

Travis took a god-fucking-help-me breath. “About a year old, pain in the arse, stubborn as hell, boot-chewin’, gets into everything type of wombat.”


Tour Dates/Stops:

RDHBadgeOctober 17: SA McAuley, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Rainbow Gold Reviews
October 20: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
October 21: Love Bytes, Hearts on Fire
October 22: Nic Starr, Jade Crystal, Wake Up Your Wild Side
October 23: Nephylim, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Emotion in Motion
October 24: Amanda C. Stone, My Fiction Nook, Prism Book Alliance
October 27: Fallen Angel Reviews, Parker Williams
October 28: MM Good Book Reviews, Multitasking Mommas
October 29: Smoocher’s Voice
October 30: BFD Book Blog, Queer Town Abbey

 

 

 

Nugget toyContest: Rafflecopter Prize: One of 3 e-copies of Red Dirt Heart 3 or a stuffed wombat toy! (I want that toy!). So must be 18 years of age or older. Use the Rafflecopter link provided to enter and for all additional contest details. Did I say I wanted that toy? sigh. But only you all can enter…

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A MelanieM Review: A Taste for Poison (Memory of Scorpions #3) by Aleksandr Voinov

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Even a king gets stung when he reaches for a scorpion.

ATasteForPoison_200x300Once the leader of the band of mercenaries known as the Scorpions, Adrastes is now King and a changed man.  Ruler of two countries, along with his sister/wife, King Adrastes has just survived an assassination, just barely.  In poor health and still recovering, Adrastes trusts no one and is determined to find the assassin and make the individual pay.  Wary of everyone now, including allies and friends, King Adrastes prepares his kingdom for war against the only kingdom and ruler outside his control, the Elder of Vededrin.  But not everyone supports Adrastes, including the man who loved and rescued him, Kendras.

Kendras, former lover to Adrastes and leader of the Scorpions, no longer blindly supports his king.  He’s watched Adrastes change and the orders from the King are making him uneasy and reluctant to obey.  And to go to war with Adrastes against Vededrin just might mean the end of the Scorpions for all time.  And replacing Adrastes in Kendras’ bed and heart is Graukar, newly appointed general to the king, an event the King is not happy with.  Kendras must figure out how to balance responsibilities and loyalties in a world gone increasingly complex and grey.  And quickly before someone he loves is injured.

As Kendras tries to work through his thoughts and feelings, a new threat arises to King Adrastes rule.  An anonymous outrider wearing a mask calling himself Death foments rebellion in the mountains, aided by a prophecy that promises he’ll stop the Black King.   Ordered to find and kill the man called Death, Kendras leaves feeling unsettled, uncertain and sure of only one thing…his love for Graukar.

From the moment I read the first book in this series, Scorpion (Memory of Scorpions #1), I knew that Kendras and the Scorpions would lead me on a remarkable journey.    It’s been a brutal, raw, and violent saga and one of the best in its genre.  The life of a mercenary is a hard and savage one, unsparring in the injuries and deaths that come as part of the profession.  Only the loyalty to each other and the tight rules and rich history of the Scorpions, make this band of soldiers a family.  Voinov’s saga begins with Kendras, his entrance into the Scorpions, his scant memories of his childhood, and the heartbreak and pain of finding and then losing Adrastes, not to another lover, but to the kingship itself.  Told from Kendras’ point of view, the character grows from a soldier with a single minded focus and goal to one floundering amongst the political seas at court.   It’s a mesmerizing and arduous scramble as Kendras rises up the social scale, pulled along by Adrastes, whether he wants to go or not.  Kendras must grow as a character and Voinov delivers that mental and emotional growth in spurts that come with despair along with great joy.

A Taste of Poison (Memory of Scorpions #3)  finds Adrastes suffering the effects of an assassination attempt, one that profoundly changes the King’s outlook on those around him and accelerates his goal of expanding his rule to all three kingdoms.  The man who rules is not the man Kendras followed and loved.  That dichotomy is cause for depression, and uncertainty, along troubling thoughts of disloyalty  is adding to unrest among the Scorpions and Kendras.  Voinov has made Kendras a man of honor and depth and to see and feel him floundering and pulled by this faction and that both enriches this story and ups the suspense for the welfare of all involved.

Everything is heightened here in A Taste of Poison.  Goals, loyalties, love, trust…the bar is now so high and the repercussions of any deviation or conflict are swift, exacting, and devastating.  Voinov reveals more of Kendras’ past, unknown even to Kendras  Also revealed are hidden alliances, and schemes to depose one ruler or another.  There are no black and white sides, only grey as Kendras has been slow to learn.  And with every startling exposition and shattering event, we are pulled deeper into the lives of all the Scorpions and their leader, Kendras.

Voinov has delivered a saga rich in character development, alive with action and battle sequences, and complete with the horrors that love and jealousy can and does inflict on all involved.  Aleksandr Voinov has said that the quote from Leo Tolstoy: “The best stories don’t come from “good vs. bad” but “good vs. good.” helped shape not only the characters of  Adrastes and Kendras but the stories themselves.  Only a tilt of the prism or a slight change of perspective will make either character “good” or “evil”.  Is it evil for Adrastes to want to solidify the 3 warring kingdoms into one for the betterment of all?  At what price is that not acceptable?  Is Kendras’s feelings and actions betrayal or loyalty?  Whose goals are the ones that should be honored by personal sacrifice and love?  That Voinov is able to bring all facets to life in each of these strong personalities is not only a marvelous achievement but makes this a series worth reading and remembering.

The Memory of Scorpions series is astonishingly inventive, beautifully crafted and fiercely passionate. From the bloody sands of battle to the lethal layers and complex rituals of court, Alexandr Voinov brings his world and characters to life word by word, page by page using vivid imagery and an attention to detail that leaves no construct of person or kingdom feeling shallow or undone.  Just masterful.

I don’t know if this is the end of the Scorpions.  Voinov is silent about future stories.  I hope not.  There is so much here I still need to know.  The Black King still lives…if the prophecy is correct, who will bring him down?  What is ahead and possible for Kendras and the Scorpions?  This amazing story and series begs the questions.  Hopefully Aleksandr Voinov will answer.  Meanwhile, pick up this wondrous series and get acquainted with some of the most powerful and engaging characters around.  One of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words “must reads” and highly recommended stories of 2014.

Cover art by Reese Dante.  Love that cover, powerful and perfect image that speaks to the story within.

Sales Links:   Riptide Publishing    All Romance eBooks (ARe)     Amazon      A Taste of Poison

Book Details:

alternative world, gritty fantasy, warrior mercenaries

ebook, 265 pages
Expected publication: October 13th 2014 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626491557
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/a-taste-for-poison
seriesMemory of Scorpions #3

Books in the Memory of Scorpions series in the order they were written and should be read:

Scorpion (Memory of Scorpions, #1)
Lying with Scorpions (Memory of Scorpions, #2)
A Taste for Poison (Memory of Scorpions, #3)

Scorpion coverLying with Scorpions coverATasteForPoison_200x300

Enter the Addictive World of the Scorpions! On Tour with Aleksandr Voinov’s A Taste of Poison

ATasteForPoison_TourBanner

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One of my favorite series from Aleksandr Voinov is the addicting and dangerous universe of the Memory of Scorpions series , an ancient mercenary band of brothers (and sister) with a history as rich as the kings they work for.  Now comes the latest installment, and hopefully not the last, A Taste of Poison (Scorpions #3) by Aleksandr Voinov.   You can follow Aleksandr Voinov on tour with all the dates here.  For now, let’s focus in on Aleksandr Voinov on his Scorpions:

 

“Good versus Good”

Hi, I’m Aleksandr Voinov, and I’m happy to talk about my newest release. Thank you for the invitation!

I recently stumbled over this quote from Leo Tolstoy:

“The best stories don’t come from “good vs. bad” but “good vs. good.”

It struck home for me, because while some writing courses tell you that you need a “villain” (in m/m, it’s the “evil ex”), and the more villainous the villain, the more tension we get. I think it’s bollocks, to use a lovely British term. Even if we have an almost cartoonish level of over-simplification, in, say, Star Wars (I love Star Wars), the much more interesting evil guy is Darth Vader. (Palpatine is more “cartoon evil”) Why? Because he used to be “good” and Luke believes passionately that Darth Vader, his father, can be redeemed. And it’s amazing, because that levels the playing field – while Luke is still in training, Darth Vader is seen as “just evil”. Once Luke comes into his power, he gets almost literally hamstrung (arm-strung?) by the revelation that Darth Vader is his father, and the decision to get him back to the good side. It’s very difficult fighting a duel against somebody you want to save/redeem, especially when that somebody seems absolutely set on destroying or breaking you.

What a conflict.

So often we do have the villain with the redeeming feature (“He only wants to bring peace to the galaxy”). But studying real-life evil, I’m usually struck by how some of the evillest men ever fully accepted they were doing “bad things”, but they usually did it not out of lust for destruction, but because they were looking for a higher good. The evil they did was seen as a “price worth paying”. In short, they were twisted idealists. Some stated that the “work” (read: atrocities) wasn’t pleasant, but they sacrificed themselves, their sanity, their peace, their souls, to do it. And that’s really disturbing. “Personal sacrifice” is actually a virtue.

I have zero doubt that Adrastes in the Memory of Scorpions series considers himself the “good guy”, and Kendras is being bothersome, dishonest, disloyal, and also in league with mutinous soldiers. Apart from the obvious jealousy with regards to Kendras and Graukar, Adrastes is driven by the need/desire to rebuild the empire, to end internal wars, to be strong against outside invaders, and to have peace and prosperity. And if he has to kill, torture and wage war for that noble end – well, he’s good at it, and there would be much worse people to do it. Less competent, less decisive, less thorough. He truly believes he’s doing the right thing. And we’ve seen him as the charismatic, self-sacrificing leader who looks after his men. Regardless of what he does later, we know he’s not “evil”. He’s very possibly not “good”, he’s just human. Like they all are. We buy more into Kendras’s version of the story because we never hear the story of the other characters, but chances are, if we did, we’d buy their version and consider Kendras “evil” or “wrong”.

And that’s really where I’m coming from. I can’t do sparkly shiny heroes versus dark and twisted evil guys, because I don’t believe that’s how it happens in real life. I can have characters cross the line (arguably, once Adrastes begins assassinating political enemies and using his father’s intimidation tactics, that’s where he crosses the line), but even in fantasy, which is full of dark gods and demons and tyrants and whatnot, I just don’t believe in that model of the world.

For me, pitting idealists with strong values against each other is far more fun, so I can root for all of them. It keeps me engaged and happy as an author, and I hope it has the same effect on readers.

 Title: A Taste of Poison (Memory of Scorpions #3) by Aleksandr VoinovATasteForPoison_200x300
Publisher:  Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist:  Reese Dante
Page Count:  260 pages

 

A Taste of Poison Blurb:

ATasteForPoison_200x300Even a king gets stung when he reaches for a scorpion.

After barely surviving an assassination attempt, King Adrastes is a changed man—one who mistrusts even his allies and friends. He readies his empire for war against an enigmatic enemy, the Elder of Vededrin, but not everyone approves. While courtiers dare only to whisper dissent, an outrider called Death foments rebellion in the mountains, aided by a prophecy that promises he’ll stop the Black King.

Kendras—former lover to Adrastes and leader of the Scorpions—is sent with his elite mercenary force to bring Death to justice. But when Kendras learns who’s hiding behind the mask, he must choose between his lover Graukar, newly-appointed general to the king—and King Adrastes himself.

With no man to call master, the Scorpions could flee the danger and intrigue. But Kendras cannot abandon the man he once loved—or the man he’s growing to love—without first uncovering the real threat to the Empire.

– See more at: http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/a-taste-for-poison#sthash.n5Pu5nYZ.dpuf

A Taste of Poison Excerpt

(read more at A Taste of Poison Excerpt page at Riptide Publishing)

Chapter 1

“Officer, Lady Nhala wishes to see you.”

Kendras had barely sunk into the hot bathwater to wash the sweat and dirt off when Runner stepped into the room. He groaned and ducked his head underwater, scraping over his scalp with both hands, then emerged again, blowing out a breath.

“How urgent?”

“She looked like it was a pressing matter.” Runner walked over to the stool next to the bath and picked up a linen towel, unfolded it, and offered it to Kendras. Her ironic expression forbade any comment that she wasn’t a bath slave and he could dry himself. Kendras crumpled his washcloth into a ball and ran it over his chest, belly, armpits, and groin. No leisurely soak to loosen up his tired muscles, then. Duty was calling. He tossed the cloth into the water and stood.

She enveloped him in the towel, and he reached for a corner of it to dry his face and head before he stepped out of the bathtub. “Get me my boots and leathers.”

“At once, Officer.” She turned and walked off.

Kendras rubbed his skin dry and was almost finished before Runner returned. He tossed the towel over the rim of the tub and began to dress. “Let her in.”

He was just pulling on his boots when Nhala appeared in the doorway. He felt her gaze linger for a moment on his bare chest, then she straightened almost as if standing at attention. “Officer.”

“My lady.” He closed the top of his leathers and began tightening the straps and laces. “I’m at your service.”

She stepped further into the room and glanced over her shoulder back into the barracks, checking for witnesses, no doubt. “We are all called to war council. Immediately.”

Kendras bit down on a groan. After a long, hot day on the training yard, and before any food, standing for hours in his heavy plate armor while generals bickered over the best strategy to achieve a victory wasn’t a prospect he relished. He much preferred when the plan was set and the only issue left was when to act. “Who’s issued the call?”

“The king.”

“The king’s—”

More dead than alive. Maybe dead.

 

– See more at Riptide Publishing’s A Taste of Poison page.

Memory of Scorpions stories in the order they were written and should be read:

Scorpion (Memory of Scorpions, #1)
Lying with Scorpions (Memory of Scorpions, #2)
A Taste for Poison (Memory of Scorpions, #3)

Lying with Scorpions coverScorpion coverATasteForPoison_200x300

 

An Aurora YA Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

The Ocean at the End of the Lane cover The Ocean at the End of the Lane starts with a middle aged man heading back to his childhood home for a funeral, but it doesn’t stay there for long. Rather it goes back to when he was a child and the adventures he had with the mysterious Hempstock family down the road when he got a new babysitter who was more than she appeared to be.

This book was by far one of the best I had ever read. I went into it with very high hopes simply because I love most of Mr. Gaiman’s works. It exceeded every single one of my hopes for it. There was beautiful imagery, but without slowing down the pace or being too out of character for the point of view it was told from. He was able to tell the story while still adding in imagery that made it more interesting, without going on a tangent about what things looked like.

The story was interesting and the characters grabbed my attention and kept me caring what happened to them while still being realistic. The main character is a very young boy throughout the majority of the narrative and is kept accurate to being so young. There are times when he is exceptionally brave or clever, but never in a way that it is unbelievable for a boy of his age to be. For example, when the boy escapes his house and his evil babysitter, he’s smart enough to get away, but almost as soon as he gets to his neighbors’ house, he breaks down, which seemed very believable to me considering his age, without making him seem entirely helpless.

If I had to pick one thing I wasn’t overly fond of in this book, it would be that I didn’t care as much about the Hempstocks as I could have. However, as the story progressed, I began to like them more and more because they did seem to be almost arrogant, but then as the book went on it was made clear that they didn’t just talk, they could actually handle situations.

Cover Artist: I couldn’t find the actual cover artist.

At first glance, the cover of The Ocean at the End of the Lane is certainly interesting, and eye-catching. As I went on reading the book I did start to wonder where the cover fit into the story. By the end, I understood what it was and it became better for that understanding. Overall, the cover is fairly simplistic, but it does its job

Sales Links:  Amazon   The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Book Details:

ebook, 143 pages
Published June 18th 2013 by William Morrow; 1st edition (first published January 1st 2013)
original titleThe Ocean at the End of the Lane
edition languageEnglish
charactersLettie Hempstock, Ursula Monkton, The Nameless Boy
settingSussex, England (United Kingdom)

literary awardsNebula Award Nominee for Best Novel (2013), Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (2014), Goodreads Choice for Best Fantasy (2013), Specsavers Book of the Year (2013), Paris Review Best of the Best (2013)