Tiny Stories and Tiny Universes! This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Tiny Stories and Tiny Universes!

If you look at cable or even Amazon, you will see people consumed with the notion of tiny houses. Amazon actually sold out of the tiny houses they sell online (yes, you can buy an entire tiny house for assembly at Amazon, several types actually) within hours! Some are looking to downsize their carbon footprint and go small, others are obsessed with the technology and preciseness that goes into the tiny houses. As I was watching and pondering life in one the other day, it sort of meshed together with thoughts I have been having about short stories and universe building.

My question …for myself and for all of you is…how much of universe building can you fit into a tiny story?

And how much is needed?

It’s like asking how much stuff do you really need inside a tiny house? What’s actually necessary and what isn’t?

I’ve been reading a lot of short stories recently, fantasy and contemporary, many a part of a series. And while the world building hasn’t been nearly as central to the contemporary series, in the fantasy stories in some cases, the authors have resorted to other options for their overall series world building. The authors have zeroed in on creating an atmosphere and framework for that particular story but left the series foundation out in the individual shorts. Same for the contemporary series. They were all loosely connected, importantly so in some cases, but no one foundation novel for the entire series. The reader sort of compiles it themselves, story by story, caching each tiny detail away to pull out as needed.

Just as spare it seems to me like living in a tiny house. Only what is absolutely necessary, nothing extraneous. Need something more? Give directions and point them down the road…..Like to a Glossary that details everything. I have seen this used in more than one series and it’s absolutely a necessity to keep track of a series cultures, histories, religions etc, especially when the series is incredibly complex and layered. So I am not decrying it’s use just hoping it’s not standing in for world building within the story completely. Unless it has to be. I think I’m flummoxed here.

Can you build a universe within a tiny story and does it need it?

And how much can you realistically do?

And consider this, some of the steps that might go into building your own fictional world:

Draw a map of your world
Make a history of your world
Include the flora and fauna for your world, what climates support them, complete natural history which will impact your other beings
Include your world’s background, (governments, politics, religion, cultures, infrastructures, etc.)
Create outlines for the above.

Whew! Didn’t even through in mythology, my fav! I can hear that tiny house screaming “get out, no room”! lol

I am dying to know everyone’s thoughts here. Readers, authors, everyone, please chime in! And tell me what you all think of tiny houses! Did you know you could buy them on Amazon? I hadn’t a clue! lol

Happy Sunday! Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers out there! Happy Reading and Listening!

And now to our week ahead!

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, May 12:

Tiny Stories and Tiny Universes!
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
A MelanieM Review:Arctic Wild (Frozen Hearts #2) by Annabeth Albert

Monday, May 13:

Review Tour – GB Gordon – Match Grade (Criminal Delights)
RELEASE BLITZ Healing Glass by Jackie Keswick
PROMO Angel Martinez on The Mage on The Hill
An Alisa Review Unexpected Journey by JD Walker
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Chained (Bureau #4) by Kim Fielding
A Ali Review : Match Grade – Criminal Delights: Assassins by G.B. Gordon
An Ali Audio Review Where Death Meets the Devil (Death and the Devil #1) by L.J. Hayward and Rowan Scott (Narrator)

Tuesday, May 14:

TOUR Once Upon A Wolf” by Hurri Cosmo
BLITZ At the Trough by Adam Knight
PROMO BA Tortuga
An Alisa Review Once Upon A Wolf by Hurri Cosmo
A Stella Release Day Review: Why We Fight (At First Sight #4) by T.J. Klune
A MelanieM Release Day Review: Alcatraz! (Repeating History #4) by Dakota Chase
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Wednesday, May 15:

Book Blast Last Loose End by K R Allen
Cover Reveal, for Nine Small Sips (Tales Of Bryant #2) by V.L. Locey
DSP PROMO Tara Lain
A Lila Release Day Review: Cowboys Don’t Samba (Cowboys Don’t #3) by Tara Lain
A Lucy Release Day Review: Why We Fight (At First Sight #4) by T.J. Klune
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Rook by T. Strange
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Gideon (Finding Home #3) by Lily Morton

Thursday, May 16:

Release Blitz for Let Me Show You by Becca Seymour
RELEASE BLITZ – No Ordinary Drakeling by Jessamyn Kingley
Release Blitz – Not Gonna Lie by S. M. James
A Stella Review: Made For You by Anyta Sunday
A Lila Review: Healing Glass (Gifted Guilds, #1) by Jackie Keswick
A Free Dreamer Review: At the Trough by Adam Knight

Friday, May 17:

Retro Review Tour – Made In Manhattan by Ana Newfolk
Release Blitz Sean Azinsalt – It’s In My Blood (Criminal Delights)
BLITZ A Cordial Agreement by Ryan Loveless
An Alisa Release Day Review: A Cordial Agreement by Ryan Loveless
A MelanieM Review: Made in Manhattan (Made In #2) by Ana Newfolk
A MelanieM Review: Chicken Soup by Mel Bossa
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review : American Fairytale (Dreamers #2) by Adriana Herrera

Saturday, May 18:

Release Blitz for DJ Jamison’s Surprise Groom
Release Blitz – Under the Jasmine Flowers by W.S. Long
A MelanieM Review: Surprise Groom (Marital Bliss #1) by D.J. Jamison
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Healing Glass (Gifted Guilds, #1) by Jackie Keswick

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Kanaan & Tilney: The Case of the Man-Eater by Jenna Rose and Katey Hawthorne

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

This book is the second in the series and it would help to read them in order, but there is enough subtle recapping to read this alone. The series has a fun modern noir vibe. Be aware they describe brutal murders and this case deals with cannibalism. Lowell is a gruff, cuddly sort. Being a packless wolf shifter and ex-cop makes him a little prickly what with the prejudice and lack of respect the public has for either. Lowell’s boyfriend and business partner is John, pyrokinetic and mystery author. How he manages to not set certain people on fire makes him a better person than me. The series is set in Boston and they serve a diverse praeternatural community. They get hired by a young Terran named Fergus to look into the murder of his Beast (lion shifter) boyfriend Mateo. Lowell’s obnoxious hedgehog-shifter stalker is back to help with the case. The reader gets to see more of John’s friend Macy. I hope she gets to help on a case in the future. The few “good” cops are highlighted as helping them. As with the first book, most of this is “pounding the pavement” to solve the case with brief moments of their life they try to fit in around trying to find the killer and not getting killed.

Soon the bodies start to pile up. The victims being packless allows the opportunity of learning more about werewolf culture and pack structure. The blatant prejudice against packless with an actual hate group was sad. Being packless seems a lot like being shunned and has spiritual implications also. It is against the law for packless to form a pack, so they are afraid to even be friends or gather in groups for anything social or meaningful life events. I definitely want to see some activism on that front in future books.

As always, John is a bundle of energy and much a source of amusement. His complicated relationship with his mother is a source of stress that being with Lowell gives him the strength to deal with. Lowell has the strength to emotionally deal with the way things happen with his mother’s pack thanks to having John. These two are just so cute together and the love scenes are hot, but also emotionally move their relationship forward. I may have unfairly judged the first book because I think I have been reading a lot of science fiction in which the world building is all in the first book like a huge info dump–then I get upset if it’s never used or revisited again. This series works the other way–the world building happens gradually in the stories as more characters are added that the author will revisit again in the future and the reader will learn more about them when the time comes. Overall, I enjoyed this book. As with any P.I. series there will be some cases more interesting than others, but with likable main characters, intriguing side characters, and poignant social commentary to give this unexpected depth, I will continue to read these.

The cover was designed by Aisha Akeju. It matches the first cover in the series and catches that modern noir vibe well, but doesn’t give you much about the story

Sales Links: Less Than Three Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 193 pages
Published March 25th 2019 by Less Than Three Press, LLC
ASINB07NRV981M

A Lila Review: A Cordial Agreement by Ryan Loveless

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Can a wealthy but frustrated CEO and a guilt-ridden stripper find what they need in a consensual, nonsexual whipping boy arrangement?

Billionaire mogul Grant Jessup, fifty-three, buries his sexual tastes and the reasons behind them—the stresses of his business empire and family. In contrast, Jim Sieber understands the regret that makes him seek pain and penance. As an asexual averse to erotic touch, Jim sets strict boundaries. But as the relationship evolves, Grant struggles to respect them, and both men realize for their association to continue and perhaps grow into real feelings, they’ll have to explore new ways to satisfy each other.

A Cordial Agreement is an interesting take into BDSM agreements. In most books, the sexual component drives the story, but in this case, the author takes the time to explore Mr. Sieber’s asexuality. and how it fits with Mr. Jessup’s need for control.

The main characters are compelling and I enjoyed their interactions. They were witty and smart. The book is well-written and a bit formal but it goes with their transactional relationship. It’s hard to see the moments they fought the intrinsical intimacy in a BDSM relationship.

Some parts moved too fast or lack foreshadowing. The way everyone was connected had me wondering if I had missed something important. Overall, it has a great premise it simply needed more details.

The cover by L.C. Chase shows important elements of the story, and transmits a sense of propriety that it’s part of the story.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner| Amazon | Nook

Book Details:
ebook, 118 pages
ISBN: 9781644052235
Published: May 17, 2019, by Dreamspinner Press
Edition Language: English

Andrew Grey on his Top 5 classic cop movies and his new release Fire and Obsidian (author guest blog and excerpt)

Fire and Obsidian (Carlisle Deputies #4) by Andrew Grey

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: May 7 2019

Cover Artist: Kanaxa

Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print

Sales Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Dreamspinner Press

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Andrew Grey here today on tour for Fire and Obsidian, fourthi in his Carlisle Deputies series. Welcome, Andrew.

✒︎

I have always loved cop movies and shows. So I thought I would give you my top 5 classic cop movies These were the ones I remember fondly from my younger days.

1) Beverly Hills Cop – Funny with action and drama. It was a favorite when I was in college

2) Lethal Weapon – I used to watch this movie all the time with my friends.

3) Turner and Hooch – Who doesn’t love and cop and dog movie and Ton Hanks.

4) Beverly Hills Cop II I usually stay away from sequels, but this one I liked.

5) Dragnet -One of the campiest cop movies ever made. It was so bad it was funny good

Blurb/Synopsis:

Can a couple be more opposite than a thief and a cop? Or do they have more in common than they think?

Mattias stole to survive. He was damn good at it. But there’s no such thing as a victimless crime, and when he saw how his theft hurt people, he resolved to change. Now he works as a consultant, and while helping to investigate a rash of burglaries, he crosses paths with James.

Police Officer James Levinson doesn’t trust thieves, and that includes Mattias. James’s father stole to support himself, and James knows firsthand how that can destroy lives—it inspired him to go into law enforcement. Mattias is no different, from what he can tell… at first.

As they work together, Mattias and James realize there’s something deeper between them than just the physical attraction neither can deny. Given time, they might even grow to trust each other—unless the case they’re working on dredges up pasts both would rather forget.

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance/Law Enforcement

Excerpts

“All right. Everyone stand up, please,” Mattias said calmly. “Someone identify an object that you want me to take.”

One of the officers held up a watch. It was plain and nothing that would ever have interested him during his career, but for demonstration purposes, it would do.

“Perfect. Put that back on, and I’ll demonstrate. I’d like you all to stay standing as I attempt to take the watch.” Mattias cleared his throat and pretended to think about how he was going to proceed. He wandered up and down each aisle, working his way over to the officer in question, who stood near the back, in the far aisle, with another officer in front and in back of him.

Mattias kept his expression neutral, as though he were concentrating, his gaze rarely wavering from his quarry. As he got closer, he nodded to the officer, whose gaze locked on to him. Mattias could almost feel his quarry’s heart rate increase the closer he got. This man knew something was going to happen, and he was prepared for it. Mattias turned the corner, anticipation building in the room, so thick that he could taste it. Every eye was on either him or his quarry, which was fine. Mattias was calm and cool, no worries. As he got closer, his quarry’s arm jittered slightly. Mattias watched it for a second and then lifted his head, meeting the gaze of the men and women around him. Passing by his quarry, Mattias smiled and continued back up to the front of the room.

“I still have the watch,” the officer said, holding up his wrist, and the others in the room clapped.

“I guess you aren’t as good as you thought.”

Mattias waited until the ruckus and self-congratulations died down and they all turned back to him. He cleared his throat. “And you are?” It was best to confront this type of adversary head-on.

“Detective James Levinson. I’m working with the sheriff’s department as a consultant on the robberies in the area.” His steely gaze held Mattias’s, and he didn’t look away. It was a test of wills, and Mattias enjoyed it, especially from the stunning man who made his body temperature rise and his heart beat a little faster just from the intensity in his eyes. This was a man who didn’t back down from a fight and who held tightly to his convictions. Mattias’s lips curled upward. He got the feeling that this was also a man who never admitted he was wrong. Good. Mattias liked that.

Mattias was going to love making him eat his words.

“Let’s see. Being a good thief is about doing what isn’t expected.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a wallet, and opened it. “Pierre Ravelle.” He smiled and held up the wallet. “I believe this is yours.” The others in the room snickered as Pierre approached and accepted his wallet back. “No hard feelings,” Mattias said as he handed it over.

Pierre blushed slightly and returned to his seat. “Come on, guys,” Pierre said, to try to stop their razzing.

“Pierre isn’t alone.” Mattias began emptying the inner pockets of his jacket of their contents, including one more wallet, a pair of handcuffs, and a flashlight, as well as half a dozen other things. “Check to see what you’re missing and come up to retrieve it in a moment,” Mattias said, then slowly reached into an inner pocket, close to his body. He used his fingertips to pull out the service revolver and gently lay it on the table.

The room went silent, with each officer checking his belt.

“Detective Levinson, I believe this belongs to you.”

About the Author

Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.

Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing) He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Author Links

Amazon Author Page

Barnes and Noble Page

Dreamspinner Press

Facebook

Facebook Group All the Way with Andrew Grey

Goodreads

Twitter @andrewgreybooks

Website

For Other Works by Andrew Grey

(Please Be Sure To Stop by His Website to See All of His Works)

An Ali G Release Day Review: Love Conventions by Morgan James

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

A happy ending worthy of a TV fantasy… in real life?

Ashland Wells is an actor of sci-fi cult fame but with little direction for the future, when handsome grad student Remy Beaumont lands in his lap at a fan convention. Remy is everything Ash ever wanted and wished he could be—including out and proud. For twelve hours they’re the best of friends. But the convention ends, and saying goodbye to Remy might be the biggest mistake Ash has ever made.

A few months later, they’re reunited on a new production—Ash as an actor, Remy a writer—and though Ash doesn’t plan to let him go twice, being with Remy means going public about being gay. He’s not sure that’s a risk he—or his career—can handle, no matter how great the temptation.

If only they could write themselves the romantic happily ever after they both need.

This was a good story. Ash and Remy hit it off from the get go and when they meet by chance again they actually get the chance to know each other. When they see each other again a few months later it seems like fate.

I enjoyed this story and felt like I was right there watch these two navigate their relationship but just felt their communication often felt stilted or non-existent. That and the constant switching of words (i.e. series vs seasons), even in the same conversations left me re-reading more often than I would have liked to make sure I knew what was going on. The ending was a bit sudden but it looks like they were able to work it all out.

The cover art by Alexandria Corza is alright and gives a visual of Ash, though I saw him as more gruff than that.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 248 pages

Published: May 7, 2019 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 978-1-64080-728-0

Edition Language: English

Morgan James on Characters and his new release Love Conventions (guest blog)

Love Conventions by Morgan James

Dreamspinner Press
Published May 7th 2019
Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Morgan James today on tour for the new release Love Conventions. Welcome, Morgan!

✒︎

As I pondered what to write for this blog post, I did some searching. Not soul searching, but topic searching. As I considered the many suggestions, one topic leapt out at me for this book like it might not have for another—How much of yourself goes into a character?

Like many aspects of my writing process and questions about it, the shortest and simplest answer for this will always be “It depends.” For example, the slutty, party-happy competitive hockey player Dante Baltiera from my work Winging It doesn’t have much of me at all. Though his love interest, Gabe, certainly inherited my need for privacy and a low profile.

But when it comes to Love Conventions, the short answer has to be “Quite a lot actually.”

I find it somewhat challenging to craft a character that doesn’t want to lean towards introspection and catastrophizing and away from partying and risk-taking. Well, some of the time.

Sometimes the creative process is slow and aggravating and a struggle every step of the way. And sometimes it’s easy and happens almost without conscious thought.

Ash was like that. Ash was the sort of character who came to me fully formed—well, except for the red hair, or the beard, or the being Scottish, those details were all surprises mid-work that required back editing for continuity. Ash was always a shy giant who wanted a quiet life but somehow stumbled into fame.

And that is me in Ash—shy, quiet, happy to let others steal the spotlight, and yet wanting to pursue a creative career that practically demands one hog it. But it’s not just some of my more introverted traits that Ash took. He also took my love of reading and all things sci-fi and geeky.

From the first page of the first draft, Ash wasn’t just part of the sci-fi world because he’d acted in it, but also because he’d loved it. Ash’s Doctor Who obsession was one of the first character-building details he offered up, and the role it plays in his life has always been a focal point for his character. The fact that his love for the show connected him to family, that it helped him define himself in social spaces, and that it made him feel a kinship with con-goers are all essential to who he is—and as I write it out here, the parallels to my own life grow more and more clear.

Of course, as I ponder this question about my writing, I wouldn’t want to leave Remy (the love interest) out of the equation. Remy is less like me—he is a risk-taker, he’s a “jump in first with both feet and then wonder about the consequences later” sort—but Remy also shares my love of all things geek, and unlike Ash, his personal experiences with fandom culture more closely resemble my own.

But of course, if Remy was also too much like me, then he wouldn’t be a good match for Ash. So, it’s probably all for the best that my answer to the question “How much of me is in each character?” will always be “It depends.”

Blurb

A happy ending worthy of a TV fantasy… in real life?

If only they could write themselves the romantic happily ever after they both need.

Dreamspun Desires #81, 196 pages

About the Author

Morgan James is a clueless (older) millennial, who’s still trying to figure out what she’ll be when she grows up but is enjoying the journey to get there. Now, with a couple of degrees, a few stints in Europe, and more than one false start to a career, she eagerly waits to see what’s next. Morgan started writing fiction before she could spell and wrote her first (unpublished) novel in middle school. She hasn’t stopped writing since. Geek, artist, and fangirl, Morgan tends to pass free hours with imaginary worlds and people on pages and screens—it’s an addiction. As is her love of coffee and tea. She lives in Canada with her massive collection of unread books and acts the personal servant of too many four-legged creatures.

https://twitter.com/MorganJames71

A Caryn Release Day Review: The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez

Rating : 3.5 out of 5 stars

Another new fantasy from one of my favorite authors, and another new world. This is a present day alternate reality, where magic is real, but only those born to it have the power to manipulate it. But those in authority, the guilds, hold almost absolute domination over all magic users; their overt reason is to protect the non-magic public, but privately, it is to keep control of their dominion.

Toby Jones was a young man who was just starting to come into his powers. Unfortunately, the guild officers were unable to find which element of the Arcana his magic fit, and unable to identify the correct channel, his wild magic literally exploded out of him, causing destruction to everything around, and eventually would destroy him as well. He was being treated with a painful last ditch attempt to find his element, and when that was unsuccessful, the guild gave up on him, and assigned him to euthanasia for the safety of the community.

Toby was not going to accept his death that easily. He heard a name, Darius Valstad, mentioned by the guild officers while in the near-unconscious state from his last explosion. He escaped from the guild complex, and, using a little google-fu, he tracked the man down to his house on the hill, and showed up in the last throes of exhaustion, literally collapsing at Darius’s front door.

Darius is older, perhaps in his early 40s (I don’t think it was specifically mentioned). He was a celebrated mage, one of the best of his generation, and he knew it. He was a teacher, a mentor, and was known for taking on difficult cases, like Toby’s, and bringing them safely to the knowledge of their element so they could function in the wider magical society. Until his hubris led him to work with one extremely powerful, but extremely disturbed young woman, and when her magic exploded, it killed her and almost destroyed the entire city of Pittsburg. Attempting to stop the destruction almost killed Darius, and left him scarred both physically and mentally, and also led to his expulsion from the guild. The last thing he wanted was to go through all that again with a young man who might easily be more powerful and destructive than his last student.

Toby, however, was both determined and persuasive, and convinced Darius to take him on as a pupil through a combination of kindness and service and appealing to Darius’s innate desire to protect. They were in danger both from Toby’s magic, and from the guild, who were not about to let a rogue mage put the city in jeopardy again. As Darius emerged from his self-imposed exile, he found old friends who joined in his mission, as they worked against the clock to channel Toby’s magic before the guild could capture him. The final showdown was dramatic and satisfying, and clearly points to a sequel.

The relationship between the two men was extremely complicated. Darius was older, more powerful, and took on the role of protector and teacher, although unwillingly. Toby was young and fairly immature, but with an innocence and lust for life that Darius could only admire, and it eventually brought Darius back to life as well. But the age and power gap made me feel uncomfortable with their romance, and I had a hard time believing in it. I think I would have preferred if there was no romance in the book at all, I would have enjoyed it just as much. I also felt the characters were not fully developed, or at least not enough for me to connect with them. The major and minor arcana were interesting, and there was some explanation of how they worked, but not quite enough, and also not enough about how magic was used in the world. And finally, the apparently common practice of sexual relations between mentors and students was a little off-putting to me.

Despite that, I did enjoy the book, and I will be looking forward to the next one. I hope that this world will be more fleshed out so I can connect with it better, and that I will come to believe in Toby and Darius relationship more than I did with this one.

Cover art by Tiferet Design is exactly how I imagined Toby to look while caught up in his wild magic

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 194 pages
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 139781644052648
Edition Language English
Series The Web of Arcana #1

A MelanieM Release Day Review: The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

The Web of Arcana: Book One

A young magic user who wants desperately to live. A jaded recluse who has forgotten what living means. They’re each other’s only chance.

Toby’s wild magic is killing him. The mage guilds have given up on him, and it’s only a matter of time before he dies in a spectacular, catastrophic bang. His only hope is an exiled wizard who lives in seclusion—and is rumored to have lost his mind.

The years alone on his hilltop estate have not been good for Darius Valstad. After the magical accident that disfigured him and nearly drowned Pittsburgh, he drifts through his days, a wraith trapped in memories and depression. Until a stricken young man collapses on his driveway, one who claims Darius is his last chance. For the first time in fifteen years, Darius must make a choice—leave this wild mage to his fate or take him in and try to teach him, which may kill them both. The old Darius, brash and commanding, wouldn’t have hesitated. Darius the exile isn’t sure he can find the energy to try.

I am always beyond thrilled to see Angel Martinez come out with a new novel, let alone a new series and The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) represents both. My biggest complaint? That the page count reads 170 pages and not 670 which is what I feel these terrific characters, plot, and relationship dynamics and history is due.

That Angel Martinez! Her mind is a wondrous and twisty thing.

This is a story that builds upon itself, like a simple melody into a wild crescendo. Told from Toby and Darius’ perspectives, with each layer of world building, of magic, of relationship, the author adds to her story and men making the tale sing stronger and wilder. Especially during the search for Toby’s “gift”, the magic he should be able to channel and the paths it takes both of them on. It’s a journey of revelation for the reader, one of redemption and forgiveness/ It more deeply connects us to them both and gets us ready, ok not really, for the wildest climax of them all. How all the imaginative, incredible elements that Martinez built into that white knuckle, suspense filled, heart pounding fierce ride! And am I giving them away? Nope not me. Buy the book, read it for yourself.

I found the relationship between Darius and Toby very touching and tender. It’s not just Toby that needs saving here but Darius too. Toby from immediate death at the hands of the Guild and Darius from a deep depression and years of neglect. The interaction between the two men, despite the age difference, is extremely enjoyable, it’s one’s yin to the other’s yang. The author making us feel the need each has for the other, not just physical but mental and emotional. One bringing the other alive as he hasn’t been in years while the other is ensuring the other stays alive so he can become the best man he can be, including a whole mage.

There are also three other mages, some former students of Darius’ or mages at the Guild with him that we meet. All are of huge importance to this couple and the series. I loved all three and can’t wait to see where this series takes them.

In fact, I can’t wait for the next installment. I want it now. Can that be arranged?

I highly recommend The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez. It’s highly imaginative, with great characters, an absorbing plot, and an ending that will have you flipping the pages in your desperate need to know what’s happening next! I just love it. You will too. I really need that next story.

Cover Artist: Tiferet Design. I like this design. I think Tiferet Design is so strong in it’s cover art but it’s hard to tell whether that’s a white streak in his hair (yes) or pat of the magic happening around him.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 194 pages
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 139781644052648
Edition Language English
Series The Web of Arcana #1

Happy Cinco de Mayo! This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo also known as the ‘Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla’ is heavily celebrated here in the US, but not all may know exactly what that day stands for. Some may think it’s the date of Mexico’s Independence. Not true. It actually celebrates a victory in battle over the French.

From the Britannica:

“When in 1861 Mexico declared a temporary moratorium on the repayment of foreign debts, English, Spanish, and French troops invaded the country. By April 1862 the English and Spanish had withdrawn, but the French, with the support of wealthy landowners, remained in an attempt to establish a monarchy under Maximilian of Austria and to curb U.S. power in North America. On May 5, 1862, a poorly equipped mestizo and Zapotec force under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated French troops at the Battle of Puebla, southeast of Mexico City; about 1,000 French troops were killed. Although the fighting continued and the French were not driven out for another five years, the victory at Puebla became a symbol of Mexican resistance to foreign domination. The city, which was later renamed Puebla de Zaragoza, is the site of a museum devoted to the battle, and the battlefield itself is maintained as a park.”

However, according to some references, once the holiday got associated with a certain alcohol, namely tequila, it really took off and it’s widely celebrated today outside Mexico. So happy Cinco de Mayo! Hence, the many Margaritas flowing today!

For more about Cinco de Mayo, check out the History Channel link here.

Cinco de Mayo – HISTORY

HEA or HFN?

Now a little more about last week’s post on HFN or HEA, we heard from H.B on the subject:

H.B. “It’s hard to say and I guess depends on the characters and the way the story goes for me. I agree that a HEA has to have stability but I think the same standard can be applied to HFN stories. I guess a HEA story for me has to have details that make me believe the characters are committed to each other, solid within their relationship no matter the situation, will have each other backs, be supportive and not waver and is willing to fight when the going gets tough. In a nutshell, the author has to sell to me that the characters are deeply in love and that they’ve met “the one” and won’t let the person go if sh*t hits the fan and each fight to keep the other in the relationship.”

It was also on my mind as I was reading a new Rhys Ford story, the first in a new series the author has coming out (yes, just terrific). The first book ends, of course, on a HFN, which i s the only way the story could end. It was realistic, perfect, and made me immediately want to reach for the next story….which wasn’t there! lol. But once again, it made me realize, as did the absolutely splendid story 717 miles by Sophia Soames that sometimes a HFN is the only way to end a novel. That a HEA would be not only be unrealistic but would even ruin the story.

I also read far too many stories where a HEA was forced onto a story where a HFN would have been a far better fit. Haven’t you? A rushed ending? Or a rushed relationship? Just to get a ending that perhaps the author thought their readers wanted to read …heading off happily ever after…before they were actually ready for it.

How do you all feel about that? You ok with it in your stories? Or does that turn what could have been a great book into a meh book for you?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Meanwhile here is our week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, May 5:

Happy Cinco de Mayo! This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
A Lucy Review: The Accidental Baker by Clare London
A VVivacious Review: The King’s Fear (The Brass Machine #2) by Isaac Grisham

Monday, May 6:

Release Blitz – The Duke & The Dandy Highwayman (Duke & Dandy #1) by Zakarrie C.
Blog Tour – The King’s Fear (The Brass Machine #2) by Isaac Grisham
Review Tour – Jay Northcote ‘s Mud & Lace
A Lucy Review: Lyin’ Ryan by Kim Davis
An Alisa Review :The Love Left Behind by Daniel de Lorne
A MelanieM Release Day Review: The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Mud & Lace (Rainbow Place #4) by Jay Northcote

Tuesday, May 7:

Blog Post – Bryan T Clark – Escaping Camp Roosevelt
Blog Tour for The Nature of the Game (Stick Side #2) by Amy Aislin
Audio Review Tour for Falling Down by Eli Easton and and Michael Stellman (Narrator)
A Lila Review: Starting from Zero by Lane Hayes
A MelanieM Review:The Nature of the Game (Stick Side #2) by Amy Aislin
An Ali Audio Review Audio Review: Falling Down by Eli Easton and Michael Stellman (Narrator)
A Caryn Release Day Review: The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez

Wednesday, May 8:

Review Tour – Annabelle Jacobs’ Wounded Soul
RELEASE BLITZ for The #lovehim Series Box Set by S. M. James
Morgan James Promo on Love Conventions
An Alisa Review: A New Leash on Life by Deirdre O’Dare
An Ali G Release Day Review: Love Conventions by Morgan James
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Wounded Soul by Annabelle Jacobs
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Proper English by K.J. Charles

Thursday, May 9:

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR – Witchbane by Morgan Brice
Release Blitz – Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes – Prisoner Of Shadows
DSP PROMO Andrew Grey
An Alisa Review: Where Song Replaces Silence by Layla Dorine
A Stella Review: Made for You (Love and Family #2) by Anyta Sunday
A MelanieM Audio Review: Witchbane (Witchbane #1) by Morgan Brice and Kale Williams (Narrator)
A Lila Review: A Cordial Agreement by Ryan Loveless

Friday, May 10:

Release Blitz – Michael Mandrake – Love Kills (Criminal Delights)
Review Tour for Bryan T. Clark’s Escaping Camp Roosevelt
An Alisa Review : Escaping Camp Roosevelt by Bryan T. Clark
A Stella Review: How to Heal (Lovestrong #5) by Susan Hawke
A Lucy Review To Be Continued (#lovehim #6) by S. M. James
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Kanaan & Tilney: The Case of the Man-Eater by Katey Hawthorne

Saturday, May 11:

Blog Tour – SAINT UNSHAMED: A Gay Mormon’s Life Healing by Kerry Ashton
A MelanieM Review: The Poison Within (Inspector Skaer #1) by Kasia Bacon

A MelanieM Review:The Doctor’s Secret (Copper Point Medical #1) by Heidi Cullinan

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

The brilliant but brooding new doctor encounters Copper Point’s sunny nurse-next-door… and nothing can stand in the way of this romance.

Dr. Hong-Wei Wu has come to Copper Point, Wisconsin, after the pressures of a high-powered residency burned him out of his career before he started. Ashamed of letting his family down after all they’ve done for him, he plans to live a quiet life as a simple surgeon in this tiny northern town. His plans, however, don’t include his outgoing, kind, and attractive surgical nurse, Simon Lane.

Simon wasn’t ready for the new surgeon to be a handsome charmer who keeps asking him for help getting settled and who woos him with amazing Taiwanese dishes. There’s no question—Dr. Wu is flirting with him, and Simon is flirting back. The problem is, St. Ann’s has a strict no-dating policy between staff, which means their romance is off the table… unless they bend the rules.

But a romance that keeps them—literally—in the closet can’t lead to happy ever after. Simon doesn’t want to stay a secret, and Hong-Wei doesn’t want to keep himself removed from life, not anymore. To secure their happiness, they’ll have to change the administration’s mind. But what other secrets will they uncover along the way, about Copper Point… and about each other?

I found The Doctor’s Secret (Copper Point Medical #1) by Heidi Cullinan a very sweet, heartwarming new contemporary romance and a wonderful start to a new series. As a long time fan of Cullinan’s stories and characters, I have enjoyed the many nuanced and layered portraits she’s delivered over the years. With the start of this series and The Doctor’s Secret, I found in Hong-Wei another such fascinating and indelible character. Hong-Wei or “Jack” has so many facets to him. Driven perfectionist, competitor, humble and guilt ridden son and man in search of himself and a new future. Also someone proud of his past and his culture as well as his talents as an exceptional doctor. All of which comes through beautifully in Hong Wei the man and and the story.

The story is at its strongest when dealing with the medical aspects through Hong-Wei and the hospital. Whether it’s through his dealings with the staff, his setting up his surgical team, his expectations, and finally all the events that occur that showcase exactly how brilliant Hong Wei truly is….these scenes and sections are a highlight and revelation into part of the hospital drama most people never see. It felt real, unbelievably stressful, and heart pounding.

Also fascinating, Hong-Wei’s attachment to a local Chinese Restaurant, its owners (even though Hong Wei is from Taiwan) and the information about how the workers are shuffled from restaurant to restaurant, their isolation, etc. Sometime else I was unfamiliar with.

As strong a character as Hong-Wei Wu was, the other half ot the main couple, Simon Lane, came across, imo, as the weak link here. Yes, he was sweet, He loves his Asian romances, and is a great nurse. But, he says he loves his town. That’s the reason he never left yet you never get why he loves it. Sure his parents and friends are there. But I never got a real passion for the place out of Simon. Funnily enough, that came from Hong-Wei. He grows to feel grounded there, and the feeling of true love for St. Ann’s, what it could be, all the new friends he’s made, the very town itself? All that passion and love for a location comes from Hong-Wei and not Simon, the very person glued to this town. He also seems to lack the ability to stand up for himself for most of the story, being agreeable when Hong-Wei declares that he will make sure Simon is ‘safe”. I never found his total passivity attractive. Especially next to the character with so much depth and nuance that is Hong-Wei.

It’s even worse when Simon’s friends Owen and Jared have better chemistry with Hong-Wei as well. I suspect those two (separately) wil each have their own romances in the series. I am looking forward to Owen’s especially.

It wrapped up perhaps a little too neatly and quickly for me with the hospital drama although the romance side was a nice touch. I anticipate seeing more of the board drama play out in the future novels in this series. I can’t wait to see which romance comes next in the series. And perhaps more of this couple as well. If you love Heidi Cullinan and contemporary romance, this is a story you will want to have on your list to read.

The cover by Kanaxa is eye catching. The model absolutely works for the character of Hong Wei and the design is simple yet elegant.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

Book Details:

ebook, 250 pages
Expected publication: April 23rd 2019 by Dreamspinner Press
Original Title The Doctor’s Secret
ISBN 139781640808546
Edition Language English
Series Copper Point Medical #1
setting Wisconsin (United States)