Today was my flex day and Lanternfish was my goal. I wound up waking early, even though that wasn’t my intention. After I tended the dogs, I read back through my previous chapter, then let her rip.
Last time, I wrote right up to the cusp of Lanternfish’s biggest battle. Today it was time for that battle. A little bittersweet for me because it’s also Lanternfish’s final battle. I’ve spent a lot of years with this fictional ship.
Don’t worry, it isn’t all devastation and she has a different role, but the main characters do too. To grow, sometimes you have to give some things up.
There were deaths among the named crew members. This is war after all, and some of that needs to happen to keep things realistic.
There was a conflict between a Prelonian officer and Sergeant Schuster about rank. James settled that with a promotion that made Schuster into a captain. Since he is a marine, the rank isn’t as high as a naval captain. Quite different actually.
Schuster had a big night with his own POV adventure to go along with it. Banquo went with him and deployed the poison of Big Boogah which is a nice tie back to the original story.
Mule and Yoshiko also had a long night, but they were bailed out by Mule’s knife, also known as the black spot. Now they have the obligation to find and recover it. A nice tie to the second story.
Mal saved the day with one of his magical creations, but I need to go back and make that more prominent. Maybe add some results readers can appreciate.
Root monsters were involved, but I only focused on them in the aftermath. One named Fishbone is walking around with a fifty-caliber hole through his chest and the others think it’s hilarious.
I stopped with James in a state of exhaustion. Everything changed in the scope of one night. He has dead and wounded, he lost his ship. And he doesn’t know if it made any difference at all.
This is the perfect place to cut it off for the day. My next day will be a reflection and assessment section.
The events of this battle will lead directly to problems for the Palumbos, and I need to dream up how they will handle the two or three things I need them to accomplish.
Serang is at the point of her big event, but that seems like something I won’t reach this weekend.
All told it came to 4200 words. That’s amazing by my standards, but it has to do with getting out of that middle slog. This book is at 45,000 now. I hoped for about 50K at the midpoint so I’m a little shy. Since this is fantasy, I’d like to break 100K with the finished product.
When I write that fast, the results are usually weak. I like what I have, but I’m sure it’s full of word echoes and soft descriptions that I’ll have to address later.
Right now, I’m pleased with the results. I have a couple of guest spots to schedule, so the timing for that is perfect.
Sundays are usually wasted days for me. As an example, I always call my parents on Sundays. We chat for about an hour, and I won’t sacrifice this time for anything.
Old What’s Her Face is also off today, so that means distractions and noise. She’s had the Harry Potter marathon on since last night and it started again first thing this morning. As much as I love these films, I’ve seen them hundreds of times and wanted something else.
I decided to go into another room and pick at my WIP. I also tried an experiment with dubious results. I’ll experiment a bit more, then it could lead to a post for Story Empire one day. It involves ambient noise while I write.
It started off with me monkeying with Alexa one day. There wasn’t a lot of choice there, but Staci Troilo set me up with an amazing site. I tried it today, but the noise goes off as soon as my phone darkens. This led me to YouTube, and that was more functional. The trick is to pick something and not get caught up surfing for several hours.
I settled upon two different “songs” for lack of a better term. One involved a peaceful meadow, the other was designed for inside a tomb.
The meadow is where I started writing, and I like what I came up with. Serang found the ruined city as planned in my storyboard. She uncovered the secrets I plotted out, but how she went about it was magical.
She’s discovered the lost temple of the Cartomancers. The one that was burned in the history of a previous war. This gives me a great tie back to the original Lanternfish book, and it works because we’re back on the original continent.
It turns out there is still one hidden storeroom that was not destroyed in the first war. Serang uncovered this by playing her flute. She noticed that a semi-circle of standing stones were placed in exactly the same configuration as the holes on her flute.
Musical stones are a real thing, so mine work as a kind of lithophone when someone grinds on them. This lithophone required multiple people, but it opened a hidden door to a small treasure trove of the intellectual variety.
It gives me a great tie back to Mule, his parents, and even the goblins who used to live in these lands. I’ll be circling back to this in the denouement phase of the story.
I also spent extra time to detail this area. This is a special place and so I added some fantasy creatures and details to make that apparent. I created linen birds, a ribbon bird, and even a clown spider. The spider also took Serang back to her youth when orchid mantises were fascinating to young monks. (Orchid mantises are also real.)
It only came to 2500 words, but I really like them. I need to go over it several times, but at least they exist. Wreck of the Lanternfish is about 32,000 words right now. I mention this, because it needs a big denouement. Both James and Serang have a couple of gigantic things to accomplish and I’m getting closer to those. My married cons have one big one to pull off, but it isn’t on par with the others. (Important to the story, though.)
I should probably wrap the war up somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 words. That will give me plenty of room to change the world and give everyone’s favorites a conclusion of some kind.
I’m sorely tempted to go back in my cave and write more, but I’m off tomorrow. I’ll start my day by going over what I just produced. There is an opportunity to drag out the discovery and that could be helpful. Best to look with fresh eyes.
Today, we welcome back Charles Yallowitz to Entertaining Stories. Charles is a regular here, both as a participant and guest. He’s hosted me many times for my book releases, and I’m honored to return the favor. He’s here to tell us all about his newest publication. Make sure to use those sharing buttons, and even reblog the post to help him out. If you were ever a guest here, Charles shared your post, so make him feel welcome.
In the shadows of Windemere, fangs are sprouting from the least likely of maws.
News is spreading that wild beasts with vampiric natures have been attacking mortals and carrying off random victims. With the Dawn Fangs still a secret from mortal society, Clyde fears that these strange creatures will reveal his peoples’ existence before they are ready. Old enemies and trusted friends begin to disappear as the investigation goes deeper into a business that has been lurking in the shadows of Windemere for decades. Those who return are beholden to a new master whose cunning is matched only by her primal desires. As his allies disappear, Clyde is left with the one he trusts the most in all of the world to help him solve this mystery. Too bad Mab has her own secret that can cause more damage to Nytefall than any vampiric beast.
Is this how the Dawn Fangs will be revealed to Windemere?
Still need more to wet your appetite? Then enjoy this excerpt:
Titus shrugs the girl off his shoulders and grips his blades, but refuses to draw them to avoid causing a scene. The warriors around him are on edge from overhearing Lost’s words and seeing his reaction, but they follow his example and keep their weapons sheathed. The Vengeance Hounds know that it is only a matter of time before the mortals with weaker wills lose control and drive the others into panic. They can hear the rumors of a deadly beast stalking the hunting party ripple through the crowd, each telling more gruesome and bone-chilling than the previous version. Several warriors ignore the warnings of their companions and draw their weapons, but keep them out of sight. Two of the casters begin to chant, which is revealed by the sparkle of magic on their lips. One by one, the lines of warriors stop walking and assume various defensive formations. Frustrated by the collapse of her army, the priestess turns around and tries to assure everyone that they are safe. Standing in the middle of the blossoming chaos, the Vengeance Hounds can only watch as the woman loses her temper and shouts at the archers who were supposed to maintain control.
The warriors go silent when a booming roar erupts from above and a large shadow passes over the area. With a gurgling scream, the priestess collapses in a heap and stares unblinking at the sky. The archers move away from the drooling woman, whose breathing has stopped as if she has been instantly turned off. Landing in front of the hunting party, a crimson-scaled Verenstone Dragon unfurls its muscular tails with one to each side and the other arching over its reptilian head. The thick ridge of black hair going down its back rustles and shivers in the breeze, which heats up as the monster bellows once more. Curled against its side are wings composed entirely of blue flame that licks at the trampled grass, but they are not hot enough to ignite the emerald blades. Leaning forward, the terrifying predator sniffs at the braindead priestess and chuckles before swallowing the body whole. In the brief moment that its mouth is open wide, the Vengeance Hounds notice that two of its teeth are changing as if they are stretching out of the gums. The plaque-covered ivory is curved in a way that makes it clear that they are fangs and the beast is in desperate need of a fresh meal. Its eyes scan the mortals and stop on the three Dawn Fangs for a moment, but it is enough to tell them that the cunning creature recognizes their true nature.
“A vampiric dragon,” Titus mutters under his breath.
Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After spending many years fiddling with his thoughts and notebooks, he decided that it was time to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house with only pizza and seltzer to sustain him, Charles brings you tales from the world of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you and drawing you into a world of magic.
I started off setting up the old Mac, now that my work PC has been replaced by a laptop. The laptop gives me more versatility, and I have my desk back.
After the inevitable upgrades, I spent some time letting my email program catch up. All of that took a few hours. They weren’t wasted hours, we played ball with the dogs and did more regular things.
Then I knuckled down and put HMS Lanternfish through Amazon’s grist mill. This led me to adding the series data to Voyage of the Lanternfish, which I managed to screw up. It probably doesn’t amount to a hill of beans, but I wanted to call it the Lanternfish Trilogy, and wound up submitting as the Lanternfish Series.
I decided to go with it at that point. It was that or wait a day, change book one again, then take a stab at book two. If I need to, I’ll change them later.
Right now, I’m waiting for the green light from Amazon. It can take up to 72 hours, so I’m not going to panic… much.
I’m doing something different this time. Since this is a series/trilogy, I can play some games. I’m going to run out Voyage of the Lanternfish as a freeby for the five days Amazon lets me. At the same time, I’m going to offer HMS Lanternfish as a 99¢ book. I completely stole some of this from John Howell. (Sorry, John.)
Pretty good deal if buyers time it right. Book one and two of the trilogy for a grand total of 99¢. My desire is to bring more readers in, maybe net some early reviews, and see what happens.
Book one will return to its regular price after my Amazon clock runs out, book two will remain 99¢ for a while longer, then I’m raising it to a reasonable price.
If everything looks like it’s working somewhat, I still have Serang that could be used as a free book to walk readers in, too. Watch for Lisa Burton. She has some new posters she’s taking on the road to help me out.
I may have a day or so lag time before I appear on any blogs. I need HMS Lanternfish to exist before I start the free promo on Voyage.
It’s a plan. No idea if it will work, but I have high hopes. My understanding is the second book often doesn’t perform well until the trilogy is complete. Maybe I can crack that nut just a tiny bit.
Watch this space. Pirates, sea battles, monsters, and root monsters are about to return. Oh, and there are some scary assed Japanese style ghosts included this time, too.
Welcome to another edition of Lisa Burton Radio. I’m your host, Lisa the robot girl, and I’m excited to be on the air in this time of national crisis.
Many of us are sequestered away right now, and that leaves room for a bit of reflection. I think we can all form an idea of what that’s like. Which brings me to my special guest today. “Welcome to the show, Jonah.”
“Hi, Lisa. Thanks for inviting me.”
“My bio says you’re alone on an island somewhere. To be honest, that sounds like a dream come true to many people. What can you tell us about that?”
“Oh, yeah, dream come true. Let me tell you about that. It’s anything but a paradise. The whole island is covered with tangled brush with thorns and stinging nettles. And that doesn’t even include the poisonous flowers that burn the skin horribly. But the monsters that inhabit this godforsaken place are the worse. They have long red fangs that glow and claws like that of a giant eagle. They threaten me at every turn. On top of the horrific dangers, the only food I can scrounge to eat is muddy fish and bugs.”
“I suppose most of us don’t think about the downside of being stranded like that. In our minds it’s all sunny beaches and coconut drinks. How did you wind up in such a place?”
“I lived on the streets for many years once I escaped from the orphanage. The city was huge, but I had a turf and controlled it with iron fists. Everyone who knew me feared the Wrath of Jonah. But, then I got arrested and convicted of my crimes. They gave me a choice. I could either be locked in a cement box beneath the ground or be exiled to this island. I chose the island. In hindsight, imprisonment might have been easier. Let me tell you more about the creatures. I was terrified of them at first. But I soon discovered a secret. You see, when they dropped me off on this island, they gave me a dagger and a few meager supplies. After the creatures had me cornered, and I couldn’t run anymore, I turned and prepared to die. I screamed at the top of my lungs and lunged toward them with the dagger drawn hoping I could take out at least one of them. To my surprise, they backed down and slunk back into the brush. After that, I try to keep my dagger handy at all times.
“But let me tell you about something else that just happened. I’ve been keeping track of the days I’ve been on this island for thirty-one days. Just this morning, I awoke to a loud thud outside my hut. Imagine my surprise when I poked my head out and found a package. I looked all around and could not see anyone or any means of it getting there.”
“Oh my God, someone has to be watching you. Don’t leave us hanging here, what was in the box?”
“Yeah, pretty creepy, huh? It was a burlap wrapped package and inside I was thrilled first of all, to find a package of dried Buffalo. I couldn’t wait to tear into that. It was really good. Then there were a few hygiene items, two books, a pencil and a note. One of the books was “The Four Agreements” and the other was a blank journal. Let me read you the note because it’s very puzzling. ‘There is only one way off this island. You must examine yourself, face your truths and make peace with your demons.’ Now, what do you make of that?”
“This sounds like one of those escape rooms. You know, where people pay money to solve the puzzle so they can escape. It’s fun.”
“Nothing fun about this. And, there’s more and perhaps the strangest of all. I heard footsteps outside my hut and was sure my imagination had gotten in overdrive. After all, I was alone and hadn’t seen any sign of another human since they dropped me off. But, then I heard it again and lunged out of my hut prepared to fight. Imagine my surprise when I saw a young boy around twelve standing there.”
“You mean there’s someone else stranded there, too? That was a lucky stroke.”
“Well, that’s just it. Titus isn’t stranded. He tells me he lives on the other side of the island where everything is lush and beautiful, but when he tried to take me through the portal to his home, legions of green slimy snakes blocked my way. He seems to be able to come and go, but I am not allowed to follow. So, he brings me fresh fruits and vegetables from his place. You can’t imagine how amazing that is. But, there’s something strange about this kid. He has some kind of magic. Webbing grows between his long fingers and he has luminescent green eyes that glow in a strange way. But, he’s a good kid and he’s helping me in lots of ways. He told me that his mother died, and his father disappeared. It seems that his father is a Wizard. When he tried to tell me about his father, a huge storm blew in and totally destroyed my hut. I grabbed my stuff and threw it into a duffel bag and pulled Titus along with me. He was in some kind of a trance. Finally, he snapped out of it and held a huge Amethyst Crystal up to his forehead and chanted some words. The storm immediately stopped.”
“That’s terrible, but at least you had each other to get through it all.”
“I suppose so. For the first time in my life, I felt the urge to protect someone other than myself. So, we made our way back to where my hut had been and to my surprise, there stood in its place a bigger and sturdier built shelter. And there is another package lying beside the door. Inside this package was another book, ‘The Dark Side of the Light Chasers,’ and another note that simply said, ‘Because you cared for someone other than yourself.’ The other weird part about the whole thing is that the ground that was covered in torrential rain a few minutes earlier was hard as a rock and dry. So, now I’m working my way through this book. Titus comes and goes, and I never know when he will appear, but we’ve grown close. I can’t imagine how all of this is going to end, but for the first time since I arrived here, I don’t scan the horizon every day for a boat coming to take me back home.”
“Oh, Jonah, this sounds like some kind of weird rehabilitation program to me. Dangerous and with no defined ending, but the reward kind of feels like a positive step. I hope you complete the program and can get back to your loved ones soon.”
“I have no loved ones to return to, Lisa. My mom was killed when I was very young. When I think about going back to my old turf, I know that I can’t be the same way I was before.”
“ So sorry to hear about your mother. I know I speak for all of our listeners today in wishing you the best of luck escaping from the island. Any last thoughts before we go off the air?”
“Maybe I don’t even want to go back to the mainland anymore. As long as Titus is here and my living conditions are better, I can be content. But I crave the magic that Titus has. Who knows? One day, he may be allowed to teach it to me. I’d like that. In the meantime, I’m going to make the best of the situation.”
“You can read all about Jonah and Titus in the book, Jonah, by Jan Sikes. I’ll post all the pertinents on the website after I go off the air.
“Don’t forget to use those sharing buttons today. I know Jan and Jonah would do it for you, when your character appears on the next Lisa Burton Radio.”
***
Blurb:
Fantasy meets reality when a young man is forced to choose his punishment for crimes committed. Jonah must decide between imprisonment in a concrete box beneath the earth or be exiled to a deserted, barren island. He chooses the island, but nothing can prepare him for the deadly creatures, and poisonous plants at every turn. Then there’s the maddening isolation that drives him to the brink of insanity. There is only one way off this island and it’s more difficult than anything he’s ever imagined. It’s much easier to face mortal danger than the demons within. Will he find redemption or another unexpected offer?
Jan Sikes openly admits that she never set out in life to be an author. But she had a story to tell. Not just any story, but a true story that rivals any fiction creation. You simply can’t make this stuff up. It all happened. She chose to create fictitious characters to tell the story through, and they bring the intricately woven tale to life in an entertaining way.
She released a series of music CDs to accompany the four biographical fiction books and then published a book of poetry and art to bring the story full circle.
And now that the story is told, this author can’t find a way to put down the pen. She continues to write fiction and has published many short stories with a series of novels waiting in the wings
Don’t touch that dial! You’ve landed on Lisa Burton Radio, the only show that brings you interviews with the characters you love. My special guest today is Chastity Sullivan, and Chastity is someone I respect. She’s an independent business woman who operates between factions that don’t always get along.
On top of all that, Chastity is a vampire. “Welcome to the show, Chastity.”
“Mab and Clyde told me all about their visits. So, I’m very excited to be here.”
“I think we all kind of know what a vampire is, but you’re something new. Can you give us an idea of what being a Dawn Fang means?”
“When people hear the word ‘vampire’, they are probably thinking of the Old World variety. Weak or killed by sunlight, an array of powers, and uncontrollable blood lust. Dawn Fangs are completely different. We’re actually alive with heartbeats, the ability to breed, eating regular food, and a full immunity to sunlight. I can pass as a mortal with ease, which is very beneficial to my business. Dawn Fangs can be a little overly emotional at times and we traded our magic for three unique powers for each of us.”
“Spill it, girl. This in an interview show. We want to know what special powers you got when you became a Dawn Fang.”
“Well, my abilities aren’t trade secrets. Our powers tend to work off our personality and habits prior to turning. A major part of my business is letting people indulge in their sexual desires, which can involve my participation. So, I ended up getting the ability to never tire and a charm mist that I can emit from my skin. I have a lot of fun with it too because I can make people do what I ask or have them fall asleep. Helps calming down some of my impulsive friends too. My third ability is telekinesis, which I’ve honed to the point where I use it without thinking. Floating mugs to my hand when I’m tending the bar or stroking an attractive patron’s neck from afar is always fun.”
“Okay, so that mist thingie is pretty cool. Can you make it smell like Clive Christian perfume?”
“Come to think of it, I never really considered the smell. It doesn’t have any odor that I can sense, but I have heard people describe it. One man claimed it smelled like his mother’s home cooking and a woman last night swore it was the scent of roses after a heavy rain. From what I can tell, the charm mist takes the smell of whatever my target loves the most. So, the perfume scent could happen if that’s what you’re into. Not sure I can charm a robot, so I don’t know how to test it.”
“My bio says Clyde is the leader of the Dawn Fangs. It’s been a couple of years since I talked with him, but it seemed like he just wanted everyone to get along.”
“Clyde really is an odd one, huh? He’s the most powerful Dawn Fang and possibly the strongest creature outside of the gods of Windemere. I’ve seen him cleave a mountaintop in two with his fists, so you know he could conquer the world if he wanted. Yet, his goal is to show that Dawn Fangs and mortals can live in harmony. Many of us are already living among what would normally be our prey and aren’t causing any trouble. My business is a great example since I cater to both sides who will unwittingly drink alongside each other.”
“That’s what I mean. He dreams it, but you live it. Your business is called the Scrumptious Siren. It’s an amalgamation of services, but it’s frequented by Old World vampires, Dawn Fangs, humans, elves, dwarves, and well, basically everyone. The fact that they all get along proves that it works.”
“To be honest, I don’t see many Old World vampires these days. They’ve aligned with Nyte and I’m not always seen as a neutral location. Can’t blame them since I was part of Clyde’s gang long ago. Even without them, we do have occasional rule breakers. I can stop the fights inside with my mist, but there are times when a vampire or mortal will take a grudge outside. That’s why I have vampiric hummingbirds in the surrounding forest. They really only go for vampires and drain them of any blood they steal, but I’ve had to change them since becoming a Dawn Fang. Now, my pets deliver a knockout drug and leave them for me to handle. Beyond that, everyone plays in harmony under my roof.”
“Okay, Windermere is not Earth, and I get that. Here we have laws, and our enforcement might not be so swift, but those systems can work with a bit of respect from the participants. Just to keep things interesting, you’re also kind of an informant of sorts. What can you tell us about that?”
“I would call myself more of a broker of secrets and rumors. The Scrumptious Siren is a popular place for a variety of people. It functions as a bakery, tavern, inn, sex palace, spa, and just sometimes a dance club. This means I get to hear a lot of what’s going on around the area. Since I need to make deals with traders across Windemere for the best supplies, I get more information from them. Maybe I have a few intimate friends in every port and some high places too. I’ve spent centuries creating a global network of connections, so stories always seem to find their way to me.”
“Having a good source of information is important. I myself have been known to hack into computer systems while others go into harm’s way.”
“We don’t have computers, so my hacking is more physical. It isn’t that I get involved, but I usually get what Clyde needs and hand it off. Things are probably going to be different this time. I really need to take a firmer hand in events now.”
“It seems like you have a good thing going here, why risk it all at this time?”
“Where to start? Somebody has shown up with this weapon called the Fist of Durag. Durag is the Sun God of Windemere, so you know he doesn’t like vampires. This person has already depowered and killed at least a dozen Dawn Fangs across the globe. That’s only the ones we know because we’ve lost contact with more. I worry that an army is building around this person. The last time the Duragians marched against vampires, we barely survived and that was only because Clyde returned with his new powers. They’re ready for him this time. There’s also an . . . incident with the Fist of Durag holder that has made this personal. Probably best that I not make that public. It would be really bad for business right now.”
“Okay, I can see the desire to get involved at that point. Aside from everything else, you are very powerful, and Clyde could probably use the help.”
“The whole scenario has me worried, especially because Clyde isn’t acting like himself. I don’t know if I would call him scared, but he’s definitely nervous. I’d compare it to someone seeing a ghost that they swore would never return. I think this weapon was created from the same accident that turned Clyde into a Dawn Fang, so it could be the one thing that can kill him. I can’t really sit on the sidelines when one of my closest friends is in such danger. I’m not as good a fighter as Mab or the Vengeance Hounds, but I have a good amount of tricks.”
“I wish you all the success possible. Then you can get back to helping everyone get along. What’s next for the Scrumptious Siren?”
“I’m looking into building a simple racetrack around the hill and possibly turning one of the lower floors into a small brewery. I need to find people who are more knowledgeable than myself. My business is only as good as my employees since I can’t master everything. I might expand the relaxation area around the hot spring I made too. It’s a fairly new type of business in Windemere, so I’m not sure what else to do with it. We already have massage rooms. Maybe I’ll take a trip to explore the world for new ideas once I know I won’t get murdered by a crazy priest wielding a god-powered weapon.”
“Chastity, I think all of that is cool. The world needs more people like you who build and bring folks together.
“For our listeners today, you can read all about Chastity and the Dawn Fangs in the War of Nytefall series by Charles Yallowitz. The newest edition is called War of Nytefall: Eradication, and Charles promises it won’t be the last one.
“Thanks for listening today, and I’ll add all the details to the website once we go off the air. Don’t forget to use those sharing buttons today. Charles has done it for everyone who ever appeared here, and he deserves a bit of love today. For Lisa Burton Radio, I’m Lisa Burton.”
***
Blurb–
As Dawn Fang vampires are found dead across Windemere, their infamous leader will remember what it is to be afraid.
With the truce between Nyte and Nytefall nearing its end, an old enemy has emerged to rekindle the vampires’ most ancient feud. A Duragian priest is on the move and he is wielding a weapon that can depower and kill Dawn Fangs. This follower of the Sun God has claimed enough victims that Lord Tempest wants the weapon for himself and Clyde is beginning to worry that his fledgling kingdom is in danger of extinction. When it becomes clear that the mysterious relic and Clyde’s transformation into the first Dawn Fang are connected, he will be forced to face a past that he can barely remember.
What can Clyde do to defend his people, his life, and the child he does not know is on the way from the terrifying Fist of Durag?
Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After spending many years fiddling with his thoughts and notebooks, he decided that it was time to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house with only pizza and seltzer to sustain him, Charles brings you tales from the world of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you and drawing you into a world of magic.
Hey, everyone, we have a visitor today. Judi Lynn is here to tell us all about her new book, Tattoos & Portents.
Judi is an author friend of mine, and we would both appreciate you checking out her wares, maybe visiting her blog, and using a selection of those sharing buttons. Such activity really helps an author make a splash with a new release.
Here’s Judi to tell us all about it:
Hi, Craig! And thank you for sharing your blog with me today. I’ve come to promote my new book, TATTOOS & PORTENTS. It’s a supernatural mystery. I love mysteries and urban fantasy, so tried to combine the two genres for the Muddy River series.
You’d think writing about witches, shifters, and demons, I wouldn’t do any research, but I ended up doing more than I expected. For one thing, I wanted more than the usual supernaturals to settle in Muddy River. Hester and her coven find the remote area first, and I needed a reason for them to travel to southwest Indiana and choose a location near the Ohio River that’s inconvenient to most mortals. The idea that came to mind was that they were fleeing the witch trials that obsessed most of Europe, Great Britain, Canada, and eventually Salem. They’d learned that mortals fear anything unknown to them, and when mortals were afraid enough, they became dangerous. Most of the supernaturals who run to hide have lost family members. They want to stay as far from mortals as possible. To the point that the witches cast wards to keep enemies from passing their borders, and the Fae cast an illusion spell so that mortals can’t even see Muddy River.
Witches weren’t the only ones persecuted, though. Every supernatural was in danger, so werewolves, demons, sirens, and vampires find Muddy River, too, and they all join together and get along. They have to, because they appoint Raven, a fire demon, as the area’s enforcer. Anyone who steps out of line is banished or turned to ashes. I did a little research on demons and found their origin started with Lillith, Adam’s first wife in the Garden of Eden, who eventually left him. Druids settle close enough to the town that they’re friendly neighbors. I knew a little about Druids but not much. I ended up researching their sacred trees, healing wells, and background. I never realized how learned Druid priests were. They could often speak several languages and were asked to preside as judges over difficult cases for kings and rulers of other areas. They didn’t write about their religion, though, passing its truth down from one person to another, so I could only include the things I found in articles. Neighbors farther to the south, across the Ohio River, are women who belong to a voodoo community. I only included the basics about voodoo in my stories because their magic, though Nature based like the witches’, feels so foreign to Hester.
But enough about research. In TATTOOS & PORTENTS, it’s nearing the end of December. And while most mortals in the area celebrate Christmas, the witches celebrate Yule. Unfortunately, this year, Hester and Raven learn that a voodoo priest is capturing witches, and they have to interrupt their festivities to find the witches and rescue them, and eventually battle the priest and the army of undead he’s creating.
Blurb: Why are people returning to Muddy River with Celt tattoos on their arms and non-stop dreams? When Hester uses her magic to help a sleepless friend, she discovers that the dreams are pleas for help from witches who’ve been captured by armies of undead. A voodoo priest has created them, but for what purpose? And how can she and Raven find him to stop him?
Thanks so much for hosting me, Craig! I appreciate it.
Bio for Judith Post
Judi Lynn lives in Indiana with her husband, a bossy gray cat, a noisy Chihuahua, and a parakeet. She loves to cook and owns more cookbooks than any mortal woman would ever need. That’s why so much food sneaks into her stories. She also loves her flower beds, but is a haphazard gardener, at best. She writes cozy mysteries for Lyrical Press and paranormal mysteries on Amazon.
I think some of you are suffering from tour fatigue, and I am, too. Between two books, it’s been a long process. I hope you’ll indulge me one last post about Serang, and it will be mine.
This time out, I offered my hosts either Lisa Burton or me. I asked my hosts what they would like for their readership, and I really enjoyed the challenges. I think the Serang tour posts were some of the best promo stuff I’ve ever written.
As fun as that was, there is always a downside. Lisa only got one taker, but I have two posters. Rather than shop for another host this week (Holiday week considered) I decided to take it myself.
This is Lisa, posing as Serang with her Fu dogs/lions. The female is covered with grey fur, and the male is bronze. Serang had these guys in Lanternfish, but we get a lot more information about them in Serang.
One of the things I’ve tried to do is not explain too much about certain things. Readers will get a bit of information about Fu cubs and parents. How they chose Serang, and more. I never answer the question completely about how she summons them in times of need.
Readers will see her touch her weapon to a jade pendant she wears, and the animals will appear. Whether this is a result of the pendant, her weapon, some combo, or the connection of Serang’s spirit with the otherworld – I never answer. This is on purpose. Not everything needs to be explained. Readers should have a tidbit to imagine for themselves.
The Fu themselves are formidable in battle, and I’ve already written them into HMS Lanternfish. They rub on her like cats, and when the male purrs it’s almost frightening.
Serang becomes identified with the Fu, and there is a bit more information, but I’m not going to spoil it for you.
That wraps my touring for a while. I’m tired and I think you are, too. Winter is coming and I need to read, and work on the next Lanternfish story.
Both Viral Blues and Serang sold fairly well. They could both use more reviews. Serang in particular is suffering on this front. If any of you are so inclined, it would mean a lot to me.
I’m not going to include the standard cover and blurb. You guys have seen it by now, and both covers in my sidebar are linked to Amazon.
Feel free to use Lisa and the Fu as your computer screens or add them to Pinterest as it suits you. If I get ambitious, I may create a pinned tweet using this poster, but the Viral Blues one is still up and relatively new.
I allowed myself that extra hour of sleep the time change provided. This isn’t my first book, so I didn’t completely panic when I got up.
I went through my morning routine, fed the dogs, etc. When I check email, Amazon said it was a book. I dedicated some time to updating BookBub, Goodreads, claiming the book for my Amazon author site, all those fun things. I also updated Entertaining Stories so Serang shows up in the sidebar.
I’m too lazy to cover my banner image with bamboo or jungle vines, so I’ll leave Clovis’ car and dog there for now. I could ask Sean for an art update, but I’m trying to save a buck here and there.
As of now, the cover in the sidebar links to Amazon. Then I did something unusual. I added another 1500 to 1800 words to Grinders. This one is racing toward the finish line, and I want to clear my deck so I can take Lanternfish back up.
I wrote one promotional post and sent it out, then decided to update my blog. Here is some data about Serang.
Blurb:
Monastic life is all about duty, service, harmony. For Serang, a young girl abandoned at the temple by her mother after the death of her father, that life becomes all she knows. The monks give her purpose, and become her new family.
When political upheaval causes chaos throughout the land, Serang again loses everything and everyone she loves. Alone, she struggles to survive. She convinces a wandering monk to take her under his wing and complete her training. Thus begins her adventures through strange lands and her trials to become a confident, capable, independent adult.
This is a coming of age story set in a fantasy world. It’s filled with monsters and martial arts, difficulties and dangers. The serious situations preclude the story from the levity of its predecessor, Voyage of the Lanternfish, but it provides a compelling look at the origin of one of the saga’s most fascinating characters.
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This story is a supporting story to the Lanternfish trilogy. Serang was so interesting, and her part of the world so different than other places in that story, that I though she deserved her own tale. I also intend for it to hold people over while I finish writing the next volume. I hope you guys will give it a chance sometime this winter.
Time for another taste of my coming publication. Like before, turn your speakers on, click the video, then ponder Lisa’s new poster.
Feel free to share Lisa’s poster around, use for your iPad background, whatever. Big old No-Prize if you know what she’s curling her hair with. Standard reminder, Lisa’s posters make great Pinterest pins.
Let’s hear it in the comments, have you figured out what’s coming for your Halloween reading?
Blurb:
Jan Sikes openly admits that she never set out in life to be an author. But she had a story to tell. Not just any story, but a true story that rivals any fiction creation. You simply can’t make this stuff up. It all happened. She chose to create fictitious characters to tell the story through, and they bring the intricately woven tale to life in an entertaining way.
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