Do you love worlds where there are high stakes? Worlds where cultures clash and people have to figure out how to get along? Where love is gentle and comes along slowly?

Then you’ll love Sharon Rose. Whether she’s writing stories in space or a medieval world, she brings all of that together in a masterful story.

Arts of Substance

This unique world has three gifts: Formers, Weavers, and Streamers.

Formers can sense and move the ground. They polish stones, excavate, and build.

Weavers move the wind and can control the weather patterns.

Streamers control the waters.

The gifts are given based not on the person but what Creo deems best for the world, and if someone acts in defiance to him, their gift can be taken away! In a world where status is held based on your gift, that’s not something people are willing to chance.

Book 1: To Form a Passage

The first book introduces us to Dirklan, an underground province that is expanding and bringing ore to the rest of the kingdom until there’s a collapse and the province is cut off from above. Their will to survive is challenged, and politics come to the fore as they seek a passage to reach the world above.

Book 2: To Weave the Wind

Set several generations after the first book, To Weave the Wind gives us a glimpse of the world outside Dirklan and then the problems that have resulted from years of isolation below.

An ambassador is sent from above to Dirklan province, but this ambassador is the daughter of the king and queen. Her gifting has always been valued, and she’s grown up knowing that she’s needed below.

When she arrives, though, she discovers she’s not what the people of Dirklan think she is. They want a streamer to open the waterways that bring in supplies, but she’s a weaver of the wind. What need can there be for wind in an underground world?

To make matters worse, all the eligible bachelors are vying for her hand in marriage. Thankfully, her father gave instructions to the governor of Dirklan that she’s capable of making her own decision.

As the passage that brings food in worsens and political scheming rises, the ambassador and the governor’s son work together with their unique giftings to bring unwanted but much needed help to the province.

Review of To Weave the Wind

Sharon Rose did it again! A story that brings to light the problems that can form when we don’t see things from different perspectives. The age-old struggle of thinking our way is right without bothering to discover that there are other ways of thinking.

Her use of the giftings is masterfully woven to show that each person is unique even if they have the same type of gift–each gift is manifested in a unique way. The whole idea of gifts resonates throughout the story shedding light on our own world.

A must read for those who love fantasy worlds with a touch of realism, characters to love, and books that transport you while they encourage you.

About the Series

Diverse Similarities features Kena, a nav officer on a spaceship. It so happens she’s the only human on the ship. With cultural intrigue and adventure, the book is a fast-paced science fiction with a satisfying ending pulling you in for more. What’s more is you can pick it up for only 99 cents right now!

Diverse Demands picks up where book one left off, with Kena trying to fulfill her promise, but now another human has joined the crew and threatens to disrupt the peaceful relationships she worked so hard to forge. I’m on Christmas break and will have two days after break where I’ll be with my mom during surgery, so I’ll be sure to read this in the next week or so. It’ll definitely be one of the first books written into my Reader’s Journal my daughter-in-law got me.

Book Cover for Diverse Demands

About Diverse Demands

She could use forbidden telepathy to prevent an alien war. But will her own people call her a hero or a criminal?

Kena, a lone human among aliens, forged a truce with her enemies by promising a controversial telepathic link with their future leader. They claim this is the foundation of lasting peace. But what are these obscure problems they now hide? Why is TarKeen, her strongest supporter, suddenly missing? Will their future leader be executed before Kena can reach her?

When another human joins Kena’s crew, he creates as many problems for her as he solves. Dissension sparks among her allies. Despite his interference, Antony does have a form of wisdom—unwelcome, though it is. Now, her decision is that much harder.

If Kena succeeds in fulfilling her risky promise, will anything be left of her career? And what about her and Antony?Diverse Demands, the sequel to Diverse Similarity, is packed with adventure, intrigue, and rich alien cultures. The story explores just how far a person will go to solve the unsolvable. If you like classic science fiction merged with a Christian worldview, this book is for you.

Get your copy from Amazon.

About the Author

I started writing when I was seven years old. Okay, My Life as a Flying Squirrel may have had a couple spelling errors, but my classmates loved it. Plenty of life has happened since that first story, and I’ve come to realize the things that fascinate me. People. Communication. Culture. Personality. Viewpoints. Beliefs. Anything that makes each of us beautifully unique. Small wonder that my art spills out in story form.

Books for Kids

Kids need book lists just as much as adults do. These are books that will be fine for your advanced readers and middle grade students.

To Save Two Worlds (is twice as much fun) by A. J. Bakke

This is a fun romp of about an anxious, OCD man who by virtue of an accident ends up expelled from his colony along with a young girl who despises him. Together they must brave the wilderness and help the ‘sparkles’ save a planet they’ve never been to.

This is book one of the Worlds Akilter Series, and is good as a stand alone as well. It’s in the same world as Magic is to Dance.

You can pick up your copy on amazon, and it’s also available through Audible.

King of Malorn by Annie Douglass Lima

I I love Annie Douglass LIma’s Annals of Alasia series. This is the latest, but not the last. I’ve heard she has one more coming, and I can’t wait to read it. You can read an interview with one of the characters of King of Malorn from a couple blog posts ago.

The Annals follow Jaymin, prince of Alasia, Korram, prince of Malorn, and their various bodyguards, helpers, soldiers, and friends through the invasion of Alasia by Malorn, and then through to peace. This book is from Korram’s sister’s perspective and peace has only a tenuous hold at the moment, especially as another assassination attempt has her, her brother, and King Jaymin fleeing for their lives! It’s a fun read for both younger children and adults.

You can find the full series on amazon, and it’s on sale for the holidays.

Mirrors and Pearls: A Retelling of Snow White by Lea Doue

This book was a Fellowship of Fantasy book club read this year. The retelling is fun and unique, including dragon riders for dwarves and a mirror that captures people and dragons!

The most common regret is that it’s a short story and is a quick read, but if you like what you read, you can always check out her Firethorn Crown fairytale retellings series.

Find Mirrors and Pearls on amazon.

Knight’s Rebirth by Sarah Ashwood

Most fairytales have the knight rescuing the princess, but how can that happen if the knight’s dead? This fun tale follows our stuck-up hero as he avoids princesses and does everything to stay single, until the unexpected happens. It’s a delightful read for all ages.

If you haven’t checked out Sarah Ashwood’s Aerisia series, Sunset Lands Beyond and Beyond the Sunset Lands, go do so. They are well worth the read. I was so excited to see Beyond the Sunset Lands in our local library, I posted about it on Instagram.

Find your copy on amazon, and the other series are linked right there as well.

Horseman by Kyle Robert Schultz

Another Fellowship of Fantasy Book Club read, Horseman takes place in the fantasy Old West. Think typical western story-line, but add in magic, centaurs, dragons, and other mythical creatures! The story of Ichabod Crane comes to life in a new way as the Headless Horseman starts haunting the Old West. Time travel and shootouts take place before our hero overcomes.

Grab your copy on amazon.

The Dragonback Series by Timothy Zahn

Timothy Zahn is known for his Star Wars books and most recently Thrawn, but did you know he has a middle grade/young adult series? Yep, in fact, it was this series that started me on my publishing career.

Take a jaunt through space following a teen and a K’da poet-warrior who happens to be similar to a dragon and needs a host to recuperate and rejuvenate every six hours. To do so, they become like a dragon tattoo, but not just any species will work. They need compatible ones, and humans just happen to fit that bill. Together the two try to gather the pieces of the puzzle to discover who’s trying to demolish the K’da people.

The first three books are on sale for $2.99, which is an awesome deal, and the next three are available as a read now with Amazon prime!

Books for Young Adults

For me the difference between clean middle grade and clean young adult books is content. These books have more intense scenes or deal with high school or other advanced topics that younger kids may not wish to meet yet.

Recompense by Michelle Isenhof

This series is amazing! I’ve only read book 1, but am eager to grab the rest of the series and read it. I was waiting for my paycheck to purchase it. Maybe it’ll be my Christmas gift to myself.

I received a similar vibe as The Hunger Games and Divergent. The story starts with Jack, short for Jaclyn, eager to make the exit exam and possibly get promoted from Lower to Military. When she’s approached by a mysterious man offering her a job and a leg out of her settlement with money to give her adoptive mom and family, she takes it, but the intrigue only intensifies as well as the training. Kidnappings, portals, and love all blend in this excellent book.

It’s available on amazon with the rest of the series.

Keen by Laura L. Zimmerman

Why I put off reading this book, I’m not sure, maybe because it was about a teen in high school who happens to be half-fae, a banshee no less. Whatever my reasoning, I left it until I had few other choices left on my kindle. It was a wonderful read. Not only did the author do a great job of skimming over the boring parts of high school, she made complex teens who had real-life issues. She didn’t downplay those problems, and she made the father an ally. With more fae in the high school than she had first thought, Caoine (pronounced Cane) finds her first friends ever, and learns of the Unseelie Prince who has plans to destroy the portals to the fae realms and wants to use Caoine’s powers for his own gain.

It’s also available on amazon, and has a second in the series due out next year some time.

The Tethering by Megan O’Russell

This book is for lovers of Harry Potter, X-Men, and The Mortal Instruments. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the others, but if you like those three series, you’ll love this one. A world where wizards and witches live among ordinary mortals. When Jacob discovers he’s a wizard, he’s secreted away to a private academy much like Professor X’s school for X-Men. Since he used his unknown about powers accidentally to blow out all the windows in his high school, the magic council is ready to try him for lawlessness, but there’s really another entity at work who wants to rip apart the fragile peace between humans and wizards.

Grab your copy of this first book in the series.

Fate of Dragons by Alisha Klapheke

As the sea rises, a mother desperately holds her infant daughter above the waves. A dragon swoops past and rescues the baby as the mother and the rest of humankind perish in the flood. Raised by dragons, believed to be an Earth Queen, Vahly is a disappointment to most of dragonkind. Seeking a way to bring to life her non-existent magic, Vahly convinces some clanless dragons to go with her to seek the elves. War is in the making, and the Sea Queen is determined to win, but when the last human makes a pact with elves and dragons, anything is possible.

Definitely worth the read, and I’ll be adding the rest of the series to my list of to-be-read. You can find out more on amazon.

Pemberley, Mr. Darcy’s Dragon by Maria Grace

This is for lovers of Pride and Prejudice. I’ve never read the book. Gasp! It’s one of my daughter’s favorites. This has a fantasy twist though–dragons! Yes, it’s good. Yes, it has the feel of an old classic in the way it’s written and the dialogue. So, if you’re ready for an old classic with a new twist, grab Pemberley. I’ll even be looking at picking up the rest of the series.

You can find them on amazon and on audible.

Game of Stars and Shadows series by Kara Jaynes

This series hooked me from the start. It’s a fun dystopian set in Seattle, Washington, after space elves have taken control of earth to help bring it back from the brink of destruction due to human inattentiveness and lack of stewardship. Throw in an elven experiment gone awry and you end up with vampires roaming the nights. Among the humans, is Stella a street rat trying to make a living for her and her younger brother. When a dumpster diving event goes awry, she’s brought before the elves. Unfortunately, an elven connection sparks between her and the prince–a connection that usually can’t be fought and leads to marriage! The only problem is her heart was given to her first boyfriend who disappeared with his addiction to an elven drug.

I definitely can’t wait for book 3 to come out. It’s due in 2020. In the meantime, you can read books one and two while you wait and follow Kara Jaynes on facebook to get updates and see snippets of the work in progress.

Books for Adults and Young Adults

Divine Summons by Rebecca P. Minor

With a starting off point of a battle gone awry, Divine Summons is a page turner from the get-go. Mystery and intrigue join as a warrior becomes tasked with creating a new group of elves–dragon riders. However, he must work with a prophetess that he’d rather ignore or strangle, to save his city.

Dragons, orc-like creatures, and adventure await. Available on amazon.

Legends of the Guardian-King series by Karen Hancock

My dad asked me to read this to preview it for the church library. I fell in love and had the whole series read in under a month! I even used it as a book report sample for my 8th graders.

A monk, ready to give his final vows, is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Okay, so the monk happens to be prince of the land, and all his other brothers save one have died mysterious deaths. As he chooses to live by going against his calling and fighting in the games, he gains the courage to look at his beliefs and a possible life beyond slavery.

I loved how the author worked in spiritual truths through the story narrative without destroying the plot. You can start this must read by picking it up on amazon or checking your local library.

The Line Between by Tosca Lee

I picked up The Line Between in audio format on Chirp this summer and started to listen to it with my teen son. He wasn’t as thrilled with it as I was. I think reading it may be a bit better. Tosca weaves a story of a girl growing up in a commune along with a pandemic of early onset dementia spreading over the country. This action-packed thriller delivers and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

It’s available in kindle, paperback, hardback, and audio.

Ice and Fate Duology by H. L. Burke

I can’t have a book list with at least one book by H. L. Burke. In my original listing, I had multiples of hers, but decided to pare this down. This new duology was excellent. I planned to only read book one, but then had to grab book two. I love the world of dark and sun. The two cultures are perfect for their environments as are the characters. A princess from the land of sun heads off to marry a prince she’s never met, just to get out from under her brother’s rules and to learn how to use her magic. What she doesn’t expect is to fall in love with the prince’s guard, nor to find a deadly enemy that’s ready to take out her new husband and his home!

Grab your copies on amazon.

Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn

Last week in Sunday School, I saw this book sitting on the library display. I picked it up but didn’t start reading until Saturday afternoon. Boy, was I glad I had the day to relax and focus on the book! This is an edge of your seat page-turner. It’s not fantasy at all, but adventure and action based in Iraq during the transition years of the US military trying to leave.

Marc Royce has been dismissed from the intelligence bureau for six years, but when his friend goes missing in Baghdad, the boss who fired him, hires him back for the job. His only ally is a local Christian lawyer. On every corner they meet resistance, and their lives are threatened. As they uncover the clues, they learn life’s not always easy, but unity can be reached.

Check out the book on your own. I can’t wait to meet Davis Bunn at next year’s Realm Makers.

I could go on and add in so many other good reads, but this will do for now. If you haven’t found a book for your last minute gift giving, or to relax after the holidays are over, from this list, then I don’t know what to tell you. I hope this book list helps you find some new authors and some great reads.

About Dear Author: Letters from a Bookish Fangirl

Think your words might not matter? Think again.

Words have the power to change lives, especially when they are used to create meaningful stories. In this collection of letters, bookish fangirl Laura A. Grace addresses topics related to every writer’s journey. From “character conversations,” to embracing one’s unique writing style, to celebrating a release day—there is a letter for every author no matter where they may be in sharing their story with others.

“Dear Author” includes six illustrations by Hannah S.J. Williams.

About the Author

Laura A. Grace had a lifelong dream of getting to know authors behind the covers of her favorite reads. Little did she know that one day she would become an author too! Now an avid book blogger at Unicorn Quester and writer of clean, Christian manga, Laura creatively balances her passions of supporting indie authors and feeding her readers new stories. In between, she wields plastic lightsabers with her children and binge-watches anime with her husband. Join her quest to find wandering unicorns for your favorite authors at unicornquester.com!

You can meet up with her on social media as well.

Website — Newsletter — Facebook — Twitter — Instagram — YouTube

Facebook Book Release Party Info

In celebration, Laura’s having a party. Join in the celebration of Laura A. Grace’s debut motivational, Dear Author: Letters form a Bookish Fangirl, on December 5th from 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM EST (5:30 PM PST and 6:30 PM MDT)!

Grab your favorite drink and snack and be prepared for a fun time of encouragement, games, and giveaways. (Possibly an exclusive sneak peek to upcoming projects!)

Special guests Janeen Ippolito and Katie Phillips will also be joining in the fun!

You can join the party on facebook here.

Ayphae: a land of mushrooms

Imagine a world where mushrooms think using your brain. Some of them spin like spinning tops. Some of them fly. Some of them tower over you and stomp in a beat. Others feed off your emotions as you live in them—massive mushrooms called obosas.

Three siblings wake up in this world with no memory of their past. Everything is new to them—they have no idea what’s going on, and no one knows who they are. Moreover, they discover that because of a mysterious barrier around this land, no one can enter or leave. They’re here to stay.

The land is Ayphae. The siblings try to forge their way…and for a while, everything is fine.

Trouble in Aphae: Seven Years later

Seven years later, everything starts withering. Mushrooms are turning to ash, trees to mush…it’s all falling apart. Signs point to a suspicious new fungus known as the aiethepa spore.

This is how the book Ayphae opens. I’m pleased to invite you into this vast world I’ve created—with mushrooms that fulfill just about every function you can imagine, and a main protagonist who enjoys cooking over fighting. He and his amnesia-stricken siblings are about to discover a few interesting things about themselves—and their past might be more relevant than they realize.

Why mushrooms?

So what could possibly compel me to write a world full of mushrooms?

Well, I love mushrooms. That’s a start.

Purpose and meaning

Then there’s the concept of purpose. Purpose is a big deal in life—it brings meaning and identity to us. It has to be supplied by external factors (like a deity), or it’s just a meaningless invention of our heads.

It’s kind of my thing, and I like to talk about it in every book that I write. It’s the unifying factor in all of my works. As an author, you could say it’s my “theme.”

Purpose for the siblings:

Ayphae fits that theme perfectly. In it, every character struggles with fulfilling their purpose. Reisor, who can’t even remember his past, lacks both a purpose and an identity. He struggles with the only purpose he’s been given—to take care of his siblings—while being given a new purpose. But as the book goes on, he wonders if his new purpose is really what he should be doing.

The siblings, meanwhile are even more directionless. Feselea has taken it upon herself to learn everything she can—and while knowledge and its pursuit is definitely a purpose, it may not be all she is meant to do. Dane has no idea what his purpose is—but he wants to be treated like an adult, even when he acts like a kid. It brings him joy to entertain people…so maybe that’s it? He just doesn’t know.

Purpose for the Ayphaeans

Finally, we have the three Ayphaeans: Joe, May and Nick. Joe rules Ayphae—his motto is to never let people down. His purpose is pretty clear-cut…but unfortunately, he has absolutely no idea how to fulfill it. He’s been doing the best he can over the past seven years. But now everything is falling apart. If he just knew why, he could see a clear road to fulfilling his purpose. He’d like to blame the aiethepa spore for everything, but part of him wonders what’s really going on.

Nick used to be a pathfinder (a type of ranger). He saw problems in the people’s hearts and realized he should be a speaker. That greater purpose led him away from his first purpose—a difficult but worthy replacement. Now he speaks full-time, as his oratory career has taken off.

And of course, there’s May the scientist. She wants to maintain respectability as a scientist while exploring Ayphae’s wonders. Right now, her immediate purpose is to eradicate the aiethepa spore. Nothing will disrupt her focus.

It’s interesting that Nick and May have the same ultimate purpose: to save Ayphae. But they’re going about it in completely different ways. Nick is targeting the people’s hearts, while May is targeting the parasitic fungus invading the land. One is more conceptual, the other more concrete. And Joe is trying to find a happy medium. But all their paths will cross in time.

Purpose for the author

So what’s the biggest reason? To tell a story. To inspire people to think. To bring glory to God by creating an amazing world and characters to inhabit it. When we create beautiful stories, we bring glory to the Creator.

And that is my purpose.

About the author: Ian Vroon

By the way, I’m Ian. I’m married to an amazing woman named Nicole who loves and supports me (I don’t deserve her!). I live in Colorado, and I love science and theology. One of my philosophies of plot working is to make sure each of my main characters disagree with me in at least one major way. That way, none of them can serve as mouthpieces for an agenda. I want to inspire critical thinking, not dictate it.

Special thanks to Kandi Wyatt for letting me guest blog here. You’re fantastic! I hope your readers enjoy exploring the realm of Ayphae as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Where to Find the book

You can learn more about Ayphae or purchase it on Amazon.

What it’s about:

Following the prophesied Artan’s victory over the Dark Powers, the land of Aerisia is finally at rest, until ancient beings, long imprisoned, begin to stir…

Eight years after Annie Richards’ stellar voice and musical talents skyrocketed her from rural Oklahoma to international fame, haunting visions have begun threatening her sanity. While she’s returning to her childhood home to convalesce, creatures straight from her nightmares bring down her plane. Annie wakens in a parallel world, Aerisia. Here, she discovers her musical gifts translate into magical powers—the legacy of a banished race who have been invading her dreams.

Mistrusted by Aerisia’s most powerful factions because of her heritage, Annie finds allies are hard to come by. Supporting her are one Simathe warrior, Cole, who refuses to label her as evil, and one woman willing to stand against anything and anyone to help a friend: the Artan herself. Seizing control of her destiny will mean defying both her ancestors and the Aerisian leaders. Mastering her magic may mean making the greatest sacrifice of all…or risk becoming the reason Aerisia itself is torn apart.

What I think:

Well, I started to read it on Friday evening and have had a hard time putting it down. Now, I’m not normally one to fan-girl over books or even characters. I found myself literally exclaiming outloud and unable to see to read because a character came into the plot or I recognized a place. It was as if I’d just landed back in a familiar home after a long journey. I’ve not finished the story yet, but I’m deeply engrossed and am excited to finish this blog post so I can go ahead and read more. The plot moves forward with just enough twists and turns to keep you coming back for more. If you haven’t read the first trilogy, don’t worry. Another friend read an advance copy of Aerisian Refrain and had not read the other books in the series and fell just as in love with the story and world as I have.

What it looks like:

Who’s it about:

Author’s thoughts on character

What is your character’s name? Does the character have a nickname?

His official title is Cole, Lord among Simathe. However, he’s simply called Cole by friends, and Lord Cole by subordinates or in formal situations.

What is Cole like?

Both are a deep, unnatural black. Simathe are a race of immortal warriors, with several interesting racial characteristics, including deep bronze skin and completely black eyes. No “whites of the eyes,” no pupils, etc. can be seen…only blackness.

Another distinguishing characteristic of the Simathe is they have a very hard, stony facial cast. Most people consider them emotionless because they rarely, if ever, reveal an outward emotion and are extremely hard to read.

The left side of Cole’s body is scarred from taking the brunt of a dragon attack. He threw himself between a dragon and a friend during battle. Being immortal, he survived, but with scars to tell the story.

Who are Cole’s friends and family, those who he’s closest to and who does he wish he were closest to?

Simathe are a unique race created by the magic of the Scraggen, or witch-women, in the land of Aerisia. They are born from normal human parents, and all Simathe are males. They live together in a unique brotherhood. Thus, Cole has no family except his fellow Simathe, and really no friends outside them, except for one person: Aerisia’s legendary savior, the Artan. This is a young woman from Earth, Hannah Winters, who was brought to Aerisia to fulfill her destiny. In the course of her adventures she fell in love with the Simathe High-Chief and married him. However, Cole was the first Simathe to befriend her on her journey to become the Artan, and they have remained friends ever since. She is the friend for whom he was wounded by a dragon. He considers his scars of little note when compared to having saved her life.

Where was Cole born? Since then where has he lived, and where does he call home?

Like all the Simathe, Cole doesn’t know where he was born or where he’s from. Simathe children are surrendered at birth to other Simathe. It’s considered a curse to normal Aerisians to bear a Simathe child, and they’re gladly given up. Simathe children are taken to the Simathe stronghold, Treygon, where they are raised. This is their home base.

Tell us about Cole’s emotions.

Even if Simathe are angry, most don’t know. They are extreme stoics. If Cole really, really needed to be alone, he’d simply retire to his quarters.

Cole has few fears until another young woman from Earth, Annie, crosses to Aerisia. Whereas no Aerisian woman has ever looked twice at him, Annie is struck by him immediately. (He can hardly comprehend this.) However, Annie’s not in Aerisia without a cause, and various forces are at work to harm or control her. Annie’s safety quickly becomes paramount to Cole, but, since he is Simathe, he acts on this—he doesn’t talk about it.

Does he have a secret?

That he really likes this girl, Annie, but he has no idea what to do about it.

What makes Cole laugh out loud?

After crossing to Aerisia from Earth, Annie really, really misses her coffee. She is not a morning person. At all. And Cole thinks this is pretty funny.

Has Cole ever been in love? Had a broken heart?

Never. At over six hundred years old, this immortal warrior has never really looked twice at a woman because he’s Simathe and no woman would ever look twice at him. Not until Annie enters his life.

What Cole really thinks:

Now let’s chat directly with Cole. Cole, I’m so excited to have you here. I may have to control my emotions since I really enjoyed your interactions with Lady Hannah and can’t wait to get to know you better here.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Saving my Artan’s life during her fight against the Dark Powers.

That was very noble of you. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

“Enjoyment, happiness, those are fleeting. Duty and responsibility are eternal. Simathe ascribe to duty first. Always duty first.”  (Actual quote from Aerisian Refrain.)

What is your favorite occupation?

If by occupation, you include ways to keep yourself occupied, I enjoy whittling when I’ve nothing else to do. I generally carry a special knife for that purpose.

Oh wow! My son works with wood as well. With that said what is your most treasured possession? My son’s would be one of his knives.

My Restless. (Restless are a unique breed of horses used by the Simathe.)

I could see that. I think I’d be a little afraid to meet a Restless up close.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

There was no love in my life until I met Annie. She changed everything. I would endure or give up anything for her.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Courage in the face of adversity. Being honorable, no matter the cost.

…and in a woman?

I spend very little time around women, save Lady Hannah, the Artan. (And now Annie.) I admire similar traits in both men and women: courage, being honorable. But I also admire Lady Hannah’s bold sense of humor and Annie’s sweet smiles.

What do you most value in your friends?

My friends are my brothers, the Simathe, and I value their loyalty to Treygon and each other.

Which living person do you most admire?

Lord Ilgard, the Simathe High-Chief, for his leadership of our clan. Also Lady Hannah, the Artan, for the sacrifices she made on behalf of Aerisia.

Ah yes, Lady Hannah and Lord Ilgard. Their story was quite an emotional roller-coaster, even if Lord Ilgard wouldn’t acknowledge it.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Simathe do not allow themselves to wish for what they cannot have. But, were I to wish for things to be different, I would wish to be a normal human so my relationship with Annie would not be so fraught with difficulties.

Thanks so much for being with us, Cole. I hope more people read your stories, and that things work out with you and Annie. What I’ve learned about her so far, she seems like a very special gal.

About the Author:

Don’t believe all the hype. Sarah Ashwood isn’t really a gladiator, a Highlander, a fencer, a skilled horsewoman, an archer, a magic wielder, or a martial arts expert. That’s only in her mind. In real life, she’s a genuine Okie from Muskogee who grew up in the wooded hills outside the oldest town in Oklahoma and holds a B.A. in English from American Military University. She now lives (mostly) quietly at home with her husband and three sons, where she tries to sneak in a daily run or workout to save her sanity and keep her mind fresh for her next story.

Sarah’s works include the Sunset Lands Beyond trilogy and the fantasy novella Amana.

To keep up to date with Sarah’s work and new releases, sign up for her newsletter. You can also visit her website, or find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

Where to find Aerisian Refrain:

Find Aerisian Refrain on Amazon and Goodreads.

David as Kirito for Fellowship of Fantasy’s Cosplay

Two years ago, my youngest son participated in Fellowship of Fantasy’s cosplay contest and won with his representation of Kirito from Sword Art Online. His prize was multiple audiobooks by Fellowship of Fantasy authors. One night at the dinner table, he looked at me and said, “Mom, have you read any of H. L. Burke’s books? You should read Beggar Magic.” I followed his advice and have never been happier. I’ve added several of her books to my book lists over the course of the years. You can find my input on Nyssa Glass on this blog about books for children’s book week. The top three recommendations in this post of five books for March are H. L. Burke’s. Finally, her Spellsmith & Carver trilogy can be found on this post for four fall reads.

With that said, you can imagine how excited I am to present a new book by H. L. Burke. Spicebringer sounds very intriguing.

The Blurb:

Let me share with you what I’ve learned:

A deadly disease. A vanishing remedy. A breathless journey.

All her life, Niya’s known she will die young from the fatal rasp. She survives only with the aid of vitrisar spice and a magical, curmudgeonly fire salamander named Alk. Then an ambitious princess burns down the vitrisar grove in an effort to steal Alk so she can claim her rightful throne. Joined by Jayesh, a disgraced monk, Niya and Alk must flee to the faraway Hidden Temple with the last vitrisar plant, or all who suffer from the rasp will perish.

But even as Niya’s frustration and banter with Jayesh deepen to affection, the rasp is stealing away her breath and life.

For a girl with limited time and a crippling quest, love may be more painful than death.

Doesn’t that sound good? I love a good love story, and this sounds like it’s going to deliver that.

The Cover:

About H. L. Burke:

Born in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic.

An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.

Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.

Where to find her:

Facebook page

Facebook Reader Group

Twitter

Instagram

Website

Where to pre-order Spicebringer:

Where can you get your copy? I’m glad you asked. Just read away–or click for your favorite retailer. Ooh, and there’s a special autographed paperback copy offer!

Amazon Kindle

Barnes & Noble Nook

Kobo

Apple iBooks

And the Paperback offer: Regularly 17.99, autographed paperback preorders are 14.99 with free shipping discount (free shipping to US locations only)

Uncommon Universes Press – autographed paperback preorder: https://uncommonuniverses.com/product/spicebringer-autographed-paperback-preorder/

Get book one of the Krillonian Chronicles

Background:

The Annals of Alasia cover the invasion of Alasia by Malorn. Young teens face the hardships of war and fight for their country in unexpected ways. Book 1 tells the story of the Prince of Alasia as he tries to regain his throne. In In the Enemy’s Service a young girl becomes a spy as she tries to stay alive and still help Alasia. My favorite of the series has been book 3, The Prince of Malorn. It shares the story of the invading army. However, I’m not sure which is my favorite now. Book 4 has captured my heart as well.

About the Story:

What happens if you’re young, in the army, and the enemy attacks suddenly at night? You fight for your life, but if you are knocked unconscious and wake up to find the battlefield empty of any living person and the enemy has taken over your land, you just may run for your life. That’s what Tarvic does. Starving, wounded, and exhausted he finally finds refuge in an unlikely place–on a farm with three young girls whose father is away in the army. With the enemy searching for any members of the Alasian army and any chance to take what isn’t theirs, Tarvic must defend the farm from the enemy.

Review:

Annie Douglass Lima has done it again, drawn me in and kept me enthralled with her world. I loved Tarvic and how real he was. His struggle with who he was and what he should do came across as genuine. It was fun to see some of the scenes from other books in the series played out from this point of view. One of the strengths of this series is the way Mrs. Lima can tell a new story from the same timeline. It’s like viewing the scene from multiple angles.

This fourth installment moves more toward Young Adult than middle grade, but there is no overt violence or gore to keep the book from a younger reader. The character is older than the other main characters in the series so far, and there’s even a bit of romance. Readers both young and young at heart will enjoy this book.

Get your copy of The Nameless Soldier

The book is on sale today only for 99 cents! Go grab your copy. Not sure if it’s your cup of tea or afraid you can’t read it since you haven’t gotten the rest of the series? No fear, here’s an excerpt:

Chapter 1:

Tarvic woke to the sound of a distant yell, abruptly silenced. He pushed his blankets aside and sat up, puzzled, but heard only the light patter of rain on the canvas. “What was that?”

Drevel, his roommate in the barracks and tentmate out on campaigns like this, stirred and rolled over. “What?”

“I heard something. Someone shouting.”

“It’s probably just another drill.” But Drevel sat up too, shoving his own blankets away, as Tarvic crawled over and untied the tent flap.

A blast of wintry air and raindrops greeted him as he leaned out, peering across the tent-studded hillside. Clouds hid the moon and stars, and on every side the thick dark of the forest leaned in from the edges of the large clearing. But the telltale flickering light of distant torches sent shadows leaping over tents and across the open spaces between them. Why would someone be using torches out here? Any soldier in camp had easy access to lanterns among the supplies.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. Tarvic pulled back into the tent and yanked on his breeches and jacket.

They both heard the next yell, closer this time, and then the unmistakable clash of swords. Both men snatched up their own swords, jamming their feet into their boots and fumbling for shields. From all around them, shouts of alarm erupted as men in their company woke up.

And then the enemy was upon them. Horses exploded through the camp, trampling tents and the soldiers just crawling out of them. Riders leaned low off their mounts’ backs, swinging swords and waving torches.

Keep reading

Get your copy of The Nameless Soldier

 About the Author:

Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since her childhood, and to date has published seventeen books (four YA action and adventure novels, five fantasies, a puppet script, six anthologies of her students’ poetry, and a Bible verse coloring and activity book). Besides writing, her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction), scrapbooking, and international travel.

Connect with her on her blog, facebook, twitter, or amazon.

With fantasy being such a broad scope, I thought I’d narrow it down to highlight a writing activity and a reading activity.

Writing Fantasy

In my first years of teaching Spanish, I decided I wanted to have something unique for Spanish 2. The result was my year of Fantasy Fridays. Each Friday, or Thursday depending on the week, I focused on a specific section of fantasy–castles, knights, unicorns, dragons, kings, fairies, etc. Students learned about those items in both English and Spanish. Then by the end of the first semester, we started a fantasy writing unit. Students began creating their own fantasy stories following the hero’s round and the fantasy elements. Their stories are as diverse as the students. I’ve had legends come to life, stories about everyday life, and even a dinasaur/elephant confrontation.

Feel free to check out the lesson plans or just look at the supplemental materials to write your own fantasy story.

Explore the Fantasy Writing Unit

Summer Reading Program

This summer the authors of Fellowship of Fantasy have teamed up to create a Summer Reading Quest for you and your children. The books are all clean middle grade and young adult books by indie authors. Readers sign up at the lists (registration) and then read from the book lists from June 1 through September 1. Young readers can add up the points of their books to enter for biweekly tourney prizes (things like paperback books, legos, stuffed dragon, hand-painted horse, and gift cards) and for end of the summer tourney prizes such as a large lego set and a Kindle Fire. Adults just enter for one final tourney prize at the end of the summer for a $25 amazon gift card. When it asks for a paperback, that’s from the books that have astrisks. We may be able to send you one.

Adult Registration

Youth Registration

Background

I’m working my way through the book of Ephesians in my quiet time. A week ago, I came upon these verses in chapter five.

Those verses really hit home to me. What a way of looking at life and what we read, or let our children read.

Content of Young Adult Books

If you look at young adult books and even middle grade you’ll find that they are filled with potty-humor. Jokes about bodily functions fill middle grade books, while young adult books often have explicit kissing, necking, fondling, and even sex scenes. This content is exactly what the Apostle Paul tells us not have even named among us.

At the same time, young adult books can have some of the best plots and writing around. They captivate both young and old readers. I can’t count the amount of adults who’ve said they prefer reading young adult books to adult books.

Do we throw the baby out with the bath?

The old saying don’t throw the baby out with the bath comes in play here. Think on it, do you tell your children they can’t read any young adult books? Most kids will immediately go grab more young adult books just because you said, ‘no’. So, instead of issuing a moritorium on young adult books, start by reading what your child’s reading. We did this when Harry Potter came out. Our kids wanted to read them, but we’d heard the hub-bub from the conservative circles. With that in mind, we told them they couldn’t read the books until they had a discussion with us. I then spent a night and read book three. Don’t ask me why I started with book three and not one, but that’s where I started. Nevertheless, I was able to gain my own understanding of the book before discussing it with our kids.

Training your child

Besides reading what you’re kids are reading, you can also train them to decipher what’s good and what’s not. Many people will say kids don’t know the difference. I beg to differ. I’ve seen too many junior high and high school students watch as an adult walks by or is in the room and turn to their friends and say, “turn off that music, it’s not school appropriate”. Kids know what’s okay and what’s not. Let’s just take that a step further.

Train your children to know this litmus test:

• Is it clean?

Does the book have immorality? That’s a big word that refers to any sexual sins. The Greek word is where we get the word “pornography” from. In our current day and age, that’s one area that is rampantly available not only to adults but also to our kids.

• Is it pure?

Purity is another area that the world says is old-fashioned. They mock those who are ‘goody-two-shoes’. In fact, that was one negative review of the Dragon Courage series, my characters were too good. I wanted to give examples to kids of what a good person looks like.

• Does it praise greed?

Think of the classic Garfield comic strip; he hordes lasagna. Greed is more than just hording something; it’s the blatant desire for things you don’t have. When a character is willing to go to any means to get what he wants, that’s greed. Does a book have to be free of greed? No, but does it show greedy people in a good light? If so, then I’d say no.

• Do the characters speak foolishly?

This silly talk doesn’t mean the characters can’t joke around. However, it’s the idea that the characters are portraying themselves in a foolish manner because of their speech. In anime it’s the type of character that would be called ‘baka’ because of his words.

• Does it have crude joking?

Crude joking would include potty-humor as well as any form of joking that is off color.

Sources for Clean Young Adult Books

Even though you’ve taught your child the best way to rate a book, it’s still good to know there are resources out there that provide good wholesome books that your child and you can agree on and enjoy. Clean Indie Reads is one of those options. This site rates books on the same scale as movies and doesn’t allow anything over a PG-13 rating. Their fantasy sub-group is Fellowship of Fantasy. Their directory even has a listing of perma-free ebooks you can download right away. All you have to do is explore their menu. They’ll also be hosting a summer reading program for middle grade and young adult readers, and all the books on the list (80 so far) are all clean approved.

One final site to gain great books is from Realm Makers. I’ve just recently learned of them. One post mentioned that if “you love fantasy and sci-fi and love Jesus, then Realm Makers is for you”. They don’t have a book listing, but they do have a mobile bookstore. They also have a blog under the parent group Faith and Fantasy Alliance.

Most of the books listed on this site are from one of these three sources. A few of them are from my publisher days. When I was with Booktrope, Vox Dei was the faith-based site. I’ve kept in contact with those authors and share what they have coming out as well.

In my years of raising children, I learned to listen to my kids. Often my favorite books came from a teen saying, “Mom, you’ve got to read this!” Some of my favorite memories are reading books with my kids at the dinner table or listening to audiobooks together. A good source for clean audiobooks is Audiobook Edge Reader Discussion Group on Facebook. Cherish those moments together with your kids. Train them to be literary discerners. Do you have a way you deal with sorting through young adult books? I’d love to hear your ideas.