blog tour, books

Blog Tour: The Shadow Appears/The Shadow Grows – Burt Tyson

A man returning from war often expects to find something left behind, some piece of life waiting to be reclaimed. In The Devil’s Shadow series by Burt Tyson, Captain Robert Hester instead faces a reality where everything he once relied on has vanished, leaving him to confront what comes after loss.


For Captain Robert Hester, the end of the war does not bring closure. It leaves him wounded, hunted, and without direction in a world that has moved on without him. The structures that once defined his life have fallen away, replaced by a path shaped entirely by consequence and personal choice.

His story begins in The Shadow Appears, where he emerges from the war with his name placed on a Union kill list as the Confederacy collapses around him. Returning home offers no refuge. Instead, he is met with a devastating loss that erases everything he expected to find. What follows is no longer about causes or commands, but a deeply personal pursuit. Riding with his loyal sergeant through a fractured landscape, he confronts a world where survival often outweighs honor and former soldiers have become something harder and less certain.

Without that driving force, The Shadow Grows places Hester in unfamiliar land, moving forward without purpose and carrying the weight of what remains. A chance encounter with a wounded Apache elder draws him into a different way of living, one grounded in patience and discipline. When violence threatens those around him, he must decide whether to remain apart or step forward, knowing the choice will define his future.

Amazon

Goodreads: 

THE SHADOW APPEARS

THE SHADOW GROWS

Burt Tyson writes historical Western fiction rooted in the aftermath of the Civil War, where questions of honor, loss, and survival take center stage. Influenced by classic storytellers like Louis L’Amour, Larry McMurtry, and the Western television heroes he grew up watching, his work explores what happens when the fight is over and a man is left to decide who he is without it.

His Devil’s Shadow series follows Captain Robert Hester through a fractured post-war America and into the unforgiving frontier beyond.

Tyson lives in a small town in South Carolina, where the landscape is quiet—but the stories he tells are anything but. Visit Burt at his website.


The Shadow Appears

Chapter 1

The buzzing woke me. I opened my eyes. It was morning. I saw the blowfly on the sheet that covered my chest, staring at me through his two large eyes, his wings vibrating in the still air. 

I didn’t even bother to shoo him away. It was a waste of time. There were too many of them. There shouldn’t have been. It was the last week of March in Richmond in 1865, and there should have been a few in sun-warmed windows and no more. 

But this was the Chimborazo Hospital and blowflies were everywhere, along with the groans and cries of wounded men— many dying—and the ever-present stench of disease, gangrene, human waste, and blood. 

We were a sad lot. Too little medicine. Too little food. Too little hope. Too much pain. Too much fear. And for many, too few limbs. 

But it was far better than the field hospital where I had lain for a day after being shot. Or the jolting, painful wagon ride to Richmond. 

I had been here since the middle of December. First, it was the wound and the blood loss. Then, the fever had come. And, now, it was just the weakness. I didn’t have the strength to get out of bed—a pretty pitiful sight for a cavalry officer. 

I heard the click of cavalry boots on the wooden floor before I saw the figure. Captain Jonathan Washburn stood at the end of my bed. His left sleeve was folded up and pinned at the shoulder. I could never get used to seeing him without his arm. 

“Well, Captain, I suppose you’ve malingered long enough. You have new orders. Get yourself dressed. We’re taking you out of all this.” 

“I’m being released from this hell-hole? You mean that?” 

“I do, indeed. Turley, front and center, man. Get yourself out here and help the captain.” 

Sergeant Josiah Turley materialized as if out of thin air. A lean, wiry mountain boy, Turley was raw-boned, with a shock of red hair and a disposition to match. 

It was Turley, more than anyone else, who had saved me. 


The Shadow Grows

Chapter 1

I rode out of Parral with no sense of purpose, no mission. I was lost. I still had the dreams. Every night. 

They began as they always did, with the bloody tears streaming from my mama’s portrait, the wraithlike figures of Aunt Callie, my daddy, my sister, and my fiancée swirling about me, asking why I hadn’t saved them. And then, after the fire and the blood of my home place, the faces of Ruth and Laurie and the bodies of Abby and Jacob. And then all of the loved ones in the dream swirled around me like tormented spirits. Their voices joined together in a single chorus. Though their mouths never moved, I heard their words.

You’ve failed us. Where is our vengeance? Where is our peace? What are we to do? 

Their haunting bodies pressed around me, choking me with their presence. 

And each night I would come awake, unable to breathe, my heart racing. It always felt like I would never regain my breath or still my heart. The oppression of sadness and pain and guilt never seemed to go away. 

As I rode westward, riding the big gray stallion, Quicksilver Ghost, and leading three other horses, Lady Red, the bay I had given my sister, and two black geldings, I still carried the hope of revenge on George Stoneman for what his bummers had done to the ones I loved back in Virginia and North Carolina. But with the failure of Jo Shelby’s plans to regroup and reenter Texas to continue the fight against the Yankees, I had little left but despair. I rode the lonely wastes of Chihuahua State in Mexico, heading for the Copper Canyon. I had nothing else to do that mattered. 

I decided I would enter the Barrancas del Cobre, the Copper Canyon, from the west and ride back toward Texas. I rode through the towns of La Noria, El Tule, San Pablo Balleza, La Loma, Yoquivo, Batopilas, La Bufa, and Cusarare. At each of the towns, I found a place for my horses and cared for them. I ate in whatever cantina the town had to offer and drank mescal. 

At Cusarare, I rode east toward the canyon, descending into the most desolate country I had ever seen. And the most beautiful. From the high mountain ridges to the bottom of the canyon, I went from alpine peaks of pines and Douglas fir at almost eight thousand feet to huge figs and palm trees at the bottom of the canyon at just eighteen hundred feet above sea level. 

For the next two weeks, I rode through the Copper Canyon. I marveled at the copper and green color of the canyon walls and the beauty and stillness of it. There was plentiful game, and I ate well while riding through this marvel of nature. I saw no one and no sign of anyone. 

The peace and solitude felt good. I thought a lot. About my life for the past few years. And about what the Padre had said to me. But I still had the dreams. 


Q & A

What’s a detail, theme, or clue in your book that most readers might miss on the first read but you secretly hope someone notices?
That men, at least prior to current times, were never taught to deal with failure.  And, yet, the loss of the War and the “Cause” carried with it, often, the loss of home, family, future and purpose.  What better metaphor for failure than the Confederate soldier after the Civil War?

When did this story or idea “click” into place for you—was there a single moment you knew you had to write it?
The issue of men and loss had been around since the mid-1980s when I was forced to close a business and my wife divorced me.  Around 1990, I wrote a novel which would become the 5th novel in this series.  After my 2nd wife died in 2016, I started writing again and wrote the 1st novel in the series which sets the tone and the themes for the rest of the series: loss, failure, guilt, despair…and, perhaps, redemption.

Which character or real-life person surprised you the most while writing this book, and why?
The Mexican Padre (not a real-life person).  His thoughts and questions surprised me as they were not ones I had had.

If your book had a soundtrack, which songs would be on it and what scenes or moments would they pair with?
The Theme Song of the Gray Ghost TV series about John Singleton Mosby for the opening of the novel.
“Lorena,” during and after the destruction of his home and the killing of his family and his fiance.
“The Bonnie Blue Flag,” during the journey through the devastated South to rejoin Jeff Davis and then to reach Texas.
“The Yellow Rose of Texas,” as Captain Hester, Sergeant Turly and Corporal Travis enter and ride through Texas.
A Mexican song celebrating the Battle of Puebla (e.g., La Paloma Juarista), as a foretelling of the outcome of Shelby’s attempt to negotiate with Maximillian, to be played during the scene when Hester explains his break with Shelby.
Mariachi music in the scene in the cantina with confrontation with Mexican vaquero.
“Ave Maria instrumental” for the scenes with Padre Jose as Hester is recovering from wounds.
The theme song for the movie The Outlaw Josie Wales for the final scene of the novel.

What’s one belief, question, or emotional truth you hope readers carry with them long after they finish your book?
That the Cowboy Code endures…honor.,honesty, courage, knowing right from wrong.

Tell us about a moment during the writing process when the story (or message) took an unexpected turn.
The introduction of Jim Dandy Travis and the events in Dogtown and on the Travis ranch.

If your protagonist (or central figure) could give the reader one piece of advice, what would it be?
Fight for right and saddle up no matter how high the risk.

What real-world place, object, or memory helped shape a key element in your book?
Jo Shelby’s retreat into Mexico.

What’s something you had to research, learn, or experience to write this book that genuinely surprised you?
Almost everything.  Civil war guns, post-war Natchez, Shelby’s march into Mexico, horses, etc.

If your book were invited to join a shelf with three other titles, which ones would make you happiest—and what would that shelf say about your story?
Lonesome Dove, The Daybreakers, Kilkenny, Appaloosa
That this is a Western about strong men with honor, fighting for a place to live and overcoming life’s circumstances.


books

Into The Darkness – Brenna Bustamente – E-ARC sign up now open!!

We’re pleased to announce that sign-ups for e-ARCs are open!

Perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers, morally gray assassins, forced alliances, and dangerous attraction.

Into the Darkness
Expected Release Date: June 2026
Genre: Dark Romantasy

⚔️ Enemies-to-lovers
🖤 Morally gray assassins
⚔️ Forced alliances
🖤 Dangerous attractions
⚔️ Good vs evil
🖤 Antagonist turned ally
⚔️ All hope lost
🖤 The antihero
⚔️ Evil overlord
🖤 Point of no return
⚔️ The price to pay
🖤 Feminine rage
⚔️ Forbidden magic
🖤 Found family

He kills for a living. She kills to survive.

When Aza is sent to kill a rival assassin, her mission was simple.
But before she can finish the job, the Stars arrive—an extremist faction determined to wipe out every shadow-wielder in the district.
With her life on the line and the city descending into chaos, Aza is forced into an alliance.
To stop the Stars and save her sister and best friend, she has to trust the person she was sent to kill. Fighting side-by-side sparks something she never expected—an attraction that cuts as sharply as her blades.

But revenge is a powerful thing.
And when the time comes, she’ll have to decide what matters more: settling the score… or saving the district.

She was hired to kill him. Now she might die saving him instead.

Sign up here

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Trigger Warnings:

Sexual assault and abuse, physical violence, death of a child, death, kidnapping and abduction, torture, war, killing, sex killing, assassination, violence, death and dying, sexism, racism, classism, grief and loss, hate crimes, poverty, sexism & misogyny, white supremacy, sex work & sex slavery, sex work shaming, sexual harassment, abandonment, child abuse, emotional abuse, sex addiction, building collapse, cults, explosions, hostage situation, imprisonment & incarceration, knife, sword & axe violence, physical assault, murder & attempted murder, poisoning, torture, genocide, massacres and mass murders, alcohol consumption & abuse, dead bodies & body parts, decapitation, dismemberment, genital mutilation, needles, physical injuries

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Blood Pact – Cameron Curtis

A kidnapped girl. An impenetrable fortress. Sounds like a job for Breed.

Keen to discover what she knows about a looming conspiracy, Breed and Stein plan to question German cabaret performer Käthe Ziegler in New York.

Their plan is derailed when Käthe is kidnapped by a team of professionals. They want her and a piece of jewelry she’s been hiding — an ancient gold seal she stole from the most dangerous man in Europe.

Karl Graf is Germany’s Vice-Chancellor, the head of a secret society of senior
politicians and industrialists, and a man with a plan to reshape the continent. He wants his seal back. He wants Käthe back. And he’s prepared to kill anyone who gets in his way.

Breed and Stein discover that Kathe has been taken to a castle high in the Bavarian
Alps. Against all odds, they climb to the fortress, which sits atop a lethal three-thousand-foot peak.

Inside, they find Käthe, Graf, and the truth about an eighty-year-old conspiracy that
began in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany and ends — in a bloody climax —
on Christmas Eve.

Blood Pact — Book Thirteen in the stunning Breed action thriller series. Perfect for fans of Jason Kasper, Jack Carr, and Lee Child.

Goodreads
Purchase

Cameron Curtis has spent thirty years on trade floors as a trader and risk manager. He was on the trade floor when Saddam’s tanks rolled into Kuwait, when the air wars opened over Baghdad and Belgrade, and when the financial crisis swallowed the world.

Having written fiction as a child, he is the author of the Breed action thriller series.

My thoughts: Breed and Stein are in Germany, which is supposed to be an ally, but as they attempt to keep Käthe from her captors, they discover a conspiracy that dates back to during WWII and the Nazi obsession with the supernatural.

As with all the Breed thrillers, the plot moves very quickly and I found the parts where Käthe is relating the history of her family and their relationship with the Grafs, quite slow in comparison.

There’s also a lot of gunfights and dead bodies – obviously they’re mostly henchmen so even their employer doesn’t really care, even when Breed is chucking them down the cliff the German castle they’re holed up in, stands on.

As Käthe fills in the back story, Stein and Breed are working out what the group of powerful politicians are up to in their castle stronghold at Christmas. Could they be preparing to bring down the world as it currently stands and go back to their grandparents’ time?

Thankfully Breed and Stein are there, as there seems to be a mole and worryingly their Director and President might be a bit more involved in this than either operative would like.

We still don’t learn anything about Breed, his past is a closed book, but he does get to be the hero of the hour, and even if he doesn’t believe in the supernatural element of this mission – he is very clear on the potential fall out should it succeed. 

After another success, he and Stein must head back to the US to confront their Director and try to locate the mole – the one who almost cost their lives this time. 

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.

events

The Conversation 2026: Dame Harriet Walters

On Tuesday I spent a few hours listening to the incredible Shakespearean actor Dame Harriet Walter talk about her career and read from her book, She Speaks! What Shakespeare’s Women Might Have Said where she revisits many roles she’s played and others she hasn’t to imagine their inner lives and what they might have wanted to say but weren’t given the opportunity to.

As someone whose career started in the 70s, Harriet has been in dozens of plays, films and TV shows and she had so many fascinating stories. She’s incredibly knowledgeable about Shakespeare, having been involved with the RSC and it was incredible to hear about her work and her process from her directly.

She was interviewed by publisher Lennie Goodings, who is responsible for She Speaks!, encouraging Harriet to explore the characters and give them a voice.

The Q & A section was interesting too, lots of really good questions from the crowd.

We were down in the crypt cafe of St-Martin’s-in-the-Field, which is a very atmospheric space. It was an intimate venue, which reflected the event – a modern take on something over 400 years old – in a revamped space lined with the graves of old Londoners.

There are still tickets available for many of the other events in this season of fascinating conversations, in person and online – which you can buy here.

books

Cover Reveal: The Darkest Shimmer – Nikki Welton

We’re proud to present the cover for book two in The Spells of Darkness series, The Darkest Shimmer! Pre-order now!

The Darkest Shimmer (The Spells of Darkness Book 2)

Expected Release Date: November 17, 2026

Genre: Dark Romantasy

Cover designer @beholdenbookcovers

  • Fae bargains
  • Siren MFC
  • Fae king MMC
  • Arranged marriage
  • One bed
  • Feminine rage
  • He falls first
  • Sisterly bonds
  • Trauma healing
  • Touch her and die
  • Elemental magic
  • Unicorn companions

Twins separated by dark secrets

A siren kidnapped from her domain

A prince cursed to bring doom to his kingdom

And a Fae bargain that can save or ruin them all

When Elyssa, a siren left to die on a hill due to her inability to summon wings, is kidnapped by the cursed prince of Sunshadow, she thinks her life is over. That is until she learns about her long-lost twin Amanda whom the prince Matier asks her help in saving. Elyssa has never been allowed to think for herself. Her only duty was to listen to the teachers at the Academy of Sirens, to never ask questions and to welcome the life that her father planned for her before he was killed.

Now Elyssa is given a choice: help the prince find his love and discover why the sisters’ parents separated them at birth, or stay on the hill and watch her Academy burn to ashes, along with her dream of freedom. But in order to help her twin, Elyssa has to visit the neighboring jungle kingdom of Hibizania first and make a bargain with the Fae king Iddylion. His presence ignites not only passion within her, but also awakens magic she never thought she could possess.

Held captive in the Palace of Darkness, Amanda has no way to escape unless she defies the unlawful ruler of Sunshadow. But to do so, she must make a desperate decision that will change her life forever. Only then will she be able to retrieve the missing symbol of Sunshadow, a black moon that can give her protection from Darkners. It is said to be in the land of the Snow Queen, where no mortal is allowed to set foot. If Amanda wants to stop the war brewing between wizards and the Fae, she must become the most fearsome creature of all.

This epic sequel to The Darkest Gift, is perfect for readers who enjoy dangerous and atmospheric magical worlds, addictive romance, sisterly bonds, and thrilling adventures.

PRE-ORDER HERE

Triggers: ghosts, death of a parent, violence

 

 

COVER REVEAL ORGANIZED BY:

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books, reviews

Book Review: The Body That Floats – Jayne Chard

Julia and Frankie visit their friend in Cornwall. When the body of a local property developer washes up on the beach, the police believe the death was accidental, but the sisters have other ideas.

My thoughts: In a quiet Cornish village, Julia and Frankie stumble, or should I say, swim across the body of an unpopular property developer. The local police constable says it’s an accidental drowning, but that doesn’t explain the head injury or the boat.

Problem is, he has almost too many enemies, so they need to narrow it down. Was it the possibly smuggling brother fishermen? The local builder? Or someone else in the village?

Cue a lot of creeping about, trying to find out who was where and when, running into the eccentric neighbour who rescues local wildlife, and wondering whether Julia’s old friend might be involved.

Julia and Frankie’s relationship is a lot better than in the last book, living together and working out what jobs they’re best at and dividing the labour has meant less bickering. There’s still some friction during the case between Frankie’s dive right into it and Julia’s more cautious approach.

Another funny, clever escapade for the sisters, who might never leave home again!

Buy a copy


*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books

Blog Tour: Brake Me – Athena & Marluxia Bliss

We’re touring April release, Brake Me by Athena & Marluxia Bliss. Guaranteed to rev engines and curl toes!

Brake Me

Release Date: April 24, 2026

Genre: Very Spicy MM Paranormal Romance

  • Possessive Love Interest
  • Only One Who Understands Me
  • Slow Burn to Obsession
  • Forbidden Love
  • Found Family (Garage Edition)
  • Touch-Starved Meets Touch-Hungry
  • Machine With A Soul
  • Love from the first Vroom

“Fucking Fox was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. The shadows of the car wrapped around me, through me, surrounding every nerve with heat and motion.

I knew how to drive him, and Fox clearly knew how to drive me crazy.”

Buying a 1992 Mustang was a stupid idea, and Al knew it, but he had loved that car from the very first moment he’d laid eyes on him. He’d never expected that the car would love him back, until a dark, shadowy figure appeared in the passenger seat beside him, eager to show Al his gratitude. Al’s new car, Fox is a jealous, possessive, powerful machine that adores his new owner and will happily distract Al from his driving, but when the two are forced apart, both will have to make sacrifices before they can be reunited.

Please be sure to read the content warning carefully!

KINDLE

PAPERBACK

 

 

BOOK TOUR ORGANIZED BY:

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blog tour, books

Blog Tour: Brake Me – Athena & Marluxia Bliss

We’re touring April release, Brake Me by Athena & Marluxia Bliss. Guaranteed to rev engines and curl toes!

Brake Me

Release Date: April 24, 2026

Genre: Very Spicy MM Paranormal Romance

  • Possessive Love Interest
  • Only One Who Understands Me
  • Slow Burn to Obsession
  • Forbidden Love
  • Found Family (Garage Edition)
  • Touch-Starved Meets Touch-Hungry
  • Machine With A Soul
  • Love from the first Vroom

“Fucking Fox was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. The shadows of the car wrapped around me, through me, surrounding every nerve with heat and motion.

I knew how to drive him, and Fox clearly knew how to drive me crazy.”

Buying a 1992 Mustang was a stupid idea, and Al knew it, but he had loved that car from the very first moment he’d laid eyes on him. He’d never expected that the car would love him back, until a dark, shadowy figure appeared in the passenger seat beside him, eager to show Al his gratitude. Al’s new car, Fox is a jealous, possessive, powerful machine that adores his new owner and will happily distract Al from his driving, but when the two are forced apart, both will have to make sacrifices before they can be reunited.

Please be sure to read the content warning carefully!

KINDLE

PAPERBACK

 

 

BOOK TOUR ORGANIZED BY:

R&R BOOK TOURS

 

blog tour, books

Blog Tour: Immortal Connections – Tao Wong

We’re celebrating the release of epic fantasy Immortal Connections by Tao Wong! Now available in all formats including audio!

Immortal Connections (Celestial Cataclysms Book 1)

Release Date: May 1, 2026

Genre: Epic Asian Fantasy

  • Demons, dragons and immortals
  • Multiple dimensions
  • Celestial hierarchy
  • Reunited lovers
  • Multi-realm war
  • Multiple POVs

A new Immortal has risen… and with him, the fate of all the realms hangs in the balance.

Long Wu Ying has ascended to the Heavens, fulfilling the ultimate dream of all cultivators. However, the heavens are not all that it seems, and his vow to raise his lover to the realms of immortality conflicts with the Jade Palace’s rules.

In the Middle Kingdom, the fracturing of an empire echoes across the kingdoms. As states rush to fill the power vacuum, war-weary armies march with little food, weakened by years of drought. Wu Ying’s mortal friends are caught in the middle of the conflict. As leaders among cultivators and within their sect, they must do what they can to hold the world together and carry on without their closest ally.

When chaos consumes the realms above and below, even the greatest cultivators must surrender to the winds of fate.

Immortal Connections is the first book in Celestial Cataclysms, the new epic xianxia fantasy series by Tao Wong. Taking place in the same world as A Thousand Li, it delves into realms old and new, making it perfect for longtime fans and first-time readers alike.

Triggers: Mild violence and war

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

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books

Book Blitz: Bloodstone – M.K. Deoradhán

Congratulations and happy release day to author M.K. Deoradhán!

Fans of The Mummy and Indiana Jones are going to love this one. Grab your copy of Bloodstone today!

Bloodstone (The Mythic Artifacts Book 1)

Release Date: May 5, 2026

Genre: Romantic Historical Adventure

  • Ancient magic amulet
  • Hot-headed archaeologist FMC
  • Tall, dark, and handsome brooding MMC
  • Forced proximity
  • Slow burn
  • Punching fascists
  • Hidden society
  • Banter
  • Chaotic good trio

Scientia potentia est. Knowledge is power.

The year is 1936, and twenty-two-year-old history student Amelia “Mel”Hawkins—who’s been tagging along on artifact-finding expeditions with her nonna since she could walk—can’t pass up the opportunity to retrieve the priceless Amulet of Amun, hidden inside the Temple of Seti the First. Especially when she’s getting paid to do it.

Armed only with her wits and her absentee-father’s switchblade, she finds out the hard way that the man claiming to be the emissary from the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities is actually a member of the Thule Society, known as the God Men, sent to kill her and take the amulet for the growing German Third Reich. When he fails, she’s forced to rely on the brilliant, brooding museum employee, Bes Belzoni, and his visually impaired cousin, Cecilio Giudice, to protect her and the amulet from the swarm of fascists hunting them down. Because it’s no coincidence her guide was one of the God Men, or that more are after her.

Thrown into a deadly world of secrets and spy games, the three of them travel to the Italian Alps, where they run into trouble from the God Men and Mussolini’s Blackshirts at every turn. But even her companions aren’t what they seem: she quickly discovers that they’re keeping secrets from her. Secrets so powerful they could change everything she thought she knew about her family, and uncover an ancient magic she never could’ve imagined.

With evil rising to power, Mel must make a choice: ignore the growing threat in the world and save herself, or take a stand against it before she loses everything she’s come to love.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

 

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