Emma Makepeace is headed to Edinburgh for the global G7 Summit when her team is tipped off about a high-profile assassination the Russians are planning—but they have no idea who the target is.
Surrounded by the world’s most powerful political leaders in a gridlocked city, Emma must set a trap and use herself as bait.
With time running short, Emma faces the most perilous mission of her career. How far will she go to catch the killer?
Ava Glass is a pseudonym for a former crime reporter and civil servant. She is the author of Alias Emma and The Traitor. Her time working for the government introduced her to the world of spies, and she’s been fascinated by them ever since. She lives and writes in the south of England.
My thoughts: Emma Makepeace is back, this time undercover investigating a Russian plot to destabilise to G7 summit in Edinburgh. She’s not familiar with the Scottish capital so she’s assigned a partner, local homicide detective Mac, and the despite a slightly rocky start the two women form a solid working relationship.
Posing as an energy executive Emma pursues a Russian born power company owner – who might be involved in the plot the Agency, and it’s partners (MI5, MI6 etc) are trying to unravel. He’s a bit of a romantic and whisks the woman he knows as Anna Case off to Rome on a private jet, putting them both in serious danger. Luckily Emma has skills and a survival instinct that might just keep them alive.
It’s a heart racing, thrill ride around Europe as Emma and her colleagues attempt to stop the plot disrupt the G7 summit and assassinate any number of dignitaries and politicians. With Emma’s defences down, has this case got too far under her skin?
This series continues to be a cracker and I really enjoyed this latest installment of Emma’s adventures. I like how she’s become more interesting and also less willing to just blindly follow orders when she thinks something isn’t right. Seeing her develop new relationships and work better with others was enjoyable too. Can’t wait for the next book.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
Preorder the intense action thriller from million copy bestseller Rob Sinclair
Rule number one for an agent of the secretive JIA is to follow orders, no matter what.
But James Ryker has never cared much for rules. He only wants to do what is right. Assigned to join a crew of elite security personnel in Chabon, Africa, Ryker’s mission objective is clouded by politics and obfuscation, and he knows only that to protect British interests in the region, he is to infiltrate the close protection team of the government of Chabon, a country with a dark and violent past.
Arriving in Chabon’s crumbling capital, Kilpassa, Ryker finds a country on the brink of civil war. A growing civilian rebellion threatens peace, with claims of atrocities committed by both sides, including the frail government run by enigmatic President Benyu – a former military general who took control of the country in a violent coup.
Drawn into Benyu’s inner circle, it soon becomes clear to Ryker that in Chabon, the lines between good and bad, and right and wrong, are nearly impossible to identify.With a crisis of epic proportions unfolding before his eyes, Ryker knows one thing for sure: with or without the backing of his superiors, he must take drastic action, and quickly, or risk putting millions of innocent lives in danger.
Rob Sinclair is the million copy bestseller of over twenty thrillers, including the James Ryker series. Rob previously studied Biochemistry at Nottingham University. He also worked for a global accounting firm for 13 years, specialising in global fraud investigations.
My thoughts: James Ryker has returned to the JIA and been sent to a troubled African country, posing as a personal protection agent for the president. But he’s not been told everything and as the danger increases and he becomes more involved in the increasingly unstable situation, he loses patience with his boss – Winter, who has turned up in person.
The Russians seem to be involved in something called Project Mars, and the leading opponent to President Benyu has been abducted. Ryker has to unravel the complicated mess he’s in and get out alive.
Another action-packed adventure that sees Ryker into near death danger and yet, like other super sleuths (James Bond, for example) somehow out of it again.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
Preorder the intense action thriller from million copy bestseller Rob Sinclair
I need your help. Call me.
Ex-intelligence agent James Ryker receives a coded message through a secret drop point, a means of communication known only to him and one other person. The problem is, that other person is his ex-boss, Mackie… and he’s already dead. But the cry for help is real, and it’s a request Ryker can’t refuse.
Travelling to New York alone and without official sanction, Ryker has a single goal in mind, yet even he couldn’t have bargained for the violent world he’s soon embroiled in. Caught in the middle of a spiralling chaos with the FBI on one side, and two warring underworld bosses on the other, Ryker must put all of his skills to the test in order to come out on top, and keep his word. In a world full of lies and deceit, loyalty is everything, and it’s time for James Ryker to pay his dues.A fast-paced thriller filled with twists, turns, and intrigue that will grip fans of Mark Dawson and the Jason Bourne novels.
Rob Sinclair is the million copy bestseller of over twenty thrillers, including the James Ryker series.
Rob previously studied Biochemistry at Nottingham University. He also worked for a global accounting firm for 13 years, specialising in global fraud investigations.
My thoughts: Asked by the dying wife of his former mentor to help their son, former agent James Ryker (not his real name) heads across the pond to track down the absent man. His girlfriend’s father is a gangster, drug dealer, and all round bad guy and now Ryker has to rescue Campbell from his future father-in-law, before the feud between Green and Irish criminal Doughty takes him down with them.
Unfortunately the FBI don’t see things the same way, and Ryker is happy to share intelligence but wants to do things his own way. Agent Chen doesn’t agree.
It’s an action packed, as Ryker races back and forth across New York trying to take down the criminals and keep his old friend’s son safe.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
Sixteen-year-old Frieder’s plans for the summer are shattered when he fails two subjects. In order to move up to the next school year in the Autumn, he must resit his exams. So, instead of going on holiday with his family, he now faces the daunting and boring prospect of staying at his grandparents’ house, studying with his strict and formal step-grandfather.
On the bright side, he’ll spend time with his grandmother Nana, his sister Alma and his best friend Johann. And he meets Beate, the girl in the beautiful green swimsuit…
The next few weeks will bring friendship, fear and first love – one grand summer that will change and shape his entire life.
Heartbreaking, poignant and warmly funny, One Grand Summer is an unforgettable, tender novel that captures those exquisite and painful moments that make us who we are.
Ewald Arenz, born in Nürnberg in 1965, studied English and American literature and history. He is a teacher at a secondary school in Nürnberg. His novels and plays have received many awards. Ewald lives near Fürth with his family.
My thoughts: Everything feels so much more when you’re young, for Freidrich, having to spend the summer with his grandparents and resit two exams in order to pass the school year seems like a terrible punishment. But instead he gets to know his grandparents better – his stern Grandfather turns out to be more interesting and funny than he thought and his Nana is a talented artist and shares the story of her life, fleeing to West Germany with her two children and mother, then meeting Grandfather.
He also spends time learning to dive, with his friend Johann, sister Alma, and first love Beate. They might go very far, mostly hanging around their home town, but the four form a bond. When tragedy strikes one of them, the other three rally to support them as they struggle.
It’s a bittersweet and evocative read, summoning up all the feelings and intensity of youth. Beautifully written and translated, it captures a summer that will stay with Freider his whole life.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
Lucy refuses to accept the life the Fae males in her family have planned for her. She has no interest in smiling coyly to a Fae Lord and wearing fancy dresses when she’d rather be elbows deep in sawdust, creating highly sought after Elderwood bows and arrows for her family business. Unfortunately, her father disagrees and the wedding invitations are already made.
There’s only one way to prove to her family that she’s more than a pawn to be married off: Lucy sets off for The Elderwood on her own. But when the amulet she uses to travel between realms runs low on magic, she’s stuck in the mortal world. What’s worse, her usual contact is gone and she has to convince his handsome but jaded grandson, Micah, to help her while she waits for the next full moon.
Without her trusted friend, the path to The Elderwood is in danger of being destroyed, and with it, Lucy’s hopes of a future she can create for herself. If she can’t convince Micah to help her, the arranged marriage would be a sealed fate.
S.A. Heiden has been on her writing journey since mid 2022. After years of keeping her stories locked in her mind, she finally found the courage to share them with the world.
Her current work, The Lumen Legacy Series, is a trilogy surrounding the Fae realm of Denora and the mortal realm of Joterra. There we meet the Fae female, Lucy, and the mortal, Micah. This series will be complete in the summer of 2024.
It is the year 1715, and Thomas True has arrived on old London Bridge with a dangerous secret. One night, lost amongst the squalor of London’s hidden back streets, he finds himself drawn into the outrageous underworld of the molly houses.
Meanwhile, carpenter Gabriel Griffin struggles to hide his double life as Lotty, the molly’s stoic guard. When a young man is found murdered, he realises there is a rat amongst them, betraying their secrets to a pair of murderous Justices.
Can Gabriel unmask the traitor before they hang? Can he save hapless Thomas from peril, and their own forbidden love?
Set amidst the buried streets of Georgian London, The Betrayal of Thomas True is a brutal and devastating thriller, where love must overcome evil, and the only true sin is betrayal…
A.J. West’s bestselling debut novel The Spirit Engineer won the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Crown Award, gaining international praise for its telling of a long-forgotten true story. His second novel, The Betrayal of Thomas True, is published July 2024.
An award winning BBC newsreader and reporter, he has written for national newspapers and regularly appears on network television discussing his writing and the historical context of contemporary events.
A passionate historical researcher, he writes at The London Library and museum archives around the world.
My thoughts: set in the world of molly houses, secretive clubs where gay and bisexual men gathered when homosexuality was illegal and men could be hung for the crime of sodomy, The Betrayal of Thomas True relates in slightly Dickensian ways, the story of young Thomas True, who runs away to London from Highgate (then a village outside of London) to stay with his relatives, a macabre uncle and aunt and cousin Abigail, his pen pal. They run a chandlery – making candles, and Thomas asks to apprentice rather than return to his parents.
He meets The community of “mollies” that gather at Mother Clap’s, discovering his place and his true desires there. Unfortunately the men who congregate there are under threat and with a Rat passing their names to the authorities and their friends being killed.
There’s a playfulness to the language – and certainly in the nicknames the mollies use for themselves in their community, as well as in the characters’ daytime names. As Gabriel and Thomas hunt for this Rat, as their friends are arrested and prosecuted, executed and murdered, and as the two fall in love; they see horrors, confront assassins and venture into Bedlam to rescue one of their number.
Georgian London’s dank underworld, it’s sinister demi monde is explored in fascinating and intelligent detail. Despite the darkness of Thomas’ London life, there is some brightness and colour in his misadventures. I found the book thoroughly enjoyable and was sad to reach its end.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
Happy release week and congrats to author A.B. Cynthe on the release of Blood Lust! The perfect thing to kick off Shark Week!
Blood Lust
Publication Date: July 22, 2024
Genre: Erotic Horror
🦈Dark Romance
🖤Erotica
🦈Jaws Retelling
🖤HORROR
🦈Odaxelagnia
🖤Primal Play
🦈Blood Play
🖤Serial Killers
🦈Obsession
🖤Summer Romance
🦈70’s Aesthetic
The summer of ‘76 would forever be remembered as a season stained with crimson and fear.
The blistering sun brought waves of tourists to the peaceful town of Golden Coast, its sandy beaches beckoning with promises of a perfect summer. Beneath its idyllic allure and carefree crowds lurked two twisted killers, their murderous desires simmering just beneath the surface. While one left her signature kiss of death on her victims, the other stalked silently in the shadows by the sea. As fate would have it, their paths would soon collide, igniting a fiery and deadly dance that would consume the innocent town in a lustful haze of bloodshed and terror.
This is a dark romance/horror retelling of Jaws with serial killers. Please check triggers prior to reading.
It is 1191 and King Richard the Lionheart is on crusade to pitch battle against Saladin and liberate the city of Jerusalem and her lands. His mother, the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine and his promised bride, Princess Berengaria of Navarre, make a perilous journey over the Alps in midwinter. They are to rendezvous with Richard in the Sicilian port of Messina.
There are hazards along the way – vicious assassins, marauding pirates, violent storms, and a shipwreck. Berengaria is as feisty as her foes and, surviving it all, she and Richard marry in Cyprus. England needs an heir. But first, Richard and his Queen must return home . . .
The Lost Queen is a thrilling medieval story of high adventure, survival, friendship and the enduring love of a Queen for her King.
Acclaim for Carol McGrath’s ROSE trilogy: ‘Powerful, gripping and beautifully told’ KATE FURNIVALL on The Silken Rose
‘A tour de force of gripping writing, rich historical detail and complex, fascinating characters’ NICOLA CORNICK on The Stone Rose
‘A beautifully narrated novel’ K J MAITLAND on The Damask Rose
Following a first degree in English and History, Carol McGrath completed an MA in Creative Writing from The Seamus Heaney Centre, Queens University Belfast, followed by an MPhil in English from University of London.
The Handfasted Wife, first in a trilogy about the royal women of 1066 was shortlisted for the RoNAS in 2014. The Swan-Daughter and The Betrothed Sister complete this highly acclaimed trilogy.
Mistress Cromwell, a best-selling historical novel about Elizabeth Cromwell, wife of Henry VIII’s statesman, Thomas Cromwell, was republished by Headline in 2020.
The Silken Rose, first in a medieval She-Wolf Queens Trilogy, featuring Ailenor of Provence, saw publication in April 2020. This was followed by The Damask Rose. The Stone Rose was published April 2022.
Carol is writing Historical non-fiction as well as fiction. Sex and Sexuality in Tudor England was published in February 2022. The Stolen Crown 2023 and The Lost Queen will be published 18th July 2022. Carol lives in Oxfordshire, England and in Greece.
My thoughts: I don’t know a lot about Queen Berengaria, wife of Richard the Lionheart, she’s been relegated to a footnote in history books. Married overseas and rarely together, they had no heir and she didn’t come to England during Richard’s reign – to be fair he wasn’t exactly here much, leaving ruling to his mother Dowager Queen Eleanor (of Aquitaine).
The Berengaria in this book is strong willed, intelligent and brave. Travelling across Europe from her family’s kingdom of Navarre (now part of Spain) to Cyprus and on to the Holy Lands, where Richard was once again on campaign in the Crusades, attempting to wrest Jerusalem from the grasp of the Muslim Sultan, Saladin.
This was really enjoyable to read, Carol McGrath is one of the historical fiction writers who really knows how to bring history and its people to life. Berengaria and her women, sister-in-law Queen Joanna and the fictional Lady Avelina (created to narrate their adventures and offer a different viewpoint) live in Palestine as the two armies seize and cede territory, exchange hostages and thrash out terms.
They brave pirates and squabbling rulers to travel to France, to Richard’s holdings in Acquitaine, given to him by his mother. Where Berengaria will live out her days after Richard dies during another battle, this time against his old enemy, the king of France.
She lived a long life, and while she never married again, and never sat on the English throne, she deserves her place in the annals of history, not consigned to a footnote.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
He took her innocence…She took his honor. But when danger unhinges their world, someone will have to fall on their sword.
The lust. The betrayal. The love. Sometimes the hardest battle…is seducing your enemy.
Alexandra wants one thing: to train with her sword, never mind the outraged public. But when the achingly handsome Monsieur Philippe kisses her, she finds herself willing to give up her heart and even her blade to be with him. That is, until she learns Philippe took another woman to bed after giving Alexandra her first kiss. Shattered and humiliated, Alexandra is done with etiquette. She’s done with skirts and ruffles. And men. Now, five years later, she’s a mercenary, known for her quick wits, expert blade, and dedication to protecting the people she guides through the uncharted forests of Provence. And if, by chance, she ever sees Philippe again, she’ll have no problem knocking that seductive smile right off his goddamned face.
Philippe never forgot the tender kiss he and Alexandra shared, and he never forgave himself for acting so badly. Years later, when he finds himself tracking a mysterious band of foes, the mercenary hired to lead him is none other than the enticing girl he unwittingly destroyed. But Alexandra is a woman now, a breathtaking and dangerous woman. Though he must balance his mounting desire for her with his duty to tame the venomous nest of criminals, Philippe soon realizes that winning Alexandra’s affection will mean he must strip his pride, lay his title on the line, and fight harder than ever before. And if dodging a few of her punches means he can maybe get another taste of her, then this adventure might be more explosive than he ever expected.
Florence A. Bliss is an author from Las Vegas, NV who has a keen eye for writing love stories full of drama, heartache, humor, and enough seduction to light the pages on fire. With an MFA in creative writing from UNLV, Florence loves to write across genres but has found her home in romance. She lives with her fancy Italian husband and two children. Together they love to travel, explore the ghost towns around Las Vegas, road trip up and down the Pacific coast, and of course drink coffee out of tiny cups (milk for the kids). Florence is an avid people watcher and strives to understand why people do what they do, and she never tires of imagining the stories of what couples have had to overcome in order to come together.
“This book has it all! It was spicy. It was exciting! There was a really compelling mystery I couldn’t wait to solve. I loved how the author used fighting as foreplay between our main characters. DE-LICIOUS. Alex and Philippe are really well matched. I love a strong heroine and a worshipping hero. The slow burn was fantastic! Their chemistry was scorching hot. I love emotional love scenes, and Bliss delivers!!”
“Wow. I did not expect this! This book offered to take me away, and I let it. I cannot wait to see more from this author. It truly moved me, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.”
– Des (Amazon reviewer)
“Highly recommend to readers who enjoy historical fiction with a strong independent female lead, a bit of well crafted spiciness and a happy ending.”
–Emmeline Everdeen (Amazon reviewer)
“My first historical romance and it was wonderful! Set in 1600s France, Alexandra and Philippe have a history. What started as her first kiss ended in her first heartbreak. 5 years later, they reconnect for a mission and find so much more. Loved the reconnection, spice, and so much more!”
– Stephanie Stoffella (Amazon reviewer)
“If you’re like me, you’d hesitate to pick up a sword-fighting book set in France centuries ago. But the author made it so fun interspersing sexual tension with sword play. There was plenty of suspense and danger afoot too not knowing who could be trusted. Ms. Bliss mixed modern touches of strong women and popular language with the honor and lifestyle of that historical period. Can’t wait to read the next one!”
– boomerbookstagram (Amazon reviewer)
When did I become too old to grammar?
At the end of every sentence, I show my age. I put a punctuation mark and then hit the spacebar, twice. I might as well go change the tennis balls on my walker.
When did it change? Where was I? I was busy doing other elder millennial things, I guess, like frosting my tips and going into debt.
This all came to my attention when I was having an editor read my synopsis and query letter for my lovely, spicy historical romance, Taken by His Sword. She told me to stop adding the extra space after the period. Then she carefully explained how to find the offenders by using the CTRL-F function. Like I was 75 years old.
When I started to pay closer attention, I realized other things that I thought were right were now wrong. Hard fast rules were slipping away from me too, like grains of sand through my typing fingers. The singular they used to replace the bulky yet elegant “he or she”? Apparently we’re done with hyphens? Prepositions can go wherever they want? Besides being a writer, I’m a middle school English teacher, so I see a lot of “inventive grammar.” Purpose is more important than precision in most cases, so I’m not offended by errors (even though some of the grammar crimes a 13-year-old can commit cause me to hawk-screech while grading). The truth is, I am not upset by these changes, they are just happening at a quick clip. I remember the actual day I learned when to use whom. I felt so smart. So in control of my language. Now if I say “whom,” I’m a butthead.
I liked knowing the complicated schematics of grammar. Each little thing I learned was another way to bend the language into submission when I wanted to create an effect (not affect, at least that has stayed the same). But now the changing rules are outpacing me, and I’m doing unintentional things right and intentional things wrong. Just as my own writing is finally getting to enter the world (Taken by His Sword–find it on Amazon!), I’m realizing I don’t know as much as I thought I did.
But isn’t that just life? Once we know how to do something, everything changes.
Now, will somebody please tell me how to repost this to my socials? You’ll need to explain it to me like I’m 75.
On writing:
How did you do research for your book?
Since my book is historical I spent a lot of time reading about French culture, history, and sword fighting in the 1600s. The nice thing about doing a historical is that there isn’t anyone alive that can confirm or deny what I say. If I have some obscure question (did they eat at parties? What type of feather did they use for quills?) and I don’t find the answer in one or two searches, then I just invoke creative license and make it up!
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
I’ll be walking along and suddenly BOOM–story idea. Sometimes it will come from an interaction I see between two people. An exchange I hear, a portrait, a dream. For Taken by His Sword, I had a very vivid dream of a girl holding a sword while everyone around her was wearing fancy, historical clothes. I’m an introverted people watcher so I’m constantly imagining stories involving the strangers I see. Be careful about catching my eye–I might write about you one day…
What advice would you give budding writers?
Just write the thing! Don’t worry about making every word or every scene perfect the first time you put it on the page because chances are, as your story develops, you’re going to figure new things out and you will have to make adjustments. Inevitably, you’re going to realize you need something to happen on page 23 so the scene on page 314 makes sense. It’s really hard to shred a perfectly polished scene, so try to push through to the end even if you don’t have every little problem solved.
Do you have another profession besides writing?
Yes! I am a middle school English teacher! But don’t tell my students I wrote a romance novel because they will use it against me.
How long have you been writing?
I have been writing for over 20 years! I had a few little literary stories published years ago, but other than that I was struggling to find something to write about that really resonated for me. That’s when I started with romance because I loved romance novels so much growing up.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?
Yeah of course, but I don’t let it stop me from being productive. I set reasonable goals for myself. These may be a word count or time limit. I think the best way to get through writer’s block is force yourself through something even if it’s not perfect. I might set a goal at 100 words or 10 minutes of hard concentration. Doing this consistently will get me through those valleys.
What genre do you write and why?
I have a soft spot for historical romance because those were my first romance books. I like the added social constraints of historicals, but I have some ideas for contemporary and sci-fi romances as well.
What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
Well, my mom thinks I’m the best writer she’s ever read and what can beat a statement like that?
In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?
They took my innocence, they took my honor, sometimes the hardest battle is seducing your publisher. (That witty one-liner is a play on the tag line for my book, lol.)
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?
Get involved in the community. I made no progress until I went to the Romance Writers of America conference. There I was able to pitch to City Owl who became my publisher. I’d guess a lot of writers tend to be introverts like me. I reallllyyyy did not want to put myself out there at a conference, but it ended up being a super supportive community. I’d still be sitting here with a completed manuscript in a drawer if I hadn’t gone.
What is something you had to cut from your book that you wish you could have kept?
Oh my goodness I cut about 40 thousand words from that sucker. In the director’s cut, I explored much more of how young Alex came to live with the Duchess and then fall in love with swordfighting and Philippe. I actually think the version that got published is much tighter, but those were really hard cuts at the time!
On rituals:
Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?
Just coffee. So much coffee.
Do you write every day?
I sure try to!
What is your writing schedule?
Depends on where I am at in the process. For a first draft I give myself word limits. Usually 1000-1500 per day. For later drafts, I will set a daily time limit for revising.
In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?
The first step for me is handwriting the plot in a stream of consciousness style flood in a spiral, college-ruled notebook. This gives me the basic story structure to go off of. When I get stuck on a scene, I go back to the notebook and free write until I spark an idea.
If you’re a mom writer, how do you balance your time?
LOL how do moms balance anything? We are the superheroes! I just write and get interrupted 17,000 times. If I don’t get stopped every 6 words or so, I don’t even know what I am doing.
Fun stuff:
Favorite travel spot?
Anywhere I can drink a pina colada by a body of water.
Any hobbies? or Name a quirky thing you like to do.
I’m really good with numbers and I’m obsessed with food. That means most of my memories revolve around what I ate and how much it cost.
What is something you’ve learned about yourself during the pandemic?
I LOVED the pandemic. Aside from the crippling fear that society was crumbling, I was super into never leaving my house.
What TV series are you currently binge watching?
My daughter and I cycle between The Office, Modern Family, and Schitt’s Creek.
What is your favorite thing to do in the summer?
I live in Las Vegas so during the summer we just stay inside and shake our fists at the sun.
What is something that made you laugh recently?
Oh my gosh, my mom somehow sent a picture of her legs in the bathtub to a group chat. It was a total accident (she thought her open camera was a facetime, but we were just on a voice call). I was like–mom, you couldn’t repeat the process of taking a picture while on a call and sending to a group chat even if you had a 30 page instruction manual and a video tutorial.
Tell us about your longest friendship.
I met my bestie Melane in kindergarten! She was Chinese, I was Italian. She smelled like incense, I smelled like garlic. Love at first sight. We’ve been friends ever since. She is my inspiration for the female protagonist in my next book!
What is the strangest way you’ve become friends with someone?
I am a middle school teacher. A new male teacher started at my school. I thought he was kind of a pompous d-bag. Then I found out that he had an MFA in poetry (I have an MFA in fiction) and I thought… ohhhh you’re MY KIND of pompous d-bag. We’ve been friends for nearly ten years now.
Excerpt
“I should have liked to have this pool to myself,” she said with a purr, a smile still on her lips. “It seems too small for two.” Her teasing allowed him to find his words again. “When in truth it is far too big,” he drawled, his voice deep in his throat. He pursued her, moving closer as she inched back around the edge of the spring. He had tried so hard to manage his desire for her. He had promised to keep things professional during this trip; God knew how many times his attraction for this woman had turned so terribly wrong, but it was so deep-seated in him by now that he could no longer fight it. Alex stretched her arms out in front of her. “You stay back,” she said, that smile still in her eyes. “I shall try,” he said. “But you have left your sword on the bank, so you have no means by which to protect yourself.” “Well, Monsieur,” she purred again, “I am much better at grappling than I used to be.” He groaned and fell back into the water, the words having knocked him clean over. “Now you are just teasing me,” he said when he emerged. “I am sorry,” she said coyly, “but I don’t know what you mean.” “You are not so naïve that you don’t know what you are saying.” She smiled at that and continued slipping through the warm water. He was helpless to resist the pull and he continued his slow pursuit of her. “In fact,” he continued. “You are far too alluring to be so innocent.” Her eyes opened wide as his comment put a blush in her cheeks. She looked down and drew a circle in the water. “You still don’t believe my innocence?” She asked, looking back at him, her eyes glimmering with playfulness once more. “I do. But I don’t understand it.” He paused. “May I ask you a question?” he said. “Aye,” she replied. “There is something I wonder about you.” “Aye,” she repeated. “You shun the traditions of womanhood, but why have you not shunned…” he hesitated. “All of them?” She looked at him quietly. “You mean to ask why I have not taken a lover?” “Well, you have taken on the life of a man. But none of the fun.” “Ah,” she said, tucking her chin down to her chest and looking up at him blithely. “It is very fun to take a man down with my sword.” He moved around her, still searching for a way to get closer. “Answer my question,” he pressed. “I will,” she said, his boldness seeming to shake her. “But then you will answer one for me?” “I agree,” he said and took the liberty to run his eyes over her body once more. She dipped again into the water, a slick stream licking her skin and changing the pattern of her hair across her breasts. “Well, My Lord,” she began. She was sarcastic at first, but then her face changed. She looked away, and when she looked back to him, her eyes were full of inexperience and it was the first time he had seen this face on her since she was young. It roused intense feelings inside of him. “Philippe,” she corrected herself, using a smile to hide her nerves and giving him the rare gift of his name. “I don’t trust myself,” she said. She lowered her gaze. “I am weak. I fear I would get attached. To someone who isn’t as attached to me.” She brought her hands up to follow the ripples in the water. “And besides, it could never be what I hope for.” “What do you hope for?” “I don’t know,” she murmured. “To feel special, I suppose.” He said nothing for a moment, her words having struck him deeply. He wanted to take her in his arms, to hold her body close in the hot water, but he feared she would run like a wild animal if he tried. Instead, he spoke softly, earnestly. “Alex.” He made sure to look deep into her eyes and hold her gaze. He wanted her to know he was sincere. “You are special. Don’t you know?” She broke his eye contact. “I am strange,” she said with a smile before letting it fade from her lips as she spoke her next words. “It is not the same thing.” He watched her, still pressing closer, unable to stop. “A man would be lucky to have you,” he said. She laughed away his words. “You are being kind,” she replied. “But now it is my turn to ask a question.” Why didn’t she believe him, he wondered. Did he not seem sincere? He wanted to press further but instead acquiesced, still afraid of pushing her too far. “Alright,” he said finally. With his assent, her brashness returned. “Why,” she began with a teasing smile, “do you wait for me to go to bed each night in the towns? Do you fear I will run off with your horse?” He stared at her for a long moment. “I thought it was obvious,” he said, looking into her eyes as bright as the stars. “I want you to see that I go to bed alone.”
A new chiller from multi award winning author of over 50 novels, winner of the New York Festival Radio Award for Best Drama Special and Festival Radio Awards.
That Which Stands Outside is a horror novel inspired by Nordic folklore. After Todd Kingston rescues Yrsa Helgerson from muggers one rainy London night, their resulting friendship quickly develops into a romance. When Yrsa’s mother dies, Todd accompanies her back to her childhood home, an isolated Nordic island. The reception they receive there is one of suspicion and hostility. The islanders believe Yrsa to be a child of a mythic race called the Jötnar, a claim which Yrsa dismisses as superstitious nonsense. But as the island is rocked by a series of devastating events, Todd finds himself caught up in a terrifying battle, one which possibly threatens the future of the world itself.
Morris has written and edited over fifty novels, novellas, short story collections and anthologies. His script work includes audio dramas for Doctor Who, Jago & Litefoot and the Hammer Chillers series. His most recent work includes the Obsidian Heart trilogy (The Wolves of London, The Society of Blood and The Wraiths of War), the original Predator novel Stalking Shadows (co-written with James A. Moore), the official novelization of the Doctor Who60th anniversary special Wild Blue Yonder,new audio adaptations of the classic 1971 horror movie Blood on Satan’s Claw and the M.R. James ghost story A View From a Hill, a 30th anniversary short story collection Warts And All,and, as editor, the anthologies After Sundown, Beyond the Veil, Close to Midnight and Darkness Beckons. Blood on Satan’s Claw won the New York Festival Radio Award for Best Drama Special, and A View From a Hill won the New York Festival Radio Award for Best Digital Drama Program, and was also awarded Silver at the 2020 Audio & Radio Industry Awards. Mark has won two British Fantasy Awards, and has also been nominated for several Stokers and Shirley Jackson Awards.
My thoughts: set on a remote island off the coast of Iceland, this is a creepy and sinister horror thriller that reminded me why I hate pot holing and why when someone says “let’s go poke a bear” the correct response is to run very fast in the opposite direction.
There aren’t any actual bears here, but creepy gnome like creatures called jotnar – I know in some Nordic tales they’re more benevolent, but these ones are murderous and evil.
Todd’s girlfriend Yrsa is from this island and is the reason he, and then his brother, are there. Her mother’s died and they’ve gone over for the funeral. Then she asks if he thinks his brother Robin and his crew of builders would be willing to come over with their equipment and drill a massive hole into an underground cavern. In the dark, in the local cave system (Bear!!)
Horrible things start happening, beginning with an accident that leaves the victim speaking in an ancient version of the local language (Norse maybe?) and it all gets much worse from there on out. It’s bloody and brutal and Todd is terrified. Will anyone make it off the island alive?
The writing is tense and gripping, even as things get more horrifying, I couldn’t stop reading. I love a good creepy book. And this is definitely that.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
We love a good fae fantasy so we’re thrilled to share The Archer’s Amulet with you this week! 
ramblingmads 