Weird Writing Prompts Review and Questions Answered

29 Jun 2021 1 Comment

by C.O. Bonham in Behind the keyboard, book tours, Dive In Review Tags: , , , , ,

So you know that phrase about saving the best for last? well the last post of June is going to be a big one. Not only am I spot lighting a new book from Janeen Ippolito, I get to plug my upcoming novel at the same time. Yes I am actually publishing this one. I have a release date. I’m committed But first here’s a little about Janeen’s book.

Get more out of your writing prompts!

Weird Writing Prompts is a short book loaded with questions to jumpstart your creativity, dive deeper into your characters, and rev up your book marketing.

Oh yeah, and some questions are weird. Like “trap your characters in an elevator with an emu” weird. Because everyone needs a little weirdness to refresh their writing lives!

Grab this book to:

-Get Deep & Random – Expanded prompts with ideas to make your characters epic, plus absurd situations to unlock your creativity with play

-Get Sharing & Marketing – Author-centric questions to fuel your marketing brain and help with social media content creation

It’s time to refresh your brain, supercharge your story, and have fun with your marketing!

“Having fun is vital to goo writing, good marketing, and good sales.” – Janeen ippolito

My review

Weird Writing prompts is a great writing prompt book. Instead of just offering you more story ideas to add to your “to write” list, this prompt book actually helps you develop the story you are already working on.

The book is divided into two parts, character questions and marketing questions. The character questions may seem random and silly, but each one is formulated to help you learn something about your characters.

The marketing questions are also fun and are great for helping you decide what kind of giveaway items you want on hand for when you your book releases. The author also includes ideas for how to adapt the questions for a classroom setting which is great for English teachers and homeschoolers.

I really enjoyed all of the odd little questions and having to think about how they would apply to my story.

If you are stuck on your current project and would like a prompt book to help you move forward then check out Weird Writing Prompts.

To see sample questions and how I used them for my story, keep reading to the end.

Weird Writing Prompts releases July 13.

But you can pre order the ebook now for only 99 cents.

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096YVQGWX

Other Online Ebook Retailers: https://books2read.com/u/bORvng

Autographed paperback: https://next.waveapps.com/checkouts/71222c16c26b4637b48cddca3c46d25c

All-in-One (book page on my website): http://www.janeenippolito.com/weird

Janeen Ippolito believes you should own your unique words. She’s a multi-published author of bestselling fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. She’s also an experienced editor, marketing strategist, and businesswoman, plus the CEO of Uncommon Universes Press. When not writing, she explores random hobbies or posts cute animal memes. Connect at janeenippolito.com


Janeen Ippolito – Social Media Links (use whatever you wish)
Website: https://janeenippolito.com/  

Email Newsletter for Authors:  https://www.subscribepage.com/creativenewsletter 

Email Newsletter for Readers: https://www.subscribepage.com/booknewslettersignup

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/janeenippolitounique/

Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/168444147251310

Facebook Writing Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1435958919779131/  

Instagram: 

For authors – @ownyouruniquewords

For readers – @janeen_ippolito
For poetry/art – @janeen_ippolito_creations

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbOMGXV7E_Df8Dko1W9Tt5Q

Three Random Questions About Runaway Lyrics:

So first a bit of back ground:

Runaway Lyrics is a retelling of the Snow White and Rose Red fairytale, with a light steampunk aesthetic. The main characters are Snow and Rose, identical twin sisters who are both talented at music. There are also Bayare (the oldest) and Wickham, half brothers and princes. Placed under a curse that causes Bayare to turn into a great brown bear every night and for Wickham to become a great golden owl every day.

So let’s start with the ultimate random question:

What would each of your characters do if a bird pooped on them?

Bayare would look around to see where Wickham, in owl form, was. Then when he found him he would instantly accuse him of doing it. Wickham would deny everything. Honestly he knows that Wickham would never deficate on anyone but he loves teasing his little brother.

If Snow was pooped on she would flinch, but then wipe it off and keep going, hopefully to someplace where she could take a bath.

Rose is a bit different. She would complain. Long and loud, about how gross it was and why, of all the places for a bird to poop, did it have to be on her.

Wickham, as a part time owl, knows the bird that did it. He knows that bird did it on purpose. And Wickham is already planning his revenge.

“Writing is hard. Marketing is hard. We can use all the fun that we can get.” – Janeen Ippolito

Would each of your characters rather: sort 1,000 pieces of paper OR stand on a public stage for an hour to entertain a crowd of young children?

This is easy. Rose, Snow and Bayare would take the stage for an hour. Rose and Snow love playing music and that’s how they would entertain the kids. Bayare doesn’t know what he would do on stage, but he hates repetitive tasks like sorting. Besides who doesn’t like kids?

Wickham that’s who. Oh he loves attention and it’s not that he hates kids, he just doesn’t know what to do with them. They find the crudest things hilarious. They require so much talking down too. Nope give Wickham the stack of paper and lock him in the library.

“They say you have to go deep or have silly fun. I say you can do both.” – Janeen Ippolito

You can hire anyone to compose music for your story. Who do you choose and why?

It would be Lindsey Stirling. I listened to her music on a loop while writing this novel. Even though Snow and Rose can play multiple instruments, Linsey Stirling is the reason that they prefer the violin. Her Music videos also inspired the way the magic system in my world works.

If you aren’t familiar with Lindsey Stirling then check out her music on youtube, her videos are amazing. Start with this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfTknZt2DHA

Runaway Lyrics will have an official cover reveal and release date soon. So I hope you’re ready to hear me talk more about myself in the next couple month. But don’t worry I’ll still keep doing book reviews for others as well.

What was your favorite question I answered?

Are you excited to hear more about Runaway Lyrics?

Castle Contended Dive-in Review

24 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

by C.O. Bonham in Dive In Review Tags: , , , ,

Hello readers, today is release day for a new book. The book is A Castle Contended. This is the second book in the Castle in the Wilde series. Click here to read my review of the first book, A Castle Awakened. And then come back so you can scroll down and read my review of the second book.

A Castle Contended by Sharon Rose

Novel 2 in the Castle in the Wilde series

She loves her kingdom…and the foreign usurper they hate. How can she choose between them?

Beth finally understands. The despised foreigners are not what she believed. Nor is her noble role just a burdensome restraint. It also carries authority—and the obligation to use it wisely. Which might be more of a restraint than the proposed marriage she is evading. Now all she needs to do is convince an entire kingdom to respect the people they hate.

Before she can even try, unraveling deceptions rock her land. A duchess mysteriously dies. Atrocities in Tower Woods come to light. The governing assembly is being manipulated. The cry of Beth’s heart is the last thing anyone cares about. As for loving a despicable foreigner—intolerable!

Tristan would do anything to help Beth, but his foreign hands are tied. The only thing he can do, must do, is kill the enormous vixicats that terrorize the Wilde—beasts that have proven invincible for over a century. If he conquers them, he invites a siege to his castle. What is worse? Starving or becoming a vixicat’s meal?

How can Beth forge her newfound scrap of authority into a tool that is both subtle and powerful enough to return justice to her land? Especially when succeeding could turn the foreigner she loves into an enemy.

My Dive-in Review

A Castle Contended is the second book in the Castle in the Wilde series. It does feel very much like a part two, and I do recommend starting with book one, A Castle Awakened. There is a lot of character development in that first book that you need, to fully appreciate the character arcs that are completed in this novel.

My lest favorite character from the first book, Beth, became my favorite in this one. In the first book princess Ellabeth was very immature and acted like an entitled brat, but in this book we see how the attitudes of those around her very much fueled her ideas and actions. It took someone finally seeing her for the adult she was, for her to truly grow up.

This novel is Beth’s story but don’t worry the, dashing Lord Petram is still a central character, as he continues to hunt the dangerous vixicats that roam the Wilde. Much of his arc is just him waiting around for Lavaycia to sort out their inner kingdom politics, but he still finds plently to do to fill the time.

So we reach the central conflict of A Castle Contended. Politics and to a lesser extent genealogy.
For some reason this book struck me as more of a commentary on the practice of European royalty to marry within their own families. (Bringing up, both deformities from birth defects and with hereditary mental illness within the nobility.)

I didn’t find this change of focus as interesting. I really enjoyed the world building and exploration of A Castle Awakened. If the first book was a romantic adventure then this sequel was a political courtroom drama.

It featured a lot of debate and rhetoric, but very little action. (Unless you count the great Vixicat hunt, that scene had a ton of action.) Though, I did really like the part where the Duke of Maerton got put in his place. It was a good way to show that bullies don’t always get what they want.

Though it could be argued that the amount of justice served to people who actually deserve it, is the least realistic thing about this story.

On that note, the ending was almost too perfectly tied up for what I know to be a planned trilogy. I am very interested in what the author has in store for these characters next.

A Castle Contended is the second novel in the Castle in the Wilde trilogy. If you enjoy a story where wit and hope confront lies and hate, come and explore this fantastical world with medieval undertones and conflicted cultures.

The Castle in the Wilde books are available from Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. The print versions can also be ordered from local bookstores and libraries.

A Castle Contended – novel 2 releases June 24, 2021.

Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R11LYLG

Other Amazon markets: https://books2read.com/u/bOXwQ9

For a printed book from your local bookstore or library, request ISBN 978-1-948160-23-0

A Castle Awakened – novel 1

The ebook version of A Castle Awakened is currently on sale for $2.99, so it’s a great time to grab it and start the series from the beginning.

Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GL7QXB2

Other Amazon markets: https://books2read.com/u/3LY9qJ

For a printed book from your local bookstore or library, request ISBN 978-1-948160-21-6.

Author bio:

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.

It was only a matter of time before I just had to share my stories. I publish fantasy and science fiction because they allow vast spaces to explore. My stories weave cultures and characters, who are more than they seem to be, into adventures with mystery, romance, and hope.

When I’m not writing or reading, I may be traveling, enjoying gardens, or searching for unique coffee shops with my husband. We live in Minnesota, USA, famed for its mosquitoes—uh, I mean 10,000 lakes and vibrant seasons.

Follow Sharon Rose Online:

SharonRoseAuthor.com

Follow me on BookBub

Amazon

Goodreads

Facebook

Cover Reveal: The Frog Prince’s Courtship.

16 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

by C.O. Bonham in Cover Reveal Tags: , , , ,

So one of my favorite genres is fairy tale retellings. Which is strange because I really value originality in my fiction. (It’s one of the reason’s that fan fiction doesn’t impress me much.) But sometimes having a formulaic plot to adhere to really lets the author shine by putting more of their energy into producing original characters and unique worldbuilding. (Actually I’m currently writing a fairy tale retelling.)

So when my friend RJ was looking for people to share the cover of her new frog prince retelling I jumped on it. RJ Conte is an amazing author who has a talent for writing relatable characters. I can’t wait to see what she brings to this timeless story.

Kiss a frog and get a dreamy prince – every princess’s recipe for happily ever after… right?

Not for Revelle, second daughter of the king of Aileh. This girl’s got no time for marriage. She’s got a secret dream of being queen.

When a mischievous Fairy brings a reluctant Revelle a prince cursed to be a frog, the princess does her duty and kisses him, but then she wants him gone. However, he’s a visiting royal far from home, and he has his eyes on winning her hand. She’s got to admit the handsome blond dude isn’t hard on the eyes, but she’s got other plans in the works – like convincing the council to be open to the idea of a female monarch next year when her father retires. Leon, former frog prince, seems to be turning out to be an eager ally, but his ideas about how their enemies in Fairy Reservation are being treated are messing with Revelle’s head. Seems like being queen AND getting the guy is impossible – or is it?

If this sounds like a fairy tale rom-com that you’d enjoy, then be sure to pre order here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09782BTMX

Hurry the book releases June 21st.

About the author:

RJ Conte has kissed only one boy in her entire life – and she married him – inspiring her to write about sweet or powerful love stories ever since. She writes issue-driven fiction that explores human nature and the depths of the soul while pointing readers to their Creator.

She writes a blog on parenting, publishing, painting, and perorating at http://blonderj.wordpress.com

Amok a Dive-In Review

14 Jun 2021 1 Comment

by C.O. Bonham in book tours, Dive In Review Tags: , , , , ,

This is a bit early, a few weeks back I help with a cover reveal for a book titled Amok. I said in the reveal that the release date was June 24th, but that date was moved up to June 1st. So I decided to move my review up accordingly Good news tough, the pre-order pricing stays in effect until the 24th. So grab it now before the price goes up.

Surprise lockdown launch!

In light of Malaysia’s not-so-surprising Total Lockdown, Teaspoon Publishing has pushed up the release date of Amok for a surprise lockdown launch! 

Yes, Amok ebooks drop on 1 June* as Malaysians hunker down at home—and you get to benefit! We’ll still honour our launch prices, so our ebook preorder prices of USD2.99 will remain until the 23rd of June and will rise to USD4.99 on 24 June. 

We’re currently in the process of approving paperback editions via Amazon’s POD and IngramSpark, so you’ll be able to get that once the book goes live at totally random times during the month! (You can tell we’re just winging it right now, can’t you?)

And while we’re at it, send a screenshot of your Amok purchase receipt (whether ebook or paperback) to admin@teaspoonpublishing.com.my by 24 June to claim a free ebook copy of The Painted Hall Collection! 

Happy reading!

Ebook Order Links:

Amazon: http://getbook.at/Amok

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=BAIvEAAAQBAJ 

Other retailers: https://books2read.com/amok 

Teaspoon Publishing: https://teaspoonpublishing.com.my/shop/amok-ebook 

Ebook sale price (until 23 June): USD2.99  

Full price (24 June): USD4.99 

Amok

What is faith, except hope in desperation?

All Putera Mikal wants is to gain the Amok Strength, the supernatural power granted by Kudus to the Mahan royal family. No matter how religiously Mikal keeps his vows, Kudus still denies him the Strength—whilst his father, Sultan Simson, flaunts the Strength despite his blatant defiance of the Temple and the priests’ visions of coming doom.

Then the prophecies come true.

Taken captive, Mikal must find a way to liberate his people and restore his throne in Maha—and the key to this is the Amok Strength. But what does it take to gain Kudus’ favour?

Dive-In Review of Amok

Amok by Anna Tan is a fantasy reimagining of the story of Sampson from the Bible. But this isn’t a straight retelling, Sampson is more of a frame work to tell the story of Mikal the son of the Sampson stand-in.

The story has a wonderful message about what it means to have faith. Mikal has none of his fathers amazing strength, leading him to question time and again what Kudos (God) wants from him. Why is his faith not enough? A question that I’m sure many people of faith struggle with. (I know I do.)

I really loved Mikal’s character. He has great motivation and his story, is compelling. He goes from being a prince to a slave, and I just couldn’t help feeling for him. He goes on such an inner journey throughout this story that Mikal really does feel like a different character by the end.

The secondary character of Yoshua was just as compelling. He goes from being Mikal’s servant to his new master. He is not the POV character so his arc feels more static, but even second hand you can still see how the plot shapes who he becomes.

Seeing their relationship flipped on its head gives the story a nice sense of symmetry.

The world building is a stand out feature of this book. Set in an Asian inspired fantasy world, the kingdoms of Maha and Bayangan are really fleshed out and I feel like I could crack open a history book and learn about them.

The part of this book that stands out the most is that it has no romance at all. It was super refreshing to read a story without a will they won’t they subplot. The character’s in this story literally had much bigger problems.

If you’re looking for something different from the typical medieval European fantasy then I highly recommend checking out Amok.

*Many thanks to the author who let me read an advanced copy of this book. This review is my own honest evaluation of the material.*

About the Author:

Anna Tan grew up in Malaysia, the country that is not Singapore. She is interested in Malay/Nusantara and Chinese legends and folklore in exploring the intersection of language, culture, and faith.
Anna has an MA in Creative Writing: The Novel under a Chevening scholarship and is the President of the Malaysian Writers Society. She can be found tweeting as @natzers and forgetting to update annatsp.com.

The King’s Spell Cover Reveal

10 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

by C.O. Bonham in Cover Reveal Tags: , , , , ,

Today I am hosting a cover reveal for The King’s Spell. This book is the first in a new series by E.J. Kitchens. The Realm and Wand series. This book also takes place in her Magic collectors universe, So if you’ve been following her magic collector book then you should like this addition.

I’m sure you’re tired of suspense so lets open right with the cover:

Cover design by MoorBooks Design

The King’s Spell

E.J. Kitchens

Realm and Wand, book 1

A Magic Collectors series

YA fantasy, Christian

Release date: June 17th, 2021

Only a king can banish sorcerers and strip enchanters of their power. Only a king is immune to spells and potions. Only a king knows the truth behind the legends. Until now.

Magic Collector Devryn Ashby may have deserved the curse that saps his magic-manipulating abilities, but it certainly won’t help him with the task King Reginald has assigned him. Instead of allowing him to continue hunting for those who stole the powerful Enchanter’s List, the king makes Devryn trainer-in-magic to the mischievous enchantress Lady Meredith Lofton.

Except for an occasional matchmaking exploit, Lady Meredith has little use for her power of enchantment—until the king asks her to train in magical warfare techniques. This both excites and terrifies her. And irks her, for she refuses to be bossed around by the critical Devryn Ashby, a man she’s not even sure she should trust. 

But as dangers increase and the sorcerers’ schemes unfold, Devryn and Meredith must choose whom to follow—their own desires and prejudices or their king. Only a king knows how much the kingdom depends on their choice.

About the Author:

E.J. Kitchens loves tales of romance, adventure, and happily-ever-afters and strives to write such tales herself. When she’s not thinking about dashing heroes or how awesome bacteria are—she is a microbiologist after all—she’s enjoying the beautiful outdoors or talking about classic books and black-and-white movies. She is a member of Realm Makers and lives in Alabama.

Social Media Links

Website: http://www.elizabethjanekitchens.com        

Group blog: http://www.landsuncharted.com

Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/ekitchens0132/                   

Facebook group Faith and Fairy Tales:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/585858426143754/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ej_kitchens/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10409961-elizabeth

Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/E-J-Kitchens/e/B00J7C53XG

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/e-j-kitchens

Discernment: Dive-in Review

08 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

by C.O. Bonham in book tours, Dive In Review Tags: , , , , , ,

A couple weeks ago I hosted a cover reveal for Discernment, the newest book in the Legacy Chronicles by Lauren H. Salisbury. The book is out now and I can’t wait to share my review with you. But first a reminder about the book.

Also this is an official stop on the Discernment blog tour so stay until the end for your secret word to use as entry into the grand prize drawing.

A misfit, a fugitive, and a sacred destiny. Everything changes when all three collide.

In Jiya’s world, the only choice a woman has is who she will marry. When she meets a mysterious off-worlder, she must decide how far she is willing to push the boundaries of Teraburan culture to gain her freedom, and whether that is truly what she wants.

Mahsan has never been accepted for who he is. The sole human raised on an Esarelian cruiser, his attempts to belong led only to disaster and him becoming a fugitive. When he is invited into the home of a Teraburan clan leader, he finds a place where he could finally put down roots. But his past haunts him, and he will need to make peace with it if he wants any kind of future in his new home.

Not everyone approves of Jiya and Mahsan’s friendship, and some will stop at nothing to keep them apart. As the unlikely pair discover their true calling, they will have to confront everything they thought they knew and learn to see themselves as they never have before.

Purchase links:

Discernment – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093WWJ5HY 

Universal link – mybook.to/Discernment 

Check out the first two books in the series at the link below:

Series page (US) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/kindle/series/B07QGK7TZY

My Dive-in Review:

Discernment is the third book in Lauren H. Salisbury’s The Legacy Chronicles. This series is a science fiction reimagining of the life of Moses from the Bible.

Discernment specifically focuses on the period of Moses’s story where he flees Egypt and goes to live with the Midianites. This is his wife’s story; here renamed Jiya.

I really loved this new character. Jiya is a strong independent woman stuck living in a patriarchal society that doesn’t value her as a person. Time and again, people try to put her in a box, and she continually thinks her way out of it. She is the perfect match to Mahsan (the Moses stand in) as she can relate to his feelings of not belonging.

Discernment reads very much like a romance. Very clean, with very interesting sci-fi elements, and a Biblical twist, but still romance. For this reason I feel like this book stands very well on it’s own.

As book three of a four book saga, I was afraid that it would suffer from middle book syndrome. Thankfully, it does not. You should of course start at the beginning with book one, Courage, but if you somehow, found yourself starting here, with book three, then rest assured, there is enough backstory that you won’t be lost. The ending is also pretty nicely tied off, with a gentle, slope rather than a sudden drop off a long cliff.

The aesthetic of this particular instalment is what I would call space western. Think Firefly where old ideas meet high tech. For the most part it takes place on a cattle ranch on the planet Terabu, there is quite a bit of mechanical tech as well as space craft, but for every microchip there are just as many low tech scenes.

An all around solid instalment in an interesting series and a great book in it’s own right. I’m looking forward to this fourth book to see how Salisbury handles the ten plagues.

*I was given an advanced copy of this book to review. The opinions provided here are my own honest evaluation of the provided work.*

Word 12. what

For those of you with screen readers. The above graphic has your word for the blog tour.

Word 12. what.

Follow the blog tour to get all the words in the secret sentence:

All the links to the posts can be found here: https://www.laurenhsalisbury.com/

Giveaway:

Discernment Swag Bag

  • Necklace
  • Character art (Jiya, Reemah, Gilla)
  • Recipe cards
  • Quote fridge magnet
  • Handmade greeting card(s)
  • Note from the author
  • Signed bookplate
  • (digital) companion story

Digital Swag Packs

  • Companion story 
  • Character art with notes from the characters
  • Recipe cards
  • Note from the author

Enter the Giveaway Here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ebe7708e2/

Or see if I embedded this widget right (I probably didn’t):

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

About the Author:

Lauren H Salisbury is a lover of all things science fiction/fantasy, creative, and edible, but not always in that order. An English teacher for sixteen years, she now tutors part-time while trying to figure out how to use an MA in Education as an author. She lives in Yorkshire with her husband and a room full of books but likes to winter abroad, following the sunshine. Her favourite stories include faith, hope, and courage.

Website – https://www.laurenhsalisbury.com

@gillascourage on Facebook and Twitter

@laurenhsalisbury on Instagram

Unconditional Love Animal Edition.

02 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

by C.O. Bonham in Cover Reveal Tags: , , , ,

I’m back with another release. This one also has something I wrote in it. There’s a new short story challenge anthology out now. The challenge was to write a short story poem or essay in only two weeks. The theme was Unconditional love, but there had to be an animal involved.

You can check it out on Amazon now.

What does unconditional love mean to you? That’s the question these authors were asked to answer and write about in this Short Story Challenge. Oh, and since this is the Animals Edition, they had to feature an animal!

In this anthology, you’ll find 21 original works from 10 very different authors! Stories, poems and essays that reveal the bravery, joy, grief, humor and hope of unconditional love.

Enjoy these amazing stories by:

Brandy Morrison

C. O. Bonham <– that’s me.

Colleen Cade

Francine Muzykant

Kristi Asher

Linda Hudson Hoagland

Meagan Myhron-Bennet

Michelle Francik

Victoria Fletcher

Virginia M. Barilla

I like doing these challenges because it forces me to work on a story that might not fit in anywhere else. I can really let loose and see where the theme takes me. This time it caused me to explore love, not just in animals but in families. I also got to ask the big question. “Why doesn’t that dog like me?” If you pick up this anthology look for “Through Dog’s eyes”

The paperback is out now or you can pre-order the ebook version until June 16th.

Pray for your Demons: An Anime Devotion

31 May 2021 2 Comments

by C.O. Bonham in book tours, Theological Musings Tags: , , , ,

You may remember last week when I did two posts in a row because of a release getting moved up. That release was for the devotional, Finding God in Anime: A devotional for Otakus. You can find that original post here.

The devotional is available on amazon and other retailers as a free ebook. It was hard to come up with a compelling blog post for this tour. How would you even review a multi author devotional anyway? So then I thought about featuring a devotional. But it’s a free ebook. You can just download it for $0.00.

Then it struck me, the perfect way to show you what an anime devotion was like, without spoiling any of the ones in the book.

Write an entirely new devotion that isn’t featured in the book. Scroll down for an exclusive devotion based on the anime Demon slayer.

Otakus have found the God of Wonders within the pages of manga and the twists of anime. These are their reflections on how truth can intersect with animated fiction.

I repeat this is not part of the Finding God in Anime devotional this is just for my readers.

Pray for your Demons

A Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba devotion

By C.O. Bonham

Demon Slayer is a show easiest understood if you replace Demon with Vampire. Demons, in this show, have eternal life, but will die in sunlight. Humans can become demons by being given demon blood, they then must feed on human blood to sustain their new existence. So yeah, basically vampires.

Tanjiro Kamado returns home one day to find his entire family slaughtered by a demon. Save for one, his younger sister Nezuko is not dead but turned. He sets out to both find a way to return his sister’s humanity and to learn how to prevent others from ending up like his family.

Tanjiro is a talented student and learns to become a powerful demon slayer. That the demons used to be human, never quite sits right with him. He will spare those who do not kill humans. But those who take human life, he sees it as his duty to destroy them.

The weird thing is, even after killing a murdering demon, Tanjiro prays for their soul to find peace in the next life. This show uses Japanese Shinto religion, so the next life is reincarnation. He’s not praying that they go to heaven. After telling a demon that he can never forgive his murder of another human, he still wishes him to live a good life on the next go.

It seems counterintuitive to us. Why would you wish peace on a demon? Let me reiterate, these demons are not fallen angels who have no hope. These demons are twisted humans. Tanjiro is just doing what he does best, caring for others.

This is an authentic example of loving your enemy to me. Yes, he kills the demons, but only to preserve the lives of others. He does not hunt the demons out of revenge for his family.

In fact, the demon who killed them, the one who turned his sister Nezuko, Muzan Kibutsuji, Tanjiro hunts him, only hoping to restore his sister’s humanity. Not for revenge.

Take heed of Tanjiro’s lesson, do nothing out of revenge, but only for the good of others. Pray for the demons in your life, even the ones you have to slay.

 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

 — Matthew 5:44 (New International version.)

So that’s what an anime devotion is like.

If you enjoyed it then download Finding God in Anime: a devotional for otakus.

My other anime devotion is available inside and it’s based on My Hero Academia. Read it to discover Deku’s True Quirk.

About Finding God in Anime

Being a Christian can be tough. Being an otaku can be tough. But being both at once?

Sometimes it seems easier to become Hokage rather than explaining your faith and passions to others. That is why we otaku have united in this devotional: To encourage otaku like you spiritually and through a medium we all cherish.

In this devotional, you will find God in the animes you know and love. Each devotional presents spiritual lessons found in animes ranging from the world-famous Attack on Titan to fan-favorite Haikyu!! to beloved classics like Cowboy Bebop. Each piece will feature a different theme such as:

  • Human Will vs. The Holy Spirit in Yona of the Dawn
  • Choosing to be Free in Free! Swim Club
  • Not by My Might in My Hero Academia

…and many others! We believe that God can be seen throughout His creation—even in places where people might not intend! So pull out your cosplay and snuggle close with your plushies as you join us in Finding God in Anime.

Purchase Links

Amazon – Other Book Retailers

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58045420-finding-god-in-anime

About the Organizers

Laura and Moriah’s life consists of giving each other manga recommendations until they see whose TBR pile will fall on them first. Rest assured they’re both still safe…until another manga releases. In the meantime, they enjoy sharing beautiful pictures of Japan and trying to make each other laugh with anime memes. They both have an appreciation for cute stickers, samurai, and pins. If they’re not chatting about all things otaku, you can find them trying to write their next story or surviving on ramen and pocky after their latest manga order. 

Finding God in Anime Webpage Link: https://www.lauraagrace.com/findinggodinanime

Manga Photo Challenge on Instagram

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CPBFyKmLApY/

Celebrate the release of Finding God in Anime by participating in the manga photo challenge on Instagram! During the month of June, the organizers will be spotlighting a variety of manga that have had an anime adaptation by showcasing them using  #MangaFestival in their posts. Each title prompt is an anime that is featured in the devotional. Grab your favorite manga and get ready to celebrate!

If you would like to follow the blog tour you can start by checking out Laura’s kick off post here: https://www.lauraagrace.com/blog

Finding God in Anime: a devotional for otakus.

25 May 2021 3 Comments

by C.O. Bonham in book tours, Cover Reveal Tags: , , , , ,

I know I literally just posted something yesterday. But this one is important. This book was originally meant to come out the first of June, but now it’s coming out today!

I couldn’t postpone telling you about it because I wrote a piece for this one.

Being a Christian can be tough. Being an otaku can be tough. But being both at once?

Sometimes it seems easier to become Hokage rather than explaining your faith and passions to others. That is why we otaku have united in this devotional: To encourage otaku like you spiritually and through a medium we all cherish.

In this devotional, you will find God in the animes you know and love. Each devotional presents spiritual lessons found in animes ranging from the world-famous Attack on Titan to fan-favorite Haikyu!! to beloved classics like Cowboy Bebop. Each piece will feature a different theme such as:

  • Human Will vs. The Holy Spirit in Yona of the Dawn
  • Choosing to be Free in Free! Swim Club
  • Not by My Might in My Hero Academia

…and many others! We believe that God can be seen throughout His creation—even in places where people might not intend! So pull out your cosplay and snuggle close with your plushies as you join us in Finding God in Anime.

“What is an otaku,” you ask. The short answer is that it’s Nerd in Japanese. The long answer is that English speakers have adopted it as a way of defining a westerner who is obsessed with Japanese pop culture, products, and trends. Things like: anime, manga, and video games.

So I wrote an anime devotion. Does that make me an otaku? I guess. I mean, maybe, not really. I don’t follow anime because it’s Japanese. Most of it’s just really good writing. In fact, I will only watch it if it’s dubbed in English. I don’t read manga because the right to left formatting drives me nuts. And I’m just not very good at video games. (Still stuck on chapter 3 of Bendy and the Ink Machine.)

But I do love good stories. And Anime’s have some of the most compelling storylines that I’ve ever seen. Honestly, achieving the level of plot twist that I’ve seen on some of these shows, are my writing goals.

That said, there is a very strong opinion that good Christians shouldn’t watch anime, (or any fantasy for that matter). This idea is sad because, anime is only a medium. There are good and bad ones, just like there are good and bad sitcoms. A good Christian should use discernment to decide what entertainment is in keeping with their beliefs.

This devotional was made to help you with that. It isn’t meant to push you to watch anime is you don’t want to. It isn’t made to justify anime to those who still feel that it’s wrong. Instead it’s for the Christian Otaku to read, and grow closer to God through the entertainment they love. And to know that they are not alone in loving that entertainment.

The best part is that this book is free as an E-book. The paperback will cost you about eight bucks.

Finding God in Anime: a devotional for otakus is available now as a free Ebook. https://books2read.com/u/3GvLxK

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094Q1PX7P

Other Book Retailers: https://books2read.com/u/3GvLxK

Add it to your Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58045420-finding-god-in-anime

I hope you check it out and let me know in the comments:

What is your favorite anime?.

Amok Cover Reveal

23 May 2021 1 Comment

by C.O. Bonham in Cover Reveal Tags: , , , ,

Thanks to self publishing and the rise of the online marketplace, you can buy books written by authors from all over the world. Today’s book is written by an author who lives in Malaysia. I had the pleasure of beta reading this book and it was amazing. I’ll have a full review closer to the release date for you. But until then, rest assured that this cover is every bit as amazing as the story.

What is faith, except hope in desperation?

All Putera Mikal wants is to gain the Amok Strength, the supernatural power granted by Kudus to the Mahan royal family. No matter how religiously Mikal keeps his vows, Kudus still denies him the Strength—whilst his father, Sultan Simson, flaunts the Strength despite his blatant defiance of the Temple and the priests’ visions of coming doom.

Then the prophecies come true.

Taken captive, Mikal must find a way to liberate his people and restore his throne in Maha—and the key to this is the Amok Strength. But what does it take to gain Kudus’ favour?

Amok releases on June 24th, but until then you can preorder it at the following links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amok-Absolution-Book-Anna-Tan-ebook/dp/B08YXQKPN7/

(Universal link: http://getbook.at/Amok)

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=BAIvEAAAQBAJ 

Other retailers: https://books2read.com/amok 

The E-book is on sale with a special preorder price: USD2.99 / RM12.00 [Full price: USD4.99 / RM20]

(RM is the currency in Malaysia)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anna Tan grew up in Malaysia, the country that is not Singapore. She is interested in Malay/Nusantara and Chinese legends and folklore in exploring the intersection of language, culture, and faith. 

Anna has an MA in Creative Writing: The Novel under a Chevening scholarship and is the President of the Malaysian Writers Society. She can be found tweeting as @natzers and forgetting to update annatsp.com.

Where to find Anna online:

Website: https://annatsp.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/annatsp

Twitter: http://twitter.com/natzers

Facebook: http://facebook.com/annatansp

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