Renegade Skyfarer: a Dive in Review.

03 Jul 2018 5 Comments

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

 

Welcome back, I’ve got another Dive in Review for you this time it’s a book that features steampunk goodness.

About the Book

The airship crew saved Ben’s life from a dragon, of all things.

When Ben wakes up, he has no memory of his family, his home, or how he got to this strange world. All he knows is what his new crew members tell him: the magical Barrier that protects their land is weakening. Unless they find the artifact that can repair it, all of Terrene will be destroyed and enslaved by the enemies beyond.

But when Ben suspects that danger may lurk closer than dragons or sky pirates, he has to decide: stay and fight with the airship crew, or focus on regaining his lost memory? If he leaves, he risks losing his newfound friends–but if he stays, he might never return home.

Welcome to Terrene–where dragons exist, the past haunts, and magic is no myth.

Welcome aboard the Sapphire.

Amazon — Barnes & Noble

 

About the Author

During the day, Becky is a stay at home mom of two active little boys. When she has ‘free time’, she enjoys reading, writing, baking and sewing.

After many years of creative writing classes, writing fanfiction drabbles and daydreaming, it was high time to start writing her husband Mike’s story. She dove into the world of Terrene and hasn’t looked back—except for when she runs out of dark chocolate.

Any free time not spent in Terrene is typically expended on hosting dinner and game nights, running amok with the two little monkeys or watching nerdy movies with Mike.

Website— Facebook— Twitter— Instagram— Amazon Author Page

Dive in review of: Renegade Skyfarer

Renegade Skyfarer by R. J. Metcalf is the first book in a new steampunk fantasy series.

There was so much going on in this book that I don’t know where to start.

I’ll start with the dragons because this what sucked me into the story. I loved the different dragon species. It’s like How to Train Your Dragon, each species has a special trait. But even better, they are also described like dinosaurs. Yes that’s right, this isn’t just a story with dragons. It’s like Steampunk Jurassic Park.

The flying ones are even called Terrors and Dactyls. Do you get it?

There are multiple view point characters. Captain Slate, his daughter Jade, the mysterious Blade, and an amnesiac named Ben.

My favorite was Ben, he is super sweet and his past is this huge mystery that just keeps you guessing. Also since everyone had to explain things to him, it was a great way to introduce world building without bogging down the narrative. I loved watching him get his memory back and learning his past. And yes the pay off is really good.

My second favorite character is Jade. Her father’s younger sister married a prince so that makes them nobility or something. He drags her to balls and tries to teach her to be a lady. Jade is never happier than when she’s soaring the skies working on her Airship’s engines. She doesn’t want to be a lady. She is most certainly not trying to marry a prince.

Being a princess is the last thing on her mind. She wants Zak, a dragon hunter on her father’s crew. Too bad he treats her like a kid sister. And while I generally dislike love triangles, I have to confess, I approved when she started hanging out with Ben.

This novel has so many secrets that even if you guess some of them there will still be twists a plenty to surprise you. Five stars, A+, and can I have the next book now.

Let’s Party!

Calling all book readers! Join author RJ Metcalf as we chat about her fantasy novel RENEGADE SKYFARER on July 6th from 8 PM to 10 PM EST (7 PM CST and 5 PM PST).

Grab your favorite drink and snack and be prepared for a fun time of chatting with RJ, games, and giveaways.

Special guests S D Grimm and Jamie Foley, Authorwill also be sharing their books and joining in the fun.

RSVP Here

 

Giveaway Time!

Want to dive into a new world or in need of a good book? Enter to win a signed print copy of Renegade Skyfarer, a Stones of Terrene notepad and pen, Notebook of Writing, and bracelet! (US only.)

>>> Entry-Form<<<

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, July 2nd

Tuesday, July 3rd

Wednesday, July 4th

Thursday, July 5th

Friday, July 6th

Saturday, July 7th

Monday, July 9th

Tuesday, July 10th

Wednesday, July 11th

Thursday, July 12th

Friday, July 13th

Saturday, July 14th

Monday, July 16th

 

Dive in Review of Priceless

15 Jun 2018 1 Comment

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

 

Priceless Blog Tour

Today I’m excited to share a review of Janeen Ippolito’s new novella, Priceless. You may remember, not too long ago when I shared the cover revel for this book. Find it here.

Now that the book is out, I can share with you what I thought about it, and how much I loved it. But first important book stuff.

PricelessPriceless Back cover:

 A little ambition can turn into a lot of trouble, even for the city’s wiliest double agent.

 After years of rebel spywork in the dragon-human war, Nula Thredsing is ready to claim her legacy.

 As the Scepter of Commerce’s new liaison to dragons, she’s one step away from the old family seat on the city council. But during her first meeting with dragon diplomat Tiers Sunscaler, they are attacked by rogue dragons—one of them Sunscaler’s former tactical partner, who is bitterly determined to keep the sham war in action and turn the diplomat to his side.

 At the same time, Nula and Tiers discover a startling connection: an embermate bond. While a political marriage suits Nula, the bond’s side effects are obnoxious—and potentially deadly.

 Aided by an unexpected cat-dragon and a mysterious unicorn, Nula and Tiers must track down the rogue dragons before their dangerous bond tears them apart.

 Fortunately, Nula is used to impossible odds—and this time, she has a dragon on her side.

A steampunk fantasy novella with espionage, cat-dragons, snark, and a side of romance.

Author bio:

 Author Bio Pic for Uploads - FictionJaneen Ippolito believes words can (and should) transform worlds. She writes urban fantasy and steampunk, and creates writing resources, including the reference book World Building From the Inside Out and the creative writing guide Irresistible World Building For Unforgettable Stories. She’s an experienced teacher, editor, author coach, and is the leader of Uncommon Universes Press, a small science fiction and fantasy publishing house. She’s also the cohost of the podcast Indie Book Magic. In her spare time, Janeen enjoys sword-fighting, reading, pyrography, and eating brownie batter. Two of her goals are eating fried tarantulas and traveling to Antarctica. This extroverted writer loves getting connected, so find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and at her website: janeenippolito.com

 Social media links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaneenIppolito

Website: https://janeenippolito.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janeenippolitocreative/

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

Instagram: janeen_ippolito

Buy it at Uncommon Universes Press:  https://uncommonuniverses.com/product/priceless

If you buy it from UUP it’s autographed!

Amazon link:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CMG669P/

Other Online Distributors: 

https://uncommonuniverses.com/books/priceless-an-ironfire-legacy-novella/

Add it to your to read list on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39942270-priceless

Dive in review of Priceless:

Priceless by Janeen Ippolito, takes place after the events of Lawless and should not be read first. Trust me there is a lot that hinges on the events of the first book. Priceless is also a novella, so it’s a fast read, and it will help with the Ironfire legacy cravings between Lawless and Faithless.

The main character is Countess Nula Thredsing , a minor character from lawless. I wasn’t sure if I would like this book as I didn’t care for her character in the first book. It turns out she just doesn’t like coming in second. Once she takes center stage her imposing personality becomes confidence and drive. Also her back story makes her much more sympathetic.

The best part of the story was all of the new elements to the world building. So you know how Lawless introduced us to Dragon Shifters? Well Priceless has Unicorn shifters. Like how awesome is that? Um . . . Very!

There is also a Cat dragon. Yes you read that right. A cat who is also a dragon. And this little dude is very sneaky. His name is Freckles and I want one.

He looks like this and you can meet him at the Indie Book magic facebook party tonight. (June 15, 2018). Click here to RSVP.

Launch Party That Includes Priceless

Dive in Review: All That We See or Seem

06 Jun 2018 1 Comment

by C.O. Bonham in Uncategorized

Hello, more fabulous content via Blog tours is coming your way soon.

But first a review of an amazing book that I read.

About the book:

All That We See Or Seem.jpg

 

Every night, seventeen-year-old Reeve Lennox finds herself under a noose.

By day she is a lady of Acarsaid’s royal house, daydreaming of adventure and love. But every night in sleep she wanders through a nightmarish city, an invisible witness to the screeches of monsters and the screams of their victims. Her only consolation is Bran, a battle-torn young man with a selfless heart and eyes that reflect the stars. 

Yet while Reeve falls deeper into her dreams, in truth she is engaged to Arden, a mercurial nobleman who has long been cured of his belief in love and breathes fire and flattery like other people breathe air.

Torn between two lives, Reeve struggles to remember what’s real. Until night and day collide, with a revelation that threatens all of Acarsaid.

Buy at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/Kobo/Apple

Don’t forget to add it to your To-read shelf on Goodreads. 

About the author

 

Kristina Mahr head shotKristina Mahr devotes her days to numbers and her nights to words. She works full-time as an accountant in the suburbs of Chicago, where she lives with her two dogs and two cats, but her true passion is writing. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, and waking up at the crack of dawn every weekend to watch the Premier League.

 

Dive In Review: All That We See Or Seem

“All that we see or seem may be no more than a dream.” this is the Edgar Allen Poe quote that opens the book. This is the perfect quote to inspire the title for this novel.

All that we See or Seem by Kristina Mahr is a unique take on the YA trope of “The dream Boy.”

Reeve is not a princess, but as the Kings niece, she’s the closest thing her kingdom has to one, which of course makes her marriage of political importance. Just when Reeve resigns herself to marriage to someone who at least won’t bore her to death, she meets Bran. To bad he only exists in her dreams.

But as she falls more in love with Bran at night it becomes harder to fake enjoying her engagement by day.

Do not let the Adventure, danger and mystery fool you. This book is first and foremost a romance. And it won’t take you till the end of the book to figure out who Reeve chooses.

If anyone wants to know why I say that, it’s because Reeve is not nearly curious enough. She asks very few questions about why this is happening to her. She takes almost no action and just goes along with it. She is just so caught up in the romance of it all. I really wanted her to be investigating and questioning people, trying to figure it out. But instead of trying to find out if Bran is even real she seems to think it’s pointless because she would never be allowed to marry him anyway.

So just be warned, there is plenty of mystery danger and magic, but this is above all a book about a young girl who just wants to be loved in a world where marriage little more than a political device.

All that we see or seem is a sweet YA romance with a dash of fantasy, until the last quarter of the book where the danger really starts to ramp up, and the answers to the burning questions start to come out.

Unfortunately the ending makes things difficult for everyone. Especially me, because I need to know what happens next.

*Though not part of the official blog tour, I was given a copy of this book for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are my own.*

 

 

After Blog Tour and a FANtastic Interview

18 May 2018 4 Comments

by C.O. Bonham in book tours, FANtastic interviews Tags: , , , , ,

Today I bring you a book from the darkside of fantasy, one that deals with death and the problems that arise when the dead do.

About the Book

“Some people might say that there are worse fates than death. In some worlds, perhaps that may well be the case. But in mine, it would be a lie. There is no greater horror than that which comes after death.”

On the streets of an ancient city, with creepers wandering at will and a mysterious assassin leaving corpses all over Pandorum, a young Spook with a dark secret will do anything to keep his brothers safe, even from forces that threaten to tear them apart from within. While others are searching for impossible cures from outlawed Spinners, Conrad Ellis III does not believe in fairy tales and miracles. But when he discovers a strange girl with shrouded ties to the Assassin, Eli is forced to leave the streets he loves and travel into the very heart of Pandorum in order to save a member of his family. With his health failing and the danger escalating, there is no escaping the inevitable truth. Today, he may hunt creepers.

Tomorrow, he just might be one.

Purchase on Amazon

Because this book is a little bit outside of my usual tastes I decided to pick the authors brain a bit to see what led her down this dark rabbit hole of walking dead.

FANtastic Interview with Savannah Jezowski:

Just reading the description is enough to give me chills. This is such an intriguing premise. Is there any one thing that you can recall sparking the idea for After, or the story world in general?

 YES. My husband and I were in a book store and all the books were about zombies. I wanted to write a book from a Christian point-of-view that explored the concept of the undead.

Yes there certainly is a lot of Zombie fiction out there, and almost none of it is Christian friendly. I think what troubles many Christian readers about speculative fiction, and horror in general, is when the stories are obviously not how things work. Example: the dead do not really walk. How does After support a Christian worldview?

 After is a fantasy world with mild elements that relate back to my Christian worldview. After takes place in a world before the Redeemer has come to change things. It’s a dark world. People are floundering in their faith. The emperor is oppressive. People are dying in darkness and wandering the Neverway. There is a Divine spiritual being called the Ever Father who orchestrates things behind the scenes. There is a man with strong magical gifts (called a Spinner) that is hinted to be something more than what he claims. Magical gifts could be compared to talents rather than blatant supernatural abilities. There is also a distinction made between the rights kind of magic, i.e. natural magic vs. dark magic. There are lots of little things that could relate back to my Christian worldview, actually.

 How do you imagine creepers fitting into a spiritual afterlife? Are they just reanimated bodies with no souls? Or are their souls trapped inside with/without a hope for redemption?

 Creepers are my idea what “living hell” might be like. When people die outside the Ever Father’s plan, their souls remain trapped in their decaying bodies and they wander the world with only fractured memories of their past. Always alone. Always in pain. I know it sounds kind of gruesome, but really it’s more sad. I don’t dwell much on the yucky zombie aspects lol. My main character doesn’t either. He hunts creepers, but he often catches himself feeling sorry for them.

Now that the meaty questions are out of the way, how about some fun?

If you ever got that coveted movie deal who would you cast?

Oh, that’s hard. I have so many favorite actors that would make the short list. I always thought Chris Hemsworth or Jason Momoa would be nice for Conrad. It needs to be someone kind of burly who can pull off a gruff role. For Ivan? I could go a bunch of different ways. For Fen? The girl from Pacific rim would be perfect. She pulled that role off with just the right amount of strength and fragility. And for Victor? Honestly, he’s the hardest of all because he’s so sweet and so innocent. I don’t think I would ever find an actor that I approved of 100%.

After Dream Cast (2)

That sounds like a great cast and I love the graphic you made.

Are you prepared for the Zombie apocalypse? Where would you make a stand and what is your weapon of choice?

Goodness, no, I’m not prepared. I’d probably hide in my basement with a baseball bat and die within the first few days.

Baseball bats can be an effective weapon, don’t underestimate yourself.

You have to live in your story world for one month: How do you pass the time? Do you survive?

Wow. I would love to live in my world, but honestly…it’s a dangerous place most of the time. I would love to spend some time with the Elllis and Jenks boys, but their house is rather cramped and they’re always squabbling. It might be more fun to spend my time at the Manor with Fen and the angels (the ladies of mercy). At least there I know I would be safe and would live long enough to get home again.

And now for the most important question of all: This is book one, what are your future plans for the series?

Wither, in the Five Enchanted Roses collection, is already set in the world of the Neverway. It’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling about some minor characters who show up in After. I’m also working on revisions for the sequel to After, a novella loosely inspired by Red Riding Hood and immediately following the events of Wither. So chronologically, it takes place five years after After. I’m planning to write at least two novellas and two more novels in the story world before moving on to other things.

 Sounds like there is a lot more to look forward too in the world of the Neverway. Thank you for talking to me today and sharing about your book.

About the Author

Savannah Jezowski lives in a drafty farmhouse in Amish country with her Knight in Shining Armor, a wee warrior princess, and two English Springer Spaniels. She is the author of When Ravens Fall and The Neverway Chronicles. Her work has been published in Ray Gun Revival, Mindflights and in the student publication of Fountains at Pensacola Christian College. She is also a featured author in Five Enchanted Roses from Rooglewood Press and Mythical Doorways from Fellowship of Fantasy. She likes books, faeries, writing hats and having tea with her imaginary friends.

Website — Facebook — Instagram — Goodreads

Giveaway Time!

Explore the world of After by entering to win a signed paperback from the author! (US only.)

>>>Entry-Form<<<

 

Blog Tour Schedule

 

Building an Irresistible World

06 May 2018 2 Comments

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

 

Today I’m featuring, Irresistible World Building by Janeen Ippolito. It’s a writing craft book, about how to make your fictional world more than just window dressing in your stories.

 To showcase this new resource, author Janeen Ippolito had the idea to ask bloggers questions about the worlds they are writing.

Blog Hop Banner

World Building for my Work In Progress:

Working title: The Steampunk Prince

Working Blurb: Jay may be a prince in hiding but he wants nothing more than to hop on an airship an leave his little nation to rot. If only he didn’t have a condition that keeps him within the borders of his mountain locked country.

When rumors surface that there maybe a cure for his condition, will Jay choose to run, or fight for the throne that is his birthright?

1)Name your spec fic subgenre!

 Science Fiction > Steampunk

 2)Why this subgenre? What makes it awesome?

 I love science fiction. But I’m also an old fashioned girl. I like vintage stuff. Steampunk is a combination of these two things. Also the plot needed an airship.

 3)What are your favorite books in your subgenre?

 Despite deciding to write in it I am still new to the Steampunk genre. But the Leviathian trilogy by Scott Westerfeld was my first foray into the genre. Recently I have enjoyed the Soul Chronicles series by Morgan Busse.

 4)How is your world building just as cool as in these books—if not cooler?

 One of the hallmarks of Steampunk is cool gadgets. Another is pseudo-sciencey stuff. I have both.

 5)What is fresh and different about your world building that hasn’t been done before?

 My Pseudo science is aethergen. It’s a gas that is safe to breath, but it can also be condensed and burned as a fuel. When exposed to ray of a specific wavelength it will become unstable and explode.

 6)How does your world building explain something that you’ve never understood?

 I love the steampunk aethetic of putting gears on everything. But it isn’t really practical. 

 Victorica is a factory economy. There are lots of spare parts left over from the mass production of mechanical devices. Add to that the Lord Regent’s poor negotiating skills, results in more exports than imports. People have to make do with what they have. Gears become buttons and belt buckles. A discarded piston may become a replacement leg for a chair.

 7)What universal feelings do you explore in your world building—and why?

 Feeling trapped in a life you can’t control. Being told your dreams are pointless.

 Jay can’t leave his country — ever. His body is dependent on aethergen, without it his blood would stop absorbing oxygen.

 He can never live his dream of flying airships, because aethergen is heavy and will not make it to high altitudes.

 8)What cool superpowers does your character have related to your world building?

 The condition that keeps Jay grounded, was originally meant to create super soldiers. It was a success at first, but after generations, Jay has maybe just slightly faster reflexes than the next guy, and maybe he can lift a little more than average without straining.

Irresistible Quote 3

 9)Tell us about an aspect of your world that causes problems for your characters. Any dangerous weather patterns or geographical complications?

 Jay can’t fly, but he can’t walk away either. Victorica is surrounded by mountains. Only one mountain pass is open, and that is tightly controlled by the government. The River exits the mountains over a huge water fall and even if you can use an airship, there are storms that make flying out treacherous.

 10)Are there any cultural or racial tensions? What are they?

 Victorica started as a Prison colony. Kind of like Australia. So the population is pretty diverse. But rather than have racial tensions, it’s based on whether your ancestors were criminals or part of the settlers who came when the country was established. And that is still mostly an upper class thing. If you are stuck working in the factories, you don’t have time to worry about that.

 11)If you could take any part of your world building and make it into a giveaway item, what would it be?

 I have actually been thinking about this. There are these cute corked vials that I was thinking of filling with slime and calling condensed aethergen. Careful they might explode. That and gear jewelry.

 12)How is your character special/significant in your world building? Note that this doesn’t have to be a good kind of special!

 Jay isn’t just trapped in a life he hates. He’s the lost Prince. He doesn’t want to rule, but really he’s afraid that if he fought for the throne and won, he still couldn’t change anything. His super solider ancestors became rulers through strength, it’s a legacy that he’s not proud of. The royal family is everything that’s wrong with his country. Jay does not want to be a part of it.

 13)What about your world building messes up your main character’s life?

Well you know about the dependence on aethergen already. The second thing that gets to him is the government mandated work program. Victorica is a small country with no room to expand. There is no room for welfare. Everyone is assigned to a factory to work at after they finish school, that is unless you can test into a career field and be able to afford the tuition for university. Or be lucky enough to have someone offer you an apprenticeship.

14)What was the first thing that inspired your world building?

 Most people feel trapped by finances, but some people can’t even leave their homes because it would kill them. I took this and said, what if it was a country. The rest kind of snowballed from there.

15)Tell us about a historical event in your world which impacts the events of the story.

 The country of Victorica began as a place for the world to dump it’s prisoners. Then they tried to use these people as slave labor for mining camps and factories. The Third generation prisoners rose up and fought back. The Nation of Avenir sent in troops to suppress the uprising. Their Super soldier performed well and when they found that he had become dependent on the aethergen contained in the country, they made him a King to keep him happy so he would control the people for them.

 16)Describe a food your protagonist enjoys in your world—and one he/she hates.

 Jay loves sky biscuits, these are very filling and shelf stable. Basically Airship rations for long voyages. I based them on sea biscuits, but sky biscuits are loaded with herbs or spices because altitude messes with your sense of taste.

 Jay hates bland foods. Especially potatoes. True you an do a lot with them but he can’t stand the gritty texture.

17)What languages do the characters in your story speak? Do you have a conlang? Share a bit about it!

 English is the only language. It makes translation work easier. I’m not kidding. Every country on my made up planet speaks English. Am I just that lazy, or do I have a super secret spoilery reason for it? Only time will tell.

18)Tell us about a worldbuilding element you’re proud of even if it doesn’t make it much into the story itself.

 Dr. Carbuncle is a Willy Wonka type character. His candy and snack cakes pop up a lot throughout the story. I wanted to add an inside joke element and maybe make people wonder a bit. Also there is a lot of science being used for evil in the book. I want to remind people that science is still fun too.

Irresistible World Building CoverWrite stories with worlds that create lifelong fans and fandoms!

Irresistible World Building for Unforgettable Stories contains key methods and tips on how to weave your world building into every aspect of your story, from theme to plot to character arcs. 

-Use writing prompts and exercises to jumpstart your creativity
-Get ideas on how to refresh world building genre tropes while still hitting reader sweet spots
-Learn to embrace your inner geek and passions to connect your world building with readers

Vivid world building is great. Vivid world building that sells? Even better!

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Irresistible-World-Building-Unforgettable-Stories-ebook/dp/B07BYP99DS

 Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39776107-irresistible-world-building-for-unforgettable-stories

Author Bio Pic for Uploads - FictionJaneen Ippolito is two authors for the price of one! She creates writing resources and writes urban fantasy and steampunk. She’s also an experienced teacher, editor, author coach, and the editor in chief of Uncommon Universes Press. In her spare time, she enjoys sword-fighting, reading, food, and making brownie batter. She believes that words transform worlds and that everyone has the ability to tell their story. Two of her goals are eating fried tarantulas and traveling to Antarctica. This extroverted writer loves getting connected, so find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and at her website: janeenippolito.com

Social Media Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaneenIppolito

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janeenippolitocreative/

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dfB5yX

 

 

Dive in Review of The Story Peddler

28 Apr 2018 3 Comments

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

Wait I know what you’re thinking, “didn’t you just post something two days ago?”

Why yes, I did. Thank you for noticing. I can’t help it if all of the awesome book things are happening at the same time. That’s just the way this crazy thing we call blogging works. Though I do promise not to overload you like this too often.

But once you see the book I have to show you today, you will be glad that I shared.

 

 

About the Book

Selling stories is a deadly business

Tanwen doesn’t just tell stories–she weaves them into crystallized sculptures that sell for more than a few bits. But the only way to escape the control of her cruel mentor and claw her way from poverty is to set her sights on something grander: becoming Royal Storyteller to the king.

During her final story peddling tour, a tale of treason spills from her hands, threatening the king himself. Tanwen goes from peddler to prey as the king’s guard hunts her down…and they’re not known for their mercy. As Tanwen flees for her life, she unearths long-buried secrets and discovers she’s not the only outlaw in the empire. There’s a rebel group of weavers…and they’re after her too.

Amazon — Barnes & Noble — Books-A-Million — ChristianBook.com

 

About the Author

Lindsay A. Franklin is an award-winning author, award-winning freelance editor, and homeschooling mom of three. She would wear pajama pants all the time if it were socially acceptable. She spends a lot of time in made-up worlds, and she’s passionate about sparking imagination through stories of infinite possibility. Her debut fantasy novel, The Story Peddler, releases in 2018. When she’s not exploring the fantastical, she’s exploring the Bible and encouraging young women through her devotional books (click here for more information on Adored).

Lindsay lives in her native San Diego with her husband (master of the dad joke), their awesomely nerdy kids, two thunder pillows (AKA cats), and a stuffed wombat with his own Instagram following (@therealwombatman). You can find Lindsay on social media, too, if Wombatman hasn’t hijacked all her accounts. She’s @LinzyAFranklin on Instagram and Twitter, and she Facebooks at www.facebook.com/LindsayAFranklin.

Email list sign-up link: http://eepurl.com/bwF64j

 

Dive-In Review: The Story Peddler

The Story Peddler by Lindsay A. Franklin, is a love letter to the power of art.

How art moves us and changes us and reveals truths that we didn’t know we were looking for.

Her magic system is inspiring. Imagine the power to manifest your creative vision with little effort, and in no time at all. Now imagine that this power has one cravat. Truth will out.

That might make you a pretty dangerous person to the traitor sitting on a stolen throne.

I really loved this unique magic system so much. It features people with the power to bring imagination to life: song weavers, Color masters, and Story mages. Visible strands of light solidify into crystalline representations of stories and songs which can be sold for profit. These are what the peddlers peddle. They tell stories to the masses for entertainment and then they sell the resulting souvenir.

You could say that they’re stories are all real gems. ;-D (What not funny? Okay I’ll stop now.)

This is where it begins. When story peddler Tanwen, tells a story that she didn’t know she knew. And instead of a crystalline figure she creates a revolution.

This book was so good, I was immediately drawn into Tanwen’s story and her search for meaning and truth amidst all the lies and propaganda she’d been told her whole life. The ending has all the feels.
I really want that second book now.

*I received an advanced copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own.*

Let’s Party!

Calling all book readers! Join authors Lindsay A. Franklin and Sara Ella to celebrate the releases of their novels, The Story Peddler and Unbreakable, on May 1st!

Grab your favorite drink and snack and be prepared for a fun time of chatting with Lindsay and Sara, games, and giveaways.

The party starts at 8 PM EST (7 PM CST and 5 PM PST). Can’t wait to see you there!

RSVP Here

 

Story Peddler GiveawayGiveaway Time!

Want to dive into a new world or in need of a good book? Use the link below to enter to win a signed print copy of The Story Peddler, a blue strand book sleeve, custom Story Peddler bookmark,a fluffhopper sticker, anda set of five mini Story Peddler art prints! (US only.)

>>>Entry-Form<<<

 

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, April 24th

Wednesday, April 25th

Thursday, April 26th

Friday, April 27th

Saturday, April 28th

Monday, April 30th

Tuesday, May 1st

Wednesday, May 2nd

 

Priceless Cover reveal

26 Apr 2018 1 Comment

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

cover reveal graphic

 

 

I really wanted to think of something clever to call cover reveals but I couldn’t, so I made this graphic instead.

What do you think?

 

 

Moving on. . .  Maybe you remember last year when I hosted the cover reveal for a book called Lawless.

It looked like this:Lawless3DBook

Well Author Janeen Ippolito is getting ready to publish a companion novella called Priceless. And you get see the cover for it today.

Priceless Back cover copy:

 A little ambition can turn into a lot of trouble, even for the city’s wiliest double agent.

 After years of rebel spywork in the dragon-human war, Nula Thredsing is ready to claim her legacy.

 As the Scepter of Commerce’s new liaison to dragons, she’s one step away from the old family seat on the city council. But during her first meeting with dragon diplomat Tiers Sunscaler, they are attacked by rogue dragons—one of them Sunscaler’s former tactical partner, who is bitterly determined to keep the sham war in action and turn the diplomat to his side.

 At the same time, Nula and Tiers discover a startling connection: an embermate bond. While a political marriage suits Nula, the bond’s side effects are obnoxious—and potentially deadly.

 Aided by an unexpected cat-dragon and a mysterious unicorn, Nula and Tiers must track down the rogue dragons before their dangerous bond tears them apart.

 Fortunately, Nula is used to impossible odds—and this time, she has a dragon on her side.

A steampunk fantasy novella with espionage, cat-dragons, snark, and a side of romance.

Author bio:

 Author Bio Pic for Uploads - FictionJaneen Ippolito believes words can (and should) transform worlds. She writes urban fantasy and steampunk, and creates writing resources, including the reference book World Building From the Inside Out and the creative writing guide Irresistible World Building For Unforgettable Stories. She’s an experienced teacher, editor, author coach, and is the leader of Uncommon Universes Press, a small science fiction and fantasy publishing house. She’s also the cohost of the podcast Indie Book Magic. In her spare time, Janeen enjoys sword-fighting, reading, pyrography, and eating brownie batter. Two of her goals are eating fried tarantulas and traveling to Antarctica. This extroverted writer loves getting connected, so find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and at her website: janeenippolito.com

 Social media links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaneenIppolito

Website: https://janeenippolito.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janeenippolitocreative/

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

Instagram: janeen_ippolito

 Now for the big moment:

V

V

Priceless

Release date: June 13

Preorder page link at Uncommon Universes Press:  https://uncommonuniverses.com/product/priceless-preorder/

(UUP special preorder price for autographed print copies is $7.99 including shipping, vs. normal price of $9.99 plus shipping.) So get yours now!

Amazon eBook preorder link:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CMG669P/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39942270-priceless
So feel free to add “Priceless” to your “want to read” list.

Other Online Distributors: 

https://uncommonuniverses.com/books/priceless-an-ironfire-legacy-novella/

Priceless - Release Graphic

Dive-in Review: Exordia

18 Apr 2018 Leave a comment

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

Hi again, I’m kind of on my own this time, not really part of a sanctioned blog tour. But I just had to let you all know about this amazing book I read. called Exordia.

From the back cover:

Exordia CoverSacrifices must be made.

On a desert planet, all citizens must cooperate to survive. The scientific organization, Pallagen, protects the colony city of Exordia–whether they want it or not.

 Rebels must be broken.

 Ex-Pallagen researcher Lena Ward isn’t going down without a fight. Her team of Exordia rejects is ready to pierce Pallagen’s benevolent exterior and expose the truth of their horrible agenda.

 Loyalty must be programmed.

Amnesiac Alex Kleric is reclaiming her life as an Enforcer dedicated to Exordia and Pallagen. But the records aren’t jogging her memories. Something is wrong–and all questions point to Lena Ward and her underground rebellion.

 Progress must continue.

 To save Exordia. At any cost.

 Buy Links:

 Goodreads Link, Amazon Link, Barnes and Noble Link, 

Apple Link, Kobo Link,

Or buy at Uncommon Universes Press

About the Author

Author Sarah Ott PhotoSarah E. Ott lives and breathes stories that involve high stakes and character-driven plots. When she’s not chasing plot bunnies or emoting over good literature, she can be found doing one of the following things: a) working as a kids ministry office administrator, b) driving her Prius to Dunkin’ Donuts, or c) curled up on a couch with a book and covered in live cats. 

 Social media links: Website: http://www.saraheott.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ott2Write

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

Dive-In Review of Exordia:

Exordia by Sarah E. Ott, is an intriguing Sci-fi novel. The setting is astounding, a desert planet with blue sand. Exordia is the terraformed portion of that planet. It’s divided into at least seven sections called cities, each with their own unique atmosphere. Kind or like the districts in the Hunger Games series.

There are two elements that really bring this novel to life.

The first is Lena, she assembles a team to fight the corporate giant known a Pallagen. A scientific company that believes they can take any citizen to use as their lab rats.

The second element is Alex, who wakes up with no memories of her previous life. Alex suspects that her memory loss may have been caused by Pallagen. She sets out to find answers.

The story unfolds by alternating between these two point of view characters. Each POV has something that makes you want to read their story. Lena has all the action and the whole revolutionary thing going for her. But there is a lot of heart and suspense wrapped up in Alex’s own search for truth.

In the end, what kept me reading, turning pages and second guessing everything, was waiting for Alex and Lena to meet. The author really draws it out but when these two characters come together, stuff explodes.

While the ending isn’t a cliff hanger, I certainly hope there is more to this story.

*While I may not be part of the Blog Tour I should mention that I did receive an advanced copy of this novel for review purposes.*

Mythical Doorways Anthology

28 Mar 2018 8 Comments

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

Hello readers, if you clicked through to this site from a link that says dolphin18cb, don’t worry you’re still in the right place. I’m just going through an identity crisis right now.

Welcome to cobonham.com and I’m so excited to share a new book with you. The best part is: IT’S FREE FOR EVERYONE!!!! (Unless you want paperback, then you have to pay because — trees.)

I am not reviewing this book. I am always unsure of how to review anthologies. Do I rate each story? Rave about the book as a whole? Or should I only mention the stories that I liked best?

But I will say that, all of these stories we’re amazing and were written by very talented authors.

Download this anthology (again it’s free) and see if you can figure out which stories I’m describing below:

Childhood must end, but the adventures don’t.

If a mouse really wants a chocolate bar . . .

If Sherlock Holmes were a wizard . . .

To save a fox he must catch the cat, or is that a dragon?

Once you’ve read it, let me know in the comments which stories you think I was talking about.

About the Anthology

Eleven Tales of Magical, Mysterious, Mythical Doorways!

Step through portals and into adventure as the authors of the Fellowship of Fantasy take you on another journey into fantastic worlds. Travel through time, space, and realities to encounter monsters, mechanical foxes, and the Fates themselves. You’ll fly with dragons, save implausible beasts, and perhaps find your true home. Choose your path wisely, for dangers lurk in the lands beyond.

In the third anthology from the Fellowship of Fantasy, eleven authors promise you journeys into fairy lands hidden within the modern world, futuristic universities, and lands of ancient myth. So what are you waiting for? Cross through our Doorways for the adventure of a lifetime!

Download the ebook (free to download starting March 27th) at your favorite digital store: https://www.books2read.com/u/bxq70e

 

Mythical Doorways Authors

– Katy Huth Jones
– D. G. Driver
– Lauren Lynch
– H.L. Burke
– Savannah Jezowski
– A. J. Bakke
– Laurie Lucking
– Jenelle Schmidt
– Arthur Daigle
– Bokerah Bromley
– J.M. Hackman

(Click the author to learn more about them and their books!)

 

Let’s Party!

Fellowship of Fantasy is celebrating their third short story anthology release, Mythical Doorways!

Whether they open onto new worlds or just new opportunities, doorways allow us to step through and uncover great adventures, discoveries, and risks.

Where will these Mythical Doorways take you?

Grab your favorite drink and snack on March 29th at 8 PM EST (7 PM CST and 5 PM PST) and be prepared for a fun time of chatting with multiple authors, games, and giveaways!

RSVP Today

 

Giveaway Time!

The Fellowship of Fantasy and Deep Magic E-Zine have joined together to offer you an awesome paperback giveaway! Dive into eleven new worlds by entering to win a paperback of Mythical Doorways! (US only.)

About Deep Magic E-Zine: The name Deep Magic pays homage to C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia. Deep Magic is a quarterly e-zine dedicated to creating a safe place for minds to wander in the worlds and universe of SFF. We want all who visit to feel welcome and confident that they will encounter professionally written fiction of the highest quality that is safe for all to read.

Click here for more information: http://deepmagic.co/giveaway-fun/

>>> Entry-Form <<<

 

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, March 27th

Wednesday, March 28th

Thursday, March 29th

 

C.O. Bonham dot com

24 Mar 2018 Leave a comment

by C.O. Bonham in Behind the keyboard Tags: , , , ,

If you have been on the site recently you may have noticed a change.

 The dolphin18cb is gone. The website is now cobonham.com.

 “Why?” you ask.

 Well, random musings from my addled mind really weren’t cutting it. I needed more focus, better branding if you will.

 I’ve felt like I’ve been floundering on the blog. Just writing about whatever struck my fancy wasn’t working. I started this blog to promote myself. But what was I really promoting?

 Dolphin18cb isn’t a pen name it’s a user name.

 Enter the Pen name C.O. Bonham.

 Why a pen name?

 The pen name was born out of two thing.

 1) I’ve written two unpublished novels and a handful of short stories, all with one thing in common. Male POVs. That’s right I write about boys, and someone who I trust and respect told me that boys don’t want to read books written by Cathrine Opal Bonham.

 Could I have asked for a more feminine name?

 This is a great lead-in to thing two:

 2) You may have noticed that Cathrine is spelled with out an E in the middle. It’s not wrong, I’ve checked my birth certificate.

 I was content to be unique until I took some bad advice from a job fair flier. “A professional email address should be yourname@mailservice.com so I created an email with no e in Cathrine.

And you guessed it, the only emails I got were spam. My potential employers couldn’t read well enough or didn’t care enough to spell my name right.

 So there it is, you have my weird writing habits and my odd spelling to thank for cobonham.com.

 A decidedly book-centric website, for promoting my works and the works of others. No more Randomness, no more addled mind. But dolphins are still nice, yes I’ll find away to work in dolphins.

 Keep watching this spot as I gradually make updates and tweak my brand.

author logo

Also I made a logo. Let me know what you think of the changes in the comments.

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