Noise: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction

Here’s the second book I’ve been published in lately, released October 2019. The piece I wrote for this anthology has inspired an entire collection which is currently in the works. Unfortunately, not much is getting done at the moment as my new puppy can’t go to a dog creche, and she’s monopolising my time. She thinks that a pad and pen are toys and keeps attempting to bite them – great fun! Anyway… hope these two books give you something to occupy your time during this lockdown.

Stay Safe.

 

 

Blurb

NOISE…A rattle and bang, the wreckage of lives in zero-gee.The sounds of fear, of bravery, of love, and war.A sound, a clatter, a commotion…Do you hear that noise, so quiet, so deafening? Is it the cry of justice rendered? Are illusions really so loud?Noises in the dark, voices in the stillness, Twelve stories, novellas, and poems of sound and silence and the Human experience of Noise.

 

Available at Amazon: http://hyperurl.co/NoiseAnth

Night Light

I promised you a post about my latest publications. Here is the first of two anthologies, released May 2018:

 

 

Blurb

This is the third Midnight Street anthology to include innovative writing from some of the best writers around. The stories and poems here delve into the dark recesses of the mind, investigate the horrors there and promise unforgettable characters and shocking revelations. From supernatural manifestations to psychological trauma and dark fantasies, the contents of this book are not for the faint-hearted and reward the seeker of the horrific and unexplained, that crawl between the cracks of the reality we know and the depthless void beyond.

In the tradition of Midnight Street magazine and Roadworks before it, this anthology and its predecessors light the way into worlds of darkness, where ghosts haunt highways and everything you thought you knew is subverted and your perceptions are altered beyond recognition.

Let the Night Light guide you along the Midnight Street…
“These stories scare, confuse, confound. We walk along the street at midnight when all else is silent and dreaming. Dripping in moonlight after showers. That street holds the coolness of rain, the bitter cold of frost, the quiet of graves. That street awaits us all. When we pass from this heated, maddening world we pass along the midnight street and sink beneath its stones into whatever lies beyond, or into nothing at all.”

Authors:
Stephen Laws
Ralph Robert Moore
Tony Richards
Rhys Hughes
Simon Clark
Andrew Hook
Susan York
Maria V A Johnson
Robert D Richards
Alexander Zelenyj
Gary Couzens
Ian Steadman
Michael Washburn
Terry Grimwood
Allen Ashley
Yvonne Chamberlain
David Turnbull
Andrew Darlington
Stephen Faulkner
Mat Joiner

 

Available at Amazon: http://hyperurl.co/NightLight

 

Absence

Hi all,

Apologies for being absent for so long. This was due to a medical issue.

It turns out, after 30 years, that I have Autism Spectrum Disorder. I am on the high-functioning end, formerly known as Asperger’s Syndrome, and this has thrown me for a loop. 2 Years since I got diagnosed, and I have finally accepted my condition to the point where I can discuss it with random strangers and explain it.

So here goes…

 

Autism is caused by the brain being wired differently, and is from birth. All this talk about it being caused by vaccines is absolute rubbish. There is a vast spectrum of traits that can vary from person to person. However there are a few key ones that seem to crop up most often.

• Sensory issues – either too aware and easily overwhelmed OR the exact opposite
• An inability to make eye contact
• Trouble interacting with peers
• A need for their own space/plenty of alone time
• Stimming – a repetitive motion used to calm anxiety
• A need to keep the hands active
• Extreme/laser focus

There are many others, and as I said they can vary dramatically from a non-verbal kid such as in the film Mercury Rising, to someone with Asperger’s who is able to interact with ‘neurotypical’ people far more easily. Satoshi Tajiri – the creator of Pokemon, and Anthony Hopkins are classic examples.

One thing to bear in mind is that males and females have different symptoms, and females are far better at masking them in society at large. When a man has a meltdown, he might start yelling and rocking. With a female, it may be as simple as fiddling with a necklace to the point of causing rashes and sores, such as I had all through my childhood.

If any of you want to know more about this check out the National Autistic Society at: https://www.autism.org.uk/

 

As for writing news… watch this space!

Updates from the past year to be updated soon.

 

Book Launch: Darker Places

A few years ago I met this wonderful author, Shaun Allan, and today his newest book, Darker Places is launched into the public sphere. He writes mainly in the horror genre and belongs to Myrddin Publishing Group – the same group as me.

 

 

Blurb

What if you could steal the final moments from the dying?  What if you had the darkest secret, but couldn’t think what it might be?  What if you entered the forest in the deep of the night.  Who is the melting man?  And are your neighbours really whom they appear to be?

So many questions.

To find the answers, you must enter a darker place.  Thirteen stories.  Thirteen poems.  Thirteen more doorways.

Links:

Amazon (universal): http://getbook.at/DarkerPlacesEbook

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/DarkerPlacesSW

Kobo: http://bit.ly/DarkerPlacesKobo

iTunes:  http://bit.ly/DarkerPlacesiTunes

About the Author

A writer of many prize winning short stories and poems, Shaun Allan has written for more years than he would perhaps care to remember. Having once run an online poetry and prose magazine, he has appeared on Sky television to debate, against a major literary agent, the pros and cons of internet publishing as opposed to the more traditional method. Many of his personal experiences and memories are woven into Sin’s point of view and sense of humour although he can’t, at this point, teleport.

Review: Denai Touch by Tiffany Shand

 

Denai Touch is an unusual adult fantasy coming of age novel, where the maturation part takes place during the mid-twenties instead of adolescence. Cate McCray is the woman coming into her power and becoming immortal; if the process doesn’t kill her first. The prophesy about her also gives an added edge to proceedings. It enables us to see the extremes of Cate’s character, from fear of death, through to her strongest, when she finally fulfills the prophesy.  She is a very well-rounded person, and her involvement with her work partner, Jason, adds the necessary romance, and the fact that it’s forbidden increases the excitement.

I love Miss Shand’s imagination in creating the different races, and the social hierarchy of each of them. She has obviously put a lot of thought and planning into making this world work in every way; politically, economically, socially. It’s rare to find novels by new authors that are so well rounded, and Tiffany Shand has managed to put herself firmly in that category.

This is an amazing story, and I couldn’t put the book down. I would recommend it for anyone who loves fantasy involving witches.

4.5 Stars

Excerpt – Denai Touch

Recently, I was involved in the launch of an amazing new book – Denai Touch by Tiffany Shand. Well, the blog tour has finally reached my stop, and today I have a brilliant excerpt for you! ENJOY!

“No, that you will not, for I am beyond your powers. Do not think your bonded can save you. The Death Dealers have already come for him.”

Death Dealers? Devas. She could sense them now; three of them, besides the one that served Raven.

“The Ashrali will reward me well for bringing in a Nuardan,” said Raven. “Now your strength will restore my power.”

“Her blood will end the curse, but you need the strength and power of the Grand Mistress to get what you truly desire.” Helga let the drops of Cate’s blood drip into a small vial that she handed to Raven.

“You may kill me, but you will never be Grand Mistress,” Seline snarled.

Cate reached out to Jason again and felt the burn of kinetic energy. Get inside the temple!

I can’t. I’m surrounded.

Damn it! She needed to do something, but with Tasha holding her she couldn’t move and fidgeted in frustration.

Raven gulped down a potion and gasped as flames burst over her for a moment before vanishing. Cate looked away; the curse Ceri had placed on Raven was gone. She could feed again now, on whoever she chose to.

The rest of the coven would be no help either, they were all immobilised by the amulet’s power. She didn’t think Helga was an ally, but she hadn’t thought her an enemy either. She tried to call her brothers, but that didn’t seem to work. She sensed someone coming and felt a ray hope.

Cate turned to look. It was Odin and he was carrying the Grimoire. “It was right where you said it would be, Wise One,” he said to Helga.

Cate gaped at him. “How the hell did you get that?”

“Your magic shielded it well, but I have been a Mavis for a very long time. I know the same magic you and Talbot used.” Odin smiled. “Once I knew where the book and the missing pages were located, it was simple to take them. I can’t tell you how good it feels, knowing that you fucking Denai are all about to die. And you will never enslave anyone else the way that bitch enslaved me!” He glared at Seline.

“You let down the temple’s wards,” said Seline, realisation hitting her. She tried to make a grab for her former Mavis. “How did you break free?”

“I freed him,” Raven told her. “Even permanent compulsion can be broken.”

Odin placed the Grimoire down at Raven’s feet. “For you, my lady.” He got down on one knee. “I am, as always, your servant.”

“Thank you for your loyalty.” Raven’s fingers wrapped around Odin’s throat. Light flashed over him before his body exploded. Raven drew in a breath. “I haven’t taken a life like that in over fifteen years. I’d forgotten how good it feels.”

Raven’s dark eyes turned on Cate. “You cannot kill her, not yet. You need the power of the Grand Mistress,” said Helga.

Raven grabbed Seline, who stifled a scream as light started to pour out of her.

“No!” Cate cried and struggled, stamping on Tasha’s foot. The Null gripped her tighter.

Cate looked at Helga, who stood watching. Stop her! She directed her thoughts at the old crone, hoping she would hear. Help me. You can’t do this!

Helga flicked a glance in her direction. This is not my doing, witch. This is destiny at work.

You said it was my destiny to kill Raven! Or was all that a lie?

You have the power, girl. Use it.

Cate reached for her magic again and doubled over as she felt Jason get hit.

“What’s wrong with you?” demanded Tasha. “Is the ascension finally coming on?”

Seline crumpled to the floor, still alive, but a new aura of power now shone around Raven.

“More. I need more energy,” said Raven and reached for the Grimoire. A burst of light shot from the book and it slid away from her. “I don’t have the power!” Raven glared down at Seline.

She laughed. “You fool! You think taking my power is as easy as that? I am still Grand Mistress till I die or until I willingly give it up.”

“So be it.” Raven strode across the dais and grabbed Cate by the throat. “Now the prophecy will never come true.” Raven’s eyes turned black as she accessed her death magic.

Cate gasped, powerless to resist and let the magic burn through her. She collapsed to the floor, unmoving.

“Well?” Raven demanded.

Tasha felt for a pulse and found none. “She’s dead. You did it.”

“Finally. Kill them all!” The hovering Mija lunged towards the defenceless witches.

Seline glanced over at Cate. “You haven’t won yet,” she said and chanted words of power. The ground suddenly began to tremble.

 

You can buy the book at Amazon here: http://hyperurl.co/DenaiTouch

Book Launch: Denai Touch

I have exciting news… Denai Touch by Tiffany Shand has just been released!

This is an amazing fantasy book, well worth a read. Keep your eyes peeled, I have an excerpt and review coming up in April!

Blurb

Cate McCray is no ordinary witch.

Prophesised to be the one to destroy the Covenant, an age-old organisation who seeks to enslave all Magickind, the race is on for them to kill her before she attains immortality.
But before receiving the phenomenal power that comes with it, she must first survive the ascension and the only person who can help her is her elemental partner, Jason Talbot. But when the time comes, her forbidden love for Jason threatens to destroy them both.
As leader of Excalibar, an elite team of Enforcers, they work to infiltrate the Covenant leading Cate into life-threatening situations. Can she outwit them before it’s too late?

Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z_KdUKdyj0&feature=youtu.be

Giveaway

https://www.facebook.com/tiffanyshandauthor/app_228910107186452

About the Author

  Tiffany Shand was born in Essex, UK and started writing short stories when she was a child.

She has always done writing in one form or another and started writing novels in her early     teens.
Tiffany loves to read books and discovered her love for fantasy and paranormal romance during this time.
She writes both non-fiction and fiction, but mostly fantasy and paranormal romance.
After doing a creative writing course in her early 20s she is now a freelance writer and professional proofreader. She is currently studying for a journalism degree.

Tiffany lives in Essex with her two spoiled cats and one very nutty hamster.

Saying Goodbye and Hello

Well it’s time to say goodbye to author Carlie M A Cullen as the blog tour for her third book, Heart Search: Betrayal, comes to a close. And since she’s finished her trilogy and is facing the prospect of having to start again with whole new characters, I asked her opinion of the change. Here is her response…

 

Call me a wuss if you like, but I get quite sentimental about my characters. I get attached to them and they become members of my family, even if they do only exist in my head. The longer I’m with certain characters, the harder it is to let them go and this was brought home to me in an almost brutal way when I finished my Heart Search trilogy.

Even though I’d written ‘The End’, I still had all the revisions and edits to go through, so my characters were right alongside me, telling me what changes to make and where to leave well alone. When the final proofread had been completed and the book was ready to be launched like an ICBM on an unsuspecting public, someone turned to me and asked if I would miss my characters. Until that moment, I hadn’t thought about losing them and the idea came as quite a shock.

These wonderful people I’d created: Remy, Joshua, Jakki, Becky, Ashley, Aidan, Samir et al were part of me and had been since 2010 – the thought of ‘losing them’ was anathema to me. How could I lose them? Yet to move on and make room for new characters, I had to say goodbye to these people who had become real in so many ways and it was painful. It felt like a bereavement, but without the pomp and rigidity of a church funeral to go with it. The pain was physical for a few hours, something I wasn’t prepared for, as some outside force ripped them from my head. However, they’re not ripped from my heart. There will always be a very special corner allocated to Remy, Josh, and the others and I will never forget them!

Yet now, even as I say hello to new characters and get to know them, the ghosts of Remy and Joshua are still floating in the background, until I dive into writing my new novel, a standalone fantasy, and then I forget them for a while as the new characters take pole position.

Creating the characters for my new book has been a great distraction. They are so different in every way from the vampire culture created in the Heart Search series. There are no vampires in the worlds I’ve built. There are creatures of my own design and my main character is the lovely lady I use as my avatar. It’s exciting to explore these new worlds and getting to know the people who inhabit it – the good and the bad. It’s fun to write real bad guys and feisty women who can fight back with swords and other weapons. It’s so completely dissimilar and I’m really enjoying the challenge of it.

Excerpt – Heart Search: Betrayal

A few days ago, author Carlie M A Cullen launched the final book in her trilogy, Heart Search: Betrayal. During the subsequent 3 week blog tour (7-27 Feb) you will read many interviews and excerpts – each one unique.

And… today is MY turn!

 

 

click on image to buy on Amazon

Excerpt

Joshua’s jaw dropped open and he stared at his elder in shocked disbelief. Immediately the surprise gave way to a primordial rage so intense, it radiated from every pore. “You coveted my fiancée? You watched her like a dirty voyeur looking for his perverse kicks? You let her see you, which probably scared her half to death?” With each snarled question he stepped closer, until he was in Samir’s face. “It’s all becoming clear now.” He nodded to himself.

“What is?”

“I never realised to what lengths you would go to stage manage those around you, or how ruthless you could be. I knew you were capable of it – just look at how you engineered that second . . . situation between Farrell and me. It almost cost me my life, but that didn’t really matter to you, did it? As long as you got what you wanted, the end justified the means. Farrell and I were expendable. That says so much about how deeply you care about your coven, your little family.” Joshua voice rose to a roar. He grabbed Samir by the throat, slammed him up against a tree then punched him in the face, hearing a satisfying crunch of bones.

He paused, savouring the feeling of having his maker at a disadvantage. When he spoke, his voice dripped with venom, cold as winter. “So now we get to the heart of it. You wanted Remy, my Remy, in your coven and went all out to get what you desired. How easy was it to manipulate Pavel and Iskra, to get them thinking along the same lines as you? How did you manage to sway them into agreeing it would be best if Remy became immortal? Do the most powerful vampires in the world know they’ve been manoeuvred by a master tactician? I wonder what they’d do to you if they realised. Perhaps I should educate them. It would be satisfying to see them mete out some justice.” A chilling smile crossed his face at the thought.

“And then we come to the deed itself,” Joshua continued. “You must have been so excited to be the one biting into her warm, human neck, to taste the blood you’d coveted for so long. I’m surprised you could contain yourself. You’re nothing but a sadistic, underhanded, controlling bastard!” He brought his knee up, missing Samir’s genitals by the merest fraction, catching him in the lower abdomen and pubis area. Samir clamped his eyes shut for a few moments so Joshua did it again, this time scoring a direct hit.

Samir raised his palms upwards and opened his mouth to speak, but Joshua tightened his grip on Samir’s throat.

“Move one more muscle and I will end you!” Joshua’s voice unnerved Samir and he fought to remain calm.

“If that is your desire, I won’t stop you. However, you are misreading this situation. Please just listen for a moment. Yes, I admit I engineered the altercation between you and Farrell and I’ve already apologised for my lack of judgement. The situation with Remy is completely different. I’ve already said I coveted her, but I didn’t know who she was. Even when Pavel, Iskra, and I were discussing her fate and trying to reach a fair and informed decision, I had no idea she was the one I’d been watching. It wasn’t until the night she was turned, when I officially met her at Grangewood, that I realised she was the same one.

“Think about it for a moment. Yes, I’d been observing and considering her suitability for the coven, but I didn’t know her name or who she was. Then you told me about Remy and your children’s visit to the manor. It was as a result of your disclosure that Pavel, Iskra, and I determined the best course of action for all concerned. Did I see Remy when she visited? No. Did I know what Remy looked like at that point? No. When we discussed how Remy was going to be turned, did I know then she was the same woman I’d sought? No! I can understand your anger at my revelation, but surely you can see there was nothing premeditated in the decision reached.” There was a pleading quality to Samir’s voice that Joshua hadn’t heard before and although it touched a chord deep within, his fury was too pronounced for it to reach him.

“You are a silver-tongued demon, Samir, but something doesn’t quite add up here.”

“Like what?” Samir looked puzzled.

“Oh, like the fact that we immortals have super-senses, hearing being one of them. You explained how you were looking in the window of her house on many occasions over a period of time. Now the likelihood of her being on her own every single time you chose to visit is remote. So working on the law of averages, and knowing how often Remy’s twin used to visit, you seriously expect me to believe you never once heard her name mentioned?”

AND… there’s even more for you. The author is running a giveaway! Check out her site for pictures of the various prizes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About the Author

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing.

She has always written in some form or another, but started to write novels in 2011. Her first book was published by Myrddin Publishing in 2012. She writes in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a principal editor for Eagle Eye Editors.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. They have published four anthologies so far, two for adults and two for children, all of which raise money for a local hospice.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

Book Launch – Heart Search: Betrayal

You saw the cover reveal a few days ago, now it’s time to give you the book! The final volume in the Heart Search trilogy is officially launched TODAY! The author is running a 3 week blog tour, so keep an eye out for various excerpts, interviews and reviews. Links to them will be posted on her website daily.

 

If you haven’t had the chance to check out this amazing series, the first book, Heart Search: Lost is FREE on Kindle for this weekend ONLY! Get it while you can.

 

 

NOW… (drum roll please)… I present to you, Heart Search: Betrayal!

Click on the image to buy the book

Blurb

One bite started it all . . .

Joshua, Remy, and the twins are settled in their new life. However, life doesn’t always run smoothly. An argument between Becky and her twin causes unforeseen circumstances, an admission by Samir almost costs him his life, and the traitor provides critical information to Liam. But who is it?

As Jakki’s visions begin to focus on the turncoat’s activities, a member of the coven disappears, and others find themselves endangered.

And when Liam’s coven attacks, who will endure?

Fate continues to toy with mortals and immortals alike, and as more hearts descend into darkness, can they overcome the dangers they face and survive?

 

Check out this amazing trailer!

 

AND… even more for you to see. The author is running a giveaway! Check out her site for pictures of the various prizes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About the Author

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing.

She has always written in some form or another, but started to write novels in 2011. Her first book was published by Myrddin Publishing in 2012. She writes in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a principal editor for Eagle Eye Editors.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. They have published four anthologies so far, two for adults and two for children, all of which raise money for a local hospice.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.