The Circular Staircase: A Review

Welcome Adventurers. Today I'll be reviewing The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart. I was first clued (see what I did there?) into the works of Miss Rinehart when I saw the Hallmark Channel movie Garage Sale Mystery: Novel Murders. This book is a thrilling mix of chilling suspense and a tricky mystery. When a middle aged spinster and her niece and nephew decide to rent a house in the country for the summer mysterious events start to happen. They begin with a shadowy presence on the front porch and a mysterious rattling in the night and culminate in the finding of a dead body at the base of the circular staircase. The opening line alone was enough to completely hook me and the story held me until the end. The Circular Staircase is well worth the read and I give it a 5 out of 5 gears.

An interview with a writer: Bokerah Brumley

Welcome Adventurers! Today I have a special treat for you. I have guest blogger and fellow author Bokerah Brumley.

Tell my adventurers the name of your book and about the world you created.

Goodness. Between all my shorts and my novels, I’ve created quite a few. On the fantasy side of things, I’m excited for everyone to meet Imani Chausiku from Imani Earns Her Cape. It’s a middle-grade fantasy world. Imani is a Fae incognito. She lives just outside of Washington, D.C., and her mom works as an ambassador to the President. As a part of growing up, her mom takes Imani back to the Fae world for a ritual test. Once they get there, Imani discovers all sorts of secrets from her mom’s past. It should be out around the first of the year from Clean Reads Press.

Right now, I think my favorite science fiction character is Sirocco Arioch. She’s the youngest of four siblings. Her father passed away under questionable circumstances, and her mother assumed command of the Arioch corporation—the universe’s leading exporter of duct tape. The novel is called Four Winds From a Tempest, but we’ll see whether the publisher keeps that or not. I expect that you’ll be able to meet Sirocco sometime next year. 

What inspired you to write about this character?

For Imani, I love the name. I love the idea of a Fae living in our world, being bullied, but choosing to rise above retaliation. I also loved building the Fae world. There’s a Mergone tree, a sentient tree, a rabbit-burro that pulls a rock man, and all sorts of fun things that I was able to create in the Fae world. Imani definitely earns her cape, and she meets family members that she never knew existed.

For Sirocco, I wanted to write a space opera about a family and the ties that remain no matter what. There’s a thread of romance, but it’s a subplot and not really something that has anything to do with Sirocco. Again, I loved the world building. I made up multiple planets and tried to give each one a different look. Sirocco is something of a rescuer, and she helps wherever she can. In the course of the novel, she changes many lives—sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

How long has this character been in your thoughts?

Imani has been a friend of mine since last year. She introduced herself last summer and then I wrote out her story. Sirocco’s been around longer. She (and her siblings) came ‘round in 2015. I’m only just now able to polish up her story, though, but I’m as excited about that as ever.

What is the one trait you wished you shared with your main character?

With Imani, I love who she wants to be. By the end, she learns to have confidence in who she is and what she’s capable of. She learns that she’s much more than what she thought, and she learns to fit in by being unique.

Sirocco learns that she doesn’t know as much as she thought she did, but she never turns away from someone that needs help. It gets her into trouble sometimes, but I love that about her. Her desire to help gives her an uncommon bravery and boldness.

The Steampunk Detective: A Review

Welcome Adventurers. This week I had the joy of reading a book called The Steampunk Detective. When Orphan Jack Mason finds he's been hired for a position to assist a Mr. Ignatius Doyle he has no idea the adventure that awaits him. This book is a thrilling read from beginning to end with a mystery revolving around a missing export tycoon, a lost Da Vinci  painting, and the discovery of the preserved body of the model for the Mona Lisa. Filled with wonderful one-liners excellent characters and wonderful humor.
I happily give this book 5 out of 5 gears.

A message from the author

Hi Adventures. Just a personal note to let you know that I have started a Patreon.com account. If you like what I'm doing so far come and check it out. You'll have a chance to get some hand made goods, sample of my up coming book The Art of Facts, and many more rewards if you choose to become a patron. Your contributions will be used for maintaining this blog, my website, and keeping me on a friendly basis with my illustrator and editor.

If this interests you here is my page.
https://www.patreon.com/starwriter

An Interview With an Author: Debbie McQueen

Welcome Adventurers! Today I have a special treat for you. I have guest blogger and fellow author Debbie McQueen, Here to talk about her new book The Scarlet Cord.

Tell my adventurers the name of your book and about the world you created.

The Scarlet Cord (A Beauty in Strength Novel) is a fictional telling of the story of Rahab. The story mostly takes place in the ancient walled city of Jericho. I wanted to portray what daily life was like inside a fortified, yet, busy trade city. I also have parts of the story that follow Salmon, a commander among the Israelite people. His story shows what life was like among the Israelites who had been wandering the desert for forty years.

What inspired you to write about this character?

I did a Bible study several years ago about women of the Bible, and when it came to Rahab, I just fell in love with her story. I tried to imagine how someone who lived at a time where men were dominant, and women were often viewed as property could become a strong and independent business woman. Yes, Rahab’s body was her business, but even more than that, as the Bible tells about how she would dry flax stalks on her roof. She worked and labored, and found herself open and willing to be used by the God of the Hebrews, even though Jericho worshiped many gods. I also love that she is the mother of Boaz- the man who takes in Ruth and Naomi. I think that she must have fostered a feeling of “we welcome people into our family.” Rahab is also the great-great grandmother of King David, and is in the bloodline of Christ. So, I really wanted to portray how a harlot in a godless city could play such an influential role. I also really enjoyed the perspective I had gotten from that Bible study years ago, that said one of the Israelite spies was the man she married and had Boaz with. There is a swoon factor with the love story that God entwined into her life. Ultimately, I love her story of hope, redemption, strength, and love.

How long has this character been in your thoughts? I have been working on this book for about 6 years. Most of that time was not spent actively writing, but Rahab often was in my thoughts as I tried to weave and imagine her story. I knew the ending already- the Bible provides that, however, all of her background and history came from my own imagination. I recall dreading when I knew I had to put her through difficult times, but knowing she needed to in order to bring her character to where she needed to be.

What is the one trait you wished you shared with your main character?

I’m not sure I could pick just one trait, there are a lot of things I admire about her, but perhaps it is her kind heart despite the times she nearly allowed the anger and hatred to take over. Here’s one of my favorite lines- “You are gentle, kind, brave. Your father does not own your heart or your spirit. Do not give it to him.”

Pandora Driver: A review

Well Adventurers, we knew it'd have to happen some time. I'm giving my first bad review. This story comes from the Dieselpunk ePulp Showcase. At first the story Pandora Driver by John Picha held promise. When Ray Walker hears cries for help from outside his apartment he rushes to try and help. Only to discover the man who runs the bakery down the street is being hassled by the mob. Let's end there shall we? I know I wish I had. The story read more like a movie script than a short story. The first few paragraphs felt like a history book. And while I might could look past the violence and language (we're talking about a mob man here) some elements of the gore were too much for me.

Sadly Adventurers I'm going to have to give this tale a DNF (did not finish)

An Interview With an Author: Kat Heckenbach

Welcome Adventurers! Today I have a special treat for you. I have guest blogger and fellow author Kat Heckenbach. We'll be talking about Kate's series Toch Island Chronicles.

Tell my adventurers the name of your book and about the world you created.

Toch Island Chronicles is a series that takes place on an island where the inhabitants all have magic abilities. Each character has a particular special magic ability, called a Talent. For example, the main character, Angel—once she returns to Toch after learning who she really is—discovers that her Talent is Finding. She is able to locate any object, anywhere, just by focusing on it. Gregor, who is the one who returns her to her home, can make Gateways from one place to another over long distances using trees. Kalek, an Elven musician, plays an electric guitar using magic rather than electricity to bring out the songs found in nature. (His Talent is pretty hard to describe like this. Read this free short story if you want a real feel for what he does.) Other characters can start fires, control weather, enhance the magic of other people, and the list goes on.

Since it's a magic world, it also has magic plants and creatures. Trees have metal running through the grain of their wood, which gives them each different magical properties. There are animals that use magic for camouflage, for catching prey, and for storing food. And of course there are unicorns and dragons.

Magic is an integral part of Toch Island, but so is science—and this is where the conflict lies in the first book, Finding Angel. A non-magical person has discovered the island and the magic that it contains, and wants to find a way to get some for himself. The problem is he goes about it all wrong, not considering the fact that science doesn't overrule magic. And of course his intentions put Angel in serious harm, and she has to figure out who he is and how to stop him.

What inspired you to write about this character?

What inspired me to write is the story world more than the character. My main character in Finding Angel, in all honesty, is much like me at her age and has a strong love of fantasy fiction. Angel had felt all her life she didn't quite fit in, and much of that had to do with wanting to explore the worlds she read about in fantasy novels. Angel got to hear those words I'd wanted to hear my whole life: "You can do magic."

How long has this character been in your thoughts?

I started writing Finding Angel in 2008. I really thought Angel's adventures would end with that book. But there was unfinished business, so Seeking Unseen (2009) chronicled the next adventure in her life, and brought in a new character to share the stage with. Melinda not only stepped on stage, she pretty much took over, actually, and pushed for another story to be told, Legacy Rewound, which came out in 2016. Yes, she took her time with that one, but all told, this series has been playing in my head for years. And it's not done. I have short stories from Toch Island already written, but still have a few more working their way onto the page. I'm hoping to get those finished soon and publish them in a collection.

What is the one trait you wished you shared with your main character?

Magic, of course! That goes for both Angel and Melinda. They each have cool Talents, but I'd be happy with any magic ability at all. Outside of that, I wish I had Angel's red hair. And I wish I had Melinda's moxie—she sees something, she goes for it, and she's not at all afraid to speak her mind.

Adventurers I'm thrilled to announce that Kat has agreed to make herself available for today to reply to comments and answer writing related questions. Please keep it clean.

Author Bio:

Kat Heckenbach spent her childhood with pencil and sketchbook in hand, knowing she wanted to be an artist when she grew up—so naturally she graduated from college with a degree in biology, went on to teach math, and now homeschools her two children while writing. Her fiction ranges from light-hearted fantasy to dark and disturbing, with multiple stories published online and in print. Her YA fantasy series Toch Island Chronicles is available in print and ebook. Enter her world at www.katheckenbach.com.

Hall of Heroes: In Plain Sight a review

Welcome Adventurers. Today I want to tell you about a wonderful story called In Plain Sight  by Arthur Daigle. Set in a old city that's seen it's better days and is hurting from the many wars that the ruler has been involved in. The story revolves around a mysterious entertainer and his mechanical dolls. But is The Great Zamphini all that he appears? With people getting attacked in the streets at night it is up to Zamphini to figure things out. With a wonderful blend of Steampunk and fantasy I give this work 5 out of 5 gears.

You can find this story and many more in the Hall of Heroes Anthology here on Amazon.com

An Interview With a Writer: Sophronia Belle Lyon

Welcome Adventurers! Today I have a special treat for you. I have guest blogger and fellow author Sophronia Belle Lyon. Creator of the Alexander Legacy Series.

Tell my adventurers the name of your book and about the world you created.

I have a series of books, the Alexander Legacy, with three books out so far. A Dodge, a Twist, and a Tobacconist, The Pinocchio Factor, and The Most Dangerous Game.

The stories are about mostly well-known characters in 1800s novels, brought together to fight human trafficking and the rise of a slave empire to overthrow the social order. Each one is narrated by a member of the Legacy Company. 1 is Florizel of Bohemia, from the New Arabian Knights by Robert Louis Stevenson. 2 is Oliver Twist from Charles Dickens, and 3 is Sluefoot Sue, wife of Pecos Bill from the stories by Edward S. O'Reilly. The company has eight members altogether, led by Phoebe Moore Campbell of Louisa May Alcott’s Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom books. Fun See, also from those stories, is another member, as well as Mowgli from Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book, Edward Ferrars from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, and last of all Zambo from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World. They have so far dealt with criminals in London and Switzerland, other denizens of Victorian classics, and faced mad geniuses, automatons, shape-shifters, pirates, and mechanicals of all kinds.

What inspired you to write about these characters?

I saw The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie and was inspired to create my own cast of Alt-Victorian adventurers. Instead of the usual Steampunk focus on feminism, class warfare, magic, and mixed morality, I have tried to focus on faith, family, friendship and showing courage, self-sacrifice, and working together across all classes of people, but with a focus on love for God and others, and doing what is right.

How long has this character been in your thoughts?

I saw the movie in 2003 but I have loved and devoured Victorian adventures long before that, and loved imagining what these characters would do in their futures.

What is the one trait you wished you shared with your main character?

I wish I had their courage and resolve to do right no matter what the cost. Some of the members have already found the cost to be heavy.

A Dodge, a Twist, and a Tobacconist is free as the first in the series.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NV1DMG/

And here is the link to the series

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015TCAW9C?ref=series_rw_dp_labf