Thunder on the Battlefield - Mercenaries & Ravens - Alex Hughes

I get a little strange when I’m short on sleep. Particularly, on week four of six of the Odyssey intensive writing workshop, working on six hours or less of sleep per night consistently, I get very strange. I start picturing myself as a mercenary in the middle of a long, brutal campaign against overwhelming odds, sword in hand and company around me, mud and battle up to my ears.

The genesis of The Fourth Rule started with just such a fantasy at Odyssey. I had less than a week to produce a complete story, a story which the guest author was slated to read. Lots of pressure, very little sleep, and suddenly my mercenary fantasy reared up and said, write me. So I did, mud and battle and all.

Hara started as a version of me in that moment, but as the best characters do, she slowly took on a life of her own. Hers was a hard world, and she was a hard character, but she cared. She cared too much.

Writing Hara’s story—one that originally had a much darker ending—was a heart- wrenching exercise in a world that was at the end of the line. It’s the story that broke out for me, the first short story I’d written that stood on its own at a longer length and still packed an emotional punch. When I had a chance to pull it out and polish it for Thunder on the Battlefield, I jumped. The new ending has a bit more hope, and Hara’s character has evolved again. But the core of the story, the ravens over the battlefield and the general drunk on power, stayed very much the same.

I love this story, for all its bleakness. I love it because of its bleakness. And I hope you feel the same.

Alex Hughes, the author of the award-winning Mindspace Investigations series from Roc, has lived in the Atlanta area since the age of eight. She is a graduate of the prestigious Odyssey Writing Workshop, and a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America and the International Thriller Writers. Her short fiction has been published in several markets including EveryDay Fiction, Thunder on the Battlefield and White Cat Magazine. She is an avid cook and foodie, a trivia buff, and a science geek, and loves to talk about neuroscience, the Food Network, and writing craft—but not necessarily all at the same time! You can visit her at Twitter at @ahugheswriter or on the web at www.ahugheswriter.com.

Thunder on the Battlefield: Sword - HARK! to the sounds of battle. Mighty men and women who take their destinies with the strength of their arm and the sharpness of their blades. These are tales of warriors, reavers, barbarians, and kings. Lands of wonder populated with monsters, black- hearted sorcerors of Stygian power, and heroes who have blood on their hands and on their steel.

This is SWORD AND SORCERY.

Thunder on the Battlefield: Sorcery - BEHOLD! the clash of war. Steel upon steel and heroes fighting shield to shield. The only true victory is a brave death and the destruction of your enemies. These stories harken back to a barbaric past that never was. A time when heroic men and women cut glory from the cloth of a sorcery-filled world and stole gold from the hands of the gods themselves. This is fiction that takes no prisoners. No quarter asked. No quarter given.

This is SWORD AND SORCERY.

About the Editor: James R. Tuck lives outside Atlanta with his lovely wife and awesome kids. He has been a professional tattoo artist for 18 years and is a talented photographer. He is the author of the DEACON CHALK series (Kensington Books), the author of the CHAMPIONS OF HOLLOW EARTH series (Pro Se Press forthcoming 2014), the editor of the double anthology THUNDER ON THE BATTLEFIELD Volumes 1 and 2 (Seventh Star Press), and his short fiction has appeared and will appear in several anthologies such as: ONE BUCK ZOMBIES (One Buck Horror), THE BIG BAD (Dark Oak Press), HOOKERPUNK (Dark Oak Press forthcoming), ROBOTS UNLEASHED! (Mechanoid Press forthcoming), KAIJU RISING 2 (Ragnarok Press forthcoming), MONSTER EARTH 2 (Mechanoid Press forthcoming), and BADLANDS:TROUBLE IN THE HEARTLAND (Zelmer Pulp forthcoming).

Amazon Affiliate links were used in this post.

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion.

Double-take Tales by Donna Brown #weeklyshorts

Weekly Shorts is a fun meme hosted by Kriss at Cabin Goddess. This is a great way to find something to read that doesn't take long and doesn't cost much. Kriss generally posts hers on Sunday but this isn't a day specific meme so you can find new reads all week long.

I received a copy of Double-take Tales by Donna Brown from The Indie Exchange as part of the April Blog Tour.

Double-take Tales is a collection of three short stories all with a bit of a twist at the end. The stories are Round Trip, Poison, and C'est La Vie.

My favorite of the three was Poison about a woman who uses her husband's nut allergy as a method of obtaining satisfaction. I thought this one had the best flow of all the stories and I could truly feel the emotion from the main character. My favorite line "Disappointment can chip away at your heart slowly until the damage is so extensive there is no suitable response."

I struggled a bit with Round Trip because most of the paragraphs were single short sentences and I couldn't quite catch the flow. I liked the idea of the story and the ending but I think I needed it to be a bit more filled in.

C'est La Vie had me rereading after the twist at the end to see if I could find clues that I had missed the first time. The story is compelling and the method of telling it is brilliant. It is a story with high anxiety and questions that you are not certain will be answered.

Double-take Tales by Donna Brown

Three dark, sardonic short stories that will have you expecting the unexpected:

In "Poison," a psychologically abused wife discovers that her husband's nut allergy may be the solution to all her problems.

In "Round Trip," a five pound note passes through desperate hands, greedy hands and tired hands before coming full circle…accompanied by a big surprise.

In "Ç'est La Vie," the police bungle a murder investigation under the watchful eye of someone uncomfortably close to the killing.

Donna is a long time book reviewer and has devoured books from an early age. She writes short stories as and when inspiration hits and is married to fantasy author David M. Brown. She is also a contributor to David's (mostly!) non-fiction book, Man vs Cat.

Donna has lived in many different areas of the UK over the last 31 years but has remained in Yorkshire for the past decade. She ardently disputes the misnomer that 'It's grim up north'. You can find Donna on Google+, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Goodreads, or visit the blogs she shares with her husband: Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave, and Diary of Mr Kain

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

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Controlling Your Fictional Character by Carolyn Moncel

Last week I featured Donna Brown and Double-take Tales as part of the first blog tour run by The Indie Exchange. Today I have the other author on the tour, Carolyn Moncel, and her book 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover. Make sure you enter to win a copy of one of these fabulous books. There are Amazon gift cards up for grabs too.

Controlling Your Fictional Character By Carolyn Moncel

Since my oldest daughter is now a young woman and spends most of her weekends out with her friends, I find that it’s a perfect time for me to bond with my youngest daughter. One of the ways in which we do this is by watching a lot of movies on Friday nights. This week’s selection actually wasn’t my choice, but I’m happy that my daughter selected it anyway because it was a real treat. It was sweet little movie called Ruby Sparks and as a writer, I could not help but love it. Think Stranger than Fiction but instead from the author’s point of view.

If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s a little recap of the movie’s plot. A young writer finds unexpected literary fame as an adolescent. Years later, he still struggles to write a successful follow-up novel and the pressure from his agent and publishing house to do so sends him spiraling out of control and on to a psychologist’s sofa. Having broken up with his long-time girlfriend only complicates matters. At his therapist’s suggestion, the writer creates a character for whom he would consider to be his “ideal” woman and girlfriend. The more the writer learns about her (a character who reveals herself as “Ruby Sparks”), the more she not only becomes the central character in his new novel, but also in his own life. The fun begins the day Ruby becomes a real, functioning human being, demanding a life of her own. In light of this surprising discovery, the question becomes whether or not her creator will allow her this free will to grow and evolve, or will he try to guide her every movement to the point of extinction.

I could totally relate to Calvin Weir-Fields, the writer in the movie. Take for example, my character, Julien Roulet, who is featured in the novella found in 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover. I know him better than anyone else because I created him. He is an elusive lover; distant and slightly mysterious. Tall and slim with brown hair and sparkling green eyes, he’s handsome, intelligent, creative, quick witted and tad bit irreverent. A French man who refuses to pronounce the letter “h” when speaking in English, he’s also married and a devoted family man. He’s far from perfect though – an insecure, rakish, adulterer in fact. And yet at the same time, he’s a good guy who is still deeply in love with his wife. Unfortunately, he now finds himself in an impossible situation and saving him remains my toughest challenge. The only problem being, Julien really doesn’t want to be saved. Oh, the complexity!

As authors we experience a whole host of emotions while creating characters. Just like in real life, we take up their hobbies, research their professions, record their fickle likes and dislikes, all in an attempt to better understand them. When all is going well between us, we can’t wait to visit them in their imaginary world each day. One minute we’re laughing at all of their jokes and the things that they do. And the next, we’re infuriated and downright embarrassed by their behavior. When they abandon us because they yearn for independence and space, we become fearful because we never know which direction they will take our story.

The point to all of this is this. Creating characters for which there is genuine affection is what makes writing fun and rewarding. Whenever we are able to achieve that level of love for our character, our readers are the true beneficiaries. However, as writers we also have to know when to let our characters live. We cannot become obsessed with controlling their every movement or behavior in order to achieve a desired outcome for their lives. After all, it is their lives. Even if we could changeour characters's lives, as authors we would be doing so at our own peril because our characters would lose their essence -- the very “spark” that gives us permission to love (or hate) them in the first place. And, THAT would be such a shame.

5 Reasons to Leave a Lover by Carolyn Moncel

In 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover, author Carolyn Moncel offers up a fresh batch of stories based on love and loss. As singer/songwriter, Paul Simon so eloquently suggested in a famous song from the 1970s, there are many ways to leave a lover. However, Moncel's characters demonstrate that the reasons for leaving in the first place are quite finite. Encounters in Paris` Ellery and Julien Roulet return, picking up their lives where the short story, "Pandora`s Box Revisited," ends. This time the Roulets are involved in a love triangle, and along with two other couples, must explore how love relationships are affected and splinter due to abuse, ambivalence, deception, cheating and death. This bittersweet collection of tales proves that some breakups are necessary; while others are voluntary; and still others are simply destined and beyond anyone's control.

A virtual media and web consultant by day and author by night, Carolyn Davenport-Moncel moved to Paris from Chicago, her hometown, in 2002. She received her bachelor's degree in Communications from Loyola University. Known for her online articles on media relations, Moncel owns MotionTemps, LLC, a bilingual Digital Project and Web Content Management firm with offices in Chicago, Paris and Geneva; and its subsidiary, Mondavé Communications, a media relations training and publishing company. She has written, placed articles or been featured in such diverse publications as Entreprenuer.com, Expatica.com, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Wired News, International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, and Working Mother. She currently resides in Lausanne, Switzerland with her husband and two daughters. Author of Encounters in Paris - A Collection of Short Stories and 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover - A Novella and Other Short Stories, her latest collection is called Railway Confessions - A Collection of Short Stories.

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Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

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Donna Brown on Committing to the Story

Today I am thrilled to be participating in the first book tour hosted by The Indie Exchange. I've been lucky to work with this group of authors and bloggers for over a year now. It was through this group that I first met Donna Brown and her husband David. David has been featured on the blog a few times but now it is finally Donna's turn. Double-take Tales is coming up quickly on my "to read" list and I've only heard wonderful things about these stories. Now I'll let Donna fill you in on her approach to writing and everything else. Keep reading to the end of the post to find out more about Donna's book and the other book on this tour, 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover by Carolyn Moncel. You also have an opportunity to win one of these books or an Amazon gift card.

Can I Commit to a Long Term Relationship?

I admit it: I'm flighty, sometimes impetuous, easily distracted. Life is full of so many things, I'd like to try to learn as much as possible. The phrase 'Jack of all Trades, Master of None' rings true. Since leaving high school I've studied modules in politics, Spanish, German, English, biology, chemistry, maths, animal science and social sciences. Commitment problem? Oh yes! I've studied something almost every year for the last decade and achieved good scores, yet I don't hold a degree. You want me to learn ONE thing for three years? Ouch...

The same rings true in my writing. I admire my husband's commitment in spending 10 years building a fantasy world, but it also baffles me. 2-3,000 words is more than enough time for me to introduce my characters, make things happen and then leave them to it. Do I wonder what happens next? Truthfully, no. I care deeply about my characters in the past of the back story and the present story. Not their futures. Truth be told, I don't really want my readers to care either. I write stories with a twist because I want readers to question what they read and look back, not necessarily ahead.

Even so, a character keeps haunting me. Harry Schmidt has been popping in and out of my thoughts for almost four years now. I know his story, but can I commit to this character for long enough to tell it? I really don't know. I care deeply about Harry's story and that's part of the problem. Perhaps it needs someone more committed to really do it justice. What if I sell this very very flawed character short, burying him under dark humour and terrible events, instead of offering some kind of redemption? That could be worse than never telling the story.

Recently I looked into completing my studies and turning my work so far into a Social Sciences degree. The fees are now prohibitive - that ship has clearly sailed. Maybe it's a sign that I'm not meant to be a master of any one trade. Maybe, instead, my impetuousness and lack of commitment is a gift, always taking me somewhere new. Or maybe it's a sign that sometimes you need to commit, even if you're not entirely sure. Time will tell.

MEET HARRY SCHMIDT: Excerpt from the first chapter

Harry Schmidt was forty-two when love first found him. He lived alone, having shared a house with his mother until her death two years previously. At 82 Mrs Schmidt had retained a startling amount of independence and thus Harry required far more looking after than she did. Indeed this situation would have continued for several years had it not been for the unfortunate incident with the shoe.

Despite 35 years of being told not to do so, Harry had the unfortunate habit of kicking off his shoes at the end of a working day (Harry worked as a postman and therefore his feet were begging to be relieved from his shoes after hours of walking). Regrettably, Harry often kicked off his shoes in unfortunate places; thus, during the years, Mrs Schmidt had needed to be ever more vigilant in order to avoid Harry’s wayward footwear. Many accidents had been avoided due to Mrs Schmidt’s careful approach over the years but it was, perhaps, inevitable that in the end a shoe would be her downfall.

As a postman Harry was usually home in the afternoon; however, on the ill-fated day in question he had decided to go out to watch a football match and had been delayed in getting home due to the bus breaking down. The fates would further conspire in orchestrating a fuse outage at the house, which would lead the independent Mrs Schmidt to attempt to navigate her way down the cellar stairs with only a candle to light her way. Naturally, this would also be the day that Harry had kicked off his old work shoes for the last time for just the day before he had purchased a new pair of black boots and was wearing those instead. His old shoes had been haphazardly abandoned as so many times before but this time with catastrophic consequences.

So it was that all these coincidences conspired against poor Mrs Schmidt to ensure that when she weaved her way through the small corridor to the cellar door and pulled it open, her foot clipped one of the abandoned shoes as she took her next step and this small action was enough to unbalance her. At any age a stone staircase is a difficult adversary but for 82 year old Mrs Schmidt it was a fatal one.

Harry would never know the trouble that his misplaced shoe had caused for the very step that had caused Mrs Schmidt to unbalance was the step that knocked the shoe into a tidy position. When the fuse switch was flipped and light was restored, paramedics could only conclude that Mrs Schmidt had panicked in the darkness and taken the stairs too quickly. In this way, Harry was spared from a lifetime of guilt but, sadly, not from the loss of his beloved mother.

Therefore, at forty years of age, Harry Schmidt was finally forced to stand on his own two feet and face the world. And this he did. For a while, Harry would feel quite content with his progress in the world; however, Harry Schmidt was yet to face his biggest challenge – love.

Double-take Tales by Donna Brown

Three dark, sardonic short stories that will have you expecting the unexpected:

In "Poison," a psychologically abused wife discovers that her husband's nut allergy may be the solution to all her problems.

In "Round Trip," a five pound note passes through desperate hands, greedy hands and tired hands before coming full circle…accompanied by a big surprise.

In "Ç'est La Vie," the police bungle a murder investigation under the watchful eye of someone uncomfortably close to the killing.

Donna is a long time book reviewer and has devoured books from an early age. She writes short stories as and when inspiration hits and is married to fantasy author David M. Brown. She is also a contributor to David's (mostly!) non-fiction book, Man vs Cat.

Donna has lived in many different areas of the UK over the last 31 years but has remained in Yorkshire for the past decade. She ardently disputes the misnomer that 'It's grim up north'. You can find Donna on Google+, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Goodreads, or visit the blogs she shares with her husband: Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave, and Diary of Mr Kain

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Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

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Scribbling by Jonathan Gould #weeklyshorts

Weekly Shorts is a fun meme hosted by Kriss at Cabin Goddess. This is a great way to find something to read that doesn't take long and doesn't cost much. Kriss generally posts hers on Sunday but this isn't a day specific meme so you can find new reads all week long.

Scribbling is the first story that I've read by Jonathan Gould. It is actually the second adventure of Neville Lansdowne but you definitely don't need to have read Doodling to enjoy Scribbling.

Gould has a great story-telling technique, taking unusual characters and a quirky storyline then layering in social commentary. The story can be enjoyed on the surface or you can really think about the choices that the characters make and the events that result from those choices by applying a larger world view. I look forward to reading about Neville's first adventure and I've heard rumor that there may be a third Neville adventure later this year.

The sequel to the Goodreads Choice semi-finalist Doodling

Neville Lansdowne pushed the world out of shape.

He didn't mean to do it. He didn't even realise he had done it. If you had asked him, he would have said that, as far as he could tell, the world was the wrong shape to begin with.

In a world that is totally the wrong shape, Neville meets a new bunch of eccentric characters, and embarks on another strange and wholly unexpected adventure.

Buy Scribbling at Amazon!   Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

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The Princess of Egypt Must Die by Stephanie Dray #weeklyshorts

Weekly Shorts is a fun meme hosted by Kriss at Cabin Goddess. This is a great way to find something to read that doesn't take long and doesn't cost much. Kriss generally posts hers on Sunday but this isn't a day specific meme so you can find new reads all week long.

I've been having lots of fun adding free books to the Kindle Fire HD that I won back in December. Unfortunately, I can already tell that I'm probably adding more than I'm actually going to have time to read. So when the four-year-old fell asleep on top of me last week and my book was elsewhere in the house I was quite happy my Kindle was within reach. I didn't want to start a full-length novel because I wasn't sure how long the quiet would last. The Princess of Egypt Must Die (a novelette) by Stephanie Dray was the answer to my dilemma.

I already knew that I was a fan of Stephanie Dray's historical fiction because I loved Lily of the Nile and Song of the Nile. I'm eagerly awaiting the last book in the trilogy of Cleopatra's daughter. If you haven't read any of Stephanie Dray's books yet The Princess of Egypt Must Die would be a great introduction. This story is about how Queen Arsinoe II shifts from the mild mannered daughter of the Pharaoh whose life was manipulated by others for their political gain into a ruthless ruler in her own right. Dray's story is short but powerful as it only gives the reader the barest glimpse into Arsinoe's life at a critical moment. A wide range of emotions is present within these few pages. My only disappointment was that the story was not longer. I reached the end of the actual story at 67% of the file. The rest was the author note and the first chapter of Lily of the Nile. I do love Stephanie's author notes because she expands on the historical details she puts into her fiction. This one was particularly interesting because it tells more about the reign of Queen Arsinoe II in the time after this story takes place.

The Princess of Egypt Must Die is currently free at Amazon but it would definitely be worth the regular price of 99 cents. This story was originally published in the anthology Eternal Spring (paperback).

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

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Sugarplum Dreams (The Candy Collection) Excerpt

Title: Sugarplum Dreams Book Four of The Candy Collection
Authors: Michele Richard, Lisa Bilbrey, M.E. Feeney, R. E. Hargrave
Publication Date: December 2012
Publisher:  Renaissance Romance Publishing
Available Formats: Paperback and eBook
Blog Tour: Jitterbug PR

The Stories:

Broken Roads & Dusty Dreams

Riley Farris and Natalie Sloane were the best of friends who spent every summer together on the sandy beach of Mustang Island. Then, just when Riley’s getting set to spend another summer with Natalie, she disappears. As the years pass, he struggles to understand what happened to the girl he knew. Until, one night while walking on the beach, he stumbles upon a woman who is broken and lost.

Right Click, Love

Disheartened about not being able to find “Mr. Right” on the London dating scene, best friends Jodie Lynch and Louise Hewson create a blog to not only document their disastrous dates with the numerous “Mr. Wrongs” and “Mr. Okay-for-nows” but also to help those going through the same experiences and to see where they’re going wrong. How will they deal with everything the dating scene has to throw at them — planned or otherwise?

Sugar & Spice

Lacey Harrison has been dealt an unexpected hand in life: being a single mom. With her father's help and that of the residents at Royal Hills Nursing Home, she thrives and goes on to become a successful baker. She is content with her life but knows that she and her daughter Candy are missing something. Will things change for the better when Trent Childress moves into town and adds some spice to her sugar?

The Roommates

Spring break changes everything for Daphne Hobbs. A one-night stand leaves her pregnant and alone. She soon discovers that the father is an identical twin, and she's unsure of which one turned her world upside down. She’ll be forced to share her apartment with them until she can discover the truth. Julius and Jordan Sweet share everything in their lives — almost to the point of living one life. Will Daphne uncover who’s the daddy?

Excerpt from Sugar & Spice

Running down my ingredient list in my mind, I pushed the grocery cart towards the back section of the store to where the eggs were kept. I needed five dozen; then I could be on my way back to the bakery up the street. Sugar and Spice was small, but it was mine — all that I had besides my daughter Candace, who would be ten in August.

Her father had been my first, and last, crush. A dashing senior, Mark Reynolds had been the star quarterback at Union High School. I became smitten with him when I was a sixteen-year-old junior. I’d been entranced by his bright blue eyes and easy smile, which were always framed by his shaggy brown hair, and his carefree approach to life — it seemed when he smiled, things fell into place for him. Case in point: when he showed signs of struggling in History, a smile was all it took for me to offer my help. Over time, those study sessions drifted into make out sessions, and then more.

He'd seemed so sweet to my naïve self. I never questioned it when he suggested that we meet at the old library downtown — I thought he had an honest concern about the noise volume. I understood when he had practice or a game and didn't have time for “real” dates. It was exciting when he'd drive me home from the library, taking the long route through the park. In the back of my mind, I'd known his touches should not have been so exploratory, but they made me feel alive. Or so I'd thought at the time.

Our so-called relationship had continued, with secret touches in the hallways and stolen kisses under the bleachers in the spare moments before practice — kisses that always had me melting under his spell and left me blind to his rough dismissals when he'd tell me I would distract him if I stayed to watch. That spell had been shattered when I started experiencing flu symptoms that wouldn't go away, and my father took me to the doctor. Imagine both of our surprise when the doctor had come in with the news that I was going to be a mommy.

At first, my father had been crushed, thinking he had failed in raising me on his own. He berated himself, his ramblings of self-loathing revealed to me the true story behind my mother’s absence. In her opinion, she had been too young. She hadn't thought motherhood was for her – a decision she'd made in the middle of the night when I was four months old. That was the last time we'd seen or heard from her. However, once he'd had a couple of days to calm down, my father was prepared to stand at my side and help me get through it — starting with the visit to let Mark know he was going to be a daddy.

The Authors:

Lisa Bilbrey is a mom of three and has been married to her high school sweetheart since 1996. Finding a love in the written word, she started writing as a way to express herself. From the first word she wrote, she'd found her heart and soul. Always willing to learn, she's spends much of her time trying to improve as a storyteller. She's been blessed to find Michele Richard and Laura Braley, both of whom she spends hours every day writing with.

Connect with Lisa Bilbrey: Blog * Facebook * Goodreads * Twitter

M. B. Feeney is an army brat who finally settled down in Birmingham, UK with her other half, 2 kids and a dog. She's also a student teacher, a doodler and a chocoholic. Writing has been her one true love since she could spell, and publishing is the culmination of her hard work and ambition.

Connect with M. B. Feeney: Blog * Facebook * Goodreads * Twitter

Michele Richard created the Mocked series. From Mocked by Destiny to the trilogy Mocked by Faith, she writes what comes from the heart. A wife and the mother of two preteen girls, she spends her days spinning tales about what happens when what you believe in mocks your every turn.

When she’s not writing, her days are filled with her family, her bunny Geneva, and friends. Her greatest passions are learning new languages and traveling. She currently resides in the Northeastern part of the United States however; her family members live down the east coast as far as North Carolina.

She’s currently learning French and Spanish, and one day hopes to be fluent in both. Learning new things is always something she enjoys.

Connect with Michele Richard: Blog * Facebook * Goodreads * Twitter

R.E. Hargrave is a fledgling author who has always been a lover of books and now looks forward to the chance to give something back to the literary community. She lives on the outskirts of Dallas, TX with her husband and three children.

Connect with R. E. Hargrave: Website * Facebook * Goodreads * Twitter

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

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