Category: Fiction Page 34 of 314

DETAILS:
Series: Slough House, #3
Publisher: Soho Crime
Publication Date: January 19, 2016
Format: Hardcover
Length: 343 pg.
Read Date: May 21-June 2, 2023

Real Tigers‘ Flap Copy

I don’t like what I’ve come up with to describe the book, so I’m just going to use the flap copy:

London: Slough House is the MI5 branch where disgraced operatives are reassigned after they’ve messed up too badly to be trusted with real intelligence work. The “Slow Horses,” as the failed spies of Slough House are called, are doomed to spend the rest of their careers pushing paper, but they all want back in on the action.

When one of their own is kidnapped and held for ransom, the agents of Slough House must defeat the odds, overturning all expectations of their competence, to breach the top-notch security of MI5’s intelligence headquarters, Regent’s Park, and steal valuable intel in exchange for their comrade’s safety. The kidnapping is only the tip of the iceberg, however—the agents uncover a larger web of intrigue that involves not only a group of private mercenaries but the highest authorities in the Secret Service. After years spent as the lowest on the totem pole, the Slow Horses suddenly find themselves caught in the midst of a conspiracy that threatens not only the future of Slough House, but of MI5 itself.

The Introduction

I absolutely love the way that Herron introduces Slough House and its denizens in each book. It reminds me of the way that Rex Stout’s Archie gives the rundown of Wolfe’s Brownstone and the routine in each book. But Herron’s unique approach to each introduction has really clicked with me and I look forward to this part of the books.

I can see just opening up one of these at random from time to time, reading the description of Slough House, and moving on with just a quick refreshing hit of Herron’s magic.

Roddy Ho

Roddy Ho is a great hacker—that’s clear. He’s probably almost as good as he thinks he is. The level of delusion he has about his desirability to women outdoes even Crais’ John Chen (and that’s saying something)—it’s a fun character trait, even if it is hard to believe that someone can be that clueless about themselves.*

* 5 minutes on social media reminded me of the power of self-delusion. Never mind.

That said…it’s easy between books to remember how fun it is to see him getting verbally smacked around by Lamb or River pressuring him to work, and how good he is at the technical stuff, etc.—but to forget just what wholly unpleasant person he is. I mentioned John Chen before, Chen is helpless and harmless (while being a misogynistic creep). Roddy doesn’t have that veneer of hapless charm that Chen carries—and is a bigger misogynistic creep. I just want to wash my hands after a scene focused on him if it shows him thinking or talking about women. He probably belongs in prison and would’ve ended up there if not for being employed by MI5.

Team Building?

I will say, for a bunch of misanthropic individualists, when it comes to one of their own, the Slow Horses are really good at teamwork. They spend so much time on their own, regretting their own mistakes that landed them in Slough House, dreaming and scheming their way back to Regent’s Park, etc. that they all have a serious bit of tunnel vision. They’re all focused on themselves to the exclusion of pretty much everyone else—but they’re becoming closer to a true team—particularly when one of them is in some sort of jeopardy.

It’s nice to see—and generally funny, because they’re so bad at teamwork. But the bits that they get right—either on the job or off—are heartwarming to see.

As heartwarming as this series gets, anyway.

So, what did I think about Real Tigers?

The way that this book deals with the Dead Lions-aftermath is the best part for me. Obviously, most of that has to do with Lousia, but it’s there for everyone to one degree or another. Yes, these books can be read as stand-alones, but there’s an impact to be felt from the previous novels. The MI5 and political machinations behind all the actions—the twists, double-twists, and triple-twists. I know that’s part-and-parcel for this series, so I’m not complaining about that. It felt off…overdone maybe? The Slow Horses doing their thing was entertaining enough. But the package as a whole felt like a letdown.

Still, I loved reading this book. Herron can put together a sentence like no one else. I can’t imagine there’s something I wouldn’t want to read him describe. Even when I didn’t really connect with the story, I couldn’t stop reading—that’s all down to Herron’s skill and the fantastic characters he fills his books with. I’m not just talking about the Horses, even the characters that you’re going to see for 1-2 chapters feel like they’ve got a depth to them that could sustain a novel.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Grandpappy’s Corner: How Did the Hippopotamus Get There? by Sohrab Rezvan, Kyana Mitchell (Illustrator): A Question No Parent Wants to Ask

By HCNewton

On August 2, 2023

In Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

How Did the Hippopotamus Get There?

by Sohrab Rezvan, Kyana Mitchell (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Flat Mountain Publishing
Publication Date: Jun 29, 2023
Format: PDF
Length: 40 pg.
Read Date: July 31, 2023

What’s How Did the Hippopotamus Get There? About?

Sophia is playing outside on the day before her birthday when an escaped Hippopotamus wanders into her yard. Sophia leaps to the only obvious conclusion (for a child)—it’s a birthday gift that appeared a day early. She falls in love immediately—and her dog seems to like him, too—naming him Fred.

Her parents aren’t so sure about this and spend the rest of the book wondering how the hippopotamus got into their treehouse, kitchen, bathroom, fireplace, etc.

And the fun ensues.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

Kyana Mitchell’s characters are adorable. I started to list a few particulars and ended up naming the whole cast—Sophia, Fred, Sophia’s parents, and Sparky (the dog)—all of them are adorable and full of personality. The illustrations leap off the page and are lively and bright, the details are funny (especially for the 5 and under crowd). There’s no way that these drawings don’t hold a young person’s attention.

Sure, sometimes the perspective is a little wonky—always intentionally, to make the story work (Fred changes sizes all the time). But if you’re reading this book and worrying about things like that, you’re missing the point.

Here’s a sample from the Publisher’s page (there are others, there, too)—if you click on it, you’ll be taken to a larger version:

How is it to Read Aloud?

This is great fodder for a parent who enjoys doing voices as they read—the parents in particular seem like a blast. The text is full of excited utterances and emotion, if you’re in the right mood, it’s going to be so much fun to read.

If you’re tired, you’re going to want to suggest that the child you read to finds something else, because this is going to take some effort to match the book (if you ask me).

So, what did I think about How Did the Hippopotamus Get There??

If Norman Bridwell taught us nothing else, he taught us that a little girl with an oversized pet interacting with normal-sized things is funny. And more funny if the parents aren’t necessarily on board with that. Rezvan and Mitchell have captured that spirit here.

There are no life lessons to be found, there’s no message, and there’s exactly 1 sweet line (and it really is sweet). The rest of it is just ridiculous fun. Which is the biggest thing I look for in a book like this, so color me satisfied.

Recommended.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the Author via BookSirens in exchange for this post and my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Grandpappy Icon

20 Books of Summer 2023: July Check-In

By HCNewton

On August 2, 2023

In Books, Currently Reading, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Urban Fantasy

Here’s a quick check-in for this challenge run by Cathy at 746 Books.

So far, I’ve read 11 of the 20—which puts me 2 behind last year (but 3 ahead of 2021, though). I should read at 2-3 over the rest of this week, so I’m feeling pretty good about where I am. I think I’ll have a week to spare.

Now I’ve only written about four of these books, so I’ve got my work cut out for me if I want to get caught up on these by the end of the Summer. It’s doable, but, I need to get to work on that.

✔ 1. The Curse of the Silver Pharaoh by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
2. Spirelli Paranormal Investigations: Episodes 1-3 by Kate Baray
3. The Lemon Man by Ken Bruton
4. The Flood Circle by Harry Connolly
✔ 5. Barking for Business by E.N. Crane
✔ 6. Random Sh*t Flying Through the Air by Jackson Ford (my post about it)
✔ 7. Eye of the Sh*t Storm by Jackson Ford
8. A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers by Jackson Ford
✔ 9. The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith
10. Stone of Asylum by Hilarey Johnson

✔ 11. Proxies by James T. Lambert
12. Teaching Moments by Troy Lambert
✔ 13. Stray Ally by Troy Lambert
✔ 14. Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley (my post about it)
15. Shadow Ranch by Rebecca Carey Lyles
✔ 16. Pure of Heart by Danielle Parker (my post about it)
✔ 17. The Worst Man by Jon Rance (my post about it)
18. However Long the Day by Justin Reed
✔ 19. Klone’s Stronghold by Joyce Reynolds-Ward (my post about it)
20. Fuzzwiggs: The Switcheroo by Amy Maren Rice

(subject to change, as is allowed, but I’m going to resist the impulse to tweak as much as I can).

20 Books of Summer '23 July Check In Chart

Klone’s Stronghold by Joyce Reynolds-Ward: Nothing—I mean Nothing—Is What It Seems In This Fantasy

By HCNewton

On August 1, 2023

In Fantasy, Fiction, Literary Locals

That’s the best of a dozen headlines for this post. Which tells you something about the other eleven.
Joyce Reynolds-Ward participated in a Q&A with me about Writing Near Southwest Idaho earlier this year, and I’ve finally found the time to read one of her novels. She’ll be back this afternoon for a Q&A about this book, but first, allow me to ramble on a bit about it.

Klone’s Stronghold

by Joyce Reynolds-Ward

DETAILS:
Publication Date: June 19, 2018
Format: eBook
Length: 226 pg.
Read Date: July 24-25, 2023

What’s Klone’s Stronghold About?

A year ago, Reeni escaped her abusive marriage—her ex-husband has turned into a stalker, he’s apparently a man of some status in the community and was able to get her fired from her job as a Special Ed teacher and Reeni’s on the verge of having to move a long way away just to find a new position. To add insult to injury, her family keeps trying to get her to reconcile with her ex.

Two dear friends convince her to attend a music festival with them—they love this band (she enjoys them, but isn’t going to be following them around like Deadheads). It’s a few days away from home, there’s no way that Karl is going to show up here. She needs some time in safety and peace to think about life. And if she happens to have a little fun? All the better.

Of course, it doesn’t work out. Karl shows up with some friends (or henchmen, your call). The band’s security takes care of them while Reeni finds a safe place to hide out. Before Karl had arrived, Reeni had struck up a friendship (or the beginning of one) with one of the security team—a supernatural of some kind. He comes to her with a proposal—he knows a guy who is working with a small group of supernatural people who are socially and educationally delayed, and are in need of a teacher to work on both areas. Due to the nature of their work and abilities, Karl won’t be able to approach her there; and she’ll get paid a very tidy sum if she commits for a few months in this out-of-the-way spot in the Eastern Oregon mountains.

Intrigued by the job—and desperate to get refuge—she agrees.

Because I’m struggling to finish this section, I’m just going to borrow from the official Description:

But things are not as they seem at the Stronghold, from the older proprietors of a nearby store and the Stronghold’s leader Alexander Reed Klone, to Reeni herself. She discovers it’s not just Karl who seeks to control who and what she is, but forces from her past that threaten her present. Can she learn the truth about herself and do what is needed in time to defend the Stronghold?

The Cozy That Could’ve Been

Sure, when Reynolds-Ward wrote this, cozy fantasy wasn’t really a thing (I’m sure it existed, but it was so far under the radar…), so it might not have crossed her mind to do this, but…

If she had abandoned the last 46% or so of the book and had just stuck with Reeni’s work in the classroom for a few months, letting us watch the progress she makes with her charges? I’d have been utterly charmed with it and would’ve likely enjoyed the novel more.

I’m not actually criticizing the last 46% of the book (most of it, anyway)—this is just a rabbit trail of a thought I had while reading this. That 46% results in a perfectly satisfying that I’m recommending, I’m just saying.

Now to try to turn this from an inadvertent criticism to something positive. I was interested in Reeni and her story and I was enjoying trying to figure out what was going on. But it was the moment that Reeni first started working with her students, connecting with them in a way that her employer didn’t see was possible that I got invested in this novel. I started caring about Reeni and her students then. Yes, the rest of the book was exciting, had magic flying about, secrets were revealed, and Big Things happened, etc. But the whole time, the back of my mind was asking—but what about the next week of lessons? When do we get back to that?

So, what did I think about Klone’s Stronghold?

I really could’ve focused on so many things here, Klone’s Stronghold is a target-rich environment for someone looking for things to write about. There’s Reeni’s attempts to escape her bad marriage, and worse husband. There’s her family’s reactions to her divorce (it’s eventually explained, but it makes it worse). There’s a twisting of religion. There’s something to explore with her great friends—new and old. You could go on and on about the supernatural species (or whatever you want to call them). But for various and sundry reasons I have to move on. Also, this could end up being 40 pages long if I let myself. You want a novel to inspire all kinds of rabbit trails for you to follow while reading? Look no further.

There are a couple of moments in the latter half of the book that I’m not sure we needed. Or at least we didn’t need all that Reynolds-Ward gave us. It’s tricky to talk about without spoiling—but it’s in the parts where Reeni is helped to understand what she learns about her background and family. Most of this section is really well done—and it’s all interesting. But parts of this take up a whole lot more space than I think they needed to—it dragged the story down, and didn’t illuminate much. With some trimming I wouldn’t have said anything at all.

Other than that, I found the pacing really well done—there’s a lot that Reeni goes through here—and the rate at which she experienced it and had to figure out how to deal with all she goes through was really well done—not just for Reeni, but for the reader.

There are so many scenes that make you stop and bask in them. Reynolds-Ward puts you in this world, and even when you’re trying to figure out exactly what’s happening because (for example) you haven’t worked out all the various kinds of supernatural beings there are—you can see and understand enough that it doesn’t matter.

I know that this wasn’t intended to be a series (or at least it didn’t become one)—and I don’t want to complain about a stand-alone (phew! Plotlines I don’t have to remember for books on end! I’m not signing up for a multi-year commitment!). But boy howdy, do I wish I could spend more time in this world. The general store (or whatever it should be called) and its owners along with the Stronghold and those that live there have all the makings of a setting you want to return to—even the band would be great to spend more time with.

That said, this was a very satisfying story that absolutely doesn’t end anywhere near where you think it will after the first couple of chapters. (which, incidentally makes it really hard to talk about).

I recommend this for people who want a very atypical fantasy (that brushes against SF, but not really) in a contemporary setting. Readers of Bledsoe’s Tufa novels might resonate with this. It’s a nice breath of fresh air. This is my first novel by Reynolds-Ward, but it won’t be my last (I’ve already got the next one picked out…and probably the one after that, too).

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Literary Locals logo

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Crime Fiction

By HCNewton

On July 28, 2023

In Books, Miscellany, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/28/23)

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

In addition to the Q&As and Guest Posts I have this week, I’m also continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—just a sentence or two. Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Last, but certainly not least for this week, my apparent specialty: Crime Fiction–vigilantes, police, private eyes, people who have no business at all near a crime…you name it, I love this stuff. This tl;dr list also proves that I was right to break these lists down by genre.

bullet Kind Hearts and Martinets by Pete Adams—a near-to-retirement D. I. with a rag-tag team investigates terror threats, murders, and bike thefts.
bullet Cause and Effect: Vice Plagues the City (my post about it)
bullet Irony in the Soul (my post about it)
bullet Cats, Cannolis and a Curious Kidnapping by Cheryl Denise Bannerman—a mystery writer finds herself the target of a kidnapper and has to employ everything her characters have done to save her own life. Which sounds more dire than this cute novel actually ever achieves. (my post about it)
bullet The City That Barks and Roars by J. T. Bird—Anthropomorphic animals in a 1950s-esque civilization, a pair of detectives hunting for a missing colleague. (my post about it)
bullet Death Stalks Kettle Street by John Bowen—a man with pretty severe OCD is sure that people in his neighborhood are being killed, but the authorities don’t see it–and his turn is coming. (my post about it)
bullet DI Hannah Robbins by Rebecca Bradley—DI Hannah Robbins novels follow Robbins and her team as they solve murders–she’s got a great team and the novels have some of the best hooks around.
bullet The Twisted Web (my post about it)
bullet Kill for Me (my post about it)
bullet Dead Blind by Rebecca Bradley—A Detective adjusting to prosopagnosia (“face blindness”) tries to keep the condition under wraps while leading his team investigating an international organ smuggling ring. Great hook, strong execution. (my post about it)
bullet The Butcher by Nathan Burrows—a darkly comic tale about brothers struggling to keep their farm and butcher shop alive, until they develop a new sausage recipe. (my post about it)
bullet The Shoulders of Giants by Jim Cliff—A rookie P.I. (inspired more by fiction than reality), is on the hunt for a missing college student. (my post about it)
bullet Bad Memory by Jim Cliff—this novella finds Jake Abraham looking into an old closed case and forces it open. (my post about it)
bullet Don’t Get Involved by F J Curlew—a slow burn of a novel about some street kids in Kyiv who find a large amount of drugs and a Scottish teacher in town to help their schools. (my post about it)
bullet Criminal Collective by Russell Day—a collection of short stories and a novella from one of my favorite crime writers. (my post about it)
bullet Jeremy Barnes by Robert Germaux—tired of teaching, Jeremy Barnes becomes a P.I. These books have a very Spenser-vibe to them and are great comfort food.
bullet Hard Court (my post about it)
bullet In the Eye (my post about it)
bullet Small Bytes (my post about it)
bullet Daniel Hays Mysteries by Robert Germaux—Daniel Hays heads the Special Assignment Squad —- a Major Crimes squad set up to help smaller cities in the county around Pittsburgh–hunts down serial killers in these entertaining thrillers.
bullet Small Talk (my post about it)
bullet One by One (my post about it)
bullet DC Smith Investigation by Peter Grainger—I’ve listened to these on audio, but the novels are self-published. Smith is a former DCI who’s voluntarily demoted down to Detective Sergeant so he can actually work cases–in his own idiosyncratic way. There is something indescribably charming about these books, I can see myself re-reading these for years.
bullet An Accidental Death (my post about it)
bullet But For the Grace (my post about it)
bullet Luck and Judgement (my post about it)
bullet Persons of Interest (my post about it)
bullet In This Bright Future (my post about it)
bullet The Rags of Time (my post about it)
bullet Time and Tide (my post about it)
bullet A Private Investigation (my post about it)
bullet The Truth (my post about it)
bullet King’s Lake Investigations by Peter Grainger—I’ve listened to these on audio, but the novels are self-published. This series tells what happens after DS Smith leaves Kings Lake, following those he trained and left as they form the backbone of the new Murder Squad. They’re just as good.
bullet Songbird (my post about it)
bullet On Eden Street (my post about it)
bullet Roxanne (my post about it)
bullet Catch & Neutralize by Chris Grams—Members of a vigilante group that takes down criminals who’ve gotten away with crimes against women and children find themselves in a very hairy situation. (my post about it)
bullet Fatal Forgery by Susan Grossey—as 19th Century British Policing begins to take a new shape, a magistrate’s constable investigates a new kind of financial crime. (my post about it)
bullet DoubleBlind by Libby Fischer Hellmann—a PI looks into suspicious deaths following COVID vaccines while dealing with people who think she’s a wife who ran away from a cult. Eventually, she has to stop and figure out what’s going on with her doppelgänger for her own sake. (my post about it)
bullet The Secret of Rosalia Flats by Tim W. Jackson—following the death of his father, a man returns to his Caribbean island childhood home to look into what happened. (my post about it)
bullet Afton Morrison by Brent Jones—the story of a Children’s Librarian with impulses to become a serial killer. No really. It’s twisted. It’s fun. It has some heart, too.
bullet Go Home, Afton (my post about it)
bullet See You Soon, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Nice Try, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Time’s Up, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Harvested by Troy Lambert—a PI starts looking into a rash of dognappings sweeping across Seattle and uncovers something chilling. (my post about it)
bullet Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley—I maybe should’ve included this on the Fantasy and UF lists, too. But Lawley describes these as cozy mysteries, so I’ll stick with that. The owner of an artisan candy shop is arrested by magic police for selling cursed items that have been used to kill someone. It’s a rough way to learn that magic exists. She works with the detective to find the actual killer to clear her name. (my post about it)
bullet Cooking for Cannibals by Rich Leder—an Ex-con trying to go straight, a behavioral gerontologist, and a group of senior citizens get into hot water with an experimental drug and competing criminal organizations. (my post about it)
bullet Let There Be Linda by Rich Leder—I can’t sum this up in a sentence or two–a comic crime novel set in L.A. full of interweaving plotlines. (my post about it)
bullet McCall & Company: Workman’s Complication by Rich Leder—a struggling actress takes over her late father’s P.I. Agency (my post about it)
bullet The Lion’s Tail by Luna Miller, Aidan Isherwood (Translator)—a retired physician turns to a new career as a P.I. An early case turns out to be too much for her to tackle on her own and she recruits some help from people in her neighborhood, creating her own Baker Street Irregulars. (my post about it)
bullet San Diego Dead by Mark Nolan—a modern-day privateer and his dog are on the run from a vengeful drug mob. (my post about it)
bullet How the Wired Weep by Ian Patrick—you’re not going to see me say something negative about a Patrick novel, but this one is special. a Gut-wrenching, taught look at a police informant and his detective handler as they try to take down a local drug lord. (my post about it)
bullet The Warrior Series by Ty Patterson—Once upon a time, I think we’d call these books “Men’s Adventure” novels. Former Delta operative (and some friends) now run a covert-ops group.
bullet The Warrior (my post about it)
bullet The Reluctant Warrior (my post about it)
bullet Dead Down East by Carl Schmidt—a part-time PI gets sucked into investigating the death of his state’s governor (my post about it)

If you’re a self-published author that I’ve featured on this blog and I didn’t mention you in this post and should have. I’m sorry (unless you’re this guy). Please drop me a line, and I’ll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.
Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2023 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Urban Fantasy

By HCNewton

On July 28, 2023

In Books, Fiction, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, Urban Fantasy

(updated 7/28/23)

Today we’re going to be looking at Self-Published Urban Fantasy. Magic-users of various stripes, creatures that’ll push your imagination, and more dragons than show up on my Self-Published Fantasy list, believe it or not. There’s a lot to dig into here.

bullet Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron—A nice-guy dragon learns how to get by in a dragon-eat-dragon world with the help of a human mage on the lamb from the mob. (my post about it)
bullet Justice Calling by Annie Bellet—a magic user on the run, living among a bunch of shape-shifters, is accused of killing some. She works to clear her name, save her friends, and stay off the radar of those hunting for her. (my post about it)
bullet Hostile Takeover by Cristelle Comby—a P.I. who is the emissary of Hades’ daughter on Earth investigates some mysterious deaths. (my post about it)
bullet Bad Little Girls Die Horrible Deaths and Other Tales of Dark Fantasy by Harry Connolly—a collection of short stories that I still think about. (my post about it)
bullet Twenty Palaces by Harry Connolly—I loved this UF series, but sadly was one of the few who read it. After the publisher declined to keep going with it Connolly has published a prequel and a sequel—with more on the way.
bullet Twenty Palaces—the prequel to the whole thing (my post about it)
bullet The Twisted Path (my post about it)
bullet The Iron Gate—catches up with our heroes and throws them into a life-changing situation (even for people in their…circumstances), a great way to resume the series. (my post about it)
bullet Ella Grey Series by Jayne Faith. A minor demon hunter in a slightly-futuristic Boise finds herself tangling with some major powers.
bullet Stone Cold Magic (my post about it)
bullet Dark Harvest Magic (my post about it)
bullet Demon Born Magic (my post about it)
bullet Blood Storm Magic (my post about it)
bullet Bloodlines by Peter Hartog—an Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction/Detective mashup in a world that looks not dissimilar from Scott’s Blade Runner, powered by magic, and that has pan-dimensional aliens walking around. (my post about it)
bullet Pieces of Eight by Peter Hartog—the sequel to Bloodlines and continues to expand our understanding of this world while delivering a great story. I haven’t finished my post on this, so I can’t link to it. But you’re going to want to read this book.
bullet Fred, The Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes. The misadventures of a vampire accountant and his increasingly diverse and lethal band of friends trying to make their way in the world.
bullet The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant (my post about it)
bullet Undeath & Taxes (my post about it)
bullet Bloody Acquisitions (my post about it)
bullet The Fangs of Freelance (my post about it)
bullet Deadly Assessments (my post about it)
bullet Undeading Bells (my post about it)
bullet Out of House and Home (my post about it)
bullet Terra Chronicles by JC Jackson. Another SF/Urban Fantasy mix (I didn’t realize how many of these I read until I did this post) about the adventures of an Elven arcanist and her paladin partner working for a Law Enforcement agency.
bullet Twisted Magics (my post about it)
bullet Shattered Illusions (my post about it)
bullet Twice Cursed (my post about it)
bullet Conjured Defense (my post about it)
bullet Mortgaged Mortality (my post about it)
bullet Divine and Conquer (my post about it)
These next three series are hard to talk about, they’re sort of one series, sort of separate (actually, there are four threads, but I haven’t gotten to the last one yet)…
bullet The Guild Codex: Demonized by Annette Marie. A woman with plenty of theoretical and no practical magical knowledge finds herself bound to a rare and very powerful demon.
bullet Taming Demons for Beginners (my post about it)
bullet Slaying Monsters for the Feeble (my post about it)
bullet Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped (my post about it)
bullet The Guild Codex: Spellbound by Annette Marie. A bartender with an anger-management (and therefore staying employed) problem finds herself working for a Mage Guild.
bullet Three Mages and a Margarita (my post about it)
bullet Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (my post about it)
bullet Two Witches and a Whiskey (my post about it)
bullet Demon Magic and a Martini (my post about it)
bullet The Alchemist and an Amaretto (my post about it)
bullet Druid Vices and a Vodka (my post about it)
bullet The Guild Codex: Warped by Annette Marie, Rob Jacobsen. A former two-bit criminal gets pulled into helping the MPD police magic users.
bullet Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors (my post about it)
bullet Hellbound Guilds & Other Misdirections (my post about it)
bullet Pure of Heart by Danielle Parker—a sole werewolf and her family try to keep her secret under wraps and keep her wolf side from hurting anyone in this small Colorado town. (my post about it)
bullet Ree Reyes series by Michael R. Underwood. Ree’s a barista and comic shop worker with ambitions of becoming a screenwriter. She inadvertently finds herself in a world of magic powered by Geekomancy “A style of magic where your love of pop culture becomes the source for amazing abilities – from bringing props to life to borrowing amazing skills from your favorite movies.” These were originally published by others, but Underwood has the rights back and is putting them out in new editions.
bullet Geekomancy (This came out before the blog, so check out my Goodreads review)
bullet Celebromancy (This came out before the blog, and I apparently didn’t write anything about it)
bullet Attack the Geek (my post about it)
bullet Hexomancy (my post about it)
bullet Arcane Casebook series by Dan Willis—This series is set in the 1930s about a P.I. who practices rune magic. Think Depression-era Harry Dresden mixed with Al MacBharrais.
bullet In Plain Sight (my post about it)
bullet Ghost of a Chance (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2023 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with JCM Berne About Self-Publishing

By HCNewton

On July 28, 2023

In A Few Quick Questions With..., JCM Berne, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, The Hybrid Helix

Inside Scoop logo
I’ve talked about him all week, and now it’s time to hear from the man himself, JCM Berne. Without his help, there’d have been a lot less for you to read and me to post this week. And as anyone who has read his fiction, watched his Youtube videos, or has interacted with him in any way will expect, this particular entry in the series is as fun to read as it is useful and informative. Without further ado:

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
I am JCM Berne. I write superhero stories. For grownups. No, they’re not silly. No, they’re not deconstructions. Or anti-heroes. Or gritty. Or hyper violent. Yes, they’re for grownups, I said that already. Yes, I’m serious. Yes there are bears, and sentient space stations, and giant bug monsters. No, really, none of it is silly.

It’s a story about regret and redemption, humor and happiness, coffee and donuts. Some people call it slice-of-life, but there are some war crimes and mass murders, so it’s not exactly cozy fantasy.

My website: jcmberne.com (shocking, I know!)

My books can be found at: https://a.co/d/5LoNrHZ

Best place to talk to me is twitter (my DMs are open!): @joeberne1

What are some of the biggest misconceptions you find that readers have about self-published books?
I’ll summarize it like this: people know that in, say, fantasy, Tor, Baen, Orbit, and whoever else you consider the ‘real’ publishers are releasing a certain number of books each month. People imagine that those companies are actually getting the BEST books. That if those companies release 50 books, the BEST indie book that month is, at most, the 51st best book being released globally.

That is incredibly far from the truth. The major publishers are finding, at best, a fraction of the best books according to their own editorial taste.

If your taste doesn’t exactly align with the Tor (or Orbit or Baen) staff (and it probably doesn’t), the BEST book for you that month might be one that those companies have all passed over. Maybe you want something more original. Or less original! Or litRPG. Or a non-ironic superhero story! The big companies are only releasing books in a very narrow window of genre and style.

Additionally, the process of getting a book through slush piles and into an editor’s hands is so onerous and so luck-dependent that there’s a good chance the best book in any given month was never even looked at by an agent, let alone an acquiring editor at Tor.

If you can find review outlets that you trust, you might find that THEY find better books than Tor can ever manage.

The second set of misconceptions is that self-published books are low quality – more typos, ugly covers, poor editing, etc. This is absolutely true some of the time, but it’s not hard to find self-published books of higher objective quality than trades. It just varies more (the worst self-published books are much, much lower quality, because there’s no gatekeeping at all).

What kind of costs are associated with self-publishing a book? Do you hire one or more editors, or one editor for a couple of passes? Cover artist? Anyone to help with layout, design, etc.? Beta readers? Or do you take it all on yourself? Are you actually making any money at this, or are you still focused on breaking-even while building an audience?
Cover: as low as $50 – but you’d have to be very lucky to find one that cheap that matches your book and still looks decent. Really good covers are very findable in the $1000 range. I spend over $4k on mine (which is probably a really poor investment, but I’m not a smart businessperson).

Editing: Varies. Most self-published authors writing GOOD books are hiring a line editor and copy editor and getting some developmental editing done (I am an exception, I don’t use developmental editors, because I’m just that arrogant). Minimum $1000 for a book and usually closer to $2-4k.

Layout and design – some people hire this out, but there’s software like Atticus ($100 lifetime purchase) that make it really easy to do.

Beta readers – people do hire beta readers, who cost a lot less than editors (usually under $100 for a beta read). Hiring beta readers is a lot less common than just trading with other writers.

Audio narrator: some people do this themselves, but a good audio narrator is around $200+ per finished hour. My book, for example, was about 13 hours. You can go higher.

Marketing: That’s the open-ended part. Blog tours, ads on amazon, newsletters, etc. You can spend absolutely any amount.

I am not making any money at this. Some indie authors are. Some support themselves doing this – more often those in high volume genres, like romance. I hear about indie authors hitting seven figure incomes (I assume that’s US dollars, not rupees or anything). I personally am eager to one day come close to recouping what I’ve already spent (nowhere near it).

Are there tools, mentors, websites you’ve found to help you through this process? Or did you stumble through blindly on your own?
I figured out a lot of it myself. I had early mentors in Ande Li and Maurice Alvarez, who I talked to because they’re friends in real life who had been publishing books for a while!

Once I got a foothold in the community, I got a LOT more help from authors on various Discord servers. I’ve found self published authors very willing to share advice and strategies. It’s a bizarrely supportive community.

How do you juggle marketing/PR/etc. with writing new work? (along with day jobs, family, hobbies, etc., etc.)
I keep telling myself it’s cheaper, and less time consuming, than a drug addiction. Not sure it’s true, but that’s what I tell myself. (that’s the second time someone’s said that—or words to that effect—today. I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad sign that multiple people think this way)

What made you decide that self-publishing was the direction you wanted to go? How often do you question that choice? How do you get through the self-doubt?
Honestly, I spent a small amount of time trying to find agents that might be interested in my book and got nowhere. It’s possible that some are out there and I just couldn’t find them. Believe me, if I thought I could have gotten a contract from Tor, I would have. I also feel my particular book doesn’t pitch well. I’ve never been able to come up with a brief (1 sentence) description that sounded anything other than a bit dumb. My strength obviously isn’t marketing!

I almost never question that choice, in the sense that to this day I still can’t come up with a good pitch for my book, and I don’t think there’s a route to a traditional contract that would have ever worked for me.

If I had held out for that, I’d be waiting still, and I wouldn’t have the readers I have, who I treasure.

Have you thought about trying to get a deal with major (or indie) publishers for upcoming works, or are you planning on sticking with self-publishing?
I have an independent book coming soon that pitches well (Taken, if it starred Michelle Yeoh and was set on Cradle – a retired monster hunter wrecks a continent when her children are kidnapped.) I tried to get a deal and failed. I’m not sure the patience for that anymore – especially when I’m in a position where I can get literally hundreds of people to read my next book with a few tweets.

Odds are, you’re doing this from love/passion, not to pay the bills. What keeps you going? I’m assuming there are more “who”s than “what”s, actually—who is it?
It creates plenty of bills… not paying any of them yet! While I do dream of making a profit at some point, I’m pretty happy with what’s going on right now.

I love to tell stories. I love crafting them, the slow reveal, figuring out ways to change the emotional impact. I constantly make up stories, even if it’s just in my own head.

Writing is, for me, incredibly fulfilling for that reason!

I tell people this: if you don’t have to write, don’t. It’s frustrating, time consuming, and difficult. If you aren’t driven to do it, don’t punish yourself! But if you’re compelled to write, then by all means, become an author. Just don’t quit your day job!

Self-publishing tends to have fewer external deadlines keeping one accountable. How do you maintain your work process or work ethic?
I have a system.

I book slots with my line editor, who usually fills her schedule 4-6 months in advance. Then I am forced to finish my books to get them to her.

Because I love my line editor (she makes my books more authentically mine than I can manage on my own), I am deeply afraid of disappointing her, so it works!

I do not recommend this system. Do as I say, not as I do.

If you were to start the process over with the experience you have now, what would you do differently?
I would probably write a different genre. Superheroes are a tough sell, much tougher than I expected, and getting readers to take my books seriously is hard (I’m surprised you read it, HC, given what you generally review) [Really? I loves me some good super-hero stuff, I need to do better at talking about that]. On the other hand, this genre is what I really love, so maybe I’d have decided to go with it regardless, and just had lowered expectations.

Maybe that’s what I’d do differently: moderate my expectations.

How do you decide a book is finally finished and ready? (or how do you avoid “perfection as the enemy of good”?)
This is the tricky thing!

I set a deadline – usually announcing things on twitter, or booking a slot with my line editor – and just try to get it as good as it can get before then. But you have to couple that sort of process with a willingness to bail (and eat the editorial cost, or kill some of the buzz you’ve generated) if the product you have really isn’t up to par.

So far, I haven’t done that. It helps that my goal is a really fulfilling series, not a really fulfilling book, and I remind myself that every series has some subpar entries. But really it just takes an enormous amount of confidence, earned or not, to release a book, and you just have to do it.

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it! And do know that there are many of us out here who appreciate and applaud what you do (and our number is growing)!
Thank YOU so much! Reviewers and influencers are all that stand between relative obscurity and complete obscurity for us authors! (Sorry, I wrote that sentence wrong, then read what it said, and it’s too funny for me to fix). Writing is inherently communicative. Having readers who really understand what I was trying to do in my books is what makes writing them worthwhile, and to be honest, I only KNOW they ‘got’ the meaning when I can read an actual review. Not that a buy or a star rating aren’t great – they are – but it doesn’t mean as much.

Be sure to give The Hybrid Helix (and anything else Berne puts out) a try!

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
The 2023 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Science Fiction

By HCNewton

On July 27, 2023

In Books, Fiction, Miscellany, News/Misc., Science Fiction, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/27/23)

Today we’re going to be looking at Self-Published Science Fiction. Old tropes in new garb, fresh ideas, and a creativity that astounds. These authors are well worth your time and money.

bullet Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne—if I start talking about this, I’m not sure how to stop. There’s a retired super-hero/super soldier working a menial job on a space station. There’s a revenge story. There are aliens that look like talking bears. It’s just so much fun. (my post about it)
bullet The Elites by Matt Cowper—a Batman-esque figure rebuilds a government-sponsored team of heroes. They take on super-villains of all stripes and even an alien invasion.
bullet The World Savers (my post about it)
bullet Rogue Superheroes (my post about it)
bullet Nightfall (my post about it)
bullet Children of the Different by S. C. Flynn—a very different kind of YA take on post-apocalypse life in Austrailia. (my post about it)
bullet Full Metal Superhero by Jeffery H. Haskell—a young technical genius who lost the use of her legs in the accident that cost her parents their lives creates an Iron Man-esque suit and starts fighting crime in the hopes to be recruited into an Avengers/Justice League-type team. I’ve frequently talked on the blog (and even in this series of posts) about being frustrated that I haven’t caught up with a series. This one really gets to me. There’s also a spin-off series that looks great.
bullet Arsenal (my post about it)
bullet Unstoppable Arsenal (my post about it)
bullet Super Powereds: Year 1 by Drew Hayes—The first in a series about a group of freshmen in a college-level Super-Hero Training program. (my post about it)
bullet Darkside Earther by Bradley Horner—this is a series about a privileged group of teens trying to get through school and into adulthood while on a space station orbiting Earth. Their parents are the elite of humanity and are trying to mold their children into very different types of leaders.
bullet Darkside Earther (my post about it)
bullet Degrading Orbits (my post about it)
bullet Saul by Bradley Horner—a professor of nanotech tries to save his daughter in the middle of a global catastrophe. (my post about it)
bullet Billy in Space by Harry L-B—Billy has been given telekenetic abilities, and instead of becoming the government agent he’d aspired to, he’s become a human forklift in a spaceship’s warehouse. Not glamorous at all, but it’s a job. Then an alien race attacks his ship. Then space pirates do, too. And then things get bad. You’ll also witness a really bad first date. I should stress that this is a comedy. (my post about it)
bullet Proxies by James T. Lambert—Jair Howard has some big challenges ahead of him–he has to deal with his mother, he has to fix his relationship with his girlfriend, he has to prove someone hacked into the military’s computers, then he has to prove it wasn’t him–oh yeah, and prevent interstellar war. His mother might be the biggest problem, really. I just finished reading the book and haven’t finished my post, but you’ll want to give it a look.
bullet Duckett & Dyer: Dicks For Hire by G.M. Nair—This story felt like the love child of Dirk Gentley’s Holistic Detective Agency (the Douglas Adams version) and Comedy Central’s Corporate, but sweeter. A pair of old friends-turned multi-dimensional P.I.s tackle a missing persons case. (my post about it)
bullet Serengeti by J.B. Rockwell—a damaged warship—and the AI who operates it—attempts to rejoin the fleet.
bullet Serengeti (my post about it)
bullet Dark and Stars (my post about it)
bullet Please Return to the Lands of Luxury by Jon Tilton—an MG Dystopian thriller. There’s a fantastic world here—a very plausible one, too. The story is hard to sum up in a sentence or two, but this would be a great read for an MG reader who’s able to read some unpleasantness (and a lot of wholesome and hope-filled moments, too). (my post about it)
bullet The FATOFF Conspiracy by Olga Werby—Americans have lost the war on obesity and all but the elitist of the elite are dangerously obese (while tucking away a good portion of that fat into a pocket dimension), in pain, struggling, dying young, and yet eating almost constantly. (my post about it)
bullet Genrenauts by Michael R. Underwood—Parallel to our world are various worlds populated by fictional characters in a wide variety of genres (Western, SF, Romance, etc), and when things go wrong in the stories, things go wrong in our world. n this world, there are a number of teams of story specialists who shift to the other worlds to fix the stories and set things back on course here. The first two novellas in this series were published by Tor, but after that, Underwood took it over himself.
bullet The Cupid Reconciliation (my post about it)
bullet The Substitute Sleuth (my post about it)
bullet The Failed Fellowship (my post about it)
bullet Genrenauts: The Complete Season One Collection—a compendium of all the novellas/stories in Season 1. (my post about it)
bullet The Data Disruption—a Season One Prequel (my post about it)
bullet The Wasteland War—Season Two kicks off (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2023 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Fantasy

By HCNewton

On July 26, 2023

In Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/26/23)

Today we’re going to be looking at Self-Published Fantasy. These are some of the most imaginative, creative, and enjoyable Fantasy novels I’ve read since I started blogging. These authors approach this beloved genre in ways that surprise and inspire me. Check out these books, hopefully, you’ll find something good.

bullet Of Honey and Wildfires by Sarah Chorn—Chorn’s Western/Fantasy about…I don’t have room here. It’s beautiful prose, heartbreaking stories, and a stellar example of writing. (my post about it)
bullet Oh, That Shotgun Sky by Sarah Chorn—the follow-up to the above. A handful of people trying to come to grips with the new world they find themselves in. (my post about it)
bullet Seraphina’s Lament by Sarah Chorn—A planet is dying, political upheaval, and the dawn of a new reality. One of the most brutal reads in recent memory (and one of the most disturbing covers!). I absolutely loved it and would be literally counting down the days until the sequel if I knew the date. (my post about it)
bullet One Man by Harry Connolly—A man hiding from his past, becomes a one-man army trying to save a kidnapped mother and daughter. (my post about it)
bullet Toby and the Silver Blood Witches by Sally Doherty—A young boy who takes care of his seriously ill mother, gets the suprise of a lifetime when a witch crashes into his attic and asks for his help! It’s a fun MG adventure. (my post about it)
bullet Haven by Ceril N Domac—a family in a slightly grimmer (and future) version of the U.S. has to go on the run to a safe settlement when they start to display signs of being more than human. (my post about it)
bullet The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington—A Loremaster conducts a series of interviews with Fantasy heroes, and others, to find and describe the essence of heroism. A thoughtful look at the idea is buried under jokes that will appeal to Fantasy Readers and RPG Players in particular-but many others, too. I had a great time with this. (my post about it)
bullet The Story of Lucius Cane: Book One by Vanya Ferreira—a mildly atypical vampire goes up against a lycanthrope-ish rogue in 1794. (my post about it)
bullet The Blackwood Saga by Layton Green—three brothers from New Orleans travel to a fantasy version of Earth and have to fight their way back home. (I haven’t finished this series yet, and it’s driving me crazy)
bullet The Brothers Three (my post about it)
bullet The Last Cleric (my post about it)
bullet The Spirit Mage (my post about it)
bullet The Knight Revenant by Adam Holcombe—this short story introduces Gam Gam the Necromancer in a fantastic way. (my post about it)
bullet A Necromancer Called Gam Gam by Adam Holcombe—a newly orphaned child finds refuge with a knitting Necromancer in a fun adventure, that isn’t afraid to explore other emotional environments. (my post about it)
bullet Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani—a street thief/revolutionary finds herself over her head after her latest mission. A fast and fascinating read. (my post about it)
bullet A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher—A 14-year-old young woman whose magic controls baked goods is the only thing standing between her city and an invading army. You know, that old yarn. It’s delightfully charming. (my post about it)
bullet The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex: The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse by K.R.R. Lockhaven—A group of magic users summons a dragon into 21st Century U.S. and immediately lose control over it. Heroics and hilarity ensue. It’s part corporate-satire, part fantasy-trope satire, part celebration of those same tropes, and all very funny. (my post about it)
bullet Mrs. Covington’s by K.R.R. Lockhaven—This book about friendship and nachos describes a young man looking to get out from his weathly father’s shadow who ends up buying a capybara-themed pub and running it with his new friends. There’s also a treasure hunt. Warm fuzzies, kindness, and good times ensue. (my post about it)
bullet Zoth-Avarex’s Escape Plan: A Pick-Your-Own-Path Experience by K.R.R. Lockhaven—A short Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style sequel about what happens to the dragon after the novel. (my post about it)
bullet The Culling by M. T. Miller—a bleak fantasy world is beset by monsters, and The Culling is a committed group of warriors wandering the countryside to fight them. These are dark books, but so fun to read.
bullet Apex Predator (my post about it)
bullet Brotherhood of the Worm (my post about it)
bullet The Nameless Chronicle by M. T. Miller—humanity struggles in a desolate, post-apocalyptic world. One man rises to fight the despots ruling them. He suffers, he bleeds, he dies. He just can’t seem to stay dead.
bullet Ascent (my post about it)
bullet Bedlam (my post about it)
bullet Risen (my post about it)
bullet A Strange Chemistry (my post about it)
bullet Strife (my post about it)
bullet The Complete Nameless Chronicle—the series is now published in one “boxed set” eBook
bullet Sir Thomas the Hesitant and the Table of Less Valued Knights by Liam Perrin—a wholesome and comedic Arthurian tale about knights not quite good enough for the Round Table (my post about it)
bullet An Unexpected Afterlife by Dan Sofer—wide-scale resurrection of the dead causes more than a few problems for everyone in modern Israel. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2023 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Steampunk

By HCNewton

On July 25, 2023

In Books, Fiction, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, Steampunk

(updated 7/25/23)

Today we’re going to be looking at Self-Published Steampunk. This list doubled this year. Okay, sure, that’s still not a lot. It hardly seems to justify a separate list. But I kept these on their own so they wouldn’t get lost in the SF mix. Consider this an open invitation for people to fill up my comment section with recommendations so I can post a longer version of this list next time I run this.

bullet The Curse of the Silver Pharaoh by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris—set in the same world as their Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series, this puts the adventurous group of homeless kids the Ministry uses in a private school to find an Egyptian artifact. I still need to write my post on it, but it’s worth your time.
bullet Bartleby and James: Edwardian Steampunk Chronicle by Michael Coorlim—these short stories are a nice little dose of Steampunk with a thin coating of Victorian P.I. Light fun. (my post about it)
bullet Bodacious Creed: A Steampunk Zombie Western by Jonathan Fesmire—the reanimated corpse of one of the most-feared lawmen in the West roots out a criminal organization set to rule California. (my post about it)
bullet Bodacious Creed and the Jade Lake by Jonathan Fesmire—Creed heads to SF and tangles with a human trafficking ring. (my post about it)
bullet Bodacious Creed and the San Francisco Syndicate by Jonathan Fesmire—Creed has settled into San Francisco and is on the hunt for an outlaw who uses machines to alter the bodies and minds of his victims. I haven’t read this yet, but I can’t pass up the chance to talk about it. Really looking forward to diving in.
bullet Aether Powered by James T. Lambert—A UW Engineering student inherits a trunkful of steampunk goodies from a distant relative. Action ensues. (my post about it)
bullet The Silk Empress by Josef Matulich—a brilliant and reckless British orphan finds himself on an airship on the Silk Road (well, technically, above it). It’s a rollicking adventure. (my post about it)
bullet The Golden Spider by Anne Renwick—a steamy Kraken-filled Steampunk story, lots of good action, and great inter-personal moments. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2023 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club