<img src="https://irresponsiblereader.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/irr-logo.png"> The Irresponsible Reader

On July 23, 2026

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

I had a longer intro written for this series of posts, but it ended up too long. (If you’re curious, it makes up a couple of paragraphs in my Welcome to Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week post). Here’s the compressed version:

One of the things that’s impressed me over the years is seeing the way that Self-Published Authors all tend to support each other. They don’t come across as competitors, you’re colleagues—teammates, almost. Once again this year for SPAAW, I’m exploiting that.

As an expression of that, I’ve asked some authors to promote 1-3 self-published works by someone else—to just give me a quick elevator pitch for them to help get the word out. Several of them replied with those lists (a few have resisted the call for particular titles and have just talked about some other authors–which is close enough for me). Naturally, I’ve asked them all for a quick bit about one of their books/series, too—they should get some attention as well, don’t you think?

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'Nikki McCormack Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

The Cozy Cottage Series

by Liz Delton
What do you get when you mix a cottage that grants wishes, a cast of charming characters, and a cat? A really delightful reading experience. Each book in the cozy cottage series follows a different character who discovers the magical cottage with its resident cat and makes something wonderful of it. A witch helping people with her brews. A young man curating a library for the locals. And the newest installment sees the cottage taking on the role of a tea shop. If you need a cozy escape from the real world, these books a delightful.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Buy the First Book on Bookshop.org

Beyond the Humming Downs

by Ellen Starsmore
A well-written, immersive fantasy tale of Adehl and Roh, a pair of star-crossed lovers willing to fight for their unexpected bond despite the odds stacked against them. With magic based on the concept of ellir, the energy within the world, and a richly imagined culture built around it, the setting is as engaging as the characters. If you enjoy an inspiring romance with plenty of nail-biting tension and excellent world-building, look no further.

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Self-Promotion by Nikki McCormack

The Warden’s Son (series)

At five years old, Kasiel was found with the pointed ends of his ears cut off. Despite that brutal start, he’s lived twelve peaceful years with the man who took him in. Keeping his hair long over his mutilated ears helps him hide the fact that he is Vanrian, a child of the enemy. Or so he believes until the day mercenaries arrive hunting for him. An epic fantasy series for readers who love psychic magic, creature companions, and found family set against the backdrop of a land torn by war between those who have magic and those who do not.

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Buy the First Book on Bookshop.org

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Feel free to head over to my Bookshop.org page to see all the books I’m featuring this week (this may spoil some of the other lists, you’ve been warned). At least as many of them that Bookshop.org sells, anyway.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

SPAAW ’26: Paul Regnier Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion

On July 23, 2026

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

I had a longer intro written for this series of posts, but it ended up too long. (If you’re curious, it makes up a couple of paragraphs in my Welcome to Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week post). Here’s the compressed version:

One of the things that’s impressed me over the years is seeing the way that Self-Published Authors all tend to support each other. They don’t come across as competitors, you’re colleagues—teammates, almost. Once again this year for SPAAW, I’m exploiting that.

As an expression of that, I’ve asked some authors to promote 1-3 self-published works by someone else—to just give me a quick elevator pitch for them to help get the word out. Several of them replied with those lists (a few have resisted the call for particular titles and have just talked about some other authors–which is close enough for me). Naturally, I’ve asked them all for a quick bit about one of their books/series, too—they should get some attention as well, don’t you think?

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'Paul Regnier Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

Jewel of The Stars. Season 1 Episode 1: The Remnant

by Adam David Collings
He has a sci-fi series called Jewel of the Stars. Imagine Battlestar Galactica meets Love Boat.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Self-Promotion by Paul Regnier

The Agency of Magic and Mythical Creatures

I published a middle grade fantasy last year called The Agency of Magic and Mythical Creatures. It’s a portal fantasy where 12 year old twins Kyle and Kenzie get pulled into a fantasy world. They must survive mythical beasts and dark magic to find a way back to their world.

Website ~ Instagram

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Feel free to head over to my Bookshop.org page to see all the books I’m featuring this week (this may spoil some of the other lists, you’ve been warned). At least as many of them that Bookshop.org sells, anyway.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

HC Chats with Michael R. Fletcher about Self-Publishing and some other stuff

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

In HC Chats, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, Uncategorized

Each year–at least each year that I remember–one of the things I try to talk about is the Publishing side of Self-Published Authors Appreciation. The Authoring bit gets all of the attention–and it’s easy to understand why. But–as I say in the videos this week–it’s the Publishing side that makes me admire and appreciate these authors more. This week I’ve been able to convince 4 (maybe 5–we’ll see how the week goes) authors to sit down with me and talk about their approach to the parts where they take their creative efforts and get them into the hands of the readers.

This evening, I’m chatting with Michael R. Fletcher, man of many genres, multiple series, and quite the experience in Self-Publishing. I enjoyed the conversation a lot and I appreciate his depth of experience. I hope you enjoy this chat almost as much as I did:

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Eternal Blades by Vlad V. Imakaev: A Tale of Wielders and Watchers

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

In Fantasy, Fiction, Literary Locals, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, YA/MG/Children's Books

Eternal Blades

by Vlad V. Imakaev

DETAILS:
Series: Maks Kolba, #1
Publication Date: October 5, 2025
Format: Paperback
Length: 252 pg.
Read Date: June 20-22, 2026

What’s Eternal Blades About?

In the middle of a nasty snowstorm, Maks Kolba tries to drive home from work and comes across dragon and a winged warrior of some sorts in the middle of an epic combat. He can’t believe his eyes, but he also has to get out and see what’s happening. He perhaps got a little too close—but no matter.

He wakes up the next day in his room—completely unscathed, but with a voice in his head. He’s apparently replaced the winged warrior in their multi-dimensional war against that dragon and its ilk.

Poor Maks now has to get used to this seemingly-permament voice in his head (think Roen and Tao) as he tries to understand his new abilities and powers, learns to combat his foes, successfully get the police to stop asking questions about that night in the storm, and to try to figure out what he’s going to do after he graduates from high school.

Senior years are just never easy…

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I met Imakaev at the Nampa Library’s Book Fair and not only was it a fun chat, his book seemed like it’d be plenty of fun.

I kept with it because it was a fast and engaging read—it didn’t take itself too seriously and had some fun with things—but it still treated the stakes as important. It was just an entertaining read.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

One of the things I appreciated most was the way a bunch of people got together to address a looming calamity. These people had little in common (some were open antagonistic toward each other), not all of them believed in the supernatural forces before their eyes—or that there was anything good that possibly could come from them. But a threat was there, and obvious, and they were able to set all of that aside to work for a common goal, and form some sort of bond over it. Bonds that might be tested—probably will be—and some may not stand up to the pressure. But still—a common goal was faced.

It’s easy to focus on division right now. It’s nice to see an example of the alternative—and a nice reminder that humans frequently act that way.

So, what did I think about Eternal Blades?

This was fun! A solid action-adventure for younger YA readers* with some cool supernatural aspects.

It’s easy to like these characters—even those who are a bit prickly. The supernatural system is pretty cool. The action scenes are well excuted and will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can. It took me very little time to decide that I could’ve read this in one sitting if I just had the time.

It feels like I should have a lot more to say, but…I really don’t. It’s a great intro to this universe, we get just enough of the supernatural world to entice and satisfy for the purposes of this book and to still have questions, and, welllll…basically, I want more of these, and I want them soon.

* Or readers who don’t get hung up on that kind of thing.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Literary Locals logo

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

SPAAW ’26: JCM Berne Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

I had a longer intro written for this series of posts, but it ended up too long. (If you’re curious, it makes up a couple of paragraphs in my Welcome to Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week post). Here’s the compressed version:

One of the things that’s impressed me over the years is seeing the way that Self-Published Authors all tend to support each other. They don’t come across as competitors, you’re colleagues—teammates, almost. Once again this year for SPAAW, I’m exploiting that.

As an expression of that, I’ve asked some authors to promote 1-3 self-published works by someone else—to just give me a quick elevator pitch for them to help get the word out. Several of them replied with those lists (a few have resisted the call for particular titles and have just talked about some other authors–which is close enough for me). Naturally, I’ve asked them all for a quick bit about one of their books/series, too—they should get some attention as well, don’t you think?

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'JCM Berne Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

The Prophet of Edan

by Philip Chase
An epic fantasy that seems to do what you expect until it absolutely doesn’t. The kind of deliberate pace, lavishness of description, and extensive worldbuilding you see in epic fantasy but with stunning twists that will knock your socks off.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

The Execution of Rooker Flynn

by AR Witham
This is a pirate adventure inside a portal fantasy that won’t let you go. Wonderful characters, fascinating story. The prequel novel (Legend of Black Jack) is almost YA but the Rooker Flynn trilogy definitely isn’t.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

Discovery

by J.A.J. Minton
Cosmic horror near-future story with incredible characters operating across a broad swath of a story. Jerry Springer meets Chthulhu. You won’t regret it.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Self-Promotion by JCM Berne

Hybrid Helix

Rohan just wants a peaceful life after a decade of combat, acting as a living weapon of mass destruction for the il’Drach Empire. Of course, that doesn’t happen, because that wouldn’t be much of a series, would it?

Website ~ Linktree ~ Buy the First Book on Bookshop.org

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Feel free to head over to my Bookshop.org page to see all the books I’m featuring this week (this may spoil some of the other lists, you’ve been warned). At least as many of them that Bookshop.org sells, anyway.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

SPAAW ’26: A.J. Calvin Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

I had a longer intro written for this series of posts, but it ended up too long. (If you’re curious, it makes up a couple of paragraphs in my Welcome to Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week post). Here’s the compressed version:

One of the things that’s impressed me over the years is seeing the way that Self-Published Authors all tend to support each other. They don’t come across as competitors, you’re colleagues—teammates, almost. Once again this year for SPAAW, I’m exploiting that.

As an expression of that, I’ve asked some authors to promote 1-3 self-published works by someone else—to just give me a quick elevator pitch for them to help get the word out. Several of them replied with those lists (a few have resisted the call for particular titles and have just talked about some other authors–which is close enough for me). Naturally, I’ve asked them all for a quick bit about one of their books/series, too—they should get some attention as well, don’t you think?

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'A.J. Calvin Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

Far Removed

by CB Lansdell
One of the most unique sci-fantasy books I’ve read in a long time. It’s dark and dystopian, but not without hope, and not a single character in the duology is human. There’s some pretty cool science/magic involved too. The second book just came out in June, and it’s excellent.

Website ~ Instagram ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

Metal

by J.F. Lawrence
I actually read this one a couple years ago, but it has stuck with me. It’s an apocalyptic story, where societal collapse occurs due to a metal-consuming strain of bacteria. Metal is a crucial component of our infrastructure and so many devices…imagine if all of that suddenly failed. It’s a book that makes you think, but also one that tells a great story.

Website ~ Twitter

A Black Dragon on Red

by P.L. Stuart
Usually when a series gets to book 6, I have a good idea of how the story is going to go. But this one surprised me (in a great way!) I fell in love with the series during book 1 – the Atlantis-inspired story drew me in, but the character work kept me coming back for more. A Black Dragon on Red wasn’t at all what I expected it to be going in, but it might be my favorite of the series so far.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Self-Promotion by A.J. Calvin

The Caein Legacy

The Caein Legacy is a complete, 4-book series that begins with Exile.

Andrew and Alexander both harbor secrets that, if exposed, would land them in line for the headsman’s axe. The kingdom’s laws regarding both magi and dragon-kind have rarely been enforced, but when the new king ascends the throne, the lax policy quickly begins to change. The king is uncompromising in the enforcement of the laws, even when those affected are blood relatives—his brother, Alexander, and his half-brother, Andrew.

When Alexander’s secret is revealed, Andrew must find a means to save him. The only option he is left with is making his own secret—that he is half-dragon—known to the world. When the kingdom learns the truth of their origins, the brothers are forced to flee. Their exile sparks a war, as others like them begin to fight for their right to exist.

Signed copies available at my website: https://ajcalvin.net/shop/

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Feel free to head over to my Bookshop.org page to see all the books I’m featuring this week (this may spoil some of the other lists, you’ve been warned). At least as many of them that Bookshop.org sells, anyway.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

SPAAW ’26: Shannon Knight Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

I had a longer intro written for this series of posts, but it ended up too long. (If you’re curious, it makes up a couple of paragraphs in my Welcome to Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week post). Here’s the compressed version:

One of the things that’s impressed me over the years is seeing the way that Self-Published Authors all tend to support each other. They don’t come across as competitors, you’re colleagues—teammates, almost. Once again this year for SPAAW, I’m exploiting that.

As an expression of that, I’ve asked some authors to promote 1-3 self-published works by someone else—to just give me a quick elevator pitch for them to help get the word out. Several of them replied with those lists (a few have resisted the call for particular titles and have just talked about some other authors–which is close enough for me). Naturally, I’ve asked them all for a quick bit about one of their books/series, too—they should get some attention as well, don’t you think?

Shannon Knight couldn’t limit herself to an elevator pitch (there’s always one)–unless you want to think of this as a lumbering frieght-elevator pitch in a very tall-building. But hey…I can roll with that.

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'Shannon Knight Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

The Seaglass Blade

by J.C. Snow
For fantasy lovers, I suggest J.C. Snow’s The Seaglass Blade, which uses a cultivation-style (xianxia) magical system in a setting reminiscent of the California coast.

Lush and lyrical, The Seaglass Blade tells a layered tale of love, family, and fighting for what you believe in.

The Seaglass Blade is somewhat of a departure from Snow’s previous duology, and, therefore, Snow fittingly wrote it as an entry book for new readers. There is a large cast of characters, and everyone has goals and backstories–some of those backstories are available in the prequels. The Seaglass Blade opens with an older woman, the First Master of the Crane Moon cultivation sect, preparing to meet her love, whom she has been living separately from for several years. We establish that the two women are not human and neither are their two adult children. In fact, none of these family members are the same type of fantasy entity, and the children are adopted. The Crane Moon sect is a school full of live-in students, and the other masters are also a couple (M/M). So, on one layer we have a love story dealing with all different types of love. On the romantic front, we have a long-established F/F couple with some relationship issues, but we also have the younger generation experiencing first love (M/M and F/F) and, a bit in the background, the other long-established couple (M/M). There’s also family responsibilities in all different directions and mentor-mentee relationships. A core theme is the concept of starting over represented by sea glass, which begins as one thing and becomes another. You can also see how the idea of being broken relates to this metaphor.

Aside from the emotional layers focused on interpersonal relationships, there is a great big adventure with attacking demons, demonic corruption, mysterious spells, and life-and-death consequences threatening our heroes at both the personal level and at a much more epic degree. Phoenixes, dragons, demons, and cultivational magic collide. The Seaglass Blade delivers many memorable characters to care for as they strive to reach their goals on personal and epic scales. After reading, you can carry this story in your heart as a reminder that we, too, are like seaglass.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Buy the book on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Other-Promotion on behalf of Shannon Knight
(okay, Knight didn’t want to do this part “There’s no need to advertise any of my books alongside it. I don’t want to water it down. Everything does not have to be about me. 🙂 You can drop a link to my website and call it good.” Which is awfully nice of her, but…)

Wish Givers

I haven’t read this one yet–which is odd, as it’s been at the top of my list longer than books by her that I have read. It’s a Fantasy title, summed up on her website as: “Wish Givers is an epic fantasy with a tropical island setting and themes of freedom, found family, and the pursuit of dreams.” This one looks good–as do all of her non-horror books (and probably those are good, too. But I’ll likely never know).

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Universal Book Link

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Feel free to head over to my Bookshop.org page to see all the books I’m featuring this week (this may spoil some of the other lists, you’ve been warned). At least as many of them that Bookshop.org sells, anyway.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Cover Reveal: The Wolf in the Lantern by Iseult Murphy

In Fiction, Science Fiction

I’m very pleased today to welcome the Cover Reveal for Iseult Murphy’s The Wolf in the Lantern to The Irresponsible Reader today. Murphy was nice enough to schedule this reveal during Self Published Authors Appreciation Week, so I’m able to stay on-brand 🙂

Before we see the cover, let’s learn a little bit about the book and author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment, and then we can all take a peak at the cover.

About the Book:

Quick Stats / Facts

- Title: The Wolf in the Lantern
- Author: Nicholas W Fuller
- Cover Design: Fabled Beast Designs
- Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
- Length: 90k words

Blurb

A buried past, a dangerous future, a fiery destiny.

Orphaned at a young age, Simone has never felt she belonged to the Champion class of her parents, despite her ability to work fire that far surpasses her peers. When Simone’s best friend is killed by fearsome beasts, Pyra, a magical flame wolf, visits Simone with a request. The flame wall that protects the town of Ember is failing, and the Dimmers – terrifying creatures that dwell in the wasteland beyond the fires – are breaking through. Only by finding and reuniting the three keys to Pyra’s power will the flame wall be strong enough to once again protect Ember and its inhabitants.

To aid Simone on her hunt, Pyra nudges her towards the reclusive Champion, Fisher, with his knowledge of a forgotten past, as well as Robin, the daughter of the Champion of Champions, who has fallen into a dark world of artisans and freemen in her desire for revenge.

As the three unearth the secrets hidden in the heart of Ember, enemies gather around them. Their search brings them closer to those who want the flame wall to fail, threatening the lives of Fisher and Robin, and forcing Simone to confront her destiny.

An exciting new epic fantasy from the author of The Mountains of Sorrow and Snowmane.

Goodreads ~ ARC Sign Up Link

About the Author

Iseult Murphy is an Irish multi-genre author. Her writing combines dark themes with a dose of humor to entertain and bring a new perspective on the complexities of life. She loves to explore how the most dangerous monsters wear the most pleasing masks. Her experience with chronic illness and mental health issues inspires her stories. She is the author of 7 Days in Hell, which was a finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards. She has published eleven books, and her short fiction has appeared in over forty publications, including Your Flight Has Been Cancelled from Little Ghost Press, and Aurealis. Find out more about her and her writing at https://iseultmurphy.com/ or https://ko-fi.com/iseultmurphy.

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Website ~ Ko-Fi ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Bookbub ~ Bluesky

Map of Ember

Click that map if you want a better look at the work of Adam Bassett, the illustrator. He can be found at his Website and Bluesky.

Character Art of Simone and Pyra

Character Art of Simone and Pyra
Illustrated by R. Blaylock, who can be found at Website and Bluesky.

and now…

The Cover

cover for The Wolf in the Lantern by Iseult Murphy

Kudos to Cover Designer Fabled Beast Designs, who can be found at their Website, Bluesky, and Twitter.

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

HC Chats with DB Rook about Self-Publishing and some other stuff