Tag: fantasy

The Wicked City, by Megan Morgan

The Wicked City, by Megan Morgan (Courtesy of Lyrical Press).
The Wicked City, by Megan Morgan (Courtesy of Lyrical Press).

Megan Morgan writes fantasy and paranormal romance. She’s an airport lounge bartender as well as a writer, and knows a thing or two about people. Her latest novel, The Wicked City, is the first book in the Siren Song series.

June Coffin is tired of the jokes about her name. She’s tired of people judging her for her tattoos and her smoking habits. She’s tired of being judged for being a Siren, able to influence people with her voice. But when her twin brother, Justin, is kidnapped by Chicago’s Institute of Supernatural Research, her attitude has a whole new focus.

Desperate to rescue Justin, June takes a walk on the dark side. To oppose her powerful enemies, she’ll need some powerful friends, so she teams up with a non-paranormal man who’s always supported paranormals. Too bad his wife just died, and June accidentally erased his memory. Oops. Her other teammate is a troublemaking paranormal leader who wants a little publicity for his cause, and isn’t afraid to go to great lengths to get it. With friends like these, what could possibly go wrong?

The Wicked City is a gritty paranormal romance with an intriguingly different premise. June is feisty and foul-mouthed, full of attitude, covered in tattoos and piercings, but she has a good heart and will stop at nothing to save her brother. The setting is dark,and the novel is steamy and sassy, with a twist.

(Galley provided by Lyrical Press via NetGalley.)

My Muse Left for Bora Bora

(I do not own this image. Image by Alquiler de Coches courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.)
(I do not own this image. Image by Alquiler de Coches courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.)

It’s funny to me, just how big an effect your brain can have on the creative process. Like, I have no problem at all with conjuring up worst-case scenarios. They often keep me awake at night, actually. You would think that being in a mental funk wouldn’t interfere with the brain’s ability to be creative, since it’s so good at picturing horrible things.

But that’s not true. Instead, for me, it seems to have the opposite effect:  if my mental state isn’t optimal, I can’t be creative to save my life. It just isn’t happening. The Muse goes on a (mental) vacation, and is not available for comment.

Currently, my Muse is probably on the beach somewhere in Bora Bora. Hammock. White sand. Blue water. Refreshing drink. Sounds about right…

Glad one of us is enjoying ourselves.

Vacations are Good for the Soul (and the Muse)

You know how I’ve decided not to worry about writing at all for the next four weeks, until the semester is over, so I don’t risk a brain meltdown? Turns out that taking an “official” break from writing has my Muse playing with story ideas.

Yep. True story.

Apparently, my Muse can’t wait to get back to work on Witches–which I haven’t looked at in years, and Chasing Shadows, which is more recent, but still not something I’ve thought about in like a year. Looks like I’ll be taking those two stories apart and revising them this summer. Plus working through HTTS with The Fall. I’m actually really excited about working on Witches. It was the first thing I started writing. I love the characters to pieces. I love the world. I love the plot. I even have the first draft of the second book written as well. I think the draft of Witches I have is over 300,000 words, though, so clearly there is a lot of work to be done, sigh.

But the Muse is stoked, and already at work in the back of my mind.

I can’t wait for the semester to be over!

Minutes Before Sunset, by Shannon A Thompson

(Shannon A Thompson, AEC Stellar Publishing, Inc)
(Shannon A Thompson, AEC Stellar Publishing, Inc)

Shannon A. Thompson is an Indie author who has published poetry, short fiction, and young adult novels.  She is currently working on her A Timely Death trilogy. The first book, Minutes Before Sunset, won a Goodreads award for Book of the Month.  Ms Thompson also pens a popular blog giving tips and advice to fellow writers.

Eric Welborn is a typical teenager in some ways—angst, family drama, wanting to do his own thing—but that’s where he and “typical” end.  He lives as a human during the day, but he has another, secret, life as well.  For Eric is also a shade, the first descendant of the Dark, destined to do battle for his people when he turns eighteen. But Eric isn’t sure just how true everything he’s been told about the Prophecy is, and his frustration makes him do things he really shouldn’t.

Like ditch his guard and wander off on his own, where the Light, ancient enemies of his people, could sense him and destroy him before the Prophecy could be fulfilled.  Eric meets a nameless shade who knows nothing about their people—or their world.  As he teaches her, he realizes she’s far more powerful than she should be.  Which means everything he’s thought was true for his entire life is a lie.  Now Eric doesn’t know what to believe, or who to turn to. He just knows the nameless shade is the only one he feels he can trust.

Minutes Before Sunset is a fast-paced, well-written read that will appeal to fans of fantasy, as well as young adult readers.  Ms Thompson has created an intriguing setting that is not your typical fantasy fare, with two separate worlds—the “real” world of high school and prom, and the world of Prophecy and Light and Dark.  She brings both of these worlds to life, and her characters struggle with their lives in both worlds.  Not only is the setting riveting and unique, but the characters are compelling, a combination sure to transport the reader to this magical world.  The second novel in the A Timely Death trilogy, Seconds Before Sunrise, releases March 27th.