Review – Engines of Liberty: Rebel Heart by Graham Bradley

Who had Harry Potter meets the American War for Independence on their “to read” list? Since I do not read alternate history very much, this book catching my eye is unusual. It took some convincing, but I managed to argue my brain into reading the first entrance in the Engines of Liberty trilogy* by Graham …

Need a New Read? Check the Inbox!

I don't usually talk about reviewing books and writing pieces over on Upstream Reviews here on my site. As Dean Koontz noted in his novel Relentless,* self-promotion takes a lot out of an author, and I can only do so much. But today's linked Upstream Reviews article has opportunities available for writers everywhere. Click the to …

Faith in Practice in Worldbuilding: How Do You Show a Religion in Action? Part 2

Part 2 of 5 in this series. Part 1 is here. There are – at most – three religions or subsets of a religion in the world today that do not include a sacrifice as part of their worship in their “pure” form, as far as I can find. Not a regular, day-to-day or week-to-week …

History and Fantasy

An interesting piece, readers. Check it out! Real-Life History in Fantasy: The Tudors vs. the Hyles AUGUST 26, 2022 History is one of my greatest sources of inspiration. I’m a huge history nerd when it comes to pretty much anything before the 19th century.  Daindreth’s Assassin was largely inspired by English history, particularly the family dynamics. …

Review: Pearl of Fire by C. Chancy

I finished this book the day before Christmas Eve, readers. Rare is the novel that will sing a siren-song to lure me back to my seat almost as soon as I am forced to put it down, but Pearl of Fire* managed to do this with flying colors. This novel was SO much fun! Here …

“When the Hammer Falls….”

I could not resist the Clamavi De Profundis reference, readers. Learn why through the link below! Alaska Man Turns Hobby Forging Swords From ‘Lord of the Rings’ Into Blade-Smithing Business By Michael Wing 1/4/2024 Trevor Barrett stokes the coals of his forge as he contemplates his next project—a Tolkien-inspired sword—all while listening meditatively to the enchanting …

Snippet: Appointment….

Excerpt from Death’s Shadow. Murphy turned. One look at his face must have been all that was needed. “Going out, boss?” he asked cheerfully. The smile on his face didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah. I just got a call. Appointment I have to keep.” Lowering his voice, Matt said, “That young couple over in the …

Snippet: Corona isn’t just a beer.

Excerpt from Death’s Shadow. Something small and cold pattered down his spine. Coronas didn’t have to be black. Matt had seen more than a few cream halos surrounding people who had later died of natural causes. It was rarer to find someone with a white nimbus, but he had seen a couple of those, too. …

Snippet: And it was such a nice day, too….

An excerpt from Death's Shadow. Matt Barnaby bit back a tired sigh. He owed a debt that had to be repaid. This was the way it was to be done – at least until he was too old to do it anymore. This was the price of his life. If he ever walked away from that …

Reflections from Aleteia

A worthy read. Check it out! The princess, the goblin, and the beautiful lady Theresa Civantos Barber - published on 07/31/23 This wonderful children’s book helps us see that there is someone who never stops searching for us. I’m a bit of a broken record about how much I love kids’ book clubs, from how I organize them to our …