Blog Archives
Torn
Vizard: An Ember Files Side Story follows a courageous thirteen-year-old girl whose entire family has been murdered and who must now go into hiding to survive. What inspired the setup of your story?
Juniper Berry is a character that’s in every novel in The Ember Files series, although this isn’t immediately apparent to the reader because lives her life in various guises. She is a master of disguise—a vizard—and she’s secretive, which gives her an air of mystery. Her story formed in my mind while I was writing Chimera and Curses. As I was writing, I realized there were a lot of unknowns about her that readers would be curious about and that there was more to her character that I still wanted to create and share. So, I marked the idea of her story with a working title—Torn—to be written as a prequel toThe Ember Files.
Juniper is forced to grow up quickly when her family is killed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I don’t consciously write with ideals and tropes in mind. With Vizard, I wanted to create a strong heroine whose strength came from deep inside her, giving her resilience and determination. Love, justice, and compassion are some ideals that Juniper Berry struggles with before they become an ingrained part of her personality.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Family, as a theme, runs through the entire Ember Files series. Juniper Berry’s experience of family is complicated: tangled with love, justice, and revenge. As a result, the paradigm of good versus evil is a theme that is built right into Juniper Berry’s internal struggles and growth; there is potential in her character to become either. The possibility for these extremes within her is part of what drives her and the story. I picked the working title, Torn, to write this story under because it described Juniper Berry and the struggles of her life. It represents being pulled apart, being uncertain, and the conflict between those uncertainties with the extreme being a woman who lives multiple lives wearing a disguise.
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
Juniper Berry’s story leads into the first book in The Ember Files, The Ember Stone, which occurs forty years after Vizard. Although Juniper Berry is no longer the main character, bits of her story continue to be revealed in the next books—the last book in the series is scheduled for release in July. The events and characters throughout the series intertwine with her story.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
A brutal deed forever alters the rules of survival.
Few Spellbinders know of the kill list’s existence; a list that marks multiple families for death. In the wake of one savage attack, there’s a survivor. Juniper Berry, a thirteen-year-old girl, without options, enters a cloak-and-dagger life—forced to care for herself. She plots a course of retribution. Her plan lands her in a world of intrigues and hazards that threaten to overwhelm the already unstable facts of her identity. As Juniper Berry’s noose tightens around her enemies, fate continues to take swings. What begins as a relationship of necessity becomes so much more—an unfortunate pattern—and Juniper Berry finds herself torn between irreconcilable lives.
Vizard: An Ember Files Side Story (The Ember Files)
In Vizard: An Ember Files Side Story, author Shari Marshall crafts a suspenseful narrative around Juniper Berry, a young girl entangled in a web of vengeance and survival. The story begins in the aftermath of a harrowing attack, with Juniper emerging as the sole survivor. This tragedy propels her into a dangerous world where she must navigate a complex web of secrets and peril.
The book’s central theme of resilience against overwhelming odds resonates deeply. Juniper’s character is intricately portrayed, allowing readers to journey with her through challenges and triumphs. This emotional depth not only endears Juniper to the reader but also adds a layer of realism to her extraordinary circumstances. Marshall excels in creating a character who is not merely a passive participant in her story but an active pursuer of justice. Marshall’s narrative pacing is a standout feature, skillfully balancing suspenseful action with moments of introspection. This equilibrium keeps the storyline engaging, drawing readers into Juniper’s world and holding their attention until the final page. The vivid descriptions and imaginative setting further enhance the reading experience, crafting an intriguing and relatable world.
Vizard is a well-rounded novel offering a blend of intrigue, emotion, and adventure. It invites readers into a fantastical realm where themes of identity, determination, and the strength of the human spirit are explored. This book is a noteworthy addition to the fantasy genre, offering a compelling read for those who appreciate stories of adversity and triumph.
Pages: 198 | ASIN : B0CH5KYY44
Strong Line Between Good and Evil
In Joseph’s Coat, evil enters the home of a young couple when they adopt an orphan following the loss of their own baby. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I had written the MC years ago, but I knew something was missing, untold. I finally, after about nine years, realized the MC’s story needed to begin with his childhood. And his situation just created itself, if that makes sense. LOL.
I felt this story was very well written. What’s your experience as a writer?
Thank you! I’m honored for you to say that. I’ve written since I was small. Sketching comic strip-style stories as a way to tell these stories. Then, during high school, I started to actually write them instead of sketching them. And have not been able to stop. I’ve had three novels/novellas that were published for which the contracts expired. Joseph’s Coat is my first novel since 2015.
What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters?
I love this question. I’m not sure I ever had guidelines for emotions or morals. It all seemed to dictate itself. I did want to create a couple, though, who were deeply in love enough to withstand the pain of loss, and grief, and yet allow them high emotion that I hoped was real and relatable and, most of all, very human. As for morals, each character dictated their own if that makes sense. And, now that you mention it, maybe subconsciously incorporate a strong line between good and evil where, of course, the goodness of humanity would triumph.
Can you give readers a glimpse inside book 2? When can fans expect to see it released?
Oh, this has been a trial! I had planned to skip in years for the child in the story to be much older; however, I felt I was missing too much of his history that ought to be told. SO…Book Two will be the growth of the newly adopted child in his new environment and a new antagonist to be introduced, this time one who will be a highly trusted friend who will be a huge threat to the family. And I’m working on it now, hoping to finish by the end of this year.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Amazon
Brooklyn, New York. 1924.
Giovanni and Kate Di Paolo are a young, affluent couple. They are wildly in love, devoted to each other, but are mourning the death of their infant son.
When Kate volunteers at Saint Hyacinth’s Orphanage, she is especially drawn to one of the orphans.
Enrico.
He entered the orphanage with no last name, no history. A mysterious child, strange but gifted, teased by the other children with the Italian name, Jettatore—evil eye, one who brings bad luck.
With Enrico’s arrival into their world, the Di Paolos’ lives will be altered forever. Secrets will be exposed. Entities of evil and darkness will battle light. Love will be tested, especially when the biggest mystery of all is revealed.
The advent of this enigma could bring the curse of division and further loss, or it could be the force to bring healing, acceptance, answers to prayers which had never been spoken.
Something Magical Just Around the Corner
Precise Oaths follows a woman with paranormal abilities and part of the spider-kin who is questioned about the deaths of six soldiers from spider venom. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
A lot of the series involves military folks from Fort Liberty, formerly Fort Bragg, the oldest military base in the U.S. That long history becomes an integral part of the plot, and part of the love interest, Colonel Bennett’s, back story. Also, since special units like Delta Force are housed there, it seemed like a logical place for a unit of soldiers meant to fight genuinely “special” threats.
Being accused of murder was an impossible to ignore reason for Liliana to be forced from her comfortable near shut-in life, out into the wild world. Proving her innocence, solving a murder mystery, and saving a new friend from getting killed are all challenges that Liliana would never have imagined she could handle, until she does.
With so many unique and interesting characters in your story, what character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
Liliana is always my favorite. I love seeing through her unique vision a world just slightly askew. She is also my chance to show how mysterious and difficult I have always found many things people take for granted. For instance, I have often wondered why it hurts less sometimes to break a bone than it does to stub your toe. Why do people sometimes say the opposite of what they mean, yet everyone understands them perfectly? Liliana is my chance to point out life’s absurdities, and the fact that the biggest challenges in life are often just getting through the day. For obvious reasons, I also get a big kick out of writing Siobhan, the tiny flower sprite who adores machine guns and has a “take no guff from anyone” attitude.
The Colonel is probably the hardest character to write. He’s very locked down in what he expresses. He rarely has only one motivation for anything, and even more rarely wants anyone to know what his motivations are. So I have to think a lot about what he’s trying to accomplish but put very little of that on the page while still dropping just enough hints that the reader can eventually figure out who he is and what he wants. He’s a mystery, but one that I want the reader to slowly solve, teasing away the layers of his personality. Writing that is as tricky as dropping clues in a murder mystery, without giving away the ending too soon.
I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?
A lot of it came from North Carolina itself. I worked in North Carolina for a year, back when I was a consultant, and one of the things that struck me was how green and beautiful the whole state was. The dense forests could hide virtually anything so that if you didn’t have a map, something as big as a shopping mall a hundred yards away could be invisible. It felt like bits of civilization carved into faery land. Like there could be something magical just around the corner, out of sight.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
Yes! Precise Oaths is the first book in the Liliana and the Fae of Fayetteville series. The second book, Explosive Chemistry, just came out in November. It takes place right after Precise Oaths. Liliana and her friend, Pete, thought they stopped the murderers in the first book, but her visions of the future are full of blood and death. Liliana has to figure out how to stop the tide before it sweeps away all the people she’s become attached to.
The third book should be out sometime this year, but I don’t have a publication date yet. It dives a lot more deeply into the burgeoning relationship between Colonel Bennett and Liliana since the Colonel is now the target of an assassin who never fails. Only Liliana has any chance of finding a way through to a future where her favorite Fae prince survives.
Watch any of my socials for an announcement on the timing, or sign up for the newsletter on the website. You’ll get a free little interlude story that takes place between book 2 and 3, and get notified right away when book 3 has a publication date.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Bluesky | Facbook | Website
Wolf-kin Peter Teague of Fort Bragg’s Criminal Investigation Division analyzes the venom in six dead soldiers. The victims were killed by a spider-kin, and Liliana is the only spider-kin in Fayetteville.
Pete’s handsome boss, the dangerous fae Colonel Bennet, watches Liliana with burning ember eyes, but refuses to call his investigator off.
It’s up to Liliana to keep Pete from executing her and convince the skeptical scientist she’s not the murderer, all while keeping her new friend from getting eaten by the real killers. And if that’s not enough, she might even have to socialize!
How will she survive the paranormal mystery that puts her as the prime suspect?
Precise Oaths is the first book in the Liliana and the Fae of Fayetteville series, urban fantasy Fae romance for adults containing a strong female lead, intense action, a diverse cast of charming characters, offbeat humor, Fae and shifters like you’ve never seen them before, and a touch of slow burn spider romance.
Never Give Up Hope
Chiller follows a man trying to get his life together after a divorce and receiving a gift of healing from his friend, who encounters an alien during a protest. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
We have all, myself included, had to rebuild our lives to some extent at one point or another and it can be a difficult journey. Hopefully, the reader can sympathise with Andy’s predicament, which in turn adds authenticity to his character. Andy is just one everyday man trying to get his life in order and move forward. Ever asked yourself how much worse can things get? The answer is…a whole lot more!
One of the highlights of your novel is the characters. Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
The main characters in Chiller are a very disparate group of people. There is a lot of humour and even some silliness in their interactions, which reflects my sense of humour. Andy is the character who is most like me, but there is a little bit of Bill in there as well. I feel that one of Chiller’s strongest points is the characters. Once I had them, it was almost as if they told their own story.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The resilience and the strength of the human spirit and how people who are very different can form such strong bonds when faced with adversity. Also, never judge a book by its cover, as some of the book’s characters at certain points in the story are not who they appear to be. And importantly…never give up hope. Help can come in the darkest hour from the unlikeliest of places. Ultimately, it is about standing up for you and yours and trying to protect what is important to you.
Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Andy and the direction of the third book?
The third book, Viral, is already available. Andy is joined by some of the surviving characters from Chiller on an epic journey on the Trans-Siberian Express. Their objective is to find and destroy the Earth’s latest and, hopefully, final threat. Without spoiling the plot of Chiller, it is a long journey of wonder and discovery. Brutal in parts, thought-provoking in others and entertaining throughout.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Read less
Precise Oaths
In Precise Oaths, the reader is introduced to a captivating world where the future can be altered with all its uncertainties and possibilities. The protagonist, Liliana, is a seer spider-kin gifted with the rare ability to glimpse into the future. Her life, marked by a peaceful existence of offering guidance to clients, takes an unexpected turn when detectives knock on her door, seeking answers about a mysterious case involving spider venom and six deceased soldiers. Among these detectives are Pete and his superior, who, like Liliana, belong to a group of paranormal beings with anthropomorphic abilities.
This novel is set in a richly imagined world populated by both endearing and intriguing characters, a testament to Paige E. Ewings’s skill in creating a welcoming universe. Liliana is crafted as a relatable character, not an invincible hero, but an empowered woman grappling with everyday challenges. Her journey through social interactions, emotional empathy, and moral dilemmas rooted in her past traumas paints a portrait of a character whose motivations become clear and compelling as the narrative progresses. The book excels in its world-building, which, despite initially seeming daunting due to the intricacies of the kin system, unfolds organically through character interactions. This approach to exposition allows the reader to immerse themselves in the novel’s universe without being overwhelmed by dense explanatory text. The blend of thrilling action, including Liliana’s strategic maneuvers and close encounters, and informative dialogues maintains a brisk pace and adds depth to the narrative. The novel’s immersive storytelling captivates the reader, though at times, distinguishing between Liliana’s visions and reality can be subtly intricate, especially during more extended visions.
The unique concept of the story is likely to appeal to fans of supernatural romance, offering a fresh take on the genre. Precise Oaths is recommended for those seeking a book with a novel twist on fae narratives, blending the mystical with the relatable in a compelling and enjoyable manner.
Pages: 216 | ASIN : B0C4ZJH81L
A Darkness Summoned: The Ashes of Magic Trilogy, Volume 2
A Darkness Summoned, the second book in The Ashes of Magic trilogy, delves deeper into a world teeming with hidden monsters and fragile alliances. This urban fantasy novel centers on protagonist Emmeline as she struggles with the aftermath of betrayal, facing a perilous journey fraught with danger and deceit. Amidst escalating conflict between the raizour and the nainthe, Emmeline’s decisions become pivotal in shaping the destiny of both worlds.
The narrative is set against a richly detailed urban backdrop, where author Harper skillfully explores themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the often-ambiguous distinction between good and evil. The writing is vivid and immersive, blending the fantastical elements of magic and monsters with the mundanities of everyday life. This character-driven story provides a deep dive into the psyches of its characters, unveiling their fears, desires, and the intricacies of their interrelationships. Harper avoids revealing too much yet builds up to a climactic confrontation that sets the stage for the trilogy’s conclusion.
From the outset, the book captivates its audience, continuing Emmeline’s journey with her comrades in a narrative that skillfully interweaves action with emotional depth. The development of the world and its inhabitants adds layers to this urban fantasy landscape, showcasing Harper’s prowess in creating characters with genuine struggles and motives. The interplay between Emmeline, her allies, and foes is portrayed realistically and engagingly. A gradually developing romance between Emmeline and Erik lends an additional layer of emotional connection. The pacing of the story is smooth, with each scene advancing the plot.
A Darkness Summoned is an engaging read for enthusiasts of urban fantasy, layered characters, and thrilling action sequences. Harper’s storytelling captivates readers, ensuring they remain invested in Emmeline’s journey until the eagerly awaited final installment of the trilogy.
Pages: 512 | ASIN : B0CRBDZCXC
Do the Ends Justify the Mean?
Vandella: Resilience follows a woman attending a wedding at Wewelsburg Castle who witnesses a séance wherein a supernatural entity promises Nazi victory in exchange for seven children and sets out to rescue them. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration of this setup was real life itself. Despite being the most technology-advanced nation back then, Nazis were highly esoteric. During my investigation I found records about SS forces being devoted to occultist practices, including séances, which took place in Wewelsburg Castle. It’s unclear “what” or “whom” they were trying to contact through such means, but it made sense to me, if they had access to contact a “higher” being, they will pursue any agreement to guarantee victory. And this set-up fit perfectly for the children’s plot, enhanced by the real philosophical quest of Nazis for the Overman.
Peach is a curious and interesting character. I also felt that the supporting characters in this novel were intriguing and well-developed. Who was your favorite character to write for?
I loved to write all of them, but I think Ghislain truly grew on me. He had to be this combination of a virtuous man blinded by honour, patriotism and his sense for belonging, struggling to figure it out the truth, as I believe truly happened to many of the German soldiers during WWII. Becoming prey of the circumstances of their time.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Obviously “Resilience” is the main theme of the novel, but just after that, I think is “Justice.” Through the eyes of the protagonist this novel continuously raises the question about “fairness,” if the end justifies the use of any mean, and the cost of taking such decision. And that is a question the readers should answer themselves.
And additionally, the novel explores the powerlessness caused by the philosophical concept of “determinism,” challenging the notion of how we, as individuals, can exert our “free will” under such overwhelming situations like a World War, when all the decisions seem to converge into a single ominous outcome.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
I’m already working in the next instalment of the series. This time the story will focus again on Peach, as seen by the eyes of her brother. That’s all I can say for now!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Young Bund Deutscher Mädel Peach lives with her mother in the quiet German countryside, longing to return to Berlin once the war ends and realize her dream of stardom as an Olympic hurdler for the Fatherland.
At her friend’s wedding to an SS officer at Wewelsburg Castle, the heart and soul of the SS, she witnesses a séance wherein a supernatural entity promises Nazi victory in exchange for seven children held prisoner in the dungeon. Sickened, Peach rescues the children and leads them across a war-torn Germany toward the Dutch border, with the SS forces in hot pursuit.
On her perilous journey, Peach suffers all the horrors of war—loss of innocence, loss of dignity, loss of loved ones—all while haunted by the eerie company of the Harbinger of Death.
LITERARY TITAN 