Wednesday, December 06, 2023

The Insecure Writer's Support Group, Rattlesnake, and Conduction


It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

The question for today: Book reviews are for the readers. When you leave a book review, do you review for the Reader or the Author? Is it about what you liked and enjoyed about your reading experience, or do you critique the author?

I confess, I don’t do a lot of book reviews. For the past ten+ years, that’s been in part because most of my reading involves Dancing Lemur Press titles and submissions. (Little unethical to leave a review for a book published through my company.) The past two years have involved reading my own new titles, too. Ultimately, I don’t have time to read much outside of those areas. I have been reading a lot of cookbooks, so I do need to get on the stick and review some of those.

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Now, here’s C. Lee McKenzie and her new book:


Rattlesnake wasn't my first tittle. I think I had three others before I settled on that venomous sounding one. Each previous title had ghosts included—No Such Thing As Ghosts, Ghost Dreams, and one other that must have been so bad I can't remember it. I think the word, Gulch, was involved. Fortunately, I dispatched all of these, and once I settled on Rattlesnake, I was happy. It had the flavor of the desert, a hint of the old west, and it was also ominous.

What the book called Rattlesnake is about:

The desert town of Rattlesnake isn't a destination. It's a last resort. Seventeen-year-old Jonah Guthrie's aunt sold their home in New England and fled to this place to escape the humiliation of his dad's indictment for embezzlement and subsequent disappearance.

While their late uncle left them a house and a silver mine, the house is a shambles and the mine is defunct. They're almost out of money, so they have no choice but to stay in Rattlesnake. And then Jonah discovers they've inherited something else. Her name is Catherine, and she's been dead for over a hundred year. Now, she needs his help.

Excerpt:

For a moment, the sun balanced on the tip of the tallest peak, then slipped behind the mountains, turning them black against the sky. They were out of options all except for going back to Old Cemetery Road and dealing with the property. From somewhere far out in the desert came the loneliest sound Jonah had ever heard. That high-pitched yowl caught him at the center of his stomach. Suddenly, he felt eyes on him from every direction, and the shadows grew teeth.


Buy Rattlesnake at Amazon / Smashwords / Kobo / B&N

Find Lee at Website / Substack / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube / LinkedIn

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And Tara Tyler has a new book!

CONDUCTION by Tara Tyler
Sci Fi Detective Thriller or Techno Thriller
Book 4 in Pop Travel series
Preview of MAGNETRON, Book 5 included

In 2085, cutting edge technology is the most valuable currency, and the black tech market offers high pay-offs for diamond-level code. Jared Nertz is an easy-going ex-juicer gone legit working for Pop Travel Technologies, and just when he finishes his long-awaited Conduction project--the process of storing data in the brain--someone immediately steals it and kills his mentor, framing him for the murder. Now it's up to his lawyer/wife Miki and their resourceful friends, Geri and Cooper to prove Jared's innocence by recovering the stolen tech before the criminal killer sells it. But that's only the beginning, as they discover a darker threat when they dig deeper into the case.

Find Tara at her blog

And Conduction on Amazon



Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

GIVE THE GIFT OF READING!


Buy one book, get one of equal value or lower free.


Applies to both print and eBook – buy one print, get one free; buy one eBook, get one free.

Free book must be same price or lower.

Books must be purchased directly through Dancing Lemur Press site.

After selecting your first book, note the book you’d like free in the “Comments to Seller” section. If not prompted to leave a comment, please send us an email with your free selection. Print books will also receive bookmarks and postcards.

No limit – purchase two books to get two free, etc.

Offer available on books purchased between November 13 and November 24, 2023.

Visit Dancing Lemur Press to make your selections!

Wednesday, November 01, 2023

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group and Clean Paranormal Romance Challenges

It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

The question for today: November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?

I never have. Too busy with Dancing Lemur Press and life. Maybe someday.


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My next release is In Darkness: The Alien on February 6th and I am looking for tour stops. Any sites that focus on romance or science fiction are best, but any of you who focus on new books would be greatly appreciated. This series is coming in for a landing and I’d like it to be a good one.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve had with this series, both in enticing reviewers and gaining readers, is that it is CLEAN paranormal romance as opposed to the 95% out there that is STEAMY and SEXY. In searching for authors who could provide blurbs, all of the books except one that I found was basically R-X rated. My books are PG at best with one sliding a bit into PG13.

I know there are readers out there who want a more innocent style of paranormal romance. Still trying to find them. (And if that’s you, let me know! Or check out the series: Dancing Lemur Press)


Participate in NaNo?
Are you a fan of paranormal romance?

Tuesday, October 03, 2023

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group and the Release of Blood Red Steel by Damien Larkin


It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Thanks to those who hosted my tour or followed along for In Darkness: The Werewolf! I appreciated the support and hope everyone enjoys my sweet werewolf story.

Today’s question: The topic of AI writing has been heavily debated across the world. According to various sources, generative AI will assist writers, not replace them. What are your thoughts?

I think it will assist them at first, but as it improves, eventually it will replace them. Publishers won’t need authors anymore. They will just generate their own books and keep all the profits. Of course, authors can use AI to produce and self-publish and keep all the profits since the books will all be the same level of quality.

It’s an exciting but very scary time right now as AI is developing faster than we ever imagined.


And I am posting a day early as Dancing Lemur Press has another release!

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Available now!


Blood Red Steel by Damien Larkin


Blood alone decides the fate of Mars

For two years, the Mars Expeditionary Force has held the line against the last remnants of the Third Reich. McCabe, Jenkins, and the Second Battalion long for home. Reinforcements have arrived, but the veterans of the MEF have one final mission. Defend Forward Base Zulu at all costs.

While Generalfeldmarschall Brandt plans a decisive showdown at Forward Base Zulu, Reichsführer Wagner celebrates the activation of the first generation of the Hollow Programme. Surrounded and cut off, McCabe and Jenkins once again find themselves in league with the MAJESTIC-12 operatives known as the Black Visors. Now the future hinges on the sacrifices of a few determined soldiers.

Print ISBN 9781939844958 $18.95
eBook ISBN 9781939844965 $4.99
Science Fiction – Military/Alternative History/War & Military

“He takes numerous storylines and threads them together to create a story which never lets up. There is not just action a-plenty. There is non-stop, relentless action. It is breath-taking in its remorselessness. – Phil Parker, author

“The stakes are so high in this one. Larkin is a master storyteller and every plot twist is a punch to the gut.” – Jessa Forest, author

“Exciting, fast paced and as good as, if not better than the previous two books in the series.” – Sue Tingey, author


Links: iTunes / B&N / Kobo / Amazon / Amazon UK / Scribed / Goodreads

Damien Larkin is an Irish science fiction author and co-founder of the British and Irish Writing Community. His debut novel Big Red was longlisted for the BSFA award for Best Novel. He currently lives in Dublin, Ireland. Website


What are your thoughts on AI? And if you enjoy military science fiction, you need to pick up Damien’s latest.