Monday 25 August 2014

I did it! The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

I and my whole family were nominated by Carol Gardner in Quebec to take up the challenge.
Well two family members (I weren't mention names... Leonard :P) downright refused and one had already done it leaving me and my two youngest to accept.
We've had nothing but beautiful sun the past few weeks and the day we try to tackle our challenge is wet and miserable... So much so that my daughter almost backed out.
So I nominate my sensei from Quebec, George Delaportas, friend living in the US, Bec Grinceri and best bud from high school Kelly-Anne Burton to take up the challenge. Jessi nominated Andrea and Aimee and Coder nominated his mates Crew and Jacob.


Done! Now it's your turn! 24 hours tick-tock tick-tock.

Sunday 24 August 2014

New Release YA Fantasy - Dragon's Revenge (Hunters of Reloria Series) by Kasper Beaumont

If you have been following the exciting Hunters of Reloria series by Kasper Beaumont, Dragon Revenge concludes the action-packed trilogy.
If you haven't, it's time to find out what it's all about for this weeks Fantasy Sci-Fi Network New Release features not only Dragon's revenge which was released on July 2nd but also gives a little insight into the trilogy as a whole.


Dragon's Revenge is the thrilling conclusion to the Hunters of Reloria trilogy.

Magical Reloria is beset by hordes of invading enemy ships carrying giants with ocular laser beams. People and creatures from across the land band together against the invasion, while our group of heroes, the Hunters of Reloria, seek to restore the defensive shield to their borders. A savage attack on the dragons’ town decimates the population and leads the surviving dragon to pledge revenge against the invaders.
Epic battles with dragons and giants ensue, leading to a thrilling climax.

Dragon's Revenge magical teaser trailer;






An excerpt to give you a taste;





To distract from the torrential rain, Princess Shari-Rose sang an ancient elven ballad about unrequited love between two young lovers, torn apart by warring families when their relationship was discovered.  The rumbling thunder subsided as she sang of loss and yearning and with a start, she realised the rain had also ceased as she belted out the last chorus into the quiet night.  She finished abruptly and placed her hands over her mouth, embarrassed she had been singing so loudly into the night.  Glancing upwards, her night vision showed the Hunters were still asleep and she breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn't woken them.

At that moment, a giant hand clamped over her mouth and another around her torso.  A voice whispered harshly in her ear, “Another peep out of you, songbird and I’ll squeeze your ribcage till it pops.  Nod if you understand me.”

The Elven Princess nodded in fear, peering anxiously between the fat fingers blocking half her vision.  She couldn’t see the captor who stood behind her, but a short distance away a flame torch showed several Junda approaching with a slobbering Yarba beast.

Her heart beat loudly in her chest as she considered her predicament.  The other Junda were closing the distance between them, confident their prey was subdued.  She wondered how she could break free and alert her friends to the danger.  Any of the other Hunters would be drawing weapons to fight their way out of this, but what could one unarmed elf do when her magic didn’t work against giants.

Each second she hesitated reduced the odds of her escape.  She had to act now!  Dropping down quickly through the giant’s grasp to the marsh, she dug her heel firmly into his shin.

The giant let out an almighty angry roar and the chase was on as the elf scampered up along a narrow branch and disappeared into blackness.

“Chee’tu, bring that flame here!  Hurry!” yelled the giant, as the Hunters above him swung down to attack and the night erupted into chaos.

Sienna shot an arrow through the Junda holding the torch and he dropped to the ground, the light almost extinguished.  Even tiny Sienna-Li flew in to attack with a long thin vine, quickly garrotting an unsuspecting giant.

Great wings flapped above them and the dragon swooped down to pounce upon the Yarba beast waiting in the clearing.  The beast barked in alarm before being lifted up into the moonless night, with its female handler being caught by its chain and dragged helplessly along.    The Junda screamed in fright, as she banged into a tree, then dropped like a rock to the marsh below.

Daeron and Sienna battled the five remaining Junda, darting quickly to avoid potentially lethal  blows and counter-attacking with sword and dagger.  Sienna was particularly outnumbered, with three Junda surrounding her.  It seemed only a matter of time before one of the giants’ chopping blows would land on her and knock her unconscious.

As the giants’ moved in for the kill, a pair of shapely legs swung down from the trees above and wrapped around a Junda’s neck, squeezing tightly until he lost consciousness.  He fell to the ground and Shari-Rose hit him across the head with a branch to ensure he was out cold.

The halfling and Daeron fought two opponents each.  Their skill with the blades evening the odds against much larger opponents who fought with their bare hands and feet.  Luckily the Hunters were fast fighters and could dodge the blows from the hard-hitting giants.  Daeron put paid to both his opponents with quick reflexes and gave Sienna a hand to finish the last two.

With the immediate threat dispelled, the guardian checked on Shari-Rose, saying, “Princess, are you alright?  You were so brave to come down from safety to help us.  Well done.”  He gave her a bow of admiration.

Sienna followed his lead and clapped the blushing Princess firmly on the back, “Why, you’re quite the warrior.  Great work at escaping from the giant’s clutches.  We’ll make a huntress of you yet.  Thanks again for saving my life.”

Other books in the series;


Book 1
Halfling friends Randir and Fendi and their bond-fairies are the first to discover invaders entering their land through a portal, and they embark on a quest to save the Elven Jewel. They leave their peaceful farm village with their fairies and race against time to stop the invaders. They join forces with dwarves, elves, men and a mysterious dragon, and call themselves the Hunters of Reloria. The magical continent of Reloria is threatened by cruel, scaly invaders called Vergai from the wastelands of Vergash. These invaders are intent on destroying the protective elven forcefield and conquering peaceful Reloria. The Vergais’ plan is to steal the Elven Jewel which is the key to the Relorian defence system. The quest is perilous, with numerous encounters with the ruthless Vergai, who are determined to fulfill their mission. The Elven Jewel is stolen and the quest becomes a race to the portal to retrieve the jewel before it can be taken to Vergash. A battle for Reloria ensues where the consequences for the Relorians is death, unless Vergai are stopped.

Book 2

Scaly Vergai invaders have captured the Elven Jewel from Reloria. Halfling friends, Randir and Fendi,their bond-fairies, men, dwarves, an elf and a dragon are a group of brave hunters on a quest to recover the stolen Elven Jewel. They must search for a mage who can make a portal to Vergash to rescue the princess and restore the protective forcefield.

What readers are saying about the series;


"A classical epic fantasy that follows the best Lord of the Rings' tradition." 5 Stars.
"The story left me spellbound. I think I have developed a new taste for fantasy-adventure." 5 Stars.
"Humour and witty retorts between the main characters are perfectly timed, with an original and authentic plot." 5 Stars.

About the Author;



Kasper J. Beaumont was born and raised in Australia and lives a quiet life with the family in a seaside town. Combining a love of fantasy and a penchant for travel in the Hunters of Reloria trilogy, Kasper started to write on the urging of friends and family and enjoys watching readers become immersed in the magical world of Reloria. Kasper is a pen name for a rather shy author who is happy to remain unnamed.
The Hunters of Reloria trilogy is about the magical world of Reloria where halflings and fairies share a bond. Dwarves, elves, knights and dragons inhabit this country, but their world is about to be invaded by scaly lizardmen and giant Cyclops.

Follow Kasper;

Website
Blog
Facebook
Facebook page
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Amazon Author page
Youtube: Hunters of Reloria channel

Where to purchase;

Amazon
Elven Jewel
Hunters' Quest
Dragon’s Revenge  

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords 

The Fantasy & Sci-Fi Network is a collection of authors, bloggers, and reviewers who are passionate about finding and creating quality fantasy/sci-fi books which are also teen safe (G, PG, or PG-13 rated). The FSF Network believes it is possible to create fantastic works of fantasy and science fiction without resorting to graphic violence, explicitly harsh language, or sex.

FSFN on Facebook
FSFN Website
Twitter hashtag: #FSFNAuthor
Twitter handle: @FSFNet

 

Saturday 16 August 2014

New Release from The Jein's Journey Series - Kyluna (Book 3) by Cheryllynn Dyess

This weeks Fantasy Sci-Fi Network new release feature is the third book from fantasy series Jein's Journey, following the journey of a strong willed young woman named Jein. 
Released July 1st 2014, Kyluna is the latest offering from talented author, Cherryllynn Dyess



Kyluna (Book 3)


Jein has traveled many places looking for a new home for her people, The Goddess led her here to Kyluna. After discovering her life and history was false Jein struggled within to stay true to herself but she knew where she had to go, for her people and for her.

 

The Prologue... to give you a taste;


            Calastan, the capital of Euphasia, is the home of young Jein Kyominias. Jein is female hunter, who in her world is against traditions. Growing up in a matriarchal society, Jein has taken her role and molded it to fit her. By the age of seventeen she was one of the best hunters for her age. She was only supported by her father in this endeavor and went against the wishes of her mother, sisters and all the members of government. She won competitions, went on hunts with male led groups and lived on her own with no life mate. She has struggled all her life with the path she had chosen. Then those who fought against her uniqueness has now turned to her for help. Jein and her hunting mate, Yurani, was charged to go into Resolution to find and establish a new home for her people to expand into.

            Once in Resolution, Jein and Yurani found more than they ever expected. A land already claimed by some who were actually part of their own people’s history. More hunters come to Resolution to help her and Yurani. Then secrets about Jein’s life were revealed that gave way to Jein choosing a path no one would have ever expected. She learned she was not the first born female and this means she is not to lead, in the traditions of her people. The history of her family revealed that she was not the only great hunter in her family line of females. Knowing all she does now about her own people, family and now herself Jein pushes forward to find the new home she was charged to find. Jein has always been private about her emotions on everything and now she is opening up, showing her friends and those she loves her true self. Laughing, teasing, and sharing more than she ever did before.

            Allowing her heart to open up and receive love from a man, moving forward without the guidance of her government or her family and trusting in the words of an Oracle Jein has set out searching for a land that is worthy to be their new home. It was clear that Resolution was not it. Journeying with Jein is Yurani, Rohm, and Lendsei. This next part of the journey will show Jein that being herself is as much a struggle as fighting to be herself.      

            A proud Jein struggles to allow herself to become one with a new land and a new her. Come follow along in Jein’s next journey and see where it takes her and what changes happen.

Previous books in the series;



Calastan (Book 1)



Each person has a distinct trait that's either held in reserve or pursued without inhibitions. For reasons that vary, the latter may seem an egotistic act. However, not for Jein. Taking a path other than the one she believes is right is like betraying her own soul. This book features a young girl who deals with her individuality in admirably different ways. It tells a story of how she accomplishes exceptional feats in a world that draws an unyielding line between men and women. Follow Jein Kyominias, a girl who does not entertain the established roles other females of the upper class take in her land. Her rearing in a matriarchal society has certain paths laid out. She has chosen to be an elite hunter instead of a mere matron. She is unique in her fondness for activities that are specifically bequeathed for men. She decides she will be different---strong and different that is.



Resolution (Book 2)



In Calastan we met Jein and found out the type of woman she was becoming. She is strong and determined to stay true to her soul...Now she goes to Resolution.
The population of Calastan is thriving and the Governess has decided that they need to expand. She has spoken to the other tribes and has the go ahead to explore Resolution and expand into that territory. The Governess turns to Jein and Yurani to go and explore the new land and start a village that can sustain a new population. In Resolution, they find more than just a land blessed with life and nature, but they also find their lost ancestors. The ones that had explored before and never returned.
Join Jein and Yurani as they explore Resolution searching for a new home for their people. Finding land and food is the easy part…it’s what else they find that rewrites their history.



What readers have to say about the series;


"I was laughing, crying and rooting for characters!" 5 Stars
"Dyess very smoothly moves from book one to book two where the foreign feel   remains, adding the sense that the reader is in a strange new land just like Jein is." 5 Stars
 "The character and world building in this novel is superb!!" 5 Stars

 

About the Author;

 


Cheryllynn’s vivid imagination comes through in all she does in life. Her writing started in junior high and although she never truly shared her work until recently she kept them hidden away in an old tattered orange folder. Original works she wrote from 1984 still holding ink on the pages may one day be shared, but for now she shares her newer creations. Science Fiction and Fantasy are her favorite genres with mystery and thrillers in close running.

Born in Northwest Florida and raised in Southeast Georgia she gained a love for nature and the outdoors. Currently living in Central Texas with two of her four children, she has begun a new chapter in life that has opened her heart and soul to many great adventures. Her dreams are to one day return to her native homes and settle in for life with her kids and all her family and to continue writing.



All books available through Amazon;


Calastan

Resolution       

Kyluna               


More from Cheryllynn Dyess;


 cdyesswrites@gmail.com

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Blog

Website

Google+

The Fantasy & Sci-Fi Network is a collection of authors, bloggers, and reviewers who are passionate about finding and creating quality fantasy/sci-fi books which are also teen safe (G, PG, or PG-13 rated). The FSF Network believes it is possible to create fantastic works of fantasy and science fiction without resorting to graphic violence, explicitly harsh language, or sex.

FSFN on Facebook
FSFN Website
Twitter hashtag: #FSFNAuthor
Twitter handle: @FSFNet


Thursday 7 August 2014

New Release YA Urban Fantasy - Chasing the Demons by Louise G. White


Looking for YA urban fantasy? Fantasy Sci-Fi Network's Louise G.White may just have the dose you need with her second book in the Gateway series, Chasing the Demons released June 30th.

  Urban fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy defined by place; the fantastic narrative has an urban setting. Urban fantasy exists on one side of a spectrum, opposite high fantasy, which is set in an entirely fictitious world. Many urban fantasies are set in contemporary times and contain supernatural elements. However, the stories can take place in historical, modern, or futuristic periods, and the settings may include fictional elements. The prerequisite is that they must be primarily set in a city.  Wikipedia

 


The system has been changing; the Agency flaunts its cruel practices, and the balance of the realms has been disrupted. Ethan's enforcers are already stretched to the limits, and things get worse when alliances are forged between the worst of the demon realms. Meanwhile, on Empustat, Carolyn has spent an entire year being "reconditioned" - her memories being wiped and replaced in order to produce a limited and vapid princess. Under the constraints of the Chief, she is no longer the feared and mythical "destroyer" Carolyn's life of privilege is marred only by the expectations held for her to marry Peter and produce heirs for the realm. Her friend, Mario, in contrast, has suffered hardship and humiliation at the hands of the Lilim guard - and a chance encounter will spur Carolyn's awakening. The disabled gateway has frustrated the team's efforts to reach Carolyn, and Ethan and Note can barely tolerate each other, but both mage and demon share the same goals. Hope by way of an unexpected source leads to the team embarking on a plan so daring that their survival hangs in the balance. With old and new friends from the realms, the fight for order continues.


What Readers are Already Saying;

"...was at the edge of my seat the whole time... Another great installment by Louise G. White." 5 Stars
"There is so much more action and twists. It will keep you guessing as to what will happen next." 5 Stars
 "You won't be able to put down this new and compelling edition to the fantasy genre."    5 Stars

An Excerpt to Tempt You; 

 Prologue


Where now are my strength and my cocky self-assuredness? thought Mario as he shovelled mouthfuls of slop into his mouth. I’m nothing. I’m little more than an animal struggling to survive, hoping somehow that my folly has not ruined the lives of so many others that I’ve come to care about. Thrusting the empty bowl away in disgust, he knew that his ill humour wasn’t just about the food.
Here sits Mario, the only Lilim of his adopted world and the most important being on this world, currently delirious in self-derision believing he cares for others who exist on or around his world.
A harsh, self-mocking noise erupted from Mario’s lips. Thinking of oneself in the third person is sure to be a clue as to how well my mental health is faring. I should congratulate myself.
Nights and days had passed, Mario being haunted by faces that bore eyes of a much missed range of shades but that pierced and tortured him.
The Lilim’s body trembled, and he traced a symbol in the air that shimmered with his residual magic. The small act would ensure the solitude he felt he needed until he gained composure.
The horrible food was a stupid ploy, a way of distracting his thoughts from what was really bothering him. Working under the Protectorate, there had been times when he had made do with worse fare than this. But not every stinking day.
He ate also to try to keep up the strength he had managed to retain. Were it not for what he had learned under Sean’s instruction, he would have been trapped there with nothing but his shield and Lilim guile … Not that the latter did him much good with the Lilim guards, and his skill worked not at all with stronger Lilim like their leader, Arthur. Mario had deemed it not worth the effort to try influencing Peter or Patrick of the Chief’s inner circle, sensing the measure of their strengths. Both could make his life even more difficult than it was now if he challenged them.
Suspecting Peter to be the stronger and more focused of the two, the Lilim was certainly crueller than any other Lilim he had met. At Arthur’s right hand, Peter had access to whatever he wanted – and Mario had to hope that his benefits did not include Carolyn.
Shaking the thought away, a greasy lock of Mario’s hair slapped his face. Irritated, he smoothed it back. If things had gone differently – if life had been fair – then he would have returned to the others and been able to experience life as an adult. But here he sat, trapped, not only by the bars that surrounded him but in the body of his fifteen-year old self. The perpetual pubescent form mocked him, tormenting him much more effectively than anything his captors could envisage.
When he had first met Carolyn, he had been taken with the fact that she was the destroyer, and there had been no clue of her being part-Lilim. In “surfing” her mind, he had abused his ability, citing his impetuousness as being to blame, and she had been more forgiving than he would have been given the same circumstances.
How could it be that he had been in her mind and not recognised the signs? Even in hindsight, he could not recall anything that would have suggested her heritage. Certainly, she had the good looks of the Lilim, but there had been nothing else. Had the strange mix of everything else she happened to be messed up the markers?
Unlike in many other races, Arthur had become the Lilim Chief not through accident of birth but because of his superior powers, and he was the Lilim to whom Mario owed his inability to age.
It had seemed like a good idea at the time to run off to a life with the humans, and the thought of the first few months with the human beings almost raised a smile. Mario had left trouble in his wake and caught the attention of Sean. Never before had he known such a powerful magic user, and the mage had been harsh with him while accepting the risk of Mario’s apprenticeship. It had seemed strange that the first meaningful relationships on his new world had been with a collection of fellow magic users and enforcers. When the full effects of his punishment had become apparent, he had trusted in Sean’s abilities to reverse the process and re-enable his ageing, but all attempts had been fruitless.
Living apart from the Lilim for so long, Mario had forgotten how they operated. Wearing nothing but filthy combats that covered his legs, he had been left in the cell to rot. Marking time by scraping his nails on the slabs beneath him, he noticed that the scarred slabs bore similar designs from previous occupants, but he sensed that his were the only ones of recent years. This type of treatment of imprisonment was reserved for the worst of high-born Lilim who it was judged could not be controlled or rehabilitated properly.
He scored the seventh scratch through the six faint lines that marked the passing of another week, wondering if his captors were also marking time – the time before they put an end to him. He imagined that he had been incarcerated for three weeks following their most recent attempt to “rehabilitate” him; it had surely not been more. Some days had been worse than others, and Mario was uncertain of whether he had marked all of the days since their capture.
How had the Lilim known to expect them? He was certain that they had been waiting.
He had learned that Carolyn was not just any interloper on the realm of Empustat; she was Arthur’s daughter by blood. Could Arthur have traced her presence by blood alone? The fact of the blood tie should have given him hope that her lot would be easier, but Mario burned with an unfamiliar emotion – shame –  at the thought of what could be happening to her.
Strangely, he felt almost as bad for her Kistatus demon, Note. The pair had indeed been something to behold. Unbelievably, she had Anchored to the snake-demon after two years of being a pure untamed destroyer, policing the gateways without the Protectorate safety net. That net had proved tenuous when her breeder status had emerged, forcing her to accept Note’s Claiming in order to protect her from other demons. Other races would be compelled to do whatever it took to acquire her, in the interests of the furtherance of their species. He still didn’t understand the decision of the pair to mute the more physical effects of the Claiming. Things might have been very different if they hadn’t have watered down the process.
Apart from the obvious advantages – and it was perhaps the hormonal effect on his teen body – Note and she would have been inseparable. The Kistatus should never have let the destroyer out of his sight. And how long ago was it that Note’s claim had become invalid? How long did she have before her father would gift her to some Lilim powerful enough to succeed him and ensure his continuity in the mechanism that ruled the land? And what of Carolyn? All of her skill, passion, and ferocity would be lost – just like Mario’s ability to age.
They had come to Arthur’s realm at Mario’s insistence to steal an artefact from the race to help restore his ageing to Lilim normality, but the Chief had taken charge of both of their lives as forfeit. Didn’t the punishment fail to fit the crime – especially given that Carolyn’s moral code would have led her to return the artefact? Mario clung to the hope that both of them could make it through this. Otherwise, why continue to exist?
He curled his fingers, tangling grubby fists into his dirty hair until the flesh stung furiously. Who I am trying to deceive? He had failed in his responsibility to Carolyn. She had confessed her shield failure when they had come to Empustat, and he had been blasé, telling her that he could adequately protect the pair of them.
Even now, he could make excuses for his egocentrism. If they hadn’t been discovered and hadn’t needed to fight then they could have accomplished their goal and returned to the relative security offered by the Protectorate.
Uncurling his fingers, Mario remembered the look on Carolyn’s face as she had succumbed to the attack. They would have “conditioned” her by now, taken everything from her mind that they didn’t need her to have. In a similar way to what had happened to Sam, who cared for them back home on Earth, his people would have reduced Carolyn to a shadow of her formal self.
Damn it all to hell. Her mind would be mush!
Mario cares. He should make a note of it in his diary. 

 

Book 1 of the Gateway Series;

 

 

On the run and hiding from the suits , Carolyn s life is far from straightforward. After her mother and brother go missing in a most extraordinary way, (through a hole to another world which appears in the kitchen wall!), she is determined to track them down and bring them home. But life is never that easy! Rescued and protected by a group of unusual and likeminded people , Carolyn hones her magic and fighting skills. Whilst answering a call to retrieve a human from another world she s faced with a quick decision and ends up bringing a demon back with her. Little did she know what effect this demon would have on her. As each day passes her strengths grow and her magic develops to assist her in her quest to track down her family, but there are decisions to make that will affect the rest of her life.

About the Author;

 

 

"I've had a variety of jobs, including waitress, library assistant, nurse, and police officer. I hold a BSc in Health Studies, and a PG certificate in Primary Education. The scenic west coast of Scotland is where I live with my family.
My varied life experiences were not strictly by design, but have likely given me fuel enough for the next few decades of of writing. Fortunate enough to come across some of the most amazing real life characters, there's been good, bad, and downright ugly at times. I can say the same for many of the situations in which I've landed. Let's face it, delivering a baby to an adoring couple is as far away from the reality of bagging criminals as you can get. And yet, I've been passionate about all the jobs I've done, soaked in the experiences, and blanked out the worst ones for the good of my mental health. But they are all there, happily bubbling, or festering away, to be recalled when I need them.
I didn't set out to write Fantasy, but when I sat with my laptop to begin The Calling, It became apparent that I still believed in the Bogey Men, the Monster in the cupboard and of course, the Faeries at the bottom of our garden. Suddenly I found that I was writing a story of perhaps less than willing, but more than able 'Real to me' Heroes who could be found both on our doorsteps and in the realms that lie beyond."

Books Available at;

The Calling- Book 1

Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
 

Chasing the Demon- Book 2

Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Kobo


Connect with Louise;

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