Authors

I barely remember July. We were reorganizing our business, repairing a lot of damage that we found, and trying to catch up on work that was due and wasn’t even started. Dean was still in PT…and then our air conditioner decided it would rather spit water at us than cool us down. (This during a record heatwave.) It was a saga and a half. Of course, I got behind on reading. I was barely sleeping. I look at the pile of recommendeds that I have sitting in my get-this-done spot and there are only 2 books, both of which I was reading in little chunks while I was doing things like picking up lunch. And a few articles from breakfast.

July was pure 2024 for us, too much work and too many (bad) discoveries, only to learn how wonderful life can be, as friends stepped in even when no one asked. It was good and hard and…well…not conducive to reading. Still, I have some things to recommend.

July, 2024

Bowen, Sarina, Bombshells, Tuxbury Publishing, LLC 2021. I adore this book. Some of Sarina Bowen’s hockey books are hit and miss for me. I like sports, but I’m not a die-hard hockey fan (even though I grew up around it). However, women’s sports fascinate me. The Bombshells of the title are her made-up women’s pro team, set in Brooklyn, dealing with the disparity with which two teams, owned by the same billionaire, are funded different. She throws a very good romance in the middle of this, but even better are the sports details. One of the best Brooklyn Bruisers novels. And I’ll note that she seems to have her ebooks available only through Amazon, which is a huge mistake, imho. You can get a paper version. That’s the cover I have here.

Huston, Caitlin, “Only Murders in the Building Musical Is a Twisty Tribute to the Theater,” The Hollywood Reporter, May 20, 2024. Apparently, this awards-edition of the Reporter repurposed this article, but this was the first time I had seen it. It’s a fascinating look at writing incidental music for a show that revolved around a murder on stage. They ended up writing the entire musical. A great piece on the creative process. And, oh, if you’re not watching Only Murders in the Building, you might want to. There’s so much about mysteries and cozies and writing (and TV and movies and theater) here. I have loved the show since it started. It’s a lot of fun.

Kuga, Mitchell, “Across The Aoikiverse,” Billboard, April 27, 2024. Fascinating interview with Steve Aoki. He first came to my attention when I moved to Las Vegas, and he was DJing everywhere or so it seemed to me. For years, I didn’t realize how many pies he had his fingers in. Then I realized how many people he worked with, but I had no idea exactly how many until I read this interview. There’s a long section in here about collaboration and about how it feeds the creative brain. Read this one.

Riedel, Michael, “Once More With Feeling,” Vanity Fair, April, 2024. Cabaret was the first musical that taught me the power of the book. By that, I mean the script for the musical. The book and the music together create a marvelous musical. I first saw Cabaret in production as a freshman at Beloit College, all by myself (one of my first forays in going to performances on my own). I thought the show was amazing, powerful, groundbreaking, and heartbreaking. I staggered out of that production feeling gutted and alone, unable to talk to anyone about it because I was the only one who had seen it.

Later, I saw the film of Cabaret. I have yet to see another version live. But when I saw the film (and a film of the production), I realized just how amateurish that production was. And still, it was powerful, because you can’t defeat the power of the book no matter how terrible the performers are.

I’m fascinated by Cabaret. A theater here will be performing it through February, and I’m trying to gird myself up to see it. Dunno if I will. It’s a tough show in good times…and these are not good times.

Michael Riedel’s piece, though, shows that Cabaret wasn’t ever designed for the good times. I learned so much about the history of the musical and the reaction to it. Fascinating stuff. I don’t know if you’re as interested in theater history as I am, but if you are, this is definitely worth your time.

Rose, Sarah, D-Day Girls, Broadway Books, 2019. I initially bought this book as a gift for a friend who was born on D-Day and loves reading D-Day material. (And bonus! Loves reading about strong women.) Then I looked at the book and thought I would like to read it too. Of course, I didn’t get to it right away…as in 5 years later I finally picked it up.

One of my favorite time periods to read about is WWII. I thought I knew a lot about D-Day, which is essential, but didn’t interest me much as a military operation. (I’m not that big on military history.) But D-Day Girls is spy non-fiction about amazingly courageous women. They risked life and limb to get everything ready. One woman actually had a child with a man who had no idea that she was a spy. (He was French Resistance.) He got captured, and later she did too, leaving the baby with the nanny, who finally had to turn the child in to a home for orphans. I can’t imagine what went through everyone’s minds, and how they survived (however imperfectly). There are stories like that throughout, many not told outside of letters and diaries.

I recommend this highly.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas. Happy New Year!

For anyone who needs a refresher on what happened in the first six books of the series, I'm including the highlights in this post. It's basically a cheat sheet before you read book 7, Cast by Flames.

I know that a lot of you writers are preparing for 2025. Dean and I are too after a…well…weird 2024. I’m going to be blogging about a lot of what I learned in 2024 on my Patreon page in the next week, as I process 2024 for myself. So take a peek over the weekend.  I will also be finishing up July’s (yes, July’s) Recommended Reading List and posting it here. I also hope to get through August (but I doubt I’ll manage). I’m going to finish the RRL for the entire strange year of 2024 even if it takes me to next July! (It won’t. I promise.) In case you missed it, I did post November’s list a few days ago.

In the meantime, I wanted to let you know about a big sale we’re doing for writers. It’s called the 12 Days of Writers Workshops (Sale), and each day, we reveal a new bargain. We started eight days ago. So, in case you missed what we’ve done (because you’re not reading Dean’s blog, and really, why aren’t you?), here’s what we have so far. And by the way, the “me” in what I’ve copied below is Dean, not (ahem) me.

General Information… We are going to offer one new workshop or class or challenge a day for 12 days on sale. (Yes, you can get a previous day’s offering as well, but the discounts on the earlier classes may decrease as the sale goes on, so better to grab one sooner than wait.)

We will reveal each workshop(s) or class or challenge and sale price each day here.

DAY 8…. PRODUCTS CLASS and SHOPIFY CLASS BUNDLES both 50% OFF…

Back a year or so ago we offered an INDIE WRITERS GUIDE TO SHOPIFY. Two 9-week classes with a weekly webinar and then we offered a INDIE WRITERS GUIDE TO PRODUCTS. Also two 9-week classes with weekly webinar. Webinars were recorded and are a ton of fun and learning.

These two classes have not dated in the slightest.

The possibilities of making money with Shopify and also products from your writing through Shopify has no end. You just have to be able to see it and do it. This is a modern foundation stone of an indie writer’s career now. These two classes are critical to that learning.

Both 2-class bundles were $900 each, but you can get them in this holiday sale for 50% by using the code

ShopifyandProducts50

You can get one or the other, but I would suggest you plan to take them both.

They are all on WMG Teachable

DAY 7…. FIVE JANUARY REGULAR WORKSHOPS 50% OFF…

We offer core six-week workshops every month, starting on the first Tuesday of every month. There are five assignments to do in the six weeks for each class and again, we consider these the core classes.

Starting January 7th…

• • Writing Into the Dark
  • Teams in Fiction
  • Depth in Writing
  • Advanced Depth
  • Killing the Critical Voice

They are all on WMG Teachable

The code to get any class for January at half the normal $300 price is

Regular50

————-

DAY 6…. FOUR CHALLENGES…

These four challenges have been going for years. You can sign up now with the sale and start them any time you are ready. But once you start, no turning back.

Normally, these are $600, but $300 is the half price cost for the sale. You miss, you get $600 in credit for anything on Teachable except another challenge. You make it, you get a lifetime subscription (except the Everything Subscription).

Code to get them at half price is

Challenge50

• • — THE GREAT CHALLENGE which is to write and send to me one short story a week.
  • — THE GREAT PUBLISHING CHALLENGE which is to publish one major thing a month. (Collection, novella, or novel.)
  • — THE GREAT NOVELLA CHALLENGE which is to write a new novella every month.
  • — THE GREAT NOVEL CHALLENGE which is to write a new novel every two months.

These are now on the first page or so of WMG Teachable

You can go there for more information on each challenge or write me.

——

DAY 5…. ADVANCED CRAFT CLASSES…

The first six months of classes in 2025 are 50% off if you use the code with each class. Also, all three yearly bundles of classes are 50% off as well.  6 classes from 2023, 6 from 2024, and 6 coming in 2025. All 18 are offered in 2025.

Just figure out either the Advanced Craft bundle or the class in the first six months you want on WMG Teachable and hit purchase and then put in the code on the next page and hit apply and you will get the Advanced Craft Class or the full year’s bundle at 50% off.

Code to get any class or any of the three yearly bundles 50% off on each is…

Craft50

Classes are:

2023 Bundle…

• • Advanced Pacing
  • Advanced Character Development
  • Floating Viewpoints
  • Advanced Voice
  • Advanced Conflict
  • Unputdownable

2024 Bundle…

• • Advanced Dialog
  • Advanced Humor
  • Advanced Endings
  • Advanced Information Flow
  • Advanced Genre
  • Advanced Emotion

2025 Bundle…

• • Advanced Rule of Three
  • Advanced Setting
  • Advanced Cliffhangers
  • Advanced Novel Structure
  • Advanced Tension/Suspense
  • Advanced Making Stuff Up

—– DAY 4…. PUBLISHING MONDAY classes and BITE-SIZED BRANDING MONDAY classes…

All are 50% off if you use the code with each class. Just find the Monday class you want on WMG Teachable first and second pages and hit purchase and then put in the code on the next page and hit apply and you will get the Quarter or the full year’s bundle of either one at 50% off.

Code to get any quarter or either bundle of four quarters 50% off on each is… Publishing50

These two classes are like the Creative Survival, Bite-Sized Copyright, Motivational Monday, and Decade Ahead classes we have done over the last three years. There are four videos for each class every Monday morning for all 52 weeks of 2025.

Each quarter is $500 normally and the bundle of each is $1500 normally. So for this sale, each quarter is $250 with the sale and the bundle is $750.  (That’s right, $750 gets you a full year of learning every Monday morning.)

If you want to take both the full year of Publishing Monday and Bite-Sized Branding and Trademark classes, write me and I can get you both for $1,000, a $500 savings over and above half price. Not a deal that will last.

Both these classes are on WMG Teachable first and second pages. Descriptions there. Join me every Monday morning for a ton of stuff about publishing and sales or a ton of information about branding and trademark, or both.

——

DAY 3…. Any of the Eight FOCUS STUDY CLASSES…

All are 50% off if you use the code with each class. Just find the Focus Bundle you want on WMG Teachable first page and hit purchase and then put in the code on the next page and hit apply and you will get the Focus Bundle for 50% off.

Code for all eight to get 50% off on each is… Focus50

Each bundle has seven classes or workshops focused on the topic of the Focus Bundle. The seven classes in each one are under Bundled Content on the left.

Here are the eight Focus Bundles of Classes…

• • Focus on Learning Depth
  • Focus on Learning Beyond Simple Depth
  • Focus on Learning Writing Attitude
  • Focus on Learning Basic Writing Business
  • Focus on Learning Basic Licensing and Copyright
  • Focus on Learning to Write Science Fiction
  • Focus on Learning Productivity
  • Focus on Learning Characterization

Normally each Focus Bundle of seven classes is $500, but for a short time in this holiday sale, they are half price at $250. And yes, you can get more than one bundle.

—–

DAY 2…. Three BEAUTIFUL TROPHY CHALLENGES…

All are 50% off if you use the code with each challenge. You get the full price back in credits if you do not hit the challenge, if you hit it, you will get a Beautiful Trophy Award and more, including on two of them Lifetime Subscriptions.

(Lifetime Everything Subscribers, write me for the code if interested in going for a Beautiful Trophy Award.)

— Challenge… Write 2025 Words A Day for 2025… $600 full price, half price code is:

2025Challenge50

— Challenge… Write as Many or More Words in 2025 as Dean does… $600 full price, half price code is:

DeanFull50

— Challenge… Write Half as Many Words in 2025 as Dean does… $300 full price, half price code is:

DeanHalf50

Just find the challenge you want on WMG Teachable first page and hit purchase and then put in the code on the next page and hit apply and you will get the challenge for 50% off. They will be great fun once again this year.

(No credits for challenges. Can’t use credits to get more credits I’m afraid.)

——-

DAY 1…. KRIS AND DEAN SUGGEST A CLASS TO TAKE…

How it works… You send me one of your own short stories. Both Kris and I will read it very quickly, within a day or so, discuss it, and suggest from what we see in your story what class you could take to really improve your writing craft. Then we will give you a code to take that class for no extra charge.

That’s right, both Kris and I read your short story, suggest a class to jump your skill level, and then give you a code to take the class when you want for free. How cool is that???

Cost is $200.  Write me and I will tell you where to send the fee and also where to send the short story and with what subject line. (No subscriptions or credits apply on this one. No worries, they will on classes coming up.)

Questions on first eight days of this sale, write me. And remember, as the sale goes on, the earlier discounts will reduce.

I don't visit every house for Christmas. That would be ridiculous. Santa does that, and he's very litigious. I don't want his army of lawyer-elves on me all year.

Instead, I pick seven lucky families to receive a Wight Christmas.

I can't fit down a chimney and most people don't have chimneys anyway, so I slide into their WiFi connection on Christmas Eve, digitizing myself to infiltrate their home. Nobody leaves out milk and cookies for me, and I don't want to steal from Santa, so once I return to my physical form I usually crack open the family's fridge and drink milk straight from the jug.

I have a list of what everybody did all year, but I don't check it because I don't really care who's naughty or nice. I leave the same gifts at every house: tiny pixies, ready to do favors for the homeowner for a year and a day. They're great at fixing shoes, assembling furniture, and Call of Duty.

Don't worry about taking advantage of their labor, either, because they take their payment in the form of fallen crumbs and loose dog hair. Those are very valuable in their world.

But receiving the service of fey craftsmen isn't the end of a Wight Christmas. I also make sure that, before the end of Christmas Day, the families I select are visited by three ghosts.

The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come are usually occupied, so it's whatever ghosts I have on hand. I think this year I have the Ghosts of Christmas Lost, Fantasy, and Working Retail. They do their best to teach a lesson, but not every performance is Scrooge-worthy.

After I unleash the pixies and point the ghosts in the right direction, I have plenty of time to return to my subterranean workshop in the South Pole and join my dark elves for a glass of webnog, which is just eggnog but made with the eggs of giant spiders.

I fall asleep to the rhythmic sound of Santa pranking me by dropping bombs onto the roof of my bunker and calling out: "Merry Christmas to all! Except for you, Will Wight."

-Will

This year has gone by so fast. I’m pleased I’ve made my goal of finishing the seventh and final novel of the Dragon’s Breath Series featuring Bailey and Aidan. The edits for Cast by Flames are finished, and I sent the final version to the audio publisher yesterday afternoon. Of course, it will still take […]

As a Christmas gift to my readers, I am giving away a number of books for free! Please feel free to download, and share this post far and wide.

Meet the brave rebels standing up against fascism in a world where Nazi Germany survived the war, join a hopeless war against alien invaders, fight beside marines stranded on a distant world when their empire abandons them, fly into battle beside an outdated carrier which is all that stands between humanity and total destruction and meet a girl without magic, who must somehow survive in a school for magicians … and uncover a very old secret.

These books will be free, between 25th and 29th December.

Merry Christmas!

Storm Front – Amazon

Outside Context Problem – Amazon

The Empire’s Corps – Amazon

Ark Royal – Amazon

The Zero Blessing – Amazon

Cat’s love for John inspires the bestselling romances she writes. Her heroes and heroines experience what she cannot: John’s touch.

John, too, longs for Cat’s touch. Instead, he protects her. But protecting the living comes with risks. If he goes too far, he could lose her forever.

When Cat’s romance novels bring an uninvited guest to her door on Christmas Eve, the choices she and John make could finally allow them to consummate their relationship—or end their time together forever.

 “Inspiration” is available for one week on this site. The ebook is also available on all retail stores, as well as here. 

 

Inspiration by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

THE STEERING WHEEL was cold. Frank held his raw red hand over the vent leading to the Oldsmobile’s sporadic heating system. The clear Wisconsin night seemed fresh; subzero temperatures hardened the edges on the world, made it sharper. Even the night sky was blacker than usual.

Frank pulled his down jacket tightly around his shoulders. The gun felt solid against his hip, protection against such a cold night. He glanced at the books on the seat beside him. All of the covers depicted a man and a woman in an embrace. All of the couples seemed to be experiencing some form of ecstasy. He ran his fingers along the smooth surface of the latest book cover, along the raised edges of Catherine Rice’s name. He had read, in one of the romance magazines, that they called her Cat. The name suited her. The author’s photo inside the book cover could have doubled for any one of her heroines—the wide, almond eyes; the soft, seductive smile; the high cheekbones and the shiny, shoulder-length hair. He didn’t know the color yet—of her eyes or her hair—but he would soon enough.

Christmas Eve was the perfect time, the time to catch anyone home, even the writer of best-selling romantic fiction. Unless she went to church. But judging from the sensual content of her books, Cat Rice didn’t go to church. She seemed to believe in a higher power, but that higher power wasn’t necessarily Christian.

Snow covered the rolling farmland. Small wood-and-wire fences ran along property lines, making a wind barrier so that drifts wouldn’t pile on the roads. Every mile or two, a farmhouse loomed, usually decorated with multicolored lights around the huge picture window. Frank would tense, and then relax. Her farm was ten miles up Highway 12, where Springfield-Lodi Road converged in a strange angular corner. The farmhouse had been standing on that corner since he was a boy. He knew where she lived. He simply couldn’t believe his luck in finding her.

A Christmas present to himself, meeting his favorite author. He had imagined the scene a thousand times: Cat opened the door, tears reflecting the green of her eyes. She was suspicious at first, but his kindness, his solicitation at her obvious loneliness, led her to invite him in. They shared mulled cider and gentle kisses beneath the glow of her Christmas tree, and she let him touch her…

But sometimes his fears took over, and he knew that a famous woman like Cat wouldn’t want a man like him, a man who had worked on a Janesville assembly line since he was sixteen, attaching this doohickey to that doohickey, meeting his hourly quota, listening to the roar of the machine…until two days ago, when the company announced its annual holiday layoffs—and laid him off for the first time in twenty years.

No. The men she wrote about weren’t always rich, but they were always bright and intelligent, educated and witty. Sometimes the scenario got away from him. Sometimes, in his imagination, she would slam the door and dial the police, and he would tear inside, rip the phone from her hands, and shove her on the couch, reaching for her clothes, the soft skin inside, taking instead of letting her give.

Sometimes he ached, and not even the gentle sensuality of Cat’s books could ease him. She would understand that. She would have to.

***

John watched Cat lean on the dirty stonework in front of the fireplace, wishing that he could help. He hated the inequities in their relationship. There were so many things that he wanted to do that he simply was not capable of.

Cat stuffed wadded paper between the logs and the kindling, then grabbed a kitchen match, pausing for effect. “Cricket on the Hearth,” she said.

John wrinkled his nose. Every year they had read Christmas stories to each other. This year he had chosen Dickens as the author. John leaned back against the art deco, restored 1920s sofa. “I prefer The Chimes.”

Cat struck the match and watched the flame burn blue, then gold. She tucked the match against a piece of paper. The paper ignited, burned and crisped without so much as charring the kindling. “How about A Christmas Carol?”

He snorted. “That’s everyone’s favorite. I’m sick to death of it.”

She lit two more matches and tossed them on the pile of wood. Papers caught, and finally kindling did, too. “That leaves The Haunted Man.”

They stared at each other. John sighed and brushed a strand of hair from his face. “No, thanks.”

Cat picked up the copy of Dickens’s Christmas Books that lay on the rug just beyond the stonework. “Here,” she said, tossing the book at John.

His hand closed around the book, only to have it fall through his fingers and thud on the glass top of the coffee table. “Wrong year.”

She frowned, scooted over to the table, and opened the book to the copyright page. “Nineteen fifty-nine.”

“Half of ’59 is good; half isn’t,” he said, and winked out, leaving her to stare at the indentation in her antique couch.

“I hate it when you do that,” she said. He could tell from her tone of voice that she was uncertain whether he was still in the room. Sometimes he wondered himself why he did that. Perhaps it was a way to reestablish their distance, a distance he didn’t want to feel, either, but had no choice or control over.

“It’s Christmas Eve. We still haven’t decided which Dickens story to read in front of the fire.”

He knew it was Christmas Eve, and the knowledge frightened him. He had died thirty years ago this night, and he was due for a review—which would either result in a renewal or in his final rest.

He didn’t want to leave Cat. She was so small and vulnerable. And he was not helping her by keeping her focus on him. Yet it was that focus that had given life to her romances. Sometimes he wondered why she didn’t write horror.

She pushed the Dickens aside as if it hadn’t mattered. He was being foolish. She had planned a nice, romantic evening, and he was ruining it. Damn the rules anyway. He had never been through a review before. Sometimes, he was told, the Powers Above conducted a reenactment. Sometimes they snatched a shade in the middle of a project. And sometimes they didn’t do anything at all. They did watch, though, and they did enforce the one rule that John really hated: he could touch anything made before his death, but anything made afterward wasn’t solid to him. Cat had been born in 1961, January. Conceived in 1960, about one year too late.

On the other hand, romance novels made perfect sense. She had to relieve the sexual tension somehow.

“The Chimes,” he said, his voice sounding hollow and echoey like it always did when he was invisible. “You’ll get all the good cheer and Victorian social satire you can stand for a single evening.”

“I’d rather have sex,” she mumbled.

As if he wouldn’t. But he didn’t want her to know that he had heard. “What?” he said.

She sighed. “The Chimes is fine.”

***

The farm loomed ahead, its yard light shining like a well-directed beacon against the night sky. In the yard he could see an unused tractor and a dilapidated barn. The house itself—an old turn-of-the-century two-story, big enough for a family full of children—had light in its curtained window. Through the main window, he thought he caught the multicolored glimmer of tree lights.

Come in, she said, tears glinting in her green eyes.

A shiver of anticipation ran down his back. He pulled the car over onto the shoulder and shut off the engine. The night was so cold, and the car was so junky-looking, anyone would assume that it had simply broken down. He got out and slammed the door. The ca-thunk! echoed in the stillness. He hadn’t seen a single car this evening. Good thing, too, considering the half mile he had to walk.

He had planned it well, figuring that she would let him in to use the phone. Country folk were still hospitable to people with car trouble. With the distances between houses and the bitter cold, no one wanted to be responsible for someone else’s death. He was counting on that kindness. The holiday would help, too.

He jammed his hands in his pockets and began to walk, his boots making little squeaking sounds on the snow.

***

John grabbed the knife and the wine, and proceeded to open the bottle, moving a little away from the table so that he wouldn’t knock over the antique crystal goblets she had set out. Cat went to such lengths to include him, and he enjoyed it. Sharing wine with Cat made him feel almost human, almost alive again. The alcohol would slide down the back of his throat and warm him. For one short moment, he could imagine that with a simple movement of his fingers, he could touch Cat, bring her closer to him, make love to her.

A simple movement of his fingers. All it would have taken to save himself instead of Britta thirty years ago.

Even if he had survived, he would have been too old for Catherine. A seventy-year-old man and a thirty-year-old woman often married for money or companionship, not the kind of love Cat wrote about in her books.

The cork slid free with a squeal. “How about something nontraditional, like A Tale of Two Cities?”

Cat giggled. “God, we’d be up all night.”

Like they so often were when she finished a book. She would read to him, knowing that he couldn’t turn the pages of something so fresh, even if she wrote it on decades-old parchment. Those nights were as close to loving as they could get—John sprawled on the couch, feeling the heat of the fire, eyes closed as he imagined himself the hero of the novel, and Cat the heroine. She never said, but he knew that was what she saw, too. And he also knew that he was her spark, her inspiration. He had read the two novels she wrote before she came to the farm, before she found him. The prose was as good, but the characters were lifeless. The man seemed like a modern-day Heathcliff, done as poorly as a thousand other such characters; and the woman wayward, timid, and determined, rather like Cat when she had moved in. He smiled, remembering the first time he had seen her, trying to drag her antique couch up the stairs on a dolly. He had stayed invisible as he held the end of the couch, easing the weight so that the bumping wouldn’t damage the furniture.

He had worried about such things after she moved in, little helps that he made, worried that one of them would be the selfless act that would lead him away from Cat, to his final rest.

“Are you going to stand there, staring into space like you had a calling from the Angel of God, or are you going to pour the wine?”

Cat held out her glass. He grinned and poured, enjoying the clink of glass against glass—a sound he had caused. She sipped the amber liquid and smiled at him.

He poured his own drink, and then lifted the goblet. “To you,” he said.

She touched her glass to his. “And to our future,” she whispered. But he didn’t drink. He never drank to that toast, for neither of them quite understood the meaning of it.

***

The walk was farther than it originally looked. Frank’s nose ached, and his eyes stung with cold. The jacket he wore had thinned over the years, and he found himself shivering in the meager warmth it offered. He stared at the house ahead, the unwavering yard light, and the curtained windows. Sometimes he thought he saw a shadow moving across the room, but sometimes he thought he had imagined it.

He made himself concentrate on her books. In them the first meeting was always important, sometimes rocky, but crucial to the rest of the story. Very rarely did the hero introduce himself to the heroine, but once in a while it happened that way. Just like now. He had picked a magical night to meet a marvelous woman, and he knew that things would go well.

He had reached the bend in the road, where Springfield-Lodi curved off the highway. The house stood before him across a wide expanse of unbroken snow. The place looked foreboding somehow. He ran a hand across his stomach, feeling the nerves jump. He hadn’t approached a girl in a long time—not since Sue Anne on the assembly line.

Sue Anne. He swallowed hard. He thought sure they would fire him after that. It wasn’t his fault that she died. She had lied to him, led him on—and then, when he challenged her, she had denied everything, said she hadn’t wanted to hurt him.

Well, he hadn’t wanted to hurt her, either.

He swallowed, shrugged off the memory, and walked around to the frozen, mud-covered driveway. A cleared path led to the house. He walked cautiously, thinking of the books, thinking of her—as he had thought of her a hundred times on his assembly line, as he reached here, then there, then here—

The door came too soon. He hesitated for an instant, staring at the plastic, snow-dusted wreath on the weathered wood. There was something about this house. Someone had died here when Frank was very young. He shivered, thinking he hadn’t been this cold in a long time, and then he knocked.

***

 “Or I could do the entire Christmas Carol from memory,” John said. He winked out, and his voice became eerie and hollow. “I wear the chain I forged in life. I made it link by link and yard by yard, I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you?”

He reappeared next to the Christmas tree, grinning at his own cleverness. Cat had her head cocked to one side, as if she were listening.

“I think someone knocked.”

His grin grew wider. “Looks like it is A Christmas Carol, then. Although the clock is supposed to strike before we hear anything.”

“I’m serious,” she said. “Who would be here tonight?”

The words chilled him. Britta had said the same thing on the same night thirty years ago. And he had been silly then, too, teasing her that what she heard could have been a bit of undigested beef, a blot of mustard—A Christmas Carol again. Funny how he had forgotten that when he suggested Dickens this year. “We could see if they go away.” His voice sounded hollow even though he was still visible. He didn’t think he could be nervous, but he was.

The knock sounded again. Louder.

“I’m curious.” She walked to the door. A wind chime, made of small glass angels, tinkled in her wake.

John followed, not afraid to show himself to anyone. Her family lived out of town; her friends were gone for the holidays—all she had was him. Whoever was at that door was a stranger.

She pulled open the door, sending in cold air that even John thought he could feel. The man behind the door was small, but powerfully built. His arms in his thin jacket were brawny. He wore no hat, and the tips of his ears as well as his nose were red.

The man’s gaze flickered to John and then to Cat. “My car—I mean, I got—I mean, I’m sorry to bother you.”

“Do you need to use the phone?” Cat’s voice was warm, solicitous.

The man nodded, but John could feel a lie. The man came in, and John moved beside Cat, reaching around her to close the door. The solid wood felt good to him.

“Thank you, Miss Rice,” the stranger said.

***

The instant he said it, he knew he had made a mistake. The chill seemed to seep deeper into Frank’s body. He looked at the shock on Cat’s face, to the thin disapproval on the face of her man. Her man. The magazines never said anything about a husband. Or any kind of boyfriend. He should have known she would have someone here, but somehow that had never figured into his scenario. Stupid. Stupid. He was stupid to be here, just as she had been stupid to lead him on with those books, those promises of hers.

“You know who I am?” Cat asked. She had taken a step back from him and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Her hair was brown—almost mousy, and her eyes a deep blue. The details pleased him even less than the man did.

“I—I’ve read all of your books. I thought, for Christmas, I’d meet you.”

He saw the shades click down, the public persona slip into place. “Well,” she said, and the warmth in her voice was as false as the wreath on the door. “Why don’t you have a seat, Mr.—?”

“Frank,” he said.

“Frank.” She glanced over her shoulder, and he saw what she was looking at. The phone in the nook near the kitchen door. “You look cold. Would you like some wine?”

“No, thanks.” This was slipping out of his control, first the man and now her chill. He looked over at the door. The man was gone. But he hadn’t walked through the room. He had simply vanished.

Frank felt relief slide through him. The man hadn’t been there at all. A projection, a trick the back of his brain was waiting to play on him.

“I have some books in the back,” she said. “Let me get them and sign them for you. It was so nice—”

He grabbed her wrist. “I have the books. I was actually thinking of spending a nice evening, just talking.”

“Oh.” The tightness of her movements sent little ripples of anger through him. She didn’t want to be near him. Like Sue Anne, she didn’t want to be close. “You’ll have to let go of me if you want me to sit down.”

He did. He let her free. And he saw the red marks his fingers left against her skin. And suddenly he wanted to leave more, to show her how silly her romance was. No one had that. Not even her, alone on Christmas Eve. He slid his gun out of his pocket, grabbed her wrist again, and pulled her close, sorry that it had to be like this, but knowing that it would always have to be like this.

***

Just like Britta. Only this time the man was after something other than money. This time there was no split second to push her out of the way, take the bullet himself, only to lose her, too. Funny how saving her had caused him to lose her. Britta had never returned, not wanting the memories. And John had waited, all these years, until Cat.

Cat wasn’t struggling. She was staring at the gun, probably waiting to see what John would do. And he could do a dozen things. Only, he didn’t want to lose her, too.

John stood in the kitchen doorway, careful to be only partially visible. The stranger was waving his gun at Cat, asking her to take off her clothes. She didn’t move. John took the knife from the table, hefted the blade a little. If he killed the man, another man might join them, an unwelcome ghost. But if he let the man kill Cat, then John and Cat would be together, finally, able to touch each other…

Unless this was his renewal. If John were to go to his final rest, Cat might take his place as the spirit of the house. He couldn’t allow her to feel this kind of loneliness, this kind of isolation.

At the last instant, John grabbed the wine bottle and hurled himself across the room, fully visible. As he had hoped, the man raised the gun away from Cat, at John, and the shots echoed yet again, bringing back Britta’s cry, the moment of fading consciousness, the fear that she wouldn’t survive. But Britta, like Cat now, had attacked. Cat shoved herself against the attacker, knocking his gun free and sending it skittering across the hardwood floor. John brought up the wine bottle, spilling wine all over himself as he clubbed the man’s balding head. The man landed on the floor with a heavy thump.

For a moment both John and Cat stared at the stranger. He seemed less threatening now, more a frightened, misguided child.

“Thank God he was over thirty,” Cat said. John smiled, ready to take a sigh of relief when he felt himself wavering. The fading feeling, like the one he hadn’t felt in thirty years, was coming back. He wondered how. His act wasn’t selfless. He hadn’t sacrificed himself. Or maybe he had. Maybe he had done so earlier and had forgotten, and in his review, they decided to take him from her.

But I’m her inspiration, he thought, reaching for her, hoping that in this one last instant, a merciful God would let him touch her, just once—and his hand passed through, as it always had.

He knew that Cat didn’t understand. She was hurrying for the phone, for help, for something to bind that awful man with. She didn’t realize that John was fading, finding a final rest that he did not want.

***

His head throbbed. Frank opened his eyes. His vision doubled and blurred. Something sticky clung to his forehead, and his wrists were pulled at an odd angle against his back. So were his feet. Then he realized that he was tied up. His wrists bound to his waist and his feet. He closed his eyes again and felt tears. All he had wanted was a nice Christmas Eve.

The faint call of sirens echoed in the distance. He sighed, unwilling to struggle.

He heard a rustle and eased his eyes open. Cat had his gun aimed at him. Her hands were shaking.

Frank tried to look around, but the pain in his head made him dizzy. “Where’s your boyfriend?”

“I think you killed him.” Her voice was low, almost too calm. For the first time, he felt frightened. He knew the scenes in her books when someone threatens the hero. The heroine would kill anyone who threatens her man.

The sirens were growing closer. He found himself praying for their arrival. Cat’s face seemed drawn and too pale.

“I didn’t mean for this—I didn’t mean—”

“Shut up,” she said. The gun was still shaking. The sirens grew unbearably loud, and then stalled. Blue and red light circled around the living room. Frank stared at the fireplace, trying to ignore this growing dizziness.

There was a knock, and then the door opened. Voices, immediately:

“This him, ma’am?”

“Yes.”

Hands grabbed him, pulled him to his feet. He almost fell forward. Something trickled into his eyes, something red. He was bleeding to death—she would have let him bleed to death—

“We’ll need you to make a statement.”

“I’ll make it here.” Cat sounded firm, but she looked frail as the lights swirled around her. He wanted to say he was sorry. He looked for the body, but saw none. He didn’t remember shooting her boyfriend. All Frank had done was fire warning shots. Maybe one had gone too far, nicked him.

“Ma’am, at least let one of our rape counselors talk with you—”

They untied the rope around his feet, connected a chain instead. The chain seemed forged especially for him. He thought he recognized all of its links.

“I’ll talk here,” Cat said, “or not at all.”

And then they led him out the door, into the deep cold. The sky still looked clear and Christmassy, the snow spreading across the far fields like a picture on a Christmas card. But the red and blue flashing lights, the prints of a dozen feet along the walk, had ruined the Christmassy look of this house. As he had.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“What?” said the officer holding him.

“Tell her I’m sorry.”

The officer grunted and made no promises. He shoved Frank into the back of the squad car. The plastic seat was cold, and the heat had scarcely penetrated the glass partition. He leaned back and closed his eyes, wishing that this had never ever happened.

***

The fire was dying. John reached for the wood, immediately grabbing a piece from a thirty-year-old tree, then pulled back the grate and tossed the wood inside. He felt almost hollow, not quite here. And then he remembered: the man, Cat, the gun…

“Cat!” John’s voice sounded echoey. He was invisible. He forced himself to wink in, the effort making him dizzy.

She was sitting on the floor, her head propped on the couch. It took him a moment to realize that she was asleep. In her hands she clutched the Dickens book. Her face was red and blotchy. She had been crying.

He crept over beside her, took the book from her hands, and touched her face. “Cat,” he said.

She stirred. Her skin felt soft beneath his fingers. He stopped, touched her blouse, her hair, her nose. “Are you dead?” he whispered.

Her eyes opened. “John,” she said.

“He killed you.” John couldn’t stop touching her. He couldn’t believe how soft she was, how silky her skin was, how warm.

“No.” She was awake now, and touching him back. “I gave him to the police hours ago. I thought you were gone.”

“Me, too.” And then he kissed her, thinking she tasted as good as he had thought she would.

She pulled her lips back for a moment. “How come I can touch you?”

He moved away, and concentrated. He had survived his review. They had renewed him by reenacting his death. He wasn’t going to fade out. He had another thirty years with Cat. And his new death date was tonight.

He leaned back into the kiss. “I’ll tell you later,” he said.

She sighed. She didn’t seem to mind the wait.

 

____________________________________________

“Inspiration” is available for one week on this site. The ebook is also available on all retail stores, as well as here. 

Inspiration
Copyright © 2014 by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
First published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, November 1990
Published by WMG Publishing
Cover and Layout copyright © 2014 by WMG Publishing
Cover design by WMG Publishing
Cover art copyright © Lithiumphoto/Dreamstime, Subbotina/Dreamstime

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

A Tide of Black Steel – Book One of The Age of Wrath trilogy- is published today in the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Thanks to everyone at Orbit for making it happen. 

The winners of the signed books and bookplates giveaway have now been chosen and notified – check you spam folders to make sure you haven’t missed out on a prize. Many thanks to everyone who entered and for all the kind comments – sorry I couldn’t reply to everyone individually. 

Reviews:

‘These wonderful characters and story arc complexity matched with Ryan’s ability to build you up to–and deliver–epic moments (including an ending twist that is just chef’s kiss), wonderfully showcases the author’s skills as a fantasy storyteller.’ – Grimdark Magazine.

‘Rich world building, well-developed characters, and shocking betrayals are precisely what readers expect from Anthony Ryan as he kicks off the Age of Wrath trilogy.’ – Booklist.

‘A gripping epic… Ryan distinguishes himself with deep dives into his characters’ psyches and motivations. This is an exciting start.’ – Publishers Weekly

‘A grim, gritty, glorious Norse epic that begs to be devoured by fans of John Gwynne and Michael Hirst’s ‘Vikings’. You will come away with a taste of the salt sea and the smell of blood in the air, and characters you can’t wait to read more about. Grimdark at its finest.’ – FanFiAddict

Book description:

A NEW AGE HAS DAWNED. AN AGE OF BLOOD AND STEEL.
AN AGE OF WRATH.

The land of Ascarlia, a fabled realm of bloodied steel and epic sagas, has been ruled by the Sister Queens for centuries. No one has dared question their rule.

Until now.

Whispers speak of longships of mysterious tattooed warriors, sailing under the banners of a murderous cult of oath-breakers long thought extinct. A tide of black steel that threatens to vanquish all in its path.

Thera of the Blackspear, favoured servant of the Sister Queens, is ordered to uncover the truth. As Thera sails north, her reviled brother, Felnir, sets out on his own adventure. He hopes to find the Vault of the Altvar – the treasure room of the gods – and win the Sister Queens’ favour at his sister’s expense.

Both siblings – along with a brilliant young scribe and a prisoner with a terrifying, primal power – will play a part in the coming storm.

The Age of Wrath has begun.

A Tide of Black Steel begins a new blockbuster epic fantasy series from international bestseller Anthony Ryan, whose books have sold more than a million copies worldwide.

Buy here:

Ebook:  Amazon.com –  Amazon.co.uk –  Nook –  Kobo –  Google Play

UK Hardcover:  Amazon.co.uk –  Waterstones –  Blackwells

Special Edition Signed Hardcover: Goldsboro Books. – The Broken Binding

US Paperback:  Amazon.com –  Barnes and Noble

Audiobook:  Audible.com –  Audible.co.uk –  Barnes and Noble – Google Play

Did a little bit of signing yesterday at The Broken Binding. If you’ve ordered from them, I’m told the books should ship this week. I’m off to Goldsboro Books next week to sign their stock. 

Some people have been asking when or if this book will be published in their language / country. So far, the series has been sold to publishers in France, Germany, Czechia, and Poland. I don’t yet know the publication date for each country but will update as and when I’m told. 

The audiobook edition of The Road of Storms, Volume Six in my Seven Swords novella series, is now available from Audible. 

Buy here:  Audible.com  –  Audible.co.uk

For those who have pre-ordered the signed special hardcover edition, I have been advised by Subterranean Press that a delay at their printers means the books won’t ship until mid-October. In the meantime, you can still pre-order the hardcover from Subterranean Press.

Fortunately, the ebook edition will still be released on September 30th and can be pre-ordered here*: Amazon.com – Amazon.co.uk – Barnes & Noble – Kobo – Apple Books

*Affiliate links used for Amazon stores. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Anyone new to this series should check out Volume One: A Pilgrimage of Swords – details on the book page.

There’s also a prequel Seven Swords short story – The Scarlet Ziggurat – available as a free download on the Subterranean Press website.

In other news, as many of you will be aware, A Tide of Black Steel – Book One of the Age of Wrath trilogy – will be published on September 24th. I’ll be running a signed hardcover / paperback / bookplate giveaway for my mailing list subscribers this Wednesday the 18th. If you’re already a subscriber please watch out for the email and check your spam folders. If you want to enter but aren’t yet a subscriber, sign up here: https://anthonyryan.net/mailing-list/

Those who prefer to ear-read can listen to a 4 minute sample of the first chapter, as read by the inestimable Steven Brand, here: https://soundcloud.com/hachetteaudio/a-tide-of-black-steel-by-anthony-ryan-read-by-steven-brand

 

HELL OF A WITCH
coming out Oct 1, 2024!The hotly anticipated sequel to HELL FOR HIRE...

One month ago, Bex, the demon queen, and Adrian, witch of the Blackwood, pulled off the upset victory of the century. Now, they find themselves facing the question all unexpected champions must answer: what next? They declared war on Heaven, but how do you actually bring down a divinely powerful tyrant when your army’s still in the single digits and your magical fortress is an illegally modified Winnebago?

It seems like a hopeless situation. As always, though, Adrian Blackwood has a plan, and this time, he’s going big. He’s got an idea to take down the Seattle Anchor, the giant magical fortress that houses the Anchor Market and every other bit of critical infrastructure that connects Heaven to Earth.

How the Anchors work is a closely guarded secret, and getting to the good stuff will require going deep into the heart of Gilgamesh’s power. There’s a reason even the Queen of Wrath has never attacked one directly, but now that Adrian’s on her team, Bex thinks they can do it. She’s finally got the power she needs to actually move the needle on this war, and she’s going to hit that Anchor with all the fire she’s got.

But the enemies of Heaven aren’t the only ones making plans. After the fiery return of his most persistent annoyance, Gilgamesh has ordered his princes to take care of the demon queen problem personally. It’s time to roll out the big guns and show these rebels what divine wrath really means, starting with the Hell of a Witch who made it all possible.

Coming out October 1 in ebook, Kindle Unlimited, paperback, hardback, and an absolutely incredible audio edition!Preorder Now!Boston, what are you doing? Get out from in front of the title!

*Attempts to push familiar away with broom. Broom and cat team up. The author is forced to retreat.*

Ahem... It's sequel time! Y'all made HELL FOR HIRE one of my best new launches ever, and now the second book is almost here. HELL OF A WITCH has more of everything you love, and it's coming out all formats on October 1! Hooray!

Thank you all so much for making this series such a success. I'm so grateful you're enjoying the story, because I love these misfits to death. So much that I've already written book 3, which will be coming out in early 2025! So many books! It's the best of times.

I really hope you'll give HELL OF A WITCH a try, and if you haven't cracked into my Tear Down Heaven series yet, what are you waiting for? It's awesome! The audio book in particular is *chef's kiss*. One of the best things we've ever done. Highly recommended. 

Again, thank you all so so much for being my readers and listeners. I hope you love this book as much as I do. It's just so much fun and I can't wait for you to get into it. This series is going to be a truly epic ride.

Thanks again for making my dreams come true! Yours always and forever,

Rachel AaronWitch Career Counselor Assistant to the Familiars
HELL OF A WITCH is the second book in the Tear Down Heaven series. If you're new, start from the beginning with HELL FOR HIRE. I promise you won't be sorry!

I’m happy to announce that The Book Burner’s Fall – A Raven’s Shadow Novella – is now available in ebook and print. This is the standalone version of the story that originally appeared in The King Must Fall anthology from Grimdark Magazine. Thanks to Kevin Goeke (https://movco-art.com) for the amazing cover illustration and Shawn King (http://www.stkkreations.com) for the book design.

Here’s the blurb:

The Unified Realm in the reign of King Lakril, known to history as the book burner – an impoverished realm brought to the brink of destruction by Lakril’s paranoid tyranny. 

Kestra Saero, once the most deadly assassin to serve the Seventh Order of the Faith, is tempted back to the fold by an irresistible mission: kill the book burner. Driven by a deep desire for retribution but distrustful of her new comrades, Kestra must infiltrate a royal palace transformed into a carnival of horrors and slay the monster that lurks at its heart. But killing a king could never be an easy matter…

Set a century before the events in the Raven’s Shadow trilogy, The Book Burner’s Fall is a thrilling tale of dark magic and bloody vengeance.

Buy the ebook:  Amazon.com  –  Amazon.co.uk  –  Nook   –  Kobo – Apple Books – Google Play

Buy the paperback:  Amazon.com  –  Amazon.co.uk

In other news, those fine purveyors of special edition books at The Broken Binding are now taking pre-orders for signed hardcovers of A Tide of Black Steel – Book One of The Age of Wrath. 

This signed royal hardcover edition will feature digital edges, foil on boards, designed endpapers, and head and tail bands. Head over to the Broken Binding website to place your orders.

A Tide Of Black Steel

Full details on A Tide of Black Steel and pre-order links for other formats can be found on the book page.

In a few short days, Prince of Thorns becomes a teenager and will be the same age as Jorg himself for the first few pages of the novel!

I never expected to be an author. I certainly never expected this guy to pay off my mortgage. And I absolutely didn't expect to still be signing copies of the book in my local Waterstones 13 years after it was published.

The shelf life of an author is typically one book. Fantasy authors more often get a trilogy, because that's how fantasy rolls. But yup, not many of us hang around for long, and the past 13 years are littered with the bright flashes of many fine writers who came along about the same time as me.
I've said - so often that I'm bored of hearing myself say it - that all forms of writing success require large doses of luck. Skill at writing and at story telling are what buys you the lottery ticket. After that you need the stars to align.
It's easy to focus on the hyper-rare examples where the celestial alignment has been of atonishing proportions, and to feel a measure of discontent. But I'm constantly aware that so many fine writers have failed to flourish where I've been fortunate enough to make a living for over a decade now.
So, in part this post is a big thankyou to all you readers who've made that possible.

It's scary to look back at my bibliography and think that (with the exception of the Impossible Times books) each of those novels represents a year of my life. I have grown significantly older doing this...
People often talk to me about pride and about legacy, as if these stories are somehow more of an achievement than the myriad things everyone else has spent the last 13+ years on. I don't subscribe to that point of view, at all. Almost every book is a line drawn in wet sand and if the wave that will wash them away hasn't arrived in 13 years, then it's certainly going to hit the beach at some point, and sooner than most folk think.
I'm pleased and grateful that I've been able to share these stories, but 'proud' isn't a word I'd use. It's ... complicated.
Anyway, enough navel gazing. Just as I had no idea what the 13 years after Prince of Thorns hitting the shelves would look like, I have no idea where we'll be when the book reaches 18 or 21. Will anyone remember Jorg on the 25th anniversary in 2036 ... who knows. 
For now though, the ideas keep coming and the itch to write continues to require scratching. I've finished three books this year, and hopefully will have a 4th done by Christmas.
Thanks for reading!


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Cover reveal for The Book Burner’s Fall – A Raven’s Shadow Novella. Cover illustration by Kevin Zamir Goeke (movco-art.com) and design by Shawn King of STK Creations (stkkreations.com). Here’s the blurb:

‘The Unified Realm in the reign of King Lakril, known to history as the book burner – an impoverished realm brought to the brink of destruction by Lakril’s paranoid tyranny. 

Kestra Saero, once the most deadly assassin to serve the Seventh Order of the Faith, is tempted back to the fold by an irresistible mission: kill the book burner. Driven by a deep desire for retribution but distrustful of her new comrades, Kestra must infiltrate a royal palace transformed into a carnival of horrors and slay the monster that lurks at its heart. But killing a king could never be an easy matter…

Set a century before the events in the Raven’s Shadow trilogy, The Book Burner’s Fall is a thrilling tale of dark magic and bloody vengeance.’

This is the standalone edition of my novella which originally appeared in The King Must Fall anthology from Grim Dark Magazine.

I’m hoping to have this ready for release in ebook and paperback by early to mid-August, so watch out for the announcement. I’ll run a mailing list giveaway for signed copies to coincide with publication, so make sure to join the list if you don’t want to miss out.

In other news, I’m happy to report that Goldsboro Books in London are now taking pre-orders for their signed and numbered, sprayed edges, special edition hardcover of A Tide of Black Steel, Book One in The Age of Wrath trilogy. Click the image above or the link below to place your order: https://goldsborobooks.com/products/a-tide-of-black-steel

A Tide of Black Steel will be released in print, ebook and audio on September 24th. See the book page for pre-order links.

Grim Oak Press are following up on their spectacular leatherbound, signed and numbered, illustrated 10th anniversary limited editions for the individual books of The Broken Empire by doing the same thing for The Red Queen's War trilogy, starting with Prince of Fools!

The new covers and internal art are all by the original cover artist, Jason Chan.
Pre-order your copy here: https://grimoakpress.com/products/prince-of-fools

Here's a piece of the artwork - check the link for more!

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This is the city of Las Fables. I work here. I’m Detective Peter Peter. I put ‘em in the pumpkin shell.

Las Fables is a land of fairy tales and rhymes. Sure, it used to be made of sugar and spice, but Mother Goose flew the coop and hasn’t been seen in years. Darkness has settled over the town, whiffling and galumphing down the yellow brick lanes.

When the Seven Dwarves are gunned down in the Old Woman’s Shoe Bar, Detective Peter Peter and his partner Jack Horner are on the case. No matter how over the hill and far away the clues take them, they’ll see that justice is served–not too hot, not too cold, but just right.

Of course it isn’t just crime on Peter Peter’s mind. There’s a dame named Muffet who’s got him in a tizzy. And it’s gonna take all of his willpower to keep his heart from tumbling down after her.

Amazon Apple Barnes and Noble Kobo

Yes! Nursery Crimes is a short, fun standalone book set in the storybook land of Las Fables. I am so excited to finally get to share it with you! Just like the description says, it’s a smashup: hard-boiled mystery, fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and lots and lots of ridiculous jokes.

I hope you enjoy! (print will be available soon!)

This blogpost is along the lines of a Public Information Broadcast. It's intended to explain, not to cast shade. We've all got to hustle in the writing business.

When you're looking at books, thinking about your next read, you may have noticed quite how many "bestsellers" and "award-winning" books there are out there. 

It often seems like every man/woman and their dog has written an international bestselling award-winner of a book. Which takes away from these words any discriminatory power they might have possessed.

I had an experience recently which puts some context around this idea of "bestselling".

I self-publish short stories on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), which puts them onto Amazon for sale. I was experimenting to see what it would look like if I published one under a different name - would there be any detectable ties to "Mark Lawrence", so I put out a novella I'd written a while back, a children's story.

I was also interested to see how a book by a new author would fare if they (I) did absolutely nothing to promote the book. So, I didn't mention this novella to anyone.

For 2 months there were no sales at all. Zero.

Then in the 3rd month one copy sold!

In the 4th month I noticed that the copy had sold. (for $0.99).

I went onto Amazon.co.uk (where the sale happened) and saw to my great surprise that despite a month having passed, the book was ranked #77 in the sales category "Children's Other Folk Tales & Myths".

I was a "bestseller" on the back of one sale a month ago. And these sales ranks 'decay' rapidly, so when it happened the ranking would have been considerably higher. 

Another week has passed and that single sale 5 weeks ago still has the book ranked in the top 100 in the category. It has a top 100 best seller rank on Amazon ... it is a best seller!

My book may be ranked 878,460th in the Kindle Store overall, but like most books, a subcategory can be found in which it ranks in the top 100. I sold one copy and forever more I can call it a bestselling children's book. 

And that's it. Just a bit of trivia for you. Why are there so many bestsellers? It's not because the authors are just making it up. They genuinely are bestsellers in some sense. It's just that Amazon makes everyone a winner.

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I went to a fantasy book convention!

I was interviewed. And then again on stage - an actual stage with lights and backdrops and everything!

The Cymera Festival's in the heart of Edinburgh - a wonderful little city - and I had a great time. Hopefully, I'll go next year too.

Here are some photos to inspire you to turn up.

First, a shot from Armchair Books - the best secondhand bookshop I've seen! Easy walking distance from the festival site. Sadly, none of my books there - or I'd have signed them.

I signed books in the Waterstones on Princess Street.


In Blackwells they actually had my book in the window - something I've only ever seen once before (Prince of Thorns, back in 2011!)


I signed a ton of books for them - a great shop. Go grab some of them!


I did an interview with Marco from Page One Pod Cast on the Saturday in the smaller venue.



And on the Sunday it was an interview where author (& SPFBO champion) Justin Lee Anderson interviewed me and debut author Gareth Brown (his novel The Book of Doors is doing brilliantly).

And afterwards we signed books for all takers - it was great to meet so many reader. I guess my stay-at-home-iness has led to a backlog of my books out there waiting to be signed!


So yes, had a great time. Might see you there next year!

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"Featuring a motley crew of loveable demons, a chaotic male forest witch with a sassy talking cat familiar, snarky sentient weapons, wicked warlocks, and plenty of magical mayhem, Hell for Hire is a bewitching and diabolically fun urban fantasy that is as thrilling as it is wholesome." - Before We Go Book Blog

"Rachel Aaron has never ever failed to deliver an effortlessly engaging story filled with lovable characters, and an amazing, yet accessible, worldbuilding that is uniquely hers. It came as no surprise that Hell For Hire has all her usual winning trademarks and is possibly her best first book in a series so far." - Novel Notions

"Hell for Hire is an urban fantasy tale that follows a ragtag group of demons and the outcast witch they're hired to protect. Boasting loveable characters, unique lore, and a whole lot of heart, this urban fantasy romp is an absolute delight." - Simple Reads

"Hell For Hire is an absolute blast to read as it combines action, comedy, and lots of magic for a unique story. Rachel Aaron with her eighth (or ninth) series opener showcases exactly why she has no peers in the urban fantasy genre. If you want to have lots of fun, thrills and action, look no further. Hell For Hire is available to fulfill all your needs and more." - Fantasy Book Critic

"Aaron has done it again, giving us a whole new world in which to enjoy her outstanding craft. While many of the themes will be familiar, Aaron has created something fun and wonderful that delighted me. I blazed through this book, sacrificing sleep and productivity. Loved the world building and as usual with Aaron, loved her characters and the obstacles they face, overcome, and the new crises that arise from the ashes to challenge the protagonists anew. Can’t wait for the next book! This is already a must-read." - J Graham (audiobook review)Get your copy now in ebook, print, audio, or KU!The time has finally come! I finally get to share the book that's consumed my last year with you, and I can't wait for you to read/listen to HELL FOR HIRE, which is available right now in ebook, print, audio, and Kindle Unlimited!

I know it's not the DFZ and there aren't any dragons (yet), but I still hope you'll give it a try, because this book was an absolute blast to write! I've never had so many great critic reviews right off the bat. And if you're worried about starting a new book 1, I've got you, because book 2 is already written and going through proofreads, which means it will be available later this year. This series, she is rolling!

And speaking of rolling, you should give the audio edition a try on this one, because our new narrator, Nicholas Cain, narrated the hell out of it, pun entirely intended. ;) The audiobook is also available in stores other than Audible this time! Here's a list of all places you can find it, I hope you'll give the story a listen :D

If print is more your thing, we have hardbacks, and they are sexy! I mean, just look at this.



Ah, the sight fills my book-hording heart with joy <3 

I think that's enough promo for one morning. Thank you all so, so much for coming along with me on this crazy journey! I couldn't do any of this without your support, and I hope from the bottom of my heart that you love HELL FOR HIRE as much as I do. Thanks again, and I'll see you for the next book!

Yours sincerely,
Rachel AaronProfessional Familiar Consultant, talk to me about talking cats!
HELL FOR HIRE is the first book in the new Tear Down Heaven series, which will be five books in total. The second book will be out in Fall of 2024. I hope to see you then!

 

Introducing...HELL FOR HIRE coming out June 4!The Crew
A hulked-out wrath demon who eats gamer rage and loves cats, a shapeshifting lust demon who enjoys their food a bit too much, and a void demon who doesn’t see the point of any of this. They’re not the sort of mercenaries you hire on purpose, but Bex wouldn’t trust her life to anyone else.
 
Ever since the ancient Mesopotamian king Gilgamesh decided death wasn’t for him, killed the gods, and conquered the afterlife, times have been rough for a free demon. But the denizens of the Nine Hells aren’t the quitting sort, and Bex and her team have been choking a living out of the Eternal King’s lackeys for years. It’s not honest work, but when Heaven itself declares you a non-person, you smash-and-grab what you can get.
 
This next gig looks like more of the same…until Bex meets the client.
 
The Job 
Adrian Blackwood is a witch with a problem. His family has skirted the edges of King Gilgamesh’s ire for centuries, but thanks to a decision he made as a child, Adrian is personally responsible for putting his entire coven in Heaven’s crosshairs.
 
Determined to set things right, Adrian drags his broom, caldron, and talking cat thousands of miles across the country to Seattle where he can fight the Eternal King’s warlocks without bringing the rest of his family into the fray. But witchcraft--like all crafts--takes time, and if the warlocks catch him before his spells are ready, he’s dead. So Adrian does what any professional witch would do and hires a team of mercenaries to keep the warlocks off his back. He didn’t expect to get demons, but when you’re already on the killing-edge of Heaven’s bad side, what’s a bit more fuel on the fire?
 
Sometimes you get more than you paid for.
Neither Adrian nor Bex knew what to expect when they signed their contract, but witch-plus-demon turns out to be a match made in the Hells. With this much chaos at their fingertips, even impossible dreams start to come back into reach, because Bex wasn’t always a mercenary. She used to be the Eternal King of Heaven’s biggest nightmare, and now that she’s got a witch in her corner, it’s time to put the old magics back on the field and show Adrian Blackwood just how much Hell he’s hired.
 Preorder Now!Big day in book-land! 

First up, BY A SILVER THREAD is on sale this week for $0.99, so if you haven't given my new DFZ Changeling series a try, now's a great time to pick it up for cheap!

Second (and way more excitingly), I've got a brand-new book for you to dive into! Introducing HELL FOR HIRE, the first in the Tear Down Heaven series and a return to the classic Rachel-Aaron-style of big ensemble casts full of funny characters, crazy magic, world-ending stakes, and epic swordfights. If you liked my Eli Monpress fantasy books or the original Heartstrikers series, this is going to be right up your alley. There's a new magical system, demons with weird immortality issues, witch-family drama, and terrifying heavenly princes who will murder you while looking gorgeous. It's just a ton of fun and I can't wait for you to read it!!

HELL FOR HIRE comes out June 4, 2024 in all formats, including ebook, print, KU, and audio. If any of that changes, I'll be sure to let you know. Thanks for being my readers/listeners! I couldn't do any of this without you. 

Yours always,

Rachel AaronDivine Orchestrator Professional Demon Herder

Want to see all of my books in order, read samples, and know which series are finished? Visit www.rachelaaron.net!