Fabulous and Brunette
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Friday, April 19, 2024
Pursuit of Innocence by Bethany Rosa - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!
Thursday, April 18, 2024
The Fallenwood Chronicles by Leslie D. Soule - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!
The Fallenwood Chronicles Series
Books 1 - 4
by Leslie D. Soule
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GENRE: Fantasy
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BOOK SERIES BLURB:
The Fallenwood Chronicles is the ongoing story of Ash Kensington, a young woman who finds herself transported into a fantasy world, where she must take up arms in a battle of Good vs. Evil, against the Dark Lord Malegaunt. Tragedy strikes her life in the real world, but she finds friends in Fallenwood, like her mentor Will Everett, a talking cat named Greymalkin, and a court jester named Terces.. Working together, they battle against the odds as Ash faces attacks from the world and from within. Eventually Ash finds the strength within herself, to attempt the fight against Malegaunt, against overwhelming odds, come what may.
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EXCERPT TWO:
“A dark, difficult, dangerous path lies before you, Ash Kensington.” Ash’s heart grew heavy. In truth, she knew that she was destined to some terrible, dark fate. For so long, her life was filled with sadness and doubt, and one horrible thing after another. What else can I hope for? “But Ash, you must not lose hope. Our world needs you, and you must learn to be strong, so you can find the power within yourself to change things for the better. Prove that you are stronger than your Fate. Prove that you are worthy of this life that you have been given. William Everett has agreed to guide you, and there will be others in this realm that you must learn from. But your future, your life—everything from this point on is up to you. For you have been granted a precious gift—to return to the place and time you left in coming here, once your quest is through.”
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GUEST POST:
The Background Of The Fallenwood Chronicles
So let us begin at the beginning. I’ve always written myself stories, as a matter of habit, ever since I was little. I never questioned what I was doing, back then, as I typed away on my StarWriter word processor – I just did it, imagining quests and strange characters and scenarios that never were. And eventually I hit upon a character – Ash. She came to me first, as a character I could loosely base on myself, and then I wanted to give her friends. As a child and teenager, I had this cat named Bogey, and he would always sleep at the foot of my bed every night, and was the sweetest little creature I knew. [Photo of Bogey is below]
He was named Bogey because my stepfather was an avid golfer, and that’s who named him. So it seemed natural that I should give Ash a friend who was a cat. The cat character was going to be based on Bogey. And at the time, I’d been reading MacBeth, and there’s one part where the witches say, “Come, Greymalkin”, and I knew that that’s what I wanted to name him. So there we had Ash and Greymalkin. And the story grew from there.
The various characters that show up in the Fallenwood Chronicles, all have little pieces of me in them, though some of them are based on real people, like Will Everett.
Victor Hugo wrote that, “A writer is a world trapped in a person.”
And so it was, with me. I never expected to write four novels that would become a series. In fact, Forgetting Fallenwood (book 2 of the series) was something of an experiment. Could I transport Ash back to the real world? Have her follow me through my state job, and see how she would react? And why did my own world seem to fall apart when I tried to act the way society says you should? I demanded answers of the universe.
Well, Forgetting Fallenwood flowed effortlessly from my imagination. Where Fallenwood had taken years to write, I wrote book 2 in about six months or so. But critics were not so kind. I did not receive words of praise, for book 2. While I managed to avoid the topic of suicide that the first book took on, I still managed to write a book that received negative criticism. So I shelved my writing career for years on end. I thought I was a bad writer. And I didn’t touch the Fallenwood series again for quite some time.
But then I realized, that writing isn’t about sunshine and roses. It’s about “writing clear and hard about what hurts”, like Hemingway said. It’s about bleeding your heart onto the page. So I determined that I would keep on going, and write as clearly as I could, about all the ways in which the world had come to hurt me. Book 1 (Fallenwood) is about Death and coming to grips with it. Book 2 (Forgetting Fallenwood) is about Identity and loss of memory. Book 3 (Betrayer) is about Betrayal. And Book 4 (Retribution) is about Revenge.
So there you have it. At the end of the day, I’m proud of having written the Fallenwood Chronicles, despite whatever negative feedback has come along with it.
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AUTHOR BIO & LINK:
Leslie D. Soule received her M.A. in English from National University. She is a scholar, artist, citizen journalist, and martial artist. She has been an established writer for a decade, and has novels published by Melange Books, Terror House Press, Gypsy Shadow Publishing, and Nat 1 Publishing. The Fallenwood Chronicles is her 4-book fantasy series and features the novels Fallenwood, Forgetting Fallenwood, Betrayer, and Retribution.
Twitter handle:
@Fallenwood1
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AMAZON BOOK BUY LINKS:
Book One - Fallenwood:
https://www.amazon.com/Fallenwood-Leslie-D-Soule-ebook/dp/B00OJR1KEA
Book Two - Forgetting Fallenwood:
https://www.amazon.com/Forgetting-Fallenwood-Leslie-D-Soule-ebook/dp/B00HOXV4OW
Book Three - Betrayer:
https://www.amazon.com/Betrayer-Fallenwood-Chronicles-Book-3-ebook/dp/B073RRKRGM
Book Four - Retribution:
https://www.amazon.com/Retribution-Fallenwood-Novel-Leslie-Soule-ebook/dp/B08D6T81QM
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Leslie will awarded a $25 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
When the Ocean Flies by Heather G. Marshall - Book Tour - Guest Post - Bonus Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Off the Books by Dana King - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!
Red Kingdom by Rachel L. Demeter - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!
Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.EXCERPT TWO:
Princess Blanchette’s world shatters when the Black Wolf tears apart her castle and everything she holds dear. All she clings to is the vow she made to her grandmother on her deathbed.
Hailed as the people’s champion, Sir Rowan Dietrich liberates the capital in a quest for vengeance. He takes Winslowe Castle with an army at his back and his wolf, Smoke, at his side.
United by a shared cause and powerful attraction, Rowan and Blanchette embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption—a path filled with loss, transformation, and ultimately, the healing power of love.
Can Norland’s resplendent princess, with her captivating beauty and spirit, tame the fabled Black Wolf?
Inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Red Kingdom is a passionate historical romance about the enduring quest for love and the longing for a world at harmony. It is a standalone novel.
Rowan Dietrich, the Black Wolf of Norland, withdrew his sword from the back of the man’s head. The six other brigands slunk backward and fumbled for their weapons. The horses were going crazy at the sight and scent of the wolf Smoke—stomping their hooves, rearing up on powerful hind legs. Except for Sunbeam. He remained silent and still, blending into the dark canopy of trees.
From the corner of his eye, Rowan glanced at Blanchette; her dress was torn and dirty, and she fumbled in the dirt, struggling to rise to her feet.
Anger twisted inside him, red and hot.
I shall kill them all for this.
One brigand, greasy-haired and pockmarked, dashed at him from the left. Rowan swept his sword in an arc and felt the satisfying squelch of steel sliding through flesh, muscle, and tendon.
Movement from his peripheral vision. Blanchette rushed forward and retrieved the fallen axe. Rowan ran toward another brigand. The man staggered back, nocked an arrow, and let it fly.
It took Rowan in the forearm. Several moments passed before the pain struck him. Then he strode forward, a growl in his throat, as the bowman withdrew a second arrow from his quiver and nocked it again.
He raised to shoot—but Blanchette was there, bless the little idiot, both of her hands wielding the axe. She gave a war cry and swiped at the man’s midsection. The metal sank in deep, and then she pulled it free with another gut-wrenching cry.
The man crumpled and fell. Blanchette locked Rowan’s gaze. Dirt and blood speckled her face.
There were five more brigands. Smoke leaped at one of them, his snarl a thunderclap, his dagger-like teeth tearing into the man’s throat. Blood pumped from the gash and soaked Smoke’s muzzle. Then the wolf squared himself in front of Rowan and Blanchette, his fierce growl rising in the darkness.
The last three men backed away slowly, their eyes riveted on the wolf and his gore-stained snout. They turned and ran like bats escaping hell. Smoke pounced and wrapped his jaws around one of the men’s napes. He dug his fingers into the dirt and leaves, screaming for his mother, blood and flesh coming loose as Smoke worked at his neck until he was silent.
Rowan and Blanchette finished off the last two men.
Then she wandered into the clearing like a woman wading through a dream. The red riding cloak streamed behind her.
She stood like that for a long stretch of silence. Tears and blood and dirt covered her face.
She looked fierce. Primal. Breathtaking.
That tragic vision took his breath away.
Smoke threw back his blood-soaked muzzle and howled at the full moon. The eerie sound shivered through the night.
“I wouldn’t linger long, Your Grace,” Rowan spat as he glanced at the arrow sticking out of his forearm and the seven dead bodies. “There are wolves in these woods, and worse.”
AUTHOR BIO:I live in Sunny California with my dashing husband, who inspires my romance novels every day!
Writing has always been an integral part of my identity. Before I physically learned how to write, I'd narrate stories to my mom, and she'd record them for me.
I graduated from Chapman’s film school, where I often received the feedback on my scripts, “Your stories and characters are great, but this reads like a novel!” That’s when I realized my true calling.
In my free time, I frequent reptile expos, lift double my body’s weight, and indulge in dinosaur trivia.
I'm passionate about writing stories that explore what it means to be human and to be loved. My books focus on hope, courage, and redemption in the face of adversity.
BOOK BUY LINKS:
Amazon: