Welcome to Realm Explorers!  In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors.  Enjoy your travels!  And don’t forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book. 

Author’s name: Darlene N. Bocek

Title of book and/or series: The Last Noel (Return to Me series) (paranormal dystopia)

When fireman Reuben Morales learns his unsaved sister has been tragically killed, he struggles with her death until he is swept up into Judgment Day and sees her life and death through the eyes of God. The trauma of this vision propels him as he directs the church Christmas pageant and discovers the answers to his questions in an unexpected way.

Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:

The story takes place in Southern California. But at one point, Reuben is brought into a vision or dream of Heaven. The strange and fantastical, “speculative” world in this story is a paranormal view of heaven on Judgment Day. The “otherliness” of this story lies in the spirit world and its contact with us. This is the first book of a trilogy, in which the supernatural and paranormal (ghosts, phantoms, demons, dreams and visions) are examined in their real impact upon us. I call this realm “paranormal dystopia.”

If we were to visit Heaven as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?

Ha ha. Judgment Day before the throne of God. I know I’ll be looking for Jesus to hide under the shelter of his wings.

What dangers should we avoid in Heaven?

Certainly, the way to avoid a dangerous Judgment Day is to listen and bend to the truth that is readily available to us today, in the Bible.

Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Heaven?

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Fruit from a tree that gives twelve different kinds of fruit.

What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Heaven?

There is the Sword of Truth that will cut through bone and marrow, soul and spirit.

What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Heaven?

In The Last Noel, a vision of the Nativity story and of the Crucifixion, is put on display at Judgment Day.

What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Heaven that we don’t see on Earth?

There will be a Tree of Life, and some beings described as having “the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.”

Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Heaven? 

What are dreams? What are visions? Are they real? Are they merely mental impulses? Is there some kind of heavenly-tech that conveys things like that? I’m not sure the means but maybe it’s heaven-tech!

What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Heaven? 

As a crossover contemporary/speculative novel, the supernatural experience of a vision or dream of Judgment Day compels Reuben toward finding resolution about the frightening thing that is Hell. But, moreso, the reality of such supernatural locations as Heaven and Hell as described in the Bible, help Reuben to understand and to treasure his life, his duty on earth, and God’s ways.

Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?

Every Christian has had to face the death of an unsaved loved one. It is not an easy hurdle to jump, and is never a pleasant time. This book is fostered in the heart of someone who has faced the death of Muslim friends who have died without faith in Christ.

What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?

Any Christian you ask would honestly say that the idea of “hell” is the most repulsive of all doctrines Bible-believers are to hold to. This book is the journey of one man who discovers, through his brief journey into Judgment Day, the rhyme and reason behind such a place.

Author Biography:

Faith-building “What-If” Fiction. Darlene is a thinker of big thoughts and a lover of nature’s message, and her words are a merger of both. Her fans enjoy being challenged by new people, strange places and old ideas helping them to think and grow like never before.

Darlene’s favorite genre to work in is near-future dystopia sci-fi, and her current “Pogland” dystopian trilogy is under consideration with publishers. It takes place in Los Angeles, has “aliens” and strange technology. As a native southern Californian, she likes to write about life and troubles there.

Her first work, Trunk of Scrolls, takes place in ancient Turkey and is available in paperback and ebook. Darlene is grateful for endorsements by Michael Horton, Darrell Bock, and Joel Beeke.

A native of San Diego, California, she studied Social Science at Westmont College, emphasizing ancient and modern Middle East, after which she received her teaching credentials.  As she is connected to Westminster Theological Seminary of California, her speculative writing is confessionally reformed.

As an armchair student of natural theology, an ancient history aficionado, a methodical homeschool mother, and especially as a pastor’s wife in Turkey, Darlene loves bringing readers and students into a deeper appreciation of the depth and truths of Christianity. 

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?  Please include links.

The Last Noel is available as ebook for FREE for the 2020 Christmas season only for signup HERE. After January 6, it will be for sale on Amazon. Follow Darlene N. Bocek on Amazon to get a print copy.

Where can readers connect with you online?  

Darlene is found regularly on Instagram and Facebook.

I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Heaven!  Questions about the world or the book?  Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you!  

Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.


Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another world in next week’s edition of Realm Explorers!

Are you an author of a sci-fi or fantasy novel that takes place in another world? Click here to find out about having it featured on Realm Explorers!

-Annie Douglass Lima

 Across the Miles: Poems of Fantasy, Faith, and Fun

by Annie Douglass Lima

Watch a violinist spin stars and snowflakes into existence and wake dragons. Step into a bookstore full of dusty treasures, and wander through a graveyard for poems that died before their birth. Join a solitary star treading the measures of its stately dance above a rainbow like a stream of dripping jewels. Then mourn with the alien who crash-landed on Earth and can’t get home – but be careful to avoid the deadly shadow creatures slinking through the darkness.

Grab your copy of this volume of poetry now and embark on an unforgettable journey across the miles!
cover photography by Lisa Douglass

These poems touch on themes such as travel, friendship, nature, God, music, fantasy, music, animal encounters, and school. Some whimsical, some serious, they include specific, lesser-known varieties of poetry such as pantoum, rondeau, triolet, roundel, and villanelle. 

Read on to sample two of the poems in Across the Miles!

Monopoly (a Pantoum)

A pantoum consists of four-line stanzas in which the second and fourth lines of one stanza become the first and third lines of the next stanza. It works well to describe noisy places or repetitive thoughts or conversations.


“Monopoly’s such a fun game.”

“So now how much more do I owe you?”

“Did you pay as much as you claim?”

“The rules are right here, let me show you.”

“So now how much more do I owe you?”

“You’re not getting Boardwalk from me!”

“The rules are right here, let me show you.”

“It’s ‘Get out of Jail for Free’.”

“You’re not getting Boardwalk from me!”

“Will all you guys please be more quiet?”

“It’s ‘Get out of Jail for Free’.”

“You landed on mine, don’t deny it.”

“Will all you guys please be more quiet?”

“I can’t hear a word that you say.”

“You landed on mine, don’t deny it.”

“Just pass me the dice, then I’ll play.”

“I can’t hear a word that you say.”

“Are Reading and Short Line for sale?”

“Just pass me the dice, then I’ll play.”

“So how do I get out of jail?”

“Are Reading and Short Line for sale?”

“She owes you nine hundred for rent.”

“So how do I get out of jail?”

“You know how much money I’ve spent?”

“She owes you nine hundred for rent.”

“Aha, he’s advancing my way now!”

“You know how much money I’ve spent?”

“You landed on Baltic, so pay now.”

“Aha, he’s advancing my way now.”

“Did she roll a three or a four?”

“You landed on Baltic, so pay now.”

“I don’t want to play anymore.”

“Did she roll a three or a four?”

“You owe me two hundred and twenty.”

“I don’t want to play anymore.”

“Don’t buy more hotels – you’ve got plenty!”

“You owe me two hundred and twenty.”

“Did you pay as much as you claim?”

“Don’t buy more hotels – you’ve got plenty!”

“Monopoly’s such a fun game.”

Flu

For best effect, read this poem aloud with a stuffy nose and hoarse voice.

I’ve decided I hate the flu – I really do!

The soreness and aching,

the temp’rature taking

which tries to make me a believer that I’ve only got a fever

of 99.2

but I’m pretty sure that thermometer’s a liar

’cause it feels way higher

and I think I may slowly be going insane

’cause my cough’s such a pain

with its racking and its hacking

while all of the drugs that I take are in vain

and my head and my chest

are both tight and congest-

ed, and I’m faced with issues

like running out of tissues

(’cause my drippy nose never stops)

and having to bring cough drops

everywhere I go

and my eyes getting runny

 – and NO! It’s not funny!

’cause I don’t like being in pain and congested and woozy

And inconvenienced and fevered and fluzy.

Want to enjoy nearly a hundred more poems like this? Click here to download your copy of Across the Miles for just $2.99 (that’s only about three cents per poem!). Or gift a paperback copy to a poetry-loving friend or family member for Christmas!


About the Poet:

Annie Douglass Lima considers herself fortunate to have traveled in twenty different countries and lived in four of them. A fifth-grade teacher in her “other” life, she loves reading to her students and sparking their imaginations. Her books include science fiction, fantasy, YA action and adventure novels, a puppet script, poetry, Bible verse coloring and activity books, and a fantasy-themed cookbook. When she isn’t teaching or writing, Annie can often be found sipping spiced chai or pomegranate green tea in exotic locations, some of which exist in this world.


Connect with the Poet Online:
Email: [email protected]
Blog
Facebook
Click here to join Annie Douglass Lima’s author email list and receive a free copy of one of her fantasy ebooks!
  

 

The Scriptures in Color

by Paulette Harper

Genre: Inspirational Coloring Book

The Scriptures in Color is a beautiful collection of promises from the Bible. Inside the pages of this book are verses that will help you meditate on his word as you RELAX. UNWIND. BREATHE. Sometimes we need to block out the noise and spend some quiet time with the Lord. So grab your coloring pencils and let your imagination flow.

Goodreads* Amazon


Paulette Harper is Amazon #1 two-time award-winning, best-selling author. She is a sought-after speaker and pastor.  Her mission is to help women find hope through transformation, restoration and reclaiming their lives via workshops, conferences and seminars.

As a minister of the Gospel, she has devoted her life to sharing the message of hope on as many platforms as possible.

With God on her side, she uses her gifts to inspire others to trust God, dream big, and never settle for anything less than God’s best for their lives.

She preaches live with purpose, don’t limit God, stay focused and allow God to take you places you have only imagined.

Remember,  the best is yet to come.

Website* Facebook* Twitter* Instagram* Bookbub* Amazon* Goodreads

Follow the tour HEREfor special content and a giveaway!

$15 Bath & Body Gift Card 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Review: 

I enjoyed this charming little book of free verse poetry by an online friend of mine! All of them are inspirational poems based on nature walks Christopher Kelder took. I was fascinated at the idea of writing a collection of poems all inspired by the same kind of event, and yet all different. The color photos that go with each poem really add to the experience. Anyone who likes poems about God and walking in nature is bound to enjoy this fun collection! Why not take a look? 

Here’s a sample poem from the book that I particularly enjoyed (I needed the reminder!).

DECEMBER SUNSHINE

I again pondered my schedule, 
my appointments, and my goals 
as I slowly strolled along.

Until I heard His voice remind me 
to open my eyes and
look around me,
to appreciate this present moment, 
the gift of this sunny, exhilarating 
first day of December.
Not to continually dwell on
what needs to be,
but to often enjoy the beauty
that already is. 

About the Author:

Christopher Kelder is an inspirational poet, fiction writer, and filmmaker in Lexington, Kentucky. His short story collection, A Catholic Celebration, is available at christopherkelderauthor.com. His new book, The Secret of Cobb Creek: A Depression-Era Story of E. Kentucky is available at Barnes and Noble and also on Amazon. His new novella, A Time for Healing, will soon be available at both places.







I want to recommend a helpful resource for authors! Read to the bottom for my review of K.M. Weiland’s new book. First, here’s the cover and her Amazon description:

 

Theme Is What Your Story Is Really About

Theme—the mysterious cousin of plot and character. Too often viewed as abstract rather than actionable, theme is frequently misunderstood and left to chance. Some writers even insist theme should not be purposefully implemented. This is unfortunate, because in many ways theme is story. Theme is the heart, the meaning, the point. Nothing that important should be overlooked.

Powerful themes are never incidental. They emerge from the conjunction of strong plots and resonant character arcs. This means you can learn to plan and implement theme. In doing so, you will deepen your ability to write not only stories that entertain, but also stories that stay with readers long after the end.

Writing Your Story’s Theme will teach you:

Conscious mastery of theme will elevate every story you write and allow you to craft fiction of depth and meaning.

Take Control of Your Story Via a Powerful Implementation of Theme

My Review:

This is a useful resource for any author wanting to strengthen their novel’s theme. I’ve never read anything so in-depth on the subject! But don’t try to read this book when you’re tired or at less than peak mental alertness – it’s so deep and rich that takes a lot of brainpower to fully absorb the details. There are so many useful concepts here that I found myself highlighting dozens of separate passages, which I’ll have to look back over when I’m plotting out my next book. Thank you, K.M. Weiland, for another excellent writing resource!

Click here to buy Writing Your Story’s Theme from Amazon.

Release Date: April 19th, 2021 

So, this book features a few new characters,
including Princess Sorei of Korya,
who’s a bit on the awesome side.
This was one of the first images I pinned for her.

Book Description:

The Rizkaland Legends #3

When a Queen forgets,

Her enemies rejoice in her weakness.

But when the Queen remembers,

They tremble in fear.

When a King loves,

His country rejoices with him.

But when that love is broken.

The land is broken, too.

Can Water and Fire join again?

Can Love and Memory be restored?

They spent years in Rizkaland. They ruled the land, forged friendships, built families, and made it their home. But then it was time to return to Earth, and their former lives just don’t fit anymore. Clara and Andrew struggle to reevaluate their priorities when hundreds of miles separate them. Reuben and Petra are lost as they seek a balance between their old friendship and their Rizkan marriage. And Ashna and Noraeto never planned to return, so what live is there for them on Earth?

When the unthinkable happens and a new enemy arises, they’re all thrown back into Rizkaland, into a young prince’s rise to power and struggle to build alliances for his kingdom. But they no longer belong in their other world, either.

Are good memories too much to bear?

Excerpt:

“Why do we need each other so much?” she growled.

He narrowed his eyes, the tone in her voice not sitting well with him.

“I’m not talking about the mental link making it painful for us to be apart,” she continued before he could answer. “Or, at least, it’s not all that I’m talking about. Reuben, we’ve been joined at the hip since the day I was born. We have never spent a day apart that we could help – except that one year. And, even when we are apart, we still revolve around each other. People don’t say ‘Petra’ or ‘Reuben.’ It’s ‘Petra and Reuben.’ Even we think that way. Who’s Petra? Who’s Reuben? There isn’t one of us without the other. Is that even healthy?”

Reuben quickly stood, skirted around the bed to where Petra stood, and caught her by the waist. She melted into him automatically.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CSYSSXS/ 

Add Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/…/s…/50512612-the-dancing-princess 

Author Bio:

Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales. She lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her dragon babies and massive herd of mini-giraffes, and she is still waiting for one of of her fifty nutcrackers to come to life and marry her. When not writing, you can usually find her sitting in a random box, and she’s frequently known to act before she thinks. Find her online at: Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || YouTube || Newsletter || Instagram || TikTok || Amazon

Black Friday Sale: For Black Friday and in honor of this cover reveal, I am offering book one, Water Princess, Fire Prince as a FREE ebook on Amazon, and book 2, Lady Dragon, Tela Du, is just 99 cents! And, furthermore, I am offering Broken, which is part 1 of Love and Memory, for free as well as an early read! This sale is

part of Perry Kirkpatrick’s Black Friday Sale, so do go check out all of the other books on offer for 99 cents or less!


Letters from the Dragon’s Son

A father…

A son…

and the dragon they became.

One head: Malevolent, attired in barbs and spines, took pleasure in decimating the forested village.

Avery, formerly White Boar, wanders the forests seeking forgiveness from the people he sold into slavery, but is repentance payment enough? 

Righteous, with two horns on each side, tried to calm the evil one’s violent ambition.

More servant than son, Jonathan Gudwyne, had been powerless to stop his father from taking the Men of the Forest into captivity. As a man, White Wolf reverses the damage he and his father caused by returning the Natives home. Jonathan gains honor and worship, but what does he do with the remains of his past? Justice has yet to be served to the dragon. Should Jonathan be the one who administers the sentence to his wandering father? To himself? 

The two heads formed Brinsop, whose iron talons wrought chaos…. 

Can a man change? Can a broken family be made whole again? If one head is destroyed can the other survive?

SPOTLIGHT

From author Tammy Lash, the anticipated sequel to White Wolf and the Ash Princess. Letters from the Dragon’s Son is here!

Letters is an emotionally driven story of love, loss, and forgiveness. Jonathan’s journey to his father is raw, heartbreaking, and honest. Avery’s transformation from dragon to father is beautiful and inspiring. Letters is the loyalty of family, of blood or friendship, and the One who ordained it all. Letters from the Dragon’s Son is a compelling read that offers hope and healing to the wounded soul. 

Facebook- https://m.facebook.com/tammylashauthor/

Instagram- http://instagram.com/tamlash5 

Twitter-  https://twitter.com/TammyLash5?s=09

Blog- http://tammylash.wordpress.com

Amazon-

Goodreads-

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55836769-letters-from-the-dragon-s-son

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37880370-white-wolf-and-the-ash-princess

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42436944-eagle-eyes

Want to win these items? Enter the giveaway below!

Giveaway-

Click here : http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/a44877ea18/?

Author Bio-

Tammy lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula near the shores of Lake Superior with her husband and three teen/adult children. Currently, they are working together on their “new” home just outside the Hiawatha National Forest she writes about in her stories. 

Tammy enjoys hiking, kayaking, beach wandering,”hunting” for birch bark, and spotting migizis.

She is the author of White Wolf and the Ash Princess, Letters from the Dragon’s Son, and the short story Eagle Eyes from the Descendants of White Wolf series. 

YA High Fantasy

Date Published: November 10, 2020

Publisher: FyreSyde Publishing


photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png  


King Athan vanishes at sea. His children, prince Thalos and princess Thara, drift apart with age, their kingdom falling into ruin. Thalos stubbornly clings to the past; Thara, resentful of her father, looks to the future. In the wake of this decline, a beautiful enchantress usurps the throne from the estranged siblings. She exiles Thalos to the edge of the world and slowly enslaves Thara’s mind.

In his exile, Thalos finds another castaway—an old comrade of his father. Together they begin a voyage in search of the lost king. Thara, meanwhile, resists the new queen’s coercive spells and finds a resistance of creatures still loyal to her father.

With a vast world of enchanted islands and beings between them, Thalos and Thara struggle to restore their family and rekindle the hope of the true king’s return.

 About the Author

Frazier Alexander lives in Denton, Texas with his wife Nicole.

He began writing around the age of nine, inspired by movies such as The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and “sword-and-sandal” epics like Jason and the Argonauts. As a reader, his interests gravitate towards older works and the classics, such as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, Virgil’s Aeneid, Beowulf, and Le Morte D’Arthur. Along with creating his own mythological backdrop for his stories, Frazier is an amateur calligrapher, map-maker, and artist.

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Blog

Instagram

Purchase Links

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

Publisher

Click here to enter to win an Amazon gift card and a copy of the ebook! a Rafflecopter giveaway

RABT Book Tours & PR

Welcome to Realm Explorers!  In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors.  Enjoy your travels!  And don’t forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book. 
 

Author’s name: Juli D. Revezzo

Title of book and/or series:  Bitter Thorn Tribe (Stewards War, book 2)

Brief summary of the story:

Destined to be a bride, if only the gods will let her…

Stacy Macken tries to acclimate herself to her training under Tuatha dé Danaan druids—as if she doesn’t have enough work in planning her wedding to her beloved guardian and fiancé Aaron.

When Fomorii loyalists violate their treaty and seek revenge for their recent defeat, even Stacy’s druids are at a loss to explain the mayhem that ensues. Can Aaron and his brothers-in-arms stop it before Stacy and her family are caught in the crossfire?

Brief description of the world or location you created for this story: The city is a modern (fictional) town in Florida called Bitter Thorn Grove, named after its Medieval Irish counterpart. So its locale and weather is that of the Florida Gulf Coast, but, after the last battle, their druids did a little finagling and the environment is a tad cleaner than what you’d expect if you were to visit a modern town in the real world. It’s still hot as heck in the summer, but that odd winter Stacy experienced a few years ago where they were having snowstorms (you can see that in the previous novel Keeper of the Grove) has, blessedly, not returned.

If we were to visit Bitter Thorn Grove as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?

Definitely go to Stacy’s Bitter Thorn Grove History Center. You’ll learn everything about the town there, and maybe, if you’re lucky, Stacy (the heroine of Bitter Thorn Tribe) will give you a personal tour. If you’re very lucky, she may tell you why Aaron and his harshad warrior buddies deem it their sacred ground.

What dangers should we avoid in Bitter Thorn Grove?

Aside from the usual dangers of any modern city, though normal crime is on the downswing since the end of what happened in volume one, Bitter Thorn Grove has to contend with Balor’s supernatural dragon-like beasts they call Harbingers. Nasty things that just won’t seem to leave Stacy alone.

Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Bitter Thorn Tribe?

Stacy’s granny makes this awesome jam that Stacy and Aaron are, on the side, trying to find the recipe for.

What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Bitter Thorn Tribe?

Aaron teaches a form of martial arts called Irish Stick Fighting. He also has a magical weapon called a harshad given to him and the others in his special regiment (the harshad warriors) by the Tuatha dé Danaan god Goibniu. It can split into three blades and wrap around enemies to pull them in for the kill, if necessary. Or it can become a knife, or a baton, or anything Aaron needs with which to defend Stacy and the Bitter Thorn Grove History Center. The name “harshad” is an in-joke within the warriors’ group meaning it can turn into roughly 500 different items. (A harshad number is a number divisible by the sum of its digits…for instance, 500, and the warriors fight their battle with Balor for dominance of the earth—when things go right—every five hundred years).

What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Bitter Thorn Tribe?

Average normal modern technology, but the harshad warriors can teleport, and their druids use higher than high-tech computer systems that can log and calculate just about anything you can think of.

What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Bitter Thorn Grove that we don’t see on Earth?

Aside from Balor’s minions that are a mix of reptilian beasts and quite dragon-like, right now, the “grove” for which the city is named is sentient and can respond a threat to Stacy and reach out to help the harshad warriors guard and protect her.

What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Bitter Thorn Grove?  If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.

There is magic. Aside from the magic of Aaron’s weapon, he can teleport, and create a magical wall of undulating glass as a shield, he (and some of his fellow worries) have magical healing abilities. The druids can do just about anything written up in the ancient Celtic myths, like call magical fog, resurrect warriors in their gods’ Cauldron of Rebirth, make magical healing draughts, spell mundane weapons to make them more effective, put magical locks on things, and transform into animals. Stacy is learning all that magic now. The druids have even pulled her consciousness into tales before.  

Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Bitter Thorn Grove?  If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.

The harshad warriors weapons and the Cauldron of Rebirth are the only unusual tech I can think of. The druids are thinking of upgrading the world’s computers, if they can help it. So we won’t have to worry about pesky things like viruses and hackers. 😉

Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Bitter Thorn Grove.

The usual, but outside Aaron’s Bataireacht (Irish stick fighting) school, Stacy doesn’t like or pay attention to sports. But outside sports, there are also movies, streaming and otherwise, music, and books and such, just like we have.

Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Bitter Thorn Grove as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?

Pretty much the same, except Stacy and Aaron celebrate the Celtic calendar holidays, Samhain, Lughnasadh, Beltaine, and Imbolc. Imbolc every five hundred years is when the main battles take place—unless of course, like now, Balor breaks the treaty. Samhain is also an auspicious date for them. It’s the time when all major events take place, in Celtic mythology, so…plays in as a spoiler in Bitter Thorn Tribe, so I can’t say how. 😉

Is there a particular religion practiced in Bitter Thorn Grove?  Please describe what it involves.

The general populace is a mix of Christian, Buddhist, et al, like us, but our main characters are ancient druids so they have their four main celebrations of the year. Usually with divining, revelry, prayers of assistance (if necessary), and new oaths given. They’ll also commune with their gods, who have a tendency to show up and advise or scold the main characters and their druids, as they see fit. Most people, outside Stacy’s family and small circle, don’t know about Aaron and the harshad warriors and druids; or, at least, they don’t realize they are different than you and me.

What is the political or government structure in Bitter Thorn Grove?  Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?

A governor is in charge of Florida, and the mayor is in charge of Bitter Thorn Grove as a whole. Stacy is Queen of her own little tribe, though, and Aaron and the harshad warriors usually defer to her wishes—if her wishes don’t put her or the sacred ground in jeopardy of falling into Balor’s hands.

Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Bitter Thorn Grove?

You may want to call Stacy before you visit. You never know if Aaron will have to put pants on, or if you may walk into a battle with Balor’s strange minions, these days. (Where are they still coming from??? That’s what Stacy would like to know!)

Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?

Stacy’s history center in based on a small museum I worked for in college, and the whole druidic set up and use of the Celtic myth of the Battle of Mag Tuired as the series basis is influenced by my nearly-lifelong love of Celtic mythology.

What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?

I’d say feminism and in some cases, eminent domain, as well as environmentalism, to some extent.

Author Autobiography:

Juli D. Revezzo loves fantasy and Celtic mythology and writing stories with all kinds of fantastical elements. She is the author of the Antique Magic paranormal series and the Stewards Wars and Celtic Stewards Chronicles series, the historical romances, Camden Girls series, Vesta’s Clockwork Companions, House of Dark Envy, Watchmaker’s Heart, and Lady of the Tarot, and more. She is also a member of the Independent Author Network and the Magic Appreciation Tour.

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?  Please include links.

It’s available now in ebook and paperback at Amazon.

The book trailer, should you like to see it, is here:

https://youtu.be/1ovxqx6FZjQ

Where can readers connect with you online?  

My links are as follows:

Website:  https://julidrevezzo.com/

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/signupforJulisnewsletter

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Juli-D.-Revezzo/e/B008AHVTLO

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/juli-d-revezzo

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There’s also a board dedicated specifically to the Stewards War and Celtic Stewards Chronicles series: https://www.pinterest.com/jewelsraven/related-to-the-celtic-stewards-chronicles/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julidrevezzo

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDP0TPb32YCWAEG6Q_Hiw7g

I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Bitter Thorn Grove.  Questions about the world or the book?  Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you!  

Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.

Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another world in next week’s edition of Realm Explorers!
Are you an author of a sci-fi or fantasy novel that takes place in another world? Click here to find out about having it featured on Realm Explorers!
-Annie Douglass Lima

Cracked: An Anthology of Eggsellent Chicken Stories
Genre: Anthology, Multiple Genres of Short Stories

with stories by
J. F. Posthumus, Cedar Sanderson, J Trevor Robinson, Richard Paolinelli, Jane Lebak,
J. D. Beckwith, Grace Bridges, Denton Salle, Margo Bond Collins, J. A Campanile,
Amber Draeger, Karina Fabian, Abigail Falanga, Clair W. Kiernan, L. Jagi Lamplighter,
David Millican, John M. Olsen, Dawn Witzke,Joshua M. Young, Bokerah Brumley


Chickens Land on Mars…

But what happens when authors have too much free time on their hands?

A challenge.

Craft a story featuring our favorite feathered raptors: the CHICKEN.

B’gawk!

Twenty authors deliver in some unexpected ways and live to crow about it.

From chickens in space to cozy murder mystery farm yards to schools of magickal thought…

Includes guardian angels, chicken shifters, aliens, and feathered matchmakers,

Maybe even a non-fiction adventure or two… and more!

These amazing chickens come from the minds of twenty cooped-up authors on the edge of cracking…

Read CRACKED: An Anthology of Eggsellent Chicken Stories

Buy Now.

Annie’s Review:
This is one of the most unusual anthologies I’ve ever read! I really enjoyed the journey through these pages, adventuring with chickens of all kinds (heroes, villains, and everything in between). It did frustrate me that a few of the “stories” were more like scenes or excerpts, without a complete plot or resolution. A few others contained profanity or sexual references (nothing explicit), so this definitely isn’t a book for kids. Others had not been carefully edited, and I cringed at the errors in grammar and punctuation. But most of the stories were fairly well written and fun. Why not take a look?
Goodreads* Amazon



Follow the tour HEREfor special content and a giveaway!

Swag pack, plus A $25 Amazon gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway