Welcome to my new blog series, Spill the Tea, all about fantasy, sci-fi, and speculative fiction book news.
Today I’ve got some fun book news to share with you, as Bill Olson stops by to spill the tea on his new fantasy release, The Keep.
OK Bill, spill it!
My professional introduction to the arts was through performing, as an actor, a puppeteer, and a juggler. I got back into writing after a long hiatus and The Keep is my first novel. It’s exciting to have it out in the world, and to find out what people think of it. Meanwhile, I am in the midst of juggling a lot of different projects right now. I want to keep exploring The Covenant Cycle, my stories about gods and mortals, get a sequel to The Keep going, finish a couple of other novels . . . You know, the typical to do list.
How about some tea?
I really enjoy Vanilla Tea (Bigelow’s Frech Vanilla to be exact). A scene in my novel is about making willow bark tea!
But it was insane for me in LOTS of GOOD ways! I’ve grown so much as an author this year, this whole blog post is about all the exciting things I’ve accomplished, because why not celebrate the good things? Post contains affiliate links.
I always like to do a “looking back” post this time of year around my birthday.
I’m an optimist. But I struggled a lot this year, too, like everyone else in the world. Being pregnant during covid was an interesting journey, and I don’t think any of us will ever forget this year. But I don’t like to focus on the bad stuff.
I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.
Winston Churchill
So first, here are some of my non-publication achievements:
– I learned how to cut my toddler’s hair! And nobody got hurt. Now if I only wanted to brave my own hair without messing it up…
– My Etsy shop did almost 400% better than 2019 (yep, 400%). If you didn’t know, I sell handmade papercut bookmarks. And I came very close to making 1,000 sales before I put it on vacation mode for maternity leave. Next year!!
– I had a baby!
– I gained several more wonderful editing clients and grew my freelance editing portfolio.
This notebook has been very popular, and I can officially say I sold hundreds of copies this year. I’m excited to see where it goes, and am currently trying to pursue some new sales venues.
Published The Storm King June 9. Still have book # three in the works, but not sure when exactly I’ll have time for it.
I’ve got a few things planned for 2021. I’m hoping to release 2 new books in the Everturn Chronicles. After that, well, who knows!
I hadn’t actually planned on releasing all of the books I did in 2020, and you can see how that turned out. I think originally it was just going to be the Writer’s Notebook, and The Storm King. But I had a golden moment in time with my toddler’s sleep schedule where I could write and do work during his nap and while he was in bed mornings and evenings.
Fortunately, as I was already a stay/work at home mom, my schedule didn’t actually change much this year. I just had less places to go/things to do with the toddler during his waking hours. I can’t wait until we can get out and about again, now with his little brother, too!
Let’s all try to remember the good things about 2020, and not the bad.
I’m so excited to share this book with the world. It was my favorite book to write so far, and I think you’ll like it too. Petra and Maisie will be back in another Everturn Chronicles book, coming out in March 2021.
Don’t forget to check out the book’s Blog & Bookstagram Tour all week, with lots of fun things like recipes from the tea shop, interviews with me, and there’s even a giveaway for a hardcover copy.
I’m so excited for the release of The Alchemyst’s Mirror on October 27th! This steampunk/gaslamp fantasy novel is the first in the Everturn Chronicles, but is a standalone story, so you don’t have to worry about cliffhangers or catching up for the next book.
Check out all the stops along the Blog & Bookstagram tour with some great features; this post will be updated daily.
10/26/2020
C.O. Bonham’s blog~ featuring a review of the book and a recipe for chocolate strawberry scones
Welcome to my new blog series featuring a roundup of select fantasy books of all sub-genres that are published this month. Looking for new fantasy books to read? Keep reading to see what’s new this month, in order of release date.
This month we’ve got a variety of sub-genres: Steampunk, Mythology & Mythical Creatures, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult and more. Content ratings are given by the author. This post contains affiliate links.
Release date: October 1, 2020 Sub-genre: Young Adult Content rating: PG-13
Build more than you break. Heal more than you destroy.
But what if chaos can’t be tamed?
For centuries, the Legion of Pneumos has lurked behind the seat of power in Loren. To preserve order across worlds, they are charged with battling chaos in all its forms, no matter the cost.
Keira Altman, the newest Legionnaire, has spent years perfecting the art of wielding pneuma and channeling order out of chaos. Ripped from her own world and into one she barely understands, the only thing Keira knows for certain is that she has a purpose. Now, if only she knew what it was.
Yet when word arrives that the Regio lies on his deathbed, Keira’s new world begins to crumble around her. As the specter of a peasant uprising looms large, and political maneuvering threatens to unravel the fabric of society, Keira realizes that her only hope of avoiding the coming turmoil may lie in the very institutions she’s fought so hard against. But can she master the forces of chaos without losing herself to the chaos within? And what if the price of order proves too high to pay?
A phantom rider in the night. A magic bracelet hidden below the earth. An alabaster throne in a fiery palace.
If you stumble upon a well-kept secret in the woods, you can bet that life is bound to become…well, otherworldly.
Sage Sallow is a quiet girl with a mission. Determined to solve her brother’s mysterious disappearance, Sage soon discovers more than she could have ever dreamed of in the off-limits woods behind Manorport Academy.
But when a seance goes awry one stormy Halloween night, dark gods arrive with an agenda of their own. And portals that were once closed are now open. It’s up to Sage and her magical new friends to find her brother— and to save more than just one world.
Magic? Easy. But when you’re the owner of a powerful torc with godlike powers, things can get a little complicated.
Release date: October 14, 2020 Sub-genre: YA Urban Fantasy Content rating: PG-13
A magical key, a sassy mouth, and wicked ninja skills have made me a legend among thieves.
I can unlock the past and steal anything, anytime, anywhere.
But solving my father’s murder? Two years later I still have zero leads.
Thanks to my father’s debt, The Thieves’ Guild has me working shady jobs that bring me no closer to the truth. Instead, I’ve got my hands full with dangerous magical artifacts and my ex-turned-rival who is desperate to see me fail.
Nineteen years in this world of magic and thievery have taught me to trust no one. But I can’t do this alone, and if I don’t figure out who spilled my father’s blood, there’s a good chance I’ll be the next one to turn up dead.
The clock is ticking, and the only thing I can’t steal is more time.
Release date: October 15, 2020 Sub-genre: Young Adult Content rating: PG-13
One prince wants her out. Another wants her as a pawn. Someone wants her dead.
Zora wants to win the cup and tell them all to screw themselves.
Yes, 17-year-old Zora cheated her way into the Royal Games, but it was for a very good reason. Her ex-boyfriend thought she couldn’t attain glory on her own. Just because she was a girl. And he was the real cheater. So she took his place.
Now she’s competing for the legendary Blood Cup, representing the Dark Valley. It’s her chance to prove her worth and bring glory for her people. If she wins, of course.
But winning is far from easy. The younger prince thinks she’s a fragile damsel who doesn’t belong in the competition. Determined to eliminate her at all costs, he’s stacking the challenges against her. Zora hates him, hates him, hates him, and will do anything to prove him wrong.
The older prince is helping her, but the cost is getting Zora entangled in dangerous flirting games. Flirting, the last thing she wanted.
Release date: October 15, 2020 Sub-genre: Coming of Age Content rating: PG
Finding out you’re a princess destined to stop a war sounds great, until it actually happens.
Running isn’t new to Azlana. She ran from the harsh words of the kids back home. She ran from certain death when she fled the human city as heir to the elven throne. “It only makes sense to run again.” The Darkness whispers to her when she’s swept away to a hidden school and thrust into a role she doesn’t understand. And that isn’t all this new voice brings. Images of death fill her dreams until she can’t tell where her thoughts end and The Darkness begins. What if its showing her the future of her kingdom?
She has to run to save everyone she loves. But if she runs, she dooms them to a war that may never end.
If she doesn’t assume the throne and unite elves and man, war will end magic forever. But if she stays, the Darkness may overcome all.
Release date: October 20, 2020 Sub-genre: Dark Fantasy Content rating: PG
A boarding school at war. A cursed book calling her name.
As supernatural forces of the Transitioned World prepare to unleash havoc onto the grounds of the boarding academy, Izara and Kain find themselves pulled in opposite directions.
But time is running out. Every second, Credan’s power grows from within his grave threatening to possess them entirely.
Will the twins be able to conquer their inner demons before the final battle crashes down on them killing everyone they know and love?
Release date: October 27, 2020 Sub-genre: Steampunk / Gaslamp Fantasy Content rating: PG
A missing brother. A secret society. And a mysterious artifact that’s worth more than gold.
Petra and Maisie Everturn just want to run their family’s tea shop, but when their explorer brother Jiordan goes missing while looking for an alchemycal artifact, none of them are safe.
The sisters must enlist the help of another explorer in order to find Jiordan or the artifact—before the mysterious alchemyst society finds them first.
However, when one of the sisters stumbles into the clutches of the most dangerous alchemyst in the city, the race to unravel the clues becomes desperate. And when they discover the truth about the artifact, their quest to infiltrate the alchemyst’s secret society becomes a matter of life and death.
Release date: October 31, 2020 Sub-genre: Paranormal Content rating: PG
The stakes are higher than ever…
As I recover from my last trial where I was confronted by the darkest creatures in history, I hoped things would return to my normal, peaceful life.Not a chance.With my return to Oklealia academy and the arrival of a new headmistress whose inhuman ways turn the academy into a jail, my plate is full enough, but signs of an upcoming threat awaken my fears once more.
Time is running out— for me and the world. When the final battle arrives, will I make the right choice?
Today I’ve got some big news on a holiday story I’ve been working on! Coming November 10th, The Clockwork Ice Dragon is a steampunk Christmas novella, a standalone story that will transport you to the city of Soldark, where the sun always shines…
An invention gone wrong. A city buried in snow. And she only has ‘til Christmas to make it right.
Aurelia Sundon has an idea for a brilliant invention that will ensure her family’s financial future. But the elite inventor’s guild has imposed a ridiculous deadline for invention applications: Christmas Day. With only four days until the deadline, Aurelia thinks she can finish it in time.
Until her old love Frederick Grandville steps back into her life when he enters the competition with his own invention. Frederick could be the downfall of Aurelia’s career. Again. But when his invention goes out of control, the wondrous snow it brings down on the ever-sunny city of Soldark turns into an outright blizzard.
With a broken promise between them, she’s not so sure she wants to help him. But the clock is ticking, the snow is getting deeper, and Aurelia must find a way to team up with her rival or risk losing her one chance at a better life.
Today I’ve got a closer look at a brand new book by H.L. Burke: Ashen. It’s a Cinderella retelling with a unique perspective that I’m excited to share with you!
Stealer of warmth, bringer of death. What if Cinderella had a secret that kept her locked away?
Unable to make her own body heat, foundling Lizbete survives in the tavern kitchen, drawing warmth from the fires, the sun—and sometimes, other living beings. Her days are spent cooking alongside the tavern owner and avoiding the suspicious gazes of the villagers in her small northern town. While she quietly longs for the handsome Brynar, she knows she has no chance with the mayor’s son, even if he invites her to the First Frost festival.
When sudden earthquakes strike Brumehome, blame falls upon Lizbete, and not even her friendship with Brynar can protect her. She finds shelter in the dangerous caverns of nearby Ash Mountain. There she discovers mysterious people with her same ability to draw heat—and a fiery doom in the mountain that slowly awakens with every quake. Now the festival Lizbete thought to avoid is her only chance to warn the villagers. Yet even with Brynar at her side, can the strange girl dubbed the Ash Lizard hope to save the town that fears her?
A rugged YA Cinderella retelling set in a fantasy world with light steampunk elements.
Born in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic. Her obsessions include dragons and tales about inner beauty and character overcoming extreme circumstances. Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.
Petra and Maisie Everturn just want to run their family’s tea shop, but when their explorer brother Jiordan goes missing while looking for an alchemycal artifact, none of them are safe.
Now only 2 months away, I’m excited to share the gorgeous cover for The Alchemyst’s Mirror!
There’s only one week left until release, so I wanted to share a little teaser from book 2 in the Realm of Camellia series! Read on for the first chapter, and get the rest on June 9th.
I don’t know about you, but time is moving differently nowadays, and it’s hard to keep track anymore. But nevertheless, THE STORM KING will be released on June 9th, and today I’m sharing the cover with you!
It’s also now available to preorder for Amazon Kindle: Preorder here.
Huge thanks to everyone at Deranged Doctor Design for this stunning cover! I can’t decide if I like it more than The Starless Girl, but it’s close.
Stay tuned for more updates and excerpts from The Storm King!
