Storytellers Episode of Ye Olde Dragon's Library, the storytelling podcast: Chatting with author Beka Gremikova

 

Today's Episode: Chatting with Beka Gremikova, who has 4 stories in various Ye Olde Dragon Books anthologies, and has 2 new books coming out in October. Look for her brand new book, Unexpected Encounters.

Encounters. Whether with magic or science, expected or unexpected, they can change our minds, our destinies, even our world…

In this collection of twenty-two short tales, journey across multiple genres alongside various characters, including:

~a mother who gathers dragon scales to provide for her family despite a perilous jungle and her own self-doubt;

~a young half-human, half-mermaid girl on the search for her father with murderous soldiers on her heels;

~an opera singer-turned-ghost-hunter attempting to thwart a Phantom who just won’t stop interfering with her act;

~a family at risk of losing their humanity to the Moon as its magic wreaks a monstrous change within them;

~and an alien on a rescue mission to save her best friend’s children from those who wish them harm.

Full of comedy and tragedy, heartache and hope, monsters and magic, these stories are an encounter that just might change you too…

 

 

You can find her online at:

Website: www.bekagremikova.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/beka.gremikova

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/bekagremikova

Facebook Group, "Beka's Books":   https://www.facebook.com/groups/317018483906447

Twitter: @DreamofWriting

Purchase Link for Unexpected Encounters:

https://books2read.com/UnexpectedEncountersofaDraconicKind

Off the Bookshelf: NO GOOD DRAGON GOES UNPUNISHED, Rachel Aaron

 

Heartstrikers Book 3

Narrated by Vikas Adam

One evil dragon seer dead. Evil mother dragon overthrown. Friendly dragon apparently, temporarily in control of the Three Sisters clan and willing to be an ally. Mating flight completed. Friendly siblings supporting him.

You'd think everything would be looking up for Julius, the runt of the litter and nice dragon. Nope. Human politics are bad enough, but dragon politics make Washington look like a bunch of kindergarteners with dirty diapers. And then there's the water spirit, Algonquin, who has destroyed the newly awakened Three Sisters and declared war on all dragons. And Algonquin's territory sits in the middle of Heartstriker territory. Not good. Then there are all the assassination attempts and threats on Julius.

All he wants is to spend time with Darcy, but both of them keep getting dragged away by opportunities and duties. Suddenly, Darcy has a chance to be the first Merlin. She's being targeted by a supersoldier with Raven for an advisor, and a snotty mage who considers himself a better choice for that plum role and title.

Warning: you won't like what happens to some of your favorite characters, dragons and humans.

But I've started listening to Book 4, and there's light at the end of the dragon tunnel. Maybe. Of course, with Book 5 waiting ... that might just be a dragon-sized train coming!

Can't wait to find out how this all gets resolved....

Storytellers Episode: Ye Olde Dragon's Library Storytelling Podcast -- Chat with author CJ Milacci

 

Today's Episode: Chatting with CJ Milacci, author of the Talionis books, about her series, upcoming release on October 21, and working with Kickstarter.

Listen to the podcast the website:

https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/

 

You can find her online at:

Website: www.cjmilacci.com

Instagram: @cjmilacci

To purchase Recruit of Talionis: 

 https://books2read.com/recruitoftalionis

Kickstarter for Recruit of Talionis:  

 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cjmilacci/recruit-of-talionis

Kickstarter for Fugitive of Talionis: 

 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cjmilacci/fugitive-of-talionis-a-young-adult-sci-fi-dystopian-novel

 

Off the Bookshelf: ONE GOOD DRAGON DESERVES ANOTHER, Rachel Aaron

 

Heartstrikers Book 2

Narrated by Vikas Adam

Julius and Darcy have settled down to a pretty satisfactory life, dealing with magical creatures, making a living, and staying out of the reach of his clan. Because you know, dragons, are pretty intimidating and selfish and demanding and kind of hard to live with. Especially when you're like Julius, not just the runt of the litter, but sealed so he can't access his dragon shape and magic.

Then things start getting tricky. Because Bethesda, his mother, has got more plans in the works, and she's decided Julius is useful.

Between two dragon seers manipulating fate and fighting each other, and all that dragon arrogance causing trouble, Darcy and Julius have very little opportunity to make progress on their relationship. The daughters of the Three Sisters seem to be having internal problems, and then some of the most powerful members of the Heartstriker clan suddenly start acting strangely. Julius finds it harder and harder to stay in the shadows, unnoticed by the clan, and ignoring all the scheming and injustice that has been going on for centuries.

How's a nice dragon going to win?

Well, strong hint ... there are 5 books in the series, and this is #2, so it ain't gonna be over for a loooong time.

Which is really good when you think about it, because I love this series!

Storytellers Episode of Ye Olde Dragon's Library: CHAT WITH KATHLEEN BIRD

 

This week's guest is KATHLEEN BIRD, author of the Adven Trilogy and the Isles of Miadhra series, as well as author of 2 stories in the Fairytale Anthologies published by Ye Olde Dragon Books.

Her newest book is #2 in the Isles of Miadhra series, THE HEART OF A THIEF. Releasing on October 11

What's it about?

He needs to pull off the biggest con of his life…but he can’t do it without her.

Elian never wanted the life of a petty thief and con man. He’s desperate to quit. But there are people depending on him, and he can’t let them down. This new job could buy his freedom; but it requires a partner he doesn’t have.

Jaida is used to being just a pretty face. What she wants is to be truly helpful to those in need. When a young man asks her to play the role of his wife, she sees an opportunity to finally be useful. But will he turn out to be more than just a perfect partner?

A clean romance retelling of Aladdin set in a brand-new steampunk world.

Buy link below:

https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Thief-steampunk-retelling-Aladdin-ebook/dp/B0CHPRJKY9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21PKN90T31YHX&keywords=the+heart+of+a+thief+kathleen+bird&qid=1694929150&sprefix=the+heart+of+a+thief+kathleen+bi%2Caps%2C331&sr=8-1

Check out her covers:

Goals -- a lovely thing in theory....

 Here is the dry erase board with all my project goals for October.

Books, short stories, podcast work, education, and editing/formatting work for Mt. Zion Ridge Press.

Kind of overwhelming, huh?

Well, aim HIGH and you'll hit something, at least!

Book projects, including formatting, uploading for print and ebook, narrating for audio/editing for audio, uploading for audio, creating cover art or requesting a wraparound cover:

Sanctuary, Common Grounds, The Beastly Beauty, and Inquest.

Turning several published short stories into audiobooks and offering them for sale.

Interval: rough drafting my first Commonwealth Universe book in a couple of years (that sound you heard was my publisher in Australia having a heart attack at the news ....)

Creating short story files and uploading as ebooks, as well as creating audiobooks, or editing the rough drafts I've had in my computer for a while: Ash, Bread, and the Boy -- an Enchanted Castle Archives story; Cocooned -- an AFV Defender story; Tower to Tower -- an anthology story/Enchanted Castle Archives story, to be released as a single.

Editing an author interview to post on the Ye Olde Dragon's Library podcast, and recording another author interview.

Do another newsletter.

And edit and format several books for Mt. Zion Ridge Press. Did you know we'll have a NEW Christmas anthology out this year? Christmas In Ohio -- which means all stories are set in Ohio. Which we, the authors who live in Ohio, think is pretty cool!

So .... check back for updates and see if I actually accomplish these goals.

Off the Bookshelf: WRAITHWOOD, Alyssa Roat

 

Wraithwood Trilogy Book 1

This is one of those books -- series, actually -- where you'll need to reread it several times to get through all the layers, unpack all the hints and images and suggestions, and probably have some interesting arguments with fellow readers over what's implied and promised and should have happened and didn't happen, but might in future books. With very strong Arthurian fantasy overtones.

Yeah, lots of fun.

Once I started reading, I had to keep reading.

Brinnie is not happy to be sent to visit an uncle she didn't even know she had, when her parents don't want to include her on a trip to see her sister. The sister who has always been the favored one. She doesn't get along with her mother at all. It's like she can't seem to do anything right.

Until she struggles through the woods to Wraithwood, her uncle's estate, and odd events start to pull back the curtains of her life and give hints that there is so much more to her world, her family, herself, than she could ever have guessed. Suddenly, her mother is the rebel, not Brinnie, and she is far more like her mother than she could ever have guessed. She faces incredible danger as well as incredible opportunities, if she makes the right choices.

Her family is part of a secret society, perhaps a secret, magical race, perhaps part of mythology, part of a battle between unnatural or supernatural forces. Who can be sure? Because she doesn't get many straight answers.

And worst of all, at the end of the summer, she is sent home and expected to basically act as if the summer never happened, she never learned anything about herself, she never learned to control the unusual gifts she possesses. How can she forget what happened at Wraithwood?

Read the book, and you'll never be able to forget, either. Wow ... well deserving of the nominations and accolades from Realm Makers.