November 2024 - A Life Through Books

Friday, November 29, 2024

Book Blitz: Vampire King's Consort by M.J. Sweets #darkfantasy #romantasy #fantasyromance #vampire #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
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Dark Vampire Romantasy

Date Published: October 25, 2024


 

When forbidden love ignites, ancient rivalries threaten to consume them all…

 

With loved ones exiled to memory, the three species were left with strained relations and an ever-growing hatred. For over a century, Humans, Vampires, and Lycans remained isolated from one another. Only the occasional meeting of the three leaders brought any sort of interaction between the species. That was, until one night…

With the horrors of her past descending upon her, Livia finds herself face-to-face with the castle of the vampire king, Orion. Despite the king’s desire to rid his castle of this human intruder, something compels him to keep her close, no matter what. Unfortunately, whereas fate can bring two souls together, it can also force them apart, but a forbidden love will not be broken so easily.

Enter a world of passion and peril in this dark romantasy vampire series.

 

Bound by fate, torn by prejudice—can love bridge centuries of enmity? Get your copy of Vampire King’s Consort today and witness a love that challenges fate itself!

 

 About the Author

M.J. Sweets is an aspiring author that writes dark romantasy paranormal novels. At a young age she started her journey by filling notebooks with ideas and creating different worlds, leading all the way into her adult life. At first this was a hobby where she would decompress and relax but after many supporting figures in her life she gained the courage to put her work out there in the world.

 

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Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Preorder Blitz: Hunger by Carys Seraphine #darkfantasy #romantasy #perorder #comingsoon #excerpt #rabtbooktours @changelingpress @RABTBookTours
10:00 PM1 Comments

 

(Winter's Call 2)

 

Dark Fantasy Romance

Date Published: November 29, 2024

Publisher: Changeling Press


 

One witch, one cop, and an insane vampire hell bent on destroying them all -- if the demons don’t get them first.

Dr. Adriana Hill’s life is thrown into a frightening whirlwind when she meets the twin sister she never knew she had. Swept into a fight ages in the making, she joins forces with her sister’s friends to stand against a vampire hell bent on destroying the one who made them all.

Detective Logan Greer is hunting down a killer who seems to be targeting anyone associated with the beautiful and enigmatic Dr. Hill. Things are not what they seem, though. He’s determined to protect the woman who’s stolen his heart, no matter the cost.

 

Excerpt

Copyright ©2024 Carys Seraphine

 

“Did you hear?”

Logan Greer looked up from the mountain of paperwork on his long-suffering desk. “Hear what?”

His friend and fellow detective, Jan Summers, leaned on the side of his desk, arms crossed while she peered at him like he’d missed something. Had he?

“They found another body.”

“Okay…”

“Believed to be connected to your case.”

Now she had his attention. “What? Not that friend of the doc’s, was it?”

“No, but close enough to her to make the higher-ups leery.”

Logan stood and grabbed his coat. “Where?”

Jan handed him a slip of paper with an address on it. “Apparently, it’s a block or so away from Dr. Hill’s office.”

He grabbed his keys and headed out, his mind going in half a million directions at once. Whatever was going on, he didn’t doubt it had something to do with Dr. Adriana Hill.

The drive to her office didn’t take long, even without a siren. He parked in front of the building and noted the metal detector just inside the door. Not many health providers stuck their necks out for vampires, and those who did put themselves at the wrong end of others who would rather the vamps die final deaths. Logan had no qualms with vamps as long as they left him alone.

He spotted a few department vehicles along the busy street and started down the sidewalk in that direction, needing answers before he went inside to break yet more bad news to the doc.

“Ah, there you are,” one of the techs said as Logan approached.

“What’ve you got?”

The tech finished removing his gloves and tossed them into a biowaste bin. “Well, believe it or not, a vamp.” At Logan’s raised eyebrow, the tech just nodded. “Young one, in vamp terms. I’d say about twenty-five, maybe thirty? Female.” He led Logan to a black body bag and unzipped it.

The resemblance to Dr. Hill unnerved Logan more than he cared to admit. “Cause of death?”

“That’s just it,” the tech said, zipping the bag up. “We don’t know. We’re gonna have Tox run some tests, though. She wasn’t drained or burned or decapped.”

Logan sighed. “Keep me updated, especially with whatever Tox finds. I need to go have a chat with Dr. Hill.”

“Dr. Adriana Hill? The vamp doc? Think she’s involved?”

“I think she may be a target,” Logan said. “Gut feeling. I’ll be in touch.”

Logan went back toward Dr. Hill’s office and stepped inside. He placed everything on the scanner table and nodded at the guard. The detector beeped, but given his profession, the guard just waved him by. Logan gathered his things and walked up to the receptionist’s desk.

“Hello, can I help you?”

He handed a business card to the young woman. “I need to speak with Dr. Hill, please.”

“Oh, yes, Detective. Please have a seat, and I’ll let her know.”

Logan sat in a nearby chair before giving the decent-sized waiting room a cursory glance. A few patients sat scattered around the room, most of them on their phones.

“Detective Greer?”

Logan looked up and couldn’t help but be taken aback by those mesmerizing dark emerald eyes. He stood and offered his hand, which she shook. “I apologize for this unannounced visit, Dr. Hill. Do you have a moment?”

Though she seemed a bit apprehensive, Dr. Hill gestured toward the hallway. “Of course, follow me.” Once inside her office, she shut the door and sat behind her desk. “There’s been another murder.”

Logan blinked. “How --”

“Rumors spread like wildfire in the vampire community, Detective. Several of my patients have mentioned it this evening.”

Logan sat down and tugged out a battered notepad and pen. “That makes sense. I imagine losing one of their own would get them talking about it amongst themselves. Did you know her?”

“Not personally. She was one of Edith’s patients, so I never saw her in that capacity. What happened?”

“Her body was found about a block from here, stuffed behind a dumpster like a ragdoll. No blood loss, no burns, no evidence of even attempted decapitation.” He glanced up at her. “Dr. Hill, the fact that she resembled you a great deal is of particular concern.”

Dr. Hill leaned back, her expression pensive. “You think someone mistook her for me?”

“It’s not a guarantee, but the thought crossed my mind. Despite being a patient of Edith Tanner’s, the victim bears an uncanny resemblance to you, and the murder took place within a block of your office. I asked you before if Dr. Tanner had any enemies.”

Dr. Hill nodded.

“Now I’m asking that of you. Is there anyone who would want to harm you?”

She sighed and stood. “What I am about to show you is confidential, you understand. Patient-doctor privilege, HIPAA, you know the drill.” She retrieved a folder from a filing cabinet and set it on the desk in front of him. “The majority of our files are digital now, in an EHR program. Only the oldest are still in paper format.”

He opened the folder. “A patient file?”

“Yes.” She sat down again and leaned back in her chair. “About ten years ago, I had a patient come in who had been bitten. He was angry and quite combative. He seemed to think I could fix him.”

“Fix him?” Logan asked as he studied the black-and-white photo in the top right corner, affixed to the patient information form with a paperclip.

“Stop him from becoming a vampire,” Dr. Hill said.

 

About the Author

Carys Seraphine is an alter ego of gay romance author Mychael Black and fantasy author Katherine Cook. Carys adores paranormal anything, be it ghosts, ghouls, or goblins. Okay… maybe not goblins. Not even Carys can make THEM sexy.

 

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Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

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Virtual Book Tour: A Tainted Heart Bleeds by Sophie Barnes #historical #mystery #romance #giveaway #interview #rabtbooktours @BarnesSophie @RABTBookTours
4:30 AM1 Comments

 



House of Croft, Book 2


Historical Mystery/Thriller/Romance

Date Published: 10-29-2024


 

He’ll never forgive her deception, or the hold she still has on his heart…

Adrian Croft’s worst fear has been realized. His wife, the sweet woman who swept past his every defense, is a cunning spy working against him. Forced to play a dangerous game where one wrong move could see him destroyed, he must unravel her secrets while hunting a far more sinister threat.

Samantha knew her decision to marry her target would come at a price. Now, having lost her husband’s trust and affection, she’ll do whatever it takes to win it all back – abandon past loyalties, spill her secrets, and catch a killer. But will it be enough to undo the damage?




INTERVIEW


What is the hardest part of writing your books?

Carving out enough time to get that daily wordcount onto the page and keeping track of all the moving parts. Especially those belonging to a series’ overarching plot.




What are your most played songs?

EDM mostly since that’s what I listen to every morning during my 1hr workout. I usually grab a playlist from Youtube which includes remixes of songs by The Chainsmokers, Avicii, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran etc.

I don’t listen to music while I write. When I’m writing I need peace and quiet. Complete silence.




Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

Not anymore. I have ARC readers who are really great at letting me know if they spotted an inconsistency or a typo I missed in my final proof read.




What book are you reading now?

I just finished The Girls in the Snow by Stacy Green. It’s a really great murder mystery that kept me guessing until the end. The next book I plan on reading is Shogun by James Clavel. I saw the mini-series starring Richard Chamberlain years ago and really loved it. Everyone in my immediate family has read it so I’ve decided the time has come for me to do so as well 😊




How did you start your writing career?

I always wanted to try writing a book for fun. Not to publish but just to be able to say I’d done it. So I started writing a historical fictionalized biography about Queen Margaret the first of Denmark who united Scandinavia through marriage and clever negotiations. And then I got pregnant with my first child. The writing, which was a hobby really, was more or less forgotten. Until I happened across a copy of Julia Quinn’s Romancing Mr. Bridgerton in an out of the way bookstore in Ghana. My imagination took off after reading that book and got me started on my debut novel.




Tell us about your next release.

My next release, A Ruthless Angel Weeps, will be a continuation of the House of Croft series. It releases on January 28th 2025 and will pick up where A Tainted Heart Bleeds left off. Adrian is behind bars awaiting trial, Samantha is hellbent on rescuing him, their relationship is on the rocks because Adrian thinks she set him up, and there’s a new crime to solve involving human traffickers. Lots of intrigue, additional fight scenes, a big challenge for the hero and heroine as they fight to regain their place in society.

Can they do it with so many powerful people determined to do away with them? You’ll have to read the book to find out 😁


About the Author

USA TODAY bestselling author Sophie Barnes writes historical romance novels in which the characters break away from social expectations in their quest for happiness and love. Having written for Avon, an imprint of Harper Collins, her books have been published internationally in eight languages. With a fondness for travel, Sophie has lived in six countries, on three continents, and speaks English, Danish, French, Spanish, and Romanian with varying degrees of fluency. Ever the romantic, she married the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.

When she’s not busy dreaming up her next swoon worthy romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, practicing yoga, baking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.

 

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Virtual Book Tour: Unexpected Detour by Lynn Marie Jackson #historicalfiction #giveaway #interview #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
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Courage and Intrigue in Wartime San Francisco

 

Historical Fiction

Date Published: December 10, 2024

Publisher: Acorn Publishing



When bombs fall on Pearl Harbor, the trajectory of Faye Baxter’s midwestern life takes an unexpected detour. Her fiancé Steve Connor enlists in the Army, and Faye follows him to California for a spur-of-the-moment wedding just days before he ships out. 

Eager to contribute to the war effort, Faye joins the workforce in San Francisco, a city awash with jobs, handsome soldiers, cheap cocktails, and nefarious secrets. When she is recruited to serve as a courier for a government intelligence agency, the assignment leads her into a web of misogyny, deception, and espionage. 

Will she learn to trust her instincts, value her own opinions, and raise her voice against injustice? Or are the risks too great?




Interview


What is the hardest part of writing your books?

Because my genre is historical fiction, the hardest part is also the most enjoyable: research! To keep Unexpected Detour authentic to the World War II timeframe, I spent many hours in the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library scrolling through newspapers to create a timeline for the years 1942-1945. I also listened to dozens of oral histories compiled by UC Berkeley. These resources provided a context of historic events, and also a sense of the sentiment, concerns and diversions of the day.



What are your most played songs?

It was helpful for this project to dig up some of the big band greats. “Stardust” by the Artie Shaw was at the top of my playlist; it provided some terrific ambience without interrupting my thought process. For me, personally, I am first and foremost a Beatles fan, but also a sucker for Cindy Lauper, early Madonna, Norah Jones, John Legend and the original soundtrack of Hamilton.



Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

Yes! And they were so helpful. I worked with a developmental editor after my first draft, who provided some invaluable comments regarding plot progression and character development. A select group of long-time friends, colleagues and fellow authors—including a 96-year-old woman who had experienced life in San Francisco during this period—were all so generous with their time and gave me some critical insights.



What book are you reading now?

I have two underway. The first is Timothy Eagan’s A Fever in the Heartland, a story about Klan activity in Indiana the 1920’s. For pure enjoyment, I just started The Spectacular, by Fiona Davis, novel about a Rockette in the 1950s who becomes enmeshed in a mystery surrounding the “Big Apple Bomber.”



How did you start your writing career?

I was a copywriter in advertising for many years. Of course, that was a very different kind of writing with strict word counts and creative direction. As my career evolved, I took on more reporter-style projects as a blogger and producer for a podcast. The idea for Unexpected Detour, my debut novel, had been rattling around in my brain for years, which gave me a head-start on the plot. It was just a matter of doing the research then having the discipline to finish the project.



Tell us about your next release.

My next novel—working title Bloodlands--is about the displaced persons experience at the end of World War II. I met a woman when I was in graduate school who had immigrated from Estonia after the war. Her accounts of that time were haunting. Some 20,000 Estonians were deported Siberia, another 70,000+ escaped to the west ahead of the Soviet takeover. So many lives were disrupted, so many stories remain untold.




About the Author

Lynn Marie Jackson has spent many years engaged in the creative process working as a marketing strategist, copywriter, podcast producer, blogger, and novelist. Raised in California and Washington, DC, she is a long-time San Francisco Bay Area resident. When not writing, she’s on the hunt for inspiration; she can be found visiting museums, hiking new trails, or exploring any place well outside her comfort zone.

 

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Monday, November 25, 2024

Release Blitz: Dance with Me on New Year's Eve by Alana Highbury #releaseday #newbooks #romance #holiday #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
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Love & Holidays, Book 3

 

Romance, Holiday Romance

Date Published: November 26, 2024

 

 

Fans of You've Got Mail will love this sweet holiday romance from bestselling author Alana Highbury, featuring a twist on office romance, hidden identities, and enemies to lovers.

 

He's the last person she wants to see at work.

He's also the one person she can't wait to talk to every night.

 

Ruled by social anxiety, Roxy has felt lonely and self-conscious for as long as she can remember. Her stress and self-doubt multiply when she starts working more closely with her brusque colleague Jeff, who brings out the worst in her. To escape, she immerses herself in an online game-making community where she befriends an interesting guy with similar game-making goals.

Unbeknownst to her, this online friend is none other than Jeff. As their real-life interactions evolve from hostility to a tentative friendship, Roxy faces a dilemma: Can she reconcile her feelings for what she believes are two different men?

Battling her self-doubt and conflicting emotions, she must face the challenge of finding happiness, connection, and confidence in both her virtual and real worlds.

 

This is a sweet, closed-door romance with no explicit scenes and no swearing, but you'll see a lot of angst resulting from the heroine's mental health issues.


About the Author

Alana Highbury is the Amazon bestselling author of the holiday romances Meet Me on Christmas Eve, Snowed In on Valentine's Day, and Dance with Me on New Year's Eve. Her novels blend rom-com, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction, and she brings two decades of professional experience and a master’s in English. When not writing, she’s usually found reading, cross stitching, board gaming, or hanging out with her family, which includes a writerly husband, two children, two beautiful, lazy cats, and a feisty cockatiel.

 

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Teaser Tuesday: Pilgrimage Through the Storm by Bindiya B. Chanrai #poetry #prayer #excerpt #giveaway #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
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Poetry / Prayer

Date Published: Nov 20, 2024

Publisher:  Serapis Bey Publishing



“One does not become enlightened by imagining oneself as a figure of light but by making the darkness conscious.” 

Carl Jung (1875 – 1961)

 

A deeper level of consciousness can only be birthed from a space of darkness, the void of all possibility, as all of life has arisen from nothingness. Such is the paradox of awakening. When you find yourself held in suspension, and when you are catapulted out of everything you know to be true, it is easy to forget the truth of who you really are.

However, no matter the outer experiences, your innermost essence is unchangeable.

A sense of isolation and separation are undoubtedly facets of the dark night, but in reality you are never alone. Many people have walked this path before you, there are those who are currently engulfed in its midst and those who will follow.

The pieces in this book landed as my own journey through the wilderness. Each fragment is a lived experience, and each lived experience is a mentor.

I offer you these words as your companion while you transition through your own inner shadows…may they provide comfort as you move through the deepest levels of release and find your way home, to a self-compassion you never knew existed. 


EXCERPT

Introduction: The Womb

My eyes open with an unanticipated suddenness. I awaken with a fortress of pillows around me. Safe and secure in the silent darkness. There is a drop in my stomach, I remember. The self-created sanctuary of the womb a thing of the past. A dream shattered to pieces. The plug is out of the socket. I am switched off, absent from myself. Vanished, without a trace.

 Did I ever exist? A deep detachment, an incongruence. A profound disharmony between the world inside me and the world around me. My skin is ripping at the seams, something inside me is desperate to get out. How will I lay this demon to rest? Feelings of fear grip my body and hold me hostage. Enveloped in a state of temporary paralysis; I am caged. The new day brings a promise of endless possibilities. I decide to return the gift unopened. Today’s forecast; winds of despondency. 

The womb beckons me – again – but it is time to face another day. There are things that need to be addressed. Things which have to be done, no matter what my circumstance. Sunrise, an order that must be obeyed. The mundane rituals bear the load of climbing a mountain. I wonder, is the thought of doing something more of a burden than actually doing it? And yet, these daily undertakings throw me a life ring; prevent me from drowning. These banal everyday responsibilities; the key to my sanity. The ‘humanness’ of my situation, both a blessing and a curse. 

As I make a cup of tea, my eyes blankly rest on the world beyond the window. The barren trees and haunting, lonely skies are in commune with my reality. Autumn has come and gone with not so much as a whisper. The jewelled colours now faded leave me with a hollow heart. I am smothered in hues of grey, inhabiting this spartan landscape of gloom. Even the bitter chill that seeps into my bones does not wake me from this century old slumber. Yes, autumn has abandoned me with not so much as a goodbye. I have abandoned myself, with not so much as a goodbye. A subliminal sadness only magnified by the disappearance of the sun. Like a hamster in a cage, in a nomadic frenzy, I senselessly move from one thing to the next, leaving behind a trail of unfinished tasks. And then I pause, frozen, the all too familiar feeling of worry swoops in unannounced and bullies me into submission. A crippling vacuum shadows me all day. It seems the entire world is going about their business and I am forced to remain stationary. I stand with my open wound; reticent in its nature. 

Yes, I exist, but in name only; I am not living. I switch on the television, hoping the images on the screen will somehow reconnect me. But to no avail. The sounds that filter through the radio have the same effect. I remain, quite simply, totally disconnected. 

What gave me pleasure, is now reduced to nothing but a chore. What I looked forward to, now makes me want to hide in a box. However, I continue to put one foot in front of the other. I will get through today; as I did yesterday. Dawn will keep its promise tomorrow and arise as it always does. Perhaps, this is what my Beloved calls, unconditional love.


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Teaser Tuesday: Beneath the Skin by Mikala Ash #steampunk #romance #excerpt #comingsoon #rabtbooktours @ash_mikala @ChangelingPress @RABTBookTours
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(Empire of the Sky 5)

 

Steampunk Romance

Date Published: 11/29/24

Publisher: Changeling Press


 

Soulmates? Or simply lovers? Selena and Nancy hope their paramours can see beneath the skin.

 

Selena Whiteheart has her hands full. The malignant witch, Lady Neva, has kidnapped her lovers, Jacob McCleary and Captain Kit Colby. While keeping her Home Office handler, Harry Kincaid, satisfied in every way, Selena vows to rescue them, but first she must contend with a mesmerised assassin.

Meanwhile Nancy Lea, envoy in human form of the goblin king, Mon Ilson, Emperor of Space, has failed in her bid to secure peace. Queen Victoria has sent her packing with a flea in her ear. With her lover and protector, Captain Jaimee Dalgliesh, she returns to the moon to report. With three days to kill, Nancy teaches Jaimee the joys of weightless lovemaking. However, Jaimee comes face to face with a real goblin. Can he overcome his visceral disgust and love the soul beneath Nancy's stolen skin?

The soul of Agent Felicity Cressy, murdered by Lady Neva, finds a safe haven in Nancy's mind. Will Mon Ilson return her to her body, and what does he expect in return?

 

Excerpt

Copyright ©2024 Mikala Ash

 

Selena Whiteheart

1867 -- A Vixen in the Mist

 

I am a duplicitous witch.

Like Janus, the mythological god of beginnings and endings, I present different faces to the world. I began as Marjorie Fletcher, a naïve country virgin murdered for my body by hideous goblins. My homeless soul found refuge in the mind of Cressida Troy, with whom I fell in love. Inevitably I also lost my heart to her fiancé, Jacob McCleary, and I experienced lovemaking for the first time through Cressida. Now, as Selena Whiteheart, human agent of Mon Ilson, the goblin king and self-styled Emperor of Space, and owner of the empire’s greatest airborne gambling and bawdy house, I love the handsome and brave Captain Kit Colby.

I stood at my fireplace staring at the likenesses of Jacob and Kit inside a gold locket. I’d drawn both myself, and think I captured their essential differences rather well. Jacob, the former schoolteacher, whose intelligent gaze signified his thoughtful and considerate nature both in and out of bed, had given me my first experience of lovemaking, albeit vicariously. He was now estranged from Cressida Troy after the murder of Fleur Cumberland, which I had orchestrated. Kit, on the other hand, was a lusty warrior, a decorated hero of the savage air war against Prussia and the Hungarian Empire. As befitting his martial nature, Kit was both forceful and deliberate in his lovemaking.

I was lost for a few moments in a warm memory of passionate kisses, entwined tongues, probing fingers and hard, thrusting cocks before a wave of fear coursed through me. Tears threatened to flow as I traced their images.

I was not alone in my office. I was dimly aware of the earnest little man jabbering about an invention of his. I didn’t care about Mr. Frasier. I was immersed in a sea of despair, and the peril my charade placed not just Jacob and Kit in, but me also.

Both Jacob and Kit were captives of Lady Neva Talbot-Rhys, a powerful witch hell-bent on killing Queen Victoria. Lady Neva held the Queen responsible for her lover’s death during England’s devastating military reprisal against Prussia. I understood her wanting revenge. I felt the same about her.

I had to get them back. Lady Neva was a merciless malevolent maniac, capable of wholesale slaughter -- I’d witnessed that firsthand. My heart chilled at the thought of what horrors Jacob and Kit were suffering at her evil hands.

I wanted desperately to believe they still lived. Why else would Lady Neva kidnap them but to use them for some nefarious purpose?

Jacob had been sent by Mon Ilson to add weight to his envoy Nancy Lea’s mission to arrange a demonstration of his ultimate weapon. Lady Neva had stumbled upon Jacob during her search for Kit, and being a skilled mind reader, she would have instantly known Jacob’s value. That would have been a surprise to her, no doubt. But she was not one to miss an opportunity to cause the Queen even greater problems. She had intended to kidnap Nancy Lea as well, but fortunately she had escaped. I believed Lady Neva had probably gone to Europe to sell Jacob’s knowledge to one of Britain’s host of enemies. If that was the case, then Mon Ilson’s carefully laid plans could be wrecked and chaos would ensue, resulting in the deaths of millions. Frustratingly, our overseas agents had not detected any sign of Lady Neva. She had disappeared like a vixen in the mist.

I shuddered and took in a ragged breath of despair at what she would do to Kit. Unlike Jacob, who had political value, poor Kit she could torture at her leisure. Kit had become the object of her revenge after thwarting her plan to use the Prince of Wales to kill the Queen.

For the time being, as Selena Whiteheart, I do the bidding of the goblin king, the most powerful witch in history. For the moment our goals aligned. He too wanted Lady Neva found, for her determination to kill Queen Victoria threatened to derail his own plans of conquest.

My service to Mon Ilson requires a significant amount of time and energy, for I must hide my true intentions from him by burying them deep within my consciousness. I hate Mon Ilson. His goblins had murdered me, and then stolen my body from the grave. While I obeyed his commands, I secretly supported his overthrow by Cressida Troy, now his empress, another human with another name: Nil Ilson.

Cressida had saved my soul. Or rather my nascent magical abilities had led me to her, and her mind became my temporary safe haven. Then my magical powers were like a seed, waiting for water and heat. Unwittingly Mon Ilson supplied those himself, for when he read Cressida’s mind, he had detected me and recognised my potential as a servant. Like Pandora he opened the box of magic and let me absorb as much as I could hold.

To regain my body, I had enchanted both Cressida and Mon Ilson into believing they loved each other and convinced her to prove her loyalty to him so he would return my soul to my body. As my puppet, Cressida killed the most powerful human witch, Fleur Cumberland. Mon Ilson repaid me by returning my soul to my body and sending me to Earth to prepare the way for his conquest. I had confessed my perfidy to Cressida, hoping she would work with me to resist him. Cressida married Mon Ilson, and adopted the name Nil Ilson, and the title Empress of Space.

Mon Ilson’s plan to overthrow the British Empire required the co-opting of Queen Victoria. He meant to use the vast infrastructure of her empire to take over the world with hardly a fight. So, for the time being I’d be his enthusiastic cat’s paw until I could help Nil Ilson, Cressida, defeat him.

But first I have to find Jacob and Kit.

“Ahem. Er. Miss Whiteheart?”

The clearing throat and hesitant voice reminded me of Mr. Frasier’s presence. I closed the locket and turned to face the untidily dressed, red-haired little man. Before I’d lost myself in my own thoughts, he’d been enthusiastically engaged in a technical monologue about his new invention.

“I’m so sorry,” I said, returning the locket to my bosom. “Pray continue.”

He cleared his throat again, and after taking a deep breath began to list the benefits of his new gadget, a tamperproof roulette wheel.

“It will kill any accusation of fraudulence,” he had begun.

As if the honesty of my tables had ever been in question. The idea that I would be accused of cheating was insulting, but I continued to listen with feigned interest.

His name was David Frasier, a middle-aged inventor and factory owner from Edinburgh. He’d been introduced to me by Special Branch agent and my latest lover, Harry Kincaid. After making the introductions, Harry had excused himself, saying he had to send a message to his club.

That was a lie. The murky shade of Harry’s aura had given him away. I knew he was listening at the door. He’d asked me to be nice to Frasier as he was trying to recruit him as a spy. He visited the continent often, doing business with some prominent politicians and industrialists. The introduction to me would put Frasier in Harry’s debt.

It was for that reason I resigned myself to listen without objection to the fellow’s insulting proposition.

Frasier stopped in mid-sentence. He had been enthusiastically describing his contrivance, something to do with building a miniature mechanical computational device invented by Charles Babbage, when his face had become flushed, and beads of perspiration formed on his forehead. His hands started to tremble, and his final words ended in a slur. His aura had, in an instant, transformed into a seething pulsating muddy blob, the colours bubbling through each other in a roiling mass. A moment before it had been quite normal, nervous perhaps, and very excited, but that is not unusual in men meeting me for the first time, and after all, he was trying to make a sale. The transition had been so abrupt, so unnatural, I reached out to his mind to see the cause. I sensed despair, and most of all, mind-numbing fear. Hardly a coherent thought peeked through. The one that did was unmistakable.

“Mr. Frasier, don’t do this!” I put a suppression spell over him. “Whatever it is, I can help.”

 

About the Author

Aussie Mikala Ash used to be a mild-mannered training & development consultant by day, and a wild sci-fi and paranormal adventure writer by night. Now she is a brazen full-time writer and nature photographer who is concentrating on having among other things, “… bags, and bags of fun!” Mikala can be found on Facebook and on Twitter.

 

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Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

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Virtual Book Tour: EngAIged by Jim Bowler #nonfiction #education interview #rabtbooktours @engaigedai @RABTbookTours
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Fearless Teaching in the Age of Bots

 

Nonfiction / Education / AI

Date Published: July 19, 2024

Publisher: MindStir Media


 

Venture into a world where AI acts as a catalyst for teachers, amplifying the everyday wonders that educators bring to life in their classrooms. Engage transformative innovations that elevate learning, liberating you to concentrate on your true passion: teaching. Discover that even in the age of teaching bots, the heart and soul of teaching can shine brighter than ever.

 

"In a world increasingly interconnected with artificial intelligence, the role of educators has never been more pivotal. EngAIged: Fearless Teaching in the Age of Bots is not just a guide; it's a clarion call to teachers everywhere to harness the power of AI while preserving the essence of education." -ChatGPT

 

"EngAIged is a must-read book for K12 educators. The book provides practical prompts and ideas that you can use in your classroom every day and is a comprehensive guide that will help you unlock the full potential of AI in the classroom and transform the way you teach." - Copilot 

 

"Learn how to harness the power of AI to transform your teaching and learning with EngAIged, a must-read for all K-12 educators. This comprehensive guide provides actionable strategies for integrating AI to personalize learning, boost engagement, and empower you to teach with more passion and creativity."  - Gemini


 





INTERVIEW



Introduce yourself and tell me about what you do.

Hello, I’m Jim Bowler. My career in education spans over three decades, starting in the classroom where I spent 17 years as a teacher and eventually as principal and then President of a large private school. Following my time in education, I transitioned into the educational technology sector, leading marketing efforts for the edtech divisions of prominent publishers like Harcourt and Pearson. My journey continued as I led several startups focused on creating digital content and assessments specifically tailored for the K-12 market. Most recently, I served as the CEO of ESGI, a progress monitoring company which was acquired by Riverside. I'm currently the General Manager of Classroom Solutions at Riverside Insights, a leader in the K-12 assessment industry. Over the past year, I have spearheaded AI initiatives, with a keen focus on how artificial intelligence is set to revolutionize the educational landscape. My book, 'Engaged: Fearless teaching In the Age of Bots,' is a culmination of these experiences, aiming to equip educators with the tools they need to integrate AI effectively into their teaching.



Tell me about your Book

My journey as an author has been both a continuation and a transformation of my lifelong dedication to education. Over the years, I've written numerous articles and blogs focused on educational practices and trends. I've also been deeply involved in providing face-to-face professional development for teachers, which has allowed me to understand firsthand the challenges and needs of educators today.

More recently, I launched a website called ThinkFives.com, which offers top five lists for teachers that range from the informational to the fun. This project was a step towards more accessible, bite-sized content which I found to be highly effective and engaging.

The idea to write a book came as I delved deeper into the realm of Artificial Intelligence and its burgeoning role in education. Initially, I considered expanding my blogging to cover this topic, but the scale and the impact of what I was learning felt beyond the scope of blog posts. Writing a book seemed a formidable challenge, especially as AI is a field that evolves daily, making it difficult to capture in a traditional book format. However, the process of writing 'Engaged' has been incredibly enlightening. The book blends visionary insights with practical strategies, providing K-12 teachers with actionable prompts and lessons to harness AI effectively in their classrooms. It's been a longer and more intricate journey than anticipated, but profoundly rewarding, enhancing my understanding and hopefully, that of my readers too.




Any message for our readers

If you've been hearing all the buzz about AI and feel unsure about where to start, 'Engaged' is the perfect book for you. It's designed not just to provide context about how AI is set to transform education, but also to offer you straightforward, step-by-step activities to integrate AI into your classroom. Whether you're just beginning or ready to delve into more advanced applications, this book will guide you through each stage of your journey, empowering you to use AI to enhance your teaching and deeply engage your students. It's a guide to becoming as proficient in using AI as you wish, tailored specifically for educators who are eager to learn and grow.



Story

One of the most inspiring aspects of presenting these AI teaching strategies in workshops is seeing the excitement it sparks among teachers. They quickly grasp how AI can personalize education and engage their students in ways previously unimaginable. For example, teachers are thrilled by the possibility of using AI to create unique learning experiences tailored to each student, such as crafting stories that include their students' names, or setting up interviews with historical figures right in the classroom. They can also guide students to design scenes from novels, bringing literature to life in a whole new way. The potential for creativity is boundless, and teachers leave these sessions buzzing with ideas, eager to explore all the innovative things they can do with AI in their classrooms. This energy and these stories are exactly what 'Engaged’ aims to capture and encourage.




About the Author

Jim Bowler's lifelong passion for teaching is the cornerstone of his distinguished career. With almost two decades as a high school teacher and principal in the heart of Silicon Valley, he has an intimate understanding of classroom dynamics. Today, Jim stands as a driving force in the field of educational technology, advancing innovative technologies and AI solutions for educators.

 

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