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Book Blast: Rise From Ruin by Melissa Olthoff

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Hey, y’all! 😄 I have lots of cool author friends who write lots of cool books, and occasionally I like to show off those books.

Baen Books is #FeralForFantasy this summer, and its latest is Melissa Olthoff‘s dragon – er, griffin rider military fantasy romance Rise From Ruin! (Basically, imagine it as Fourth Wing meets Dragonriders of Pern.) If you’re curious to hear about it from the author herself, I interviewed her about it this past Sunday:

But if you’d like to go ahead and read it … 😁

READ RISE FROM RUIN HERE

Rise From Ruin

by Melissa Olthoff

Published by Baen Books

***

When a prank bonds Harper Tavros to a fierce griffin instead of the dragon she always dreamed of, she must battle her doubts and rise to the front lines, forging an unbreakable alliance to save her country from impending doom.

Together we fly, divided we fall.

All Harper Tavros ever wanted was to be a dragon rider.

But after a prank goes wrong, she ends up soul bonded to a griffin. Now, she’ll have to learn an entirely new skillset before she ends up on the front lines of a war her country is slowly losing.

If she’s going to make a difference, she’ll need to rise up from the ruin of her dreams and embrace a new path. One that includes her accidental bondmate, an utterly ridiculous, insanely brave griffin. But in order to form a strong enough bond to defend their country, they’ll need to keep the pressures of war, loss, and doubt from tearing them apart. Because the only way Harper and her griffin will survive is together.

READ RISE FROM RUIN HERE

NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn a wee little commission on any Amazon purchases made through qualifying links on this page.

SUNDAY! Q and A (and PRIZES!) with MELISSA OLTHOFF, author of RISE FROM RUIN

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H.P. Holo/Edie Skye chats with author MELISSA OLTHOFF about her new military fantasy romance RISE FROM RUIN … and gives away a signed copy!

Pre-Order RISE FROM RUIN Here: https://www.baen.com/rise-from-ruin.html

Enter to win a signed copy of RISE FROM RUIN here: https://forms.gle/Sj4KPfzV6Ym9x3wU8

Visit Melissa’s Website Here: https://www.melissaolthoff.com/

Find other Baen Books here: https://www.baen.com/

When a prank bonds Harper Tavros to a fierce griffin instead of the dragon she always dreamed of, she must battle her doubts and rise to the front lines, forging an unbreakable alliance to save her country from impending doom.

Together we fly, divided we fall.

All Harper Tavros ever wanted was to be a dragon rider.

But after a prank goes wrong, she ends up soul bonded to a griffin. Now, she’ll have to learn an entirely new skillset before she ends up on the front lines of a war her country is slowly losing.

If she’s going to make a difference, she’ll need to rise up from the ruin of her dreams and embrace a new path. One that includes her accidental bondmate, an utterly ridiculous, insanely brave griffin. But in order to form a strong enough bond to defend their country, they’ll need to keep the pressures of war, loss, and doubt from tearing them apart. Because the only way Harper and her griffin will survive is together.

Support the podcast (and/or buy Dazzle treats) at …

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/holowriting
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/holowriting

NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn a wee little commission on any Amazon purchases made through qualifying links on this page.

Win a Kindle Paperwhite and 6 eBooks in our Feral For Fantasy Reddit Giveaway!

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Hey, y’all! 😄 A bunch of author pals (and our spicy pen name 😉) are doing a giveaway over on Reddit wherein you can win a Kindle Paperwhite AND eBook copies of the following books, some of which have yet to be released! 😁

All you have to do to enter is answer the question at the bottom of the post, which is: “Which book has the best chapter 1 you’ve ever read? (And why?)”

If that sounds like your jam, hop on over to:

THE FERAL FOR FANTASY GIVEAWAY

New Audiobook Alert: The Thermopylae Protocol (Gordian Division #6) is Here! 🎧🚀

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Hey, y’all! 😄 H.P. here!

The multiverse just got a little louder, because The Thermopylae Protocol is now available in audiobook form, once again narrated by Gabriel Vaughan and released by Recorded Books!

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if the cast of The Gordian Protocol got tossed into the same mission as the heroes from The Janus File … well, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for.

It’s got 🚀💥 exploding spaceships, 🕰️🌌 time travel, 🧨🕵️‍♂️ sabotage, 🧨🕰️⛔ sabotage of time travel, 🤖🔮🧠 philosophical debates about AI personalities, and … Flunky Underling. (You’ll know him when you meet him.)

What’s this one about?

Welp, as usual, someone has been very naughty with time.

When an industrial ship explodes en route to Mercury, it’s initially written off as a malfunction. But things don’t quite add up. The black box claims the ship is 40 years older than it should be. Chronometric dissonance suggests it’s been to another universe. And somebody faked the logs so well only a hardware timestamp gave them away.

Which is bad.

Then there’s the part where someone may have used the ship to bootstrap an entire timeline.

Which is worse.

And now Raibert Kaminski and his team are back in action, teaming up with Isaac Cho and Susan Cantrell, trying to find a newly branched universe, stop whatever’s been built there, and (hopefully) not destroy reality in the process.

Again.

🚀 Ready to listen? Grab your copy now!

LISTEN TO THE THERMOPYLAE PROTOCOL HERE

Have you read The Thermopylae Protocol already? Excited to experience it in audio form? Let us know in the comments! 👇

Book Blast: Magelight by Kacey Ezell

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Hey, y’all! 😄 I have lots of cool author friends who write lots of cool books, and occasionally I like to show off those books.

Kacey Ezell‘s been a busy bee as of late, as she’s gone straight from deckbuilding LitRPG last month to reverse harem romantasy this month with Magelight, from Baen Books! If you’re curious to hear about it from the author herself, I interviewed her about it last night:

But if you’d like to go ahead and read it … 😁

READ MAGELIGHT HERE

Magelight

by Kacey Ezell

Published by Baen Books

***

Fleeing her sheltered life, a noblewoman must trust a warrior, a forester, and a thief to unlock her true power and face her destiny.

Embrace Your Power and Forge Your Destiny

All her life, Aelys of Brionne had been weak. As the noble daughter of one of the empire’s most powerful magic-wielding families, it should have been easy for her to live her dream of bonding with a warrior protector and joining the Imperial Battlemage Corps. But when her weakness robs her of her dreams, her best friend, and the man she loves, Aelys makes the only choice she can see: she takes her fate into her own hands and she runs, leaving her safe, protected world behind.

Now she must find a way to work with three dangerous strangers—a warrior, a forester, and a thief—to escape the bandits stalking her, fight through the dangers of the untamed forest, and make her way back home, where her family and her destiny await.

Only . . . her violent protectors might be the key to the power and freedom she’s always craved. Can Aelys find the strength to choose her own destiny and become the sorceress she was born to be? Or lose herself on the path to power?

READ MAGELIGHT HERE

NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn a wee little commission on any Amazon purchases made through qualifying links on this page.

TOMORROW! Q and A (and PRIZES!) with KACEY EZELL, author of MAGELIGHT

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H.P. Holo/Edie Skye chats with author KACEY EZELL about her new romantasy MAGELIGHT … and gives away a signed copy!

Pre-Order MAGELIGHT Here: https://amzn.to/42jCTWc

Enter to win a signed copy of MAGELIGHT here: https://forms.gle/Sj4KPfzV6Ym9x3wU8

Visit Kacey’s Website Here: https://kaceyezell.net/

Find other Baen Books here: https://www.baen.com/

Fleeing her sheltered life, a noblewoman must trust a warrior, a forester, and a thief to unlock her true power and face her destiny.

EMBRACE YOUR POWER AND FORGE YOUR DESTINY

All her life, Aelys of Brionne had been weak. As the noble daughter of one of the empire’s most powerful magic-wielding families, it should have been easy for her to live her dream of bonding with a warrior protector and joining the Imperial Battlemage Corps. But when her weakness robs her of her dreams, her best friend, and the man she loves, Aelys makes the only choice she can see: she takes her fate into her own hands and she runs, leaving her safe, protected world behind.

Now she must find a way to work with three dangerous strangers—a warrior, a forester, and a thief—to escape the bandits stalking her, fight through the dangers of the untamed forest, and make her way back home, where her family and her destiny await.

Only . . . her violent protectors might be the key to the power and freedom she’s always craved. Can Aelys find the strength to choose her own destiny and become the sorceress she was born to be? Or lose herself on the path to power?

Support the podcast (and/or buy Dazzle treats) at …

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/holowriting
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/holowriting

NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn a wee little commission on any Amazon purchases made through qualifying links on this page.

Book Blast: Shadow Card Guardian by Kacey Ezell

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Hey, y’all! 😄 I have lots of cool author friends who write lots of cool books, and occasionally I like to show off those books.

If you’re a fan of John Stovall‘s LitRPG Deckbuilder Demon Card Enforcer series, you’re in luck, ’cause my pal Kacey Ezell has a new book out in that universe, Shadow Card Guardian! I’ll be interviewing her about it Friday:

But if you’d like to read it before then … 😁

READ SHADOW CARD GUARDIAN HERE

Shadow Card Guardian

The Nyx Cards #1

by Kacey Ezell

***

Dania Ellis has faced warzones and Emergency Room chaos—but nothing prepared her for Drop Night.

Once every ten years, the gods give a deck of cards to a chosen few. These new “deckbearers” are capable of great magical feats, and are the top of every food chain, both metaphorically and literally.

As a combat veteran and ER nurse, Dania knows what it takes to fight for a better life. She’s worked tirelessly to build a future for herself and her orphaned nephew, Jake. But everything changes on Jake’s fourteenth birthday when he receives a Drop Night deck—straight from Nyx, the goddess of night.

The deck grants Jake power, but it also paints a target on his back. Suddenly, he’s a deckbearer hunted by forces that would do anything to possess his special deck of cards. But those hunting him and others like him failed to consider one important thing: Jake may be orphaned, but he’s not alone…

Because Dania will do anything to protect her kid. Survival isn’t just an option—it’s a promise.

Fast-paced, gripping, and full of heart, this story is in the same universe as Demon Card Enforcer, and perfect for fans of All the Skills and Goblin Summoner.

READ SHADOW CARD GUARDIAN HERE

NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn a wee little commission on any Amazon purchases made through qualifying links on this page.

THIS FRIDAY! Q&A with Kacey Ezell, author of SHADOW CARD GUARDIAN

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Q&A with Kacey Ezell, author of SHADOW CARD GUARDIAN

Friday, April 18th @ 8pm EST

H.P. Holo chats with author KACEY EZELL about the new deckbuilding LitRPG SHADOW CARD GUARDIAN … and gives away a signed copy!

Read SHADOW CARD GUARDIAN Here: https://amzn.to/42jCTWc #AmazonAffiliate

Visit Kacey’s Website Here: https://kaceyezell.net/

Dania Ellis has faced warzones and Emergency Room chaos—but nothing prepared her for Drop Night.

Once every ten years, the gods give a deck of cards to a chosen few. These new “deckbearers” are capable of great magical feats, and are the top of every food chain, both metaphorically and literally.

As a combat veteran and ER nurse, Dania knows what it takes to fight for a better life. She’s worked tirelessly to build a future for herself and her orphaned nephew, Jake. But everything changes on Jake’s fourteenth birthday when he receives a Drop Night deck—straight from Nyx, the goddess of night.

The deck grants Jake power, but it also paints a target on his back. Suddenly, he’s a deckbearer hunted by forces that would do anything to possess his special deck of cards. But those hunting him and others like him failed to consider one important thing: Jake may be orphaned, but he’s not alone…

Because Dania will do anything to protect her kid. Survival isn’t just an option—it’s a promise.

Fast-paced, gripping, and full of heart, this story is in the same universe as Demon Card Enforcer, and perfect for fans of All the Skills and Goblin Summoner.

Support the podcast (and/or buy Dazzle treats) at …

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/holowriting
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/holowriting

THIS SUNDAY! Q&A with Shami Stovall, Author of 24-HOUR WARLOCK

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Q and A with Shami Stovall, author of 24-HOUR WARLOCK

Sunday, April 13th @ 8pm EST

H.P. Holo chats with author Shami Stovall about the new urban fantasy mystery 24-HOUR WARLOCK (The Chronos Chronicles #3) … and gives away a signed copy!

Enter to win a signed copy of 24-HOUR WARLOCK here: https://forms.gle/5hiHiGgxNdHQAt7y9

Read 24-HOUR WARLOCK Here: https://amzn.to/3G2MPMq #AmazonAffiliate

Visit Shami’s Website Here: https://sastovallauthor.com/

***

“What spirit do I have to make a pact with to become Finch’s murder mystery assistant? ‘CAUSE I WILL DO IT.” – H.P. Holo (Author of Monster Punk Horizon and podcaster at Author Q&A)

***

The most powerful warlock in the world, Adair Finch, has drawn the ire of a sociopathic wizard.

While building up his PI agency, Finch’s sister-in-law, Jessica, comes to him with a major problem. She cheated the wizard, Maldonado, an infamous demonologist known for his crime dealings, and now he wants Jessica dead.

Determined to help Jessica, as well as a few others around town, all within a single 24-hour period, Finch must make a new pact with a creature that can defeat Maldonado’s infernal magic. Unfortunately, very few creatures can do that, and all of them want something drastic in return.

Luckily, Finch has made some new allies—a werewolf, a YouTube star, a budding witch, a vampire attorney, and even a reluctant duergar. With their help, finding Maldonado and ending his criminal operations doesn’t seem as impossible as before.

***

Support the podcast (and/or buy Dazzle treats) at …

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/holowriting

Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/holowriting

Book Blast: 24-Hour Warlock (Chronos Chronicles #3) by Shami Stovall

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Hey, y’all! 😄 I have lots of cool author friends who write lots of cool books, and occasionally I like to show off those books.

You may recall Shami Stovall’s Time-Marked Warlock (Chronos Chronicles #1) – a time-loop urban fantasy I frequently describe as “so good it cured my OCD.” (Srsly, any book that can make my time-obsessed self lose track of time is an AMAZING book.)

And, if you don’t, here’s my interview with her about that book:

All that to say, Book 3 is out today and YOU SHOULD TOTALLY CHECK IT OUT:

READ 24-HOUR WARLOCK HERE

24-Hour Warlock

Chronos Chronicles #3

by Shami Stovall

***

The most powerful warlock in the world, Adair Finch, has drawn the ire of a sociopathic wizard.

While building up his PI agency, Finch’s sister-in-law, Jessica, comes to him with a major problem. She cheated the wizard, Maldonado, an infamous demonologist known for his crime dealings, and now he wants Jessica dead.

Determined to help Jessica, as well as a few others around town, all within a single 24-hour period, Finch must make a new pact with a creature that can defeat Maldonado’s infernal magic. Unfortunately, very few creatures can do that, and all of them want something drastic in return.

Luckily, Finch has made some new allies—a werewolf, a YouTube star, a budding witch, a vampire attorney, and even a reluctant duergar. With their help, finding Maldonado and ending his criminal operations doesn’t seem as impossible as before.

READ 24-HOUR WARLOCK HERE

NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn a wee little commission on any Amazon purchases made through qualifying links on this page.

Authors Just Talk About … Arcane: League of Legends (Season 2) – THIS SUNDAY @ 8pm EST

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Authors Just Talk About … ARCANE: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS (Season 2)

Sunday, March 23rd @ 8pm EST

Authors Melissa Olthoff, Marisa Wolf, and Jesse James Fain just talk about Arcane: League of Legends (Season 2)! (Moderated by Edie Skye/H.P. Holo.)

For more information about the panelists and their works, visit their websites below:

Melissa Olthoff: https://www.melissaolthoff.net/
Marisa Wolf: https://www.marisawolf.net/
Jesse James Fain: https://amzn.to/4eVtmKo
Edie Skye: https://edieskye.com/
H.P. Holo: https://holowriting.com/

Find Baen books here: https://www.baen.com/

Support the podcast/feed the host’s coffee-fueled word count here: https://buymeacoffee.com/holowriting

Watch on YouTube
WaTCH ON FACEBOOK
WATCH ON X

Also, watch our discussion on Arcane (Season 1) here: https://holowriting.com/2024/10/20/authors-just-talk-about-arcane-league-of-legends/

And read H.P.’s earlier review of Arcane (Season 1) here! https://holowriting.com/2022/03/19/arcane-tv-review/

Book Blast: Discount Dan (Discount Dan’s Backroom Bargains #1) by James A. Hunter

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Hey, y’all! 😄 I have lots of cool author friends who write lots of cool books, and occasionally I like to show off those books.

Now, for this one: A bunch of my friends frequently tag me as the one who got them hooked on Dungeon Crawler Carl, so 1) I am delighted to be your corruptor 😈, but also 2) author buddy of another author buddy James A Hunter has just released a LitRPG with BIG DCC VIBES.

Admittedly, I haven’t read it yet, but c’mon, it’s got a series title like DISCOUNT DAN’S BACKROOM BARGAINS and this googly eyed dog monstrosity on the cover and a mimic toilet LIKE WHY ARE YOU STILL LOOKING AT THIS SCREEN GET IT NOW

READ DISCOUNT DAN HERE!

For real, how can you turn down this face?

Discount Dan: A LitRPG Adventure

Discount Dan’s Backroom Bargains #1

by James A. Hunter

***

Noclip In, No Way Out…

All Dan wants is to find a way home. He’d settle for a beer, a bite to eat, and a place to sleep off his hangover.

But, in an endless, ever-changing dungeon cobbled together from twisted carnivals, abandoned shopping malls, janky laundromats, and condemned insane asylums, getting a bit of shut-eye is harder than it sounds.

Dan has accidentally “Noclipped” into the Backrooms—a bizarro, extra-dimensional Alice-in-Wonderland world, overrun with horrific nightmare creatures known as the Dwellers. No one ever gets out. Hell, forget about leaving, if Dan wants to survive the week, he’s going to need to harness the strange game-like magic of the Backrooms, make some very sketchy allies, and carve out a little safe haven to call his own.

And he’s going to need to do it fast because Dan is being hunted. The Flayed Monarch of the 999th floor has marked him for death and no one walks away from the Skinless Court with their hide intact…

“The book is a f***ing delight. I enjoyed the absolute hell out of it and think it’s an excellent use of pop culture to make something fun and horrific and awesome.”– Eric Ugland, Author of the Good Guys and Bad Guys

“Buckle up, buttercup! James Hunter takes you on a balls-to-the-wall adventure that’s as insane as it is awesome.” – Jez Cajiao, Author of Arise and Rise of Mankind

“Discount Dan is a fun, fast-paced read with awesome game mechanics, surprising humor, and a brutal adventure you won’t want to put down!” – Dakota Krout, Author of Completionist Chronicles, Full Murder Hobo, and The Divine Dungeon

READ DISCOUNT DAN HERE!

NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn a wee little commission on any Amazon purchases made through qualifying links on this page.