Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Author Interview- Gods Galore Series by Rupert Stanbury #GreekGods #Fantasy #Comedy





1) What inspired you to become an author?

I’ve always been fascinated by the Olympian Gods since being a schoolboy when I read the great classical works by Homer and Virgil about the Gods’ role in the Trojan Wars.
Anyway, a few years ago I was rearranging my bookshelf and saw a very old copy of Homer’s The Odyssey. I pulled it out and decided to read it again, which of course took me back into the whole world of Olympus and its Gods. This exercise got me wondering about what these gods were now up to in the 21st Century. In particular, I felt someone should write a comedy about how they were coping, or not coping, in the modern world. Since I’ve always been a great fan of Terry Pratchett, I thought about writing a Terry Pratchett type book about these gods. 
I then forgot all about it until sometime later the Covid pandemic struck. Being in lockdown, I needed a project and, remembering the gods, I decided to have a go at writing about them. The result was my first book - Gods Galore.

2) How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

It was fairly easy. Pimlico People is about two of the Greek Gods coming to live in Central London for a time to get a better understanding of how we humans lead our lives. They live in Pimlico, a well-known area of London, so the name Pimlico People effectively chose itself. 

3) Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?

I’ve written and published three books so far and, in all instances, I’ve decided on the title very early on. I view writing a book as having 4 main components – title, cover, plot and finally, the words. I’m currently working on my fourth book and have already got the first three sorted, so you could say I’m three-quarters of the way there. There’s just the last small item of 100,000 words to write!!!

4) Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?

My latest book, Pimlico People, is set in an area of London where I’ve lived most of my adult life, so many of the places I refer to, I know intimately – even the pelicans in the nearby St James’s Park!

Because it’s set in London, the book has lots of typical London characters such as taxi-drivers (cabbies) who often use phrases in ‘Cockney rhyming slang’ – a type of ‘language’ particular to the East End of London.  For example, ‘trouble and strife’ means ‘wife’, ‘Barnaby Rudge’ is ‘judge’, and ‘Oliver Twist’ is ‘pissed’. Pimlico People happens to have a cabby who has the crazy name of Octavian Stegosauras, so you can imagine, he’s a bit of a character! 

5) Is there a genre that you’d like to write that you haven’t tackled yet?

Yes. I currently write fantasy / comedy books about the Greek Gods in the 21st Century. However, I would like to write a ‘serious’ book about a number of the Greek Myths such as Perseus and the Minotaur, Jason and the Golden Fleece, the Twelve Labours of Hercules etc.
I’m actually very active on TikTok and give 3-5 minute talks on these subjects on a regular basis. I’ve decided I’m going to turn all these videos into a book, which I’m hoping to publish by the end of 2025, even if this somewhat delays Book 4 of the Gods Galore series.

6) Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

I’ve got two favourite characters who’ve appeared in all three of my books. These are Hebe, the Goddess of Youth, who is a bit of a ‘pocket rocket’, and Cerberus, the Underworld’s 3-headed Guard Dog. Let me say a little about Cerberus:

In Classical Literature, Cerberus was a ferocious animal. However, in my first book, Gods Galore, he met a young teenager called Vesta who over time managed to mellow him. She   taught Cerberus all about friendship and he now has a long list of pals, including the poets, Homer and Virgil and Hades’s wife, Persephone.

I should say that when I first started writing about the Greek Gods in modern times, I never intended to create Cerberus as a significant character. However, he seemed to take over my pen as he became involved in more and more absurd situations.

Cerberus is actually a firm favourite of many of my readers, so perhaps the final say should come from one of my book reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads:

“No matter how many Gods I came across within the story, my favourite character has to be Cerberus with his "Woof, woof" and "I'm the Head of Internal Security" in Hades. His clumsy, way over the top fashion had tears of laughter running down my face so many times throughout the book.”     
 
7) Who designed the cover of your latest book?

The covers for both The Four Horsemen and Pimlico People were designed by a professional illustrator in the UK called Tim Stringer. Tim is autistic and is the son of a long-standing friend of mine and former work colleague, who takes an active interest in what we’re doing together. I suspect this is to ensure that I behave myself because we spent 10 years in the same firm, so he knows what I’m like!

8) If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

The three books I’ve published so far are often referred to as a series, but they are all written on a stand-alone basis. The same will apply to the fourth book which I’m currently working on. This is going to be my most challenging work so far. It’s mainly based in the Underworld - I’m planning to fuse a plot involving 1) the pre-Olympian gods (known as the Titans), 2) King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table; as well as 3) Satan and his followers, as depicted in Milton’s Paradise Lost. I’m about a quarter / third of the way through it, so I suspect it won’t be finished until Spring 2026. 

9) When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

I go to the gym 3/4 times a week; I read a lot; living in London means I’m able to be an avid theatre goer; and I travel 3/4 times a year – last two trips were to Athens (Greece) and Bologna (Italy) respectively. I also spend time socialising with friends – most of whom are not great readers, but I’ve managed to persuade a number of them to delve into my humble scripts. 

10) What books are in your to-read pile?

I read all sorts of genres. Here’s my current ‘to read’ pile, a number of which I’ll tackle when I go on holiday to the South of France later in August:

• Paradise Lost – John Milton – currently reading for 3rd time.
• The Night Fire – Michael Connelly
• Dragonsdawn – Anne McCaffrey
• Le Morte D’Arthur – Sir Thomas Mallory
• The Girl of His Dreams – Donna Leon
• Romala – George Eliot
• The Patience of the Spider – Andrea Camilleri



GODS GALORE
Gods Galore Series
Book One
Rupert Stanbury

Genre: Fantasy / Comedy
Publisher: Troubador / Matador
Date of Publication: 28 October 2021
ISBN:878-1800465305
ASIN: B09KM9JV2S
Number of pages: 344
Cover Artist: Dave Hill

Book Description:

The Olympian Gods have made it to the 21st century AD. We may not have heard much about them in the last two thousand years, but they’re still controlling what we humans are up to – or at least they think they are.

The reality is that the Gods are like us – they’ve got problems!

Zeus is still Top God on Mount Olympus, but he’s got issues with many of the younger gods. His brothers, Hades and Poseidon, have issues with themselves – they’re getting too set in their ways ruling the Underworld and the Seas; they probably need a job change.

But help is at hand from an unexpected source – we humans.

It’s surprising what a dose of good common sense can do for even the most powerful of the gods, especially when it comes from a couple of teenagers!




THE FOUR HORSEMEN
Gods Galore Series
Book Two
Rupert Stanbury

Genre: Fantasy / Comedy
Date of Publication: 17 April 2023
ISBN: 979-8366008495
ASIN: B0C2Q4G268
Number of pages: 337
Cover Artist: Tim Stringer

Book Description:

The Four Horsemen is the second book in the Gods Galore series about the Olympian Gods in the 21st Century AD.

The gods are still trying to control what we humans are up to. Unfortunately, they’re not being particularly successful. The world is experiencing both plague and famine which Zeus and the Gods’ Council never approved. What’s going on?

Athene’s determined to find out, but before she can get going the God of War initiates an attack on Poseidon’s realm. It’s now all out conflict and the gods are taking sides – one side, in particular.

Wherever there’s a fight, Hebe’s involved. She soon signs up to an army regiment which is full of soldiers even smaller than she is. But war these days involves brains and not just brawn and there’s plenty of both ready to be deployed in this fight!



PIMLICO PEOPLE
Gods Galore Series
Book Three
Rupert Stanbury

Genre:Fantasy / Comedy
Date of Publication: 28 October 2024
ISBN: 979-8338117200
ASIN: B0DL5XTHMH
Number of pages: 339
Cover Artist: Tim Stringer

Book Description:

Pimlico People is the third book in the Gods Galore series about the Olympian Gods in the 21st Century AD.

The Goddesses Artemis and Hebe are staying in Central London to obtain a better understanding of the lives of ‘normal’ people.

To their surprise, they soon encounter a plot to blow up a foreign embassy. Add to that a sophisticated operation involving the theft of valuable paintings from a major art gallery, and the two goddesses begin to question what a ‘normal’ life is all about.

Meanwhile, in the Underworld Cerberus encounters another dog who, amazingly, only has one head! How will they get on?


EXTRACT FROM PIMLICO PEOPLE – THE PARK 

The location for this extract from Pimlico People is St James’s Park in Central London.

The reference to Blefuscu and Lilliput are to two islands in Gulliver’s Travels where people are only about six inches tall. The people of these islands are often in conflict with each other.

Both Iris and Hebe are Greek goddesses. Cerberus is a three-headed dog living in the Underworld. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders is a Lilliput army regiment; Rach is also from Lilliput. Finally, Slasher and others are swans living in the park.

 

As this small armada was making progress, exciting things were beginning to unfold on West Island where four Blefuscu commandos still remained, together with a couple of swans. None of them knew precisely what their role was, other than to be ‘back-up’, so they just rested on the ground expecting to have a quiet time until their comrades returned. They were therefore surprised to hear a paddling noise from the lake and even more surprised when a large black dog with three heads emerged. All these heads had the same face which bore a remarkable resemblance to the Goddess Iris.

The dog raced along the ground towards the commandos. It snarled and growled as it moved at speed, its three mouths spitting out saliva and showing a large number of very sharp teeth. The commandos tried to get up and run, but the dog was on them before they could get away. They were by now all terrified and started to scream.

“Give us a Mars bar or I’ll bite yer bums!” they heard, but it made no difference because the dog decided not to bite their bums; instead, it proceeded to kick them all into the water.

“Help!” screamed one of the commandos. “I cannot make ze swim! Help!”

The two swans were nearby in the lake and, considering themselves pretty tough, didn’t run away, but instead tried to help the commandos. However, the three-headed dog launched itself from the bank and landed on top of one of the swans. It gave the white bird a number of painful bites and used its powerful front paws to thump the swan in all sorts of sensitive places. Eventually, its victim was so battered and bruised the black dog left it floating on the lake.

The other swan by now had decided he wasn’t quite tough enough to take on a manic three-headed dog and had started swimming away. Unfortunately, it was now the next target for the Iris-Cerberus look-alike who, despite being a four-footed canine, could out-swim any of the St James’s Park swans. The dog soon caught up with the fleeing swan, jumped on its back and meted out the same treatment as it had given to its companion. Having left the second swan equally battered and bruised, the dog swam back to the Blefuscu commandos, who were still flailing around in the water. Three sets of jaws each took hold of a commando at the same time and then proceeded to toss them back onto the island. They were soon joined by their final companion as they lay moaning and groaning on the ground. At this stage the three-headed dog turned round and began to swim towards Duck Island.

The next minute a miniature boat arrived at West Island, having travelled along the length of the lake near the north bank. It had a silent motor, specially designed by Rach’s Special Projects team. A number of Argyll and Southern Highlanders disembarked, went over to the four Blefuscu commandos, tied their hands behind their backs while at the same time taping their mouths. They were put into the boat which set off on its return journey, again along the north side of the lake.

xxxxx

Meanwhile back on the lake, the adjutant and his three commandos were rapidly approaching the south-west corner of Duck Island. The commandos had already taken out a number of hand grenades while the adjutant was readying a bomb to create a Big Boom when Slasher became aware of something in the water approaching him at speed. Suddenly he jerked and let out a honk as he realised he was looking at a giant swan, which was at least five times bigger than him with a neck ten feet high. Interestingly, this swan had the Goddess Hebe’s face, although Slasher would not have been aware of that. He didn’t have time to let out another honk because the giant swan’s head swiped his own, knocking him on his side. He managed to right himself only to find that his adversary didn’t just have webbed feet, but also forearms with bright red boxing gloves which started bashing his head and thumping his body. After a short while the boxing gloves went under his belly and then threw him backwards into the air. When Slasher landed back in the water and his head resurfaced, he found he was due another good beating and bashing until he was left in an even worse condition than his two comrades who’d been attacked by the three-headed dog near West Island.

Slasher’s four Blefuscu commandos had fallen into the water shortly after the altercation with the giant swan had begun. Fortunately, they could all swim, but they did a lot of shouting for help. All their bombs and grenades had also fallen into the lake, so they were now useless, but this didn’t seem to matter. Getting to dry land was their key objective now. Creating a Big Boom at the Lilliput Embassy was no longer high on the agenda.

The other four swans and their commandos behind Slasher were soon aware that matters weren’t going to plan. They tried to move away from the giant swan and turned back towards West Island. However, they didn’t get very far because the giant swan hadn’t taken long to deal with Slasher and began chasing after them. It soon caught up with the two in the rear and gave them both the same treatment it had given Slasher. The other two, who were in the lead for a brief while, thought they’d got away, until one of them was hit very hard by a three-headed dog swimming directly at it with the force of a torpedo. As the swan tried to right itself while it’s four commandos were flailing around in the water, the three-headed dog jumped high into the air. It landed on the back of the final swan, again knocking its commandos into the water before starting to rough up the bird.

While the giant swan and the three-headed dog were having fun beating up Slasher, Spike, Spanka, Scorcher and Smog, the pelicans had stopped chanting “Oggy, Oggy, Oggy” from the lakeside. They got into the water and started looking for the commandos who were splashing around. When they found them, they gently picked the small men up in their beaks and carried them to Duck Island. They were joined by more miniature boats manned by members of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders as well as the Lilliput Embassy’s security staff. Rach was also hovering overhead on her scooter, shining a powerful torchlight on the lake and calling out whenever she found one of the flailing commandos.

 

 Author Intro Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=33RW970lp04


About the Author:

Rupert Stanbury is a Cambridge University graduate. He was born in Manchester in the North of England but has lived most of his adult life in Central London.

He has always been an avid reader and in recent years decided to take up writing himself. His books have one overriding objective which is TO MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH!

His first book, Gods Galore, was published in November 2021 and this was followed by The Four Horsemen, in April 2023. His latest novel, Pimlico People, was published in October 2024. All three books are a mixture of fantasy and comedy about the Olympian Gods in the 21st Century.










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Thursday, July 17, 2025

Author Interview- Skinwalker Medium: A Rachel Blackstone Paranormal Mystery by GG Collins #Mystery #Thriller #UrbanFantasy


 

How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

Each of the Rachel Blackstone Paranormal Mysteries include Medium in the title, the first being Reluctant Medium. And reluctant she is; sometimes put-upon. Every installment is a stand-alone read, but there remains her evolving personal story as Rachel hones her new skillset. Skinwalker Medium refers to the evil witch that some Southwest Native Nations, in this case Navajo, believe in. But skinwalker is not what they call it. In fact, they won’t mention one at all for fear of calling it to them. After having studied this phenomenon, I will never again drive through the reservations without a black obsidian arrowhead for protection.  

Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?

I come up with the title first. I’m always reading about Native culture in the Four Corners region. I find the Native Nations to be interesting and I learn so much from them about nature and what’s important in living day-to-day. They’ve been at it a lot longer than some of us. From these studies I find the next thing I want to write about and from there, the title of the next book.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

The story revolves around the 1980 Santa Fe Penitentiary riot. The inmates who were slaughtered there are not at rest, and who would expect them to be? Rachel picks up on the shadow people in the cellblock where the worst took place while reporting on a story for High Desert Country.

I would hope that anyone who reads this comes away with the cause, which was overcrowding and the mixing of heinous criminals with nonviolent inmates. Among those murdered were snitches in protective custody and possible offenders like counterfeiters and auto thieves. The sentence for these offences is not the death penalty, but that’s what they received.

Many readers appreciate the ways of the Navajo and Hopi. These characters bring depth and meaning to my stories. I also include characters from the three cultures who make their homes in this area and by incorporating some of their Native languages. 

Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

That would have to be Rachel Blackstone. She and her friend Chloe Valdez, each have some of my traits. I always wear shoes I can run in and so does Rachel. But I don’t eat much junk food. My eating habits are more in line with Chloe’s who also does yoga. And while Rachel doesn’t really get this supernatural gig, Chloe basks in it. Together they are a bit of an odd couple who manage to solve paranormal mysteries.

What books/authors have influenced your life? 

Shirley Jackson’s book We Have Always Lived in the Castle really woke me up at about age thirteen. I wasn’t writing then, but I’d been reading Phyllis A. Whitney and Mary Stewart, who wrote romantic mysteries. Jackson’s had that twist at the end I wasn’t expecting. And then came along Stephen King. Salem’s Lot and The Shining really rang all the bells and whistles for me. Of course, there is Tony Hillerman who literally wrote the books on the Indigenous mystery genre. Without him, none of us would be writing about Indigenous culture.

A recent review from the UK was so lovely. But the line that especially stood out to me was “Highly recommended for readers who enjoy intelligent mysteries with a supernatural twist.” This reader made me feel I was achieving exactly what I wanted in this series.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

This is from my next Taylor Browning Cozy Mystery series entitled Editor Die Line. It’s the first chapter and only two of my closest friends have had a look at it. We find Virginia Compton, Piñon Publishing’s senior editor having a bad day at home. Is there something we don’t know about her? Hmm. Taylor, the publishing company’s mystery editor, has her work cut out for her.

Editor Die Line

By G.G. Collins

Chapter 1 (Beware: Rough Draft) 

Virginia Compton, the editor-in-chief at Piñon Publishing had been uneasy all day. She had taken several manuscripts home to work on, but they hadn’t settled her. Something was wrong but she couldn’t identify what. Instead of editing, she was pacing.

She filled her watering can at the kitchen sink and drenched her flowers on her back portal. This was the first time in years she had grown flowers in multiple planters. Usually, it was a single geranium in several plain brown pots but this year she had expanded her gardening into her courtyard by adding Talavera containers with bright colorful flowers. The pots now stood like soldiers on either side of the front door. In each one grew a single red geranium. She thought it made her front entry a little less dreary but she preferred the exterior look unimpressive overall. People these days would break into any house especially if it looked monied.

Her return to flower gardening was something she hadn’t done in many years and she had missed it. There had been reasons for it of course, but surely by now it was safe to return to some of her former indulgences.

Virginia picked up a manuscript and quickly glanced over the query letter and synopsis. It sounded promising, but she couldn’t focus.

Maybe she was still angry with Jessica, the publisher and CEO of Piñon Publishing. Her boss had insisted on taking a group photo of all the staff. Virginia had tried to get out of it but Jessica threw one of her famous tantrums and she gave up, but maneuvered to the back row of the staff where she hid half of her face behind the taller art director. Jessica had placed the photo on the company website, their book catalog and even managed to get it into the local papers much to Virginia’s distress.

The dryer buzzed and she walked to the utility room to remove her clothes. Virginia scowled at the beige and brown colors that tumbled from the dryer into a waiting basket. When everything was neatly hanging on her clothes rod she pushed them all together and carried them to her bedroom.  

From her vantage point at the closet door, she could only see the business clothes she wore to work. But when she moved them slightly the closet revealed other brightly-colored garments. There were silk blouses in jewel colors, fashionable suits in vibrant pinks and blues and many scarves in dazzling patterns; never worn to the office or anywhere else. She washed them once a year, never dry-cleaned, and then returned them to garment bags. It was as if the clothing came from another life.

Virginia sighed and pushed the clothes to the back again. What a wasted day. She definitely wouldn’t file for pay on this day. There was simply no work getting done.

Her landline rang and she went to answer. It was bound to be another scam call. That’s all she received on the phone anymore. She really should have the phone company take it out. Everyone she knew called her cell.

Virginia glanced at the caller ID and didn’t recognize the number; not uncommon. She allowed the call to go to her antiquated answering machine. She almost walked away expecting it to be the latest scam, but she paused and waited to see if they left a message.

“Thought I’d never find you,” said a man’s voice.

Virginia’s whole being went cold as she recognized the caller’s voice. This was the call she hoped never to receive. How to deal with it? Ignore or pick it up and pretend to be someone else? She picked up the receiver.

“You must have the wrong number,” she tried to disguise her voice. “To whom do you wish to speak?”

“Oh, you know who I am,” he said. “It hasn’t been that long.”

Virginia hung up and pulled the plug out of the wall. And then, she slid down the wall and sat cowering on the floor next to her desk. Her hands quivered. She placed on the floor beside her and pressed, trying to stop the shaking.

In a few minutes her cell began to ring. She’d left it next to her computer. Virginia stood and picked up her cell. The number was the same as on the landline caller ID. This time she let it ring. She knew what the message would be. It could stay in voice mail until hell froze over.

He was right. She knew who he was. Her body trembled at the recognition.

“I thought it was over,” she murmured. “I thought it was over.”

After a few moments of mostly rational thought, she began closing all the drapes in her house making certain each window and door was locked. Because of the many burglaries in Santa Fe, she had decorative bars on all the doors and windows and one of the most expensive security systems she could find. But none of that was going to be enough.

Once her house was secured and dark, Virginia moved her desk out several feet to reveal her hiding place. It was further disguised by short piles of books, a practice that prevailed throughout her house. The push of her finger opened a small flap made out of the wood floor. It had been carefully done to blend in with the rest of the floor. After entering a code, the inside door opened.

The interior held a small go-bag. It contained a change of clothes, a few cosmetics, sundry items, a wig and a burner phone. She only took one prescription and an extra bottle was included. A zippered pocket inside bag held two small keys to a safe deposit box. Virginia made certain it was still there and closed the bag. She secured the hidden compartment on the floor and moved her desk back in place.

She set the alarm before entering the garage. Inside were two cars. The older one was kept on a battery charger. Virginia never drove it, only started it occasionally. She hoped the charger had done its job because she finally needed the car. She turned the key. The car growled and grunted a few times and then came to life.

Virginia hoped that no one was watching her house as she quickly exited her neighborhood and turned onto Cerrillos Road. The old car blended in well on this street as locals and visitors alike careened to wherever they were going. Usually, the frenetic traffic on this street bothered her but today her vision processed only where she needed to go, not the constant lane changes and ever present blaring horns.

She turned the vehicle into her credit union and parked around back where the main entrance was. One would assume that made it more private for banking and less attractive to robberies.

Inside, Virginia removed the keys and asked for access to her safe deposit box. After opening the box, the CU employee backed away and left her alone. Inside the box was a stack of money in all denominations. Virginia knew there to be $10,000 as she had carefully counted it. Before she reached for the wrapped object she stopped and tried to take a soothing breath. With her eyes closed she could almost pretend it was any other day. Quickly she shoved the wrapped gun into her bag, took her key and walked straight to the restroom in the lobby.

In the handicapped stall, she changed clothes and added the dark brown wig, stowing her worn clothes in the bag. Before she left the restroom, she added more makeup. She paid special attention to the blush. It needed to be bright, too bright even. She added sunglasses and left the building. Once in the car, she looked in the rearview. Satisfied that she was as concealed as possible, she started the car.

While she had planned for this, it was unbelievable that it was happening. Obviously, she remembered her preparations but somehow her comfortable job editing at Piñon Publishing and enjoying the Santa Fe lifestyle may have been wishful thinking. As much as Virginia hated to admit it, she had grown complacent. That was her fault. She had hoped this day would never arrive. And yet, here it was. Now, what to do?                                                                                                                   

Who designed the cover of your latest book?

Tatiana Vila, with Vila Design, has created all my covers. She is a master. I send a short (4 or 5 line) synopsis and a few items important to the story and turn her loose. If you want changes, she’ll make them. I took a chance on her just from looking at the many covers she had done. I’ve never looked back. Find her at https://www.viladesign.net

Do you have a song or playlist that you think represents this book? 

During the writing of Skinwalker Medium I played a lot of Native flute music. Here are some of the artists I particularly enjoy: John Two-Hawks’ “Wind Songs,” Alice Gomez “While the Eagle Sleeps,” R. Carlos Nakai “Mythic Dreamer” and Jessita Reyes “Native American Flutes & the Sounds of Nature.” These albums take me right to the Four Corners area where much of this story took place. As soon as I hear the haunting melodies I’m immediately transported to legendary places in the Four Corners such as Shiprock and Monument Valley. My sense of place kicks in.

What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?  

Skinwalker Medium has been nominated for the New Mexico Book Award and I’m excitedly waiting for word on it, but not holding my breath. Winners won’t be announced until November.

Currently, I’m writing Editor Die Line, the cozy I spoke about. It will likely have a spring pub date. The latest book in this series, Editor Kill Fee, was reviewed by Publisher’s Weekly and appeared on The Strand magazine reading list.

As for the Rachel Blackstone, her next adventure will be Brujo Medium. Yup, she will be going up against another type of evil witch. There is sure to be more gripping adventure and narrow escapes as she and friend Chloe try to interpret more cryptic clues from the spirit world.

 

 


Skinwalker Medium
A Rachel Blackstone Paranormal Mystery 
Book Five
GG Collins
 
Genre:  Indigenous Paranormal Thriller
Publisher: Chamisa Canyon Publishing
Date of Publication:  March 19, 2025
ISBN: 978-1735428246   
ASIN: B0F1ZGSYJK
Number of pages:  259
Word Count: 66,235
 Cover Artist:  Tatiana Vila, Vila Design
 
Tagline:  It’s the season of the witch. Are you ready?

Book Description: 

Rachel’s interview subjects are turning up dead, but only those linked to a certain story: the Santa Fe Penitentiary riot of 1980. 

It’s beginning to look like something malevolent is involved and it’s threatening everyone connected with the story. 

Rachel, the Reluctant Medium, must learn the Navajo ways to prevent another horrific skinwalker death – maybe even her own.

Amazon

 

Reviewed by Publisher's Weekly

Nominated for the New Mexico Book Award

The Strand Magazine Reading List.

Fellowship & Award-Winning Writer

SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) Awards




Excerpt:

A stroll along the river usually calmed her. Still, Albuquerque’s crime rate had made national headlines so she tried to be alert to any threats.

After a few minutes, Olivia could tell her pulse had evened out and she was beginning to notice the birds and trees instead of her bothersome feelings. But something else concerned her. There was a fetid odor in this area. She dismissed it as a dead animal but it disturbed her enough that she dug in her coat pocket for her pollen and arrowhead. They weren’t there! Hadn’t she placed them in her pocket while talking with the reporter? When Blackstone cautioned about the others she had interviewed who had died or been scared, she remembered taking the bag out and showing her the contents. She checked the other pocket that held her fob and cell. Olivia could feel the panic rising in her throat, so she took out the phone. It made her more confident. Help was a phone call away.

She quickly turned. Behind her was nothing but an empty trail and the beginnings of another spectacular sunset. Ahead, a biker disappeared around a corner. The Rio Grande flowed to her left and there was no one exploring the banks or kayaking on the river. That left the treed area to her right. A few trees still held onto their autumn leaves, but most had turned brown and fallen to the ground. There was nothing apparent, but the feeling of trepidation would not go away. How could she have left her amulet and bag of pollen? And where did she leave them? It didn’t matter now. The only thing that mattered: something was stalking her and she couldn’t yet see it. She held her phone tightly.

A hawk flew overhead as she looked upward. The hawk didn’t worry her. These birds of prey were only a threat to a small mammal, with the occasional insect or lizard for variety.

It circled languidly. This time, it swooped down at her as a bird parent might defend a fledgling against a passing cat. The intent was obvious: to bully her. It was working. Olivia wanted to go. She no longer wanted to be outside and felt vulnerable, was vulnerable. Retracing her steps to the parking lot, she heard a sound behind her.

She kept walking, hoping it would go away. But the fear in her chest was fierce. It was difficult to breathe. She tried to control the shivering and her pounding heart. Her options had run out. Olivia knew she was no longer in charge of the situation. She had to turn around and face whatever was there.

After casually glancing about to appear unafraid, she came face to face with an evil witch. Its eyes held her, and she couldn’t look away. The elders always cautioned against staring directly at the eyes so the witch could not control thoughts. But it was too late. The red and glowing eyes allowed her to see only the beast.

It was sans clothing with fur covering its body and the neck heavy with jewelry. Its face and arms were grey. For a moment she thought it might be female, but never had she known of a female witch becoming malevolent. She knew this was imminent danger of the fatal kind. Without her arrowhead, she didn’t know how to defend herself. It could run faster, jump higher and climb better than she could. Her chances of harming it were slim. The body of a skinwalker was tough, maybe impenetrable. With only the useless cell in her hand she stood silently, because who could she call to intervene?

 

About the Author:

G.G. Collins loves the American Southwest where many of her stories are located. She can be found hiking through ruins of the ancient ones and enjoying New Mexican cuisine. When not traipsing about, she makes up stories with great friendships, quirky characters and, oh yeah, dead bodies. She has worked for a book publisher and as a journalist; publishing is in her blood. In real life she shares her time with a man, several neurotic – and psychic – cats and the ongoing struggle to grow a garden.
 
 







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Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Knot of Souls by Christine Amsden ~ #UrbanFantasy #UF #BewitchingBookTours

Facing Your Fears

Knot of Souls is set in October, and though it’s not a Halloween book, it does draw on the atmosphere of fear as each of the two main characters works on overcoming past trauma. For Joy, neglected by her father, never feeling quite good enough, she’s afraid of asserting herself. This is maybe why she initially hides from the spirit invading her body, rather than fighting. But Joy has more power than she realizes, beginning with a friend who re-imagines Halloween in an inspirational new way.

Excerpt from Chapter 6 of Knot of Souls:

“It’s almost Halloween, the time of year to face your fears, to do something that really scares you.”

It was late Thursday evening, and we were hanging out at her house watching a truly terrible new horror series on Netflix. So far, the only feeling it had induced was boredom.

“I don’t think that’s what Halloween is for,” I replied. “Isn’t it the day when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest?”

“Is that what scares you?”

“No.”

“Then no, that’s not what it’s about.” Kristen gestured at the TV, where ominous music suggested we were supposed to be worried about something. Too bad the plot hadn’t gotten the memo. “People need to scare themselves sometimes. It’s how we get what we really want.”

“Hm.” I pondered the odd new idea, but ended up shaking my head. “People dress in costumes to hide from the ghosts. I just don’t think—”

“And if you don’t face your fears,” Kristen added dramatically, “then what’s going to change by next Halloween?”

Knot of Souls
Christine Amsden

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Christine Amsden
Date of Publication: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 979-8283019284
ASIN: B0F7Y8YST6
Number of pages: 384
Word Count: 102,000
Cover Artist: BZN Studio Designs

Book Description:

Two souls, one body … 

When Joy wakes up in an alley, she knows three things: she was brutally murdered, she has somehow come back to life ... and she is not alone. She’s been possessed by an inhuman presence, a being that has taken over her dying body. That being is powerful, in pain, and on the run from entities more dangerous than he is.

Shade, a Fae prince on the run, didn’t mean to share the body he jumped into. Desperate and afraid, accused of a murder he didn’t commit, he only sought a place to hide—but if he leaves Joy now, he faces discovery and a fate worse than death.

Forced to work together to solve multiple murders, including her own, Joy and Shade discover hidden strengths and an unlikely friendship. Yet as their souls become increasingly intertwined, they realize their true danger might come from each other … and if they don't find a way to untangle the knot their souls have become, then even the truth won't set them free.

Knot of Souls is a stand-alone buddy love fantasy that forces two very different beings to work together … and come out stronger on the other side.

Free Through Kindle Unlimited

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About the Author:

Christine Amsden is the author of nine award-winning fantasy and science fiction novels, including the Cassie Scot Series.

Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but Christine believes great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. She writes primarily about people, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

In addition to writing, Christine is a freelance editor and political activist. Disability advocacy is of particular interest to her; she has a rare genetic eye condition called Stargardt Macular Degeneration and has been legally blind since the age of eighteen. In her free time, she enjoys role playing, board games, and a good cup of tea. She lives in the Kansas City area with her husband and two kids.







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Monday, July 7, 2025

Electric Titan by C.R. Reardon #YASciFi #SciFi #DisabilityLit

What inspired you to become an author?

I wrote a poem for a 7th grade project about my experience with a childhood brain tumor. My mom’s side of the family has writers, so maybe that’s why it clicked.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I would say I’m more of a pantser. I love spontaneously adding details and connections that make the characters and text richer.

Do you write in different genres?

Yes, poetry [4 books] and literary fiction.  

If yes which is your favorite genre to write?

poetry

How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?

The title came first.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Just the randomness of life and how fast it can change…disability is not something to fear…if you are disabled, you will eventually become whole just as you are..It helps to have faith.

Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?

December 20th–when Rosa has her procedure–was the day of my first brain surgery.

Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

Doc Star. She is a feisty black socialite from Savannah, Georgia,  who uses a wheelchair. She’s a fashionista and keeps in shape by boxing.

What books/authors have influenced your life?

David Foster Wallace, Murikami, Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn


Can you share a little of your current work with us?

From my new book of poetry, Disablé:

Interstellar

It hurts to look in the mirror

Survive the Hawking Radiation,

Dip below the Event Horizon 

Into a wormhole that

Passes celestial palaces and

Planets like irises,

Through crystallized frost, the expanding darkness,

And arrive at a dimension that harnesses magic.


After a decade of being,

Two constants broke with the dawn:

The invisible thing and

Time—both undefined.

For twenty-five years, a quarter of a century,

No hand held mine,

No lips touched mine,

No ethereal spell kept us intertwined.

I speak not of affection from friends and family,

But of the pillar that sustains societies.

The tender clay that every soul deserves.


In these infinite-scroll days,

With tribal huts, digital lust,

Self-monitoring sunset sluts,

And filters generating melancholy ruts—

I have rolled naked for all to see,

For all to swipe pass. So, what could it be?

Why when the hot bots eye me

Must they see an easy mark? Why

Must the endorphin rush of

New calligraphy

Fade like fire?


Perhaps my texts did not strike 

To the superstring’s like.

Perhaps they are forever in a superposition, 

Stretching my mind’s matter.

Tectonic plates once pushed pressure onto the other 

But how much force led to an answer?

The gaul of me to have romantic desires!


Am I deranged?

Is there such a thing as blame?


Nymphs actions are difficult to convict

When I would have helmed the same sleeping ship—

If the Sun penetrated me the same way as they,

If hikes by rocky waterfalls filled my day.

These ice-olating, unaware rains

Are my eternal fountain of pain.


I’m tired of being Her good deed for the day.


And what am I to think–

Of these profiles with height requirements

And pleas for openmindedness–

If I am to ever own a home or

Earn an income after

Being sequestered like a leper in a slum?


How should I proceed? Is my pride in need?

Or is it as wide as the horizon?


Should I forget the stillness in my bedroom,

How the chromatic light on the lamppost loomed

Where I once played with ghosts under the moon?


Alas, it would have been easy

To twixt my mature soul with a ripe one 

Like I had done

In my dreams—

No need to scheme,

Be seen on the scene, waste time

Fumbling words, lie like fiends, play

The game in an endless stream.


A tyrant has ruled my days,

And if this is the fate

I am doomed to face

I will abandon my sojourn

To be more free, but how free?

I would possess

The anchor of time, but would I hear

The music of wind chimes?


Now, I am a nebula’s shepherd

Waiting to be discovered.


Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I am terrible with plot. I’m more focused on smaller, character moments.

Who designed the cover of your latest book?

Spanish author and artist Sofia Sanz

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Take courses, learn the methods, then don’t listen to any advice. And don’t TRY to write.

Do you have a song or playlist (book soundtrack) that you think represents this book?

I Am Not A Robot by Marina

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

I used to be really into rap music.

When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

I am a huge cinephile. Sports have always ben in my family. Basketball, football, soccer, volleyball, track. And I like poker.


Electric Titan
C.R. Reardon

Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Disability
Publisher: C.R.  Reardon
Date of Publication: 6/13/1986
ISBN: 979-8-9920346-0-8
ASIN: B0F44JVWL9
Number of pages: 225
Word Count: 64,117 
Cover Artist: Sofia Sanz

Tagline: 17-year-old Rosa Viviani grapples with her newfound disability, a meteor emerges from the depths of space, hurtling toward Titan with the potential to destroy everything.

Book Description:

Rosa Viviani, a seventeen-year-old girl living in the utopian colony of Civigem on Saturn’s moon Titan, faces a series of life-altering events. In a society where disability has been eradicated through genetic engineering, Rosa becomes one of the few individuals who must navigate life with a hoverchair. As she grapples with her newfound disability, a meteor emerges from the depths of space, hurtling toward Titan with the potential to destroy everything.

Amidst the chaos, Rosa's connection to an ancient Earth religion awakens within her a mystical power that could save Civigem from the impending catastrophe. Guided by the wisdom of goddesses and unwavering support from her parents and girlfriend, Rosa embarks on a journey of self-discovery, confronting her fears and insecurities while learning to harness her newfound abilities. As the meteor's impact looms closer, Rosa must confront the limitations of her powers, the fragility of life, and the complexities of love in a society that has long forgotten the meaning of community.

In a race against time, Rosa's journey becomes a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the power of love, and the importance of embracing life's uncertainties. As she confronts the impending apocalypse, Rosa's story challenges the utopian ideals of Civigem, exposing the deep-seated prejudices and the hidden costs of a society that has long suppressed the natural diversity of human existence.

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Excerpt: Day 1

When I first used my hoverchair, nobody told me about the unexpectedness. I didn’t know I’d be the only young woman on Titan using one. When I’d run my last Convalor, climb my last staircase to a house. Traverse a ravine’s rocks. I wish I could have readied myself for things like my last walk with my dad along the lakeshore, but life doesn’t always give us time to prepare.

Dark brown clouds slit the dusky morning sky. I lay in bed reading Village Sisters on my tabicus, trying to learn what life would be like for me in a hoverchair. The Village Sisters was written on Earth about the bond between an African-Japanese beauty queen and her best friend, who broke her spine in a tsunami.

An empty frame hung in front of my bed next to the window. I didn’t want to see me standing with my friends at Lucky’s Tavern. The obligatory smiles and people I barely knew now felt like a past life. The picture was only a year old, but still.

I always kept sunflowers on the table beside my bed to brighten my mood. Next to the sunflowers, my elegant ballerina motivated me to strive for grace and good posture. The best thing I ever got from the Keller Aviary was a fluffy, stuffed butterfly that I named Ms. Monarch and rested on my bed. Like many times since the incident, I embraced her and squeezed tight.

Then, just before the announcement, a tingling shot down my right arm. Was I numb from squeezing Ms. Monarch too hard? Was it a side effect of the surgery? It felt like hot wax on my skin–but somehow empowering?

My body jerked upright. My arm swung like a directional arrow. I had no control of it.

My hand and arm lined up with a Faberge egg on my dresser. It was a family heirloom passed down to my dad’s disabled relative. This, in part, is why I believe our lives are echoes of our ancestors. We’re the same stars, just moving through different galaxies.

The heirloom navigated our solar system aboard the U.S.S. Freedom. The maroon and gold Faberge egg rattled out of its four pure white supports, fell to the floor, and shattered.

I thought someone might’ve bumped into my dresser the night before. Maybe they nudged it off its axis, and that’s why it toppled over this morning.

The pneumonia rains started, and I was content watching them splatter the bubble and cascade down, but we all know what happens now.

The Urgent News banner appeared on my tabicus. I turned the volume up. Remember that image? The mayor drooped like a geranium.

“Fellow citizens, I come to you today with the heaviest of hearts. I sincerely hope that every individual heed this news with the understanding that the best course of action for every life was attempted.” Her shoulders rose and fell like the Magic Islands. “Several weeks ago, a volcano on Jupiter’s moon Io dispelled lava that somehow escaped its gravitational pull and froze, hurtling it into space. This is the meteor I’m sure many of you have heard about on the news. The meteor is one point-six kilometers in diameter and travels at a speed of thirty-six kilometers per second. I regret to inform you that it is headed directly for Titan, and it’s too late to stop it.

“The meteor will make an impact with Titan in six days and destroy everything, including our beloved–” I felt so bad for her when her voice cracked, and she began to tear up. “Civigem.”

 

About the Author:

A brain tumor survivor since the age of 8, and handicapped since the age of 10, C.R. Reardon is now 39 years old. He fell in love with creative writing after writing a poem about these hardships in the 7th grade. Since then, he has self-published four books of poetry: Disablé  (2025), Born on Friday the 13th (2018), Torghatten (2016), and Hard Polish (2013). After 2 years at The University of Arizona, C.R. graduated from Stonehill College in 2009 and earned his Master's degree in English from Salem State University in 2011.

His screenplay Lagom (the Swedish word for 'just the right amount') was a finalist for best screenplay at the 2017 Massachusetts Independent Film Festival, as well as the 2015 Catalina Film Festival.  In 2016 my screenplay Spawning Neon was a semi-finalist at the 16th annual Awareness Film Festival.









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