New Release ~ THE HENCHA QUEEN by J. Scott CoatsworthPublishing Company: Other Worlds Ink Cover Artist: Kelley York - Sleepy Fox Studios Primary Plot Arc: Speculative Fiction Main Genre(s): Fantasy, Science Fiction Sub-Genres: romance Story Type: Novel (>50k) Word Count: 93,400 LGBTQ+ Identities (if applicable): Gay, Bisexual, Non-Binary, Lesbian Keywords/Categories: fantasy, science fiction, sci-fantasy, dragons, sci-fi, new release, announcement, gay, lesbian, bisexual, non-binary, young adult, crossover, gay, bisexual, non-binary, lesbian, new release, announcement, giveaway
Enjoy an excerpt from THE HENCHA QUEEN:A sharp crack filled the wine cellar. Kerrick swung the heavy mallet back and then assailed the flopwood boards that blocked the tunnel entrance again. The ancient wood splintered under the blow, sending shards clattering across the stone-paved floor. It felt good to work out his frustrations. Still, the stubborn wood held out against his assault. He rested the mallet on the black-tiled stone floor, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. Even after a hundred years, the barrier was strong. He’d tried to pry the boards out of the solid stone, but they’d been fastened in too tightly. Brute force it is. “You’re doing great!” Cor’Lea’s voice was artificially bright, and she was as tall as he was, maybe a little taller, peering over his shoulder at the sealed tunnel entrance. Silya had tasked her with bringing him down here to check out these hidden caverns under the Temple, in preparation for the coming war. Important, sure, but also clearly an excuse to get him out from underfoot while she prepared for her official Raising. He grunted. “Thanks. These boards are hard as iron.” And hard as Silya’s will. One day things would be different between them, once this crisis was over. I just have to be patient. Coral laughed. “I’m sure a big, strong man like you can break through them easily.” She squeezed his bicep appreciatively. He shrugged her off. He wasn’t sure if the gawky initiate was flirting with him or just trying to encourage him to get on with it, but either way, he wasn’t interested. “Stand back.” He hefted the hammer again, and she scurried out of his way. He suppressed a smile, swinging the mallet around for another heavy blow. Craack. This time the board buckled inward visibly. Another few hits should do it. He pulled back the heavy iron hammer again and hit the same spot with blow after blow. Craack. Craack. Craack. The mallet broke through and a board fell away into splinters, clattering across the stone floor. One down, three more to go. “Why did they seal this cavern up?” Cor’Lea gestured at the natural chamber. “There was a winery here before the Temple. Sister Dor said they used to use it for extra wine storage.” She looked around the natural chamber, which was now filled with wooden shelving holding a variety of bottled food stores. “When Jas ordered the Temple to be constructed, they kept this wide cavern and blocked off the rest of the tunnels.” “Just in case the gully rats got in?” That thief Raven had apparently made his home in one of the underground tunnels. Who knew who else—or what else—lived down there? Cor’Lea snorted. “Maybe.” Are tunnels all connected, somehow? That was one of Silya’s most urgent projects, to map out the network of caverns beneath the city. Another reason she sent me down here—to get me out from under her robes. A few more whacks at the next board served to both break it and let out his frustrations at the situation preventing him from doing his sworn job and keeping them apart. And at what she said was coming. Craack. Craack. Craack. The board snapped in half, and he judged that he’d cleared enough space to step through into the blocked-off tunnel. “Hand me that lantern? Cor’Lea complied, taking the opportunity to brush his hand. He rolled his eyes. I should be flattered. But his heart was already taken. It was times like these he wished his brother Enrick were still alive. He’d know what to do. He’d been absurdly confident about everything, even though he’d been younger than Kerrick. Kerrick wasn’t great with women. He took the lantern and stepped over the bottom board, holding it in front of him. The bright light temporarily blinded him as he sought to get his bearings. “What do you see?” Cor’Lea peered through the hole behind him. His sight adjusted, and the tunnel’s walls came into focus. He whistled. Stacked along the side of the tunnel were hundreds of crates, all strapped together in groups and sealed. “It’s… I don’t know what it is. But I’ll bet Silya will be surprised.” They’d have to find a place to put all this stuff—whatever it was, it was likely rotten after all this time. Silya needed somewhere to store people, not ancient goods. Cor’Lea stepped carefully over the splintered boards to join him. “What do you think’s inside them?” The long row of crates disappeared into the darkness. Who knew what the ancients had considered valuable enough to stash down here. Coin? Lost treasure? “One way to find out. Does the Temple have a crowbar?” GIVEAWAY!Scott is giving away an eBook copy of Tales from Tharassas, the prequel, to everyone who enters the sweepstakes: The Tharassas Cycle is a four book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world. First Two Books On Sale (& Get a Free Book)
0 Comments
A guard and a thief ~ What could go wrong? THE GAUNTLET RUNNER by J. Scott Coatsworth & a Giveaway!9/21/2023
THE GAUNTLET RUNNER |
THE DRAGON EATER |
Scott is giving away a $20 book gift card with this reveal – your choice of Amazon, B&N, Kobo or Smashwords. Enter for a chance to win: Giveaway With Purchase: Scott is giving away the prequel, Tales From Tharassas, to anyone who orders the book before release, on release day, and for at least a week or two after - it contains The Last Run, The Emp Test, and a brand new short story the Fallen Angel. Just order the book and email Scott a proof of purchase at [email protected], and he'll send you the book. |
Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were. He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends. A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). |
Jessica E. Subject is a USA Today bestselling author of Sci-Fi and Paranormal Romance.
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
September 2023
August 2023
June 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
All
1Night Stand
2SLGBTQIA
4 United
Alien Romance
Apocalypse Romance
Book Series
Bunny Omega On The Run
Christmas Romance
Contest
Cover Reveal
Decadent Publishing
Demon On Jackson Street
Dystopian
Event
Fantasy
Fantasy Romance
First Chapter Friday
For Writers
Fox Trapped
FREE
Free At Amazon
Free Read
Galactic Defenders
GENJ
Gib And The Tibbar
Giveaway
Guest Post
Her Alien Hero
Hey Santa
His Alien Virgin
Holiday Romance
It Took A Zombie Apocalypse
Jager
Kaddim Brothers
Made For Her
Ménage
MF Romance
MM Romance
Movies And Television
MPreg
Never Gonna Let You Go
New Adult
New Release
Paranormal Romance
Pika Omega Plus One
Pre Order
Pre-Order
Reading
Ret
Romance
Romance Tales From The Quadrants
Sale
Sapphic Romance
Science Fiction
SciFi Romance
Sexy Suitors From Space
Shifters
Shifter Towers
Suspense
Thesaurus
The Underground
Unknown Futures
Vawn
Weekend Writing Warriors
Writing Guide
Year In Review
Young Adult
Zombies