#Blogtour The Planet Spins On Its Axis, Regardless by Kavita A. Jindal

It's an absolute pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Planet Spins On Its Own Axis, Regardless by Kavita A. Jindal. Published by Serving House Books 7th April 2025. Tour by Kenyon Author Services.

About the Author

Kavita A. Jindal is an award-winning fiction writer, poet and essayist. Her novel Manual For A Decent Life, published by Linen Press in the U.K., won the Eastern Eye Award for Literature (2020) and was shortlisted for the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize (2022). Her poetry publications include Raincheck Renewed and Patina. Her short stories and poems have appeared in anthologies and literary journals worldwide and been broadcast on BBC Radio 4, Zee TV UK and European radio stations. Selected poems have been translated into Arabic, German, Italian, Punjabi, Romanian, Spanish and Ukrainian. 

Reviewers have said of her writing: "witty and wry, with a steely heart" and of the novel "the book's boldness, beauty and courage are utterly seductive." Kavita previously served as Senior Editor at Asia Literary Review and is the co-founder of The Whole Kahani collective for British-Asian writers. She enjoys collaborating with other artists across a range of projects. Visit https://kavitajindal.com/ to learn more about Kavita. Or follow @writerkavita on X

About the book

Meet the inventor of pre-conception contracts. The foodie high roller. The menopausal student shamans. The young window cleaner. The aspiring philosopher. The people taking it one-day-at-a-time.

These astute and prescient stories zigzag from England to India, from Europe to Hong Kong, and from the past to the future. As they traverse youthfulness to late life and everything in between, fault lines trip the characters, revealing rifts and the gift for resolutions.

Review

I've said this before, short stories are a fine art and not every writer has the knack. It's not the same as poetry, which is a subjective expression of the written art or whichever way it is presented to the audience. Being able to capture a whole story within a few pages is a skill, especially when they leave you asking for more, for another page, chapter or brief look in the window.

Jindal has that gift. It's almost as if the mind's eye can see the narrator drawing listeners in as they spin the yarns full of experiences, reflections, moments of emotional turmoil. Soundbites of stories become tongue lashings of awakenings. Shout the warning, scream about the injustice, whisper the concern, think the unthinkable or indeed close the eyes and ears to the truth and reality that surrounds you.

I really enjoyed the variation and the way something so innocent turns into a story of misogyny, oppression, abuse and the futility of lack of control over our existence. Then equally those moments of uprising, of choice, self-exploration and discovery.

This would be the part where I mention one or two of my favourites, but I have to admit I would find it hard to highlight one above the other, because they are all very good. They also leave a lasting impact. I did wonder whether the stories are purposely written in a way that results in a variety of interpretations, depending on the background, gender, and experiences of the reader. I can imagine that Tipping Point would result in an interesting group conversation, as would Where He Lives.

I highly recommend this selection of short stories and indeed the work of the author.

Buy The Planet Spins on its Axis, Regardless at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

The book is published by Serving House Books in the USA - https://servinghousebooks.com/theplanetspins/

Their Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servinghousebooks/

#Blogtour Reawakening by Alethea Lyons

It's my turn on the Blogtour Reawakening by Alethea Lyons, a collection of short stories in The Seer of York universe.

About the Author

Alethea (she/ze) writes various forms of SFF, with a particular love for science-fantasy, dark fantasy, dystopias, and folklore. Many of her works take place at the intersection between technology and magic. She enjoys writing stories with subtle political and philosophical messages, but primarily wants her stories to be great tales with characters readers will love. She also has soft spots for found family, hopeless romances, and non-human characters. Her short stories can be found in a variety of publications and links for these are on her website.

Alethea lives in Manchester, UK with her husband, little Sprite, a cacophony of stringed instruments, and more tea than she can drink in a lifetime.

Bonus content for The Hiding & other works can be found on her website: alethealyons.wixsite.com/stories/seerofyork, Social media: linktr.ee/alethearlyons

About the book

After centuries of suppression, the magic of England is Reawakening...

Return to the world of The Seer of York with this collection of new tales set in the aftermath of The Hiding.

Harper, Grace, Saqib, Heresy, and AJ bond as a team and as a family to save innocents, supernatural and human, despite hunters pursuing them.

Introducing Zero, a starlight cat with a bleak and painful past.

Demonic-possession, Faery circles, Pūcas, And more…

Review

Although the beginning and intro sets up the world of The Seer of York universe, the intro and stories have a different feeling. Whereas the intro to the supernatural, dark and demonic element of York has a more ancient almost medieval feel to it, the stories have a present day vibe. In a way it sets the two worlds apart, despite their commonalities.

It's a short collection, novella length. Each of the stories opens the door to both a new adventure and front seat to the machinations of the power that is hidden in plain sight and the merry band of monster hunters who are intent on keeping them at bay.

Might be an interesting idea for a small screen series, nobody has quite managed to fill the Buffy sphere since that waved goodbye, but perhaps that isn't doing the individual stories real justice. They vary in depth, in walks through folklore, myths and legends. Ghoulish, grim, disturbing and balancing the scales are the monster hunters.

I like to see some of the shorts developed with more depth - possible ideas for the next book in the series perhaps, although I'm sure there are plenty more where these came from. It's definitely world-building with a lot of potential - looking forward to seeing where the author takes it.

Buy Reawakening at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Brigids Gate Press, pub date 24 Sept. 2024. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via BrigidsGatePress.

#Blogtour From Far Around They Saw Us Burn by Alice Jolly

The highly anticipated first short story collection from the author of the Folio Prize-shortlisted Mary Ann Sate, Imbecile.

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour From Far Around They Saw Us Burn by Alice Jolly.

About the Author

Alice Jolly is a novelist and playwright. She won the 2014 V. S. Pritchett Memorial Prize with one of her short stories, ‘Ray the Rottweiler’, and her memoir Dead Babies and Seaside Towns won the 2016 PEN Ackerley Prize. She has published two novels with Simon & Schuster – What the Eye Doesn’t See and If Only You Knew – and four of her plays have been produced by the professional company of the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham. 

Her novel Mary Ann Sate, Imbecile, published by Unbound in 2018, was longlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize and shortlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize. Her latest novel, Between the Regions of Kindness, was published by Unbound in 2019. In 2021, Jolly was awarded an O. Henry Prize for her short story ‘From Far Around They Saw Us Burn’. She lives in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Follow @jollyalice on Twitter

About the book

This collection contains works such as 'Ray the Rottweiler', which won the 2014 V. S. Pritchett Memorial Prize, and 'From Far Around They Saw Us Burn', which in 2021 received an O. Henry Prize, the US's most prestigious short story award. 

From Far Around They Saw Us Burn is the eagerly awaited first short story collection from Alice Jolly, one of the most exciting and accomplished voices in British fiction today. The extraordinary range of work gathered here is united by a fascination with how everyday interactions can transform our lives in unpredictable ways. These are stories of lonely people, outcasts and misfits, and the ghosts that inhabit our intimate spaces. The result is a compelling, arresting and, at times, devastating collection – not least in the title story, which was inspired by the tragic true events of the 1943 Cavan orphanage fire. 

Written with an exemplary eye for detail and an intimate understanding of the complexities of human nature, Jolly's collection builds up towards the ultimate question: what is revealed of us when we peel away the surfaces, and is it enough?

Review

This is a novella length book of short stories, fifteen stories. Multiple variations on situations where humans are disappointing and flawed, simultaneously brow beaten into submission by societal norms.

I think it's the clarity the author offers the reader, especially when presented with a certain perspective or rather the preferred perspective. Chipping away at the frivolous, and perhaps often misleading facts to hide the guilt. Although in the last story there is probably not an inch of guilt by hands who feel they are the voice of morality. The story even more tragic and scathing as it's told from the viewpoint of the victims.

It's an intriguing combination of short stories, which are like small microcosms of kodak moments in time. They pull you in in such a visceral way that it is hard to believe they are but brief moments to experience. I would definitely buy longer works by this author.

Buy From Far Around They Saw Us Burn at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Published in Hardback by Unbound on 30th March, 2023 for £18.99 and eBook for £9.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Watching the Wheels by Stephen Anthony Brotherton

 It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Watching the Wheels by Stephen Anthony Brotherton.

About the Author

Stephen Anthony Brotherton now lives in Shropshire but grew up in the West Midlands. A social worker for nearly thirty years, he currently works for the NHS and is a member of the Bridgnorth Writers’ Group and the Shrewsbury Writers’ Lab. His first book, Fractures, Dreams and Second Chances, was released by the Book Guild in 2021. Watching the Wheels is his first collection of short stories.

About the book

A collection of short stories – a killer created from abuse, a teenager in search of answers from his older brother who committed suicide ten years earlier, a woman trapped in a persistent vegetative state, a ghost hunter afraid of ghosts, a bullied police officer, a man in a care home wanting a great adventure, and other fractured human beings looking for answers, trying to survive. What would you do in their place?

Review

This is novella length with a variety of short stories to tempt all kinds of readers.

The stories are gritty, sometimes crude, but designed to capture the moments in life that remain hidden or are overlooked. The short interactions, the briefest of moments that stay with us because they are poignant - they can mean the difference between one or the other taken.

Tales of guilt, questioning choices made, accepting lives lived and coming to terms with the invisibility of age. Each story will evoke a different reaction depending on the reader. I think the first one is a perfect example of that - I can imagine small joys sought will be seen as something slightly salacious.

The stories that speak directly to the vulnerability of age and the lack of support and understanding people in care homes tend to receive, especially when it comes to friends and family who suddenly act as if they can't make a connection between the person they knew and the person in front of them now.

It's a read that will give food for thought.

Buy Watching the Wheels at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher‏: ‎The Book Guild pub date 23 Feb. 2023. Buy at Amazon com

#Blogtour No More Fairy Tales: Stories To Save Our Planet edited by D.A. Baden

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour No More Fairy Tales: Stories To Save Our Planet edited by D.A. Baden.

About the Author/s

Author/Editor Bio – D.A. Baden is Professor of Sustainability at the University of Southampton and has published numerous book chapters and articles in the academic realm, and a eco-themed rom-com Habitat Man. She wrote the script for a musical, performed in Southampton and London in 2016, and has written three other screenplays. 

Denise set up the series of free Green Stories writing competitions in 2018 to inspire writers to integrate green solutions into their writing (www.greenstories.org.uk). Denise has written three stories for this anthology, and co-written two others. The Pitch is adapted from her novel Habitat Man. Follow on dabaden.com and @DABadenauthor

Authors: Brian Adams, Paolo Bacigalupi, Rasha Barrage, Brian Burt, Jenni Clarke, Lyndsey Croal, Sara Foster, Howard Gaukrodger, Matthew Hanson-Kahn, Martin Hastie, Andrew Dana Hudson, Elizabeth Kurucz, Nancy Lord, Kim Stanley Robinson and Steve Willis.

About the book

A collection of inspiring, funny, dark, mysterious, tragic, romantic, dramatic, upbeat and fantastical short stories. These 24 stories are written by a variety of authors, with the aim to inspire readers with positive visions of what a sustainable society might look like and how we might get there.

The stories are diverse in style, ranging from whodunnits to sci-fi, romance to family drama, comedy to tragedy, and cover a range of solution types from high-tech to nature-based solutions, to more systemic aspects relating to our culture and political economy.

Review

Anthologies with a theme based in realism, especially when the core topic is climate change, saving the environment and preserving the future of our planet and our species, can tip the audience one way or the other. The balance between fiction and reality or in this case speculative futuristic scenarios versus natural resources and a return to a less wasteful lifestyles, will either draw the reader or they will lose interest.

I have to say I was more than pleasantly surprised by the stories, the variety of scenarios, and perhaps most importantly the viability of many of the suggestions. It's the kind of climate fiction that will resonate and inspire, and even leave the reader with an element of hope.

A way forward through the systemic learned behaviours and abuse of the planet we live on. Much more likely to rally than the concept of superglue and obstruction. Often written with the keen eye of climate specialists the stories are a fascinating view into what our world, lifestyles and strategies could be going forward - solution focused strategies.

As I was reading the book I was already thinking about who I was going to recommend this to and buy the book for. It's a bold adventure, a compelling read that wanders the border of speculative futuristic fiction, realism, energy and action we need in the right here and now.

Kudos to the author of Efficiency by the way for capturing the absolute farce and gaslighting of the consumer by the energy companies that is currently going on and for incorporating it into the story. It's a memorable and remarkable read.

Buy No More Fairy Tales at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Habitat Press, pub date 2 Nov. 2022. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Habitat Press.

#Blogtour The Complete Fairy Stories of Oscar Wilde illustrated by Philippe Jullian

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Complete Fairy Stories of Oscar Wilde illustrated by Philippe Jullian. 

'The complete collection, first published in 1952 with exquisite illustrations by the celebrated artist Philippe Jullian, republished in a beautiful giftable edition.'  

About the Author

Born in Dublin in 1854, Oscar Wilde was an Irish wit, playwright and poet best remembered for his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), and his social comedies including The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). He published two volumes of beloved fairy tales. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1884 he married Constance Lloyd, and his two sons were born in 1885 and 1886. Wilde died in Paris in 1900.

About the book

For nearly 150 years, the classic fairy stories of Oscar Wilde have been cherished by readers of all ages. Rediscover all nine of the stories first published in The Happy Prince and other stories (1888) and A House of Pomegranates (1891) in this beautiful new edition of Duckworth’s exquisite 1952 complete collection, featuring intricate illustrations by the celebrated twentieth-century artist and aesthete Phillippe Jullian, and an afterword by Wilde’s son Vyvyan Holland.

Review

I've read Wilde's fairy stories before, quite often actually. Personally, I think they are exquisite, although Dorian Gray tends to get more attention overall, these are such memorable and often emotional stories. They are drawn from the ingrained folklore and stories Oscar grew up with. This is the 1952 edition republished, it contains beautiful illustrations by Philippe Jullian.

There is an afterword - a critical note - written by Wilde's son Vyvyan Holland, which gives insight into the inspiration behind these fairy stories. It might have made more sense to put it in the front, however this way you experience the story and draw your own conclusions. Either way it's a fascinating insight.

It's evident in these stories how deeply Wilde experience his future was able to connect with the emotions of his fellow humans, especially with those they like to keep hidden away from the world. He lays bare the vulnerability, the harsh truth and just how disconnected we can all be from each other, ergo capable of hurting each other and creating wounds that never quite heal.

It's gorgeous edition, one I wouldn't hesitate to buy for others. Side note - I just love The Happy Prince.

Buy The Complete Fairy Stories of Oscar Wilde at Amazon Uk or Buy via Duckworth Books.

#Blogtour The No-Hopers Christmas Club by Geraldine Ryan

 It's my turn on the Blogtour The No-Hopers Christmas Club by Geraldine Ryan.

About the Author

Geraldine Ryan is a proud Northerner who has spent most of her life in Cambridge – the one with the punts. She holds a degree in Scandinavian Studies, but these days only puts it to use when identifying which language is being spoken among the characters of whatever Scandi drama is currently showing on TV. 

For many years, she worked as a teacher of English and of English as a second or foreign language, in combination with rearing her four children, all of whom are now grown-up, responsible citizens. Her first published story appeared in My Weekly in 1993. Since then, her stories have appeared in Take a Break, Fiction Feast and Woman’s Weekly, as well as in women’s magazines abroad. 

She has also written two young adult novels – Model Behaviour (published by Scholastic) and The Lies and Loves of Finn (Channel 4 Books.) She plans for Riding Pillion with George Clooney to be the first of several short story anthologies. 

Keep up to date with Geraldine’s news, be the first to hear about her new releases and read exclusive content by signing up to her monthly newsletter Turning the Page. By adding your details, you’ll also receive a free short story. Use this link to subscribe: Turningthepage. Follow @GeraldineRyan on Twitter, or Facebook geraldineryanwriter

About the book

As warming as a mince pie and a glass of sherry, these eighteen festive-themed shorts are just waiting to be unwrapped.

• A lonely dog shelter volunteer battles to find new homes for her long-time canine residents while realising her own future is just as uncertain. As the new year approaches, can a fellow animal lover give her the fresh start she so wants for her dogs.

• A widowed grandmother prepares to reunite with her forbidden first love, only to discover the grand country pile from where he’s sent her a Christmas card isn’t quite what it seems.

• A single woman finally meets a man to couple up with over the festive season, but will the eccentric mistress of her late father destroy her plans?

• An ambitious 20-something attends a lavish Christmas party with only one aim – to bag a rich husband. But her plans are derailed when a troubling connection with the aristocrat she’s set her sights on is revealed.

Geraldine Ryan is a prolific short-story writer whose work has appeared in Woman’s Weekly and Take a Break’s Fiction Feast magazines. This yuletide collection follows hot on the heels of her first published anthology Riding Pillion with George Clooney. While Christmas comes but once a year, these moving and humorous tales will stay with you for a lifetime.

Review

If you take as a theme - It's a Wonderful Life, where the balance between hope, dismay, carrying on or giving up is often just a moment of clarity or reflection. For me this was at the core of these short stories. Perspective is everything. Allowing yourself to take a different turn in the road. 

This is a collection of what appears to be cosy stories, but if you look close enough you can see the glimpses of human nature - good, bad, ugly and even the slightly messy. You can see the moments where the roads collide, and decisions must be made, which is quintessentially the way the majority of us live our lives.

I'd recommend this to readers who want a read that wanders through a variety of emotional depth. Short glimpses of situations and lives centred around the festive season. A story for everyone, and perhaps even some that will jolt memories, make you smile or vanish into the short interludes.

Buy The No-Hopers Christmas Club at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.  Publisher: ‎Wrate's Publishing, pub date 14 Nov 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Unaccustomed to Grace by Lesley Bannatyne

 It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Unaccustomed to Grace by Lesley Bannatyne.

About the Author

Lesley Bannatyne is an American author who writes extensively on Halloween, especially its history, literature, and contemporary celebration. As a freelance journalist, she's covered stories ranging from druids in Somerville, Massachusetts to relief workers in Bolivia. Bannatyne's fiction is collected in her debut collection Unaccustomed to Grace, out from Kallisto Gaia Press in March, 2022.

Follow @BannatyneLesley on Twitter, Visit lesleybannatyne.com

About the book

The stories in Unaccustomed to Grace are often set in a slant version of reality where the extraordinary can exist side-by-side with the ordinary. In “Waiting for Ivy” a woman grieving the loss of her infant daughter discovers a listserv of parents whose dead children have been returned, as if the tragedy were a clerical error. 

In “Corpse Walks Into a Bar” an indigent loner agrees to bury a reanimated corpse, not realizing what it takes to find a resting place when the dead are as self-serving as the living. Characters throughout the collection act on impulses, quixotic to ferocious: a suburban dad leads a violent riot against his neighbour; an eleven-year-old boy puts himself at the nexus of a manhunt for the Boston Marathon bomber. Ultimately, the book plumbs the messiness we bring on ourselves with the best of intentions, and how we find connection and work to build a world we can survive.

Review

Short stories are islands unto themselves - they differ in execution, possible expansion and style. Some short interludes that exist without the need to be anything than what they purport to be, then there are stories I would place in the category of ideas the author could grow. The ones that have the potential to be a novel. I think it's fair to say this author has a few growers in this compilation of shorts.

I found quite a few of them have certain elements of connection in regard to reactions to the plight of a fellow human. Do I cross my own boundaries, face my own fears and ignore ingrained societal responses and do what my gut says is the right thing to do? Also what impact do these actions, gestures have on the person themselves, not just the person they have decided to engage with or help.

Written at times with a tongue in cheek nod to certain ironies and contradictive behaviour, they are also stories with depth. If you position yourself just slightly differently, if indeed you are willing to do so, then you might be surprised to find the world, the people around you, and your idea of what constitutes a problem to be solved - it might just look completely different.

I'd love to see some of the these short stories evolve into something longer, the Corpse Walks into a Bar is an excellent example of that - I have so many unanswered questions. Either way I would certainly enjoy reading more by this particular author.

Buy Unaccustomed to Grace at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎ Kallisto Gaia Press pub date 8 Feb. 2022. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Kallisto Gaia Press.

#BlogTour Mestiza Blood by V. Castro

It is an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Mestiza Blood by V. Castro.

About the Author

Violet Castro is a Mexican American writer originally from Texas now residing in the UK with her family. When not caring for her three children, she dedicates her time to writing. Follow @vlatinalondon on Twitter, @vlatinalondon on Instagram

About the book

From the lauded author of The Queen of the Cicadas (which picked up starred reviews from PW, Kirkus and Booklist who called her "a dynamic and innovative voice") comes a short story collection of nightmares, dreams, desire and visions focused on the Chicana experience. 

V.Castro weaves urban legend, folklore, life experience and heartache in this personal journey beginning in south Texas: a bar where a devil dances the night away; a street fight in a neighborhood that may not have been a fight after all; a vengeful chola at the beginning of the apocalypse; mind swapping in the not so far future; satan who falls and finds herself in a brothel in Amsterdam; the keys to Mictlan given to a woman after she dies during a pandemic. 

The collection finishes with two longer tales: The Final Porn Star is a twist on the final girl trope and slasher, with a creature from Mexican folklore; and Truck Stop is an erotic horror romance with two hearts: a video store and a truck stop.

Review

I find with short stories that it is often quite hard to pick a few to review, especially when they are all equally compelling. These are all stories that stand out from the crowd - each one of them thought provoking.

From the dead with a hunger for vengeance, the world of flesh reduced to commodity, the devil and a simple night out on the town.

Castro is bold, brash and a force to be reckoned with. Her inner rage, although one could argue that it is less inner and more in your face, and emotions collide with her creative energy to create powerful stories. Stories born from fact, truth, folklore, myth, fiction and the dark recesses of her imagination. 

Her novel Queen of the Cicidas is slightly tempered in comparison to the often brutally frank, crude ventures into the world of death, vengeance, reflection and a violence on a variety of levels, in these stories.

This an author to watch, a scribe with a unique style of storytelling, and said stories are infused with the pain and reality of life. The cruelty of humanity laid bare for all to experience. No secrets, just a following of absolute truth, which can be tumultuous and deadly at times. 

Buy Mestiza Blood at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. At Flame Tree Press.

#BlogTour Add Cyanide to Taste by Karmen Špiljak

 It's my turn on the BlogTour Add Cyanide to Taste by Karmen Špiljak. Illustrations by Luka Rejec.  

About the Author

Karmen Špiljak is a Slovenian-Belgian writer with a taste for dark and twisty tales. Her short fiction has been awarded and anthologised. Her as yet unpublished thriller was shortlisted and received an honourable mention on 'The Black Spring Crime Fiction Prize 2020'. She writes across different genres, from suspense to horror and science fiction.

She currently lives in Brazil with her husband and two cats. Find out more on karmens.net, Follow karm3ns33ta on Twitter, facebook.com/karmenspiljak or instagram.com/karmenseeta

About the book

A sinister cook, a cursed cake, and a casual dinner between neighbours that goes murderously wrong. This debut collection of dark tales and recipes by Karmen Špiljak ascends the jagged culinary heights you’ve hungered to explore but could never find on a map. As the characters swoon over every unforgettable mouthful, and sometimes bite off more than they can chew, you’ll find yourself asking: What would I be willing to pay for the meal of a lifetime?

If feasting on culinary noir leaves you hungry, extend your pleasure by preparing the dishes featured in the stories. All recipes provided are cyanide-free.

Review

In a collection like this it is hard to pick favourites and leave others by the wayside. Each story is indeed its own self-devouring snake of mystery, revenge, darkness and evil. Ending with the inevitable and never in quite the same way.

The only downside to culinary noir, crime or stories in general is the jiggling of the synapses that will eventually convince you to eat or snack. It's a talent in itself being able combine the delight of taste and smell with the depravity of death.

A special nod for Three Roses - I loved the combination of magical realism, mystery, folklore and the fallacy of human nature. 

Špiljak has a knack for the short story - not everyone has - and for creating sharp bursts of darkness. There is often a misconception about how easy it is to write short stories. Imagine having to fit an entire plot, characters and tentative worldbuilding into the smallest space possible, and still be able to engage the reader.

Not only does the author do that, but also successfully. I sincerely hope she decides to engage readers with a greater and longer noirish encounter or perhaps just a venture into the world of crime, because it's clearly her forte.

And - depending on the cookie, I will always eat the last one.

Buy Add Cyanide to Taste at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour It Will Be Quick by Karl Drinkwater

Today it's an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour It Will Be Quick by Karl Drinkwater.

About the Author

Karl Drinkwater writes thrilling SF, suspenseful horror, and contemporary literary fiction. Whichever you pick you’ll find interesting and authentic characters, clever and compelling plots, and believable worlds.

Karl has lived in many places but now calls Scotland his home. He’s an ex-librarian with degrees in English, Classics, and Information Science. He also studied astrophysics for a year at university, surprising himself by winning a prize for “Outstanding Performance”. Karl is an active member of the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA), the Horror Writers Association (HWA), and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).

When he isn’t writing he loves guitars, exercise, computer and board games, nature, and vegan cake. Not necessarily in that order.

Follow @karldrinkwater on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, on Facebook, on Instagram, Visit karldrinkwater.uk, Buy It Will Be Quick

About the book

A single decision can save – or ruin – a life.

An opportunistic baby theft by a young woman in pain. Two strangers shipwrecked on a lifeless rock, unable to speak the same language. An isolated cycling holiday descends into terror. One woman seeks the courage to destroy her life. A miracle unites a community, and teenagers take a stand against hypocrisy.

Karl Drinkwater presents characters to root for – and characters to dread – in sixteen tales of humanity, endurance, and spirit.

Review 

This is a collection of sixteen contemporary short stories. Each story wanders into a different landscape of emotional confusion, distress and the pain of not being heard. Simultaneously there are also stories that shine a light on the manipulation and control by big tech, the fraught political scenery we are trying to navigate and often simply just the story of life in general.  

Obviously talking about each story would be a lot and leave nothing for potential readers to discover, however I will mention two of them.

Fire in the Hole - A tragic tale of desperation, mental health issues and how too many are falling through the cracks of the system. How perception is everything and misconceptions frame the way we view certain individuals.

SenSor OS is an incredibly clever tongue-in-cheek swipe at the stronghold technology has on us. We have literally become slaves to the variety of devices and screens we interact with each day. Certain software companies have made it impossible to make independent choices. Others manipulate politics and the law to steal and profit from the public domain. I loved this one by the way. 

Short stories aren't everyone's cup of tea, perhaps because it isn't as easy as it sounds to create something small with enough pull, drive and content to captivate like a full novel.

Whilst the ventures into Speculative Dystopian Sc-Fi by Drinkwater are intriguing reads, this book of short stories is much more indicative of the creative and versatile talent he harbours. Each story is a potential novel in the making, each character has a story worth telling. Each brief moment fulfills the satisfying expectation of a longer tale.

Buy It Will Be Quick at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Organic Apocalypse pub date 1 Nov. 2020. Buy at Amazon com. Hive. Bookshop org. Waterstones.

#BlogTour What Doesn't Kill You by Elitsa Dermendzhiyska

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour What Doesn't Kill You by Elitsa Dermendzhiyska.

About the Author
Elitsa Dermendzhiyska went from stock investing in Washington DC to a technology incubator in south-east Asia, then joined the rat race in London and promptly burned out while building a tax software business. To avoid actually getting therapy, she spent the next two years interviewing therapists, psychiatrists, NHS clinicians, authors, artists and entrepreneurs from South London to Silicon Valley – this book is the result.

Follow @elliethinksnot on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit elliethinks.com, Buy What Doesn't Kill You

About the book
An explorer spends a decade preparing for an expedition to the South Pole; what happens when you live for a goal, but once it’s been accomplished, you discover it’s not enough? A successful broadcast journalist ends up broke, drunk and sleeping rough; what makes alcohol so hard to resist despite its
ruinous consequences? A teenage girl tries to disappear by starving herself; what is this force that compels so many women to reduce their size so drastically?

In this essay collection, writers share the struggles that have shaped their lives – loss, depression, addiction, anxiety, trauma, identity and others. But as they take you on a journey to the darkest recesses of their mind, the authors grapple with challenges that haunt us all.

Review
The stories are divided into three chapter headings Struggle, Self and Striving, which in a way captures the essence of survival. That's what these stories are personal revelations about struggles, demons, having to overcome pain and the hardest moments in life. The authors open doorways into their souls for a brief and yet poignant look. Letting the readers look through windows in the hope that their words will find ears that are searching for words or eyes that are seeking connections.

The book contains the following stories:
Beginning and Self Knowledge by David Whyte, Eight by AJ Ashworth, A Disappearing Act by Kate Leaver, Three Wise Women by Irenosen Okojie, Last Fragments of Love by Cathy Rentzenbrink, Not Wasted by Ed Mitchell, My Unremembered Life by Emily Reynolds, The Last Fight by Hazel Gale, The Lily Show by Lily Bailey, ADHD and Me by Rory Bremner, No Cure for Life by Julian Baggini, It Could Have Snowed It Snowed by Alex Christofi, The Pilgrimage by Elitsa Dermendzhiyska and A Very Long Walk in a Very Cold Place by Ben Saunders.

I think what resonated most with me about this book was the truth. Not tales created to entertain for an anthology, but a creation of memories, truths and discoveries given to the reader to interpret and enjoy as they see fit. It's a powerful way to introduce the person behind the words, perhaps get a sense of their drive, whilst simultaneously enjoying the writing.

I could take a few of the stories I found particularly interesting and focus on them, however to do so would possibly flavour the way the others are perceived, and they all deserve to be read and embraced on an equal standing.

Buy What Doesn't Kill You at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Unbound; pub date 11 Jun. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Two Lives by A Yi

Happy Publication Day and it's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Two Lives: Tales of Life, Love & Crime by A Yi, translated by Alex Woodend.

About the Author
A Yi (author) is a celebrated Chinese writer living in Beijing. He worked as a police officer before becoming editor-in chief of Chutzpah,an avant garde literary magazine. He is the author of several collections of short stories and has published fiction in Granta and the Guardian. In 2010 he was
shortlisted for the People's Literature Top 20 Literary Giants of the Future. A Perfect Crime, his first book in English was published by Oneworld in 2015. He is noted for his unsentimental worldview,and challenging literary style.

Alex Woodend (Translator) is a writer/translator whose fascination with Spanish and Chinese began at Franklin & Marshall College. He continued his studies at Columbia University where he wrote his Masters on early post-Mao literature. Translator of The Captain Riley Adventures , Murder in Dragon City, and other works, he currently lives in New York.

Follow A Yi on Goodreads, Buy Two Lives

About the book
Seven stories, seven whispers into the ears of life: A Yi’s unexpected twists of crime burst from the everyday, with glimpses of romance distorted by the weaknesses of human motive. A Yi employs his forensic skills to offer a series of portraits of modern life, both uniquely Chinese,and universal in their themes.

Review
These are seven stories, seven vastly different tales about the imperfection of humankind. The depths people can and do sink to when life doesn't go their way or a simple blip seems like an insurmountable barrier.

This book contains the following stories: Two Lives, Attic, Spring, Bach, Human Sum, Fat Duck and Predator.

Two Lives - I suppose it's up to each reader to determine the moral of this story or indeed any one of the following. I felt as if the monk closing the door became the supposed the catalyst for future events and behaviour. 'You deny me therefore you are to blame for my choices.'

The monk's behaviour becomes the path travelled analogy except he closes off one path therefore is to blame for the more volatile choices Zhou makes. Or, as I would argue, were those choices always part of his character and a possibility?

Attic - favourite sentence ' just lie there and let the man poke, be good'. That just literally describes the fraction of women who support and encourage the misogyny the patriarchal society is steeped in. When the pressures put on certain genders cause the kind of reaction that is unfathomable.

Predator - As in Attic the dysfunctional relationship between mother and child plays a role. In general how narcissism and control defines the structure of family relationships, and more importantly the way siblings interact when the negativity comes from the mother - the caregiver. The obsessive, neurotic fear of death becomes an almost self-fulfilling prophecy. I think therefore it is. I create enough negative energy to invoke something in another person that swallows them whole.

It's literary fiction - noir meets cynicism and the reality of human failings.

I think it's possible, despite the excellent translation, that perhaps some of the style and specific literary quirk of this author gets lost along the way. A certain essence perhaps that is often only notable in original language.

A Yi likes to expand the consciousness of mind and language, which doesn't always end with beauty, because the reality is that the world is full of cruelty, mistakes, greed and selfishness. These stories serve as a reminder of the obscure nature of life and its very many bitter endings.

Buy Two Lives at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Flame Tree Press; pub date 26 Mar. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Tales of the What the F*ck by D.A. Watson

It's my turn on the BlogTour Tale of the What the F*ck by D.A. Watson.

About the Author
D.A. Watson was halfway through a music and media degree at the University of Glasgow and planning on being a teacher when he discovered he was actually a better writer than musician. He unleashed his debut novel In the Devil's Name on an unsuspecting public in the summer of 2012, and plans of a stable career in education left firmly in the dust, later gained his masters in Creative Writing from the University of Stirling.

He has since published two more novels; The Wolves of Langabhat and Cuttin' Heads, a collection of short fiction and poetry, Tales of the What the F*ck, and several acclaimed articles, poems and stories, including Durty Diana, which was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in the US in 2016, and the Burns parody Tam O' Shatner, prizewinner at the Falkirk Storytelling Festival and Dunedin Burns Poetry Competition, and nominated for the People's Book Prize in 2018.

Watson's writing has appeared in several anthologies and collections including 404 Ink, Dark Eclipse, Speculative Books, Haunted Voices and The Flexible Persona, and he is also a regular spoken word performer, with past gigs at Bloody Scotland, Tamfest, Sonnet Youth, Express Yourself, Clusterf*ck Circus, and the Burnsfest festival in 2018, where he appeared on the main stage as the warm up act for the one and only Chesney Hawkes, a personal milestone and career highlight.

His fourth novel Adonias Low will be released by Stirling Pubishing in 2021. He lives with his family in a witch infested village on the west coast of Scotland, and continues to write some seriously weird sh*t.

Follow @davewatsonbooks on Twitter, on Facebook, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Buy Tales of the What the F*ck

About the book
Billionaire terminal cancer patient John Longmire's going to die today, and he's going out in style in the classiest euthanasia clinic in the world. But the strange nurse with the clipboard and the look of a goddess is spoiling the mood, with all her irksome questions about how he's lived his life.

Recent retiree Gerald loves his wife Barbara and he loves his garden, but Barbara hates the garden. Because the garden's taking Gerald over, and Barbara says he has to stop before he has another 'incident'.

Bullied, ridiculed and unloved, moustachioed schoolgirl "Hairy" Mhairi Barry has never had any friends but the ones she finds on the shelves of the library where she's spent most of her lonely childhood. But tonight, she's going to a party with all the cool kids, to show them what she's learned in all those books.

A suspicious smelling smorgasbord of lovelorn psychopaths, vengeful mugging victims, pawn shop philosophers and rhyming Glaswegian alien abduction, Tales of the What the Fuck is a dark, touching, horrific and hilarious collection of short stories, flash fiction and epic poetry from People's Book Prize nominated author D.A. Watson. Things are about to get weird.

Review
This is a collection of short stories, flash fiction and poetry. What they all have in common is murder, mayhem, revenge and fear - not necessarily in that order of course.

Included in the book: Durty Diana, Coming Home, Mhairi, Wasted, Succubus, Catharsis, The Wee man, John, Coasters Music, Tales of a Scorched earth: Afterburn, The Cravin, Sex Tape, Lisa and Me, The Night Afore Xmas, Deep red, Tech Support, The Ones You Love, John Longmire's Last Day, Tam O'Shatner, Rusalka, Love and Cabbage and AaaHHH! Zombies.
I'm just going to pick out two to talk about in my review:

The Wee Man - I enjoyed this one in particular, perhaps because the roots are buried in fairytales and childhood. The essence of original fairytales wasn't to calm or make the reader happy. Instead the tales were grounded in myth and folklore, known as harbingers of threats and death. The adult in this story becomes the child again, as his own childhood fears rise up and threaten to swallow him whole.

Tales of a Scorched Earth: Afterburn - The general assumption, especially when it comes to those who believe in divine intervention and that sinners will eventually get their just desserts, is that true evil will be punished by an eternity in hell. What if that eternity were merely a continuation of their pleasure?

It's a collection of murder, vengeance and hidden desires in the form of short stories, flash fiction and poetry. Watson spins a good tale no matter in which form.

Expect no comfortable tale to embrace you or cotton candy, unicorns and happy endings. Well, then again they might be considered happy endings if you enjoy your stories gory, scary and slightly horrific or score highly on the psychopathic traits test.

Buy Tales of the What the F*ck at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Wild Wolf Publishing; pub date 7 Oct. 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogBlitz The Lynmouth Stories by L.V. Hay

Today I am taking part in the BlogBlitz The Lynmouth Stories by L.V. Hay. It's contemporary fiction with a noirish feel to it.

About the Author
Lucy V Hay is a script editor for film and an author of fiction and non-fiction. Publishing as LV Hay, Lucy’s debut crime novel, The Other Twin, is out now and has been featured in The Sun and Sunday Express Newspaper, plus Heatworld and Closer Magazine. Her second crime novel, Do No Harm, is an ebook bestseller. Her next title is Never Have I Ever for Hodder Books.

Follow @LucyVHayAuthor  on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram,
Visit lucyvhayauthor.com
Buy The Lynmouth Stories

About the book
Beautiful places hide dark secrets ...

Devon's very own crime writer L.V Hay (The Other Twin, Do No Harm) brings forth three new short stories from her dark mind and poison pen:

- For kidnapped Meg and her young son Danny, In Plain Sight, the remote headland above Lynmouth is not a haven, but hell.

- A summer of fun for Catherine in Killing Me Softly becomes a winter of discontent ... and death.

- In Hell And High Water, a last minute holiday for Naomi and baby Tommy  becomes a survival situation ... But that's before the village floods.

All taking place out of season when the majority of tourists have gone home, L.V Hay uses her local knowledge to bring forth dark and claustrophic noir she has come to be known for.

Did You Know ...?

Known as England's 'Little Switzerland', the Devon village of Lynmouth is famous for its Victorian cliff railway, fish n' chips and of course, RD Blackmore's Lorna Doone.

Located on the doorstep of the dramatic Valley of The Rocks and the South West Cliff Path, the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth have inspired many writers, including 19th Century romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who honeymooned there in 1812.

Review
This is a novella length book with three stories based around the Devon village of Lynmouth.

I particularly enjoyed the story of Catherine, Killing Me Softly. It's dark, morbid and has a noirish quality to it. Death is a friend, a foe, a voice and a constant companion. An entity who forces conversation, thoughts and actions. A constant reminder of the lull of a distant peace, silence and an end.

In Plain Sight is a tale of patience and perseverance, despite all the odds being stacked against a woman and her child .About a person who builds the trap and sits quietly until it snaps shut.

Hell and High Water is a story of karma. It's unfortunate that this kind of karma doesn't roll around more often for certain people. For Naomi and her young child it becomes the light at the end of a very dark and long tunnel.

What all three stories have in common is women. Strong women, scared women and damaged women. Living nightmares that are all too normal nowadays. Domestic violence still isn't dealt with in a satisfactory way. There too many women, children and men afraid to leave an abusive partner, because the support system is inadequate and the legal system doesn't punish the perpetrators sufficiently.

The topic of depression is dealt with quite cleverly. In an abstract kind of way, which suggests it lives within the sufferers like a constant nagging voice urging a certain narrative.

It's an intriguing set of short stories. It gives the reader an idea of Hay's writing style and where her imagination takes her. It's contemporary fiction with a noirish feel to it.

Buy The Lynmouth Stories at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of Do No Harm by Lucy V. Hay. Read my review of The Other Twin by L.V. Hay.