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Happy Almost New Year! As another year comes to a close, and a new one set to begin, I'm going out on the reader limb once again and highlighting books that for me, were Top Reads in 2022!
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They range from a speculative look into the future--which may be closer than we think; a collection of ghostly tales in one of my fav southern cities; an irreverent (but highly accurate) dictionary of words and terms we all now know--for better or worse; a thrilling, original spin on a SciFi classic; and a time-bouncing whodunnit that kept me glued to the pages!
The authors of these tales topped off an exceptional year of reading in 2022.
Bibiana Krall, MINT
Cathleen Maza, Savannah in Daylight
John Dolan, Otford English Dictionary
H.E. Wilburson, Gateway to Mars
John Anthony Miller, A Crime Through Time
Let's learn what inspired them to write these stellar tales and collections, and what they'll be up to in 2023!
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Bibiana Krall: MINT
Mint: A Short Story About the Future by Bibiana Krall was inspired by a glimpse of what the world might look like if we continue down the rabbit hole of technology, and digital spaces. People who grew up before social media and the Internet seem to view sentient machines, A.I. and modern technology from a different lens. Mint is my exploration of who we might become when humans are isolated and unable to decipher what is real and what isn’t.
2023 will be different for me. I’m dialing back on social and submitting more work to literary magazines, while hoping to connect with more readers and writers in 3-D. I have a speculative novel in progress, along with book four in The Haunted Series. Perhaps my husband and I will finally hike Kilimanjaro with a side trip to Zanzibar for poolside pina coladas. Many thanks to my fantastic colleague, Veronica Cline Barton for highlighting my story on her blog. I’m grateful and deeply honored. Happy New Year everyone!
Author Site www.bibianakrall.com/aether
Amazon Author Page
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Cathleen Maza: Savannah in Daylight
Thank you, Veronica, for choosing “Savannah in Daylight” as one of your top favorite books of 2022. This is the second installment of my Haunted Savannah series. In this volume, we follow Savannah’s adventures out into the sun, where she attends to her day job as a facilitator to the spirit world. As we quickly find out, restless spirits don’t only keep night hours in the Hostess City and our favorite paranormal resident has her hands full. This book is the result of wanting to show more aspects of Savannah and her unique role in the city that she has become the soul of. The more stories I write for this main character, the more she reveals of herself. As a matter of fact, I had envisioned this series as a trilogy, but Savannah has let me know that she has bigger plans. Who am I to stop her? It’s a delight for me to bring the beautiful city of Savannah to life through my writing and I’ll undoubtedly be doing more on-site research down South this spring.
In that spirit, (pun intended) I’m already well under way with book number three, “Savannah at Twilight”, which will be released in 2023. This next year is going to be a busy one, as I’m also planning on wrapping up and publishing my “Inherited” and “Christmas Rose” trilogies. And, with my free time, I’ll still be penning weekly episodes of the gritty dystopian saga “Mean” on Kindle Vella. Are my goals over-ambitious? Not with Savannah on my side…her stories seem to mysteriously write themselves!
Amazon author link: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cathleen-Maza/author/B012KU14XO
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John Dolan: The Otford English Dictionary
After I published my epic-length book 'Adventures in Mythopoeia' at the end of 2020, I decided to give my half-melted brain a year off from writing novels. However, my grey matter decided on its own that it still needed some form of regular exercise, so it started putting together some hopefully amusing definitions - but without any clear intention in mind (other than to rid my head of cynicism, perhaps). From this evolved 'The Otford English Dictionary'. The rest is, as they say, is bad history.
In 2023, I intend to publish another David Braddock mystery novel with a working title of 'Much Possessed by Death'. Yeah, I know. Just when you thought it was safe to go back on Amazon. My very warmest regards and thank you for all your support.
Links for 'The Otford English Dictionary':
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H.E. Wilburson: Gateway to Mars
I'm so pleased you enjoyed reading Gateway To Mars – volume three in my continuation of The War Of The Worlds. As you know, I have been working on this series, The Martian Diaries, since 2015 and the storyline for this third book has been in my mind for a long time. I find writing plots very easy and I can map out a story quickly and accurately, but it is the conveying of difficult ideas, simply and precisely, which takes me much time and effort. The book was very challenging to write, not least because I have aimed to bring H.G Wells' story full circle, as well as incorporating futuristic themes for Earth and Mars in a believable science fiction plot.
My writing for The Martian Diaries hasn't stopped entirely as I'm now working on bonus material for a later edition of volume one. This is a personal perspective from the astronomer Ogilvy, one of H.G Wells' original characters in The War Of The Worlds, who features heavily in my first two books. I'm excited to be creating some of his most significant diary entries from the time of the first invasion from Mars in 1906 until his death in 1920. One of the things he reveals is how the Martian cylinder was transported from the mountain in Wales to London, and how he set up his acclaimed Exhibition of Martian Artefacts at the historic Crystal Palace. It's an interesting new challenge which I hope to complete in the first half of 2023. But my first priority is to finish the production side of the audiobook version of Gateway to Mars, which involves editing the recording, then adding my own music and sound effects. I'm also planning a music-free version as an option for listeners, and special physical editions of the whole series. It's going to be another busy year!
Find out more about The Martian Diaries sequel to The War Of The Worlds and hear audio samples at the website here: https://www.martiandiaries.com
All other links including retail options, free samples, social media etc. here:
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John Anthony Miller: A Crime Through Time
Thanks so much for the opportunity to be on your blog. I really appreciate it.
My novel A Crime Through Time was inspired by the photograph of a tranquil lane in Paris—which of course became the scene of a murder in the book. I saw that image on the internet and thought: ‘hmmm, I can have some fun with this.’ After seeing that simple photograph, later used for the book’s cover, the entire plot was realized—a crime committed many years before the clues are found. I set the murder on that street in 1874, using an Impressionist painter’s model as the victim, and had his paintings serve as clues to the crime, not discovered until 1956.
I issue two books a year, sometimes three, via commitments to different publishers. In spring of 2023, The Secrets of Hickory Hill, an Antebellum murder mystery set on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, is scheduled for release. In fall of 2023 All That Glitters will be issued. It’s a WWII thriller set in 1940 that features the theft of industrial diamonds before the Germans can get them. A summer release is under negotiation, more of a beach read.
Amazon link for book:
Amazon author page:
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A huge congratulations to the authors for their fantastic books, and a job very, well done! I can't wait to read what you write in 2023! ✍✨📚
Here's to another amazing year of fantastic reads! Wishing you and yours a most productive, peaceful, healthy, #HappyNewYear!
Crowns and Kisses,
Veronica