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Book Review: 'Bringing Home the Rain' by Bob McGough

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Five stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’m totally enchanted by protagonist Howard Marsh. I mean, this man is seriously flawed. He’s a down-and-out addict who lives in a storage container and is well-known to the police. He calls himself a methgician and ekes out a petty life doing small jobs with the magic that runs in his family. Marsh manages to redeem himself, however, through surprising acts of kindness and sacrifice. In Marsh, author Bob McGough has crafted a complex and interesting character. You want to hate him, but you also love him. This character will stay with me. I also love the rural lore, and the beauty that McGough brings out in the dirt roads and ramshackle buildings of Jubal County. This first book of the series has the protagonist engaged in two separate jobs. Both adventures are well-written and engaging. I especially liked the second story because it shows more facets of Marsh’s character. I highly recommend this book.

It's May! Ready for New Reads?

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Is it time to find your next favorite author or book?  I'm part of this promotion featuring a fantastic collection of urban fantasy authors.  If you love urban fantasy then you'll definitely want to browse this selection of new releases, sales, and first in series. There are some amazing books to discover and new series to binge! The promotion is on for the month of May. Please check it out:  https://books.bookfunnel.com/faka-books-may/cia0relop9

A Day at RavenCon

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As a reward for releasing The Soul Stealer , I treated myself to one day at RavenCon near Richmond, Va. RavenCon is a fan-run science fiction and fantasy convention that was founded in 2006. It’s a chance for fans to interact with writers and other professionals involved in the genres. The name is a nod to Edgar Allan Poe, who lived in Richmond for several years. All in all, I had a good time. It was great to be among like-minded people who are passionate about science fiction and fantasy. I loved seeing the amazing costumes worn by some fans. I also attended a few of the writing discussions—including ones on copyright and the public domain, and writing believable characters—and learned a few things. Best of all, I got to meet award-winning fiction editor Ellen Datlow, and author JC Kang! Ellen Datlow JC Kang

'The Soul Stealer' Is Now Available on Amazon

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I'm excited to announce that The Soul Stealer , the fifth and final book of my Geomancer’s Apprentice series , is now available in ebook format on Amazon and Amazon Kindle Unlimited. The paperback version should be available in early May. Here's the blurb:  ********** How do you fight a phantom from a nightmare? Feng shui practitioners Junie Soong and Joe Tham are still dealing with the fallout from their last case. They are forced at the same time to work for the secretive benefactor who helped them when all seemed lost. Junie and Joe discover their benefactor is involved in something nefarious. Even worse, Junie has to fend off a mysterious figure who’s stepped straight out of her recurring nightmares. It isn’t long before the underdog geomancers find themselves caught up in something from the past that could have shocking ramifications for the future. Could something that happened more than 250 years ago hold the key to who killed Joe’s father? This is the explosive finale

'The Soul Stealer' Is Available Starting April 26

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I’m excited to announce that the ebook version of The Soul Stealer will be available for sale on Amazon—and to read on Kindle Unlimited—starting Friday, April 26! I haven’t done a pre-order before, and I decided not to do one for this book. It’s also going to take me longer to get the paperback version out, so stay tuned on that. This is the fifth, and final, book of The Geomancer’s Apprentice series. I’ll say more about that in the coming days. In the meantime, here’s an excerpt to whet your appetite. The photo below shows the famous Washington, D.C., neighborhood in which the scene takes place. Can you guess where it is? ************ Something landed on the lid of a garbage can with a fleshy thud. Joe blinked. Beside him, Junie nudged her glasses higher. The newcomer was jet-black, with glowing red eyes. It blended so well with the dark that Joe couldn’t easily gauge its size or its shape. It smelled worse than the alley. The creature jumped off the can. They held the

Deleted Scene From Forthcoming 'Soul Stealer' Now Available to Download

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I’m pleased to announce that my newsletter subscribers may now access a deleted scene from The Soul Stealer , the forthcoming fifth and final book of The Geomancer’s Apprentice series. This is the first time ever that I’m releasing a deleted scene from one of my books. I cut these two chapters from The Soul Stealer because they were too tangential to the main plot. The chapters feature one of Joe and Junie’s side missions. It’s kind of apt that th is particular adventure ended up on the cutting room floor, since it takes place in a movie theater. If I needed a title for it, I guess I can call it “A Night at the Cinema ” … Here’s the blurb: ******* Junie Soong and Joe Tham are called to an old movie theater. The new owner wants to redevelop the building, but she can’t do much until the ghost in it is made to leave. This should be an easy job, except … things are never that easy for our underdog feng shui experts. ******************* Get Your Free Copy Now If

A Snippet From 'The Soul Stealer' ...

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Work on The Soul Stealer , book #5 of my Geomancer’s Apprentice series, is coming along nicely. I thought I’d share a snippet today. The photo of Chinatown, Washington, D.C., is mine, taken on a beautiful, sunny day. The Friendship Archway, the historic area’s symbolic gateway, is said to be one of the largest ceremonial arches outside China. It was the inspiration for the series! Visit my author website if you’d like to read more about the background and themes for the books.  *****II***** As they strode past the Friendship Archway, a woman bent down and tried to pick Hu up. She backed off when he arched his back and bared his teeth.  “You’re not supposed to pet him,” Junie told her. “He’s a service animal.” “Oh, sorry,” the woman said. “He’s beautiful, but not very friendly.” “He’s not,” Junie agreed. “That’s part of his training.” If the woman only knew the guardian could rip her in two with one swipe of his paw.