Action – Madi's Musings

Shattered Reaction Cover Reveal + Launch Team Signups

May 4, 2023May 4, 202318 Comments

Many readers mentioned Shattered Reflection ended like there was a possibility more of Marcus’ story was in the writing–or so they hoped. I am pleased to announce that, yes, there is more of his story in the works, and part of that story will be told in Shattered Reaction.

His is not the only story, though. You’ll find the POVs of two characters you met in SR1 and one you kind of were introduced to. The other POV is for a man driven by revenge…and his intense dislike for a certain goose. But more on that later.

ABOUT SR2

War darkens the horizon…

In the wake of destruction, revenge drives Arioch en Kyrida to hunt down the man responsible for destroying half his village. His search leads him to a town where truth is hoarded and secrets lurk in every corner. Solely focused on making his target pay, Arioch cares little for the whispers of approaching evil until he is strongarmed into helping protect one of his most recent nemeses. If Anthi Klarkson doesn’t drive him insane—and if he manages to keep her alive long enough—they may be able to help stop the incoming war in its tracks. But someone wants Anthi dead, and they’ll do anything to achieve that mission.

Zinnia Klarkson wants nothing more than peace for her mourning family, but nearby attacks, kidnappings, and rumors of impending war steal all hope of a quiet life. When a mostly-dead man lands on her doorstep, hunted and without strong chance of survival, she is thrust into a covert operation that threatens her family’s safety. As secrets grow and answers remain veiled, Zinnia must choose between helping a ragtag group of reluctant allies or keeping her family out of harm’s path.

Trust must mend what was once shattered and courage must be sought as a second All Lands War threatens to decimate the six lands.

First Line:

The Bible said revenge was the Lord’s.

Genre: Christian Fantasy fairy tale retelling

Target Age: New Adult (although older YAs can read it too)

Fairy tale retold: Snow White and Rose Red

Fun and Aesthetics

Inspiration Board

Goodreads

I would be so appreciative if you joined me in helping spread the cover and/or Release Day graphics or ARCs. Readers and their encouragement are part of what make books and their launches successful.

Cover Reveal

Launch Team + Arcs

Review: In the Midst of the Storm

January 26, 20231 Comment

A deadly threat. A woman in hiding. A man who isn’t all he seems.

Author: Latisha Sexton

Genre: Christian Suspense

Length: 360 pages

ABOUT

A deadly threat. A woman in hiding. A man who isn’t all he seems.

Olivia James is on the brink of success at a prestigious marketing firm. But when a deadly stalker sets his sights on her, she’s forced to leave everything behind and go into hiding to protect herself and those she loves.

While volunteering her marketing expertise to help a struggling café, she meets William Cooper. Their brewing attraction has her longing to share her secret and deepen their connection. But the closer she gets to Will, the more withdrawn and secretive he becomes.

Uncertain who to trust—even herself—can Olivia discern God’s plan and trust Him in the midst of the storm?

RATING:

4 Stars

REVIEW

In the Midst of the Storm is a Christian suspense filled with romance, action, and plenty of faith.

Plot
The plot was quite interesting and kept me wondering until the climax.

Characters
Olivia has been through so much, but I admired her courage and tenacity. Plus, she’s tall! Which is a huge bonus because tall FMCs are rare. I also liked her character arc and how she grew in her faith throughout the book. Also, I liked how she wasn’t worthless and helpless when problems arose. She could think for herself and not allow the circumstances to reduce her to a screaming, worthless mess like how we see most heroines portrayed.

Will was good too. We didn’t experience the events through his POV as often, but Sexton portrayed him so well through Olivia’s perspective that that’s not an issue.

The Creep: a.k.a. Stalker Man and He-Who-Needed-To-Be-Shot-With-An-Arrow is a menace. Honestly, I would have liked to have Will shoot this nasty piece of work because a lot of emphasis was put on Will’s Ute heritage and how good he was with a bow and arrow. But The Cretin’s ending suffices. And good riddance. Nasty soul.

Faith
I really, really liked the faith Sexton incorporated. It’s strong, real, and natural to the plot. The faith element is definitely one of the book’s strongest points.

Violence/Content Warning
Rape and torture are mentioned; the villain is truly sadistic; a torture scene may frighten sensitive readers; a character is smashed upside the noggin.

What I Wasn’t Fond Of
There was one thing I wasn’t quite sold on, and that’s the mention of zombies, vampires, The Walking Dead, and Twilight.

One of the childhood anecdotes regarding vampires was hilarious, and that wouldn’t have bothered me if that was the only time. But there were about five-to-six mentions of these, and I just wasn’t fond of that. I do not believe Christians should have anything to do with such elements of the dark supernatural. Plus, from what I hear, Twilight is just a mess of problems in and of itself.

That won’t bother all readers, though, so do not let this dissuade you from reading this book.

Conclusion
In the Midst of the Storm is a solid Christian suspense novel with a beautiful amount of faith and a heart-pounding amount of action. It sets it up well for Book Two, and I already ship those characters. I liked this book, and I’m not a suspense reader, so those who are into this genre will certainly enjoy In the Midst of the Storm.

*I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Unfortunate Events: Authors Interview

September 14, 20225 Comments

I just realized I’m a day late (I honestly thought I was scheduled today) and I feel horrible. My deepest apologies to the authors.

Today I am spotlighting Unfortunate Events and inviting you to an interview between myself and the Sisters Three, who collaborated on this book. They must truly be ingenious, because I can’t fathom how difficult it would be writing a book with others.

We have the spotlight first, then about the authors, and finally, saving the best for last, the interview.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT

Book Info:

Genre: Young Adult Christian Fantasy/Action/Adventure

Authors: Kaytlin, Marisa, & Jaiden Phillips

Cover Art: Jaiden Phillips

Blurb:

Lies are worn as masks, darkness threatens, and fear spreads like fire.

Mazleah has lost its Crowned Prince and the kingdom stands on the edge of ruin. When Kahtan Faber is forced into the King’s army life as he knew it collapses. Thrust onto a team with a brogue-speaking street boy, a secretive lordling, and his hometown bully, Kahtan quickly learns what it means to be alone. As a Blacksmith’s son who has never wielded a blade, he’s nothing more than a failure to those around him.

But when secrets about his teammates are revealed, secrets that could shake Mazleah to its core, Kahtan must decide whether to stand with his team or with his country. Although nothing in Mazleah is ever that simple.

Book Links:

Goodreads Book Link: Unfortunate Events | Goodreads

Amazon Link: Unfortunate Events (The Dragon Prince Chronicles Book 1) – Kindle edition | Amazon.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Kaytlin, Marisa, & Jaiden Phillips are a homeschool writing trio of sisters more often known as Sisters Three. They reside in the mountains of Western North Carolina where they spend their time hiking, reading, writing, and spending time with their family.

Author Links:

You can include as many or as few of the links as you want, the main ones to include are the blog and newsletter which can be found under the Group links.

Kayti:

Linktree (Including all Kayti’s links): https://linktr.ee/kaytlinphillips

Rissy:

Pinterest: Pinterest

Goodreads Author Profile: Marisa Phillips (Author of Unfortunate Events) | Goodreads

Jaidie:

Pinterest: Pinterest

Goodreads Author Profile: Jaiden Phillips (Author of Unfortunate Events) | Goodreads

Group:

Blog: www.sisters-three.com

Group Goodreads Account: Sisters Three | Goodreads

Newsletter: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/93248/59816909004080388/share

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

What is your go-to space for writing?

Rissy and Jaidie’s room, Kayti’s room is too small..lol…so we write in Rissy and Jaidie’s room almost every evening between 9 and 10 PM.

What is your favorite genre to read?

We don’t have a favorite…lol…we’ll read in just about any genre, it’s more the story than the genre that’s gonna judge whether we like it or not.

Words of wisdom for those who are just starting out on the writing path?

Stay true to what God has laid on your heart. Listen to the advice of those who know more than you do. Never sacrifice your style for the rules of today (because honestly, most of the published books we’ve read don’t follow all the rules we’ve been told we should follow…lol…). Write what is laid on your heart, seek God’s heart for your story, and be brave enough to take that leap of faith!

What is your least favorite part of the writing process?

When you have no ideas like it’s just blank up top for no apparent reason…and editing. Editing is just too much like work…lol…Parts of editing are fun but you can only read your own book so many times before it drives you insane.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

Probably the first and second drafts, first because we just get to write and not really worry about anything, and the second because we’re not really editing we’re more of adding to the story!

Do you focus on one project at a time or do you have multiple projects going simultaneously?

One project at a time, that’s funny…lol…We work on at least three as a group and usually have two each as personal projects. We’d go crazy if we weren’t working on something, so we keep several going at once!

What project(s) are you currently working on?

As a group we’re working on a YA dystopian focusing on three teens from very different lives, it’s been pretty fun! It is titled 5055 and we’re in the first draft. We’re also rewriting an old fantasy project, it’s a little harder to work with but we’re making some progress! Then editing the second draft of The Dragon Prince Chronicles book 2!

And then we each have personal projects, mainly fantasies, though Kayti is working on a western. But we’ll spare everyone those details since most those have titles we’re not ready to reveal yet…lol…

How do you select the names of your characters?

Either pull from our ‘name book’ which is where we’ve collected a ton of cool names from varying sources like road signs, headstones, and movie credits. Or we pick a letter and then start saying names that start with that letter until we find one we like and feel fits the character. 🙂

Has there been one particular person who has been a major source of influence for one of your characters?

Not really, we have a big family so we’ve definitely pulled from all them, but not one more than the others, we don’t think.

Tea or coffee?

Niether…Hot chocolate is our hot drink of choice, we’d take tea if no hot chocolate was available. But we’d rather have cold sweat tea…lol…Southerners, sweat tea is practically in our blood. 🙂

Mountains or ocean?

Mountains hands down every time! We love our mountains and then mountains out west and just…yeah, mountains are awesome!

What inspired this series and the characters?

Well, the original idea (prologue) was born out of boredom, but we kept going with it because we wanted to know how it was going to turn out. We like dragons, okay, love dragons so writing a story where dragons played a sort of mysterious role appealed to us. There were a lot of things that played part in inspiring the story and we can’t, at this moment, pinpoint one.

The characters were in part inspired by our brothers, who are as opposite as opposite comes but somehow get along pretty well, most the time. So we based the easy bonds between the boys off our brothers. Master Finnick gets his wisdom from our dad, though Master Finnick’s harsh side probably came more from Dad’s dad. (We didn’t tell you this, but Papaw may seem harsh on the outside but he’s a big softy on the inside.)

On average, how long does it take you to write the first draft of a book?

Between 2 months and years…lol…it depends on whether we stick to the project. UF was written in 2 months but we have some books that we started over a year ago still waiting around for completion. But we’d say 2-10 months is the average.

How do you incorporate your faith into your writing?

Well, crazy as this sounds…we just write. We pray about it, know most the time that we want to incorporate it but we let God lead on how much and where. Sometimes the faith scenes sideline us and hit so hard we have a hard time keeping up, and other times they bleed in slowly. It really depends. Most, if not all, our books deal with redemption and so letting it ease it’s way naturally into the story is what works well for us.

Every writer has a message they want to impart to their readers. What is yours?

We really hope to convey an overwhelming sense of hope and purpose to our readers, that no matter what the world looks like God is here in control and He can make something beautiful from something shattered. Redemption and Forgiveness are other messages we love to deliver, and also that family is not defined by blood but rather by love. But overall we want our readers to see God in all we write.
What book of the Bible is your favorite? What makes this particular book your favorite?

There are way too many…um, we love reading the Psalms and Proverbs, Jonah and Ruth are a favorites. But there are so many good stories in the Gospels too! Honestly, we can’t pick.

Who is your favorite Biblical character?

We’ve always liked David, and Peter and Paul…just all have really empowering stories!

How did you come to be a writer? Was this something that you always knew you were destined to be or did you arrive at this point via another path?

We think our dad knew we were destined to be writers before we ever though about it…lol…he was always encouraging us to write down stories and is why we started writing. He told us to write down a game we were playing because he said the storyline was good, so we did. And here we are 5 years later, still typing out muddled plots and praying our way through tough scenes.

We think the moment we realized this was what we wanted to do was when we finished our first book, the feeling of accomplishment was nice, but we also had more stories bouncing around our heads, more characters begging to be written and so we kept going!

Thanks for joining me, ladies. Congratulations on your latest release!

TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, Sept. 12th

Sisters Three – Blog Tour Launch Announcement

Joy C. Woodbury – Spotlight

Abbigail Befus – Review and Spotlight

Tuesday, Sept. 13th

Madisyn Carlin – Author Interview and Spotlight

Rose Q Addams – Review and Author Interview

Wednesday, Sept. 14th

The Introspective Introvert -Author Interview, Sneak Peek, and Spotlight

Saraina Whitney – Review and Sneak Peek

Vanessa Hall – Spotlight and Sneak Peek

Thursday, Sept. 15th

Old Fashioned Book Love – Review and Spotlight

Lorelei Angelino – Review and Spotlight

Jasmine – Review, Spotlight, Author Interview, and Character Interview

Victoria Marinette – Sneak Peek

Issabelle Perry – Goodreads Review

Friday, Sept 16th

Kristina Hall – Review and Sneak Peek

Vanessa Hall – Review

Saraina Whitney – Character Interview

Grace A. Johnson – Author Interview and Spotlight

Natalie Nordby – Review and Author Interview

Hailey Marshall – Author Interview

Sisters Three – End of Tour Post

The Dragons of Chiril

June 1, 2022Leave a comment

ABOUT

Before DragonSpell, on a different continent and a different time, a young emerlindian’s desperate decision threatens to disrupt the foundation of the world.

Tipper has been caring for her family’s estate for years now, ever since her father disappeared, making a living by selling off his famous artwork. Then she learns that three statues she sold were carved from an ancient foundation stone, and the fabric of her reality is crumbling.

She must free her father and save the world. But she can’t do it alone.

Her ragtag band of adventurers includes Beccaroon, a giant parrot; Bealomondore, an aristocratic young artist; a handsome dragonkeeper prince; the Wizard Fenworth; and the tumanhofer librarian Librettowit. Together they travel through valleys and kingdoms and consort with purveyors of good and agents of evil to find and reunite the missing statues. Will they learn to rely on Wulder’s grace and guidance along the way?

Rating:

5 Stars

REVIEW:

The Dragons of Chiril is a sweet, fun story filled with Paul’s trademark humor, faith, and action.

THE CHARACTERS:

Tipper has the propensity to be a bit irritating at times; her ability to whine can grate on the nerves. However, she is also a great character as far as three dimensional and her overall arc. I particularly liked how she gradually warmed to the truth; it wasn’t easy for her to accept Wulder’s existence, and her reactions to the imparted knowledge were well in her character.

Beccaroon was an intriguing character. Rarely are we granted the chance to read from a bird’s perspective, much less a grand parrot’s, and one who has a serious sense of protection, (too much) dignity, and a good dose of pride. I wish we would have seen his choice between believing in Wulder or still considering Him a myth. In that way his character arc wasn’t wrapped up, but he was an endearing character.

Verin and Peg Schope were the sweetest couple. Peg needs a hug and Verin needs a comfy place to rest. It was fun to see how Tipper had adopted some of their attributes.

Bealomodore definitely has potential. This arrogant, self-important artist who just wants his love of art to be accepted quickly endeared himself to me. It probably helps that I know how his story continues in the next book.

Jairus, though I knew where his arc would lead, was too arrogant at first. But that did serve well for how he matured (really matured) through the story. His first profession is one I wouldn’t mind being: a dragon keeper. Imagine the ability to speak with all those adorable dragons.

Wizard Fenworth and Librettowit are, undoubtedly, my favorite characters. Fen’s seemingly nonsensical conversations and conclusions and Wit’s frustration and adamant “you’re going to kill us with these incorrect spells and backward whirls” are hilarious. Fen also needs a hug and Wit needs some tylenol for the headaches Fen’s antics give him.

The antagonists: Paul definitely has the gift of creating nasty characters. I’ll leave it at that. (Although I might steal Queen Venmarie’s candlestick and whop a few nasties over the head. Just saying.)

THE SETTING:

As usual, the settings are superb. A perfect amount of description so the reader can envision themself with the characters.

The PLOT:

The book’s plot is, overall, perfect. The end is where it gets a little confusing. We’re left with no conclusions on some of the issues (like if Verin Shope ever fully recovers; if Bec comes to believe in Wulder, Paladin’s job, etc.), and it’s a little jarring when the book ends. However, it’s still a grand story, and a certain character receives more time in the spotlight in the next book.

OVERALL:

The Dragons of Chiril is a delightful tale of adventure, faith, trust, and discovering that God has a purpose for everyone.

In Honor’s Defense

May 26, 20223 Comments

He’s faced countless perils on the battlefield, but nothing so dangerous as falling in love.

Title: In Honor’s Defense

Series: Hanger’s Horsemen, Book Three

Author: Karen Witemeyer

ABOUT

Luke Davenport has been fighting all his life—for respect, for country, and for those unable to fight for themselves. But now that his Horsemen brothers are domesticated, he’s left alone to battle the wildness within. When an opportunity arises to take a job on his own, tracking down a group of rustlers, he jumps at the chance.

Damaris Baxter has mastered the art of invisibility. Plain and quiet, she hides in books and needlework, content to be overlooked. Until her brother dies suddenly, leaving her custody of her nephew. She moves to Texas to care for Nathaniel, determined to create the family for herself that she never thought she’d have and to give him the family he desperately needs.

When Nate finds himself knee-deep in trouble, Luke’s attempt to protect him leaves Damaris feeling indebted to the Horseman. But suspicions grow regarding the mysterious death of Damaris’s brother. And the more questions they ask, the more danger appears, threatening the family Luke may be unable to live without.

Religious/Spiritual/Faith Content:

Characters pray; the Bible is quoted.

Violence:

A character is grievously injured in a fight; characters are mildly wounded in a fire; characters are injured and threatened.

Other:

Characters kiss.

Rating:

5 Stars

Conclusion:

This book is…wow. Just wow. It’s so, so good. I would argue it is the best book in this series, and I loved all three.

Damaris is a delightful character and I thoroughly enjoyed her character arc. Such depth to her, and I wanted to smack everyone who looked past her and passed by her without recognizing what a multi-faceted, intelligent personality she possessed. Her love for her nephew, her loyalty to her brother whom she’d not seen in years, and her bravery make her a better heroine than Jo, and I really liked Jo. Kudos to Luke for seeing her for her intelligence and personality and not for ignoring her just because she wasn’t the typical pretty face.

Nate is a rascal and I really want his story. And the stories of Abner, Rawley, and Alice. Such integral characters deserve their own stories.

The villains. Ooh. Nasty, abominable, horrible, vile men. I kind of wanted a certain character to be included in the villainous group, since he was such a pill, but I’m also kind of relieved he wasn’t. As the book commenced, I had an idea of a villain’s identity, but I never expected him to have the reasoning and drive he did behind his odious intentions.

Finally, Luke “Preach” Davenport. I’ve wanted Luke’s story ever since reading At Love’s Command, and I am happy to say Ms. Witemeyer fully delivered an astounding, captivating story. I never imagined there’d be so much depth to this hero. It was quite interesting to read about everything that had formed him. And I do like a hero who is capable of fighting and willing to give his all when defending those he loves, and that’s definitely Luke.

The faith element in this story was beautiful. So raw, so heartfelt. And, while there is violence, it’s handled well and nothing is gratuitous. There is a moderate amount of kissing, but thankfully not descriptive.

A personal opinion: I almost barfed when I read Captain Hanger had a handlebar mustache. That’s just gross and a masculine guy shouldn’t have such a sissy mustache. Ick.

In Honor’s Defense is an excellent tale and is definitely a must-read.

DECEIVED Blog Tour: Character Spotlight – Holder Lygor

April 30, 2022May 2, 202211 Comments

Today is the character spotlight for Holder Lygor, one of the main characters in DECEIVED. He’s also become the favorite of most readers thus far. You can take this quiz to see which DECEIVED character you are.

CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT: HOLDER LYGOR

Age: 20

Appearance: A little taller than average; light brown hair and hazel eyes; leaner, but strong, build

Positive Personality Traits: Caring, gentle, compassionate

Negative Personality Traits: Sometimes doesn’t see what’s going on in front of him; can be oblivious at times

Character Song: Destiny by Skillet

ABOUT HOLDER

Holder did not turn out the way I originally anticipated. He was supposed to have a personality more akin Rogan’s: sarcastic, snappy, grumpy. Instead, he surprised me during the first chapter by being an utter sweetheart. Holder’s dedication and compassionate personality is evidenced in the way he cares for his ward. As a bodyguard, it is his duty to physically protect her from harm. He goes beyond this and offers her an older-brother figure to look up to and a listening ear she can speak to. Where others tell his ward she cannot cry due to being a princess, and believe it necessary for her to be free of grief just after her parents perish, Holder gifts her the ability to be a child who can mourn her lost family.

I don’t remember why I made Holder a royal bodyguard. I do remember I needed him to be close in proximity to the antagonists. Whyever the case, I daresay he is a wonderful protector. I am interested in seeing how this develops as Holder’s tale continues.

Out of all four characters, Holder presented the least amount of emotional challenge to write. He doesn’t have emotional trauma like Rogan and Ivelle and he doesn’t have a horribly massive moral dilemma like Therese.

Though Holder is kind and gentle and quiet, he possesses an almost wry sense of humor that usually emerges when he’s ribbing Rogan. Holder can also get along with most people, provided they have no nefarious intent toward him.

Holder is a character after my own heart. He is a bookworm, a voracious reader. He will read almost anything he can get his hands on, though that primarily is history. When no doing his duties, he can be found tucked away reading in a corner.

Holder is also a walking disaster. He’s not clumsy, but he does often create unorthodox ideas and solutions. These usually gain him a wound or several, and he is known for his heartfelt attempts that often end in disaster.

One trademark aspect about Holder is not something about himself, but the steed he rides. Its reputation is that of monster and beast, and for good reason. This red roan gelding has caused many a rider to break a bone and may or may not have bitten Rogan at least three times. Somehow, whether through Holder’s ability with horses, his grit, or his determination, he has managed to train the gelding enough that he can ride it without being thrown. The same cannot be said for others, however, and anyone else who attempts to master this horse will soon learn the error of such an assumption.

Holder is quite open to Truth and faith. His parents have paved the way and, though he does not interact much with him, his godfather assists in a more minute way as well. With a strong sense of right and wrong, Holder is eager to learn the truth. He is well on his way to shedding the false beliefs propagated in Orm.

My favorite quote of Holder’s:

Were they right?

(You’ll see why when you read the book. 😉 )

PREORDER INFORMATION

If you have preordered DECEIVED or order it during the duration of this blog tour (April 25 – May 7), and want some swag (character card and autographed bookplate), go here.

Giveaway Information:

Want a chance to win an autographed copy of DECEIVED and a character card? Be sure to go here. Or, if you don’t have social media, leave a comment at every blog post to be entered. Giveaway ends May 10th. (PDF will be sent to international entrants).