Happy Holidays!
Dec 06, 2025 6:01 pm
I hope your November went well, and you are looking forward to the holiday season. My November had some pivots, lots of interviews to host (including one big highlight) and a few real life intrusions on my writing time, so it was a busy month.
So, as I mentioned last month, I participated in Novel November hoping to finish Dark Beacon, my ghost lighthouse book. Well... that kind of happened. I wrote about 25k of the book and realized I didn't have an ending, at least not one beyond a vague idea. Whoops! The book wasn't flowing, so I set it aside to let it bake a bit more.
But that wasn't the end of Novel November, oh no. I would get those 50k words. After writing a scene or two in other projects, I settled on continuing the word count by writing Book 2 in my Obsidian Blade series. I plan on editing Book 1 next year, so a head start on Book 2 seemed like a good idea.
It was.
The progress on this book, The Valentine Plague (I may have to change that title), flowed wonderfully, and took a few directions I wasn't expecting (hence the possible title change). Alchemy is now part of the plot, and there is a sort of serial killer on the loose in 15th century Venice. Also, a sexy, scheming courtesan.
So, I got those 50,000 words written and had a productive writing month. It was touch and go for a while, as I had several medical appointments (regular checkups, no problems) and some routine car maintenance, which limited my writing time, but I pulled it off.
In addition, last month I hosted several author interviews for The House of Shadows and Ink (Crystal Lake Publishing), including one which was a personal highlight for me. I got to interview Claudia Christian (of Babylon 5 fame) about her new children's book, The Mother Tree, that she co-wrote with Dr. Chris McCauley (unfortunately, Chris couldn't join us as he was ill).
Check out the interview here:
Claudia Christian Talks THE MOTHER TREE — Inspiration, Ecology & Found Family!
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And don't forget, my latest book is now available (including the paperback through Amazon). Here's another look at this story collection.
Tales of the Norse Gods: Loki Saves the World
What if the legends of the Norse gods were lies? What if Loki was the hero of the story…
Once, Loki was an honourable god. Slandered and betrayed, he lost family, friends, and his reputation. He rebuilt his life from ruins and now lives the life of a shopkeeper in 19th-century London. Until one fateful Yuletide season, when he is visited by three odd ghosts…
No, not those ghosts. Elven ghosts.
Come read five tales of the gods as Loki’s life is turned upside down by these unwelcome visitors. He embarks on a quest to save the Yule tree, a crazy rescue mission to Helheim involving an evil chicken, and the epic showdown of Ragnarök. Along the way, he finds new allies, old enemies, and his tragic family secrets are revealed, all weaving into his ultimate fate and a looming armageddon. Can Loki be the god he once was, or is the world doomed?
Tales of the Norse Gods: Loki Saves the World is a wild ride through myth, humour, and tragedy. Don’t miss out on this unpredictable set of stories!
Oh, there’s also a tiny dragon!
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The Shadows and Ink Podcast
November's podcast episode dropped. It's a fascinating discussion with author Corey Niles about how fog and mist play a vital part in horror and how they are essential to certain settings. And our December 20th chat is a can't miss one, all about vampires. Author Brad Ricks (of The Night Crew series) and I give you an enthusiastic, extended episode about the undead.
Check out the link below to see the latest episode.
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Giveaways and Books To Browse
C.L. Cannon’s Fantasy & Sci-fi Book Fair!
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Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reads for the Holidays
Ends January 2nd!
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HorrorReadersList Book Sale Promotion!
Ends January 1st!
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HORROR
The Sacrifice by Donna Collins
When Cornish nurse Eliza Hamilton is mugged on her way home from work late one evening, it is the mysterious Roman Holbrook who appears from the darkness and fights off her strange attacker. Then he disappears into the night before the police arrive, leaving a semi-conscious Eliza questioning if he was, in fact, a figment of her imagination.
That is until he shows up on her doorstep one rainy night – and all hell breaks loose again.
But is this man her hero, or does he have a more sinister motive for wanting her kept alive?
My Girl by JF Garrard
Would you sacrifice another baby to save your own baby?
Laura has everything – a great husband, enormous house, designer goods and a baby on the way. When a doctor’s diagnosis destroys what she has, her mother tells her to visit a Chinese witch for a solution. Is she willing to sacrifice another baby to save her own baby?
Warning: Story contains violent imagery.
FANTASY
A Night So Dark And Full Of Stars by Nikky Lee
A half-siren girl befriends a deaf boy.
A vendetta between a teenager and her dad's stubborn ram continues into the afterlife.
A hunter must atone for killing a god's sacred bull.
A sacrificial maiden uncovers the secret of the wizards who rule her people.
A new acolyte causes a godling to confront her past - and her deadly gift.
A Night so Dark and Full of Stars from multi-award winning author Nikky Lee contains twelve stories inspired by the astrological zodiacs. From ghosts and gods to fae and folklore, Lee's blend of vividly imagined fantasia invites us to imagine alternative worlds, dark pasts and far flung futures as we gaze into the night.
Blood of the Phoenix by T. Isajanyan
The Bronze Age is ending. New tools are being discovered to help in humanity's war campaigns, increasing body counts along with the means to success. Harrania has vowed to try a peaceful approach, but not all are satisfied with this change in imperial policy.
The Blood of the Phoenix has been the human manifestation of the symbol of Ar, the great Phoenix himself, in the hearts of Harranians for as long as they can remember. For millennia, the royal family and the descendants of the phoenix intermarry, ensuring the purity of their lines. The gods, however, work in mysterious ways, forcing mankind to bend to their will. Pawns are born to create an inevitable change. When the monarchy is threatened, and new powers rise with an eye on the obsidian throne, will the call for peace survive the cries of war?
The prequel to the "A Tale of Hayara" trilogy, an AU Armenian historical/mythological fantasy series set in the late Bronze and early Iron Ages, Blood of the Phoenix is for those who enjoy a combination of war, romance, internal struggles, and emotional passages written with poetic flair.
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My Merch Stores:
Vintage and artsy designs on a variety of products
Scifi, fantasy, and horror designs on a variety of products
My shop on Redbubble featuring a variety of products.
Including evil chicken merch.
(with new Canadian designs and evil chicken merch)
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Find me on:
Website | Facebook Group | YouTube | BookBub
Instagram | BlueSky | TikTok| My Amazon page
Lemon Squeezy Store | My Books on StoryOrigin
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That's it for this edition. And I'll return next month with more updates.
