April 2023, Issue 14

It's Spring and we have finally restarted out Artsy Raven podcast! We interview bestselling author Lindsay Wong, new actor Liam Ma and fellow authors Sienna and Avi in the latest podcast releases. At Canadian Authors Association's Toronto Branch we are planning a May 25 event to discuss how librarians, authors & poets/performance artists were affected by COVID which I will be hosting. 

Hope everyone is going out for a walk (if you can) to listen to the birds that have returned!

Best,

-JF Garrard

Artsy Raven Podcast Updates

Click for access to The Artsy Raven Youtube Channel

Click for access to The Artsy Raven on Spotify

Click for access to The Artsy Raven on Apple Podcast

It was a pleasure to interview up and coming actor Liam Ma, who stars in Streams Flow from a River, about a dysfunctional Chinese Canadian family, who when trapped by freak snowstorm in their rural Albertan hometown, are forced to confront past events.

I was a bit surprised by Lindsay when I asked her what happens after you write a successful book. She says you just get busier! On the podcast she does a reading from her latest book, Tell Me Pleasant Things About Immortality. 

It was a pleasure to speak with Sienna and Avi about how they created their complex fantasy world, The Shale. They are very busy people as writers, editors and are heavily involved in Word on the Street planning.

Event updates - Talking about COVID's effects

On May 25, 2023, I am hosting an event for CAA-Toronto to discuss how librarians, authors & poets/performance artists were affected by COVID. Academic librarians from The University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) will discuss the disruptions they have faced and how libraries have responded to the pandemic. Author Dan K Woo and Poet/Performance Artist Johnny D Trinh will share how the pandemic has affected their writing life and what opportunities were missed or gained. These writers will also read from their works.

Registration for this zoom event is free and the link is here: https://canadianauthors.org/toronto/events/

Design - Opera Singer

When I was younger I was mesmerized by Chinese Opera singers because of their beautiful costumes, but not so much by the singing. This design was for a contest that asked people to design "magenta" things.

Click here to see all the designs for sale on Threadless, all proceeds go towards Dark Helix Press to make more books!

Artsy Fun - Page Turner Awards

The Page Turner Awards consists of five different writing contests, for authors and writers of published and unpublished books and screenplays. Fiction and non-fiction writing projects are welcome to writers across the globe. A panel of literary agents and publishers will choose a winner in each category. 

Closing deadline is June 1, 2023 and winners are announced in October. 

Success stories include writers winning literary representation, many writers winning a writing mentorship, several writers winning publishing contracts and independent authors winning audiobook productions and book adaptations. 

Page Turner Awards is offering writers a complimentary gift. Select your gift here: https://pageturnerawards.com/claim-your-complimentary-gift, and click the ‘Enter Here’ button.

The gifts offered vary from a 30min mentorship meeting to critiques of a piece of writing or screenplay to writing workshops. There is also an option to receive feedback at the end of the award selection as well!

Free Book Giveaways and Promos

(click book title to access free ebook download link or book preview)

Guardian of the Crown: An Epic Fantasy Novel (Heir to the Crown Book 11) by Paul J Bennett (click for free preview). With the dark host defeated, peace finally descends upon the war-weary land. Even as the fragile truce keeps conflict at bay, each kingdom must deal with rising tensions within its own borders.

Hexes and Heiresses: Tales of the Witch Queens by various authors (click for Kindle link). A Fated Witch, A Fabled Queen & One Epic Collection. Power comes in many forms. Whether that power is granted by wealth, social position or the Gods themselves, if you possess power, there will always be someone waiting to take it. This is the life of the Witch Queen. 8 Spellbinding Tales of duty, love and power by:

Slaver's Bane: Evil within and around, desperate rebels, a demented Mage, two unwitting heroes, and the beginnings of a great rebellion... (The Rebels of Duroo Book 1) by Tom Bast (click for free preview). Sensing weakness, a rebel fairy sets in motion a chance for the Cause. Because of her, Robin and Tove get knotted through the guts of Soosee magic.

Sex Magick Tea by Trevann Rogers (click for free eBook). Nathaniel is not having a good year. He’s unappreciated at work, strapped for cash, and worse—his father died. The way he sees it, he has one chance to get his life straight and he’s going to take it. Will Nathaniel continue a life of crime? Or will a game of cat and mouse prove Bastian is his cup of tea?

Shadow of the Sword: A Tale of Alamore (William of Alamore Series) by C. J. R. Isely (click for free preview). Shadow of the Sword is a fast-paced adventure of Alamore. This low-fantasy read plunges you into the danger and trials of becoming a knight. This stand alone novel is perfect for readers who enjoy the works of Brandon Sanders, Pedro Urvi, & Jennifer A. Nielsen.

Spirit of the Dragon: An Epic Progression Fantasy (Yokai Calling Book 1) by Erynn Lehtonen (click for free preview). Twins Genshu Masanori and Genshu Hidekazu watched in horror as a woman was kidnapped from the annual Midsummer Festival. Delving into the case, they discover she wasn't the first victim of the sorcerer who took her, nor will she be the last.

Spirit Notes Fading by Kris Bowser (click for free eBook). Four short fantasy stories take eerie journeys through magic, music, and far-off places.

S16 (Apocalypse blockers Book 23) by Simon carr (click for free preview). Probably the only thing worse than finding out that nothing you know is real, is finding out that you are also not real. Well, thats how Sanjiv's day started, it did not get much better after that, truth be told.

The Survivors by Richard Rimington (click for free eBook). In this tale of space opera and cosmic adventure, the Ambassador of a mysterious and ancient family must forge a path through chaos to overcome the terrible enemies that desire humanity’s destruction.

Dead of Winter by Jack Adkins (click for free eBook). Klavin is a broken man. When his family is slaughtered by raiders, he flees the ashes of his old life in pursuit of the band's leader. Only the head of orc band will quiet the voices of his slain family.

Child of Tempus by Winnifred Tataw (click for free preview copy). Rodrick is a dragon-hybrid prince of the ruling country of Diar. But since childhood, Rodrick has had a target on his back, and his insanely power-hungry father, Demon King Ryton, comes across as his closest but worst enemy. Throw in the workings of an alcoholic mother, a bipolar sister, a recovering addict brother, and an adopted little sister with magical powers, and you have the royal family of Diar.

The Last Run by J. Scott Coatsworth (click for free preview). Sera is the last runner from Earth, bringing badly needed supplies to the Tharassas Colony across a twenty-five year gulf between the planets. Jas works on a hencha farm to make ends meet, harvesting berries from the semi-sentient plants. Neither one that knows their lives—and worlds—are about to change forever.

Ribbons of Death by Edita A. Petrick (click for more info). Carter is a man who lives for his work. The more dangerous, the better. But how do you put in a report to your boss that an ancient curse is ravaging the population, and that the riots will not stop until the one who was seeded with this curse is dead—or that the civilization is doomed if nothing's done and quickly.

Group book promos

Worlds of Wonder - over two dozen free sci-fi and eBooks for download until May 3, 2023. Click here for access

Lights, Lasers, Action! - over a dozen free sci-fi eBooks for download until May 3, 2023. Click here for access

Amazing April Fantasy and Sci-Fi Booksale! - book sale ends May 1, 2023. Click here for access

Links to a dozen indie fantasy books - ends April 30, 2023. Click here for access

Lots of free vampire stories and books for download, promo ends May 15, 2023. Click here for access

Free horror books, promo ends May 16, 2023. Click here for access

Free ebooks from authors from around the world, promo ends April 30, 2023. Click here for access