April updates

April '21 Updates

The business side: I have three—count ’em, three—promos to share with you all this month! Including two that begin today (more on the third next week).

Book promo 1: Otherworldly Beings (books featuring non-humans and former humans).

Otherworldy Beings is a sales promo for books in the romance, fantasy/sci-fi romance and fantasy/sci-fi genres. It goes until April 30th, 2021.

Book promo 2: Under the Surface (stories where things aren’t as they seem).

These stories are all in the sci-fi and fantasy genres. It’s a newsletter builder, which means free content! (Again, until April 30, 2021). Newsletter-builders are one of the major reasons my TBR list is so long!

I’m still giving away a 9 chapter sample of my debut novel, Girl of Shadow and Glass, but soon I’ll have a new offering with…

The Witch of the Unexpected Journey

The Witch of the Unexpected Journey Cover draft
The possibly final version of the cover...We'll see!

My novelette, The Witch of the Unexepected Journey, is in the (hopefully) final stages of development. The story bounces between Kijo, the Witch of the Northern Light, as a fourteen-year-old girl and a mature witch, famous for her garden and cures, who is now deep into her eighties. On both occasion, catastrophe strikes, courtesy of one mysterious Lord General who’s out to get Heroab’s witches.

In the future, I’d love to continue Kijo’s story. I have some ideas already, but with a series to finish and another in the editing process, I don’t know when I’ll have the chance to draft another book. I’m overflowing with ideas, people!

Other news:

The first chapter of The Fishermen’s Princess is coming this month! I can’t wait for you all to read it…but (not so subtle hint coming) you’ve got to sign up for my newsletter to receive it! To read more about it, check out my post here, or the Books page.

What I’m reviewing this month

The Road to Farringale (Modern Magick #1), by Charlotte E. English (quirky fantasy)

Thorn (Dauntless Path #1), by Intisar Khanani (YA fantasy)

What I’ve just read

Between Jobs (The City Between #1), by W.R. Gingell (quirky but dark, paranormal fantasy). What took me so long to get started on this series? Gingell already had me with Spindle [my review here], but throw in two fae and a Korean vampire and apparently you’re speaking my language. What is it I love about monsters and mythological creatures, anyway?!

What I’m planning to read

The newly released The Theft of Sunlight (Dauntless Path #2), by Intisar Khanani (of course!)

What I’m blogging about

Lace! Will this be an ongoing series? Who knows! But after finishing Atelier on Netflix, I am in lace withdrawal. I’ll be including pictures of my own work!

Also, an article about culture clash (my favorite kind of story) films is on the horizon…though maybe not for this month.

What I’m quoting

“A rose who wore her barbs proudly, as a warning. My beauty is not yours for the taking. Touch me and you will bleed.” —a determined Aster, describing herself as she’s about to face the beast in An Enchantment of Thorns, by Helena Rookwood and Elm Vince

“I wait, not daring to speak, for some things require quiet to come into being.” – Alyrra in Thorn, by Intisar Khanani

What I’m planning

A summer of Princess Disasterface. I hope to be back on the comic trail as my health issues (hopefully) ease up in the warmer months. If I could build up a backlog and keep releasing them for longer, that would be amazing. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

What I’m feeling

The joy of a brand new bookcase! With doors! Someplace to put my treasure trove of books, model horses and miniature izakaya (Japanese drinking establishment with small plates of food), when it’s finished. I do have to assemble the bookcase itself, too.

Also, that feeling of panic when you realize you’re laptop battery is running out but you haven’t saved your work yet. Sheesh! Get it together, lady.

Cheers and stay well,

-CKB

Spring Break Promo

Spring is heeeeere…ish!

Cherry Blossoms
Cherry blossoms from last spring. Visiting them has become a family tradition.

First, the bookish business. For anybody looking for something to read over spring break (should you have such a thing) there is a new BookFunnel promo featuring CLEAN reads only. That means no swearing, sex or gratuitous violence. One of my favorite authors, Intisar Khanani, writes clean (more on her below). In fact, Girl of Shadow and Glass is clean (yes, a sample is available as part of the promo).

Spring Break Clean Book Promo
This spring break promo is clean as a whistle.

Moving on…

This time of year, my puppy, who may in fact be slightly allergic to grass (but only affecting her eyes…go figure), loves nothing more than to lie in the sun, on the grass, and do nothing, except maybe eat some of said grass. Being a puppy and all, she’s still got that destructive streak, and apparently spring grass tastes DELICIOUS to dogs. I had to make a call to the vet after said habit ended with some…er…messy results.

We took her on a short trip to see the cherry blossoms last year (also a messy trip, but unrelated to the grass. Pupper’s got a car ride time limit and we were SO CLOSE to making it!). Because of the pandemic, she’s had even fewer reasons to get in the car. Ohio weather has kept her close to home for the past few months, too.

I hope to be taking that trip to see the blossoms in the not too distant future. Really, there’s nothing like it.

What about you guys? Do you have any special spring traditions or things you really look forward to?

More Cherry Blossoms
More cherry blossoms...we were a little early last year.

What I’m Reading

The Road to Farringale, by Charlotte E. English. It’s getting good…!

What I’m Crafting

A fabulous model of a Japanese izakaya (drinking establishment). I just love miniatures! And making stuff. It’s the perfect marriage, really.

What I’m Looking Forward to

The Theft of Sunlight, by Intisar Khanani, is soon to be released! In two days, in fact! I’ve been following Rae’s story for quite some time, back when it was a free short story the author made available on Amazon. It’s nice to see her get the full-book treatment. It’s also notable that Rae is the rare fantasy character with a disability (she was born with a club foot).

That’s all for now!

Cheers and be well,

-CKB

The Fishermen’s Princess Cover Reveal!

It’s cover and synopsis reveal time for my new serial novel!

(Be warned, this is a graphics-heavy post!)

The Fishermen's Princess (Cover Reveal Part 1)
Looking good so far...Looks like the title is...

The Fishermen's Princess

A Serial New Adult Fantasy Novel by C.K. Beggan

The Little Mermaid is turned upside-down and inside-out in this creative retelling about merfolk, true love, wicked and benevolent pirates and a princess trying to find her place in the world.

The Fishermen's Princess (Cover Reveal Part 2)
Drina can really rock a sleeveless gown.

Advisors tell Princess Alexandrina that fishermen are the lifeblood of their corner-of-and-island nation. Folklore says the fishermen serve the merfolk more than the crown. So why on earth are the fishermen following Drina?

When Drina sneaks out of the castle, the fishermen are there. When she plans to outsmart the meddling Cardinal and her formidable mother, they are there. And when Drina just might marry the prince she wants to (instead of the baron she’s supposed to), they are there. Just like they were there when her father, the lowly fishermen who married a future queen, was buried at sea.

As Drina fights for a love story of her own, tragedy sails ever closer to her kingdom, and its black sails carry the standard of the sea’s most terrifying pirates. Can the fishermen help Drina when she needs it most? Or do they only serve the crown beneath the sea?

The Fishermen's Princess (Cover Reveal Part 3)
Ta-da! Isn't it gorgeous? Thanks to Jesh Art Studio for this beautiful cover!

This serial fantasy novel is packed with romance, danger, adventure, pirates and of course, mermaids. Join the CK. Beggan author mailing list to receive a new chapter in your inbox each month.

I’m so excited to begin sharing this story with you all. Please join me as we see how Drina’s story will unfold, together!

That’s all for now. The next post will be an in-depth review of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s wonderful and heartbreaking Gods of Jade and Shadow.

Cheers and be well,

-CKB

New and Awesome Promo: Women Warriors

This promo could not be more perfect!

Bree Yardley is hosting this BookFunnel book promo in honor of International Women’s Day (March 8th), and it’s all about women taking charge! (And maybe kicking a little butt along the way.) The Women Warriors promo has 141 participants, with titles in the categories of sci-fi, fantasy, romance, action and adventure.

It also features a free sample of Girl of Shadow and Glass, and a title highlighted in the Indie Book Spotlight on my blog, Sylvia Mercedes’ action-packed Daughter of Shades, the first book in the completed Venatrix Chronicles [find my review of Daughter of Shades here].

This promo is such a good fit for GoSG. Kith starts out unable to do just about anything without being told she can’t or shouldn’t. No matter how extraordinary a life she leads (learning from the shadows in another world and all that), she’ll always be a fragile shade-child. It’s high time Kith starts taking charge…and she’s about to do just that.

What I’m reading

The Road to Farringale (Modern Magic Book 1), by Charlotte E. English. So far this entertaining book feels like a quirky combo of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Harry Potter. Trolls and a magical house, and MC’s Cordelia Vesper’s delightful narration (and hair) are the highlights so far.

What I’ve just read

Icedancer (Pler Trilogy Book 2), by Anna Velfman. How can there only be one book left?! Icedancer was every bit as good as I was hoping, and then some. It was also refreshing in a lot of ways. The handsome emperor doesn’t get a pass just because he shows he cares and has plans to help the world. There’s so much more to powerful and cultured Ashioto, and Velfman (and formidable MC Lanna) never give in to girlish fancy. A full review is forthcoming!

But first…

What I’m reviewing next

Twelve Days of Faery (Shards of a Broken Sword Book 1). Another fun read to brighten a gloomy winter’s day! A beleaguered king gets caught up in the dangerous realm of Faery when a peculiar enchantress arrives, claiming she can break the curse on King Markon’s son.

That’s all for now!

Cheers,

CKB

Free and 99c Sci-Fi & Fantasy is here!

Hi guys!

The first 9 chapters of Girl of Shadow and Glass will be available as a free download through BookFunnel and this awesome sale…

 

The promo begins today (Feb. 19th) and ends March  1st. Check it out and let me know if you make any great new discoveries! I’ve found some interesting authors through BookFunnel, and it’s used by a lot of the great indie authors I review here, too.

Giant Coffee Mug on Books

What I’ve been reading lately

Twelve Days of Faery, by W.R. Gingell. A quick and joyful read, with Gingell’s unique brand of enchantress as a prominently featured character. I highly recommend it! The full review, though, is forthcoming.

Tapestry of Night, by Elm Vince. Just. Right. I loved all the plot elements, intrigue and especially the alchemist. Another review forthcoming! On a side note, the cover is pretty darn awesome.

What I’ve Been Working On

Comics! Princess Disasterface is in the works, and I can honestly say I’d be done by now if I was sticking with my old program. Sigh…time to go back I think.

What I’ve Been Crafting

Tunisian crochet mask extenders, for the whole family! If you don’t know what Tunisian crochet is, it’s like crochet with a very long hook and a knitting needle-style stopper at the end. And if you don’t know what a crochet hook is…I guess I can’t help you! (On a side note, there’s no shortage of Tunisian crochet patterns and stitch tutorials on Pinterest!)

Cheers and be well,

-CKB

Riveting Reads Promo (KU and 99c Books)

I’m pleased to share a book promo with 90+ titles with you, each in Kindle Unlimited or for 99c. (Yup, I said 90!)

Included genres are action, adventure, mystery, suspense, sci-fi and fantasy. And yours truly is a part! I’ve extended the 99c sale price for Girl of Shadow and Glass until March just for this fun promo. Check it out!

🧜🏽

What I’m reading: Anna Velfman’s Icedancer, at last! The sequel to Snowblind, a previous Indie Book Spotlight, has been high on my TBR list since it came out. And now it’s time!

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The Bests and Mosts 2020: awards

Today, I want to recognize my favorite fantasy reads of 2020 (and encourage you to discover one of them yourself!). And I’ll be accomplishing that with these 11 awards show-style categories!

The Bests and Mosts 2020

In order to “win” (no prize other than my great esteem and respect), books must have been reviewed by me on the blog, Goodreads or Bookbub during the long happening that was 2020.

Without further ado, the award goes to…

Best Female Lead

Lira, The Prince and the Poisoner (Carnival of Fae #1), by Helena Rookwood. I love this sassy, self-serving yet likeable character, who lies, cheats and steals her way into readers hearts in The Prince and the Poisoner and its sequel, The Thief and the Throne. [My Review.]

Best Male Lead

Numair, Tempests and Slaughter (The Numair Chronicles #1), by Tamora Pierce. Like a sensible Harry Potter, the much loved character of Numair from Pierce’s The Immortals trilogy grows up in a school surrounded by a river god, a leftover prince and no shortage of intrigue. Numair does all the normal adolescent boy things, even as he does the extraordinary. [Review available on Bookbub; coming soon to website.]

Best Storytelling

Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness #1), by Tamora Pierce. There’s nothing like the story of a young girl better at swordplay than sorcery, who trades places with her twin and seeks to become a knight. Not only does Alanna make room for a different kind of girl in YA fantasy, but it’s absorbing from page one. Now and always, a classic. [My review.]

Best Plot Twist

Conjure Women, by Afia Atakora. “Twist” needs to be plural for this story, which probably fits best under the category of magical realism. Betrayals, terrible truths, and a vengeful lie sit at the heart of this book like jagged wire. The truth about Bean, a black-eyed child born with what might as well be a curse, is only one revelation in the story of a Black community during enslavement and after, and the midwife-plus-medicine-maker Rue who tries to keep it—and a few of the lies—from falling apart. [Review available on Bookbub; coming soon to website.]

Most Magical

The Prince and the Poisoner (Carnival of Fae #1), by Helena Rookwood. It’s hard to beat the fabulous magic carnival Lira runs away to (with a catch) in the first book in the series. (Sigh. Why doesn’t anything like it exist?) Add in magical objects left by the fae, and you can almost smell the burnt caramel. [My Review.]

Most Romantic 2020
Runner up: Spindle, by W.R. Gingell

Most Original

Sting Magic (Empire of War and Wings #1), by Sarah K.L. Wilson. The concept of familiars for magic-users gets new life in a world where something is very wrong in the forest, and most pressingly, with protagonist  *’s magic. When magic-users manifest, it’s supposed to be with an egg (soon be followed by a bird). But *’s angry magic is a pack of swarming bees (and sometimes a hopeful little golden bumble bee that just sounds cute). The magic system was fantastic. [My Review.]

Most Action-Packed

Daughter of Shades (The Venatrix Chronicles), by Silvia Mercedes. Young Ayeleth finds more than her fair share of trouble as she tries to become a full-fledged Venetrix. After a certain point in the book (about a third of the way in, I’d say), the action hardly ever pauses, and things get a whole lot spookier.  [My Review.]

Most Romantic

Snowblind (Pler Trilogy #1), by Anna Velfman. A wonderful romance between two young people occurs in the first half of the book that is somehow wholesome and nostalgic without being chaste. Icedancer is now on my Kindle but still on my TBR list, but something tells me there’s more to come, both with Lanna’s original love and a potential new (and much less romantic) suitor. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of the cute farm boy! [My Review.]

Most Heartbreaking

A Song Below Water (A Song Below Water #1), by Bethany C. Morrow. A story of injustice, found family and lost ones, A Song Below Water doesn’t just share the two narrators’ feelings with the reader, it allows them to connect to them through universal truths: the need for family, true friendship, love, acceptance, and justice. And there’s one other essential right tying those needs together for Tavia and Effie: in a world where some magical beings are reviled and even killed, the friends-turned-sisters both seek the space not just to speak and be heard, but to be. [My Review.]

Most Satisfying

Spindle (Two Monarchies Sequence #1), by W.R. Gingell. This delightful, quirky and often outright funny book introduces Gingell’s special brand of enchanter/enchantresses. I can’t spoil anything, so I’ll just have to say that the ending feels just right. [My Review.]

Most Likely to be Read Twice

The Purple Haze, by Andrew Einspruch. This hilarious book has so many jokes and just-the-right-level-of-bad puns, I could hardly take them all in. Silly and endearing, the story of germophobe Princess Eloise and her quest to find her sister is the perfect read when in need of a pick-me-up. [My Review.]

That’s it for 2020. Congratulations to all the winners!

5 Under the Radar Magical Series on Netflix

5 Under the Radar Magical Series on Netflix

Netflix is a window to the outside world for a lot of us right now. With high profile series like The Witcher, it’s also a window into magical worlds.

Here are a few other series with magic you might’ve missed and that I’ve given that little thumbs up to:

1. The Haunting of Bly Manor

Based on works by Henry James, Bly Manor has the series’ trademark hidden ghosts in the background. It’s more of a love story than The Haunting of Hill House, and may very well break your heart, but it can genuinely make you jump, too.

Don’t be fooled by that! A mysterious spell, rooted in the words of a woman who turned away death in his carriage, lends fantasy, and a whole lot of conflict, to this superb story.

2. Shtisel

A quiet family drama about the Haredi Shtisel family, headed by the stubborn Rabbi Shulem and complicated by his wayward but talented painter son Akiva, has won a lot of hearts. But key moments of the series feature magical realism, from a dream that predicts a cold snap and brings the possible love of his life to Akiva’s door, to a mysterious little boy who inspires him to keep painting.

3. The Bride of Habaek

Korean dramas are the BEST. This one can be surprisingly slapsticky, silly and painfully awkward. It’s also weirdly habit-forming. Though fans of the original manhwa were apparently disappointed in this modern-day loose adaptation, I enjoyed it and am firmly team Mr. Shin.

The premise: An overwhelmed therapist (the messy-haired, going-it-alone Yun So-a) discovers she’s a divine servant when pompous god Habaek shows up with his servile servant and demands that So-a help him complete his divine quest. Surely they’re both delusional. But when Habaek claims a starlet is really a goddess, an old classmate (or two) turns up and brings trouble, and the divine realm’s dirty laundry slowly comes to light. So-a is about to discover that rent payments aren’t the only thing that has her in over her head.

4. Castlevania

This animated series isn’t for the kiddies. Humans can be as bad as monsters, and fallen nobleman turned monster-hunter Trevor Belmont knows that better than anyone. Based on early games in the video game series, expect violence and other adult content alongside the magic.

5. Rilakkuma and Kaoru

This feel-good series follows a woman whose lonely days are changed by the arrival of mysterious beings in bear costumes and their bird friend. Created from the famous Japanese characters, it’s the perfect bit of magic added to an office worker’s everyday life. The tactile animated world feels both cozy and magical all on its own.

Bonus (Not a series, but I had to share!):

Mary and the Witch’s Flower

This animated masterpiece will please Studio Ghibli fans. An ordinary girl gets caught up in a magical school’s nefarious side when a flower turns out to be the most dangerous thing in the world.

The (overwhelming) truth about releasing an indie book

The (Overwhelming) Truth About Releasing an Indie Book

It’s been a wild 9 days.

Wow. Only 9 days?!

After dipping my toes into the self-publishing world, I released my first full-length novel on January 15th. There were a few differences this time, like that I chose wide distribution (making my book available at many retailers) instead of just Amazon.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

1. Mistakes will be made.

There will never be enough time for last minute read-throughs (and there will be last minute read-throughs). Typos will sneak in, details will be overlooked, and if you’re lucky, you’ll notice them before it’s too late. But guess what? It still won’t be perfect.

Authors with proofreaders, editors, beta-readers and every other professional tool still have mistakes in their books. Traditionally published books have them, too. Take a deep breath, accept it and make a note for your next update. As an indie author, you can change anything you need to.

2. Formatting will be your biggest Challenge.

Accept that the version of your manuscript you format for Amazon KDP will look different than files from other programs (if you use Amazon’s preferred Kindle Create program). Other booksellers may not allow set fonts for chapter titles and other special touches.

This is why I have different editions noted in my copyright page, depending on the bookseller. I list the differently formatted edition as Kindle Edition, Smashwords Edition and a generic digital edition for others without special formatting (Smashwords actually requires the formatting and the language both). I had to do it this way, in the end. Trying to keep my tidy chapter headings and title page only led to frustration and some emails back and forth with customer service.

File converters are not perfect. My chapter headers in particular looked weird when put through the file format converters, and in some cases had unsightly (unprofessional) indents. The end result was not at all like my KDP file. I was ultimately referred to a professional formatter by one site (not in the budget just yet, but looking more appealing all the time!).

Not simple but necessary: File converters can result in unexpected complications—and headaches.

Some file converters offer more options and instructions, though. If you choose a distributor like Smashwords, you will need to save some time to format to their style guide because of it. There is a literal style guide available for download, and while reading it (and obeying it) is very necessary, it’s not as bad as it looks on the outset.

Bonus: when I had formatting issues with another distributor, uploading a version of my file that had received the Smashwords treatment helped resolve some of the formatting issues.

3. It will take longer than you think…and you’ll Wish you could go back to just writing

Okay. Take another deep breath. I am currently in this stage myself. It will all be okay. Soon enough, you’ll be back to endless rounds of editing and trying to remember that perfect word you need, which may or may not actually exist.

The advice from, oh, everywhere, is that practically no writer gets excited about working on their platform. We’re writers. Writing is what we want to do.

Book releases are like platform-building on overdrive.

While I’m still stuck playing catch-up on the promotional whatnot of my book release, I know I’ll be writing again soon. Lack of patience is my biggest weakness as a writer. I suspect that’s true of a lot of creative people, not just writers. If you’re excited about what you do, new ideas and working on what’s next, the last thing you want bogging you down is a W9 and ads that just don’t pop.

For some strange reason, all of that is part of the job, though. And a lot of it will be an ongoing project, just like the books you write.

So take one more deep breath, think of all the skills you’ve acquired in your years of writing, and remind yourself that these are just a few more.

Cheers! And good luck to all you writers out there.

-CKB


P.S.: As proof that indie writers have more flexibility, my book has a new cover! Stay tuned for the cover reveal for the sequel to Girl of Shadow and Glass, Girl of Glass and Fury.

Girl of Shadow and Glass release day!

You can get this (new adult dark fantasy novel)!

At long last, my first novel is here! I’ll be keeping the price at 99c for a short while to celebrate and because, you know, marketing.

If you’re still not sure if this book is for you, you can now head over to Smashwords to download a free sample in your preferred file format!

Getting this novel out was a really surprising process for me in so very many ways. I never thought I’d have quite so many file conversion issues! Luckily, I got it all sorted in time and there will be even more retailer options in the days to come.

I would like to say I can relax now, but there’s always more to do. I do hope to be back at work on revisions for the next book in the series, Girl of Glass and Fury, sometime next week.

So what am I looking forward to most? Reading, of course! I barely started Elm Vince’s Tapestry of Night before crunch time started (I previously reviewed a book she co-authored with Helena Rookwood, Throne of Sandand snatched up her debut solo book when it came out)I can’t wait to get back to it. Plus, reading before bed is one of my favorite things. (Not sure my puppy cares for it, though!)

I’ll have more news in the coming days, including about my newsletter exclusive serial novel. Till then, stay healthy, everyone!

-CKB
Author of Girl of Shadow and Glass
😊