Heartbreaking story of one family's journey with dementia

Book signing proves a success for author as she tells of her family’s journey with dementia in new book

The heartbreaking story of one family’s experiences with dementia took centre stage on Saturday as author J Shannell Evans held a book signing and talk to mark the book’s launch.

“I’m trying my very best not to be emotional,” said Shannell to her audience, as she went on to tell how dementia had affected her grandmother, her mother, her brother and her sister across the generations. Two of her aunts also experienced dementia. She added: “Writing this book, it was as if when I finished it, a weight lifted off me. I felt it was so important to write this story, and I hope it will help others.”

Readers queued up to buy the book and have it signed by the author during the event – with many also sharing their own experiences with family members who had dementia.

The author was joined by Wence Martin, of the Alzheimer’s Assocation, who said: “Alzheimer’s is the leading dementia diagnosis in The Bahamas - it is estimated that 2,000 Bahamians since 2023, and we know that is a very conservative estimate. When we look at the causes of dementia and whether it’s hereditary or whether there’s some genetic factors, we don’t know – and the experts haven’t proven that there is or that there isn’t a genetic link.”

He added: “The projection is by 2030, there will be 6,000 persons in The Bahamas – once again we think that is a conservative estimate – with dementia. I celebrate Mrs Evans in being able to pen a book and raise awareness.”

Expert Dr Krystle Rolle also spoke to attendees, giving advice on dealing with dementia. “To date, about 3% of men and women aged 65 and above would be diagnosed with dementia, and nearly half of persons living at age 85 and above will be diagnosed with dementia. Based on World Health Organisation standards in 2025, they estimate about 2.26% of deaths in our elderly population are due to dementia.”

She added: “Dementia is a broad umbrella of cognitive impairment. The most common in the world is Alzheimer’s disease, although in The Bahamas the most common is vascular dementia. Persons end up getting vascular dementia through blood compromise to the brain, through stress, hypertension, and diabetes. It involves progressive brain cell degeneration which eventually affects memory, thinking and behaviour.”

Experts gave advice on warning signs for people to watch for, and guidance on how they could be diagnosed and reach out to support networks.

“I do hope this book can make a difference to people,” said Shannell. “Writing it really reminded me of all that we have gone through as a family, things even I had forgotten, and I hope it is helpful to readers who might be going through the same thing.”

The Long Nightmare: My Family’s Journey With Dementia is available in paperback at Logos bookstore in Harbour Bay, and is also available as a paperback or an ebook on Amazon.

This is the latest book from Shannell after having previously published books in a range of genres – including poetry, drama, inspiration, mystery, children’s fiction, young adult fiction and non-fiction. She is also the CEO of Joan Shannell Evans Books Publishing. She now lives in Nassau, and is the chief financial officer at her home church, having worked in church ministry for 38 years.

To learn more, visit joanshannellevansbooks.com.

BOOK LAUNCH: Author hopes story of dealing with dementia in her family will help others in their journey

Joan Shannell Evans with her new book, The Long Nightmare: My Family’s Journey With Dementia 

Author Joan Shannell Evans tells her most personal story yet in her latest book – which tells of the devastation wrought by dementia on members of her family.

The Long Nightmare: My Family’s Journey With Dementia tells her own story – and that of family members throughout her life who suffered from a condition that robs people of their memories, their identities, and their connection to their family.

Joan will be holding a book signing and author talk at Logos bookstore in Harbour Bay, Nassau, Bahamas, on Saturday, May 30, to mark the launch of the book, from 11am-2pm – which will include the opportunity for attendees to hear advice from medical experts on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

The book is a heartbreaking tale – starting when Joan was just a child growing up in Andros, trying to understand why her grandmother could no longer recognise the family and the tragedy of the end of her life.

It was a pattern that would repeat with Joan’s mother, her brother and even today with her sister.

“My mother and I lived on Andros. My mother suffered from it for more than ten years,” said Joan. “She had depression and that led into Alzheimer’s. I would bring her up to Nassau for treatments. When I started caring for my mother, I was just in my 20s and there may be young people today who are going through this. I hope my book can be a source of information and a source of comfort, and bring an awareness that some families go through that.”

For Joan, every day with her mother marked a countdown to when the condition would affect her – while with her sister, the condition manifests very differently. She said: “What my mother had was Sundown Syndrome. As the sun starts to fade in the evening, people with the condition become aggressive. There was a medication that the doctor gave her for that and we would see it is 4 o’clock, it is time for the medicine. For my sister, sometimes it lasts through the whole day.”

Joan said she hoped the book would be helpful to others going through the same journey – but also said that writing the book was for her a way to deal with the challenges she was going through.

“When I am under emotional strain, I write for comfort. I remember when my brother was in his last stage, his son was asking if this happened to everyone. I was telling him you are too young but your grandmother had this, so we had to document this for our family, and I also did it as a way to relieve my emotions. I hope that people read this and see this happens to other people too. It just shows you need help and support.”

She added: “I relived a lot of emotions. Those in the house with the patient have the burden of it – and that hasn’t really changed over the years. I came to the realisation that there were times I felt annoyed with family members and I realised they were doing the best they can. Writing the book helped me get to a place where I could release those emotions – and writing it helped me to put into perspective some of the things that happened with my mother.”

This is the latest book from Joan after having previously published books in a range of genres – including poetry, drama, inspiration, mystery, children’s fiction, young adult fiction and non-fiction. She is also the CEO of Joan Shannell Evans Books Publishing. She now lives in Nassau, and is the chief financial officer at her home church, having worked in church ministry for 38 years.

The book is available on Amazon in both print and ebook formats, and is available as a paperback at Logos, in Harbour Bay, New Providence.

Also in attendance at the event will be experts to give advice, with Wence Martin from the Alzheimer’s Association in The Bahamas to speak about the organisation’s work, and Dr Krystle Rolle speaking about dementia.

The Long Nightmare: My Family's Journey With Dementia is available on Amazon here.

 

Joan Shanell Evans’ mother, Mabel Evans, who suffered from dementia, including Sundown Syndrome

BOOK LAUNCH: The Magick of Chaos by Ricardo Victoria - and why you should read it!

Look, I'll be honest here - Ricardo Victoria is my buddy. We've sparred it out in gaming sessions over the years - mostly Heroclix, for those who have dabbled. He's come after my X-Men. I've gone after his Superman. War has been waged with a growl and a shake of the dice. 

He's also a damn fine writer. If you've ever read my reviews, you'll have seen his books feature. Because they're damn fine. And his new one is out today. 

Never judge a book by the cover, they say, but... well, look at this beauty. 

The Magick of Chaos is the latest in Ricardo's Tempest Blades series, and I've waxed lyrical about the earlier books in that series on this very blog. 

For the first book, The Withered King, I said that trying to contain Ricardo's ideas is "like trying to contain jelly with elastic bands. He's exuberant, he's bubbly - and he's bristling with imagination."

I said: "It's a fantasy epic. No, wait, it's an anime-style adventure. Hang on, no, it's a science fiction escapade on another world. But hold up, here are roots of Ricardo's Mexican heritage. And Celtic myth. And a cartoon team-up of mighty heroes. It is a steampunk extravaganza with a soaring airship. It is science, and magic, and the science that underpins magic. It is tragic, it is witty. It is each of these things. It is all of these things."

What was really impressive to me was the way in which that book built up his team of characters bit by bit, layer by layer, so you were never overwhelmed and always had time to discover these people at their own pace. Lovely work. 

And yet it was the second book that really got me. It was still a soaring adventure - but it was also more personal in the way that one of the main characters was dealing with depression. 

As I said in my review: "I've been lucky in life, I've never really had to deal with depression personally, but the story spoke to me in the way it reflected what friends have gone through. It shows how characters around Alex deal with his depression - or sometimes how they don't deal with it, perhaps even not noticing it until it's pointed out by others. Sometimes I've been that person, who didn't notice or who didn't know how to react, so this story really hits home."

Dealing with such issues is not common in sci-fi and fantasy, and Ricardo adds a welcome voice to the conversation. 

And now comes book three. Out today. It's right there on my Kindle. The paperback copy will be destined for my shelf once it ships here.

Why should you read this series? Because it's fun. Because it's thoughtful. Because in a field that sometimes treads the same old ground, it strikes out along new paths. 

...and because you can pick up the first two books for a buck each as I write this. 

The new book is available on Amazon right here. 

And you can find the first two books right under it on the series button. 

And do me a favour, share this, give Ricardo a follow on Twitter or Mastodon. He's on Facebook too. Say hi. Cheer him on. Spread the word. 

He's a buddy for a good reason. He's a great and loyal friend. That's why I'd love you to share his work. 

But why you should read this work? That's different. That's because you can discover a talented writer doing his own thing, not the same thing as everyone else. Soar on skyships. See magic and science smashed together. Laugh. Cry. Love. 

My review of book three will be coming up right here on this blog in the coming days. See you then. 

NEW BOOK: The Crossover Paradox, by Rob Edwards

Today on the blog, I'm giving a shout out for a new book out by my buddy, Rob Edwards. 

It's a sequel to his 2020 book The Ascension Machine, which I loved. That book saw a... well... morally uncertain fellow by the name of Grey finding himself with a spot at a superhero academy for aliens. And he shouldn't be there. 

As the plot thickens, so do the bonds of friendship between Grey and his fellow students, except he's lying to them all along and that doesn't bode well for when the truth comes out. 

I don't want to spoil the first book, but book two sees us back at the academy for a second year for more shenanigans. I've started reading it already and one thing I love about Rob is his smooth, easy style, often with a simmering undercurrent of wit. 

Grey reminds me very much of the Stainless Steel Rat, though more looking for a place in the world than looking for way to come out on top like Slippery Jim DiGriz. The outcome in the first book was thoughtful, warm and delightful - so I have no hesitation in recommending you join me in reading book two.

With cover art by Ian Bristow, The Crossover Paradox is available now at mybook.to/crossoverparadox as both an ebook and in print. 

I'll have a full review coming up soon on the blog too. Why not join me as I read it? 

Oh, and you can follow Rob on Twitter too. 

 

Meet the author: Sharon Sasaki, writer of the Grace Lord series

 SE Sasaki is a Canadian medical doctor who has worked as a family physician for over 20 years and now spends her time in the operating room assisting in surgery at a hospital in Southern Ontario - and has also been writing for as long as she can remember. The ideas for her Welcome to the Madhouse and Grace Lord Series have come from her experiences in the medical office and the operating room - and the latest in the series, SAVING GRACE, has just been released. She stopped by to chat about it and her writing. 

Hi there, and welcome to Altered Instinct! Tell us a little about your most recent book – what is it called, and what is it about?
My most recent book, launching on December 17th, is titled SAVING GRACE, and is about the crew aboard the medical space station, the Nelson Mandela, having to prevent an increasingly powerful, destructive alien entity - brought to the station inside a dead explorer - from getting off of the station to create havoc amongst the galaxy.

What inspired the story? 
The story is actually about forbidden love between a human and an android, where the android symbolizes those who are not accepted by society or discriminated against whether on the basis of race, colour, religion, gender, or class. It is about the ugly face of prejudice and society’s discrimination.

Without spoilers, what was one of your favourite moments of the story to write? What was it that made you enjoy that section so much? 
I loved writing the ending, where the heroes sacrifice everything and love conquers all. I hope that is not too much of a spoiler, but it is a happy / bittersweet ending.

As a writer, have you ever had a character grow to be a much bigger part of the story than you expected? Who was the character and what was it about them that made them emerge from the sidelights? 
I have a plant alien/ human symbiont that, surprisingly to me, has become such an essential and lovable part of my stories. Who knew? I get emails and letters from readers all the time who say they love Plant Thing! Well, Plant Thing is central to much of the action in SAVING GRACE, so if you are into plant characters (like Groot, maybe, but bigger?) you will love Plant Thing.

What are your favourite genres to read – and what is it about those genres that draws you in? 

I read a lot of different genres and I love them all. 
Science fiction, of course, but also Fantasy, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, some Nonfiction. I love good writing. I love to learn something new. I want a book to be about something, like teaching us to try to be better humans, to be better to each other no matter your colour, religion, gender, or nationality, or species!

What were some of your favourite books to read as a child? Which were the first books you remember falling in love with? 

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle; Podkayne of Mars by Robert Heinlein; Dune by Frank Herbert; The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien; Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov; Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny and Nine Princes of Amber by Roger Zelazny; The Once and Future King by T.H. White.

Who are your favourite authors to read? And whose writing do you feel has inspired your own work most? 
I read everything by Frank Herbert, Roger Zelazny, Terry Pratchett, JRR Tolkien, Sherri Tepper, may they Rest in Peace. I still pick up every Guy Gavriel Kay book and William Gibson book, whenever they come out. Also those of Richard Morgan, Joe Abercrombie, Diana Gabaldon, Steven Brust, Connie Willis. I write a lot of humour amidst the mayhem, so I think Lois McMaster Bujold, Terry Pratchett, Steven Brust, Christopher Moore, all have a role to play in the zaniness.

You get stuck on an island and had only one book packed in your travel bag before the ship went down – what book do you hope you have in there? 
Hahaha. The entire 6 volume set of Winston Churchill’s The Second World War, because I bought the entire Folio edition set hoping to read it during my retirement and have never even had a chance to unwrap the set from its plastic. It should keep me busy on the island until rescue comes and I will learn so much I don’t know about that time!

I have to ask for readers who might want to know: Is this a kissing book? 
No kissing. There might be a hug or two.

Where can readers follow you to find out more about your work? 
My website is http://www.sesasaki.com. I am on Twitter at @se_sasaki. I am on Facebook at S.E. Sasaki and I am in the SciFi Roundtable Facebook Group. You can get on my email list through my website when it is finished. It is getting revamped at the moment. I hope to give away my novella, Genesis, to readers who sign up for me newsletter.

You can buy SAVING GRACE at: 

https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Grace-Medical-Suspense-Thriller-ebook/dp/B09MWQ17QY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Saving+Grace+by+S.E.+Sasaki&qid=1638811772&sr=8-1

https://books2read.com/u/47QZzN

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/saving-grace-156

A traditional question here at Altered Instinct – what are you reading at present, and what is the best book you’ve read in the past year?

I am presently reading AZINCOURT by Bernard Cornwell as well as SHUGGIE BAIN by Douglas Stuart. (I tend to read two or three books at once; don’t ask me why). I have read so many good books in the last year! A Little Life by Tanya Yanagihara; Agency by William Gibson; Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng; Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies, & The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel. It is really hard to write, read all of the books I keep buying, and work full time. If I could only get rid of sleeping and eating, it would be a big help...

Meet The Author: EJ Dawson, author of Behind The Veil

Ejay Dawson is an author I've bumped into out in Twitterville, haunting the likes and mentions of tweets and being a supportive and encouraging part of the community. And she has a new book out! 
Beginning a writing journey with an epic 21 book series, Ejay started her author career in 2014 and has taken on the ups and downs of self-publishing with her fantasy series The Last Prophecy since 2016. At the start of 2019, she put the series on the backburner to write Behind the Veil in 25 days, and signed a publishing contract for the gothic noir novel to independent publisher Literary Wanderlust. 
She stopped by to chat about Behind The Veil, her writing career and more!

Hi, Ejay, tell us a little about your most recent book – what is it called, and what is it about? Give us your elevator pitch to make us fall in love with it!

I’ve recently released Behind the Veil, a gothic noir about Letitia, who reads the veil between life and death to give closure to war widows. But when her gifts are called up on to safe a young girl from her growing insanity, Letitia has to decide to risk her sanity to catch a killer.

What inspired the story?
Too much Penny Dreadful and a long time love of gothic romances thanks to my mother’s bookshelf. She had all those old romantic suspense books that I loved, but I wanted to add elements of the paranormal. Letitia came to me in a single afternoon and I sent what would become the first chapter to a friend, who informed me, and rightly so, that this wasn’t just a short story.

Too much Penny Dreadful? Impossible!

Never such a thing as too much Penny Dreadful! Without spoilers, what was one of your favourite moments of the story to write? What was it that made you enjoy that section so much? 

For me it was the gentle unveiling of Letitia herself. The little glimpses into her past, how she herself was institutionalized, and how all of that came to be. I wrote the story in twenty five days not because I needed to but because I had to know how she came to be the way she was, and I didn’t know at the start.

As a writer, have you ever had a character grow to be a much bigger part of the story than you expected? Who was the character and what was it about them that made them emerge from the sidelights? 

I absolutely have done this with my characters from my Queen of Spades trilogy. Two of the characters weren’t meant to become so important to the main character Ayla. The doctor of the ship, Kabe, and the android that was too perfect Casey. They didn’t just become their own characters, they developed a romance arc on the side of Ayla’s own with Leith that was delightful, fun, but intensely difficult give some elements of the story and how Ayla’s past affected all of them.

What are your favourite genres to read – and what is it about those genres that draws you in? 

I love to read fantasy, scifi, romance, paranormal, you’ll find me steering very clear of the ordinary and I think it’s because I have a very active imagination. I’ve always been drawn to the otherworldly and the impossible. For me these don’t represent unlikely probability, so much as not here and not now. 

What were some of your favourite books to read as a child? Which were the first books you remember falling in love with?
I’d grown up with good English fiction, the kind my mother read as a child. Enid Blyton and the Golden books. I loved those stories, but my deep seated love for horror came from R. L. Stine’s Goosebump books. I moved from a small country village with no library to a large country town and discovered them from a new friend. I promptly devoured them and then discovered young adult gothic romances.

Who are your favourite authors to read? And whose writing do you feel has inspired your own work most? 

Terry Pratchett is one of my favourites and an all time staple. I’ve read and re-read all his books multiple times. I could name heaps of others but I think the writer was always within me, and it wasn’t a question of which writer made me what to be a writer, but rather committing to it and learning the craft when most people think its impossible for them. We all start somewhere, and learning any skill is about applying yourself. 

Ok, we’re waving the Altered Instinct magic wand. Your story is being turned into a movie – and you get to cast the main roles. Who do you cast for the leading characters? Bonus perk: Who directs?
I would absolutely pick James Wan. I remember loving the Conjuring because it was so subtly scary which is what I’ve tried to evoke. As for actors… I couldn’t pick anyone because I’d rather pick people who the role spoke to. I’ve always loved when you see a film with lesser known actors and they make the role their own, the develop the character into something beyond the page, and for me, that would matter more because they’d become the characters of my story, rather than just them playing themselves in my story. That would be the truer compliment.

Are there any particular themes you address in your story? What issues do you explore, overtly or otherwise? 
There are a lot of underlying themes, one of which is the ability to say no. To choose to protect yourself, even if it means not doing what is “right”. One element of the story that’s been pointed out to me by readers is the way in which I’ve handled Letitia’s post traumatic stress from the events. I feel this has more poignancy as we come to understand why she might refuse someone asking for aid as the hero is normally the first person to say yes, which in this case, Letitia doesn’t. The ability to say no, because doing something hurts us, is to some an act of cowardice, and to others a matter of preservation and I wish there was more understanding around the strength it takes to say no.

Where can readers follow you to find out more about your work?
They can find me at www.ejdawson.com and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (@ejdawsonauthor)

A traditional question here at Altered Instinct – what are you reading at present, and what is the best book you’ve read in the past year? 

The best book I’ve read this year has been Wings of Ebony by J. Elle – such a powerfully important book that we all need to read.

Thank you for visiting the blog! It was a pleasure to chat! 

Meet Diane Morrison, author of A Few Good Elves

Diane Morrison describes herself as a Pagan, a speculative fiction author, a musician, a professional blogger, proudly Canadian and proudly LGBTQ. What she doesn’t say - but which is true - is just how supportive she is of others in the writing community. You’ll find her on podcasts, helping with events and... well, here, there and everywhere. 

Her latest book was launched through Kickstarter - and she stopped by the blog to chat about it. 

Hi Diane, and welcome to Altered Instinct! Tell us a little about your most recent book – what is it called, and what is it about? Give us your elevator pitch to make us fall in love with it!

A Few Good Elves is a dark blackpowder fantasy military SFF space opera. Picture the excitement and epic scale of a space opera – only with magic and Age of Sail ships in the stars. Picture the great battles of epic fantasy, with mages slinging spells and elven and orcish armies clashing over the fate of the universe – only in space. And I keep it grounded, despite all this craziness, in the gritty reality of combat. Be warned – I do not sanitize the violence. War is awful, and the people who fight are heroes because it is awful.

My story centers around Shaundar Sunfall, a mixed-race elf in a segregated, colonial society, who has a reputation as a bit of a troublemaker. He grows up on his father’s ship, so learns a love of starfaring early, and he aspires to be a Star-Pilot. When the orcs declare war, he and his best friend Yathar Goldenbough lie about their age and join up. They are inspired by the tales of glory they have been raised on. They discover that war is not the grand adventure they thought it would be.

Without spoilers, what was one of your favourite moments of the story to write? What was it that made you enjoy that section so much? 

The Aces High obstacle course, hands-down, was the most fun in this book! The protagonist must successfully navigate an obstacle course in an asteroid field like a slalom race to qualify for entry into an advanced Star-Pilot’s school. It’s full of raw action, but unlike many action scenes in the story, there’s no violence involved. It’s a chance for the reader to see starfaring through a Pilot’s eyes, with excitement and joy. Describing the different challenges, and how Shaundar deals with them, not only let me really buckle down into how the universe works, but it let me show you a lot of important things about Shaundar as a character. It was a glorious moment.

As a writer, have you ever had a character grow to be a much bigger part of the story than you expected? Who was the character and what was it about them that made them emerge from the sidelights?

Oh yes! Pay attention to a minor character in this story named Thersylvanna. He’s going to be significant later on in the series. I think the reason why is that in a story about colonialism, you’ve got to have a working-class perspective somewhere. Shaundar’s family is kind of on the outs, but he is nobility, and as such, his privilege colours the things he does. I needed a counterpoint to that.

Who are your favourite authors to read? And whose writing do you feel has inspired your own work most? 

For this story in particular, I take a lot of inspiration from Lois McMaster Bujold, David Weber, and Patrick O’Brian, and they’re definitely among my favourites. I have also been influenced a lot by Stephen King. Other favourites include Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey, C.J. Cherryh, Margaret Atwood, Ursula LeGuin, and Octavia E. Butler, though I can’t say I write much like the latter three – I think they’re far better with a turn of phrase than I am and their language is beautiful.

Are there any particular themes you address in your story? What issues do you explore, overtly or otherwise? 

Thank you for asking this question. You might get the impression from the description that this is just a wild romp through a fantastical starscape, but it is not. I examine colonialism, racism, war, loss, grief, friendship, loyalty, and duty. I suppose you could call this first book, which is only the beginning of a much bigger story, a bildungsroman as well. I feel that by putting these things in a universe that is obviously the product of someone’s imagination, it gives us enough distance to look at them critically, without letting our own existing biases get in the way.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Tell us about yourself. 

I’m a dyed-in-the-wool nerd. I play RPGs, and that remains my favourite hobby. I also write music from time to time, often about books I’ve read (they call the genre “filk,” and it’s a staple of the SFF community.) I craft and cosplay from time to time. I like to get outside and walk when I can, not that I’ve had much opportunity what with COVID and the fires over the summer lately. I also stream about writing and worldbuilding on Twitch, as well as play a live gamecast that is based in this universe.

What has been your favourite reaction from readers? 

This started out as a fanfiction piece in a Dungeons & Dragons universe, so in its first incarnation, I was publishing it a chapter at a time for the fan community. Ten years later, one of the community members looked me up, joined my Patreon, and demanded, “Are you done yet?” That inspired me to get my butt in gear and finish the changes I’d made to set it in my own universe. Knowing that someone still wants to know how the story ends a decade later… that says to me that I am doing my job as a writer, and that this is what I’m meant to do.

What’s next for you as a writer? What’s cooking in your literary kitchen?

I’m doing the final edits for book 2 of the Toy Soldier Saga, called To Know Your Enemy, and I’m doing a rewrite of book 3, Brothers in Arms. I’m also working on expanding my short story repertoire because I’ve been getting some good magazine sales there.

What’s the most fun piece of technology/magic that you’ve included in your novel that you wish you had in real life?

Starfaring engines, especially the natural Starseed ones. I would really love to travel the far reaches of the universe, protected by its arcanology, literally sailing among the stars.

Away from books, what are your loves when it comes to TV and movies? (Altered Instinct will plant aw flag on behalf of Quantum Leap, Babylon 5, Stargate, The West Wing and Star Wars, and fight to protect it!)

Oh, don’t get me started on fandoms! I share your love of Star Wars and Babylon 5 (the best sci-fi show ever on TV, don’t @ me!) I love Firefly and Star Trek too, of course. I loved Game of Thrones, and am not as pissed off about the ending as other people because I see the bones of what George R.R. Martin was trying to do there. I’m a Marvel fan, and Wonder Woman was the best superhero story ever (but the rest of the DC movies can go hang.) If you haven’t seen Master & Commander, you should. Let’s see… I loved both Dune movies and can’t wait to see the new one. And you must see a quirky Netflix show called Love, Death and Robots, if you haven’t already – this is the best of modern sci-fi in all its glory. It’s brilliant.

Love, Death and Robots - an animated series available on Netflix - hailed by Diane as "the best of modern sci-fi in all its glory".

I love Master & Commander! A great film! Are your books available in audio format? How have you found the process of transforming it from the written page? 

Not yet, but it’s on the agenda! This book was funded by a successful Kickstarter, and we reached the first stretch goal, which was an audiobook. So I can’t wait to explore that adventure!

I have to ask for readers who might want to know: Is this a kissing book?

Ha ha! A little bit. I mean, it’s a subplot, but yes, there is a bit of romance that informs the rest of the story.

Where can readers follow you to find out more about your work?

I have a lot of social media, but I’m most easily reached at my website https://www.dianemorrisonfiction.com, my Twitter @SableAradia, or my Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/sablearadia. If you want to know more about the Toy Soldier Saga, you can find me at https://www.worldanvil.com/w/toysoldiersaga. And if you want to support my work and get weekly chapters in both my Toy Soldier Saga and Wyrd West universes, often before they are released to the public, I have a Patreon https://www.patreon.com/sablearadia.

A traditional question here at Altered Instinct – what are you reading at present, and what is the best book you’ve read in the past year?

I’m working my way through the Big Book of Science Fiction edited by Jeff & Ann Vandermeer, and I just started the SF classic Grass by Sheri Tepper. I started reading an imprint called SF Masterworks a few years ago, with the goal of reading one per month, to educate myself in the classic of sci-fi, and the Big Book is like that too, only with short stories. As to the best book I’ve read in the past year… well, I haven’t done as much reading as I usually do due to book release and other life chaos, but I would have to say that’s Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey, the first book in the series that The Expanse is based on. And the book is definitely better than the show (and I really like the show!) Well worth the time, and that thick-looking tome reads at lightning speed.

Thanks for having me!

You can pick up A Few Good Elves at https://www.books2read.com/afewgoodelves 

BOOK LAUNCH: Wolf Killer, by CH Clepitt

Those of you who have been regulars at the blog for a long time will know I'm a fan of the work of C H Clepitt - and they have a new book out! Wolf Killer is the title... and the details are below. 

Release Date: 26th September 2021

Author: C H Clepitt

Pre-Order Links: Amazon, Smashwords

ARC Requests: chclepitt@icloud.com

Interview Requests: chclepitt@icloud.com

Release Party Link: https://fb.me/e/2AcIZIJmd 

“Honey, it’s the ’80s. You need to find yourself a woman who can hold your hand in public, not one who calls you her ‘friend’ and keeps you away from her boss. You don’t need that kinda heartache. You think it’ll be OK, but it won’t, trust me. It starts to eat away at you.”

FBI Agent Clara Hunter might not be girlfriend material, but as Red soon discovers, if you have a serial killer on your heels she is just the woman you want in your life!

Book 3 of the Magic Mirror collection takes Red Riding Hood, and tells it in a way only C H Clepitt can!

The Magic Mirror Collection

The Magic Mirror Collection jumps through history, retelling fairy tales with a queer twist. So far we have seen Beauty and the Beast set in 1930s France and Snow White set during the Second World War spanning Germany and rural Wales. In this latest installment we find ourselves in 1980s America, and on the hunt for a serial killer. 

Told with C H Clepitt’s unique style, fans of the author won’t want to miss out on this exciting new collection.

Comment from the author

I love the fact that historical fiction gives you a snapshot into an era that you may not have previous knowledge of. There’s something about reading a work of fiction set in a different time that is so much more immersive than just reading a history book. 

With each of the Magic Mirror collections I have tried to write them in the style of the era, and Wolf Killer may be the most grown up yet. It deals with issues of queerness and identity the way the previous two books have not and I hope people enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Good luck with the book, C H! 

It's new book day! Tales From Alternate Earths 3 is out now!

 

Hi all, it's new book day!

Tales From Alternate Earths 3 is out today - in paperback and ebook format - and by golly it's a great collection of stories. 

Am I biased when I say that? Honestly, I don't think so. I have a story in there, sure, but let's leave talking about that until another blog. For starters, just look at that list of authors. 

From the top, there's Alan Smale, whose tale A Clash of Eagles won the Sidewise Award, and whose bibliography is a fantastic list of great reads. His story starts the collection, and... well, I don't want to say too much because part of the joy of the story is piecing together the who, how and where of it all. I do love, however, the viewpoint he tells the story from, that of a real woman of the times he writes about. It's the kind of story that raises big questions, not just about the changes in history, but about how the characters involved are affected, and what it means to them personally. It's splendidly done. 

More great writers! How about Daniel M Bensen, who returns from previous Inklings books - another Sidewise Award winner, for his story Treasure Fleet, in Tales From Alternate Earths 1. Or DJ Butler, a big name in the alternate history field? 

I shouldn't pick favourite stories from the collection, so I absolutely won't hint strongly that my favourite is the fantastic story To Catch A Ripper, by Minoti Vaishnav, who is also a television writer who recently staffed The Equalizer on CBS. (And by golly, I'd love to see her story get the TV treatment too)

Then there's JL Royce, who has been a finalist in the Writers of the Future contest (and his story here is a doozy, mixing noir detective fiction and some shocking post-war history). 

Matthew Kresal was only yesterday named as a finalist for the Sidewise Awards for his previous story Moonshot, and his story in this collection is an intriguing film biography-style take on the making of a much older version of the movie Titanic. 

Add to that returning Inklings names such as Aaron Emmel, Brent A Harris, Rob Edwards, Christopher Edwards, Ricardo Victoria, Jeff Provine and dynamic duo EM Swift-Hook and Jane Jago, and you've got quite the set of authors. 

It's been a pleasure working on this anthology with such great stories. And I hope you might dip your toe to discover them yourself. I won't say too much about each story just yet - as there are twists and turns I don't want to spoil!

I always fall in love with stories in the anthologies we publish - but that's because so many authors give us stories to love. 

You can fall in love yourself by picking up the book at mybook.to/AlternateEarths3. It's available in paperback and in ebook format. 

For reviewers, we also still have review copies available and a full press kit at http://www.alteredinstinct.com/2021/05/press-kit-tales-from-alternate-earths-3.html with graphics and more information. By all means, email theinklingspress@gmail.com to request a review copy, or hit me up on Twitter.