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Point of View: What I Learned At the Book Festival

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Sacramento Book Festival

Well, it’s over. The Second Annual (and first full) Sacramento Book Festival has been consigned to the history books. And oh what a festival it was. We were hoping for great weather – the average temperature in Sacramento on May 31st is 87 degrees, so we had good reason to think it would be comfortable shirtsleeves weather. Instead, we got the hottest May 31st in the city in 100 years. Because of course we did. And still, despite the heat, they came. People crammed into the charming (but a little small) Shepard Garden and Arts Center – over 5,000 of … Read more

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Author Spotlight: Clara Ward

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Clara Ward

Welcome to my weekly Author Spotlight. I’ve asked a bunch of my author friends to answer a set of interview questions, and to share their latest work. Today: Clara Ward lives in Silicon Valley on the border between reality and speculative fiction. When not using words to teach or tell stories, Clara uses wood, fiber, and glass to make practical or completely impractical objects. Their latest novel, Be the Sea, features a near-future ocean voyage, chosen family, and sea creature perspectives, while delving into our oceans, our selves, and how all futures intertwine. Their short fiction has appeared in Strange … Read more

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Point of View: What I Learned (So Far) From Building a Book Festival

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construction - deposit photos

Last spring, I was invited to be a part of a new book festival in Sacramento. It was a modest effort – about 20 authors under 10×10 canopies, tacked onto the end of a local farmer’s market. It was a success – we all sold a decent number of books, and some folks came 200 miles for the event. A month or two later, we decided to do it all again, but for real this time, and launched ourselves into a nine-month odyssey that comes to fruition this coming weekend. So I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve … Read more

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Author Spotlight: Siobhan Muir

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Siobhan Muir

Welcome to my weekly Author Spotlight. I’ve asked a bunch of my author friends to answer a set of interview questions, and to share their latest work. Today: Siobhan Muir lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with her husband, two daughters, a kitten who thinks he’s a dog, a cat who’s not impressed with him, and the dog who just wants to go for a walk. In previous lives, Siobhan has been an actor at the Colorado Renaissance Festival, a field geologist in the Aleutian Islands, and restored inter-planetary imagery at the USGS. She’s hiked to the top of Mount St. Helens … Read more

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New Release: Don’t Let Me Drown – Andy Siege

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Don't Let Me Drown - Andy Siege

Andy Siege has a new queer magical realism romance out (bi male, intersex female): Don’t Let Me Drown. Traumatised by his experiences as a war photographer, Aaron is drowning in guilt and tranquilisers. On a new assignment to document the civil conflict in the African country of Miberia, he is paralysed by the belief that terrible things only happen so that he can capture them on camera. When he meets Mary, a young woman in danger because she is intersex, he’s convinced that if he can just save her, it will redeem him for all the other deaths he’s witnessed. So … Read more

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Serial: Down the River – Chapter Forty-Nine

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Down the River Header

I’m finally revisiting the characters from The River City Chronicles nine years after their original timeline. I’ll be running the series weekly here on my blog, and then will release it in book form at the end of the run. Hope you enjoy catching up with all your faves and all their new secrets! Today, Carmelina finally finds out what secrets her Uncle Angelo has to tell… < Read Chapter 48 Join my email list to get my weekly newsletter with notifications of new chapters. Chapter Forty-NineStrangolagalli Carmelina got out of the car and stretched her arms and legs, thrilled to … Read more

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Review: The Death Bringer

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The Death Bringer - J. Scott Coatsworth

Genre: Sci-Fantasy, Romance Sub-Arc LGBTQ+ Category: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Non-Binary, Transgender Reviewer: Estora Get It On Amazon | Universal Buy Link About The Book Aik will never be the same … and neither will his world. War is coming. Aik has become the Progenitor, and the Seed Mother has released him to transform the world for her alien brood. Silya and Raven, Aik’s former friends, are the only ones who can save him and the world. But what if the cure is worse than the invasion? As Silya rushes to prepare Gullton for the battle to come, she’s determined to save as … Read more

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Point of View: The Making of a Cover

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Office of the Lost - J. Scott Coatsworth & Kim Fielding

Universal Buy Link Every time I do a new book, there’s a whole behind-the-scenes process that goes into designing the cover, whether it’s one I do myself or one done by a graphics professional. In this case, we decided to go with an outside designer, and there were two clients to please – Kim and I. We started with a cover search in the gay romantasy genre, and found a few we really liked: For some reason, we were both really drawn to the “comic book-cartoon” images. We asked Kelley York at Sleepy Fox Studio to take a run at … Read more

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Author Spotlight: Abby Goldsmith

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Abby Goldsmith

Welcome to my weekly Author Spotlight. I’ve asked a bunch of my author friends to answer a set of interview questions, and to share their latest work. Today: Abby Goldsmith is the author of 6 sci-fi novels, the Torth series, which starts with Majority and ends with Empire Ender, all published by Podium, with starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus. Her short works have appeared in Escape Pod, Writer’s Digest Books, and anthologies. You can find her on social media, Patreon, and at AbbyGoldsmith.com. Thanks so much, Abby, for joining me! J. Scott Coatsworth: How would you describe your writing … Read more

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New Release / Giveaway: Iguana – Vincent Traughber Meis

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Iguana - Vincent Traughber Meis

Vincent Traughber Meis has a new MM romance out: Iguana. And there’s a giveaway! Dawson Wozniak moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico looking for a change after ending a long-term relationship. Returning to the site where his parents honeymooned, immersing himself in the local culture, and meeting new friends was sure to bring adventure and, hopefully, clarity about both his past and his future. His apartment building’s manager, Ivan, throws a wrench in the plan with his handsome looks, occasional flirting, and forced distance. Just as they are about to test their undeniable curiosity and attraction for each other, a tragedy strikes … Read more