I can't believe Rainbow Book Fair is this weekend! I'm not sure where March and April went, but here we are. I'll be at the book fair this Saturday. I should have copies of all of my books with me, though I'll have limited copies of some titles. Most titles with be $15, and I accept Venmo, PayPal, and cash. I'm also happy to sign any books you bring with you. You can find out more about the book fair here. I hope to see you Saturday!
I can't believe Rainbow Book Fair is this weekend! I'm not sure where March and April went, but here we are. I'll be at the book fair this Saturday. I should have copies of all of my books with me, though I'll have limited copies of some titles. Most titles with be $15, and I accept Venmo, PayPal, and cash. I'm also happy to sign any books you bring with you. You can find out more about the book fair here. I hope to see you Saturday!
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The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ. In April, I'll be sharing snippets from The Artist's Masquerade. The Artist's Masquerade is my second book, published back in 2015 (and rereleased in 2020 with its pretty new cover). This book is the story of Cathal, a royal duke's heir who has spent his entire life doing what is expected of him by his father, putting aside his own needs and wants to do so. When his father tells him that he has to marry—and that his father has chosen his bride for him—Cathal goes along with it but then finds himself far more fascinated by his intended's companion, Flavia. What Cathal doesn't know is that Flavia is in reality Flavian, an artist in disguise and on the run from a bad situation in his home country. His friend—Cathal's intended bride—came up with the ruse to disguise him as her companion and smuggle him out of the country so he can disappear into a new life. Only everything doesn't quite go as planned, and Flavian finds himself trapped in his role and pulled into intrigue. I'm jumping in at the beginning of Chapter 7 with Flavian and Cathal's first kiss. Cathal doesn't know Flavian's real identity yet, but he soon will. I'm picking up directly after last week's snippet.
The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ. With the new month, I decided to switch to a different book! In April, I'll be sharing snippets from The Artist's Masquerade. The Artist's Masquerade is my second book, published back in 2015 (and rereleased in 2020 with its pretty new cover). This book is the story of Cathal, a royal duke's heir who has spent his entire life doing what is expected of him by his father, putting aside his own needs and wants to do so. When his father tells him that he has to marry—and that his father has chosen his bride for him—Cathal goes along with it but then finds himself far more fascinated by his intended's companion, Flavia. What Cathal doesn't know is that Flavia is in reality Flavian, an artist in disguise and on the run from a bad situation in his home country. His friend—Cathal's intended bride—came up with the ruse to disguise him as her companion and smuggle him out of the country so he can disappear into a new life. Only everything doesn't quite go as planned, and Flavian finds himself trapped in his role and pulled into intrigue. I'm jumping in at the beginning of Chapter 7 with Flavian and Cathal's first kiss. Cathal doesn't know Flavian's real identity yet, but he soon will... March was one of those reading months when I had trouble deciding what to read and getting into books and then reading those I do pretty slowly. I started some books and put them aside and could not decide what I was in the mood for. I hate it when my brain decides to do that! (Anyone else have those issues?) But, I did do some reading this month:
The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ. I'm sharing snippets from The Prince's Consort in March, since this is the month the book was rereleased four years ago. The Prince's Consort was my first published book, which means I look at things sometimes I think that I would've written them differently. But I still love the story and the characters. It's a prince/commoner romance between Amory, whose horrible merchant father basically tries to trade him to the prince for more favorable treatment and business, and Philip, the crown prince of Tournai who absolutely agrees that Amory's father is horrible. He also has some very big secrets. I'm continuing from my last snippet. In this one, we learn how horrible Amory's father is. (Sorry this one is a bit long!) This year's Trans Rights Readathon runs this week (from March 22nd to 29th). It's a decentralized fundraiser in which the book community is asked to read/review/support books by and/or about trans and nonbinary people and donate to organizations supporting trans people. You can learn more about it here. I'm going to try to read some books that fit the criteria this week, if my brain cooperates. And I thought I'd give you a few recommendations if you're planning to participate too. (And, yes, I do have a couple of books with trans characters, but I am not trans/nonbinary, so I'm not listing those here.) There are a bunch of fantastic books I could have listed (and a bunch more on my own TBR), so it was tough but I picked out a handful to share:
The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ. I'm sharing snippets from The Prince's Consort in March, since this is the month the book was rereleased four years ago. The Prince's Consort was my first published book, which means I look at things sometimes I think that I would've written them differently. But I still love the story and the characters. It's a prince/commoner romance between Amory, whose horrible merchant father basically tries to trade him to the prince for more favorable treatment and business, and Philip, the crown prince of Tournai who absolutely agrees that Amory's father is horrible. He also has some very big secrets. I'm following on directly from last week's snippet. “Your Highness, the chandelier is a complex design and, as such, will take much delicate, time-consuming work to finish.” “A design you submitted to me and assured me could be completed on the timetable you set.” Philip focused on Arnau as he spoke but kept watch on Amory out of the corner of his eye. “The men who work for me are artists who produce the finest glass in the world, Your Highness. A product of quality takes time.” Amory’s eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open slightly at his father’s words, though he immediately tried to hide his surprise and disbelief. Interesting. “I am aware of what a product of quality takes, Master Arnau. I am also aware of the quality of your workers. None of which tells me why you and your craftsmen were unable to meet a delivery date you set.” Philip held up a hand to forestall whatever excuses were going to come forth. “As you were aware when I gave you this commission, the chandelier is a gift for the king and queen of Amaranta on the birth of their first child. For the honor of Tournai and for our continued good relationship with a neighboring kingdom, the gift I commissioned from you, which I trusted you and your craftsman to complete on time, must be delivered to them before their child reaches adulthood.” You can find more from The Prince's Consort here. Thanks for reading today!
J. Scott Coatsworth has a new queer sci-fantasy book out, Tales from Tharassas book 3: The Hencha Queen. "A richly painted world that is both beautiful and sinister, evoking landscapes that are as much science fiction as Tolkiensian fantasy. 5 stars." --Ulysses, Paranormal Romance Guild SILYA COMES INTO HER OWN, BUT WILL SHE BE ENOUGH? Silya finally has everything she always wanted. She's the Hencha Queen, head of the Temple, and is working to master her newfound talents. So why does the world pick now to fall apart? Her once-nemesis Raven is off riding dragons, and their mutual friend (and her ex) Aik is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, a new threat menaces the Heartland from the East, and if she can't convince a reluctant Gullton city council to prepare for the worst, she may lose everyone and everything she's ever cared about. As she uses her magic-like abilities, wit and sheer determination to try to save the city, she's joined by Raven and his new friends. Will their help tip the scales? And will they finally find out what happened to Aik as a dark storm threatens to sweep them all away? Forget messy. Things just got apocalyptic. Universal Buy LinkAbout the Series The Tharassas Cycle is a four book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world. Books 1 & 2 are on sale through March 31st for just 99¢ each (eBooks, all vendors). And if you buy one (or all three) of the main series books, email scott@jscottcoatsworth.com and let him know and he'll send you a free copy of Tales From Tharassas, the prequel. See All the Pre-Release DealsGiveaway Scott is giving away an eBook copy of Tales from Tharassas, the prequel, to everyone who enters the sweepstakes: Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47308/? Excerpt A sharp crack filled the wine cellar. Kerrick swung the heavy mallet back and then assailed the flopwood boards that blocked the tunnel entrance again. The ancient wood splintered under the blow, sending shards clattering across the stone-paved floor. It felt good to work out his frustrations. Still, the stubborn wood held out against his assault. He rested the mallet on the black-tiled stone floor, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. Even after a hundred years, the barrier was strong. He’d tried to pry the boards out of the solid stone, but they’d been fastened in too tightly. Brute force it is. “You’re doing great!” Cor’Lea’s voice was artificially bright, and she was as tall as he was, maybe a little taller, peering over his shoulder at the sealed tunnel entrance. Silya had tasked her with bringing him down here to check out these hidden caverns under the Temple, in preparation for the coming war. Important, sure, but also clearly an excuse to get him out from underfoot while she prepared for her official Raising. He grunted. “Thanks. These boards are hard as iron.” And hard as Silya’s will. One day things would be different between them, once this crisis was over. I just have to be patient. Coral laughed. “I’m sure a big, strong man like you can break through them easily.” She squeezed his bicep appreciatively. He shrugged her off. He wasn’t sure if the gawky initiate was flirting with him or just trying to encourage him to get on with it, but either way, he wasn’t interested. “Stand back.” He hefted the hammer again, and she scurried out of his way. He suppressed a smile, swinging the mallet around for another heavy blow. Craack. This time the board buckled inward visibly. Another few hits should do it. He pulled back the heavy iron hammer again and hit the same spot with blow after blow. Craack. Craack. Craack. The mallet broke through and a board fell away into splinters, clattering across the stone floor. One down, three more to go. “Why did they seal this cavern up?” Cor’Lea gestured at the natural chamber. “There was a winery here before the Temple. Sister Dor said they used to use it for extra wine storage.” She looked around the natural chamber, which was now filled with wooden shelving holding a variety of bottled food stores. “When Jas ordered the Temple to be constructed, they kept this wide cavern and blocked off the rest of the tunnels.” “Just in case the gully rats got in?” That thief Raven had apparently made his home in one of the underground tunnels. Who knew who else—or what else—lived down there? Cor’Lea snorted. “Maybe.” Are tunnels all connected, somehow? That was one of Silya’s most urgent projects, to map out the network of caverns beneath the city. Another reason she sent me down here—to get me out from under her robes. A few more whacks at the next board served to both break it and let out his frustrations at the situation preventing him from doing his sworn job and keeping them apart. And at what she said was coming. Craack. Craack. Craack. The board snapped in half, and he judged that he’d cleared enough space to step through into the blocked-off tunnel. “Hand me that lantern? Cor’Lea complied, taking the opportunity to brush his hand. He rolled his eyes. I should be flattered. But his heart was already taken. It was times like these he wished his brother Enrick were still alive. He’d know what to do. He’d been absurdly confident about everything, even though he’d been younger than Kerrick. Kerrick wasn’t great with women. He took the lantern and stepped over the bottom board, holding it in front of him. The bright light temporarily blinded him as he sought to get his bearings. “What do you see?” Cor’Lea peered through the hole behind him. His sight adjusted, and the tunnel’s walls came into focus. He whistled. Stacked along the side of the tunnel were hundreds of crates, all strapped together in groups and sealed. “It’s… I don’t know what it is. But I’ll bet Silya will be surprised.” They’d have to find a place to put all this stuff—whatever it was, it was likely rotten after all this time. Silya needed somewhere to store people, not ancient goods. Cor’Lea stepped carefully over the splintered boards to join him. “What do you think’s inside them?” The long row of crates disappeared into the darkness. Who knew what the ancients had considered valuable enough to stash down here. Coin? Lost treasure? “One way to find out. Does the Temple have a crowbar?” Author Bio Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were. He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends. A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, Liminal Fiction, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Author Website: https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworth/ Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworthauthor Author Mastodon: https://mastodon.otherworldsink.com/@jscottcoatsworth Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jscottcoatsworth/ Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8392709.J_Scott_Coatsworth Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/ Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/ Author Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/J.-Scott-Coatsworth/e/B011AFO4OQ
The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ. As much as I've been enjoying snippeting from The Spymaster's Secret—I sometimes forget how much I love that book and Alexander and Marcus's dynamic!—I decided to switch over to The Prince's Consort for March, since this is the month the book was rereleased four years ago. The Prince's Consort was my first published book, which means I look at things sometimes I think that I would've written them differently. But I still love the story and the characters. It's a prince/commoner romance between Amory, whose horrible merchant father basically tries to trade him to the prince for more favorable treatment and business, and Philip, the crown prince of Tournai who absolutely agrees that Amory's father is horrible. He also has some very big secrets. Last week's snippet was Philip's first sight of Amory. This week's snippet follows directly after. Does anyone else feel like February absolutely flew by? I spent it extremely focused on adding words to the second Dragons of Ivria book to meet the JeRoWriMo challenge...and because I really need to finish writing this book, of course! But I still did some reading. Even when I'm busy writing, I need to read as well to get out of my own head and to escape into someone else's world and refill the creative well. Here are some books I enjoyed in February:
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AuthorAntonia is a writer and a reader and a copy editor/proofreader. She loves books, travel, art, photography, baking, pasta, and shoes. Archives
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