HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Sometimes I share my newsletter posts, and this spoof from Halloween, 2022, is one of my favs:

Trick or Treat!

Goons and goblins are trying to sabotage my newsletter. If you see something like TSOHG YLDNEIRFUN ETH REPSAC, or worse, FKGHOIWNF, you’ll know they’ve succeeded in taking over my computer.

The battle is on. Vincent Price has taken up a comedy of terrors, whispering in my sleep, “You’re here because you’re dead, Mr. Silverberry. Oh yes, quite dead. Everybody knows it … except apparently you.” And then the capper, “Print one word in your October Newsletter, and you’ll know what I mean.”

To add spice to his point, the two Lon Chaneys, junior and senior, perform a nightly waltz at the foot of bed while singing old Harry Belafonte songs. It’s their attempt at controlling me with a spell. Won’t work. I adore Belafonte’s “Day-O” and “Limbo Song,” not to mention “Mama Look a Boo Boo,” which just might scare these denizens of the grave back where they belong.

If not, I have the perfect antidote. I’m required to knock said father and son Chaneys off my bed with a volume of It while I sing the “Macarena” wearing nothing but a hat of pineapples and bananas. I’m told on good authority from Bela Lugosi this is more effective than garlic and silver bullets.

The spider may be spinning his web for the unwary fly; I won’t be deterred. I have to make the house safe for when a flock of little masked and costumed phantoms converges at my door on October 31st.

If this reaches your Inbox, you’ll know I succeeded.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

A. R. Silverberry

P.S. If that tickled your funny bone and you don’t want to miss a single newsletter–which includes updates on Book Releases, Giveaways, Contests, Free Books, and more, Go Here!

A. R. Silverberry, Author of CERBERUS, TALES OF MAGIC AND MALICE

A. R. Silverberry, Author of THE TEAR OF TYBALETH


Strange Happenings!

I shared this with my newsletter subscribers. It’s so important, I’m posting it here too:

I’m featured in this news release!

Rare Sighting of Cryptid in California Field

AP* – Claims of the appearance of a unicat in a northern California meadow are generating excitement in the picturesque town of Clearshield. The unicat, a distant cousin of the unicorn, was first spotted frolicking with butterflies in a field next to author A. R. Silverberry’s back yard.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Silverberry said. “He’s a creature right out of your dreams.”

Silverberry ran for his camera, but by the time he returned, the unicat was gone. An author of some renown, he was ready to chalk up the vision to too many martinis and late nights pecking away at his latest fantasy novel.

However, several other appearances of the cryptid convinced him something big was happening. He found tuffs of white fur caught on blades of grass near where the creature was playing. That’s not all he discovered. “All around the area lay a dusting of what I can only describe as stardust,” he recalls.

Knowing something extraordinary was afoot, he collected samples and sent them off to Cambridge University professor, Durslan Myers. A professor emeritus of both physical anthropology and cultural zoology, Dr. Myers was flabbergasted. “Cryptids are animals believed to exist in the wild, such as Bigfoot or Nessie, but are not recognized by science.”

One look at the samples forced Myers to question his assumptions about the validity of eyewitness reports. He ran genomic and spectrographic analysis on the samples. The results were nothing less than astounding. “While sharing characteristics with felis silvestris, this creature has DNA found nowhere else in nature. Even more astonishing, spectrography of the dust Silverberry collected revealed light emitting from inside the substance.”

Encouraged this wasn’t an elaborate hoax, Silverberry set up motion-activated cameras around and inside his home. He caught this remarkable picture of the unicat exploring his living room:

Unicat

Legend has it that if you’re lucky enough to see a unicat, they will endow you with great fortune. For this happy author, the myth may be true. Shortly after his sighting, Silverberry sealed a four-book deal with Simon and Schuster for ET and the Mermaid, A Love Story.

Perhaps we should all leave cream on our doorstep in the hope that this rare creature blesses us with a visit.

International Children’s Book Day

April Foolery aside, this month boasts International Children’s Book Day. I thought I’d share some of my favorite books for kids and teens.

The Girl Who Swam To Atlantis, by Elle Thornton

A heartfelt coming-of-age tale with beautifully drawn characters. A timeless and powerful story. The Audible reading by Lindsey Gast is superb. Ages 12 – up.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

Avi is one of my favorite children’s writers. And this might be my favorite of his books. I reread it recently. It was even better than I remembered. I love how Charlotte stands up to one of the wickedest villains in children’s literature and triumphs. If you haven’t read it, don’t miss this Newberry Honor Book. Ages 12 – up.

Terrific by Jon Agee

Children will relate to the adult main character, who journeys from grumpy and pessimistic to happy and optimistic. Ages 5 – 8.

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

Before The Hunger Games, there was this dark YA sci-fi adventure. A National Book Award winner. Ages 13 – up.

The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein

Silverstein had the rare gift of writing to all ages. This heartwarming fable is no exception. Alongside Where the Sidewalk Ends, it’s a classic.

To celebrate the day, I’m offering a free sample of my fantasy novel, Wyndano’s Cloak, perfect for ages 10 – Up.

A sinister shapeshifter threatens to shatter Jen’s world.

She has once chance to stop them,

With a magical cloak, too dangerous to use …

Purchase Wyndano’s Cloak, on sale now:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Or you can purchase the beautiful limited-edition hardback, only available from me. On my Home Page, look below the scroll for the hardback purchase link, just above the original cover.

What children’s books do you cherish? Shoot me an email. I’ll share everyone’s suggestions next month.

In the News

My YA sci-fi novel, Shadow House, was short-listed for Foreword Indies Book of the Year award. I’m thrilled to be in the running!

Looking for more children’s books for that special angel or the young at heart? You can find free books and samples here:

Free Books for Kids and Young Adults

Free Books for Kids and Young Adults

Wishing you an abundant spring,

A. R. Silverberry

P. S. Don’t want to miss more posts like this one? Sign up for my newsletter here.

*Associated Pretzels


Discover New Books To Fall In Love With!

What are my favorite dystopian science fiction novels? I’ve created a list of five of them, and you can find them here on Shepherd.com!

BTW, if you love to discover new books and authors, Shepherd.com is a fabulous new site devoted to helping readers do just that. You can browse books by topic or author. Or you can discover something unexpected by exploring random book lists.

Want to find more recommendations for Dystopian Fiction? Check out their bookshelf here.

Learn more about Sheperd.com’s story here! The site is growing, with lots of new enhancements coming in 2022, and on. Definitely worth checking out.

Best Dystopian Science Fiction

Discover New Books!


Hot New Release! SHADOW HOUSE

Shadow House, by A. R. Silverberry

By Decree of New Earth’s Supreme Council
All 18-Year-Olds Shall Enter the House …

Buckle up! Shadow House is coming!

What’s all the fuss? Almost ten years in the making, my young adult dystopian science fiction is releasing June 22nd. Here’s the scoop:

Vandalism, arson, assault, jail. Johari Hightower is skating on thin ice. One more rap means Elimination. He’s tried to go straight. But after he’s falsely accused of stealing an antigrav sports car, he’s hauled before New Earth’s Supreme Council and found guilty.

His only hope is the House, a rite shrouded in secrecy. No one says what happens inside. And those who don’t make it out are never seen again.

But what do you do if the girl you love is inside? What do you if she’s cozy with the guy who set you up?

What do you do if you’re running for your life …

Buzz is building. Shadow House won three 2020 Royal Palm Literary Awards for unpublished fiction:

Gold Medal, Young Adult/New Adult Fiction

Gold Medal, Science Fiction

First runner-up for grand prize, Unpublished Book of the Year

These early comments send me to the moon:

“A true page-turner.”

“Totally captivating.”

“Action scenes, moments of human kindness, peer interactions, and a dystopian Big Brother putting youngsters through a deadly test, this story has everything.”

If you’d like a copy, delivered the moment Shadow House releases, you can preorder it here:

Amazon US

Amazon everywhere else

Happy Reading!

A. R. Silverberry

P. S. Hang on, Shadow House is book one of The Shadow House Chronicles. More on the way!

P.S.S.

Shadow House genre: Young Adult Dystopian Science Fiction Adventure.

 

 


FKBT Features The Tear of Tybaleth!

The Tear of Tybaleth, Fantasy Novel by A. R. Silverberry

The Tear of Tybaleth, Fantasy Novel by A. R. Silverberry

The Tear of Tybaleth Featured on FKBT!

FKBT features The Tear of Tybaleth.

FKBT (Free Kindle Books and Tips) featured my latest fantasy novel, The Tear of Tybaleth, today under New Releases On Kindle! I couldn’t be more thrilled with the presentation of the book or the results. I had a huge uptick in sales!

About FKBT.

FKBT is an interactive blog providing Kindle tips (I could really use those, as I don’t get much past the basics!) author interviews, special and discounted Kindle book deals, and much more. FKBT is an awesome service for both readers and authors. Readers become of aware of fabulous books they might not hear about otherwise. Authors have an opportunity to feature their book deals and find a larger audience. With 150K email subscribers, authors can reach new readers. Of course, that number can vary by genre. But still! And check this out: more than 600,000+ people read the blog using their free reader app for Kindle Fire or Android devices, like phones and tablets.

I’m most appreciative of FKBT’s Michael Gallagher for letting The Tear of Tybaleth slide past his requirements, as he usually does not feature books that are not the first in a series. I get the logic. His readers can be upset to purchase a book, only to discover that they’re entering a story midstream. But Tear, though part of a series, may be read as a standalone novel. I truly appreciate that Michael responded to my message apprising him of that fact.

FKBT is a blog well worth following. Be sure to Like and Follow them Facebook and Twitter!

About The Tear of Tybaleth.

An idea started percolating in the back of my mind: what was happening in Purpura before events in the my first novel, Wyndano’s Cloak? I had some things to go on.

1. There was a pretty bad actor in Naryfel, the queen of Purpura. In fact, they don’t come any worse. She was spiteful, vengeful, relentless, and if that’s not bad enough, she commanded a hefty arsenal of sorcery.

2. There was a resistance, striving against her.

3. There were some determined characters pitted against her. I began to wonder what they had been up to before Jenren took up Wyndano’s Cloak.

And so the Chronicles of Purpura was born, tales of brave fighters striving against a dangerous adversary. While the stories are interconnected, with overlapping characters, they may be read as standalones.

The Tear of Tybaleth is a fantasy adventure, but with strong romantic elements, and the audience is adults and teens. The story begins twenty-six years before the start of Wyndano’s Cloak.

BTW, a third volume in the series, a pirate story, is in the works, carrying on the tale of Briar, Tear’s heroine.

You can learn more about Wyndano’s Cloak here, here, and here. You can learn more about me here. The Tear of Tybaleth can be purchased on Amazon, and it’s on sale now!

Happy Reading!

A. R. Silverberry


Goodreads Giveaway!

The Tear of Tybaleth, Fantasy Novel by A. R. Silverberry

The Tear of Tybaleth, Fantasy Novel

Goodreads Giveaway!

I’m giving away 100 books!

I’m giving away 100 copies of my latest fantasy, The Tear of Tybaleth, in a Goodreads Giveaway! The reviews of the book are thrilling!

“Don’t make plans to do much else because you won’t want to put it down! A great romp of a tale.”

“A world that rings true to the human spirit and its timeless need for love, adventure, and magic.”

Click the link below to enter the Giveaway—but hurry, it ends three days.

Enter Goodreads Giveaway Here!

Good luck, and I hope you win!

A. R. Silverberry

P.S. The Tear of Tybaleth is entered in the Amazon UK Storyteller 2021 Contest. You can help bring the book to the judges’ notice by recommending it to others, posting reviews, and Liking and Sharing the book trailer.

Okay, back to writing Tear’s sequel.

Learn more about The Tear of Tybaleth here.


The Tear of Tybaleth, New Release!

The Tear of Tybaleth, Fantasy Novel by A. R. Silverberry

The Tear of Tybaleth, Fantasy Novel by A. R. Silverberry

Thrilling New Fantasy!

I’ve just released my latest fantasy, The Tear of Tybaleth, Chronicles of Purpura Book #2. Here’s what it’s about:

A bold heroine … A ruthless queen …

Only one can triumph …

Lonely and trapped in her father’s loveless house, Briar longs to flee as far away as she can with Vance,

Who taught her swordplay,
Who left her breathless,
Who vanished without a trace.

But the queen of Purpura plots to sell her off to the highest bidder. When Briar thwarts the plan, she’s cast to a fate from which she may never survive.

She’d better.

Or thousands of her countrymen will die.

THE TEAR OF TYBALETH is an unforgettable adventure in a world where demons may be conjured and one courageous heroine battles the odds with a keen blade.

More about the novel below, but first, check out killer book trailer!

The Tear of Tybaleth Book Trailer

This fantasy novel may be enjoyed as a standalone or as part of the series.

Genre: Fantasy Adventure with strong romantic elements

Age Range: Teen through adult

On sale now, $.99 on Amazon!

Free for Kindle Unlimited!

Help spread the word! The Tear of Tybaleth is in Amazon’s #StorytellerUK2021, a reader driven contest where sales, Kindle Unlimited pages read, and reviews drive the book to the shortlist. Tweets, Likes, and Shares of the book trailer, and the following posts appreciated.

Tweet

Facebook

Author Bio Here


Fantasy and Science Fiction Giveaway!

CERBERUS, TALES OF MAGIC AND MALICE, by A. R. Silverberry

CERBERUS, TALES OF MAGIC AND MALICE, by A. R. Silverberry

Fantasy And Science Fiction

Giveaway!

Searching for your next out of this world adventure? Look no further! I’ve teamed up with some awesome authors in a Fantasy and Science Fiction giveaway! With over a hundred books, there is sure to be plenty that you’ll enjoy. Here’s the best part: all books are free! Including my collection of short and flash fiction fantasy stories, Cerberus, Tales of Magic and Malice.

The group of authors participating includes both traditional and indie published. So if you’re looking to discover a new writer or story to fall in love with, head on over to the Giveaway. But hurry, offer ends May 16.

Click below to see all the science fiction and fantasy books being offered and start downloading!

Free Science Fiction and Fantasy Giveaway!

You can learn more about my short story collection here:

About Cerberus, Tales of Magic and Malice

By the way, folks that sign up for my newsletter get a free reading guide to the story collection.

Hope to see you all at the Giveaway.

Happy Reading!

A. R. Silverberry


Upcoming in Tales of the Mystics!

Traitor: Tales of the Mystics, Book Two, by Laurie Lucking

Traitor: Tales of the Mystics, Book Two, by Laurie Lucking

Upcoming in Tales of the Mystics!

Author Laurie Lucking stops by today to share about her latest release, Traitor: Tales of the Mystics, Book Two. Plus she’s letting us in about what’s coming up in this young adult fantasy series. Learn more about Traitor below. But first, let Laurie set the stage. And check out her Facebook launch party at the link below!

What’s Coming Next in the Tales of the Mystics

Thank you so much for inviting me to stop by today! I’m thrilled to wrap up the Traitor Blog Tour with a look at what’s coming next in my Tales of the Mystics series! But before I look ahead, I’ll give a quick overview of the series so far for anyone who hasn’t had a chance to read it yet!

Common, Book One, features a quiet maid who ends up on an adventure to save her best friend (who happens to be the prince) from a disastrous engagement and her kingdom from an overthrow involving a dark sorcerer. Along the way, she encounters a group of mystics—women who have devoted themselves so completely to God (or the Luminate, as He’s called in my fantasy world), that they can channel His power.

Traitor, Book Two, centers on Princess Penelope—the fiancée in that disastrous engagement the prince needed to be saved from. To give her an opportunity for a fresh start after the events of Common, her father arranges a new betrothal for her, this time in a distant country across the sea. While seeking to redeem herself from her past mistakes, she makes plenty of new ones and ends up embroiled in another plot involving dark magic. Meanwhile, back at home, her little brother, Prince Dominick, is being spoiled rotten (that’s a relevant detail, I promise!).

Now, onto the future of the Tales of the Mystics! With the publication of Traitor, I’m both excited and a little sad to say that the series is halfway complete! Up next will be Scarred, a Beauty and the Beast-inspired story following Sister Clarice, one of the mystics in Common. Sister Clarice was haunted by visions of fire, and those visions come to fruition when she rescues a little girl from her burning home. In Scarred, that girl has grown to be a teenager and attends a ball where Prince Dominick, now an arrogant young man, humiliates her due to the scarring on her face. But he’s forced to give her a closer look when she later finds him cursed and on the run and is the only person available to help.

I’d originally planned for Scarred to be Book Two in the series, so it was an obvious choice as Book Three when my editor suggested I first write Princess Penelope’s story. But I wasn’t sure where to go beyond that. I’d planted a hint at another potential story in Common, but as I struggled to outline my initial idea for that book, it became clear it wouldn’t work for my storyworld. And the danger of a series of companion novels is they could go on indefinitely, adding one side character’s story and then another without ever coming to a satisfying conclusion.

Fortunately, I brainstormed a different story springing from that hint in Common, and soon everything fell into place! Book Four will have ties to each of the other books in the series and will even take readers back to the remote mountain retreat where the mystics were originally introduced in Common. Plus, we’re planning to call it Mystic, which will make for a nice pattern of adjective and noun titles—yep, I’m that much of a grammar nerd! 🙂 If I can pull it off, this finale will have the most epic battle scene yet and end the series with a powerful theme about following God’s path wherever it leads. Now I just need to write it!

I so appreciate you taking the time to stop by and learn about my series! I can’t wait to share each of these books with my readers, and I hope you enjoy every character’s journey along the way!

Traitor Synopsis:

Princess Penelope has finally found a way to redeem her past mistakes—if only it didn’t require betraying her new fiancé.

Princess Penelope has been the object of gossip and ridicule ever since she returned home in disgrace following her failed engagement to the Crown Prince of Imperia. When her father offers a new start in a country far across the sea, she has no choice but to accept.

Even if it means another betrothal, this time to a total stranger.

Penelope arrives in Delunia determined to avoid bringing further shame upon her family. But her devoted, caring fiancé makes it harder to guard her heart than she anticipated, and rumors of dark magic haunt her with memories she’d rather keep buried far beneath her pristine exterior.

When a poverty-stricken village outside the palace gates looks to her as their hope for a brighter future, Penelope embraces the opportunity to make amends for her transgressions. But in order to help, she must manipulate her new fiancé, putting her reputation on the line once more. And her heart.

Can Penelope rise above the failures of her past, or will she forever be branded a traitor?

Links!

Purchase Traitor here!

Facebook Launch Party, Click Here (Thursday, April 29th, 8-10 PM EST):

About Laura Lucking:

Laurie Lucking loves hoarding books, singing at the top of her lungs, playing games that don’t involve too much strategy, and spending time with her husband and three energetic kids. A recovering attorney, she now spends her days as a stay-at-home mom and has discovered writing young adult romantic fantasy is way more fun than drafting contracts. Her fairy tale–inspired stories combine the excitement of discovering new worlds with the

Follow Laura Lucking:

Website: www.laurielucking.com

Blog: www.landsuncharted.com

Amazon Author: www.amazon.com/Laurie-Lucking/e/B0796DGHX8

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/laurielucking

Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurielucking

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LaurieLucking

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/luckinglaurie

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurieLucking

FB Reader’s Group: www.facebook.com/groups/faithandfairytales

Laurie Lucking, Author of Traitor, Tales of the Mystics

Laurie Lucking, Author of Traitor, Tales of the Mystics


Love and Memory Blog Tour Stop!

Love and Memory, The Rizkaland Legends #3

Love and Memory
The Rizkaland Legends #3

Love and Memory Blog Tour!

Author Kendra E. Ardnek stops by today to share about her latest release, Love and Memory, The Rizkaland Legends Book Three!

About Love and Memory:

When a Queen forgets,

Her enemies rejoice in her weakness.

But when the Queen remembers,

They tremble in fear.

When a King loves,

His country rejoices with him.

But when that love is broken.

The land is broken, too.

Can Water and Fire join again?

Can Love and Memory be restored?

 

They spent years in Rizkaland. They ruled the land, forged friendships, built families, and made it their home. But then it was time to return to Earth, and their former lives just don’t fit anymore. Clara and Andrew struggle to reevaluate their priorities when hundreds of miles separate them. Reuben and Petra are lost as they seek a balance between their old friendship and their Rizkan marriage. And Ashna and Noraeto never planned to return, so what life is there for them on Earth?

When the unthinkable happens and a new enemy arises, they’re all thrown back into Rizkaland, into a young prince’s rise to power and struggle to build alliances for his kingdom. But they no longer belong in their other world, either.

Are good memories too much to bear?

Character Interview

You’re a Fire Prince. How did that come about?

I was minding my own business, living my own life, when suddenly I was in another world, no one could hear my real name, were calling me the Fire Prince instead, and telling me that I was supposed to be their king. So, a very strange day, took a bit to adjust to, especially when I then found out about the Lady Dragon, but I did, eventually adjust.

What were your thoughts and feelings when you first met your wife?

Terror, mostly? Clara’s a very good swordsman, and I first met her on the wrong end of her sword, and she wasn’t happy when she realized that I was the guy she was supposed to marry. Like, it wasn’t anything personal about me, but she just wasn’t happy about what was essentially an arranged marriage.

After being in Rizkaland, what was it like to return to our world and resume “normal.”

Just as hard as I always knew it’d be, perhaps harder. I’m not the boy I used to be.

You have children in Rizkaland. What was it like to leave them behind?

One of the hardest things I’ve done.

My deepest sympathy about the tragic loss of your mother. How did that shape the person you’ve become?

It practically defined me. Since my dad’s an actual absent-minded professor and I’m the oldest, I became the primary caretaker of my younger brothers.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

The fact that I’m once again stuck in my sixteen-year-old body? I was a man, and now … well, I’m beginning to realize why Clara wasn’t really impressed with me when we first met.

Does your fire power ever conflict with your wife’s water power?

Not really. Actually, in Rizkaland, water and fire can combine. Weirdest stuff, and we’ve only done it once, but it’s great for banishing dragons.

Good to know! What’s ahead for you?

I need to figure that out. Younger me wasn’t really concerned with the future – beyond making sure my brothers survived childhood – and now I’m realizing that I need to start looking forward. I’m thinking about becoming a chef, but … it’s a lot to think about.

Links!

Purchase on Amazon!

Add Book on Goodreads

Meet Kendra E. Ardnek!

Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales. She lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her dragon babies and massive herd of mini-giraffes, and she is still waiting for one of her fifty nutcrackers to come to life and marry her. When not writing, you can usually find her sitting in a random box, and she’s frequently known to act before she thinks.

Follow Kendra E. Ardnek!

Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || YouTube || Newsletter || Instagram || TikTok || Discord || Amazon 

Kendra E. Ardnek, author of Love and Memory The Rizkaland Legends

Kendra E. Ardnek, author of Love and Memory
The Rizkaland Legends