Just Published: Iron Tears

Posted by on Jul 19, 2020 in Iron Souls, My Books | Comments Off on Just Published: Iron Tears

My novella Iron Tears was originally published as part of the multi-author bundle Caught In Crystal. Since that bundle is no longer available, I’ve just published Iron Tears as a unique title. Cover, blurb, and retailer links below.     After her mother’s tragic death, Kali finds herself alone in the world—until a newspaper article accuses her mother of witchcraft. Now Kali can’t even drown her sorrows at the tavern without attracting the attention of local bullies, as well as an enigmatic stranger who comes to her aid. Perseus has no trouble stopping the bar fight—much to Kali’s annoyance at being denied a good brawl. But when he insists that she is only half human, like him, she decides it is best that they part ways. But avoiding her new acquaintance isn’t as easy as she hoped. Not when she is confronted by the cloaked man Perseus is hunting. When the man recognizes her mother’s filigree-covered tear catcher, Kali sees in him a possible link to the past and answers to her own mysterious ancestry. If Perseus doesn’t kill him first. Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | Apple...

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Character Interview: Perseus

Posted by on Jun 6, 2019 in Fun Stuff, Iron Souls | Comments Off on Character Interview: Perseus

It’s almost release day! Caught in Crystal, the anthology that includes my novella Iron Tears, goes live tomorrow. So I’ve got time to squeeze in one more character interview. As promised, Perseus is next up for the hot seat. Our Scourge warrior doesn’t say a whole lot, though he has warmed up recently. Hopefully, he won’t be too quiet today. Without further ado, I give you Perseus. Becca: Do you have a last name or title I should add? Perseus: No. Perseus is fine. Those who know me don’t require more. Becca: (smiles) It is a unique name and you do seem to have a certain reputation—within the ferromancer race and beyond. But with regard to the name, you’ve admitted you’re immortal and— Perseus: If it’s all the same, I’d rather not go into that. There are those I haven’t been open with and if word got back that I told you… Becca: Um, you can’t be open with me? Perseus: It was my understanding that this conversation would be made public. Becca: Yes, that’s right. Perseus: (nods and settles back in his chair) Becca: (clears throat) Okay. We’ll skirt your distant past, but you have admitted that being immortal has left you hesitant to form close friendships. How is it that you’re working with a partner? Perseus: It just made sense. Our talents compliment each other. Kali and I make a good team. Becca: (waits for elaboration…) Perseus: (lifts eyebrows) Anything else? Becca: Apparently not. (sighs and turns to question list) Kali’s sensitivity seems to surprise you at times. John would like to know if her talent is unique? Perseus: She frequently surprises me. I’ve never worked with someone so sensitive. I only wish she had some training so that she could better understand the things she senses. Becca: That’s right. She grew up outside the ferromancer world—which leads into the next question. A few people were curious about how you and Kali met. It had something to do with her ferromancer father, right? Perseus: That’s correct. I was hunting him and he was hunting her. Becca: And? Perseus: Kali came through in a big way. She impressed me. Becca: Her talent? Perseus:...

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Alternative POV Scene: Zach in Ferromancer

Posted by on Oct 23, 2018 in Fun Stuff, Iron Souls | 2 comments

A few weeks ago, I asked folks over on my Facebook page to suggest an Iron Souls scene they’d like to see from a different point-of-view. Mandy suggested a look through Zach’s eyes during/after being healed in Ferromancer. Intrigued by the idea, I decided to give it a try. Hope you like it! Warning – If you haven’t read Ferromancer, there are spoilers here. … Finding the Words   Zach knelt on the deck beside Grayson, but could only watch as he pulled his knees tighter to his stomach, whimpering in pain. The movement caused the metal spines protruding from his upper back to glint in the sun. The sight was disturbing, but Zach had grown used to it over the course of the night. Unlike the stomach churning split in the skin over Grayson’s shoulder blades, exposing even more metal. The emergence of that metal had been painful enough to wake Grayson from his near comatose state a short while ago. Captain Briar knelt across from Zach, looking as lost as he felt. He wished he could offer some words of encouragement to her, but even if he could speak, he didn’t know what to say. “Miss Briar?” Eli said from above them, his voice soft and uncertain. Grayson cried out and a stream of blood ran from one nostril. Zach gripped his shoulder, feeling helpless with his inability to offer anything but comfort. Still, he knew how important that contact was. After the fire that had taken most of his family, he’d lain for weeks, slipping in and out of consciousness, fighting fever after fever and unimaginable pain. His cousin had sat at his bedside, as helpless as he was now, but she hadn’t left him alone. She had held his hand and talked to him through those long days and even longer nights. That was why, when he saw Grayson writhing in pain and delirium, he had silently vowed to stay with him—even though he couldn’t talk him through it. “Whatever’s happening,” Jimmy said, softly, “I don’t think he’s going to make it.” “Lock?” Briar said. The strange response made Zach look up and he saw that she had pulled a...

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Character Interview: Molly

Posted by on Aug 20, 2018 in Fun Stuff, Iron Souls | 8 comments

A while back, I interviewed several characters from my Final Formula Series (you can find them here: FF fans). Those were so much fun that I wanted to do the same with my Iron Souls Series. I polled folks over on my Facebook page and they selected Perseus and Molly—much to my surprise. I decided to interview Molly first and save Perseus for after the release of Book Four. So be thinking about your questions for Perseus. Corroded: Iron Souls, Book Four releases on August 31, 2018. Let’s get started… Here’s Molly Rose, newest crew member of the Briar Rose, and by all accounts, a wonderful cook. Becca: Thanks for taking time away from the stove to talk with us, Molly. Molly: I honored to be here. (looks around) It’s so much cooler. (her gaze settles on the computer) What is that? Some kind of ferromantic device? Becca: Um, no. Think of it as a typewriter. Molly: (doesn’t look convinced) All right. Becca: (clears throat) Moving on to the interview… Let’s begin with your position on the Briar Rose. It must be a bit of a culture shock to go from what you knew before to your life now. Do you miss your high society parties? Did you have to leave any friends behind? Molly: Parties in Mr. Rose’s household were a source of anxiety for me. Everything had to be perfect. Attending another’s party wasn’t much better. As for friends, I was only permitted those that Mr. Rose judged as acceptable—and they were never the sort I wished to spend time with. Becca: I can imagine. I wouldn’t like Andrew choosing my friends either. (turns back to question list) Janet would like to know if you expect to cook for the foreseeable future and if you really enjoy it? Molly: Those who knew me before seem to have a hard time believing that I enjoy being part of a canal boat crew, but it’s the truth. I’ve made some wonderful new friends and discovered that I enjoy cooking. Becca: Isn’t it a lot of work? You had servants before. I would think— Molly: I’ve never minded work. I’m the sort of person who...

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The Story Behind Iron Souls

Posted by on Feb 25, 2018 in Iron Souls, My Books | 17 comments

From alchemy to magical metallurgy… My new steampunk flavored fantasy is a bit different from the urban fantasy I’ve written before, but those who have given it a chance seem taken with the unusual setting and unique magic system. I’ve had quite a few folks ask about the inspiration behind this story, so I thought a blog post was in order. An Epic Journey On a Slow Moving Boat Back in 2010, I discovered steampunk and decided I’d like to try my hand at writing one—once I finished my Final Formula series. My first consideration was where to set the story. One of the defining features of steampunk is the Victorian setting, but I wasn’t comfortable writing a story set in London. I wanted to keep it closer to home. But what was going on in Ohio during the late 1800s? Then it hit me. What if the story was set on a canal boat? As with my Final Formula story, I was once again taking the familiar and giving it a magical twist. The overgrown bed of Ohio & Erie Canal is just a few miles from my house, and with today’s modern roads still following its path, I travel along it everyday on my way to work or into town. Though it ceased operations after the flood of 1913, there were people alive when I was a child who remembered the boats. The old timers even called the road into town the towpath. But I needed more than a setting, I needed some characters and a conflict. With my story set on a canal boat, I decided to make my main character a boat captain. The conflict would deal with the railroad because the two transportation systems were in competition, and since I was shooting for steampunk, I needed some gadgets and advanced tech, which is where the magic came in. What if I had a race of people who could create a magical alloy that gave them a technology more advanced than the steam power of their day? And what if one of them was working for the railroad? Voilà! Ferromancy was born. But had I written a steampunk story? By definition,...

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