The Based Book Sale - on now!

I'm participating in another time - this time its the Based Book Sale which runs from the 3rd - 10th September 2025. 

I have two books in the sale, both priced at only 99p/99c! Grab them while you can - before the price goes back up!

The Narratess Indie Book Sale

For three days only the Narratess Indie book sale will have a feast of Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror books, either on sale or free! One of my books, The Arid Lands, is in the sale, available for only 99p/99c or equivalent depending on which country you are in. So don't miss out. Grab your copy now.

Check out the sale here. There are over 300 books available so you're bound to find something you like. It's time to load up those kindles!

The Epic Indie Sale

For the next seven days Dragons of Dunmoray will be part of the Epic Indie sale. You can grab yourself a copy for only 99c/99p.

So waste no more time - head over to the Epic Indie Website and check out all the amazing fantasy and Science Fiction which is either free or on sale.

Back into the fray

The publishing industry is tough, and since the pandemic it has only got tougher. There was a time when agent submissions were almost guaranteed a reply, if only a form letter, but these day’s you’re lucky to get a reply at all, and that in itself can be so disheartening – it’s like sending your work into a black hole to be swallowed up and never heard from again.

Then if you are lucky enough to get published it’s no guarantee of future success. I’ve now been published twice. Firstly Red Rock with Curious Fox in 2013 and then in 2022 The Sleepers was published by Bloodhound Books.

Yet between these books, and before and after, I’ve never stopped writing. I’ve never stopped sending stuff out. I’ve never stopped receiving rejection after rejection.

So, here I am again. A new novel is complete and winging its way out into the world. I’m back researching agents, looking for publishers with open submission windows, eyeing up competitions that might help me achieve my goal. And maybe, just maybe, this one will be my third time lucky!

Wistman's Wood, Dartmoor

Self Publishing Update (May 2025)

For the past few years, in fact, ever since I received my rights back for Red Rock and dipped my toe into this alternative world, this alternative route for my books, I’ve been working my way through the Science Fiction backlist and self publishing those novels through Amazon under my SF author identity Kate Kelly. 

It’s been an interesting project and the latest, and probably the last of these for a while is Permafrost which comes out officially today. Permafrost is a post apocalyptic SF thriller exploring themes of climate change and geoengineering. It’s a story I’ve very much enjoyed writing, and I’m glad to be sending it out into the world.

So what of self publishing in general? Well I’ve learned a lot. Firstly the actual production of the book is the easy part. Holding the book in your hands, flicking through the pages, looking at the cover you designed – it feels so satisfying.

But creating the book is only part of it. The really tough part, the bit I’m particularly useless at, is marketing. I’ve been experimenting with different things and for me, finding a community has been the most rewarding part. I’ve done this by participating in indie competitions such as SPSFC (Self Published Science Fiction Competition) which introduced me to the indie SF scene and I’ve met some great authors through this. I’ve taken part in group sales and Stuff Your Kindle events, and all these have helped shift a few copies of my books, but I have yet to truly find my readership.

And this is the key thing. Who are my readers? Where do they hang out? How do I make myself known to them?

If I ever manage to find the answers I’ll let you know. But in the meantime do check out Permafrost, and if you enjoy it please leave a review.

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Review: Phallic Obsession by Andrew May

The Book

The title story deals with the bizarre case of a disgraced professor of anthropology, Merrigan Blake, and her museum of sacred phallic iconography collected from all over the world. But there’s another, more sinister side to Dr Blake’s obsession – one that involves a vast conspiracy by an evil race of reptilian humanoids. It’s all in her mind, of course, but that makes it no less dangerous – as naïve student David Gracewell discovers when he’s drawn into her world of crazy paranoia. The collection also contains two other stories on related themes, “The Cult of Zagoth” and “The Masculine Cross”. All three stories deal, at least in part, with the academic study of phallic symbolism, particularly in an occult or pseudo-religious context. But THIS IS NOT EROTIC FICTION. There are no explicit sex scenes, and very little use of “non-academic” sexual terms.

My Thoughts

Andrew is a master of the weird fiction genre and these three tales are no exception. Deliciously wicked and Gothically sinister these three tales will make you shiver. It’s a short book and a quick read, a thoroughly enjoyable foray into the macabre.

Review: Transcendence by Ian Patterson

The Book:

Nicholas, Charon, and Dorothy are separated, and stranded in a cosmos they don’t understand. Behind is a City that would kill them, and the cooling gulf of rage that split them. Their only landmarks now are the distant stars, galaxies, and antique wooden doors that litter the plane. Through each door, the promise of a new world brims with possibility, but all they find are dead ends. A translucent tunnel extends before them and shows their direction. Or does it determine it? Are they in control of their decisions, or is something else guiding them? And who, or what, is the Narrator?

Cosmic in scale and scope, Transcendence follows on from the events of Transference. As Nick and Dorothy search the cosmos for each other, and answers, they find the signs of manipulation by an outside hand. Will they reconnect? And how far are they willing to go to be in charge of their own story?

My Thoughts:

Transcendence is the second book in the Narrator Cycle by Ian. I’ve previously reviewed his first book, Transference on this blog and I’ve been fortunate enough to get my hands on an Advanced Reader Copy of this, the sequel prior to its release in May 2025.

Transference is a hard act to follow and often a second book can fall short but I’m happy to say that in this case that doesn’t apply. Transcendence is sufficiently different to feel fresh. The reader is presented with a whole new galaxy of ideas, and yet the significance of what has already happened isn’t played down. This is a book ambitious in scope and deftly executed. The story is gripping, the characters compelling. Really good quality science fiction like this is quite hard to come by and I genuinely couldn’t put it down. 

I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to give away any spoilers but the ending was really strong.

I absolutely love these books and I know you will too!

Review: The Brookwood Boys by Patrick Larsimont

The Book

Can the dead talk to the living?

Surrey, England, 2019

Tennessee soldier Maurice ‘Mouse’ Forsyth has been watching over Brookwood Cemetery ever since his untimely death in 1917. For over a hundred lonely years, he has become the caretaker of lost souls, welcoming the good as well as the evil, the damaged, the mad and the bad.

But now something strange is happening. For the first time, Mouse seems to be able to communicate with the living. The head gardener’s teenage son, Luke, has seen him.

Overwhelmed, Mouse tries to find a way to communicate with him. But before he can, Luke’s friend Matilda – a sad girl who has often been seen alone in the graveyard – goes missing.

Mouse wants to help Luke, but he has never interfered with the world of the living before.

Leaning on the other spirits in the military cemetery, whose sad past lives are gradually revealed, Mouse is determined to find Matilda.

But the outcome may not be what he was hoping for…

Will Mouse find a way to speak to Luke? Can he help discover what happened to Matilda?

And will the Brookwood ghosts finally find peace?

My Thoughts

A unique and poignant tale. I was immediately drawn to the character of Mouse, and all the other denizens of Brookwood Cemetery. Their stories were both powerful and moving. The historical aspects were skilfully woven into the narrative, all thoroughly researched and fascinating. It is an unusual book, quite different from Patrick’s Josh McNabb stories, but still with the strong thread of Military History throughout. 

I felt that this book was a wonderful testament to all those brave souls who may linger in other military cemeteries, much like Brookwood.

Do give it a read. You won’t be disappointed.

Review: Kara by Peter Beard

The Book: 

An Anonymous Message. A Mysterious Symbol. A Sinister Plot.

Can Kara finally learn the truth? When the time comes, will she want to?

For over ten years Kara was a Hunter – the highly trained individuals with the ability and resources to find people, no-matter where they tried to hide. But after killing her best friend in a tragic accident, her world collapsed in on itself, and Kara spiralled.

Recovering, and keen for a distraction to keep her mind from wandering, Kara turned her attention to something that had intrigued her for as long as she could remember – to the mysterious symbol on her wrist. Determined to learn more, she began a hunt of a different kind – a hunt for answers.

But three years of searching yielded little information, and she began losing hope of ever discovering the truth.

But then, unexpectedly, she receives an anonymous message – a message pointing her to a highly secretive prison on the outskirts of the Kuiper Belt. What she finds changes everything, and leads her down a path that puts her, and the people around her, in danger.

Can she learn the origins around the strange marking, all whilst unravelling a sinister plot that threatens to send a peaceful world back into chaos?

My Thoughts:

A fine bit of space opera. Lots of set action pieces which are well paced and gripping but with a slowly unravelling mystery at its heart. The clues and reveals come in at just the right pace to draw you in.

Kara is a really interesting character and I found her immensely relatable. I also loved her relationships with family and friends which were complex and well drawn, particularly her friendship with Anya.

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable romp through the solar system. I look forward to the sequel.

Dark Mode Stuff Your Kindle

For one day only - the 27th December 2024 - you can grab a whole load of free books from Dark Mode - including Dragons of Dunmoray!

So what are you waiting for? Go now and fill up your kindle with free books!

You can find the full listing of books that are taking part in this event HERE

Review: Woe to the Victor by Nathan H Green

 

The Book:

Earth’s been destroyed, but the fight’s not over! Award-winning writer Nathan H. Green, author of The Galileo, and Treason’s Temple, brings his degree in aerospace engineering to space combat in this action packed, hard science-fiction thriller.

It’s Earth’s last day and Captain Lewis Black drifts though space, watching it burn.

The pilots under his command are dead. The war with the Maaravi is lost. Air hisses into space from around the stump of his severed arm.

In the distance a Maaravi ship approaches. Whether to torture him for information, capture him as a prisoner, or take him as a trophy, he’ll have one last chance to hurt them.

Natasha Palmer, lead engineer on the failed Reaper missile program, knows humanity’s last, desperate, plan won’t work. She’s got one chance to change that, but it will mean a leap of faith beyond all others.

Humanity is vanquished, but some battles bring only woe to the victor.

My Thoughts:

Another Military SF and another finalist in SPSFC3. Again I can see why. This books is pure action but is so well written that I found it compelling. The whole backstory into the alien attackers is fascinating and the futuristic warfare very convincing. But there was a poignancy to it, the tragedy of Earth’s situation, the human cost. 

If you’re a fan of the genre this is one for your list!

I’ve noticed that quite a few excellent Military SF books have been turning up in the SPSFC contests. I wonder if this is because mainstream publishing is steering clear of the military genre. I’m so glad that these authors have chosen to self publish because their books are really very good.

Review: The Scorching: Just Press Play by Nick Snape

The Book:

On an Earth devastated by The Scorching climate event, the Drathken land their giant plantships with the promise of healing the planet. Joshua Nkosi vlogs and jokes his way through an easy life guarding a deep-sea mining operation while watching old vids. That is until, he and his modded octopus partner, Marc, get caught up in a plot to steal radiation rich materials from the seabed, fuelling the terrorists’ plan to destroy a Drathken plantship, and ultimately put an end to the alien/human alliance.

Nkosi and his sarcastic tentacled buddy are forced to enter the Burnout Zone, only to come face to face with humanity’s stark future when the hunt for the terrorist’s lab takes a devastating twist. As conspiracies deepen and the jokes fly, Nkosi and Marc enter a dark journey of discovery—one they decide humanity desperately needs to listen to.

My Thoughts:

This is another quality piece of SF from Nick Snape, set in the same world as ‘The Scorching: The World in My Hands’ which I have reviewed below. That book was a hard act to follow but this one, although quite different, didn’t disappoint. In fact far from it.

There is a lot of action, lots of excitement, and an underlying mystery to be solved. But it is the characterisation that really sets this one apart. Especially Marc!!! Marc had to be my new favourite character ever!

The other thing I loved about this book was the emotional ride it took me on. A good book makes you feel and resonates with you long after you turn the last page, and this book is a little bit heartbreaking, and I love that about it.

Nick is a relatively new author on my radar but I’m so glad I discovered these books. He writes fantasy too and I’ll be exploring some of that next.

Review: Children of the Black by WJ III Long

 

The Book:

As humanity's bloodiest conflict ends, those left behind struggle to carve a path free of its shadow, but old hates die hard. Under the weight of this new future, a former soldier and a young psionic girl fight to scrounge up enough credits to keep their meager lives on track when a figure from the past offers them a way out. All they have to do is find the remains of a once-promising enemy research project, one whose failure still shakes the souls involved to this day.

Success would mean an end to all their problems, but in this universe, few things are as deceptive as an easy gig.

My Thoughts:

One of last year’s finalists in SPSFC3 and reading it I can see why. This is a space opera with a strong military vibe. There’s lots of action as would be expected but what sets this one apart is the humanity of the characters especially the relationship between the main character, Claude and the young blind girl, Vision. This really gives us an insight into the more human side of this former soldier and these characters all really come to life.

This really is an excellent book and one I strongly recommend, especially if you are looking for Military SF that gives you that something extra.

Review: Turn Left at the Mooncrow skeleton by Linda Raedisch

 The Book:

"Welcome to Planet 5372, a uniquely dystopian world where the unlikely heroes include a handful of shambolic university students and their taciturn landlord. Raedisch's layered writing and photographic attention to detail make this slice-of-life archaeological adventure entirely believable." ---Clarissa Simmens, author of Parallel Universe Cafe and Other Poems

For the past two hundred years, the colonists marooned on Planet 5372 have been confined to a volcanic basin the size of New Jersey. Outside the Basin lie the uninhabitable (some say haunted) ruins known as the Outer Cities. Bored with campus life at the colony’s only university, twenty-year-old Numi rents a room from Kelda, an uneducated, thirty-something carpenter whose movements are closely monitored by the “shingles” or neighborhood deputies. Numi doesn’t mind running interference between the reserved Kelda and his rambunctious tenants, but the two can never be more than friends. Numi’s an up-and-coming academic, and Kelda’s a Tyrrhenian, a descendant of the manual laborers who cleared the toxic vegetation from the Basin.

As Halloween approaches, Numi is still summoning the courage to confront Kelda with her suspicion that he’s mixed up in the black market trade in “magical paraphernalia,” mysterious carved objects left behind by the planet’s indigenous, supposedly extinct inhabitants. Time runs out on Mischief Night when Kelda disappears, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

Numi faces a decision. She can report her suspicions to the shingles, or she can follow her landlord to the one place she thought she could never go: the Outer Cities.

My Thoughts:

This book is a fellow contender in SPSFC4 (The Self Published Science Fiction Competition) and it caught my eye because it involves a population of people called Tyrrhenians, which is also the case with my entry into this contest, The Arid Lands.

Needless to say our Tyrrhenians are all very different.

But on to the book.

This is a delightful read, well written with vivid worldbuilding. It’s a slow burn of a book and I very much enjoyed immersing myself into the world the author has created. At its heart is an archaeological mystery through which the history of this planet is gradually revealed, but I also loved the characters that inhabit this world. I found Numi particularly relatable and the undercurrent of simmering attraction between her and Kelda was skillfully done.

All in all a very enjoyable read.

I hope this books goes far in SPSFC4. It deserves to.

Review: The Scorching: The World in My Hands by Nick Snape

The Book

A lonely PA, a rebellious teenager, two ordinary people on a deadly journey to save humanity.

The world is heading towards global collapse as The Scorching takes full effect. Salvation vessels orbit the Earth, waiting to transport the chosen few away from danger and to start again; ten plantships grown by an alien species for the wealthiest and most powerful, or those lucky enough to be selected by lottery. The rest remain behind, their future dependent on the Drathken finding a solution to Earth’s problems.

Jenna, Personal Assistant to a prominent oil mogul, feels privileged to be among the saved, never questioning her good fortune.

While Seth suffers, forced to leave his friends behind as his family takes their place aboard their luxurious ship.

Yet not all is well on board. Dark secrets lurk in the corridors and depths of their respective ships, dragging Jenna and Seth into a world of malice and violence they thought they had left far behind.

My Thoughts

This is quality Science Fiction. It felt like a really quick read but not because it was a short book, more because I found it immensely readable and difficult to put down.

There are some excellent ideas at play here – just what good SF should have. I loved the idea of the plantships taking the colonists towards their new lives and the steadily unfolding realisation of what dark secrets their ships hold.

The story is told from two very different characters, each on a different plantship and although their paths never actually cross their revelations mirror and compliment each other.

It’s a cleverly structured story with great characterisation and sense of place. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

Stuff Your Kindle Day! Dark Mode

Dark Mode have announced this Winter’s Stuff Your Kindle Day. And One of the books that you will be able to grab for free on kindle is Dragons of Dunmoray.

The master list will be revealed on November the 20th! And the books will be free on December 27th. So take this opportunity to stuff your kindle with some amazing books!

Here is the listing for Dragons of Dunmoray.

A new cover for The Arid Lands

 

Review: Fugitive Zero by Jay Ishino

 The book:

On the moon of M3, Eira is a police officer at one of the best departments in the seven galaxies. Only there’s no crime on Mygaria, the planet M3 oversees, and the department has no budget.

Jeysiran lives in what seems like paradise. Mygaria is known for its gorgeous beaches and sparkling pink ocean. But the truth is the ocean is toxic, and Jeysiran’s best friend is dying.

When Jeysiran illegally leaves Mygaria to fulfill a promise, it’s up to Eira to bring her to justice. As Eira gets closer, time is running out for Jeysiran to deliver information that just may hold the key to the future of Mygaria.

My thoughts:

A pacey, fun novella. Short and sweet. A thoroughly enjoyable read. The two main characters, Eira and Jeysiran were engaging and compelling and the toxic oceans of Mygaria and the plight of Jeysiran’s best friend added poignancy and urgency to her quest.

There is a fascinating world being created here and my only criticism is that I felt that this novella was possibly a bit too short and as such the worldbuilding potential was not fully realised. There were quite a few aspects of this society that I feel would have benefitted from more explanation. But this didn’t stop me enjoying this novella. A cracking little story.

Dragons of Dunmoray is published!

 Dragons of Dunmoray is now available on Amazon in both kindle and print formats.

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Review: The Mind Game by MG Harris.

 The Book:

Years have passed since her childhood friend disappeared, but Roni remains consumed by the mystery. Can she uncover what happened to Maxim Santiago?

Podcast fame thrusts 17-year-old Roni into a perilous quest to find her missing friend, who disappeared from Dulles Airport, Washington D.C. She teams up with tech-savvy Kenzie to crack cryptic messages and unearth a dark secret about trafficked kids. Dodging shadowy agents of the ruthless Russian dictator waging a global ‘Mind Game’ on his enemies, they end up in a sweltering Mexican town, a nexus for refugees

They shared childhood memories, but Maxim has changed. He’s older, wiser, perhaps even dangerous. Now he seeks their help to rescue enslaved children guarding a world-shaking secret, but time’s running out. Roni and Kenzie dive into Maxim’s risky mission, testing their friendship amid a struggle for control of a key project that could win the ‘Mind Game.

It's a journey that brings Roni an astonishing self-discovery. Can she trust in herself to help the rescue succeed?

 

My Thoughts:

This is a fast paced action packed teen adventure with a unique concept at its core from the author of bestselling teen series The Joshua Files.

I really enjoyed reading this. It’s a fun romp through some great locations. One of the things this author does so well is bring Mexico to life. The pace never lets up and the pages almost turn themselves.

The story is narrated by teen podcaster Roni and is told in an engaging and chatty style, perhaps to reflect her online persona, yet for some reason that I can’t put my finger on I never really clicked with her. The character of Max by comparison had much more depth and I’m curious to see where his story leads.

This is the first in a new series from this author. I will certainly be looking out to see what comes next.