Fantastical histories for modern feminists
Here it is, the cover for my next book, The Cultist’s Wife! It was designed by the very talented Kelley York at Sleepy Fox Studios. I am thrilled! It really captures the essence of the book, a historical gothic horror set in 1908 Bahamas.
As always, we threw a tea party for my birthday and this year, went a little goth with black skull china and such. So I made a playlist to listen to at the party. Since most of you weren’t at the party, here’s the music. Brew up your fave tea blend and enjoy.
For most of my young life, I HATED my middle name. It seemed so boring. So Plain. It even rhymes with plain. Plain Jane. I mean, yuk, right? That was young me. I appreciate it a bit more now. But back then, Belinda Jane just struck me as a terrible combination. It was my grandad’s idea. Apparently, there were a couple of newspaper comics during WWII that he was fond of. He told me when I was little that he named me after the characters, Belinda and Jane.
Let’s unpack that for just a moment, Grandad. So One: my parents let you name their firstborn? Okay, I guess they were young? And Two: you decided to name me after a couple of comic strip characters? WTH?
It gets better. I finally looked up these comic strips and they were not exactly as described to me by my dearest grandfather. He said they were a couple of cute blonde-haired, blue-eyed girls, just like me. Not that I was particularly blonde but okay…
So here’s Belinda. Uh huh. Cute little blond-haired girl. I can see that my grandad would’ve seen his baby granddaughter here.
But back to the topic of this post, my middle name, Jane. Apparently not everyone thought that Jane was Plain. Here’s the inspiration for my middle name, Jane from the Misadventures of Jane.
Well. Grandad. Weren’t you the lad?
An author friend of mine, the prolific and talented Scott Coatsworth is releasing the third book in his Tharassas Cycle series, The Hencha Queen, a sci-fi fantasy with queer romance elements.
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 Link: https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com/book/the-hencha-queen/
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 99ยข 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.
Sale Details: https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com/the-hencha-queen-pre-release-deals/
BJ Sikes, author 