MasterClass Announces Salman Rushdie to Teach Storytelling and Writing [Trailer Included]

Salman Rushdie (Courtesy of MasterClass)

MasterClass announced today that Booker Prize–winning author Salman Rushdie will teach a class on storytelling and writing. Drawing from his celebrated career as a novelist and essayist, Rushdie will help members explore their innate storytelling ability to write and tell the stories they are meant to tell.

"Salman's prose is magical; his storytelling, worldly," said David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass. "In his MasterClass, Salman discusses the seminal works that have influenced him, providing all writers—even those just starting to put pen to paper—lessons in how to harness the power of words."

In his MasterClass, Rushdie will share his storytelling framework, which is equal parts discipline and freedom, from how to build rich and complex story structures to crafting characters, researching and editing, providing a wealth of examples and insights from the global literature that has influenced his work. 

In addition to offering big-picture advice and his seven useful tips to becoming a better reader and writer, Rushdie will offer valuable insights on the psychological aspects of writing, including navigating writer's block, negotiating feedback with editors and more. 

Through intimate stories of the struggle and learnings from Rushdie's early career, members will get an insider's look into his journey, leaving the class inspired by his wisdom and eager to write their own unique stories.

Salman Rushdie (Courtesy of MasterClass)

"I've always been fascinated with the universality of storytelling and how shared human experiences unite us all, no matter where we are in the world," Rushdie said. "In my MasterClass, I hope I can help members transition to the other side of the page and reach new heights creatively with their writing."

Rushdie is an award-winning novelist, essayist, fiction and nonfiction writer known for his humorous and often-surrealist style. Rushdie's work examines themes of movement across cultures, modernity and the influence of world events on individuals' lives. 

His second novel, Midnight's Children, was a commercial and critical success, earning the esteemed Booker Prize in 1981, as well as the "Best of the Booker" prize twice in the years following. In 1983, his third novel, Shame, won the French literary prize Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, cementing Rushdie's place among the literary elite.

Over the course of his career, Rushdie has published 14 novels that have been translated into more than 40 languages. He has been internationally recognized with many of literature's highest honors, and in 2007, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to the literary world. Some of his top accolades include the European Union's Aristeion Prize for Literature, the Premio Grinzane Cavour (Italy), the Writer of the Year Award in Germany, PEN Pinter Prize (U.K.), Golden PEN Award, Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award, and Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Cultural Humanism.

The Trailer:

• Rushdie's class is now available exclusively on MasterClass, where subscribers get unlimited access to all 100+ instructors with an annual membership.

Follow MasterClass:

• Twitter @masterclass
• Instagram @masterclass
• Facebook @masterclassofficial

Follow Salman Rushdie:

• Twitter: @salmanrushdie
• Facebook: @salmanrushdieauthor

SOURCE: MasterClass

[Blog Tour] 'Three Monkeys' (DCI Jack Callum Mysteries Book 1) By Len Maynard #HistoricalFiction

Three Monkeys' (DCI Jack Callum Mysteries Book 1) By Len Maynard - Blog Tour Banner

The Book:

Three Monkeys 
(DCI Jack Callum Mysteries Book 1)
By Len Maynard

• Publication Date: 22nd July 2020
• Publisher: Sharpe Books
  
• Page Length: 270 Pages
• Genre: Historical Crime

The Blurb:

1958.

A girl’s body is found in Hertfordshire.

Her eyes and mouth have been sewn shut. Candle wax has been poured into her ears to seal them.

DCI Jack Callum, policeman and dedicated family man, who cut his teeth walking the beat on the violent streets of London, before moving his family away from the city, to a safer, more restful life in the country, leads the investigation into this gruesome crime that shatters the peace of the sleepy English town.

Images of three monkeys are sent to the police to taunt them: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Something more sinister than a mere isolated murder seems to be going on as more victims come to light.

Who is doing this and why?

At the insistence of the first victim’s father, a local dignitary, officers from Scotland Yard are brought in to bring about a speedy conclusion to the case, side-lining Jack’s own investigation.

In a nail-biting climax, one of Jack’s daughters is snatched. Before she can become the next victim, Jack has to go against the orders of his superiors that have constantly hampered his investigation, and risk his own career in an attempted rescue at the killer’s own home.

• Buy Links: Amazon UK • Amazon US

Three Monkeys - Front cover

Three Monkeys: the first DCI Jack Callum Mystery - Excerpt:

Frances Anderton let herself out of the Blainey house and took a deep lungful of the warm, summer air. She walked down the crazy-paved path, through the gate and out into the tree-lined street. It was early, not yet seven. Hopefully, she would be home before breakfast.

She walked briskly along the street, before turning into Glendale Road, an equally leafy thoroughfare. A milkman trundled by, milk bottles rattling in the crates stacked on his float, but apart from him there didn’t seem to be anybody about. She crossed the road and took the small lane that led to Riverdale Avenue, a few streets away from her parents’ house.

She was regretting the argument she’d had with her father the previous evening that led to her being sent away by her mother to stay with family friends. It was to keep her out of the way of her father’s unpredictable temper – not that he’d ever hit her, but last night he had come very close to it. All because of that stupid dress, her desire to wear it, and his unreasonable demand that she should not.

It wasn’t as if she was a child. She was fourteen, for heaven’s sake. She should be allowed to dress how she liked, not be confined to the gymslips and ankle socks which, if her father had his way, would be all she was ever allowed to wear. She wouldn’t, couldn’t, stay his precious little girl forever. He should let her grow up. Her older sister hadn’t had these problems, she was sure. Fiona was wearing what she chose, going out to parties, mixing with boys, and father didn’t make her life miserable.

Along the road a young man was crouching down beside a gleaming, two-tone blue motor scooter. He appeared to be tinkering with the engine.

“Hello,” the young man said as she walked past. “It’s Frances, isn’t it?”

She was taken aback for a moment. “Yes,” she said, hesitantly. “How do you know who I am?” He was smartly dressed in a fawn jacket and cream slacks. His fair hair was short, neatly parted and combed, and he was very good looking. He was smiling at her, at her. She was not at all confident with boys, remaining very much in her sister’s much more glamorous shadow. Suddenly she was very aware of the wire braces on her teeth, her freckled face, and her unruly shock of ginger hair.

“You’re Fiona Anderton’s sister, aren’t you?”

“Are you a friend of Fiona?” she said.

“Yes, Fiona and I go back a long way. Derek Webster,” he said, and stuck out a hand.

She shook the hand. “Very pleased to meet you,” she said.

“Likewise, I’m sure. What do you think of the scooter?” he said. “I’ve only had it a few weeks.”

“It’s very…smart,” she said.

“It’s more than smart,” he said. “It’s a Phoenix, designed by the great Ernie Barratt, made with an all steel body and a 150cc engine. There’re not many of these around.”

She made a show of admiring the motor scooter, but not really sure what she was supposed to be admiring.

“Would you like a go?” he said.

“I…I don’t know how.”

He laughed. “Not to ride it,” he said. “I’ll take you for a spin, if you like, on the pillion.”

She shook her head. “I’d better not,” she said.

“Don’t you trust me?” he said. “Don’t you think I can ride it properly?”

“No,” she said. “It’s not that. I’m sure you ride very well.”

“Then where’s the harm?”

She glanced down at her Timex Alice in Wonderland wristwatch and felt immediately embarrassed by the childish timepiece. She pulled down the sleeve of her blouse to hide it. “I don’t want to be late for breakfast,” she said.

“You worry too much,” he said. “Your sister doesn’t…” He let the sentence fade away.

“All right then,” she said, rising to the unspoken challenge. “Take me for a ride on your wonderful Phoenix.”

“Well done,” he said. “Just hop on and hold onto my waist. I’ll have you home in time for breakfast.” He straddled the machine and steadied it as she climbed aboard.

Once she had settled behind him on the pillion, and wrapped her arms around his waist, he kick-started the scooter and eased it forward off its stand. Moments later they were heading down the street.

“Not too fast,” she called above the engine’s noise.

“Just relax,” he called back, “and when I lean into a bend, follow my lead and lean the same way.”

Within minutes they had left the leafy streets behind and were heading into a part of town she didn’t recognise. The neat houses with their tidy gardens were replaced by warehouses and factories guarded by yards of chain-link fencing.

“Where are we going?” she called.

“Away from traffic,” he called back. “I want to show you what this beauty can do.” He twisted the accelerator. The engine rose in pitch and she felt herself pushed back by the sudden turn of speed. She held onto his waist even tighter.

The scent of his hair oil was strong, almost overpowering, and she turned her face away from his neck to take a lungful of fresh air.

“I think I’ve had enough now.”

He didn’t answer. They had entered a long straight stretch of road and he increased their speed still further.

“I’d like to go home,” she said, but her words were whipped away on the air buffeting her face.

Still he was ignoring her.

Seconds later they were leaving the chain-link behind and entering more streets with houses.

“I want to go back, now,” she called.

Finally, he acknowledged her. “Yes, of course.” They were slowing down to a more sedate speed. “I just have to make a stop and then I’ll take you straight home.”

“Thank you,” she said with relief.

He steered them along a tree-lined avenue and then took a left turn, into a drive belonging to a large Victorian house that stood alone from its neighbours, surrounded by high privet hedges. He drew up outside the house and switched off the engine.

“I just have a call to make,’ he said, pulling the scooter up on its stand and dismounting.

“Should I come with you?” she said.

“No, you wait here. I’ll only be a moment.”

She watched him as he trotted up the steps to the front door of the house and inserted a key in the lock.

The door swung inwards and he disappeared inside.

She sat there on the pillion of the scooter and looked at her watch again. It had only been twenty minutes since he had offered her a ride, but to her it seemed much longer, and she was starting to wish she had never accepted his offer. She wanted to be at home, enjoying breakfast with her mother and sister, and building bridges with her father. Being a rebel didn’t sit comfortably with her.

She glanced at her watch again and was just about to dismount to see how long he was going to be. She had one foot on the ground when she was grabbed roughly from behind and something, a rag or a pad that smelled sweet and sickly, was clamped tightly over her nose and mouth. She tried to cry out, but whoever had grabbed her was too strong, and she was hauled backwards off the scooter. She flailed her arms and kicked out with her sandaled feet, her foot connecting with the rear end of the scooter, gashing her toe.

She was trying to pull air into her lungs, but the sickly-sweet aroma was all she could smell, and it was making her head spin. Gradually, as several minutes passed, her struggles grew weaker and her strength ebbed away from her. As she was dragged back over the ground her feet kicked weakly, but her arms just hung uselessly at her sides. Consciousness was slipping away, and her eyes started to close, until all she could see was the green blur of the privet hedges, and the crisp blue of the sky above her. And then they closed completely, and she sunk down into darkness.

Len Maynard

Author Bio:

Len Maynard was born in North London in 1953. 

In 1978, a book of short ghost stories, written in collaboration with Michael Sims, was published by London publisher William Kimber. For the following forty years the pair wrote ten more collections of ghost stories before moving into novels in 2006, completing over thirty more books, including the successful Department 18 series of supernatural/crime crossover novels as well as several standalone novels and novellas in the supernatural and crime genres. 

Always a keen reader of crime novels, and with a passion for the social history of the twentieth century it was fairly inevitable that, when he decided to branch out and write under his own name, some kind of combination of these two interests would occur. 

The six DCI Jack Callum Mysteries were the result of several years of total immersion in the world he created for Jack Callum, his family, his friends (and enemies) and his work colleagues. 

He has also written a trilogy of adventure thrillers set in the Bahamas (also available from Sharpe Books) 

He is currently at work on the seventh book in the DCI Jack Callum series

• Connect with Len: Website • Website “The DCI Jack Callum Mysteries” • Twitter • Instagram • Facebook 

'Three Monkeys' - Blog Tour schedule

The Knight Bros. Slay COVID-19 [Video Included]

Wee Beasties - Written and Illustrated by Dr. David Knight, Music by Bradford Knight (The Knight Bros.) - a handwashing book and song for kids

Amid ongoing pressure from COVID-19 to keep kids and communities healthy, The Knight Bros. have created an illustrated children's book and song called Wee Beasties, that uses humor, art and rhyming verse to encourage good handwashing habits for early learners age 2 – 8, releasing November 16, 2020.

Wee Beasties is the first in a series of new illustrated books and songs by two brothers. Author and illustrator, Dr. David Knight, is a professor from Colorado State University who was en route to help lead an international program in Wuhan, China when the coronavirus effectively changed the world and put everyone on lockdown. His brother, Bradford Knight, is a singer-songwriter-musician living in southern California. 

• In an unexpected twist of fate, the brothers found themselves quarantined together for five-months, giving rise to a steady stream of creativity and the launch of The Knight Bros. Their works now include more than two dozen titles.

The Knight Bros. (image via theknightbros.com)

Commenting on Wee Beasties, Colleen Fracisco, a veteran nurse of 25 years' experience, said, "This book and song are great tools for parents and teachers to make handwashing meaningful for children. The book takes a hilarious look at germs and how they need to be washed away. It will help build quality hand hygiene skills that will last!" 

Preschool teacher, Kelly Gross, who has two decades of teaching experience at Los Angeles Unified School District, said, "Wee Beasties is an adorable picture book bound to inspire my preschoolers to wash their hands. The author's peppy and engaging rhyming text, combined with the bright and vibrant illustrations, and a creative song, lead to a fun reading and singing experience."

The Video:

Five more titles from The Knight Bros. collection will be released November 23 and December 12, building on safe, clean themes that both entertain and educate. 

• BONNIE McBOWER is about a girl who has an insatiable showering experience 
• BRUSHING brings attention to oral hygiene 
• SMELLY FEET focuses on cleaning relentlessly stinky feet
• BALLOON and ROLLER COASTER promote safety

Imparting important life lessons in a humorous way is the common thread woven through The Knight Bros. stories. While the primary audience is younger, the big kid in many of us will also enjoy it. 

SOURCE: The Knight Bros.

Related Stories:

• Hip Hop Public Health Completes Trilogy Of COVID-19 Music Video PSAs With Release Of #BehindTheMask [Video & Lyrics Included]
• Korean Pop Music Video "Be The Future" Released to Media and Schools to Urge Youth to Stay Safe During COVID-19 [Video Included]
• Hip Hop Public Health Launches 20 Seconds or More Initiative Harnessing the Power of Music to Encourage Hand Washing and Other Safety Protocols Amongst Young People to Battle the COVID-19 Pandemic
• "Corona Wuhan Na" - New Coronavirus Comedy Song But With A Serious Message [Video And Lyrics Included]

[Blog Tour] 'The Brittle Sea' (The Brittle Saga Trilogy Book 1) By Tom Kane #HistoricalFiction

Blog Tour: 'The Brittle Sea (The Brittle Saga Trilogy Book 1)' By Tom Kane

The Book:

The Brittle Sea

(The Brittle Saga Trilogy Book 1) 
By Tom Kane 

• Publication Date: 19th June 2020 
• Publisher: TigerBites 
• Print Length: 295 pages 
• Genre: Historical Fiction 

The Blurb:

The Titanic disaster is the catalyst that sparks a bloody feud between two families in early 20th century America. 

Magda Asparov is travelling from her home in the Ukraine to be the chosen bride of American businessman Matthew Turner III. But the ill-fated voyage of the unsinkable ship has far reaching consequences for her and her savior. 

Magda has lost her memory and a new personality, Maggie, has taken hold. The Captain of her rescue ship, Richard Blackmore, has fallen for Maggie. 

A mental illness, betrayal, murder, and corruption destroy Blackmore's life until all that remains is for him to seek revenge. 

Buy Links: Amazon (Kindle) • Amazon (Paperback) 

'The Brittle Sea' - front cover

The Brittle Sea – Excerpt :

Copyright © Tom Kane 2020

Magda’s Journey – April 1912

She was born Magda and her name became synonymous with early 20th Century American history. But in ways that nobody understood, Magda will be lost, and Maggie will replace her. But, for now, in this brief fraction of time that is being played out before us, we will call her by her given name, Magda.

In the here and now of her young life, Magda, with almost a girlish inquisitiveness, stole a sneak view of the mighty ship, though in reality all she could see was the side of the immense black hull through the gap between a row of buildings. She stood, looking through the window of the White Star Line’s ticket office, dockside in Southampton. The view between the rows of buildings was small, as was the view of the ship’s funnels, showing just above the same buildings.

“I’m not sure I can do this, Miss, not without proper authority.”

The girl in Magda soon dissolved and her face turned a grim shade of distaste as a small sneer crept up onto her lip. She turned and gave the ticket clerk full vent of her fury.

“I don’t care about what you think,” she shouted, the words echoing about the large but empty office.

The ticket clerk was taken aback and literally stood back at the force of the beautiful young woman’s angry outburst.

Magda didn’t wait for an answer and opened her daytime bag, retrieved her purse, opened it, and pulled out a large five-pound note. Magda slapped the money on the desk between her and the clerk. “This will pay for the changes I want,” she said in a much lower and sweeter tone.

Her anger turned to sweetness so quickly the clerk was confused, but he quickly laid his trembling hand on the large white fiver and slipped the money across the desk and into his pocket. It took a few minutes to issue new tickets, but in the end Miss Magda Asparov became Mrs Magda Turner. In just two days’ time she would be boarding the magnificent new ship on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic to New York, and this name change signified a new start to Magda. No more would she be a common peasant girl in Ukraine. Now she was a woman of substance, a woman with a place in society and a first-class cabin on the most magnificent Ocean-going liner of the day.

As Magda left the office, she breathed in the crisp sea air, ignoring the smell of oil and other unknown smells. She would soon be boarding, and the day felt superb… indeed the day felt the same as the name of the ship, Titanic.

The great day had arrived, and Magda was agog at the sheer mass of people, horses, and carts massing on the quayside. Even automobiles, unheard of where she came from in the Ukraine, a form of transport that didn’t need a horse or ox to pull it. It was something she had only heard tell of and never seen up close, a miracle of the modern world she now found herself immersed in. It was overwhelming.

Many people were forming orderly queues, awaiting their turn to embark. They were in the same situation as Magda, wide eyed and awed by the sight of the mighty ship. At the other end of the scale, and literally at the other end of the great ship, were the rich, the famous and some from Britain’s landed gentry, who were boarding with their families. Their staff and other servants embarked with the riffraff further down the quayside.

When Magda boarded, she followed a steward down the corridors to her cabin, all the time admiring the elegance of the surroundings. Placing Magda’s luggage in the room, the steward stood back, close to the open door, and coughed, once, very discretely. “Will there be anything else, Miss?”

Magda turned and looked the steward in the eyes. “No. You may go.”

The steward looked surprised but said nothing and closed the heavy door behind him as he left.

Magda had no intention of tipping anyone, not because her funds were low, which they were, but because she saw no reason to help anyone along the way if they were doing a job they were paid for. It would be several hours before the great ship was due to set sail, so Magda took the chance to go up onto the promenade deck for a stroll. On the way up she was passed by multiple stewards carrying large cases and more trunks of clothing than Magda had ever seen. The stewards all smiled at her, not quite out of politeness, more out of lust, being young men with mostly hot Irish blood flowing through their veins.

“Can I help you, miss?”

The man’s voice was rich and had a lovely lilt to it. Magda turned to see a handsome young officer, looking concerned. “No, I’m fine, she said. Thank you.”

“I can tell by your accent you’re from the south,” he said with a beaming smile.

“South?” Magda’s brow furrowed.

“Cork, at a guess.”

Suddenly Magda realised he thought she was Irish. “No,” she said with a small laugh, “I’m from a small village in Ukraine.”

“But your accent…”

“It was my father’s wish that I should not sound like a peasant when I was taught English. This really is the first opportunity I have had to test my language skills out. I must say, I am disappointed. I thought my accent was neutral.”

The officer’s smile broadened. “I think it’s a lovely accent, Miss. Now how can I be of service?”

“Can you point me towards the promenade deck, I wish to look over this lovely liner of yours.”

“Of course,” he said, turning. “Just follow me, Miss.”

Magda did as the officer bid and trailed in his footsteps, all the while marvelling at the magnificence of the Titanic. Once the officer had led her to the promenade deck he bowed slightly, raised his hat, and bid her a safe journey. As it turned out, Magda enjoyed her walk and in the coming days would spend as much time as possible on this deck, until in the early hours of one morning, fate took a hand in Magda’s life.

Tom Kane

Author Bio: 

As a child, Tom Kane's family always insisted he was born in the corner of the living room, behind the TV. That strange assertion, true or false, seems to have set the tone for the rest of his life. Kane's mother inspired him to write. Doctor Who and Isaac Asimov inspired his love of science fiction. Monty Python inspired him to be silly and he continues to blame Billy Connolly for his infrequent bursts of bad language In the corner or behind the TV, what is officially known about Tom Kane's birth is that it took place in England many moons ago.

• Connect with Tom: Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram 

'The Brittle Sea' - Blog Tour Schedule

[Blog Tour] Guest Post by Anas Hamshari & Caroline Snodgress Authors of 'Anke: The Beginning' #HistoricalFiction

[Blog Tour] 'Anke: The Beginning' by Anas Hamshari & Caroline Snodgress

Guest Post

By Anas Hamshari and Caroline Snodgress

The seventeenth century was an interesting time for Northern and Western Europe. It is known to some historians as the “General Crisis”—a name that emphasizes the widespread turmoil, conflict, and instability of the period. Even if one considers this name to be an exaggeration, or perhaps an oversimplification, it is impossible to dispute the fact that the century was marked with violence, and contained events which would have a huge impact on the years to come.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the century is that of its situation in a post-Reformation world. Before Luther’s Ninety-five Theses in 1517, there were no Protestant nations in Europe. In fact, there was essentially no Protestantism in existence for the people to follow. However, with Luther’s ideas of justification by faith alone, free will, and the condemnation of papal indulgences, the movement quickly began to spread. In 1525, the Duchy of Prussia was the first to formally adopt this Evangelical or Lutheran faith. Within a few decades, the Catholics were retaliating with the Counter-Reformation, and the religious conflicts of Central Europe were in full swing.

Almost exactly one hundred years after Luther supposedly nailed his Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, the Bohemian Revolt broke out. Though religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants had technically been settled before the end of the sixteenth century, tensions were still high. Eventually, the Protestant Bohemian estates became dissatisfied with the rule of the Catholic Habsburgs, and in 1618 they revolted against Ferdinand II, offering the crown to the Calvinist Frederick of the Palatinate instead. Though Frederick’s rule would not last for very long, this revolt served as a spark for the Thirty Years’ War. And, perhaps equally important, it also got countries in Western Europe involved in the conflict, namely: the Dutch Republic, and Habsburg Spain.

The Dutch Republic had its roots in the Reformation and growing anti-Habsburg sentiment of the mid-sixteenth century as well. The Dutch Revolt, essentially the first part of the Eighty Years’ War or War for Dutch Independence, began when Philip II of Spain came to the throne. He was a much more strict ruler than his father had been, and, before long, some of the nobility began to oppose him. This rebellion, combined with the clashes between Dutch Calvinists and Habsburg Catholics, hunger, and economic troubles, soon led to a full-fledged revolt. The Seventeen Provinces began to fight for their independence from the Holy Roman Empire’s House of Habsburg.

Though the revolt began in 1566, it was not until the Union of Utrecht in 1579 that the northern provinces of the Netherlands were unified—essentially serving as the foundation for the seven United Provinces, or Dutch Republic, which would arise at the end of the century, and be formally recognized by Spain at the beginning of the next. At first, Antwerp, the largest city in the Low Countries, served as the provinces’ capital, but in 1585, it fell once more to the Spanish. The population plummeted—a result of violence, and of Protestants fleeing to the north. The Netherlands was split into the independent north and the Spanish south.

The feud between the Netherlands and Spain, between Protestants and Catholics, and between the people and their Habsburg rulers, however, was not concluded by the end of the sixteenth century. All of this tension erupted within the seventeenth. The Bohemian Revolt in the century’s early years gave way to the Thirty Years’ War, which also incorporated the Eighty Years’ War in the Netherlands, the ongoing Habsburg-Bourbon conflict, and a handful of other interconnected wars across Europe. The entire continent was engulfed in violence, and, at the war’s end in 1648, it was a markedly different land. Within the Habsburg Monarchy, Protestantism was mostly eradicated, but Habsburg power as a whole had declined. The religious wars in Europe had essentially come to an end. Meanwhile, Dutch independence, in the north at least, was officially recognized, and Spain ceded all control to the land.

Seven years after the end of the Thirty Years’ War, we find Anke living in Mechelin, a city just south of the once-powerful Antwerp, in the Spanish Netherlands. While Anke herself is fictional, the dynamics which shape her life are not. Like the real people of the Spanish Netherlands at this time, she lives in a land still ruled by the power of the Habsburgs—or, as they are more likely known to her, the House of Austria—and by the Catholic Church. She was born into the war, fifty-one years after the Fall of Antwerp, and has seen the provinces to the north gain independence while her own lands remain a part of the empire. With the river Scheldt closed to navigation by the Dutch in the north, the population of Antwerp decimated, and the prosperity of the Netherlands gone to Amsterdam, Anke lives a life of relative poverty, and without many possibilities.

However, she is not without hope.

While religious tension was growing in Central Europe, around the world the Age of Discovery was flourishing. From about the beginning of the fifteenth century, to Anke’s lifetime in the mid-seventeenth century, European nations such as Portugal began to venture out across the water and set foot in lands previously unknown to them. The conquest and colonization that followed brought great profit and great prestige to many European nations, while simultaneously bringing destruction to the indigenous populations of places such as the Americas, so-called Ceylon, and Siberia. Opinions on the legacy of colonization still vary to this day, but even disregarding the question of morality, one can see that this Age of Discovery was a period which, for better or worse, changed the world as we know it. Religious conflicts gave way to battles over territory, as colonies changed hands, and new cities sprung up in lands across the Atlantic. When Anke lands in New Amsterdam in the autumn of 1655, there is less than a decade left before it will be taken over by the British. Before long, America will begin thinking about a revolution of its own—perhaps taking some of its inspiration from the Netherlands.

The seventeenth century was, without a doubt, a turbulent and bloody time. But it was also a time of change, of people fighting for their beliefs and making a difference in the world around them. It was a time of exploration, of new nations, and, in Anke’s case, of new beginnings.

'Anke: The Beginning' - eBook front cover

The Book:

Anke: The Beginning

By Anas Hamshari and Caroline Snodgress

• Publication Date: September 16th 2020
• Publisher: Exotic Reads
• Page Length: 111 eBook / 170 paperback
• Genre: Historical Fiction

The Blurb:

Living in the city of Mechelen, just south of once-prosperous Antwerp, in the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War, Anke Verhaegen, an ambitious nineteen-year-old, is determined to make the most of her life.

When her brother Johan suggests crossing the Atlantic to New Netherland, Anke knows this is her destiny. Together, the two set about attempting to secure passage across the sea. Before long, their plans are in motion, and hopes are high. Yet, with vengeful enemies, secrecy, and danger on the high sea waiting to be faced, will Anke really be able to secure a better life for herself?

Buy Links:

• Amazon + other places

Authors Bio:

Anas Hamshari

Anas Hamshari

Anas Hamshari is an established businessman residing in the State of Kuwait, and an author of one personal growth book and two historical fiction novels. Anas has been a lifelong writer and first began creating medieval fiction tales and short stories when he was seven years old. In June 2020, Anas formed Exotic Reads, a historical fiction self-publishing division in one of his main businesses, Exotic Flavor. Exotic Reads will be self-publishing a variety of historical fiction novels in the weeks, months, and years to come.

• Twitter

Caroline Snodgress

Caroline Snodgress

Caroline Snodgress is a first-time author but a long-time writer and ghostwriter. As an Echols Scholar at the University of Virginia, she is planning to double major in English and History, and is thoroughly enjoying taking as many fiction writing classes as she can fit into her schedule. When not in Charlottesville, she lives with her family just outside of Richmond, reading eighteenth- and nineteenth-century literature and watching plenty of period dramas in her spare time.

• Website • Twitter • Instagram • Facebook •

Blog Tour Schedule:

Blog Tour Schedule for Anke: The Beginning'

Sesame Workshop's First-Ever Animated Sesame Street Special 'The Monster at the End of This Story' Launches On HBO Max On October 29

Sesame Workshop's First-Ever Animated Sesame Street Special 'The Monster at the End of This Story' Launches On HBO Max On October 29 (image courtesy of Sesame Workshop)

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind half a century of award-winning children's television, will launch its first-ever animated Sesame Street special "The Monster at the End of This Story" on Thursday, October 29 on HBO Max – and its star, Grover, is begging fans not to watch!

A reimagining of Sesame Street's all-time best-selling picture book "The Monster at the End of This Book," the special follows Grover's reluctant journey to the end of the story, where, based on the title, he believes a monster awaits. 

Drawn in the unmistakable style of the beloved book first published in 1971, the special adds new sequences, songs and surprises, and introduces other familiar Sesame Street characters, including Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and Rosita, to the tale.

"After nearly 50 years, the lesson in 'The Monster at the End of This Book' remains timeless: It's okay to feel afraid, but also important to have courage and keep moving forward in spite of those fears," said Kay Wilson Stallings, Sesame Workshop's Executive Vice President of Creative and Production. "We brought this classic story from page to screen in a way that will feel familiar to longtime fans and exciting and engaging for young viewers. By expanding the original narrative and adding new layers, we share a strong lesson in friendship, showing how Grover learns to manage his fear with the support of his friends."

In celebration of the upcoming special, Sesame Workshop today released a new video of "The Monster at the End of This Book" being read aloud by celebrities Kelsea Ballerini, Sofia Carson, Ciara, Stephen and Ayesha Curry, Josh Groban, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Lil Nas X, Ben Platt, Billy Porter, Maggie Rogers, Jordin Sparks, Hailee Steinfeld, Jason Sudeikis, Jonathan Van Ness, and Olivia Wilde. 

"The Monster at the End of This Story" is the official special of Sesame Street's 51st season, set to launch on HBO Max later this fall.

This special caps off the release of Sesame Workshop's series of "Monster"-themed content, digital activities, and product releases, which to-date have included an interactive "The Monster at the End of Your Story" video on Sesame Street's YouTube page (watch below), a "Monsterize Me!" avatar creator, the release of new editions of "The Monster at the End of This Book," and more. 

• Further details are available here.

About Sesame Workshop:

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, the pioneering television show that has been reaching and teaching children since 1969. Today, Sesame Workshop is an innovative force for change, with a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. We're present in more than 150 countries, serving vulnerable children through a wide range of media, formal education, and philanthropically funded social impact programs, each grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and cultures of the communities we serve. 

For more information, please visit sesameworkshop.org.

SOURCE: Sesame Workshop

Master of Horror Mick Garris Gets New Life in his Book 'These Evil Things We Do' with a Little Help from his Friends

Mick Garris' Those Evil Things We Do book cover

Prolific author/writer/director and horror icon, Mick Garris has released a collection of five spine-tingling tales. From a plastic surgeon with a uniquely disturbing approach to his job to a deranged child genius obsessed with his teacher, These Evil Things We Do: The Mick Garris Collection explores mankind's capacity for limitless evil—and how often that evil hides in plain sight.

For more than three decades the award-winning filmmaker, podcaster, writer and Founder of Nice Guy Productions has been behind countless memorable projects for both the big and small screens including Hocus Pocus, Sleepwalkers, The Fly II, *batteries not included, Riding the Bullet, Psycho IV, Critters 2, Nightmare Cinema, Tales from the Crypt, Amazing Stories, Freddy's Nightmares, The Stand, Masters of Horror and so many more.

He recently received some high praise from many of his legendary friends which had glowing things to say about his book. Those quotes include:

"When he's yearning about the tarnished tinsel underbelly of the town he knows (and clearly loves) the best, Mick Garris writes like a combination of Robert Bloch and James Ellroy, hardboiled noir with a ghostly little prink of the Devil's own pitchfork." -- Stephen King

"Mick's book speaks from a new place. He has found a voice and a vision which is both beguiling and gut-wrenching. Its confrontations with death and its cold methodologies perfectly placed in narratives in which nothing is what it seems, not even our own reflections. You have been an under-valued, under-celebrated literary presence for too long. Surely the time has come for your superb body of work to be seen for the unique achievement that it is. It will happen, of that I am sure." -- Clive Barker

"Mick Garris's well-written stories are all killer and unique and I recommend his collection, These Evil Things We Do, highly and without reservation. Gird your loins and bring a light snack, you'll be here a while, but it'll pass so quickly you'll be crying out for more. I wish there were a dozen more books of his stories, and so will you." -- Joe R. Lansdale

 "Mick Garris's creepy, claustrophobic tales feels like sitting in on a group therapy session with some of L.A.'s most damaged souls, each one whispering their own precisely detailed roadmap to their personal circle of hell right into your horrified ears." -- Grady Hendrix

"This excellent and disturbing collection from one of the singular talents in modern horror storytelling (across many platforms) finds Mick in a uniquely dark and cynical mood, with a pulp gallery of frustrated artists or one stripe or another who meet their doom in any number of macabre ways. Don't read just before bedtime!" -- Joe Dante, director of GREMLINS

Mick Garris

Previously only available in limited print-runs, this collection brings together four of Garris' works for the first time in a single volume, along with a brand new novella, so indulge your own inner monster and come along for these five fearsome tales of human wickedness… just don't be tempted to commit any evil deeds of your own.

• The books are available in paperback and Kindle from Amazon. Signed copies are available from Dark Delicacies (darkdel.com) and Overlook Connection (overlookconnection.com), while supplies last.

SOURCE: Nice Guy Productions

[Blog Tour] Guest Post By M J Porter Author Of The Last King: England: The First Viking Age (The Ninth Century Book 1) #HistoricalFiction

Blog Tour: The Last King: England: The First Viking Age (The Ninth Century Book 1) By M J Porter

Inspiration behind The Last King - the ‘historical’ Coelwulf

By M J Porter

The hero of my story, King Coelwulf, has not been treated kindly by history.

He appears in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (the main narrative source for the period) as a ‘foolish king’s thegn’ and not actually a king at all. His ‘reign’ has been explained as being entirely dependent on Viking overlords who really ruled Mercia, from their ‘base’ at Repton. He was a ‘puppet king,’ a sop to assist the independent Mercians as they struggled to come to terms with their new warlords.

The survival of two charters, carrying Coelwulf’s name, and witnessed by the ealdormen and bishops of Mercia, have not been given the attention they deserve because they suggest a different interpretation to that of King Alfred (the Great) single-handedly defeating the Vikings, and making ‘England.’

So, if we put aside the problems of what Coelwulf did, or didn’t achieve, who might he actually be, and why might he have been named as king?

Coelwulf’s name leads historians of the period to suggest he was a member of a branch of the Mercian royal family whose last ruler was King Coelwulf I, who ruled in Mercia from AD821-823. He succeeded his brother, Coenwulf, who ruled from AD796-821. They were descended from the brother of the mighty seventh-century king, Penda, most famously known for being pagan, warlike and terrorising the Northumbrian kingdom during its ‘Golden Age.’ He was therefore a member of a long-lived ruling dynasty that could trace its descendants all the way back to the early 600’s.

This identification of Coelwulf helps to explain why he was accepted as king following King Burgred’s abdication. He was no foolish king’s thegn. He was a member of a ruling dynasty, who, for one reason or another, were no longer the ruling family in Mercia in the 870’s. (And what was happening in Mercia before the 870’s is just as fascinating as what came after it).

Representation of Ceolwulf II on a damaged 9th century silver halfpenny, found in Buckinghamshire circa 2003, Wikipedia.

The Last King: England: The First Viking Age (The Ninth Century Book 1)  By M J Porter

Publication date: 23rd April 2020
Publisher: Indie

The Blurb:

They sent three hundred warriors to kill one man. It wasn’t enough.

Mercia lies broken but not beaten, her alliance with Wessex in tatters.

Coelwulf, a fierce and bloody warrior, hears whispers that Mercia has been betrayed from his home in the west. He fears no man, especially not the Vikings sent to hunt him down.

To discover the truth of the rumours he hears, Coelwulf must travel to the heart of Mercia, and what he finds there will determine the fate of Mercia, as well as his own.

The Last King: England: The First Viking Age (The Ninth Century Book 1) - Book Cover

Buy Links:

Amazon UK • Amazon US

M J Porter

Author Bio:

I'm an author of fantasy (viking age/dragon themed) and historical fiction (Early English, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest), born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since AD1066. I write A LOT. You've been warned!

The Last King - the 3 books

Connect with M J Porter:

Website • Blog • Twitter

Blue Handle Publishing Announces Graphic Novel Contest for the Neil Baggio Series and Release of Colloquium

Neil Baggio Logo

Following the great response of the first Neil Baggio book, Veritas, a suspense novel by author Charles D'Amico that follows investigator Neil Baggio as he tracks his mentor-turned-famed killer Frank Cappelano from Detroit to Washington D.C., Blue Handle Publishing, LLC has released the second and third installments of the Neil Baggio series. The second installment entitled Ave Maria, is out now. The third installment, Colloquium releases August 1st. 

Follow Neil as he balances interviewing the most notorious inmate at FCI Milan with chasing down a missing girl.

Blue Handle Publishing announces the Neil Baggio Graphic Novel Contest. They will be taking submissions thru November and announcing a winner on 12/31/20. 

• See the website for details and prizes involved. 

Ave Maria Cover

"The Neil Baggio Series is an ever-growing franchise with endless possibilities," quotes one industry expert

"Similar to Veritas and Ave Maria, Colloquium brings thrilling storytelling and edge-of-your-seat suspense from the first page all the way through to the end," said D'Amico. "Whether you're a fan of the first two books or brand new to the Neil Baggio series, Colloquium will take you on a gripping ride that will make the book hard to put down."

Colloquium Cover

Blue Handle Publishing will also release more installments in the Neil Baggio series over the next few months. Requiem, the fourth installment of the series, is set to release on September 1st. Additionally, there will be two spin-off stories from the Neil Baggio universe. One is entitled Frank's Journal — Volume 1, set to release on October 6th, which will tell the story of Veritas from the perspective of the killer. And the other, entitled Fille Perdue, set to part of The Marie Perdita Suspense Series, has a release date of December 10th.

In conjunction with the 3rd Release in the Neil Baggio Series, Blue Handle Publishing announces the next way to experience Neil Baggio. From traditional reading and audio to Graphic Novels. Where will this character and the Neil Baggio Universe take us next?

• In addition to the Neil Baggio series and the spin-off stories from it, Blue Handle Publishing is also currently working with Amazon best-selling author Andrew J Brandt. Blue Handle Publishing is set to publish Brandt's highly-anticipated upcoming thriller, The Unwinding Cable Car, on November 17th.

Neil Baggio Universe

About Blue Handle Publishing

Based in Amarillo, Blue Handle Publishing is a West Texas publishing company founded to build the Panhandle's presence in the literary world. The company follows this by exclusively working with authors local to the West Texas area.

• For more information on Blue Handle Publishing, please visit BlueHandlePublishing.com.

SOURCE: Blue Handle Publishing