Tag: Shadow Spark Publishing

A #WyrdAndWonder Wednesday Book Review | “The Living Waters” (Book One: Weirdwater Confluence series) by Dan Fitzgerald

Posted Wednesday, 21 September, 2022 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

#WyrdAndWonderWednesday graphic made by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: Originally, I received this novel “The Living Waters” via a blog tour hosted by Storytellers on Tour which is now a closed blog touring company as they left our bookish community at the conclusion of 2021. This author and duology was my last chance to host for them and it was a pleasure of joy discovering stories, authors and worlds within their catalogue of blog tours. Let me share a bit of the backstory about how I found them and when they entered my bookish life:

During my 3rd Year of co-hosting @WyrdAndWonder, I was able to participate on my first blog tour with Storytellers on Tour which was featuring the author Brianna Sugalski on her “Disenchanted” blog tour. What I appreciated about Storytellers on Tour was their dedication to Indie Authors of Speculative Literature (whether they were independently published, self-published or sought hybrid publishing options) and their ability to have found authors who were telling stories in Fantasy which intrigued me to read. Fantasy has been a challenging genre for me to explore even a bit moreso than Science Fiction – which was why I felt blessed to be on their blogger team. Whilst some of their tours I sought out a book to consider for review, I actively enjoyed hosting creative content using book photography and/or featuring their authors in conversation (ie. interviews) or giving them the breadth of joy to write a guest post based on a topic of my choosing. Overall, Storytellers on Tour were dedicated to creating community and for championing those of us who are choosing to share our readerly lives each day we bring content to our book blogs. 

Thereby, I received a complimentary copy of “The Living Waters” direct from the author Dan Fitzgerald in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Please note: this is an extended review and discussion about the first half of the duology for the Weirdwater Confluence series which originally began on “The Living Waters” blog tour in November and December, 2021.

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Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

You won’t be surprised I’ve decided to join my first #SelfPubFanMonth this September, if you’ve been following along with my #WWWWeds posts! As I’ve announced my participation this past week. As I am re-approaching how I read and blog this Autumn, you’ll see that I’m taking the lighter load approach each week – whilst being mindful that if I cannot get to all the stories I want to be reading, just making progress into the stories is my new normal right now.

However, I need to clarify that this particular duology and release by Mr Fitzgerald is NOT a work of self-publication. Usually, I am the one to verify those kinds of details and this particular week, I thought I had double-checked myself before I wrote my #WWWeds post — however, to err is human as the saying goes and I’ve already amended my #WWWeds post to reflect the error as well as apologising to the author directly for mentioning this was self-published when in effect it wasn’t – as it was published via Shadow Spark Publishing.

I can announce other works which will be published by Fitzgerald will be self-published which made me feel a bit better as I moved into re-reading this story during #SelfPubFanMonth as you could consider this highlighting of what is coming next from him as a writer and as a published author.

I knew I wanted to re-connect to “The Living Waters” and this month felt like the right timing to do that as it is a duology which I first learnt about whilst hosting for Storytellers on Tour. I’ve been celebrating Indies & Self-Published authors since I first started book blogging in [2013] as nearly all my most beloved reads in #SpecFic are from those two categories of writers. Continuing to find new ways to send out a signal flare of joy on their behalf is something I am always happy to root out! Thereby, as I try to read as much as I can during #WyrdAndWonder (annually in May) and by extension during #SpooktasticReads (annually in October) — it is now with a bit of joy to finally join the community of Self Pub Fantasy Month which will be seen in other posts which populate onto my blog this September. And, no, I haven’t forgotten about #Mythothon and hope to bring some Mythological stories into my readerly queue as well.

After making my faux pas in claiming this duology was self-published, I decided to feature it during a showcasing of reviews during a newly designated heading of #WyrdAndWonder Wednesday wherein I will be sharing fantastical reads betwixt and between @WyrdAndWonder. It will give me a chance to read more Fantasy each year and during the months I find myself particularly drawn into a story of Fantasy outside of the month of May, I can celebrate finding it whilst helping new Fantasy nerds to find out about the event! Let’s all continue to #EnterTheFantastic, together.

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Before I share my fuller ruminations – these were the thoughts I had whilst I concluded my previewing of the novel during the original blog tour in (2021):

It will be interesting to see what becomes of their time together – what they discover about themselves as individuals but also what personal growth is meant to be undertaken as well. I had a feeling that despite the fact they were both put together on this journey, they each had a different path to follow afterwards or at least, perhaps they both had a different destiny to put it that way instead!? I wasn’t entirely convinced they were meant to be together in the traditional sense because I felt this was one journey which would encourage self-awakening discoveries. And, of course the artwork eludes to another conclusion altogether, too!

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A #WyrdAndWonder Wednesday Book Review | “The Living Waters” (Book One: Weirdwater Confluence series) by Dan FitzgeraldThe Living Waters
Subtitle: Weirdwater Confluence : Book 1
by Dan Fitzgerald
Source: Author via Storytellers on Tour

When two painted-faced nobles take a guided raft trip on a muddy river, they expect to rough it for a few weeks before returning to their life of sheltered ease. But when mysterious swirls start appearing in the water, even their seasoned guides get rattled.

The mystery of the swirls lures them on to seek the mythical wetlands known as the Living Waters. They discover a world beyond their imagining, but stranger still are the worlds they find inside their own minds as they are drawn deep into the troubles of this hidden place.
 
The Living Waters is a sword-free fantasy novel featuring an ethereal love story, meditation magic, and an ancient book with cryptic marginalia.

Genres: Fantasy Fiction, Portal Fantasy, Fantasy Romance



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 979-8493260940

Also by this author: The Living Waters (#25PagePreview)

Published by Shadow Spark Publishing

on 9th October, 2021

Format: Paperback Edition

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

The Weirdwater Confluence series:

Artwork from The Living Waters novel by Dan Fitzgerald featuring Gilea and Temi. Provided by Storytellers on Tour and is used with permission of the author Dan Fitzgerald.
Artwork from The Living Waters novel by Dan Fitzgerald
featuring Gilea and Temi.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

a duology featuring:

The Living Waters by Dan FitzgeraldThe Isle of a Thousand Worlds by Dan Fitzgerald

The Living Waters (Book One)

& The Isle of a Thousand Worlds (Book Two)

An aging alchemist seeks the key to the Universal Tincture said to unlock the Thousand Worlds of the mind, but she never expected to solve the riddle of her hermetic heart.

A meditation acolyte travels the mystical social media known as the Caravan and finds that the Thousand Worlds lie just below the surface, if she can only learn to see the space between the stars.

This steamy romantic fantasy explores the confluence of the physical and the metaphysical through the commingling of bodies and minds.

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NOTE: It is independent from the Maer Cycle trilogy, but there are a few points of contact, and both are part of a planned larger universe called the Copper Circle, which will include a trilogy called the Time Before, set 2,000 years before the Maer Cycle. Found this sidenote about the duology from the author’s website and felt it was relevant to share in case others are keen on reading serial fiction with the foreknowledge of how different duologies, trilogies and universes in an author’s collective works interconnect.

Published by: Shadow Spark Publishing (@ShadowSparkPub)

Converse via: #Fantasy, #SpeculativeFiction and #FantasyRomance
as well as #WeirdWaterConfluence & #EnterTheFantastic as #JorieReads

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

About Dan Fitzgerald

Dan Fitzgerald

Dan Fitzgerald is the fantasy author of the Maer Cycle trilogy (character-driven low-magic fantasy) and the upcoming Weirdwater Confluence duology (sword-free fantasy with unusual love stories). The Living Waters comes out October 15, 2021 and The Isle of a Thousand Worlds arrives January 15, 2022, both from Shadow Spark Publishing.

He lives in Washington, DC with his wife, twin boys, and two cats. When not writing he might be found doing yoga, gardening, cooking, or listening to French music.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • #EnterTheFantastic
  • #WyrdAndWonder Wednesday
  • 2022 Backlogue Reviews
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Posted Wednesday, 21 September, 2022 by jorielov in Aquaculture, Book Review (non-blog tour), Content Note, Eco-Fantasy, Ecology, Environmental Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Fly in the Ointment, Indie Author, Portal Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Storytellers on Tour, Vulgarity in Literature

An Indie Fantasy #25PagePreview | “The Living Waters” (Book One: Weirdwater Confluence series) by Dan Fitzgerald

Posted Wednesday, 1 December, 2021 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Stories in the Spotlight banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: During my 3rd Year of co-hosting @WyrdAndWonder, I was able to participate on my first blog tour with Storytellers on Tour which was featuring the author Brianna Sugalski on her “Disenchanted” blog tour. What I appreciated about Storytellers on Tour is their dedication to Indie Authors of Speculative Literature and their ability to find authors who are telling stories in Fantasy which intrigue me to read. Fantasy has been a challenging genre for me to explore even a bit moreso than Science Fiction – which is why I feel blessed to be on their blogger team. Whilst some of their tours I might seek out a book to consider for review, I also actively enjoy hosting creative content using book photography and/or featuring their authors in conversation (ie. interviews) or giving them the breadth of joy to write a guest post based on a topic of my choosing. Overall, Storytellers on Tour are dedicated to creating community and for championing those of us who are choosing to share our readerly lives each day we bring content to our book blogs. 

I received a complimentary copy of “The Living Waters” direct from the author Dan Fitzgerald in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

I admit, today is a bit of a somber day for me to be hosting for Storytellers on Tour – as this lovely touring company I’ve been hosting for the past few years now is closing its doors by the end of 2021. I won’t be able to host for them moving forward into 2022 and that is quite a sad reality for me – as I have truly loved being a Roadie (part of their book blogging team) all the years I’ve hosted for them and have come to appreciate the authors, stories and series they’ve hand-selected to feature within the Speculative realms of Indie Publishing.

For those who follow me throughout the years, you’ll already note I love focusing on Indie Fantasy storytellers myself every #WyrdAndWonder (annually in May; follow us socially on Twitter via @WyrdAndWonder) – which I briefly mention at the end of this post. The reason I love Indie Speculative Fiction is because the writers of those stories are happily giving me wicked good stories to ruminate over and enticingly intriguing worlds to explore.

This year I’ve tried to juggle working full-time (now with two jobs since the end of October) and maintaining my blogging and online life. I recognise that I’ve not quite struck the proper balance between the two but I’ve tried to keep surfacing on my blog and social channels – despite the fact I completely missed #SpooktasticReads and #SciFiMonth this year – hopefully, by the time next October and November come round in 2022, I’ll have more to share with everyone! I’ll be sharing a bit more about this during my next #TheSundayPost but for those followers and readers of Jorie Loves A Story who’ve wondered about the reduction in my presence online, it is due to limited days off and a heavier work load now that I’m balancing two jobs full-time as well as the fact my Mum has been having some health issues recently herself.

I am just thankful I could join one of the last blog tours for Storytellers on Tour and be a part of their final tours before they close their doors. The author surprised me with a lovely piece of the artwork (its a art photograph I believe!), two bookmarks and a lovely bookplate when he sent me the book! I was so thankful to receive them as my copy arrived damaged from the post office – to find those enclosures still with the book was quite the blessing indeed! I cannot wait to frame the artwork, too!

As a result of having limited reading hours recently, I had to scale back my post from a full review to be featured today to a #25PagePreview wherein I share my thoughts about the first twenty-pages instead. It is my goal to share a fuller review before the close of the blog tour this week.

Until then,

Brew yourself a cuppa and let’s find out more about “The Living Waters”!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

An Indie Fantasy #25PagePreview | “The Living Waters” (Book One: Weirdwater Confluence series) by Dan FitzgeraldThe Living Waters (#25PagePreview)
Subtitle: Weirdwater Confluence : Book 1
by Dan Fitzgerald
Source: Author via Storytellers on Tour

When two painted-faced nobles take a guided raft trip on a muddy river, they expect to rough it for a few weeks before returning to their life of sheltered ease. But when mysterious swirls start appearing in the water, even their seasoned guides get rattled.

The mystery of the swirls lures them on to seek the mythical wetlands known as the Living Waters. They discover a world beyond their imagining, but stranger still are the worlds they find inside their own minds as they are drawn deep into the troubles of this hidden place.
 
The Living Waters is a sword-free fantasy novel featuring an ethereal love story, meditation magic, and an ancient book with cryptic marginalia.

Genres: Fantasy Fiction, Portal Fantasy, Fantasy Romance



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 979-8493260940

Also by this author: The Living Waters

Published by Shadow Spark Publishing

on 9th October, 2021

Format: Paperback Edition

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

The Weirdwater Confluence series:

Artwork from The Living Waters novel by Dan Fitzgerald featuring Gilea and Temi. Provided by Storytellers on Tour and is used with permission of the author Dan Fitzgerald.
Artwork from The Living Waters novel by Dan Fitzgerald
featuring Gilea and Temi.

a duology featuring:

The Living Waters (Book One)

& The Isle of a Thousand Worlds

← *forthcoming January, 2022!

NOTE: It is independent from the Maer Cycle trilogy, but there are a few points of contact, and both are part of a planned larger universe called the Copper Circle, which will include a trilogy called the Time Before, set 2,000 years before the Maer Cycle. Found this sidenote about the duology from the author’s website and felt it was relevant to share in case others are keen on reading serial fiction with the foreknowledge of how different duologies, trilogies and universes in an author’s collective works interconnect.

Published by: Shadow Spark Publishing (@ShadowSparkPub)

Converse via: #Fantasy, #SpeculativeFiction and #FantasyRomance
as well as #storytellersontour & #EnterTheFantastic as #JorieReads

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

About Dan Fitzgerald

Dan Fitzgerald

Dan Fitzgerald is the fantasy author of the Maer Cycle trilogy (character-driven low-magic fantasy) and the upcoming Weirdwater Confluence duology (sword-free fantasy with unusual love stories). The Living Waters comes out October 15, 2021 and The Isle of a Thousand Worlds arrives January 15, 2022, both from Shadow Spark Publishing.

He lives in Washington, DC with his wife, twin boys, and two cats. When not writing he might be found doing yoga, gardening, cooking, or listening to French music.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com Read More

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Posted Wednesday, 1 December, 2021 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Fantasy Fiction, Indie Author, Storytellers on Tour

The #Friday56 | A special guest post by M.A. Phillips featuring “River Magic”!

Posted Friday, 27 November, 2020 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Guest Contributor and/or Reviewer of JLAS banner created by Jorie in Canva.

The #Friday56 is a meme hosted by Freda’s Voice

A weekly meme about page 56 or 56% of ereading/audiobooks:

You’re meant to share a quote from the 56th page of a novel in print and/or a quotation at the 56% of an ebook or audiobook; from your current reads, recently read or a story you’ve slated to reading – whilst talking about the selection you’ve highlighted and a few thoughts about the story or the scene*. This last bit I’ve added as otherwise its a lot of random words & quotes without definition.

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Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

I LOVE finding new ways to interact with authors on blog tours – which is why I selected to feature a new meme for my tour stop this week. I’ve noticed the #Friday56 over the years but I’ve never participated in the meme until today. What I liked about the meme was from a different perspective than it was created – rather than readers selecting the extracts from the stories they are reading, I felt it would give authors a chance to disclose an extract from their story which would have a bit of depth towards becoming introduced to their characters and their world-building; hence why I asked a few interlinking questions this week for the #Friday56!

Similar to the special guest author #TopTenTuesday’s I’ve hosted recently (ie. Ghost Punch, Secrets behind “The Tobacconist’s Wife” and the Verin Empire) – this is a new way of hosting authors on Jorie Loves A Story whilst creating new content to work with the book blogosphere meme’s and giving my readers and visitors a like something different to enjoy whilst their on my blog. I’ve loved creating these features this Autumn and you can look forward to more of them throughout the next year, 2021!

When I first learnt of the premise behind “River Magic” I was quite intrigued – it isn’t everyday I come across stories which focus on Earthen Magic and Spirituality. I have a fierce appreciation for the natural world and I love stories which have either an ecological or environmental spirit within them whilst at the same time, the lead character in “River Magic” sounded like a girl in the midst of better understanding who she was and what she was meant to do with her life. In that regard, I love coming-of age stories and/or stories about characters undertaking a journey wherein they either learn more about who they are or they discover a path they are meant to be walking.

I loved how the author approached my prompt for today’s #Friday56 – how she reflected about her own beliefs as a Druid and how she inserted a bit of her own path and beliefs into the backbone of “River Magic” whilst also giving us something to chew on when it comes to numbers and numerology. I don’t study it myself but I have noticed there are certain numbers which seem to percolate themselves into my life at different intervals – you can notice numerical patterns in your life even if you are not studying the numbers themselves. I always found it interesting how that works out.

Today it is an honour to host a new blog tour with Storytellers on Tour – a blog touring company whose championing Indie Storytellers and giving us all a lovely chance to feature their collective works. I am looking forward to working with them as oft as I can and I look forward to the conversations and features which hosting will inspire to bring to my readers on Jorie Loves A Story!

Brew yourself a cuppa and let’s find out more about River Magic!

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The #Friday56 | A special guest post by M.A. Phillips featuring “River Magic”!River Magic
Subtitle: A Rituals of Rock Bay novel
by M.A. Phillips

Budding clairvoyant Lacey Moran seeks to understand her dreams and find her life’s purpose along the St. Lawrence River. If only her visions of silver arms and Cian O’Connor’s blue eyes were easier to understand! The pieces begin coming together when she encounters a mermaid in the river, joins a group of Druids, and opens herself to romance with an old friend.

Can Lacey overcome her doubts, or is she in over her head?

Genres: Fantasy Fiction, Magical Realism



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 979-8552896707

Published by Shadow Spark Publishing

on 24th October, 2020

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

The #Friday56 | as it applies to RIVER MAGIC:

Artwork from "River Magic" by M.A. Phillips featuring Lacey. Artwork provided by Storytellers on Tour and is being used with permission.
Artwork Credit: immabunnii

by M.A. Phillips

This is artwork featuring “Lacey” from “River Magic”.

Topic for this week’s #Friday56 as suggested by Jorie:

Share a quote of “River Magic” from page 56 and talk about what went into creating the scene or dialogue found on that page and what inspired the choices you made in creating this particular portrait of the story. Likewise, do you find numerology has any presence in your life? Maybe reoccurring numbers pop up every so often or you find yourself drawn to certain numbers? I felt compelled to ask as this prompt focuses on the fifty-six page rather than any others in the stories being featured.

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Posted Friday, 27 November, 2020 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Book | Novel Extract, Book Spotlight, Bookish Memes, Earthen Magic, Earthen Spirituality, Fantasy Fiction, Indie Author, Parapsychological Gifts, Parapsychological Suspense, Storytellers on Tour, The Friday 56