2024 COVERS

2024 covers

Welcome to the Dark Side!

We are writers mainly from Australia and New Zealand who write speculative fiction with romantic elements. Be it fantasy, paranormal, dark urban fantasy, futuristic and everything in between.

Thursday 29 December 2011

Magic Thursday Winner - Mimosa Black


The winner of Nicola's Mimosa Black is:

Ruatha!!

Congratulations Ruatha. Please email Nicola at: nicolae.sheridan @ gmail.com

Thank you to everyone who commented.







Tuesday 27 December 2011

Good News Day!


Well, forget about maybe not getting good news over the holiday period. 
Here is this week's Good News....





REVIEWS

Kylie Griffin
Vengeance Born, has received not one, but two great reviews from big names in the biz! Way to go!


"In Griffin’s well-drawn fantasy world, humans are oppressed and enslaved by the demonic Na’Reish. Annika is a Na’Chi, the result of cross-breeding between the races. She possesses powerful healing powers and her father, Na’Rei Savyr, is leader of the Na’Reish, but she’s nonetheless reviled, considered an abomination. When she rescues Kalan Tyn, leader of the human’s Blade Council, and asks his assistance in freeing the Na’Chi from the Na’Reish, the wheels of romance are deftly set in motion. A complex plot involving the Na’Chi freedom struggles keeps the taut and intricate narrative moving as Annika and Kalan slowly develop their emotional connection. Readers will look forward to future installments in a potentially long-running series. Agent: Elaine Spencer, the Knight Agency. (Feb.)"


RT Book Reviews - 4 stars!

“Enter a bold new series, the Light Blade, where a longstanding war between the demon and human realms rages. Promising new talent Griffin’s characters face danger and hidden secrets that threaten to change the world as they know it. A terrific debut!”




COVERS

Keri Arthur
Here is the US cover of Darkness Devours, the third book in the Dark Angels series. Fantastic cover! Check out those gorgeous wings.






SALES


Eleni Konstantine
Angel Eyes, a modern fantasy short story, has sold to Musa Publishing. It's expected to be paired with Stormy Divide when released in June. 






OTHER


Lilliana Rose
Lilliana has had not one, but two poems published. Spanish Garden has been published in TAMBA, issue 49. Gone has been published in The Mozzie, Vol 19, Issue 10.



Jenny Schwartz
Jenny has also tried her hand at Steampunk poetry. The Matchgirl Grown Up is on her blog. 




~~~
Great news everyone. Congratulations.

Hopefully we will have more good news next week. If not, we'll see you 10th January.

Sunday 25 December 2011

Christmas Cheer


Wishing those who celebrate, we wish you a... 

Magickal Graphics



And to those who don't, we wish you...



from the DarkSiders 






Friday 23 December 2011

What We Are Reading

Welcome to December’s  What We Are Reading column. Today, we have Maggie Mundy, Mel Teshco, Nicola E. Sheridan and Jodie Smith.

Maggie Mundy
~ Many Lives, Many Masters ~ Dr. Brian Weiss
The book I am reading is called Many Lives, Many Masters by Dr. Brian Weiss. The front cover says. The true story of a prominent psychiatrist, his young patient and the past life therapy that changed both their lives. I have read about two thirds of the book and it does seem incredible that the woman who is his patient can remember so many different things from previous lives, however very little seems to be able to be confirmed. The side of the book I found more interesting was when the patient spoke with the voice of the masters and tried to convey to Dr. Weiss information on philosophy and the meaning of life. Dr Weiss is Jewish and found excepting the concept of reincarnation difficult, that was until he researched the bible and found that there had been mention of it but it was removed in 300ad and 500ad. The church felt it could not control the populace as well if they thought they could come back and get it right next time. I am enjoying reading it as it is presented in an accessible format. I was disappointed that he does not have footnotes for information on other doctors in the field. But at the end of the day it seems odd that a highly respected doctor would jeopardise his career on a whim. Whether you believe him or not he is totally convinced what he has observed is true.

Nicola E. Sheridan
~ Raine ~ Elizabeth Amber.
OK, I will confess I’m a little embarrassed to admit I read this, but curiosity got the better of me (as it so often does).

“Raine” is the second book in Elizabeth Amber’s Lords of Satyr series. I initially read the first as I wanted to see how other writers were treating their Satyrs... Ummm. Well, suffice to say these Satyrs are different in more ways than one (forgive the pun) as every full moon they grow an extra ding-dong. No really. They do.

“Raine” is based on Raine Satyr, one of three Satyr brothers and his half faerie mate. Jordan, his partner, is not your ordinary heroine... oh no, because she is also a he. Jordan is a hermaphrodite, and has been living as a man her entire life in order to accept her inheritance. Except on every birthday, she’s forced by the sinister Salerno to pose masked and nude before a crowd of artists and doctors in a sort of medical freak show (think Embarrassing Bodies 1600’s style). This is where Raine finds her, and Jordan, desperate to be treated as a woman, follows him.

The romance is surprisingly sweet, which lessens the ‘OMG!’ factor. This book also has an Über disgusting villain – who quite literally gave me nightmares. I’m still not sure that syphilis should ever be mentioned in an erotic romance... Anyway if you want to read a VERY different kind of erotic romance, I’d suggest starting with “Nicholas” (book 1) and if you’re curiosity has peaked then go ahead and try “Raine”. I’m not sure if I’m personally ready for book 3 yet, but I’ll keep you posted!

 ~ How to Cheat a Dragon’s Curse ~ by Cressida Cowell
I love these books. I read them to my children, affecting crappy Scottish accents and having a blast. With characters like Big-Boobied Bertha, Norbert the Nutjob and Dogsbreath the Duhbrain it is sure to keep children and adults alike thoroughly entertained. Filled with dragons, Vikings, Hysterics, Hooligans and more, these are some of the best (if not some of the grossest) kids books I’ve read in years.

Here’s the blurb;

In his 4th sidesplitting adventure, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III must rescue his best friend, Fishlegs, from the deadly disease Vorpentitis. The only cure is rare and almost impossible to find...a potato. But where will Hiccup find such a thing? He'll have to dodge the terrible Sharkworms, battle Doomfangs, and outwit crazy Hooligans if he's going to be a Hero...again.

A fast paced plot, slapstick humor, witty dialogue and imaginative black and white illustrations enhance this exciting tale.

Mel Teshco
~ Dead Until Dark ~ Charlaine Harris

Okay I bought the Charlaine Harris series of books long before I watched the True Blood series. And unfortunately the books stayed on my TBR pile for a good 12 months or more before I even got around to reading book 1...

For me, knowing the story line – at least the TV adaptation, ruined my enjoyment of the story. I love turning the pages not knowing how everything will unfold...

Okay, what I loved about DUD (g) was the first person POV – to me it’s like reading someone’s diary, somehow it feels more personal and in-depth. It also makes for a nice change after writing (forever) in third person. And yes, even knowing the story I liked the concept of Sookie being able to read minds, plus the fact she’s just an ordinary girl in every other way.

For those who don’t know the story line, the heroine and main character is Sookie Stackhouse, a cocktail waitress in Louisiana. She meets and very quickly falls for ‘vampire Bill’ – and loves him all the more because she can’t read his mind. What bliss! After the ceaseless voices she picks up on and has to constantly block.

The book has lots of interesting characters—Sookie’s brother, their grandmother. Not to mention all the great characters she works with (again, I can’t help but picture the characters from the TV series instead of using my imagination).

There are a few twists and turns with a murder or two that leaves you guessing, and I think Charlaine does a great job in hiding who really is the killer. Particularly good since Sookie has a fair idea she’s the next victim-to-be.

Oh, and I can’t help but be intensely interested in the secondary character—vampire Eric. Whether it’s from the TV series or the book, I’m really not quite sure *g*

~ A Hunger Like No Other ~ Kresley Cole
I was introduced to Kresley Cole by our very own C.T Green, a HUGE fan. And I have to say I’m very impressed with this author and will definitely be reading more of her books.

In short, the book opens with lykae, Lachlain MacRieve enduring horrendous torture (burning) from some members of the vampire horde. Sensing his predestined mate, he uses every last ounce of his strength to break free from the manacles that have bound him for too many years. He’s outraged to discover his mate is actually half vampire (& half valkyrie) and despises himself for wanting her.

I loved the fact the hero Emmaline starts out as a bit of a mouse in the courage stakes—it makes a change from the kick but heroines I adore. But of course, (spoiler alert) Emmaline grows in the story, becoming something she’d never have believed possible and defeating the very monster no warrior has before her.

And all the while ‘her’ Lachlain falls desperately in love with her, the hardened lykae willing to move heaven and earth to keep her as his own =)

Jodie C
~ The Lawman ~ Lily Graison
You should have seen my happy dance when I found out I would be getting an ARC of The Lawman. These feet were movin baby - movin I tells ya.

When asked to review the latest Lily Graison release, I had no hesitation. Lily is one of my go-to girls for sexy romances that always leave me sated with a warm, happy smile on my face. So today was a good day for me.

Yet again I wasn’t disappointed by Lily’s work. The Lawman was a torturously seductive story, with the perfect mix of romance, drama and heat between two characters that made me glow with excitement.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Lawman himself – was a roguishly handsome, sex god of a man, with his green eyes, long dark hair and a ravenous appetite for Abigail. While Abby on the other hand was far from timid and had a long list of secrets that kept surprising me right till the final chapter.

I devoured this book in one afternoon, enjoying the emotional ride and feeling 100% invested in the way Abigail and Morgan's story would turn out.

I honestly cannot wait until the second and subsequent books are released in this series.

~ Size Matters ~ Stephanie Julian

Size Matters was exactly the type of book I needed when I started reading it.

It was written with a great voice, was smooth and easy to read as well as being funny enough to have me chuckling - out loud I might add, which doesn’t happen too often - and had the perfect amount of steam.

To be honest I was a bit dubious about how the book was going to turn out when it started with the heroine having sex with a complete stranger, without even knowing what he looked like, let alone his name. But Stephanie Julian pulled it off and had me enjoying every single minute of it.

The concept was a refreshing approach to paranormal romance/erotica and I sincerely hope the author writes more in this series!

One of my favourite quotes:

Collapsing over her, breathing like a freight train, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and whispered, "Name's Tim. Nice to meet you."

 ~~~

 Have a safe and happy holiday.
May your stockings be stuffed with awesome books!
Shona



Thursday 22 December 2011

Magic Thursday ... Mimosa Black

When nature rules your head, can you follow your heart?    

"Mimosa Black" is my third release with Eternal Press and I'm giving away an e-copy to a commenter today.

I can't really remember what inspired me to write "Mimosa Black", but I think it had something to do with the somewhat unfair reputation my hometown has.
It's set in Rockingham WA, which has the dubious honour of being called "Bogan-ville" West Australia (for those of you who don't know what a bogan is, this is the wiki entry to explain). As there is high number of 'cashed up bogans' in this area, I wondered how I could translate this into a paranormal creature... Enter the Harpy - uncouth, loud and opinionated - a perfect addition to my fictional world. In "Mimosa Black", Rockingham is the home to the largest flock of Harpies in the Southern hemisphere and my character, Mimosa, is one of them.


One of my favourite things about paranormal writing is thinking about how mythological/magical beings would fit into modern life. The fact is, they'd probably fit in pretty badly.

Mimosa Black is a hybrid Harpy, unlike the "True Harpy" image (see left) Mimosa has the body of an ordinary woman with the addition of glossy black wings - and this makes her something of a disappointment to her flock and to herself as well, as Mimosa's wings are mostly useless. Combining her Harpy nature and Human body makes Mimosa an unusual heroine, and one that's far from perfect. Unable to control her basal instincts, Mimosa finds herself literally in some very sticky positions. 
I had a blast writing this novella, and for anyone local, you'll probably get a smile from some of the scenes.

Here's the blurb;
    
"In a world where magical creatures are as rare as a spotty teen at a supermarket checkout, being one quarter Harpy shouldn’t be a problem.
Unfortunately for Mimosa Black, this is not the case. Combining her failed marriage, inability to fly, and unrequited crush on her childhood friend, Bo Elliot – Mimosa’s existence is less than idyllic.

Things however, are rarely as they seem. Bo has a secret and when Mimosa falters, his secret is revealed.  Yet in their darkest moments, where bad magic lurks, love is never far away. Mimosa and Bo do have a chance at happiness, if they're selfless enough to find it...

Leave a comment for the chance to win a copy...and have a lovely Christmas!

Wednesday 21 December 2011

Magic Thursday Winner

And the winner of a digital copy of the steampunk anthology, A Clockwork Christmas is ...

Lilliana Rose!

Congrats, Lilliana Rose. Would you prefer epub or pdf format?


Tuesday 20 December 2011

Good News Day!


Welcome to this week's Good News....


COVERS

Shona Husk
Sharing Sirius has a cover. Very nice indeed!






RELEASE DATES

Shona Husk
Goblin King has it's Australian Release on 1st January 2012. And Goblin Prince, the second installment in the series, has a release date of 1st May 2012.



Eleni Konstantine
Stormy Divide, a fantasy short story, will be released with Musa Publishing via their Urania imprint in June 2012.





RELEASES & COVERS

Nicole Murphy
Nicole has released a short story, Kenyon and Nami, based in the Gadda World, which is where her trilogy The Dream of Asarlai is set. You can find it on Smashwords.





Astrid Cooper
Christmas Creek, a m/m sensual romance has been released this week by Extasy Books.











COMPETITIONS

Peta Crake
Another win for Peta. Harbringer came first in the Paranormal Section of Get Your Stiletto in the Door Contest run by the ChickLit Writers.




REVIEWS

Mel Teshco
Something Wicked This Way Comes anthology has received a 5 lips rating from Two Lips Reviews. Here is what they had to say about Dragon Heat:


 "Dragon Heat by Mel Tescho has a lot of twists and turns for such a short story, but I found myself really enjoying it. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Tescho and it made me wonder what else this author has out there. There is passion, heat, and a dragon you just have to meet."

and a 4 star review from Sizzling Hot Book Reviews.

"Something Wicked This Way Comes has something for just about every romance lover. The stories are all very different, crossing genres and stereotypes, and running through the whole gambit of emotions. Plus lots of Really HOT sex! Sexy shapeshifters, handsome highlanders, cursed tattoos and more."




OTHER

Maree Anderson
Freaks of Greenfield High has been listed as Featured read on Wattpad




~~~
Well done everyone.

With lots of places closing down for the holidays, we may not get news. However, I will keep you posted if anything pops up. Otherwise, we'll be back to our regular edition on Tuesday 10th January.



Sunday 18 December 2011

Weekly Overview



COMING UP THIS WEEK  


Tues 20 Dec
Good News Day

Wed 21
Winner announced of Jenny Schwartz's  A Clockwork Christmas.

Thur 22
Magic Thursday - Nicola E. Sheridan with a giveaway of Mimosa Black


Fri 23
What We Are Reading - compiled by Shona Husk


No Darklight On… this week as it's Christmas Eve. 




DARKSIDER TREKKING

Mel

Maree

Jenny

  • Other than a couple of posts for the holiday season and Good News that will pop up, we will be having a hiatus from the 23rd December until in the new year. Regular programming will start up again on the 8th January. There will be some changes to the posts. More information to come in January. So this is the last Weekly Overview for the year. I hope you've been finding them informative and useful.

  • Thanks to Nicola E. Sheridan who has joined the DarkSider blog team. More details on what Nicola will be doing in the new year. 

  • Thanks also to Jenny Schwartz who is also taking on updating the DarkSider Bios page.

  • Mel has a book trailer for Dragon Heat (the story in the Something Wicked This Way comes anthology). You can also find it on the Book Trailers page.



YouTube link


Have a great week!


Saturday 17 December 2011

Darklight On...Tracey O'Hara

When I sat down to write this blog post – I was at a bit of a loss what to actually say. I mean I have done the Q&A one already so what else do I have to say? Unfortunately this is why I don’t blog much. I really envy writers who can come up with regular blog posts and keep readers entertained with witty thoughts or clever prose about things they are doing, but I am just a boring IT programmer that doesn’t have much to say.

Colin the Pugnacious Pug
I decided I would write about what I am working on now – and the answer, in short, is nothing and everything. I have just handed in the copy edits on the third Dark Brethren novel which is due to come out in august. This leaves me in a spot I haven’t been in for some time, free to write something different and new. So the long answer is, I can now write erotica, or work on my colonial saga, or maybe try my hand at a post apocalyptic YA novel that has been muttering in my head. Or how about a children’s story on Colin the Pugnacious Pug.

It’s all very exciting, but what does this mean for my author identity?
As some may know, I write short erotica under the pen name Tracie Sommers and will be dabbling in this space again in the near future. This is writing is different to my urban fantasy novels and I made the decision early on about “branding” myself so that people know what to expect. If it is a Tracey O’Hara novel, then it’s going to have a dark urban fantasy story line, but when looking at a Tracie Sommers they will hopefully know to expect an explicitly sexy story.
German Cover for Night's Cold Kiss
Many authors have go down this track. Nora Roberts/JD Robb and Jessica Bird/JR Ward are two that immediately spring to mind with very successful branding dualities. And it works. I’ve had people say, “I don’t like Nora Roberts, but I adore JD Robb,” knowing full well they are the same author. Each brand name has its own fan base, which can be veracious and protective for that particular author name.




German Cover for Death's Sweet Embrace
As an author – having two identities can sometimes get a bit confusing, but on the whole it is easy it separate the two. So does this mean if I branch out into other genres I may have to come up with more names? Possibly. But I’m definitely saving crossing that bridge until I get to it. Right now – I am going to take my time, enjoy myself and rediscover who I am as a writer. In short – I’m going to have fun.
Cover for the Audio book due out early 2012

Thursday 15 December 2011

Magic Thursday: Have a Steampunk Christmas!

Today, I'm giving away a digital copy of the steampunk anthology, A Clockwork Christmas, and I swear whoever wins it won't be any more excited than I am.

Having a story in A Clockwork Christmas has been sheer joy -- from the idea for "Wanted: One Scoundrel" which let me mis-use my history degree, through Angela James's super editing, to working with my antho sisters, JK Coi, PG Forte and Stacy Gail -- the whole experience has been fantastic. Yet, best of all is knowing people are reading and loving it.

Reading is one of life's pleasures. So knowing that my story has contributed to that delight is a bubbly, wonderful feeling.

To win a copy of A Clockwork Christmas, all you have to do is leave a comment -- and if you can't think what to say, why not mention a favourite book?



We Wish You a Steampunk Christmas

Changed forever after tragedy, a woman must draw strength from her husband’s love. A man learns that love isn’t always what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas.

Anthology includes:

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail
This Winter Heart by PG Forte
Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz
Far From Broken by JK Coi

Stories also available for purchase separately.

Tuesday 13 December 2011

Good News Day!


Welcome to this week's good news....


RELEASES & COVER


Cathleen Ross
The latest installment in The Forbidden Fantasy series, The Ice Princess, has been released. It is now available on Smashwords.




Nicola E. Sheridan
Mimosa Black is out now with Eternal Press.






REVIEWS


Shona Husk
Dark Vow has received a fantastic review and 4.5 stars from RT Book Reviews and resulting it being a Top Pick. Fantastic! Here is a little snippet:


"Lucky for readers, Shona Husk has crafted an extraordinary tale. The mysteries and reveals are totally unexpected, well timed and serve to further the story. No gratuitous shocks or storylines here! Husk takes her time with the romance, ensuring that the relationship between Jaines and Obsidian is never forced. A western with a magical bent, Dark Vow's aim is true."








~~~
Congratulations ladies. Love the good news rolling in.

Stay in tune for more good news next week.


Sunday 11 December 2011

Weekly Overview



COMING UP THIS WEEK


Tues 13 Dec
Good News Day

Thur 15
Magic Thursday - Jenny Schwartz with a giveaway of A Clockwork Christmas

Sat 17
Darklight On…Tracey O'Hara












DARKSIDER TREKKING
Kylie

Imogene

Jenny



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Have a great week!
check out all our books on our dsdu-books shelf:
DarkSide DownUnder's book lists (dsdu-books shelf)