DarkSide DownUnder: DarkSider News for August

Welcome to the DarkSider News!

August...what an amazing month for our DarkSiders!
Here's more news to round off the month...

NEW RELEASES

Arcane Awakenings: Books Three and Four by Shelley Russell Nolan contains the next two novellas in the Arcane Awakenings series which was released 21st August.

Freedom comes at a cost.

In Hidden Aftershock, after escaping from the Wood Estate and being reunited with her family, Angel is finally free to enjoy her life. But she knows it won’t last. Dr Wood is still out there, determined to complete her research. When unexplained earthquakes rock Easton, and Angel’s dreams point her in the direction of the Estate, she makes a decision that could end her freedom for good.

Then in Blind Sight, after being blinded in a car accident, Belinda begins having visions of future events. When her ability becomes public knowledge, she is targeted by a ruthless scientist. Only by joining forces with Angel and the others will Belinda have any hope of escaping the trap he sets for her.

Angel and Belinda must overcome their limitations to gain the freedom they deserve. But will the cost of that freedom prove to be too high?

Available from:

The New Herd by Lilliana Rose is a short story that was published on the e-zine, Stupefying Stories. You can find it here.

This story is also included in the short story collection by Lilliana called Dark Reflections.

Sometimes the mirror we look into is flesh and bone and the reflections seen are shadows within us. Dark Reflections is a collection of short stories from a variety of genres, science fiction, fantasy, horror, steampunk and even contemporary. Each story reflects a darker tone of human nature, ones that we would prefer to ignore, or pretend not to exist. Come and sit by the mirror and see what will be reflected back at you.

Available from:

Amazon US | Amazon Aus |

and other buy links at Books2Read

Non-spec fiction titles

Echo Springs is a print book that features the four stories in the Echo Spring series written by four different authors including our own, Leisl Leighton and Daniel de Lorne. It was released by Harlequin MIRA on 20th August. The e-book versions of each individual story will be coming in September.

Story 1 - Dangerous Echoes by Leisl Leighton,
Story 2 - Embers and Echoes by Daniel DeLorne,
Story 3 - Echoes of the Past by TJ Hamilton, and
Story 4 - Hope Echoes by Shannon Curtis.

Wholesome country living isn’t what it used to be… This town has a dark side, but what will these cops sacrifice to save it? A compelling suspense, set in the outback.

Blue lights in the red dust…

Echo Springs on the edge of the outback – a town where everyone knows your name, and your business. But the wholesome country living and welcoming community aren’t what they used to be. Echo Springs has a dark underbelly, and it is seeping ever outward.

Four cops…

The small police station is overrun, and officers are working overtime to stem the tide of illegal activity from graffiti through to murder. From prickly Leila to heartsore Ben, Cooper with something to prove to Mac who’s driven to succeed, the Echo Springs force is determined to keep the town safe.

Putting everything at risk…

But the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been, and it’s not just the town these officers have to keep safe. It’s their hearts as well. With bullets flying and bodies piling up, they will have to decide how much they’re willing risk and what they’re willing to lose.

Available from:

Angus&Robertson | Booktopia | The Nile | Boomerang Books | Dymocks

Uninhibited by Mel Teshco is Book 5 (& final) in the VIP Desire Agency series. It was released on 28th August.

Can call girl Anna see past Benedict’s less-than-perfect physical façade to the man who loves her?

Anna was once a spoilt daddy’s little princess…until one fateful New Year’s Eve she is witness to her father shooting his best friend over a botched gun and drug deal. She soon uncovers her family’s nefarious past and despises what her surname, Leon-Zade, represents. It’s a name synonymous to the biggest organized crime family in Australia. She can’t be what her family wants her to be anymore. She runs away and becomes Candy, a beautiful and desired call girl.

Benedict Knight is the first to admit that he’s far from perfect, inside or out. His huge battered body, thanks to his ex-rugby days, isn’t the prettiest to behold, and he’s done things he knows are best left in the past. It doesn't stop him from wanting the most exquisite, perfect escort on the planet, and no price is too high to obtain her. He’ll stop at nothing to bring Candy to his huge cattle station for a weekend and enjoy her all to himself.

Except Benedict knows Candy is really Anna, daughter of a well-known and notorious family. She hasn't just locked her past away, she's locked her emotions away, too. Benedict's new goal is to release all of Anna’s emotional inhibitions and show her that bringing in the New Year doesn’t need to be a tribute for lies and deception. He intends to prove that it’s not just about resolutions…it’s about facing her fears and trusting her heart.

Available from:

COVER REVEAL

Mack 'n' me: The Wolves of Alpha 9 by C.M. Simpson is Book 5 in the Mack 'n' Me Odyssey series.

Dragon Soul by LJ Swallow is Book 1 in the Daughter of Shadow series coming in September.

NEW COVER

Shadow's Rise by C.M. Simpson is Book 1 in the Shadow series and has had a new cover done to reflect the story more.

When the gods discover an ancient power has suborned a king, and now menaces their domains, they must find agents to act on their behalf. Will a goddess’s temper over losing a favorite to the cause stand in their way? Or the capture of one of their chosen mean the attempt is doomed to fail before it has begun?

Buy links available from:

Books2Read

CONTESTS

A short story by D.D. Line was shortlisted for the Little Black Dress Ghost Story Competition run by KSP Writers Centre in WA. The winners were announced on 25th August and D.D.'s story came second in the Open section.