This week is Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, an entire week dedicated to appreciating self-published authors! This special week takes place between July 21st to July 27th and was started by Jodie over at the Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub blog. You can find out more about SPAAW on Jodie’s blog, as well as ways to take part.
For the fifth day, we decided on novellas, and since both Tru and I have taken part as judges in the SFINCS novella competition, twice, we do have a lot of novellas to pick from. I also believe we’ve both enjoyed the format before that too. I’ve also written several novellas myself, but let’s not get too distracted here…
Want to take part? You can support self-published authors by leaving a book review or shouting about your favourite self-published books on social media. Don’t forget these hashtags: #SPAAW #SelfPublishedAuthorsAppreciationWeek
These are Nils’ picks for the day:
A Classic Novella Series Spotlight for…
Magical Artifacts Institute
Tricky Fae magic. Bloodthirsty creatures. One scrappy Artifact Hunter to-be.
Joining the Magical Artifacts Institute as an artifact hunter has always been my dream job. Problem is, they keep rejecting my applications. So when I find a dangerous Fae artifact stashed in my temp job’s basement, I know I’m about to prove them wrong.
Unfortunately, the arrogant stranger who interrupts my find doesn’t agree with my good fortune. Aidan belongs to the Institute and insists on following procedure and confiscating my artifact. He’s welcome to try, but there’s one small problem.
Oops, make that two: he’s triggered a binding spell that won’t allow more than a few feet between us, and someone has unleashed a nightmarish Fae hound that’s trying to turn us into lunch.
Now I must break the bond, escape the hound, convince Aidan that I’d be the best Institute worker ever, and figure out who’s willing to kill to get to my artifact. Sounds hard? That’s okay—I might be only one-sixteenth Fae, but I’ve got plenty of tricks up my sleeve.
Finding Fae Artifacts is the first book in the Magical Artifacts Institute series—a fun, fast-paced Urban Fantasy series featuring tricky magic, plenty of adventure, and an opposites attract slow burn romance.
Perfect for fans of Annette Marie, Linsey Hall, Helen Harper, K.M. Shea, and W.R. Gingell.
Find Finding Fae Artifactson Goodreads.
Nils’ Comments
I’m probably showing my age, but it feels a little bit odd to declare a slick and polished urban fantasy story to be a classic. It does fit my definition, though, and everyone seems to know and love this series. It’s good, fast-paced fun with an extra dollop of silly for good measure, and it reads like ice cream sells on a hot summer’s day (that’s meant to be a compliment, in case it wasn’t clear).
- Read Nils’ review of Finding Fae Artifacts (on Goodreads) here.
- Read Tru’s review of Finding Fae Artifacts here.
About the Author
Isa Medina loves writing and reading Urban Fantasy books, playing MMORPGs, and scouring the Internet for pet pictures and beautiful art.
As a child, she was first introduced to the world of Fantasy through Dragonlance and she has never looked back. She also has a soft spot for Gothics and treasures all her old Victorian Holt paperbacks. If it has Fae, ghosts, vampires, demons, mythical creatures, or magic in it, she’s all in.
A New-Part-in-Series Spotlight for…
The Whisper That Replaced God
Ruling as king does not suit a man like Mute. The boredom. The monotony. The permanent stagnation…
Until he arrived. The one with the Gift of Silence. The one wielding a dagger. The one who would mold Balewind into a temple to the Silent Almighty. Lord Deaf intends to be the scream that replaced a whisper, offering one final message to the realm before it never hears again:
Bestow upon me your pain, your illness, your sorrow. Silence will absolve them all.
Find The Whisper that Replaced God Part II: Silent Almighty on Goodreads.
Nils’ Comment
I read the first part of this novella series for SFINCS where it was one of last year’s finalist. The book didn’t win, but I felt it was a solid contender, with a strong voice and identity, and I’m looking forward to digging into the next part.
About the Author
Timothy Wolff lives in Long Island, New York, and holds a master’s degree in economics and a career in finance. Such a life has taught him the price of everything but the value of nothing. He enjoys pizza bagels, scotch, karaoke, oxford commas, and spending the day with family and friends. The obvious culmination of the past 37 years was to write a 400+ page fantasy novel where a drunk teams up with a swordsman, two mages, and lizard-people to oppose god. Why do we write these in the third person?
Strength without honor—is chaos!
