Monthly Archives: July 2014

Interview: Close Your Eyes for a Fantasy Surprise

The folks over at Blog Catalog recently sat down with Lita and chatted about all sorts of things in Lita’s fantasy worlds. It was time to talk a bit about the magic behind the curtain. Here are a few excerpts from the interview:

Find Fantasy Elsewheres Down the Rabbit Hole

Blog Catalog: “Lita’s Worlds” … places like elsewheres. This is major fantasy speak. Please describe where elsewheres are located. I’m assuming there is more than one.

Lita: Ooh, I love visiting fantasy elsewheres. Let me name a few: Hogwarts, Oz, Middle Earth, Narnia, and down the rabbit hole. Where are they located? Just follow the second star on the left, and straight on ‘til morning. Or you can just pick up a fantasy book and find one inside.

Blog Catalog: If you could turn into one of your characters, which one would you become?

Lita: I’m rather fond of…

Fly in an Airship Above a Mermaid-Filled Sea

Which character did Lita choose?

Did she wish to become an Enchanter and bewitch all who dare take a sip of magical essence?

Or does she fancy being a demon-calling sorceress who flies an airship above a mermaid-filled sea? Lita’s answer might give you a smile.

And so the interview went on. Lita divulged all sorts of mad and fancy things about where her ideas come from. Stop by Blog Catalog’s interview at Close Your Eyes for a Fantasy Surprise, and learn more about how Lita creates her fantasy worlds.

Review: If I Should Die Before I Wake

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If I Should Die Before I Wake by Gabriel Boutros is a novella fantasy thriller about a hit man, his prey, and a most disturbing hunt.

Simon’s Former Unforgiving Boss

Simon Wallis, a former gangster’s accountant caught embezzling from his unforgiving boss, runs for his life. Killer for hire Frank Burke, a sociopath with a predilection for Hawaiian beaches, tracks Simon. Nightmares plague both men in their desperate chase-and-elude game that ends in an unforgettable showdown in Montreal.

If I Should Die Before I Wake plunges the reader into a noir world of shadows and pursuit. From the start, Simon’s desperation and regret taste like a shot of rotgut whiskey whose burn lingers too long in the gut. When we see the story through Frank’s eyes, the sensual and entrepreneurial criminal oozes self-confidence. This professional killer is despicable and fascinating.

But the killer and quarry share reciprocal nightmares. Each man crumbles as the hunt draws to its close. In the end, the disturbing dreams merge in a most unexpected way.

Boutros spins a dandy thriller that greatly satisfies. If I Should Die Before I Wake left Lita uneasy, glancing over her shoulder before pouring another shot of rotgut to calm her nerves. Lita recommends this story for noir fans who love thrillers mixed with a touch of unsettling fantasy.

If I Should Die Before I Wake on Amazon US

If I Should Die Before I Wake on Amazon UK

If I Should Die Before I Wake on Goodreads

Gabriel Boutros on Goodreads

Bestiarum Vocabulum: Fey-Folk

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The Bestiarum Vocabulum is the wizard’s encyclopedia of faerie beasties and mundane crossovers living in the lake and forest near Lita’s castle.

Boy-Fey

fey-folk [ˈfā fōk] noun, c.1100; OE fǣge and fāh hostile, outlawed < High OGer feigi doomed < ME feye; also boy-fey (masculine), girl-fey (feminine), fay, fah, fae, faerie, fairy, sprite, pixie, imp, brownie, puck, boggart

Denizen of the Clockpunk Wizard world.
A class of diminutive magicians as tall as the length of a human’s hand from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger. Weighs about as much as a heavy thought. Called “fey” for their impression of vague unworldliness.
See fairy, brownie, and boggart in the Bestiarum Vocabulum.

Bestiarum Vocabulum: Dragonette

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The Bestiarum Vocabulum is the wizard’s encyclopedia of faerie beasties and mundane crossovers living in the lake and forest near Lita’s castle.

Dragonette

dragonette [drag-uh n ɛt] noun, 1175–1225; ME < OF < L dracōn < GR dracon + ette; also dracon (informal), Seri or Madam Drracon’el (formal)

Denizen of the Enchanters of Sye world.
A dragonette is a miniature five-pound dragon; typically 4’ long with wing span almost 5’ wide. Domesticated dragonettes are the pampered pets of powerful magicians and Enchanters. Along with a basic omnivore diet consisting of fish and fresh vegetables, dragonettes must also consume magical essence daily to stay alive. Because they eat magic, the owner must acquire and register the dracon through the local Magic Guild. These sentient magical creatures are the colors of the four magic types: Earthe, Mer, Aer, and Fyre.
Personages: Arnl’jhott in Wrath and Tredan’s Bane; Taithleach in Tredan’s Bane.
See “Dragonettes in Sye” and “Here There Be Dragonettes”

Authors’ Cave Grand Launch Blog Train

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Authors’ Cave Blog Train

Welcome aboard Lita Burke’s train car for the Authors’ Cave Blog Train.

Lita cordially invites Gentle Reader to the Grand Launch Festival Day for Authors’ Cave on Facebook or Google+ this Tuesday, July 22, 2014, 8-11am EDT. Join the fun with these events: book trailer contest, scavenger hunts, giveaways, Google+ social hangouts, and the kickoff for the 1st Annual Authors’ Cave Book Awards with lovely prizes like $500 cash, a Kindle Fire or Nook, and free promotion of the winner’s book for a year at Authors’ Cave.

Lita Must Rattle on About Herself

Back to the blog train social niceties. Authors’ Cave asked Lita to introduce herself. For those who are visiting Lita’s blog for the first time, here is a short introduction to your blog train hostess:

A wizard seeks a magical thingummy to free his kidnapped familiar.

Lita Burke writes fantasy and Clockpunk stories. Lita fancies herself living in a castle in the misty northern realms, where she is a humble scribe for the ramblings of wizards and enchanters. Her blog is a journal detailing those magicians’ fantasy worlds.

Look to the sidebars for the elevator pitches for two of Lita’s stories in the Clockpunk Wizard series.

Here are three words to describe Lita’s stories: immersive, magic-filled, and creative.

A wizard faces a peril-filled journey to Sir Death’s castle to win a powerful spell book for a love-starved dragon.

Lita’s work in progress is the next tale in the Clockpunk Wizard world. In Glitter Ponies, Lady Luck’s daughter helps a wizard discover the cause of a mysterious unicorn illness.

Lita’s favorite thing about Authors’ Cave (called Book Review Depot, or “BRD” on Facebook) is the opportunity to read terrific books by indie authors and have Lita’s books read in return. BRD started a year ago as an organized read and review group, and has evolved into an indie author community providing writing resources and general support.

Take a peek out of the train window and see Lita Burke’s Premium Member page on Authors’ Cave.

Let Lita Make Introductions

Enough about Lita. Here are three Authors’ Cave bloggers that Gentle Reader might enjoy meeting. Stay on the blog train and follow these authors next. See how they responded to the same blog train questions.

Answer to the Grand Launch Festival Day Scavenger Hunt Question #3: Train

Finalist in 2014 Readers’ Favorite Contest

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Wrath, Prequel to Tredan’s Bane – Finalist in the 2014 Readers’ Favorite Int’l Book Award Contest

Lita is pleased to tell Gentle Reader that the 2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest named Wrath, Prequel to Tredan’s Bane as a finalist in its Fiction-Short Story category.

The good folks at Readers’ Favorite give readers and authors a resource for free quality book reviews. Their annual book award contest offers authors the opportunity to get more recognition and exposure of their books. This year, they honored one of Lita’s Enchanters of Sye stories and named Wrath as a finalist in their book awards contest.

How Curious! Lita’s Story is a Contest Finalist.

“Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Lita Burke (she was so much discombobulated, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English). “Now my darling story is singing like the largest nest of starlings that ever was!”

Readers’ Favorite reviewers have said kind things before about Lita’s stories. One reviewer called Wrath “A beautifully crafted and exciting magical fantasy.” Another reviewer gushed this about Tredan’s Bane: “[Lita Burke] has woven a story of adventure, magic, romance, passion, intrigue, suspense, murder, and religion with expertise.”

Lita Must Tell Alice this Very Curious News

Readers’ Favorite will announce the 2014 contest winners on September 1st.

Lita will let you know if there is more to come about her darling Wrath and the lovely fuss about the book awards. She positively must run now and tell her gal-pal Alice this very curious news.

Review: The Seventh Birthday Wish

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The Seventh Birthday Wish by Bruce E. Arrington and Florence Jayne is a fantasy picture book for ages 4-8 about Wesley and his magical adventure on his birthday.

Lita Found Enchanting Worlds Inside of Books

In a faraway land lived Wesley, and when he turned four, a door without a handle appeared in his castle home. Wait he must until seven years old, when a door handle appeared on it and let him through. Beyond awaited an antechamber lined with many beguiling doors, but a special round portal beckoned him unlike all the others.

Kindly horses that fly—every child’s dream—gave Wesley a breathless ride. They whisked him away to visit an older boy. A problem awaited the lads, but the unexpected cause and their heartfelt solution was a delight.

The Seventh Birthday Wish is a lovely fantasy for grade school kids. The story took Lita back to a simpler time when she first found the enchanting worlds inside of books. Arrington’s rhymes, coupled with Jayne’s illustrations, made this charming story an absolute winner. A must read for fantasy fans of all ages, especially those young at heart.

The Seventh Birthday Wish on Amazon US

The Seventh Birthday Wish on Amazon UK

The Seventh Birthday Wish on Goodreads

Bruce E. Arrington on Goodreads

Florence Jayne on Goodreads

Bestiarum Vocabulum: Homunculus

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The Bestiarum Vocabulum is the wizard’s encyclopedia of faerie beasties and mundane crossovers living in the lake and forest near Lita’s castle.

Homunculus

homunculus [hoh-muhng-kyuh-luh us] noun, c.1650; < L, homun- homin- homō man + -culus; also automation, automata, homunculi, bantam, metal-man

Denizen of the Clockpunk Wizard world.
A magical sentient creature made of metal or wooden clockworks. A wizard summons a minor demon from the nether planes that animates the homunculus body and gives it consciousness. See demon in the Bestiarum Vocabulum.
Personages: Copernicus, Wizard Kadmeion’s airship pilot in Forever Boy and Old Bony Blue Eyes.
See “Copernicus, One of the Minor Demons” and “Potential Energy: Curse of the Metal-Man”

10,000 Curious Came to See the Show

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What a mad, grand day for Lita Burke’s blog. 10,000 views. Smiles from Lita for all of you lovely and curious Gentle Readers who visited.

Many Came to See the Show

Suppose there was a theater with seats for 10,000 souls who dropped in to see the show.

The main stage featured clever skits about belching dragons, riddling fey, and visiting artisans highlighting their magical yarns.

The theater has many alcoves, wee sideshows, and food hawkers in the wings who serve frightful and delightful treats.

See here is a woman who floats a foot above the floor without a fuss. Waiting nearby is a steampunk gent who tips his hat at you. In this dark props room is a lad who collects broken dolls for the Cirque du Méchant.

Curious Things Hide in the Side Rooms of Lita’s Blog

The lobby brims with the scents of popcorn and spun sugar treats. Go ahead and have a taste.

Nestled in a lovely display case are books. Step up and sample these oh-so-tasty wonders:

Dash through a retired magician’s desperate fiery fight.
Here is a tale about enchantment and desperation.
Meet a weredog familiar and his deadly job in this story.
Inside this book is a fun romp with desperate fairies, a mad dryad, and curses that turn into bats.
This story takes you over the edge of a plate-shaped ocean world where a wizard may check a book out of Sir Death’s wondrous library, but the privilege has its deadly downside.

Stop By and See a Sea Dragon Fight

Lita says thank you to all Gentle Readers who have visited her mad and grand blog that is the airship into her fantasy worlds. There are many new tales queuing up for the main stage. Workers are building more side rooms and always expanding the treats selection in the lobby. Stop by anytime to perhaps see sea dragons fighting and indulge in the fun.

Bestiarum Vocabulum: Dryad

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The Bestiarum Vocabulum is the wizard’s encyclopedia of faerie beasties and mundane crossovers living in the lake and forest near Lita’s castle.

Dryad

dryad [ˈdrī-əd,-ad] noun, c.1400; Gr drys tree < L dryad-, dryas; also wood nymph, hamadryad, naiad, sylph, or nymphet.

Denizen of the Clockpunk Wizard world.
A flora magician, about 3 feet tall, with a beautiful woman form. Typically a shepherdess in orchards, pine coppices in the highlands, or oak groves near planting fields. Makes its home in the largest tree (called the “monarch”) and uses the monarch’s roots to supply earth magic to the trees in its care.
Personages: The malevolent orchard dryad on Hurt Island in Ephraim’s Curious Device.
See “Review: Delphinia’s Willow”