It is my privilege to host C.S. Boyack on my blog site so that he can tell you about his newest book release!
Jan, thanks for inviting me back. I’m here hawking my newest book, Voyage of the Lanternfish.
Excerpts are a time honored tool for blog tours, and that’s what I’m bringing you today.
Lanternfish is a pirate fantasy. It’s filled with monsters, magic, and fantastic creatures. It also has gunpowder, so cannon, muskets, and pistols are included.
To set the scene, the characters are forced into starting a war with a neighboring country. They came to this city to do some historical and political research. It isn’t coming together very fast, and James is on the verge of a new plan.
***
James strolled up and down each dock, occasionally checking the mooring of a ship. Putting a finger to his hat whenever a crewman spotted him.
The end of the third dock was empty. Even the lamps weren’t lit. The only light came from quarters on a ship tied to the second dock.
“Hello, mate,” a rough voice said.
James cleared his coat away from his pistol before turning.
“No need for that. I mean you no harm. Seen you down here walking the nights away. Been watching you.”
“What for? And come forward so I can see you.”
“You’re a cautious man, I see that. Well armed too.” The man stepped forward. Long grey stubble covered his face. He wore a small tricorn, and carried a cutlass. “I seen your type before.”
“And what type is that?”
“Long stares out at the water. Touching the ships as you pass. Hand on your face while you’re thinking of something. Probably a big loss of some kind. Family farm? Lost love? Maybe a title? Something along that route.”
“Pretty close, mate.”
“A few of my mates and I been lookin for a fellow like you. You’re a man of the sea, and can’t wait to get back to it.”
“I’m sure there are plenty like me around. Good luck in finding someone.”
“Hold up, mate. We’re just talking. Names Johnny Jump Up. There’s men around like you and I, but not too many with money to invest.”
“I don’t have any money, sorry.”
“Your mates bought a chest. Carried it back to the Ghost yesterday. Looked real heavy. They spent some too. Nice kit the lady bought. Kind of pricy. Seems like you own a slave too.”
“How long have you been watching us?”
“Longer than that fella all dressed in black. He only showed up the other day. Asks a lot of questions about who’s new in town. Asked if anyone’s been flashing a lot of gold around.”
“Speaking of him, maybe you wouldn’t mind continuing this conversation back at the tavern.”
“Naw. Too many ears at the Ghost. There’s another tavern, just down the way. It has ears too, but nobody cares. Called the Dead Man’s Rest. Heard of it?”
“Saw it from a distance last night.”
“Don’t want you to think I’m leading you into a trap. You go there. Order a bucket of beer. I’ll be along in about half an hour. It’s a safe neighborhood, but you might want to tuck your purse in your boot. If you know what I mean.” Johnny held out a lantern. “Use me lamp if you’re worried.” He struck a match and lit the flame, before placing the lantern on the dock and stepping back.
James picked up the lantern and Johnny stepped aside. “I’ll make sure your shadow ain’t around. Then I’ll join ye inside.”
“Any particular draft?”
“Get the yellow one. The dark one’s gone off, give ye the shits now.”
“Good to know.”
***
Blurb:
An honorable man is mistaken for his disreputable father. Now he’s pushed into a political scheme to start a war that will spread across multiple kingdoms. James Cuttler’s fiancé is being held captive to ensure he goes through with the plan.
He soon decides his skills are at sea and procures a ship to wage war upon those who disrupted his simple life. He can’t do it alone, so he recruits a band of cutthroats to help him. But first, they need guns and munitions to outfit the ship properly. Deception and trickery will only get them so far. Eventually, they’re going to have to engage the enemy.
James’ goals aren’t necessarily the same as his crew. It’s a delicate balancing act to collect enough loot to keep his crew happy, while guiding them back to rescue the girl.
Voyage of the Lanternfish is filled with adventure, magic, and monsters. Lots of monsters. Hoist the colors and come along for the ride.
Purchase Link: http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=B07MP8V633
Bio:
I was born in a town called Elko, Nevada. I like to tell everyone I was born in a small town in the 1940s. I’m not quite that old, but Elko has always been a little behind the times. This gives me a unique perspective of earlier times, and other ways of getting by. Some of this bleeds through into my fiction.
I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century, and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet.
I like to write about things that have something unusual. My works are in the realm of science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy. The goal is to entertain you for a few hours. I hope you enjoy the ride.
Craig
MY REVIEW:
What I enjoyed most about this new book from C.S. Boyack is the fantastic job of world-building he accomplishes through creative writing. I had no difficulty visualizing the cities, the boats, the monsters, or the people that make up this story. The root monsters are a surprise and it’s fun to see them take on personalities and start to become somewhat human. The goal of James Cuttler is often different from that of his makeshift crew, but he manages to keep everyone happy with enough looting to satisfy any good pirate. His goal is to start a war between two countries and rescue his fiance. The adventures along the way, the battles, the exploration and discoveries kept me turning the pages. I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite character. I love Mal for his devotion to James (aka Captain Bloodshot) and for his incredible ability to grow monster creatures in dirt, using his special magic. I love Serang for her fierce loyalty and amazing physical abilities. Plus, she has her own surprising brand of magic. The romance that blooms between Fala and James’ best friend, Dan, is believable and adds a touch of sweetness to the story. But I think my favorite character is the half-goblin half-human woman, Halfrid, who ultimately gives James the magical tool he needs to accomplish his goal and rescue his fiance. The action and battles are intense. The ending is satisfying. Anyone who loves adventure on the high sea mixed with fantasy and magic will enjoy this story as much as I did.
From the excerpt it looks like C.S. Boyack has a clean style and I like the use of dialogue as a way to advance the narrative. Thanks for the introduction to his work, Jan.
Thanks for the comments, Robert.
You’re welcome. Congratulations on your book and the excellent review.
This is a great fantasy story that takes place on the high seas, Rob. I think you’d love it!
Yes, Jan. I agree. I think I would love it!
Hello! I enjoyed the excerpt. Congratulations to Craig on the wonderful review! Thanks for hosting, Jan!
<3 xo
Thank you, Vashti.
You’re welcome. 🙂
Thank you, Vashti! I appreciate you leaving a comment! Hugs!
It’s my pleasure. Hugs!
Fabulous review, Jan. Bravo to Craig! 🙂
Thank you, Natalie.
Thanks for stopping by, Natalie!
What a fabulous review. Kudos, Craig.
Thanks for sharing, Jan.
Thank you, Staci.
Thanks for visiting, Staci!
Great post, review, and excerpt! This is next up on my reading list. Thanks for hosting Jan.
Thank you. I appreciate that you’re taking a chance on it.
You are going to enjoy it, Denise! I can’t wait to see your review. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by!
The dark one’s gone off. LOL. Super excerpt, Craig. Thank you, Jan for hosting.
Yup. No FDA back in those days. Of course, they’e all furloughed right now.
Lol! Thanks for dropping by today, John!
I’ve been hearing a lot about these root monsters in reviews – can’t wait to meet them. Congrats on the review, Craig!
Thanks, Teri. Hope they work for you. They are an unexpected hit within the story.
Thanks, for stopping by, Teri! I guarantee that you will love the root monsters!
A great excerpt from, Craig (loved the colorful flavor of the dialogue), and an excellent review from Jan!
I’ve already read this one and fully agree it’s a fantastic novel. If any readers are on the fence about it—hop aboard and set sail for a larger-than-life adventure!
Thank you so much. Those encouragements are helpful to shoppers, and they work on authors too.
I agree, Mae! Thanks for leaving a comment!
I’m just circling back to your Halfrid comments. In my own era, the ranchers sent their children to live with other people so they could go to school. Sometimes they were gone for months at a time. My elders did even stranger things, like shipping children as young as eight to America, two-at-a-time. Eventually, the whole family got here. Kids were apprenticed out, given away, and more. It would take a strong person to do something like that for the betterment of their children.
What an interesting tidbit of history I did not know!
Great review. This isn’t my typical genre, however, Mr. Boyack wove a tale so gripping that I couldn’t put the book down. The characters were very lifelike and the root monsters were a hit. Wishing you much success!
Thanks again, Michele. Glad the story worked for you, and those testimonials in the comments are golden.
Very well said, Michele! And I agree. The little root monsters were a big hit with me as well as the characters. Thanks for leaving a comment.
Reblogged this on Entertaining Stories and commented:
I’m over at Jan’s place today, and sharing a snippet from Lanternfish. This one is a major turning point in the story. Jan is a great author herself, and super supportive of the independent author community. Take some time to browse her wares and get acquainted while you’re there.
Thanks for lending me your space today, Jan. You’re welcome to borrow mine whenever you like. Glad you enjoyed the story.
My pleasure, Craig! And, I’ll take you up on that offer as soon as I have a new book. And, I WILL have a new book in 2019!
Looking forward to it. I love having people over.
Sounds like a great read! Thanks for sharing, Jan.
Thank you, Mark.
If you like high-seas adventure and fantasy, you will love this book! Thanks for stopping by!