Blog Tour: WAVES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS by John K. Danenbarger

 

Waves of Light and Darkness challenges and delights a reader’s perception with surreal and surprising world-building.

Waves of Light and Darkness

by John K Danenbarger

Genre: Speculative Short Stories

Waves of Light and Darkness challenges and delights a reader’s perception with surreal and surprising world-building.

Whether they are set in the past or the future, in a Kansas farmhouse or a potentially supernatural cave, these short stories share one commonality: a search for something beyond what one knows is needed. Through a multitude of unexpected perspectives (a cat, a coma patient, a ventriloquist), this utterly novel collection of stories examines and reconfigures universal themes of life, death, and human connection.

Several stories focus on finding identity amidst societal pressure, such as “Seduction,” and "Alexandria Her Smile,” while others like "A Pusillanimous Human" and "The Gift for Albert Smoots" explore mortality and grief.

 

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An excerpt of “Death of Angst” from WAVES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS: STORIES

“When my eyes have the ember slits of a viper, some humans think I must be plotting death and murder. Although it happens, out of necessity, most of the time I am merely researching, scrutinizing, and processing feline perfection, because I was found as an orphan under a box. I know now that I must have been in severe pain from having survived an attack by a thug, a ruffian tomcat that wanted to breed with my mother. I remember the sharp claws digging into my fur, the putrid breath hot on my neck. So, no wonder I am skittish; it just does not leave you. The trauma, I mean. My brothers and sisters, dead and gone. More to the point, leaving me with no one to learn from . . . to emulate.

I was certainly lucky to be found by Adele Petrini outside the building where I now live on the third floor. I think Adele was around five years old back then. Human years, I’m talking about. Just a tiny, muddy thing, with messy braids and curious eyes. She wanted to name me Anxiety, but it got shortened to Angst. I don’t mind; I am certainly happy with the name. I find it important that it’s easy for humans to call my name when it’s time to eat.”

John Danenbarger spends much of his time writing in Italy. Born in Atlanta, he graduated from University of Kansas with a degree in English and Creative Writing. With a backlist of short stories, Danenbarger established the Salem Massachusetts Writers' Club. After living in Oslo, Norway, Stockholm, Sweden, and Salem, MA, Danenbarger achieved a merchant marine captain's license, sailing for two years on the New England coast including two round-trips to Bermuda.

 

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Blog Tour: SHADE OF WINGS by Pam McGaffin

 

Shade of Wings is a speculative young adult novel about a family of New York City crows struggling to survive the outbreak of West Nile virus during the sizzling summer of 1999.

Shade of Wings

by Pam McGaffin

Genre: YA Teen Animal Fiction

For fans of Laline Paull, a speculative young adult novel about a family of New York City crows struggling to survive the outbreak of West Nile virus during the sizzling summer of 1999.

Four-year-old Duncan needs to hurry up and find a mate—at least, according to his sister, Cloud. But she doesn’t know about the mistake that’s preventing him from leaving their family to start another.

Though he’s the eldest, Duncan doesn’t see himself as a father. Yet that’s what he must become when both his parents die of the mysterious illness that’s killing crows across New York City. He devotes himself to caring for his siblings, including three fledglings—but he soon discovers he can’t protect them from the “blind death.”

Meanwhile, a zoo pathologist’s worst fears are realized. It starts with dead flamingos. Then critically ill New Yorkers start showing up in hospital emergency rooms.

Some blame the crows.

 

A profound story of loved ones sticking together in the face of tragedy and hardship.” - Kirkus Reviews

 

An amazing and heartfelt read. McGaffin confirms what so many of us already know, that humans should learn from the smart ones around us, even if they're crows." - Lori Matsukawa, TV News Anchor and author of Brave Mrs. Sato

 

"Utterly original! I’m in awe of Pam McGaffin’s deft storytelling—she makes a family of crows both fascinating and deeply relatable.  I love a book that leaves me seeing the world with fresh eyes, and Pam accomplishes that in spades.” - Andrea Ezerins, author of When the Forest Dreams

 

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The human spoke to him as a mother to a nestling. She held his body so firmly he could only move his head. The warm pressure combined with her soft voice calmed him until she picked up a small tool with her other hand and pierced him with it. While he was still in the nest, Duncan had told him about bugs and bees with “stingers” that could poke through skin. Some stingers held bad stuff that made the skin swell and itch. Others drew out blood as well. That’s what this human did with her stinger. He watched the thin tube in her hand fill with a dark red liquid that reminded him of the bluish blood

running down the center of Lucas’s feathers. The human removed the stinger and the tube with his blood. He doesn’t remember what came after.

Now he sits in a box looking out on a room thrumming with humans and birds going every which way. It’s so loud and busy out there he’s thankful for his own space and the soft lining in it. He tries to prop himself up without the use of his right leg, which pokes out from his body like a stiff white twig. He can’t feel the white leg It’s like a strange and useless appendage growing from his body. The other leg is as it should be, but he needs two legs to do anything but flop around.

The humans must have done this to him. The white appendage reminds him of the straight white stick they used to tap his beak open. He’d tried to eat the fuzzy, rounded tip, but the mother human pulled it away before he could clamp down. When she finally did feed him, it was through a clear, pointed thing, like a beak but not a beak, that dropped liquid down his throat. He was disappointed not to get worms and insects, but the liquid took the edge off his hunger. He doesn’t remember falling asleep. His dreams brought him back to the river, the water carrying him ever further away from his family. He cried out but there was no sound.

“Ah, you’re finally up where I can see you.” The voice comes from a box across the corner from his. A female crow sticks her beak through the wires and then retracts it. She looks to be between Cloud and Duncan in age, but he can’t see all of her. “I’ve been waiting for someone to talk to. All the other crows have gone in that door.” She sticks her beak through the wires again, pointing toward a door at the back of the room.

“Thank your lucky stars you’re in this part, not in there with the dying birds.”

His confusion must show because she sighs. “Do you remember all the poking and prodding they did to you the day they brought you in? They were testing you to see if you were sick. You’re in this room, so you’re not. Lucky you.”

“I don’t feel lucky.” He shows her his white twig.

“Aw, you just broke your leg. You’ll heal, and then they’ll let you go. Me? I plan to take my time. I don’t want to leave here until this sickness goes away.” She pauses. “I’m called Bree. What’s your name?”

“Worm.”

She snickers. “Cute.” 

Pam McGaffin always knew she would write books when she grew up.

So, at age 51, after a long career in journalism and public-relations, she quit her day job and went to work. After seven years, countless rewrites, and a seat-of-her-pants course in modern publishing, she released her debut novel, The Leaving Year, with SparkPress Aug. 14, 2018.

Set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where she grew up, The Leaving Year, is a coming-of-age story about love and loyalty, family and friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in our search for meaning.

For her second novel, Shade of Wings, she looked to New York City to tell the story of the West Nile virus outbreak from the point-of-view of the first US victims – American crows. She hopes readers fall in love her hapless hero, Duncan, and his plucky crow family. She certainly loved giving them life.

Before tackling novels, Pam wrote short stories and articles. Her short fiction has appeared in the online literary journals, Eclectica and Amarillo Bay, and her articles have been published in many Puget Sound-area publications and websites, including The Daily Herald (in Everett, WA), Bicycle Paper, the MS Connection newsletter, and Seattle Children’s Story Project.

She has a BA degree in Communications Journalism from the University of Washington and certificates in fiction writing and advanced literary fiction from UW Extension.

When she isn’t writing or thinking about writing, she likes to read, walk the dog, swim, bike, garden, and watch birds.

 

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Blog Tour: I LOVE IT WHEN WE READ TOGETHER by Karolyn Wallace

Children's Books / Early Learning Beginner Reader

Date Published: 08-12-2025

Publisher: Mission Point Press

I Love It When We Read Together invites reading partners to create their own special rituals with gentle prompts and endearing illustrations that encourage kids to read along, spot animals, and spark lively conversations. This book is perfect for building fluency and connection. Inspired by the literacy challenges of the pandemic, early childhood educator Karolyn Wallace crafts a cozy experience that helps families bring the joy of reading home.

Review: A cute and illustrative ode to the love of reading…together. For kids, they can see the joy and connection that they can make when they read together. Typically reading is a solitary activity and kids can have the rest of their lives for that. But reading together is one of those rare moments that kids can enjoy and cherish. A good read! Good for bonding.

Rating: 4 stars

About the Author

Karolyn Wallace is a seasoned educator with over twenty years of experience teaching in elementary classrooms across public and private schools in Maryland, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New York. Before that, she was a broadcast journalist at local news affiliates in Los Angeles and Flint, Michigan. She is currently part of the team at The Children’s Learning Lab, where experienced educators connect with elementary students for online learning. She divides her time between Michigan and California, enjoying the company of her husband, children, and grandchildren.

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Book Blast: THE FLAMES OF SOULFLARE by L.A. Kayshal

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. La Kayshal will be awarding $10 PayPal gift to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Dragons fear prophecy, and love may be the final weapon in this dark, multi-POV Romantasy perfect for fans of Fourth Wing and From Blood and Ash.

Feared as the harbinger of doom, Everin Haydon is stolen, broken, and reforged by magic into a living weapon bound to a Dragon Council that calls its tyranny justice.

Across the realms, Lord Tynan, the Demon of Darkness and Chaos, returns. His awakening marks the coming of the three days of darkness, and he tears through realms to reclaim what fate binds to him, the Hell’s Fire Dragon.

But one question remains. If the demon rises, where is the immortal meant to stop him?

As the dragon world waits for divine intervention, Everin must decide whether she remains a weapon or becomes the fate of the realms.

Read an Excerpt

The moon hung quietly above Helldreth Fort, its pale glow spilling through the tall windows and brushing the chamber with soft silver. A cool breeze drifted in and stirred the white curtains, their edges sweeping lightly across Everin’s skin. She pulled her silk gown closer, grateful for the warmth of the room. It felt comforting, far more so than the terrible, dark place she had left behind.

Her steps carried her to the mirror in the corner. The reflection staring back looked thinner, as if her body had been carved down to something she hardly recognized. The neckline of her nightie dipped too low to her liking, drawing her eye to the faint scars across her chest. The lamp light traced their uneven lines, pale and unsettling.

She touched them gently. Everin barely remembered how or when she got the scars. She pulled the outer robe around her until it covered more of her chest. At least the scars were low enough to stay hidden unless she wore something too revealing.

A sound of footsteps behind her made her turn.

Tariel Fenwick, her first love, stood at the doorway.

Everin froze for a moment. He looked different—stronger, more defined, more man than the boy she remembered. His dark hair rested just above his shoulders with two thin braids at the sides of his head, framing a face sharpened by a faint stubble. His amber eyes, once so warm, now carried a deeper, shadowed intensity. His shirt hung open across his chest, revealing sculpted muscle that rose with each slow breath, and a leather gauntlet, more like an open finger glove, hugged his left hand like a seamless extension of his skin.

Her gaze lingered longer than she meant it to. He saw that. A slow, knowing smirk touched his lips.

She straightened quickly. “We need to talk, Tariel.”

“Yes,” he replied, approaching her, “but not now.”

“There is a lot I want to understand,” she said quietly. “So much I don’t remember.”

“Later.” He reached her, lowering his voice. “I’ve long waited for this moment with you.”

He stepped closer.

She stepped back.

“You waited for me?” she whispered, searching his face.

“I did,” he said. “More than you know.”

He brushed a fingertip along her arm. She stiffened but felt a flicker of the old pull toward him, a warm memory trying to surface. Her eyes drifted briefly to his lips, those that she had kissed in the past, before she forced herself to look away.

His smirk deepened. “Are we shy now, Everin?” he murmured, amusement warm in his voice.

About the Author: La Kayshal is an Australian writer of romance, YA, and children's fantasy novels. She lives with her husband, daughter, and a playful Malshi puppy in the coastal plains of the Sunny State.
br> Her debut novel, The Lost Crown, is an adventure romance set in the exotic landscapes of India. She also created the much-loved Sylph Series, a whimsical children’s collection that introduces readers to the amazing world of Sylphs, with each book carrying a gentle moral lesson. A lifelong fan of wizards, magic, dragons, swords, and elementals, she poured all these passions into her YA fantasy Ariston Baker in the Weird Picture Book, a fast-paced journey filled with realms, riddles, action, and adventure.

Her latest project is the Hell’s Fire Dragon duology, a romantasy series filled with dragons, magic, and high-stakes conflict. Book 1, The Flames of Darkness, begins the story, followed by Book 2, The Flames of Soulflare.

Website: http://lakayshal.wixsite.com/my-site-1
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Blog Tour: THE YELLOW HAIR by Dwight Holing

A Nick Drake Novel, Book 10

Mystery, Contemporary Western, Native American Literature

Date Published: 04-30-2026

Publisher: Jackdaw Press

New Badge. Old Blood.

Nick Drake traded his past for the Sheriff’s star, but Harney County doesn’t do election honeymoons. His tenure kicks off with a double homicide staged as a murder-suicide—a lie Nick isn't buying. As he digs into the crime’s rotting core, the rookie Sheriff finds himself fighting a war on two fronts: a lethal learning curve with unproven deputies and a political recall designed to bury him. In the high lonesome where secrets kill, Nick must strike first and strike hard. Because in this office, the only thing shorter than his term is his life expectancy.

Review: A couple found dead in a ranch. Was it a murder-suicide or a double-homicide? It was up to Sheriff Nick to find out. 

I always enjoy a good mystery and this one seemed like it would be suitable. The narrative was simple and procedural with long descriptions and over-explanations. I felt like I was getting a lot of terminology of The Farmer’s Almanac and Military 101—all quite new to me. These elements slowed the pace of the story and made it feel longer than it should. It was good for getting into a modern Old West setting. The good thing is that there was a mystery here and it was interesting seeing how a newbie sheriff went about investigating it. Quite honestly, I prefer a simpler mystery with lighthearted wit. But even though this book really wasn’t my preference, it was a suitable mystery. A fairly nice read.

Rating: 3 stars

About the Author

Dwight Holing is the award-winning author of twenty books, including the bestselling Nick Drake Mysteries and the popular Jack McCoul Capers. He is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Western Writers of America. He lives beside a coastal river in California with his wife and two dogs who’d rather swim than walk.

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