It's been a while since I posted an update on all things book related. So I am going to list a recap of old and recent news.

** Today I received some seals to use: Clean Fiction. These are to designate that I am an author who writes clean fiction which means there will be no explicit sex scenes, no gratuitous violence, and no cursing or bad language. Though I do at times write about and show the grittier side of life, I do not cross that line. If you would like to know more about clean fiction authors and see some reviews on these books, I will provide links at the bottom of this post.

** Speaking of reviews, I have been accepted as a Flex Reviewer for Clean Fiction Magazine. After being an editor for many years (you can see a list of books that I have edited here) and working as a marketing consultant where I created and designed graphics and book trailers, I had to leave those positions due to health reasons. So that left me with idle hands. Though I still write on my books, I knew I needed something to do when days demanded that I move at a drunken snail pace. So I reached out to Clean Fiction Magazine. The first book I reviewed will be in the Summer 2024 edition, so I hope you go and purchase a copy to see what I said about Solitary Man by Eric Landfried. 

** Being a reviewer cost me one thing: I can no longer submit to the Windows Into the Multiverse Contest. Out of the 6 entries I submitted in the past, I won 4: The Parting Glass (Autumn 2022), The Cherry Trees (Winter 2022), The Christmas Surprise (Winter 2023), and He Gave Me Flowers (Spring 2024). 

Please consider purchasing these editions and read my short stories, plus the short stories of other wonderful fellow authors of clean fiction. Though it does sadden me a bit that I can no longer enter these contests, I have been extremely blessed that I had a chance to do this and to win. Now it is time to let others travel that path.

** In addition to the short stories, two of my books have been reviewed by Clean Fiction Magazine. Into the Unknown: Seven Short Stories of Faith and Bravery was in the Spring 2022 edition. When Legends Rise was in the Winter 2022 edition.

And speaking of books, What Legends Become, the second book in the series, releases in June 2024. I'm beginning to share about this on social media, so if you haven't followed me yet, check out the sidebar for the platforms where you can find me.

I don't have an update about Mississippi Nights and its reissue. But once I do, I will be sure to share about it! 

Here are the links to find out more about Clean Fiction Magazine, how to become a patron or support them, a link to a YouTube channel I've been following (The Blimey Cow), and, of course, a link to my publisher's author page:

https://www.sunsetvalleycreations.com/editions

https://www.patreon.com/cleanfiction

https://www.youtube.com/@blimeycow

https://ambassador-international.com/book-author/daphne-self/

 I'm excited! 

This cover is just about perfect for the story. And I look forward to sharing the continuation of the Williams family and lives of the Enhanced.

 

What Legends Become

Book 2 of the Legends of Light

 

Blurb:

 

Their blood holds the key.

It's been almost forty years since they gained their freedom. The world has changed: new government, new people, new threats. Global Federated Territories had shut down the Serum-74 program, yet a faction has survived. And now they want the descendants of Julius Williams, the former assassin who retained the Serum-74 encoding.

 

Seth Williams has only known life behind the borders of Alaska Country. When his rebellious son and his headstrong daughter disappears, Seth must venture out into the unknown to rescue his children before they are captured by Intech Juliet Serum Initiative.

With the last former Zulu assassin by his side, Seth is running out of time.

Their freedom is in jeopardy.

 

Their lives are endangered.

Their blood is sought.

And there is a new threat working alongside his father's former adversary.

If you are interested in becoming an advanced reader, then contact me for further information.

  

 

 

July 1, 2023 COVER REVEAL

What Legends Become

Book 2 of the Legends of Light series

Blurb:

Their blood holds the key.

It's been almost forty years since they gained their freedom. The world has changed: new government, new people, new threats. Global Federated Territories had shut down the Serum-74 program, yet a faction has survived. And now they want the descendants of Julius Williams, the former assassin who retained the Serum-74 encoding.

Seth Williams has only known life behind the borders of Alaska Country. When his rebellious son and his headstrong daughter disappears, Seth must venture out into the unknown to rescue his children before they are captured by Intech Juliet Serum Initiative.

With the last former Zulu assassin by his side, Seth is running out of time.

Their freedom is in jeopardy.

Their lives are endangered.

Their blood is sought.

And there is a new threat working alongside his father's former adversary.

Use this link to find out where When Legends Rise can be purchased: 

https://ambassador-international.com/books/when-legends-rise/

News to Announce

Newest news! 

What Legends Become is now with my editor! Stay tuned for a future cover reveal.

Below is a character representation chart of the protagonists. If you haven't already, follow me on social media. I share news, tidbits, books I've read, and a lot of other things. I would love to connect with you!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordaphneself/

Discord: https://discord.gg/vSqJ59k4

When Legends Rise has won:

2nd place in the Spring 2023 BookFest Award in: Fiction-Christian-Futuristic. 

the 2023 Firebird Book Award in two categories: Christian Fiction and Speculative Fiction.

 

 

I won The Windows into the Mulitverse contest in Clean Fiction Magazine. This time in the Contemporary Romance genre.

You will be able to read "The Cherry Trees" in the winter 2022 edition of Clean Fiction Magazine.

On July 26, 2022, When Legends Rise, was released. This is the first science fiction novel I had written, and it will now become a trilogy (with prequel book or short story). So far it has received high remarks and garnered a few 5-star reviews.

 

If you have read When Legends Rise, please leave a comment or review at one of the retailers or Goodreads or BookBub. Reviews do help!

In other news, my short story a.k.a. micro-fiction, "The Parting Glass", won the Clean Fiction Magazine Windows Into the Multiverse contest. It is featured in the Autumn 2022 edition of Clean Fiction Magazine.

 "The Parting Glass" was my first micro-fiction and I have to say, I am addicted to writing that now! It's a great way to jump-start my writing day. I guess my high school teacher, Mr. Kilpatrick, knew what he was doing when he had us do short writing exercises!

Why Did I Write What I Wrote: Part II

Last year in August my short story, The Interview of Malachi Jones, was published in Ambassador International's first anthology. Along with six other authors, we explored the complexities of faith, life, and human behavior. Into the Unknown: Seven Short Stories of Faith and Bravery is a rich and exciting read that showcases the different voice of each author.

 My story was one that I had begun about twenty years ago as part of a college literary project. I set it aside afterwards as life took its turn. Yet when the idea of spearheading an anthology came about, I decided that Malachi's story would be perfect. Why?

If you were faced with a choice, one that pushed the limits to your faith and presented a scenario that was practically a no-win no matter what was decided, how would you behave? The Bible is black-and-white. Sin is sin. Yet life is gray. Life doesn't follow the faith we have in God's Word. So I presented a situation in which my character has to face the darkest parts of himself. And then show how Malachi reacts and learns from what happens.

After the publication of Into the Unknown, I thought about a story I had written back in the early 1990s. I had submitted and had been rejected by Tor, Ace, and Baen. So I shelved it, so to speak.

So in January, I pulled it back out. I had written and changed it a bit at a time since 2012. Taking it from mainstream science fiction to Christian science fiction. I worked and worked on it. Yet the core theme remained: the redemption of an assassin.

I wanted to show that no matter what had been done to someone or what someone has committed, no matter how atrocious, Christ is right there for that person. I had a character was was taken at an early age, genetically altered, conditioned, enslaved, and trained to be the perfect killing machine. Yet God's design is always much stronger than man's design. In When Legends Rise, I explored the deep facets of human nature, personalities, and above all the grace that Jesus gives to all.

I'm excited for When Legends Rise, which releases in July 2022. These characters that I created seem so real to me and I love to be able to have others know about them, too.

 If you enjoy science fiction, I hope you read Into the Unknown and When Legends Rise. I am working on other stories as well. To stay updated, consider joining my Facebook readers group and follow me on Instagram.
 

 

 

Why Did I Write What I Wrote?

One question that is always asked of me: “How did you come up with your book?”

Well, it is simple and complex. Like the helix shape of a DNA strand that holds four proteins in an infinite combination, my ideas are a lot like that. My first book, Mississippi Nights, started off as a book from my childhood. I wrote One Big Happy Family when I was about 16. It was buried and put aside for so many, many years. And after the line-of-duty death of my husband in 2005, the idea of resurrecting that novel percolated for some time. Finally in 2010, I took the story, revamped it, and drew from life to create a story about the prodigal son who returns home to family. It wasn’t just his story, but a story about his brother, a family friend, and a little girl. Mississippi Nights brought to life the story of alcoholism and how a person can fall into that addiction.

After that book was published, I started thinking: “What if someone saw death, hurt, and sorrow on a daily basis? What if that person didn’t have Jesus to lean upon? What would he do?”

And that’s how Alabama Days was born. While Mississippi Nights dealt with alcoholism, Alabama Days dealt with drug abuse, and in this case, prescription drug abuse.

Yet it was much deeper than that. What if the person was a really good guy? He was likable, generous, loving, yet he lacked that one relationship that would bring him peace. If he were someone who did what was right, no matter what, what would happen if he committed a wrong act only to find that his wrong act saved the life of another?

I had so many ethnical questions thrown at my characters. How would a Christian and a non-Christian react to certain circumstances. Because life isn’t always clear-cut, yet the Bible is, I wanted to show the messiness of being human.

We know that as Christians, we all fall short. We all sin at times. The difference is that when we sin, we know we can receive forgiveness and “Go and sin no more.” But how would a person who ran from God think? How would I react if I were like him?

Writers play around with what-ifs. We see the many facets of humanity. And that’s how our stories are born. And why we write what we do. For me, I want to show the many sides of human nature and behaviour and show that in all things, Jesus is the answer. Jesus is there for us all.

So, why do I write what I do? To bring glory to His Name and hope that through my words, people will come (or return) to Christ.