The C.K. Beggan Bookish Blog

The C.K. Beggan Bookish Blog

Welcome to The C.K. Beggan Bookish Blog! If you’re looking for your next read, titles are listed alphabetically and divided by indie and traditional publishing. (If you look closely enough, you may even find some non-fantasy books.) And while you’re here, don’t forget to check out the author interviews and special features, which include book lists by theme!

Independently Published Books: C.K. Beggan‘s Indie Book Spotlight

Fiction

Reviews of the best (and my favorite) fantasy and speculative fiction novels I’ve come across so far, all by indie authors.

Atheist’s Angel (Anna Velfman)

Avalanche (Anna Velfman)

Between Jobs (W.R. Gingell)

The Borderlands Princess (Ophelia Wells Langley)

Bride of the Shadow King (Sylvia Mercedes)

The Cracked Slipper (Stephanie Alexander)

The Crown Plonked Queen (Andrew Einspruch)

The Cursebound Thief (Megan O’Russell) 

Cursed (Callie Pey)

A Darkness at the Door (Intisar Khanani)

The Daughter of Earth (Callie Pey)

Daughter of Shades (Silvia Mercedes)

Droplets of Magic (Emily Bybee)

The Eastie Threat (Andrew Einspruch)

An Enchantment of Thorns (Helena Rookwood & Elm Vince)

Enchanting Fate (Ashley Evercott)

The Fool and the Sparrow (Dana Fox)

The Fox and the Briar (Chesney Infalt)

Frozen Hearts and Death Magic (Day Leitao)

Guardian of Talons and Snares (Anastasis Blythe)

Heart of Cinders (J. Darlene Everly)

Her Dreadful Will (Rebecca F. Kenney)

Icedancer (Anna Velfman)

The Lily Gate (Hanna Sandvig) – coming soon

Maiden of Candlelight and Lotuses (Anastasis Blythe)

Married by Fate (Jenny Hickman)

Married by War (Sarah K.L. Wilson)

Married by Wind (Angela J. Ford)

Music of the Night (Angela J. Ford)

Of Heists and Hexes (S.L. Prater)

Of Roses and Rituals (S.L. Prater)

Of Silver and Secrets (Sylvia Mercedes)

Of Smoke and Shadow (Ophelia Wells Langley)

Phoenix Heart, Season One, Episode One: Ashes (Sarah K.L. Wilson)

The Prince and the Poisoner (Helena Rookwood)

A Promise of Thorns (Helena Rookwood & Elm Vince)

The Purple Haze (Andrew Einspruch)

Rise of the Fire Queen (Alisha Klapheke)

The Road to Farringale (Charlotte E. English)

Stolen by the Shadow King (Alisha Klapheke)

Sunbolt (Intisar Khanani)

Spindle (W.R. Gingell)

Sting Magic (Sarah K.L. Wilson)

Snowblind (Anna Velfman)

Tapestry of Night (Elm Vince)

The Thief and the Throne (Helena Rookwood)

A Trial of Thorns (Helena Rookwood & Elm Vince)

Throne of Sand (Helena Rookwood & Elm Vince)

To Carve a Fae Heart (Tessonja Odette)

Twelve Days of Faery (W.R. Gingell)

Warrior of Blade and Dusk (Anastasis Blythe)

Wish Marked (Lissa Bolts) 

Wizardom Legends: Thief for Hire (Jeffrey L. Kohanek) – coming soon

Nonfiction

Traditionally Published Books: Reviews of All My Favs

My favorite books in the fantasy, noir, literary and speculative fiction genres that have been released by traditional publishers.

Author Interviews: One Author to Another

A new category! In which I do my best to pose thoughtful questions to some of my favorite indie authors.

Anastasis Blythe, live October 1, 2022 – 11 Questions with Anastasis Blythe, author of Guardians of Talons and Snares

Chesney Infalt, June 3, 2022 – 10 Questions with Chesney Infalt, author of The Fox and the Briar

Anna Velfman, April 15, 2022 – 10 Questions with author Anna Velfman, author of Snowblind

Andrew Einspruch, May 25, 2021 – Questions with the hilarious, award-winning author of The Light Bearer

Helena Rookwood and Elm Vince, April 10, 2021 – Questions with the co-authors of An Enchantment of Thorns

Special Features: Authors, Books and Writing

From Ask an Indie Author to trivia to Book Lists, find blog posts featuring by topic, writing tips andIndie Author Spotlights.

Indie Author Spotlight: Tessonja Odette – August 2022

Of Thieves and Shadows cover reveal! (BOMM tour) – live 8/23/22

Rise of the Fire Queen is here! (Book News) (8/7/22)

Ask an Indie Author with Ashley Evercott – How I make my book covers shine on social media? (7/15/22)

Indie Author Spotlight: Anthea Sharp – June 2022

Six of Crows month content (June 2022)

8 Fantasy Books with Delicious Cliffhanger Endings (Including Six of Crows)

9 Fantastic quotes from the Six of Crows duology

10 Books to read after Six of Crows

Kaz Brekker and my Fjerdan heist level character hangover

Trivia: Do You Know Kaz Brekker?

Trivia: How well do you know Six of Crows?

Trivia: How well do you know the Six of Crows duology characters?

From Storm and Shadow cover reveal! (BOMM tour) – 5/30/22

16+ Awesome Asian-Inspired Fantasy Worlds – 5/27/22 – A book list with settings from the Middle East to the Pacific Islands

Weaver cover reveal! (BOMM tour) – 5/10/22

Vow of the Shadow King cover reveal (BOMM tour) – 5/4/22

A Throne of Shadows Cover reveal! (BOMM tour) – 4/28/22

A Darkness at the Door cover reveal – 4/22/22 – in which I discuss the Dauntless Path series and reveal the fabulous cover

Retellings to Thrill Any Fantasy Reader – A complete list of fairy tale and classic book retellings I’ve reviewed on the blog

Supporting Diversity in Fantasy – A mission statement for the blog, plus links to authors who feature diverse characters in their work

Lessons from Bestsellers Part I (Using Contrast to Create Depth) – Learning from Hannah and Leo in The German Girlby Armando Lucas Correa

Lessons from Bestsellers Part II (Using Contrast to Create Depth) – A look at the many sides of Ali in S.A. Chakraborty’s City of Brass

Lessons from Bestsellers Part III (Using Contrast to Create Depth) – A mystery and a terrible truth rounds out Bethany C. Morrow’s A Song Below Water

5 Awkward Situations to Make Your MC Shine – Examples of awkwardness that endear main characters to readers in some of my favorite books

Spicy book giveaway!

For readers of spicy and steamy fantasy romance:

March Madness Fantasy Romance Ebook Giveaway

You can win 12 spicy romantasy ebooks!

Ophelia Wells Langley (The Borderlands Princess) is hosting a KingSumo giveaway from today, March 11 through March 18, 2023. Enter for a chance to win!

Remember, these are all spicy and steamy titles, so you must be 18+.

This giveaway is also open internationally!

Note Lord of the Hollow Court is in the above graphic!

Good luck ; )

Cheers!

CKB

Books on Sale: 99c books with FMCs!

There’s a sale on fantasy books you need to know about…

Scratch that…there are three sales!

Sale #1: 99c FMC-led books

Finding Her Story brings you fantasy, romantic fantasy, fantasy romance and YA fantasy reads led by FMCs (female main characters) for 99c!

A friend sent me the link to this promo and I had to join with Girl of Shadow and Glass. If you’ve already started the series, you’ll know that there are two female narrators at the heart of the story, Kith and Finchoa.

This is especially timely because *cough cough* book 3 *cough*. But you didn’t hear that from me 😉


Sale #2: Girl of Glass and Fury (Tara’s Necklace Book 2)

Because of the above coughing fit, I am also putting on a little sale of my own.

I’ve decided to make book 2, Girl of Glass and Fury, just 99c for the first time in a long time!

Smashwords Read an Ebook Week Sale through March 11

Sale #3: The Smashwords Read an Ebook Week Sale!

You can also find all my book marked down at the Smashwords Sale. (One of these books might even be free 50% off, spicy romantasy readers! Said book being Lord of the Hollow Court – click here for the direct link. Otherwise…)

That’s all for now! Cheers!

CKB

Snow-Swept is here!

It’s Valentine’s Day, so you know what that means…

Snow-Swept moodboard: Hope flies in on a gargoyle's wings. Sweet Fantasy Romance. (Images of winter, night, and winter clothing.)

It’s release day for Snow-Swept!

This no-spice fantasy romance novelette is now available on Kindle Unlimited.

Featuring hearts in need of healing, grief, and a sweet romance that blooms alongside a gargoyle’s protective instincts, I can’t guarantee this little story won’t make you cry!

Snow-Swept: A Gargoyle Romance Novelette, by C.K. Beggan (pale wings, snowflakes and intricate lacy designs over a background the color of night)

Visit the book page for Snow-Swept for more info!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Cheers,

CKB

New on Vella: The Lamp Post Society

Welcome to The Lamp Post Society, where you’ll trade your true name for a roof over your head and solid wages. Oh, and you’ll also fight monsters.

The Lamp Post Society Kindle Vella Cover (showing a woman in a red and black Victorian dress with a background of stars and a murky cobbled street)
Click the cover to start reading!

My new quirky Victorian gaslamp fantasy, The Lamp Post Society, is now available on Kindle Vella! The Lamp Post Society is perfect for fans of W.R. Gingell and Suzannah Rowntree. This story publishes Wednesdays.

(Reminder: Kindle Vella is a serial storytelling platform on Amazon.com–meaning, sadly, it is still only available for US Amazon users.)

The Synopsis:

While London enjoys the progress of the Victorian Era, an endless series of disappearances plague the foggy streets of Elloc. The Lamp Post Society is on the case. Unfortunately, so is its newest and most oblivious recruit, Newfie Blake—and nothing can prepare him for the things that go bump in the night.

The Lamp Post Society is quirky, exciting gaslamp fantasy for fans of W.R. Gingell’s The City Between series and Suzannah Rowntree’s Miss Dark’s Apparitions series.

Cheers!

CKB

ARC readers wanted for Snow-Swept!

If you like sweet paranormal romance or no spice fantasy romance and can review on Amazon, stop and read this now!

My gargoyle romance novelette, Snow-Swept, is looking for ARC readers. You can get your copy on Booksprout. There are already less than 25 copies left with no plans to add more, so grab yours as quick as you can!

(Can’t review on Amazon? Preorder Snow-Swept for 99c or catch it in KU on February 14, 2023.)

Snow-Swept: A Gargoyle Romance Novelette, by C.K. Beggan (pale wings, snowflakes and intricate lacy designs over a background the color of night)

Cheers!

CKB

Snow-Swept is up for preorder!

I have a Valentine’s Day surprise for you all. Snow-Swept, a sweet, no-spice fantasy romance between a gargoyle and human, is arriving on Amazon (and KU!) February 14, 2023.

The novelette is available for preorder from Amazon for 99c.

Check out the pretty cover!

Snow-Swept: A Gargoyle Romance Novelette, by C.K. Beggan (pale wings, snowflakes and intricate lacy designs over a background the color of night)

To learn more, please visit the book page for Snow-Swept.

And since word of mouth marketing is so powerful for an indie author like me, don’t forget to tell a friend or share on social media!

I came up with the idea for this story in a weekend and I’m so excited to share it with you all. This may just be a novelette, but it’s jam-packed with heart and emotion. I really hope you’ll love it!

Cheers!

CKB