Dennis the Dark Elf does #WickedWednesday at Brenda Whiteside’s blog…

I know that’s a long title. But hey…sometimes  you just need long titles.

Author Brenda Whiteside offered me a guest shot during her Wicked Wednesday promotion, and I chose to talk about Dennis the Dark Elf as he’s wicked enough for any three others. Here’s a bit from that:

Sometimes, we all like to be wicked.

Really. We do.

The thing is, we don’t necessarily like to admit to it. Not when we’re out paying bills, or being responsible, or making sure the kids in our lives get their teeth brushed.

When my late husband and I worked on the Elfy duology together (at that time one book; now, it’s AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE and A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE), we knew that everyone loved a villain. But we weren’t sure at first what to do in order to get that villain across.

Enter Dennis the Dark Elf Priest. (Soon shortened to Dennis, the Dark Elf, as writing “Dark Elf Priest” all the time became too much for us to bear.) Dennis was a nasty cuss who hated anyone who wasn’t a Dark Elf, but was masquerading as a human priest in order to stir up as much trouble as he could. (If you’re thinking, “That Dennis really is a menace,” you’re right. I even said so at one point in the book!) He planned on sacrificing at least one Elfy (a race of short magicians, none above four feet two inches tall) at Beltaine, otherwise known as May Day, because he wanted power. And he didn’t care about any repercussions – for example, the fact that most humans know nothing about magic, and would be upset to find out about it, after he’d killed someone in cold blood in front of them at a major church festival, didn’t even enter his mind.

Of course, if you’ve been at my blog before, you know that Bruno the Elfy is my hero, he’s the equivalent of a teenager, and the love of his life, Sarah, is in danger because of Dennis and his perfidious ways.

(I’ve always wanted to use the word perfidious. I guess today’s the day. Moving on…)

I also picked an excerpt showing Dennis at his worst, and Sarah at his mercy, with Bruno trying to figure out how to get her the Hells out of there. (As the Elfys believe there must be more than one Hell, it is “Hells” with an -s in their worldview.)

I do hope you’ll stop by Brenda’s blog and check out my offering. I was glad to do the guest shot, glad to talk about Dennis, and I definitely was glad to talk about something other than being sick for a change. (I am beyond tired of that. But still working on it, alas.)

And do give Brenda’s blog a look-see every so often, OK? She features many writers. (I hope to have her over here myself one of these days.) She is a generous person with her time, and I truly appreciated her letting me share her space today.

Buy Some Easy, Last-Minute Xmas Gifts Today Via Joan Reeves’ #SlingWords Blog…

Hey, everyone.

Just ’cause I don’t have much in the way of holiday spirit this year, that doesn’t mean the rest of you don’t. (I hope someone does, somewhere…otherwise the world is a very cold and cruel place. But I digress.) And part of your holiday spirit, if you’re in much of the Western World, is to find the perfect gift for someone.

It may be December 23rd, but you still have time to buy an e-book. That is the point of author Joan Reeves’ blog post today entitled “Easy, Last-Minute Gifts.” My two books of the Elfy duology, AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE and A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE, are part of this promotion, as you see:

#31 An Elfy on the Loose by Barb Caffrey

When young Bruno the Elfy meets Sarah the human girl, they find romance and must save Bruno’s mentor from the clutches of a Dark Elf.

An Elfy on the Loose is 99cents.

Visit Barb Caffrey at Barb Caffrey’s Elfyverse.

 

#32 A Little Elfy in Big Trouble by Barb Caffrey

Bruno and Sarah fall further in love and gather allies to save Northern California from a Dark Elf.

A Little Elfy in Big Trouble is $2.99.

Visit Barb Caffrey at Barb Caffrey’s Elfyverse.

However, don’t despair if you already have them but are in need of a good, quick e-book purchase from a fun author who tells a good story. There are plenty of other great choices to choose from at Joan’s blog today, and I’m sure you can find one of ’em, or more, to whet your interest.

So, please, do take a look at Joan’s blog today. Then buy a book, or two, or three…and I would appreciate it greatly if you’d at least consider buying my two if you don’t already have them. (OK?)

New Interview Is Up at Ally Shields’ Blog

Folks, I’m very pleased to let you know that author Ally Shields — who writes a great deal of YA urban fantasy — had me over for a second “coffee chat” to discuss A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE and other interesting subjects. (The first “coffee chat,” which discussed AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE, can be found here.)

Want to see just a bit of what I talked about? Here’s a teaser from the interview:

Ally:  What was the inspiration for the Elfy books?

BARB:  My inspiration comes from three places. One was my late husband Michael, who was one of the most encouraging people I’ve ever been around. The second was an anthology I read — I now can’t remember the name of it — where the editor said something to the effect that the stories in that antho wouldn’t be “the normal Elfie-welfie stuff.” And the third was a dream I had after that, where a short young man dressed all in black came to me and said, “It’s not like that!” and proceeded to tell me just what Elfy-welfie stuff was (yes, he insisted on the change from -ie to -y) and why he wanted no part of it, thanks.

I woke up from that dream, not long after my honeymoon, and told Michael about it. Rather than looking at me like I was an idiot, as I would assume most men would do, he said, “Well, then. You have to write about this, and figure out who this guy is, now, don’t you?” with a big smile on his face.

And I proceeded to do just that.

So, I hope you will go take a look at that, and maybe read it while enjoying a cup of coffee yourself, taken any way you like. (I think Ally would approve of that. I know I would.)

It’s Christmas…in July?

Folks, I needed to make sure to let you all know that I’m taking part in the forthcoming Christmas in July event, held on Monday, July 25, 2016, on Facebook. (Go to this page and sign up, if you’d like, though I will be reminding people of this Sunday night as well if at all possible.)

Here’s the full list of the invitees to the Xmas in July Party:

10am -11am – Author Barbara Ehrentreu
11am – 12pm – Author Uvi Poznansky
12pm – 1pm – Author Barb Caffrey
1pm – 2pm – Author Dellani Oakes
2pm – 3pm – Author Rebecca Vickers
3pm – 4pm – Author Viv Drewa
4pm – 5pm – Author K.L. Nappier
5pm – 6pm – Author Christine Amsden
6pm – 7pm – Author Cris Pasqueralle
7pm – 8pm – Author Maria DeVivo

Now, if you are a fan of Twilight Times Books, you are probably aware that both Maria DeVivo and Christine Amsden are TTB authors. Maria’s most recent book is THE RISE OF STURD, a fantasy with both dark and comedic elements set in her Coal Elf series; Christine’s most recent book is KAITLIN’S TALE. They’re both fine authors and I’m proud to say that I’ve helped to edit their books in the past — Maria with THE COAL ELF, and Christine with KAITLIN’S TALE.

I’ve “met” authors Uvi Poznansky and Dellani Oakes to a degree online; they’re both very warm-hearted people with some interesting books and stories. Everyone else, I’ll be meeting for the first time along with you…but we all intend to give you a fun-filled day filled with contests, prizes, and much more.

Now, as to what I, personally, will do? You need to show up to the online party to figure that out, but I will give you a couple of hints…the year 2002 may factor into the discussion. (Just sayin’.) Perhaps my favorite authors will be discussed…and, finally, I may discuss the environs of Northern California just a tad, if I feel the need.

(Or not. This is a work in progress!)

In case you want to get into the Xmas in July spirit and buy one of my books now, here are the links to both of my novels at Amazon; each are e-books.

AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE is here. (Still just ninety-nine cents in United States dollars…how can you beat that?)

…and A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE is here.

That’s both halves of the Elfy duology, right there, available for less than what you’d pay for a meal at McDonald’s…lots of great reading for a teensy price, and you’ll get to meet the funniest young adult couple in fantasy in the bargain. (So how could you go wrong?)

Oh, you want to try before you buy? I guess I can understand that…here’s the link to TTB’s sample chapters for AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE, and here is the link to the sample chapters for A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE.

Now, let’s get ready to rumble…er, read!

Anniversary Thoughts — and Book Recs (from me)

Folks, it’s my fourteenth wedding anniversary today, as I write this. (Actually, it’s nearly over, as it’s after eleven p.m. as I type this out.) And while I’m happy to remember my late husband Michael, and the happiest day of my life — our wedding day — spending my anniversary alone, again, is not the world’s most pleasant thing.

Grief is a very strange thing, you see. It’s a personal journey of sorts; how well can you cope with the pain? How well can you go on with your life, and all its vicissitudes, and yet do your best to honor your loved ones…honor your memories?

Every person’s grief-journey is different. Mine has been long, protracted, and difficult, but along the way I’ve met many wonderful people and reaffirmed long-standing friendships. I talk about Michael with my friends, and about how much I miss him, and about how much he did to help me as a writer and editor…and also about how much he enjoyed listening to me play my instruments (usually I played my clarinet, sometimes the alto sax), or discussing the music I was writing, or really anything at all.

Michael enjoyed so many things, you see. He was a strong, vibrant presence, even though he, of course, did not see himself that way.

I’m glad to have met him, married him, and been together with him until he passed — way too soon — in 2004. I will honor our wedding day every day of my life, but most especially on our anniversary.

That said, I also wanted to talk a little about writing today. Michael was a writer, and he loved to write. He also loved reading my stories, and talking with me about works in progress; I like to think that he’d be ecstatic that ELFY is out in two parts, AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE and A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE, because Michael thought Bruno’s journey from discarded orphan to worthy hero was well worth reading. (Plus, it’s funny, and Michael, like me, was always partial to that.)

My publisher has priced AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE at ninety-nine cents, so it’s quite affordable. And if you enjoy that, you can go grab A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE for only $2.99 — the two together are less than the price of most fast-food hamburger meals, and are far more satisfying (with far fewer empty calories, too).

That being said, I also wanted to point out that several other stories are available right now, including several that Michael had a great deal of input in (actually writing two of them). All are ninety-nine cents to buy, but are free to read with Kindle Unlimited. (I still plan to get up versions for other sites, but that hasn’t happened yet.)

TO SURVIVE THE MAELSTROM is a novella featuring Peter Welmsley, one of the few survivors of the Battle of Hunin. How can he continue to live while his best friend, much less his fiancée as well, are dead? And what does an empathic were-mouse have to do with Peter, anyway?

Note that the Marketing for Romance Writers Group on Goodreads featured TO SURVIVE THE MAELSTROM as its book of the week for June 21, 2016…thank you so much for that!

Also, considering I’m talking about my husband this evening, the main impetus for me to write this story was a 2,000 word story fragment Michael left behind. I wanted to figure out the rest of the story…so I did. (And I do hope you will enjoy it.)

Next is Michael’s fantasy-romance novella COLUMBA AND THE CAT. This story features Princess Columba of Illnowa; she does not want to be a princess, as she’s suited to be a musician-sorceress instead. She’s been looking around for a familiar animal — someone to help her with her mage-studies — and happens across a small cat with unusual markings while out riding. She rescues the cat, and then magical things start to happen…including dreams of a near-perfect suitor (not young, not overly handsome, but smart and funny and interesting). But the cat is a shapeshifter…when, oh when, will Columba figure that out?

And, finally, there are the two stories of spaceman and adventurer Joey Maverick, written by Michael (with the second story being finished and expanded by me), A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT and ON WESTMOUNT STATION.

I hope you will give these books and stories a try, as it’s the only present I want for this, my fourteenth anniversary. (And thank you.)

Take Advantage of the TTB #99cents sale…

Folks, right now, Twilight Times Books has a ninety-nine cents sale going on. Books included in this sale are my own AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE, Jason Cordova’s CORRUPTOR, Chris Nuttall’s SCHOOLED IN MAGIC, Loren Jones’ STORIES OF THE CONFEDERATED STAR SYSTEMS, and much, much more.

If you ever want to see what’s going on with Twilight Times Books, here’s a link to the Amazon page: http://amzn.to/eYYy6s Once you get to this page, click the box that says, “Price low to high,” and you’ll see all sorts of great books available for only ninety-nine cents.

Because this is my page, though, I’m going to tell you a little more about my own offering that’s on sale right now, AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE. This is the first half of the Elfy duology (the second half being A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE, available right now for $2.99). Bruno the Elfy is taken out of his own culture and place, the Elfy Realm, and is brought to our Earth. He doesn’t entirely know why he’s here. He doesn’t know why a strange family from Northern California has kidnapped him. But he does know that the young daughter of that family, Sarah, intrigues him. Both are treated horribly, and both decide they’re going to leave…contacting Bruno’s mentor, Roberto the Wise, they attempt to get out of there, with Roberto ending up trapped in Bruno’s place instead. As Bruno and Sarah attempt to gather allies, they find out more about each other than they’d ever believed possible…and that much of what they thought they knew about themselves was flat wrong.

I’m proud of writing AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE, and I hope you will enjoy reading it. As it’s on sale right now, there’s no better time to dip your toe into the water of the Elfyverse than right now…and since the second half of the Elfy duology, A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE, is only $2.99, you can have a great, multi-day reading experience for less than the price of a tall latte at Starbucks.

What more could you possibly want?

(Oh, yes…and there’s a lot of humor here. Which might help divert you, and can’t we all use a diversion right now?)

Friday Free-For-All (AKA News, Round-up, Etc.)

Folks, I have a bit of news for you.

First, as you know, I wrote about “the story behind A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE” and it was posted yesterday over at the Opinionated Man’s blog. I tried to discuss, for readers new to me, a little bit about why I do what I do — and why I’ve fought so hard to keep the Elfyverse alive.

But then, I thought a little more. And realized that readers who have been with me every step of the way deserved a better answer. So, after much struggling, here it is.

The main reason I kept trying, with the Elfyverse, was because the stories interested me. In that, I’m no different from any other writer.

But the secondary reason was because it made me laugh, even in the darkest hours…and I figured if it could make me laugh, it could make anyone laugh.

Look, folks. We all have days where we wonder why we’re still here. (I can’t be the only one who’s ever wondered this.) Work doesn’t go well, the traffic on the Interstate is bad, family members get sick, you ran out of money before you ran out of month…the list of things that go wrong is seemingly endless, and there’s almost no relief in sight.

But there are books that make you laugh, or make you think, or maybe take you out of yourself.

This, in a nutshell, is why I started writing in the first place. And it’s why I fought so hard for my Elfy duology, because I hope AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE and A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE might be able to do that for you — if it can’t, it’s not for lack of trying.

Anyway, I did say “round-up,” didn’t I?

Last week, I pointed out that REALMS OF DARKOVER will be out in May, and is available for pre-order. Editor Deborah J. Ross has interviewed all the writers, with Shariann Lewitt being the first up last week. But this week, it’s Rosemary Edghill’s turn…and she has some very interesting things to say about Darkover, about writing, and about why she enjoys doing both.

Do go take a look at her interview, will you? (Rosemary Edghill is a fantastic writer. You could learn a lot from her.)

Happy Friday, folks!

Want to Read a Free Copy of AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE on 3/6/16? Here’s How

Folks, in honor of Read an E-Book Week, my publisher, Twilight Times Books, is giving away free e-books from March 6, 2016 to March 12, 2016 — one full week — at their website only. Every day, two e-books will be given away for free, including copies of SCHOOLED IN MAGIC by Chris Nuttall and THE CASE OF THE DISPLACED DETECTIVE: THE ARRIVAL by Stephanie Osborn later in the week.

“But Barb,” you say. “What’s this about a free copy of AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE? I want details!”

OK. For those detail-minded among you, AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE will be given away, free of charge, at the Twilight Times Books website starting at midnight 3/6/2016 and ending at midnight 3/7/2016. (Go to this page, and you will find the links when they become active.)

So if you love free e-books — and really, who doesn’t? — this is your chance to get the book that Rosemary Edghill called “is a fresh and unexpected take on the urban fantasy genre with a charming and original protagonist.” She further said, “You’ll want to read this one.”

Author Stephanie Osborn is also in AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE’s corner, saying, “(It’s) filled with fascinating characters both good and evil, characters that, because of their strengths…and weaknesses…seem to come to life for the reader, and a riveting conundrum of a mystery with many facets…The further into An Elfy on the Loose I read, the deeper it drew me into the story. And I went eagerly!”

Others who’ve loved AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE include authors Jason Cordova, Katharine Kimbriel, and N.N. Light…so, really, what are you waiting for?

Go grab your free copy as soon as it becomes available…then, if my story about Bruno the Elfy and Sarah, his mostly-human teenage girlfriend has intrigued you, go read the second half of the Elfy duology, A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE, available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and OmniLit/All Romance for just $2.99 USD.

Then come back and let me know what you think. (I won’t bite. Promise.)

Why Should You Buy A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE?

This is the guest blog I did for Opinionated Man’s blog…hope you all will enjoy it! (I wrote it in the same style as the book, in case anyone’s wondering.) It features a longer blurb to whet your interest.

Why are you still here? Why not go read my guest blog instead? (You might just like it.)

Trying WattPad

Folks, it’s no secret that I’m looking for more readers for my series about Bruno the Elfy and his mostly-human teenage girlfriend, Sarah. I’ve tried a number of things to get the word out about my writing, with mixed success…and sometimes, that makes me quite frustrated.

That said, I’ve heard some great things about WattPad, especially for urban fantasy authors. And after checking out the site, I decided to upload my first chapter of A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE there, in the hopes it might garner a few reads, comments, and maybe even some reviews or sales down the road.

Now, why did I pick this novel rather than AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE to start with? I figured it might be an easier “get,” if that makes sense, because it’s obvious from the start that Bruno and Sarah are young, they are in love, and they are in a huge amount of trouble. For a young adult urban fantasy reader, that’s most of what they either want or need to see (along with the magical component, which both Bruno and Sarah have in spades).

Note that I discussed various methods of promotion with my publisher, Lida Quillen, months ago, and Lida assured me that anything I did was fine with her.

That’s why I posted the first chapter of A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE at WattPad today. (Go take a look if you don’t believe me.)

So, for the next three weeks, I’m going to post my sample chapters. They are already up at the Twilight Times Books website, so if you’ve come to my blog looking for more of A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE, please go there forthwith and read the rest right now…and if that intrigues you, please go to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or OmniLit and get yourself a copy of A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE today.

Happy weekend, folks!