Author edits latest novel while backpacking in South America

Having escaped from an attempted drugging/mugging on a bus in Ecuador, Tej Turner completed the editing of the third book in his epic series in hostels and the rainforest.

DARTFORD, KENT – 26 February 2024 – Tej Turner, author, chef, and inveterate traveller, recently returned from a nine-months trip backpacking around South America. On his travelblog he tells of being drugged and mugged on a public bus as well as volunteering in a wildlife sanctuary in Ecuador. While he was travelling, Blood War, the third book in his Avatars of Ruin fantasy series was in the process of being prepared for publication by Elsewhen Press, a UK publishing house specialising in high quality, entertaining and thoughtful speculative fiction from talented authors like Tej. Part of the pre-publication process is an interaction between the author and their editor, to finesse the final text (and root out any typos). At times, Tej was editing the text on his laptop in exotic locations that made the editorial team highly envious, although they did not let their envy stop them helping him to complete the book, which was published as an eBook in January and in print this month. Of course, at other times Tej was trying to edit in an oven-like hostel room with no air conditioning and loudly snoring companions; or even on a bus (not while being mugged!).

Tej says: “Having the occasional mishap is all part of having an adventure, and it was overall a great trip that I will look back on fondly. I am back in the UK now, and I have even started working on my new novel. It has certainly been an inspiring year and that should give me plenty of material for the next book. I hope that my readers enjoy Blood War as it is possibly my most ambitious work to date.”

Peter Buck, Editorial Director of Elsewhen Press, says: “This is not the first time that Tej has been completing the editing of a book while backpacking in exotic locations. When you’re sitting in an office in Kent on a rainy afternoon and Tej sends a picture of his ‘office for the day’ with lush vegetation and a waterfall just beyond the veranda of his hostel, it’s hard not to feel a little envious. But, on the other hand, sitting in an office is generally not as dangerous as travelling alone in some parts of South America!”

One reader described Tej’s Avatars of Ruin series as ‘Wheel of Time meets The Walking Dead’. It is an epic fantasy series about a group of survivors forced to band together when their world takes a dark turn. It has some illustrious fans. Trip Galey, author of A Market of Dreams and Destiny said, “This is epic fantasy with a touch of the mythic to it. There were villains I loved to hate, and a queer protagonist I loved rooting for. Action, magic, a world in peril…what more could you ask for?” Bestselling science fiction and fantasy author Christopher G. Nuttall called Bloodsworn, the first book in the series, “a stunning introduction to a new fantasy world” and renowned grimdark author Anna Smith Spark said “Classic epic fantasy. I enjoyed it enormously.” Allen Stroud, Chair of the British Science Fiction Association, said “a journey into Fantasy, only it’s not quite the journey you expected, and it’s all the better for it”. David Craig, author of the Sooty Feathers gothic fantasy series, said of Blood Legacy, the second book in Tej’s series, “an exciting book which ups the stakes, mixing traditional fantasy with an element of possession horror”. Fantasy author Joanne Hall said “a nuanced, smart high fantasy novel with intelligent, complex characters, good LGBT rep and some killer twists”.

The first three books of Tej’s Avatars of Ruin series, Bloodsworn, Blood Legacy and Blood War are all available in ebook and paperback format from good book retailers.

Notes for Editors

About Tej Turner

Tej Turner is an SFF author and travel-blogger. His debut novel The Janus Cycle was published by Elsewhen Press in 2015 and its sequel Dinnusos Rises was released in 2017. Both are hard to classify within typical genres but were contemporary and semi-biographical with elements of surrealism. He has since branched off into writing epic fantasy and has an ongoing series called the Avatars of Ruin. The first instalment – Bloodsworn – was released in 2021, and its sequel Blood Legacy in 2022. The third – Blood War – was published in early 2024.

He does not have any particular place he would say he is ‘from’, as his family moved between various parts of England during his childhood. He eventually settled in Wales, where he studied Creative Writing and Film at Trinity College in Carmarthen, followed by a master’s degree at The University of Wales Lampeter.

Since then, Tej has mostly resided in Cardiff, where he works as a chef by day and writes by moonlight. His childhood on the move seems to have rubbed off on him because when he is not in Cardiff, it is usually because he has strapped on a backpack and flown off to another part of the world to go on an adventure.

He has so far clocked two years in Asia and two years in South America, and when he travels, he takes a particular interest in historic sites, jungles, wildlife, native cultures, and mountains. He also spent some time volunteering at the Merazonia Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Ecuador.

Firsthand accounts of Tej’s adventures abroad can be found on his travel blog at https://tejturner.com/

About Avatars of Ruin

A reader described the Avatars of Ruin series as ‘Wheel of Time meets The Walking Dead’.

Bloodsworn by Tej Turner; Cover by Alison Buck
Cover: Alison Buck
Blood Legacy by Tej Turner; Cover by Alison Buck
Cover: Alison Buck
Blood War by Tej Turner; Cover by Alison Buck
Cover: Alison Buck

It is an epic fantasy series about a group of survivors forced to band together when their world takes a dark turn. The story starts in Bloodsworn where we meet the villagers of Jalard. Once a year they are visited by representatives from the Academy who choose two of them to be taken away to their institute in the capital. To be Chosen is considered a great honour… of which most of Jalard’s children dream. But this year the Academy representatives make an announcement which is so shocking it causes friction between the villagers, and some of them begin to suspect that all is not what it seems. Just where are they taking the Chosen, and why? Some of them intend to find out, but what they discover will change their lives forever and set them on a long and bloody path to seek vengeance…

The story continues in Blood Legacy and Blood War.

Find out more at https://bit.ly/AvatarsOfRuin

COVER REVEAL: King Street Run by V.R. Ling

We are delighted to reveal the cover of King Street Run, the debut fantasy novel from V.R. Ling. It is a satirical fantasy thriller set among the iconic buildings of contemporary Cambridge.

Thomas Wharton, an archaeology graduate, becomes drawn into the problems of a series of anachronistic characters who exist in the fractions of a second behind our own time. These characters turn out to be personifications of the Cambridge Colleges; they have the amalgamated foibles, history, and temperament of their Fellows and students and, together with Thomas, must enter into a race against time to prevent their world being destroyed by an unknown assailant.

The cover was designed by Alison Buck, based on ideas from the author.

King Street Run by V.R. Ling; Cover by Alison Buck
Cover: Alison Buck

King Street Run will be published in the Spring.

Blood War by Tej Turner published today

Blood War, Book 3 of the Avatars of Ruin series by Tej Turner is published today in eBook format.

Blood War by Tej Turner; Cover by Alison Buck
Cover: Alison Buck

Sharma stands on the precipice of destruction as Gavendara’s army of shapeshifters surges towards the Valantian mountains. A mutant invasion leaving terror and death in its wake and whose victims rise again, swelling its ranks.

Yet still the Synod dithers, its leaders fractured as they plot and scheme against each other. Jaedin is now a fugitive, Bryna’s powers are waning, and Rivan grapples with the consequences of his resurrection – as well as the ominous entity that now lives beneath his skin. Whilst Miles, torn between loyalties, faces an impossible choice that could reshape the fate of nations.

Meanwhile, to the east, Elita seeks sanctuary within the enigmatic depths of Babua’s jungle. The people who dwell there are distrustful of her, but for a good reason. She indeed has secrets, and it seems that trouble has followed her.

Blood War will be available in paperback on 2nd February 2024.


“Smoothly throttles up a gear from the previous two books. The diverse and fleshed out characters face the desperate horrors of war, leading to a thrilling climax. An excellent addition to a gripping series.

David Craig author of the Sooty Feathers series.


About Bloodsworn, Book 1 of The Avatars of Ruin:

“This is epic fantasy with a touch of the mythic to it. There were villains I loved to hate, and a queer protagonist I loved rooting for. Action, magic, a world in peril… what more could you ask for?

Trip Galey author of A Market of Dreams and Destiny

COVER REVEAL: Blood War by Tej Turner

In conjunction with The Fantasy Hive, we are delighted to reveal the cover of Blood War, book 3 in Tej Turner’s epic series The Avatars of Ruin series.

The Avatars of Ruin series, follows a group of people from the small village of Jalard, as they become embroiled in events way beyond their experience that affect them in ways they could not possibly have ever imagined. Conflict that once seemed so distant comes right to their doorstep. Fabled gods and goddesses are soon very real to them.

In Blood War, Sharma stands on the precipice of destruction as Gavendara’s army of shapeshifters surges towards the Valantian mountains. A mutant invasion leaving terror and death in its wake and whose victims rise again, swelling its ranks. Yet still the Synod dithers, its leaders fractured as they plot and scheme against each other.

Once again the cover is by artist Alison Buck, based on an original idea by Tej Turner, continuing the style and theme of the first two books in the series, Bloodsworn and Blood Legacy:

Bloodsworn by Tej Turner; Cover by Alison Buck
Cover: Alison Buck
Blood Legacy by Tej Turner; Cover by Alison Buck
Cover: Alison Buck

Blood War by Tej Turner; Cover by Alison Buck
Cover: Alison Buck

Blood War will be published in eBook format on the 8th January 2024 and in paperback on the 2nd February 2024.

An Extraordinary Tale out today in eBook

An Extraordinary tale by P.R. Ellis; cover art by Alison Buck
Cover art by Alison Buck

Today sees the publication of An Extraordinary Tale by P.R. Ellis.

A gnome, a mouse and a skeleton meet on a train

No… not the start of a joke but of an adventure that crosses worlds, space and time!

The Fairy Queen’s electrum, the most valuable material in the world, has been stolen. By chance Philbrach Hohenheim, a gnome, finds himself on the trail of the thief. A motley fellowship is formed between the gnome and other creatures. The pursuit crosses lands, times and realities until finally a major puzzle at the borders of the world is solved. On the way, Philbrach encounters giant pigeons, a sentient fungus, a seafaring merman, the Sun’s chariot driver and other helps and hindrances.

Find out more…

C.R. Berry has created a fantastic series, subverting some of the oldest and most popular conspiracy theories around, as well as providing a hugely entertaining thriller

One theory to rule them all and in the darkness bind them.

DARTFORD, KENT – 28 March 2023 – Elsewhen Press is a publishing house specialising in high quality, entertaining and thoughtful speculative fiction, often from authors who use satire to draw attention to an important issue. C.R. Berry is one of those talented authors. He created the Million Eyes trilogy, centred on a fictional, ubiquitous multinational tech giant with a longer history than most. An organisation that is surreptitiously using time travel to manipulate society to achieve their own goals. Those goals are slowly revealed throughout the trilogy, as are the lengths to which the organisation is prepared to go in order to circumvent anyone standing in their way. Of course, the central premise, that they can manipulate time, whilst being a popular trope in science fiction, is clearly preposterous in reality and indicates the true target of Berry’s satire, namely the countless proponents of innumerable and equally preposterous conspiracy theories. The Million Eyes organisation’s ability to tamper with the past is a perfect mechanism to explain almost any popular conspiracy theory that is promoted on the internet.

Before the publication of Million Eyes, the first book in the trilogy, Berry and Elsewhen Press set up a spoof website purporting to be the corporate online presence for the Million Eyes company, complete with apparent products and services, a news feed, and a shop that appeared to have been hacked. Some early readers helped contribute comments on social media as if the company was real and the book’s revelations genuine. The fictional management of Million Eyes even responded, often menacingly. This did result in some conspiracy theorists being taken in, although not as many as had been hoped. The inevitable conclusion is that conspiracy theorists are not as stupid as they seem.

Peter Buck, editorial director of Elsewhen Press says, “Creating a conspiracy theory provides an author with the opportunity to have mysterious antagonists. With such an all-encompassing mechanism as the time-travelling Million Eyes operatives, many different existing conspiracy theories can be easily pulled together to support one another and give credence to the central premise. C.R. Berry has created a fantastic vehicle to subvert some of the oldest and most popular conspiracy theories around, as well as providing a hugely entertaining thriller.”

As well as causing consternation among some hardened supporters of well-known conspiracy theories, Berry has also sparked controversy over some of the events he includes in the scope of his trilogy; in particular, the identity of Jack the Ripper, the death of Princess Diana and the ministry of Jesus.

C.R. Berry says “I wrote the Million Eyes books to remind people that if you don’t take them seriously, conspiracy theories can just be a bit of fun. I’m attracted to them because they make great stories. I don’t actually think dark forces are lurking everywhere, secretly engineering a New World Order, murdering princesses in car crashes, or hoaxing moon landings. But I love to imagine that they could be.”

This month has seen the publication of the third and final book in the trilogy, Million Eyes III: Ouroboros. The true nature of the organisation is revealed, horrific future events are unveiled, and in time-honoured tradition there are unexpected twists in the tale. All three books are available in both eBook and paperback from leading retailers. In addition, two collections of short stories set in the world of Million Eyes are available as free downloads from the Elsewhen Press website.

Notes for Editors

About Million Eyes

The rumours are true. Time travel is real. It was invented years ago.
But it’s a (mostly) well-kept secret.

Of course, if time travel is happening now, how do we know that the timeline we’re living in is the right one? Well, we don’t. And we’re not. History’s already been changed. The timeline is corrupted, poisoned, wrong. And it’s all to do with the mysterious Million Eyes…

In the Million Eyes series, readers will learn the hidden truth behind many famous events in our history. From Princess Diana’s death to the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower to the Gunpowder Plot to the Loch Ness Monster. Past, present and future collide, with unwitting civilians caught in a complicated, temporal-paradox-laden crossfire.

The big question is, what are Million Eyes really doing? Why are they meddling with history? And what is their endgame?

The Million Eyes series comprises a trilogy of novels and a collection of short stories. The series will appeal to fans of fast-paced conspiracy thrillers with sizeable lashings of sci-fi on the side. (And some historical fiction thrown in for good measure.)

Visit bit.ly/MillionEyesTrilogy

Million Eyes trilogy by C.R. Berry, with free short story collections; Covers by P.R. Pope (I, collections) and Alison Buck (II,III)
Artwork: P.R. Pope (I, collections); Alison Buck (II, III)

The Million Eyes trilogy

Book 1: Million Eyes

Book 2: Million Eyes II: The Unraveller

Book 3: Million Eyes III: Ouroboros

Free short story collections

Million Eyes: Extra Time

Million Eyes: Over Time

About C.R. Berry

C.R. Berry is an ex-lawyer turned full-time writer, whose fiction spans the sci-fi, mystery, conspiracy, historical, fantasy and horror genres – because why have one genre when you can have them all? His favourite characters are usually villains, hence why he likes conspiracy stories, where there are baddies at every turn.

Berry was published in Best of British Science Fiction 2020 from Newcon Press with a short story set in the world of the Million Eyes trilogy. He’s also been published in magazines and anthologies such as Storgy and Dark Tales, and in 2018 was shortlisted in the Grindstone Literary International Novel Competition.

Having completed the Million Eyes trilogy, Berry is working on two further novels. One is a horror called The Puddle Bumps, about a lawyer who links a mysterious kids’ TV show to an old murder case. The other is a collaboration with his fiancée Katy called Breaching The Wall, a sci-fi adventure about a spaceship tasked with solving the Universe’s greatest mystery: why the wall that surrounds it is collapsing.

He lives with Katy in Clanfield, Hampshire, in a house called the Gathered Worlds, named after the intergalactic organisation in Breaching The Wall and, appropriately, because they’ve themed all the rooms. Their bedroom is a spaceship, their kitchen a 50s diner and their living room a forest. Their office is a nerd’s dream, wall to wall with TV and movie memorabilia to fuel the magic that happens there!

 

Million Eyes III: Ouroboros out today

Million Eyes III: Ouroboros, the final book in C.R. Berry’s Million Eyes trilogy is published in eBook today.

Million Eyes III: Ouroboros by C.R. Berry; Cover by Alison Buck
Artwork: Alison Buck

On a cold morning in 2219, Cara Montgomery and her husband, Jackson, have a frightening encounter on the beach. An encounter that leads to a war with a depraved and relentless alien race, the Shapeless, changing their lives forever.

Three hundred years earlier, Harriet Turner travels to the future to learn the shocking secret behind Victorian London’s most notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper. A mysterious barber, Fred, goes with her, but Fred has a shocking secret of his own.

Hunted by the ruthless Miss Morgan and plagued by visions of a snake eating its own tail, Harriet discovers that the all-powerful Million Eyes isn’t the only one with an agenda. Time itself has one too.

Get it now from your favourite retailer books2read.com/Million-Eyes-III

Cover Reveal: The Enchanting Tricks by Mark Montanaro

Cover design: S & A Buck

When we were working with Mark Montanaro to publish his debut novel, The Magic Fix, we (obviously) discussed what the cover should be like. After much consideration, we all settled on the idea that, given that the concern in the book was that the Known World was being ‘rent in twain’ (generally frowned upon!), the cover should represent that and so was born the idea of the map of the Known World (which Mark had already sketched out) ripped into two halves, representing the two main factions (i.e. Human, Elves & Pixies, versus Trolls, Goblins & Ogres).

Now Mark has written a sequel to The Magic Fix in which further action is being taken to try to fix the problems caused in the first book – we won’t say any more for fear of revealing spoilers – so it seemed only reasonable that the cover should once again attempt to represent this. When we suggested that the two halves of the map could be (badly) mended with some sticky tape, Mark was very pleased. It fits the tone of the book perfectly. So we proudly present (drum roll please…) The Enchanting Tricks, Book 2 of the Magic Fix series:

Cover: S & A Buck
Cover: S & A Buck

Alison Buck shortlisted for British Fantasy Society Best Artist Award

The British Fantasy Society (BFS) have just announced the shortlisted nominees for this years BFS Awards. The shortlist for Best Artist incudes our very own Alison Buck. The winner will be announced at FantasyCon in September.

Readers are looking for stories that cut across traditional categories. Speculative fiction authors are best placed to deliver.

Short story ideas often interrupt Andy McKell as he writes his novels. His latest collection of those stories, ‘Galaxies and Fantasies’, spans multiple genres.

DARTFORD, KENT – 27 May 2022 – Elsewhen Press, an independent UK publisher specialising in Speculative Fiction, is committed to publishing outstanding books by incredible authors. Our authors write stories ranging from epics, through novels and novellas, to short stories. Some plan every scene in intricate detail, while others know their starting point and ending, but let the story unfold in its own way. But all stories start with the germ of an idea, an inspiration, a muse; ideas that come to the writer, often at inopportune moments. Many authors fill countless notebooks with ideas for stories, characters, events, or even just lines of dialogue, jotted down when they occur to them.

Author Andy McKell – well known for his Janus Paradisi series of science fiction novels – is currently working on a new series around the formation and collapse of galactic empires. As Andy says, “I’m an organic writer. While working on my next sci-fi novel, I let the characters lead the way towards what happens next: after all, they know their stories better than I do. I let them whisper into my subconscious: my fingers merely do the typing.”

But as he works on his novels, he gets ideas for other stories.

Andy continues, “BUT… my subconscious keeps hijacking my focus, thrusting new and totally irrelevant possibilities at me. It could be a biblical or mythical reference, a snippet of conversation, the echo of a movie, or an unexplored carry-over from another novel. I jot down the ideas or the opening line/paragraph and get back to the novel. The promise that I’ll return to the jottings usually placates my subconscious. Later, at a more convenient time, I look through the snippets and one or other fires my imagination enough to expand on the idea and there I go, down the rabbit-hole of some totally unexpected adventure.”

Of course, this happens many times, and often such an idea is the germ of inspiration for a short story. Sooner or later, Andy has enough short stories to collect together for publication. Elsewhen Press are delighted to be publishing his latest collection, Galaxies and Fantasies. Peter Buck, Editorial Director of Elsewhen Press says, “Having published one of Andy’s short stories in an anthology in 2016, we have been keeping in touch with him, as we do with all of our fantastic authors. When he told us, ‘I have a batch of short stories that just might interest the reading public – at least, I hope they do,’ we asked to read them and were very happy that we did. My first impression of the collection was of an ‘eclectic’ set of stories across a number of the genres that are encompassed by the term ‘speculative fiction’. That appealed to us because we are probably best known for the fact that most of our books cut across multiple genres, which is proving to be very popular with modern readers. But even more than that, all of Andy’s stories, however long or short, have a twist or surprise; they are stories that stay with you long after you have finished reading them. We can’t wait for everyone to be able to enjoy them.”

Andy is still working on his new series, the first book of which is due to be published later this year. Meanwhile, he continues to jot down story ideas that interrupt his writing.

Galaxies and Fantasies, Andy McKell’s latest collection of short stories, will be published by Elsewhen Press in eBook format on 3rd June and in paperback on the 27th June.

Notes for Editors

About Andy McKell

Andy was abducted by science fiction pulp magazines and fell in love with classic noir in his early teens. He worked in marketing, franchising, and computing in London and Luxembourg before launching his own web design company. In 2011, he sold the company and retired early to write, act, and travel.

His multi-genre short stories have appeared in various anthologies, he continues to develop science fiction novels, and has branched-out into classic noir. He has little time for acting, these days.

He hopes you enjoy reading the adventures of his imaginary friends.

About Galaxies and Fantasies

Galaxies and Fantasies: Cover design by Alison Buck
Cover design by Alison Buck

Prepare for the unexpected

Galaxies and Fantasies is an eclectic collection of tales from master-storyteller, Andy McKell, crossing genres from mythology to cosmology, fairytale to space opera, surrealism to hyper-reality. What they all have in common is a twist, a surprise, a revelation. Leave your pre-conceptions aside when you read these stories, prepare for the unexpected, the extraordinary, the unpredictable. Some are quite succinct and you’ll be immediately wanting more; others are more elaborate, but deftly devised, and you’ll be thinking about them long after you’ve finished reading. These are stories that will stay with you, not in a haunting way, but like a satisfying memory that often returns to encourage, enchant or enrich your life.

Cover design: Alison Buck

Visit bit.ly/GalaxiesAndFantasies