Detour on the Eternal Road Tour – Stop Four with C.S. Boyack

February 5, 2025January 28, 2025 ~ John W. Howell

Craig and I have known each other since 2013, when we were the same book club members. I have admired Craig’s work and am grateful he volunteered to host a stop on the Detour on the Eternal Road Tour. Here is the link to his post.

A little about Craig.

“I was born in Elko, Nevada. I like to tell everyone I was born in a small town in the 1940s. I’m not quite that old, but Elko has always been a little behind the times. This gives me a unique perspective of earlier times and other ways of getting by. Some of this bleeds through into my fiction.

I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century, and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet.

I like to write about things that have something unusual. My works are in the realm of science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy. The goal is to entertain you for a few hours. I hope you enjoy the ride.”

His latest book, Tracks of Infinity, can be found on Amazon along with his other 26 books. Here is Craig’s Author page. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00ILXBXUY/

I have closed comments and would appreciate a visit to Craig’s site. Thank you

Friday – JohnKu -AKA – TGIF and a Visit from Lisa Burton Talking about the Yak Guy Project.

May 18, 2018May 17, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 57 Comments

I am always thrilled to have a visit from Lisa Burton. As you may know, she is the robot spokesperson for Craig Boyack, the very talented author of a new release titled The Yak Guy Project, as well as, a host of other excellent books. My JohnKu is all about book launches.

Much like a newborn,

Love is the main foundation . . .

Followed by much work.

Thanks for the invitation today, John. It’s nice to get out of the writing cabin even for a little while. Port Aransas is looking better than the last time I visited, and Twiggy is an adorable addition to your family.

My mission is to talk about The Yak Guy Project, Craig’s newest book. He gets all whiny if I don’t talk about the book.

This is an alternate world kind of story about a young man from our world. At the beginning, he’s helpless and near death. He’s rescued by a talking yak, who leads him on a journey of self-discovery. What can I say, it’s one of Craig’s stories, so you just kind of have to go with it.

During the writing process, we act out scenes and dialog that Craig comes up with. If something doesn’t ring true, he adjusts it, and we try again. Sometimes, we go back two chapters or more to weave in plants and payoffs.

This leads to a lot of downtime. I brought a poster over today that involves a few of us hanging out while Craig makes adjustments to the story. I hope your fans enjoy it.

The outfits and setting in the poster give a kind of Asian vibe, because that’s what this world is like. The people in the story have been at war for hundreds of years, basically destroyed everything, and are now fighting with pointy things. Yak Guy isn’t going to find any cell phones or video games here.

Writing is kind of a fluid thing. You have a decent plot, a few decent characters, and there is a story. When you start writing, things have a way of changing. One situation, leads to a better situation. Something cool, creates the demand for a plant several chapters back to set it all up.

Most people never see this side of writing. I think it’s because the actual commitment of writing provides a level of detail the daydreaming phase never gets. All of the scenes need to link together too. The detail, plus the scenes, cause even better ideas to come along. Then your personal assistant gets to act it all out to see if it works.

After that, my spokesmodel job kicks in, and I get to wear some of the outfits I used during the writing phase in my posters.

I’ll provide all the details so your fans can pick up a copy of The Yak Guy Project.

Here is the blurb:

Imagine waking up in the desert with no idea what happened to you. You have clear memories of situations and places, but a complete loss in personal matters… like your own name. This situation is bad, and you have no idea how to get home.

When you’re rescued by a talking yak, the situation gets exponentially worse. You’ve obviously lost your mind. The immediate needs of a ride off the salt pan and searing heat, along with a drink of water, outweigh the concerns about your mental state.

This is exactly what happened to the Yak Guy. In fact he’s been placed in an alternate world and given a chance to start over in life.

Can this selfish, almost parasitic, young man learn to start over in a world where charity is hard to find? Life is brutal and short here, but he’s going to have to adapt or perish.

The Yak Guy project is loosely based around The Fool’s Journey from the Tarot. Those with experience in Tarot will spot people and situations from the Major Arcana.

Here is where to get the book on Amazon

Here is how to contact Craig

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Thursday – A Little Personal – Guest Appearance by Lisa Burton for The Playground by C.S. Boyack #RRBC

March 24, 2016September 15, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 40 Comments

I am very pleased that Lisa Burton the Robot assistant has stopped by Fiction Favorites on behalf of her boss C. S. Boyack author of The Playground to discuss his new release which can be preordered now for delivery on April 4th. Here is the link http://a-fwd.com/asin=B01D6EF6RI

“So Lisa it is so good to see you again.”

“Thanks for inviting me over, John. As you know, Craig has a new novel out, and part of my job is to promote it. I also brought you a poster that has a bit of popularity going for it, but this one was pure accident.”

“How’s that, Lisa?”

“Craig likes to include animals in his stories. He hasn’t done this every time, but this story has a dog in it. A bad dog, I might add.”

“Pets can add…. What’s so special about this dog?”

“This dog takes up with a character named Clovis. Clovis is a brutal thug, hired to retrieve some unique computer programming. The dog is kind of pushy, and I think Clovis likes that. Clovis is a loner, and the dog makes him a little bit more human, but just a bit.”

“What can you tell us without giving too much away?”

“Clovis and the dog make a trip to New Orleans to catch the IT man before he leaves the country on a ship. I won’t say that Clovis takes care of the dog, they’re more like partners. Having a friend, of sorts, changes Clovis. It’s subtle, and comes on slowly, but by the end of the story, I wound up liking Clovis.”

“Craig said the story is a paranormal tale with some science fiction sprinkles. What does that mean?”

“This story explores the dangers of the Internet upon children. We all know the Internet is great. I’m a robot girl, and couldn’t function without it, but what our children do should be supervised. A greedy businessman develops a social network for children called The Playground Network.”

“Thus the name of the book.”

“Right, but he builds the devices into toys like dolls, plush animals, and action heroes designed to capture the eyes of children. He plans to use our own children as a personal military of sorts. The toys are brainwashing our children while the parents aren’t watching. To reach his goals, the businessman turns to the occult, and that’s where it gets really strange.”

“Well, it is one of Craig’s stories.”

“Exactly. When it comes time to choose the promotional posters, we always have options. We decided that people love dogs, and the artist thought a day at the beach would be fun. I love animals, and thought hugging a big old squishy dog would be a fun way to spend the afternoon.”

“That sounds sweet, I suppose.”

“That’s what I thought too. Except he’s a bad dog. The artist laughed until he fell over, then told me it was a great poster. I have to agree with him, but it ruined my swag deal.”

“What’s a swag deal?”

“I get to keep all the stuff from my promotional work. All I got out of the deal was a swimsuit top. A top that doesn’t match anything else, I might add. The dog ate the other part.”

“Did you keep the dog?”

“Heck no! My pet rabbit would be terrified. Clovis can have him back.”

“Thanks for coming by to tell us about The Playground.“

“Pleasure being back here, John. Enjoy the poster, and the book.”

“Oh, I will Lisa. Tell Craig hey for me.”

Follow my blog: http://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com

Check out my novels here: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00ILXBXUY

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Virgilante

On Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9841203.C_S_Boyack

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColdhandBoyack

***

The Playground By C. S. Boyack – Cover Reveal and Pre-Order #RRBC

March 21, 2016September 15, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 22 Comments

As a Beta reader for this book. I can tell you it is a very enjoyable read. Craig Boyack is an excellent storyteller with a terrific imagination. Check out this cover.

Here is the blurb.

The hottest toys of the Christmas Season are the Playground Network dolls. They contain a worldwide social network for children. Except, the network is controlled by a ruthless businessman with dreams of power.

To reach his goals he turns to the occult. Will our children make up his personal army? Could we have an enemy soldier in every home?

Gina Greybill is a cancer survivor who stumbles into her own brush with the paranormal. She wants nothing to do with it, but may be the only one who can bring down the Playground Network. To do it she’ll have to embrace her new situation, and recover the next generation of Playground software.

There is competition for the software in the form of a brutal thug named Clovis. He’s bigger, more ruthless, and more experienced. To top it all off, he has a head start.

The Playground is suitable for more mature readers, due to violence and mature themes. You can preorder here http://a-fwd.com/asin=B01D6EF6RI and your kindle copy will be delivered on April 4th.

I was born in a town called Elko, Nevada. I like to tell everyone I was born in a small town in the 1940s. I’m not quite that old, but Elko has always been a little behind the times. This gives me a unique perspective of earlier times, and other ways of getting by. Some of this bleeds through into my fiction.

I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century, and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet.

Follow my blog: http://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com

Check out my novels here: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00ILXBXUY

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Virgilante

On Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9841203.C_S_Boyack

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColdhandBoyack

Thanks to Craig Boyack for the help Launching His Revenge #RRBC

November 3, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 4 Comments

Craig is the author of six excellent books. You can review them all here on Amazon. He also is a very talented humorist. You should go over to his site and check out the dialog at the end of the announcement of the His Revenge launch. I’ll give you a hint there is some confusion with lunch. Thanks, Craig, it was terrific.

Here is the lineup of Craig’s books.

Craig lets us know a little about him in his words.

I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century, and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet.

Craig

Frighteningly Fun Halloween Tour – with C.S.Boyack

October 16, 2015October 13, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 31 Comments

Frighteningly Fun Halloween Tour

I am very happy to welcome C.S Boyack to Fiction Favorites as part of his 4Wills Publishing The Frighteningly Fun Halloween Tour in support of his paranormal tale Will O’the Wisp. The story involves a mildly handicapped girl facing a mysterious threat. The wisp has been killing off Patty Hall’s family for generations, and she’s next on the list. It is suitable for young adult readers. It’s a perfect Halloween read.

***

We have a real treat for everyone today. Joining us is an honest to goodness Greek Muse. Lorelei, many of our readers think Muses are simply fables. Why do you think this is a common belief?

Lorelei: There are many Muses, but we are selective about those we inspire. Most people will never encounter a Muse, so we become something of legend.

John: You work with an author, C. S. Boyack. Why did you choose him?

Lorelei: Craig has always been a creative guy. I first approached him in the 1980s. He wrote a few things that showed promise, but he wasn’t committed. I parked him in my watch list for decades, because he wasn’t ready. He needed a wife and children. Those led to a certain comfort level, and that’s when his mind really blossomed.

John: Is this a matter of seasoning, or just available time?

Lorelei: A bit of both, actually. He’s a very driven fellow, almost a workaholic.

John: What inspiration did you provide for Will O’ the Wisp?

Lorelei: Craig doesn’t always get everything the way I provide it. Sometimes I whisper on the breeze or appear in his dreams. He was watching a cartoon with his grandchildren about these benevolent forest spirits. I blew into his ear about the beautiful artwork, and wonders of nature. He came up with a story about witchcraft, survival, and revenge.

John: Does that mean he really doesn’t listen to you?

Lorelei: He listens, but he’s wired a bit differently. He’s a creative fellow, and that’s why I chose him. Some of the things he comes up with are surprising.

John: This book says it’s suitable for young adults. Is that something you helped him with?

Lorelei: No. He doesn’t work that way. He writes stories the way he feels them. If the end product has adult themes, so be it. Will O’ the Wisp didn’t need adult themes and simply came out that way.

John: The story is a first person point of view, and the main character is a 15-year-old girl. How did that come to pass?

Lorelei: I had a lot to do with that. Craig and I chatted about his personal challenge for this book. I always make him push his limits in one way or another. He improves as a writer by trying new things. We came up with the idea of something in first person. He agreed to try it, knowing it was part of his growth as a writer. The readers will decide if he did a good job, or not.

John: I never knew Muses helped with promotion. I think that’s fabulous. Tell us what promotional effort you’re putting into this project.

Lorelei: My job is to inspire. I do it very well. I also take responsibility for Craig’s growth as an author. To be honest with you, I don’t care if he ever publishes something. I want him to grow and improve his skills.

John: Then why are you out stumping for him today?

Lorelei: He’s such a whiner. He thinks I’m more charming than he is, and begs until I give in. It’s true that I have more social skills.

John: Will O’ the Wisp is more than a paranormal story. It’s also a coming of age story. How much influence did you have here?

Lorelei: Quite a bit. When I looked at Craig’s storyboard, it was very meat and potatoes. It told the story, but that’s about all. We shared a drink one night, and I helped him flesh things out.

John: How does this book compare to Boyack’s other novels?

Lorelei: They’re all different in some way. I think they’re all good stories. Will O’ the Wisp is the kind of story that could put him on the map as a writer. If you’ve been waiting to read one of Craig’s stories, this is the one you’ve been waiting for.

John: Thank you for joining us today, Lorelei. Can you tell us what we have to do to attract our own Muse?

Lorelei: Keep working on your craft. You never know when one of my sisters has you on her short list.

***

Patty Hall is perfectly prepared for the wrong problem. She is enamored with the space race, and knows the history of NASA by heart. She is faced with an ancient threat that has been targeting the Hall family for generations. Hampered by an overprotective mother, if Patty can’t figure it all out in time, she may be the next member in the Hall family cemetery plot.

It’s not hard enough to be a fifteen year old girl, and a social outcast. As she watches her friends mature and grow, she has to face the idea of never turning sixteen. Please consider joining Patty on her incredible adventure.

You can pick up a copy on Amazon using your Kindle or a free reading app. Download it here:

North American version: http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=B00UPH6BNS

International version: http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=B00UQNDT2C

***

Author Bio I was born in a town called Elko, Nevada. I like to tell everyone I was born in a small town in the 1940s. I’m not quite that old, but Elko has always been a little behind the times. This gives me a unique perspective of earlier times, and other ways of getting by. Some of this bleeds through into my fiction. I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century, and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet. I like to write about things that have something unusual. My works are in the realm of science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy. The goal is to entertain you for a few hours. I hope you enjoy the ride.

***

Follow Craig at the following locations:

Follow my blog: http://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com

Check out all my novels here: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00ILXBXUY

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/Virgilante

On Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9841203.C_S_Boyack

“This tour sponsored by 4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com.”

A New Release by Author C. S.Boyack – #RRBC

September 3, 2015September 2, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 6 Comments

Author C. S. Boyack has a new novel The Experimental Notebook of C. S. Boyack on preorder for release September 15th. The book is a collection of short stories and a price of only 99¢. That is a big value since it includes a dozen or so stories at that price.Here is the Amazon Link. Here is the cover that was designed by fellow blogger Rachel Carrera.

A little about C. S. Boyack.

Bestselling Books: Will O’ the Wisp, The Cock of the South, Wild Concept.

#RRBC Spotlight Author – Day Three

December 23, 2014December 20, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 19 Comments

Rave Reviews Book Club features an author each week. This week’s Spotlight Author is Craig S. Boyack. I am pleased to present him here on Fiction Favorites. Craig has a new book out called “The Cock of the South.” This is his first attempt at writing fantasy. It involves a group of conquered peoples banding together to ensure they have a place in the world. It is set in a Greco-Roman environment, rife with everything fans of those stories might expect. In his words then:

***

I wanted to read a good dwarf story at one point. I found some really good ones, and a few that didn’t quite measure up. I returned to this theme occasionally over the course of a few years. The idea stuck with me and I decided I wanted to write one myself. Why should elves get all the love?

I stewed about a plot and characters and ultimately decided I had to bring something new to the table. I didn’t want to write another story about Nordic style dwarves. I fussed about this for months.

About this time, the television show Spartacus was winding down. I enjoyed it, and an older one called Rome. I was sad to see the Greco-Roman setting disappear back into the Hollywood vault.

That’s how I arrived at the setting for The Cock of the South. Humans inhabit the entire world. Any special peoples would certainly fill more than one valley or kingdom. They might have different styles and mannerisms, just like us, but they would spread fairly wide to be a viable species.

I still needed a plot. I stirred the sediments in my brain once more and came up with one. The story is a scoop of Exodus, spiced with a bit of “hang together or hang separately.”

I wanted to change-up a few things from standard history. It’s a fantasy after all. I decided that Remus killed Romulus and founded the nation of Remus. Things progressed in a similar manner, but not exactly the same as Ancient Rome.

The main character is one of the Southern Dwarves, who was raised in the house of a prominent Remsian citizen. He is shorter and broader than his contemporaries, so the locals nicknamed him Cobby.

Cobby’s world gets turned upside down and he must flee his home. He becomes a great point of view for readers to learn about this world they’ve stepped into.

I hope you’ll give The Cock of the South a chance. There is a pretty cool dwarf movie making the rounds right now. If you’d like more dwarves please consider my story.

***

How writers go about producing a story is always an interesting topic. I love reading about the process of others. Rather than just lurk, I decided to talk about my own machinations as I wrote The Cock of the South.

I keep quick notes in an app on my phone. These are just a line or two to remind me of stray thoughts. When I keep dwelling on an idea I take out a notebook and fountain pen and expand the idea a bit. If it really sticks with me I start a storyboard.

This is my first fantasy story. Being true to the genre was important to me. I actually did mountains of research into mythology to spark my imagination. I didn’t want to rewrite one of those tales, so I stole bits and pieces to weave into my stories. I made small piles of index cards. These didn’t all get used, but I like to have notes to refresh my imagination.

It was equally important to me that I was true to the setting. Ancient Rome and Greek mythology are something readers are used to, and I wanted to use this to ground the story. I find that building fences with plot and setting serve as a governor to my imagination. The imagination flows and focuses in a different direction. My storyboard was covered with sticky notes to include more marble columns and bath houses at one point.

When it comes to characters I try to be a bit different. Hercules might be the best hero, but what if someone less qualified had to solve all the problems? I found a lost member of the Southern Dwarves who was raised by humans. His dwarven heritage has been hidden from him, and he lives as a short broad human. Because of his physical makeup the people around him nicknamed him Cobby.

I also wanted the freedom to vary some of the historical parts of the story. I stewed on this for a long time, but in fantasy the world ought to be different. It was a delicate balance to preserve the setting and believably change some elements. I dug deep into mythology and decided that Remus killed Romulus. Rome never got built and the nation of Remus took its place. This allowed me to modify weapons, change trade routes, and still keep some familiarity in the story.

I always try to challenge myself to try something new with each story. This isn’t obvious to the reader, but it’s important for my growth. In The Cock of the South, I wanted to use fairytale structure. This is a great way of telling a story, but casual readers might not pick up on everything.

Since this post is likely to be read by as many authors as readers here are some things I included. Cobby is the outsider of three brothers. Each brother represents one facet of the father. Cobby will have to master all three of these elements before he can succeed. There is a scene involving magical gifts from a friend. If you pay very careful attention, there are even seven dwarves together on one adventure. I included more elements, but this is a blog post and you’ll have to watch for others as you read the story.

I love this story, but readers will be the ultimate judge. I hope you’ll give The Cock of the South a chance. I had a great time writing it and hope you’ll enjoy reading it.

***

You can follow Craig at the following places:

His blog, Entertaining Stories. http://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com

On Twitter. https://mobile.twitter.com/Virgilante

You can pick up a copy of The Cock of the South at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P4H37WC