Tag: Craig Boyack – Author

The last Drive Tour with Craig Boyack

~ John W. Howell

I’m very pleased to be with Craig Boyack today. He is helping spread the word about The Last Drive launch. Here is the link to his post. https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/01/10/guest-post-the-last-drive-by-john-w-howell-newbook/

Craig Boyack

I first met Craig when we were members of a writer’s club years ago. My tubby Kindle finally handed me one of his stories, and I have been hooked ever since. Craig has an uncanny ability to develop characters you can’t help loving. Among some regular folks, there are root monsters and hats that talk. This is on top of the warriors and mermaids, of which there are plenty.

He also world builds like he has an in with the gods on Mount Olympus. He puts the reader on ships that go to unimaginable places and, on the other hand, puts us on a yak. All of his books are highly creative and enjoyable. You should check out Craig’s Amazon Page if you haven’t read one. There you will find his stories. You can pick any one of them since they are all entertaining.

Craig’s latest – Click for Amazon

Thank you, Craig, for helping me introduce The Last Drive

Comments are closed, so you can use precious words wisely at Craig’s place.

The Hat Series by C.S.Boyack Promotion – Lunar Boogie

~ John W. Howell ~ 74 Comments

I am delighted to welcome Craig Boyack to my blog. Craig is a highly creative and talented writer. He can create stories out of totally fictional situations and character types. The hallmark of his books is the reader will find unusual circumstances wrapped in a plausible yet outrageous story and served up with humor and excitement. Craig has written a four-book series that is called The Hat series. I have read The Hat and Viral Blues. In addition, I have Mrs. Malony and Lunar Boogie on my Kindle. I wondered why I haven’t read them yet but put it down to a large TBR pile. I think I’ll move them up.

Craig and I have known each other for a while, and we are both members of the Story Empire crew. I looked up the first time Craig visited my blog, and it was October 2015. He was promoting his book titled Will ‘O Wisp. (You should get that one, too.). Enough of my blather. Here’s Craig to tell us about what he is planning. Oh yes. My regular post is delayed for two hours to give Craig some breathing room for his message.

Thanks for having me back, John. I’m trying something different this month. I’ve never had a series to promote before, and with four volumes now, it seems like The Hat Series qualifies. There are four weeks this month, so I’m talking about a volume per week.

 

There’s a blurb down below that covers the whole series for now. This week’s title is Lunar Boogie. This is the newest volume of the series, but your readers shouldn’t worry about that. Each volume is capable of standing alone, and it’s as good an entry point into the series as any other.

Lizzie and the hat form a symbiotic relationship that allows them to do more than either of them could accomplish alone. This allows them to form a small cover band to make a living, and to fight monsters at night. This time they’re on the trail of a werewolf.

The werewolf really is one of the most tragic monsters, because the human has no idea what he/she does a couple of nights per month. Because it’s more animalistic, getting the wolf to come to one of their musical events isn’t likely to happen.

This puts Lizzie and the hat into some dark and dangerous corners of the city. The police think they’re chasing a serial killer, so some effort has to go into keeping them alive and not getting arrested at the same time. Getting the werewolf to stalk Lizzie might be a better solution than wandering around and trying to find it.

There is an urban legend that keeps growing around their adventures. The creature known as Hellpox doesn’t exist, but gets credit for everything our heroes do. The legend grows via a program called Night Bump Radio. It adds a fun dimension to the tales in an era when everyone has a cell phone and even some intersections have cameras.

This series has Halloween written all over it, and it’s October. It’s designed to be dark humor, and shorter novels for quick, fun reading. If you think chasing a werewolf is what Halloween is all about, this might be the story for you.

Universal link for the series: http://mybook.to/The-Hat-Series

Blurb: The Hat Series is my opportunity to have a little fun, and readers seem to be enjoying themselves, too. The series fits into a variety of pigeonholes as all stories do. If you’re looking for supernatural, paranormal, or urban fantasy, with a dose of dark humor, this might be the series you’re looking for.

Lizzie St. Laurent is a hard-working twenty-something. She’s struggling with the issues of being a young adult, but also dealing with the supernatural world. After her grandmother died, she tried to get a memento from the estate. Her greedy uncle refused to share, so in desperation, she stole a box from the moving van.

Her treasure turned out to be an old hat that belonged to her grandfather. Not exactly the knickknack she was hoping for. This isn’t any ordinary hat. He’s actually a being from another dimension who was brought here by witchcraft. He has a few magical skills, but also some more ordinary ones. He can transport her to a cabin, deep in the forest, among other things. A bit more ordinary is his ability to play the upright bass, but only if he has a human host to manipulate. He’s also a shapeshifter, but is limited to always being a hat of some kind.

The hat has been in Lizzie’s family for centuries, and all of his partners have been monster hunters. Their symbiotic relationship also created an additional income stream for Lizzie. They formed a small cover band, which tends to get them out at night when monster hunting is more productive.

I put all kinds of strange things into these stories to make them fun. My section breaks have all been replaced with a series of bass clefs. I also include silly graphics in various locations to enhance the tales. You’ll find tons of snark mixed in with your blood and adventure.

These are short novels, designed for a single afternoon. While it is a series, they can be read as stand-alone tales. If one of the other volumes is your entry-point, I don’t think you’ll feel lost.

If this sounds like something to make your October complete, I’d appreciate you checking it out.

Thank you Craig for making the trip to Texas. I wish you much success with your promotion. Now here is a little about Craig and where you can find him

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Guest Post with C.S. Boyack – Murder They Wrote

~ John W. Howell ~ 59 Comments

I’m pleased to have Craig Boyack with me today. He is here to discuss a new anthology project in which he participated. Most of you know Craig and his entertaining books and now he has joined seven other authors to bring a variety of stories to their readers. So Craig, tell us about it.

Thanks for having me back again, John. I’m here to talk about a project I got involved in during the early Spring. I was asked to submit a story to a murder anthology. I was approached, because they wanted to include a science fiction author.

I write across a broad spectrum of speculative fields, but I’m no stranger to science fiction, so I accepted. The problem was, I was right in the middle of drafting two novels that I wanted published this year. There was a bit of a time crunch.

Jason Fogg to the rescue:

I happened to have a pre-existing character who could fit the bill. Science fiction is so broad that I didn’t have to place it in outer space or get involved with time travel. If you squint and turn your head, Jason might qualify as a superhero.

Jason has been with me for a long time. He made an appearance in an old trunk novel that will never see the light of day, but he had a different name back then.

He is the result of a science fiction accident. The nutshell version is while he was working to string the high-tension power lines in the Pacific Northwest, a piece of space debris crashed back to Earth. It clipped the wire Jason was working on, and just like when lightning strikes, something traveled along the cable and blasted him into oblivion.

The Pacific Northwest is stormy, cloudy, foggy. The accident evaporated him. He drifted for years until he was able to reform. Now he has the ability to “fog out” at will, but there are limitations. When he does, it’s just him. No clothes, no hair products, not even aftershave. This poses a problem for when he reconstitutes.

I did a quick count, and Jason has appeared in more stories than any other character I’ve written. (At the time of this writing.) Over time, he became a private detective. His abilities allow him to slip into places and through cracks and do quite a bit of snooping around. Sometimes he relies too much on this, and ignores some of the basics of detective work.

Jason even works well in the short form. I’ve published his tales a couple of times as short stories in my own collections. Science fiction (check), mystery (check), murder (Why not?).

Jason Fogg is on the case. Can this private detective run interference for a client accused of murder?

The anthology is called Murder They Wrote. It involves seven different authors dealing with murder in the short form. I’m proud to be included among them, and would appreciate if your fans would check it out.

Cover Blurb: Murder comes in 7 different genres. By 7 different authors. Are you a fan of courtroom drama? In the anthology’s first story, Abraham Lincoln defends a friend’s son against a charge of murder. For lovers of speculative fiction, Jason Fogg dissolves into mist to sneak through open windows and snoop for clues. How about a cozy? Jazzi, Jerod, and Ansel discover a dead body while renovating a kitchen, dining room, and half bath. Have a craving for a Regency? Lord Peregrine and his wife, Elizabeth, use their sharp minds and quick wit to solve a murder at a garden party. Need a bit of literary fiction? A young, lonely widow must deal with the theft of a valuable butterfly collection. And what about a little psychological horror? Twin sisters discover that their attic is haunted by not one, but two ghosts. Last, but never least, the anthology concludes with a historical mystery. A young, newly married knight is accused of murdering his obnoxious host at a holiday gathering in his castle.

Pick up your copy of Murder They Wrote.

You can contact Craig at the following locations:

Today I’m With Craig Boyack at Entertaining Stories

~ John W. Howell ~ 21 Comments

I am very pleased that Craig volunteered to have me on his site to talk about Eternal Road – The final stop during the tour.

Here is the link:

https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2020/09/02/welcome-john-howell-newbook/

I’m sure you all have heard of Craig since he is one of the most inventive writers on the scene today. His books are very entertaining and since he calls his work Speculative Fiction, he is unbound by traditional genres.

Here is a little about Craig in his words

Craig Boyack

“I’m on the verge of being an empty nester, and I like to write fiction. This blog is to share ideas with readers and writers. I have a decent body of work on Amazon, and I hope you’ll check some of them out. They are all speculative fiction, but seem to stay closest to science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy.

I have other interests that may sneak in from time to time. I like the great outdoors and all it has to offer. Morels and huckleberrys are particularly fun. I once caught and released a 7-foot white sturgeon from the Snake River.”

Right now, Craig is in the process of launching two books but has many more from which to choose.

H.M.S Lanternfish and Murder They Wrote with Seven Authors

Here is a link to all his books http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00ILXBXUY

I think you will enjoy a visit to Craig’s place since I have an excerpt of Eternal Road for you to read there.

Voyage of the Lanternfish – A Visit by Craig Boyack

~ John W. Howell ~ 75 Comments

 

Voyage of the Lanternfish

Normally today would be a Top Ten Things Not to Do post. Because of the launch of his new book, I decided to invite Craig Boyack to the post to tell you all about it. I have read a number of Craig’s books and loved them all. I have not read Voyage of the Lanternfish but have a belief that it will be terrific based on the others. The top Ten will return next week. The post is all yours Craig.

Thanks for inviting me over, John. I’m here to talk about my new book, Voyage of the Lanternfish. This one is a pirate fantasy and includes magic and monsters.

Lanternfish had one of those magical things happen as I was drafting it. An unexpected theme revealed itself, but not intentionally. Drafting a story is my favorite part because sometimes, things you didn’t plot out influence the story in a small way.

Fatherhood is not intended to be a huge, beating drum in this tale. It’s more of a subtle undertone.

James is my main character. His father was a covert operative, who helped start a war among multiple kingdoms. During the war, he fled in the middle of the night to get his son away from all this.

The lessons were available, but sons rarely put stock in the stories told by parents. Now James is forced into a position much like his father’s, but without the knowledge his old man had.

Dan is another major character, but his father is still alive. If James and Dan succeed at starting this new war, his father will be living on one of the future battlefields.

Mule is a secondary character who shows up later in the book. He leaves his parents, who were quite remarkable. They had much to offer a boy, but he didn’t pay as much attention as he could have. This gives James a chance to become a surrogate father.

Mal is an older character and occasionally gives some fatherly advice. It’s small, but it’s there.

There is a collective knowledge base, one generation away, that could help the pirates immensely, had they paid more attention. Now they have to forge their own way, which is only correct for a story.

I included a bit of dialog about fathers, and missing knowledge, but didn’t go over the top with it. They don’t have much time to lament their formative years and have to get on with the bloody business at hand.

James’ father worked on the land, but he used his small fortune to get James a respectable job in the merchant fleet. James tries to do what his father did for a while, then decides his value is at sea. After all, wars happen at sea too, and perhaps they can start one this way.

I know a good many people who read this will be authors themselves. Have you ever had a sub-plot spring to life during the drafting of your tale? I’d love to hear about it.

***

Blurb:

An honorable man is mistaken for his disreputable father. Now he’s pushed into a political scheme to start a war that will spread across multiple kingdoms. James Cuttler’s fiancé is being held captive to ensure he goes through with the plan.

He soon decides his skills are at sea and procures a ship to wage war upon those who disrupted his simple life. He can’t do it alone, so he recruits a band of cutthroats to help him. But first, they need guns and munitions to outfit the ship properly. Deception and trickery will only get them so far. Eventually, they’re going to have to engage the enemy.

James’ goals aren’t necessarily the same as his crew. It’s a delicate balancing act to collect enough loot to keep his crew happy while guiding them back to rescue the girl.

Voyage of the Lanternfish is filled with adventure, magic, and monsters. Lots of monsters. Hoist the colors and come along for the ride.

Purchase Link: http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=B07MP8V633

 

Craig Boyack

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.

Craig

Book Launch – The Hat by Craig Boyack – Lisa Burton Visits

~ John W. Howell ~ 84 Comments

I want to welcome Lisa Burton, Craig Boyack’s personal assistant to Fiction Favorites. She is here to tell you about Craig’s latest book. As you may know, I love Craig’s work and can highly recommend his writing.  It is always a pleasure to have her join me here on the coast. Hi, Lisa.

 

Craig and Lisa

Hi, and thanks for having me over again, John. I love getting away from the cabin and promoting Craig’s books on occasion. It’s a long old winter out there, you know? (I know Lisa especially in the company of Craig)

Today, we’re touring around a novella called The Hat. This one is about a girl, Lizzie, who works hard to overcome the trials of everyday life. She winds up with an old hat that belonged to her grandfather, only this is no ordinary hat. It’s a being from another dimension, trapped in the shape of a hat for all time.

The story involves some baby snatchers and one of the victims is the newborn son of Lizzie’s friends. It turns out the hat has a few skills that might let Lizzie recover the missing babies. By acting in concert they are much more capable than acting as individuals.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. They rise to the occasion and produce different outcomes. We look up to Superman and all he stands for. We might appreciate The Punisher, but look away because of his methods.

Lizzie and the hat are more like the latter. Without some kind of super strength, or being bulletproof, they don’t have a lot of options beyond hitting first and hitting hard.

It’s a fun story structure, because they start out as strangers, and it doesn’t go too well at first. They bond and form a symbiosis over music of all things. They try to save the children and fail. The important part for all heroes is they try again.

The Hat is humorous, serious, and heroic in its own way. We really hope you’ll give it a chance. It’s priced at 99¢, and since it’s a novella, it will only take an afternoon to read.

Now it’s time for my poster. I like to drop these off with the hosts that invite me. The hat can take the shape of any kind of headwear. This is all spelled out in the story, but there comes a time when the hero emerges from the darkness and steps into the light. This poster is designed to reflect that moment for Lizzie and The Hat.

Lisa Butron

Feel free to use it as your phone background or whatever you like. I hope in some small way it encourages you to check out The Hat, and maybe even leave a review.

Thanks again for having me today. Now what kind of trouble can a robot girl get into around here?

 

Blurb:

Lizzie St. Laurent is dealing with many of the struggles of young life. She lost her grandmother, and her living arrangements. Her new roommate abandoned her, and she’s working multiple jobs just to keep her head above water.

She inherits an old hat from her grandmother’s estate, but it belonged to her grandfather. This is no ordinary hat, but a being from an alternate dimension. One with special powers.

Lizzie and the hat don’t exactly hit it off right away, but when her best friend’s newborn is kidnapped by a ring of baby traffickers, Lizzie turns to the hat for help. This leads her deep into her family history and a world she’s never known.

Lizzie gives up everything to rescue the babies. She loses her jobs and may wind up in jail before it’s over. Along the way, she and the hat may have a new way of making ends meet.

Humorous and fun, The Hat is novella length. Wonderful escapism for an afternoon.

Purchase Link:  http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=B078YYCNSF

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Thursday – A little personal Interview with John Cannon and Lisa Burton #RRBC

~ John W. Howell ~ 10 Comments

 

 

Today I am so pleased to have John J. Cannon interviewed on the radio by none other than  the fabulous robot assistant of Craig Boyack. As you have probably heard, Lisa Burton is doing  interviews with characters from Indie author books. John was so pleased to be asked to join Lisa as a guest that he took some time out from trying to subdue his nemesis, Matt Jacobs to do a phone interview with Lisa. Please go to Craig’s place and check out the interview. Here is the link https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2016/03/17/lisa-burton-radio-with-john-cannon/

While you are there, check out some of Craig’s books. This man can write, and his stories are most enjoyable. You can find them all on the sidebar. Also, you might take a look at past Lisa Burton interviews under the Lisa Burton Radio tab.

Let me know how you liked it and let Craig and Lisa know as well. Thanks. Also, Happy St. Patrick’s day