Hey ,
This is the weekly Thursday NL for S.M. McCoy for all things fantastical sci-fi fantasy and paranormal adventures with a splash of romance.
Stone, Brick, Mortar the ancient time capsules of DNA. I get those science articles on my phone and they found a 2,900 year old brick containing DNA from flora of the environment of the time from northern Iraq from the mud of the Tigris river.
Small particles from the animal matter and straw were protected within the brick for millennia!
Something to do with the porous nature of the material, but protected from contamination by the mass of clay! How amazing is that! They were able to extract ancient DNA from a brick dating back to Neo-Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II from around 869 BCE when the palace was under construction. Cabbage, heather, birch, laurels, carrots, parsley, and grasses.
I find this fascinating because I also think about Medusa, and how she turned things to stone, but also became stone herself as the shield of aigis.
In my modern retelling she is reborn from her stone prison for a new life, but fate tries to pull her back into the schemes of gods and magic. So, the fact that even in real life DNA is so resilient that it can SURVIVE millennia protected by clay is remarkable, and perhaps... that brick is more than dung, straw, and dirt, but the magic of life is all around us and it's just a matter of taking a closer look.
Mysteries of life, science, and magic.
You can join my read along for Taking Medusa here and enter to win a signed hardcover: Win Signed Hardcover! Launch Party Taking Medusa! (kingsumo.com)
Chat soon! This Newsletter is FULL of Indie Temptation Goodies today! Happy Exploring from fellow ARCs, New Releases, freebies, KUs and more!
Stevie
Indie Temptations:
Mr. Sandman, send me a dream, ta da da da.....Seventeen year old Chastity Blake knows the Sandman is just a silly children's story parents tell their children to get them to sleep. At least she thought it was, until the day a mysterious, light golden sand appeared in her hands during a high school prank that went horribly wrong. A sand that has the power to send anyone it touches into a deep, sound sleep.
Revenge will be mine, and they will all die.
“Fae were creatures of chaos and mates were the worst of them all.”
Free Celtic Romance with Author Newsletter sign up: https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/a210835a-39cd-11ee-9692-8bdab082a57b
Interested in joining a fellow indie's ARC team on Story Origin?
Dark Fantasy 107 pages
Fear is a monster.
Taiuki is the thirdborn royal of the myrkingdom of Shiggo. With her brother set to be king and her sister the arch commodore, she has no worries beyond imagining adventures and exploring the fascinating ocean beyond her window.
But when arrogant visitors arrive from the land kingdom of Krita, she allows her pride in who and what she is to overcome her better judgment. Tragedy shakes the castle, and Taiuki finds herself facing the unbearable weight of loss, paired with a deep-seated fear of the water and the monsters within.
Will she ever taste the sweet, salty ocean again . . . or will it always taste like blood? Join here: https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/74083330-1d9f-11ee-b282-e7fdaf06116c
Join the Taking Medusa launch party read along and giveaway for a chance at signed hardcover and swag!!
Join here! Read the whole book by launch for freesies and get a chapter sent every few days to be ready for release day on October 3rd!
https://kingsumo.com/g/uf5wch/win-signed-hardcover-launch-party-taking-medusa
When you join the giveaway click the link to join the read along and get a chapter sent throughout the next month to read the book all the way up to the launch!
Add Taking Medusa to your GR TBR here: Taking Medusa (Dark Gods Rising, #1) by S.M. McCoy | Goodreads
Be aware you are signing up to get a series of emails with each chapter when you join the read along. Please be courteous of copyright and do not share beyond standard fair use/quotes from this read along. Feel free to share this giveaway/read along with others and have them read with you!
Why am I allowing everyone to read for freesies with this read along? Am I really, going to have every chapter emailed?
Yes, every chapter, full book, no hidden gotcha for joining the read along. Why?
Because I'm of the opinion that a pirate will plunder regardless, and a reader will share their thanks with an author regardless. If you read this read along and find you've enjoyed the story and want to say thank you, please do become a verified reader with Amazon, and pick up a copy or grab a signed paperback to support the continuation of the series.
Similar to tv series, without enough engagement/audience/support, then there is no season two. If you are able there are many ways to support an indie author including simply joining the read along, sharing your star rating and thoughts with a review on Amazon. If you're able, then becoming a verified reader by grabbing the ebook! Share with readers/friends that you think would enjoy reading the book with you! Facebook Groups, Instagram, socials.
Help me reach new readers, and spread the word.
Dark Prophecy
Love Triangle (but not ick kind)
Fated Mates
Found Family
Second Chances
Monsters Vs Gods
Greek Myth Retelling
Modern Fantasy Adventure set in the lost city of Atlantis
Mermaids
Kraken
No Cliffhanger (Sets up the next book, but a complete standalone story)
Villains misunderstood (question who's the hero?)
Romantasy
First Person POV (third person prologue)
Available for pre-order on Kindle launching October 3rd 2023: https://books.steviemarie.com/takingmedusa
We are currently at 19/50 reviews with a 4.7 star average!
If you would like to support Taking Medusa and help give a cup of coffee, then please take a moment to grab the book from my indie direct store: https://payhip.com/b/07lFr where you can have the book automatically delivered to you through Bookfunnel for those who don't read with Kindle.
19/50 Review Goal on the Zon
Part of the ARC team? You can leave your review here: Review Your Purchases (amazon.com)
Support Taking Medusa a Greek Myth Monsters and Legends Retelling by grabbing your copy from the zon, become a verified purchase: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6NXSN7X
LIMITED TIME grab Taking Medusa and read today from the Author store in full without waiting for chapters to release in your inbox:
Check out the hardcover here: https://payhip.com/b/oDOMj
Or pre-order the signed paperback! https://payhip.com/b/qwt9T
Happy summer! 💕
~Stevie, author of all things fantastical and otherworldly adventurous, mom of a few humans in training... including my hubby. Overall booknerd, and yes... I am writing this in my pjs. Why not?
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Check out Dark Gods Rising- Taking Medusa:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6NXSN7X
Check out Kingdom of Acatalec: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B4V9867P
Check out the Treasures of Trillume Series:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSRBF8T9
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SNEAK PEEK Taking Medusa:
(Preview now available to read with Bookfunnel: https://read.bookfunnel.com/read/xxlxv6rzq4)
Or read on your e-reader by grabbing the book direct from author: https://payhip.com/b/07lFr
Pre-order with Amazon: https://books.steviemarie.com/takingmedusa
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