Hi friends! 

The weather has taken a sudden and decisive turn over the weekend from “yay, last days of summer” to “cold and dreary rain.” But Oregon has desperately needed rain for weeks, so I’m certainly not going to complain. Here’s hoping it helps contain some of the many wildfires that are burning across our state. 

Cold, drizzly weather puts me in the perfect mood for curling up with a good story — whether it’s reading one, or writing my own. After a super busy summer, I’m looking forward to a fall and winter full of reading and writing. 

I have a couple of great book recommendations for you this month, but first, some announcements:
 

Come meet me at Geek Girl Con!

I’ll be signing books at Geek Girl Con in Seattle, from 4-5pm on September 30th. Come by the Razorgirl Press booth (the publishers of my first novel) — I’d love to meet you! We’ll have books for sale, or you can bring your own. 😉
 

Print and audio now available

I’ve been hearing good things from readers about my newest short story collection, Business as Usual: Corporate Notes from the Zombie Apocalypse. It’s now available in paperback, in a lovely slim edition that would make a great gift for your boss or coworkers… 🙂

Negative Return’s audio book is also starting to get good reviews. If you buy the Kindle version you can add on Audible narration for just $5.99! 
 

For your To-Be-Read list

Both these books will draw you in to absorbing epic fantasy worlds inspired by South Asian culture and mythology, and take your breath away with lyrical, page-turning prose.  

JS Bangs’ Powers of Amur series is incredibly rich and well-thought-out. It follows the stories of several main characters through the course of six books, weaving them deftly together for a truly satisfying conclusion. That’s praise I rarely give to a series! But don’t worry — Heir of Iron stands perfectly well on its own.

The Hundredth Queen melds an unputdownable (it’s a word now, folks) story line with a cast of intriguing characters. I’ll be the first to admit I sometimes roll my eyes at romantic subplots in books with young protagonists, but I was hooked on this one right away. Plus, The Hundredth Queen is currently on special for only $1.99 as an ebook!

Heir of Iron

by J.S. Bangs

Mandhi has spent years looking for her lost brother Navran. Their ailing father is near death, and Navran must inherit the title of Heir of Manjur, the descendant of an ancient king and leader of a secret religious sect. More importantly, if Navran returns then Mandhi won’t be forced to marry to provide an heir, and will be free to elope with her bodyguard.

But the Navran she finds is not the man she was hoping for. He’s a drunkard and a gambler, and he has no interest in his religious duties. Mandhi attempts to reform him—but her efforts are interrupted when agents of the Emperor kidnap Navran. Mandhi must find a way to free her brother and remain with her lover, and what she sets in motion will shake the foundations of the Empire.

Find it on Amazon. 

The Hundredth Queen

by Emily R. King

As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood in the ancient Tarachand Empire, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she’s an unlikely candidate for even a servant’s position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood’s mountain temple.

But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik.

Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her.

Get it on sale on Amazon.