<a href="https://sarahbrentynflash.wordpress.com/" title="Lemon Shark Reef" rel="home">Lemon Shark Reef

Anthology of mini saga stories of exactly fifty words, with a beginning, middle and end, telling a story in a few succinct words. Stories have an element of time passing, and show a message or things happening. Stories arranged in themes including nature, life cycles, timeless love, relationships, courage and resilience and treating people with respect, taking care not to make a wrong first impression. Themes of all mini sagas include Nature, Life Cycles, Philosophy, Trauma and Long-lasting love. Easy to read stories for those who find long books too tough. Not particularly easy to write short stories, but provide a real challenge helping us to develop our capability at creative writing. Themes cover dementia, loss of memory, the pandemic, lockdown, a changed word after the pandemic, pubs opening, beautiful descriptions of nature and wildlife, angst at cyclists travelling on pavements, joys of crafts and baking, raising difficult teenagers, love that lasts throughout life, unusual relationships, tragic events.

You can get your copy here: 🙂

The Roses Mini Saga Anthologies

About Roses Mini Sagas:

What is a Mini Saga?

A mini saga is a fun way to tell a story in 50 words exactly, with a title of no more than 16 words.

It should have a beginning, a middle and an end, and some period of time should pass through the story.

It should have gravity. That’s to say, it should make a point which has some drama or psychological truth. It must aim, in fact, to be a saga in miniature.

The 2022 round of entries opens the 10th December 2021.

Check out the guidelines here: The Roses Mini Sagas Anthology Rules & Guidlines

rose mini saga 2020

On the Reef: The Shark’s Friday Feature

Featured On the Reef ~ J.D. Estrada @JDEstradawriter

Posted by Sarah Brentyn

New Release

Rhymes from the Wicked Nursery by J.D.Estrada

Rhymes from the Wicked Nursery is a poetry collection full of verses that will definitely not go gently into the night. So tuck in, keep a night light handy, and read at your own risk.

This is JD Estrada’s 18th release. He really hopes it keeps you up at night while feeling bad at the things that make you giggle.

You can get your copy here: 🙂😈

About JD:

After years working in advertising, J.D. Estrada decided there were better ways to write fiction. Born on August 13th, he shares birthdays with Alfred Hitchcock and Fidel Castro… an interesting coincidence since his mom is Cuban and he loves a good story.

Truth be told, he always dreamt about being an inventor, he just didn’t know he’d end up doing it using words. Where some people choose to invent new products, he has chosen to invent worlds through words.

An avid reader of Science Fiction and Fantasy, throughout his life, he’s always loved writing and connecting with people. Mind you, although he loves those genres, his reading tastes are as eclectic as his musical passions. So from rock to salsa to classical music, he also reads and writes in a variety of genres and is just as satisfied writing a review or a poem as he is in writing his next novel.

His favorite band is Pearl Jam, he was born in Puerto Rico, he bodyboards and to him, playing a guitar is as therapeutic as a notebook.

He hopes you are doing well and that you enjoy your visit to any of the literary planets he has lovingly crafted.

Website / Blog
Amazon Author Page (Please check out his other books here)

On the Reef: The Shark’s Friday Feature

Featured On the Reef ~ Allie Potts @alliepottswrite

Posted by Sarah Brentyn

New Release

Project Gene Assist: The Complete Series by Allie Potts

Project Gene Assist: The Complete Series combines all three books in the Project Gene Assist series into a single, omnibus volume that will leave you thinking about the next era of human evolution.

Book one: The Fair & Foul details how the road to the end of the world is paved with good intentions. A source of unlimited clean water, the cure for cancer; these are just some problems researcher and programmer, Juliane Faris, knows humanity could solve if only they just had access to the right information, and processing information is what Juliane does best. Given the opportunity to unlock superhuman abilities of the human brain, Juliane jumps at the chance to merge her mind with technology, even if it means trusting the egocentric Alan Dronigh with more than her life.

Book two: The Watch & Wand takes place fifteen years later. Civilization has broken down leaving law and order to be defined by those left behind. Stephen knows he should be grateful to have lived through society’s fall, but can’t help wishing his life was more than survival until he meets a girl on the run from a group known as the Watch. Now, caught between rival factions with their own hidden agendas, Stephen has no choice but to go on a mission to reclaim a piece of missing technology.

Book three: Lies & Legacy brings Juliane and Stephen’s stories together. Juliane’s woken to a post-apocalyptic world with large gaps in her memory. Plagued by guilt, Stephen longs to sleep without being haunted by the faces of those he’s lost. Both are seeking more than answers. Meanwhile, the new world has created an opportunity for those seeking power to step in and take control. On one side, are the Sorcerers, a group of super-humans whose telepathic-like abilities come at a terrible price. On the other–an elite squad of genetically modified individuals who are now more beast than man. Juliane is on a mission to reclaim her legacy. Stephen is out to save his soul. Can either stop the upcoming war before it destroys what’s left of humankind? In this struggle for survival of the fittest, they may have to find a way to save themselves first.

Available for preorder. Delivered to your kindle November 16th!

You can get your copy here: 🙂

About Allie:

Allie Potts, born in Rochester Minnesota was moved to North Carolina at a very early age by parents eager to escape to a more forgiving climate. She has since continued to call North Carolina home, settling in 1998 in Raleigh, halfway between the mountains and the sea.

When not finding ways to squeeze in 72 hours into a 24-hour day or chasing after children determined to turn her hair gray before its time, Allie enjoys stories of all kinds. Her favorites, whether they are novels, film, or simply shared aloud with friends, are usually accompanied by a glass of wine or cup of coffee in hand.

3D Mockup Project Gene Assist

On the Reef: The Shark’s Friday Feature (Couldn’t wait to share this one.) 😉

Featured On the Reef ~ Allie Potts @alliepottswrite

Posted by Sarah Brentyn

New Release

Metaphorically Speaking by Allie Potts

What does a night of card games, a child’s invention, one thoroughly spoiled dog, and the occasional business have in common? They all serve as sources of inspiration in this collection of personal reflections on success and the ongoing pursuit of happiness.

Metaphorically Speaking is packed full of lessons about life gained over the course of eight years. In it, Allie Potts, weaves each lesson around her often humorous and relatable, early experiences writing while parenting. The result is a collection that encourages mindfulness and appreciation of the everyday, but above all, is sure to bring a smile.

Life happens. Might as well learn from it.

You can get your copy here: 🙂

About Allie:

When not finding ways to squeeze in 72 hours into a 24 day or chasing after children determined to turn her hair gray before its time, Allie enjoys stories of all kinds. Her favorites, whether they are novels, film, or simply shared aloud with friends, are usually accompanied by a glass of wine or cup of coffee in hand.

On the Reef: The Shark’s Friday Feature

Featured On the Reef ~ Joan Hall @JoanHallWrites

Posted by Sarah Brentyn

New Release

House of Sorrow by Joan Hall

Dream home or damned home?

Ruth Hazelton is over the moon when her husband Lee agrees the nineteenth-century Victorian in Madeira, New Mexico, is the perfect home for them. While he starts his new job as police chief, she sets about unpacking and decorating.

But it’s not long before Ruth needs more. She becomes a fixture in the community, making time for everyone, volunteering, hosting events—she’s every bit the social butterfly her husband is not. Through her friendships, she learns several former residents of her home met with untimely deaths. If she were superstitious, she might fear a curse, but such nonsense doesn’t faze her.

Until the unthinkable happens.

Now, as the end of Ruth’s life draws near, she must find a way to convey her message and stop the cycle to prevent anyone else from suffering in the house of sorrow.

Just released today! You can get your copy here: 🙂

About Joan:

Joan Hall likes to create character-driven fiction with strong, determined female leads and enigmatic male characters. She has always enjoyed reading a good mystery or suspense story, so it’s only natural that’s her favorite writing genre.

When she’s not writing, Joan likes to take nature walks, observe the night skies, and explore old cemeteries. She also likes ghost walks and learning local folklore. Joan and her husband share their Texas home with two cats.

On the Reef: The Shark’s Friday Feature (on Tuesday) 😉

Featured On the Reef ~ Ailish Sinclair @ailishsinclair

Posted by Sarah Brentyn

New Release

Fireflies and Chocolate by Ailish Sinclair

Elizabeth craves adventure… excitement… love…

For now though, she has to settle for a trip from her family’s castle, to the port in Aberdeen, where her father has promised she’ll be permitted to buy a horse… all of her own.

Little does she suspect this simple journey will change her life, forever. And as she dreams of riding her new mount through the forests and glens of the Manteith estate, she can have no idea that she might never see them again.

For what lies ahead is danger, unimagined… and the fearful realities of kidnap and slavery.

But even when everything seems lost, most especially the chance of ever getting home again, Elizabeth finds friendship, comfort… and that much prized love, just where she least expected it.

Set in the mid eighteenth century, Fireflies and Chocolate is a story of strength, courage and tolerance, in a time filled with far too many prejudices.

Available for preorder. Delivered to your kindle April 1st!

You can get your copy here: 🙂

About Ailish:

Ailish Sinclair trained as a dancer and taught dance for many years, before working in schools to help children with special needs. A short stint as a housekeeper in a castle fired her already keen interest in untold stories of the past and she sat down to research and write.

She now lives beside a loch with her husband and two children where she still dances and writes and eats rather a lot of chocolate.

Sarah Brentyn’s review of Midnight Haiku: A Year in Contemplation | Goodreads

On the Reef: The Shark’s Friday Feature

Featured On the Reef ~ Sue Vincent @SCVincent #MidnightHaiku

Posted by Sarah Brentyn

Sue’s Midnight Haiku is now in a collection and available today! 🎉 I’ve posted about my love of Sue’s haiku here and am so excited about this!

New Release

Midnight Haiku by Sue Vincent

Haiku is a Japanese poetry form that has become very popular over the past decades, taking on its own unique character under the rules for Haiku in English.

a creative mind
just seventeen syllables
sharing a story

The three hundred and sixty-five poems within this book collate a year’s journey in poetry through the seasons and the intermingled landscape of mind, body and spirit. The poems were originally published as “midnighthaiku” every night at the appropriate time, leaving, like Cinderella, a trace of a day’s passing and a glimmer of the day yet to come. Each poem can be read ‘on the surface’, but each has its own layers of meaning too, waiting to be discovered by those who turn their attention to the heart.

You can get your copy here: 🙂

Amazon US | Amazon UK

My Review:

Midnight Haiku is more than a book of poems. Written with insight, intent, and reflection, this collection provides spiritual nourishment. The photographs, reflecting themes of nature and existence, are perfectly chosen.

It is possible to read this in a few days but, to truly appreciate these pieces, it’s best to read one (or two) at a time. Perhaps each morning. The author has set it up this way, actually, as the subtitle suggests: A Year in Contemplation. With 365 gems, this is easy to do.

The beauty of this poetry will add light to your life. Each haiku, skillfully written and poignant, left me with a sense of gratitude that stayed with me throughout the day. A collection to savor and treasure.

Sue’s Links:

Websites:

Author Page:

Social Media:

On the Reef: The Shark’s Friday Feature (not on a Friday but I couldn’t wait to post this one).

Featured On the Reef ~ Sue Vincent @SCVincent

Posted by Sarah Brentyn

This is a special kind of feature not for a specific book but for a specific lady: Sue Vincent.

Featured

Sue Vincent

What to say…

A lot of people describe Sue in terms of her wonderful writing, her kind nature, and her larger-than-life online presence. These are all accurate. All true.

As a blogger, she is interesting, talented, prolific, and generous. A cornerstone of the blogosphere, you could say. I thought I’d only been following her blog a few years. Sounded about right. But time flies when you’re having fun.

I looked recently and realized I’d been participating in her #writephoto prompt since 2016. Written stories for her Ani’s Advent calendar each December since 2018. Had multiple guest posts on the Daily Echo. Not to mention the numerous posts, from both my sites, that she was nice enough to reblog. She has helped countless bloggers in this same way–promoting their work, sharing their posts, hosting opportunities to write.

I adore Sue’s #midnighthaiku (haiku combined with intriguing & gorgeous photographs–both her own). These are must-read, not-to-be-missed posts for me. They are my daily echoes of Sue. 💗

Beyond all that, though, I need to say this:

To me, Sue has always been a beautiful and wise old soul. I felt a connection to her straight away. A kindred spirit. She is an incredibly intuitive, compassionate, spiritual being. She is, basically, a Sue-shaped ball of light.

~~~

Sue is now dealing with lung cancer and, I daresay, she wouldn’t mind some love and support from the blogosphere she has given so much to.

You can read her latest post here.
(Please check this out. It may be her final post and it is gorgeous—full of gratitude and love.) 💗

Quick March update:
Sue has just published a collection of her Midnight Haiku! You can buy it here: Amazon US | Amazon UK

You can read about Sue here and about her books here.

You can purchase her books here: 🙂

Sue’s Links:

Websites:

Author Page:

Social Media:

On the Reef: The Shark’s Friday Feature (which is, obviously, not on Friday this time around)

Featured On the Reef ~ Graeme Cumming @GraemeCumming63

Posted by Sarah Brentyn

New Release

Carrion by Graeme Cumming

CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY. WORDS HAVE POWER.

A sheet of black filled his vision as hundreds of birds dived at the cottage, pointed beaks thrust forward. From this angle, he couldn’t see many of them striking it, but the few he did see held nothing back as they hammered into the shutter. The scale of the attack was beyond anything he’d seen or heard of. And bloodied casualties littered the ground: skulls shattered, wings broken, innards spilling from them. The fact that so many of them continued with the onslaught in spite of this filled him with even more dread.

Salin has always wanted an adventure and, when the opportunity presents itself, he grabs it with both hands, taking his friends along for the ride – whether they want to or not.

With strange lands come strange creatures that stand between them and their goal. And that goal is the same for someone else, a man who believes the prize is worth every sacrifice – especially when the sacrifices are made by others.

The future is about to change. But who for?

Available for preorder. Delivered to your kindle tomorrow, May 9th!

You can get your copy here: 🙂

About Graeme:

Graeme Cumming is a child of the 60s and 70s, gifted with a vivid imagination and the ability to convert that to the written word. Put another way, he’s an author who yearns for his youth and draws inspiration from the books, movies and TV of those times.

He has written stories since his childhood, but by his own admission has allowed too many other factors to get in the way of taking it seriously until recent years.

His first novel, Ravens Gathering, is a blend of horror, fantasy and thriller and is available as an e-book. His second novel, Carrion, also promises to blend genres and is currently undergoing what he has termed “a final makeover”.

Having wasted too many years not writing, Graeme has said he plans to make up for lost time, so expect more to follow.