Step inside the fictional bookshop on a snowy Christmas Eve to read the first stave of the classic, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. The Fictional Bookshop will return in 2024 with monthly episodes, starting in January. For more about Liz, visit LizDelton.com

Step inside the Fictional Bookshop to listen to a very epic season 2 finale featuring: Divinity's Twilight Rebirth by Christopher Russell. Today we have a special guest narrator: Jim Patton. A note on content: Fantasy violence, gore. Fictional Bookshop will return in 2024 with monthly episodes! And tune in on Christmas Eve for a special holiday episode. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From the back of the book: A world consumed by war . . . An ancient evil resurrected . . . A millennia old bargain comes due . . . When two blades clash, the third will fall, and the fate of all will be jeopardized. To save Lozaria, the failures of the past must be atoned for by a new generation of heroes. The time has come for mortals to cast off sight and, in doing so, truly come to see . . . Victory is never absolute. Seven centuries ago, the forces of order won the Illyriite War on the plains of Har'muth.  Darmatus and Rabban Aurelian slew their elder brother, Sarcon, the despotic architect of the conflict, and then sacrificed themselves to banish the cataclysmic vortex opened with his dying breath.  The first advent of the Oblivion Well was thwarted.  Even without their vanished gods, the seven races of Lozaria proved themselves capable of safeguarding their world.         Or so the story goes. The year is now 697 A.B.H (After the Battle of Har'muth).  Though war itself remains much the same, the weapons with which it is waged have evolved.  Airships bearing powerful cannons ply the skies, reducing the influence of mages and their spells.  Long range communication has brought far flung regions of Lozaria closer than ever before.  At the center of this technological revolution are the three Terran states of Darmatia, Rabban, and Sarconia, who have fought a near ceaseless campaign of 700 years in an attempt to best each other.  The roots of their enmity lie buried beneath the wasteland of Har'muth, a place all three nations consider best forgotten. However, an ancient power sealed within Har'muth has not forgotten them, and the descendants of those who fought on that field must now take a stand to rectify the mistakes of the past.  -------------------------------------------------------- Divinity’s Twilight: Rebirth copyright Christopher Russell. Read with the author's permission. Guest narrated by Jim Patton. For more about the author Christopher Russell, visit: www.christopherrussellauthor.com For more about the guest narrator Jim Patton, visit: jimbpatton.com Find Liz: www.LizDelton.com

Step inside the fictional bookshop today to listen to the first chapter of Ella Walker Henderson's epic fantasy adventure book, Of Wind and Lightning, the first book in the Selah series. From the back of the book: In a land of legends, three rival nations hunt the ancient relic that can control rare and powerful warriors. With lightning speed and an affinity for knives, Desa is a legendary, one of the warriors the relic can enslave. Disguised as a mercenary, she joins a band of enemy warriors who also hunt the relic. In the height of battle, a startling connection links her to their leader. Will he help her find the relic or betray her for the glory of his northern kingdom? His aid could be worth the risk. For if her oldest adversary succeeds in the hunt, he will destroy her and her world. Who will triumph? Join the epic quest to find the relic first. -------------------------------------------------------- Of Wind and Lightning copyright Ella Walker Henderson. Read with the author's permission. For more about Ella Walker Henderson, visit: https://ellawalkerhenderson.com Find Liz: www.LizDelton.com

As you head down a historic cobblestone road, you spot a bookshop and head inside to read the first chapter of A.L. Lorensen's book, Of Evergreens and Aspen Trees. ---------------------------------------------------------- From the back of the book: War leaves neither man nor magic untouched. Tristan knows this truth all too well. The twenty-year war against the magic of the Ancient Races has stolen his family, his home, and his past. He clings to the only things left to him; a scar from a wound meant to kill him, a mysterious silver ring, and the name of the place where he was snatched from death. Stationed in Fort Lorate the past five years - the only years of his life he can remember – he has done nothing but wait for the day he can pursue the fragments of his life that must be somewhere on the kingdom’s battlegrounds. Secrets buried deep in Lorate’s roots unravel when an elven woman named Aspen infiltrates its walls, and Tristan's life is shattered in mere moments. Despite being on opposite sides of the bloody, bitter war, Tristan asks for her aid when his duties clash with his conscience. Trying to prevent Lorate from becoming a threat to her homeland and battling a private war within herself, Aspen has every reason to gut Tristan where he stands and be done with the matter. But she doesn’t, to her eternal dismay. Together, Tristan and Aspen embark on a journey of memories, curses, monsters, and storms. Forces both mortal and magical combine against them, and their only hope of success is to rebel against the hatred woven by war and come together as one. For ever and always. For evergreens and aspen trees. -------------------------------------------------------- For Evergreens and Aspen Trees copyright A.L. Lorensen. Read with the author's permission. For more about author, visit: aLLwrites.com/subscribe Find Liz: www.LizDelton.com

As you pass through a busy marketplace, you spot a bookstore and head inside for a brief moment of quiet to peruse the first few chapters of a new book by Amy Campbell, Dragon Latitudes. ---------------------------------------------------------- From the back of the book: I'm not a dragon. There's absolutely NO WAY I can be a dragon. As a dragon-hunter, I never thought I'd be the one being hunted. Until a recruit decided to toss me overboard to prove that I was no different from the dragons we were after. And just like that, my life changed forever. Not for the better, by the way. Now, I'm grappling with my new identity as a dragon while my former crewmates are hot on my tail, ready to avenge me by taking down the beast they believe is responsible. (And by "beast," they mean me.) Lucky for me, I have my best friend and the jerk who threw me overboard to help me navigate this mess. Together, we're on a quest to uncover the truth about my past and the dragon world's secrets. But it's not that simple. We're facing betrayal, treachery, and the Jade Empress's wrath. Oh, and let's not forget the prophecy hanging over our heads. No pressure, right? It's just a fate that could change history forever and kill everyone I care about. So if you want an adventure that'll keep you on the edge of your seat, join me as I embrace my inner dragon and fight to protect those I love. Just remember, with the stakes this high, death isn't just a possibility; it's a looming threat. Fans of Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series, Robin Hobb’s Liveship Traders, and Jim Butcher’s unique magic systems will love this dragon-filled steampunk adventure. -------------------------------------------------------- Dragon Latitudes copyright Amy Campbell. Read with the author's permission. For more about the author, visit: https://www.amycampbell.info/ Find Liz: www.LizDelton.com/fictional-bookshop

As you stroll into the fictional bookshop on a charming autumn day, you discover a curious book with a key on the cover: A Curse, A Key & A Corkscrew, by Anna McCluskey. You browse the first chapter, before setting back out into the autumn air. ---------------------------------------------------------- From the back of the book: She's cursed, surrounded by idiots, and can't find the corkscrew. Something's got to give. Twenty-nine years ago, Joan's first grade teacher, suffering from a migraine, put a curse on her entire class, giving them an electric jolt and taking away their sight and voices. The symptoms faded the next day, but there’s reason to believe it’ll be back soon – and it’s already starting for some. As adults, Joan and a core group of her classmates have been racing against the clock, sifting through any info they can find on the supernatural, with no success. So when Joan comes across a skeleton key that gives her that same jolt, she hopes this may be their first real lead. She calls in reinforcements and they all descend on her house - a stuffy neuroscientist, a yoga teacher to the stars, a pot-smoking ghost hunter, and her sexy on-again-off-again boyfriend. Will Joan be able to find the antidote to the curse before it takes over their lives – and before these wackos drive her completely bonkers? And what'll happen when her boyfriend's witchy ex comes back into the picture? A Curse, A Key, & A Corkscrew is the first installment of the hilarious Rhymes with Witch series. If you love quick reads, snarky heroines, and whimsical storylines, you'll definitely want to check this one out. -------------------------------------------------------- A Curse, A Key & A Corkscrew copyright Anna McCluskey. Read with the author's permission. For more about the author, visit: https://www.annamccluskey.com/ Find Liz: www.LizDelton.com/

Step inside the fictional bookshop on a dark All Hallows night amid the rustling leaves and spectral moon. Peruse the first chapter of Lord of the Hollow Court, by C.K. Beggan before heading back out into the night. LORD OF THE HOLLOW COURT, Fade to Black Edition, Season of the Fae Book One by C.K. Beggan ---------------------------------------------------------- From the back of the book: A human girl in want of a husband. A fae lord of a court on the brink. This year’s Samhain revel shall be anything but ordinary. It's Halloween night in Sleepy Hollow, and Katty is desperate to find a husband. When prime target Ichabod flees into the woods, Katty steals her friend's horse and chases after him—only to encounter a frightening spirit on horseback. While stumbling through the misty woods, Katty finds herself in an enchanted fae manor. As Lord of the Hollow Court, low fae Braam hosts the Samhain revel each year, an event that draws high fae from international courts—including his liege and secret lover, Madeleif. Despite his efforts to perfect every detail of the revel and save his Court, Braam is irresistibly drawn to Madeleif, right under her royal mate's nose. But this year's revel must go off without a hitch: if Braam can't prove his court's worth, the Hollow Court will be absorbed into the merciless Court of Claws. After Katty is discovered in his pantry, Braam scrambles to save a human girl he's never met instead of returning to the woman he loves. Will Katty and Braam be each other's salvation? Or is a single human girl all it takes to topple the Hollow Court for good? This fae The Legend of Sleepy Hollow retelling is the first in a series of interconnected, standalone romantic fantasy novels, each set during a different time of year in fae courts around the world. Lord of the Hollow Court: Fade to Black Edition features historical romance, an age gap romance, a marriage of convenience and tension-filled fade to black scenes. -------------------------------------------------------- Lord of the Hollow Court copyright C.K. Beggan. Read with the author's permission. For more about the author, visit: https://www.ckbeggan.com/ Find Liz: www.LizDelton.com/fictional-bookshop

As you step inside an unfamiliar bookshop, you pull a brand new book from the shelf: Shade of Light, by Kimberly Grymes, and read the first chapter before setting out into a cloudy afternoon. ---------------------------------------------------------- From the back of the book: Not all monsters are evil. Some choose to do better. So, which one am I? Eighteen-year-old Adele believes she’s a monster because of her ability to infiltrate minds. For years, she’s been kept captive at Castle Forge, living comfortably under the watchful eye of a tyrant general. But after secretly witnessing her aunt heal someone with her blood, Adele knows the only way to get answers is to escape. Even if that means leaving behind the one person who’d shown her compassion during her captivity. She travels far to her childhood village, and while trying to uncover the mysteries of her past, she encounters the Shade. The same mysterious attackers who changed her life eight-years ago. The Shade have been raiding Adele’s childhood village, capturing its inhabitants for their queen, the ruler of the Under Realm. It isn’t long before Adele realizes these attackers possess similar powers, drawing more questions about who she is, where she comes from, and how she’s connected to these evil beings. After a childhood friend is captured and taken to the Under Realm, Adele must decide whether to stay and help the village or return to Castle Forge, where a dear friend might be in danger from the general’s wrath. With evil all around, Adele must choose who she wants to be and what her future holds. This young-adult dark fantasy story promises a captivating and thrilling journey filled with action, suspense, and unexpected twists. Book one in the THREE SHADES TRILOGY explores themes of self-discovery, acceptance, and the power of choice as Adele navigates a dangerous medieval world to find her place in it. -------------------------------------------------------- Shade of Light copyright Kimberly Grymes. Read with the author's permission. For more about Kimberly Grymes, visit: https://kimberlygrymes.com/ Find Liz: www.LizDelton.com/fictional-bookshop

As you step off the train into a countryside village, you spy a bookshop were you read 2 chapters of Liz Delton's All Hallows Airship, before meeting a friend. ---------------------------------------------------------- From the back of the book: A catastrophic blast. A haunting memory. And she only has one chance to prove her family’s innocence. All Caz Coppersdown has ever wanted is to be a journalist for the Soldark Times. But the chances of her parents letting her pursue a breaking story are slim. Secluded after a childhood illness, Caz finally gets to leave Soldark for a trip to the country to her great aunt's estate, but she quickly finds out there isn’t anything newsworthy there—unless you count her aunt's upcoming All Hallows Eve soiree. Until the local airshow clashes with her aunt’s party plans—causing more than just pumpkins to be destroyed. When Caz meets one of the airship pilots and discovers something about her family's past, Caz might have just found her big story. But she’ll need to dig for the facts quickly, because the constables are looking for a culprit, and old ghosts are making themselves known on this All Hallows Eve. -------------------------------------------------------- All Hallows Airship copyright Liz Delton. For more about Liz, visit: www.LizDelton.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lizdeltonwrites Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizdeltonwritesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizdelton

On your way home from the apple orchard, you duck inside a bookshop to get out of the rain, where you read the first few chapters of The Girl Who Talks to Ashes, by Rachel Rener. You get immersed in this haunting story of time bending and sleuthing before heading back home. [CW: Death of an animal.] ---------------------------------------------------------- From the back of the book: Fifteen-year-old Willow is terrified of her new baby, Lilah, who has a peculiar form of epilepsy. Every time Lilah's eyes glaze over, terrible things happen: flowers shrivel, food goes to rot - even Willow's long, auburn hair turns stark white. But it's the death of the family cat that becomes the last straw; in the middle of the night, Willow and her mother dump the infant at the fire station two towns over – and are never heard from again. The next morning, Chief Stanley Quinn takes Lilah home and cares for the toddler as best as he can. With medication, her epilepsy remains under control... For the most part. But as a teenager, Lilah isn't always keen on taking her pills, and when she sneaks away to a rock concert with the cutest boy in school, something terrible happens, landing both of them in the hospital. After Stanley breaks down and confesses everything to his adopted daughter, she decides to track down the young girl who gave her up sixteen years ago; the young girl who never made it home that night… The young girl who is now presumed to be dead. Soon, Lilah's quest to find her birth mother becomes a quest to solve a sixteen-year-old missing persons case. She has everything she needs to find her – she just needs to learn how to control her peculiar ‘gift’ before she kills someone. Again. -------------------------------------------------------- The Girl Who Talks to Ashes copyright Rachel Rener. Read with the author's permission. For more about Rachel Rener, visit: www.rachelrener.com Find Liz: www.LizDelton.com