International Women’s Day is an annual event to celebrate the achievements of women. While much of the day’s celebrations bring attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women, I thought I might chime into the conversation to bring awareness to these incredible authors and their work.
Please feel free to drop more names in the comments below!
The Fires of Treason by Michele Quirke
Okay, full disclosure here, I haven’t finished reading The Fires of Treason (sorry, I’m a really slow reader). However, I’m adding her book to this list because she is, without a doubt, one of the most supportive members of the Indie Writing Community. If you go follow her on Twitter, you’ll see she constantly promoting other authors and reading their work.
From what I’ve read of her book so far, it’s a fantastic fantasy story that’s driven more by plot than by excessive details. I would encourage each of you to go pick up a copy of The Fires of Treason and, while you’re at it, go pre-order her second book in the series: Embers of Fate.
synopsis
Princess Elizabeth has always idolized and supported her older brother, but when Greg is accused of treason and banished, her loyalty to him is tested in ways she never could’ve imagined. As she leaves her luxurious lifestyle behind to join him in exile, she must learn to cope with the everyday struggles of the working class, all while keeping her true identity a secret. Facing new hardships and the looming threat of execution, Elizabeth will need to toughen up if she has any chance of surviving outside the palace walls.
Prince Gregory spent his entire life trying to prove himself worthy of the crown until his banishment releases him of all the pressures and obligations that have chained him down. Although he has no intention of raising an army to defend his birthright, he soon learns that not everyone is content to let him walk away from the throne. With his sister’s safety and well-being to consider, Gregory must make a decision that will change both their lives forever.
The Ancient Ones by Cassandra L. Thompson
Cassandra is another author and entrepreneur I follow on Twitter and have great respect for. Why you might ask? Well, she’s done what I hope to some day accomplish: launch her own publishing house (Quill and Crow Publishing House) and have it publish more than just her own work.
I have this book in my to be read pile and I’m excited to dive in to it. If her stories are as dark and brooding as she presents herself online, I think it will be one hell of a ride.
Synopsis
Some things are not meant to die…
When David stumbles upon a tragic young woman in a sordid Limehouse pub, he has no idea she’d recognize him as the last vampyre alive, nor that she’d be the one to pull out his story. Yet as he recalls his life from the sweltering vineyards of Ancient Rome to the cold horrors of Medieval Romania – as well as his tumultuous past with the mad and mysterious Lucius – he realizes she is much more than what she seems. Gothic horror and mythological fantasy blend seamlessly together in this thrilling adventure, breathing new life into vampire lore as it reveals its true origins. The Ancient Ones is a tale of myth, mayhem, and magic…with a dash of romance that bites.
The Drift by Casie Aufenthie
I could talk about this book. Or, I could let the reviews do the talking for me: “the best sci-fi I have ever read”, “exciting, touching, and beautifully crafted”, and “a skillful blend of action, world building and romance with great characters”, are just a few of the five-star reviews (which make up 88% of all her reviews!) for The Drift. If you enjoy science fiction, go buy this book, you won’t be dissatisfied.
Synopsis
In a future where the human race has split into three species, the mentally-evolved Illuminatos have conquered the other two in a brutal Evolutionary War. Now, the seven most powerful Illuminatos, the Council, control the Earth, ruling over the other two human species through violent oppression.
As one of the defeated physically-evolved Corporis, Samara lost everything: her family, her freedom, and her will to fight. But when her master, Lord Wyatt Faraday, commands her to find the mysterious leader of the Resistance, Tristan, everything she thought she knew is challenged.
Tristan is an Illuminatos who has turned his back on his own kind to follow his principles. An idealist hoping to restore peace and equality for all species, he cannot escape his past, and it may force him to make a terrible choice.
Their meeting will change the world, but will it be for the better?
Behind Blue Eyes by Anna Mocikat
This is another book I’m really excited to dig into in the near future. I see it all over my Twitter newsfeed and bought it awhile ago as part of a bulk purchase of indie books. With a 4.4 star rating with 193 reviews, I think it’s safe to assume there are many satisfied customers with this one. And, with reviews like “Mocikat is the queen of cyberpunk” and “Blade Runner meets John Wick”, this is definitely one book you’ll want to pick up, too.
Synopsis
In a future world ruled by warring mega-corporations, cyborg Nephilim believed she was fighting a righteous cause.
As a powerful, cybernetically enhanced elite soldier her job is to do all the dirty work for the mega-corporation she belongs to. She and her elite cyborg squad are deployed on the most dangerous missions – to protect Olympias from threats outside and inside at any cost.
One day, a malfunction in her implants separates her from the all-controlling grid. For the first time in her life, Nephilim is free.
She learns that everything she has believed in all her life is a lie and decides to defend her newfound freedom.
But Metatron, the leader of her unit, has very special plans for her future and won’t let her get away.
Soon, Nephilim finds herself hunted by the killer squads she once belonged to. She’s the best of them but will her skills be enough to survive?
Blade Runner meets John Wick with a badass female lead!
Sacrilege by Barbara Avon
I picked this book up awhile ago but only got around to reading it recently and I’m kind of upset I didn’t pick it up sooner. This book gave me serious Edgar Allan Poe vibes, so if you like dark, psychological stories, this is definitely one you should consider.
Synopsis
“The monster isn’t beneath the bed. It is in the mirror swallowing at all the vile things it wants to say, choking on bile to make them go away.” Wayward priest Cris Corelli rids himself of the sacred collar and leaves town, boarding the midnight train with no destination in mind. Satan is following him – lurking in the shadows. Corelli finds himself at an unassuming boarding house run by beautiful, yet tortured, Jules. She has her own secrets. They are the kind that echo in the mind, despite the screams that are meant to drown them. On Thanksgiving Day, 1985, Cris and Jules are bonded by a senseless act of violence that brings the small town to its knees. They indulge in drugs and alcohol to numb the pain, and together, they teeter on the edge of darkness. What they don’t yet know, is that Satan still lurks.
I know there are many more amazing women authors out there. So, please, let me know who some of your favorites are in the comments!
Tim Koster 