New at the Café

This week: Guardian of the Promise, the fourth of Phyl Radford's Merlin's Descendents books.

Guardian of the Promise

Deirdre Kirkwood, the bastard child of Griffin, a Catholic priest, and demon-infested Roanna Douglas, has been raised with the children of Griffin’s twin, Donovan. Each has inherited a powerful magical talent and a wolfhound familiar. Any of them could become the next Merlin of Britain.

Deirdre’s quest to know anything about her father leads to a confrontation with El Lobison the Master of all Werewolves. No one is safe from him.

In and out of royal courts, the three cousins build a network of spies who are the only ones who can counter the weather, the werewolves, and the Spanish as England faces the relentless Spanish Armada.

About the Author:

Irene Radford has been writing stories ever since she figured out what a pencil was for. A member of an endangered species, a native Oregonian who lives in Oregon, she and her husband make their home in Welches, Oregon where deer, bears, coyotes, hawks, owls, and woodpeckers feed regularly on their back deck.

A museum trained historian, Irene has spent many hours prowling pioneer cemeteries deepening her connections to the past. Raised in a military family she grew up all over the US and learned early on that books are friends that don’t get left behind with a move. Her interests and reading range from ancient history, to spiritual meditations, to space stations, and a whole lot in between.

ISBN: 978-1-61138-165-8
Publication date: April 17, 2012
DRM-free formats: EPUB, MOBI/Kindle

Plus!!! Last week I somehow forgot to mention Vonda McIntyre's Outcasts, three short stories together, as they say, for the first time. FWIW, I have never read anything by Vonda that did not entertain and provoke thought.

“Screwtop,” “Steelcollar Worker,” “The Genius Freaks.”

Kylis believes she can protect herself, but when the commander of the prison Screwtop threatens her lovers, she understands her own vulnerability. Jannine loves the accomplishment she feels in her Virtual Reality job... yet she fears doing it too well, and attracting the attention of her superiors. Lais, the freak, flees from comfort and rewards, knowing too much about herself.

Cover photo by Carolyn McIntyre
Cover design by Amy Sterling Casil

ISBN: 978-1-61138-164-1

Publication Date: April 10, 2011