Spotlight & $25 GC Giveaway: All We Leave Behind: Transits of Three by Benjamin X. Wretlind

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Benjamin X. Wretlind will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

 

Description of All We Leave Behind: Transits of Three

 

Following the exodus from rising floodwaters, the surviving descendants of those who came to create a society on a planet far from Earth have struggled to rebuild within the remains of an ancient temple. Now, as disease and an unfamiliar environment threaten to destroy them yet again, everyone seems to have an opinion about what to do next.

Miriam and Tobias Page, newly married, believe there may be a possible home beyond a distant canyon. Their journey with a quarter of the population doesn’t start well and soon nature and their own humanity will conspire to end it all. Meanwhile, Miriam’s two cousins, Joel and Micah, have different ideas. Joel is convinced the best course of action is to return to the mountains they left to mine for the ore that would make a great return to Earth possible. Micah hopes to stay, learn all he can about the temple’s previous occupants, and prove both of them wrong. But soon, he and his new partner Patience realize that no option is truly safe.

As the transits of three different groups get underway, new dangers and surprises emerge from within the rainforests, mountains, and deserts of the planet…and one of those may have followed them from Earth. While a final home is a dream away, present nightmares must be dealt with first if any of them are going to survive.

 

Read an Excerpt of All We Leave Behind: Transits of Three

 

Patience tried to count the number of people left in the temple at Manoach. Three hundred, three hundred fifty? Many of those had already revealed their desire to follow Joel when he returned from the Barrier Mountains. There might be a few more or less, but her calculations sounded right given the number of people who followed Miriam to the west. Of those not going with Joel, maybe a handful would be willing to pack up and leave Manoach.

 

Would Micah be one of them?

 

A cry of alarm rose from a scout to Patience’s right. She looked over and saw Theresa Atkins, a woman slightly older than Patience, wave a lit torch indicating a potential threat. Patience looked out beyond the wall and tried to focus her eyes on several shapes she saw moving out of the tree line. At first, there were three. Then four.

 

Now seven.

 

“Lord, help us,” she whispered.

 

Another alarm rose to her left. Levi Barrett, one of the newest scouts Patience had been training and still only fifteen, waved his torch back and forth. Fearing the worst, Patience looked out toward the tree line in front of his part of the wall.

 

Nine.

 

Fifteen.

 

Fifteen rychat, approaching from two directions, silhouettes in the dark creeping through the brush.

 

Guest Post: “A Word About Reviews”

I’ve been reading for a few years. Maybe something close to 50. Back in the day, I might read a book and let someone know that it was good (or bad) or pass along a copy to a friend. That was before Amazon, before the Internet, but sometime after the invention of the printing press.

It was how we did reviews back then. You know, when we were walking uphill to school both ways with no shoes. Now we can leave reviews all over the place.

I’ve also been publishing for a few years. Less than my stint as a reader, but long enough to realize something: I suck at asking for reviews.

It’s a problem for all Indie authors. A huge problem.

Indie authors are self-published authors who have taken the initiative (read that as: blood, sweat, tears, pain) to publish their own work without the backing of a traditional publishing house.

In other words: alone.

While independently publishing a work can be a great way for authors to share their stories with the world, it also means that they don’t have the same resources or corporate support as traditionally published authors. And by “the same resources or corporate support” I mean none.

One of the biggest challenges for Indie authors is getting their work noticed. Without the marketing budget and distribution networks of a traditional publisher, it can be difficult for Indie authors to reach a wide audience. Frankly, it can be soul crushing.

This is where reviews come in. This is where YOU come in.

Reviews are an important way for readers to discover new books, and they also serve as valuable feedback for the authors. Positive reviews can help an Indie author’s book stand out in a crowded marketplace, while constructive criticism can help them improve their writing and storytelling.

Leaving a review doesn’t take much time or effort, but it can make a big difference for Indie authors. By leaving a review, you’re not only helping other readers discover a great new book, but you’re also supporting an independent author in their creative endeavors. You’re giving them something for all that pain they went through to give birth to a work of art and be brave enough to let others see it.

So why don’t people write reviews? I’ve compiled a small and incomplete list of reasons why people don’t leave reviews (with my rebuttals). Feel free to add your own.

• Some readers may not have the time or interest (it takes less than a second to click a star)
• Others may not feel qualified or confident in their writing abilities (if you read, you’re qualified)
• Readers may also not see the value in writing a review (believe me, there’s value–see above)
• Then there are those who may not feel that their opinion would be helpful or relevant to others (writers need feedback)
• Some prefer to share their thoughts on a book through word of mouth or personal conversations rather than writing a formal review (that’s good, but we’re in the age of the Interwebz now and life revolves around stars)
• Some people may not want to give away spoilers or reveal too much about the plot (so don’t; you can just click the stars without having to leave a comprehensive book report)
• Others may not have an opinion about a book or may have mixed feelings (which is okay, but doesn’t mean you can’t leave a few stars; again, you don’t have to write your thoughts up)
• Some people may not have access to the platforms where book reviews are typically posted (um…this is highly doubtful)
• There are few people who may not know that they have the option to write a review (psst! you have the option)

So if you’re an avid reader and want to support Indie authors (or traditional authors, for that matter), consider leaving a review for the books you read. It’s a small way to make a big impact.

 

About Author Benjamin X. Wretlind

 

Benjamin, a speculative fiction author, ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time.

Benjamin lives with his wife Jesse in Colorado.

https://www.bxwretlind.com/

Twitter: @bxwretlind

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bxwretlind

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bxwretlind/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2900267.Benjamin_X_Wretlind

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/benjamin-x-wretlind-73b7dde4-3fc4-4b7c-a57f-97db25374b10

 

Benjamin X. Wretlind will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway