Monday, March 28, 2016

New Release and Guest Post: Denai Bound by Tiffany Shand

Denai Bound
by Tiffany Shand
Series:  Excalibur Investigations #2
Pub. Date:  March 26, 2016
Publisher:  Self-Pub
Pages:  339


Denai witch, Cate McCray should be enjoying married life with her new elemental husband, Jason. But their arrival in a new city soon has them stumbling headlong into a new case with dangerous connections to the very people that govern their world. Cate and Jason face opposition from those they once considered allies. Together with their team of enforcers, they must find the killer before anyone else dies. With danger from all sides and the threat of ancient, dangerous magic the team must pull together and use all their strength to find their enemy before disaster strikes.

About the Author

Tiffany Shand was born in Essex, UK and started writing short stories when she was a child.  She has always done writing in one form or another and started writing novels in her early teens.  Tiffany loves to read books and discovered her love for fantasy and paranormal romance during this time.  She writes both non-fiction and fiction, but mostly fantasy and paranormal romance.  After doing a creative writing course in her early 20s she is now a freelance writer and professional proofreader. She is currently studying for a journalism degree.

Tiffany lives in Essex with her two spoiled cats and one very nutty hamster.


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Guest Post from Tiffany Shand

5 Tips for Writing Urban Fantasy


Urban fantasy can sometimes be a genre that is hard to define. But it is usually a mix of fantasy set in an urban setting where fantastical things, mystical creatures and magic are bought into the real world. But what is needed to make your urban fantasy book stand out in a crowded market?


1. The fantasy. The fantasy elements of your story are very important and have to be written carefully. If you go overboard your readers might not find the story believable. The idea is to write characters that your readers will actually find believable and can have an emotional connection to. Make them feel something for your character.



2. The fantasy world. World building is one of the most important elements to think about. Will your world be one where magic is hidden or openly used? If it is hidden, then there would have to be a reason why. Magical elements often make up part of the fantasy world and magic is often used by characters. But the magical parts, from spells and potions to throwing fireballs all have to be explained. They can’t just come out of nowhere.



3. Setting. Setting is an important element in an urban fantasy novel. A lot of them are set in the backdrop of large cities. Why? Because most of the time the magical world is hidden from the real world and a city can be the perfect place to hide. Saying that, there’s no reason why you can’t have an urban setting in a town or even a village.



4. The story. Like any novel, urban fantasy stories need to have a plot. One great thing about this genre is that you can fit the plot into another genre such as mystery, suspense, horror, etc. Magic offers the opportunity to add mystery and suspense to your story.



5. The characters. One great thing about urban fantasy is you can literally have your character be anything you want them to be. Be human, fairy, witch, vampire or some kind of other creature. This means most of your characters, if not all would be supernatural beings. That doesn’t mean your main character can’t be human who suddenly ends up being caught in the supernatural world. The possibilities are literally endless.

Excalibur Investigations

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