News and Updates

If you are interested in signing up for our newsletter please email us at scholarsofuma@gmail.com with the subject line newsletter. We will be sending out the newsletter once a month by the first Saturday of every month. If you have something you want put into the newsletter we will be taking a first come and first served basis for our three slots. If you have a Kickstarter project, a sale/promotion, or a new product you want us to share, please let us know at least three weeks in advance.

If we are full for the newsletter we will post your news and updates here so please send us what you have and as long as it is within the fantasy, sci-fi, horror art, books, comics, movie communities then we would be more than happy to share them!

November 2023 Newsletter

December 2023 Newsletter

Ren: Girl with the Mark Update!

A quick update for you Ren: The Girl with the Mark!

Neil Oseman sent me the following:

I’m delighted to report that Kate Madison won the Artemisa Woman Creators Award at Spain’s Bilbao Seriesland earlier this month. Kate co-created the series with Christopher Dane, and has directed six of the nine episodes to date. The standard of entries was really impressive, so we’re very pleased to have been recognised amongst some strong competition. “I love how my idea, that sparked back in around 2011 or 2012, grew into a passionate fire which, with Chris’s collaboration, generated Ren,” says Kate. “I am so proud of Ren and everyone who’s been a part of it so far. May it long continue.”


Meanwhile our Indiegogo crowdfunding for Season Three has passed $10,000 raised and is currently 54% funded. The campaign runs until December 1, so there is still time for people to get behind the series and claim their replica props, on-set experiences or download bundles at: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ren-the-girl-with-the-mark-season-three

Please make sure to check out their campaign for Season Three!

Holly D. Morgan’s Dystopian Fantasy Debut: One Spark

Emotions are a vital piece of life. That is, except for Disparates, whose emotions could literally be the death of them.

One hundred years after the Rain of Fire, those that survived the nuclear war split into seven Republics. In the research-driven Republic of Stillfield, parents Ben and Jemma Hodgerton need to make a choice for their oldest after the age limit for Enertin is lowered. Medicating would give him the life they desperately want, while minimizing the risk of becoming engulfed in flames.

It seems like an easy decision, until a false accusation rips the family apart. Throwing them onto separate paths that leave them questioning what, and who, they can trust. One thing they do know: they’ll do anything to be back in each other’s arms. If an ocean can’t keep them apart, perhaps a plot devised to rid the world of Disparates will.

Unlikely allies, unexpected plans, and past trauma all collide in this dystopian world. But the real question is:

When a brain is wired differently, is it right to change it?

It releases officially on October 15th. Links to purchase it might be helpful too? 

Amazon: https://a.co/d/3Vet7gb

Website: https://hollydmorganbooks.company.site/

Podcast Alumni Rachel Aukes New Release: Expendables

Expendable, Book 1 in the Redline Corps Series
$3.99 kindle (also on Kindle Unlimited). Also on Audible and in paperback

In classic Aethon style, the remaining 2 books in the series also come out this year!

One liner: 
A news journalist arrested for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Liv Reyes now serves as a war correspondent in a war we’re losing badly. This is a story of Earth’s last line of defense… who never even made it through basic training. 

Full description: 

Join the Space Corps. Journey to the stars. Meet aliens—and then vaporize them. 

A news journalist arrested for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Liv Reyes now serves as a war correspondent in a war where anyone can be drafted and everyone is expendable.  

It’s a war we’re losing. Badly.  

Outmatched, outsmarted, and outmaneuvered—humanity is running out of options when it comes to the Raptors. They destroy anything and anyone we send their way.

Our last line of defense never even made it through basic training.  

Liv catches a ride on a transport filled with five hundred soldiers in cryosleep, but Raptor space is dangerous. Half of all ships deployed are destroyed before ever reaching the front lines. Relentlessly pursued by the vicious alien enemy, Liv arrives at the aftermath of a brutal space battle and unearths a story that is the key to saving humanity from the Raptors once and for all. 

But first she must survive the trip…

More books by Rachel Aukes:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D96NVQHB 
Amazon (universal):  https://mybook.to/redlinecorps1
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Redline-Corps-Expendable-Audiobook/B0DG62FPWD

Check out my episode with Rachel Aukes here:

Podcast Alumni John Palladino Newest Short Story Collection: Before the End

Book Blurb:

Edelbrock Brendis fights to save his country from the rampaging Camel Clans before the events of The Trials of Ashmount. 

Captain Decklin Hoarst—otherwise known as Royal—battles alcoholism, friendship, and a questionable order from his superior.

Duke Velturo seeks solace and comfort with his favorite foods while feeling the pressures of a family who doesn’t respect him.

And in Rivane, an up-and-coming group of ragtag rebels fight to secure equal rights by murdering their countrymen and drawing attention from their king.

Before the End contains these stories and more, all set in the world of Cedain.

Here’s the pre-order link:

mybook.to/BeforeTheEndStories

You can find my past episode with John Palladino here:

Jeffrey Abercrombie’s The Fallen Fortress

Screenshot

Book Blurb:

It has been twenty-five years since the end of what has become known as the Great War. A time of peace and prosperity has reigned in the land of Kashin with past events becoming mere myths and legends in the minds of most with the passing of the years, wanting nothing more but to forget the horrors of war. Peace however never lasts forever. A humanoid army led by Kareen, the half-orc, seizes control of a newly built fortress in the north, threatening to unleash an ancient evil long feared by the elfin people.

A group of young would be adventurers sets out seeking to make a name for themselves unaware of the special lineage they possess that will draw them deep into the coming conflict, changing them and their lives forever. The fate of an entire country it seems may very well rest on their very shoulders when they discover the identity of the true villain behind it all, while Lord Silverwolf attempts to regain his fallen castle. Evil it seems does not accept defeat but instead hides in the shadows, lurking. It bides its time growing stronger as it waits for its next opportunity to strike, seeking to finish what it failed to achieve decades earlier.

Russell Carroll’s Relentless Blades

Amazon Pre-release link: Amazon.com: RELENTLESS BLADES: VOLUME I of THE PROPHECIES OF ZARUNE eBook : Carroll, Russell: Kindle Store

Link to Goodreads Reviews: Relentless Blades (The Prophecies of Zarune, #1) by Russell Carroll | Goodreads

Russell’s author blog: Russell Carroll – Author of Relentless Blades (rcarroll-relentlessblades.blogspot.com)

Book Blurb:

Cross the wrong men and meet their blades!

In Zarune, peace hangs by a thread as the vragoths, once tyrannical rulers, hunger to reclaim their dominance. When an ancient scepter capable of tipping the balance of power is unearthed, they will stop at nothing to seize it.

Burdened by shame and hiding in a frontier town, Vigilanton never expected to stand against them. But when his estranged brother arrives to investigate the discovery, Vigilanton is forced to confront his past and take action. Joined by Grimlock—a half-skron driven by vengeance and haunted by guilt—they may be the realm’s only hope of stopping the vragoths.

As fates collide, unlikely allies engage in a deadly pursuit of these wicked fiends, while old grudges and past failures threaten to tear their fragile alliance apart. Time is running out, and each knows that failure will doom the land to the vragoths’ brutal reign.

Ren: The Girl with the Mark

Neil Oseman is pleased to say that Season Two of Ren: The Girl with the Mark has been officially selected for Australia’s Melbourne Webfest this month! It has been nominated for six awards at Spain’s Bilbao Seriesland in November, including Best Short Series and Best Performance for Oriana Charles as Ren! Filming on Season Three has already begun, and on November 2nd they’re launching an Indiegogo campaign to complete it. You can visit their pre-launch page to see our story so far and sign up to be notified when we go live: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ren-the-girl-with-the-mark-season-three/coming_soon .

Make sure to check out my interview with the cast and crew from Ren: The Girl with the Mark this past season with Episode 43. Here is the link our interview. Make sure to check our their channel and social links in the description!

Ben Schenkman’s Newest Release-Too Many Gods in the Kitchen (The Devil You Know Book 3)

Season 3 Fanatic’s Podcast alumni Ben Schenkman has released his newest pre-order for book 3! Make sure to check out the blurb below and make sure to check out our interview from this past season!

It’s good to be the boss, but be careful what you wish for.

Nick got what he wanted and now has to establish an agency to audit Heaven and Hell’s operations. Rob is his right-hand man, but Amy has responsibilities of her own and owes a favor to the local coven. Nick’s plans go out the window when a mystery client shows up and throws everything into chaos, representing a new godly power no one expects.

Things get even more complicated when Rob uncovers a massive loophole that threatens the natural spiritual order. Tensions run high between the agency and a psychic con man. If that wasn’t enough, Amy’s bill comes due and the spirits come calling when she discovers a magical dilemma of epic proportions. Caught between loyalties, she must decide where they lie.

Our trio faces their largest challenge yet, and the threads they chase threaten to tie everything in knots. Will Nick be able to deal with the elephant in the room, or will everything come crashing down?

Scott Killian’s New Releases!!!

Scott Killian’s new release Stellar Heir releases tomorrow October 8th! Book 1 Stellar Heir and Book 2 Syndicate Moon both look exceptional and I cannot wait to chat with Scott for our upcoming episode in Season 4! Make sure to check out his release tomorrow and his next release for Syndicate Moon will be on March 4, 2025 so pre-order your copy today!

Stellar Heir Book 1

Jael Ked’Korhva hadn’t anticipated becoming the galaxy’s most wanted.

He hadn’t planned on picking up a strange alien artifact, either, but once it was clasped around his wrist, Jael was granted extraordinary abilities. His senses were heightened, his reflexes faster, and he could now regenerate from damage that would spell the end for others—abilities that would have been coveted even during his days as a warrior monk. Now, working as a scavenger, these powers were a boon, especially when forces from every corner of the stars wanted Jael’s artifact for themselves and would stop at nothing to get it.

What initially appears as an advantage swiftly transforms into a weighty charge. Yet, it’s a charge Jael accepts without hesitation, understanding the catastrophic potential should the relic fall into the wrong hands.

Prodded onward by visions of an ancient ally and a mysterious enemy, Jael becomes a pivotal piece in a vast interstellar play of power and dominion.

A high-octane space opera that blends adrenaline-fueled martial arts with interstellar adventure, Stellar Heir is perfect for fans of sci-fi like Sun Eater by Christopher Ruocchio or The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey.

Syndicate Moon: Stellar Heir Book 2

Jael and his crew are on the run, searching for an ancient machine that could save the galaxy, but the syndicate-controlled moon has other plans.

After uncovering an artifact that grants him extraordinary powers, Jael thought he had gained the upper hand in the lawless fringes of space. But news of his newfound abilities has spread throughout the galaxy, and a bounty is placed on his head for crimes he didn’t commit. New enemies emerge to claim the reward and old foes remain relentless in their pursuit of the artifact.

Jael is unwillingly thrust into a high-stakes game that determines control over the moon. The four crime syndicates use this brutal contest to decide who will rule, and now Jael’s fate is entangled with theirs.

Complicating matters further, a mysterious woman with a similar artifact stalks Jael across the moon, sabotaging his quest. With each step, the stakes rise, and every decision could mean life or death. Jael must fight to stay alive, protect his crew, and uncover the machine—before time runs out.

Brendon Noble’s New Release-The Crimson Court

Brendon Noble’s newest release The Crimson Court is now out! Make sure to check out both the Kindle and the Audible versions today! Link to apply for ARC is https://forms.gle/Zy3MGKq73Y6kniPU8 and Brendon’s email is: brendan@brendan-noble.com You can find the link and the blurb below:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CC6VTWB1?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks&qid=1728273922&sr=1-1: News and Updates

Spirits haunt the realm of Zekiaz. Flee them, fight them, or wield them. But they bow to no master.

The upstart matriarch of a fallen house, Kasia Niezik has sworn to destroy the elusive Crimson Court who assassinated her father. They are near immortal, wielding the spirits that once ended civilization a millennium ago, but she is a Reacher of the realm of Death. Their worst fear.

But to kill her deceitful foes, first she must find them.

Kasia travels to the capital, seeking allies either brave or foolish enough to help her infiltrate the Crimson elites. Whether spirit hunter, princess, or thief, though, everyone has a hidden agenda. And those with the widest smiles hold daggers behind their backs.

Step into a new world of fantasy intrigue where flintlock guns, risky magic, gaslamp technology, crystalline dragons, and dangerous spirits clash amid shadowy bids for power. Revenge is sweet, but at what cost?

Spite the Dark: 3 by Aaron Renfroe

Check out Aaron Renfroe’s third release in the Spite the Dark series is out and looks incredible. I am really excited that I recently discovered this series by Aaron and I am ready to start with book 1. Please make sure to check out his Amazon profile link below and check out his other books!

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Aaron-Renfroe/author/B07H1WVXFB?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true: News and Updates
OP-Protagonist, Non-Stop LitRPG Violence, and Limited Filler – this series is all gas, no brakes.

Series Summary:

Kaden knows how the world ends, and he’s determined to stop it.

The Hunt has descended upon Earth, bestowing deadly powers upon ordinary individuals and pitting them against one another. In this treacherous game, players must vanquish their adversaries to claim their power. With each triumph, Hunters unearth unprecedented abilities that evolve in strange, unexpected ways.


Armed with a roadmap of the future, Kaden will race against time to thwart mysterious enemies, all while waging a relentless battle against the impending apocalypse. However, when he uncovers the truth about an otherworldly realm known as the Madness, and the malevolent purpose behind the Hunt, he must decide: will he continue as a weapon of tyrants, or will he Spite the Dark?

Spite the Dark combines elements of 80s and 90s action films with the awe-inspiring violence and beauty of anime. It’s got a hint of Time Recursion, a dash of Apocalypse, and a ton of awesome. Please be aware that this story contains graphic violence.

Ericka Evren’s Cover Reveal!

Fanatic’s Podcast alumni Ericka Evren has a new cover reveal! You can find the blurb and the cover reveal below for Trials of Honor! Make sure to check out my previous episodes w Ericka below:

Trials of Honor is a sci-fi adventure unlike no other with a main female protagonist, ninja vibes, animal companions, with an emotional gut-punch.

🏜️Trials of Honor. Coming March 2025🏜️

If you like…

⚔️Elektra

⛩️Mulan

🐦‍🔥Hunger Games

🚀Ahsoka

You will like ⚔️Trials of Honor⚔️

Here’s the blurb!

The Nevo destroyed her planet. Now she’ll do whatever it takes for vengeance.

Alissia narrowly escapes death, only to be captured by slavers. Her future looks grim when an elite guardsman saves her life. But everything has a price.

Alissia agrees to train under the guardsman to protect the Cordabo king. Little does she know the king has deadly secrets.

A business deal has gone awry, putting the king at risk, but there is a plan in place. Bound by her word, Alissia faces her toughest challenge and ultimate sacrifice.

To protect the king, she must serve the enemy responsible for the destruction of her planet.

The Anatomy of Fear Anthology

I interviewed H.L. Tinsley and B.A. Bellec about their upcoming stories in The Anatomy of Fear Anthology. There are some awesome authors here and a few alumni members of our podcast! Please make sure to check out our episode on 11-12 and please make sure to check out their anthology with the following link:


The Greatest Podcast in the Multiverse!

One of our podcast alumni Herman Steuernagel has recently released his newest novels in his Fractured Orbit series! The third book Resurgence will be released November 14th!

Here is the pre-order link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C794CT66?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_2&storeType=ebooks&qid=1699637948&sr=8-1

Herman has also released his new podcast with some amazing guests so please check it out in the link below:
https://www.greatestpodcastinthemultiverse.com/

M.T. Zimny Book Sale!

In honor of our episode dropping on December 21st, author M.T. Zimny will be having a free book promotion starting the same day! Check out her books in the link below:

December Newsletter

December News/Updates

Author Nick Snape Sale!

Nick Snape’s new audiobook Return Protocol is out on the 13th December!

This is the blurb: An abandoned space station, a hostile, alien planet, and a lost squad eighteen hundred light years from Earth. How far would you go for that one chance to get home?

Audible US adbl.co/3QZTSqU

Audible UK adbl.co/483HflA

Nick has a few free US and UK codes for this audio book if anyone is interested in providing a review! His first 3 Kindle books in his Weapon of Choice series are all on sale for $0.99 for a limited time. Here are the links:

amazon.com/dp/B0BXT1YQ14

amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BXT1YQ14

Herman Steuernagel’s Kickstarter and Newest Release!!!

The Bartender Between Worlds

Book Blurb

Emma grew up as a Hunter of the Cursed—those charged with eradicating monsters and magic from the Kingdom. She’s good at it too—revered as one of the King’s most skilled hunters—at least she was, until she discovered she possessed magic herself.

Before anyone else can discover her secret, Emma abandons her post and flees to the far edge of the Kingdom, where she hopes she can settle down and live a quiet life as a bartender, out of the Hunters’ watchful eye.

Fate, however, won’t allow us to run away from who we are so easily.

When Emma is confronted by an exiled fairy and a man who claims to be a scientist (though, Emma is convinced he’s a sorcerer), she must evaluate what she believes and how far she’s willing to go to understand the power she’s not supposed to have.

Pulled on a journey that takes her further than she’d ever imagined possible, Emma is led on an adventure to discover where her fate lies, and must confront her own biases and hopefully learn a drink recipe or two along the way.

A low-stakes cozy fantasy about cocktails, magic, portals and finding where we truly belong.

The Bartender Between Worlds Kickstarter Link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hermansteuernagel/special-edition-cozy-fantasy-the-bartender-between-worlds/

Herman’s Kickstarter Campaign runs from now until June 24, I already got my digital copy and I am super excited to read it! Other helpful information on the Kickstarter:

-Featured Item is the Special Edition Hardcover, with a gold foil dust jacket, exclusive drink recipes and color illustrations.

-The campaign funded in 30 minutes and has already unlocked additional drink recipes & illustrations.

-With where things are at, right now Herman is hoping to unlock the audiobook stretch goal which is almost 2/3 of the way there already so make sure to check it out and get your copy reserved today!

Alex Bradshaw’s Newest Release!!!

Alex’s newest release in A Windborn Saga is now available! I am really excited to read Windborn and then I am really stoked to read Trollgrave. I have absolutely loved the cover and I am excited to read Alex’s work. Make sure to check out both the blurb and the book trailer below:

Trollgrave blurb:

Something stirs in the Forest of Broken Trolls…

Despite all his skill in healing and runecraft, God-Speaker Alvir Einarson could not save everyone.

In the wake of failure, he seeks aid from an old mentor and witnesses a wave of darkness sweep over the land that, for a single moment, extinguishes all magic.

In the capital, he discovers a fellow god-speaker is missing and the streets swarming with Windborn – resurrected warriors gifted with supernatural powers by the gods’ enemies.

Answers await in the Forest of Broken Trolls, but within its sinister depths even the gods’ protection may not be enough, and no more so than now, when the gods’ strength may be fading and dark powers are on the rise.

One thing is certain: Alvir Einarson would rather die than let the gods fall.

Trollgrave is a standalone Norse fantasy filled with fanatical outlaws, strange magic, and vicious monsters.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210454973-trollgrave

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Trollgrave-Alex-S-Bradshaw-ebook/dp/B0CYHQ35FX/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trollgrave-Alex-S-Bradshaw-ebook/dp/B0CYHQ35FX/

Nick Snape’s Newest Release!!!

The Scorching: Just Press Play

Releases May 30th

Check out the link and reserve your copy today!

https://books2read.com/thescorchingjustpressplay

Book Blurb:

On a devastated Earth, the Drathken arrive with the promise of healing the planet. When anti-alien terrorists threaten the accord, Cop and Vlogger Josh Nkosi, and his MARC unit, chase terrorists into the Burnout Zone only to come face to face with humanity’s stark future when the hunt takes a devastating twist. As a conspiracy emerges, Nkosi is forced on a dark path of discovery.

“…staggeringly original and timely release from a masterful voice in modern sci-fi.” ★★★★★ SPR editorial review

https://books2read.com/b/thescorchingjustpressplay

His next release will be:

A Dragon of the Veil: Warriors of Spirit and Bone Book One

Releases July 11th

Book Blurb

In a realm once devoid of magic, the fate of a people rests with Laoch and Sura, and the Gods’ weapons they bear ‒ a thousand years of faith and lies reconciled in a single moment of hope and redemption. With whispers of an ancient evil’s return, they are left reeling by their enemy’s power, one even the Gods’ weapons fear. For cast in iron and spiritfire – here be dragons.

“…artfully mixes elements of arcane-punk and high fantasy … this is a riveting start to a new fantasy series from an undeniably skilled storyteller” ★★★★★ SPR editorial review

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3QX888V

The Ravensdaughter Kickstarter is Live!!!

For all the fantasy authors out there, sometimes it can be lucrative to work a franchise tie-in with your books. For me, I’m working with a co-author to create a new D&D Gamer’s Guide to complement my fantasy series, Tales of the Ravensdaughter. Please back our project!-Erin Rado

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ehrbooks/realmes-of-the-ravensdaughter?ref=56xtci

Ericka Evren Sci-fi Sale!!!

Make sure to check out sci-fi author and Podcast alumn Ericka Evren’s sale on her current books within the Archarian Series!!! Ericka is striving to pay for a new tablet to help with all those author things so do your thing Indie Community and let’s ride that starship to her goal!

The Fantasy and Sci-fi Spotlight Event!

The Nerdy Cafe Shrewsbury, Sunday 29th September
11am – 7pm

A free-to-attend* event, hosted at The Nerdy Cafe bringing the best of fantasy and sci-fi to Shrewsbury.

Join us to discover your next favorite read, explore fantastic worlds and gain advice and insights from award-winning authors and creators. Space is limited so please make sure to sign up via the webpage through Eventbrite and reserve your space today! There are some amazing Podcast Alumni attending the event so I am very jealous I am state side and have to work!

https://www.fantasyandscifispotlight.co.uk/

Author Scott Palmer: A Memory of Song

Book Blurb:

In a dying land, the armies of the dead hold sway. And those who rule them are more god than human. 

James Culdaine, the last heir of the Northern Throne, was just a young man when the armies of the South murdered his parents and subjugated his lands. He has never forgotten those responsible, nor has he forgiven. He has spent the last ten years living in isolation with The Feldarra; a sacred Northern clan of fierce warriors, led by the fearless Wulfee who, still reeling from the loss of her own children, finds new meaning in protecting what only family she has left. 

Now, an ancient order of warlocks has returned to the North, singing dark songs composed of blood magic that null the elements and threaten all that is living.

With nature depleted and the Southern armies returning to the North, James struggles to embrace the unique power he has long tried to repress; the ability to commune with the spirits of the dead. In the bitter heart of a growing war, with the world dying around them, James and Wulfee desperately seek answers, vengeance, and a way to save the ones they love… No matter the cost. 

Fires refuse to burn. The skies are thirsty and breathless. The earth won’t eat its rot…

Welcome to Ardura...

A Memory of Song Amazon:

Website: 

scottpalmerauthor.com

Goodreads: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/206149628-a-memory-of-song