Guest Post: 'What about the little dogs?' Small Press Urban Fantasy by Melissa Hayden

What about the little dogs?  As many of you know, I love my books about any way they come; big dogs, little dogs, and loners.  These relate to the Big Publishing Houses, The Small Presses, and Independent Published Authors.

Okay, so why the dog analogy?  I don’t know.  It just came to me, and I rolled with it. Lol.

I like to find that gem of a read, THE one I love, and I will read from anywhere to find it.  And believe me there are many worthy, sparkling gems out there for the taking, you just need to hear about them.

That all being said, I want to thank Bastard for having me by today to share some Small Press Urban Fantasy gems I’ve found.  And by gems, I mean these are must buys.  Really!  You should listen. ;)

So, where do I start?  Well, today I’ll keep it short for you.  I’ll mention three amazing books or series I’ve found.  And this is just UF, I have to remind myself not Fantasy, as I’ve found a few wonderful reads there as well.

~~Let’s start with the hardcore Urban Fantasy books full of action and story.

First and foremost, this is a series I sing about all the time.  You might have heard about it, from me most likely, but I loved the characters and the storyline.  I am a sucker for a series with a strong underlining story line theme, and this series GOT IT.  As the books go you realize there is a thicker underlining plot brewing and you want, NEED, to get to the bottom of it; all around the Demons of Oblivion.  I know the books are different characters as the main POV, in the first three books.  All the characters are here in each book and the POV comes back around full circle to the previous POV in later books.  What is great is that these books showcase the thickening thread of Demons of Oblivion as each story is told.  All are touched in a demon way, and I want to know more about it.  I feel all these characters are true to their form, and lots of action.  Although, the Demon hunting Nun was a little calmer than the aged vampire or quarter demon, but she still kicks arse.

The series:   Demons of Oblivion  by Skyla Dawn Cameron.

Books:

• Bloodlines – Book 1 (available)
• Hunter – Book 2 (available)
• Lineage – Book 3 (available)
• Exhumed – Book 4 (Due out July 10, 2012)
• Oblivion – Book 5 (TBA, but looks like January 2013)

You can read the reviews for the three available books on my blog:

• Bloodlines
• Hunter
• Lineage

And learn about the stories as well.  If you are curious about Skyla’s writing, you can start off slow with a short story on my blog; Home.  Or even purchase an enovella with 3 short stories of hers that are set in this world; Whiskey Sour.

The second action Urban Fantasy book worth a mention here is Fate of the Fallen by Sharron Riddle.  Right now this is the only book.  Sharron is working on a second one, and I’m waiting as patiently as I can for it.  I liked this one because of the blend of Immortal Gods/Goddesses, Vampires descending from full history other than just plain vampires.  And even Demons from Hell.  Action starts this book, and works all through it.  And the characters are fun, all blended with a storyline that keeps moving forward.   Yes, sounds like a lot, but don’t let that full you or stop you.  It’s all related and works wonderfully together.  Amazing!

Fate of the Fallen by Sharron Riddle

• You can read my review, if you would like, Fate of the Fallen.

~~ Next we are going to touch on an Urban Fantasy series that is kissed by romance; The Renfield Syndrome. 

I started with J.A. Saare when she was with another small press, and then she moved to Mundania Press.  I think I enjoy her series because her main character, Rhiannon, is quick lipped, and anything flies.  Rhiannon is known to have a…sailor or trucker mouth.  She is a strong female who stands on her own two feet, but what is amazing about her is she will kick anyone’s arse, and not think twice.  She is also little special, she has a necromancy touch.  She sees dead people.  As the books  move along, Rhiannon’s necromancy is evolving and she is accepting it and using it more as she is sucked into a demons game.  Saare takes a few twists in these books that make you stop and holler, What!?! Then dig into the next book because you can’t wait.  Not only does Saare give us vicious fights, and touches on vampires in the first book, then vampires and werewolves in the second, this series comes with a touch of romance.   She might be falling in love….with a vampire, or two? Lol. You have to read the series to understand.

The Series:  The Renfield Syndrome by J.A. Saare

Books:

• Dead, Undead or Somewhere in Between – Book 1 (available)
• The Renfield Syndrome – Book 2 (available)
• The Ripple Effect – Book 3 (Set for July 2012)

If you would like to read my reviews of these books:

• Dead, Undead or Somewhere in Between
• The Renfield Syndrome

So, now that I’ve drawn this out to long, I’ll wrap it up.  I hate to see these series be missed because they are not printed by the big houses and in the local book stores.  They are AMAZING!

I think the books are well worth the price they are.  But if you are worried about the price, there are always deals running over at Amazon, and Book Depository.  Mundania Press even offers a discount from time to time as well.  BUT, the best thing, the eBooks are soooo cheap!  Really.  The price of the eBooks are very competitive with any other publishers eBooks.  Mundania Press has the eBooks, in any format you need, for only $4.99,  That is actually cheaper than some big dogs eBooks.

I don’t mean to only stick to Mundania Press, but I feel I’ve taken to much of your time already.  There are many other small presses out there, just give them a look-see.  You might find that diamond in the rough, and be highly surprised.

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Thanks for stopping by Melissa and sharing some of your favorite novels from small presses, all of them I've been meaning to give a try, but circumstances have plotted against me. Will make an effort to do so in the near future.

In any case, hope you guys give some of these a try and you can find Melissa on her blog Melissa...in words and pages. It's one of my favorite blogs to visit, with a lot and great mix of fantasy content. You can also add her to Twitter @MelHay.