Saturday, August 23, 2025

RELEASE DAY INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN ILLENE (Oaths and Vengeance)



Supernatural Central Short and Quick Interview

For Susan Illene


  1. Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book.

Aella loves to garden, which would seem boring to some, except her plants are sentient, moody, and even dangerous.  Multiple varieties she tends will attack intruders or anyone trying to harm her in a wide variety of ways.  Some of their methods are quite grotesque.  She can’t even leave the trimming shears out without worrying about chaos erupting after she’s gone.  They’ll even fight amongst each other if the mood strikes them.

  1. Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?

I used to believe ghosts might exist in theory, but while I was living in California, my house had some crazy incidents like the sound of furniture moving across the wood floors (very loudly).  If you went in to check, though, everything was in place.  It was creepy.

  1. What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?

I’m currently working on the next book in the Realm of Zadrya series.



Oaths and Vengeance
Realm of Zadrya 
Book One
Susan Illene

Genre: Romantasy
Date of Publication: August 22nd, 2025
ISBN: 979-8-9876902-3-9
ASIN: B0F6D6566B
Number of pages: 505
Word Count: 148,000
Cover Artist: Hannah Sternjakob

Book Description: 

Darrow has so many secrets that even those closest to him don't know them all, but she's about to become his favorite.  He is powerful, ruthless, and her sworn enemy. The wickedly good-looking elf is also cursed never to love.

Aella should stay far away from him, especially considering he could kill her from a distance with little effort. Except that someone close to her is dying, and he is the only person in the realm with the means to help. She has strong powers of her own to offer in exchange, but to her dismay, Darrow wants a secret marriage as part of the bargain.

Fae marriages are forever, so she'd always be his.

With other factors pushing her toward it, she agrees to a private wedding that the king himself officiates while hiding the ceremony from her disapproving family. Aella suspects there is far more to Darrow’s motives if Zadrya's monarch is involved. It isn't long before she discovers that dark forces are circling, and it’s her rare magic they want to use or eradicate by any means necessary. Her new husband has drawn her into a dangerous conflict started centuries ago that could either end in the salvation or destruction of their world. If she wants to survive, she’ll need to trust Darrow with her body, but never her heart.

Note- This novel is an enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romantasy. It contains adult content, including violence, foul language, spicy scenes, torture, and ruthless plants and creatures. Read at your own discretion.

Amazon US     Amazon UK      BN      Kobo      Google Play      iTunes


Excerpt 1:

My guard and I had reached the most ideal point to observe the battle, and my uncle’s forces had just clashed with our enemy. Swords rang as soldiers attacked each other, and flashes of magic in various forms and colors flew across the ranks. Some would blind opponents, others would cause pain, and still more would cause various injuries or afflictions. Fae battles were merciless and gruesome. We were on higher ground, which gave us a clear view of the terrible things they did to each other.

Normally, our army would have used offensive range magic first, but there was no time to prepare. Instead, it came down to a close-quarter battle in which our enemy excelled.

One man stood out on a large dapple-gray mount. His hair was a brindled mixture of brown and onyx black, sunlight glinting from the strands hanging over the sides of his face. His shoulders were broad. I knew that for certain because, unlike everyone else on the battlefield, he only wore light armor without the heavy metal plates most preferred for protection. His olive and black Veronnian army uniform was snug, molding around his muscular build. I wished I could see the details of his face, but the distance was too great for that.

He raised his arms toward the Therressian frontline, fingers outstretched. I watched in horror as six of our foot soldiers lifted into the air, kicking their feet but finding no purchase. With a twist of his hands, their heads spun clockwise until their necks cracked. They fell to the ground in a heap, dead before impact.

I gasped, realizing who he must be. “Is that Lord Gannon’s second son, Darrow?”

“It is.” My guard’s lips thinned. “It’s been years since we last faced him, and it's bad news for us that he’s here today.”

“He’ll decimate us at the rate he can kill,” I whispered, a chill running down my spine.

The soldier’s eyes reflected the same anxiety I felt. “It appears that way.”

Darrow was his father’s second son from a subsequent marriage after his first wife died in childbirth. He was known to be powerful and ruthless on the battlefield. The fact that he was half dark elf made him especially dangerous because they weren’t known for compassion or mercy. He and his twin sister had been the products of a failed peace treaty agreement between our realm, Zadrya, and Karganoth—the realm of the dark elves that lay across the sea to the west.

I recalled that he had fought in battles against us during the first few years I’d begun opening portals. The last time I could remember seeing him was over a decade ago, when I was in my early twenties. He’d been a ruthless killer even back then but couldn’t break that many men simultaneously before. Like most fae, he would continue growing stronger for a few more years until he reached fifty and peaked.

I had family and friends out there who would die if this elf targeted them. No one on our side had magic that could counteract Darrow’s without getting too close, but of course, he was surrounded by elite soldiers so that he could do his dirty work without interference.

A risky idea occurred to me. There was something I could do if I were brave enough, and right now, I needed to push past my usually passive role. Too many people would die if I didn’t.

When a high fae’s magic first appeared as an adolescent, they could only perform lesser spells that were a prelude to something bigger that would develop over the coming year. I started with wind and light power, which later combined to form portal channeling. Although I rarely had cause to use those, I did practice them since they worked well as a defense when I needed them, especially wind.

Darrow was lifting another handful of our soldiers into the air. If I didn’t hit him immediately, they’d die in the next few moments. I let go of Astra’s reins and raised my hands, focusing on the half-light/half-dark elf, and pulled the air around me. In a streamlined burst, I sent it straight at him.

Just as he began to twist his hands to kill the soldiers, it struck him full in the chest. He went flying backward off his horse. The Therressian soldiers he’d targeted next dropped to the ground at the same time—shaken but alive. Darrow landed on his butt ten feet behind his mount and skidded to a stop in a plume of dust.

I grinned, pleased that years of weekly practice with my wind power had finally paid off. That was far more satisfying than directing it at leaves and other inanimate objects. I had used it in self-defense a time or two, but never at such a distance.

“Well done, my lady,” my guard said, giving me a respectful nod. “That certainly distracted him and gave our people a chance.”

“Thank you.”

We watched with rapt attention as Darrow slowly rose to his feet and dusted off his uniform. I still couldn’t make out his features, but his rigid body language told me he was not pleased with what I’d done. He ran his gaze around his surroundings until it eventually fell on me. I waved and blew him a kiss.

Darrow lifted one arm toward me, and a moment later, I rose off my horse to hover a few feet above my mount. Shock filled me. I’d never dreamed he could extend his magic so far, but I couldn’t do anything to stop him. My heart raced as he slowly brought me forward like he had strings pulling me.

My guard’s voice sounded panicked as I floated away from Astra and him. “Lady Aella? Are you alright? What can I do?”

“I…uh,” I began.

My braid lifted and wrapped around my head, gagging my mouth. The floral taste of my cleanser coated my tongue. My locks stretched taut, pulling at my scalp enough to cause discomfort but not quite pain. With all my limbs immobilized, I couldn’t free myself. Did he seriously muzzle me with my own hair? Lord Gannon’s son was toying with me in the middle of a battle like I was a toy, but I couldn’t let him get away with it without a response.

I forced myself to calm down and think. Darrow hadn’t gripped my body so tightly that I couldn’t breathe or make minute movements. Slowly spreading my fingers, I gathered the surrounding air once more. After I gained enough, I hit him with a burst of wind again. It didn’t slam into him as hard as the first time, but it did send him stumbling back. The hold on me evaporated. I dropped to the ground, knees buckling, and my breath nearly knocked from me. At least nothing was broken.

“It’s okay,” I said, hands trembling as I straightened. “He had me for a moment there.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t draw his attention again,” my guard advised.

I cleared my throat, hoping no one else saw what happened. “Yeah. I think that was more than enough distraction.”

 

 

About the Author:

Susan Illene served in the U.S. Army for eleven years, working first as a human resources specialist and later as an Arabic linguist. She served primarily in Airborne units and did two deployments to Iraq.  After leaving the army, she studied history at the University of Oklahoma. She currently lives with her husband and two sons.











Thursday, August 21, 2025

INTERVIEW WITH DR. STUART B. HEINRICH (THE QUANTUM REVELATIONS)

 


Dr. Stuart B. Henirch stopped by the page today to answer a few questions.


Supernatural Central Short and Quick Interview 

Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?

I haven’t personally seen any compelling evidence for ghosts, telekinesis, or clairvoyance...but if we define the paranormal as events that are beyond the normal scientific understanding, then any truly educated scientist must admit that we are completely surrounded by the paranormal, because the truth is that our most advanced scientific understanding of reality is actually still so incomplete and limited.  Everything from the miraculous emergence of our own individual conscious perspectives, which no coherent theory of science can explain, to the stable configuration of molecules at the quantum scale, to the large scale rotation of galaxies that fail to match predictions of general relativity, we are surrounded by unexplained phenomena at all scales, and a good scientist should keep their mind at least partly open to that which they don’t fully understand.


The Quantum Revelations
Dr. Stuart B. Heinrich

Genre: Scientific Mystery/Thriller, Sci-Fi
Publisher: Endless Tree Books LLC
Date of Publication: 7/31/2025
ISBN: 979-8-9902071-0-3
ASIN: B0F9PXS78S
Number of pages: 474
Word Count: 146,000
Cover Artist: Artem Chebokha

Tagline: What is fiction, and what is reality?

Book Description:

The world is on the brink of an apocalyptic climate crisis and quickly spiraling out of control into a dystopian nightmare. 

As everything collapses around them, two scientists struggle for relevance in their quest to build the world’s first practical quantum computer. 

They discover so much more. A mystery of physics that goes deeper than they could have ever imagined...

Reviews

“Heinrich offers an engrossing metaphysical excursion through the quantum realm to discover the meaning of life in this contemplative debut...[His] rich, multilayered backdrop of existential food for thought propel this story to a truly transcendental experience.”

— Publisher's Weekly

 

“Science and faith combine in this nuanced and compelling sci-fi eco thriller... [that] cleverly explores and intertwines the well established science vs religion discourse in a way that, I think, does credit to both sides.”

— LoveReading (featured under "Indie Books We Love")

 

“The Quantum Revelations is a wildly unpredictable narrative with a show stopping climax, pondering the interplay of science, religion, and technology in a way that is as captivating as it is disturbing.”

— Independent Book Review

 

Science and faith combine in this nuanced and compelling Sci-fi eco thriller.

In a world on the brink of climate catastrophe, two scientists continue their confidential work to develop a practical quantum computer, but they get more than they bargained for when their creation calls into question everything they thought to be true about the laws of physics and the world around them. The Quantum Revelations is a multifaceted sci-fi story. First off we have Skylar’s quantum computer experiment, tangentially linked to his interest in “quantum scale physics. He wanted to understand what really makes the universe tick”. )

--Charlotte Walker Goodreads Reviewer

 

About the Author:

Stuart Heinrich is a PhD computer scientist with a passion for studying the fundamental nature of reality and physics. He is known for his unique theories on the Relativity of Existence (ROE), the Maximally Biophilic Principle (MBP) and Quantum Fluid Dynamics (QFD).






Tuesday, August 12, 2025

INTERVIEW WITH KARINA McROBERTS (Dargo Eco Hero!)

 



Today we welcome Karina McRoberts to the page.


Supernatural Central Short and Quick Interview with Karina McRoberts


Thank you Supernatural Central for interviewing me today.


  1. Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book

.

Dargo Fernandez is an unusual guy who does not fit in.  Not necessarily a nerd, just different.  He loves strange things — masks, monster movie posters, wax museums, houses of horror, etc. He’s friendly, very creative, has a charming nature and a wonderful sense of humour; despite this or perhaps because of it, he is ridiculed by his office colleagues and is unable to compete for the affections of  Belinda, who is smitten by the office hottie, Jake.  When all goes horribly wrong for Dargo, he is contacted by spirits who beg for his help.  At first he does not believe in them; he’s helped to do when he falls for a fortune telling machine that comes to life.


Here's a link to the book’s trailer fi readers would like to view it:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZKc6lv3I8s



  1. Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?

Yes. 

To me, ‘paranormal’ is part of normality.  We are conditioned not to believe in it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there!  Absence of evidence does not equate to evidence of absence.

When I first realised the existence of “something more” I was sitting near a cliff edge, watching a large flock of birds fly over a river below me.  Suddenly, I was one of those birds.  I felt myself in the body of the bird.  The experience of flying was astounding!

I had no idea of time passing, but somehow I had the sense that I should move my human self away from the edge of the cliff.  I came back to myself and moved back. I don’t know where that particular bird got to, but I thanked it for the ride.

Since then, I am able to “visit” other living things at will. It’s exhilarating and energising.    But I don’t do it often — I don’t know what effect I might have on the animal or tree. I don’t want to cause harm. I never do it with people — too scary.

Since this occurred, I have an extremely heightened sense of nature.  There is an energy in it — I feel it wherever I go, if I can find any nature!  We are destroying our most precious resource!

If this seems unbelievable, think of ancient cultures, some of which survive to this day.  Attuned to nature, they know about this transference.  Keats knew about it — in his poem The Lake Isle of Inishfree, he says “I feel it in the deep heart’s core.”  I trained a scientist, to doctorate level, but I believe the two can and should coexist. Even Einstein knew about the “paranormal”.  I think it’s incredibly sad our modern culture tires to erase the “magic” in the world.  I happen to be a scientist.  But I know,  as great as science is, it’s not all there is. This is one of the reasons I wrote Dargo — Eco Hero!  The Classic Tale.  We need magic.  And we certainly need to care for nature!



  1. What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?


I am currently writing in what for me is a new genre — gothic fiction.  I love the tales of old — the classic gothic story of a young woman going to live or work in an old house.  The best example I know of is Rebecca, by Daphne DuMaurier.  We are left questioning — is Rebecca’s ghost haunting the new Mrs. DeWinter, or is this a case of building insanity in a lonely, frightened woman?  It is so well written.  I aspire to create something of this quality.  Wow!  What a tall order! 

 The other inspiration for my story is The Beckoning Fair One, by Oliver Onions.  It must be one of the best ghost stories ever written — a true masterpiece.  Again, is Paul Oleron being haunted by the “lady of the house”, is he flirting with a ghost ,or is he steadily losing it? 

 I love these stories because you can really put yourself in the place of these characters.  I mean, what would it be like to continually face the question — ‘Am I losing my mind or is she really here?’  

My novel takes place in the present day, but keeps all the qualities of the classic spookers.  I’m making sure it’s unique; inspired by the greats, but something completely different.  No easy task, so I’m taking my time.  Or rather, it’s taking its time.

I have also started a second collection of ghost stories from my hometown — York, Western Australia.  York is considered to be one of Australia’s most haunted locales.    I have published volume one, entitled The Haunting of York, a Ghostly Anthology.


Thanks so much, Supernatural Central. I wish everyone happy reading.  Pleased to answer any questions.




Dargo - Eco-Hero!  The Classic Tale
Karina McRoberts

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Rocanadon Press
Date of Publication:  September 9, 2024
ASIN: B0DGKBYR3P
Number of pages:  121 
Word Count:  14,000

Tagline: Enchanting Urban Fantasy

Book Description:

AN ENCHANTING NOVELLA TO LIFT YOUR SPIRIT!

In this unique and enticing modern fairytale, a lonely young man suffers a massive defeat . When he believes all is lost, he meets with fiery fortune teller, Flame. Her plea for help sends Dargo on a crucial mission; but can he re-invent himself as a hero?

Light-hearted, but poignant, Dargo is a humorous fairy tale for adults. You can also share it with your children who care about Earth. And if they don't, Dargo will help them do so!

This hilarious and heartwarming tale has been likened to the Wizard of Oz, and will appeal to the magic in all of us.

Dargo - Eco Hero! is a Literary Titan Gold Book Award winner and has been shortlisted for a Chanticleer Fantasy OZMA.

Amazon


Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZKc6lv3I8s

Reviewed by Natalie Soine for Readers’ Favorite:

 

Dargo, Eco Hero! by Karina McRoberts is by far one of the best and most unique books I have ever read, with a vitally important message.  

 

Reviewed by Thomas Anderson for Literary Titan:

 

Dargo, Eco Hero! by Karina McRoberts gives me the best kind of Wizard of Oz vibes. The author has nailed the same type of warmth as L. Frank Baum but puts her own unique spin on main character Dargo and his band of merry cohorts. I was especially impressed with the mixture of personification and metaphors found throughout the writing. The imagery she creates leaves readers breathless at times. Her writing is timely and gives voice to the environment in a way no other writer I have seen has been able to do.

 

Excerpt:

 

She threw Dargo more scowls and turned to go, when she was met by the office alpha male; he of the hot and handsome variety.

"There you are, Lucinda,” the man said; his baritone deeper than the Grand Canyon.  "C'mon, let's get back to work on this layout."

Her frown did a rapid 180. "Give me a minute, Jake.  I'll be right back."

Jake leaned languidly on Dargo's cubicle wall, staring after Lucinda as she made her way to the ladies' room. 

"Hi, Jake," Dargo greeted brightly.

Startled, Jake turned around.  His face cinched as he took in the Mad poster, now complete with tear.

"You need some new décor, pal."

"Guess so," Dargo replied weakly, not catching the ridicule in Jake’s tone; Dargo was most unhappy about the damage to his cherished Alfred E Neuman poster.

"What's your name again?"

"Dargo."

"Oh yeah.  How could I forget?  Hey, why weren't you with the guys last night at paintball?"

"Well, I had something to do.  But thanks for inviting me."

"I don't think we'll bother anymore.  You never come.  Just as well.  You'd probably get wiped out pronto."

"Really?"

God, this guy is a dweeb, Jake mused.  Aloud, he replied, "It's supposed to be a challenge, you know?  Real man's stuff."  Jake inhaled deeply, his fine physique expanding.

"OK, I'm back," Lucinda said cheerily.  She had very obviously 'freshened' her makeup.  "I'm ready."

Jake whispered something in Lucinda's ear.  Her face reddened to match her lipstick, then she sauntered back to her cubicle; Mister 'tall, dark, and extremely handsome' in tow.

 

About the Author:

Karina is an American-Australian author, illustrator, musician, scientist and theatre producer. She considers herself to be a true Renaissance woman and strives to help other women achieve the same. She states, "After all, ladies, we didn't get a chance last time!!!!"

She has written several novels in a variety of genres, her fiction is character rich and emotionally engaging, and her stories have won several awards.

Previously working as a conservation scientist, Karina was struck down by a mosquito-borne virus. No longer able to work, she turned her attention to writing fiction; aiming to inspire, encourage, enlighten and entertain—especially those readers active in social justice, humanitarian work, and protection of the Earth.  A fervent believer in the value of human creativity, Karina writes without input from artificial intelligence, and works so that her readers can “Escape to the Heights of Their Hearts and the Depths of Their Souls.”

Karina also writes self-instruction books and gives workshops in illustration, music,  and creative writing.  She lives with her husband William and dog Tahshi, near the heritage town of York, Western Australia (said to be one of Australia’s most haunted) where they’re busy re-wilding degraded farmland.




link to giveaway https://kingsumo.com/g/36qve21/dargo-eco-hero-the-classic-tale-by-karina-mcrobertsFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/KarinaMcRobertsAuthor/


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Wednesday, August 6, 2025

INTERVIEW WITH RUPERT STANBURY (GODS GALORE)



SUPERNATURAL CENTRAL INTERVIEW


  1. Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book.

The goddesses Artemis and Hebe are the two central characters in Pimlico People, my latest book. Let’s look at Artemis:

She was the Goddess of Hunting in Classical Times. Hunting was critically important at that time because if the harvests failed, people would starve if they didn’t have any meat. There simply wasn’t any sort of social security in those days.

Fast forward to the 21st Century and Artemis, while still the Goddess of Hunting, has begun to take up issues such as Women’s Rights, Equality and the like. However, she doesn’t know much about how these issues really impact humans in the modern world because she’s used to roaming around in the forests, having probably never visited a city before. So, she and her half-sister, the Goddess Hebe (who does understand modern living) come and live in Central London to try and get a better understanding of how we humans live and the challenges we face. The two of them decide to live like normal people, not using their goddess powers.

When she first arrives, Artemis is naïve about all sorts of things – how light switches work, what a TV is, how money works, let alone credit cards and mobile phones! However, she is a fast learner and soon picks these things up. She’s a bit of a no-nonsense character and is naturally physically very strong, even without her goddess powers. So, when she and Hebe find themselves in scraps, as they do quite often in the book, she’s someone you would want on your side. She’s also not to be messed around as shown in the sisters’ first night in London. The two of them go to a pub and find themselves receiving far too much unwanted physical attention from a number of drunken men. The result is that the men end up in hospital, the pub smashed to bits and the two goddesses in a local police cell. 

  1. Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?

I genuinely don’t know. While I may read my horoscope from time to time, I don’t let it influence my day. I don’t have the cards read to me or have my palm read. 

Having said that, I suspect that not everything can be explained by Science. My Mother definitely believed in a Sixth Sense, claiming she knew the night her brother died in World War 2. 

I’ve never experienced anything paranormal. 

3. What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?

I’ve got two projects on the go: 

The first one is a ‘serious’ book about a number of the Greek Myths such as Perseus and the Minotaur, Jason and the Golden Fleece, the Twelve Labours of Hercules etc. This won’t be a comedy / fantasy book like the Gods Galore series. I’m actually very active on TikTok and give 3-5 minute talks on these subjects on a regular basis. These video talks are going to form the basis of this book.

My second project is the fourth book in the Gods Galore series. It’s mainly based in the Underworld - I’m planning to fuse a plot involving 1) the pre-Olympian gods (known as the Titans); 2) King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table; as well as 3) Satan and his followers, as depicted in Milton’s Paradise Lost. It’s probably my most challenging work to date, so we’ll have to see how it goes. Currently, I’m only about a quarter / a third of the way into it. 









GODS GALORE
Gods Galore Series
Book One
Rupert Stanbury

Genre: Fantasy / Comedy
Publisher: Troubador / Matador
Date of Publication: 28 October 2021
ISBN: 878-1800465305
ASIN:B09KM9JV2S
Number of pages: 344
Cover Artist: Dave Hill

Book Description:

The Olympian Gods have made it to the 21st century AD. We may not have heard much about them in the last two thousand years, but they’re still controlling what we humans are up to – or at least they think they are.

The reality is that the Gods are like us – they’ve got problems!

Zeus is still Top God on Mount Olympus, but he’s got issues with many of the younger gods. His brothers, Hades and Poseidon, have issues with themselves – they’re getting too set in their ways ruling the Underworld and the Seas; they probably need a job change.

But help is at hand from an unexpected source – we humans.

It’s surprising what a dose of good common sense can do for even the most powerful of the gods, especially when it comes from a couple of teenagers!




THE FOUR HORSEMEN
Gods Galore Series
Book Two
Rupert Stanbury

Genre: Fantasy / Comedy
Date of Publication: 17 April 2023
ISBN: 979-8366008495
ASIN: B0C2Q4G268
Number of pages: 337
Cover Artist: Tim Stringer

Book Description:

The Four Horsemen is the second book in the Gods Galore series about the Olympian Gods in the 21st Century AD.

The gods are still trying to control what we humans are up to. Unfortunately, they’re not being particularly successful. The world is experiencing both plague and famine which Zeus and the Gods’ Council never approved. What’s going on?

Athene’s determined to find out, but before she can get going the God of War initiates an attack on Poseidon’s realm. It’s now all out conflict and the gods are taking sides – one side, in particular.

Wherever there’s a fight, Hebe’s involved. She soon signs up to an army regiment which is full of soldiers even smaller than she is. But war these days involves brains and not just brawn and there’s plenty of both ready to be deployed in this fight!



PIMLICO PEOPLE
Gods Galore Series
Book Three
Rupert Stanbury

Genre:Fantasy / Comedy
Date of Publication: 28 October 2024
ISBN: 979-8338117200
ASIN: B0DL5XTHMH
Number of pages: 339
Cover Artist: Tim Stringer

Book Description:

Pimlico People is the third book in the Gods Galore series about the Olympian Gods in the 21st Century AD.

The Goddesses Artemis and Hebe are staying in Central London to obtain a better understanding of the lives of ‘normal’ people.

To their surprise, they soon encounter a plot to blow up a foreign embassy. Add to that a sophisticated operation involving the theft of valuable paintings from a major art gallery, and the two goddesses begin to question what a ‘normal’ life is all about.

Meanwhile, in the Underworld Cerberus encounters another dog who, amazingly, only has one head! How will they get on?


EXTRACT FROM PIMLICO PEOPLE – THE PARK 

The location for this extract from Pimlico People is St James’s Park in Central London.

The reference to Blefuscu and Lilliput are to two islands in Gulliver’s Travels where people are only about six inches tall. The people of these islands are often in conflict with each other.

Both Iris and Hebe are Greek goddesses. Cerberus is a three-headed dog living in the Underworld. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders is a Lilliput army regiment; Rach is also from Lilliput. Finally, Slasher and others are swans living in the park.

 

As this small armada was making progress, exciting things were beginning to unfold on West Island where four Blefuscu commandos still remained, together with a couple of swans. None of them knew precisely what their role was, other than to be ‘back-up’, so they just rested on the ground expecting to have a quiet time until their comrades returned. They were therefore surprised to hear a paddling noise from the lake and even more surprised when a large black dog with three heads emerged. All these heads had the same face which bore a remarkable resemblance to the Goddess Iris.

The dog raced along the ground towards the commandos. It snarled and growled as it moved at speed, its three mouths spitting out saliva and showing a large number of very sharp teeth. The commandos tried to get up and run, but the dog was on them before they could get away. They were by now all terrified and started to scream.

“Give us a Mars bar or I’ll bite yer bums!” they heard, but it made no difference because the dog decided not to bite their bums; instead, it proceeded to kick them all into the water.

“Help!” screamed one of the commandos. “I cannot make ze swim! Help!”

The two swans were nearby in the lake and, considering themselves pretty tough, didn’t run away, but instead tried to help the commandos. However, the three-headed dog launched itself from the bank and landed on top of one of the swans. It gave the white bird a number of painful bites and used its powerful front paws to thump the swan in all sorts of sensitive places. Eventually, its victim was so battered and bruised the black dog left it floating on the lake.

The other swan by now had decided he wasn’t quite tough enough to take on a manic three-headed dog and had started swimming away. Unfortunately, it was now the next target for the Iris-Cerberus look-alike who, despite being a four-footed canine, could out-swim any of the St James’s Park swans. The dog soon caught up with the fleeing swan, jumped on its back and meted out the same treatment as it had given to its companion. Having left the second swan equally battered and bruised, the dog swam back to the Blefuscu commandos, who were still flailing around in the water. Three sets of jaws each took hold of a commando at the same time and then proceeded to toss them back onto the island. They were soon joined by their final companion as they lay moaning and groaning on the ground. At this stage the three-headed dog turned round and began to swim towards Duck Island.

The next minute a miniature boat arrived at West Island, having travelled along the length of the lake near the north bank. It had a silent motor, specially designed by Rach’s Special Projects team. A number of Argyll and Southern Highlanders disembarked, went over to the four Blefuscu commandos, tied their hands behind their backs while at the same time taping their mouths. They were put into the boat which set off on its return journey, again along the north side of the lake.

xxxxx

Meanwhile back on the lake, the adjutant and his three commandos were rapidly approaching the south-west corner of Duck Island. The commandos had already taken out a number of hand grenades while the adjutant was readying a bomb to create a Big Boom when Slasher became aware of something in the water approaching him at speed. Suddenly he jerked and let out a honk as he realised he was looking at a giant swan, which was at least five times bigger than him with a neck ten feet high. Interestingly, this swan had the Goddess Hebe’s face, although Slasher would not have been aware of that. He didn’t have time to let out another honk because the giant swan’s head swiped his own, knocking him on his side. He managed to right himself only to find that his adversary didn’t just have webbed feet, but also forearms with bright red boxing gloves which started bashing his head and thumping his body. After a short while the boxing gloves went under his belly and then threw him backwards into the air. When Slasher landed back in the water and his head resurfaced, he found he was due another good beating and bashing until he was left in an even worse condition than his two comrades who’d been attacked by the three-headed dog near West Island.

Slasher’s four Blefuscu commandos had fallen into the water shortly after the altercation with the giant swan had begun. Fortunately, they could all swim, but they did a lot of shouting for help. All their bombs and grenades had also fallen into the lake, so they were now useless, but this didn’t seem to matter. Getting to dry land was their key objective now. Creating a Big Boom at the Lilliput Embassy was no longer high on the agenda.

The other four swans and their commandos behind Slasher were soon aware that matters weren’t going to plan. They tried to move away from the giant swan and turned back towards West Island. However, they didn’t get very far because the giant swan hadn’t taken long to deal with Slasher and began chasing after them. It soon caught up with the two in the rear and gave them both the same treatment it had given Slasher. The other two, who were in the lead for a brief while, thought they’d got away, until one of them was hit very hard by a three-headed dog swimming directly at it with the force of a torpedo. As the swan tried to right itself while it’s four commandos were flailing around in the water, the three-headed dog jumped high into the air. It landed on the back of the final swan, again knocking its commandos into the water before starting to rough up the bird.

While the giant swan and the three-headed dog were having fun beating up Slasher, Spike, Spanka, Scorcher and Smog, the pelicans had stopped chanting “Oggy, Oggy, Oggy” from the lakeside. They got into the water and started looking for the commandos who were splashing around. When they found them, they gently picked the small men up in their beaks and carried them to Duck Island. They were joined by more miniature boats manned by members of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders as well as the Lilliput Embassy’s security staff. Rach was also hovering overhead on her scooter, shining a powerful torchlight on the lake and calling out whenever she found one of the flailing commandos.

 

 Author Intro Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=33RW970lp04


About the Author:

Rupert Stanbury is a Cambridge University graduate. He was born in Manchester in the North of England but has lived most of his adult life in Central London.

He has always been an avid reader and in recent years decided to take up writing himself. His books have one overriding objective which is TO MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH!

His first book, Gods Galore, was published in November 2021 and this was followed by The Four Horsemen, in April 2023. His latest novel, Pimlico People, was published in October 2024. All three books are a mixture of fantasy and comedy about the Olympian Gods in the 21st Century.