Fantasy and Sci-Fi in our Society Guest Post – Thomas Barczak

I haven’t run one of these for a while so I’m delighted to post this so early in the year. Tom Barczak writes some great fantasy, and he knows what’s what in the realms of imagination, magic and monsters.  So welcome to the first guest post of 2017.

Welcome Thomas Barczak – Author of “Mouth of the Dragon – Prophecy of the Evarun” by Perseid Press.

Writing from my desk in Norman, Oklahoma

 It has been argued fantasy is full of ‘tropes’ – what are your views on this? I would agree. But I think some of that is unavoidable. Much of science fiction includes space travel, or at least reference to it. Fantasy has dwarves and elves. Where a fantasy author can get into trouble, is when they don’t try to expand the definition of it. Tolkien broke great ground with his work. It’s so easy to limit one-self to what he did. The publishing industry, even Amazon, has categories that, I think, it’s too easy not to stray away from.

 With “Mouth of the Dragon” and “Prophecy of the Evarun” as a whole, I didn’t want to do that. I have always tried to listen to the story, and let it tell me its own legends and its own myth. There are no dwarves. There are no elves. There are dragons and wizards, but again, they are something entirely unto themselves and unique to this mythology. Smaug has no place in it. Nor does Dumbeldore.

 So then the question becomes, how do you create the mystery without those elements we depend on so much? Like I said, it’s easy to be lazy. It’s not hard to convey mystery walking into an elvish kingdom. It’s a lot harder without them.

 With “Mouth of the Dragon”, I depend on language and culture to show mystery. Go to another country where you don’t speak the language. It will be an adventure. No elves required.

So I guess the question for the author should be, “What does fantasy mean to me?” For me it has always been the story, the hero’s journey. A good story doesn’t need anything else. Even Tolkien, if you took away the fantastic, the hero’s journey would still be there. Where fantasy gets a bad rap is when authors depend on the fantastic instead of the story.

How important are ‘facts’ in fantasy/science fiction – does something need to be plausible to be believable? Great question. Yes. Yes. Yes. And, no.

There is a great fantasy book by a wonderful author, set in a medieval fantasy world. In it, the young hero goes into his room and gets a pair of socks out of his dresser drawer. The author wrote what he knew and he killed it for me. In the real world, peasants didn’t have dresser drawers or probably even socks. Leggings in a wooden box would have been more accurate. Now maybe in this world they do, but that then becomes the responsibility of the author to say that to me. But he didn’t and it pulled me right out of the story.

Another thing that kills me is how everyone has 20/20 vision without any vision correction. Me, I wear glasses. I’d be eaten by a bear in a week. Then again, maybe that’s why there are only people with 20/20 left. I actually addressed that in a short story about a young, almost blind, girl, called “Forged”. The story is in a book called Heroika: Dragon Eaters, published by Perseid Press. The story challenged my writing, having to explain how she saw the world through a veil, and one that was completely normal one to her.

Fantasy and science fiction used to be seen as very male-oriented, do you think this is still the case. Do you have any experience of this? I’m glad to see it changing. I have several strong female characters leads in “Mouth of the Dragon”. The story required them. So I guess I hope that that’s be ok. It certainly is with me. The challenge as a writer, of course, is that it challenges just about every stereotype that you could possibly have. Makes me a better writer, and I daresay, I think it makes me a better man.

 What are some myths in YOUR society/cultural identity, how are they perceived and why are they important? Why have they endured? Well, it seems that much of what I write is about death and rebirth. I don’t know how much culture I have. I’m ½ Polish, ¼ English and ¼ Irish. I grew up in Oklahoma. I’m Catholic, which probably carries more weight than any of that. But probably my two greatest influences have been my own bottom and subsequent recovery, and the death of my daughter. I believe these two things have probably shaped who I am, and what I write, more than anything else. Double negative warning, but it can’t not affect what I write, and how I see what I write.

Death and rebirth. You can’t have one without the other. I can’t. It’s part of who I am.

“Mouth of the Dragon” is a dark, epic, and redemptive fantasy. It’s probably the darkest piece I’ve ever written, but the whole crux of the story depends on this one thing called hope, and faith, and trust. I really believe you have to have the redemptive part. You have to have the shadow too, but without the light. I mean really, what’s the point?

 The whole point of fantasy, I believe, is, and has always been, to give us a vision beyond our circumstances.

 Alex, thank you so much for having me on your blog.

 Mouth of the Dragon on Amazon

Tom Barczak Author Page for Veil of the Dragon

Monsters and Myth – Dragons

This post  previously appeared as part of https://jenniferloiske.wordpress.com/2016/04/20/author-interview-meet-a-l-butcher/ which featured last year to promote Heroika: Dragon Eaters 

http://www.amazon.com/HEROIKA-DRAGON-S-E-Lindberg-ebook/dp/B00VFVCQRS/

Dragons – why do they captivate us?

Dragons have been part of mythology for centuries. The Welsh, for example, have Y Ddraig Goch, the Red Dragon as the national emblem – a dragon passant (standing with one foot raised) on a green and white background. Although the currently flag is relatively new the mythology of the Welsh Dragon is at least fifteen hundred years old, possible even Roman. The kings of Aberffraw used it to symbolise their power and authority after the Romans left. The first recorded use of it to Symbolise Wales is from the 9^th Century (Nennius – Historica Brittonum).  Geoffrey of Monmouth linked the dragon to the Arthurian legends – after all King Arthur’s father was Uther PENDRAGON, and so again the dragon is intrinsically interwoven with British myth.

Henry VII (Henry Tudor) had a dragon on his coat of arms – the Welsh heritage again coming to the fore and during the reign of his son, the might Henry VIII the red dragon standard was often flown on Royal Navy ships.

In the Mabinogion the Red Dragon fights the invading White Dragon and his pained shrieks cause women to miscarry, animals to perish and crops to fail. The king of Britain (King Lludd) visits his French brother Llefelys and, on his advice, digs a huge pit, filled with mead and covered with a cloth. The Dragons cease their battle, drink the mead and fall asleep, still covered in the cloth. They are then trapped beneath Dinas Emrys in Snowdonia. Centuries later King Vortigern attempts to build a fort there, and every night the castle foundations are demolished. Wise men tell him to find a boy with no father and sacrifice him – to appease whatever is causing the problem. That boy is Merlin, who will become the Great Wizard, and he dismisses this advice and tells the king about the dragons. The two dragons are freed and continue their fight – the Red Dragon symbolising the people of Vortigern and the White Dragon the Saxons. The latter is defeated – thus these are the Saxons who failed to subdue the people of Vertigorn who would become the Welsh.

Sources: http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/The-Red-Dragon-of-Wales/

Dragons symbolise great power and strength. They are, perhaps the most legendary of beasts and to defeat one (or field one) was only the territory of the greatest of heroes.  Chinese, Indian, Malayan, Japanese, Khymer, Phillipino, Korea, Catalan, French, Greek, British, Germanic, Scandanavian, Slavic, Romanian, Albanian, Pre-Islamic, Tartar, Judeo-Christian and Turkish mythology all speak of dragons, wyverns, wyrms or basilisks.  The ancient Egyptians worshipped a crocodile named the Messah – which later became a dragon, and the sign of Kingship. Think about it – the Nile Crocodile is a supreme predator, a feared monster and little can best it. What better ideal for kingship – powerful, terrifying and unbeatable.

Then of course we have the symbolism of dragons as the ultimate evil – the devil or other wicked beast destroying the good Christians and being vanquished by a Christian Hero. On the other hand Chinese Dragons are seen as lucky.

Dragon literature is diverse – Christian mythology (as mentioned), Norse, Celtic, Beowulf, St George, to name but a few. And more modern writers such as Tolkien, Cindy Lyle, George RR Martin, Cressida Cowell, JD Hallowell, David Gaider and many, many more feature a dragon of one sort or another. Here’s a challenge – type Dragon in the search engine of Good Reads – I tried and there were over 100 pages of books with ‘Dragon’ in the title and that’s just the beginning.  Movies, video games, table-top games and toys feature the most legendary of monsters. Dragons are all around us – some kind and benevolent and some much less so.  We are culturally bound with Draco and his kind.

St George and the Dragon 

This part originally posted here:

https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/2014/01/24/fantasy-its-everywhere-part-2-st-george-and-the-dragon/

I am British, and Britain has a very rich heritage of myth and folklore; we have dragons, we have knights who slay them, we have mythical kings and magic swords, we have monsters inhabiting Scottish Lochs, we have fairies, pixies and ghosts aplenty, we have heroes and antiheroes.  Yet many people scoff at fantasy, thinking it is simply elves, dwarves or similar; a genre read by geeks and nerds. Well yes, in part it is, but fantasy and folklore have been with us from the dawn of time in one form or another.

Let’s look at one of the best known English myths – that of St George and the Dragon.

Most accounts claim St George was born in Cappadocia, in what is now Turkey, of Darian origin. He enlisted in the Roman army, and quickly achieved a reputation for his physical strength bravery, loyalty and courage and he achieved a rank of Tribunus Militum, in charge of over 1000 men. He was martyred during the reign Emperor Diocletian in 303 AD in Lydda, Palestine, for refusing to persecute Christians, when Diocletion brought in edicts against what was then a reasonably small but vociferous sect. Including the burning of churches, the destruction of holy scriptures and the execution of Christians. George defended the Christians and their faith and was imprisoned, tortured and executed. There are various accounts of is martyrdom, some claiming it took seven years as God restored him to life three times. His fame was carried as far as Russia, with his head was carried to Rome.   His emblem of the red cross on a white background was carried on the tabards and shields of crusader knights. It is also the flag of England and forms the red cross part of the Union Flag of Great Britain. St George is the patron saint of England, taking the role from St Edward the Confessor who is now often forgotten. His tomb attracted pilgrims, and his fame spread when Richard the Lionheart introduced his military cult to England during the crusades and the Battle of Acre, before this his cult appeared in Byzantium.  John Cabot carried his emblem to Newfoundland and both Sir Walter Raleigh and Francis Drake flew his standard. It was also carried by the Pilgrim Fathers on the Mayflower.

Jacobus de Voragine in his Golden Legends (13^th Century) speaks of him in Silene in Libya. Another 10^th Century account places St George in the fictional area of Lasia, ruled by a tyrannical emperor called Silinus. The area had a lake, inhabited by a venomous dragon, local inhabitants would feed it sheep to keep it passive, and then when these failed to satisfy it, children were chosen at random. One day the lottery fell on the king’s daughter, the king offers half his kingdom if his daughter was spared. This is an idea which appears in other mythology – the king – unable to defeat a monster offers his daughter and riches to a hero. St George, the knight, happened to be passing and wounding the dragon with his lance (and with God’s blessing)  then capturing the dragon with the princess’s girdle allowed it to be led by the noble lady to the city gates, where St George converted them to Christianity and duly slew the dragon.

In some accounts he was the son of an English Lord, Lord Albert of Coventry and his mother died in childbirth. The babe was stolen by a ‘wild-woman’ of the woods (possibly a witch or gypsy) but he eventually outwits her and becomes a knight. Of course after the slaying of the dragon and rescue of the princess he married the maiden, returned to England and lived happily ever after… Although as with many legends another version states he faces a second dragon, in Warwickshire, kills it but subsequently dies of its poison.

Of course this is a religious myth, and many would say not fantasy as such – the dragon represents evil, and those who slay them champions of Christianity. He is also believed to have protected horses from witchcraft – one should hang a flint with a hole over the stable door with verse depicting him vanquishing a hag. But there is more than religious allegory, he epitomised courtly and chivalrous values; he was a warrior, saviour of damsels in distress and vanquisher of monsters.  And some would say religion uses elements we class as fantasy, and ideas which appear in religion appear in myth and folklore. The two are intertwined. The more magical elements of the myth probably appeared after the Reformation, with the overtly Christian inferences stripped out by the Protestants and the more romantic elements of the story take the fore.

His heart (allegedly) lies in Windsor and was a favoured relic of King Henry V, who invoked him at the siege of Agincourt (1415), where the English were victorious against the French, but later kings have claimed his protection and as the patron saint of England his influence is firmly entrenched.   There are other local English myths – including one in an Essex village where a dragon (probably a crocodile escaped from the king’s menagerie) was killed by a local nobleman – one Sir George Marney.    The Uffington White Horse, in Berkshire, England (an ancient white chalk horse cut into the landscape) has a dragon myth.  There is a hill named Dragon Hill, is claimed by Thomas Hughes in his book The Scouring of the White Horse (1859) to have been the site of the slaying of the dragon by ‘King George’. The bare patch is supposed to be where the blood of the dragon spilled, nothing will grow. Hughes cites another region, Aller in Somerset, where a shepherd tells of a hill which saw the death of the dragon and the burial of its slayer. The horse at Uffington is itself curious being linked with Alfred the Great, (878 AD) Hengist the Anglo Saxon leader, Celtic (100BC) but in fact has been in existence since the Bronze Age – around 1000BCE. Brinsop in Herefordshire also claims ownership of St George – its parish church has a medieval carving of the deed being done. The dragon apparently residing in the local ‘Dragon’s Well’ and the next village being known as Wormsley – ‘worm’ or ‘wyrm’ being an alternate word for dragon.

Heroika: Dragon Eaters 

This brings me to Heroika: Dragon Eaters. This anthology turns the tables. Our dragons are not the nice sort. They are the alpha predator, the scourge of land, water and sky, they are true monsters. Only the bravest, most desperate or foolhardy take them on and fewer life to tell the tale. Dragon Eaters came from an idea from fantasy author Janet Morris – who wanted a ‘snake eaters’ type of anthology. The best of the best fighting the worst of the worst you might say. What was born was seventeen diverse tales from ancient mythic to futuristic and steampunk. They share a theme, albeit a loose one, and all types of dragons are slayed, vanquished and devoured. I suppose you could say the winners eat the losers. As you’d expect it is filled with blood, scales, fire and magic, swords, airships, flying beasts and so very much more.

Do you have a favourite dragon story? If so feel free to comment on it.

http://www.royalsocietyofstgeorge.com/history_of_st_george.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dragons_in_mythology_and_folklore

http://www.sacred-texts.com/lcr/fsca/fsca16.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_George_and_the_Dragon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Legend

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dragons_in_literature

 

 

 

2015 – A Writer’s Diary

Welcome back to the Library of Erana and the last day of 2015. So another year has dashed past and I’m sitting at the end of 2015 and wondering where it went. I have a theory – someone is siphoning time out of the weekend and holidays and sneaking it into the working day. That’s why days at work seem to go on longer than the same day on leave.

What has 2015 brought me? A house! We bought our first house in April and it’s great. Whilst the place isn’t perfect it’s a good deal better than renting a damp flat and my overall health is better. Also we now have a delightful doggy – she’s grown from a tiny puppy to almost adult and we adore her. Every day she makes us smile and she’s such a happy and joyful creature.

Work… still there. Still stressful and busy but at least I am working and thankful for that.

Writing wise I’ve not been as productive as I planned – mostly due to the factors above but I’ve not been idle.

Stolen Tower – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles Book III was published in March 2015. https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/2015/03/04/new-release-the-stolen-tower-the-light-beyond-the-storm-chronicles-iii/

The third edition of Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles Book I was published with quite a few revisions and a new cover for the paperback. http://www.amazon.com/Light-Beyond-Storm-Chronicles–ebook/dp/B0088DQO9C

Outside the Walls was revised and expanded and the audio book produced with narrator Melanie Fraser. It sounds great. There is something magical in hearing one’s book read aloud.

https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/2015/08/25/outside-the-walls-fantasy-short-story-new-release/

https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/2015/10/16/outside-the-walls-now-in-print/

Audio

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Outside-the-Walls/dp/B0189QHB12/

http://www.amazon.com/Outside-the-Walls/dp/B0189Q944E/

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Fiction/Outside-the-Walls-Audiobook/B0189QCHI4/

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Outside-the-Walls-Audiobook/B0189Q95XO
Warrior’s Curse was produced in audio by narrator Rob Goll – who has also done Heroika: Dragon Eaters for Perseid Press and will be narrating Light Beyond the Storm and Shining Citadel in 2016.

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Tales-of-Erana-The-Warriors-Curse-Audiobook/B00UG8AWU4/http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Tales-of-Erana-The-Warriors-Curse-Audiobook/B00UG8I5SK
Heroika: Dragon Eaters was published – along with the accompanying audio book. Please check out the A Week with the Dragon Eaters posts for author and character interviews.

https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/heroika-dragon-eaters-audio/

https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/2015/04/05/heroika-dragon-eaters-heroic-fictionfantasymyth-new-release/

I’ve done 17 guest interviews elsewhere including the latest with Melanie Fox here. https://mercedesfoxbooks.com/meet-author-a-l-butcher/ and four character interviews including Mirandra, Ephany, Dii’Athella and the Thiefmaster.

Oh and a course on Roman and Greek Mythology – which was really interesting. https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/2015/07/11/greek-and-roman-mythology-course-review/
There have been over 160 blog posts – including another Week in Hell, a Week with the Dragon Eaters, character, editor and author interviews, and several fantasy based posts and reblogs.

10 tips and lessons

1) I’m rubbish at using Twitter! Does it help marketing? Not a bloody clue. Many people say it is a vital tool; personally I’m not convinced as I have never bought a book or product from a twitter link and it looks like many people shouting to me. That said I do follow a few authors and it is useful for sharing blog posts. I follow the history, nature an astronomy posts too.

2) There is never enough time or energy to write. This is, of course, mostly my fault. I work full time and often I don’t have enough energy or brain power to do much but poke about on Facebook.

3) Networking is vital. I knew this already but it’s good to have one’s knowledge reinforced. Indie authors are, generally, a supportive lot and I’ve traded interviews, found great books to read and got to know a wide variety of people through social media and networking. It’s a good way of getting support for new releases, blogging, Thunderclap and more.

4) There are some total asshats about and many more idiots. This too has been obvious for a while. Recent events have NOT made the world a safer place. Whilst I agree that terrorism is bad, and religion pernicious bombing the crap out of an area that is already a wasteland is not going to make things better. Humans have an amazing capacity to be total asshats to one another – I can’t think of any other animal which is so unpleasant to its own kind – of course not everyone is like that and certain groups have been labelled as terrorists when it is the actions of a minority. History tends to repeat itself – and in many ways humans have a short memory – or at least a selective one. Often people are quick to judge, especially when they don’t know all the facts. Ignorance leads to fear and fear to hatred, then the killing begins anew, or the ghetto, or the pogrom, or the genocide….

Facebook especially fuels both idiocy and vitriol. There are lots of calls from freedom of speech but – of course that depends on who is doing the speaking and what they are saying. There is either freedom to say what the hell you like – and that goes for everyone or there’s not – some limitations are put in place. But then where and when does that stop. Perhaps if people thought before they spoke (or typed) such limitations wouldn’t be needed. Just because you CAN say something doesn’t mean you SHOULD.
Anyway enough of the political talk…don’t get me started I spent 7 years studying politics, sociology, ethics and philosophy and it taught me not to get involved in debates with people who won’t listen and assume they are always right…

5) Marketing is a lottery. I’ve tried some new tactics this year – including Twitter and Thunderclap – results have been mixed. Both are free – at least at the basic level so although not particularly successful no outlay was lost. I’ve found a mix of things helps. Don’t rely on one strategy – vary your approach and keep things interesting.

tps://www.thunderclap.it

6) Write every day, even if it’s not working on a book or story. A blog post, a facebook post, a letter or email to someone – it all keeps the brain cells ticking. Write stories when you can and don’t force it. The world is NOT going to end if that story isn’t finished this week. That’s one of the many reasons I love indie publishing. With a few exceptions the person setting the deadlines is me and so if the book isn’t finished or life intervenes (which it does frequently) then it doesn’t matter as much.

7) Be nice to people. If you can’t be nice be quiet.

8) Vary what you write – if you’re struggling with a project then step away from it and work on something else. I’ve found that focusing on other things means my brain can be ticking away in the background sorting out the problems with the other project.

9) Some things can’t be fixed. It’s easy to spend a lot of time on a project or idea only to find it doesn’t work, or its crap. Yes I know this contradicts point 8 a bit but sometimes an idea simply won’t work – or at least not in the way you want. That’s fine. Sometimes shit happens (or doesn’t) don’t force it to be something it isn’t. Readers can spot a forced plot. If it doesn’t work then change it – look at your options. Can it be used for something else? What is causing the issue? Can it actually be fixed? Sometimes it can’t. Sometimes it becomes something else. That’s fine too.

10) Read more. Reading is great relaxation, great research and great enjoyment. The more you read the better writer you’ll become.

So what’s planned for 2016?

I have lots of plans for 2016 – most of which may never materialise but it’s still good to plan.

These are not in any order….
Hopefully a second Heroika volume will happen (for Perseid Press). Not going to mention too much of my WIP but the volume should be great, having seen a few snippets of draft stories. Hopefully my story will be up to scratch and I’m sure the book will feature on the blog when it’s published.

There will be at least one short Tales of Erana, possibly two. I’m planning to release Just One Mistake with a few revisions as a standalone. It’s already featured in Nine Heroes plus my own Tales of Erana Volume One but I have idea how it can be expanded. I think it would make a great audio short story.

Book II is currently being revised so there will be a new edition of that sometime early to mid 2016.

Book I in audio. Rob Goll is narrating that and we are hoping for spring 2016 release on that. I can’t wait to hear what he’s done.

Tales from the Golden Mask – this has been a WIP for a while. Hopefully the first part of the series will be released by the summer. It’s a co-authored erotic adventure set in an Erana of the past. We think it’s a lot of fun, with feisty women, sexy heroes and of course a goodly helping of nookie. This one doesn’t take itself or the world too seriously and is aimed at a slightly different audience.

The Kitchen Imps – a short book of fantasy tales for kids and the young at heart. I really need to work on these, as this is another project which has been around for a while.
I’m contemplating changing the blog – currently this is the free wordpress type but the upgraded version has a lot more features. I’m hoping to attach a website dedicated to just the books as well. I’ll let you know how that goes…

Also looking to participate in a blog tour – I’ve hosted people before but I’ve never done it myself. Will be an interesting experience and I’ll review it after.

Want to try and read more, and review more. I often stick to re-reads but I’m going to try and branch out for new authors. I’ll try and be better at posting reviews as well.
Looking for plenty more interviews – both giving and receiving – guest posts and articles.

Signed up for a course on medieval magic, one on Ancient Greece and also looking at ancient Egypt. Plus whatever else takes my fancy and I can manage with the other commitments.
I’ll look back in twelve months and see how many of these I’ve done.
Feel free to comment on ideas, suggestions for the blog and contacts about interviews.
Hoping 2016 is good for you, my followers, and you’ll keep viewing the blog.

  

Heroika: Dragon Eaters – Audio

Heroika: Dragon Eaters – Seventeen tales of monsters, myth and mayhem where the outcomes are far from certain and the winners eat the losers. Hear the tales told by Shakespearean actor Rob Goll – very delicious it is too.

This is a wonderful collection of fantasy, heroes and brave deeds from some of the brightest writers of the genre and published by Perseid Press.

 

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Dragon-Eaters-Audiobook/B0193S0YUA/http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Dragon-Eaters-Audiobook/B0193RZ848/http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Eaters-Heroika-Volume-1/dp/B0193RZ4XI/

Eating the Dragon

Source: Eating the Dragon

 

A great review of Heroika: Dragon Eaters.

 

The Stolen Tower – On Offer! 6-16th July 2015 – Kindle Countdown!!!

Up until now I have never used one of the features of Kindle Select – A Kindle Countdown promotion.

(Kindle Countdown rules) https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=A2MJTCAYTCBNW2&ref_=kdp_PM_ksp

From 12 am PST 6th July – PST 12 am 13th http://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Tower-Light-Beyond-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00U8A9044/ will be offered  for 99c until July 6th and then $1.99 until July 13th against an original list price of $3.25.

From 13th -16th July

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stolen-Tower-Light-Beyond-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00U8A9044/ will be on offer for 99p until the 16th against an original list price of £2.11.

July https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/2015/03/04/new-release-the-stolen-tower-the-light-beyond-the-storm-chronicles-iii/

I’ve heard mixed reviews of Kindle Countdown so I’ll post my experiences.

Giveaway! Heroika: Dragon Eaters – win a free copy

We are delighted to announce a chance to win a copy of Perseid Press new release Heroika: Dragon Eaters.  The competition runs until 21st JUly 2015.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Dragon Eaters

by Janet E. Morris

Giveaway ends July 21, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

The art of dragon killing: Dragons have been eating humans for centuries. Now heroes throughout history stalk their legendary foe. Learn how to hunt, kill, and eat the wild dragon. Never before has revenge tasted so good. A literary feast for the bloody-minded. In Janet Morris’ anthology on the art of dragon killing, seventeen writers bring you so close to dragons you can smell their fetid breath. Tales for the bold among you. HEROIKA 1 — DRAGON EATERS, an anthology of heroic fiction edited by Janet Morris, features original stories by Janet Morris and Chris Morris, S.E. Lindberg, Jack William Finley, Travis Ludvigson, Tom Barczak, JP Wilder, Joe Bonadonna, Milton Davis, A.L. Butcher, William Hiles, M Harold Page, Walter Rhein, Cas Peace, Beth W. Patterson, Bruce Durham, Mark Finn.

A Week with the Dragon Eaters – Bruce Durham

Here’s the last interview (for now) with the authors and characters featured in Heroika: Dragon Eaters. Today I welcome Bruce Durham.

Character questions (choose from):

*Who are you? I’m Mackenzie Secord, though my friends call me Mac. I captain an ice-clipper and hunt food.

Why are you embarking on this quest? Quest? I wouldn’t call what I do a quest. We hunt to survive.

Where are you from? (Tell us about it) I’m originally from Newmarket, near Toronto, but that’s a lifetime ago. Now what few of us remain live in an abandoned military base in the Arctic. It’s a good location, some natural defences, and the wyrms aren’t near as abundant as they are in the warmer climes. At least, for now.

*Tell us about dragons in your world. We call them wyrms. They don’t fly, just crawl and burrow. Tough as all hell, too. They only have one real weak spot.

What is the political system of your world? These days? Chaos. I have no idea how many of us are left on this world. Sometimes we make contact with other settlements via shortwave. But that’s just sometimes. Doesn’t usually last long.

Do you have a family? Not any more. Next question.

Do you see yourself as a hero? What is a hero? Haven’t got a clue. I’m a survivor. I look after my crew and pray I can get them home safely. If that makes me a hero, then so be it.

What is the technology level of your world? I don’t right know anymore, though we’re probably a generation away from barbarism, if we live that long.

Where do dragons come from? Apparently through a series of portals. Scientists theorized it was some kind of alternate dimensional thing. Frankly, it’s above my pay grade.

Are there other such monsters in your world? God, I hope not!

Author questions (choose from):

*Who are you? Bruce Durham. Author of some thirty plus short stories. Sometime artist. Now currently semi-retired from the working world.

Why did you choose this world/era to write in? I’ve always had a fascination with the Arctic. This theme allowed me to explore an idea of mine, how remnants of mankind would chance settling in some remote, seemingly inhospitable part of the planet just to prevent their extinction.

Give us a couple of lines about your characters. All of my characters are survivors. Mackenzie captains the crew of an ice-clipper in search of food for her settlement. Before that she was in the army, and when the wyrms arrived, become one of the first females to pilot a Mühle, a construct designed to fight the invaders.

How much research did you need for your story? I did a fair amount on the Arctic, primarily the abandoned DEW line bases and some of the geography in northern Canada.

Have you written for anthologies before? How does it differ from writing a novel? I’ve been involved with several anthologies over the years. I enjoy writing short stories. Themed anthologies can be especially fun, though challenging, but worth it when a story is accepted.  Unlike novels, short stories force you to get right down to business and (hopefully) hook the reader from the get-go.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? I’m definitely a plotter, though the pantser takes over while doing the actual writing. It’s a trade-off, so long as I stick to the story I’ve outlined.

What other novels/short stories have you written? No novels yet, but I’ve appeared in several publications and anthologies over the years. My very first sale, The Marsh God, was published in ‘Flashing Swords’. It placed first in the annual Preditors & Editors poll that year for best SF&F in the short story category. It was subsequently adapted into a graphic novel. Some anthologies I’ve appeared in are:  Valley of Bones in ‘Return of the Sword’, Yaggoth-Voor in ‘Rage of the Behemoth’, Deathstalk in ‘Sha’Daa: Last Call’, Plains of Hell in ‘Lawyers in Hell’, Colony in ‘Rogues in Hell’ and Hell-hounds in ‘Poets in Hell’. Anezka appeared in ‘Paradox: The Magazine of Historical & Speculative Fiction’ and I have a couple of stories in the ‘Lovecraft eZine’: The Crane Horror and The Case of the Galloway Eidolon. The latter was a Sherlock Holmes/Lovecraft crossover with a serious shout-out to The Dark Man by Robert E. Howard.

What book(s) are you currently reading? The Invasion Year by Dewey Lambdin and Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia.

Tell us one unusual fact about yourself. I walked away from a plane crash back in the early 70s.

Author website/blog: www.brucedurham.ca

Twitter: @BJDurham

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bruce.durham

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4505352.Bruce_Durham

Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Bruce-Durham/e/B004NMV5HS

A Week with the Dragon Eaters – Tom Barczak

Yes, yes I know it’s been more than a week. There ARE seventeen authors so what did you expect?

Here’s today’s interview with Ton Barczak and his character Lucretia

Character questions:

Who are you? “My name is Lucretia. I’m the daughter of Erdot, the blacksmith.”

Why are you embarking on this quest? “I didn’t know I was, really. I was seduced by the spell of the village priest, or at least that’s what I thought he was.”

Where are you from? (Tell us about it) “We live, or at least we used to live, just outside the village of Cornwallace, all of my life. But I don’t think I can go back there now now.”

Tell us about dragons in your world. “Secretive. And very, very, dangerous. They  are to be left alone, unless they try to hurt someone you love. Then you kill them without mercy.”

Do you have a family? “Not anymore. My father raised me until the black dragon killed him. My mother, she died when I was very young.”

What is the best way to kill a dragon? “A hammer down it’s gullet.”

Do you see yourself as a hero? What is a hero? “No. But my mother and my father were. They were very brave, if that makes you a hero. They weren’t afraid to love. They weren’t afraid of anything.”

Are there other such monsters in your world? “Can I go?”

 

Author questions:

Who are you? Tom Barczak. I am an author, architect, and artist.

How do you define a hero? Someone who serves others without any thought of themselves.

How much research did you need for your story? Don’t know if this is research but I did have 2 odd personal goals for this story.

First was to describe a character with poor eyesight and no vision correction. You never see that in medieval fantasy. Everyone must have had 20/20 vision back then. I think I got to do that with this, describe an impairment without doing so from a modern point of view. My next story I’ll take on hearing. What?

The second was just my homage to my Dungeons and Dragons roots while still avoiding copyright infringement. That’s where the black and gold dragons come in.

Have you written for anthologies before? How does it differ from writing a novel? I love writing short stories. I tend to write in small pieces. Short stories are a bit more manageable, that way. They allow me to cover more ground.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? I’m a little bit of both. A structure must be had first to build off of. But beyond that, the story will write itself if you listen. Sometimes the hardest part is just listening.

What other novels/short stories have you written? Veil of the Dragon

http://www.amazon.com/Veil-Dragon-Tom-Barczak/dp/0985402202/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432665995&sr=1-1&keywords=veil+of+the+dragon

Some of my shorter works are in the following:

Dreamers in Hell

http://www.amazon.com/Dreamers-Hell-Heroes-Book-16-ebook/dp/B00DEB1IJE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432666141&sr=1-1&keywords=Dreamers+in+Hell

Poets in Hell

http://www.amazon.com/Poets-Hell-Heroes-Book-17-ebook/dp/B00KWKNTTW/ref=pd_sim_351_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=12T37VYZGH6VYVKG1ZBX

Nine Heroes

http://www.amazon.com/Nine-Heroes-Tales-Heroic-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B00IMPCYQ8/ref=pd_sim_351_21?ie=UTF8&refRID=1KPN4A147VC3V10B7PMQ

Terror by Gaslight

http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Gaslight-Fantom-Enterprises-Production-ebook/dp/B00NHWBRZA/ref=pd_sim_351_20?ie=UTF8&refRID=1KPN4A147VC3V10B7PMQ

Tell us one unusual fact about yourself. I can sometimes see sounds and hear colors. I can even taste even smells. I think I have a mild case of synesthesia.

 

Author website/blog

Twitter: https://twitter.com/barczaktom

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thomas.barczak

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=Tom+Barczak

Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Tom-Barczak/e/B006SOKHMI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1432735471&sr=8-1-fkmr1

 

Provide a tidbit:

Dragons taste like chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Week with the Dragon Eaters – Alexandra Butcher/Ilsa

At the risk of being self serving I thought I’d join in the fun of Heroika week.

Heroika: The Dragon Eaters

Character questions (choose from):

*Who are you?

I am Ilsa, of the Order of Blood Sisters. My past is my own concern, the Order do not ask such questions and most of us tell no such answers. My kind know the wisdom of the old ways, we know the power of blood, and the old gods.

Why are you embarking on this quest?

Why? Because the Followers of Arun have brought us to this. The Archduke Darrin is dead, murdered, his sons are dead. The only hope we have is a dying girl-child of his line and her noble mother. If the Ivory Throne does not hold the pure blood there will be civil war as the nobles squabble over it. Not a worthy man among them to rule this land, puppets and sycophants all.  War striped this land of its dignity and the return of war will ruin it.  I embark on this quest for love, for love of this land, of what it once was and could be again and for the love of the peace which is so fragile.

*Tell us about dragons in your world.

The dragons are ancient creatures, from a time when the world was free. Thus they are of the world, far more so than humans, who merely live on it until such time as it is cleansed. In the old times they were revered as the primal beasts they are. Now the people forget, but the land does not. The dragons do not. Their blood hold much magic, the ancient magics from before the coming of Arun, that fool. Do not think them kind, or noble, or even possessing the morals most people claim they have. Dragons are killers, the ultimate killers. They once ruled and may do so again when the time of Mankind is done. Dragons have the hunger which drives all creatures and none of the illusions with which we fool ourselves.

They fly, they fight, they hunger. They kill with caustic breath, claws and fangs like blades and sheer power. Not many dare fight them, and of those who do most die.

What is the best way to kill a dragon?

With courage, luck and a very good plan. If any of those fail….

Do you see yourself as a hero? What is a hero?

I am merely a Bloodsister, no greater or lesser than my sisters who share my skills.  I would not say I was a hero, for those are far too few these days.

What is a hero? One who will risk all for what is right. One who will stand and do what must be done. One who does not turn from the job in hand and one who will speak for the voiceless.

Author questions (choose from):

*Who are you?

1. L (Alexandra) Butcher, fantasy author, poet, lover of history and nature. I’m a scholar, a dreamer, a lover and a writer.

How do you define a hero?

Someone who does not think about their own wellbeing when faced with a dangerous challenge. A person who will defend what they see is right, and those who often cannot defend themselves. A person who is selfless, brave and modest about it, they simply do what is needed without expecting any thanks, indeed sometimes despite criticism.  There are many heroes in our world.

How much research did you need for your story?

Spear usage, flying creatures, and mountain terrain. I tend to do quite a bit of research for novels.

Have you written for anthologies before?

I have an anthology of mythic-style tales, plus another short story set in the world of my novels. I also have several poems and short fantasy and/or horror tales in anthologies with the Indie Collaboration and a group of Smashwords authors.

How does it differ from writing a novel?

Telling a tale in, say, 5000 words instead of 50000 has a number of challenges. One needs to be a lot more succinct and there is a lot less room for character or complex world building. In many instances it depends on the length and style of the story. For example I have some short tales about the Kitchen Imps – pesky little creatures that steal socks, knock food from shelves and generally get up to no good unseen by people. There is not enough material for a novel but they work well for short tales.  Another example – the tales of lore for my Tales of Erana are good ‘fireside tales’ of monsters, myth and legends of the world of Erana, but again only as part of a novel or short story.

A novel, at least for me, needs a lot more background, more character building and a continuous level of action and excitement.  I hate books with little or poor world/character building. Make me care what happens.

What book(s) are you currently reading?

I’ve just finished re-reading the Odyssey, I read it some years ago when I was studying Classics, and I’d forgotten what a gem it is. This time the read through was for a course on Greek and Roman mythology. I’m about to start the Aeneid, which I’ve not read before.

I’m also reading the other Dragon Eaters stories, plus a fascinating book about pirates. Oh and an account of true crime in the 17^th Century (which is hard going).

How important is the fantasy genre to our society?

I believe fantasy, myth and folklore are core to our cultures. Why? Look around you – it’s everywhere. In Britain we have a rich mythic heritage – George and the Dragon, fairies, elves, Welsh dragons, Scottish monsters, imps, sunken towns, ghosts, goblins, witches, King Arthur. Even Robin Hood – the outlaw who robbed the rich to give the money to the poor. The Heroic mythic is all over the place.  There are influences from Scandanavia, Rome, Celts, Christian, Pagan, Indian, Chinese and many more. In such a diverse country the folklore is rich indeed. Storytelling is vitally important – be it via books, movies, even games. This is how we learn about ourselves, dream, adventure, and seek the past – albeit a fantastical one. How many kids dress up as St George? Fantasy Princesses? Fairies? Monsters? As adults perhaps we lose a lot of the wonder of fantasy – but it’s there in the background. Novel reading is an escape from real life, it’s a way to find a new world and meet new people.

Tell us one unusual fact about yourself.

I am claustrophobic and caulrophobic.

Tidbit:

Hot and Sour Dragon Soup

Prep time 10 mins (plus however long it takes to kill the dragon) Cooking time 30 mins- 1 hour depending on size of cauldron.

1 large cauldron spring water or watered wine or ale as preferred.

1 small goblet fresh dragon’s blood (for stock)

2 large handfuls St George’s mushrooms (if in season)

1 small handful Penny Bun Bolete

Selection of bamboo shoots

2 cloves chopped garlic

3 slices fresh ginger

1 spoon chopped dragon’s breathe chilli (size of spoon according to taste –mild to certain death as required)

1 dragon cullion per person

1 dragon’s egg – lightly beaten

2 table spoons of cornflour

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Sesame oil and herbs to flavour

Cooking instructions

• In large cauldron combine the dragon’s blood, water (ale) mushrooms, ginger, garlic, and crushed chilies. Bring to boil then cover the pot, settle on the heated stones or reduce the heat to simmer.
• Place the cullions in a bowl, toss in sesame oil to coat and roll in the herbs. In a separate bowl stir together cornflour, wine vinegar (or wine) and set aside.
• Bring stock back to boil as add the coated cullions, drizzle in the beaten egg until long strands are created. Add in the beaten cornflour and vinegar. Simmer until the stock is thick and the cullions cooked through.
• Serve with ricebread, hardtack, bread or noodles.

 

 Paperback UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/HEROIKA-1-Dragon-Eaters/dp/0986414034/ 

Paperback US http://www.amazon.com/HEROIKA-1-Dragon-Eaters/dp/0986414034/

Blog: https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6430414.A_L_Butcher

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alexandra-Butcher/e/B008BQFCC6/

Twitter:@libraryoferana

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