Swift Six Character Interview – Keo of the Sword #Fantasy

Tags

book bundles, Character Interviews, Fantasy, Meet My Character, Swift Six

 

Character Name: Keo of the Sword

Which book/world do you live in? The formerly united Kingdom of Lamaira; more specifically, South Lamaira, which is controlled by the Magicians.

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? My greatest strength is my loyalty to my friends and my willingness to keep going no matter how hard the going gets.

My greatest weakness is my naivety, because I grew up in a forest largely isolated from the larger world, so there is much about the greater world that I don’t know about.

Name three important people/creatures/institutions in your world (such as lovers, pets, government institutions, leaders, gods etc). The Good King is an important figure in my world, or was, before his death, because he founded the Kingdom of Lamaira and was the one who sealed away the demons who oppressed us.

And, of course, there are the Magicians who rule over my home land of South Lamaira. Unfortunately, they often use their magic to benefit themselves, rather than help the people they rule over.

There is also my childhood friend, Nesma, who is a Magician herself and lives in the capital city of South Lamaira. I have not seen her in over a year since she left our part of the country to become a Magician, but I have urgent news I need to share with her as soon as possible, so I will probably go visit her sometime soon.

What does ‘heroism’ mean to you? Being willing to defend those who cannot defend themselves.

What do you think of your ‘creator’? I think he’s a good man, although I don’t understand why he’s forced me to leave my forest to go on a quest across my country to warn my country’s rulers of the return of the demons. I can only hope he has a larger plan than I am aware of, because I do not feel particularly good about defeating the demons.

Give us your favourite piece of advice: Always show respect to your local Magician. Not only are they a rightful authority over your town or area, but they also know many mystical arts and spells which they can you to make your life hell.

Links to book

Ebooks:

Amazon

Smashwords

Drive Thru fiction

Kobo

Apple

Google Books

Nook

Paperback:

Create Space

Amazon

Swift Six Author interview – Louisa Swann – #HeroicTales #SFF #Paranormal

Tags

book bundles, Crime, Meet an author, Paranormal Fantasy, Swift Six, vampires

 

Name: Louisa Swann

What attracts you to the genre in which you write?

I tend to write in three genres: mystery, science fiction, and fantasy. I’m drawn to these genres as I’m drawn to the same things in real life: I love a good mystery, am fascinated by science and inventions, and am enthralled by magic and magical creatures.

What piece of writing advice do you wish you’d known when you started your writing adventures?

“Go where your obsessions take you.” (Neil Gaiman)

I still have difficulty with this one. Writing about my obsessions in whatever form means stepping outside my comfort zone, but my best stories come from doing just that.

If you could have dinner with any famous person or character who would you choose?

Neil Gaiman. Not only do I love his writing, he’s had some really interesting “adventures” (i.e. visiting refugee camps). Would love to pick his brain!

 Who has been the greatest influence on your own work?

Dr. Seuss J. Not only did I devour Dr. Seuss books as a child, I channelled that writing style when I wrote my first poems and stories!

 Do you think the e-book revolution will do away with print?

I think ebooks will coexist side by side with print and audio for the immediate future. Personally, if I really like a book, I end up with all three versions. As our dependence on non-renewable resources decreases, however, I believe ebooks and audio will become more prevalent, though I think print books will always be around.

Which 3 books would you take to a desert island and why?

Stephen King’s Duma Key. I love the visuals King evokes in this book as well as the way the main character transitions after his accident.

Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Wilderness Survival. Might as well have a book that’s practical as well as being interesting to read!

One of Patrick F. McManus’s books, probably The Night the Bear Ate Goombaw. Love this author’s sense of humor regarding everything outdoors and being on a desert island would probably need a touch of humor or three!

Author bio and book synopsis

Please introduce yourself (250 words or so):

I grew up in the wilds of the Sierra Nevada mountains, surrounded by deer and beaver, muskrat and bear, all of which provided ample fodder for my equally wild imagination. As an adult, I spin those childhood experiences into tales that span multiple genres, including fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and my newest love—steampunk. My short stories have appeared in Mercedes Lackey’s Elementary Magic and Valdemar anthologies; Esther Friesner’s Chicks and Balances; and several Fiction River anthologies, including the newest Reader’s Choice. I have a new steampunk/weird west novel series, Abby Crumb, debuting this summer.

 

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short)

A little background: I am not a vampire fan. Vampires give me nightmares. But another word of writing advice from David Morrel (and Stephen King) has to do with writing about what scares you. So I tried to figure out how I could write about vampires. As often happens to me, my mind went to humor and the ridiculous: What if a bicycle cop was stalked by a vampire dwarf with a fetish for muscular calves? “The Girl With the Candy Cane Legs,” an urban fantasy, is the result!

Summary:

Three months ago, the gates to the Otherside failed, flooding the normal world with creatures both supernatural, demonic, and just plain weird.

Diane Swift, a bicycle cop with thighs of iron, calves of steel, and the ability to see the strange monsters infiltrating her world, keeps the beaches and her city safe from scumbags. Then someone steals her patrol bike along with a bag of fossilized fairies.

And Diane ends up patrolling the beach with a partner straight out of a lunatic’s nightmare.

Fast and furious, wet and wild, “The Girl with the Candy Cane Legs” delivers a rollicking adventure where almost anything goes.

 

Links

http://www.louisaswann.com

 

Social media

https://www.facebook.com/SwannWriter/

 The book also appears in Heroic Tales – Bundle

BundleRabbit https://bundlerabbit.com/b/heroic-tales

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/heroic-tales

Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/2u33Tfd

I books https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1257100962

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073T45HYB/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073T45HYB/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swift Six Author Interview – Barbara G. Tarn – Fantasy Secondary Worlds Bundle #Fantasy #Specfic

Tags

Bargain books, book bundles, Fantasy, Meet an author, Spec Fic, Swift Six

 

Name: Barbara G.Tarn

What attracts you to the genre in which you write?

It’s speculative fiction! I can make up stuff! Or so I thought when I started writing. I still write more fantasy than sci-fi because historical research is easier for me than science and technology…

What piece of writing advice do you wish you’d known when you started your writing adventures?

I think I unknowingly followed most of Heinlein’s Rules… I wrote. I finished what I wrote. I moved on. Problem was putting it out there. In the 20^th century and legacy publishing world. Sigh.

If you could have dinner with any famous person or character who would you choose?

Since I’m currently mad with Da Muse who posts pictures of snow in the middle of the hated long hot summer, I’d go back to the previous Muse who lasted some 15 years anyway (but then, they say he’s immortal, LOL)… that would be Keanu Reeves!

Who has been the greatest influence on your own work?

When I grow up I wanna be Dean Wesley Smith. Or Kristine Katryn Rusch. Or both. For the work ethic, mostly, although I have my own! 😉 Stylistically, dunno. I have found my own voice long ago. Even the English voice is now quite established and I don’t know where I got it from.

Do you think the e-book revolution will do away with print?

I doubt it. Probably not. And audio books will rise in the new illiteracy. I’d understand visually impaired, but other people listening to a story? Not for me. I still prefer paper for non-fiction and comics and graphic novels. But fiction? E-book are just fine!

Which 3 books would you take to a desert island and why?

My Kindle Keyboard has a long lasting battery! Besides, I’m afraid I’d use any paper available to write or draw (if I have a pen or pencil, that is). Of course, if it’s a shipwreck, none of this would be possible. And if it’s a willing vacation… it’s even more impossible. You’ll never see me on a desert island willingly! 🙂

Author bio and book synopsis

Please introduce yourself (250 words or so):

Barbara G.Tarn had an intense life in the Middle Ages that stuck to her through the centuries. She prefers swords to guns, long gowns to mini-skirts, and even though she buried the warrior woman, she deplores the death of knights in shining chainmail. She likes to think her condo apartment is a medieval castle, unfortunately lacking a dungeon to throw noisy neighbors and naughty colleagues in. Also known as the Lady with the Unicorns, these days she prefers to add a touch of fantasy to all her stories, past and present – when she’s not wandering on her fantasy world of Silvery Earth or in her Star Minds futuristic universe.

She’s a writer, sometimes artist, mostly a world-creator and story-teller. Two of her stories received an Honorable Mention at the Writers of the Future contest. She writes, draws, ignores her day job and blogs at: http://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com.

She can now be found on Patreon, where you can pledge as little as 1$ a month to read exclusive content and sustain her and other creators in their endeavors.

Check her Vimeo channel for book trailers and other funny stuff.

 

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short) (I’ll put both bundles here, and then send a Book Spotlight for both)

The Path of Water (Quests Book 1) also included in the Fantasy Secondary Worlds Bundle with 11 other fantasy novels

Hinrik survives the battle outside the walls of Moriana, battered and hurt. He drags himself to the River Ondan to put an end to his misery.

But it’s just the beginning of a new life of discoveries about himself and the world, a quest for his true calling in life. He is a half-blood and must learn what it means with the help of Bellinda the healer and Keneith the magic user.

The warrior, the healer and the magic user are all outsiders or outcasts looking for a place to call home in a hostile world, away from the aggressively expanding Varian and Blackmore Kingdoms.

A story of the northern kingdoms of Silvery Earth with magic and pain, loss and rebirth.

Star Minds Next Generation also included in the Sci-fi July Fever Fun with 10 other sci-fi novels

A sequel to Star Minds – the Trilogy, it’s the story of Shan-leo, Ker-ris’s son, now no longer an imperial prince.
Raised as imperial prince, Shan-leo doesn’t miss his former status. At twenty-two, he gets to define his destiny without being forced on a path traced by his family. Following his love for calligraphy, he discovers a black market of stolen manuscripts, which starts the adventure of a lifetime.
Aristocratic adventurer on a starship called “outlaw”. The next generation of Star Minds is out in the galaxy.

Links

Social media

blog: http://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4717133.Barbara_G_Tarn

Author Central http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-G.Tarn/e/B0050P0R2G

Where to find everything: www.unicornproductionsbook.com

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BarbaraGTarn

Vimeo (book trailers): https://vimeo.com/user65901088

SFF Bundles Galore on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sff4bundles

 

Book Spotlight – The Path of Water/Secondary Worlds Fantasy Bundle

Tags

book bundles, book spotlight, Fantasy, Indie Publishing, Science fiction, Spec Fic

Title: The Path of Water (Quests Book 1)

Author: Barbara G.Tarn

Genre: fantasy

Main character description (short).

Hinrik is a warrior and a half-blood trying to find his place in the world. Interview wih Hinrik and Bellinda on author’s blog.

Synopsis:

Hinrik survives the battle outside the walls of Moriana, battered and hurt. He drags himself to the River Ondan to put an end to his misery.

But it’s just the beginning of a new life of discoveries about himself and the world, a quest for his true calling in life. He is a half-blood and must learn what it means with the help of Bellinda the healer and Keneith the magic user.

The warrior, the healer and the magic user are all outsiders or outcasts looking for a place to call home in a hostile world, away from the aggressively expanding Varian and Blackmore Kingdoms.

A story of the northern kingdoms of Silvery Earth with magic and pain, loss and rebirth.

 

Brief Excerpt 250 words:

Hinrik’s eyes widened in shock. This couldn’t be. He was already dead and the underworld was underwater.

The man’s hand on his chest calmed his heartbeat. He looked sorrowful now.

“You are my son, Hinrik. And you are badly hurt. But the kingmaker is coming this way and he is with an excellent healer, she will help you.”

Hinrik closed his mouth and gulped. He still couldn’t believe all this was happening underwater. His mother had told him his father was a magical being, but he wasn’t expecting this! She’d been blamed all of her life for having a son outside of marriage and now, twenty-five years later, this… stranger walked, no swam up to him and told him he was his father!

“You are half-Waiora, Hinrik, that’s why water heals you. But what you’ve been through needs more healing power, and only the Genn can give you that. Go back to the surface, the kingmaker is making camp on the river shore with his friends, you will find him easily and they will help you.”

“I don’t want anybody’s help!” Hinrik’s scream was lost underwater. He didn’t want anybody to see him right now. He was naked, bruised and hurt. He wasn’t going to go back to the surface and meet people.

His father hugged him and gently rocked him as he burst into sobs. His tears were lost in the water and he was too weak to free himself from the unwanted embrace.

 

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?

A personal, non-heroic quest to find one’s place in the world in the company of other “different” people.

 

http://www.unicornproductionsbooks.com/books/the-path-of-water-quests-book-1/

is also in Quests Volume one http://www.unicornproductionsbooks.com/books/quests-volume-one-the-paths-of-water-and-air/

and the First Glimpse of Secondary Fantasy World bundle along with 11 other authors.

 

Title: Star Minds Next Generation

Author: Barbara G.Tarn

Genre: science fantasy

Main character description (short).

Shan-leo Shermac is the descendant of the last emperor, but he’s never going to sit on his grandfather’s throne. He’s not interested.

Synopsis:

A sequel to Star Minds – the Trilogy, it’s the story of Shan-leo, Ker-ris’s son, now no longer an imperial prince.
Raised as imperial prince, Shan-leo doesn’t miss his former status. At twenty-two, he gets to define his destiny without being forced on a path traced by his family. Following his love for calligraphy, he discovers a black market of stolen manuscripts, which starts the adventure of a lifetime.
Aristocratic adventurer on a starship called “outlaw”. The next generation of Star Minds is out in the galaxy.

Brief Excerpt 250 words:

Shan-leo got out of bed, showered and dressed, grabbing his bandanna. He went downstairs and found his father and uncle in the living room, seated at the breakfast table side by side as usual.

Uncle Kol-ian saw him first and greeted him. “Good morning, birthday boy!”

“Good morning,” he answered as his father rose to give him a bear hug.

“Already twenty-two… where did time go?” he whispered in Shan-leo’s ear.

“You mean the past twelve years went even faster than the previous ten?” Shan-leo teased, giving the bandanna to uncle Kol-ian who wrapped it around his nephew’s arm with a smile. Shan-leo knew his father disapproved of his showing off the bionic arm – especially when he had on a tank top like today – but Uncle Kol-ian was very supportive, having had prosthetics himself.

“Shan-leo…” his father chided.

Shan-leo smiled at him. It wasn’t his fault if he’d been mind-controlled for all the time he’d been married to Shan-leo’s late mother and had missed most of his son’s childhood.

“I love you anyway, Father.” He sat with them to eat breakfast. “Even if you want to hide my beautiful prosthetic! Why don’t you ever suggest Uncle Kol-ian cover the scars on his back with synthetic skin?”

“Your uncle doesn’t go around bare-chested to show off his scars!” his father protested while Kol-ian guffawed.

 

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?

If you loved the Trilogy and the Snippets or if you’re new to the Star Minds universe, you will enjoy this wandering prince’s adventures in space.

.

 

 

Swift Six – Author – P A Wilson – Fantasy/Heroic Tales Bundle

Tags

anthology., Author interviews, Fantasy Author, Heroic Tales Bundle, Swift Six

Here’s the first author interview from the Heroic Tales Bundle

Name: P. A. Wilson

What attracts you to the genre in which you write?

I love stories that all you to break the rules and then glue them back together. Creating a world where I control how things work is fun and challenging. When it comes to magic, people sometimes think any problem can be solved with magic, and that means there’s no real story. I think in a good fantasy tale, there needs to be a cost of doing magic, something that will restrain the wizard, witch, fairy, whatever creature is in the world, from simply pointing a wand and getting what they need.

In my fantasy, I tend to make the rules either a resource issue, you can’t use magic all the time because you use up something, or I make it ambiguous. Yes, you can get your answer, but it’s not going to help much.

What piece of writing advice do you wish you’d known when you started your writing adventures?

I’m always learning new things. I think that’s the advice most people miss at the beginning. Writing isn’t a ‘learn it and you’re good to go’ kind of thing. Every book is different and my process changes a little each time. Other than the fact that I need a loose outline that is.

If you could have dinner with any famous person or character who would you choose?

If I had to choose one, I would dine with Isaac Asimov. The conversation would be me fangirling out and him explaining how he was able to be so prolific.

Who has been the greatest influence on your own work?

Anne McCaffrey. Her Pern books enthralled me when I first read them; excellent world building, excellent characters. When I started to write my own stories, I often re-read her books to find her techniques.

Do you think the e-book revolution will do away with print?

I think we have yet to see the final and ‘perfect’ method of storytelling. Ebooks are convenient, and there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that people read more when they choose ebooks. As authors, we love to hear people are reading more. But print, both soft and hard cover, are different experiences. People like to feel the weight of the book in their hands, smell the ink and paper, and feel like they own something.

What I do see right now, is a segmenting of the market into people who only read digital, people who read either format, and people who only want print. The market is big enough to carry both.

Which 3 books would you take to a desert island and why?

The Dragonriders of Pern, I never seem to get tired of reading them. The Pillars of The Earth, Ken Follett, the way he deals with complexity and the epic scope of the work means I find new things every time I read it. The complete works of William Shakespeare, maybe on a desert island I will finally get time to read all the plays and sonnets.

Author bio and book synopsis

Perry Wilson is a Canadian author based in Vancouver, BC who has big ideas and an itch to tell stories. Having spent some time on university, a career, and life in general, she returned to writing in 2008 and hasn’t looked back since. She writes the Quinn Larson Quests an urban fantasy series, the Charity Deacon Investigations, and two science fiction series. A member of the Royal City Literary Arts Society, the Vancouver Writer’s Social Group, and the Surrey Writers Group, she spends much of her time creating new books, and learning the craft.

 

Please introduce yourself (250 words or so):

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short)

I write in multiple genres, currently focussing on Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Mystery, and Science Fiction. You can find a list of my current books on my website at pawilson.ca

Links

Website: https://pawilson.ca/

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

Twitter: @perryawilson

 

Heroic Tales can be found here

BundleRabbit https://bundlerabbit.com/b/heroic-tales

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/heroic-tales

Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/2u33Tfd

I books https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1257100962

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073T45HYB/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073T45HYB/

Adventures in Marketing – Bundle Rabbit II – Heroic Tales #Fantasy

Tags

Bargain books, book bundles, Bundlerabbit, Fantasy, Heroic fantasy, Heroic Fiction, Heroic Tales

You may remember my previous post about Bundle Rabbit – the online book bundling service. I now have The Light Beyond the Storm – Book I featured in a forthcoming bundle. Heroic Tales features 19 tales of fantasy and heroes, brave deeds and daring adventures.

Synopsis

Imagine: you are seated about a blazing campfire, you and the other bards.  Tales of Achilles, Beowulf, Alexander, Odysseus, Conan, Tarzan, Joan of Arc and other heroes are told, along with new ones that carry on with the Jungian archetypes so central to our very nature.  Men and women who brave the unnatural, the fantastic, and the plain weird.

Without the circle of firelight, shapes of menace and strangeness stalk horrifically, but the heroic tales hearten us, and strengthen the entire tribe in both body and spirit to continue the battle of good and right, against the strange and evil.  We all have the need, deep within us, for Heroic Tales!

It’s quite a mix of tales from Jay Bowers, Stefon Mears, N.W. Moors and Jerusha Moors, Michael Kingswood, Carl S. Plumer, J. D. Brink, Louisa Swann, Xina M Uhl, Robert Jeschonek, Blaze Ward, Douglas Smith, Robert Jeschonek, Perry A Wilson, Debbie Mumford and Leslie Claire Walker.  For details of each book please check out the Bundle (as we will be overrun with links).
Table of Contents
1. “A Barbarian in Chicago” by Simon Stanton
2. “Lair of the Wulf” by Simon Stanton
3. “With a Broken Sword” by Stefon Mears
4. “Icarus Rising” by N.W. Moors
5. “Lee and the Monkey Idol” by Jay Bowers
6. “Glimmer Vale” by Michael Kingswood
7. “Afterlife” by Jay Bowers
8. “Shadows of Death” by Carl S. Plumer
9. “The Quest” by J. D. Brink
10. “The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I” by A. L. Butcher
11. “The Girl with the Candy Cane Legs” by Louisa Swann
12. “Necropolis” by Xina M Uhl
13. “The Sword That Spoke” by Robert Jeschonek
14. “The Forestal” by Blaze Ward
15. “The Wolf at the End of the World” by Douglas Smith
16. “The Wife Who Never Was” by Robert Jeschonek
17. “Family” by P. A. Wilson
18. “Witchling” by Debbie Mumford
19. “Faery Tales: Volume 1” by Leslie Claire Walker

It’s due out 11th July – on Bundle Rabbit, Kobo, Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 19 books for less than $5 – now that is a bargain right there!

BundleRabbit https://bundlerabbit.com/b/heroic-tales

Heroic Tales on Kobo

Heroic Tales on Barnes and Noble

Heroic Tales on I-books

Heroic Tales on Amazon.co.uk

Heroic Tales on Amazon.com

 

Hopefully there should be some forthcoming interviews with authors and characters for this bundle – so keep your eyes peeled for those.

 

 

Smashwords Summer Sale 1-31st July #Fantasy #Booksale

Tags

book sale, Fantasy, fantasy books, Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles, Smashwords Sale, Summer sales, Tales of Erana

It’s that time of year again! Smashwords are having another sale.

This year I am offering the following in the sale at 50% discount with code SSW50.

(Please note the Light Beyond the Storm, Shining Citadel and Stolen Tower are 18 rated for sexy scenes, themes and some violence).

Shattered Mirror – A Poetry Collection  

Now $1.50

 

The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I 

Now $1.50

The Shining Citadel

Now $1.75

The Stolen Tower

Now $1.62

 

And Free!

Tales of Erana: Just One Mistake  

Tales of Erana: Myths and Legends

Tales Of Erana: Just One Mistake in Audio! #Talesoferana #fantasy

Tags

adult fantasy, audiobook, Fantasy, Tales of Erana

I’m very pleased to share my news today – my latest release is out in audio. Narrated by Rob Goll – who narrated Warrior’s Curse and Books I and II of Light Beyond.

Currently it’s available on Amazon and Audible but should be arriving on I-tunes soon.

18 rated.

Tales of Erana: Just One Mistake

Coel, the bard, thinks his life has taken a turn for the worst, but he hasn’t met the Thiefmaster yet. An ill-conceived notion of earning more money to pay off his debt and escape a dark past leaves the minstrel in a situation he can’t escape and with a deadly bargain. Will he survive his mistake? Who is this mysterious patron?

Amazon audio http://amzn.to/2sp7Hqk
Amazon.co.uk http://amzn.to/2tikBCW

Tales of Erana: Just One Mistake on Audible.co.uk

Swift Six Character Interview – Lord Archos – fantasy

Tags

Character Interview, Fantasy, Fantasy Character, Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles, Magic, Swift Six

Name/Race/Species/Age etc:

Name: Archos Terrian Stormrager, Lord of Tremellic, Lord of the Arcane Realms, Lord of the Storm. I am the Oncoming Storm. Lord Archos will do.

For you Lord Archos will do.

Race: I appear human, but in reality I am the last Skychild who walks this land. My father was a human sorcerer and my mother an Elemental – one of the servants of the Sky Goddess. I have met her perhaps three times. The woman who raised me as her own died so many years ago. All humans who carry magic have elven blood, and distant in my father’s line is such a lineage.

There are perhaps less than half a dozen people in all Erana who know this – for I am a sorcerer, and that alone means I am an outlaw and my secrets are deadly. If the Order of Witch-Hunters knew of what I truly am I am certain they would redouble their efforts to deal with me. As it is because of my position both as a nobleman and the relative seclusion of my home, plus monthly bribes and backhanders to those in power mean for now I am ignored. If I am careful.  Recently I have been more… forthcoming with my powers and skills and it has been noticed.

Not even I can take on large numbers of Order soldiers, especially when they bring banecrystal weapons.

Age: *Shrugs. I was born before the arrival of the last Plague and the instigation of martial law. That was centuries ago. One looses track.

Which book/world do you live in? I live in Erana. This world features in the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – which detail my adventures and those of my companions; Tales of Erana – these are tales of lore and adventure.

I’m an adventurer – why should I recruit you to accompany me? *Smiles. Because I am a Powerful Sorcerer, because I know a good deal of history and lore and because we will likely meet magic on our adventures. Despite the best efforts of the Order to irradicate it, magic persists. Can you deal with monsters, demons, terrible wounds and forbidden lore? I didn’t think so.

But then again I am not a man to take orders, from anyone.  So why should I agree to accompany YOU? Turn your question around – what can you offer me to tempt me to leave the safety of my valley?

Tell us about your companions?  How do they see you? Ah, my allies. Olek, my faithful Olek. He is a better man than I. We are closer than brothers, although to the outside world he is but a servant. Elves and half-elves can be nothing more. I trust him with my life, and he has saved it so many times. Once I took him from the execution cell – bought his life with gold and guile but he has repaid that many times over. No one knows more about me, and no one serves our needs with such devotion.  Olek is clever, and the most skilful thief and assassin in the land.

Do I have lady-friend? Yes, my beloved Dii’Athella. Poor Dii, for her life was hard and she survived with a determination and will I have rarely seen. Dii is a joy, she sees life with such wonder and such capacity to love. Despite all that has befallen her still she is kind, gentle and curious. We are bound in love and magic, nothing is stronger. Some say not even death can break bonds such as ours. I hope with all my heart we never have to test that theory, although it’s been close on more than one occasion.

Ozena is Olek’s lady. She came to me asking for aid to rescue her sister and the elves from her village. Such was young, naive and frightened; for her to as the assistance of a strange human would have taken a good deal of courage and necessity. Now she has bloomed into a talented young woman, a great archer and tracker and she speaks her mind. Yes indeed.

There are others, of course. My Steward Simon – who manages the villages and lands in my stead, especially when I am not available. He is a man whom I trust implicitly; he’s an excellent forger – and a man who sees far more than most about people. Of course, the villagers don’t know his past but Simon has served me for twenty years – and my people understand why we live as we live in seclusion. There is more freedom in Tremellic than any other settlement this side of the Far Isles. There are no Witch-Hunters, no slavers and such liberty is defended to the last man. One day I am sure the Order will come in numbers, and we will not go lightly. Simon ensures the villagers know what they have under my protection.

How do they see me? Dii loves me, Olek loves me, Ozena – I am not sure. She is a little apprehensive. I often appear arrogant and aloof – but for good reason and all know not to provoke my temper.  I  have taken many lives by my own hand and those of my allies. Do not trifle with me, and you will not feel my wrath.

Love is far more a powerful tool than fear but fear has its place. A person will die for loyalty and love of another. But the wrath of the Oncoming Storm is terrible.

What’s your most heroic exploit to date? The Shining Citadel. We found the lost elven citadel of Lor Ar’thinis. We almost died in the endeavour and the price paid was high – for the truths we found there may yet destroy us. Not to mention the loss of the Tree of Always. But we have that Power now, that knowledge and the hope it will bring when the time is right.

What’s your greatest failure? The death of my brother, so long ago. That I too late finding Dii to save her from the ‘attentions’ of the Order. That my spies and allies are not enough in number that they may be everywhere. That the Order of Witch-Hunters still blight this land with their pernicious law. I have buried more friends than I like to admit and mourned many others. The fight we fight is a costly one.

Where do you think you’ll be in a decade? *Looks thoughtful. I scry now and then to see the future but it’s a dangerous pastime; a friend told me war is coming and I believe her. I may well be dead in a decade, or up to my armpits in gore. Perhaps if I am very lucky we will triumph and free this land from the tyranny.  Who knows in uncertain times.

Do you have a great love? (This could be a person/trait/item) Dii. My Dii’Athella. Her light shines brighter than the sun and her kindness will likely save us all, should we live that long. Dii is far more than she knows, and even I know. Her magic is wild and off the old sort for she carries the Blood which Flows with the Light. Dii has bloomed like the flower which is ner namesake and we are all the better for it.

I suppose my other great love is magic. You must understand we live in a world where magic is forbidden, hunted down and chained. But magic is under the rule of no man, not in truth for it is everywhere and finds it way to be seen. The Order thinks they can stamp it out. For three hundred years they had tried and failed, although these days magic is afraid and hides its face. Magic is knowledge and knowledge is power, and freedom. One day the magic will truly return and it will no longer be a shameful secret.

 

Links to book etc

The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles series – an adult fantasy/fantasy romance series, with a touch of erotica.

The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I

In a dark world where magic is illegal and elves are enslaved a young elven sorceress runs for her life from the house of her evil Keeper. Pursued by his men and the corrupt Order of Witch-Hunters she must find sanctuary. As the slavers roll across the lands stealing elves from what remains of their ancestral home the Witch-Hunters turn a blind eye to the tragedy and a story of power, love and a terrible revenge unfolds.

18 rated.

Audio editions narrated by Rob Goll

Amazon.com http://amzn.to/2bPpspP

Amazon.com audio http://amzn.to/2iBgmQV

Amazon UK http://amzn.to/2i2KJfE

Amazon UK audio http://amzn.to/2iXfIdc

Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/2iB9PWl

I-books http://apple.co/2j0pYW2

Audible UK http://adbl.co/2bGqZvO

Audible http://adbl.co/2hHT8El

Bundle Rabbit https://bundlerabbit.com/members/ebook/overview/XDOAydON

 

The Shining Citadel – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book II

Who rules in this game of intrigue where magic is forbidden and elves enslaved? Journey where beliefs shatter like glass, truth is unwelcome and monsters from ancient times abound: share the romance and revenge, magic and passion, and the wages of greed in a world of darkest fantasy.

(18 rated)

Now in audio narrated by Shakespearean actor Rob Goll.

Amazon.com http://amzn.to/2c5LghC

Amazon UK http://amzn.to/2iqOXkr

Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/2hHRv9K

I-books http://apple.co/2j0B4u8

Amazon UK http://amzn.to/2iOOWoB

Audible UK http://adbl.co/2iSW5GF

Amazon.com http://amzn.to/2j1DSnF

Audible.com http://adbl.co/2i3tf5t

 

Brief appearance in

The Stolen Tower – the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book III

What stalks the land cannot be, but is.

Where magic is outlawed a troll Shaman calls from her deathbed to her heiress, Mirandra Var, daughter of the storm. Mirandra vows to find her missing kin, sort friend from for, and claim the dangerous secrets guarded by unthinkable creatures. If she succeeds she will become the leader of her tribe. If she fails there will be no tribe to lead.

Amazon.com http://amzn.to/2ivJjeL

Amazon UK http://amzn.to/2hKF4Ns

Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/2hKOZTv

I-books http://apple.co/2iBiA2E

Bundle Rabbit https://bundlerabbit.com/products/detail/stolen-tower

Also

BundleRabbit https://bundlerabbit.com/b/heroic-tales

 

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/heroic-tales

 

Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/2u33Tfd

 

I books https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1257100962

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073T45HYB/

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073T45HYB/

 

Book Spotlight – Diamond Marked: The Tale of El’Anret – YA/Fantasy

Tags

book spotlight, Book spotlights, Faerie, Fantasy, Young Adult

 

Title: Diamond Marked: The Tale of El’Anret

Author: Melody Klink

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Main character description (short). This book cycles around a mortal named Hazel Leigh Mac Tíre, a Faerie prince named Gideon, and their son, Jack. Leigh is marked to be the Queen of the Faerie world, in which she must usurp a renegade queen– who happens to be Gideon’s sister. Their son, Jack, deals with the fallout and uprising that follows.

Synopsis: Inside a mortal girl lies the heart of the Queen of Diamonds, true ruler over El’Anret, the world of Faerie.

Inside a Half-Human, Half-Fae boy lives the soul of a Stag King, mysterious and powerful creature of legend, capable of transforming worlds… or destroying them.

And neither of them belong.

In a world of myths and monsters, it will take them both to usurp a renegade queen— one who stole the crown and made the whole of El’Anret bend to her will.

The Faerie world will never be the same.

DIAMOND MARKED: The Tale of El’Anret combines the stories of the Faerie and Mortal worlds into a single collection. Queen of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds, and King of Diamonds are included in their Author Preferred text editions.

Brief Excerpt 250 words: With a flourish, Gideon crossed a ringed finger over his heart, where the X lingered in the air before evaporating. “I swear to you, Queen of Diamonds, that I did not take torch to your land. However, I did warn you that she would come, and she would fight.”

Her grip on his shirt relaxed. “Lex is already—”

“Fighting? Of course. You haven’t had the displeasure of knowing her very well. She’s… tenacious, to say the least.”

“Why didn’t you stop her?”

“With what? Me and my army? Your Majesty, she has power beyond me. She has… things at her disposal which make her incredibly dangerous.”

Gideon paused, pursing his lips as he looked away. Leigh followed his gaze, looking towards the sun that hazed along the horizon.

“You need to go home. Twilight is coming.”

“Twilight always comes, Gideon, and I have yet to be scared of it.”

As he turned back to her, there was a softness to his eyes—a fear that made them shine, even in the encroaching darkness. “You have never known Twilight as you will before long.”

With a nod, he was gone.

The sounds of nighttime swelled all about Leigh, crickets and creaks and all the little noises that keep you awake at night. She turned back toward the farm, cradling her arms as she walked. The diamonds that shimmered under her fingertips felt like fire—like the same fire that started to rise in her belly.

The fire that would scorch an empire, or be doused by the tides of war.

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)? It’s a heart-wrenching tale about love, loss, and the desperate desire to do what’s right, even in the face of grave adversity, and even if you don’t belong. Faeries, monsters, shapeshifters and other worlds adorn every page- Diamond Marked is a fabled journey beyond the barrier of our own world.

 

Links etc.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35291795-diamond-marked

https://www.goodreads.com/series/198703-tale-of-el-anret

amazon.com/author/melodyklink

http://www.MelodyKlink.com