Big news! Just returned from Sasquan (Worldcon 2015) in Spokane, WA – where much fun was had meeting and greeting and eating and signing books – to hear that I have been added to the guest list at this years Jet City Comic Show!
I’ll be appearing along with fellow 47North authors Camille Griep (Letters to Zell) and Kate Danley (The Woodcutter). And so very honored to be listed in the company of SFF greats like Terry Brooks and Robin Hobb. Big fangirl moment.
More details to be posted as programming and schedule are confirmed.
In celebration of SDCC 2015, Amazon has a special promotion on over 70 comic and SFF titles, all for only $1.99 each – including both books in my Dream Stewards Series, THE WELL OF TEARS and THE KEYS TO THE REALMS! Click the image below to get this deal. HURRY – it’s only for one day!
The hunter called Thorne Edwall led his party into the Sovereign’s receptory. He walked with an athletic grace that was uncharacteristic of a warrior, but he carried himself with the confidence of one. Everything about this man was dark and intimidating – his mood, his manner, and his dress. Even his hair and beard were black. All but his eyes, which were the most luminescent blue Glain had ever seen.
Perhaps the most skilled mage hunter of his day, Thorne Edwall is a tortured hero who struggles with the darker side of his calling. Like all men of the Ruagaire Brotherhood, Thorne has devoted himself to an order that is founded in faith and honor, and is bound by an uncompromising code.
Thorne embraces his vocation with his whole heart and soul, but the brutality of his actions and the sacrifices he must endure have taken a heavy toll. He is a man of conscience and often finds himself at odds with the demands of his duty. But he is also a man who will do what needs be done, no matter the personal cost. Above all else, Thorne Edwall is driven by a deep sense of purpose, and the long-suffered love his oath has forced him to deny.
Thorne had already dismounted and was no longer listening to anything but his own needs. By the time his foot reached the first step, the doors were thrown open and she was there. The flame-haired goddess who haunted his dreams and the only woman he would ever love.
Want to know more about the mysterious warrior-monk Thorne Edwall, and the powerful sorceress who holds his heart?
Discover the dark, dangerous world of the Dream Stewards:
Great news just in time for the holidays – as part of the Amazon 200 Kindle Book Bargains promotion, both Dream Stewards books are on sale for $1.99 through December 14, 2014. Click here to get yours:
So, let’s have some fun! I’m resurrecting the weekly Creature Feature Trivia Challenge, in celebration of the season. Read the article below, answer the trivia question correctly (answers can be found somewhere in the blog archives), tell your friends about it, and you could win a $10 Amazon gift card!
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A single monstrous barrel-chested creature with a bulbous head burst through the trees, gnashing a grotesquely protruding jaw of jagged teeth the length of Hywel’s forearm. The creature had staggering height and breadth – at least three times the size of his horse – taller and broader and hairier – and oddly boar-like with its hulking shoulders and thick neck. Its roar rattled his bones.
In the mystical White Woods that surround the ancient home of the Stewards, all manner of magical creatures exist – some more demonic than others. In THE KEYS TO THE REALMS, Hywel encounters the Hellion Horde and the horrific beasts they ride. These beasts have no known name, but they are as fearsome and deadly as the Hellion warriors themselves.
These frightening creatures first appear in THE WELL OF TEARS, and are inspired at least in appearance by a real animal. This animal, however, has an entirely different nature and is actually quite remarkable.
Meet Wendy, the Bully Whippet – a much-loved pet who suffers from a genetic disorder manifested by a mutation which causes double-muscling. Her general health is not affected by this anomaly, only her physique. Although her extraordinary looks invoked the image of a monster in my mind, her real-life story warms my heart. Who wouldn’t want this lovely girl as their canine companion?
TRIVIA CHALLENGE:
The Dream Stewards series centers on a prophecy that foretells the rise to power of a legendary leader, who was also an actual 10th century ruler. What is the FULL name of the king of the prophecy?
(hint: if you haven’t read the books, the answer can be found in the blog archives, by using the search box at the top of this page. Just type in “Hywel” and browse the articles)
Post your answer in the comments section below to enter. If you also like and/or share this post and mention where in your comment, you’ll get an extra entry. One lucky winner will be chosen at random from all the correct entries received by midnight on Friday, December 5th, 2014. The prize is a $10 Amazon gift card!!
Before I got my first book contract, I supported myself as a marketing consultant and personal publicist to some minor celebrities. That experience taught me a few important things about what it means to become a public person – a few things all authors should take into consideration.
Recently an uber-successful thriller author (who shall remain nameless for the purposes of this blog post) took to his/her FB fan page to chastise his/her fans for wasting his/her valuable time with questions like “what is the reading order for series x?”. Later comments and posts to responses from fans who were offended by his/her rebuffs spiraled out of control, until his/her publisher asked him/her to remove them. This he/she followed up with yet another public post about how said publisher made him/her remove the posts, and how he/she had no regrets about his/her behavior, adding that he/she should have the right to set his/her own boundaries when it came to public interaction.
Well, here’s the thing. If you are going to invite the public to support you – literally, and figuratively – you are going to have to accept some hard truths. And the biggest truth of all is that once you accept that public support, you owe that public an unending debt.
That’s not to say you can’t draw boundaries around your personal life. You absolutely should – but those boundaries absolutely cannot encompass anything having to do with your books or your writing endeavors. If your fans ask you questions about your work (and this goes for all entertainment professionals, everywhere), no matter how trivial or inane they may seem to you, you owe them an answer. You also owe them your gratitude, the continued expression of your art, your personal time, and most of all, your grace.
Best-selling author and busy book blogger Summer Lane invited me over to chat on her site. We talk a bit about writing and publishing, and how it all worked out for me. Click the banner and check out our conversation and read my advice to aspiring authors:
Summer days are here again – even in the Pacific Northwest! I’ll be writing whenever I can, from a patio lounge chair when the weather allows. But what have you got planned? A couple of weeks at some tropical resort? A mountain lake retreat? A back woods camping adventure? Bumming on the beach? Lounging around the house? Visiting family? Whatever your plans, be sure to load up your e-reader and pack it along!
Amazon has an amazing SciFi & Fantasy Summer Reads Deal going on right now – all kinds of interesting books for $1.99 until August 9th, including mine!! If you haven’t already read the Dream Stewards books, now is the time to give them a try! Both THE WELL OF TEARS and THE KEYS TO THE REALMS are on sale.
Already read and loved them? Maybe tell a friend, or leave an honest review on the book’s page at Amazon.com. It really helps us authors out – we really do want to know what you think! Just click the image above to buy or comment.
And, if you’re looking for something else, even something that isn’t Sci-Fi and Fantasy, there are lots of other great deals. Just click the image below to check them all out. I found a few new titles for my own TBR list. Now all I need is the margarita pitcher and a 48 hour day!
Today has been one of artistic reflection for me, so it seems appropriate to share this very helpful reprint of writing advice given my Stephen King that was posted on the blog Literary Liasons by author Mindy Halleck:
Love or hate his work, Stephen King, author of horror classics like The Shining and its 2013 sequel Doctor Sleep is one heck of a prolific and diverse author.
Over 350 million copies of King’s books have sold worldwide. That’s extraordinary. And though I don’t read his really scary stuff – keeps me awake at night – his works like Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile have been unforgettable reads. I often wonder, how does he do it? King’s manual On Writing exposes how relentlessly dedicated he is to his craft. Though he says he doesn’t always stick to his own rules, trying to follow them is a worthwhile goal.
To begin with he says the best writers hook their readers with voice, not just action.
Below is a reprint (from Open Culture) of an article/interview with Stephen King regarding his 20 rules for writing. A must read;
I am proud and honored to share that an exclusive excerpt from THE KEYS TO THE REALMS (Dream Stewards #2) is featured in the latest edition of the Hugo-nominated speculative fiction publication APEX Magazine.
The magazine features original fiction and poetry for lovers of SciFi, Fantasy and Horror. The excerpts are available to subscribers / purchasers only ($2.99). You can take a peek (and get your copy) on the Apex website.
