Hello!
Skies, do I have a lot for you this month! A new release, several sales, an author spotlight, updates …. Let’s lead off with …
Heart of Fire is coming on April 16th! It will be available on Amazon that day for those who prefer Kindle, and I will have another post announcing it then! I already have a handful of beautiful reviews coming in, which you can see on Goodreads if you want to! And here’s the preorder link.
And here a few pictures of the interior. I lovingly drew each of these illustrations (and more besides) to match the mood of the book and the characters!
Apologies for the poor quality of the images, but I’m really not good at taking pictures!
I’m also in the #IndieApril NarraTess Sale, with DragonBirth and Kindred of the Sea both on 99cent sale – along with 170+ fantasy and sci-fi authors, including a handful whose books I’ve read and loved! This is live today and only goes to the 3rd, so don’t dally about checking it out! Also, many of us have been sure to discount our books in all – or most – markets, for all of you who aren’t in the United States!
There’s just a small sample of the books in this sale, so check it out!
But don’t go yet, because I have more for you. First, a brief spotlight for this book from a Noblebright group I’m part of. This just released yesterday.
Piercing the Veil
by Steven A. Guglich
They say that legends are born, not made.
But for Jeremy Goodson and Masaru Hagen that is far from the truth. Confronted by something that
neither of them can explain, two complete strangers from opposite sides of the world embark on an
unforgettable journey that will forge them into living legends.
It has been almost 4,000 years since magic disappeared from the Earth. Hidden from humanity by the Veil, those who possess magic live in ancient settlements across the globe. Over the centuries, these beings have pierced the Veil, leaving behind glimpses and shadows of the fantastic and arcane.
Fueled by distant memories and humanity’s desire for wonder, familiar stories of myths and legends
have been passed down for thousands of years in nearly every culture and nation.
Jeremy Goodson, an average, overweight teacher in New York City finds his entire world turned upside down when a stranger tempts him to leave everything behind and start a journey that will test Jeremy’s mysterious gift and bring magic and hope back to humanity.
Masaru Hagen, the adopted son of American tech entrepreneurs living in Tokyo, has been guided by
an unseen voice all his life. On the eve of his twentieth birthday, the voice leads him across thousands of miles, on a mysterious and perilous mission he alone can undertake.
But there are principalities of this world that will do whatever they can to stop Jeremy and Masaru and keep magic out of the hands of humanity forever.
One of these men will bring hope to the world; the other will bring death. The world they once knew
will be changed forever, not only for themselves, but for everyone on Earth…and maybe not for the
best.
I usually want more magic, but something about this really does ring of “maybe not for the best” to me. But I haven’t read the book …
Beyond that, the updates that I don’t really know how many of you are here for? Anyway, some of you are, and I hope I didn’t make you wade through too much to get to them.
On the reading side of things, I’ve been quite busy and have not read a lot in March. I did read A Bond of Thread by Allegra Pescatore, and I enjoyed it more than I expected to. We’ll find out exactly what that is when I post my review, though.
On the writing side of things – I almost forgot – I finished the Lìrulin-and-Eldor WIP! This is a prequel to the Legend of the Singer Duology, and a lot more romantic than anything I usually write – or tend to read – so it feels about odd. I also don’t have a title I’m half-way happy with yet, and of course it needs proof-reading. I also guarantee I won’t make minor changes to the last chapters at this point, but I don’t expect to be doing much. I think some people will be disappointed, but I probably won’t have this one ready for release before Spring of 2024 – so about a year from now. Maybe a bit less? Anyway, I don’t see it coming out this year.
I also started a new story. This one was supposed to be a short story, but it’s already novelette length, and I expect it to be a full length novel. Maybe a short one, maybe a long one. But what is it, you ask? This is the story of a minor princess of Abourn (yes, it is so fun to be exploring other cultures on Ellenesia! Abourn is a breath of fresh air besides the Valor Alliance, though you might not like them any better) who is shown evidence that the foreign beggar she married is a spy from the Valor Hall. But is he really? Has their life together for over a decade been that lie? And if he is – or if he is not – life is going to change for all of them, her, him, their children.
I just got really interested in the relationships and motivations of these characters, so I’m writing the full story. This one is going to be a bit different – it’s got almost no fantasy elements at all (so far, the most – and all I expect there to be – is some references to scrying as a form of spying) yet it exists in a fantasy world with highly original societies and cultures which are so fun to create! I love these mythologies and religions I’m learning about, too! And it’s almost cozy, but not quite: the stakes and threats are a bit more than cozy at times (after all, spies are tortured to death across most of Ellenesia), but in a lot of ways it’s a story about relationships and choices with a lot of cozy stuff in it, and that’s what I find the most interesting! Those looking for a political thriller would be disappointed in it, since while I do acknowledge that side of what’s going on, I don’t swim in those waters more than I have to.
Anyway, I just love these characters.
I’ve also made good progress on the third volume in the Dragon-Mage series, and this will definitely be four books! As well as touching a few others of the WIPs.
All while still busy with preparing some elements of the launch for Heart of Fire and re-doing book covers! I’m looking forward to a bit of a breather, and honestly not at all sure how I’ve done so much. It’s going to hit me one of these days.
All right! Hopefully you enjoyed those updates, and checked some of those out. 😀 Anything you would like to share? Or any comments or stuff you want to chat about? I love talking on here! Even if I’m not that great at it and ramble a lot.
See you!
And may the Kraken keep your soul!
Or shall I wish you the embrace of the Heart of Fire?
Until next time!
Enthralled By Love 