Saturday, June 25, 2011

UPDATE - THE CONVERING TRILOGY AND IMPENDING JOURNEY RLEASE


I just wanted to post a reminded that the initial volume of the Converging trilogy is now available for free as an e-book...here is the link to the Smashword site where the free dowload can be obtained...


http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/6100


For those not familiar with this dark horror series...I just wanted to post the novel sequencing for the three books.

THE CONVERGING:


THE CONVERGING: MARK OF THE DEMON:




And finally, THE CONVERGING: CLOSURES IN BLOOD:



On another topic, JOURNEY THROUGH THE LAND OF SHADES will be available for purchase from Smashwords and the Kindle store  in the second week in July and should be available through all other platform stores in the two weeks following this....There is another George releasing a fantasy novel on July 12th...and I am looking forward to that one as well!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Journey - one ends, another begins - Franz Mclaren and Me

Over the course of the years that I’ve been writing for public consumption, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a number of people (both in person and virtually) who I immediately liked and who enriched the entire author’s experience. A few months ago, I decided that I would devote a period of my time to helping other independent authors garner a measure of recognition for their creative efforts. The road of the independent author is a particularly difficult one, fraught with no dearth of daunting obstacles and it occurred to me that it might be easier to surmount these by working together, rather than taking the go-it-alone, competitive route. If nothing else should come of this particular venture, my recompense will have been had in developing friendships with other authors from every corner of the globe.


Like myself, Franz Mclaren is a fellow fantasy and horror novelist and like myself, Franz is rather along in years. Thus we share common passions and perhaps…common perspectives of being old soldiers in a young warrior’s game. Whatever the reason, I found a sense of the kindred spirit in communicating with Mr. Mclaren. Franz has recently released the final volume of his Clarion of Destiny fantasy series, entitled Journey's End:




Those who know me well, will know that I have a natural aversion to posting reviews…especially reviews of independent authors. I’m rather dubious of the currency to be gained by posting a positive review of an indie author's work just as I am all too aware of the damage that can be done by the casual cruelty that often accompanies a negative review of an author whose stock is yet to be defined. After reading the first volume of the Clarion of Destiny series…Home Lost…I decided to make a rare exception to this self-imposed rule.




I will let the review speak of itself in the hopes that the sincerity of my reaction to this novel will be readily apparent even to the most cynical of readers:

Home Lost is the first of Mr. Mclaren’s Clarion of Destiny fantasy series and revolves around Leena, a village hedge witch in training. The novel opens as the young girl returns from a trip to the symbolic Garland tree to discover her home village ravaged and her family gone, along with the other village inhabitants. The opening volume focuses on Leena’s attempt to discover what has befallen her family…a journey that will lead her on an epic quest to unravel the mysteries of her destiny. I will not delve into specific details. Rather I will concentrate on the tone and style of the writing. Perhaps this novel was intended for a young adult audience, but Home Lost is a comparatively simple fantasy tale, but many fantasy tales begin this way and evolve as they progress. It is a pleasant, easy read that will not require a score card to keep track of the pantheon of Gods and religions that one would need to wade through other fantasy offerings. This simplicity does not detract from the fact that this novel is a tremendously pleasing tale suited for genre lovers of all ages. What I enjoyed about Mr. Mclaren’s novel is the innocence that permeates every sentence of the story…far removed from the cynicism and vitriol that infects much of our literature in today’s world. I find myself thinking of this novel in terms of adjective that I have not associated with the fantasy genre …sweet and endearing. Even the resolutions of the story’s conflicts were achieved without the obligatory buckets of blood and viscera and this demonstrated a creative sensibility I've seldom seen. Technically, Mr. Mclaren’s writing evokes comparison with Terry Goodkind in his use of narrative and the interrogative as a means of exploring a character’s internal thought process. This mechanism suits the story well.

The lasting impact of this novel is what compels me to give it the highest recommendation…this is a fantasy story with both innocence and a gentle grace that is refreshing and delightful.

Franz and I take markedly different approaches to the crafting of creative fiction, but these are technical and mechanical differences. If there is a commonality that links us as creative writers, I believe it is to be found in our perspectives on good and evil and the inherent distinctions that separate the two…distinctions that have become increasingly obscure in much of today’s fiction. In Franz’s fantasy offering, these distinctions are made refreshingly obvious from the outset. In my admittedly darker works, the reader will be required to sift through that darkness, but fundamental belief that there should be a discernable difference between the actions of the protagonist and the antagonists of the story is there to be found. It is adherence to this belief that good should be held to a higher account, that is never sacrificed in the name of expedience, that stands as a commonality between Franz and myself.



In the weeks to come, I will release the first volume of my fantasy series, entitled Journey through the Land of Shades. Along with this first installment, I have decided to include the first chapter of Clarion of Destiny: Home Lost along with the review that I have posted above. In the spirit of reciprocity, Mr. Mclaren has graciously agreed to do the same in Journey’s End…for which I am most grateful. I hope readers of both series will take the time to read this bonus content and then go on to explore the creative universes of both writers…For my part, I will post reviews on The Clarion series as I read each volume and I look forward to working with Franz over the course of the years to come.
You can learn more about the works of Franz Mclaren at http://www.franzmclaren.com/

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

GUEST AUTHOR - JAMES ROURKE - THE ETERNAL STRUGGLE

Today's guest author is James Rourke and his fantasy novel The Eternal Struggle:

Here is the compelling cover graphic from The Eternal Struggle:



Here is the synopsis of The Eternal Struggle:

Niccolo Bontecelli and Seamus O’Malley thought their afterlife would simply be a peaceful journey to Heaven. Little did they suspect their path would lead through Hell!


Satan, seeking a final victory in his eternal struggle with Goodness, strives to gain dominion over both the spiritual realm of Limbo and Earth. Hitler and Stalin are released from Hell with orders to bring havoc to Limbo and manipulate the upcoming US Presidential election.

Niccolo and Seamus battle evil with the aid of Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Biko and other historic figures. Can they save Limbo, Earth, and their own souls, or will Satan’s soldiers achieve their malicious goals?

Here is a link to Amazon where the novel can be purchased:

http://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Struggle-Two-Worlds-One/dp/0984635920/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308142893&sr=8-1

Here is a link to the author's website where you can view a trailer for and learn more about The Eternal Struggle:

http://www.jamesrourke.com/


I have asked James to answer a few questions on the nature of his creative process:

1: What aspect of the fantasy genre has drawn you to write beneath its creative umbrella?

1. I loved myths when I was growing up, particularly Greek and Norse mythology. While mythology is its own genre there are many elements of fantasy in them that I enjoyed immensely. Beyond the entertainment value of myths there exists the capacity to wrestle with the big questions of life; questions about meaning, purpose, virtues and vice. The Eternal Struggle trilogy addresses those questions while taking the reader to exotic landscapes, introducing them to new characters and reacquainting them with historic figures. It was the historic figures that presented the greatest challenge. If the reader is persuaded to surrender to the story the sight of Abraham Lincoln wielding spiritual lightning as a weapon against Adolf Hitler makes sense...and is pure fantasy without the wizards. For me myths are not fake, they are stories where one can consider and contemplate big questions while being entertained. Fantasy is an extension of myth making and a genre where, once a world has been created, creativity reigns supreme...which can be great fun for a writer
2: Describe the mechanics of your creative process...touching on elements such as narrative perspectives and tools you prefer to employ in developing your stories.
2.For a story as big as The Eternal Struggle the use of omniscient storytelling voice was the most practical. It wasn't even a choice per say, it just seemed natural. The use of the historic characters in the book required much more conscience decision making. I wanted the historic figures to be true to themselves - as a history teacher this was very important to me - yet the environment they were in was so foreign that I has some lee way to sculpt them as well. If that "sculpting" went to far I would feel uncomfortable with what was being written and had to revisit the scene. In terms of the story arc I knew the ending of the book before anything else. Actually, for quite awhile, all I had was an ending and no idea ho to get there. Once the question, "If this is how it ends then how should it begin?" was answered I was able to create a general outline of the story and it filled in from there.


I hope visitors take a few moment to learn more about this fantasy offering by James Rourke.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

News and Various Things

Like the novel's title, the path to the publication of Journey through the Land of Shades has been a long and arduous one, fraught with pitfalls and much gnashing of teeth. In the end, as is often the case with such things, the end result has proven to be well worth the tribulations. I have become increasingly fussy over the graphic appearance of the covers that depict my novels' content and have become more insistent that the cover art be a physical representation of the vision in my mind's eye. Steven Efondo (Sefdesign) has taken up the challenge...meeting and exceeding it brilliantly...especially with Closures in Blood and now, Journey through the Land of Shades. I'm biased of course, but I absolutely adore this cover and I very proud that it will front the novel beneath.

Here is the first public view of Journey through the Land of Shades...which will be released in early July if all goes according to plan:


Without Steve's assistance in bringing these novels to life, I'm not sure I would have the desire to forge ahead and for his help, he has my most sincere gratitude.

Though The Converging Trilogy has run its course, I still cannot neglect the impact that Elizabeth Simpson and Cynara Saravic's tale has had upon my creative life. I want to share this story with as many fans of the horror genre as I can and this Is why I've decided to offer the first volume of the trilogy for free across all of the e-book platforms. In The Converging Trilogy, I believe I have captured the spirit of the genre that seems to have been lost over the course of the last decade or so. At the very least, this work can stand as my way of paying homage to a genre from which I have derived so much enjoyment over the course of my life.

Still, for the time being (and for some years to come I would imagine based on my plans for the Land of Shades series) my focus will be on the recounting of Islena's Doraux's epic fantasy tale...I hope those fans who have enjoyed my writing thus far will accompany me on this long and perilous journey.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

GUEST AUTHOR FEATURE - SUZY TURNER - RAVEN

This guest author segment features Suzy Turner and her YA Fantasy novel Raven.

Here is the cover art for Raven:


Here is the synopsis of Raven:

After the inexplicable disappearance of Lilly Taylor's parents, she has no choice but to move to Canada where she unravels some frightening yet intriguing family secrets...

Her whole life had been based on a lie. Lilly had grown up in a loveless home with a father who she had barely ever seen and a mother who was... well, not very motherly.
After they mysteriously disappear without a trace, Lilly is sent to Canada where she finds a whole new way of life. A life filled with love and people who care for her. But that's not all she discovers, Lilly also finds out that she isn't who, or what, she thinks she is.
Lilly has a very special ability and it's just a matter of time before her true self starts to shine. And when it does, her life will never be the same again.

Raven is a fantasy novel for children and young adults set in the beautiful province of British Columbia.


Here are some of the sites where you may purchase Suzy Turner's Raven:

Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/58513

Amazon: http://amzn.to/iKKnO1

Here are some of the places where you can follow Suzy Turner and learn more about the fantasy world of Raven:

Author blogspot:  http://suzyturner.blogspot.com/

Author web site: http://suzyturner.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/suzy_turner

I hope that visitors will take a few moments to visit these locations and discover more about author Suzy Turner and her YA Fantasy offering - Raven. I look forward to having Suzy back in the future to discuss her new projects.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

GUEST AUTHOR - PATTI ROBERTS - PARADOX: THE ANGELS ARE HERE

Today's featured guest author is Patti Roberts and the first novel of her Paradox series, entitled Paradox: The Angels are Here.

Here is the cover art of Paradox: The Angels are Here:



Here is a synopsis of the first segment of the Paradox series:

Paradox Series: Spanning over centuries to the present day, this is a story about love, loss and betrayal. The horrifying discovery that nothing is as it seems. When there is nowhere left to run & letting go is your only choice.


Nine hundred years ago, under the complete cover of darkness, the Grigorian army rose silently from their underground lair and attacked the Bulguardian Royal Palace. The bloody and violent battle between the two most legendary houses raged on. All but destroying the majestic Royal City of Altair.
It was not the first war that Juliette had endured between good and evil. And it most certainly would not be her last.
Today: (book 1) A little girls world is turned upside down by a visitor,the Angel of Death. She finds herself trapped in a nightmare, consumed by her paralyzing loss and overwhelming grief. The haunting visions and untimely deaths of others are a constant reminder that life and death are only a heartbeat away.
She eventually befriends the unusual little girl who moves in next door with captivating violet eyes and a profound knowledge of things that far exceeds her tender years.
A saga crossing over two worlds. Two souls being drawn precariously together over the centuries.
When your destiny has been written in blood, and you are left with one burning question. Is your Guardian Angel from Heaven or Hell?


Here are just a few of the sites where you can purchase Paradox: The Angels are Here


Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/27156

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Paradox-Angels-Are-Here-ebook/dp/B004QTOQQ0

Barnes and Noble Nook: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Paradox-The-Angels-Are-Here/Patti-Roberts/e/2940011154805/?itm=2&USRI=paradox+angels

Sony Reader Store: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/patti-roberts/paradox-the-angels-are-here/_/R-400000000000000323268

The novel is also available through Diesel e-books and Kobo.

Here is link to the trailer for Paradox: The Angels are Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IovcxyZTFuU

To follow Patti Roberts and learn more about the Paradox universe, please visit the following links:


Author Blog spot: http://paradox-theangelsarehere.blogspot.com/

Author Web site: http://pattiroberts.webs.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/PattiRoberts7

Facebook: http://tinyurl.com.3woe841/

I hape visitors will take a few moments and immerse themselves in Patti Robert's Paradox universe...Note book 2 of this series will be featured on this blog in the near future.