Crown of Ravens Unleashed!!!

It took some time, but at long last, I can finally announce that the second book in The Heart of Light Trilogy, Crown of Ravens, is published! Links are below description for any of you to order from Amazon.

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In a world of proud elves, haughty kings, mythical beasts and terrifying nightmares, the power of evil has never been more deadly. Only the Azmaril, symbol of Elosha's Light, stands as a silent beacon to give hope to the hopeless.

Elaine has lost everything she cherished and loved. Her home is in ruins, her family lies cold in their graves, and the man she loves has disappeared and could possibly never return. Battling both despair and grief, Elaine is forced to put aside her own inner turmoil and rally for the sake of her country and the entire realm. As the power of the Azmordan is unleashed and darkness begins to spread across the skies, Elaine looks to the tales behind the Crown of Ravens and the source that gave rise to the legend. With little hope of success or guidance and trying desperately to hold onto her faith, she and her friends begin a dangerous journey into the accursed Shadow Forest—a journey Zar’ul himself is determined to stop. 

Darvir has faced more than any man can endure. He’s survived the Death Circles, slavery and mental torture under Ruval, The Brotherhood of Hallomon, and even a deadly hound of the Shadow. But separated from Elaine and faced with the possibility of never returning to her could be the breaking point. Journeying to the homeland of his father, he is confronted with the decision to either accept his destiny and the One behind it or allow himself to fall into the Darkness waiting to engulf him.

Faith and forgiveness, love and death, all weave together in a tapestry that enfolds two people whose choices will either save their world or doom it to eternal dominion under the Shadow.

CROWN OF RAVENS

Special interview feature: Trista Vaporblade

Great news, folks! I am pleased to host my second author interview on here and introduce to all of you another firend of mine and talented author, Trista Vaporblade! She is an avid reader, writer, actress, and Follower of the Way. She has been writing stories since she was in 1st grade and has finally gotten around to publishing her first finished work, Quest for the Swords of Healing. It is said that she can be found in a land far from here, a place not many people discover and even fewer understand; the land of her own imagination. Trista can also be seen roaming the halls of the Underground , blogging about her world of wonder A blog of writing and music, or simply dancing in the bright summer sun outside in her backyard. When you pick up a book of Trista's you pick up a book of epic adventures and heroic character in which the good triumphs over evil, but sometimes the cost is far greater then you could ever imagine...

Trista has just released her second major novel, Ranger. For all you fantasy fans like me out there, you'll be pleased to know that the author is giving away a copy of each of her books in a giveaway she is hosting, the link to which will be at the bottom of the post. Here is the summary of her latest release, Ranger:

“ Kimberly Ranger is daughter to the wealthy governor of a small, dry western town. Disaster befalls her and her family one night as they ride through the shadow cloaked forest paths and all of them are thought to be dead. Several years later a young stranger appears in the town’s saloon, asking questions about that night. But as time ticks on, respected members of the town disappear without a trace, animals are slaughtered in herds, and a tale as old as time is brought to light. The greatest adventures are not always the ones that are passed down in fables, sometimes the ones that really mean something are the ones that never get told…” - Ranger

Trista has agreed to an interview with me, so let us begin.

Interview

Trista, welcome to A Dark Wolf’s Haunt and thank you for joining us here! So to start things off, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself? What are your favorite hobbies and how would you describe your personality? 

Trista: Thank you, Dark Wolf! I’m excited to be here and thank you so much for the invite! 

More or less about me: Okay well, most importantly I’m a Bible believing Christian and as an author that mind-set and perspective flows into my works. I’m a high school graduate whose dream is to go out into the world and minister Christ’s love through music.  A few of my random hobbies are reading, writing (of course), acting, drawing on occasion, and anything that has to do with being outside.  And my personality? Bleh, I’m not good at describing myself. Some of the things other people have called me: Random, Adventurous, Strange, Hard-working, Willing to listen, Unpredictable, Godly, Weird, Tenacious, Loyal, and other such things...Sorry, I’m bad at that =P 

What inspired you to get into writing? How did you start your journey to getting published?

Trista: Hmm, what inspired me to get into it indeed. I really can’t recall exactly how it all began, for I was writing “stories” since I could make a sloppy sentence. Its just something I’ve always done. I remember I had pages of notebooks filled with prospective book “titles” and I had many pieces of other paper with drawings for the said books. Though none of those ever made it into much more than ideas and a few random sentences here and there.

What really kick-started me into the process of self publication was NaNoWriMo. The young writer’s program, which I did my first year of NaNo, teams with Createspace so that if you finish the 50k (or less or more) words of your novel, you get five free copies of your novel from Createspace. I did finish my novel’s 50k, but the book wasn’t finished yet. So I decided to edit through my other book that was finished (Quest for the Swords of Healing) and go ahead and self-publish that. And that’s how I started the journey, with writing 50k in one month in a crazy challenge I never thought I’d end up doing.

What provides the inspiration for your stories, and what source would you say is the biggest influence on your writing?

Trista: I get inspiration everywhere almost all the time. Sometimes I laugh at myself for it, but in the end it’s helpful. It used to come mostly from reading, but since I began seriously writing I’ve bordered my scope of inspiration, as it were. Pictures inspire characters a lot for me, or some plot pieces. What family and friends say sparks my imagination at times, places I visit, songs and music do a lot to inspire me as well. I think, though, my biggest inspiration is the places I’ve been or will go. The new and amazing world that ignites my curiosity and the old wonderful trails I still find pleasure in walking. I love being outdoors and everything about it inspires me to write. I wish that when I go out for a trip to the woods or walk in the corn field I could just talk my thoughts and when I come back to my room, a novel will be waiting for me with the words I said. X) 

Which author’s work do you admire the most and why?

Trista: Hmm, I have many author’s whose works I admire. But I have to say that Christopher Hopper’s The White Lion Chronicles are still my favorite books. At first they were rather slow and I got a little disenchanted with all the description. But as I got into them and read more, I loved them! They speak a deeper truth and have those little hidden stories in there that you can read between the lines if you look close enough, I like that in books; especially Christian books.  I liked all the characters, the setting, the plot, and how it ended. So I appreciate these three novels and their author greatly.

Of the entire writing process, what are your favorite and least favorite parts?

Trista: Hmm, there’s so much I enjoy. I love it when you get on a roll and you can write like 10k in less than an hour, that’s a great part. I enjoy working with plot  development off of my computer, that can be an adventure in and of itself. I also like going back through things I’ve already written and reading here and there. Sometimes I surprise myself when I do that. X) And, ask almost any author, the least favorite part is the editing process of the second -or more - draft. Arg. =P  

Could you tell us about some of your earlier works?

Trista: Well, like I was saying earlier on, I’ve been working on writing for a while. But I never really finished a story until just five or six years ago. Before that I had been working on a story called Storm; it was about a horse and her journeys to find her herd after she was separated from them. That one hung on for a while but never made it very far. Then I wrote Battle of the Dragons, my first (and last...so far) short story inspired by Redwall and a dream I had.  That was the first book I actually finished.

So, what we all have been eagerly wanting to know, tell us about Ranger. How long did it take you to develop the story, and did you encounter any challenges with writing it?

Trista:  Oh yes, Ranger. *grin* Okay, well this story was inspired by my older brother to begin with and sorta took off on its own. My brother and I were talking about the new Lone Ranger movie they had just made(even thought we hadn’t seen it nor care to now) and he mentioned a few things that set my mind cogs to whirling. 

I wrote Ranger for NaNoWriMo last year, and as I went on with it the basic idea I had took off in a completely new direction. I do like the way the story came out, though. And I even tried something I thought I’d never do; I wrote in first person. 

I did struggle a little bit here and there when it came to writer’s block, but because it was NaNo and I needed to press on, I did. This novel wrote pretty well and easily all things considered. However, when I came to the editing process I do have to admit it took me longer than it should have to finish it.   

Of all the characters in Ranger, which one, if any, do you think best matches your own personality? 

Trista: Oh my, characters are so interesting, you know? Because there’s something about you in each one of them: a personality trait, a nervous habit, their appearance, something large or super small. In some ways it’s pretty cool, in other ways it can be kinda scary. Cause your villains also, in some way, have something of yours. That’s what makes all characters unique, because no one else has the same traits as you to put into them. That was a rabbit trail a bit there, but I think the character that is most like me in the book, putting all of them aside, would be Tonto.    

What story are you actively working on now?

Trista: I have so many projects I want to see to completion, but right now I’m working on The Guardian Elf Scrolls Book 2, The Nameless. The sequel to Quest for the Swords of Healing. 

For our enjoyment, would you mind sharing a piece from Ranger with us? 

Trista: Oh sure, why not? Alrighty, a small except from the (almost) end of Chapter 2:

From Ranger

Kimberly sat in silence as the last words faded away, curling upward with the hazy air. She distrusted this boy. Why would he bother to weave such a tale? Was it to cause her confusion so that in this fragile state they could impose their savage ways on her? Something stirred deep within, and Kim knew his story was not meant for illusion. Her hand waveringly rose to her bandage again. She cringed. ‘How have I changed?’ Her heart picked up speed. Eyes darting she saw sorrow pictured on the lad’s face. “What has happened to me? What have you done?” Kim lurched backward and stood as swiftly as possible. “What has changed?” Her feet felt unusual, clumsy and awkward.

  Tonto looked on with grief lacing his features. “Nothing that can be altered now.” He spoke steadily, trying to ease her panic. “The people of this village, my kin, see you only as you are, not as you have been. They will accept you for what you are, which I cannot say for the people who used to know you.”

Kimberly stepped away from the fire stones, her heels knocking into an iron kettle. “And what am I? What is wrong with me?” she breathed, scarcely above a whisper. 

Tonto rose from his place near the coals, a solitary hand stretched out in a gesture for her to follow. “Come, I will show you.” 

***

Thank you very much, Trista, for that exciting piece of work. All of us are definitely looking forward to future works from you. And if any of you folks wish to snag Trista's amazing reads for free, just click on the link below.

Ranger

Special interview feature: Kate Elizabeth Stoneacre

So after procrastinating for months, I finally got around to interviewing my very first author! It is my pleasure to introduce all of you to a friend of mine, Kate Elizabeth Stoneacre, author of the fantasy novel, The Lost Princess. And if you love fantasy, you'll be excited to know that you can grab Kate's book in a giveaway being hosted, the link to which will be at the bottom of the post. Here is the summary of the book:

“Laurel is a fourteen year old homeschooler with a seemingly perfect life. However, when her grandmother goes delusional and starts speaking utter nonsense, Laurel’s world flip-flops. Questions are raised, and she finds herself thrown into Tranquility, to the kingdom of Calma where she must confront a tyrannical king. Samuel is the twelve year old prince of Calma. His father is the king, and tries to make Samuel into the same kind of prince as he is a king. However, Samuel’s mother Elizabeth taught him in the ways of Elohim, and to do the right thing. Can Laurel set right the kingdom of Calma? Can Samuel find the courage of Elohim to stand up to his father? Can a young elf named Soddriel find in his heart to forgive his enemies? With courage in their hearts, and the words of Elohim on their tongues, goodness is sure to triumph. Revolution is at hand.” - The Lost Princess

 Kate has graciously agreed to my request to interview her, so without any further ado, here we go. :)

Interview

Kate, welcome to A Dark Wolf’s Haunt and thank you for joining us here! So to start things off, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself? What are your favorite hobbies and how would you describe your personality?

Kate: Hi, JM, and thank you for having me! My favorite hobbies, aside from writing, are reading, singing, acting in musicals, and dancing! I love to have a good time, and I love being around people.

What inspired you to get into writing? How did you start your journey to getting published?

Kate: The first person who inspired me to write was Mr. Dewalt. Over the summer one year, he taught a short class to all the kids about writing, and it piqued my interest. However, I didn’t finish my first novel until NaNoWriMo 2013. After I finished The Lost Princess, I contacted a friend of mine who helped edit my novel, and I self-published through Createspace. 

What provides the inspiration for your stories, and what source would you say is the biggest influence on your writing?

Kate: I get a lot of my inspiration from my own crazy dreams, and other novels I’ve read. I guess listening to soundtracks really influences my writing, as well as suggestions from my friends and family. :)

Which author’s work do you admire the most and why?

Kate: I really admire the works of C.S. Lewis. All of his books are well written. And have theological truths in them without sounding ridiculous and preachy. 

Of the entire writing process, what are your favorite and least favorite parts?

Kate: My favorite part is coming up with fun characters, and an interesting plot. My least favorite part is midway through the story because I’m way past point A, but I don’t know quite how to make it to point B.

So, what we all have been eagerly wanting to know, tell us about The Lost Princess. How long did it take you to develop the story, and did you encounter any challenges with writing it?

Kate: I actually started developing the main story idea for The Lost Princess May of 2013. It was the third novel I had started writing, but this time I was determined to see it through till the end. I searched writing templates, and write the first two chapters. In August, I tossed everything but the Prologue, and the main character and started over, with help from a few of my best friends. Once the story idea was developed, and characters outlined, I decided to stop working on The Lost Princess, and save it for my first eve NaNoWriMo.  It wasn’t always easy, and often you would find me up at 3am, racking my brain for a good subplot, or asking my mother “What lies beyond the Glas sea” but after a lot of hard work, supportive friends and family, and way more coffee than any human being should consume in their lifetime, The Lost Princess was finished… Until editing began, which I will not go into now.

Of all the characters in The Lost Princess, which one, if any, do you think best matches your own personality?

Kate: I fashioned most of Laurel’s personality after my own, although I’m not sure I’d have the courage to do all the things she did. However, I also find that I am a lot like Aidan, who actually happens to be my favorite character in my novel.

What story are you actively working on now?

Kate: I am currently writing Forgotten Dream, which is my second ever novel. However, I have already begun planning for my NaNo14 novel, False Light, both under the pseudonym Katie Kessler.

For our enjoyment, would you mind sharing a piece from The Lost Princess with us? 

Kate: Absolutely! Here is one of my favorite parts of the novel.

From The Lost Princess

“Laurel, get up. I need you to free me.” Aidan said urgently. I stood up and pulled my knife, cutting the ropes that bound Aidan. As soon as he was freed, I fell to my knees again. 

“Laurel, we have to go.” Aidan said. 

“What about the others?” There is nothing we can do about them now,” He said, his voice choking up. “They’re dead.” He lifted me to my feet. “Come, we have to go quickly, they’ll be back soon.” 

“Who?” I asked, walking quickly with Aidan. 

“The men who did this.” 

“Why did they leave me?” I asked. 

“We were the bait. They wanted you, but first they wanted to break your heart. They left me alive knowing I would call to you.” I stopped

“Then why did you call?” 

“Simple. I knew you couldn’t escape without my help. Much less find the cure for your brother.” 

“How do you know?” Aidan looked me in the eyes. 

“Laurel. Do you trust me?” He asked. 

“Yes,” I replied. 

“Then trust me to know that you couldn’t have done it alone.” We heard shout behind us, and we started to run. “Get back here you scum!” a voice yelled behind us. I tripped and fell, hitting my head. I began to pass out, “Laurel, you can’t pass out.” Aidan said. “Laurel, Laurel, LAUREL!”

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Thank you so much, Kate, for sharing that exciting piece with us! Definitely we are looking forward to seeing more of your work in the future.

So folks, if you are looking for some exciting fantasy, head on over to the link below to enter the giveaway for the chance to win this amazing story. 

The Lost Princess

Chapter One Preview: Part Three

And here is the last part of the first chapter I'll be posting. To read the full chapter, you access it here: The Dark Wolf

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Through a spell he kept on Darvir's mind, Ruval created a painful sensation throughout his body. It was not strong enough to incapacitate him, but it would certainly remind Darvir of his power and the additional punishment Ruval could give him if he chose to rebel.

For a few seconds, Darvir held his ground before breaking eye contact and turning away. “One day you will no longer be able to hold me with that, and when that day comes, you will have no choice but to face me.” Darvir stalked away, slamming the door behind him.

Ruval swore and tightened his fist on the goblet, crushing it in his grasp before tossing it into the fire. He had withdrawn his presence from Darvir's mind, but it was an effort not to inflict him with more than just a simple ache for his little show of defiance. He still required Darvir to complete this mission, but something needed to be done with him after this was over. Darvir was starting to become a bother and not worth the effort to control. It might just be time to get rid of him. Permanently.

Chapter One Preview: Part One

I was determined to not miss posting this month, and I succeeded. In this one, I'm giving all of you a look at the first chapter of my book, The Dark Wolf, to read and enjoy. Feel free to leave your opinions and views below. I will post a second part of the chapter later on.

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Shadows danced around in a room lit only by dying flames that sputtered weakly in the hearth of a massive fireplace. For several moments, they struggled to keep aflame, but slowly they began to fade until only smoldering embers glinted faintly in the ashes, leaving the room in darkness.

A small red light bloomed to life a few paces away from the hearth, chasing away some of the darkness. It flickered twice before its glow steadied and grew stronger.

The darkness before it parted as a shadow detached itself, gradually morphing into a tall man-shaped figure. It approached the source of the red light—a dark red orb as large as a child‟s toy and set in a niche atop a stone hewn stand—and watched multi-colored pinpricks of light dance across the orb's glassy surface, gradually coalescing into the forms of mounted soldiers.

There were seven of them, each wearing black armor and a dark red cloak with the insignia of a black eagle on their shoulder. They were coated with grime and appeared exhausted, but they rode without pause through a curtain of rain.

The orb continued to show their progress for several minutes more before the scene faded and the light in the orb slowly dimmed, leaving the room in pitch darkness once more.

It fled as drapes along the wall were pulled back, allowing the fading afternoon light to stream in through the beveled window panes and upon the man called Ruval.

He was clothed in a plain black tunic and pants. Thick blond hair edged with grey at the temples was brushed back, revealing a broad face etched with deep, cruel lines. Cold blue eyes watched the dark clouds in the sky that were growing larger.

Ruval eyed the clouds with a frown and turned away, not perturbed by the sight. It would be a little while yet before the storm arrived, but it mattered not. The weather would not hinder his plans from going forward.

At last, it will be mine, he thought eagerly. It had taken many years of waiting and searching, but now everything was coming together exactly as he had planned.

Ruval stepped towards a heavy table, darkened with age, on which stood a tall pitcher and a plain bronze goblet. He poured some wine into the goblet before striding over to the fireplace to grab a chunk of wood and toss it into the hearth.

Ruval stirred the ashes with a poker, sending a torrent of sparks flying upward in a lazy spiral almost hypnotizing in their ascent as they glowed brightly for a brief second before winking out. Eventually a small flame flickered weakly and soon grew in strength as it hungrily devoured the wood.

Ruval set the poker back in its place at the hearth‟s side before sitting down in a large black chair. He glanced impatiently at the doors to his left. What was taking the boy so long? He had mind-called him before leaving his study, which would have given him plenty of time to arrive about now if he hurried.

Ruval sipped his wine and drummed the fingers of his right hand irritably on the chair's armrest. Of all the times to dawdle, the boy had to choose today. He used to be more punctual when he had first arrived, fear keeping him from doing anything that might displease him, but over the years, Ruval had watched that fear slowly abate. It was something he was not pleased to see.

After several minutes had passed, a firm knock echoed outside the chamber‟s door, causing Ruval to glance at it crossly. Finally, it had taken him long enough. “Enter,” he commanded.

Ready to rock once more

As those of you who have been following my blog know, I was forced to take down the e-book of my book, The Dark Wolf, due to multiple formatting errors. After a few days of tinkering with it, I got it back up and running a couple days ago, this time error free. I will admit, this whole thing has been a huge learning process and MORE than a good bit of work. But the pain in my eyeballs from staring at the screen too long, and the general frustration when I saw another snag that needed to be corrected was worth it to finally have this DONE. Now, due to the formatting I used, when you go to Amazon and press the 'Click to View Inside' it won't show any page breaks. This is not due to any formatting errors on my part. I recently learned that this feature Amazon has carries a few bugs, so unless you have really complex formatting, the page breaks won't show. Seeing as how I'm not into making things harder than they need to, I opted to go with the simpler formatting that still delivers great results.
Those page breaks are there and will show with the e-book itself when you purchase it, so don't worry. I checked with several authors to be sure of this, and each one verified it. If you wish to be sure, just download the free sample Amazon provides which is located to the right of the page.
So anyway, here's the link, (again) and when you buy the book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HSTAVIM


And on a sidenote, for my next post, I will leave a few helpful tips on how to format your own e-book. God knows, after what I went through, I want to make sure you guys have enough info so you can avoid the pitfalls. 

Epic Fantasy--enter Quest for the Swords of Healing!!!

Recently, I purchased a book from a friend of mine, and decided to post a review of it on here. The book, Quest for the Swords of Healing, is Trista Vaporblade’s first book in The Guardian Elf Scrolls.

The story begins with eight teenage actors who are suddenly faced with a whole new level of reality when their studio is blown up, and they are attacked by an army sent by the Dark Lord, Vorn. Faced with danger at every turn, these eight teenagers must not only learn how to wield the powers at their disposal, but also find eight magical blades—a quest that could either save the earth or utterly doom it.
I loved the story. Yes, it’s fantasy, so of course I’m going to enjoy it more, but on the whole, it was an engaging story with enough humor and suspense to even satisfy those who aren’t fans of the fantasy genre. And the ending of the story is priceless, a simple reminder of the power of God even when all looks lost and hopeless.
Trista Vaporblade is an amazing writer, and I can’t wait for the sequel to come out (hint, hint to the author). I highly encourage those who enjoy fantasy and even those who don’t to give it a try. This is an adventure you DON’T want to miss out on.

You can purchase her book from Amazon: Quest for the Swords of Healing

THE DARK WOLF

At long last, I finally got some time to write up another post on here. My book, The Dark Wolf, recently got published and made available for sale! After many months of rewrites and editing, I am so happy that all the work is finally done!
Currently, I am working on getting the e-book version ready, which I am happy to say has been formatted perfectly and will be up soon in a few days. If you're interested in looking inside the book, just head on over to Amazon. As soon as the e-book is available, I will post the link on here.

THE DARK WOLF

Journey to the land of Elser—a realm of men, elves, and dellfins. Despite the old hostility between men and elves, an uneasy peace has reigned for over a century. But now all that is about to change.

Darvir is a man without a past, family, or friends. Exploited by those who use his strange abilities for their own gain, all Darvir has ever known is a life of slavery and bloodshed. 

Elaine is intelligent, beautiful—a daughter of kings, yet she is an embarrassment and disgrace to her family for going against tradition and wanting to know the truth. Exiled to a remote part of the kingdom, she languishes there in seclusion until a deadly menace forces her to flee. 

When the paths of these two people cross, they are thrust into a web of peril and sorcery against impossible odds. As Darvir and Elaine both struggle to survive the myriad of dangers before them, an ancient evil is stirring and preparing to unleash a power against which neither man, elf, or dellfin can hope to prevail.

Hunter Brown and the Secret of the Shadow: My Review

I finally got the time to read the first book in the Codebearer series, and am pleased to say that it exceeded beyond my expectations. The story has a feel slightly similar to the Door Within Trilogy, only amped to the tenth level with a lot more humor and excitement.
We are introduced to Hunter Brown, a high school kid who has developed a reputation as a prankster. After one prank goes wrong, he ends up in the realm of Solandria on the run from the Shadow. There, he meets the Codebearers, warriors devoted to the Resistance of the Shadow, and joins the group but before he can finish his training, he is sent on a mission that could cost him his very soul.
I thoroughly enjoyed the unique world the Miller Brothers created, as well as the character of Hunter Brown, who is sure to make you laugh more than once at some of things he gets into. I have to be honest and say I have never laughed so much with any fantasy book until this one. What I loved most of all is God is not put on the back shelf. His presence is clearly defined as the Author, the creator of all, who is always in control, and the story is very focused on that. Too many times, authors regulate God to little more than a thought, and that is the last we hear about Him. Not so with the Miller Brothers, and I give them two thumbs up for that. There are plenty of lessons to be learnt in this story, a couple of which are trusting that God is in control of things even if it looks otherwise, and that we all have a purpose in life.
Overall, I give the story five out of five stars. If you are looking for humor, thrills, and something that teaches good spiritual values, then this is the book for you.
I have only one complaint, which is a minor one, and that is the lack of commas in places. There are actually a lot of essential commas missing, which I was very surprised about, but again it’s a minor thing unless you’re a very picky reader. Other than that, everything else is good.