Friday, December 28, 2012

Meet the Characters


Welcome to the first Friday of Meet the Characters. Every week, I'll do a character sketch for a character from one of my novels. If this generates any interest, I'll have characters from other writer's novels as well.
Today you will meet Micayta (pronounced muh-kay-tuh). She is the main character in my most recently released novel, Shadow of the Dragon (YA Fantasy). 

Age: 19   Hair Color: Light Black   Eye Color: Brown   Skin Color: White   Birthplace: Talphan (tal-fun)    Occupation: Barmaid   Special Skills: dagger throwing   Parents: Sannel (san-el) & Anora (uh-nor-uh)    Sibling: Pytaki (pie-tuh-ky)  

Micayta has grown up in a world that is trapped in an endless winter. The cause of this is a mystery. She lost her mother when she was eight and her relationship with her father is strained because of a shared secret. She is a strong woman who at times can seem callous and unfeeling. This is simply a way for her to guard her heart from hurt.
Blurb:    Micayta’s world has long been gripped in the thrall of an endless winter that grows worse with the passing of time. Life is a constant struggle. Then catastrophe strikes the small town in which she lives, thrusting Micayta and her brother Pytaki alone into the snow laden countryside. To keep herself and her brother alive will take all the strength that she has.

Then a mysterious stranger appears to complicate matters. Tech has an amazing story to tell, but is any of it true? Old wounds and betrayals make Micayta slow to trust, but without Tech she and her brother will never make it across the countryside alive. Through bandits, wolves, and snowstorms, the three struggle their way to the city of Phadra. But the real danger lies within the city walls, where Micayta becomes a player in a deadly game with a dark-eyed mage.
Nothing is what it seems.

As the truth unravels, Micayta finds herself drawn into a struggle much bigger than she ever dreamed. Choices must be made and sides taken. But the question of who to trust is one not easily answered. Micayta will have to open her heart and find a way to let someone else in, or the flames that destroyed her home will consume the world.

Excerpt:      Another explosion rolled through the night and Micayta lost her footing on a patch of ice. She went down hard on the frosted ground. Her knee cracked against the ground and she cried out. For a moment, she lay panting with her face pressed against the ice. The scent of charred wood came to her on the wind, mixed with another, fouler scent that she could not place. Holding her knee, Micayta rolled over on her back and looked straight up into the face of a nightmare. Two long, black horns curved back from a reptilian face covered in crimson scales; sharp spikes ran all down a serpentine neck that was mottled with a faded shade of orange; clawed feet gripped the edge of the bakery roof; two leathery wings cast a dark shadow over the alley. The dragon’s black eyes gazed at something over the rooftops, seemingly oblivious to Micayta’s presence below.

Micayta lay frozen there, staring up. Her heart was beating so loud she was sure the dragon would look down at any moment and see her. Her life would end in a blast of fire. A thousand things she should have said and should have done rolled through her mind. None of these things happened. After a short time that seemed to drag on endlessly, the dragon lifted off the roof with a massive sweep of its wings and passed on.

It took a moment for the pain in her knee and the ice at her back to assure her she was still alive. “Pytaki,” her brother’s name spilled from her lips in a gasp. There was a good chance he was home alone as their father worked late into the night and often did not come home until long after they’d gone to bed. They lived on the edge of town, but even there he must have heard all this noise. He might come to see what was happening.


 

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Book Review: A Dragon Scorned by J.C. Harker

A Dragon Scorned is part of the Dragons Reborn Series. In this story, Uutta Toivoa is attacked by a dwarven ship. The story started out pretty good and sounded promising, but toward the middle it started to falter. There were many interesting things just barely touched at that I would have liked to read more about. I think it could have done better as a longer, more fleshed out story. The attack on the village was kind of boring, considering that the inhabitants are supposed to have magical powers. I did not see much of that.

The story is well written and descriptive without being wordy and there were a couple of cool scenes like when the dragon wakes up. The way the people of this island bond with their dragons is unique and one of the reasons why I enjoyed a previous short story set in this same world. Sadly, this one is just not as good as the other one was. Still, I would most certainly read more stories written by this author.

About My Novels

One of the questions I get asked most often as a writer is, "What are your books about?" My reply is to mumble something about dragons, blush, and look at the floor. Not the best response, but I'm rather shy in person and when this question comes up my mind tends to go blank. So, since I'm a better writer than I am a talker, I thought I'd take a moment to tell you what my books are about.

Flight Of Dragons: Charles gets shanghaied by a crazed sea captain and pressed into leading the hunt for a dragon across the homeland that he fled years before. What he finds is a past he tried to leave behind and a threat that endangers the life of every living thing in the place he once called home. http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Of-Dragons-ebook/dp/B005TLF0T6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356121683&sr=1-1&keywords=kyra+dune

Shadow Of The Dragon: Micayta and Pytaki, two siblings whose world is gripped in an endless winter, must flee their home after a dragon's attack. During their flight, they meet a mysterious stranger. Is he an ally or an enemy? Micayta isn't sure, but she'll have to face a secret from her past and learn to trust again, or her world will die. http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-of-the-Dragon-ebook/dp/B00AMVNTI2/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356121683&sr=1-6&keywords=kyra+dune

Time Of Shadows Series (A five book series): The Dark God, Ryu, seeks to re-enter the world of men through a portal that's been locked for centuries, while the God of Light, Basale, seeks to stop him. Caught in the middle of this battle between the gods are the men and women of the kingdom of Phalindros. The mortals are like pieces on a chessboard and each god moves his pieces as they try to outmaneuver each other. But the humans can only be influenced so far before free will kicks in. Free will is the wild card. Will the humans walk the paths the gods intended, or will they choose their own way? The gods can see much further than the humans, but even they can't see how the game will end. (Book One) http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Born-ebook/dp/B007VT613S/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356121683&sr=1-4&keywords=kyra+dune

Elfblood Trilogy: Charlie's life is complicated enough being a soldier's orphan in a home for boys. Being an elfblood, one descended of a slave elf and a human, doesn't help, but at least he can keep that a secret. Until war comes knocking on his door. Charlie's life, and the lives of his friends, get turned upside down when they're dragged off to a prison work camp. But that's only the beginning. As Charlie struggles to control his own wild magic, he and his friends are drawn into a desperate quest to stop a mad king from setting off a chain of events that will end with the world in flames. Through hope and betrayal, love and loss, Charlie will be drawn to his destiny. A destiny he never could have imagined.  (Book One) http://www.amazon.com/Elfblood-ebook/dp/B008GHMQVU/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356121683&sr=1-3&keywords=kyra+dune

Firebrand Trilogy: Jada and Carlan are firebrands, those with the ability to create and control fire. They are also members of the two most powerful noble Houses in the Ten Kingdoms. When kidnapping and murder turn their entitled lives upside down, they must both struggle to shed who they are and become who they can be. Because there is a plot brewing behind the scenes, a plot to overthrow the Ten Kingdoms, and it will be up to Jada and Carlan to stop it. (First book coming in 2013)

Dragonstar Duology: Dagen is a thief and a good one. At least he thinks so. But he has aspirations for so much more. After making the score of a lifetime -a case full of rare jewelry- he expects all his dreams to come true. Then reality comes crashing down on him. Together with two other young thieves, Dagen finds himself on the run. Only Dagen has no idea that one of the stolen pieces of jewelry is the fabled Draginstar and his life is about to be altered forever. From the hidden city of thieves to the dark peaks of the Black Mountain, Dagen will take a journey full of wonder and magic, excitement and danger, love and betrayal. To fulfill his destiny he must let go of painful childhood memories and learn to believe in something greater than himself. (First book coming in 2014)

Friday, December 21, 2012

Video Trailers/ My Novels


These are the links to the video trailers for my novels which are currently available for purchase at any online retailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkYYMxBQbFs





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTnBddNxrHI


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvnYkfZl0Ro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFm6_ZVTxjk









COMING FEBRUARY 2013
ELBLOOD #2





 
 

Sneak Peek Of My Upcoming Novel

My newest novel, The Silver Catacombs (Elfblood Book #2) is being released in February 2013. But I thought I would give anybody interested a little sneak peak. So here is Chapter One.


          Summer was fading into fall, bringing a hint of winter’s chill to the nights and early mornings. Charlie lay with his head rested on his backpack and watched the gray sky shading toward the golden hues of dawn. The alley in which he’d spent the night was still and silent, except for the soft snores of Spree, who was curled up on his chest.

He hated to wake the sprite but he was stiff from sleeping on the hard ground. Besides, it was never a good idea to stay in one place for too long, and he was hungry. “Spree?” He gently prodded her with his finger.

The sprite stirred with a sigh and propped her head up on her slender hands. Her almond-shaped brown eyes regarded him wearily. “What you need, Charlie?”

“It’s time to get up.”

Spree stood and stretched, flexing her translucent wings. “Is hardly sun in sky.”

“I know. But this isn’t like sleeping in a tree or a gully somewhere. We’re in the city now and someone might see us.” They’d been avoiding populated areas as much as possible on their trek across Angland, using Spree’s corridor of non-light whenever they could. But Spree could only carry another person that way for so long before her magic wore out and so Charlie had spent part of the journey on foot.

 They had used the corridor three days ago to bypass the checkpoint at the border and enter the country of Kiloreen, ancestral home of the elves. From here on out, Charlie must travel by foot alone. He was looking for something and he didn’t want to take the chance of missing it by using the corridor. There was a map in his pocket which was supposed to lead him to his destination if only he could figure out how to use it.

Once Spree had hopped off his chest, Charlie took the canteen out of his backpack. He screwed off the lid, filled it with water, and handed it to Spree, then drank what was left himself. They would need more water and soon. Though he wasn’t sure where to get it in a city.

“Is more food in back sack?” Spree asked.

Charlie looked inside the backpack and tried not to smile. One would think that someone who’d spent more than a hundred and twenty years living in the heating ducts of a school would have a clearer grasp of the language but Spree persisted in mangling it. Charlie’s few attempts at correcting Spree had done nothing but agitate her and he’d long since given up.

“No,” he said, closing the backpack. “You better go see what you can scrounge up. And bring back real food this time, not cookies.”

Spree made a face, stuck out her tongue, and went invisible. Charlie sighed. They’d mostly been living off whatever the land had to offer, which meant Charlie had eaten more fruit in the last two weeks than he had in his entire life, not to mention grass, flowers, and bugs. None of this bothered Spree who, despite her preoccupation with sweets, seemed willing to eat anything, but for Charlie it had been something of an adjustment.

Charlie leaned his head back against the brick building. He found himself missing the home where he’d spent the last seven years of his life. At least there he had three meals a day and a real bed on which to sleep. This whole thing was like one long nightmare from which he could not wake. Sometimes, he wished he’d never met Lily, never heard of the Silver Catacombs; then he would still be with Grant and the others instead of on this endless quest.

Well, no time to dawdle in this alley, wallowing in misery; he needed to move. He had no worries about leaving this spot without Spree. She could always find him. He reached into his pocket and withdrew the silver disk. He stared down at it for the hundredth time and traced a finger over the strange symbols etched blackly into its surface. He thought they were words but could find no one capable of reading them.

In the center of the disk was a small, white magestone. Charlie concentrated on it, calling up his magic, which he was sure was the key to unlocking the map. The stone shimmered faintly, the air above it rippling, only to fade away again. Charlie muttered a curse and stuffed the disk back into his pocket.

“The map and the key” was what Lily had called the disk. But she had known no better than he how to operate it.

Charlie headed for the street and hoped there were no constables about who might be inclined to stop him. He had no papers; if he was caught they would take him straight to jail. Once they got a look at his record and saw elfblood in bold red letters, he would be finished.

As Charlie stepped out of the alley, someone came running around the corner and barreled directly into him. They went down in a tangled heap and Charlie found himself looking into a pair of bright blue eyes surrounded by long lashes.

“Idiot,” the girl muttered, pushing herself to her feet. “Don’t you watch where you’re going?”

Charlie, who was a bit dazed from having hit his head on the asphalt, stared stupidly up at her. She was tall and trim, with unruly black curls, highlighted purple, falling across her shoulders. She was dressed all in black: jeans, tank top, boots with chains, and fingerless gloves. A silver belt circled her narrow waist.

Charlie thought she was a little older than he was, maybe sixteen, judging by her shape, which wasn’t bad to look at even from where he was lying on the ground. The sound of running feet came from the side street. The girl glared down at Charlie. “You didn’t see me.” She darted down the alley and hid behind the nearest dumpster, which was overflowing with foul-smelling refuse.

Charlie managed to get himself into a seated position before two men came around the corner. He knew by their blue uniforms they were town constables and a cold fear cramped his guts.

The fiery dragon in Charlie’s mind leapt to the defense, the magic eager to take control. Charlie mentally grabbed hold of the chains that had once bound the beast in the darkest depths of his mind and pulled back, hoping to at least keep it from going for the kill.

He was on his feet before the men even knew he was there. With a quick kick, he hit the first constable in the chest and heard something snap as the man fell backward. The second constable went for the pistol holstered at his side but he wasn’t half fast enough. Even as his hand closed around the leather grip, Charlie’s leg came around in a roundhouse kick that caught the man on the side of the head. He spun and fell face first onto the ground.

Magic rushed through Charlie’s veins eager for the kill. But he held it back, forcing the dragon to retreat. Once it was safely put down, Charlie knelt beside the first man. The man’s face was pale, his breath short and raspy. Charlie hadn’t allowed the full force of his magic to come through, but he had still broken several of the man’s ribs and judging by his breathing one of them had likely punctured a lung. The second man was unconscious and bleeding but his heartbeat was steady enough.

There was no one else on the street so early in the morning. Charlie had chosen this place because it seemed mostly deserted, though he could hear traffic from somewhere on the other side of the brick buildings. He was torn. Should he try to find help for these men and endanger himself, or leave them and hope some passerby would find them before they died?

“How did you do that?”

Charlie turned at the sound of the girl’s voice behind him. Her eyes were wide with amazement. He stood. “I… uh…” He couldn’t tell the truth and reveal what he was. But he never had been good at lying. “Uh…”

“Uh…” she mimicked him with cruel accuracy. “What’s the matter? You can fight but you can’t talk?”

“I can talk,” Charlie said, blushing furiously. “I just don’t like answering questions, that’s all.”

She shrugged. “Suit yourself. My name’s Raven and I guess I owe you something for taking care of these two for me.” She glanced at the men. “Although they aren’t dead.”

“My name’s Charlie and I don’t kill people if I don’t have to. In fact, I’d like to get them some help before they do die.”

Raven eyed him with a frown, then shrugged again. “A conscience can be a dangerous thing, but if you insist.” She stepped around him and knelt beside the first man who watched her with a mixture of fear and pain in his eyes.

There was a small, black box on his belt, which looked to Charlie to be very similar to the coms the guards had used back at the prison camp. Raven pressed a small red button on the side of the box. “There. This place will be swarming with constables in about ten minutes. I would suggest we be long gone by then.”

“We?”

“Sure. You saved me from going to jail so the least I can do is get you something to eat. You are hungry, aren’t you?”

Charlie hesitated. “Well, it has been awhile since I ate.”

“So come on, then.” Raven led the way down the alley and along a rutted back road. On one side, the backs of tall brick buildings loomed over them. On the other was an overgrown lot with a few motor cars rusting under the rising sun.

“You’re not from here, are you?” Raven asked.

Charlie was instantly suspicious. “Why do you ask?”

Raven gave him a lopsided smile. “Right. You don’t like to answer questions. Not a bad view in most instances but it could get you in a lot of trouble where we’re going.”

“Why? Where are going?”

“A special place,” she said, still smiling. “A place not everybody is allowed to go. But don’t worry; I think you’ll fit in just fine.”

 

Book Review: A Plague Of Knives by James Silke

In this fourth book in the Death Dealer Series, Gath decides to return to Robin and the Grillards. But the nymph queen, Tiyy, the Black Veshta, is also seeking Robin who now carries the power of the White Veshta. And Tiyy has an army at her back.


At a gathering of travelling performers in Whitetree Castle, Brown John intends to reveal Robin as the White Veshta. But his plans go awry when the castle is attacked by Tiyy and her army. There's plenty of excitement in this book and the fights scenes are epic as always in this series. Tiyy and Robin are kind of one dimensional as characters. I don't see Robin growing up any as the series progresses. Gath is of course an awesome killing machine. I love his battle scenes. But his character has grown some from the man Robin found living underground in book one. He doesn't just slash his way through the enemies, this time he has a few clever tricks as well. And his devotion to Robin is touching.

All in all I think this one is the best of the four.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Canvas Skies Book Trailer

Check out this book trailer I made for S.L. Wallace. Canvas Skies is a dystopian science fiction/political thriller.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Next Big Thing Blog Hop

THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP

Welcome to the hop!

Here you have the chance to find many new authors. Welcome to Sarah Wallace, who was kind enough to tag me in this event.

Sarah Wallace
Author of the science fiction trilogy, Reliance On Citizens Makes Us Great
Website/Blog: Crossroads of Humanity
Twitter: S.L. Wallace (authorSLWallace) on Twitter
Facebook:  Facebook
Goodreads: Goodreads | S.L. Wallace

In this particular hop, I and my fellow authors, in their respective blogs, have answered 10 questions where you get to learn about our current work in progress as well as some insights into our process, from characters and inspirations to plotting and cover decisions. I hope you enjoy it!

Please comment and share your thoughts and questions. Here is my Next Big Thing!

1: What is the working title of your book?
Firebrand Trilogy #3: Dragons of War

2: Where did the idea for this book come from?
The original idea came from the Edgar Allan Poe story The Fall of the House of Usher. It started as a short story with two beginnings that I couldn't decide between. Then I realized that what I had was two different stories that ended up being two trilogies

3: What genre does your book come under?
YA Fantasy/ Sword & Sorcery

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Jada: Vanessa Marano (with amber contacts)   Carlan: Logan Lerman (with blonde hair)     Verdin: Jason Dolley (with red hair and blue-green contacts)   Darlois: Steven Strait      Zazere: Jake Abel (with black hair and black contacts)   Rinitha: AnnaSophia Robb      Esren: David Henrie   Vaughn: Robbie Amell    Gaden: Freddie Stroma (with blue contacts)   Tarel: Tom Felton   Sky: Molly C. Quinn (with blonde hair and brown contacts)

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
The war for the Ten Kingdoms has begun.

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
Independent publisher.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Four months

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
This trilogy bears some similarities to the Dragonlance books.

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?
The Edgar Allan Poe story The Fall of the House of Usher. Although, the trilogy is absolutely nothing like that story.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
The two main characters, Jada Suvari and Carlan Andrassis are firebrands; they can create and control fire.

Below you will find authors who will be joining me by blog, next Wednesday. Do be sure to bookmark and add them to your calendars for updates on WIPs and New Releases! Happy Writing and Reading!

1.      Linda Covella

2.      Robert Carter

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Goodreads Lists

Flight Of Dragons http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Of-Dragons-ebook/dp/B005TLF0T6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355579424&sr=1-1&keywords=kyra+dune
Best Stand Alone Fantasy #16
Unknown Yet Amazing #11
Kindlegraph #11
Year Of The Dragon #14
The Greatest Dragon Books #13

Shadow Of The Dragon http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-of-the-Dragon-ebook/dp/B00AMVNTI2/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355579424&sr=1-5&keywords=kyra+dune
Unknown Yet Amazing #2
Best Stand Alone Fantasy Book #1
Dragon Reads #2
The Best Stubborn Female Protagonist and Loveable Heroine #2
YA Kindle Books #2
Living On Their Own/ On The Run (Teens and Young Adults) #3
Awesome YA Fantasy You Loved #3
Best Female Lead Characters In Fantasy #4
Best Heroines Under 20 #9

Shadow Born http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Born-ebook/dp/B007VT613S/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355579424&sr=1-4&keywords=kyra+dune
Unknown Yet Amazing #8
Kindlegraph #7
Old Timey-Times Fantasy #8

Elfblood http://www.amazon.com/Elfblood-ebook/dp/B008GHMQVU/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355579424&sr=1-3&keywords=kyra+dune
Unknown Yet Amazing #5
Awesome Ya You Loved #6
Great Books For Teenagers And Young Adults #9
Living On Their Own/ On The Run Teens And Young Adults #5
Kindlegraph #9
Attention Grabbing Titles Of YA #3
Books That Could Rule YA #4

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Shadow Of The Dragon

My new novel, Shadow Of The Dragon, is now available as an ebook.

Video Trailer  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvnYkfZl0Ro
Buy Page        http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77&products_id=411&zenid=da545b01c386b5182577df87d0ae27af

Shadow of the Dragon 
Micayta's world has long been gripped in the thrall of an endless winter that has grown worse with the passing of time. Life is a constant struggle. Then catastrophe strikes the small town in which she lives, thrusting Micayta and her brother Pytaki alone into the snow laden countryside. To keep herself and her brother alive will take all the strength that she has.
Then a mysterious stranger appears to complicate matters. Tech has an amazing story to tell, but is any of it true? Old wounds and betrayals make Micayta slow to trust, but without Tech she and her brother will never make it across the countryside alive. Through bandits, wolves, and snowstorms, the three struggle their way to the city of Phadra. But the real danger lies within the city walls, where Micayta becomes a player in a deadly game with a dark-eyed mage.
Nothing is what it seems.
As the truth unravels, Micayta finds herself drawn into a struggle much bigger than she ever dreamed. Choices must be made and sides taken. But the question of who to trust is one not easily answered. Micayta will have to open her heart and find a way to let someone else in, or the flames that destroyed her home will consume the world.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Book Review: Tooth And Claw by James Silke and Frank Frazetta

In this third book in the Death Dealer Series, Gath of Baal journeys to the mysterious jungles of the Daangall with a slaver bent on capturing the cat queen Noon.

I continue to enjoy this series. Gath shows more of his gentler side this time around but he's still an unstoppable killing machine with or without the help of the Death Lord's helmet. I really liked Gazul as the bad guy and Bilbarr, the young boy who can talk to animals. I don't like Fleka so much, but maybe I just miss the more complicated Cobra. Anyway, the fight scenes are still awesome, especially the one where Gath goes up against a massive saber tooth tiger. I can't wait to read the next book and see if he ends up back with Robin and the Grillards.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

New Cover Art

Last night I received the cover art for Elfblood #2 The Silver Catacombs. It's always so cool to get new cover art!!  The novel launches in February.

Check out the cover art for Elfblood #2 coming in February