This is my site for information about the fantasy world known as the 
Lands of Hope. I have the usual bio and buy pages, also Maps and a free Compendium of lore, plus a cool notification feature if you want to see posts in your email box. Sign up for that and you get two quick Tales for free. Because no one should have to wait for a little Hope.
Continue reading Welcome to the Lands
The four-part fantasy series chronicling chaos in Cryssigens is now available in paperback, e-book and audiobook. Give the gift of Hope for the holidays! Descriptions here with links below.
I was always drawn to the events of this first adventure, one of the first two stories I published nearly a decade ago. If you like a classic fantasy quest– doomed secret mission, race against time, mystery monster and a hero who doubts himself– you should enjoy Captain Justin and his exploits. It ends well I think, but you can tell there’s more.
The second book and hero were well known to me and took far less than a year to write and publish
. Feldspar the Stealthic is certainly a less usual hero. Without giving the game away, you might have to count him as more than one person depending on circumstance. Vaulting bone-shattering heights, dodging assassins, probing dark places for even darker secrets, these pose no problem. How to meet the new neighbors, on the other hand? That might be the end of him. I took real delight in penning this first-person, detective-flavored adventure.
Here my efforts hit a definite snag. Alongside the labor to finish another full-length novel, introducing the central member of the Shards heroic triumvirate proved to be the hardest task I have ever faced. And in bringing the beautiful mystic W’starrah Altieri to the page, I believe I did some of my best work. Here the plot swirls together and the conspiracy is nearly exposed. The connections to the other two heroes are captured in cross-over scenes which required some nimble footwork on the calendar of days. New characters, as always, were folded into the action. I finished on a hard note, assuredly (I can say no more).
Now my fingers flew again and the final book, for all its complexity, came together very quickly. I enjoyed the return of long-unvisited characters as you would welcome in an old friend. The pace of the action accelerated along with the writing, and I was thrilled to see it coming together in a way that (I hope) brought the entire epic around. I think faithful readers will gain a very satisfying ending from their efforts.
Where to Find Shards of LightThe series is available in paperback or e-book formats, as separate volumes as well as a collection set on Amazon and other major retailers.
The series is also available in audiobook format as well, with the revision of the first volume, and is rolling out to new retail outlets just as this holiday season rolls around.
Here’s an audiobook giveaway for all fans of listening and word-play.
I’m thrilled to kick off the school year with a new author and an absolutely unique sub-genre for my narration projects. My good friend and very talented artist Chris Adams asked me to narrate his tale of adventure and romance, The Hunter and the Sorcerer. It’s now out on Audible and I hope he sees every success from his work. Because then I will too! But also him…
But How to Describe It!As I mentioned, this is an unusual genre. I’ve hammered away at a great alliteration for it but can’t seem to break through. Here’s the set-up:
Simple, right? A stone-age hunter kidnapped by an alien scientist and rocketed away to another galaxy. If you can’t decide whether you like spears or ray-guns better, this is the story for you. No need to pick!
However, what’s the catchy phrase for that unique brand of plot? I want something alliterative, a pair of words that nails it and helps me push the plot to the world. So I’m appealing for help.
Here are some ideas I’ve tried and discarded, just to give you the idea:
Leather and Lasers- sounds too much like alien erotica (yes, there are plenty of those)
Stones and Stun-Guns- the alliteration is right, but neither one quite fits the plot here
War-club versus Warp Speed- too long, and no clubs used
You get the picture? I have found this remarkably hard to come up with.
So I’m asking for your help with this audiobook giveaway!
Leave a comment below or on the FB post with your suggestions, and I will reward the top three entries with a free code for listening to the audiobook! If you haven’t tried an audiobook yet, this is an easy way to get started for nothing, in exchange for a burst of genius from your mother wit. If you’re a regular listener you know the drill. This tale might be ripping fun for you, a break from those cozy mysteries or paranormal alternate-universe cooking thrillers you’ve been with. Wait, are there any of those latter books left?
Just comment below or on Facebook (or send me a private message if you have copyright concerns). Create the perfect “Blank and Blank” combo to describe this great tale. You could be a winner.
Check out The Hunter and the Sorcerer on Audible.