Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 16

Release Day! Check out WHITE WOLF at Ye Olde Dragon Books

 

It's release day!

WHITE WOLF

Book 2 of the Steward's World fantasy series, sequel to PLANTWISE, officially releases TODAY.

You can get the ebook and audiobook and save $$ today by buying directly from YeOldeDragonBooks.com.

You can also buy the previous book in the series, PLANTWISE, and save.

Looking ahead ...

The next book in the series is tentatively titled VIOLET AND LILY, and features the two little girls introduced in Books 1 and 2. Princess Violet is the niece and heir to the king of Westerland, and daughter of Princess Arden, Gifted with plantwise magic. Lily is an orphaned child gifted with unusually strong magic, whom the evil enchanter Durmad wants to enslave, to use her potential to take over the world. Our heroes in WHITE WOLF, Taran and Bard, were sent to find her and rescue her, and take her to safety.

In VIOLET AND LILY, the two little girls grow up together, facing challenges and learning hard lessons, and exploring all the wonders and dangers of magic at their fingertips.

Book Report: MIRACLE ON 10TH STREET, by Madeleine L'Engle

 

A lovely, thought-provoking mix of poems and stories, and excerpts from songs and scripture and poetry down through the ages. While the focus is on Christmas and all the beauty and questions and soul-searching that should be included in the season, this is a collection that should probably be nibbled at all through the year, not just opened up during the holidays.

I knew this author through A Wrinkle in Time, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Arm of the Starfish, and other fantasy stories. Then I picked up Walking on Water maybe 10 years ago. A drastic change of pace, being non-fiction and full of deep thought and spiritual growth. Highly recommend anything she has written. Even if considered YA, her books speak to all ages.

Thanks for the Great Review, Rosemarie DiCristo

 Got this great review for MAJJIAN SPRINGS from Rosemarie DiCristo, who happens to be one of our authors for the anthologies at Ye Olde Dragon Books.

You have to check out our Invisible Man-themed anthology coming out October 15. She and her writing partner, Pam Halter, have an incredible story. Deb and I knew before we even read it that we were going to love it!

But here's the review -- Thanks, Rosemarie!!

Great Books #1. The Kindness Curse by Michelle Levigne. (Book #1 in the Magic to Spare series).I highly recommend this book! It tells the story of Merrigan, a not-really-evil queen (she's arrogant and selfish, but not a bad sort) who's turned into a very, very old lady and cursed to roam the world until she learns, well, kindness.The story is hilarious, and Merrigan is a great character. Yes, she's rude and thoughtless, but she was raised by a bad nanny who taught her all the wrong things, and she's actually very human in her thoughts and reactions. (We're not all sweet and loving every moment, after all!). Of course, as Merrigan roams the world, she inadvertantly does good deeds, and actually starts to want to help people, all of which helps to slowly break the curse.A plus is the way Merrigan (and author Michelle) gently pokes fun at all those fairy tale tropes we've read over and over and over again.Book #2, Majjian Springs, was recently released and continues Merrigan's adventures. I'm about halfway through the Advance Reading Copy, and will get a real copy soon!

Book Report: A SECOND CHANCE, by Jodi Taylor

 

The Chronicles of St. Mary's, Book 3

They're back, the time-traveling (but they won't admit it) historians with a knack for getting in trouble no matter how careful they are.

Sometimes that trouble is in matters of the heart. Physically and emotionally. These historians stand a good chance of getting killed any day by the historical events they're observing.

Max and Leon have tentatively agreed that after the big, dream-of-a-lifetime trip to observe the people of Troy before and during and after the Trojan war, they will leave St. Mary's and all the danger behind, so they can be together. 

Yeah, as if?

Some of Max's associates have a tendency to stretch the rules so far they snap back hard, and other times ... they just can't be that oblivious, can they? Always a close call and a big spike in blood pressure when Markham is involved. Then there's the physicist whose dream is to see Isaac Newton in action -- and flirt outrageously with Max while he's at it -- and nearly starts a riot.

Heartbreak warning -- and that's all I'm going to say. When I got to the first tragic moment, I shouted. That was okay, because I was driving in my car with the windows closed. But how in the world was Taylor going to fix this one? Then the second one hit and ... okay, it helps that the Muse of History happens to be nearby, and somewhat of a friend. But seriously? Wow, so that's how THAT story line came about, just to fix the narrow, complicated hole Taylor wrote herself into.

Big hint: the title has a lot to do with the last chapter or two of this story ... and leads into the next book!

Coming Title: WHITE WOLF, Steward's World, Book 2

 

Coming August 1

Available EARLY on the Ye Olde Dragon Books website in ebook and audiobook.

Buy early and SAVE $$$

What's it about?

STEWARD'S WORLD

Magic can be learned,earned, or Gifted -- given to a person with magic potential, along with all theexperience and wisdom of the one who Gifts it. Sometimes, magic-users forgetthe first and most important rule: Yeshen made magic to be shared, used forgood. If it is stolen, hoarded, and bound with lies, it turns to poison,ruining one kingdom after another.

In this world of manykinds and strengths of magic, a war has been simmering for centuries, waitingto break out. Durmad waits, exiled beyond the Cascade Mountains, sending hisagents into multiple kingdoms, to steal magic, enslave magic-users, and corruptkings to serve him and his plans.

Steward standsagainst him, the duty and the magical ability passed from father to daughter,mother to son. The tides of magic and powers and the strength of kingdoms areshifting, as allies and pawns move into place in preparation for what could bethe war to decide the fate of the world.

WHITE WOLF

When an evilenchanter killed her mother, Taran should have inherited her magic, but shedidn't. She had none of her own, though her mother always said she was magic.

Then Bard came to hercottage in the forest, seeking her help. By day, he was cursed to be a wolf,and only freed to be a man under the power of the moon. Together, Taran andBard set out across kingdoms in search of magic to cure him. Along the way, shediscovered the secret of the white wolf, which threatened the very fabric ofher soul.

Their search broughtthem to the seeress, Kalista, who gave them a quest to earn their answers: finda child born with magic strong enough to change the world. Rescue her beforethe rebel enchanter Durmad found her and turned her into his weapon.

Book Report: A SYMPHONY OF ECHOES, by Jodi Taylor

 Chronicles of St. Mary's, Book 2

Warning: I've been binge listening. I was able to get quite a few of Jodi Taylor's Chronicles of St. Mary's short stories for free on Audible (yeah, that's a hint to go look) and I got addicted to this slightly crazy, somewhat accident-prone (somewhat??) group of British historians studying history via time travel -- although they don't want to say "time travel," but insist on saying they're studying history in contemporary settings.

Great fun, just like the first book. This episode starts with our narrator and heroine, Dr. Maxwell -- better known simply as Max -- relating how she and her soon-to-retire-to-academia friend, encountered Jack the Ripper on a foggy London back street, and how they both nearly didn't survive the experience. Love the dry British wit, and how they react to so much stress and bizareness with a good strong cup of tea ...

Then there's a trip to investigate the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which turn out to be the product of false advertising, and nearly get framed for the murder of Sennacherib. I'm not telling you more, because you have to read or listen to this for yourself. Great fun -- and I'm sooooo very glad I bought two books at the same time, so I could keep listening!

Catching Up -- Did Anybody Notice I've Been Away?

 

I just checked, and it's been more than a month since I posted anything here.

Did you miss me?

Whew!

Time to catch up in a big way.

It always gets crazy-busy and I let things slide more than usual when time for the Realm Makers conference comes near.

This is the most incredible, fun, hectic, jam-packed-with-goodness writing conference you could ever go to. If, of course, you're into writing "that weird stuff."

You know what I mean: science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Mythology with a modern twist. Superheroes and new takes on classic stories, danger and philosophy and fun, outer space adventures and a return to a childlike sense of wonder.

Scott and Becky Minor are the generous, brilliant folks who started the Realm Makers community and head up the conference that just gets bigger and more awesome every year -- with a lot of help from their community and an army of volunteers. And the teachers they line up every year are top notch. I can't wait to watch the video recordings of the sessions I couldn't go to, and take notes and learn and catch up on what I missed. My mind is still churning from the classes I did attend. Good stuff!

So, over the course of this week, and probably the next, I'll be posting a lot of things to catch up. Book reports and previews of upcoming titles.

Less than a week from now, the next book in the Steward's World fantasy series, WHITE WOLF, will be releasing. I'll be loading the ebook and audiobook on the YeOldeDragonBooks.com website soon, so if anybody wants to get it before release day, at a savings .... that's the place!

Time to Get Your INVISIBLE ON!

 

Yes, we're late getting this announcement out .... but let the fun begin!
Push the envelope until it tears.
Go nuts!
Twist things around.
Get silly!

We want stories that have the aroma of any or all of the Invisible Man movies or TV shows that have been out there. Hey, we'll even consider a tribute to the original book by HG Wells!

But yeah, we'd appreciate some tributes to the classic B&W horror movies with the Invisible Man in them.

Do what feels right!

And if anybody has a suggestion for the title, we'd love to hear it!

New Storytellers Episode on Ye Olde Dragon's Library storytelling podcast

 

Join Ye Olde Dragon's Library storytelling podcast today for a new storytellers episode:   https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/

Our guest will be Keven Baxter, talking about his upcoming release, his very first book, a portal fantasy titled KINGDOM IN THE REDWOODS.

He'll be giving the inside scoop on the ideas behind the story and upcoming titles in the series, and some of his thinking behind making the switch from lawyer to storyteller!

Check out his website to sign up for his newsletter and obtain a free short story: www.kevenbaxter.com

Will I See You at West Side Flea?

 

I'll be here this Saturday, June 22, in one of the rows of inner booths.In-person prices for books are always $1 or $2 LESS than retail/online prices.I'm also bringing coupons and codes for ebooks and audiobooks -- with the same savings!
Hope to see you there!