Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 31

Upcoming release sample: PLANTWISE

 

A swirl of magic, silver shifting to green to blue to purple,spun through the air over the heads of the people dancing in the fountainsquare several streets away from the palace. Ambrose caught his breath at thesight and turned to follow it. He took five steps before realizing Dylon hadcontinued moving through the dancing, laughing, rejoicing people. Shaking hishead, feeling more excited and awed than foolish, Ambrose hurried after the boyand wrapped an arm around his shoulders to guide him out of the square. Hewatched his grandson, a knot of worry and hope in his chest, until the boy’seyes widened and he turned his head, visibly following the swirl of magicoverhead. Good. The boy saw the magic as well.

He hadn’t given muchthought to who he would Gift his healing magic to, when the day came to laydown the burden and blessing Yeshen had placed on him. Not until he saw GlynnaGift her duty and magic and years of experience to the little princess. Hisson, Dylon’s father, had inherited his late wife’s gift for words rather thanhealing, and chose a life of scholarship, serving the Repository, a vastcomplex of caverns full of scholars and scrolls and the histories of everykingdom on the continent. Silver sparks had appeared when Dylon was born,indicating he had the potential for healing, but Ambrose had seen no further proofof magic. Until now.

New Release: THE SECOND TIME AROUND

 

New in PRINT!

TODAY!!!!

Available in print, ebook, and audiobook

New cover.

Re-release from Mt. Zion Ridge Press

Book 1, Year 1, The Tabor Heights series

Welcome to Tabor Heights:

A friendly little town on Ohio'sNorth Coast, where sweet romance is always in the air.

 

Here you'll be able to explore thelives of the members of the congregation of Tabor Christian Church in the spaceof two years. The stories overlap, and there's no one right place to start.

 

Just like any small town, you comein, you meet someone, you hear their story and get to know them. As you get toknow these new friends, they introduce you to other people, and tell you aboutother interesting stories in town.

 

It's the same way with Tabor Heights.Start with the story that interests you the most, and then branch out.

 

Settle back and enjoy your visit.

Welcome!

 

Ye Olde Dragon's Library: Episode 20

 

One more episode to go!!

In the previous episode, Ash came up against a nasty magistrate who insisted she remove the spirit ring so he could examine it, and protect the people of the town. When he tried to remove it, he broke Ash's fingers, and in return the protective magic of the ring exploded, destroying all sorts of charms hidden under his shirt.

The magistrate has been revealed as a liar -- claiming to possess magic that he had to buy from others. He's in deep trouble, and Eryk and his smuggler friends have to sneak Ash out of town before the magistrate stops whining and threatening long enough to punish her for the trouble he has brought on himself.

Have you enjoyed this story?

I hope so!

Want to have your own copy to read?

I'm in the process of creating cover art and doing final edits of the book, and plan to have print and ebook ready for purchase as soon as the final episode releases next week.

Pre-release orders get a discount, by going through the Ye Olde Dragon Books website. If you're interested, go check it out!

And please keep listening -- we're going to start in on Season 2 right away, with a new fantasy novel, PLUS we'll be adding interviews with other authors of fantastical fiction.

Thanks for listening!

Coming Release: PLANTWISE, Steward's World Book 1

 

Now, learn about the book:

PLANTWISE

 

On her christening day, Princess Arden was Gifted with plantwise magic, a blessing to her father's farming kingdom of Westerland. Immediately, schemers began working to arrange a marriage between her and Maddix, prince of Stonemount, the neighboring kingdom and ally of Westerland.

Guided by agents of the despot, Durmad, Maddix grew up preparing to take over multiple kingdoms, by any means necessary. Arden was the first of several targeted brides, to marry, give him sons, and use those sons to take over their grandfathers' kingdoms.

Just in time, Arden resisted and escaped Maddix's schemes. To punish her, he stole the magic apple tree she created to defend Westerland, then he set out to destroy those she loved. With her daughter's life in the balance, Arden devised a desperate scheme to humiliate Maddix and save her child.

Her mentor warned her many times not to play by Maddix's rules, or she would risk losing everything.  What would it take for Arden to learn that lesson -- and would she learn it in time?

 

Princess Wronged seeks justice against Prince Not-so-charming, and learns revenge is a dish best served … not cold, but by someone else.

 

Off the Bookshelf: JUNKYARD CATS, by Faith Hunter

 

Audiobook, Audible exclusive

Narrated by Khristine Hvam

Shining Smith series, Book 1

Gritty futuristic tale of survival, with a slow drip of one chilling revelation after another, coalescing in a picture of a gut-churning near-future. And doubts about whether our heroine is still human.

Shining is living in hiding, presumed dead, running a junkyard and protecting a man she rescued from slavery. The United States is a shattered mess, just like the environment, where West Virginia has been turned into a desert, and motorcycle gangs are mobile armed forces, or terrorists, feeding off the mangled carcass of the country. No indication which side won in the war, which hovers on the verge of re-igniting.

An enforcer for her father's former motorcycle warrior group shows up, following a signal triggered by an invasion of the junkyard. Shining plays a dangerous game trying to convince him she isn't herself, she's just a clueless receptionist, tending the junkyard while her boss is away. Little by little, looking through Shining's eyes, listeners learn about the danger she has faced, the threats to her life she has overcome, the alien technology that has merged with and taken over both machines and people's bodies, and just how un-helpless and un-defenseless she really is. When agents of an enemy gang approach the junkyard, she is forced to work with the enforcer to stay alive. And the junkyard cats of the title are revealed as far more than cats, and far more capable of fighting to defend their territory than they should be.

Scary, but I couldn't stop listening.

Coming Release: PLANTWISE, Steward's World Book 1

 

Releasing June 15

In paper, ebook, and audio.

Also the featured book for Season 2 in the Ye Olde Dragon's Library storytelling podcast.

First, learn about the world where this new series takes place:

STEWARD'S WORLD

 

Magic can be learned, earned, or Gifted -- givento a person with magic potential, along with all the experience and wisdom ofthe one who Gifts it. Sometimes, magic-users forget the first and mostimportant rule: Yeshen made magic to be shared, used for good. If it is stolen,hoarded, and bound with lies, it turns to poison, ruining one kingdom afteranother.

 In this world of many kinds and strengthsof magic, a war has been simmering for centuries, waiting to break out. Durmadwaits, exiled beyond the Cascade Mountains, sending his agents into multiplekingdoms, to steal magic, enslave magic-users, and corrupt kings to serve himand his plans.

Steward stands against him, the duty and themagical ability passed from father to daughter, mother to son. The tides of magicand powers and the strength of kingdoms are shifting, as allies and pawns moveinto place in preparation for what could be the war to decide the fate of theworld.

Ye Olde Dragon's Library: Episode 19

We come near the end of LIARS' QUEST with Episode 19.

(Two more episodes to go!)

Ash faces two attempts to remove the spirit ring from her finger. Both are painful.

One suffers from magical cheating.

Is she in trouble again, after the results of the attempt, which aren't too pleasant for the nasty magistrate?

If you haven't listened to the episode yet ... why not?

LOOKING AHEAD: Season 2 will feature the fantasy story PLANTWISE, as I believe I've mentioned before. AND ..... you'll get to hear from some of my writing friends, as we chat about their books.

It's gonna be fun! So please make sure to join us, won't you?

 

 

https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/

 

 

Want to support the podcast?

Find us on Patreon: Ye Olde Dragon's Library

patreon.com/user?u=26078473

 

 

Off the Bookshelf: NICE DRAGONS FINISH LAST, by Rachel Aaron

 

Heartstriker series #1

Wry humor, constantly rising stakes, an incredible new zoology thanks to the weirdness of rogue magic, and the incredible worldbuilding where Detroit has turned into a wild west of magic. Love the DFZ books. 

I guess I'm reading backward, because I started with Minimum Wage Magic, and this seems to have come before it, with Heartstriker #1.

Aaron makes you care about her characters from the beginning. Which is good, because poor Julius needs someone rooting for him, from almost before the story begins. The runt of the litter, he's managed to survive by being quiet and lying low -- until his mother, Bethesda Heartstriker, who has dragon-sized ambitions (naturally) locks him into his human form and throws him into the one place on the planet where dragons are outlawed, and gives him a month to prove he's a real dragon (whatever that is) or he'll probably end up a midnight snack. For her!

Things seem to improve, only slightly, when he meets a mage named Darcy -- until all her problems, starting with a gangster on her tail, catch up with them. One simple little job, to start proving himself, turns into a nail-biting adventure that could get them both killed a dozen times over. Then dragon politics get involved and things get really dicey ...

Fun. I'm addicted. Thank goodness I have another Audible credit in my account, because once I catch up on my podcasts, I'll need another dose of the DFZ and dragons.

Ye Olde Dragon's Library: Episode 18

 

Ash and Fang and the ring are on the road again. They have a lot to think about, and a lot of questions that will remain unanswered until Ash completes the quest and she finds out just how far Justiciar Camwell will go to rewrite the terms of the quest and keep her traveling, satisfying his curiosity.

There's a little problem with the maps Blaz gave her, to help her complete her quest faster: they aren't accurate. Or rather, they aren't up-to-date. So she has to risk going into a town to ask questions and find out where exactly she is.

That might not be a good choice ...

*********

We're nearing the end of LIARS' QUEST, the first book in what is tentatively being called the Enchanted Castle Archives.

I hope those of you who have been listening have been enjoying the story. As I upload the podcast episodes, I'm slowly getting further ahead of schedule, and ensuring that if something happens to interfere, the podcast episodes will still be released and you loyal listeners won't be left with silence.

Today, about six weeks before episode 18 airs, I recorded a "look ahead" episode of Ye Olde Dragon's Library, talking about the next book I'll be reading to you, and listing a few changes taking place.

The biggest change is the length of the episodes -- and how many you'll get every week. Instead of one episode between 25 and 30 minutes, I'm planning to upload at least two episodes, of about 20 minutes each. So more story time.

PLUS: I'll be interviewing fellow fantasy and science fiction writers about their newest projects, and posting approximately every other week, so you can hear about other stories that might interest you.

We'll be starting with authors who participate in the 2 yearly anthologies produced by Ye Olde Dragon Books: the fairytale anthology in the spring and the classic monsters anthology in the fall. 

The "look ahead" episode will run May 28. Episode 2-A.

The next story, titled PLANTWISE, will begin on May 30.

So in four weeks ... it's all gonna change!

And if you're a member of the Ye Olde Dragon's Library Patreon group, you'll be helping with the change, because with your member donations, I can increase my hours with the podcast hosting site I use, meaning more episodes loaded every month, and more listening fun for you! So ... consider helping out? 

https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/

 

Want to support the podcast?

Find us on Patreon: Ye Olde Dragon's Library

patreon.com/user?u=26078473

Sample: Tabor Heights Short Story, IN THE AIR, ON THE AIR

 

Hedidn't give the gravel-voiced man a chance to protest but cut the connectionand linked in line two. "You're on the air on WEGL, the Eagle, and you'retalking to Whit. What words of wisdom can you offer on the whole conundrum ofdating for Christians?"

"Yeah,it's a pain, but you wouldn't sign a contract without reading it, would you?Same thing with getting married. You gotta figure out if the person who makesyour heart go thumpetty is the one who's going to be there for the long haul,know what I mean?" The second caller was also a man. His voice soundedthick with sleep. Whit wondered if he was getting up or heading for bed.

"Veryastute point. But can't you learn about someone in group situations? Groupactivities, Sunday school class socials, for instance?"

"Yeah,but after a while, you hang out together long enough, people are going towonder if there's something serious going on. Know what I mean?" Helaughed. "I know the other guy who just called in. His problem is, when hecan find a girl desperate enough to go out with him, her parents can't standhim. If he can't get the parents to like him, what makes him think anybody'd bestupid enough to sell their daughter to him?"

"Sorryto be a kill-joy, folks, but we're talking about dating versus non-dating, notslavery or forced marriages." Riley tried to laugh as he said it, but theknot growing in his throat made that hard. What had he been thinking, bringingup the whole hot potato topic? "Let's give caller three a chance. Thanksfor sharing with us." A few quick flips of buttons and tapping keys, andhe had that second troublesome caller off and line three ready to go.

Please, Lord, let the third time be the charm!