Tracy Falbe's Blog, page 17

Get the #3 Sword and Sorcery Kindle Book for Free

This week's surge in downloads at the Kindle store for Rys Rising has now caused it to pop up on the Sword & Sorcery rankings at #3 and #4 in epic fantasy!
I really am so happy that over 300 people today have downloaded Rys Rising: Book I. They are about to discover an epic fantasy full of adventure, intrigue, and surprises in the world of the rys, the unique magical race I developed for the series.

For those who love Sword & Sorcery, please go take a look at the reviews and get Rys Rising for free on Kindle. I'm proud of this novel and many before you have enjoyed it.


A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Free Ebooks for Google Play

Want some exciting historical fantasy to read on Google Play? 
Then try Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale. It's free on Google Play so readers can discover my newest fantasy series Werewolves in the Renaissance.

About Werelord Thal:

Thal embodies the ancient magic of the pagan past. He challenges a world conquered by a spiritual system that denies the flesh and forgets the Earth.

Although wanted for Devil worship and shape shifting, he still boldly walks the streets of 16th century Prague. Jesuits hunt him. Mercenaries fear him. Musicians sing his praise, and women are captivated by his alpha swagger.

Start reading this werewolf book on Google Play. The store's app works on Android devices, computers, and iPad and iPhone.


Up next is the free fantasy on Google Play Rys Rising: Book I. This novel begins the Rys Rising fantasy series that continues in Savage Storm, New Religion, and Love Lost.

About Rys Rising:

A young warrior ruined and near death is saved by Onja a mysterious rys female. Forsaking all that he was, he will take the name Amar and serve his new magical mistress. A lord among outlaws he will become, feared by kings and called the dro-shalum or curse demon by the common folk. Indulge yourself and read this sumptuous epic told from many angles.

Be swept away by epic adventure in a magical world and read Rys Rising for free on Google Play.


A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Rys Rising Jumping Up the Amazon Dark Fantasy Rankings Today

Mondays aren't typically known for pleasant surprises, but today one of my fantasy books Rys Rising: Book I that introduces a complete 4-part series has suddenly gotten a bunch of downloads.

This burst of love has put it into the top dark fantasy category on Kindle at #17.


It certainly helped that Amazon in the US started price matching its competitors where I've been offering this ebook for free. A free series starter on Kindle is a great way for readers to get to know an author knew to them.

I'm thrilled that over 150 people today have decided to give my fantasy novel a whirl. I'm proud of my work and know that some of them will enjoy the novel.

Rys Rising already has a 4.5 star rating at Amazon in the US.

Here are a sampling of reviews from readers:


About Rys Rising, a free fantasy book for Kindle

A young warrior ruined and near death is saved by Onja a mysterious rys female. Forsaking all that he was, he will take the name Amar and serve his new magical mistress. A lord among outlaws he will become, feared by kings and called the dro-shalum or curse demon by the common folk.

See more about Rys Rising and download your free copy for Kindle today. With the winter season closing in, you won't regret having a new epic fantasy series to keep you warm. 


A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

How Supporting Characters Add Depth to a Story - An Example from Journey of the Hunted

 
Heroes, heroines, and villains get all the attention in our favorite stories, but they would not be nearly so interesting without a cast of smaller characters to interact with. Supporting characters serve important roles within a story. I use them to add nuance to the reader experience, like fresh herbs sprinkled upon good meat and potatoes.

Scenes with supporting characters provide opportunities to give additional details and new perspectives to the meaning and action of the story. Through another's eyes, the reader can experience how other people see the big characters.

And because I'm currently writing within a historical setting, the small characters help me show historical attitudes and details appropriate to the time. In the Werewolves in the Renaissance series most of the main characters have supernatural powers, so their points of view are of a fantastic nature. With the supporting characters I can inject perspectives that enrich the story with a historically accurate tone.

For example in the following excerpt from Journey of the Hunted, Emil the servant of the sorcerer Sarputeen disputes the opinion of the knight Sir Krengar who insists the sorcerer is a servant of the Devil. 

“Please Sir Krengar, send out your scouts. Our wait is ended. They are coming at last,” Emil said.

Krengar rolled his eyes. “What reason do you have to be so certain?” he asked, annoyed by his own curiosity.

Emil gestured to the raven staring at them with knowing eyes. “That bird is a servant of Sarputeen. He signals to me the arrival of the man I’m supposed to meet,” Emil explained, gambling that it was true.

The bird squawked presumably in agreement. Chilled by the bird’s uncanny attention, Krengar said, “They say your master is a creature of the Devil.”

Emil bristled. He knew what people whispered about his lord, but this was the first time someone had dared to speak it to his face.

“Sarputeen is no devil. My community has prospered since he gained title of the castle. Our gardens are bountiful. Our flocks are troubled be neither wolves nor bandits. He’s never raised a hand to anyone that I know of,” Emil said and realized that he was proud to defend his master.

“My father said it was his magic that broke the Turks when all seemed about to fall,” Krengar said.

“Would that not make him a Saint?” Emil said, proud of his astute comeback.

After another suspicious glance at the raven, Krengar grumbled, “He’s a master of black magic. Admit it.”

“I take that as a good reason not to defy him,” Emil said.

Krengar scowled at such practicality but said, “I’ll give you one more day.”

“Thank you.”

Emil waited the day in camp while three scouts ventured out. He noticed that the raven stayed close and hoped it was a good sign.

Releasing worldwide as an ebook on November 8.



Journey of the Hunted: Werewolves in the Renaissance 2 is already a preorder for $0.99 at:

iBooks
Kindle US
Kindle UK
Google Play
Nook US
Kobo

Preorders will become automatically available on November 8, to all who buy them beforehand. 

About the novel:



The folklore beliefs of the 16th century Renaissance come wildly to life in the werewolf hero Thal. Created by the infamous sorcerer Sarputeen, Thal now battles the dark servants of Tekax, wizard to the Turks and nemesis of Sarputeen. While escaping the Holy Roman Empire, Thal discovers more about his werewolf powers as he struggles to reach a refuge shrouded in mystery.  
P.S.
Paperback coming this month too!

A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Fantasy Paperbacks by Tracy Falbe Available at the Battle Creek Gift Shop

I have not been able to write for my blog regularly the past month because I have been helping my husband Scott open a retail store in Battle Creek, Michigan where we live.

He has been wanting to start his own business for a long time, and he has created the Battle Creek Gift Shop LLC, located at 1778 Columbia Ave. W. The core product line is knives. He has liked knives for a long time, so he followed this interest when developing a business. However, knives are small objects and even a lot of them don't fill up much space, so we've been developing other product lines for the shop.

Well, I certainly have an inventory of books to include at the store, and he graciously allowed me to place them there.

It's exciting to see a whole display of my books for sale in a real retail space open to the public. I've even sold two books since our opening on October 6th.

Currently available at the store are:

The Rys Chronicles 
Union of Renegades
The Goddess Queen
Judgment Rising
The Borderlands of Power

Rys Rising Series
Rys Rising
Savage Storm
New Religion
Love Lost

Werewolves in the Renaissance Series
Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale

With the November 8 release of Journey of the Hunted: Werewolves in the Renaissance 2 fast approaching, the paperback of my 10th novel will be at the store this month.

Children's 
Bear Dog Dog Bear

I'm also the author of nonfiction titles as well.

Get Dicey: Play Craps and Have Fun
My Grandma's Vintage Recipes: Old Standards for a New Age

I'm slowly settling into a new schedule now that I have two businesses to run. (Yes, it's as difficult as you can imagine.) I will get back to blogging regularly because I enjoy maintaining this blog. I've been writing here since 2008, and Her Ladyship's Quest draws steady search engine traffic to my content every day. It's my primary marketing vehicle online, so I must stop neglecting it!

Thanks for visiting my blog!

And if you're in Battle Creek please stop by the store. You can also get to know us on Facebook.

A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Union of Renegades Ranking Next to J.R.R. Tolkien and R.A. Salvatore at Kobo Today

On and off for the last three months Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I has been in the top 100 epic fantasy titles at Kobo Books. Recently it has moved up quite a bit and was ranked at #33 this morning. I clicked through to the epic fantasy category and had the distinct pleasure of seeing my novel next to some of my greatest inspirations: J.R.R. Tolkien and R.A. Salvatore.

In the screenshot above you can clearly see The Lord of the Rings ranking right next to Union of Renegades at Kobo. I had a little trouble getting a complete screenshot, but you can see right above my novel the title The Crystal Shard: The Legend of Drizzt Book IV. That is one of R.A. Salvatore's titles that probably all of his fans are familiar with. I read many of the Drizzt books years ago.

I'm glad that Kobo readers are discovering my indie fantasy too. I've been writing for years and am about to publish my 10th novel. Union of Renegades is a free Kobo fantasy book for anyone who would like to sample my writing. If you like it, I have a lot more for you to enjoy.



A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Free Ebooks of Journey of the Hunted for Reviews

Genre: Historical Fantasy - The folklore beliefs of the 16th century Renaissance come wildly to life in the werewolf hero Thal. Created by the infamous sorcerer Sarputeen, Thal now battles the dark servants of Tekax, wizard to the Turks and nemesis of Sarputeen. While escaping the Holy Roman Empire, Thal discovers more about his werewolf powers as he struggles to reach a refuge shrouded in mystery.
 
With the November 8 release of Journey of the Hunted: Werewolves in the Renaissance 2 approaching, I'd like to connect with people willing to review the novel. Having some reviews in place for my new novel when it is a new release will help me market the novel.

What do you get for helping me?

A free ebook copy of Journey of the Hunted and hopefully a good time reading it.

What do you have to do?

Please fill out the short form at the bottom and I will send you the ebook in your desired format within one or two days. Then read the novel and write a review for it. This can be as small as one paragraph. You can write as much as you wish though. Ideally you would have the review done during the first week of the book's release (November 8 to 15).

Do you need to read the first book in the Werewolves in the Renaissance series to do this?

No. I was very careful when writing Journey of the Hunted to make it enjoyable and clear even if a person had not read Werelord Thal. Although the story picks up where Werelord Thal left off, I wove in the back story of the characters as needed so you can understand things going forward. I intended it to be enjoyable as its own adventure. However, if you're curious about Werelord Thal, it is currently a free ebook to promote the series and you can get it at iBooks, Nook, Kobo, Smashwords, or my website Brave Luck Books. If you need the Kindle version, you can get it free at Smashwords or Brave Luck Books. (Amazon is not currently price matching, but it is only 99 cents there.)

Where can you put your review?

This is your choice. You can put it at the retailer of your choice like Amazon, Nook, Smashwords, or iBooks. Or you can put it on your blog, Goodreads, or Library Thing. If you don't have accounts at any of these places, you can simply send me your review and I will put it on pages at my website and at this blog.

I will follow up with you on release day and provide links to the pages where Journey of the Hunted is for sale so you can add your reviews.

The novel is already a preorder for $0.99 at:

iBooks
Kindle US
Kindle UK
Nook US
Kobo

You won't be able to add a review until the novel goes live on November 8.

You can see Journey of the Hunted at Goodreads right now and add a review at any time. 

More about the novel:

Facing uncertain destinies, Thal and Altea must escape Bohemia. The Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand himself has signed the warrant for Thal’s capture on charges of shape shifting and the killing of Jesuits.

A hefty reward attracts countless bounty hunters into the heart of this 16th century Christian empire. Thal emerges from hiding with his young wife Altea who is barely recovered from torture at the hands of witch hunters. With his werewolf powers, he battles the bounty hunters and begins a daring journey across the Holy Roman Empire.

But more than men stalk him. Servants of Tekax, sorcerer to the Turks, have been unleashed upon his trail.

The werewolf Rotfeng covets the enchanted fur that lets Thal change form at will, regardless of the phase of the moon.

Worse yet comes Janfelter, an undying fext created in the dark fortress of Tekax.

These heartless killers are tasked with stopping Thal from reaching his father Sarputeen, the arch nemesis of Tekax. Thal’s only refuge awaits him in what is left of the Kingdom of Hungary after a Turkish conquest. In the remote castle Vlkbohveza the ancient sorcerer Sarputeen lives untouched despite widespread persecution of magic users and pagans.

Although Thal longs to be with his own kind, he worries about the reunion with his father. It was Sarputeen’s magic that made Thal a werelord, a master of wolves. But what shall the sorcerer require of his creation now that Tekax aims to settle an old score?

Please Complete the Form to Become a Reviewer and Receive Free Ebook

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Thank you!

A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Production Notes from Journey of the Hunted: Werewolves in the Renaissance 2

The release of my tenth novel is approaching. I'm preparing the final formatted ebook versions of Journey of the Hunted: Werewolves in the Renaissance 2 right now. Every time I produce a novel I select a short quote from the story to place in the front matter. The quote is meant to tantalize, intrigue, and set the mood. Last night I chose the quote that will go in the front matter of Journey of the Hunted and am sharing it here:

“What the people love has little to do with what comes to pass,” Mileko argued. “Don’t fancy yourself some folk hero. You’re the monster in the night and they will always fear you.”

Over the next weeks, I'll be sharing more about the novel . Journey of the Hunted will release as an ebook on November 8. The paperback will be available at about the same time too.

Preordering of the ebook is currently available at the following retailers for only $0.99. 

iBooks
Kindle US
Kindle UK
Nook US
Kobo

Do you need to read the first part of the series Werelord Thal to enjoy Journey of the Hunted?

Not necessarily. With the Werewolves in the Renaissance series I am designing each book as a stand alone novel. Of course they will all string together into one complete saga, but each title will tell a story and be understandable and enjoyable on its own.

The back story for the characters in Journey of the Hunted comes from events in the first novel, but they are presented so that you will know what's going on. You may become curious about what happened in Werelord Thal, but reading it is not essential to understanding and enjoying what is going on in Journey of the Hunted.

For those who would like to read Book 1 first, Werelord Thal is currently a free ebook!

Please visit the Werelord Thal page at my website to get a free download or link to the retailers that offer it for free.



A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Portrait Artist of Famous Movie Villains Seeking Commissions

I met a talented artist recently on Twitter. Mari Trini of Spain is a tremendous portrait artist. Watch her video so you can appreciate the thought and care she puts into each work of art.The video is in Spanish, but it has English subtitles.

The collection she is discussing with the interviewer is based upon 14 villains in movies. I agree with her when she says that her portrait of Salma Hayek in her role as real life villain Martha Beck is one of her most powerful pieces. Working with her lover, Martha Beck became notorious for luring her victims to their deaths with personal ads. They were called the Lonely Hearts Killers.

Mari Trini is actively seeking fine art commissions. Those in need of realistic portraits with emotional depth should contact her to discuss their projects. Contact her by email at her blog.. 

From Mari Trini's blog I'm sharing a sketch of Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd. 






Here is a nice Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson digital painting. 







Mari Trini is deeply inspired by many classic films. 

Here is a painting of James Stewart as Colorado Jim. 






Mari Trini is a true artist. I can see that art is part of her soul and lifestyle. It's always good to see someone honoring their talents.


A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Ancient Spells for Luck, Truth Detection and Wealth

3 Ancient Irish Spells & Charms
Guest post by Vanessa Finaughty
Just for fun and to celebrate the Wizard of Ends virtual book tour, here are five spells/charms I believe are ancient Irish.


1. To attract good luck
You will need:A candleStringA trinket
Method:Light the candle. Tie the string to the trinket and pass it above the flame. While doing this, say three times: “A candle flickers. This trinket I pass. Good energy and fortune come to me. Wealth, knowledge, influence, energy, by good means come to me. Wealth, knowledge, influence, energy, this trinket I pass into power, to attract to me wealth, knowledge, influence, energy – come to me.” Wear the necklace.
Results:The attainment of vast amounts of wealth, knowledge, influence and energy.


2. To ascertain someone’s innocence or guilt in thievery
You will need:Two keysA sieveThree castersA suspect
Method:Place two keys across each other in ‘x’ formation in a sieve. Two casters hold the sieve, and the third makes the sign of the cross on the suspected thief’s forehead, loudly saying the suspect’s name three times.
Result:The keys will remain still if the suspect is innocent, but will begin to revolve if he/she is the thief.


3. To always have money
You will need:A black cock’s featherA gold coin
Method:Go to where three fairy paths cross, hold the feather and coin, and call out the goddess Áine’s name three times.
Result:Eternal wealth.
I hope you’ve found these spells and charms entertaining, and, if anyone tries one, I’d love to know the results. I don’t necessarily believe these will work, but you never know!
Images courtesy of Pixabay. 

All about the Wizard of Ends novella series  Wizard of Ends is a fantasy ebook series filled to the brim with magic, dark creatures and other exciting elements. In Book 1, the wizard Lashlor Leaflin encounters two Guards of Ends attempting to kidnap their queen. He comes to her aid, only to be pulled into a magical adventure that ends in a battle with a powerful sorceress who believes rulership over the Land of Ends to be rightfully hers. Releasing October 9, Wizard of Ends Book I will be a permanently free series starter at Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks. In Book 2, Dark Creature, Lashlor is trapped in the Mountains of Eclador, from which no one has ever returned. If he cannot find a way out, he will be unable to remove the curse on the Queen of Ends. To add to the problem, believing that Lashlor won’t make it back, King Lanaran Dragonsbane tries to undo the curse on his wife despite Lashlor’s warning not to meddle with what he does not understand. Get Dark Creature: Wizard of Ends Book 2 on release October 23 for only $0.99. The special is for release day only. After that it's $2.99. Wizard of Ends Books 1 and 2 will be published on 9 and 23 October at Smashwords, after which they will soon be available from other retailers like Barnes & Noble and iBooks. Book 1 will be permanently free and, on the day of publication only, Book 2, Dark Creature, will be only 99c, after which it will be $2.99.About Dark Creature:
Escorted by soldiers of Ends, Lashlor sets out to find an old flame, Rune Arcana, the only person who can help to remove the curse placed on the Queen of Ends. Lashlor believes that Rune currently resides in the Mountains of Eclador – a place from which no one has returned in all of recorded history. She could refuse his request. She could be dead. Lashlor and his companions could meet the same fate.If they do not brave the mountains, however, Queen Narraki will remain in the form of a rabid creature of darkness… forever.Forever is a long time, and King Lanaran fears the Wizard of Ends will not return. Ignoring Lashlor’s advice not to meddle with the curse, the king employs other magic users to attempt to undo the dark magic.
How many books this series will total is not yet known, but readers can expect a lot more books in the coming years. The author says the story tends to write itself and, as long as there is an adventure to be had, it will continue be written. The Wizard of Ends virtual book tour is running from 1 – 31 October, during which readers can find out more about the series, its characters and the author. Expect plenty of giveaways and special offers, extracts, posts about magic in the real world and even a recipe for a fantasy castle cake!
Make sure you don’t miss the discounted price on the day of publication by following the author’s blog to receive a notification in your inbox.

Wizard of Ends GIVEAWAY & DISCOUNT DATESAll coupons below offer a 100% discount.11 – 13 October Dragon Kin & other fantasy stories by Vanessa FinaughtySmashwords coupon code: ZU52BValid: 11 – 13 October16 October Sorcery & Subterfuge by Vanessa FinaughtySmashwords coupon code: HA38KValid: 16 October18 – 20 October The Angel’s Voice, Books 1 & 2 by Michelle LouringSmashwords coupon code for Book 1: FH27ESmashwords coupon code for Book 2: EN84LValid: 18 – 20 October21 October Royal Wizard by Alianne DonnellySmashwords coupon code: XV26R Valid: 21 October24 OctoberLegends of Origin, Books 1 – 3 by Vanessa FinaughtyBook 1 is permanently free.Smashwords coupon code for Book 2: BP37QSmashwords coupon code for Book 3: YC54AValid: 24 October 27 October The Accidental Wizard by Simon LudgateSmashwords coupon code: FM47ZValid: 27 October Author biography



Vanessa Finaughty is an author of many genres who now focuses on fantasy and science fiction. She’s published 15 books, of which 6 are fantasy. Vanessa grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, and still lives there with her husband of fifteen years, her baby daughter and plenty of furry, four-legged ‘children’.

Vanessa has always been passionate about books, and knew from a young age that she wanted to write them one day. She loves animals, coffee and the smell of wet grass, and hates liars, sweltering weather and long queues. Her interests include reading, photography, the supernatural, mythology, aliens and outer space, ancient history, life’s mysteries and martial arts, of which she has five years’ experience.LinksAuthor websiteAuthor blogGoodreadsTwitterFacebookSmashwordsiBooksBarnes & NoblePublication datesWizard of Ends, Book 1: 9 October 2014Wizard of Ends, Book 2: Dark Creature: 23 October 2014

A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.