Dyrk Ashton's Blog
January 7, 2025
RELEASE THE (THUNDER) KRAKEN!
Hello everyone!
I'm very happy to announce that the adventures of Zee and Jessup continue today with the launch of Thunder Kraken, Book 2 of the Kraken Rider Z trilogy! The ebook is available now, with paperback to follow in the next day or two.
Because of the narrator's busy schedule, the release of the audiobook won't be until late Fall this year. I know. That sucks. In our (meager) defense, we don't schedule the audiobook recording, Audible Studios does, and they say this is the best they could do. Very sorry about the wait!
Thank you for all your support. I hope you enjoy the book, you all had wonderful holidays, and the New Year is your best ever!
All the very best,
Dyrk
I'm very happy to announce that the adventures of Zee and Jessup continue today with the launch of Thunder Kraken, Book 2 of the Kraken Rider Z trilogy! The ebook is available now, with paperback to follow in the next day or two.
Because of the narrator's busy schedule, the release of the audiobook won't be until late Fall this year. I know. That sucks. In our (meager) defense, we don't schedule the audiobook recording, Audible Studios does, and they say this is the best they could do. Very sorry about the wait!
Thank you for all your support. I hope you enjoy the book, you all had wonderful holidays, and the New Year is your best ever!
All the very best,
Dyrk
October 15, 2024
Thunder Kraken is Coming!
KRZ 2: Thunder Kraken Release Schedule
It's coming!
Hello everyone! I know I've been saying that we hoped to release Thunder Kraken in mid-November, a year from the release of KRZ 1, but due to a number of circumstances, including scheduling problems with our fantastic narrator Tim Gerard Reynolds because he is so incredibly busy, we've had to move things back a bit. The good news is Thunder Kraken has been completed and was delivered to Audible Studios in July. The bad news, especially for audiobook listeners, is the release schedules have been pushed. We're very sorry about that, but it's been entirely out of our control :(
So, here is the schedule:
-eBook Preorders: NOW! Yes, the eBook is now up for my preorder on Amazon!
-eBook Release: Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Very sorry for the wait.
-Paperback Preorders and Release: This time, the paperbacks will be available the same day as the eBooks, on January 7. They should go on preorder some time early in November, depending on Amazon's fickle new paperback preorder process.
-Audiobooks: And, argh, here's the bad news. Because of the narrator's busy schedule, the release date won't be until late September or early-ish October of 2025. I know. That sucks. In our (meager) defense, we don't schedule the audiobook recording, Audible Studios does, and they say this is the best they could do. Sorry again, and I hope you all are well.
Want to talk about the KRZ books? Go to r/krakenriderz on Reddit!
It's coming!
Hello everyone! I know I've been saying that we hoped to release Thunder Kraken in mid-November, a year from the release of KRZ 1, but due to a number of circumstances, including scheduling problems with our fantastic narrator Tim Gerard Reynolds because he is so incredibly busy, we've had to move things back a bit. The good news is Thunder Kraken has been completed and was delivered to Audible Studios in July. The bad news, especially for audiobook listeners, is the release schedules have been pushed. We're very sorry about that, but it's been entirely out of our control :(
So, here is the schedule:
-eBook Preorders: NOW! Yes, the eBook is now up for my preorder on Amazon!
-eBook Release: Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Very sorry for the wait.
-Paperback Preorders and Release: This time, the paperbacks will be available the same day as the eBooks, on January 7. They should go on preorder some time early in November, depending on Amazon's fickle new paperback preorder process.
-Audiobooks: And, argh, here's the bad news. Because of the narrator's busy schedule, the release date won't be until late September or early-ish October of 2025. I know. That sucks. In our (meager) defense, we don't schedule the audiobook recording, Audible Studios does, and they say this is the best they could do. Sorry again, and I hope you all are well.
Want to talk about the KRZ books? Go to r/krakenriderz on Reddit!
November 14, 2023
RELEASE THE KRAKEN!
November 14, 2023:
Hello everyone! It's been over three years since the release of War of Gods, but I'm back! My newest book, Kraken Rider Z, released today! This is the first book in a new trilogy, and a collaboration with the amazing David Estes. I'm very happy with how it came out, and I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it. Thank you!
KRZ on Amazon
KRZ on Audible (narrated by the one and only Tim Gerard Reynolds!
Paperbacks will be available some time in the next few months.
Hello everyone! It's been over three years since the release of War of Gods, but I'm back! My newest book, Kraken Rider Z, released today! This is the first book in a new trilogy, and a collaboration with the amazing David Estes. I'm very happy with how it came out, and I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it. Thank you!
KRZ on Amazon
KRZ on Audible (narrated by the one and only Tim Gerard Reynolds!
Paperbacks will be available some time in the next few months.
March 17, 2021
War of Gods Hardback & Slipcase Kickstarter
March 9 - March 29
SEE IT HERE!
FULLY FUNDED IN UNDER 4 HOURS!
Wow. The response has been incredible! We also smashed through 3 Stretch Goals in the first four days. The War of Gods hardbacks will now have a color map, and all backers of physical rewards will receive two 5.5 by 8.5 art cards with illustrations of Paternus characters.
The complete trilogy sets with slipcase have sold out, but there are still plenty of:
-War of Gods and Wrath of Gods signed and numbered limited edition hardbacks
-Trilogy Slipcases
-Signed and doodle-stamped paperbacks of all three books
-Giclee print cover art posters for all three books
-Exclusive signed bookmarks for Kickstarter patrons only, for all three books
Thank you all for you tremendous support!
The third and final Kickstarter for special limited edition signed and numbered Paternus Trilogy hardbacks has launched! This is for War of Gods (book 3) and fancy slipcases to hold the trilogy - but there's a whole lot more.
Speaking of slipcases – below are the digital mock-ups of how I plan for them to look. These will be manufactured by the same company that produced them for Michael J. Sullivan's Legends of the First Empire series – I have that set and slipcase, and it is gorgeous.
Thank you! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I hope you are well :)
All the very best,
Dyrk
SEE IT HERE!
FULLY FUNDED IN UNDER 4 HOURS!
Wow. The response has been incredible! We also smashed through 3 Stretch Goals in the first four days. The War of Gods hardbacks will now have a color map, and all backers of physical rewards will receive two 5.5 by 8.5 art cards with illustrations of Paternus characters.
The complete trilogy sets with slipcase have sold out, but there are still plenty of:
-War of Gods and Wrath of Gods signed and numbered limited edition hardbacks
-Trilogy Slipcases
-Signed and doodle-stamped paperbacks of all three books
-Giclee print cover art posters for all three books
-Exclusive signed bookmarks for Kickstarter patrons only, for all three books
Thank you all for you tremendous support!
The third and final Kickstarter for special limited edition signed and numbered Paternus Trilogy hardbacks has launched! This is for War of Gods (book 3) and fancy slipcases to hold the trilogy - but there's a whole lot more.
Speaking of slipcases – below are the digital mock-ups of how I plan for them to look. These will be manufactured by the same company that produced them for Michael J. Sullivan's Legends of the First Empire series – I have that set and slipcase, and it is gorgeous.
Thank you! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I hope you are well :)
All the very best,
Dyrk
April 22, 2020
War of Gods is up for pre-order!
Hello everyone! I'm very happy to announce that the Kindle edition of War of Gods is now available for preorder on Amazon.
As promised, this one is truly epic - or at least epically long compared to the first two books in the trilogy. Book 1 came in at about 135,000 words, and Book 2 was about 156,000. This one is real close to 236,000.
I hope you are all doing well during these difficult times. Be safe, be well, and thank you!
As promised, this one is truly epic - or at least epically long compared to the first two books in the trilogy. Book 1 came in at about 135,000 words, and Book 2 was about 156,000. This one is real close to 236,000.
I hope you are all doing well during these difficult times. Be safe, be well, and thank you!
December 28, 2019
Paternus: War of Gods Release Date Change
Hi everyone! I hope you are all having wonderful holidays.
It's with mixed feelings and only after much deliberation that I've decided to push the release of Paternus: War of Gods back by five weeks, from May 19 to June 23.
The reason for this change is that the manuscript just isn't ready to submit to beta readers, which is the next major step before some rewriting and delivery to editors and proofers. At more than 50,000 words longer than book two, the sheer magnitude of finishing it and cleaning it up has proven more than I can handle in the time I had allotted.
That’s the bad part of the news. The good part is I’ll now have time to make the book what I really want it to be and that I think you, the readers, deserve - and not completely lose my mind in the process :)
Thank you for your patience, sorry for any inconvenience, and Happy New Year!
All the best,
Dyrk
It's with mixed feelings and only after much deliberation that I've decided to push the release of Paternus: War of Gods back by five weeks, from May 19 to June 23.
The reason for this change is that the manuscript just isn't ready to submit to beta readers, which is the next major step before some rewriting and delivery to editors and proofers. At more than 50,000 words longer than book two, the sheer magnitude of finishing it and cleaning it up has proven more than I can handle in the time I had allotted.
That’s the bad part of the news. The good part is I’ll now have time to make the book what I really want it to be and that I think you, the readers, deserve - and not completely lose my mind in the process :)
Thank you for your patience, sorry for any inconvenience, and Happy New Year!
All the best,
Dyrk
November 21, 2019
It's not too late!
Hi folks! The #Paternus Hardbacks Kickstarter may be funded and done, but you can still get Rise of Gods hardbacks & signed paperbacks, War of Gods (Book 3) ARCs, and gallery quality posters for a limited time.
Check it out!
Check it out!
November 19, 2019
WE DID IT!
I've received the official congrats email for the Paternus: Rise of Gods Hardbacks #Kickstarter. $13,815, 260% funded, 368 backers.
THANK YOU ALL!
If you missed it, RoG hardbacks, signed paperbacks, Book 3 ARCs and posters will still be available for a limited time. Stay tuned for a link!
THANK YOU ALL!
If you missed it, RoG hardbacks, signed paperbacks, Book 3 ARCs and posters will still be available for a limited time. Stay tuned for a link!
November 9, 2019
Moving right along!
Hi folks! Just jumping in to say things are moving along well behind the scenes of the Paternus: Rise of Gods - Fantasy Novel Hardbacks Kickstarter. I'm getting all the ducks in a row for production of all the rewards and add-ons, and finishing up the BackerKit and Survey. Ed Binkley has begun work on the art as well. I can't wait to see the first sketches!
The BackerKit will be available to all backers right after the Kickstarter splashes down from its three week flight on Monday, November 18, at 11:59pm EST. The survey will be sent two weeks after that, on Tuesday, December 3.
We're in the slow middle-part of the Kickstarter now, which is to be expected, but if you want to share to keep things buzzing, that would be awesome.
Meanwhile, I've backed a very cool graphic novel Kickstarter from friend and fellow Dyrk (with a different spelling than mine), Dirk Manning. If you're into comics, check it out!
Thank you all again for your generous support.
All the very best,
Dyrk
The BackerKit will be available to all backers right after the Kickstarter splashes down from its three week flight on Monday, November 18, at 11:59pm EST. The survey will be sent two weeks after that, on Tuesday, December 3.
We're in the slow middle-part of the Kickstarter now, which is to be expected, but if you want to share to keep things buzzing, that would be awesome.
Meanwhile, I've backed a very cool graphic novel Kickstarter from friend and fellow Dyrk (with a different spelling than mine), Dirk Manning. If you're into comics, check it out!
Thank you all again for your generous support.
All the very best,
Dyrk
November 5, 2019
We have color!
Hello everyone! Stretch Goal #2 of the Paternus: Rise of Gods - Fantasy Novel Hardbacks Kickstarter has been funded, and the hardcover will now include a color illustration of The Prathamaja Nandana by the fabulously talented Ed Binkley. Chapter headings and other embellishments will be printed in color as well.
I'm so excited I can barely stand it. This book will now be everything I ever wanted it to be, and that all of you so much deserve - and it's all thanks to you!
What's next? STRETCH GOAL #3 - UNLOCKED: A new short story set in the world of Paternus!
If we fund this stretch goal, I will write an all new short story set in the world of Paternus. I haven't decided exactly what it will be yet, but most likely a backstory piece about Pratha or Myrddin Wyllt (another readers' favorite character) based on my (literally) hundreds of pages of Paternus world history notes.
Thanks again everyone, you are all the very best backers I could have ever hoped for.
Cheers!
Dyrk
I'm so excited I can barely stand it. This book will now be everything I ever wanted it to be, and that all of you so much deserve - and it's all thanks to you!
What's next? STRETCH GOAL #3 - UNLOCKED: A new short story set in the world of Paternus!
If we fund this stretch goal, I will write an all new short story set in the world of Paternus. I haven't decided exactly what it will be yet, but most likely a backstory piece about Pratha or Myrddin Wyllt (another readers' favorite character) based on my (literally) hundreds of pages of Paternus world history notes.
Thanks again everyone, you are all the very best backers I could have ever hoped for.
Cheers!
Dyrk
