R.K. Lander's Blog

Destiny of a Prince. The Silvan Saga is Almost Over…

Destiny of a Prince Update

OK I’m late. I’m sorry.

It’s taken me a year to publish each book in this epic fantasy series, but Destiny of a Prince will take just a little longer.

I never expected the series to get so complicated, seriously. But it did. The plot twists and turns, the mysteries I managed to create and now need to solve. There are a serious number of plot threads and I don’t want to miss any of them, firstly because – well – no. Secondly, some of you guys know this story better than I do. The members of The Company, my inner circle, will remember the amount of times I’ve asked a question – about my own book!. It’s sad, but it’s a fact I have to live with.

Point being, I am still crafting the book, which means we may still be three months out. Not so bad, I suppose, save that when I think that this book is at least as long as Rise, well, three months sounds like a hundred-metre sprint. 220K and still counting.

So what’s the goal? Well, the draft will be finished before our annual Q&A, which is programmed for 28th May. I’ll confirm the time at a later date, but you can now join the event and ask your questions.

About Destiny of a Prince

The last book in The Silvan Saga was always going to be difficult, and for many reasons.

This is the story that encouraged me to write. This is the story I felt so passionately about, the one I wanted to read myself. Now, it’s almost over and I find myself thinking about the future, about another series and whether I can bring myself to completely leave this world I have created and will never forget.

You already know from Rise of the Silvan, that our heroes are returning home, not to peace but to the final battle against the Nim’u��n. But with a decimated army and the Motherland too far away to help, the odds are firmly against victory. But come on, you already knew that right? I don’t make it easy for The Company, and especially not for Fel’ann��r.

I hope to have the final book blurb ready in a couple of weeks, which will reveal a few more details about what’s to come.

Destiny of a Prince Q&A

I’ll be doing a Facebook live on Saturday 28th May. The time needs working out so that I can see all my readers, from the UK to Europe, Australasia, Asia and the USA. That’s not easy, let me tell you. So if you follow my Facebook page @rklwrites, you’ll get an update and of course, an invitation to join the event. You can ask questions on the last book, or the entire series if you like. I’ll be giving away ebooks, paperbacks and audiobooks, but more importantly, it’s my one-in-a-year’s chance to hang out with readers from around the globe.

Join the event here:

On an entirely different note, Rise of the Silvan has hit 1,000 reviews on Amazon. It’s nuts! And it’s average rating is up there at 8.3. To celebrate, I’m giving away a signed and dedicated paperback. Here’s how to participate:

Make sure you follow my Facebook page
Instagram
The OfficialR.K. Lander Facebook Group

Drop me a line with the subject line “sign me up for the prize draw”

Shedquarters Update
After two long years stuck at home for the most part, 2022 marks a return to some sort of normalcy. I’ve booked myself in for the 20Books Vegas 2022 convention, and the Self Publishing Show Live in London. Now, all I need is a passport… ehem. (see below)

Some of you already know that I have two new doggies. Bella, a three-year-old Andalusian Podenco, is a gentle soul that loves chewing my shoes. She ate an entire sandal actually, then spent the next few days “expelling” it. Here is a full list of her achievements so far…

This is Gracie. I was told she was two, but the vet at the shelter must have overslept that morning. She is, in fact, a puppy. That is, she’s not even one. Woe is me!!! I didn’t want a puppy. I don’t have the patience and I don’t need the distraction. But of course I fell in love with her and can’t / won’t take her back. Besides, Gracie and Bella get on so well together.

So it’s back to work for me and the final push towards “the end.” I’ll be hard at work for the next month but as always, I love to hear from you guys.

Take care, and I hope to see you signing up for the prize draw and the Q&A.

Destiny of a Prince in the Making

It’s been a while, I know. But admittedly, I have been very busy, and I thought I’d fill you in on just what has been going on at R.K. Lander Shedquarters.

This is just one thing I’ve been up to these past months. No, unfortunately, I did not do this myself. I wish I could! Kudos to Asha Znamenska for a wonderful illustration for the last book in The Silvan Saga. 

The image has a filter applied to it, and of course I can’t show you the whole thing before the cover is ready. The magicians at Deranged Doctor Design are working on it as I write this – and my nails are getting shorter and shorter. Actually that’s not right. I don’t have nails; I just pretend I’m biting them. 

Like it? Love it? Let me know what you think!

Most of my time has been spent on putting together the first draft of Destiny of a Prince. Together with the unparalleled M.Y. Leigh, we are thrashing out the story threads. Email, Wattsapp, as I shop or as she takes the kids to school, we are reminding each other of what needs to be said and done, sometimes coming up with the most hair-brained ideas you’ve ever heard. It’s the way we work, what makes us such an incredible team. 

There is no release date just yet. Once the first draft is completed, I’ll have more news for you.

If you’re an audiobook fan, release date for Rise of the Silvan is November 2, 2021. I’m not sure why it’s taking so long, but I can only assume it’s COVID related delays. Still, it’s only just over two months to wait – not so bad really.

Work has already begun on the next series. I’ll have more to say soon, but what I can confirm is that we will remain in the epic fantasy genre, and that some of our characters will set out on another journey. Cryptic? Probably. M.Y. Leigh says it’s my signature trait but I disagree. 

Finally, there is a new Facebook group for fans. You can chat about the books, created polls, share artwork, ask questions. You can chat with me too, I’m usually around. Pop in and take a look. Official R.K. Lander Fan Page

So it’s back to work for me. If you have any questions, drop me a line, or find me in the new Facebook Group and start a discussion.

Stay well.

 

 

Rise of The Silvan Out Now!

Rise of The Silvan, The Silvan Saga book V out today

It’s been ten long months and the result is a massive 248K book that totally ran away with me. And I don’t care, so long as you love it. 

The paperback edition should be available in a few weeks, and the audiobook, once more narrated by Daniel Thomas May, will take around three months.

It’s time for a break, just a short one. A whole week of getting up late and then it’s back to the writing hut to start on book six, the last of the series. Every time I say that I can’t quite believe it. Still, it’s true and once Destiny of a Prince is out, it’s time to start thinking about my next series. I can’t say much about that just yet, but some of our characters from The Silvan will be back – in a different place. I will say no more for now.

Needless to say, I hope you enjoy Rise of The Silvan, and if you do, I would love to see your review on the Amazon store. If you have a Bookbub or Goodreads account, those would be great places to share your opinions. If you’re on Facebook, visit @rklwrites and see what’s going on there. Just watch out for the spoilers!

Happy reading!

 

Rise of The Silvan Release Date

At last!!!! Book 5 of The Silvan Saga is about to launch.

I can’t believe how the book just ran away with me like this. I never meant it to be 650 pages long – seriously.

Still, I’m not complaining. I’m not a plotter, not a pantser. I’m somewhere in between, and if a story takes me down a path I hadn’t intended, my only question is: “Is it good?” If it is, I’ll take that path and follow it to the end. Enter Rise of The Silvan.

Of course, as a series, I know what needed to happen, and no one’s going to tell me it’s a simple story. The Silvan is a real challenge to my memory, let me tell you. The sheer amount of story arcs, characters, names and places is just mind-boggling. Maybe I’ll write that Readers’ Guide one day. Yes it’s meant for readers, but the author is going to have to use it too.

The Kindle edition is the first out, on the 9th April. The paperback will take another week, and the audiobook a few months, depending on the producers and the narrator’s schedule of course. My team is currently tweaking and proofing (please stop!) but we’ll have it ready, I promise.

Now I’m not blowing my own trumpet here, but my ARC team reckon this is the best instalment so far. I think I agree, but I’ll let you be the judge of that. I just hope that when the time comes, you’ll love it.

If you’d like to pre-order from Amazon, you can do so here.

Amazon US – Amazon UK – Amazon AU

 

 

Live Q&A on Facebook

Saturday 23rd January was the Q&A session for Rise of the Silvan, book V of The Silvan Saga.

I remember really enjoying the first Q&A I did last year, thought I could never get that many people to come in and participate. I was wrong then, and even more dramatically wrong this time round. What a riot! I loved it!!

Did you miss it? Watch the replay here.

We’re almost there. One final polish and a proofread away and Rise of the Silvan will launch, after a two-month delay. I hope the 600+ pages will make up for the wait. Next time I post, we’ll be launching.

Until then!

Book 5 of The Silvan Saga Is Almost Here

An author update for you – at last!

It’s been a while folks. Not that I’ve been distracted from writing. Despite the COVID crisis, I have been squirrelling away in my writing hut, and have somehow managed to create a massive doorstep of a fifth instalment of The Silvan Saga. I know epic fantasy series are supposed to be long, but honestly?

What have I done?

Well, for one, I’ve missed my deadline. I know you were all hoping for a an epic read in December, but I just can’t pull it off. At a ridiculous 216K (and counting), it was too much for a Christmas release. But January … This is my new goal.

I’m fifty pages away from my final draft, just a few days away from editing, and then proofing, and once my Advance Readers get their hands on it, we’ll be two weeks away. Meng in Singapore, Andrea in Washington, yours truly in Spain – this has been quite a spectacular ride, and quite a different one to book four. I wonder what you’ll think about that.

So what can you expect to read in book five? Well, here’s the blurb …

With a kingdom to rebuild, Thargodén must call on all his allies to commence the Restoration. With his army shattered and his people slowly coming to terms with the errors of the past, trust must be earned.

Fel’annár and his brothers have very different jobs to fulfil. One is heir to the throne, the other is destined to restructure the politics of a multi-racial land, while Fel’annár must create his own army and rally his people behind the king.

But the Evergreen Wood calls to Fel’annár and he begins to question the true nature of his duty to Aria. Do his answers lie in the forbidden Evergreen Wood?

Similarly, Thargodén searches for the reasons why his father never told him of his plan to unite him with his Silvan love, despite Band’orán’s treachery.

Meanwhile, a commander strives for atonement, while a princess returns home. One prince finds love while another struggles to accept the hardships of his troubled past.

But time is running out as the Nim’uán approaches the Xeric Wood and the king’s new army must ride out to meet it. Fel’annár travels north, through the Wetwood and to Abiren’á, his ancestral home.

But what will he find there besides war? What will those lands tell him about the nature of his duty to Aria? About his own nature and the true destiny that awaits him?

See? I told you it was going to be long! 

On a different note, what do you think of my shiny new website? I just love it. Let’s hear it for Dawn and Crystal at Austin Design Works. I also want to thank the incredible Olena Vecchio Pittura for the fantastic banner illustrations. Oh, and I’ve added a few trailers you might like to take a look at. Trailer for Path of a Novice. Trailer for Road of a Warrior.

I promise to keep you posted in the coming weeks but for now, I am locking myself inside my hut once more. Best wishes for the coming new year. I hope the powers above can get it together and make it a better one. I mean how could it possibly be worse – right?

New Release: Return of a Warlord Audiobook

The long-awaited audiobook for Return of a Warlord is on pre-release, as of today!

Well, it would have been nice for Tantor to say something, of course, but thank the Gods my readers and listeners warned me.

Now I noticed the pre-release has a really great price, half of what it will cost once it goes live on the 27th of October. So I hope you’ll take advantage and hit the pre-order button. Here are the links:

 

 

| Amazon US |

| Amazon UK |

| Amazon AU |

| Amazon CA |

Needless to say, I’m dying to hear your impressions, so hop over to Facebook, or leave a comment below.

I really hope you enjoy the adventure!

Green Sun Is Back. Prepare For War!

The day has come. Book IV of The Silvan Saga is out!!

This is the best time for an author, and potentially the worst if readers don’t like it. But I’m staying positive. First reviews from my amazing ARC team have been brilliant, and now it’s time to sit back and wait for the verdict from the general public. 

Deep breath, bottle of champers, or maybe cava. Chocolates and my specs for seeing things. Relaxing spa music, my best pyjamas and maybe a fire in the garden pit. No sleeping tonight.

For those of you who prefer the book-in-hand experience, it should launch in a few days. Audio will take a little longer, foreseeably a few months, but I’ll let you know when I have a date for release.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA |

Can you believe I am ploughing through the first draft of book five? I don’t know what’s happened to me, but whatever it is, it’s working. At this rate, we will have the conclusion to the main series for Christmas. How does that sound?

So fingers crossed the Warlord finds his way in the world and I have the best launch to date. Time will tell.

Best wishes!

 

 

The Warlord is Arriving

With just weeks to go before the release of book four of the Silvan Saga, the final manuscript is locked down and ready for its final edit. 

Did I nearly miss my cut off? Yes. But I didn’t so I’m breathing again, at least until I get some feedback from my editor to the effect of, ‘it’s amazing.’ 

I thought Dawn of a Legend was long at 130,000 words, but Return of a Warlord has far surpassed that. Prior to that final edit, we are at 150,000 words. That’s a big wodge of a book. Not that I am complaining, mind. Now, let me give you some important information:

FACEBOOK LIVE – rklwrites

I will soon be scheduling a Facebook Live, probably on a Friday. Morning in the US, evening in Australia and NZ. We’re going to talk about the new book (no spoilers)  and about future books. I recently sent out a survey on what readers would like to see in upcoming books. More of The Company? More of The Three? A prequel? Stand-alone adventures? So please try to come. I’d love to meet you.

RELEASE DAY

May 30th. Kindle first, and then paperback on the same day or just a few days after. The audiobook will be narrated by Daniel Thomas May once more, but will not be available until July or August – at a guess.

You can pre-order here: Amazon US – Amazon UK – Amazon AU

BOOK FIVE

Book five will not be so long coming. The culmination of the series promises to be an emotional journey for everyone. Can I finish for Christmas? January perhaps? I will try my best. And the title you ask? Coming very soon.

I really hope to meet you on Facebook soon and if you can’t make it, then I hope you enjoy this fourth book in the series. I wrote it for you and I’d love to hear what you think.

Stay safe.

Return of a Warlord is on Pre-release!

Return of a Warlord: The Silvan Book IV is now available on pre-release.

May 30th, 2020 is the official release day, but I’m working hard to finish for April. Meanwhile, I thought you might like to see the cover and read the blurb.

From a new dawn, a Warlord rises.

After the Battle of Tar’eastór, the Great Forest waits for the one the Silvans claim as their Warlord. With his past unveiled and his future destiny clear, Fel’annár and The Company journey home together with Prince Handir and Gor’sadén, the commander Fel’annár has named father. With documents that incriminate the enemy, they must travel in secret to protect their treasure and Fel’annár from those who seek to kill him. Meanwhile, the forest king struggles to maintain his throne under the final onslaught of Band’orán and his Alpine purists.

Raging rivers and treacherous cliffs. A perilous sea and ruthless assassins await Fel’annár and The Company as they approach a forest on the verge of civil war. Can they make it in time for the final showdown? Can the crown prince hold the enemy at bay? Long enough for the return of his brother? For the return of the Warlord.

If you aren’t on my mailing list, please consider signing up. You’ll get the latest news on release dates, amongst other things. You can do that here:

Sign up for the latest news.

Are you ready for the next Silvan adventure? Then go order your pre-release now. Amazon will remind you when the big day comes.

As for me, it’s on with the job. Until next time!