S.D. Reeves's Blog, page 2

Now available: A Song in the Dark

On a perilous mountain pass, Niena, the girl known as The Melody of Three, undertakes a treacherous journey with her fairy queen step-grandmother to escape all those who wish to control her. Niena’s gift is also her curse. As the descendant of three races, she is the only one who can play the Evercharm, the lyre used to create the fairy, elf, and human worlds. For sorcerer Christaan De Rein and his trusted apprentice Higgins, he needs Niena for the protection of the Curators. But after one long week into their journey to capture her, it feels as if they are chasing shadows.

For the full release, click here!

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Return of the ARC Team

With the approach of the release of A Song in the Dark i’ve decided to begin reviving my Advanced Reader’s Club (ARC Team). What is it precisely? Why, an opportunity to read my works for free. More details to come, but see below for a brief introduction:

But I bet you have some questions, so let’s do this!

What’s a Reader’s Club?

A group of readers who are happy to write reviews (on Amazon, Goodreads, or Bookbub) in exchange for getting free advance copies of the books (also known as Advance Reader Copies, or ARCs).

What do I have to do?

When you join, I will send you a copy of Curses of Scale. Just shoot me a link to your honest review (within like three months), and you’ll get the Melody of Three, and then the next book, and so on.

What if I already bought your book(s)?

For those of you who have purchased one or the other of my books (huge thank you btw) I will be happy to provide you a copy of the other, and with a review of any of them get you ready for the future release of A Song in the Dark (you’ll get a copy weeks in advance of the release).

Do I have to review your book?

I don’t want you to write a review of something you didn’t finish, or aren’t comfortable about. So I will just be sending along Curses of Scale in the hope that you’ll take a minute to review them once you’re done.

I bet you only want positive reviews, right?

Nope. I want your honest to goodness opinions!

What about details, do you want a long review?

If you would like to only put a sentence, or a few words, do so. There’s no length requirement or anything.

Why are you doing this?

Reviews are the lifeblood of all authors, independent of traditionally published. We needs them. We needs lots of them preciousess.

So I just read it, review it, and send you the link?
It is just that simple, and I will keep you active on the team and send you along the next book.

What if I get busy?

While I did put a general time limit of three months per book, we all have lives. Just let me know and I will keep you active.

The post Return of the ARC Team first appeared on S.D. Reeves Books.

A Song in the Dark Pre-order

It has been a long time coming, but I am happy to announce that the sequel to The Melody of Three, A Song in the Dark, is available for pre-order! I want to thank everyone that has kept up with me, watching, sending messages, and such for the last couple of years

Available here

Excerpt:

Everyone seeks her song. But who among them is prepared to die for it…

On a perilous mountain pass, Niena, the girl known as The Melody of Three, undertakes a treacherous journey with her fairy queen step-grandmother to escape all those who wish to control her. Niena’s gift is also her curse. As the descendant of three races, she is the only one who can play the Evercharm, the lyre used to create the fairy, elf, and human worlds. For sorcerer Christaan De Rein and his trusted apprentice Higgins, he needs Niena for the protection of the Curators. But after one long week into their journey to capture her, it feels as if they are chasing shadows.

When those shadows transform into seething Udur, the Teamor’s vicious hounds, Rein’s traveling party are not the only ones in imminent danger. Niena is learning fast that reality is not all that it seems. And if creation is to be stopped from unraveling completely, she must decide exactly who she can trust…

The post A Song in the Dark Pre-order first appeared on S.D. Reeves Books.

Review Request: Drunk Drivers by Matthias Lindgaard

**Reviewer’s note about Drunk Drivers, I am going through my TBR list. Unfortunately, I am woefully out of date on sum, and this book has since gone unavailable in the market. I will leave the link still for when it comes back.

Drunken Drivers is a bit of an enigma to me. It is a blur of debauchery that scrapes the barrel: a raw and unexpected take on alcoholism, with all its lows, that yet somehow manages to stagger on into unexpected highs of storytelling.

Lindgaard’s prose is surprisingly sophisticated and immersive. The first person take hooks with emotion, and brings the reader along on an intimate level – as if we are some old friend. Each new, albeit strange) scenario staggers along, giving glimpses into a gritty world full of drinking, and lots of sex. Which is perhaps as alien as any science fiction world to all but the most hardened of partiers.

Like most novels of this subject, it can be quite self-indulgent. And there are times when the sophisticated prose becomes a bit too heavy handed. The first act is also the strongest, the and the rest tends to drag on, sometimes becoming a bit too much to slog through if not for the investment already made. Lastly, I felt the narrative was a bit too predictable.

Even so, the characters are genuine, if not all likeable. The level of insight is surprising, and despite the protagonist’s antics, the dialogue and introspection comes across as measured rather than rambling. Taken all together Matthias Lindgaard’s Drunk Drivers is a poignant introduction to a new author, and worth the read.

Purchase Links:
| Amazon UK |Amazon US |

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Review Request: Order of the Void by Robert Vaughn

An unexpected package brings dark tidings, as internet vlogger Jeffrey Bailey’s friend reaches out from the grave for justice. Order of the Void by Robert Vaughn propels the reader through a modern mystery and the twisted aspirations of an evil cult.

Opening the package reveals a video of his friend’s ritualistic murder. So, naturally, Jeffrey enlists the aid of his subscribers to expose the culprits. The novel sets off from here, entangling police, watchers, friends, and secret government agencies into the deeper unknown.

If this sounds familiar, then you likely grew up watching television in the 90’s.  Order of the Void follows the same premise of every paranormal thriller/mystery since the X-files first aired, and all the twists and turns – even with somewhat modern tech and concepts slashed – are entirely predictable.  There are all the usual tropes. From the inept police to the obligatory secret agencies who are simultaneously oblivious to covert concepts while being omniscient.  There are even the unmistakable cosmic horror overtones with the cult’s worship of a being called “Rojachar.”

This however does not mean that Order of the Void is a bad book. It is just not a complicated one. The characters are genuinely likeable, if simple. As is the dialogue, and prose. The pace is also fine, and the author doesn’t leave you confused. It is also a short book, and one that can be devoured before going to bed, or during a rainy evening.

If you are looking for a light read, and this sort of mystery is your itch, then Order of the Void by Robert Vaughn will scratch it.

Purchase Links:
| Amazon UK |Amazon US |

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A Q&A with Joe Bonadonna of Heroika, Dragon Eaters

Hey folks,

Today I have an interesting one for you, and a little different format from usual. A little Q&A with Joe Bonadonna , one of the authors of the fantasy short story collection Heroka: Dragon Eaters. The rest of the post takes us the novel itself, and a brief bio on the editor (and also one of the authors) of the book, Janet Morris. 

Unfortunately we are a bit outside of the timeframe for the giveaway, but still it is an interesting read. Read on below to find out what’s it like to grow up in a book bindery, and some dips into what one of the other authors, Joe Bonadonna uses for her inspiration to write. There is also some good information there for any of you fellow writers out there, especially the points on dialog!

In Janet Morris’ anthology on the art of dragon killing, seventeen writers bring you so close to dragons you can smell their fetid breath. Tale for the bold among you. Joe Bonadonna is one of the authors who contributed to Heroika: Dragon Eaters. Here are Joe’s responses to various questions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is something unique/quirky about you?
I don’t think there’s really anything unique about me, although my teenage years and  early adulthood were more like an old Warner-Brothers gangster flick than most authors I know. Lots of violence andnasty encounters with the police, which was normal in the neighborhood where I grew up, and for those times. Quirky? Well, I’ve always liked monster flicks, going back to my kindergarten years, and I read comics and books and collected monster trading cards, which made me a “weirdo,” according to a lot of the guys and gals with whom I grew up. Then, when I started playing guitar, I was considered “cool,” and I spent 20 years playing in rock bands, until I retired to concentrate full-time on writing. I did have a great childhood, though. However, high school was one of the most miserable times of my life. Being an only child, I naturally spent a lot of time alone, playing with toy soldiers, drawing, watching movies, building monster models, and reading comic books. Later I set aside the toys, comic books and model-building and replaced those with reading novels and playing guitar.

Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

Well, the place where my Dad worked shared a “floor” with a book bindery. They did not do the book covers, just the binding. So my Dad was always bringing home books for me to read when I was a kid. He and my Mom taught me how to read and always championed my writing. One day, when I was in 4th or 5th grade, I decided I wanted to tell stories. So I sat down and started writing cheesy sci-fi stories and monster theatrical plays. My Catholic grade school nuns, who were always very supportive and encouraging, didn’t think my little plays were appropriate for kids to perform for the “PTA.” So that never happened. I also wanted to be like Mickey Rooney in all those films he made with Judy Garland: “Hey, kids! My folks have a garage. Let’s put on a play.” But that never happened, either. Sports and girls were the only thing my friends were interested in. Rock and roll, films, reading, writing, and girls, of course, are what interested me.

Who is your hero and why?
My Dad and my Mom, both heroes in their own right. Two of the kindest, most loving, honest, and supportive people I’ve ever known. My friends would agree to that. Our house was the party house, where my bands rehearsed and my friends came to dance.

Which of your novels can you imagine being made into a movie?
All of them, really. But my three Mad Shadows books, featuring Dorgo the Dowser as a sort of a Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade type of gumshoe in an alternate 15th century; he uses a special dowsing rod as an investigative and forensic tool. These books would make a decent TV series, if done right. If I could pick the cast, the director, the producer, and have final say in the scripts. Not too many film-makers really understand the Heroic Fantasy and Sword & Sorcery genres, in my humble opinion. Peter Jackson gets it. So does Guillermo del Toro. Those two guys I would love to work with. Many of the people behind the Game of Thrones series, too. Since working with people like that is highly unlikely, there’s no amount of money that could make me “sell out,” so to speak, to the Hollywood Establishment. I’m too old now to care about money; not that hungry and driven anymore. Even now my energy is starting to wane, ideas and enthusiasm is slipping away, and my ability to focus and concentrate are ready to retire. My legacy is all that’s important to me, now. Hopefully I can finish a fourth and final Mad Shadows volume before my time on this planet comes to an end. Aging totally sucks, and ill health makes me feel much older than my 71 years. As the French would say, C’est la vie.

What inspired you to write The Dragon’s Horde for Heroika?
First of all, Dragon Eaters, the book’s “subtitle,” was very much the key to what I wanted to write. The Dragon’s Horde takes place in the world of my Mad Shadows series, but centuries before the birth of Dorgo the Dowser, that series’ main character. Heroika: Dragon Eaters, promised to be a very different and unique volume of Heroic Fantasy, for it would (and does) contain so many great stories written in other genres and set in many different eras and worlds. It’s a truly diverse set of stories about killing and eating dragons which, for this book, have been restored to their former stature as monsters; you won’t find any loveable dragons here. Now, while planning my story, I started thinking of vampires, werewolves and zombies, who become “creatures of the night” through a virus or bacterial infection, I wanted to use that angle. Since we were writing about dragons and I knew most of the stories in the book would feature
dragons and dragon-slaying, I wanted to approach my story from a different avenue. There would be no dragons in my story, only their “horde,” their half-human offspring. These hybrids were spawned centuries ago by dragon venom, which gave them the ability to infect other humans with a bite or a scratch, which is enough to make them turn into Homo Reptilia or Homo Drakōn — dragonmen, whom call the Draakonim or Draaks: these are the dragon’s horde of the title. For 500 years no dragons have
been seen, but the warriors of Klibberhelm Keep, descendants of the original Dragon Eaters, have been guarding Klibber Pass against incursions by the Draakonim in a never-ending battle to keep the Draaks from invading the lands of men.

Convince us why you feel your story is a must read.
Although The Dragon’s Horde is a character-driven story, it opens with a battle scene and has plenty of swordplay and bloodletting throughout. It has a sense of humor, as well, which comes from the characters themselves, the warriors, in how they speak and interact with one another. There are a few surprises along the way: a warrior-priestess named Shadumé arrives at the Keep on a mission from her goddess; she is accompanied by two wolverines that are not what they appear to be. There’s a connection between her and Vadreo, the main male character, going back many years earlier, when they first met and became lovers. There are a number of twists, turns, surprises and revelations sprinkled throughout the story, as Shadumé brings with her lost knowledge, dire warnings and some answers for the descendants of the Dragon Eaters. Shadumé reveals to the warriors of Klibberhelm Keep that the egg of a Queen Dragon has been laid and is ready to hatch: the first dragon’s egg in five centuries. Her mission is to destroy the egg or the dragon herself while it’s still a hatchling, before the Queen and the Draaks can begin to breed. Of course, there’s another creature involved — a Spiderworm who is one more key to this story. Shadumé then chooses one warrior to accompany her and her wolverines through the desert, to find the lair of the Spiderworm, and she chooses the man from her past . . . Vadreo, the leader and Warhand of Thoon Wolf, which is his clan and his tribe. What we learn about Vadreo, Shadumé and her two wolverines is at the heart of this story.

What is your advice to new authors?
Study and get to know the genre in which you plan to write. Read other genres, as well: romance, horror, sci-fi, biographies, history . . . you can learn something from every genre. Don’t limit yourself by boxing yourself in. Sure, you may have read Edgar Rice Burroughs, J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft, and other well known authors of the fantasy and horror genres. But it
doesn’t hurt to read Hemingway, Steinbeck, Faulkner, Jack London, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and other, more mainstream authors like Isabel Allende, Amy Tan, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and others. Read the classics of the 18th and 19th centuries, too. You can learn something from every writer, if you study how and why they did things a certain way. Most of all, interact with other writers. Study and know the markets you wish to write for, but also write what you want, the way you want, and then be open to suggestions by editors and publishers. Be flexible. Know not only the art and craft of writing, but the mechanics of it, too: proper formatting is the mark of a professional, although in this day and age there is no one standard anymore. Some publishers will want a different font style and size, certain types of scene and chapter breaks, etc. And just keep writing, whether it’s 400 words a day or 4000 words a day. Just keep writing and never stop learning. Never stop experimenting with different styles or playing with words. Use humor to make your characters more 3-dimensional, and keep your dialog crisp and not stilted: remember, dialog is action, and a lot of info can be told through dialog, through the characters, rather than through narration. Let your characters tell the story. Characters are the heart and soul of literature, and dialog that moves the story along and reveals the “inner-workings” of characters is, in my opinion, a must: without dialog, we’d have no stage plays. Without dialog, we’d still be watching silent films. Without dialog, there’d be no history of great radio drama and TV shows. Without characters and dialog all you’re left with is narration and description. But that’s okay, too, if that’s the way you want to tell your stories. Most of all . . . Show, don’t tell — and that’s a balancing act because narration and description can slow down a story just as much as it can propel a story forward, if handled correctly. And as Alfred Hitchcock once said, and I paraphrase here: “If you put a gun on the mantlepiece in Act I, that gun better be used by Act III.” But as I said, this is just my opinion. Writing is a lonely profession and many of us have to make our way alone through the tangled.

The art of dragonkilling.

Seventeen writersbring you so close to dragons you can smell their fetid breath.

Heroika: Dragon Eaters

Heroika Volume 1

Edited by Janet Morris

Genre: Epic Historical Fantasy Adventure Anthology

The art of dragon killing: Dragons have been eating humans forcenturies. Now heroes throughout history stalk their legendary foe. Learn how to hunt, kill, andeat the wild dragon. Never before has revenge tasted so good. A literary feast for the bloody-minded. In Janet Morris’ anthology on the art ofdragon killing, seventeen writers bring you so close to dragons you can smell their fetid breath.Tales for the bold among you. HEROIKA 1 — DRAGON EATERS, ananthology of heroic fiction edited by Janet Morris, features original stories by

Janet Morris and ChrisMorris, The First Dragon Eater

S.E. Lindberg, Legacy of the Great Dragon

Janet Morris and Chris Morris, Bring Your Rage

Walter Rhein, Aquila of Oyos

Cas Peace, The WyghtWyrm

Jack William Finley, The Old Man on a Mountain

A.L. Butcher, Of Bloodand Scales

Travis Ludvigson, Night Stalkers

Tom Barczak,Forged

JP Wilder, Rhyme of theDragon Queen

Joe Bonadonna, TheDragon’s Horde

Milton Davis, WawindajiJoka (The Dragon Hunters)

M Harold Page, SkyTomb of the Earth Kings

William Hiles, RedRain

Beth W. Patterson, LaBétaille

Bruce Durham, ArcticRage

Mark Finn, Sic Semper Draconis

**Heroika: Dragon Eaters is Perseid Press’ featured series for Julyand is on sale for Only $2.99 on Kindle!!**

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Book Trailer:

Best selling author Janet Morris began writing in 1976 and has sincepublished more than 30 novels, many co-authored with her husband Chris Morris or others. Shehas contributed short fiction to the shared universe fantasy series Thieves World, in which shecreated the Sacred Band of Stepsons, a mythical unit of ancient fighters modeled on the SacredBand of Thebes. She created, orchestrated, and edited the Bangsian fantasy series Heroes inHell, writing stories for the series as well as co-writing the related novel, The Little Helliad, withChris Morris. She wrote the bestselling Silistra Quartet in the 1970s, including High Couch ofSilistra, The Golden Sword, Wind from the Abyss, and The Carnelian Throne. This quartet hadmore than four million copies in Bantam print alone, and was translated into German, French,Italian, Russian and other languages. In the 1980s, Baen Books released a second edition ofthis landmark series. The third edition is the Author’s Cut edition, newly revised by the author forPerseid Press. Most of her fiction work has been in the fantasy and science fiction genres,although she has also written historical and other novels. Morris has written, contributed to, oredited several book-length works of non-fiction, as well as papers and articles on nonlethalweapons, developmental military technology and other defense and national security topics.

Janet says:‘People often ask what book to read first. I recommend “I, the Sun” if you like ancient history;“The Sacred Band,” a novel, if you like heroic fantasy; “Lawyers in Hell” if you like historicalfantasy set in hell; “Outpassage” if you like hard science fiction; “High Couch of Silistra” if youlike far-future dystopian or philosophical novels. I am most enthusiastic about the definitivePerseid Press Author’s Cut editions, which I revised and expanded.’

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A look into “The Caves of Glass”

Hey folks, today we are taking a brief delve (hah, cave puns) into The Caves of Glass, by C.A. Gray, courtesy of the good folks at Silver Daggers (who are also hosting a giveaway of a 10 dollar gift card, read on for more info).

It’s one of those ye old epic fantasies, and looks quite interesting. I’ve picked it up myself, and perhaps in the next few months I shall give you all a rolling of a review. Till then, check it out more below!

Rion’s prophecy gives him hope through hisbleakest years, while Ginny’s prophecy haunts her….

Caves ofGlass

by C.A. Gray

Genre: Epic Fantasy

The illegitimate son of a peasant, Rion of Tryferos has very limited prospectswith only one remarkable talent: when he plays the lyre, he ushers in the supernatural balm ofpeace to all who hear. This turns out to be his ticket into the palace, where he nightly plays forthe restless, rejected king. King Hector of Tryferos is paranoid, because he knows his days onthe throne are numbered. What he doesn’t know is that his anointed successor is Rion.

Princess Genevieve is a spare to the throne of Mageia, shunned by all but hermother out of fear of her magical gift: she possesses the power to manipulate the thoughts anddesires of those around her. But Ginny would do anything just to be normal. When a fulfilledprophecy of her mother’s untimely death also foretells that Ginny will ascend the Mageianthrone, Ginny wonders whether she has any control over her own fate at all, or whethereverything is predetermined.

Both Rion and Ginny are drawn to the forbidden Caves of Glass at the icypinnacles that border their two perpetually feuding nations. According to legend, the Caves areeither a place of strange forbidden magic, or else a place where all deception is stripped away,leaving only clarity and truth in its wake. As Rion flees for his life and Ginny struggles againsther destiny, in the Caves of Glass, they find both each other, and themselves.

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C.A. Gray is a Naturopathic MedicalDoctor (NMD), with a primary care practice in Tucson, Arizona. She has always been captivatedby the power of a good story, fictional or otherwise, which is probably why she loves holisticmedicine: a patient’s physical health is invariably intertwined with his or her life story, and shebelieves that the one can only be understood in context with the other. For freebies, giveaways,and new release info, sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/F3rof.

Her favorite fictional tales have always been epic battles of good versus evil,with a strong tendency towards parable. An idealist herself, she has always been convinced thatthese stories have something deeply true to tell us about the human condition, and that is whywe love them so much… or at least that’s why she does.

She still wants to be everything when she grows up. She moonlights as acollege chemistry teacher (she has a degree in biochemistry, with minors in Spanish andCreative Writing), does theater when she gets the chance, sings, plays piano, was once apersonal trainer and in coffee shop management. She is blessed with exceptionally supportivefamily and friends, and thanks God for them every single day.

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Review Request: The Last Keeper by J.V. Hilliard,

Born blind, Daemus, Keeper of the Forbidden, is the only one of his colleagues that can truly see. His nightmares are the key to stopping Graytorris and his mad quest for revenge against the order that cursed him.

On the other side of the kingdom is Ritter and Addilyn, who sacrifice much to discover the source behind the realm’s instability. All roads lead to Castleshire however, and the two different groups must in the end unite to confront the threat menacing all.

Graytorris’s introduction in the first chapter was both unnerving, and sympathetic. I found it an excellent marker to reference while analysing this book, because later when we return to him, the deterioration and changes to the character are clear. Alone such a narrative decision – off-scene character development – could be construed as lazy. However, coupled with Daemus’s nightmares, well paced touches of lore, and the deftly written growth of the other characters, it adds weight to the world. Gravity, and depth in the passage of time. Not an easy task, and something that as mentioned, could go awry. But one that demonstrates Hillard’s skill.

Where the author shines, though, is with characterisation. While the world building is excellent, and the action scenes are exciting, the cast – from the lowly tertiary to the main protagonists – really carry this novel. As alluded, they are complex creatures, with diverse personalities, aided by engaging dialogue. Personally, I connected well with both Ritter and Daemus, and enjoyed following them as they grew and struggled, thrown into situations beyond their kenning. Even the romance was well handled.

Now, I did did have a few issues with the storyline. Conversely to most books who eek out in the middle, and end strongly, I found this novel’s strengths were the beginning and middle sections. Whereas the later chapters felt somewhat bloated, meandering, almost as if the author was more focused on the setup for the next book.

The non-keeper orientated political machinations I also found to be the weakest of the narratives. Less intriguing, and more plot devices – moving one set of characters to where they needed to be. Now, there is nothing wrong with that in of itself, and it is a well-used tradition which if done right can merge seemingly with the rest of the plot, un-affecting the pacing. However, in this case I think it was overlong, and dangerously bordered on being stale. Such narratives need more suspense and must be properly baked, to work.

These last observations do not poison the well, to speak figuratively. They are, as anything, subjective. Even so, what remains is a worthy fantasy adventure with deep characterisation, stunning action sequences, and strong world building. The Last Keeper, by J.V. Hilliard, is a series to keep an eye on.

Purchase Links:
| Amazon UK |Amazon US |

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Book Spotlight: Wizardom Legends

Lately I have been on a bit of a Dungeons and Dragons fix, reuniting with a group of guys I played with (via discord) some fifteen years ago. Funnily enough, I came across an interesting little book courtesy of Silver Daggers Tours: Wizardom Legends: Temple of the Unknown by Jeffrey L. Kohanek. 

Looks like a light-hearted classic D&D romp to me, and on top of that he’s offering folks a chance to win a 20 dollar amazon gift card. Could be fun, see below to read more!

 

WizardomLegends: Temple of the Unknown

Tor the Dungeon Crawler Book 1

by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

Genre: Epic Fantasy

D&D meets Indiana Jones in a new treasure hunting series set in the bestselling world ofWizardoms.

A retired master ranger has disappeared,and his daughter is desperate to find him. When approached with this quest, Tor Ranseur declines…untilhe discovers this man went missing while following clues leading to a temple of legend.
Themagical artifacts rumored to await in these ruins are too alluring to deny.

Joined by adysfunctional crew armed with magical weapons, Tor sets off on a quest to locate, infiltrate, and pilfer theTemple of the Dark Lord. What he finds is something completely unexpected as monsters, traps, andbetrayal turn the quest from dangerous to deadly.

If youenjoy fast-paced questing stories, humorous moments, and the discovery of magical artifacts, you’ll lovethis all new series featuring the world’s premier team of relic seekers.

Be it your first Wizardoms novel or your 16th, you don’t want to miss this all new,thrilling adventure!

Click BUYIT NOW and join Tor’s bantering crew on an action-packed quest.

**Celebrate the release of book 2 – On Sale for Only .99cents March 15th –21st!!**

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**Coming Soon!**

Wizardom Legends: Castles ofLegend

Tor the Dungeon Crawler Book 2

**Releases March 15th!!**

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Wizardom Legends :Shrine of theUndead

Tor the Dungeon Crawler Book 3

**Releases May 16th!!**

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***SALE ALERT!!***

Get the Fate of Wizardoms 1-3 Box Set for ONLY .99cents – March only!!

https://geni.us/FateofWizardomsBox1

I love fantasy, adventure, and magic. More than that, I adore my readers.

My books are written to entertain — fantasy adventures filled with compelling characters, spectacularmagic, thrilling action, constant intrigue, and a sense of discovery. I equate them to the “Marvel Movie”version of fiction, intended to be a fun escape.

I would love to have you join me and my quirky characters for one outrageous adventure afteranother. With over two million published words to my name, my author journey has just begun.

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Followthe tour HERE for special content and agiveaway!

$20 Amazon

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Book Spotlight: Guardian’s Legacy

Hey folks!  It has been awhile since I have featured a Young Adult book on this blog, and today we have an interesting one from Darren Simon, courtesy of the folks at Silver Daggers who reached out. Have to say, the fellow reminds me of some of my old gaming buddies back in the day: progressing from D&D, to JRR Tolkien, and off to the writing races. Funny how that seems to happen eh?

The folks over at Silver Daggers are also running a giveaway, click their link to check it out!

Guardian’s Legacy

The Last Princess of Latara Book 3

by Darren Simon

Genre: YA Epic Fantasy Adventure

Fourteen-year-old Charlee Smelton is a Guardian, a path forced upon her by fate. She’s come to accept

this fact after fighting to save Earth, the world she thought was her home, and the magical world of

Janasara, the true home of her bloodline.

But the fight is not over.

Once more, Charlee must stand against not only her great aunt, the sorceress Theodora, but also an

ancient evil—the Brotherhood—seeking to be reborn and to conquer worlds. If she is to save the

universe, she’ll have to put her faith in the last person across the dimensional divide she would have

turned to for help—a person who knows the truth about the cursed medallion that calls to Charlee.

A war is coming, and her very soul is on the line

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Guardian’s Return

The Last Princess of Latara Book 2

A month has passed since fourteen-year-old Charlee Smelton discovered her magical abilities and faced her great aunt, Theodora, in a life or death struggle to protect Earth. A month has passed since she tricked Theodora back across the dimensional gateway that brought Theodora to Earth. Since then, Charlee—now fully aware that she is part of a noble bloodline from another world…another dimension…has grown stronger in her magic, aided by her protector, a shapeshifter sent to Earth to protect her.

But the terrible dreams won’t stop.

Theodora lives, and if Charlee’s dreams of death and fields of spilled blood are true, her great aunt has avenged herself on that world across the dimensional divide.

Charlee knows what she must do. The fight is not over. She must travel across the gateway to the home of her ancestors and face Theodora one more time. But doing so may cost Charlee more than her life. The same medallion her great aunt desires so much—a medallion Charlee possesses—could make her just as evil as her great aunt.

Can Charlee stave off the twisted tendrils of the medallion long enough to defeat Theodora—for good—or will evil consume her? Can she even survive so far from home? Her only hope may rest in the Lord of the Dragons, but that beast turned his back on her grandfather long ago…

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Guardian’s Nightmare

The Last Princess of Latara Book 1

Charlee Smelton is an average thirteen-year-old girl struggling to adapt after her family moves to San Francisco. She thinks her biggest obstacle is facing the bullies who brand her a nerd and a dweeb. She’s wrong. Her life is about to change—for the worse.

First, she receives a gift of the ugliest, most old fashioned bike she has ever seen. Try as she might to ditch it in the city, she just can’t seem to escape that very mysterious two-wheeler. Then come the visions of a world across a dimensional divide, a princess in fear for her life and a dark knight pursuing her. Are they just dreams or something more?

For Charlee, everything she ever thought she knew about herself soon crumbles as she starts down a path to discover her true self, and she will need that hunk-of-junk bike more than she could ever imagine. Without it, she might not be able to find the hero in herself—the hero she must become to save her friends, family, her city—the world—from an evil only she can defeat. An evil she allows into this world.

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Like many writers, my journey to become an author began with a love of reading, and I have my grandmother to thank for that. When I was eight or nine, she gave me a paper bag filled with comic books from the 1960s and ’70s. Comics became a big part of my life. I would save my weekly allowance to buy the most recent editions of Batman and Superman. Then, growing up in the ’80s, I began to read Choose Your Own Adventure books from the world of Dungeons & Dragons. And that led me to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. But my path to become a writer was firmly set after I saw the movie Ghostbusters in 1984, just prior to my freshman year of high school. I was in awe the way the writers came up with words that made people laugh so hard, and I knew right then I wanted to write. I immediately went home and wrote my version of Ghostbusters II. More importantly, I took journalism in high school, and continued to study journalism in college. After a wonderful career as a newspaper journalist, and a secondary career as a college English professor, it was time to rekindle my love for fiction. I knew I wanted to write fantasy, like Tolkien, and I wanted to write for middle grade and young adult readers to inspire them the way I was inspired by the books I read. I hope young readers–and even older ones–enjoy my work. Thank you for checking out my author page, and keep reading, no matter what you love to read. To learn more about me and my writing, visit my website at www.darren-simon.com.

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The post Book Spotlight: Guardian’s Legacy first appeared on S.D. Reeves Books.