Ian V. Conrey's Blog, page 2

Amazon #1 New Release!

Haelend’s Ballad just hit Amazon’s #1 New Release for steampunk as well as #2 bestseller for steampunk! Be sure to check it out for only $0.99!

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Haelend's Ballad is Now Available!

Haelend’s Ballad has been officially released and is now available virtually anywhere books are sold! For a limited time, you can purchase the e-book on Amazon for only $0.99!

EXCITING UPDATES: Release Date, Price Drop, Signing, and After Party!

It feels surreal that after 10 years of writing, editing, formatting, and marketing, my debut novel, Haelend’s Ballad, will finally be released in 9 days! To celebrate the launch I’m temporarily dropping the e-book price to only $0.99 on Amazon! Likewise, if you’d like to attend the launch party on December 17th be sure to follow this link where you can pre-order a paperback copy and attend the private event at 6:00 pm at 96 N. Main Street Ellijay, GA. This price includes a signed paperback, time to meet the author, and complimentary drinks and appetizers. IMPORTANT. After the signing there will be an afterparty at my house at 7:00p.m. This afterparty is open for those who attended the signing event AS WELL AS THOSE who did not attend, but who have already pre-ordered the book through another source (like Amazon), OR would like to buy a paperback copy from me personally at the afterparty (cash or check). In other words, the signing at Live the Trial is by purchased registration only, but virtually anyone can attend the afterparty at my place (which is no cost). Since I don’t want to throw out my address on the internet for the whole world to see, if you are interested in attending the afterparty, please send me a message through the contact page and I’ll give you the details!

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Author Interview with Self-Publishing Review

I’m excited to announce that I did my first interview with Self-Publishing Review. If you are interested in learning more about my book, why I wrote it, and other related questions, be sure to check it out here! On another note, its crazy to think that my book will launch next month! If you haven’t yet, be sure to pre-order it. E-books and paperbacks are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and many other locations!

What one of Midwest Book Review's senior reviewers had to say about Hælend's Ballad...

If you are curious as to whether or not Hælend’s Ballad is a book you would enjoy, be sure to read this wonderful review (which will be officially published in December) from D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review. I believe she captured the essence of my novel very well:

“Hælend's Ballad is an epic fantasy that will delight fans of Lord of the Rings and other works more than lightly steeped in a sense of place and purpose.

No light read, it's a tale of dark places, dark hearts, and a quest that joins three unlikely comrades in a world-confronting journey where their choices and impact do not always make them the good guys.

The first feature to note is the exquisite sense of place that opens the story with powerful atmosphere: "Stepping through the open entryway, the smell of sour milk and lantern oil filled Eilívur’s nose. Several Sunderian men, clothed in brown leather tunics and jerkins, sat at the bar. As with just about everyone else in Sunder, they looked like poor farmers. One man, with a leathery face, smiled, revealing his toothless gums. Another man chewed on something, probably tobacco."

Ian Conrey's ability to bring alive this backdrop, injecting three very different characters whose perspectives of the world work at cross purposes to not only each other, but their own best interests, is part of what makes Hælend's Ballad a compelling force to contend with.

Fantasy readers who look for satisfyingly complex reads cemented by history, cultural, and psychological examination will find each flawed character equally compelling. This succeeds in creating subplots that hold the ability to stand powerfully on their own, yet interact in unexpected ways as a militia man, an abused teen, and a mother accused of murder each find themselves in an unexpected dance with fate and each other.

One defining moment describes appearances, but also equally applies to matters of changing hearts as experience and new revelations change these characters: “They must feel like true Daecish lords now,” said a young soldier standing next to Eilívur. “I’m sure they do,” he said. “But what you wear does not define who you are.”

The shadow which enters these people changes their perceptions, intentions, and interactions: "He was different now. Ever since the shadow entered him, he had a new strength and saw things from a different perspective." As each struggles with their choice to accept forces beyond their ability to properly assess, readers are treated to a compelling saga that closely examines the results of good intentions gone awry.

The spiritual reflections that affect these choices are also very nicely done: “Don’t you ever get frustrated at your god for making you go through all of this? I mean, wouldn’t he want to stop it if he loved you?”

As these multifaceted stories coalesce to become a powerful inspection of moral, ethical, and spiritual paths, readers receive a fine story that embraces and contrasts dark appetites, terrible memories, and beauty alike.

Hælend's Ballad lingers in the mind as it explores the end of one life and the beginning of another. Its complex saga of adversity, forgiveness and new possibilities will delight readers looking for more than a light fantasy.”

July Updates: Self-Publishing Review, Launch Party, and More

Super excited to announce that Self-Publishing Review (SPR) just uploaded their 5-Star review of Hælend's Ballad to their homepage! Be sure to check it out here (and make sure to be on the look out for an author interview on SPR soon).

Also, if you live anywhere near the North Georgia area, keep checking in as plans are in the works for a launch party here in historic downtown Ellijay near the end of the year. More updates on that soon!

Finally, if you haven’t checked out the homepage, be sure to do so to see updated reviews (including links) from Netgalley and Goodreads.

Two Big Updates - Paperbacks and NetGalley!

Hey everyone, I’ve got two big updates for you. First, the paperback version of Hælend’s Ballad is officially available at numerous locations, including here on Amazon! Be sure to check that out.

Second, a digital ARC (Advanced Review Copy) version is currently available on NetGalley, but it won’t last forever. As a member of NetGalley (which you can sign-up for free) you can read and review the book ahead of it’s release. Make sure to check it out here!

Five Star Review from The Prairie's Book Review!

The Prairie’s Book Review just uploaded their review for Haelends Ballad! Below is an excerpt, or you can read the whole thing here.

“A triumphant debut . . .

Conrey’s fantasy world is morbidly gripping and enriched by darkness, intrigue, and poignant emotions and enlivened by bloody action . . . He does a first-rate job of propelling the plot along while simultaneously revealing the layers of his protagonists’ troubled backstories . . . [and] delves into complex themes of abuse, violence against children and women, honor, integrity, duty, responsibility, and power of forgiveness . . . Gritty and well-constructed, this makes a rich treat for lovers of dark fantasy.”

Another Giveaway on May 14th!

If you are interested in a free paperback copy of Hælend’s Ballad, I am doing another giveaway on May 14th. Just click on this Facebook link and follow the instructions to enter the drawing!

Poster Promotion

I absolutely love my town (Ellijay, GA). I walked around to various shops and restaurants and they were all super excited to display my promo poster in their windows. Small town support is hard to beat!