David A. Riley's Blog, page 2

A new Welgar story just completed - The Narcolopsia

 

 I have just completed another Welgar story at 4,500 words, but as it is not really a complete story in itself but reads more like the chapter in an ongoing novel (all of my Welgar stories can be read chronologically) I may keep it in reserve for when, at some time in the future, I might decide to publish all my Welgar stories as a full-blooded saga.  The story is currently titled "The Narcolopsia".  

Escaping the Dreamlands

My third Welgar story since publication of Welgar the Cursed by Tule Fog Press earlier this year has now been completed, at least in its first draft, standing at 15,200 words. 

"Escaping the Dreamlands" is the ninth Welgar story since I introduced the character in "Ossani the Healer and the Beautiful Homunculus" in 2023. Curiously, I have already begun to outline another inside my head (nothing on paper so far). 

The Welgar stories so far are:

"Ossani theHealer and the Beautiful Homunculus" © 2023 First published in Swords &Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 7 

"The DarkPriestdom" © 2023 First published in Savage Realms Monthly 

"Welgar theCursed" © 2023 First published in Swords & Heroes (Tule Fog Press)

"Mask of a MadGod" © 2025 First published in Welgar the Cursed (Tule Fog Press)

"The ForbiddenCity of Cyramon" © 2024 First Published in Swords & Heroes eZine

"Emerging fromTheir Twilit Realms" © 2025 First published in Welgar the Cursed (TuleFog Press)

"From the Ashes" - new

"Trapped in theDreamlands" - new

"Escaping theDreamlands" - new

 

Escaping The Dreamlands - my third new Welgar story since publication of Welgar the Cursed

I am now up to 12,000 words of a new Welgar tale, "Escaping the Dreamlands", a direct sequel to "Trapped in the Dreamlands" which I finished a few weeks ago. This marks the third new Welgar story since publication by Tule Fog Press of my collection Welgar the Cursed. 

All of my Welgar stories follow on from each other chronologically to form one ongoing saga. 

Crimson Quill Quarterly #7 now available as a paperback and ebook

The latest issue of Crimson Quill Quarterly is now available as a paperback and ebook.

Crimson Quill Quarterly #7 

Copied from its online description: 

Lies and Treachery (Part 2 of 2) by David A. Riley: After having escaped death in the Great Desert as they fled from their pursuers, Horbeck and his fellow mercenaries are hoping for some time to recover in the small, stockaded town they reach
beyond the desert’s edge, little realizing they will be betrayed and forced to grapple with creatures of appalling evil, some demonic and some human.

Feast of the Hidden Moon by Gregory Mele: A night’s carousal in the city of Na Yxim takes an unexpected turn when Ométl Five-Rabbit literally stumbles into a near-naked and badly abused young priestess, only to have abducted by a winged-horror. Reporting the encounter to her superiors only deepens the mystery. With Anaklyse, the priestess’s far more martially-minded sister, Ometl turns to his sorcerous employer find answers, and learns that there is far more afoot in Na Yxim society that he’d have ever guessed.

Chronicles of Fierge – Bloody Escape by Tom Doolan: After successfully escaping a cultist temple with the treasure, and his life intact, Fierge the White Rat runs afoul of a few particularly tenacious cultists. Seeing they aren’t going to be smart enough to turn back and leave him be, the warrior turns and deals with them in the best way he knows how.

Chitin is Not Bone by Robert Bose: Deep within the jungle canyons of Tsombu, Lord Ravencroft, the Baron of Bone, and Lady Cyn, Knight of Lost Carcosa, find themselves recruited by the insect like Jaru to deal with the ravenous child of an elder, potentially unforgiving goddess.

Into the Siege by Malcolm North: Clegg, a half-orc freebooter, is sent on an extraction mission that requires him to infiltrate an invading army and break into a besieged city. But he must contend with horrors that extend beyond war and a mission that he does not fully understand.

Judgement for All by Jason M. Waltz: Once again, Death stalks where Pawft walks. One botched theft, escaped hanging, street warfare, religious assault, and devious God later, the Breath of Death again walks alone.

The Kingdom of Memory by Tim Waggoner: A simple Egyptian fisherman finds himself trapped in the afterworld, pursued by a monstrous crocodile, and haunted by a suppressed memory as terrifying as any ravenous reptile.

A new Welgar story finished - Trapped in the Dreamlands

I have just finished the first draft of a new Welgar tale, tentatively titled "Trapped in the Dreamlands". It stands at 6,600 words long and follows the events that unfold when Welgar feels a compulsion to visit the family he has not seen for several years in the northern hills.

This makes the second Welgar story I have written after publication of Welgar the Cursed by Tule Fog Press, the first being "From the Ashes".  

Cover reveal for the next issue of Crimson Quill Quarterly

Issue 7 of Crimson Quill Quarterly will be available soon as a paperback and kindle eBook, but this is the cover, listing all the authors whose stories will appear in it, including the second part of my serialised Horbeck the Mercenary tale, "Lies and Treachery". 

The 2nd Part of my interview with Crimson Quill Quarterly

 

Here’s part two and the conclusion of David A. Riley’s Author Interview! On the other hand, what do you think makes a good villain in an S&S or dark fantasy story? They must be powerful enough to pose a genuine threat to the main protagonist. At the same time they should have at least some unique features about them to avoid being just some stock villain, which is not always as easy as it sounds. Preferably they need to be evil enough that the violent end they will almost certainly succumb to at the hands of our hero is justified. Of your published works, do you have a favorite tale? I have a fondness for my Horbeck stories. “Lies and Treachery” is the second of them, the first being “The Demon from Another World” which appeared in Anthology of the Damned: Necromoirrium last year. I also like my Welgar tales, all of which were collected in Welgar the Cursed from Tule Fog Press earlier this year, though I must admit I have been far from kind to him. On the other hand I do have a special liking for “The Storyteller of Koss”, which introduces two of my recurring characters, Nadrain the Storyteller and Ossani the Healer. This was first published in Summer of Sci-Fi and Fantasy in 2022. Can you offer any more advice, wisdom, or guidance to aspiring writers? 
Study the markets you are writing for and be as unflinchingly critical of what you have written as you would be to anyone else’s stories, so that, hopefully, you can improve. Read as much as you can in the genres in which you intend to write so you fully understand them and can avoid the cliches. What is the best way for readers to keep up with your work? Are you available on any form of social media? https://davidandrewriley.blogspot.com/ is a site in which I talk about my stories and announce any news about them.https://paralleluniversepublications.blogspot.com/ is my publishing site, which I provide news and details of books from Parallel Universe Publications, which I have run for several decades now.I also have a couple of Facebook groups:https://www.facebook.com/groups/799792464049764 which is called “Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Public Group”, which discusses all things sword and sorcery.https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002067187340 is my personal Facebook group where I usually announce anything I have being published, etc.https://www.facebook.com/groups/1537345449688760 is my Parallel Universe Publications Group.

New dark fantasy story finished: Masks of Deception

It maybe rubbish, but I have completed my third dark fantasy tale over the past couple of weeks, a 7000 word tale I am currently calling "Masks of Deception", featuring my recurring character Ossani the Healer, along with his apprentice Arrenya. New characters are a second apprentice and a barbarian thief called Crossan, who bears many superficial similarities with another character whose name begins with "C". How things develop with this "C" though is another matter...Oh, and there's a sinister Agryptian sorcerer-priest called Hoshan Kha.I must admit, whether the tale's good or bad, I enjoyed the ride. Over the past couple of weeks I have also completed two other tales:"From the Ashes" (a Welgar story) at 6700 words"A Murder of Necromancers" (A Horbeck story) at 13600 words 

A new advert designed for Sword & Sorcery books published by Parallel Universe Publications

 

The Adventures of Kyle McGertt: Hunt for the Ghoulish Bartender – Book Reviewed by David A. Riley

This was first published on Hellnotes August 2013 

The Adventures of Kyle McGertt: Hunt for the Ghoulish Bartender

By Charles Day

Blood Bound Books

Paperback version $7.43

Kindle version £2.96

Reviewed by David A. Riley

This is the first YA novel I have ever read. It’s also the first horror Western I’ve read too. In both instances I had a pleasant surprise – I enjoyed it far more than I expected.

Charles Day has a very readable style and the action moves rapidly, though not at the expense of character and some vivid descriptions. The Ghoulish Bartender himself, though completely evil in his actions, is far more than a two-dimensional villain. He has a back story every bit as tragic as any of his victims – and an awareness of what he has irretrievably lost to become what he is – a fate that not chosen by him, but forced on him as a curse.

Nevertheless he has grandiose plans to spread the curse of the ghouls on every community he comes across. In this, only Kyle McGertt, inheriting the crusade of his dead father, can hope to stop him. Robustly violent, yet with some subtle humour, this short novel is the story of how these two opponents finally come confront each other for a final showdown.