Matthew Zorich's Blog
September 26, 2025
Conspiracy of Crows Trilogy Update.
Hello!
It's time for a writing check-in! Union of Steel, book three in the Conspiracy of Crows trilogy, has officially hit 100,000 words. As for the scope of the novel, this is part one. I plan to complete part two, expanding this epic fantasy to be the largest of the three books.
This is an early draft, and I need to pause now to perform a world-building edit.
For the next few months, it will be revision time, where I ensure that elements from Bastards of Liberty and Maiden of Storms match the action in Union of Steel.
I have also started working on a contemporary fantasy novel, as well as a side project. The timeline is unknown, but I'm conducting some fun research, and the first several thousand words and chapters have flown by, so it may be a snappy turnaround. We shall see. I will post a much larger blog on the joint website of Racccon County Press, where you can learn more about my work and that of my peer, Ty Tracey. Additionally, I am part of Willow Wraith Press, which features an impressive group of authors, bloggers, and artists. Be sure to check that out as well!
More soon,
Thanks,
Matt~
It's time for a writing check-in! Union of Steel, book three in the Conspiracy of Crows trilogy, has officially hit 100,000 words. As for the scope of the novel, this is part one. I plan to complete part two, expanding this epic fantasy to be the largest of the three books.
This is an early draft, and I need to pause now to perform a world-building edit.
For the next few months, it will be revision time, where I ensure that elements from Bastards of Liberty and Maiden of Storms match the action in Union of Steel.
I have also started working on a contemporary fantasy novel, as well as a side project. The timeline is unknown, but I'm conducting some fun research, and the first several thousand words and chapters have flown by, so it may be a snappy turnaround. We shall see. I will post a much larger blog on the joint website of Racccon County Press, where you can learn more about my work and that of my peer, Ty Tracey. Additionally, I am part of Willow Wraith Press, which features an impressive group of authors, bloggers, and artists. Be sure to check that out as well!
More soon,
Thanks,
Matt~
July 18, 2024
Maiden of Storms Update
Short and Quick! Four chapters left to before Maiden of Storms hits Alpha readers and an editor!
April 22, 2024
Indie April -Bookstores to Discover
Independent Bookstore Day is celebrated on April 27th this year. The idea is to remind readers and nonreaders alike that there is more than just free shipping and one click shopping but a variety of shops providing a community, & fellowship to readers, writers, and creatives. Independent Bookstore Day begun in 2015 by Samantha Schoech, a writer, copywriter and editor and the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association. As an author, book reviewer, book club member and reader I’d like to offer up some of my favorite independent bookstores. In this list you’ll find bohemian communities, a book that speak-easy, and quaint shops that lure you into their depths. So, get lost, breathe in the smell of a new book, and run your fingers along the spines of ancient tomes.
The stores mentioned below are from a variety of places, some are my local shops, and some are bookstores I’ve visited while traveling. One person’s vacation bookstore is another person’s local bookstore so come with me and let’s visit a few book utopias.
Shelf Life
https://www.shelflifebookstore.com/
Shelf Life located in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio is located just off the highway past a wine shop (that’s a plus in my book shopping life) and down a set of stairs. The walls of the shop are set stone and brick, but they are blocked mostly by shelves and shelves of ever rotating affordable books. The owner’s circulation varies due to demand, and they offer a variety of books from children's books and adult literature. They also focus on anti-censorship, local independent authors, and literary expansion and discovery. The cozy bookshop is always busy with a guest searching the shelves or chatting with the owner about books and local community happenings. Shelf-Life books in engaged with supporting the local library, a group of local authorities puts on a yearly reading challenge and has a calendar where one can keep track of the multiple events that occur in and around the store. This gem of a store can be hard to find, some check out their website for directions on how to find this little bookstore speak easy.
Silverstone’s Books
https://silverstonesbooks.com/
Ever the advocate as an online books store for independent science fiction and fantasy authors Silverstone’s Book Store opened its brick-and-mortar doors in 2022 to much acclaim. The town of Plattsmouth, Nebraska is blessed with its own independent bookstore, Silverstone’s Books which brings a mixture of well-known traditional science fiction and fantasy names, along with a curated collection of independent authors accompanied by book signings and the occasional special edition book.
The Bookstore is actively online both in selling books, but also engaging, commenting about the publishing world, the store and advocating book reviewers, influencers and independent authors.
The shop provides teas, candles, and small art prints along with a variety of science fiction books and fantasy books. Readers come to pick up the newest traditionally published book and leave with a new favorite independent author’s book in their bag as well.
Last Exit Books
https://www.instagram.com/lastexitbooks/
Poetry, live music, the smell of fresh brewed coffee along with a knowledgeable debate can be at Last Exit Books and Coffee House in downtown Kent, Ohio. The bookshop front features a coffee dispensary, with a variety of seating options and tables for work, study and reading and the back portion of the store provides an extensive collection of secondhand books and vinyl records. The definition of a library is owning one thousand books, and in this library, you can buy those books.
There are a multitude of subjects to choose from including comic books, history, deep literature references, a variety of mystery, romance and paranormal darkness and horror and the shelves of science fiction and fantasy always have something you’re looking for. Last Exit books smell of history, and presents open an open forum for poetry reads, author discussions, spoken word and performance. Come early or check them out later, you’ll leave juggling a stack of books and cup of superior coffee.
City Lights
https://citylights.com/bookstore/
I discovered the idea of City Lights Bookstore while at university through reading Thompson, Wolfe, Kerouac, and Ginsberg. I was able to make my way to the store when I visited the San Francisco area recently and was surprised and awed by its walls and shelves. City Lights is known as the nation's first all-paperback bookstore, but relax, fair reader, they offer hardbacks now as well. The storefront is known for its engaging banner series, representing the store's culture and politics and provoking thoughtful civic engagement.
There are three floors of books offering the engaging reader classics and literary finds along with the store's only line of books they put out as publishers.
City Lights was founded in 1953 by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin, who created a place for readers, artists, and activists. The staff is engaging and can help you find the book you are looking for and the book you didn't know you needed to read. I was impressed by the size of the store and amount of choices available as I walked the hollowed shelves. It's worth a trip if you hit San Francisco; if not, they also have an online store.
How do you support your local bookstore. Easy, shop at your local bookstore! There is another way, if you want to support an independent bookstore, you can log onto bookshop.org, log in, pick your favorite book store and bookshop.org will donate profits directly to that bookstore.
https://bookshop.org/
The stores mentioned below are from a variety of places, some are my local shops, and some are bookstores I’ve visited while traveling. One person’s vacation bookstore is another person’s local bookstore so come with me and let’s visit a few book utopias.
Shelf Life
https://www.shelflifebookstore.com/
Shelf Life located in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio is located just off the highway past a wine shop (that’s a plus in my book shopping life) and down a set of stairs. The walls of the shop are set stone and brick, but they are blocked mostly by shelves and shelves of ever rotating affordable books. The owner’s circulation varies due to demand, and they offer a variety of books from children's books and adult literature. They also focus on anti-censorship, local independent authors, and literary expansion and discovery. The cozy bookshop is always busy with a guest searching the shelves or chatting with the owner about books and local community happenings. Shelf-Life books in engaged with supporting the local library, a group of local authorities puts on a yearly reading challenge and has a calendar where one can keep track of the multiple events that occur in and around the store. This gem of a store can be hard to find, some check out their website for directions on how to find this little bookstore speak easy.
Silverstone’s Books
https://silverstonesbooks.com/
Ever the advocate as an online books store for independent science fiction and fantasy authors Silverstone’s Book Store opened its brick-and-mortar doors in 2022 to much acclaim. The town of Plattsmouth, Nebraska is blessed with its own independent bookstore, Silverstone’s Books which brings a mixture of well-known traditional science fiction and fantasy names, along with a curated collection of independent authors accompanied by book signings and the occasional special edition book.
The Bookstore is actively online both in selling books, but also engaging, commenting about the publishing world, the store and advocating book reviewers, influencers and independent authors.
The shop provides teas, candles, and small art prints along with a variety of science fiction books and fantasy books. Readers come to pick up the newest traditionally published book and leave with a new favorite independent author’s book in their bag as well.
Last Exit Books
https://www.instagram.com/lastexitbooks/
Poetry, live music, the smell of fresh brewed coffee along with a knowledgeable debate can be at Last Exit Books and Coffee House in downtown Kent, Ohio. The bookshop front features a coffee dispensary, with a variety of seating options and tables for work, study and reading and the back portion of the store provides an extensive collection of secondhand books and vinyl records. The definition of a library is owning one thousand books, and in this library, you can buy those books.
There are a multitude of subjects to choose from including comic books, history, deep literature references, a variety of mystery, romance and paranormal darkness and horror and the shelves of science fiction and fantasy always have something you’re looking for. Last Exit books smell of history, and presents open an open forum for poetry reads, author discussions, spoken word and performance. Come early or check them out later, you’ll leave juggling a stack of books and cup of superior coffee.
City Lights
https://citylights.com/bookstore/
I discovered the idea of City Lights Bookstore while at university through reading Thompson, Wolfe, Kerouac, and Ginsberg. I was able to make my way to the store when I visited the San Francisco area recently and was surprised and awed by its walls and shelves. City Lights is known as the nation's first all-paperback bookstore, but relax, fair reader, they offer hardbacks now as well. The storefront is known for its engaging banner series, representing the store's culture and politics and provoking thoughtful civic engagement.
There are three floors of books offering the engaging reader classics and literary finds along with the store's only line of books they put out as publishers.
City Lights was founded in 1953 by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin, who created a place for readers, artists, and activists. The staff is engaging and can help you find the book you are looking for and the book you didn't know you needed to read. I was impressed by the size of the store and amount of choices available as I walked the hollowed shelves. It's worth a trip if you hit San Francisco; if not, they also have an online store.
How do you support your local bookstore. Easy, shop at your local bookstore! There is another way, if you want to support an independent bookstore, you can log onto bookshop.org, log in, pick your favorite book store and bookshop.org will donate profits directly to that bookstore.
https://bookshop.org/
August 29, 2023
Maiden of Storms Update
Working on my 1st light world building edit and grammar edit of Maiden of Storms. She's sitting at 117,000 words. I still need to write the end and rewrite a few scenes as I got comfortable with a character and need to put them in more difficult position to keep the action and excitement up. Action, violence and lust keep those pages turning for the reader.
The name of my fantasy trilogy is The Conspiracy of Crows trilogy. I expect to put out a hardback of Bastards of Liberty with a retooled prelude (new cover maybe?) and a map in Maiden of Storms. I have keyed in the same book cover artist to do the Maiden of Storms cover and take a crack at the map as well.
Let me know your thoughts!
Matt~
The name of my fantasy trilogy is The Conspiracy of Crows trilogy. I expect to put out a hardback of Bastards of Liberty with a retooled prelude (new cover maybe?) and a map in Maiden of Storms. I have keyed in the same book cover artist to do the Maiden of Storms cover and take a crack at the map as well.
Let me know your thoughts!
Matt~
August 4, 2023
Author Interview
Please, tell us a bit about yourself…
Hello! I’m Matthew Zorich from Northeast Ohio, here in the colonies errr states. I’ve been an avid reader since I can remember jumping in many genres and drawn to fantasy early in my middle school years. I have a degree in journalism from Akron University and an amazing family. I play video games, hike, and support the local arts whenever possible. Bastards of Liberty is my first fantasy novel.
Why should I buy your SPFBO9 entry?
Three siblings stretched across the newly formed Holy Imperium. A band of misfit thieves attempts to reunite Runt, the youngest, with his father as he seeks answers. Alysha, his sister, plots revenge and escape as an indentured servant to two blacksmiths, while Benjamin, the oldest, lives in the shadow of his father, a general controlling a city ready to burn in protest of its occupation. Could one of these Ashburn siblings bring about a revolution?
What got you into writing? And how long have you been doing it?
I read Hunter S. Thompson’s book Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas and became hooked during high school. I’d read other books, but nothing that put the reader inside the story, nothing that made me breathe and feel like that book did. From there, I inhaled the rest of his books, then what he said he read, then what inspired him, and finally, from there, spiraled out to other writers from the beat generation, new journalism, the ex-pats, and continued from there. It was a self-made journalism course bringing me to college, where I expanded and grew from there. Eventually, I returned to the books I loved as a kid, LOTR, Dragons of the Autumn Twilight, and other fantasy pulp from the 80s and 90s. College was a stark reminder that what I could write, the speed I could write, and how it affected those around me were personal and passionate. Journalism is fast, complex, and needs to be accurate, and at times, what I wanted and what was required became difficult. When my editor said, “Go out and get the story,” after a traumatic event, I felt more like a vampire than a witness to history. Still, my English classes kept me sane, and those teachers taught me I could write in more exciting ways, writing what I felt, and witnessed, not sucking the morrow out of my victims as they related their worries and stories to me.
Have you participated in the SPFBO before and where did you hear about the competition?
I have not participated before this is my first fantasy novel. I’ve followed it and it was brought to my attention through a few different podcasts I follow.
Why did you choose to write fantasy?
Escape: We all like stories to escape into and see what comes next. Bastards of Liberty is a book for myself with the hope that others may enjoy the world and characters I’ve created. I read fantasy/epic fantasy but have fallen into Grimdark’s rabbit hole. It would be more like a grimy dungeon than a rabbit hole. Bastards of Liberty is a mixture of both. Nobody is perfect, and there is some hope, but overall, anyone can die, and if and when they do, it’s bloody and not a Disney movie death.
Which other author has had the biggest influence on your writing?
Such a tricky question. Other than Hunter S. Thomson mentioned above, I had to look at whose books I have on my shelves at home to see what I read the most. Joe Abercrombie, Neil Gaiman, and others are all there, but I lean into Ken Follet and his historical fiction novels. I love the denseness of his settings and how he puts his characters into historical situations while telling a story. It’s what I’m after, the character and their story in the grandness of a moment.
If you were to win the SPFBO, what impact do you think this would have on your writing career?
I just want to break even, make enough money to put out my second book, and continue doing that, get the third book out there. Anything more, would be remarkable and unexpected.
What challenges did you face during the writing or publishing process, and how did you overcome them?
I gave up pitching to agents a few years ago. Now’s it’s the self-edit before it goes to my real editor. How often do I read this thing, edit this thing, take out words, and adjust this one sentence before I drive myself mad? I know once I got it to my editor, that was it; she would be the final word after I had done it, I dunno ten edits, but getting to that finish line, and getting it into her hands, was the hardest. When I finished, and even now, I questioned if it was good enough. Am I good enough? Why do I do this to myself? That’s what friends and other writers are for, keeping me from spiraling down and getting my confidence back up.
Do you have any tips or an author app, tool, or resource that you can really recommend we try?
The authors from the podcast Wizards, Warriors, and Words recommended having Microsoft Word read your book aloud to you to do an edit. That is a huge recommendation. Finish your book and have Microsoft Word read it out loud to you, and you will catch so many adjustments and errors before it goes off to the editor. Also, if you have a friend or author, you can bounce ideas off, that is a huge help. Whether it’s complaining or trying to adjust something, or just talking craft, it’s a huge help. I speak to my author friend Ty Tracey weekly about writing and its ups and downs.
And now it's time to yank out your Palantir! Let’s talk about the future. What new projects are you working on?
I am writing the follow-up to Bastards of Liberty called Maiden of Storms, and I can not wait for everyone to read about who survives, who dies, and what happens next in the Holy Imperium and lands beyond—more plots, more politics, violence, drinking and madness ahead. I also have a rough start on a YA horror novel.
Apps that are based on artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGTP and Midjourney, along with apps aimed specifically at authors, have caused quite a stir. Do you expect these new technologies will make your life as a self-published author easier or harder, and do you expect that they’ll mean you’ll earn more or less?
AI is everywhere, and I’ve seen it cut jobs in IT over the past three to four years. It’s in our grocery stores, gas stations, and phones. I like having an app fix my grammar, my grammar is awful, but I will in no way use an app to write for me (or other assistance like blurbs, plotting out or ghost writing) and I still use an editor.
The writer’s strike is fighting to stop using AI tools and platforms on tv shows and movies at the time of this interview. I have my congressperson, ward contact, and my senator’s numbers and emails on my phone, and I reach out to them often. We need more of us to get involved with politics both locally and at a federal level so the people in charge can take steps to protect us from AI and its misuse. As our friends in Sci Fi write, the future will be bleak if we become reactive and not proactive (regulate now) in regard to AI.
Do you have any dreams you’d like to share?
I spoke to a few friends about this. I’d love to see my book at Barnes & Noble on the Buy One, Get One %50 tables. That means people have bought it to the point where it’s on sale. It's funny, low bar, or low expectation, but that's me, I guess. I also wouldn’t mine meeting a few of my fellow authors at a writing retreat or something like that.
Anything else you would like to say before we close?
For those that read Bastards of Liberty I hope you enjoy it, I have so many stories to tell. I’m excited and humbled to part of SPFBO9 and amazed by my fellow writers/authors and the work they do.
Rune S. Nielsen ---began writing fantasy in 2018 and have so far published several novels. More information is available at https://runesnielsen.com/
Hello! I’m Matthew Zorich from Northeast Ohio, here in the colonies errr states. I’ve been an avid reader since I can remember jumping in many genres and drawn to fantasy early in my middle school years. I have a degree in journalism from Akron University and an amazing family. I play video games, hike, and support the local arts whenever possible. Bastards of Liberty is my first fantasy novel.
Why should I buy your SPFBO9 entry?
Three siblings stretched across the newly formed Holy Imperium. A band of misfit thieves attempts to reunite Runt, the youngest, with his father as he seeks answers. Alysha, his sister, plots revenge and escape as an indentured servant to two blacksmiths, while Benjamin, the oldest, lives in the shadow of his father, a general controlling a city ready to burn in protest of its occupation. Could one of these Ashburn siblings bring about a revolution?
What got you into writing? And how long have you been doing it?
I read Hunter S. Thompson’s book Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas and became hooked during high school. I’d read other books, but nothing that put the reader inside the story, nothing that made me breathe and feel like that book did. From there, I inhaled the rest of his books, then what he said he read, then what inspired him, and finally, from there, spiraled out to other writers from the beat generation, new journalism, the ex-pats, and continued from there. It was a self-made journalism course bringing me to college, where I expanded and grew from there. Eventually, I returned to the books I loved as a kid, LOTR, Dragons of the Autumn Twilight, and other fantasy pulp from the 80s and 90s. College was a stark reminder that what I could write, the speed I could write, and how it affected those around me were personal and passionate. Journalism is fast, complex, and needs to be accurate, and at times, what I wanted and what was required became difficult. When my editor said, “Go out and get the story,” after a traumatic event, I felt more like a vampire than a witness to history. Still, my English classes kept me sane, and those teachers taught me I could write in more exciting ways, writing what I felt, and witnessed, not sucking the morrow out of my victims as they related their worries and stories to me.
Have you participated in the SPFBO before and where did you hear about the competition?
I have not participated before this is my first fantasy novel. I’ve followed it and it was brought to my attention through a few different podcasts I follow.
Why did you choose to write fantasy?
Escape: We all like stories to escape into and see what comes next. Bastards of Liberty is a book for myself with the hope that others may enjoy the world and characters I’ve created. I read fantasy/epic fantasy but have fallen into Grimdark’s rabbit hole. It would be more like a grimy dungeon than a rabbit hole. Bastards of Liberty is a mixture of both. Nobody is perfect, and there is some hope, but overall, anyone can die, and if and when they do, it’s bloody and not a Disney movie death.
Which other author has had the biggest influence on your writing?
Such a tricky question. Other than Hunter S. Thomson mentioned above, I had to look at whose books I have on my shelves at home to see what I read the most. Joe Abercrombie, Neil Gaiman, and others are all there, but I lean into Ken Follet and his historical fiction novels. I love the denseness of his settings and how he puts his characters into historical situations while telling a story. It’s what I’m after, the character and their story in the grandness of a moment.
If you were to win the SPFBO, what impact do you think this would have on your writing career?
I just want to break even, make enough money to put out my second book, and continue doing that, get the third book out there. Anything more, would be remarkable and unexpected.
What challenges did you face during the writing or publishing process, and how did you overcome them?
I gave up pitching to agents a few years ago. Now’s it’s the self-edit before it goes to my real editor. How often do I read this thing, edit this thing, take out words, and adjust this one sentence before I drive myself mad? I know once I got it to my editor, that was it; she would be the final word after I had done it, I dunno ten edits, but getting to that finish line, and getting it into her hands, was the hardest. When I finished, and even now, I questioned if it was good enough. Am I good enough? Why do I do this to myself? That’s what friends and other writers are for, keeping me from spiraling down and getting my confidence back up.
Do you have any tips or an author app, tool, or resource that you can really recommend we try?
The authors from the podcast Wizards, Warriors, and Words recommended having Microsoft Word read your book aloud to you to do an edit. That is a huge recommendation. Finish your book and have Microsoft Word read it out loud to you, and you will catch so many adjustments and errors before it goes off to the editor. Also, if you have a friend or author, you can bounce ideas off, that is a huge help. Whether it’s complaining or trying to adjust something, or just talking craft, it’s a huge help. I speak to my author friend Ty Tracey weekly about writing and its ups and downs.
And now it's time to yank out your Palantir! Let’s talk about the future. What new projects are you working on?
I am writing the follow-up to Bastards of Liberty called Maiden of Storms, and I can not wait for everyone to read about who survives, who dies, and what happens next in the Holy Imperium and lands beyond—more plots, more politics, violence, drinking and madness ahead. I also have a rough start on a YA horror novel.
Apps that are based on artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGTP and Midjourney, along with apps aimed specifically at authors, have caused quite a stir. Do you expect these new technologies will make your life as a self-published author easier or harder, and do you expect that they’ll mean you’ll earn more or less?
AI is everywhere, and I’ve seen it cut jobs in IT over the past three to four years. It’s in our grocery stores, gas stations, and phones. I like having an app fix my grammar, my grammar is awful, but I will in no way use an app to write for me (or other assistance like blurbs, plotting out or ghost writing) and I still use an editor.
The writer’s strike is fighting to stop using AI tools and platforms on tv shows and movies at the time of this interview. I have my congressperson, ward contact, and my senator’s numbers and emails on my phone, and I reach out to them often. We need more of us to get involved with politics both locally and at a federal level so the people in charge can take steps to protect us from AI and its misuse. As our friends in Sci Fi write, the future will be bleak if we become reactive and not proactive (regulate now) in regard to AI.
Do you have any dreams you’d like to share?
I spoke to a few friends about this. I’d love to see my book at Barnes & Noble on the Buy One, Get One %50 tables. That means people have bought it to the point where it’s on sale. It's funny, low bar, or low expectation, but that's me, I guess. I also wouldn’t mine meeting a few of my fellow authors at a writing retreat or something like that.
Anything else you would like to say before we close?
For those that read Bastards of Liberty I hope you enjoy it, I have so many stories to tell. I’m excited and humbled to part of SPFBO9 and amazed by my fellow writers/authors and the work they do.
Rune S. Nielsen ---began writing fantasy in 2018 and have so far published several novels. More information is available at https://runesnielsen.com/
February 7, 2023
Bastards of Liberty FAQ
Bastards of Liberty FAQ
My epic grimdark novel Bastards of Liberty is available for preorder now on Amazon. The paperback will be available on Amazon on President's Day, Monday, 02/20/23.
Bastards of Liberty is over 400 pages long and is the first of three books set in a fictional country called Vineland. There are mages, goblins, orcs, mad princes, and warring nations drawn from pop culture, politics, and history. The story focuses on the Ashburn family spread across the country of Vineland as they witness and partake in adventures, political intrigue, and revenge. If you read the Blade Itself trilogy, Game of Thrones, or Dragonlance, you will get a heavy feeling of nostalgia.
Question: How do I find it: Follow the link or go to Amazon and search Bastards of Liberty.
Question: Will there be a hardback? Not yet. I'm waiting to see how ebook and paperback sales go. If I do, I will consider a map, add an extra chapter and do a new cover for the hardback.
Question: Can I buy the book directly from you? The answer is unknown at this time, but I will follow up. I plan to sign a few books and make some available for sale at several bookshops near where I live. I also may have a bookmark made—more on that to come soon.
Question: Wait, I finished the book; now what? Please, no spoilers in the book. There is another in the works; no ETA yet, but it's getting there.
Question: Have you written anything else? Yes, I am working on the follow-up to BOL. I have huge plans for the world of Vineland as there is much history to go over. I mean, library wars, the Crimson Struggle, and why is Duncan such a shitty squire? I also have a YA Horror novel, and a rewrite of Elegantly Wasted started.
Question:
How else can I support you?
Like my posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok, if you can repost them, that would be a big help.
Commenting on a post, reposting, and the big one saving the post helps a ton.
Please leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon, and Bookbub. Starred reviews are great, but a sentence or two is even better.
If you know a book blogger or reviewer, recommend the book to them.
Tell your friends, ask your library if they have it or will get it in, and ask your independent booksellers if they have it or will get it in. Word of mouth helps a lot.
Getting any form of art out takes a ton of effort if I can have five advocates for my work, this will spread it out and help sales. More sales motivate me to keep writing so you can find out what happens next...
Question: What's grimdark: Grimdark is a type of fantasy fiction; (stories that are not set in the real world) with characters who behave in ways that are morally bad and a subject matter that is sad, hopeless, or violent. Examples: Chronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook, The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie, & The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
Question: What's epic fantasy?
High fantasy is sometimes called epic fantasy; some of the hallmarks of this fantasy genre include a high page count, lots of characters, usually a quest, and, most importantly, an alternative or secondary world as opposed to the real or primary world. Examples include The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien, Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, and Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
My epic grimdark novel Bastards of Liberty is available for preorder now on Amazon. The paperback will be available on Amazon on President's Day, Monday, 02/20/23.
Bastards of Liberty is over 400 pages long and is the first of three books set in a fictional country called Vineland. There are mages, goblins, orcs, mad princes, and warring nations drawn from pop culture, politics, and history. The story focuses on the Ashburn family spread across the country of Vineland as they witness and partake in adventures, political intrigue, and revenge. If you read the Blade Itself trilogy, Game of Thrones, or Dragonlance, you will get a heavy feeling of nostalgia.
Question: How do I find it: Follow the link or go to Amazon and search Bastards of Liberty.
Question: Will there be a hardback? Not yet. I'm waiting to see how ebook and paperback sales go. If I do, I will consider a map, add an extra chapter and do a new cover for the hardback.
Question: Can I buy the book directly from you? The answer is unknown at this time, but I will follow up. I plan to sign a few books and make some available for sale at several bookshops near where I live. I also may have a bookmark made—more on that to come soon.
Question: Wait, I finished the book; now what? Please, no spoilers in the book. There is another in the works; no ETA yet, but it's getting there.
Question: Have you written anything else? Yes, I am working on the follow-up to BOL. I have huge plans for the world of Vineland as there is much history to go over. I mean, library wars, the Crimson Struggle, and why is Duncan such a shitty squire? I also have a YA Horror novel, and a rewrite of Elegantly Wasted started.
Question:
How else can I support you?
Like my posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok, if you can repost them, that would be a big help.
Commenting on a post, reposting, and the big one saving the post helps a ton.
Please leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon, and Bookbub. Starred reviews are great, but a sentence or two is even better.
If you know a book blogger or reviewer, recommend the book to them.
Tell your friends, ask your library if they have it or will get it in, and ask your independent booksellers if they have it or will get it in. Word of mouth helps a lot.
Getting any form of art out takes a ton of effort if I can have five advocates for my work, this will spread it out and help sales. More sales motivate me to keep writing so you can find out what happens next...
Question: What's grimdark: Grimdark is a type of fantasy fiction; (stories that are not set in the real world) with characters who behave in ways that are morally bad and a subject matter that is sad, hopeless, or violent. Examples: Chronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook, The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie, & The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
Question: What's epic fantasy?
High fantasy is sometimes called epic fantasy; some of the hallmarks of this fantasy genre include a high page count, lots of characters, usually a quest, and, most importantly, an alternative or secondary world as opposed to the real or primary world. Examples include The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien, Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, and Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
February 12, 2017
Series I am actively Reading
People ask what I am reading or what I recommend. I am not good at recommending, I go like 1 for 5 when I make a recommendation. But here are some of the series I am actively reading. Most are Fantasy or Grimdark. There are a few modern ones as well and some YA. I provided the series name, and author. You can find me on Good Reads too.
The Traitor Son Cycle by Miles Cameron Well, let me put it this way. The man knows what he is talking about IN DETAIL. The world he created, it feels real, its tastes real and smells real. You will google things, you will reference Latin, and you will most likely love it. Its work, like reading A Song of Fire and Ice, I know, I don't want to compare, they are not the same but the work you put in, the characters you start to love. Its good stuff but not for everyone this only for a hard core reader, specifically if you like fantasy. I will be starting “A Plague of Swords” soon.
The Dwarves Series by Markus Heitz
German translation about dwarves, it’s what you think but much more. I will be on the 2nd book soon.
The Belgariad series by David Eddings: I am on the 5th book of 6th. This is an older fantasy series, so its characters are a bit cliché at times and flat at other times. I am not in love with hit but I at this point I am learning from it and its helping me grow as a writer.
The Crimson Empire series by Alex Marshall This series threw me for a loop, it’s imaginative and plays on a lot of stereotypes and changes things up a lot. Really enjoy it. Not your normal fantasy series but not too far away either. I will be reading “A Blade of Black Steel” book 2 soon.
The Kings Hounds- Series by Martin Jensen Do I like translations or what? This is a good medieval murder mystery stuff. Quick read. I am on the second book “Oathbreaker”.
The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson Everyone knows it, girl hacker/who is so punk rock genius she gets into trouble with the Nazis, oops I mean Alt-Right. I am on the third one, “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest”. Suddenly it seems very timely...
Shades of Magic series by V. E. Schwab. Loved the first book, switching between worlds and a jacked that changes when you turn it inside out! I will be grabbing “A Gathering of Shadows” eventually.
The Dagger and the Coin series by Daniel Abraham. It’s a fantasy series but there is not a lot of actual, action, lots of politics and troop movement and money and merchants. I keep reading it, but not IN LOVE with it. I need to start “The Spiders War” book 5 sometime soon.
The Hangman's Daughter series. By Oliver Potzsch Yet another translation. I can't get enough of the Hangman's Daughter or this writer, medieval fantasy about a hangman and his family somewhere in Germany. Good stuff. He's moved onto other books, but I will read all of his work.
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir Its a YA book series, not entirely sold on it, but I will continue see if I enjoy it more. “A Torch against the Dark” will the next one I read.
The Checquy Files Series by O'Malley Daniel. I complained about this book but ended up liking it. It’s like secrete English Spy’s that keep the monster world at bay. “Stiletto” is next on my list.
The Queen of Tearling by Erika Johansen I don't want to give much away on this one, so yeah it’s a YA novel but it’s fun and a quick read. I am on the 3rd book which is “The Fate of the Tearling”
The Faithful and the Fallen series by John Gwynne other authors on this list I made like this guy’s books. He's a boy has on a mission to save the fantasy medieval world, there are others good and in-between. The boy may not win. I am on the last book “Wrath”.
The Winter King series by Bernard Cornwell I am only on the 2nd book in this series. Not much to say as of yet, they are long reads.
The Chronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook. He writes battle scenes like no other. Its grim dark and gritty and fun. I dig it. I believe I'm on the 4th of 5th book per say. It’s complicated.
The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss His first to books are some of the best literature written in the past 30 years. Holy shit they are good. I am waiting for the 3rd book like everyone else is waiting for the last book by George R.R. Martin in A Song of Fire and Ice series.
The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie I am awaiting to read “Sharp Ends” which is set in the same world of the First Law Trilogy. I will read everything this man writes. Love his work and his characters are special in there little broken ways. “Heroes” is his best work, but you have to read 4 books to get there. It’s ok, though it’s totally worth it.
A Song of Fire and Ice by George RR Martin. Yeah we are all waiting for the “Winds of Winter” just like we are waiting for Trump to be impeached. Don't know if it will ever happen.
I have other series on my list on Good reads, but as you can see there is a lot to get to before I even start those.
The Traitor Son Cycle by Miles Cameron Well, let me put it this way. The man knows what he is talking about IN DETAIL. The world he created, it feels real, its tastes real and smells real. You will google things, you will reference Latin, and you will most likely love it. Its work, like reading A Song of Fire and Ice, I know, I don't want to compare, they are not the same but the work you put in, the characters you start to love. Its good stuff but not for everyone this only for a hard core reader, specifically if you like fantasy. I will be starting “A Plague of Swords” soon.
The Dwarves Series by Markus Heitz
German translation about dwarves, it’s what you think but much more. I will be on the 2nd book soon.
The Belgariad series by David Eddings: I am on the 5th book of 6th. This is an older fantasy series, so its characters are a bit cliché at times and flat at other times. I am not in love with hit but I at this point I am learning from it and its helping me grow as a writer.
The Crimson Empire series by Alex Marshall This series threw me for a loop, it’s imaginative and plays on a lot of stereotypes and changes things up a lot. Really enjoy it. Not your normal fantasy series but not too far away either. I will be reading “A Blade of Black Steel” book 2 soon.
The Kings Hounds- Series by Martin Jensen Do I like translations or what? This is a good medieval murder mystery stuff. Quick read. I am on the second book “Oathbreaker”.
The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson Everyone knows it, girl hacker/who is so punk rock genius she gets into trouble with the Nazis, oops I mean Alt-Right. I am on the third one, “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest”. Suddenly it seems very timely...
Shades of Magic series by V. E. Schwab. Loved the first book, switching between worlds and a jacked that changes when you turn it inside out! I will be grabbing “A Gathering of Shadows” eventually.
The Dagger and the Coin series by Daniel Abraham. It’s a fantasy series but there is not a lot of actual, action, lots of politics and troop movement and money and merchants. I keep reading it, but not IN LOVE with it. I need to start “The Spiders War” book 5 sometime soon.
The Hangman's Daughter series. By Oliver Potzsch Yet another translation. I can't get enough of the Hangman's Daughter or this writer, medieval fantasy about a hangman and his family somewhere in Germany. Good stuff. He's moved onto other books, but I will read all of his work.
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir Its a YA book series, not entirely sold on it, but I will continue see if I enjoy it more. “A Torch against the Dark” will the next one I read.
The Checquy Files Series by O'Malley Daniel. I complained about this book but ended up liking it. It’s like secrete English Spy’s that keep the monster world at bay. “Stiletto” is next on my list.
The Queen of Tearling by Erika Johansen I don't want to give much away on this one, so yeah it’s a YA novel but it’s fun and a quick read. I am on the 3rd book which is “The Fate of the Tearling”
The Faithful and the Fallen series by John Gwynne other authors on this list I made like this guy’s books. He's a boy has on a mission to save the fantasy medieval world, there are others good and in-between. The boy may not win. I am on the last book “Wrath”.
The Winter King series by Bernard Cornwell I am only on the 2nd book in this series. Not much to say as of yet, they are long reads.
The Chronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook. He writes battle scenes like no other. Its grim dark and gritty and fun. I dig it. I believe I'm on the 4th of 5th book per say. It’s complicated.
The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss His first to books are some of the best literature written in the past 30 years. Holy shit they are good. I am waiting for the 3rd book like everyone else is waiting for the last book by George R.R. Martin in A Song of Fire and Ice series.
The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie I am awaiting to read “Sharp Ends” which is set in the same world of the First Law Trilogy. I will read everything this man writes. Love his work and his characters are special in there little broken ways. “Heroes” is his best work, but you have to read 4 books to get there. It’s ok, though it’s totally worth it.
A Song of Fire and Ice by George RR Martin. Yeah we are all waiting for the “Winds of Winter” just like we are waiting for Trump to be impeached. Don't know if it will ever happen.
I have other series on my list on Good reads, but as you can see there is a lot to get to before I even start those.
December 11, 2012
Next year maybe
Need to get it together, have not made much progress on my prequel to my first book, have not read much either.
November 7, 2011
Random Update
Getting my second book together, I have some written but it needs to be organized cleaned and than began again anew.
July 26, 2011
New News
Hi,
My book is available in paperback and via Amazon Kindle now. Check it out when you get a second.
My book is available in paperback and via Amazon Kindle now. Check it out when you get a second.
