D.M. Raver's Blog, page 4

First Book Signing of Brother, Betrayed

First book reading from Brother, Betrayed.
Table set up ready for the first book reading at 10:00 a.m.

Troy University News: Book Signing

http://www.troy.edu/news/archives/2011/november/11012011_raver.html
Nov 1st, 2011
TROY -- Author Danielle Raver will host a release party for her new book, "Brother, Betrayed," at the Troy University Barnes & Noble Café on Friday, Nov. 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.The event will include readings by the author and book signings. Readings of "Brother, Betrayed" will be at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The party also includes an online celebration happening at www.danielleraver.com. Giveaways from Barnes & Noble will be offered during the event as well.Raver is a TROY graduate with a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree from the University of West Alabama in school counseling. She is now a writer and senior editor at Fantasy Island Book Publishing.It has always been her dream to publish her writing. The book, along with the book signing party is an opportunity to bring her dream back home.Raver grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. When she was a girl, she and her older brother used to create stories, competing to see who could write the most. Eventually that game evolved into fantasy writing, and "Brother, Betrayed" was the result.A tale woven with deception, war, sacrifice, and magic, "Brother, Betrayed" takes readers to a troubled kingdom surrounded by barbarians, magical races and forbidden boundaries.

11/11/11

The year was 1999. Everyone was worried about Y2K. Everyone was planning the party of the millennium. They one day wanted to be able to answer the question: "What did you do when the year turned 2000?" with something worth remembering and sharing.

Not me. The young high school age Danielle was thinking... in 12 years it will be 2011. Something that hasn't happened in 1000 years will be happening again. I began planning for the date 11/11/11.

As my author biography alludes, I do always make a wish when I see the clock on 11:11. I know that in numerology 11/11 is significant. Some sources claim that it is a combination of numbers that means insight and inspiration. 11 has just always been my lucky number.

It wasn't until the beginning of this year that I decided what I wanted to do on 11/11/11. With the editing almost finished with my novel, I thought I might could finish it by November and hold a book release party on that special day. That would be something worth remembering, special enough to tell my children and grandchildren about, someday.

Then in March of this year I met J. D. Hall at Fantasy Island Book Publishing. Just weeks before I had received this fortune at the Chinese restaurant I frequent:



The fortune proved true. Fantasy Island Book Publishing has helped to make my dream a reality. 11/11/11 is fast approaching, and I plan to celebrate to the best of my ability. Join us.

Character Highlight: Denire, the Rogue Knight

Fans of Danielle Raver, Author's Facebook Page were asked "Who sounds like he/she would be your favorite character?"

Vote for yourself at
http://www.facebook.com/questions/215482941801755/?qa_ref=pt

To celebrate Denire's lead, the following is a character highlight on Denire.

My inspiration for Denire actually came from a picture I saw in a knight with a cloak in a medieval magazine (which I cannot find) but here are some pictures that were similar:

 
 
[image error] (not my art)
 The reader first meets Denire when he ambushes the three brothers on their journey through Miscia. Here is an excerpt from the scene:
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }Thethree brothers drew back their reins. The horses neighed, startledand agitated. A rider on a black horse suddenly appeared in theirpath. The rider pulled the reins of his shifting horse as he gazed atthem from beneath a helmet that shadowed his eyes. "Youngtravelers, a word," he said.Thebrothers were uneasy, but stayed their hands, held over their swords.Their shock left them and they examined the rider. He was lightlyarmored in chain, a blue tunic and cape draped over his sturdyshoulders and down the sides of his steed. Intricately tooledleather, they noticed, held asword at his waist. The same leather decorated the girdle of hishorse, now pumping its head and snorting at them. They moved theirhorses back a few steps, close to each other. "Heis a soldier of Arnith," Fasime whispered."Howdid he find us?" Oman asked in a speculative tone."Weshould order him back," Fasime stated, glaring at the rider butwaiting."No,then he would know who we are," Syah warned.Therider's horse shifted again but he held him back. "I need tospeak with you," the soldier said in a tactful, compelling voice."Whyhave you tried to ambush us?" Oman demanded."Youshould not be here," the stranger answered. "I am a knight ofArnith. You three need to come with me."

 (this of course is the wrong time period but I looked at this picture a lot while writing Denire - I liked the dark moodiness of it)

Excerpt from Best Selling Fantasy Novel: Brother, Betrayed

From Chapter Forty Four of Brother, Betrayed"A Field and a Cabin" p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }

Fasimeturned for his mount, but he saw Eltha had already untied him and wasleading the mighty black warhorse quickly to them. He mounted andtook the reins before turning towards Torgan. All of the villagerssilenced at the sight of him. Agetha held her wounded son with tearsin her eyes."Quickly!"Torgan shouted. "Gather what horses we have and follow him!"Fasimesheathed his sword and shouldered his bow. He didn't take themoment to glance to the villagers, the mother and the wounded boy,knowing what their eyes would tell him. Bringher back.Fasimeflicked Lightning's reins and cried out to him, starting himgalloping out of the market and towards the northern woods. Thesounds of the villagers were quickly out of earshot. They were intothe field before Fasime realized what he was doing. He was one managainst at least a dozen raiders. The feelings of duty towards thevillage and family that had harbored him strengthened his resolve andhe withdrew the bow from his shoulder. They can't out rideLightning. Hewas already to the threshold of the forest. He pressed his heals intothe stallion's sides and leaned forward. He had always held cautionwith the beast, not allowing it to ride at its fastest speed, notknowing, upon that brink, what he would unleash. But now he strovetowards it, seeing that upon entering the forest there was littlesnow upon the ground and the marauders' trail was indefinite. Thesteed responded with a supernatural understanding. It rushed withzeal in the direction its rider commanded it. Fasime gripped thegirdle tightly, feeling the jolting of the ride strangely smooth thefaster they galloped, as if Lightning glided towards their foes,becoming discernible in the distance between the trees. No root norstone nor limb hampered him.PerilouslyFasime straightened, reached for an arrow and knocked his bow. Soon.They will be within range soon.Theywere deeper into the woods and Fasime was almost close enough. Howmany arrows will it take until they turn and fight? We shall see.Fasime raised the bow, unsure of his aim upon his shaking ride.He saw the trailing end of their riders clearly ahead. He closed oneeye and drew the string, locking his legs against the stallion andtargeted the rear rider. He released the string and the arrow flewahead of him. Within a moment the enemy rider fell off his horse. Hewas close enough to see the other riders turn in their saddles andspot him. They didn't stop and turn. They quickened their pace.Thatwon't help you.



Copyright 2011 by Danielle Raver
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War, Warfare, and Warriors - Fiction War Novels

"War is not the answer, but if there's only one thing that'll make it better, then call me a warrior..." - from Admiral Tibbett's "War is Not the Answer" 

War. A definer of cultures and nations. Embedded in the psyches of the inhabitants of every "civilized" country. The embodiment of humanity's greatest evils, and yet the source of our highest ideals.
Courage  ~  Patriotism  ~  Honor
War creates heroes, but also has been the inspiration behind many great novels. 
Whether it is a war against the ultimate evil such as the war against Sauron in the Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.
"The Shadow of Sauron" by Ted Nasmith link
Or the sparring of factions such as the houses in The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin
From The Art of The Song of Ice and Fire by Michael Komarck link
  Years of writing went into the battle and fight scenes of Brother, Betrayed. War is a driving force in Arnith, the kingdom to be inherited by the three brothers: Oman, Fasime, and Syah. The kingdom of Arnith is trying to subjugate the outlying barbarian tribes and dominate the continent. Syah, the main character, writes about these conquests in his journal:
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }a:link { }Imust confess it, as I have confessed so many other things to thesebound pages. I fear for Arnith. Our list of enemies is growing. Theyare coming together with common purpose against us. Has Arnith beentoo bold to attempt to join all of the human realms together? Ourallies are growing thin, our armies are diminishing, and there ismore talk of war with the tribes every day. Perhapsit is foolish of me to speak of such things. Of course… how manycycles has Arnith existed with the threat of war, and nothing trulyever comes of it? How many generations have lived, seeing times ofwar and times of peace pass by? I just can't help feeling that…something dark looms on the horizon. My feelings are so strong,perhaps childish. Is that all it is? Still a child wishing forcomfort, reliability, surety? That I am still just a child in thisworld and I do not understand the unfolding of events, the passage ofhistory.Howcan I feel this way? Listen to me! I'm babbling on about theperspective fates of our time, and even if something, I strain towrite the word, terrible were to happen… we would survive. We wouldlive. History would continue. Arnith would continue. So why worryover it? War will happen if it happens, and who am I to prevent it? Greatskies… I just still feel I must do something. It swells inside me.I feel we could choose a better path, a safer path. Feelings…Fears. I suppose they will pass as my maturity develops.
Forthe three brothers,Syah,Prince of Arnith

The wars drive the tension between the brothers as they each try to prove their usefulness to the kingdom. Oman, the eldest, is schooled on war by the king:
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }"Abattle is fluid, my son. We do not plan for a single moment, but aseries of possible events.""YesFather," Oman answered."CommanderLenpece, you will lead the majority of our mounted troops behind theMarrian army and wait until we engage them. Then you will herd themtowards the hills, where Oman will be waiting with a company offighters and archers. We will keep some cavalry with the main forcein case they decide to send archers to the hills to the west. And Iwill await them, blocking their way to Bafonville. They will perceiveus as a possible victory, a fair fight, and perhaps they will growspine enough to engage us in open battle."Omanwatched his men gather around him as the king left, awaiting orders.The king looked back to him after mounting. "Shall the skies shineon our victory today," he said and tugged on the reins."Weshall let the king and his army gain ground. When the Marrians seehim they will slow their advance. We desire our presence to besecret, so we will approach with care, and gain the opposite side ofthe hill, out of sight. It will be imperative that they see theking's army first and decide to match them. We will attack at theopportune moment, giving their army a chance to pass us. When theking's army tears them down and they retreat, they will be exposedto our attack from the hill. Mount, we will ride until we can see theeastern hills in the distance. Tell the archers to follow behind us.Be wary of enemy scouts crossing the area." The prince mounted andwas followed by his host of soldiers and knights.

For more information about Brother, Betrayed visit the Fantasy Island Book Publishing website link

Troy Alabama Author Book Signing

I will be signing and reading excerpt from my book Brother, Betrayed on November 11th, from 9am to 4pm at the Barnes and Noble on campus at Troy University, in Troy, AL. Flyers for the event: Pre-order your signed copy of Brother, Betrayed from www.fantasyislandbookpublishing.com and pay no extra shipping!
Brother, Betrayed by Danielle Raver$14.99

Follow Your Dreams

To celebrate the print release of my novel Brother, Betrayed, I am starting a "Fan of the Month" club on my Face Book Fan Page link

Becoming a writer has been a dream of mine since I was old enough to put words on paper. I've learned that hard work and determination, and a true love for your talent, really can make dreams come true.

Share your dreams with us to celebrate "Meeting your Dreams". I hope you join us!

Five Star Reviews of Brother, Betrayed

5.0 out of 5 stars   Great characters make this book a must-read!, June 28, 2011 By Scott Niven - Amazon Verified Purchase This review is from: Brother, Betrayed (Kindle Edition) Just finished reading this book and loved it! The story is wonderful, but the thing that pulled me in and hooked me was the relationship between the brothers. Each brother has a distinct personality, and as you watch them interact you begin to really care about them. Their dialogue is perfect! The writing is also superb, and the book left me hoping that Danielle continues writing more stories in the land of Miscia! 




5.0 out of 5 stars   A Highly Entertaining and Thought Provoking Fantasy Adventure, June 24, 2011 By Gary Hoover - Amazon Verified Purchase This review is from: Brother, Betrayed (Kindle Edition) In broad terms, Brother betrayed is a grand, epic fantasy-adventure, and as such it has the sort of travel, adventure, swordplay, knights, kingdoms and battles that would be expected of such a work.

But there's much more to it than that.

It's also the story of three brothers. Each of those brothers have unique personalities and interests and the author defines those differences subtly but masterfully. A glance here, a comment there and we have a visceral feel for the character of each player with most details not being overtly stated.

The tale is larger-than-life and the language is appropriately dramatic and poetic. While never over-done, many scenes are scripted in a manner that leaves the reader simply appreciating the beauty of the written words.
And while the story is anchored with classic fantasy elements, there are surprises at every turn. I never knew quite what to expect and there where many moments that left me thinking: "Wait a minute . . . what was that? Did that just happen?"

A thoroughly enjoyable, fast-paced, unpredictable story that entertains from beginning to end. I'd highly recommend it to anybody looking for such a read. 


5.0 out of 5 stars  Pain of betrayal, September 4, 2011 By Aunt T Pathfinder - Amazon Verified Purchase This review is from: Brother, Betrayed (Kindle Edition) would the brothers have betrayed each other if the witch had said nothing? how could she not speak? it was a land which rejoiced in the conquering of others and there was such a high conceit in the royals, all but the youngest. he alone realized that his land and those he loved were playing with karma, building up such a debt to those around them that someday that debt would come due. the middle brother was a follower, a people pleaser even though he thought of himself as a leader of men and so the betrayal struck him from a different direction, blindsiding him along the way. as for the eldest...the first born son nearly always hungers to please their parent, to be like that parent, and so he boxed himself in and chained himself down without realizing he ever had a choice. three brothers, unconditional love unknown, war a heritage burned into their blood. I want more :) 

5.0 out of 5 stars   Captivating Fantasy at it's best!, August 16, 2011 By Rachel Tsoumbakos "Barefoot.Writer" (Melbourne, Australia)Amazon Verified Purchase This review is from: Brother, Betrayed (Kindle Edition) Let's get started by saying that I LOVED this book!

It is exactly what happens when you take a whole bunch of Arthurian tales along with a large chunk of Tolkien's world, tear them up into little pieces and then stitch them all back together.

At no point in time did I ever question the validity of the world in which I had been placed. It is painted beautifully. The descriptions of both place and person are rich in detail.

Who would I recommend this book to? This book is a work fantasy, so anyone who is a fan of this genre will be very happy indeed with this book. I did also feel flavours of tales such as those found in the Mabinogion, so anyone who is also partial to tales of either King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table or The Lord of the Rings (or, indeed, anything written by Tolkien) will also find this book a fascinating read.

5.0 out of 5 stars  An Epic Fantasy in the Classic Sense, August 5, 2011 By Connie J. Jasperson (Tenino, WA USA)  Amazon Verified Purchase This review is from: Brother, Betrayed (Kindle Edition) This tale was a real pleasure to read! Indie author Danielle Raver has created a very real world, called Misca. The three brothers, Oman, Fasime and Syah are very close and love each other very much, although they each have widely divergent interests and personalities.

The tale begins with the three brothers going on an extended journey. Omens and portents abound; and the brothers find themselves contemplating the words of a witch after they return.

The land of Misca is nearing the end of its long golden age, and is poised on the edge of violent change. As the story progresses, each of the brothers becomes more clearly defined, as do their hopes and ambitions. They love their father the king, and they love their land of Misca. Each brother makes decisions that affect the land for good or for ill based on that love. Oman tends toward paranoia and fear; Fasime is caught in the middle, and the youngest, weakest brother, Syah, is the voice of reason.

The old King is a wonderful, brave character, beloved by the people as brave warrior and a benevolent ruler. The circumstances surrounding his death plunges the land into a civil war, and divides the brothers.
The battle scenes are inspiring, particularly the last battle of the old King. His strength and wisdom are some of the best scenes in a wonderful tale.

Raver's prose is lyrical, and the tale is told as if by a bard or a chronicler. This tale seems to be left open for a sequel; although it is an excellent tale in itself. 

5.0 out of 5 stars  Beautiful classic fantasy, May 17, 2011 By Alison Deluca "New Jersey Mom" (Jackson, NJ United States)    This review is from: Brother, Betrayed (Kindle Edition)
If you enjoy battle scenes with archers and pikesmen and swordsmen, then this is a must read. Brother, Betrayed has amazing descriptions of armies in action, so well written that you would swear you could hear the clang of metal and the cursing of the knights on horseback.

There are also elements of fantasy - there is a dragon, there is a witch and a prophecy, and of course the three brothers, who are princes, struggling to maintain their kingdom in the midst of battle.

On top of that, Raver has given each brother a distinct personality. I always enjoy flawed characters - people who have something to learn, and mistakes to make. The brothers are definite people; my favorite was Syah.
   

"Alone" with a Good Book

"When you're reading a good book it's not as lonely as staring out the window, even if you're doing it by yourself."

~ The words of my mother while speaking with her on the phone this afternoon.



We were talking about how playing a game on-line with others is nice for the social aspect, but there is something about playing a game you enjoy and getting into the characters.

I believe that this is an amazing thing: that we can feel a connection with others, even though we are not engaging with them, and even though they may not be real.

What is a book or game that you have slipped away into; though you were alone, you were not lonely?