Brendan Carroll's Blog: Working my way back

Consciousness...

Check out my new blog post at WordPress. I have been busy over there.
https://wordpress.com/post/assassinch...

Progress!!

Just taking a break from editing and formatting. The Red Cross of Gold I:. the Knight of Death is almost ready to be re-released. I will be putting up a promotion on Amazon for it very soon and will post here on Goodreads as well. I wanted to have a few books in the series ready to go before publishing the first one again. I don't like to keep readers from going on to the next book too long. Cliff hangers are great, but wait too long and they forget about you.
I finally returned to the first one-star review I received on the Knight of Death way back when. If you have a beloved child and overhear some teacher talking about how horrible he is and how bad a parent you must be, then you know how I felt the first time I read it. But it's been over ten years since then and many things have come to pass.
The review, seen with more objective eyes, turns out not to be so bad after all. So I finally replied to the review and thanked the reviewer though I doubt she will ever see the reply I made to her. I hope she does however and I hope she will be intrigued enough to go back to the series and read again. Maybe read books two and three and... well, you know.
So I am making progress and very happy with the way things are going.
https://assassinchroniclesplus.blog

Oldie but Goody Reviews

Recently, I decided I could get back into my writing after a six year absence. In preparing to launch, as they say, I went back to my published books and looked over some of the reviews for inspiration and criticism. Here is one of the best reviews for the Red Cross of Gold, The Knight of Death
This 5-star Review comes from 2012.
The reviewer did an excellent job condensing my own thoughts about the series into a paragraph. Something I always have trouble doing. Writing blurbs, short synopsis and descriptions of my books always come hard to me.
I love the phrase "expands out into a complex weave that reaches back in time to the Beginning and forward to the End"
The reviewer also said the books inspired him to delve deeper into the ancient mysteries of the Babylonians and Egyptians.
To the reviewer, I salute you! Thank you very much for writing this wonderful review that made all my work worthwhile. One of the main objectives of my story was to get the reader to think more about ancient history and take it upon themselves to dig deeper.
But of course, if you, as a reader, do not want to go spelunking in history, the stories give you enough information to understand what it is all about.

I am thoroughly enjoying this series. Carroll writes well and his characters have depth, color and meet challenges that compell me to continue on with the next book in the series immediately. This series balancing historical fiction with fantasy in a most delightful way. The premise is intriguing and expands out into a complex weave that reaches back in time to the Beginning and forward to the End. In between we follow the struggles of angels, wee folk, dragons and all manner of mystical creatures, all well researched and beautifully represented in the pararama. I found myself nipping out to dive more deeply into Babalonians and egyptian mythologies and appreciate the dexterous treatment of the bible throughout, framing plausible scenarios that even an historian would be tickled by. I anxiously await the next book in the series. In the meantime I am exploring other works by the same author that are equally impressive. Really a must read if you love fantasy and holistic treatment of the mysteries.

Ultimate Writer's Block

Slowly, but surely I have climbed up out of the dark pit in which I have lain for about six years. I swear I heard the Call of Cthulhu and saw H.P. Lovecraft riding by on a unicycle. I tried, as an author and an avid fan of dystopian, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, fantasy, action-adventure books with historical overtones, to make the most of my exile in the Mouth of Madness.

I grew long, curved fangs and six extra eyes. Eight horns protruded from my head. My lips were blue and my tongue was yellow. I had an optional coat of green scales put on my body except for my hands and feet which were purple and red respectively. Toes of hideous nature with iron claws capable of perching on church steeples became my style of choice. Each hand bore eight long, bony fingers with many joints and suckers along the undersides.

I spent my time languishing in sickening pools of liquid sulfur and methane breathing in the noxious fumes and exhaling them again a long streamers of orange smoke. Now and again I drank quicksilver and stored it in my glands and pores. On my knees and elbows I grew hollow spikes ready to inject enough poison to turn away the Outer God, Yog-Sothoth in a feeding frenzy.

These attributes kept me alive during my sojourn but did little to sustain my sanity. When I was finally released from the dungeons of R'lyeh, I swam quickly up from the stinking slime, my lungs suddenly crushed by the great weight of the ocean of time.

Upon reaching the shore, I found my laptop and my iPhone right where I had left them, locked in the cabana. I slathered on sunscreen, put on my sunshades and sat down in the shade of a pink umbrella. A waitress wearing a grass skirt brought me a pina colada in a coconut.

The cool breeze whistled through my horns and I began to type: It was a dark and stormy night. A shot rang out.
The Hounds of Oblivion

It's Been a Long Time

Greetings Friends, Fans and Fellow Authors!

My last post was in 2016. A lot of things have happened since then. My personal obligations precluded writing for the last six years. So I've been on a requisite hiatus. I want to come back to the writing world, which I have missed tremendously, with a new start.

I published my first book "The Knight of Death" in 2008 shortly after the Kindle phenomenon was introduced to the world. Things were much simpler back then for Indie Authors. And there were infinite trial and error possibilities. Most were errors.

Prior to Kindle, I wrote my books in hopes of one day pursuing an agent and a publisher. I did have a little bit of success finding an agent, but he never could work a deal for me.

Then things began to change in 2008. Without the benefit of a professional editor, I published my books one by one with only Beta Readers. Since that time "The Knight of Death" has got to be one of the most edited and uploaded eBook ever written. I only just added a recent edition to that collection. Now I want to take the time to get back in the swim of things with an all new/all old effort.

I hope that you will be amenable to re-reading and if you haven't read, take up the series. I have a lot of good reviews here and on Amazon, though I don't know how I got them.

Take a new look at an old book.

Thank you so much for bearing with me. The Knight of Death: The Assassin Chronicles

Questions: Good or Bad?

One thing I've heard all my life, repeated incessantly, is 'there is no such thing as a stupid question'. I beg to differ with that sentiment. There ARE stupid questions. The problem seems to be with the word 'stupid'.
Stupid is a state of existence or state of mind when the questioner knows the answer full well and the questionee knows the questioner knows the answer, yet the questioner still asked the question.
Example: You are standing in the rain with your broken umbrella over your head, your hair is wet, your feet, socks, shoes and pants legs are drenched and someone at the bus stop asks "Have you ever seen such weather?"
Now, you might be thinking this is not stupid, that it is just someone trying to make conversation and you could be right, but I consider it a stupid question. Not necessarily because of the content and context, but because of the proximity. The questioner is very close to being accidentally beat by my umbrella.
On the other hand, I wish to point out the difference between stupid and ignorant.
Same example: Same weather, same bus stop, different questioner. This questioner is obviously a foreigner from the Skeleton Coast in West Africa. It never rains there and he/she/they are fascinated by the sheer amount of water pouring from the sky. The questionee, having visited Namibia several times in pursuit of the extreme dune surfing experience in the Sossusvlei Dunes, using utmost discernment, recognizes the language/accent of the questioner, responds "Why, yes, yes I have."

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Mother's Day

Thank God for Mothers, without whom, none of us would be possible.
In honor of one of the most important days of the year, I would like to give away the first two books in my Assassin Chronicles series at Amazon in the combination volume titled: The Red Cross of Gold:. Books I & II on May 11 & 12. Be sure to look for that next week. You don't have to be a mother to take advantage of the giveaway, but if you are, God Bless You and Keep You All Year!
In addition, I would like to thank all my fans and readers who are, indeed, mothers and grandmothers, aunts and babysitters for their kind remarks, comments and reviews over the past few years. It seems that a fair number of mothers seem to enjoy the series and for that, I am grateful.
If you have already read the series and wish to receive a coupon for one of my other works listed at Smashwords, just send me an email with Mother's Day in the subject line and let me know which book you would like to receive and I'll send you a free copy.
In return, just tell me which of my characters in the Assassin Chronicles series was your favorite so at least I think you've already read it. LOL
Have a great Friday!
email: BrendanCarroll7@gmail.com

#SixSentenceSunday ~ 12.30.12

Last post of the old year. In with the new and out with the old or vice versa. However you like, that is how it should be. Let us hope our new year surpasses all our hopes and dreams!

From the Wayward GodKing, Book 30, last of the Assassin Chronicles, where it seems some of the Assassin's antagonists have gotten themselves into serious trouble:

“Why do you suppose they didn’t kill all of us?” Sergei asked softly as he watched two men cut the bonds that held the bloodied body of the lieutenant.
“They are probably not gluttonous. One sin doesn’t always mean that others are practiced equally.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Sergei said and closed his eyes tightly as they began to dismember the corpse with the sharp bamboo knives. They cut off the arms and then went to work on the meatier parts of the legs.

Sample Sunday ~ 12.30.12

For the last Sample Sunday entry of 2012, I'll put up an excerpt from Book 30:. The Wayward GodKing since it is the last book in the Assassin Chronicles series.

Meredith snapped her head around and glared at him.
“What right do you have coming here and making light of our sorrows?” She asked. “My daughter is gone and my son lies dead. The world is destroyed and we linger on and on! To what purpose? Answer me that, O Great and Magnificent Lord! And you taunt me with memories of Mark Andrew when you know perfectly well that we can never… never be together. It’s not fair and it’s not funny and I’m not here for your amusement.”
Anu crawled back to Luke’s side and ran his fingers through the streaked hair. He pulled the braid from its place on Luke’s head with ease and held it in his hand. Meredith gasped at the sight of it. Anu placed it against his own head and it remained there, just above his right ear.
“You also fought with the Italian. Your nature is very volatile. Much like Semiramis, no doubt. You would have made an excellent warrior queen. Your face would satisfy the desolate and wasted ground moreso than water. I know many things, Meredith,” he smiled slightly at her. “I have been there for my son and my grandson and even you. You do not hold exclusive rights to love, my daughter, though you would rival Venus’ radiance. My daughters have become many and lovely they are, but you must remain the crowning glory. Surely you know that it was not your brain that attracted my son? Nanna knew exactly what his uncle would want when he put his plan in action. Did he never explain to you what it was all about?”
“Of course, he did. You make it sound as if he used me,” Meredith was still highly perturbed. “John Paul wanted to save the world. He didn’t want the cataclysm to come. He said that it didn’t have to happen. That it was up to us, but we failed.”
“You failed because it is written in the stars that now is the time for a new beginning,” Anu tossed his hair over his shoulder and his earrings jingled in unison with her own silver ones entwined in the braid. “Some things can be changed or prevented while others cannot. Nanna made a good attempt. An honorable effort. I am quite pleased with his motives though his methods are a bit questionable. I think he must be punished. As for your defense of him, it is only natural for a mother to defend her son. That is how you still think of him, Meredith, as your son. He is not your son. He is your alter self. Your masculine half. You persist in these human delusions. I’m going to take you into the depths of the ocean and show you wonders you never dreamed of.”
“John Paul? Punished? Who could punish him? What has he done wrong?” she asked in alarm, ignoring his obvious romantic overture. “Who can condemn him?”
“Condemn him? No. Punish, yes,” Anu said. “He is an errant child. You know that and you… what of your antics, Meredith? Are you not a part of him? Does he not reprimand you for your transgressions?”
“I am responsible for my own actions, and John would never presume to redress me. He treats me with the greatest respect. Punish me, if you must,” she said defiantly. “Leave him alone.”
“I have left him alone too long, it seems, and I will truly leave him alone when I go,” the Lord of the Moon stood up “for I will take you with me, and he will appreciate more what he has done when he can no longer see you. If he has placed an attachment on you as you describe, then it needs to be eradicated. It is unnatural and unhealthy. He has a mother! And so do you, though you never knew her.”
Meredith’s mouth fell open in shock at his words. She would not go with him. She simply would not go with him. He held out his hand to her and she took it. She would not allow this creature to take her from her family. She could not allow it. She stepped up and out of the bed to stand beside him on the marble floor. If Mark Andrew were there, he would not let it happen, but this was his father. How could he oppose one as powerful as Anu? He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and kissed her lips. She would not kiss him! She would not go with him.
“John!” she shouted when he let go of her. “John Paul! Lucio!!”
“There is no need shouting for help, my daughter,” Anu spoke into her ear. “You will like where we are going. I give you my word. If you do not wish to stay, you can come back here anytime you wish it.”

Comments and then Comments!!

One of my very good fans posted a comment on my Facebook group page that I wanted to share with the world. It is comments like this that make the work of writing worthwhile:
Dean Cannon Sr. said: I have read so many books in the last 30 years I could not give an estimate. I stumbled on books 1-2 a couple years ago on my kindle and after finishing book XXX I can honestly say I feel as if I have lost a few friends. I am ok with it in my eyes the felling of loss only proves what a great well written series it is. Brendan Carroll I cannot wait to begin our next adventure you are truly a gifted writer and I look forward to your next project. Merry Christmas and thank you for the stories which I can close my eyes and relive. ( another sign of a great author)

I also wanted to invite anyone who wants to join the FB group for the Order of the Red Cross of Gold and use Facebook, please send me a request to join at BrendanCarroll7@gmail.com and give me your Facebook address so I can friend you and make you an honorable member of the Order.