Glynn Stewart's Blog, page 4

Meet the Mage-Queen of Mars

Who is Kiera Alexander, The Mage-Queen of Mars?

Kiera Alexander is the only surviving child of Mage-King Desmond Michael Alexander. She is a Rune Wright, one of a very small number of Mages who can see the flow of magic and manipulate it instinctively.

After the death of her father and brother in a shuttle explosion, Kiera became the Mage-Queen of Mars. As she was too young to rule at the time of Desmond’s death, the Protectorate of Mars was ruled by Prince Regent Damien Montgomery until she came of age. 

Kiera is a young queen, but she is extremely capable and has been guided well by Damien. She has a strong friendship with Roslyn Chambers, and has moral fortitude and wisdom beyond her years. 

Kiera is also a pragmatist. She knows that the rare gift of being a Rune Wright needs to be passed down to her heir.  Fortunately for her and for the Protectorate, she actually does want a husband and, eventually, a family. But for a young woman as remarkable and self-assured as she is, finding a worthy match among the Mages of the Protectorate has proven challenging.

And the people responsible for the death of her father are still out there, lurking in the shadows…

See Kiera in action in her first solo adventure in the novella Mage-Queen’s Thief: A Starship’s Mage Universe Novella, available now!

The novella is available in print form as part of the anthology, Shadows of Hope.

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Enjoyed Mage-Queen’s Thief? Leave a Review!

Did you know that leaving written reviews on Amazon is one of the best ways to help Glynn’s work be seen so he can continue writing his exciting and diverse worlds?But more than that, reviews help other readers discover what’s to love about a book.If you enjoyed Mage-Queen’s Thief , Glynn’s latest novella, we’d very much appreciate if you’d let other readers know what you loved about it by leaving a review!

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Mage-Queen’s Thief: A Starship’s Mage Universe Novella, Available Now

The kidnapping of Mage-Queen Kiera Alexander sets the events of Nemesis of Mars into motion…

Mage-Queen Kiera Alexander is a formidable young woman. She was mentored by Damien Montgomery—and his mentor, her own father—to be a strong and fair monarch. But the Protectorate of Mars needs an heir, and that means Kiera has to choose a husband. Ideally, one she actually likes!

She embarks on a royal tour aboard the luxury cruiser Extravagant Voyage with ten potential suitors, a whole system’s worth of dignitaries, her security team… and one thief intent on stealing an experimental shuttle.

But Nemesis is everywhere… and they have plans for the Mage-Queen of Mars.

Get Mage-Queen’s Thief for only $2.99. Also available on Kindle Unlimited!

As this is a novella, there is no audiobook at this time. The story is available in paperback as part of Shadows of Hope: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology. 

This novella occurs between Beyond the Eyes of Mars (Book 12) and Nemesis of Mars (Book 13).

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Short Fiction 99c Sale-A-Bration

On discount for a limited time! Shadows of Hope is Glynn Stewart’s new paperback anthology, highlighting his recent short works that show how you only really find heroes in the darkness before dawn. The ebooks for three of these action-packed novellas (included in the paperback) are on sale in the US and UK, for only 99 cents/99 pence. Offer ends September 18, 2023.

Pulsar Race features a retired Navy Mage with no plan for his future—but he’s willing to help out a friend. That may get him in trouble… as long as you consider a death-defying illegal race to be trouble!

Pulsar Race: A Starship’s Mage Universe Novella
99¢ USA | 99p UK

In Balefire, a demonic plague has infested a village. The only thing between the village and the fire is the holy warrior that may have to burn it all down.

Balefire: A Dark Fantasy Novella
99¢ USA | 99p UK

Excalibur Lost is a runaway hit that explores a broken human species, a broken man, and a lost legend that could save them all…

Excalibur Lost: A Space Opera Novella
99¢ USA | 99p UK

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Ten Questions About Void Spheres, the Sequel to Nine Sailed Star

Glynn is currently writing the sequel to Nine Sailed Star , the next book in Aether Spheres. If you haven’t read this fantasy epic, you can get it on sale now for $2.99 in the US and Canada.

Here are ten questions he recently answered about his work in progress. 

Do your main characters have any pictures of themselves with friends/family? Why/Why not?

A: Cat: yes. He doesn’t have them with him, those are formal portraits painted for halls of family Greentree and the House of Forests.
His people have term-limited marriages (500 year lifespans) so formal paintings with the kids are A Thing.

Brushfire: no. Her family have never had the money or time to spare for much luxury, and having someone paint anyone would definitely count.

Armand: yes, of course – probably relatively recent, painted when he became Archmage. The pictures are in his tower, though… Not on the ship he’s riding on his minor little mission to save everyone.

What do your main characters see when they look out of their bedroom window/door?

A: All three of them, right now, look out to see the void.

This is a problem, because even Cat and Brushfire are used to aether, which their respective species can breathe and sail ships in. Nobody can breathe the void and it has nothing to sail on.

And they have about a hundred thousand leagues of it to get through…

What’s your main character’s most annoying character trait?

A: Cat: He is Cat Greentrees of the House of Forests, a Mage of a Tertiary Line of a Great House of the High Court.
… No further explanation is necessary.

Brushfire Hammerhead: She is not old enough to be nearly as motherly as she feels toward the clan of gobvar she finds herself leading.

Armand Bluestaves: Just try to talk with him without being handed his latest baking project.And you don’t argue with Archmages.

Do your main characters have any prejudices?

A: All three of them have different prejudices. All spent most of the last book getting them challenged.

Cat, the elvar of the trio, and Brushfire, the gobvar of the trio, hate each other’s respective species.
They’re working on it.

Bluestaves, the Archmage of the bunch, would never even THINK it, but he has always been biased against those without proper education.
So, of course, he’s now dependent on uneducated aethership crew to survive…

Is the antagonist close to anyone?

A: Well… so much as this book has an antagonist, it is the semi-embodied manifestation of a spell that ate a dozen or so spheres worth of life.

So I’m going to go with no. No, the Hunger of the Void isn’t close to anyone…

What parts of your world would you recommend a tourist to stay away from? Why?

A: The border spheres between the Clan Spheres on the one side and the Court and Kingdoms on the other.

It’s not that the Gobvar Clans are bad people or even dislike strangers.

It’s that Her Crimson Sisters are an order of fanatical murderers who regard violence as sacred to their god. And they control the border.

What parts of your world would you recommend a tourist to visit?

A: The Elvar High Court.

They don’t have the words for it, but it’s basically a natural Dyson swarm of continent-sized plates orbiting a magical crystal that gives off light and heat.

Home to one of the oldest extant civilizations, it has the pomp of Victorian era Britain, the history of Rivendell and the views of the Ringworld.

Just…be polite. Their politics don’t spill over onto outsiders. Normally.

Are your main characters good at flirting?

A: Cat knows the rules of courtship in an elvar great house.

Brushfire has spent her entire life surrounded by people related to her or who employ her entire family.

Armand is… an academic. So, in short, no. None of them are good at flirting.

A stranger makes a crude comment about your main character’s significant other or best friend. How do you react?

A: Cat once threw wands with the captain of a warship because the var was being rude about his gobvar crew.

In a situation where it’s less obviously clear what the answer is, he is capable of that level of icy politeness that makes you realize that you effed up bad.

Brushfire is used to being the target of crude and racist commentary. She has found ways (mostly related to being about seven feet tall with horns and as skilled at LOOM as she is at not looming) to silently express her displeasure at comments at her siblings.

If someone made crude comments at Cat or Armand, though, I’m not sure she’d get over her shock in time to do anything.

Armand…oh Armand.

Armand is an Archmage That is a descriptor of his magical power, but it also comes with political and social status and power.

“Irritating an archmage” is literally a crime on the books of most spheres.Armand would never use that status or privilege for himself. But to protect his people? His friends? He will teach you why you do not screw with archmagi.

What makes your hero feel weak?

A: Cat: Losing control, both of himself and the situation. He’s still reeling from being cashiered from the High Court Navy in many ways.

Brushfire: Not being able to protect her family. She’s used to feeling weak. Feeling strong is new on her.

Armand: Mucking up his baking because this magical rocket has different movements than a magical sailing ship. (Oh, also completely running out of magic in duels with other near-demigods…)

Stay tuned for more information about Void Spheres, the sequel to Nine Sailed Star.

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Starship’s Mage and Hand of Mars on Sale in the US & UK

Ready to start Starship’s Mage? We’ve got a deal for you. Starship’s Mage is on sale in the US and UK for 99¢. But that’s not all. Hand of Mars is also discounted to just $2.99 so you can keep right on reading. Only until September 4.

Starship’s Mage: Click here for US | Click here for UK

Hand of Mars: Click here for US | Click here for UK

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Fire, Steel & Petroleum: A Dieselpunk Short Available For Free

Short stories of about 1,500 words often appear in science fiction magazines, exploring new and fascinating worlds. From that tradition comes a new story, choked with dust and fumes and the sound of gunfire. It’s one much more Arthurian than classic franchises like Mad Max. Introducing “Fire, Steel and Petroleum: A Dieselpunk Short Story”:

With innocents in danger, a Knight must stand.

Raiders have burned the village—but the civilians are on the road, fleeing to safety in a distant fortress. With the enemy in pursuit, Sir Afageon knows the people need time. With a sword, a shotgun, and a broken motorbike, he will buy them that time.

By fire, steel, and petroleum, he is a Knight of Cadrellion and that is his oath.

You can get “Fire, Steel & Petroleum: A Dieselpunk Short Story” for free at all major retailers.

Visit your store to download your free copy.

Amazon Kindle: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Other Amazon Stores

Apple Books | Google Play Books | All Other Retailers

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A note from Glynn about Kindle Unlimited (and libraries)

Hi everyone,

A quick note to start: new releases will still be in KU, along with most of the catalog.

A few weeks back, we sent out a note about the Changeling Blood and Exile trilogies coming out of Kindle Unlimited (KU). This appears to have caused some confusion, so I want to clarify.

For several reasons, including making items available to libraries (because we love libraries!), precipitously declining KU payouts, and a desire to make books available to a wider audience, we have begun an experiment with publishing some books outside of Kindle Unlimited.

We have taken two trilogies, the Urban Fantasy trilogy Changeling Blood, and the space opera trilogy Exile, out of Kindle Unlimited and published them on all e-book platforms. I am extremely proud of these six books—Changeling’s Fealty was the book I was shopping with my agent before I started publishing myself and Exile is one of the two books I will begrudgingly admit are my favorites. (Just don’t tell the other sixty-eight novels in my catalog!)

At this point, all books of both Changeling Blood and Exile are available from all e-book retailers.

From a library perspective especially, this is a good news story. If you’ve been trying to get friends to try my books, libraries can now easily order these e-books from Overdrive and other platforms (something I’m told they’re often more willing to do).

The full-length novels available widely on Overdrive and from other retailers are now:

Changeling’s Fealty by Glynn Stewart 978-1-988035-99-4*
Hunter’s Oath by Glynn Stewart 978-1-989674-00-0
Noble’s Honor by Glynn Stewart 978-1-989674-01-7

Exile by Glynn Stewart 978-1-988035-72-7
Refuge by Glynn Stewart 978-1-988035-91-8
Crusade by Glynn Stewart 978-1-988035-95-6

*This is the e-book ISBN, to make it easier to request the titles from your library or to search for them on other retailers.

Right now, Kindle Unlimited readers can still borrow all Starship’s Mage, Peacekeepers of Sol, Castle Federation/Dakotan Confederacy, ONSET, and the rest of my series. New books will continue coming out in Kindle Unlimited.

Thank you to everyone who contacted with questions, support, and concerns. Kindle Unlimited and its vagaries have created an odd situation for us all, but there are ten cats between myself and my team that we need to make sure keep eating. We have to do what’s right for the furkids!

Thank you all for your patience and understanding.

Happy reading!
-Glynn Stewart

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Four Questions about Chimera’s Star, Part 3

Glynn is currently writing the sequel to  Nemesis of Mars , the next book in Starship’s Mage. Here are four last questions he recently answered about his work in progress. Click here for Part 1. Click here for Part 2.

Q: Does your MC have any health or belief systems that restrict their diet?

I have extreme food issues in real life. I cannot eat onion, garlic, or anything related to broccoli… A number of other things are on thin ice.

My partner is an extreme Celiac’s case. My brother is Celiac’s. My mother was Celiac’s.

I am at risk of developing Celiac’s, so with my partner’s issues, gluten doesn’t enter my house.I don’t want to deal with that in fiction. Roslyn can eat anything.

As a writer, food is not generally my focus. It shows up, sure, but I don’t really talk much about it or focus on it. So what my characters can/can’t eat isn’t something that comes up much.Something to think about, but then (given my previous post on this) it’s also not an area I really want to prod at, either.

Q: Does the WIP Antagonist see what they do as evil?

That is…complicated. Kay is well aware that he has done monstrous things. Enabled other monstrous things. Carried on the legacy of people responsible for even MORE monstrous things.

But he’s very much an end-justifies-the-means type of man and his ends are “preventing the harvest of humanity.”

So he sees what he has done as necessary and justified. And if the reasons he HAD start fraying, well, time to find new ones

Q: Does your MC have a good fashion sense?

In theory.

In practice, Roslyn suffers from the in universe issue of being a naval officer and living in uniform and the out of universe issue of being written by me, who is roughly 87% fashion-blind!

Q: Does your antagonist love anyone who’s still alive and in their life?

Not that he knows of… Tum-te-tum

 

Chimera’s Star, the next book in Starship’s Mage is due out in January 2024

 

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Fall Preview 2023

The end of summer might be in sight, but hot new releases from Glynn Stewart are on the horizon!

Read on for a preview of what’s coming to Kindle Unlimited in the next few months.

MAGE-QUEEN’S THIEFA Starship’s Mage Universe Novella
COMING SEPTEMBER 12th, 2023

Kiera Alexander, the Mage-Queen of Mars, stars in a solo adventure! The brand-new novella, Mage-Queen’s Thief takes place before Nemesis of Mars and tells the story of a royal tour gone wrong, and the fateful meeting of a queen and a thief.

The preorder for Mage-Queen’s Thief opens on August 29th.

The next full-length Starship’s Mage book, Chimera’s Star is coming in January 2024.

RAVEN’S FLAGPeacekeepers of Sol Book 6
COMING OCTOBER 17th, 2023

Henry Wong and Sylvia Todorovich return in book 6 of Peacekeepers of Sol! In Raven’s Flag, the pair answer a call for help from a half-forgotten ally and are tasked with leading a fleet further than any human ship has gone in years to challenge an unknown and mysterious enemy…

The preorder for Raven’s Flag opens on October 3rd.

PLUS: Get Book 1, Raven’s Peace for only $1.99 until August 31st in the US and Canada.

Book 2, The Peacekeeper Initiative is also on sale for $3.99 in the US and the UK, but only until August 7th.

If you’re not up-to-date on the series, click here to get Remnant Faction.

UNBROKEN FAITHBook 3 of Dakotan Confederacy, Part of the Castle Federation Universe
COMING DECEMBER 5th, 2023

James Tecumseh made the moral decision to break with the Commonwealth and throw his lot in with the Dakotan Confederacy in the name of democracy. Now Tecumseh must face his former mentor, Marshal—now Imperator—Walkingstick; a man who wields extraordinary power.

The preorder for Unbroken Faith opens on November 21st.

Click here to get To Stand Defiant , Book 2 of The Dakotan Confederacy.

Also On Sale – Duchy of Terra 1-4Until August 7th, the first four books of the series are on sale in the US and the UK.

Book 1, The Terran Privateer – 99 cents.
Click here for US | Click here for UK

Book 2, Duchess of Terra – $3.99
Click here for US | Click here for UK

Book 3, Terra and Imperium – $3.99
Click here for US | Click here for UK

Book 4, Darkness Beyond – $3.99
Click here for US | Click here for UK

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