Deby Fredericks's Blog, page 5

The Cost of Power (Queen Titania’s Court)

The Martiniere strides in, from Joyce Reynolds-Ward’s multiversal trilogy, The Cost of Power. It’s now available in an omnibus, containing Return, Crucible and Redemption.

The future of the multiverse depends on what alliances you can make tonight, if you can prove yourself worthy to Titania. The warning from his family’s tutelary spirit, the Melusine, kept echoing in Gabe’s thoughts as he climbed the steps to the great entrance doors. If the multiverse had a future besides being ruled by that twisted version of his father that dominated too many other universes and enabled toxic digital thought clones. Philippe, son of the Lorelei. He glanced down at the big emerald ring on his right hand. You’re the closest thing to a real-life version of Roland. Descendant of Fae and French aristocrats. The Martiniere.

If he wasn’t worthy of Titania’s favor, then who would be?

Character Questions

What is your religion, and are you devout or more casual? I am nominally a Catholic in public, though I have not practiced my faith for years. Catholicism is a part of the Martiniere Family history and traditions, though it is not as important as our private rituals which have been handed down within the Family for centuries and tie into our descent from a European water spirit, the Melusine. Some might consider us to be sorcerers and witches because of our manipulation of mind control technology, but we’re simply applying the science that works in our universe. The power within our Family rings. The secret cult of the Melusine amongst our women, including the places that safeguard the Melusine. The uncanny ability of the Family’s oldest artifact, a poniard that changes shape and size as needed and harms any who swear falsely on it. It’s all science—not the same as in your universe, though digital thought clones are something your universe might create.

Do you trust your country’s leaders? Absolutely not. (Laughs). I’m sorry, but I’m too close to the circles of power to have any illusions, no matter whether you’re talking the United States or Europe. My great-grandfather and grandparents worked with the CIA to create the MK-Ultra program. The Martinieres have done dirty work for the powerful for centuries—when we haven’t been the powerful ones, that is. My beloved wife Ruby calls us aristocratic brawlers. There’s a lot of truth to that.

Author Questions

What’s your best tip for new writers? Write. Write a lot. Find someone you can trust to look at your work with a kind but critical eye and gives you constructive feedback.

What are you working on now? I’m in the first third of the first volume of my second series in the world of the Seven Crowned Gods, the Goddess’s Vision series. Witmara ea Miteal has managed to become the Empress of Daran. However, she faces not only the problems of a corrupt and failing empire, but the active malice of the Outcast God and the remnants of his beloved and now banished goddess Nitel. Her heir, Betsona ea Ralsem, the crippled half-sister of the former Emperor, was Witmara’s inside ally—but did Betsona do the right thing? Meanwhile, one of Witmara’s childhood mentors, Heinmyets the Leader of the Two Nations, is coming to the realization that it is time to hand his leadership over to his grandson. Witmara needs his help—and so does Betsona.

The Cost of Power

There is a shadow that seeks to batter the world into nothingness. It is our task as Martinieres to keep it at bay. The Private Journals of Etienne Martiniere

When rodeo queen Ruby Barkley fell in love with broke saddle bronc rider Gabe Ramirez, she thought he was on the run from indentured servitude due to massive debt. Then she learned that her love was really Gabriel Martiniere, wealthy descendant of aristocratic brawlers, in hiding due to his testimony against mind control programming abuses of indentured workers performed by his family’s company, the Martiniere Group.

Not that brawling has been a part of the Martiniere heritage since the mid-nineteenth century. These days the Martiniere Family’s income relies on agricultural technology, security services, and pharmaceuticals. Not fighting. Not mercenary companies. Their battles are waged in corporate boardrooms and financial manipulations. But the hidden history of the Martiniere Family surfaces in Gabe—and his father Philip.

Gabe and Ruby face foes from other universes as well as their own, including a malign digital version of Philip—Philippe—intent on eliminating all other Philips and Gabes from the multiverse. Add in the multiversal feud between Fae water spirits who patronize not just the Martinieres but their greatest enemies, the Braun family.

Even worse, the centuries-old vendetta between the Brauns and the Martinieres has been revived with greater fervor since Gabe’s great-grandfather Charles unscrupulously excluded the Brauns from Cold War-era military mind control research. Charles also instituted a eugenics program involving genetic manipulation of his descendants, intended to recreate a Napoleonic-era Martiniere, Etienne, culminating in Gabe.

Why is Etienne so important? What is digital Philippe’s ultimate goal? Why did Charles seek a modern version of Etienne? How can Gabe and Ruby prevail over the threat posed by the Brauns and their supernatural and digital allies? What is the cost of the power they gain in order to win?

For gaining power always demands a cost. Ruby and Gabe walk a knife’s-edge balance between victory and defeat—not just for them, but for the multiverse. If they lose themselves in the quest for power, they might just lose who they really are—and the multiverse will fall.

Get it from Books2Read or all major e-booksellers.

Joyce Reynolds-Ward

Joyce Reynolds-Ward has been called “the best writer I’ve never heard of by one reviewer. Her work includes themes of high-stakes family and political conflict, digital sentience, personal agency and control, realistic strong women, and (whenever possible) horses, frequently in Pacific Northwest settings.

She is the author of six speculative fiction series: The Netwalk Sequence, Goddess’s Honor, The Martiniere Legacy, The People of the Martiniere Legacy, The Martiniere Multiverse, and The Cost of Power as well as standalones Federation Cowboy, Beating the Apocalypse, Klone’s Stronghold and Alien Savvy. Her new trilogy, The Cost of Power, will be released in September, 2024.

Joyce is a Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off Semifinalist, a Writers of the Future Semifinalist, and an Anthology Builder Finalist. She is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association and a member of Soroptimists International.

To learn more, follow her on Instagram, CounterSocial, Bluesky or her blog, Peak Amygdala.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook or Pinterest.

Goblin Name Game (Queen Titania’s Court)

George, a goblin, visits today from Rosemary Jones’ fractured fairy tale, “Goblin Name Game.” It’s part of her collection, Jaunts Afar and Beyond

Character Questions

What is your secret fear? That the princess who moved into my house will never move out. She’s a lovely girl, don’t get me wrong, and quite kind about cleaning up. But, really, I never realized having human guests would be so difficult or include having swans camped on the lawn waiting for their sister. But remember it is a secret. Please don’t tell the princess as she’s a sensitive soul.

What does your favorite outfit look like? I had a hat that I truly loved. But I stomped on it as part of a small theatrical production for the Queen. It’s a very long story and has been mistold in a number of places, but if you want to know what truly happened, I have allowed Rosemary Jones to write it down.

Author Questions

What inspires you to create your work? The last few years, my collection of illustrated fiction from the early 20th century has inspired everything from spooky mysteries set in 1920s Hollywood and New England for the Arkham Horror line to fractured fairytales like “Goblin Name Game.” The fairytales and some other fantastical stories have been collected into Jaunts Afar and Beyond.

What’s your best tip for new writers? Write what you adore. If you’re passionate about vampires, then create your best vampire story. If you’d rather have dragons in  your tales, write about dragons. Don’t chase trends. But do look around and see who is publishing what you adore. Send your work to them.

Jaunts Afar and Beyond

A collection of fantasy short stories inspired by fairy tales, murder ballads, and memory houses. Four guaranteed happy endings, one ambiguous, and one grim indeed. Take six jaunts into places afar and beyond in this anthology.

“Pure entertainment… Jones takes stereotypes and turns them on their ear.”- Fantasy Debut about author Rosemary Jones, whose novels have appeared in Forgotten Realms line and, coming in 2021, Arkham Horror.

Jaunts Afar and Beyond can be found on many ebook platforms. See https://books2read.com/u/mglvx7 for the complete list. The story “Goblin Name Game” can be read for free online at . 

Rosemary Jones

Rosemary Jones writes novels based on games and short stories inspired by fairy tales. Her four novels for the Arkham Horror line are The Nightmare of April May, Mask of Silver, The Deadly Grimoire, and The Bootlegger’s Dance. She also co-authored several guides on collecting children’s books. Her short story collection Jaunts Afar and Beyond collects six previously published fantasy stores in one volume.

Follow her writing adventures at rosemaryjones.com.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook or Pinterest.

Guts and Glory (Queen Titania’s Court)

An old friend from SCBWI has sent her literary child around. Meet Books, from the middle grade post apocalyptic trilogy, Guts and Glory!

I ain’t never been ta no ball before, but Guts said I’ll like the Queen cuz she’s smart too, an’ we sure do need more smart people in Nil! How else’re we gonna stop the Teens bein’ mean ta us all the time? Anyhow, this place looks real nice! Not nicer’n my library inna mall, but way nicer’n Igh Schoo! Glory said queens like crowns, an’ she showed me pics so I could make this Queen a real special one! See? It’s got smart-people goggles like mine, ‘cept she don’t gotta use ‘em all the time cuz they slide up inside, too. I hope she likes it, cuz I made it outta my best metal scraps!

Character Questions

What does your favorite outfit look like? I dunno ‘bout a fav’rite, but I like ta wear lotsa belts an’ pouches ta carry all my tools ‘n stuff. Ya never know when ya need ‘em, ya know?

Do you trust your country’s leaders? Ya mean FIXIT? Hahahahahaaaa! No! Why’d I trust that jerk when he took my gramma an’ grampa, an’ turned my brother inta a stinkin’ Teen?

Author Questions

Chosen Ones, yes or no? As a children’s author, I think the Chosen One trope is a bit different for my readers than it might be for teenagers and / or adults. When you’re small, you still believe you ARE a Chosen One, and nothing in that story is going to tell you otherwise. Even if the hero is Chosen because she lives on the Fifth Moon of O’Glavied as the fifth daughter of the fifth daughter of Queen Erh’avoah, that little reader is still going to put themself into that role. Some (*coughmaybemecough*) even imagine that they could be related to the CO in real life and just don’t know it yet. In other words, kids don’t see a given reason for being a fictional hero as a reason that they can’t be the hero, too. I personally love Chosen Ones because they immerse the character(s) into their world(s) in a deeper way to me. I mean, character creation is my number one favorite thing about writing, with worldbuilding a close second, so twisting them together like that just fuels my fire!

What are you working on now? What’s coming next? I’m in the querying stage for Petra’s Playlist, the first book in a new series called “The InkBlood Society”. It’ll be six books total, one for each member of a team of literary descendants who protect the worlds of fiction. Some of the characters are: Petra Lennox, descendant of Mary from The Secret Garden, Finn Darling, descendant of Wendy from Peter Pan, and Vivian Real, descendant of Bunny from The Velveteen Rabbit. It’s been a lot of fun to play again in the classic worlds of kidlit I grew up exploring!

Guts and Glory

Trevor and Tabitha Tate have no idea what they’re getting into when they follow their momnapped mother down the bathtub drain into the post-apocalyptic city of Nil.

There, they’ll have to dodge dizzy buzzbots, mow down mechanical dragons, and befriend… ish behemoth roaches with cutesy pet names, and that’s just the beginning! Luckily for them, the superKids of Nil think they’re the legendary heroes Guts and Glory, so they’re all about helping the twins save their moth— uhhh… I mean, take down their mortal enemies the Teens?

Join twin heroes Guts and Glory as they blaze across the post-apocalyptic landscape of Nil, kicking bots and making names for themselves as the true heroes they never knew they could be!

The series is complete, get them here!

Jessica Crichton

Jessica Crichton was first a writer, then a mother of five great kids who are now not-so-little, and she loves being both! She lives in Washington state with her husband Larry, and spends most of her free time thinking about the looniest things on and off the planet. Some of them she even writes down! She also has one of those fancy master’s degrees in writing, but she usually just breaks the rules she learned anyway. How else could she be her weirdest?

Otherwise, Jessica loves Dr. Who, plays D&D, Bioshock, and Skyrim, and sings karaoke whenever possible. Her favorite dinosaur is the triceratops, and her favorite color is burnt orange, in case you were wondering.

Follow her on her website or Facebook to know more.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook or Pinterest.

Chaos Kin (Queen Titania’s Court)

The Wolf, demi-goddess of werewolves, arrives today from the pages of Sheryl Hayes’ urban fantasy series, Jordan Abbey.

Anyone who saw The Wolf waiting for her entrance to the Court would know that this was no ordinary animal. To begin with, her black furred form was larger than the biggest dire wolf to have existed. For a moment, she considered shifting down to her human form, and decided against it. That would give away who she was. And while The Bat was aware of her alter ego, she did not want that knowledge to spread among her werewolf followers.

Character Questions

When was the last time you laughed? I was lecturing Jordan about how all her troubles can be traced to one common factor — the vampire Montgomery Cooper. She pointed out that I was also a common factor. The horrified look on her face when she realized what she said to me still has me giggling.

Would you rather be lost in a deep dark forest or becalmed in a ship far from shore? Look at me. Of course I would rather be lost in a deep dark forest. I would claim it as my new home.

Author Questions

Chosen Ones, yes or no? No. While I enjoy reading a Chosen One storyline, I find it much more interesting to write people who find themselves in a situation where their destiny is chosen by them rather than thrust upon them.

Would you rather get a bad review or have your best editor retire? Bad review every time. Good editors, especially when you’re deep into a series, are worth their weight in gold.

Chaos Kin

In the town of Rancho Robles, can one werewolf protect the Children of the Wolf and the Bat?

Chaos Wolf Jordan Abbey has made friends among the Black Oak Pack even though she refuses to join it. The same can’t be said of the vampires, but her life has taken a turn for the better.

That is until Enya Blevins, sister to the werewolf who turned Jordan, arrives in Rancho Robles.  She wants to know who killed her baby brother and is less than impressed by the Chaos Wolf. Enya wants revenge, starting with Jordan and ending with the vampires infesting the area.

Jordan is prepared to flee, but a technicality makes her an Alpha Werewolf.  Now she must stand her ground to protect her nascent Pack and those she loves.

The past has come back to bite her.  Does she have the fangs to bite back?

Get it now through Books2Read.

Sheryl Hayes

Sheryl R. Hayes (she/her) can be found untangling plot threads or the yarn her three cats have been playing with. She is equally likely to be shooing one of them off the keyboard as she is working on her novels and short stories. In addition to writing, she is a cosplayer focusing on knit and crochet costumes. Her crafty creativity has earned her recognition BayCon, Westercon,  Worldcon, and Costume-Con.

You can find her online at http://www.sheyrlrhayes.com.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook or Pinterest.

The Green Witch Mysteries (Queen Titania’s Court)

Today’s guest is Toto, a witch’s familiar from P. L. Matthews’ urban fantasy/cozy mystery series, The Green Witch Mysteries.

Don’t let the furry paws and big eyes fool you — Toto is no ordinary animal sidekick. As the not-quite-official familiar of Green Witch Rhianne Alkenn, he offers sage advice, disapproving looks, and the occasional well-timed growl. With a regal manner, a suspicious amount of knowledge, and a voice that suggests he once ran a council (or possibly a kingdom), Toto is the steady presence Rhianne never asked for — but definitely needs.

Of course, Toto’s not just there for emotional support and snarky commentary. He’s hiding something. Something big. And while he’d prefer you focus on his wisdom and impeccable timing, the truth is… there’s more to this four-legged enigma than meets the eye.

Character Questions

What is your secret fear? Fear? I fear nothing. I have faced enchanted beasts, dark curses, and tepid tea
with equal resolve. That said… if one were to pry — strictly off the record, of course — I might confess to a quiet, persistent dread: that Rhianne will let the right one slip through her fingers. That she’ll turn away from someone truly worthy — a man of integrity, intelligence, and the right ratio of charm to courage — simply because she’s convinced she doesn’t need anyone at all. A terrible miscalculation, if you ask me. Even the strongest witches deserve a bit of joy.

Also, vacuum cleaners. But that goes without saying.

Have you ever kissed the wrong person? Moon and moss, no. I have standards. However… there was an unfortunate incident involving a mischievous fae glamour, an enchanted mistletoe, and what turned out to be a rather confused baroness. That was many lives ago, and I would thank you not to bring it up again.

Author Questions

Should stories always have a moral? Not necessarily a moral in the traditional sense — I don’t write with a big lesson in mind. But I do believe stories carry messages, sometimes quietly woven through the characters and their choices.

For me, it’s about themes like friendship, love, and acceptance. We’re all different, and that’s not something to fix or hide — it’s something to honour. I think the best stories remind us that we all deserve connection, kindness, and a place where we’re seen for who we truly are.

What are you working on now? What’s next? Right now, I’m knee-deep in my second series — The Digital Detective Mysteries. Murder by Code and Fatal Error are already out, and Kill Switch will be hitting shelves (digital or otherwise) in June. Just like The Green Witch Mysteries, there’ll be five books in the series — all planned for this year. Which, in practical terms, means a lot of early mornings and copious amounts of tea in my immediate future.

As for The Green Witch Mysteries — readers often ask if I’ll return to Rhianne and her magical friends, and while I never say never (I adore those characters), right now I’ve got a heap of new voices in my head shouting for attention. I’ve already got outlines for three more series, all fighting to be written. Honestly, it’s getting a bit crowded in here — I might need to start assigning them numbers and a queue system.

The Green Witch Mysteries

Find the killer. Stay under the radar. All in time for tea. Rhianne Alkenn is thrust into the heart of a murder investigation as a police consultant. But when her gargoyle employee becomes the prime suspect, the investigation becomes personal.

She’s not very good with relationships or accepting help, but a growing set of quirky friends won’t take no for an answer: her cheeky incubus best friend, her wise familiar Toto, a sassy half-gargoyle lawyer and a pathologist who can tell you what she is but would then have to kill you.

As the layers of the investigation unfold, Rhianne must navigate the relationships with her ambitious witch mother, elusive elf father, and a blossoming connection with tech mage Kai. Oh, and did she mention that her powers are not supposed to exist?

Her task: solve the case, keep her powers hidden, and then return to being a regular halfling. Piece of cake, right?

Available now from Amazon.

P. L. Matthews

In Sydney’s urban jungle, this wife, mum, and hopeless romantic once herded corporate cats as a project director — a job that sharpened her skills in intrigue and (non-lethal) murder. Now she’s busy plotting the demise of fictional characters in her enchanting urban fantasies and murder mysteries. When not infusing her stories with humour, and a touch of romance, you’ll find her attempting to ride waves, jamming tunes with her husband, or valiantly trying to restore order to the delightful chaos that is family life.

Learn more at her web site.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook or Pinterest.

Drakanox (Queen Titania’s Court)

Shonn is arriving today, from the depths of Fang Marsh. He’s from The Tale of the Drakanox, the finale of my high fantasy series, Minstrels of Skaythe.

“What is this?” Shonn braced his pole to slow his raft as it glided through the channels of Fang Marsh. Sparkling lights, cheerful voices and glittering music drifted to him through the screen of mangrove branches.

He was probing the marsh, looking for a break in the ice walls Meven had put up. It looked like he had finally found one. Cautiously he pushed forward until his raft nosed through the vegetation. He crouched to study the scene.

A great hall was there, seemingly woven of grass trees and mangroves. Dazzling lights drifted over the heads of a crowd of revelers. They were a strange lot, some with wings or beast heads, all dressed in the strangest clothes.

Were they mages? This was dangerous! Yet his deeper drive compelled him. Meven was a mage, too. She might somewhere be in the throng. He couldn’t lose her again.

Character Questions

Have you ever kissed the wrong person? It seems so. I spent weeks wooing a girl named Addith, who lived with her foundling in the depths of Fang Marsh. But she was never who she said she was. Her real name was Meven, and she was an ice witch.

Do you trust your country’s leaders? Absolutely not! Mages are in control of everything. They take what they want, and kill without a reason. Anyone with sense is scared of them. That’s why it was so terrible to find out Meven was one of them.

Author Questions

Chosen Ones, yes or no? I’m not a fan of this trope. There always seems to be someone perfectly competent around, who’s doing their best to keep things together, and they get shoved aside by a “chosen one.” That just rankles.

What inspires you to create your work? It’s often something I read or watch that sparks an idea. Some small idea or aspect that the author might not think important can catch my attention, and I explore that. This is why it’s important to not stop reading books or blogs, watching the news, etc. Even if writing time is precious, you still need to leave room for new ideas.

The Tale of the Drakanox

It was just an old story. There couldn’t really be a lost civilization based on trust and equality. Not when the Wizard-King Dar-Gothull rules Skaythe through cruelty and terror.

But when Ar-Thea told the story of the Shining Ones to her six magelings, the legend took root in their hearts. For years, they traveled the land as Minstrels. Through stories and song, they offered light and hope in dark times. Now their secrets have been laid bare. The Minstrels flee as the regime gathers its forces to crush them.

Yet there is hope. Deep in the cursed Hornwood, there is an incredible power that only the Monstrels can use. It is guarded by a terrible beast — the drakanox! The Minstrels must call on every ally and avoid every enemy if they hope to recover what has long been lost.

Photo courtesy of Fall Folk Fest.

Available in ebook formats or paperback through Books2Read.

Deby Fredericks

Deby Fredericks has been a writer all her life, but thought of it as just a fun hobby until the late Nineties. Since then she has published twenty fantasy novels, novellas and novelettes, either with small presses or independently. Her short fiction has appeared in Andromeda Spaceways, selected anthologies, and small magazines.

Since 2018, her significant work has been the Minstrels of Skaythe series, about a group of pacifist mages who seek hope in a world ruled by darkness.

In addition, Fredericks writes for children as Lucy D. Ford. Her children’s stories and poems have appeared in magazines such as Boys’ Life, Babybug, Ladybug, and Spider. In the past, she served as Regional Advisor for the Inland Northwest Region of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, International (SCBWI).

Learn more from her web site, www.debyfredericks.com

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook or Pinterest.

Dragon Exhibit (Queen Titania’s Court)

Today we welcome David Lee Summers’ character Rado, from his short stories “The Slayers” and “The Dragon’s Keepers.” Both are included in the newly released audio anthology, The Museum of the Omniverse: Dragon Exhibit.

Queen Titania looked out over the ballroom and smiled, pleased that her guests had a grand time. Just then a great boom like thunder resounded through the hall accompanied by a flash of light. A portal opened and a strange machine with propellers appeared over
the guests. The machine was about the size of a horse and a man sat astride it in a saddle of sorts. The assembled fae cleared a place in the middle of the floor and the device’s rider lowered his strange mount. As he neared the ground, the propellers stopped and it landed with a thunk.

“That will have damaged the dance floor,” grumbled the seneschal.

A man wearing canvas trousers, a striped shirt, and a leather helmet stood up from the machine. He appeared to be a sailor from the human world. He lifted a pair of goggles to the top of his head.

“Welcome to the court of Queen Titania, pray tell what brings you to the ball,” the queen said.

The man bowed awkwardly and took a step forward. “My name is Rado. I think this may be where the Wizard Custiman intended to send me on his strange new contraption. Perhaps he thinks I can find someone here who can help me save the dragons. It’s feared that humans will hunt dragons to extinction, just to extract the fuel they use to make their flames. If humans succeed, I wonder what creature humans will hunt next.”

Character Questions

What is your secret fear? My secret fear? I fear the Wizard Custiman and my Captain, Tawnos is his name, are wrong about dragons. I fear dragons really might be fearsome beasts. I have seen them devour people. I even saw a dragon-hunting ship I was aboard destroyed by a spiteful dragon. I fight to save dragons because I believe they could be intelligent. I wake up screaming at night because I fear they could actually be malevolent and I’m in the wrong.

Is there someone or something you would die for? Although I serve on a crew with the mission of saving dragons, I wouldn’t willingly die for a dragon. However, I would die for my captain. Tawnos is a good-hearted man who cares for his crew. When he saw the pain and suffering he caused dragons by hunting them, he stopped and tried to find a way to save them. Men like that who can admit they were wrong and then change the course of their lives are rare and worth dying for.

Author Questions

Should stories always have a moral? When I think of stories “with a moral” I tend to think of stories that drive home a single important lesson. This can be fine if it’s done well and the story is also entertaining but it isn’t really a necessary element for a story. That said, I think many of the best stories explore moral themes and reveal the author’s stance on issues that concern them as the story unfolds. Moby-Dick, which served as the inspiration for my fantasy story “The Slayers,” is an excellent example. It’s a great novel not because it has a single moral, but because Melville gives the reader insights into numerous moral issues which then allow the reader to consider their stance on those issues.

What inspires you to create your work? I often take inspiration from my circumstances and surroundings. My first story with Rado called “The Slayers” came about when I was reading stories for Tales of the Talisman Magazine. Three stories in a row recounted how a knight on horseback rode off to slay a dragon in a mountain cave in order to save a princess. I began to wonder if there were any truly new dragon stories to be told. Not long before, I’d heard Ray Bradbury speak at the University of Arizona about writing the screenplay of Moby-Dick for John Huston. I began to imagine retelling Moby-Dick but substituting dragons for whales and airships for sailing vessels. The sequel story “The Dragon’s Keepers” took inspiration from a Greenpeace flyer. I began to think about people fighting to save the dragons in the world of “The Slayers.” Incidentally, Ray Bradbury wrote me a fan letter after he read “The Slayers” in Realms of Fantasy magazine.

Museum of the Omniverse: Dragon Exhibit

Welcome to the Museum of the Omniverse where you can safely experience actual events from every possible part of time and space. The museum is having some technical difficulties, however. Space time rifts have been opening throughout the museum and everyone has disappeared except for Mirandum, an exhibit curator. When a small group of visitors appears, Mirandum gives them a tour of the museum’s Dragon Exhibit while searching for clues to the museum’s ultimate fate.

This full cast cinematic audio experience features an original musical soundtrack by Nashville recording artist Jeff Moon and an immersive soundscape. Stories include:

Curator at the Rift’s Edge by David Lee Summers (Space Pirates’ Legacy series, Scarlet Order Vampires series): Mirandum searches for answers to the Museum’s technical issues. Everything will be fine… probably.

Stone and Fire by Timothy Zahn (Star Wars Thrawn trilogy, Quadrail series): Dax the Dragon and the young human Katrina investigate the alleged crimes of a nearly unstoppable stone troll.

The Slayers by David Lee Summers: Rado, a young man looking to find his fortune, joins the dragon hunting airship The Slayer.

The Dragon’s Keepers by David Lee Summers: Captain Tawnos, a former dragon hunter, and his crew accompany young conservationist Maelyn on a quest to save a dragon from nearby villagers.

The Banks of the City Thames by Patrick Thomas (Murphy’s Lore series, Mystic Investigators series): A thief and a huge mechanical dragon rob the banks in the City Thames. Steam Table knights Lady Thistle, and her mentor Sir Bult, are called to stop them.

Heart of the Dragon by Carol Hightshoe (Chaos Reigns Fantasy series, Omega series): The great goddess of the dragons sends young warrior Andrinor on a quest to test his heart and learn his true dragon nature.

The Dragons by Jeremiah Lynch: A young woman who lives in a group home struggles to overcome her “delusional” dragon visions until she meets an old man in a park who asks if she can see dragons.

For more information, visit the project’s home page. Available now from Audible, Amazon, Apple and Barnes & Noble.

David Lee Summers

David Lee Summers is the author of thirteen novels and one hundred short stories. His writing spans a wide range of the imaginative from science fiction to fantasy to horror. David’s most recent works are The Museum of the Omniverse: Dragon Exhibit, a cinematic audio experience where visitors explore stories about dragons, and Ordeal of the Scarlet Order, a novel of vampire mercenaries who fight evil. His short stories have appeared in such magazines and anthologies as Realms of Fantasy, Cemetery Dance, and Straight Outta Tombstone.

In addition to writing, David has edited five science fiction anthologies including A Kepler’s Dozen, Kepler’s Cowboys and Maximum Velocity: The Best of the Full-Throttle Space Tales.

When not working with the written word, David operates telescopes at Kitt Peak National Observatory. Learn more about David at http://www.davidleesummers.com

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook or Pinterest.

The Mapmaker Trilogy (Queen Titania’s Court)

Today’s guest is Gallus Micius Tatian, of Western Helacon, a courier from N. E. White’s Mapmaker Trilogy.

Gallus folded his great, black wings as neatly as he could against his back. Already the dwarf behind him had complained that they blocked his view of Queen Titania’s court. But then the scoundrel had the audacity to rub Gallus’ wingtips between his fingers, boasting to his friends on how soft the leathery wings were. Gallus had to refrain from swiping a wingclaw across the dwarf’s head. He harrumphed, crossing his muscular arms and training his gaze on the proceedings ahead. Aleeya, his adopted older sister, would not approve if he caused an international incident on his first flight from Helacon’s shores.

Character Questions

Is there someone you would die for? “Yes,” Gallus says without hesitation, his wings shuffling. “Mundus, goddess of maps.” He winks, then adds, “If I didn’t say that, she’d probably pinch my ear.” He frowns. “Well, she might pinch my ears either way. But yes, I would die for her.”

Would you rather be lost in a deep dark forest or becalmed in a ship far from shore? “Both!” Gallus snapped his wings in excitement, a grin forming. “Either sounds like an adventure. I’d be happy anywhere other than the Temple of Nesha’s orphanage.”

Author Questions

What inspires you to create your work? I’ve always made up stories and characters in my head. Whole lives, civilizations, and worlds are birthed regularly there (yikes!). Sometimes, they demand to get out.

What are you working on now? What’s coming next? I just finished The Legend of Damndrake. It’s a dragon story, but not like the currently popular, romantasy dragon stories. It’s got shape-shifting dragons, adventure, and a heart-breaking story. It’s currently in the alpha- and beta-reading stages, and due to my editor in May. I’m hoping to have it self-published by late June.

The Mapmaker Trilogy

An enslaved, winged cartographer is determined to escape and reach her homeland, but the gods have set her on a different path. In Book 1, Aleeya is sold and then stolen, thrust into a world where a mysterious religious faction forces the impossible, revealing her true nature. In Book 2, she discovers her newfound abilities are more trouble than they are worth when vying factions move to either exploit or eliminate her altogether. And in Book 3 Aleeya finds strength in support from family and friends, but a new threat may undo it all.Inspired by Roman mythology and culture, readers of adventurous fantasy will enjoy Aleeya’s trials and journey of self-discovery in the Mapmaker Trilogy.

N. E. White

N. E. White (or Nila) writes fantasy fiction with heart and adventure. She’s been penning stories since the fifth grade, but it took half a century to self-publish. Her debut trilogy, Mapmaker, is available now on Amazon.com.

Her web page is https://nilaewhite.com/.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook or Pinterest.

Queen Titania’s Court 2025

You saw it first in a shop window. The reflection warped as you passed, with movement that didn’t match your surroundings. Just a trick of the light, you thought.

Then you saw it in the mirror down the hall. Odd colors blurred and flexed. Surely it was an optical illusion.

But you began to notice the effect everywhere. The light caught strangely in a car’s windshield. On a glossy sign. Even in the shiny sunglasses worn by a handsome man. You hurried on, not trusting this mirage.

At last you saw the vision again, gleaming from a puddle on the sidewalk. You meant to walk by, but it was in the way. Your stride faltered. What was this about?

While you hesitated, the puddle rippled and a clawed hand poked out. It flourished a silvery card. You stared for a moment, and finally took the card. In elegant purple script, words proclaimed:

Her Eternal Majesty, Titania, Queen of all Faeries, bids you be welcome to her Midsummer Night Ball!

Order of ArrivalsJune 2 – The Mapmaker Trilogy by N. E. WhiteJune 4 – The Museum of the Omniverse: Dragon Exhibit by David Lee SummersJune 6 – The Tale of the Drakanox by Deby Fredericks June 7 – The Green Witch Mysteries by P. L. MatthewsJune 9 – Chaos Kin by Sheryl HayesJune 11 – Guts and Glory by Jessica CrichtonJune 13 – Goblin Name Game by Rosemary JonesJune 14 – The Cost of Power by Joyce Reynolds-WardJune 16 – Rymer: Hel by Gregory FrostJune 18 – Walking On Sunshine by Jennifer StevensonJune 20 – The Elf Child by Lyndi AlexanderJune 21 – David and the Midnight Unicorn by Janyce BrawnJune 23 – Shrouded Sky by Sanan KolvaJune 25 – A Spoonful of Magic by Irene RadfordJune 27 – Orange Sun, Grey Sky by Alden LoveshadeJune 28 – Cleodora, by Lucy D. FordJune 30 – Grand Finale

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook or Pinterest.

Where Was I

Finally, over the long weekend, I got the posts all planned and set up for Queen Titania’s Court. Good thing, too. It starts next Saturday! Of course I will do final checks and make sure the links work, the photos are correct, etc. I’m pretty excited for it. This year is going to be a good one.

This allows me to get back to my next WIP, The Warlock’s Army. I have no momentum to speak of, so I started by re-reading the ten or so pages I had already done.

Unfortunately, my holiday weekend was not exactly peaceful. We had a huge family fight, and I’m not over it. That has me even more off stride and distracted than I would have been. It’s going to take time for me to recover. But, by working on something creative, maybe I’ll be able to move forward.

I’ll be poking at The Warlock’s Army and seeing what movement I can generate.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook or Pinterest.