The Apprentice is Now Free at Smashwords!

As has been the case of late, things have been really busy.  I have spent a few hours morning and evening finishing the manuscript for Rogue:  The Streets of Caltania.  That manuscript is currently in review and will hopefully be submitted to a team of proofreaders sometime next week.

In anticipation of the release of Rogue:  The Streets of Caltania, which is still a couple months away, I have decided to make The Apprentice free to own!  It is currently available at Smashwords. 

Thank you for your interest,

Sincerely,

M.L.Hall

Leona looked up and smiled at Artamos.  “I’m surprised.  I didn’t expect you would be reading a love story.”

“Really?” Artamos said with a questioning look.

“Really,” Leona said, smiling back at him.  Artamos found it hard not to be captured by her blue eyes.  “I expected you might be reading something like The Mermen of Ald, or Acken’s Foley,” she continued, referring to a pair of stories by the same author about the virtues of war.

Peaked by her assessment, and feeling a little more at ease, Artamos, who thoroughly enjoyed reading, decided to educate her about The Flight of Thomas McGee.  “You know this really is a war story.”

“Is it?  I thought it was about the love affair Thomas McGee had with the queen of the Picts.”

“But it was that love affair that spiked the rest of the story,” Artamos countered.  “Thomas, being the youngest son of the King of Caerdland, knew he had nothing to offer the queen of the Picts.  She being the greatest beauty along the Caerd Channel, he understood the king would not easily let her go.  Thomas settled on a plan to secret his love back to Caerdland.  She made it too.  But the King of the Picts found out and sent a hundred warships to reclaim her, laying siege to the city of Bryn Kern and destroying it in the process,” Artamos recited the general plot points of the story.  “Flavio Ragazzi was a noted battle strategist in his time,” Artamos added proudly, referring to the books author.

Leona bit her lip thoughtfully.  “I wasn’t aware of Ragazzi’s reputation.”

“Oh yes,” Artamos replied, sensing he had the upper hand and losing some of his fear over talking with the young woman.  “Ragazzi was among the first members of the Black Knight order.”

Leona’s lips curled into a radiating smile.  “Now I understand your interest.  But I still say it’s about love.”

Artamos studied her for a moment.  What would it hurt he thought, honestly wondering what ideas lay behind that beautiful knowing smile.  “Ok,” he conceded.  “Why do you think it is about love?”

“Because Thomas has something the King of the Picts wants.”

“Yeah.  His wife,” Artamos intervened with a laugh.

“And why does th