Hello! It’s been quite a while since I’ve gotten word out. It’s been a hectic year, as I’m sure is true for everyone. I hope everyone is still hanging in strong.

I’ve got some news, finally! Some good, some bad.

The GOOD news: The first Skirmishes (Orcs) collection is about to be published (it’s about time, Bernard!) It’s been submitted and should be available in the next 1-3 days on Amazon.

Now for the bad news. My intention was to make it available to all as a free eBook. Unfortunately, Amazon doesn’t like it when they don’t make money, so I’m required to list it for a minimum of $0.99. I apologize for not doing my due diligence and learning that ahead of time.

Once the book is live, I should be able to set up a promotion allowing it to be downloaded for free for a few days, so be sure to grab it then.

Thank you for the patience you’ve shown. I’m eagerly about to sink my teeth into editing The Shadow of the Necromancer and hope to get that published as soon as I can (in eBook, Paperback, and Hardcover). So, expect to see more details about that soon!

Hey everyone! It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted an update. I’m in the fathomable hell of the editing phase for a few different works, which is always a slog. But I’m eager to keep moving forward. So here’s some of my plans for the future:

At the moment – and this will almost definitely change – I have plans for at least 8 novels [including Honor and Madness] and 7 short story collections (Skirmishes). I have no intention of stopping there, but that’s just what I’ve already got parsed out mentally. My ideal timeline would be one of each per year, resulting in the completion of all by the end of 2026. That should definitely be doable.

I was going to list out every pending novel, but that may give away some spoilers.

Right now, I’m half-way through editing the first Skirmish collection and just need to buckle down and finish it. Likely, I’ll be publishing that one on November 15th. It’s always been planned to be a FREE eBook available on Amazon, however some readers have asked that I consider releasing it in print as well to add to their collection. I’d be lying if I didn’t feel the same, if only to add to my own shelf, so I’m heavily considering it. Really, the only ‘downside’ is that I don’t want potential readers to feel slighted that the eBook will always be free while there’s a necessary price tag on the printed formats (due to print and delivery costs, of course). It would basically just be reserved for those who want to add to their collection, so we’ll see what happens!

Once editing on the Orcs Skirmish is complete, I’ll be jumping straight into editing The Shadow of the Necromancer. I should have the cover art done for that novel in the next four weeks, I believe, which I’m ecstatic for. It’s a different aesthetic – and, in reality, a different tone in the novel as a whole – featuring more of an emotional, dark drama than my usual epic fantasy. It’s definitely a different change of pace and scale so it might appeal to other audiences. My wife is really pushing for an audiobook version, so that’s something I’m investigating as well. She feels the drama just begs to be narrated. If you haven’t yet, check out the Prologue for a taste!

I’m not sure when I’ll be releasing The Shadow of the Necromancer. Editing is always a surefire way to scramble my timelines because it’s such an efficient killer of motivation. It’s a necessary evil but, damn, would I rather be writing.

And, after that, it’s back to Ravaged to continue the third installment of Fangdarr and his friend’s high-stakes adventure. I’ve got some readers breathing down my neck waiting for me to get a move on, so I apologize for the delay. I’m hoping to possibly get Ravaged out November 15th, 2021. Certainly an attainable goal so long as I can devote the time.

Once again, I apologize for my absence and tardiness. I’m still very eager to continue and really don’t ever foresee a halt in the series without at least 10-15 novels in place. I’ll just be chuggin’ along.

See you on the battlefield!

It’s been a bit since I’ve updated everyone on my progress, and there’s quite a bit to cover.

First, as of yesterday, I’ve finished the 1st draft for The Shadow of the Necromancer, a full-fledged novel for our very own murderous psychopathic elf, Chakal! It takes place in the same timeline and world of the Orcblood Legacy series, but is also completely able to stand on its own. So if elves are more your style over orcs, feel free to jump in with TSotN!

My cover artist is booked until September, so I’m eagerly counting down the days until we can get started. I’ve got some cool ideas that I’m dying to see.

Normally, I’d go straight into the editing phase. However, I have another task I want to get knocked out first – editing the first Skirmishes Collection.

If you’ve been around for a while, you’ve probably seen me post Skirmishes in the past. These ‘shorts’ are actual background events that take place in the timeline of the series but are not in the books. They’re packed full of character depth, action, and emotion and will be released as soon as I’m done editing them in a collection – free of charge (eBook only).

The first to be released is the Orcs collection, which features Fangdarr and Bitrayuul. I’ve set my goal to try to get them fully edited and published by the first week of August, so about three weeks. That’s going to be a steep hill to climb, but I think we can make it.

After the Skirmishes are released, I’m circling back to edit The Shadow of the Necromancer, with a goal of publishing on November 15th, 2020 – the same day I released Honor in 2018 and Madness in 2019. Another difficult trek ahead, but I have faith. Why? Because this tale is JUICY!

Seriously. My wife has been raving about it. Now, me being my paranoid self, I still hold my doubts that she isn’t blowing steam up my little writer butt. But even I have to say that this one may be my favorite so far. Which is odd, as it doesn’t include Fangdarr. If you haven’t yet, check out the Prologue for a sneak peek at what’s in store. It’s going to be overflowing with drama, intrigue, and a whole lot of pain.

After I release TSotN, my current expectation is to finally, FINALLY get around to doing a round of edits on Honor. I’ve been meaning to since its release but have been getting caught up, ya know, writing.

After that – or in its stead – I’ll be jumping back into Book 3 of the Orcblood Legacy series, Ravaged. Again with the tentative release date of November 15th, 2021.

Overall, I’ve got over 700 pages worth of editing to do, then more and more of the dark and epic fantasy to write.

Busy, busy.

Until next time! See you on the battlefield in the darkened forest of Y’thirya!

Note: This is a rough draft, so details may be changed before publication as well as additional edits will likely be made.

Elethain eyed the pair of elite guards outside of King Nelthalius’ chamber. He had traversed this same hall a thousand times past, but never with such anxiousness. Without even a blink, the Du’Taille warriors opened the large hidden doors with their arcane magic and waited silently for the necromancer to pass. Feeling the bile rise in his throat, Elethain passed the threshold and nearly vomited as the wall behind him closed, locking him within the king’s chamber.

Swallowing hard, the elf took a step forward, reminding himself that he was one of Nelthalius’ most loyal followers. Even still, Elethain couldn’t deny the unfamiliar sense of discomfort as he approached the king.

Sitting across the room in an ancient throne of twisted vines, the elven king seemed both relaxed yet intensely intimidating. As the necromancer closed the distance, Nelthalius didn’t bother to sit up in his seat.

“Y-you summoned me, Your Grace?” Elethain’s fear showed easily with his words and grew as the king did nothing but maintain a potent glare. After many tense moments, Elethain took a hesitant step forward. But when his foot lifted off the ground, he was cast a merciless scowl, halting him in his tracks.

Holding the scowl, the king’s eyes narrowed even more. “You should know why you’re here.”

Elethain’s heart skipped a beat as he nodded. “I do, my king.”

“And?”

“And . . . I cannot apologize for the actions I took.”

Nelthalius’ visage grew even more menacing. “Oh? And you are the ruler of these lands now?”

The necromancer’s head dipped. “No, You—”

“NO! You are not! And it was not your son that was assaulted, was it?!”

“But my lord, he was assaulting a civilian!” By the time he realized the reactionary words had slipped from his lips, Elethain clapped a hand over his mouth. His eyes filled with fear and dread, knowing he had overstepped.

“You dare offer words on the matter?!” The elven king rose from his throne and stomped toward his subordinate. “If my son deems the life of a peasant to be meaningless, then so it is! Who are you to claim otherwise?”

Heart pounding faster with each of the king’s steps, Elethain eyed the ground in shame, too afraid to respond.

Nelthalius stared down at him intensely. “What makes this peasant worth risking your position?” The king saw Elethain glance up in concern for the briefest of moments. “Ah, you love him? The peasant?”

The immense fear welled within Elethain doubled over with the king’s perceptive question. “N-no, my king! He is just a lifelong friend!” Even Elethain knew that his words held no merit, and the king’s sneer proved his lie had fallen flat.

“Do not lie to me, Elethain. Your status here is on a thread,” Nelthalius threatened. With a flick of his wrist, the king shot an invisible orb of force down into the ground, sending a resounding boom around the chamber. As if in response, the large doors from which Elethain had entered re-opened and four Du’Taille strode in—dragging Chakal by chain-like vines across the marbled floor. “We shall put your words to the test.”

Elethain’s face filled with horror and he turned to Nelthalius. “Please! He did nothing wrong!”

Nelthalius frowned. “I expected more from you. But perhaps you’re no better than the peasant you saved.” Returning to his throne, the king waved his hand passively as he addressed the guards. “Kill the peasant.”

“Please, no!” Elethain shouted.

The king raised an eyebrow. “No? Fine. You will decide his fate. Forfeit your position and his life shall be spared. Or allow him to be executed and all will be forgiven. The choice is yours.”

Eyes wide with terror, Elethain looked to Chakal, bloodied and bruised within his bindings like a snared beast. Though the warrior’s mouth was gagged, his eyes begged Elethain to spare his life.

“I-I . . .,” the necromancer stumbled. In that moment, he couldn’t deny that he loved Chakal. But to what degree? The last five centuries had been spent securing his position, climbing the ranks through any means necessary. Was a life with his beloved companion truly worth such a sacrifice?

Fingers tapping impatiently, the king let out an impatient sigh. “Choose.”

All eyes were upon Elethain as he stood casting glances between Chakal and the king, sweat beading down his face. “I-I . . . I don’t know . . ..”

The king rose to his feet once more in a rage. “Choose!”

“Fine, kill him!” Once again Elethain clapped a hand over his mouth, hardly able to believe his own words. His panicked eyes were lined with tears as he watched Chakal’s gaze drop to the floor.

King Nelthalius placed a hand on Elethain’s shoulder and offered a smile. “Well done, Elethain. You have much to offer, and I’ll see to it you are rewarded for your commitment in time. Now,” the king tilted his head up toward the Du’Taille.

As the guards began to move toward Chakal, Elethain fought every urge to scream and beg for absolution. His shoulders were visibly shaking as he held back, though he couldn’t stop the flow of tears down his face.

Chakal sat on his knees, shoulders slumped in defeat as his world came crashing down around him. To him, the killing blow had already landed, for his spirit was crushed with Elethain’s choice. Only his body remained.

Nelthalius’ laughter caught everyone off-guard. Even his elite warriors halted their advance in curiosity. Waving his hand again, the king commanded, “Let him go. His punishment has already been exacted.” Without a word, the arcanists removed the growths from around Chakal’s wrists and returned to their formation.

Beaming with joy, Elethain stared at the king with irrepressible gratitude. “Oh, thank you, my king!”

Letting out another chuckle, Nelthalius flashed a malicious smile in return. “Don’t thank me yet, Elethain. My decision is final—as is yours.”

Elethain blinked in confusion. But when his gaze shifted to Chakal, who wore a grimace so full of hatred that Elethain felt certain his companion would lunge at him then and there, his bewilderment faded. The necromancer’s expression returned to horror as he realized that it was his decision that stood out in Chakal’s mind.

Before Elethain could offer empty words of regret, Chakal stormed out of the king’s chambers with only the sound of Nelthalius’ ensuing laughter at his back. As the elf exited the room, he turned around to face Elethain—a promise of death still pasted on his face—before the wall closed between them.

Hello, hello! It’s been quite a while since I’ve done an update. First, I hope everyone is staying happy and healthy during these interesting times.

There’s a few followers who know that I haven’t been writing recently. I think the last real writing session I had was in February or March. It’s been quite a bummer, really. But it happens and I knew eventually I’d move past the lull. I had all of Book 3 (Ravaged) outlined and ready to write, but stopped around 10% (12,500 words). Since then, I’ve been trying to motivate myself to get back to it.

A lot of people talk about going where the interest is. Essentially, you need to write what you want to write. And, to a degree, I have always agreed with that. But, even still, I set myself on the path of finishing Ravaged before starting my next work, which is a spin-off novel following Chakal (taking place directly after Madness, in tangent with Ravaged). For the last year, that spin-off has been the largest interest. I love writing Chakal. He’s actually my favorite character to write (sorry, Fangdarr), and the story that I’ve had planned for him is much different than the rest of the novels.

So, despite really, really wanting to write Chakal’s novel (I really need a working title…), I put it on hold to try to knock out Ravaged. Unfortunately, that just resulted in me losing steam on writing entirely. Now, after many failed attempts to kickstart my writing progress for Ravaged again and again, I’ve decided to just take the plunge and sink my teeth into Chakal.

Yesterday, I wrote up the outline and plotted out the entire novel. I always love this step, because over the course of an hour or so, I basically design the entire book. Other than tweaks along the way, I now know the course of the story and what will happen in a short summary. There’s always plot holes that get discovered during the outlining phase that get accounted for, new ideas that come from those adaptations, and much more. But by the end I’ve got a condensed version of the book I plan to write. And it really does wonders for keeping the interest high, because the book is already laid out, I now just need to write it.

Now, full disclosure: The same high interest occurred with Ravaged when I outlined, and it only carried me so far. But, I’m optimistic with Chakal’s novel, even so much so that I think once I finish writing it I can shift back over to Ravaged with a revitalized writing routine.

That’s the hope, anyway.

Anyway, as of this morning, Chapter 1 was knocked out and I’m eager to knock out Chapter 2 later today, probably. It really does make a world of difference when you’re really invested in the story you’re writing. Don’t get me wrong, I want to write Ravaged. It’s an intense plot with a lot of interesting and new dynamics. But right now – and for the last year – I just want my psychopathic, edgy assassin. Because he’s so damn fun to write.

I will likely be releasing the Prologue for Chakal’s novel soon. It’s done (first draft only, so there’s bound to be mistakes and some tweaks may be made, of course) and I actually really like it. Though this novel is planned to stand on its own and new readers won’t need to read Honor or Ravaged to understand it, it does provide a lot of the answers to questions that were introduced in the other books about Chakal.

So, keep an eye out. There’s honestly a good chance I’ll end up releasing it today or tomorrow, as I’m too excited and naturally impatient.

Also, I really need to start thinking of a working title. Like, for real. This time I won’t be limiting myself to a single word, which pretty much opens me up to limitless possibilities.

Decisions, decisions.

Oh well, all part of the process! Until next time!

“The bastard dies tonight!”

The other five council members’ expressions turned to shock with Dothrik’s demand. Their discomfort at the prospect of assassinating the only senator not in attendance of their secret meeting was evident as they started to murmur between one another.

Dothrik furrowed his brow. “Ye all know his time has come! Theiran be nothin’ more than a token on this council. It’s time for new blood, not the antics of a warrior past his prime.” He shifted his glare to each of his colleagues and watched most diminish beneath it. Two of the senators nodded impishly.

Eyeing the next in line, who refused to offer his agreement, Dothrik stepped closer to the dwarf. With a menacing scowl, he reiterated, “Theiran dies tonight.”

Caught between morality and the unending grimace, the dwarf seemed at a loss. His thick fingers rose to straighten the creases in his plush robe. “Be reasonable, Dothrik! Theiran be an honorable dwarf, sure as stones. He’s shed more blood an’ sweat for Tarabar than the rest o’ us combined. He be an icon of the council. What yer demandin’ be treasonous! If Bothain could see ye he’d—”

“He’d what?!” Dothrik howled, pressing his nose against the other dwarf’s. “He’d smite me down with his mighty hammer? Or would he tempt me with barmaids?” His face twisted into a smile upon his final statement as he could see the senator turn to shock. He knew that one day having the knowledge of the dwarf’s indiscretions would serve him. “No, I’m thinkin’ everythin’ will be just fine. Don’t ye?”

Nearly shaking in fear, the other council member eyed the others, praying to Bothain that word of his adultery wouldn’t be whispered to his wife. Thankfully, only his friend to his left appeared to catch on while the rest stared at him in confusion. Knowing his back was against a wall, the dwarf turned back to Dothrik and nodded his head as well.

Shifting to the next senator in the circle, Dothrik nearly laughed aloud as the dwarf was already nodding his confirmation, too fearful of his own secrets being spilt.

“Good. That just leaves you, Myra.”

The other senators all looked to Myra in desperation. She didn’t miss the fact that all her counterparts had bent to Dothrik’s will, yet they expected her to be the voice of reason. For each passing moment that their expectant expressions were held over her, she grew more irritated. Just as she was about to voice her opinions, a minor tremor rumbled beneath their feet.

A few candles in the small room shook with the slight vibrations and fell to the ground. “They be happenin’ more frequently,” stated one of the council members as he scooped up the candles and set them back on the stone table from which they had fallen. “And gettin’ stronger.”

Dothrik waved away the notion, frustrated at the distraction. “Bah, there’s been quakes before. We live in the mountains, what’d ye expect?”

“Never this repetitive.”

Ignoring the dwarf, Dothrik pointed a finger at Myra. “So? Ye in agreement?”

Letting a slow exhale, Myra shook her head. “Theiran is a respected dwarf. One of us. I won’t let this plan go further.” She knew her words would not be well-received, but the hateful scowl that Dothrik responded with seemed to put even her expectations to shame.

“Ye know,” the menacing senator began, still eyeing Myra intensely. “Theiran’s seat ain’t the only one that might need changin’.”

Myra frowned at the blatant implication. Just as before, she looked to the other council members for assistance, wondering how they could stand by as one of their own openly threatened any who opposed him. But each had cast their eyes down to the ground. After considering her options carefully, Myra’s jaw finally unclenched. “Fine. Theiran dies tonight.” As the words passed through her lips, she felt an immense wave of guilt wash over her. In truth, she had only wished to get out of the room alive, planning to thwart the plot when she wasn’t in such an unfavorable position. But even speaking the lie made her feel nauseous.

Dothrik, on the other hand, spread wide a smile of glee. “Right, then. It all be in motion. Ye lot just stick to yer business and leave me to mine. By tomorrow, Theiran will be dead.” The wicked senator couldn’t help but add a cackle of laughter that unsettled his colleagues further. One by one, they eagerly scurried out of the room, still wearing their fearful expressions—all save for Myra, who’s stern silence promised retaliation.

Once the other senators were gone, Dothrik let out a malicious cackle, wrapping his arms around himself as if he’d burst. “Bahahah! It finally be happenin’, Theiran! No longer will ye dispute me every decision, ye old bag. It’s time to finally put ye in the ground where ye belong!”

As he laughed viciously, another candle fell to the ground, then a second. Dothrik stopped, quickly realizing that the tremors had returned, this time more violently. The rest of the candles fell from the tables, then even the furniture began to vibrate. A tapestry hanging on the wall came crashing to the floor, nearly knocking the dwarf on the head. The senator’s fingers wrapped tightly around the edge of the table for stability as he waited for the tremor to pass. But, unlike the last, this quake refused to cease. Moments later, Dothrik could hear dozens of screams from outside the small room.

Hesitantly, he pulled open the door as the city’s alarm bells pierced the cavern.

Holy damn, I’m finally finished with the first round of editing. It’s terrifying to think that I’ll need to go through it all again in two months, but this round is the most work, so it’s all downhill from here.

Most people will tell you that you should pretty much always reduce your word count during editing – unless you end up doing some major re-writing like adding in new characters or entirely new scenes. This is primarily due to the fact that while you’re writing, you’re really just plugging away in the moment and you add a lot of redundant and unnecessary text. These get trimmed during editing, hopefully, resulting in a much cleaner manuscript. Here’s a bit of a breakdown for both Honor and Madness.

Honor – First Draft: ~121,000 words
Honor – Published: ~113,000 words
— Trimmed: ~8,000 (6.6%)

Madness – First Draft: 136,427 words
Madness – Post-Editing (Round 1): 131,704
— Trimmed: 4,723 (3.5%)

To be honest, I didn’t think I would remove more than maybe 1,000 – 2,000 words. However, I was pretty surprised that I managed to clean up nearly 5,000. As you can see, a smaller percentage got trimmed compared to Honor, however I’ll take that as a good sign. It was definitely obvious during editing that my writing has improved since I wrote Honor.

My next step is to touch up a few minor things and work on formatting the document. After formatting, I can upload it to Amazon and then get the sizing specifications for the cover art and start adjusting that. From there, I’ll be able to get ARCs (Advance Review Copies), which I’ll be sending to a few Beta Readers for feedback.

Overall, I’m really excited to have this book in hand. Between the badass cover art and the much more compelling story (in my slightly unbiased opinion), I think Madness blows Honor out of the water by a longshot. But, it’ll be good to get feedback from some other readers.

We’ll see how that goes. 🙂

Whew, finally done! The First Draft was started on September 1st, 2018 and completed today, February 22nd, 2019 – technically a week early from my goal timeline.

Madness sits at 136,427 words, which is quite a bit longer than Honor.

For comparison:
Honor – First Draft: ~121,000 words
Honor – Published: ~113,000 words

Now it’s time to move to Editing. I’ve got about three rounds of Editing planned, which will take some time:

1. Personal Editing – A lot of writers go back and edit as they write. They’ll write a chapter, then go back and edit it before moving to the next. That works for some, but not for me. I write the entire book without editing anything. Get it all out onto paper first. Then, I go back and start editing. This time, my wife will be offering a simultaneous read through. She’s the best. <3
2. Beta Readers & Feedback – For Honor I went wish a professional editor. These can be great, but definitely skyrocket the publication costs involved. Also, as I’m re-reading through Honor, I’m catching way too many mistakes that I feel should have been caught. I don’t regret hiring the editor, as I learned a lot from the process and they still did a good job catching most of my mistakes. But, for Madness I plan on trying out Beta Readers. This means I’ll be sending a handful of people copies of Madness after my first round of Personal Editing is complete. Then, they’ll provide feedback on the story, plot, and any mistakes they find. Once I have their feedback, I go back and Edit again.
3. Final Review – I’ll be honest, I skipped this step for Honor and it bit me in the ass. I was too eager to get the work that I had slaved over for years out to print and put too much faith in the edits that I didn’t read through it one last time and it hurt the final result – which I’m now going back and correcting for an updated edition to be released. This time, Madness won’t be forced to suffer for my impatience. In this Final Review, I go through with a fine-toothed comb and look for all those sneaky little bastards that slipped through the cracks.

After that, it’s onward to print! My timeline for publishing is a bit wide right now (June – September) for two reasons. First and foremost, I need to be more patient. I made mistakes in Honor‘s release that are directly related to me not taking the added time to be more thorough. I won’t be making those same mistakes this time. Also, one of the benefits to a professional editor is the time saved. Beta Readers offer some good benefits, but one of the downsides is that you’re waiting for numerous people to read your book in their spare time and get you feedback. This can take anywhere from a week to months. There needs to be a cut-off point where I eventually just disregard any feedback I haven’t gotten at that time. Most likely, that cut-off will be around July at the latest. That way I’m certain I won’t miss the September deadline, which is the latest I’d like to release Madness.

If all goes well and smoothly, June is technically possible, but I’m not looking to rush. I’m eager to get Madness out there, as I think it’ll turn out pretty good – hopefully.

Thanks for all of the patience and support, we’re in the home stretch.

This week I ran a Promotion that placed Orcblood Legacy: Honor for free (e-Book only) to get the book out to a wider audience. At first, I didn’t have too many expectations for moving up in Amazon’s Best Seller Rankings and just aimed for the added exposure and to generate more readers.

After a few hours, the results started to come in and the book started to rocket through the ranks pretty rapidly due to the number of downloads over a short period of time (Amazon’s Best Seller algorithm is a bit unique). By the time Orcblood Legacy: Honor hit #100 in Epic Fantasy, I was really ecstatic, as Amazon displays the Top 100 (50 per page, so 2nd page) per Category, split between Paid vs Free. As this was a Free promotion, my book was switched to the Free section temporarily and competed against only other Free titles.

I started keeping an eye on the Rankings as it started creeping higher up the ladder and soon I was within Top 50 and on the first page – already much higher than I expected to reach.

Keeping the excitement, I watched the progress continue to go down and tagged increments on my Facebook post. Going from Top 100, to Top 50, to Top 25, and after a long, nail-biting period of time (about two days, impatience is a weakness) Orcblood Legacy: Honor finally reached TOP 10 in Epic Fantasy (and #13 in Sword & Sorcery), as well as within the Top 1000 for all Free eBooks in the Kindle Store.

I don’t think I’ll get any higher as the promotion is ending in just a few hours and I’ll be switched back to the Paid category. But I’m really happy with reaching the goal of Top 10 and managed to pick up quite a new handful of readers who will hopefully enjoy the novel and look forward to Book Two.

For anyone who picked up the book during the promotion (or before/after), I greatly appreciate your interest and support. Please leave a review on Amazon if you enjoyed the book, I’d love to hear from you and reviews help other readers make the decision to pick up the book as well. (Yuck, shameful plug – I don’t like doing that)

So, a massive thank you from me and Fangdarr, who is always glad to have more spectators as he chops his way through foes. Book Two is coming soon!

Interested in Orcblood Legacy: Honor but haven’t wanted to break out the wallet? For the next week, you can download the E-Book free of charge!

Click the image below to be directed to Amazon for this special Promotion!

If you’ve been considering picking up Orcblood Legacy: Honor, but haven’t been convinced, grab it during the Christmas Sale!

Orcblood Legacy: Honor (eBook) will be only $0.99 for the week before Christmas, starting December 20th until December 24th! Grab it for a quick surprise gift for a loved one for their virtual stocking and let them experience all the blood, violence, and glory of Fangdarr over their holiday.

Note: This deal is exclusive to Amazon.com (other Amazon retailers not available). 

Disclaimer: This book contains Mature content, not suitable for children.

“Elethain, why are we hunting a dragon, exactly?” the elf asked while brushing branches aside, clearly agitated.

“Because, Rotheilan, I am going to enslave it. Our people would benefit greatly from such an asset.”

“As would you, no doubt.” Rotheilan cast a smug look to his older brother, who only smirked in reply.

Eithas, the more skeptical twin of Rotheilan, leaned closer to better hear the conversation. “How are you even going to enslave it?” He was convinced their task would fail yet refused to allow his three brothers to continue without him. Despite Eithas’ unshakable loyalty, he never failed to question their eldest sibling.

Elethain sighed as he halted his march through the thick brush. In his moment of silence, the necromancer stared out through the screen of purplish-blue leaves that restricted most of his view. He could still see the sparkling light reflecting from the surface of the water far below. Their climb up the Eye of Cerenos, the ancient tree near their homeland, Y’thirya, had been more treacherous than expected. Elethain looked to his brothers, each beginning to wither from exhaustion due to traversing the enormous magical growth. Even Idérys, their youngest kin, who was often so full of youthful energy at just a mere two-hundred years old, could be seen dripping with sweat. Elethain had requested they join him in his quest—for the future of their people, supposedly.

Elves had been living on Y’thirya for countless millennia, typically in harmony. However, the elders spoke of a foreboding future. Though they held no mystical knowledge, they believed a great war was fated in the years to come. The date and its cast were unknown, yet they were confident the act would occur. Elethain was not one to believe such prophecies but found advantage in their ramblings. He had heard a myriad of tales of a dragon who rested atop the Eye of Cerenos. As a necromancer, the elf possessed the capability to enslave beings within his domination, to be used as he commanded. In truth, a dragon could aid in their future endeavors. However, enslaving the beast was no simple task.

“Well, we have to kill it first. From there, I should possess the ability to trap it within the Undying Realm where it will answer my call,” Elethain finally responded.

“Should?!” Eithas blurted in surprise. “You mean you are not certain?!”

Elethain smiled. “Should. Once it is dead, I do not expect it to be a problem. However, I have never done so before, of course. The ritual itself is not so difficult, it seems. The struggle lies thereafter.”

“What do you mean?” Rotheilan asked as he casually cut one of the thousands of luscious apples dangling from branches twisted around them with one of his swords. His second sword chopped down another just above his twin’s head, plopping it on his noggin with a dull thud and bringing a smile to each of their faces.

“Once it is trapped within the Undying Realm, it is no longer dead. It would be reanimated and with a constant will of its own. I must maintain control by sheer domination of will. That is how the link is created, master to slave. It can take years—dozens, even hundreds—to ensure complete control. During that time, I cannot risk summoning it to the Living Realm, or it could break the link.”

Idérys pressed further in eagerness, possessing only a lust for excitement and adventure. “What happens if it breaks the link?”

Their youngest brother’s curiosity brought a smile to Elethain’s face. “If the link breaks I can either attempt to maintain a semblance of it in order to reel the slave back in under my control, or I can relinquish it, which would simply eliminate the reanimated corpse.”

Each of Elethain’s brothers had nothing left to say, being far out of the realm of their knowledge—or interest. Unlike their eldest kin, they were warriors of the blade. The twins each favored a pair of swords to strike at their foes, while Idérys preferred the shield and spear. The band rested easily against thick branches as they ate their apples, pondering their task ahead. Elethain had assured his family the task could be completed, though he remained secretly unconvinced. Very few dragons had ever been conquered in the past, let alone reanimated to be the slave of a necromancer. However, he could not deny himself the chance of such a claim. His pursuit of power pushed him to heights others, even those who greatly surpassed his thousand-years of age, dared not risk. The warlock bit into his apple, hoping he could achieve all he desired.

* * * * *

“Elethain!” Idérys called out, his eyes full of terror in the moment the golden dragon’s massive clawed talon swiped at him.

The necromancer watched in horror as his youngest brother was torn apart in a spray of purple blood by the razor-sharp claw. Elethain looked on, trembling in fear, as Idérys’ form spilled its entrails onto the floor made of purplish-blue leaves. His brother’s hollow eyes remained open but unseeing—a sight that would haunt Elethain for the rest of his long life.

Elethain broke from his distracted state as Rotheilan and Eithas bellowed in unison at the fate of their kin. They each stood atop the horns of the drake and pitifully swatted at its eyes with their negligible steel. The dragon roared in annoyance and shook its head violently, throwing them to the ground. Elethain could only watch as the godlike beast turned and retracted its tail, aiming to smash the twins against the ground of its home platform.

As the monstrous appendage came plummeting toward the pair, Elethain conjured a wall of black magic over top of his brothers. Rotheilan and Eithas stared blankly from their prone position as the massive, mace-like tail smashed into the barrier. They cheered to their eldest sibling for saving them. In their excitement, they failed to notice the giant golden tail whooshing through the air once more, slamming into the barrier above. This time they did not cheer, as large cracks appeared in the magical shield.

“Elethain!” Rotheilan called, looking toward his brother who was struggling with all his might to maintain the forcefield.

Beads of sweat poured down the necromancer’s face as he attempted to gather the strength to fortify the shield that prevented his brothers from certain death. “Get up, you fools!”

As if they had forgotten their position, the twins quickly attempted to rise. They managed to turn around and nearly escape before the beast’s tail came crashing down once more—through the barrier.

Elethain watched as the twins faded from view beneath the heavy limb. His gaze could not be averted as the appendage peeled away and revealed the crushed elven warriors cemented to the armored scales. Their once pale skin resembled a massive bruise with blood being pressed through each pore. The necromancer could see bones protruding from their bodies where they managed to pierce the skin. Elethain’s mouth wavered in a feeble attempt to form words.

While words were impossible, noise was not. The elf screamed as loud as he could, pressing all his emotion into a single outcry. Flashes of his brothers’ destroyed forms raced through his mind as he continued to scream. His eyes grew wide in his maniacal state of pain. Elethain reached out to each side with his hands and conjured a dozen large spear-like manifestations of black magic, all pointing to the monster that had eliminated his family.

With another cry of rage and sorrow, Elethain launched every magical spear toward his enemy. They crashed against the dragon’s scales, though could not pierce the hide. The monster started running toward Elethain, its mountainous form shaking the thick branches beneath its feet, determined to eliminate the last of its intruders. As it approached, the necromancer only grew more maniacal. This was it—his moment. Deep inside, he knew the fate of his kin was his own fault, though he refused to accept such knowledge. The demon charging toward him was the cause. There was no regard for Elethain demanding they wake the slumbering beast. To threaten it within its home when all it hoped for was peace and solitude. There was only the conviction that the dragon was the assassin to press the blade, not he.

Elethain roared in denial and forcefully extended his left hand high into the air. As he did so, an enormous magical hand appeared in front of the drake’s face. As the elf clasped his own hand shut, the magical formation followed suit, clamping tightly around the beast’s neck. The dragon roared in anger at being restricted. It thrashed wildly, snapping with its jaws and swinging its tail. It didn’t matter. Elethain kept his hand clenched tightly to keep his prey immobilized while the other shook harshly in the air. To the side of the monster’s exposed neck, a large spear began to form. The shape matched Idérys’ spear, driving Elethain’s pain more. But he needed it. His anguish turned to strength as he felt every emotion running deep through his veins. His body felt empty yet so full of life due to the sorrow. Such an odd feeling. As if one was a shell that contained too much, but nothing could be seen inside.

The necromancer struggled to maintain control of the dragon while also building up a tremendous amount of energy needed for his weapon. Just a bit more . . ..

Then, the dragon stopped thrashing. Elethain’s confusion nearly broke his concentration. The mythical beast stared directly into his frenzied eyes, seeing the pain behind them. The passion, the power, the lust. The golden drake simply maintained eye contact as the spear was launched toward its neck at blinding speed. It never blinked as it telepathically spoke to Elethain. I forgive you.

Elethain’s eyes widened in surprise and quickly turned to sadness as he watched the spear pierce through the dragon’s exposed neck, just behind the jaw and into the drake’s brain. Tears welled up in his eyes and he fell to his knees. The tormented elf cried out in pain as the dragon’s eyes slowly slid closed with a final low exhale. He sobbed uncontrollably as the shining, golden scales that encompassed its body turned to a dull gray, one by one. His painful throbs of woe only grew as he made eye contact with Idérys’ ripped corpse a short distance away. During his channeling, Elethain failed to notice that the dragon’s thrashing caused the twins to be thrown to the side in a shattered heap.

He continued to weep for what seemed an eternity. His brothers had fallen in his quest. His pursuit of power. For a purpose they cared naught. Their only concern had been for Elethain’s safety. His guilt was immense in that moment as the realization struck him hard. Never before had he felt such agonizing pain as his mind assaulted itself in guilt. After many grieving moments, the necromancer finally stood from his huddled-over position and walked over to the dragon.

In the presence of his target, all thoughts of his guilt faded immediately. Too drawn was he to the power at hand. His mind shut out considerations of consequence as he produced the transparent orb in his necklace. Eyes wide with lust, Elethain began channeling the magic needed to absorb the dragon’s faded corpse, trapping it in the Undying Realm and within his pendant. The ritual did not take long. The beast’s corpse turned to a trail of energy and soared toward the orb. Once gone from the Living Realm, the godlike drake could be seen peering around from inside the small globe, fully revived. The orb emitted a bright golden light that resembled its captive.

Elethain pulled the pendant to his face and stared at his slave with a grin. “Hello, Aurum.” The dragon gave no response other than a deep sigh of hopelessness. Not at its own fate, but its captor.  The irritated necromancer tucked the necklace away and stared straight ahead to where its corpse had been. All that remained were the trample marks of its previous existence atop the Eye of Cerenos and the mutilated husks of his brothers. He walked to the center of the platform between each of his sibling’s corpses. With little effort, Elethain called upon each of them to heed his call.

The elven warriors began to rise.

Thank you for all of the support and interest, it has been a fun (and brutal, to be honest) ride to reaching the end of Book One in the series.

For any interested, there is currently an Imgur Giveaway right now for a Free Hardcover copy. 

If you happen to pick up a copy of the book, please leave an Amazon or Goodreads review – they help tremendously!

See you all on the battlefield!

Greetings, Fantasy lovers!

Today marks the day that the eBook version is available for pre-order.

After an exciting and challenging road, Orcblood Legacy: Honor is finally up on the virtual shelf. 

We are one week away from the book’s official launch November 15th, 2018! 

Keep an eye out for a special Giveaway on Imgur this weekend!

Today is the day!

My Paperback proof copies just arrived and they’re awesome. I’m really impressed with the Print-on-Demand service. The cover has a leather-like feel that adds a lot of stability and grip that I love. The bindings turned out okay, with only a little bit of variance in the print cuts.

It’s pretty awesome to feel the book in your hand for the first time (even if it’s stamped with an annoying ‘NOT FOR RESALE’ across the cover). All the effort put into the novel is finally tangible in my hand and there’s nothing but pride and eagerness.