My blog will be moving to my new site soon! You can find it at akmorgen.com/blog

Monday, December 22, 2014

Myth or Monster Monday: Tolkien's Middle-Earth #mythology

Happy Monday, lovelies!

Now that the Fall Into Fantasy Tour is over, I figured it was time to dive right back into Myth or Monster Monday. And we're starting with one of my favorite places: Middle Earth!

With so many different groups coming to power in England over the years, quite a lot of the early traditions, beliefs, and legends were lost. Middle Earth was, in part, an attempt by Tolkien to fill that void. Thanks to the unique relationship between early English groups and the Nordic people, quite a lot of what Tolkien came up with is based on Norse mythology.

He managed to create quite a complex world that continues to fascinate. But keeping his world and its inhabitants straight can be difficult unless you dive into The Silmarillion, which you definitely should read if you're a Tolkien fan. :) 

In the meantime, CGP Grey has broken down the mythology in layman terms in a four minute video. Check it out below. :) 



You can explore more of Tolkien's mythology via the Lord of the Rings Gateway here.

xoxo,



ALL FALLS DOWN is now available on Amazon. FALLThe Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon Barnes and Noble | KOBO. FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Fall Into Fantasy Tour: Meratis Trilogy by @Krista_Walsh


Welcome to the Fall Into Fantasy Tour, where we are keeping your mind off any end-of-summer blues and welcoming the cooler weather by introducing you to some incredible fantasy reads to curl up with and giving you plenty of chances to win awesome prizes!

Week 17: Meratis Trilogy
Book One: Evensong
By Krista Walsh


Author Jeff Powell wakes up to find the impossible has happened. He is within his own novel—summoned into the fictional world of Feldall’s Keep by a spell he didn’t write. One the House enchantress hasn’t figured out how to reverse.

When the villain he’s been struggling to write reveals himself, unleashing waves of terror and chaos, Jeff must use more than his imagination to save the characters he created—and the woman he loves.

Trapped within a world of his own creation, he must step outside the bounds of his narrative to help his characters defeat an evil no one anticipated, even if he must sacrifice his greatest gift. In the end, he has to ask: are novels really fiction, or windows into other worlds?

Buy it from: Amazon, Kobo, Nook, iTunes
Or add it to Goodreads





ABOUT KRISTA WALSH
Known for witty, vivid characters, Krista Walsh never has more fun than getting them into trouble and taking her time getting them out. After publishing a few short stories and novellas in various anthologies, she has now released her own anthology, the serial collection Greylands. When not writing, or working at her day job, she can be found reading, gaming, or watching a film – anything to get lost in a good story. She currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

Find Krista online: Website  Facebook  Twitter





Thanks SO much to everyone who visited during the Fall into Fantasy tour! This is our last week, and that's a little sad. It has been so much fun!

xoxo,

ALL FALLS DOWN is now available on Amazon. FALLThe Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon Barnes and Noble | KOBO. FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

The December People Winter Celebration by @SharonBayliss - Meet Nathan #fantasy


I'm so excited to get to introduce you to the oldest son in the Prescott family, a family of summer wizards featured in Watch Me Burn. Nathan is the older brother of the missing witch mentioned in the Watch Me Burn blurb.

You can read more about the whole family on www.maravalderran.com (post from 12/7). Of all the Prescotts, Nathan has the most page time in the series, so I'd like to tell you a little more about him. He seems like a great guy...but he might be super evil...or somehow both...neither? I'm not telling. You'll just have to figure it out for yourself.

NATHAN PRESCOTT

The Basics: 18 years old. Will attend Texas A&M in the fall of 2014, and wants to be a a doctor.

Special powers: Talented and well-trained summer wizard, and as such can control heat and fire. He is especially good at determining wizard dates and using magical persuasion to get people to do what he wants.

Likes: Puppies, smiling, football, his truck

Dislikes: Mean people.

Strengths: Charming. Curious. Tolerant. Heroic.

Flaws: Too handsome.


Q&A

How would your friend describe you to someone who has never seen you?

Nathan: Hopefully they would just say I'm a nice guy. Fun to hang out with. Laid back.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

Nathan: I actually do stupid stuff all the time. I think I'm kind of used to it, so I don't get too embarrassed, but it pisses my parents off. I once had to have my mom come pick me up because I accidentally dropped my truck keys off a bridge. I promise, it could have happened to anyone.

You have one day left to live, how do you spend it?

Nathan: Well, that's sad. Why do I have to die? But if I had to choose, I'd probably want to live like we do during the Festival of Sol Invictus. I'd spend the day with family, maybe playing flag football. I'd ask my mom to make like twelve kinds of pie and I'd eat all of them.

What do you fear the most?

Nathan: Another scary question. Can't you just ask me what my favorite food is? The answer to that question is key lime pie. So, to answer your question, I most fear a world with no key lime pie.

Okay then, something lighter. Who is your favorite Disney princess and why?

Nathan: Ha ha! Okay, I guess I asked for it. Elsa. Because she's a bad ass. She's also hot. Don't tell my parents I chose her. ;)

Last one. What do you like most about being a summer wizard? What do you like least?

Nathan: I love being a summer wizard. We value family and we have a strong community. But we can be closed minded sometimes. And, I'm proud to be a wizard, but sometimes I don't like it. I don't like having to keep secrets from my Mundane friends. And it bothers me that if I was ever honest with them they would just think I was crazy.

Thank you, Nathan! If you're ever dying, I promise to bring you pie.

Nathan: Uh..thank you? How about instead, I just don't die. That would be great.

EXCERPT

Meet Nathan for the first time in Watch Me Burn:

His magic felt different than his sister’s —at least, weaker than his sister’s. He had more of a flickering quality, like a candle trying to stay lit on a windy day. The darkness of the forest must be sapping his energy somehow. That would at least explain his bizarre behavior. He skimmed the forest, stepping in and stepping out, walking in erratic circles.
Emmy lurked within the cover of the forest, watching him. She found she could travel through the trees without any problem. And in their shade, he didn’t seem to notice her. She could stand there and observe him from ten feet away. He would squint in her direction occasionally, and she thought he might see her. But he seemed to see things everywhere. He darted his gaze in all sorts of directions, looking for invisible monsters.
She watched him for at least half an hour. He looked similar to his sister, but instead of her blonde hair, his was a sun-streaked auburn. He was tall with broad shoulders, on the grown-up side of eighteen. She had never seen anyone so frustrated and determined. He reminded her of a bug crawling out of a puddle even though she kept pushing it back in.
Too late, she realized she was the bug—a moth circling a light, getting closer and closer.
Nathan stooped down slowly and picked up a piece of pointed branch. Emmy didn’t think much of this, until he suddenly jumped up, and ran directly toward where she hid. Emmy tried to scramble away, but her hiding spot was too good—brush surrounded her and she couldn’t move quickly. Twigs snapped conspicuously as she pushed her way through the brush. When she was nearly free, she tripped on a thorny vine, and Nathan found her on the ground clutching her thorn-scraped shin. He yelled out as if he had never seen anything so horrifying. Rude.
Emmy jumped to her feet and faced him, preparing to defend herself, even though she didn’t know how.
But, his yell stopped abruptly, and he squinted at her as if she was still hard to see. “Wait…you’re…small,” he said.
“I’m not that small. I’m average-sized.”
“I mean…you’re not what I expected.”
“What were you expecting? A big scary monster?”
“Yes, actually.”
“What makes you think I’m not a big scary monster?”

“I didn’t say you weren’t.”

---



Semi-finalist in the Kindle Book Review Awards and #1 category bestseller in coming of age fantasy.

About Destruction:

David Vandergraff wants to be a good man. He goes to church every Sunday, keeps his lawn trim and green, and loves his wife and kids more than anything.

Unfortunately, being a dark wizard isn't a choice.

Eleven years ago, David's secret second family went missing. When his two lost children are finally found, he learns they suffered years of unthinkable abuse. Ready to make things right, David brings the kids home even though it could mean losing the wife he can’t imagine living without.

Keeping his life together becomes harder when the new children claim to be dark wizards. David believes they use this fantasy to cope with their trauma. Until, David's wife admits a secret of her own—she is a dark wizard too, as is David, and all of their children.

Now, David must parent two hurting children from a dark world he doesn’t understand and keep his family from falling apart. All while dealing with the realization that everyone he loves, including himself, may be evil.





About Watch Me Burn:

David Vandergraff lost his home, his job, and contact with his oldest son, but remains determined to be a good husband and father despite being a dark winter wizard.

His resolve is tested when a flyer for a missing girl--who happens to be a summer witch--begins to haunt him. David believes a spell needs to use him to save her, so he follows the magic's command and looks into her disappearance. His teenage daughter Emmy resents him for caring so much about a random stranger. But when she uncovers some disturbing evidence close to home, she begins an investigation of her own.

David and Emmy quickly learn that the mystery is not only about a missing girl they barely know, but a deeply personal story that impacts everyone they care about. As their world crumbles, they fear the warning may be true—never mess with summer wizards, because the good guys always win.



Enter to win!! Get a paperback of your choice of Destruction OR Watch Me Burn. International entries welcome. Also join The December People Winter Celebration for more giveaways!!




xoxo,

ALL FALLS DOWN is now available on Amazon. FALLThe Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon Barnes and Noble | KOBO. FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Fall Into Fantasy Tour: The Disciple Series by @LBlankenship_sf


Welcome to the Fall Into Fantasy Tour, where we are keeping your mind off any end-of-summer blues and welcoming the cooler weather by introducing you to some incredible fantasy reads to curl up with and giving you plenty of chances to win awesome prizes!

Week 16: The Disciple Series by L. Blankenship


War is coming. Kate Carpenter is only a peasant girl, but she’s determined to help defend the kingdom and its bound saints against the invading empire. Her healing magic earned her a coveted apprenticeship with the master healer; now she must prove herself ready to stand in the front lines and save lives.

She’s not ready for the attentions of a ne’er-do-well knight and the kingdom’s only prince, though. This is no time to be distracted by romance — the empire’s monstrous army will tear through anyone standing between them and the kingdom’s magical founts. All disciples must put aside their tangled feelings and stand in the homeland’s defense.

Disciple is a six-part gritty fantasy romance by L. Blankenship. Part I through Part IV are on sale now at all major retailers

Download PART I for free! 
FREE at AmazonSmashwordsB&N AllRomance



Disciple, Part V on sale now

Look for the final volume, Part VI, in 2015!

EXCERPT:

“You couldn’t sleep either?”

At the whisper, I looked up from struggling to lace my boots with trembling hands. My master stepped into my dormitory room, adding his lamp’s light to my candle.

“Why must I dress as a boy?” I whispered back. Perhaps I was not so buxom, but I doubted I’d fool anyone. “This makes little sense.”

“Patience.” Master Parselev placed his lamp on my writing-table and checked my packed bags. “They’re gathering at the chapel already. None of us got much sleep, it seems.”

The straw mattress creaked when I stood, boots laced and the woolen hose sagging between my thighs. I ran my fingers around my waist, under my layered cotes, to check the drawstring. “Are these right, Master?” I’d strung the hose and braies together as best I could guess and as memory was my Blessing I had no excuse for failing. Men’s underthings weren’t much concern to me — if I saw such, or more, it was while the man lay bleeding on the surgery table.

“If they stay up, it’s right. Good. This too.” He slung a heavy felt cloak across my shoulders and pinned it on. The hood buried my face in shadows; my blonde braid, even wrapped around my head, would give me away.

I asked, “Master, this journey will be long, won’t it?” Parselev had given me more clothes than I’d ever owned to pack in those bags. All heavy winter woolens, too. “Shouldn’t you go, then?”

He looked down at me, mouth quirking to one side. Master was a greybeard, said to be over a hundred years old, but his kir kept his eyes bright and his face lightly creased. I had only been his apprentice two years. Surely I could not be ready for this.

“It must be you, Kate,” was all he said. He carried one of my bags, and I took the other.

Wreathed in breath-clouds, we crossed the Order’s campus. Low on the horizon, the slim, waxing crescent of the Shepherd hung golden, all seven of his Flock scattered in the sky behind him. He gave the only hint that dawn was coming. The cloak kept me marvelously warm, even in the chilly breeze. No frost this morning, not yet, but it was only a few weeks off.

Master un-bolted the side gate and led me to the door of the Grand Chapel. Horses waited on the grass, many horses chewing at their bits and shaking their heads, most of them with knights in the saddles. The knights’ black tabards, worn over suits of mail, had a white horse embroidered on the right shoulder and two gold stars on the left, marking them knights and Prince’s Guard as well. Kite shields and bucket helms hung on their saddles, in easy reach.

Several of the horses stood with empty saddles, collectively held by a couple of pageboys, and that gave me pause. I’d never been on a horse; I was only a peasant girl. But it could not be so awful, I told myself, so I gripped my cloak a little tighter and followed Master Parselev inside.

My new boots rang too loudly in the empty chapel, and when I slowed to lighten my step I fell behind. Only one lamp burned on the high table before the icons, and its light was mostly blocked by those gathered below the two steps. Faces were cast in shadow as they turned toward us — all looming in the dim light, some cloaked like me, others not — and I knew none of them. I kept my head down as I joined my master before them, glad the hood hid my face.

“Not ready, Elect?” one asked, his voice low but strong. “Who’s this?”

“My apprentice will safeguard the travelers,” my master answered. “She has —”

“What?” The man stepped closer, his shoulders blocking out the light.

“Majesty, she’s my finest student.” Parselev put up a hand when the stranger reached for my hood.

My knees trembled as the word echoed in my head. Majesty. I stood before the king of Wodenberg. Wobbling a bit, I dropped to one knee in obeisance, fist pressed to my heart. The king yanked off my hood while I stared at the flagstone floor, pulse pounding.

“This girl?” the king demanded. “You trust a mere disciple with this mission?”



ABOUT L. BLANKENSHIP
L. Blankenship started writing animal stories as a kid and it's just gotten completely out of hand since then. Now she's out publishing her gritty fantasy and hard science fiction adventures. L grew up in New Hampshire but currently lives near Washington, DC.

Want to get involved with the Fall Into Fantasy promotional tour?
  • Don't forget to join us at the Facebook party here
  • If you are interested in joining up as a blogger, you can always sign up here. We are happy to welcome more bloggers into the fold as the promotion continues. 
  • If you are an author or blogger and want to sign up to help with the party, please fill out this form.

xoxo,

ALL FALLS DOWN is now available on Amazon. FALLThe Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon Barnes and Noble | KOBO. FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Cover Reveal and #Giveaway: Treasure Darkly by @JayliaDarkness #fantasy

Beware a Treasure Darkly…


Seventeen-year-old Clark Treasure assumes the drink he stole off the captain is absinthe…until the chemicals in the liquid give him the ability to awaken the dead. A great invention for creating perfect soldiers, yes, but Clark wants to live as a miner, not a slave to the army—or the deceased. On the run, Clark turns to his estranged tycoon father for help. The Treasures welcome Clark with open arms, so he jumps at the chance to help them protect their ranch against Senator Horan, a man who hates anyone more powerful than he.

And he is not alone. His new found sister, Amethyst, thinks that's rather dashing, until Horan kidnaps her, and all she gets is a bullet through her heart. When Clark brings her back to life, she realizes he's more than just street-smart - and he's not really a Treasure. Amethyst’s boring summer at home has turned into an adventure on the run, chock full of intrigue, danger, love, and a mysterious boy named Clark.

TREASURE DARKLY is Book 1 of the Treasure Chronicles. This young adult fantasy introduces the Wild West to a steampunk world, mixed together with romance and a touch of the paranormal.

Enjoy the following excerpt…

“Looks like he did drink it up.” The general client spoke from the right. “Must’ve interacted with all that bloody hertum. Look at ‘im, he’s bleeding already.”
“What’s it gonna do to him?” the guard from the morning asked.
“Lots of stuff.” The general laughed. “When he touches the dead, he’ll be able to bring them back, and exchange that life for another. Perfect soldier, huh? We only have one vial ready and I was going to give it to a lucky fellow. Guess it will be this boy.”
“Whatcha gonna do with him?” The guard snickered.
“Have to be a test subject,” the general said. “Sure thought it was that Judy who stole my bottle. Pity I killed her. She sure knew how to make my pecker sing.”
Judy.
Clark’s mother.
Clark bolted off the ground and ran. He could hide in the hole under the shed behind the brothel. Mable never found him under there. He might be cursed with raising the dead—he’d already done that to the poor mine worker—but it didn’t mean he’d let them take him for tests.

About the Author:

Jordan Elizabeth, formally Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, is the author of ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW and a contributor to GEARS OF BRASS, both available from Curiosity Quills Press.  GEARS OF BRASS includes a short story featuring Amethyst Treasure, one of the main characters in the Treasure Chronicles. 

Check out Jordan’s website, JordanElizabethMierek.com, for contests and book signings.  Jordan is represented by Belcastro Agency and President of the Utica Writers Club.




Steampunk is often recognized by its unique jewelry.  The Treasure Chronicles include a rugged “Western” setting, so I went for something with an explorer feel for a giveaway.  Presenting a beautiful necklace created by me, Jordan Elizabeth.





ALL FALLS DOWN is now available on Amazon. FALLThe Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon Barnes and Noble | KOBO. FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Fall Into Fantasy Tour: The December People Series by @SharonBayliss


Welcome to the Fall Into Fantasy Tour, where we are keeping your mind off any end-of-summer blues and welcoming the cooler weather by introducing you to some incredible fantasy reads to curl up with and giving you plenty of chances to win awesome prizes!

Week 15: The December People series
Book 1: Destruction
Book 2: Watch Me Burn
By Sharon Bayliss



Introducing a new dark wizard family drama, Destruction by Sharon Bayliss, Book One in The December People Series.
BUY NOW--99 CENTS FOR A LIMITED TIME!

An independent family-owned bookstore. The ONLY place to buy signed copies!

A locally owned book store in Austin, Texas.



David Vandergraff wants to be a good man. He goes to church every Sunday, keeps his lawn trim and green, and loves his wife and kids more than anything. Unfortunately, being a dark wizard isn't a choice.

Eleven years ago, David's secret second family went missing. When his two lost children are finally found, he learns they suffered years of unthinkable abuse. Ready to make things right, David brings the kids home even though it could mean losing the wife he can’t imagine living without. 

Keeping his life together becomes harder when the new children claim to be dark wizards. David believes they use this fantasy to cope with their trauma. Until, David's wife admits a secret of her own—she is a dark wizard too, as is David, and all of their children.  

Now, David must parent two hurting children from a dark world he doesn’t understand and keep his family from falling apart. All while dealing with the realization that everyone he loves, including himself, may be evil.


Destruction (Book One of The December People Series)



Cover Reveal!!
Watch Me Burn
The December People Series 
Book Two

David Vandergraff lost his home, his job, and contact with his oldest son, but remains determined to be a good husband and father despite being a dark winter wizard.

His resolve is tested when a flyer for a missing girl--who happens to be a summer witch--begins to haunt him. David believes a spell needs to use him to save her, so he follows the magic's command and looks into her disappearance. His teenage daughter Emmy resents him for caring so much about a random stranger. But when she uncovers some disturbing evidence close to home, she begins an investigation of her own.

David and Emmy quickly learn that the mystery is not only about a missing girl they barely know, but a deeply personal story that impacts everyone they care about. As their world crumbles, they fear the warning may be true—never mess with summer wizards, because the good guys always win.

Coming January 2015 from Curiosity Quills Press!




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sharon Bayliss is the author of The December People Series and The Charge. When she’s not writing, she enjoys living happily-ever-after with her husband and two young sons. She can be found eating Tex-Mex on patios, wearing flip-flops, and playing in the mud (which she calls gardening). She only practices magic in emergencies.


Want to get involved with the Fall Into Fantasy promotional tour?
  • Don't forget to join us at the Facebook party here
  • If you are interested in joining up as a blogger, you can always sign up here. We are happy to welcome more bloggers into the fold as the promotion continues. 
  • If you are an author or blogger and want to sign up to help with the party, please fill out this form.


xoxo,

ALL FALLS DOWN is now available on Amazon. FALLThe Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon Barnes and Noble | KOBO. FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million.

Cover Reveal! Watch Me Burn by @SharonBayliss #fantasy #giveaway

I am thrilled to take part in the cover and trailer reveal for Book 2 in The December People Series, Watch Me Burn!

So without further ado...




A note from the author:

Thank you to artist Michelle Johnson and the whole team at Curiosity Quills Press for creating a cover I love! 

If you haven't guessed it by now, you'll see a butterfly on the cover of every book in The December People Series. The butterfly is a symbol of transformation, hope, freedom, and generally creepy crawlies turning into beautiful things. And also...look how pretty! ;)

Instead of the broken glass from Destruction, this butterfly is surrounded by fire, and it's probably obvious why from the title. Watch Me Burn is the summer book in the series. All the books center around my winter wizard family, but each book takes us deeper into a different season. Summer wizards are the "light" wizards, but light also means HEAT and FIRE.


More about Watch Me Burn:

David Vandergraff lost his home, his job, and contact with his oldest son, but remains determined to be a good husband and father despite being a dark winter wizard.

His resolve is tested when a flyer for a missing girl--who happens to be a summer witch--begins to haunt him. David believes a spell needs to use him to save her, so he follows the magic's command and looks into her disappearance. His teenage daughter Emmy resents him for caring so much about a random stranger. But when she uncovers some disturbing evidence close to home, she begins an investigation of her own.

David and Emmy quickly learn that the mystery is not only about a missing girl they barely know, but a deeply personal story that impacts everyone they care about. As their world crumbles, they fear the warning may be true—never mess with summer wizards, because the good guys always win.




If you're new to The December People Series, start with Destruction--99 cents for a limited time!


Enter to win!! Get a paperback of your choice of Destruction OR Watch Me Burn. International entries welcome. Also join The December People Winter Celebration for more giveaways!!



xoxo,
FALLThe Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon Barnes and Noble | KOBO. FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million.

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