Saturday, January 25, 2014

Wothlondia Rising FREE (mostly) Everywhere!


Amazon.com has finally come around and I am hoping that the rest of the Amazon stores will follow suit and reflect the price change soon enough. As the title says, the introductory book to my Realm of Ashenclaw series is finally FREE, almost everywhere. I must say, there's never been a better time to dive in and experience the tales that set these heroes on their path to become legends in Wothlondia.

Art by William Kenney
If you are so inclined to begin the journey and experience the tales that introduce you to my world and it's inhabitants, it can be found mostly everywhere now for free. And I am excited for that.

The book can be found here:
KINDLE ➲  iTunes ➲  NOOK Smashwords  ➲ WattPad

I wanted to re-post some lovely things that the editor of the series, Stephanie Dagg, said in an interview--things which I could never have even conceived about my own writing, etc. And so, this is what she had to say about Wothlondia Rising...

I’ve worked on all sorts of books during my 25 years of editing, most of them as a freelance, and it’s true to say that fantasy is one of the more interesting literary genres. Fantasy authors are not only creative, extremely so, but of necessity also very methodical. Does that sound contradictory? What I mean is that because they’re creating a unique universe, they have it all mapped out in their heads, and often physically too. I made plenty of use of Gary’s map of Wothlondia during my editing, to check that when he said certain characters were heading northwest towards Greymoors from Chansuk that they were. (Editors have to keep an eye on everything!) Gary clearly knows his way around Wothlondia like the back of his hand since and he never put a foot wrong there!
Another example of fantasy writer organization. In one of the new stories, A Rose in Bloom, I felt we needed a couple more sentences in one part where a character, Ganthorpe, was rattled by the ringing of the bell for midnight. So I sent a request to Gary. Now, some authors tend to panic when an editor asks for extra material, and rattle something - anything - off. You duly slot it into place, only to find a few pages later that this new stuff proves to be inconsistent with later events, so it’s back to the drawing board. Not with Gary. He sent me a well-constructed replacement paragraph that lent the clarity I was after, and mentioning Brogan the timekeeper, so I put those in. I’m currently reading Covenant of the Faceless Knights and was delighted to come across a mention of Brogan and his bells in an early chapter! Everything fits together perfectly, not only in this story but in the way all Gary’s tales interact.
Fantasy has its own lexicon with words such as phylactery, mage and goblinoid that you won’t find in other genres. The language also tends to be more formal with some archaisms. I’m always delighted to come across those since I’m all for using as diverse a range of vocabulary as possible in writing. And the different races that inhabit the fantastic world have their own way of speaking. You can tell an elf from a dwarf from an ogre simply by listening to them.
Other distinguishing features of fantasy, on top of these elements of a cracking good plot, organisation and rich language, are the idea of a hero (or heroine) on a quest, the common ‘humanity’ of this central figure that means we empathise with him or her, the existence of magic and the supernatural, and the fight of good against evil. Alongside the quest there often comes a journey of self-discovery, and this is very much the case with Gary’s characters. You’ll see this strongly in the Wothlondia Rising series of short stories, particularly in Maturation Process and Reflections.
I guarantee that you will be deeply moved by the latter.
And all Gary’s heroes and heroines are likable because they’re so real. We get clear, detailed physical descriptions of them and their personalities quickly emerge. We can see parts of ourselves in them, even if they’re elves, or barbarians or half ogres. For example, Rose Thorne enjoys a glass of wine, Rolin Hardbeard doesn't like riding horses, Saeunn has her eye on the handsome lad from the next village, and Elec lets his personal hygiene slip a little when he’s on his own. They could be any one of us... But imperfect as they are, when put to the test they’ll do what’s right.
Fantasy mirrors not only real people but a real world. Wothlondia has many of the same terrors and threats that we have, such as racism, dishonesty, violence and crime. I’m just grateful we don’t have the added complication of Blood Rot Zombies!
In conclusion then, editing fantasy, and especially Gary’s Wothlandian fantasy, is an interesting and rewarding challenge. And memorable. Here are a handful of sentences from Gary’s stories that have stuck in my mind because of their sheer power or beauty:
Nimaira still lay on the cold ground, rubbing her jaw, with tears—not tears of pain, but tears of what might have been—welling in her beautiful eyes.
His eyes were reflections of the bluest of skies, quite unlike those of any ogre, whose eyes were always as black as the darkest caverns of the Subterrane.
The Paladin felt the darkness closing in on him, wresting control of his soul.
He merely stood frozen in place while a tumult of emotions bombarded him.
She had wept for countless hours and felt there should be no more tears left to cry, yet still they came, unbidden and unending.
You’re going to enjoy Wothlondia Rising, make no mistake.
(Originally posted here on Feb 12, 2012) 

Thanks and I hope to see you in Wothlondia!




Visit me on my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  and my SMASHWORDS PAGE!

Also, Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All Artwork and covers of my works by William J. Kenney

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2014 unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

The Heroes of Wothlondia


alternate Covenant cover
by Mr. Kenney
I posted this informational piece on Wattpad, along with samples of all my works and other free works, for those interested in some background on my characters in the Realm of Ashenclaw series. I also divulge my cinematic choices for the roles if it were to ever hit the big screen (I can wish, cant I?)

I am planning to release another one on the antagonists probably next week. Hope you enjoy it!

THE HEROES OF WOTHLONDIA

Hope to see you all in Wothlondia soon!






Visit me on my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  and my SMASHWORDS PAGE!

Also, Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All Artwork and covers of my works by William J. Kenney

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2014 unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Is that a Zombie?


Hello, people! So,the last two months or so, I have been working on a new project, while continuing the Realm of Ashenclaw series, Book 5, sporadically in between.

The new one is quite different from what I have written in the past in that it is modern, urban, horror, I suppose. Feel free to correct me in this as I am new to it. It is a modern zombie-apocalyptic tale that focuses specifically on one man, telling the story and events that unfold from his eyes. That being said, I have been having fun writing this new one as it has exposed new avenues upon which I have never tread before.

Obese Zombie...don't see them too often!
Let me explain why.

First off, it is modern. I can use modern terms, anecdotes, slang, etc. I had no idea how restricting it was not to use them until I did! Secondly, this is absolutely no-holds-barred. It is adult content. It is explicit in many ways. It is as real as I could imagine it. I have written unreserved scenes that include sex, violence and language, which organically done, felt right in their expression. Nothing was forced and I felt that everything so far has advanced the story or expanded on the characters.

So, unrestrained and uninhibited, I proceed down the road of my zombie apocalyptic setting and hope you tune in for snippets in the future. I am 2/3 of the way through the first draft and am very excited to present some of it to you all in the near future.

No working title and no release date set just yet, but I wanted people to get ready for it. I also have many more ideas that I will be pursuing in the near future as well and am leaving this one open for sequels.

And that will be up to the readers to decide.





Visit me on my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  and my SMASHWORDS PAGE!

Also, Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All Artwork and covers of my works by William J. Kenney

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2014 unless otherwise noted.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Lauren Klever Interview



Well, we are back after a brief holiday respite and my first interview of the year is with YA author, Lauren Klever. Lauren has written 3 books, has a fourth in the works, and as most authors do, has many more ideas taking up space in her mind.


Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books? I write young adult novels. I figure I’m a kid at heart and it’s a great outlet! So far I have published three books in my Secret Watchers series. I’m working on book four and I’m playing around with a dystopian.

When did you start writing? I’ve been a writer my whole life but I got serious about it in 2011.

Why do you write? I write because I genuinely LOVE it.

What would be your choice for a superpower?Teleportation would be pretty darned cool but I think foresight would be the most useful.

Who is your favorite author? Oooohh that’s tough. I like different things about different people but if I must pick just one… JK Rowling.

What are you reading now?I’m reading three indie books that I need to review: Simon Okill’s Phantom Bigfoot Strikes Again (Phantom Bigfoot Series Book #1), Cheryllynn Dyess’ Resolution (Jein's Journey Book #2) and Robert Shaw’s The Scare.

Who is your favorite character to write?Owen Ryer is my favorite. There are other characters I love but he is the most fun.

Do you have a writing process? Yeah, it’s called quick write that down! I take a notebook wherever I go, to jot down ideas and then it’s a blend of longhand and typing at my computer. I get a big idea in my head and then I start playing with it. I put story bits into my computer and then I work at blending them all together.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? Start now! Try some writing and then start sharing it with friends and family. Listen to what they have to say. Once you have worked on it a little more, then share it with people you don’t know. Remember that negative comments usually have some truth or value in them and it not about you personally. Hold your head up. It takes courage to share your writing. (That was the hard part for me. I wanted to defend myself to those rare folks who gave me one or two stars. It is best not to engage them and to remember that what you write is not for everyone.) Trust me… it gets lots easier over time. The first bad review is the worst and then you realize that it makes you look like a real person. When the good reviews come or I hear from readers who love my work, it feels like Christmas to me – EVERY single time!

What inspired you to pursue writing?Well, I kept it quiet for quite a while but the real story is that I was mad. I had just completed a second Master’s degree in education when our school district started cutting. I have kids in school so I could only drive so far to work and we didn’t want to move. I was frustrated that my friends were getting laid off and that all the sub jobs were going to the laid-off teachers. Don’t get me wrong, they totally deserved something but it put my family in a real pickle because my income dropped like a rock. I took all that angst and used it to build a character who could change the world!

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?I am a huge action adventure junkie. Yep, you heard it right! I love James Bond, Jason Bourne, NCIS, CSI… you get the picture. I’ve already seen Catching Fire twice. Did I mention I was a big kid? Thought so.

What are your current projects?I am hard at work finishing The Secret Watchers series… make that Owen Ryer’s adventures. There may be more books in The Secret Watchers universe. I’m working on a dystopian adventure with a female protagonist. My son and I are talking about a fantasy adventure story with dragons, swords and castles. I also have plans for a children’s book. One theme that stands out in all these pieces is the underdog becomes a success through hard work and integrity.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?Big hugs, guys! I love my readers and I love hearing from them. Never give up on your dreams and don’t stop reading!

Quick Fire:Cats or dogs?  Both
Coffee or tea?  Both
Favorite food?   Salad
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream?  Vanilla
What are 3 things you never leave home without?  A writing stick (pen or pencil), notepad and Burt’s Bees.  I may forget my cell phone but I’ve always got lip balm.
Laptop or desktop?  Desktop
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with?   JK Rowling, Suzanne Collins and Rick Riordan.
TV or Movies?  Movies!

Lauren can be found roaming the interwebs at the following locations:

Email laurenwrites@thesecretwatchers.com
Add me to your circles Google+
Find me on Linkedin
Find me on MySpace
Find me on Tumblr
Find me on Stumble Upon!
Find me on Instagram
And now on Your Book Authors



Lauren, thanks for stopping by and sharing your story with us. And, as always, I will see you all in Wothlondia...





Visit me on my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  and my SMASHWORDS PAGE!

Also, Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All Artwork and covers of my works by William J. Kenney

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2014 unless otherwise noted.