Snippet of Tower of Torment

I am still in the editing process of my 4th book in the Realm of Ashenclaw series entitled TOWER OF TORMENT and thought that I would offer up a snippet of the upcoming novel in its rawest of forms to whet your appetite.

I am still hoping for a late 2013 release date. The following is the very beginning section of the Prologue. I hope you enjoy!

Rose Thorne by WIlliam Kenney

He chewed on his breakfast, a well-made roasted duck being the main course, as he sat comfortably at the rear of the Steel Dragon. He sat alone, watching through the dusty window at the crowd of passersby.

He was waiting for her. He knew she was coming. He could feel it.

He sat at a large table made of the finest oaks of the town’s namesake and rapped his knuckle on it as if to reassure its quality. He absently sipped a bit of his honey spiced wine and frowned at its bitter flavor this day. He fondled a slice of crisp apple that rested on his plate beside a portion of the partially eaten duck and shoved the plate aside. His stomach was churning with anticipation.

Several of his men stood behind him at the ready and several more sat at adjacent tables, eating and expertly blending in with the crowd. Their subterfuge however, would do them all no good he realized, stifling a smile and knowing that she would recognize them for what they were as soon as she laid eyes upon them.  She might actually find it amusing. Nonetheless, he decided that it would be practical to maintain some semblance of normalcy.

His confirmation of her loyalty after speaking with both Nimaira and Tiyarnon softened his anger, he admitted. From what he could tell she had not offered any information about his den of rogues or anything that might even incriminate him to the Council.

He summoned a serving wench with a snap of his fingers.

“Yes, my lord?” she said with a respectful bow.

“I’d like a refill,” he stated, holding his mug in the air. She gingerly grasped the outstretched mug and he snatched her hand at the same time and forced her into his lap. She landed softly and with a giggle, never spilling a drop.

“Quite good you are with the pitcher,” he offered as a compliment.

“I’m good at many thin—“

“I hope you are going to pay for that, Ganthorpe Randolph,” called a gruff voice from behind them, interrupting the woman before she could finish her flirtation. This was followed by a bellowing laugh. He turned to witness the proprietor of the Steel Dragon, Fabian Oxborn. 

Fabian was a bear of a man with dark skin and hair to match and a thick shock of a beard that ran halfway down his chest. He wore an apron that was soiled with all kinds of stains and his odor was born of a mix of spices, most of them pleasing to the senses.

“Of course I won’t,” Ganthorpe barked with a forced smile, gently lifting the girl from his lap and setting her upright before finding his own footing and standing out of respect  “I’d still love a refill of that wine, though,” he added to the serving girl with a sideways glance.

“No need to get up,” interrupted Fabian with a wave of his hand, gesturing for him to be seated again.

“Then you sit, too,” Ganthorpe instructed with a gesture in return. The big man slowly lowered himself onto the chair, which creaked under his weight.

“Still eating a bit too much into your own profits I see,” suggested Ganthorpe through a laugh and nodding toward the man’s bulbous belly.

Fabian rubbed his stomach and smiled, “indeed.” Suddenly his smile disappeared and he licked his lips.

“What is it?”

“I’ve some news,” said the big man, leaning in. Ganthorpe's icy blue eyes hardened, losing all signs of his light-hearted appearance from a mere heartbeat ago and regarded him coldly. He nodded, indicating for Fabian to continue as he looked about, seeing none but his own guards surrounding them. Fabian leaned in close to him, as best as his belly would allow and spoke in a whisper.

“There’s rumors that yer girl is back. The one that’s been missing.”

Ganthorpe eyed him steadily, his expression never changing. “And where did you hear this?”

“An informant I have in the Commons. An old wretch of a man that would trade his own mother for a bottle of me cheapest rum.”

“And how can you believe this…'wretch'…as you call him? Not that I doubt the information is true.”

“Said he seen her wandering around the Street of Jackals. Appropriate name if ya’ ask me,” he said as he picked up a piece of chopped apple, sniffed it and tossed it into his mouth. Ganthorpe said nothing again, staring at the man who chewed the apple loudly and slumped into his chair.

So Helgoth has not completed his task yet, he mused, a smile involuntarily creeping across his face. She’s not gonna’ go down without a fight. He glanced up at the weighty man seated across the table and returned his attention to him.

“Well, thanks for the good word, Fabian.”

With that, Ganthorpe stood and stared deep within the shadowed recesses of the hall leading back to the kitchen.

He caught a glimmer of auburn hair just then as it disappeared within the darkness.

His heart skipped a beat, began to race suddenly, and he became flush.

 She is here!

“Are you alright?”

Ganthorpe turned and regarded the huge man who stared at him. He blinked at him a few times before realizing he’d asked him a question.

“Of course,” he lied, straightening his jerkin and running a hand through his dark hair. He sat back down in the chair and leaned in close again.

“I need to make use of your private office.”

Fabian looked at him queerly and then nodded. “Of course ya’ can use it. Do I—“

“No...no questions asked. Just give me the key. Or don’t. Either way.” Fabian reached below the collar of his apron and removed a chain with a key dangling on its end. He handed it to Ganthorpe who accepted it absently and looked to his guards. “Stay here. I will return soon enough.”

His men also looked at him as if they all wanted to question him, but none of them uttered a word.

He nodded to them and proceeded up several flights of stairs to Fabian’s private office, inserted the key, turned the knob and walked in. The space was bathed in shadow as it only had one window on the opposite side of the room from the door. Fabian had it built that way as the man was more than a bit distrustful. And reasonably so, as he operated an illicit gambling setup as well as a delightful kitchen.

“Hello, lover boy.”

 His heart skipped a beat. A shadowy figure emerged from the recesses of the darkness and a flash of auburn hair shone briefly in the light of the window.

“Are you trying to have me killed?” 

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 by William J. Kenney

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

photo from http://www.sxc.hu/

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Coming Back For More?

I was thinking to myself just the other night as I was writing book 5 of my what-will-probably-be a 6 part series: what have I gotten myself into?! I'm sure other fantasy writers have gone through this as well.

Is it a lot of hard work to take on a huge project such as a fantasy series as your first writing effort? Probably. That being said, I am having a ton of fun. It's a lot to keep straight, but overall, the experience is worth it to me. And I am sure that many other authors that are writing a series would agree with me on this one.

I look back on it and kick myself sometimes though, thinking that I could have easily just done a one-shot stand alone story that has a finite ending that left readers satisfied. But, instead, I have one major over-arching story line that encompasses the whole series with each individual book having its own self contained plot that comes to a resolution, as many classic fantasy series' do.

on to another group of thoughts now. I know, I'm all over the place today!

Each of these questions might be answered completely differently by each of you, but I believe they are still relevant. Are you as a reader easily able to follow multiple characters in a series throughout the whole book without getting lost? Would it be beneficial to read about one character for a few chapters at a time or do you like to jump around and meet all of them in short snippets? Do you usually come back for book 2, 3, 4, and so on in a series? I know I do.

So, among all of the other questions, what brings you back for more in a series?

As always, I am looking for feedback from my readers, so feel free to jump in and respond! Have a great week every body and happy reading!

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 by William J. Kenney

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

photo from http://www.sxc.hu/

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Joseph Murphy Interview

M. Joseph Murphy kindly offered to do an interview here on Eye on Ashenclaw and is working on two series at once! He considers his books to be YA friendly, fantasy and a few other things, and so, with all of that in mind, let's get to know Joe!

First off, tell us a little bit about you...I write under the name M Joseph Murphy but just call me Joe. I live in Windsor, ON, Canada, right across the river from Detroit Michigan. I’ve taught accounting and business classes at local colleges for the last 8 years. I’m engaged; the wedding is set for November 16th, 2013. I’m an obsessive video game addict but I rarely have time to play. Writing and my other projects keep me too busy.

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books? 
I’m writing two series simultaneous. One, set on Earth, is a paranormal thriller/urban fantasy. The other, set on another planet, is epic fantasy. Each series is YA-Friendly. Both series are tied together. Characters from one series will show up in the other and vice versa.

I published my first book, Council of Peacocks in July. I’m currently revising the 3 draft of my next novel. It will be out to beta readers in September with a publishing date scheduled for early December.

When did you start writing? I started writing novels in Grade 4, so over 30 years ago. My first was a horror novel about an old, haunted school house. Since then I’ve written several hundred poems, 50 or so short stories and 8 novels. Although it was my first published, Council of Peacocks the first polished enough to be worthy of publishing.

Why do you write? For the same reason I breath. I do it or die. Also I may have a death wish.

What would be your choice for a superpower? Telepathy just like Professor Xavier. If you can control the minds of every other person on the planet, you don’t need any other power. 

Who is your favorite author? 
Tough Question. From a pure craft perspective Alice Munro. She’s a Canadian writer who works mostly in short stories. She has a way of transmitting a great deal of story into very small number of words. I’m envious. From a story telling perspective either Clive Barker of Jim Butcher.

What are you reading now? Nowadays I read mostly independently published work. I belong to several Read for Review groups on Goodreads. I also belong to a writers group called Suckersguild. I beta read and edit for our members. I just finished The Nightlife: Paris by Travis Luedke. It was easily one of the best-written vampire books I’ve ever read. No sparkling but a good deal of sex and violence.

Who is your favorite character to write? The most fun to write is a character from Council of Peacocks named Jessica. She’s a really bitch young girl with insane amounts of telekinetic power. Emotionally, I’m very connected to a character from my next book, Tadgh Dooley. He’s a young man turned into a werecat by a demon. Even though he does some unspeakable things, he is the most human, fully realized character I’ve ever written.

Do you have a writing process? Yes. Vomit on paper for the first draft then revise, revise, revise. For my first draft I set daily page goals (usually 5-10 pages). I don’t stop writing until I hit my quota. I make a conscious decision that the first draft will need massive work so I don’t get hung up on making it perfect.

First drafts are fun. The real artistry comes in the hard work of revision.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? Stop thinking about being a writer and just write the damn book. There is no secret to it; just hard work. Don’t wait for “muse”. Sit down every day for at least an hour and just write whatever comes to mind. Who cares if the first draft is terrible. Usually, I don’t even know what the book is about or why I’m writing it until I’ve finished the first draft.

Don’t expect a quick road to fame and fortune. That’s very rare. Focus on writing as many high quality books as you can. It’s the only sure-fire road to success.

What inspired you to pursue writing? I had a teacher in high school, Mrs. Elizabeth Christie. She pulled me aside one day and told me she saw something in my writing that she had only seen in a handful of students. She told me she had faith that I could make it as a writer. It gave me the courage to be a writer. It also made me want to become a teacher. I saw the way she helped transform my life simply by believing in me. Now, I get to affect people’s lives every day. I’m the luckiest person on the planet.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing? Currently I’m watching Homeland and 24. I like the tension and the confined nature of the story telling. In September I work on the 2nd draft of the direct sequel to Council of Peacocks. It’s called Beyond the Black Sea. I want it to be a little bit Homeland and a little bit X-Men.

What are your current projects? Too many. I’m promoting Council of Peacocks, revising A Fallen Hero Rises, assisting the members of the Suckersguild with promotion of their works, and I beta read or review 3 books per month. I’m also working on a documentary about the Windsor Hum. If you’re not familiar with the phenomenon you could Google it. It was recently showcased on Joe Rogan Questions Everything.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers? Thank you. All my reviews have been positive, even those that concerns or criticisms , in general, have thrown high praise at my work. Hearing those kind works is the greatest feeling in the world.  My blog is http://CouncilOfPeacocks.blogspot.ca.

Quick Fire:
Cats or dogs? – For food or companionship? I’m going to go with cats.
Coffee or tea? - Coffee
Favorite food? - Taco Bell. No seriously
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? - vanilla
What are 3 things you never leave home without? - cell phone, wallet, pants
Laptop or desktop? – laptop for work, desktop for video games
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with? - Joss Whedon and Jane Espenson because they are super cool. Liam Payne from One Direction because hanging with him would make me instantly famous.
TV or Movies? – I love big screens and I cannot lie. Imax 3D. I’m spoiled.

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!

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Proud to be a geek! Are you?

I'm baaaaack! I've been remiss in my posting this week and somehting I read got me to thinking. I was on a fellow writer's blog (Mr. Ross Kitson's) and he mentioned something that got my wheels turning and inspired this post. I know...uh-oh! Anyway, he mentioned something about downplaying his geek-dom, or something along those lines, to his wife's friend's husband who he'd just met. I thought to myself: why? And I recall a few things about me and my friends and whatnot growing up. I never hid my love of comics, superheroes, D&D, RPG's, etc, ever. Even when I started dating.

I say this because it is and was kind of taboo. Was more than is, I suppose. You would not find the cheerleader for the football team chasing after the nerd that reads comics and plays video games. At least that's what it was like in the 80's! Now, it seems like it may be more acceptable. I don't know, I've been out of high school and college for...well...let's just say a long time.

This one says it all...

Anyway, as I was watching my friends avoid discussing the subject and generally denying their geek-dom, I embraced mine. I figured if a girl I was dating was ashamed or embarrassed about what I liked and enjoyed, I didn't have much of a future anyway. Or at the very least, that future would be riddled with clandestine meetings with friends for RPG sessions, etc....the heck with 'em! That's not my cup of tea, anyway.

I also have one other thing I am reminded of that is reminiscent of this  that I feel compelled to share. I used to work for a company where I used to drive my work van and I did not have my own vehicle. And I said to a friend that I used to work with, 'what, am I gonna take her out on a date in my work van?' He responded by saying something along the lines of 'if she has a problem with what kind of car you are driving, you shouldn't be dating her in the first place.' I thought that was relevant and somewhat profound.

I guess I'm posting this to encourage more geeks to come out of the closet and stand proud. Be what you are and embrace your inner-geek! I know I've walked the walk my entire life and I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve anyway. It seems to have worked out for me so far!

As always, I'd love some feedback on your own personal experiences. And thanks for stopping by!

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 by William J. Kenney

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Lisa Cresswell Interview

I had the pleasure of interacting with Author Lisa Cresswell recently through social media and she was kind enough to join us here and answer a few questions. Lisa writes middle grade or young adult fantasy and is another  author trying to get her work read. She has recently signed with a publishing house for another book, too! Congratulations! So, check this out and then go buy her books!

First off, tell us a little bit about you
I, like most writers, began scribbling silly notes, stories, and poems at a very young age. I lived in North Carolina until I was 16 years old. The South proved fertile ground to my imagination. It’s the location of several of my stories. Then I was unexpectedly transplanted to Idaho. There, I learned to love the desert and the wide open skies out West. I became very interested in cultures, both ancient and living, and studied to be a Great Basin archaeologist. However, the itch to write never did leave for long. My first books became the middle grade fantasy trilogy, The Storyteller Series. My first traditionally published work, Hush Puppy, is coming soon from Featherweight Press. I currently reside in Idaho with my family and a menagerie of furry critters that includes way too many llamas!

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books?I’ve written and self-published a middle grade fantasy series called The Storyteller Series. I’m currently writing the third and final book in the series. The story centers around a girl with the ability to make things happen just by telling a story. There are stories within stories in this series, which I loved creating. I had a lot of fun imagining The True World and the mythology that shapes that world.

I also have a young adult contemporary novel coming out soon from Featherweight Press called Hush Puppy. It’s about two friends, growing up poor in the South, and wanting to break out of that. It has themes of race and poverty, but I hope that it also has themes of friendship and love. You can read more about any of my books on my website www.lisatcresswell.com

When did you start writing? My earliest efforts were in 5th grade when I wrote and produced several plays at school. However, I only got serious about novel writing about five years ago.

Why do you write? I’m not sure. I’ve just always enjoyed making up stories and poems. I don’t know where it comes from, but I feel like it’s a gift to be nurtured and shared.

Who is your favorite author? I don’t have a single favorite author. I like lots of authors for various reasons. I guess I’ve always been more focused on the story than who wrote it. I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Steinbeck because he had my crying by Chapter 3.

What are you reading now? I must confess I’m not actively reading right now because I’m gearing up the release of Hush Puppy and madly trying to finish the last Storyteller book. Most recently I read Crossing by Andrew Xia Fukuda. Very powerful read. Heartbreaking.

Do you have a writing process? My writing process is a mess! With a day job, two kids in school, and one of them in dance lessons, I’m constantly running them somewhere. I take my notebook and write whenever I get a spare moment. There’s no waiting around for the muse to strike me. She never would. And sometimes, I feel like I’m pulling my own teeth out to get some words on the page, but I told myself just to do some every day, even if it’s just a page! I handwrite first, maybe not the best arrangement, but I struggle to compose anything on a screen the first time. And I write super slow. My 2010 NaNoWriMo project took me a year and a half to finish, but I did it by gum!

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? Write a lot, even if you think it’s no good. The more you do it, the better it will become. Take the time to learn some craft, take some courses or read some books about writing, and then put those lessons to work. Grow that thick skin so you can listen to what your readers are telling you without despairing. You can’t make it better if you don’t know what‘s wrong, so you’ve got to be able to listen. But be sure you’re listening to the right people – people who’s judgment you trust, who know what they’re talking about, and who truly want to help. You can ignore the rest. J

What inspired you to pursue writing?Reading published books that I knew I could write just as well myself. If they can do it, I thought, I can too.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?I watch very little television these days. I just can’t spare the time. I do like to watch movies now and then. I enjoy fantasy and scifi movies like Avatar, Star Trek and Star Wars. And I like the occasional chick flick. Not very often though. I probably see more kid movies than anything, just from taking my kids to the movies. ParaNorman was great fun.

What are your current projects?Hush Puppy will be released by Featherweight Press this summer. I hope to have the third book of the Storyteller series published this fall. My aforementioned NaNoWriMo project was just acquired by Month 9 Books, so that will be my main focus for a while. I’ll probably keep mum on that for now, but I can tell you it’s a young adult dystopian project.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers? Just that I really appreciate hearing from you and I hope you’ll keep reading my books. Stop by my blog sometime and let’s chat. www.lisatcresswell.blogspot.com


Quick Fire:

Cats or dogs? cats
Coffee or tea? Both! But coffee if I can only have one.
Favorite food? Chawk-let mmmm!
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Chawk-let J
What are 3 things you never leave home without? iPhone, notebook, purse
Laptop or desktop? I have a netbook, but I often use a desktop too. Not picky.
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with? Billie Joe from Green Day, Barack Obama, and Pink, preferably all at once!
TV or Movies? movies

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!

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

FOR NOW

Covenant of the Faceless Knights Re-Release (kind of)

As a writer, artist, musician, or whatever it is that you do for work, hobby, fun, torture, etc...there comes a time when you find your stride. It is something inexplicable and as mysterious as the cosmos. But, when it happens, suffice to say, you will know it. The reason I am bringing up the topic, is because I believe I have finally hit a stride with my writing. It is just coming much easier to me these days and with fewer drafts/revisions. As my writer friends might empathize, that stride occurs when your voice takes the jumbled mess in your head and spits it out on the page in a cohesive way that makes you say: 'yep, that's what I meant to say!'

And I could not be more excited.

I had been working my 4th manuscript in the series over the last year, entitled Tower of Torment. This was in between medical issues, starting a new career and other nonsense, but I have since finished it up. I have an editing procedure in which I read my written word out loud. (not gonna say how or go into details to bore you) Anyhow, I wrote it, listened to it one time, did my edits, and am happier than a pig in...well, you know what.

William Kenney's artwork, unimpaired by words!

For those of you who do not partake in the often torturous and typically flighty mistress that is independent writing, finding your voice is something to be achieved and somewhat expected...hopefully. Spending less time editing is just a boon! Independent writers more so than any other author, can relate to this arduous task. I liken finding your voice to when a musician identifies a note clearly for the first few times, or an artist sees the image inside his or her head so vividly, that the image comes out with ease, clearer and more vibrantly than ever. All writers hit their stride at some point in their career and I feel that I have recently hit mine.

Let me clarify something. That is not to say my prior work was poor, it simply means that I can say what I meant to say a few years prior with a bit more clarity and ease.

So, I have spent the last few weeks painstakingly re-working Covenant of the Faceless Knights, my first written work, and have made some changes, edits and other things. The content is much the same, but the minimal changes in sentence structure, dialogue and action, I would hope are worth another (or perhaps an initial) look! This is something that I had wanted to do for a long time, but could not find the time or patience. Now I have a publisher that may or may not be interested and decided that this was the right time. I was going to do it anyway, so this was as good a time as any after finishing the 4th manuscript in my Realm of Ashenclaw series.

Also, as a one time courtesy, if you have purchased the book before, and would like the updated version free of charge, please contact me with a DM on Facebook or twitter and I will gift you a copy! Or email me your contact info at the address below.

The almost-chosen blue background!

And for those of you who haven't read it yet--and you know who you are!--I am giving away up to ten free copies in exchange for reviews. All you have to do is comment below using the tag, 'give me my free book!', and then send an email to info@ashenclaw.com with the same subject line and body text. That's it! It’s that simple! The first ten to place comments below are the winners. First come, first served. PLEASE understand that I would like the review! I have given away work in the past and have yet to receive the promised reviews, (some) so please keep this in mind.

Cover art to Wothlondia Rising

And in celebration of this accomplishment, I am reducing the price of Wothlondia Rising: The Anthology back down to 99 cents indefinitely! Get all of my previously released short stories that build up our favorite heroes together in 1 tome! Plus the never-independently-released tale of our favorite half-ogre barbarian, Orngoth, entitled REFLECTIONS.

Ever wonder what a sets a hero  on his or her path? Wonder no more! Grab your copy today!

Thanks for listening to my rants and pitches as usual, and please feel free to comment on how you may have found your own writing voice or artistic stride, or musical ear, or whatever it might be that you do well!

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 by William J. Kenney

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

FOR NOW

Marissa Carmel Interview

Another volunteer for author interviews from the twitter-verse, Marissa Carmel is an adult fiction writer of adult paranormal romance. She was kind enough to share some thoughts with me as the following Q&A will attest!


First off, tell us a little bit about you

 I'm a wife and mother who writes New Adult fiction in the spare minutes of her day .

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books? 

My current series, the Vis Vires Trilogy is New Adult Paranormal Romance.

When did you start writing? 

I started to write seriously five years ago, but I dabbled my whole life. Creative writing was my favorite elective in high school and college.

Why do you write?

 I'm compelled; I have so many voices and stories in my head that I want to share with the world.


What would be your choice for a superpower? 

Telekinesis for sure. I want to be able to wave my hand and have my house clean itself.

Who is your favorite author? 

Jonathan Swift. I love satire.

What are you reading now? 

My current WIP, it's in edits.

Who is your favorite character to write? 

Choosing a favorite character is like choosing a favorite child. I couldn't singe just one out. Liv and Justice are always pretty interesting, but Alana and Ryan are giving them a run for their money.


Do you have a writing process?

 Not so much, I build the story in my head first, then I outline, then I sit at the computer and just write. It usually takes off from there.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

 Have a vision, find a great editor and make sure what you write feels right.

What inspired you to pursue writing? 

I just love the art of storytelling. I don't think I pursued it, it pursued me.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?

Oh geez, here we go, in no particular order- Charmed, Supernatural, Revenge, Once Upon a Time, White Collar, Suits, Necessary Roughness, TVD, Sons of Anarchy, Devious Maids (that my new fav), Castle.

What are your current projects? 

I'm currently working on a Contemporary New Adult called Strip Me Bare. It’s about a law student who finds out her estranged love is an infamous stripper at a New York City night club. The foundation of the story is about two people fighting for what they want while struggling to be together. Some major themes are prejudice, drug abuse, sexuality, familial struggles, standing up for what you believe in and of course love. I’m very excited about it.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?

 If you're looking for something different with intense emotion and witty dialogue you might like my stuff. :)


Quick Fire:
Cats or dogs? Dogs
Coffee or tea? COFFEE
Favorite food? Chocolate
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Do I really need to answer that? ;)
What are 3 things you never leave home without? My iPhone, earbuds and sunglasses.
Laptop or desktop? Laptop
TV or Movies? Movies.

You can find Marissa here at her website!  

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!

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

July 4th Weekend Book One Sale!

This weekend for the 4th of July, I am reducing the price of Book 1 in my BEGINNINGS fantasy series, WOTHLONDIA RISING, on Kindle to 99 cents!  It sets the table for the series and gives you much needed and entertaining backgrounds for each of my characters.

Cover art by William Kenney

Quote from editor, Stephanie Dagg regarding Wothlondia Rising.

"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 Wothlandia Rising, make no mistake."

Take a look at the reviews here for yourself on Amazon and here on Goodreads.

Wothlondia Rising : The Anthology is a collection of 5 previously released short stories plus a never-before-released 6th one, that are prequels to Covenant of the Faceless Knights (1st full-length novel). It includes the story, Distant Familiarity, which describes the events just prior to the prologue to Covenant of the Faceless Knights, too, which is also included in this anthology! The series details significant events from the past that shape the course of these characters, setting them on the path that will forever change their lives! It includes all of the following stories:

A Rose in Bloom recounts the thrilling events of a young Rose Thorne, not yet a woman, who is trying to find her way in the city of Oakhaven. Orphaned and discarded, she finds refuge in a kind madam at a local brothel and eventually meets a man who is more than she bargains for....

Maturation Process is the telling tale of the high elf, Elec Stormwhisper, who lives in the overbearing shadow of his father, Keryth. Treated as an outcast and feeling alienated from his own people, he exiles himself for a decade, finding a friend in a strange place and begins to accept his own unique destiny. Will this young and inexperienced elf ever find his true calling?

Tears of Blood is the amazing recount of the attacks on the region of Stonehill by the ancient and malevolent undead that are known as Blood Rot Zombies! Saeunn and the barbarians of both Chansuk and Greymoors must find a way to stop the undead infestation before they spread their miasma all across the face of Wothlondia! It is a tale that will forever change the young barbarian woman in more ways than one...

Strength of Faith is a tale that places a young acolyte of The Shimmering One, Garius Forge, on a path that tests his spirituality and also places him face to face with a demonic presence that has the power to alter the face of Wothlondia forever! Will his reverence and devotion to his deity be enough to overcome this horrible demon?

Reflections is an exploration into the true classifications of self-image. This short and sweet tale tells of the half-ogre barbarian, Orngoth, who begins to realize the true picture of what he is and where he comes from. During a raid with his ogre barbarian kin--the Ironskulls--Orngoth has an impromptu meeting that could forever change his own destiny. Will he see his true self in time or will he continue down the path of reckless endangerment?

Distant Familiarity is the tale of three legendary figures in the history of Wothlondia, who are attempting to recover an ancient evil that was stolen away from them. Tiyarnon the High Priest, Rolin Hardbeard and Nimaira Silvershade set out to recover the artifact that has forever altered their former companion Sadreth, twisting him into something altogether evil. Can these ancient heroes find and recover the item before it is reunited with its former host?


See excerpts from this and my entire series here! Have a great weekend and happy reading, no matter where your imagination may roam!

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 by William J. Kenney

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

C. David Cannon Interview

I ran into C. David Cannon on twitter and he agreed to share his story with us here at Eye on Ashenclaw. An interesting path surely taken, the journey has brought him here to aid in entertaining and enlightening....

First off, tell us a little bit about you...
I was born in Houston Texas and currently reside in Humble, which is on the outskirts of the city. I am a high school drop - out that was kicked out of my house and placed in a thirty-day mental / drug rehabilitation center at the age of thirteen. After my stint there, I bounced between homelessness and a faith – based foster group home for boys until I was sixteen. At this point, I moved in with a family from the local church the residents of the boy’s home attended. I was able to earn my GED and get a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education. These were tough times for me. I went from work to school to bed. Then, got up and repeated the process again.

Fast - forward fifteen years to now, and I am married with three children. I am a fifth grade teacher of fifteen years and also have a Master’s degree in science instruction. I have always desired to express myself creatively. I was a skateboarder as a teen whose number one goal in life was to travel the country in a Volkswagen Beetle, skating different spots and surviving off the free fry crumbs they would give you at Long John Silver’s. I transitioned from this creative outlet to starting at Junior College as a voice major. When that didn't work out as planned, I looked at the degree plan that would best fit the classes I had already taken. This is how I stumbled blindly into a career in education. As an adult now, I only recently decided to write The Prominence League and pursue its publication to the end if I had to. Fortunately for me, it has worked out so far.

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books?
I consider my books to be middle – grade dystopian fiction. While the text is a bit higher level than most fourth and fifth graders read, they really seem to enjoy them. However, my best feedback has been from adults. My books are quick reads, but are full of indirect and direct ideas hidden just beneath the surface of what I think is also a very entertaining story.

When did you start writing? I only started writing for publication three years ago. However, I have been a writer my whole life. From the voluminous love letters I’d write to my wife when we were in our teens and dating, to the collection of journals and memoirs I've written in faithfully since my youth. I have always been best at communicating via the written word. This has been especially true in light of how I seem to so often put my foot in my mouth when communicating verbally.

Why do you write? My series, The Prominence League is really written to expose my very Libertarian – leaning views to a younger audience. I really liked what one reviewer wrote when they said, “The Prominence League is perhaps a more believable dystopian future than most I have read.” This desire however, has transitioned into a story that I have both fallen in love with, and become madly passionate about. Every word seems to be influenced by some part of my life.

What would be your choice for a superpower?
It would have to be immortality. I am fearful of death as I truly have no idea what it holds. I’d love to think that my consciousness could live on in some way. Even answering this question now makes my heart beat a little faster. Having such a tumultuous upbringing, I struggle everyday with abandonment issues, anger, and insecurity. I hate the thought of not being able to be around for my kids to make sure they don’t suffer the same.

Who is your favorite author? I hate saying Suzanne Collins because I feel like people will think I am shallow because of it. But she is a great writer and the Hunger Games books are amazing stories. I actually only recently read Collins though. I grew up on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I got lost in The Chronicles of Narnia, and still re-read from the Lord of the Rings books today.

Fiction aside, nowadays my favorite reads are non-fiction, science related books. I am fascinated by the life sciences and quantum mechanics.

What are you reading now? The Self – Aware Universe: How Consciousness Creates the Material World by Amit Goswami, Ph.D. Yes, I am a science geek now, and am especially excited about the very idea of consciousness. The fact that something we see as immaterial (as in non – matter) actually exists in some substantive form, and has the ability to influence material things is amazing to me. As someone who was programmed with Christian ideology from birth through adolescence, I had walked away from faith altogether until reading some of these ideas. It perplexes me that religious people seem so threatened by them. This is the most spiritual stuff I have ever read.

Who is your favorite character to write? The main character in my series name is Carriane. Yep, she is a sixteen year old girl. When I started writing from a female perspective, it never dawned on me that it could be construed in a weird way. It wasn't until one day at one of my son’s baseball practices that a fellow coach was giving me a good – natured hard time about it, that I realized it was a bit different. I did get embarrassed at first, but now just go with it. I felt like a female would be more introspective and thoughtful about her life. That is why I wrote from her perspective.

Although, this answer has missed the point so far. My favorite character to write is Micah McAdams. Only slightly mentioned until Part Two of the series, Micah is the younger brother of Carriane. He was taken from his family at birth and under false pretense. Now he is forced to fight in brutal spectacles in Community Two. He only speaks when he has to, and says the bare minimum at that. He is quiet, strong, and self – confident. He is everything I wish I was, but am not.

Do you have a writing process? Yes, but I don’t recommend it. It is very disorganized as I scribble down ideas in a journal as soon as they come to me. When I visit schools, I tell the kids that I have started writing maybe eight books or more that haven’t gotten past the third chapter. The Prominence League series is the only one I have ever been passionate enough about to finish.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? Write frequently and jot down ideas the moment they come to you. Just never try to start a manuscript if you are not passionate about the premise.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?I try not to watch movies or television. I feel like they are designed to control our minds via a group-think mentality. Yes, I can be a whack – job conspiracy theorist. But yes, it is inevitable. I guess my life just isn't interesting enough to avoid them altogether. Once I like a movie, I will watch it over and over again. There are just movies that tend to put me at peace just by having them on in the background. The main one being, The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise. That plus, I am a fanatic that has memorized every episode of The Office from season one until now. Well, except for this last season. Once Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) left, it just wasn't the same.

What are your current projects?The Prominence League: Part Three is in the works!

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?Buy my books of course! But really, I just want the story to spread. If you can’t pay for them, just email me and I will send you a copy somehow. Follow me on twitter @cdavidcannon. Check out my website at cdavidcannon.com. Like my Facebook pages. And of course, Amazon reviews are greatly appreciated!

Quick Fire:
Cats or dogs? Small Dogs, My Boston Terriers need me for companionship. Whenever I lay down, they nestle right on up.
Coffee or tea? Both – sometimes the acid in coffee is too much, especially if I drank too much wine the night before L
Favorite food? Any form of man – meat J
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Vanilla all the way, gotta be able to put fruit in it.
What are 3 things you never leave home without? Iphone, wallet, kissing my kids goodbye
Laptop or desktop? Desktop - laptops never work out well for me.
Who are 3 famous people you would want to hang out with? Not sure, I kinda feel like meeting any would be awkward anyway.
TV or Movies? TV – I love watching the Astros play baseball!

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!

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Man of Steel Review

While this is the only movie I've seen in the theater since Dark Knight Rises, I can say that it was worth the price of admission. It had strengths and flaws, the flaws being abundant, but it was entertaining. Let me expand on the comment. Christoper Nolan's is probably the best in the franchise to date, but that isn't saying much. There are spoilers ahead, so if you haven't seen it, look away. Oh, and Superman is a difficult character to write. You are somewhat limited by the fact that the guy is indestructible unless kryptonite is involved. Just a silly idea from Jump Street...but I digress.

Man of Steel promo

If you are looking for character development or depth, turn away. Seriously. It's just not there. I was 3/4 of the way through and did not care if anyone lived or died. Almost no one, anyway. If you want to accept that this is a movie about superheroes destroying a city when aliens invade, come on down! (Sound like Avengers a little bit?)

The cast was pretty good. Henry Cavill played a believable, albeit silent, Superman. The best parts and acting in the movie was the peripheral characters--the bystanders. The Kents, played by Costner and Lane were excellent...probably the best of the movie. Crowe was not terrible as Jor-El and Amy Adams was an excellent Lois Lane...at first, anyway. She was a sassy, take-no-crap reporter that went to her limits to tell a story. And then, she met Superman. Her character morphed from that sassy, strong woman into a smitten, starry-eyed school girl. (Just my opinion, some may disagree.) She did show backbone and fearlessness entering the ship of Zod, and from there on, she tried to hold it together.

Fishburne played a nice Perry White, too, though he was not in many scenes. The invasion and fight scenes were fun. There was some tongue in cheek comedy in small one-liners and it suspended my belief for a while, where I was just inundated with super beings pummeling each other all over Metropolis. I must say, I very much liked Zod's lieutenant, Faora-Ul, played by German-born Antje Traue, who I thought was cold and callous as a villain, just the way I like 'em!

Faora-Ul

Anyhow, the movie ends with what I was hoping he (Nolan) would avoid doing and yet it happened. I cringed. Clark Kent, glasses and all, was introduced as a reporter for the Daily Planet. Ack! Stop it! Do you seriously believe that tossing a pair of glasses on a guy changes his appearance that much? Let me tell you it doesn't. I got my first pair of glasses in 5th grade, and those barely developed, inexperienced, unwise children knew exactly who I was when I walked into the classroom. Boo! Oh, well... Better luck next time.

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!

Visit my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.