Preview of Wothlondia Rising 5: Strength of Faith

I am releasing the fifth installment of the Wothlondia Rising series tomorrow, this one entitled Strength of Faith. One sample will be here and the other will be on SKULLDUST CIRCLE. 

They are two very different passages, so I hope you check them both out!

Strength of Faith is a tale that paces 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?

 

Garius focused on the door when he heard the footsteps approach, light though they were. He was awake, but hardly refreshed. He had already refitted his armor meticulously, prayed and meditated in the cramped confines of the room and had done so quietly enough not to wake the others.

The expected knock sounded on the door, echoing in the room as his companions began to stir. Garius opened the door and beheld a hunched gnome. He looked impatiently into the room, and then stared up at Garius and began mumbling something to him. The warpriest bent to one knee before the bald gnome and placed a hand to his ear.

“I said, Larwinckle be ready for ye,” the unnamed gnome repeated more clearly and then waddled away along a scarcely perceptible path that was worn into the grassy meadow. It was barely visible now and had gone undetected all of last evening, especially after the sun had fallen into the clouds.

“I will accompany this one. You will seek me out once you are dressed and ready,” Garius called back to the others, but Divah was already up and out of her bedroll wearing a long gown made of a thin, yet durable fabric that Garius assumed was meant to be slept in. The halfling was so excited to get moving that it seemed she did not care about the state of her undress.

“I am coming with you,” she told Garius eagerly, her green eyes filled with wonder and joy at her obvious expectations of finally exploring the gnome village. With that, she snatched up her shoes and began moving hastily out of the burrow. The Paladins began to move about in the shadows of the room, donning their clothing and then their armor. Garius shook his head and a smile cracked his face as he watched the halfling, hopping forward on one foot and then the other, trying to put on her shoes while hurrying after him.

She is quite impulsive, he thought, allowing the smile to remain until it left of its own accord a few moments later.

The gnome led Garius and the female halfling to a smallish door that appeared to be anchored to the ground. It was partially hidden by brush and foliage, Garius observed, as the gnome knocked loudly on its hard, wooden surface. Garius also noted that there was no knob to be seen or any other obvious way to pull the door open from the outside.

With that thought in mind, he saw the door open outward slowly as a gnome pushed it ajar and then waved them all in. Garius watched as the gnome and halfling strode easily through the opening, then he stooped, having to bend low in order to navigate the space. It was well lit inside by a combination of lanterns and a brilliant, magical light coming in from above them that appeared to hover and move about on its own. The warpriest wondered if the wisp of light was something sentient.

Larwinckle sat at a large table by himself and waved Garius and Divah over to join him.

I hope you enjoyed the excerpts.

Join me over at Skulldust Circle where we have formed a new Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published fantasy authors with much to give both now and in the future! It'd be foolish not to at least check it out...

All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here!

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

Cover art provided by William Kenney!

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

Sample Sunday Exclusive Excerpts...

Brand new exclusive excerpts from my newly re-released debut novel on Kindle for $4.99!

COVENANT OF THE FACELESS KNIGHTS!

On sale exclusively for the Kindle for only $4.99

Thaurion slowly approached a door. He turned the handle and it opened without a noise, thankfully. In he stepped and observed many shelving units holding various books and scrolls. The shelves were many and set up to give the room a maze-like quality. He walked down one aisle and pulled a book from the shelf.

He peered through the gap made by the vacant book and saw a blue eye glinting back in the torch light. Thaurion gasped and let out a loud and involuntary yelp, quickly turned to run and inadvertently smashed headlong into one of the shelving units, smacking his forehead hard against its solid framework. He fell to the ground as his world was suddenly spinning. His vision blurred as he tried to rise.

Again he turned to run, disoriented from the massive blow he inflicted upon himself and saw the huge bulk of something moving toward him, hands outstretched and reaching for him!

He panicked and again, Thaurion found himself running into another unyielding obstacle. Looking back to see if the creature was following, he ran headlong into the thick door frame this time and the darkness claimed his consciousness.

Garius began an incantation himself, invoking a blessing to The Champion, the god of war, as the more primal and savage orc began to shuffle toward him. In answer to his prayers, he became instantly infused with divine strength. His adrenaline spiked and his muscles expanded slightly, his armor adjusting with the transformation. He was clearly larger now and even more powerful than before within his plated armor. He removed The Repentant from his back, infusing it with holy energy as the runes burst with radiant light and the hammer’s head shone brightly. He met the first blow head on from the bone-hewn staff, erupting in a loud and thunderous impact that rung out within the spacious cavern as the two engaged in a divinely driven death duel.

  

Orngoth used his club and his fist, smashing bone and flesh and simply extinguishing the life from the goblinoids barring his way with his forceful swings. He hit them with such tremendous force that most of them died instantly.

His prey was close now and he recognized a grin begin to creep across the commander’s face. Only one orc stood between Orngoth and Grubb now as he gripped his club with both hands. He then brought the full weight of the massive club down upon the creature, shattering many bones and receiving a parting slice across his left thigh as he did.

Oblivious to the pain, he kept moving.

In a show of either great bravery or great stupidity, the orc managed to stand again. Orngoth battered it absently over and over again until it stopped twitching. He roared and stood on top of the dead orc’s helmet and then snarled at the commander.

A dented and misshapen shield appeared in the commander’s left arm and in his right hand, he held up the gem that Orngoth held so dear in a teasing manner, wagging a finger at him.

“Not a step closer beast or I will destroy the gem,” Grubb warned.

I hope you enjoyed the new excerpts.

Join me over at Skulldust Circle where we have formed a new Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published fantasy authors with much to give both now and in the future! It'd be foolish not to at least check it out...

All of my work can be found on AMAZON -- Kindle versions here!

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

Cover art provided by William Kenney!

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

A ROSE IN BLOOM FREE AGAIN!

This Friday and Saturday (May 18th & 19th), My Wothlondia Rising 2: A ROSE IN BLOOM will be absolutely FREE! This will be the last 2 days for the FREE promotions, so snag yourself a copy and step into the gritty world of this youthful rogue as she learns some valuable life lessons!

CLICK ME!

Preview of Wothlondia Rising 3: Maturation Process

In book 3 of the series, I dive into the past of the high elf, Elec Stormwhisper! The genre is high fantasy/epic fantasy with a hint of young adult flavor once more as Elec, although advanced in years, is still a very young elf in the story. The book is entitled MATURATION PROCESS and will be available for sale by month’s end through the kindle select program. I am giving my readers a sample of the short story here as well as a preview of the amazing artwork for my cover provided by the absurdly gifted William Kenney! This also features the wondrous editorial stylings of Stephanie Dagg. 

 

The story covers a time in the past of Elec Stormwhisper where he is in a process of finding himself and discovering who he truly is. I hope you enjoy the sample and it will be on sale for a measly 99 cents! Keep an eye on my Amazon Author Page to see when it is released.

 

Also, I wanted to inform folks again that KINDLE has an app for the PC. If you own a PC and do not yet have a kindle, you can download it for FREE to your desktop.

 

FREE KINDLE APP FOR PC! Just click the 'Download Now' button at the top of the screen.

 

 

 

 

Cover of MATURATION PROCESS by William Kenney

 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?

Wothlondia Rising is a series of short stories set in the original fantasy setting entitled the Realm of Ashenclaw. The series details life altering, significant events from the past that shape the course of these important characters, setting them on the path that will change their lives forever!

Morning came once more and the passing of time did nothing to quell the guilt that Elec felt. He approached his alchemy that morning with passion unparalleled, diving into his work in order to forget about his problems. The hours passed and he continued mixing and testing elixirs, theorizing about different effects based on his findings.

Faorath entered his nephew’s workspace and found Elec engrossed in his work. He moved into view, startling Elec and nearly causing him to drop his latest potion, but fortunately he snatched it back in a flash.

“You have good reflexes,” Faorath proffered, nodding to Elec and watching him as he pushed aside a curly strand of dark hair from in front of his eyes.

“Thank you, uncle,” Elec answered, still focused on his experiments. When he finally managed to look up, he witnessed his uncle exploring the contents of his bookcase, which was filled with texts on the topics of magic and science.

“I wrote this one, you know,” Faorath informed him, pulling one tome in particular from the shelf. It was a book explaining the training and handling of exotic magical beasts.

“Yes, and it is something that I want to discuss with you,” Elec admitted. “I would like to train as a Wind Rider.” Faorath’s amber eyes widened at this revelation.

“Your father—“                                          

“Would be more than happy to be rid of me,” Elec finished the sentence for him. “I would no longer be a disappointment to the family and this would perhaps free my mind from the torment of spellcasting.”

Faorath stood silent for several moments and then nodded his affirmation. “Very well, I will approach your father on the subject.” He smiled a wide grin in appreciation of Elec’s decision as he strode to the exit.

When Faorath returned over an hour later, he found Elec once more deep in study, but this time he was reading the book his uncle had written. Elec looked up from the thick tome and smiled, nodding a greeting.

“I have read this book at least seven times,” Elec disclosed. “I have always wondered what it would be like to fly above the trees and into the clouds, to discover what Wothlondia and even all of Krotto has to offer in the ways of nature’s beauty.”

“It did not take much convincing for your father to agree to this,” Faorath stated bluntly as he stood with his hands on his hips. “He feels that if he presents this news to the elders, it will assuage their doubts and help his standing to remain as it was—‘unblemished’ was the word he used, I believe. No matter, Stormwhisper has been a powerful name in the family of high elven mages over thousands of years, as you are reminded each day.”

“Aye,” Elec agreed. “I feel that if I had been something of a real Stormwhisper mage, I could have stopped Jhaeronas.”

“You are a real Stormwhisper, Elec. Do not doubt this. Just because you do not show an aptitude for manipulating the powers of Arcana does not make you any less a family member.”

“That is not what my father says,” Elec refuted. “My sister and brother and all of the Stormwhispers before them were able to do this. I do not understand why I cannot.” Elec peered into a mirror. “I even look different than all of my family,” he added, twirling a lock of his dark hair in his fingers, then flicking it away in disgust. “I have dark hair and my eyes are unlike those of any of my kin. I have never seen another high elf with features such as mine!”

“Your masteries lie elsewhere. That is quite obvious,” Faorath offered, waving a hand over the workspace. “You are quite a remarkable alchemist, as well as an expert in the ways of mechanics. As for your features, you are exotic, yes, but it adds to your unique character. It does not detract from anything you do, nor does it define you. You will do well to remember that.”

Faorath headed to the door, pulled the handle and swung it wide open. “Come to me when you are ready to begin your training.”

Elec watched the door close behind him and returned to his book. But try as he might, this time he could not digest the words, for his mind was elsewhere. 

I hope you enjoyed the sample! See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

Cover art masterfully executed by William Kenney!

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

 

Review of A Dream of Storms

I have read a good deal of fantasy in my life and I will tell you that A Dream of Storms is not what I expected. Honestly, it was better.

There are many things to keep going in any fantasy genre to suspend your belief for a few moments here and there and William does it like a pro. This novel is on par with anything in the genre for sale today in my opinion. His characters have depth, emotion, and motivations and the journey is worth it.

From the beginning, William pulls you in with vivid imagery, emotional scenes and likeable characters. One thing I look for in a fellow writer are characters with which you can relate on certain levels and William does this nicely. Even more of a credit to his writing is the detailed landscapes and settings. His scenes and descriptions paint a picture of imaginative storytelling on par with the best of the best.

His story takes twists and turns that are a bit out of the ordinary and add to the overall enjoyment of the story’s progression. Just when you assume you understand a character’s motivations, he tosses in a twist that throws you for a loop! All of the characters are well-written and unique, with as much depth as is necessary, which is to Mr. Kenney’s credit. Trying to keep everything straight in an imaginary world can be a challenging task and he does this flawlessly. I will not spoil the ending of book 1, but it certainly is a cliff hanger! I am looking forward to breaking out book 2, which he just released called Shards of S’Darin.

I give this 5 out of 5 stars! Well done!

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

Cover art on Distant Familiarity provided by William Kenney!

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

Wothlondia Rising!

I wanted to first inform people that even if you do not have an eReader, there are free apps everywhere for iPhone, tablets and the like. There is also a 
FREE KINDLE APP for the PC right HERE!

I have a series of short stories about to hit the eReaders on both the Kindle and Nook for the low, low price of 99 cents! I wanted to share all of the teaser information with my fans, readers and anyone else that is interested in the Realm of Ashenclaw!

Cover to short story one by the amazing William Kenney!

I also want to thank very kindly the gracious folks who contributed to the series, including fellow fantasy author William Kenney, who provided my amazing illustrations and to Stephanie Dagg, for making me sound as though I can actually put together complete sentences! I'd also like to thank Mr. Jason Russell for having the patience to aid me in the whole process.

Keep your Eye on Ashenclaw for more info as to the release dates…. Without further ado, I give to you the teasers…

Wothlondia Rising is a series of short stories set in the original fantasy setting entitled the Realm of Ashenclaw. This series of short stories details life altering, significant events from the past that shape the course of these important characters, setting them on the path that will alter their lives forever!

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, turning him into an unclean lich! Can these ancient heroes find and recover the item before it is reunited with its former host?

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, and who is trying to find his way in life. 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?

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

Artwork provided by William Kenney!

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