Tower of Torment Preview #2

I could not help but get excited about bringing you another excerpt from my next Realm of Ashenclaw novel as it is in final editing stages.

This brings you an intimate scene with Rolin Hardbeard, the greatest dwarven warrior to grace the soil of Wothlondia as he confronts his greatest enemy... As always, I hope this entices you into the world of Wothlondia!

(PS. If you haven't read Secrets of the Ebonite Mines, there is a possible spoiler alert in the passage below.)

Rolin Hardbeard

A long time later, as the sweat began to moisten his skin and his muscles warmed again, Rolin smiled at the freedom of movement that condition offered him and wiped the glistening beads of moisture from his beard.

He needed to be ready.

He also believed that they considered him no real threat. They’d stripped him, but left his meager belongings in the cell with him. Except for his axe and armor, of course, which lay in the cell beside his own, but he could see them there.

He would need to acquire the keys to exit his cell and gain access. He longed to be reunited with his beloved axe—the axe that had slain more foes than he could count!—so that he could use its edge to rend his enemies’ flesh. He stared at the axe, wanting to feel the leathery grip upon his sweaty fingers as he brought it to bear on his enemies. And there were many.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted of that delightful imagery as he heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching. They grew louder as he looked about and they finally stopped. He squinted in the darkness, adjusting his vision to that spectrum, and noted a slagfell. This particular one carried an air of confidence as he strode forward. Rolin could not help but note the twin axes dangling from either side of his belt. They looked to be well-made and well-kept.
“How fares me elderly hero?” asked the gruff voice with a haughty snicker.

“Ye disrespect me and me kin, slagfell wretch. Yer kind are beneath me and me brethren, don’t ye be doubtin,” Rolin instigated, making his way toward the younger, well-armored slagfell. The torchlight in the distance danced upon his features and Rolin noted the graying beard, braided into four separate strands that hung to his chest. The slagfell’s features were not unlike his own, though most of them were slimmer and less stout than his true kin. This one was broader in the chest and arms, wider in stature, almost like he himself when he was younger.

“Let me outta’ this cage an’ I’ll be showin’ ye what kind a hero I be,” Rolin suggested, wiping newly formed sweat from his beard.

“I wouldn’t want to send ye ta yer grave earlier than need be, Rolin Hardbeard,” the slagfell said mockingly.

“Ye be knowin’ me name well enough, but I don’t be knowin’ yers,” Rolin said, leaning closer and staring into the dark eyes of his captor.

“I be Megnus, of clan Bloodstone. Me father is king o’ Shadowmere. All names ye’ll be familiarizin’ yerself with fer yer remainin’ days I’m thinkin’. If ye live long enough.”

“Why dontcha’ let this old dwarf outta this cage an’ I’ll be more n’ happy ta show ye the respect ye be deservin’….Prince Megnus,” he added the title and the word dripped with sarcasm.

“Are ye sure ye want to die this day? I be sure me king ain’t gon’ be happy if I were ta kill ye,” Megnus said again, his words full of derision once more. Rolin could not see his mouth, but he was sure there was a smile planted beneath that braided beard.

“So then let me outta here an’ I’ll be plantin’ me boot firmly in yer arse soon enough.” As he finished the threat, he saw the one named Megnus move toward the cell, but he stopped. It was going to take more, he knew, to entice this one into combat.

“I figured yer kin ta be cowards an’ now I be seein’ that’s true…puttin’ yerself in league with demons. They be influencin’ ye all too, eh?” Rolin noted the change on Megnus’s face with that remark.

He knew he had him. 

“Watch yer tongue, dwarf. Or I’ll take it from ye meself.”

“That’s what I been tellin’ ye ta do. Put me axe in me hand, an if ye beat me, ye can take me tongue,” Rolin said locking stares with the slagfell, his eyes smoldering with hate for the dwarf. Megnus moved forward and unlocked his cell. He methodically moved toward the neighboring cell, where Rolin’s axe and breastplate were, and unlocked it, moving aside afterwards. Rolin looked to him and hesitated, believing it to be a ruse of some kind until Megnus spoke once more.

“It be just you and me, dwarf,” Megnus stated moving toward the only exit and closing the door softly. He then placed the key in the lock and turned it, signifying that no one else would intrude upon their trial by combat.

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

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 2013 unless otherwise noted.

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

TOWER OF TORMENT Preview

First off, Happy Father's Day where applicable!

Secondly, my fourth book in the Realm of Ashenclaw series, the first of a new trilogy, is in the final stages of editing. It is entitled Tower of Torment, the trilogy will be entitled Embers of War, and it picks up right where Secrets of the Ebonite Mines left off. If you haven’t been keeping up, shame on you!

To recap, The BEGINNINGS trilogy starts with Book 1, Wothlondia Rising, which is a collection of short stories, but is important in that it lays the ground work for the next book. I feel that getting to know the protagonists before they get together is very important and so, this book has become a must-read in the series. Book 2 is the first full-length novel, entitled Covenant of the Faceless Knights and is actually the first book I wrote, but is second chronologically. This book picks up right after the last short story in the Wothlondia Rising Anthology and puts our group of lovable heroes together on a quest to recover a dangerous artifact, an amulet that contains the soul of an evil being—one that would grant lost power to the lich he has become.

Book 3, Secrets of the Ebonite Mines, continues our heroes on their quest, still looking for the artifact. However, as they continue their search, they meet up with a group of highwaymen led by a dwarven ex-noble, and his unique group of sellswords. Things escalate quickly as the two groups meet and some unexpected events leave our heroes with more disturbing information on the whereabouts of the artifact.

Book 4, TOWER OF TORMENT, progresses our story-lines as romance develops, new evils are discovered and tragic events become all-too-real for the group of companions along their quest. An underlying evil grows in strength and tragedy is faced all too often. All of this must be overcome, lest the realm fall to that very evil.

Without further ado, here is a preview from the 4th installment in the Realm of Ashenclaw series…

The incredible artwork of William J. Kenney

Garius immediately realized the futility of that last spell of healing. The man was dead instantly and the precision of the shot did not offer him even the slightest of chances at using his gift of divine healing.

 The bolt had not only penetrated the man’s heart, rendering him dead before Garius could even begin to tend his wound, but the area around the injury appeared covered in a poisonous substance. He could smell it.

Instead he removed The Repentant from its resting place upon his back and gripped its handle firmly. He infused the hammer with the divine magic that flowed freely within him and the runes lit up along with the hammer’s head. It felt light in his hands and he swung it hard, its massive head connecting with a slagfell warrior at the base of the three steps leading up and to the wine cellar, who was unwittingly—and justifiably!— giving his full attention to Orngoth.

 He recalled the first time he’d laid eyes upon the half-ogre as he shattered the skull of a slagfell warrior beneath his own helmet and smirked in remembrance. He quickly climbed the steps into the wine cellar and mouthed the words to another spell. That enchantment sent forth a blessing of divine power that settled over his allies. As the spell bathed them in holy light, he gripped The Repentant firmly in his hands once more and moved to intercept another of the slagfell assailants. 

Elec’s seat radiated with pain as his tailbone slammed against the floor. That was the least of his concerns though as he peered down to examine the pair of bolts that extended from his chest. He immediately refocused on the threat of the poison and carefully ran his fingers along his bandolier of elixirs until he found the proper one. Using his teeth to clamp down onto the plug, Elec removed it and downed the contents of the flask before replacing the stopper, and then the flask, into the bandolier.

He looked up in time to see one of the slagfell standing over him, an axe raised above his head in one hand, a crossbow in the other. A cruel grin was evident on his face beneath his thick, black beard and a crazed look was in his eyes beneath his steel helm.

“Time ta’ die, methinks!” But instead of a death blow, Elec witnessed a shadow fall over them both. The slagfell craned its neck about slowly in time to see the unforgiving surface of a club as it crushed both skull and helm. Elec winced at the ferocity with which the blow was struck, glanced up to see that both the helm and everything beneath had conformed to the shape of the heavy club, and also took note of the mask of rage set upon the half-ogre’s features. He silently thanked the gods that he was not the recipient of that unbridled ferocity.

Elec quickly returned his attention to the twin shafts and winced as he removed them from his flesh as quickly as possible. His lifeblood emerged in excess from beneath his leather jerkin and he removed a rag, soaked it in the alcohol that gathered in puddles on the floor, and placed it firmly against his chest, waiting for his potions to do their work.

He hoped that they would take effect before he passed out from the pain.

 

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 as it disappeared within the darkness. 

His heart raced and he became flush.

She is here!

“Are you all right?”

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. 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?” 

Saeunn realized Elec’s plight with horror. She hoped that it would not be the last time she spoke to the elf, realizing that he was finally beginning to excel in the ways of combat. The thought of losing another made her angry beyond words. She’d felt terrible loss before—many times, she recalled. And she would not allow another to die while she still had life within her.

Her bloodlust came calling just then and she did not contest it. Instead she kicked out and shoved one slagfell back, diving forward and under a wide arcing swing of an axe, landing further away, where she could make good use of her powerful sword. Until now, she’d been choking mid-way up the sword to the top of the handle and using it defensively.

The time for defensive fighting was over.

I hope this enticed you, teased you and made you squirm a little. Hope you all have a great rest of the weekend!

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.

Interview with E.W. Greenlee

In the following weeks, I will be conducting interviews with fellow authors (mostly fantasy/sci-fi) to introduce some of you to my friends and peers.

I had the pleasure of interviewing E.W. Greenlee, fellow writer who often authors supernatural and Sci-Fi, along with fantasy. I could go one telling you about him, but instead, let's sit back and read along as we find out more about this author!


When did you start writing? My first writing was in high school. It was a supernatural short story for a class titled: Literature of the Supernatural. It was at the time my teacher gave it an A+ and specifically pulled me aside to say I should consider a career in writing. Unfortunately, I was more in love with architecture than writing. My skills in grammar are not that impressive, but I always kept this in mind. In the 1990’s I wrote two stories on an old typewriter. However in 2000 I devoted myself to a 10 year journey to write an epic fantasy mythology titled: The Chosen One of Allivar.

Why do you write? I write because I truly miss stories that spark my imagination and thought. Often I read current stories where the author provides so much detail that my imagination is not allowed to take off. Or, the plot is so simple, it appears written for elementary level thought processes. I like challenges such as Dante’s Inferno, Paradise lost and the complete world of JRR Tolkien.

If your books were made into a movie, who would play the roles? Boy this is a hard one to answer. Since I am 53 years old and do not follow much of the current actors skills, I cannot name anyone at the moment. Whoever would be selected would have to play the roles in a humble manner. My characters are not super humans. They are human, with human weaknesses and fears.

What would be your choice for a superpower? The power of invisibility. The old expression, “Oh, to be a fly on the wall”, applies to me. This is similar to wearing the ring of power and being invisible like Bilbo and Frodo, without all the side effects, of course.

Who is your favorite author? Without doubt JRR Tolkien because he created an entire mythology complete with languages. He was also able to devote his entire life to the expansion of this mythology, instead of shifting track depending on whatever the current reader trends were. He remained loyal to himself and controlled for the most part his own creation. That quality I find very noble.

What are you reading now? I am reading George RR Martin’s – Game of Thrones. However, I admit fully to being a very slow reader. College taught me that reading the classics cannot be rushed, for the authors truly put effort into each sentence.

Who is your favorite character to write? At the current moment it is the antagonist, because one has to step into the mind of evil thoughts. This is very difficult, well, not as difficult as writing about a woman.

Do you have a writing process? Yes, I am CPA and Financial Advisor, so I am methodical. I first draft the chapters and the premise for each chapter. I jump into writing and then proof read after the story is complete, making edits for everything to blend properly.

What do you do when you aren’t writing? When I’m not assisting clients or writing, I have been trying to refresh my passion for sketching and drawing. I am also trying to learn more about controlling my artistic affairs by gaining knowledge of Adobe’s complete create suite. I have much to learn yet. Join a Toastmasters International speech club, get active and enter speech contests where you can further your story telling skills and get the word out about your writing works.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? Never, ever give up. Changes in self-publishing allow for everyone to give writing a try. In the end, it is not whether a publisher, agent, or editor likes your works, it is the reader. However, you must be open to constructive criticism and evaluation. I am also a member of Toastmasters International, where one can learn the craft of writing speeches, learning to evaluate and be evaluated, and just have a lot of fun.

What inspired you to pursue writing? JRR Tolkien is my greatest inspiration. His world allowed me to consider creating my own and to daydream again.

Tell us about your books I am currently writing a nineteen story mythology. Three of these stories are already completed and comprise the trilogy – The Chosen One of Allivar. The titles to the trilogy are:

Rise of the Fallen 

Bound to Forbidden Lands
Last Stand of the Living

The trilogy can stand alone, but I posed a question to my readers on whether they wanted more of the history. With a resounding yes, I have begun the next series which will comprise nine books, then a final series of seven books. Each of these series compliments the trilogy from a different perspective, one will truly understand upon completing the trilogy.

What sets your books apart from others of the genre? I would like to think that my stories separate me in that I created my very own world with unique beings and characteristics. The stories are fun and exciting reads, but they are also meant to challenge the mind and move one’s emotions.


E.W. Greenlee is a CPA and Financial Advisor living in Norman, OK. His world consists of oppressive regulations and compliance, where creativity can only land you in prison. To escape the bonds of mortal conformity and retain some sense of humor, he delves into the realm of fantasy, supernatural and science fiction writing. His first writing was a supernatural short story all the way back in 1976 and his English teacher suggested he consider a writing career.

Raised in a competitive family, there were no boundaries established to day-dreaming, art or any other creative endeavor. E.W. shares his free time with his wife for life, Tracy, and their Golden Retriever Ruby. In his spare time, EW blogs, sketches and delves into computer graphics or spends time in the outdoors dreaming of new stories and worlds.

For more information and social media links on EW Greenlee please visit his website

Website: http://www.allivarcreative.com/

 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 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!

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