Neil Sehmbhy Interview

First off, tell us a little bit about you, Neil...
Well I'm 34 this year I think. I stopped counting at 30. I live in UK near Birmingham with my wife and two children. I work as a senior manager for a hospitality company and in my spare time when I'm not writing I climb.

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books?
I have three books that are either completed or works in progress. The first is due to be published later this month in April which is a collection of short short stories and flash fiction which will be released by a new label The Penguins Head publishing.
Then I have a young adult Sci Fi / Fantasy fusion novel based on the adventures of a boy who falls into a hadron collider that is currently undergoing the editing process and a trilogy of Fantasy books that I am currently working on based Finnish mythology. This series I'm really excited about as I'm looking to twist a 14th century tale into a modern fantasy trilogy.

When did you start writing? 
I've always written on and off but I seriously started writing 16 months ago. Tired of hearing me moan about wanting to be an author, my wife enrolled me onto an all night writing workshop. I really enjoyed it and wanted to carry on writing.

Why do you write? 
For me its a release, I am forever day dreaming and creating new worlds in my head but when I write them down the stories just seem to flow. Writing has no limitations on what you can create it's freedom personified.

What would be your choice for a superpower?
Tough question. If I had to pick just one I would have to pick supersonic speed.

Who is your favorite author? 
Robert Jordan without a shadow of a doubt. I loved the world he created and I loved how his characters created an instant connection with the reader. Plus taking on an 10 plus book series takes serious guts.

What are you reading now? 
I'm reading Kafka on the Beach by Hiroshima Murikamyi

Who is your favorite character to write? 
My favorite character is my main protagonist in my trilogy Kullervi. He has the right mix of darkness and light in his persona which makes for an interesting character. Kullervo is one of many in my series of what I call grey characters. These types of characters are complex creatures lile all people and arw capable of heroic deeds and acts of pure selfishness. Everyone has an agenda just like the real world.

Do you have a writing process? 
Yes I tend to quite thorough in my preparation creating a world building bible or reference book. In this I will try and write down everything I think will be relevant, factions, politics, trade, conflicts, currencies, character profiles and plot time lines. It's an evolving document but once it's down then I juust write and story unfolds. From experience I have learnt to finish the story and then edit as to reduce any continuity errors

What advice would you give to an aspiring author? 
Always be prepared to learn, write everyday and don't be afraid to ask for critique. If you really want to write and produced decent work then you need to be prepared for people's opinions and understand that you're only as good as your last piece.

What inspired you to pursue writing?
I've always been a voracious reader especially Sci Fi / Fantasy. There's only so much 9-5 work you can do before you want to get lost in another world. If I wrote I have an opportunity to share my world's and my tales.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?
My son and I are huge comic book fans so anything Marvel and DC. We are addicted to Agents of Shield at the moment but equally I love The Walking Dead, abd Falling Skies. Oh and of course Game of Thrones.

What are your current projects?
Currently I am working on a dark and humorous zombie novella, my fantasy series Sunder and a standalone fantasy novel called Hidden Skies.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?
Everyone is busy nowadays so make use of technology to blog, write and post articles on the road or whenever you have a spare half an hour. If you set yourself goals and targets for writing and then allow yourself mini rewards you will find it easier to keep a firm discipline. Work ethic is key. Oh and watch out for my books and short stories being released this year and please Google me to see some of my work already out there.


Quick Fire:Cats or dogs? Dogs
Coffee or tea? Coffee
Favorite food? Pasta Carbonara
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Errrm Chocolate
What are 3 things you never leave home without? My keys, my phone and a pen
Laptop or desktop? Laptop
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with? Stephen Hawkings, Robert Downey Jr and Morgan Freeman
TV or Movies? Movies

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

Best-selling author of Wake the Dead!  On Amazon Kindle here!

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

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2014 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.

TEARS OF BLOOD FREE! Happy Birthday to ME?

Since my birthday is coming up, I have decided to give you a free short story again! What? Shouldn't I be receiving the gift, you say? Well, I kind of look at like this: I give you something for free, and you, in return, read my work and perhaps even post a review. Or, even better, you like it and come back to buy a few more in the series and begin your journey into the magnificent Realm of Ashenclaw. Whaddaya say? 

This is all leading up to my WIP, Secrets of the Ebonite Mines, dropping some time the end of the month, too, if all goes according to plan. I have the masterful William Kenney working on a cover that will knock your socks off and the incomparable Stephanie Dagg trying to make me once more sound as though I know what I am talking about! 

In all seriousness, nothing would make me happier than if you all simply read my work. I would love a review if you happen to read it on Amazon and Goodreads. That would certainly make me happy!

That is why I put pen to paper so to speak--a gift to you.

And just for a teaser, I will post another sample here, along with the cover again!

It will be available to download for the Amazon Kindle from Wednesday (6/6) all the way through until Sunday (6/10)! Enjoy!

“They seem to be… random in their movements. Like they are not organized. They have no leader, I think.”

Suddenly, a scout on horseback appeared in the distance. As he neared, he clumsily dismounted, stumbling to the ground. Scarr recognized the boy as one of Helzak’s children—Halton. Helzak was a fine bowman in Chansuk, and had the eyes of an eagle. Normally Helzak would be either hunting with Scarr or helping as a scout, but this day had him bedridden with sickness. That was why the boy was in his place. The young man approached with a frightened and disturbed look upon his pale, young face. His eyes were wide and he was pointing to the north as he attempted to gather himself.

“Halton, what is it?” asked Scarr as he tried to steady the boy.

“The… Greymoors,” managed the boy, gasping for air, the heat from his breath seen clearly against the cold of the morning air. “A horde…,” he continued, finally slowing his breathing. “A horde of… something… is coming this way!”

Scarr grabbed the boy by his comparably smaller arms and pulled him closer. “A horde heading where?!” demanded the barbarian chieftain.

“They are heading northwest. Most of them, anyway,” cried the young man. Scarr could feel the boy shaking and fidgeting in his grip, truly frightened by whatever it was that he had witnessed.

“How far are they now, boy?” asked Scarr, plans formulating in his mind.

“Many miles still,” Halton answered, motionless in the iron grip of Scarr’s powerful hands. “I was able to spot them a great distance away, but—“

“But, what?” insisted Scarr, pulling the boy even closer. They were almost nose to nose.

Scarr pushed Halton back and released his vise-like grip, admiring the boy’s obvious talent for perception and observance of details. Just like Helzak, thought Scarr. The boy fell backward, but caught his balance and stood again, staring at the commanding barbarian before him who tugged at his braided beard thoughtfully.

“Alert the village,” Scarr ordered, specifically directing this command to Magreth. He nodded and ran off in a dead sprint. Then he turned to Rothnarr and added, “You’d better alert your people, too, if your father doesn’t know already.”

“Aye,” Rothnarr agreed and strode away with purpose.

Within moments, a crowd began to form around their leader, a wall of muscled barbarians who stood intently awaiting the words of their great chieftain.

“Barbarians of Chansuk,” Scarr began, but then hesitated, seeing his daughter amongst the group, her hair now braided and tied back in a pony tail. “We are facing an enemy unknown to us. But, whoever they are, we will send them running back in the direction from whence they came!”

A chorus of cheers went up with that declaration, a deafening roar from the hundreds of barbarians gathered. That roar slowly turned into a chant of “Chan-suk, Chan-suk!”

Join me @ 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!

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.

Short Stories vs. Full Length Novels

I was just mulling over the idea of the short story vs. the full length novel and have found some interesting differences from many people. The results are so different it is staggering. During some random questioning, I have found that almost equal amounts of those polled enjoyed both and for good reasons.

Artwork provided by William Kenney

Short stories are, well…short! Some people only have limited time to read and want a close-ended story that has a beginning, middle and end reached quickly as to move onto the next one. Those who enjoy novels do so because they enjoy immersing themselves into lengthy reads and feel that they want as much bang for their buck as possible. These are all excellent answers and ones that I cannot refute or argue.

I actually considered the idea of serializing my series/stories for a few weeks, thinking to offer small amounts of content like they did in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Reason being you give them a small taste and have them come back for more, kind of like modern comic book series. I ultimately decided against this and wanted to deliver classic trilogies (or even an as yet undefined number in a series) to give the reader some meat upon which to chew. However, I am finding that my short stories are doing well enough to merit their efforts (though I always hope for more!)

What does the audience think when it comes to series/novels/short stories/novellas/etc.? What do you want out of your stories?

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!

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

Editorial Exposure!

I am having an extremely busy week and haven't had a chance to really prepare a well-designed post...*ack*! That being said, my editor and fellow author, Stephanie Dagg, did a recent blog post discussing my Wothlondia Rising series and I wanted to share that with you. Check it out on her site called BOOKS ARE COOL! She is an author as well and you may want to check out her books while you are there, too.

The post can be found here...CLICK ME

Until we meet again...

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.

Authors Need Reviews

I am writing this because it has come to my attention (more than three times this week alone) that authors need reviews. Plain and simple. And let me be very clear about this despite what I am going to write with regards to my own experience: This is not about me—rather it is a general petition to audiences everywhere.

I also need to say this before I proceed: For anyone that has written me a review personally, I cannot thank you enough…truly. It means more to me than you can imagine to have you all helping me by giving me criticism, thoughts and most of all—appreciation!

Now, I was going to do a post about this a few weeks ago when I spoke to two authors who told me in passing that they received no support from friends or family in their writing career and I sympathized with them. But I let it go thinking that if I post something, it will come out the wrong way…and to some degree I still feel that way. So, I ignored my urge and continued putting my head down and plowing through my activities. Then yesterday, I received an email while continuing work on my second novel. It was from Goodreads and it gave me stats about my books and also included this:

Funny, right? So, those of you that believe in fate or what-have-you, I thought it was some higher power telling me to go ahead with the post (or at least someone at Goodreads with an uncanny sense of timing!)

One particular author went on to tell me, quote: 

“And most of my friends have been hopeless. One or two have been wonderful, but generally not. I've asked various family members to do reviews too, and said I'll give them the money to buy the books if they need me too.” 

This was remarkable to me and not the first time I have heard this story. I will not reveal the names of the people included here as I do not think it is fair to them, but their pleas needs to be heard and there are many! Another author has expressed the same sentiment and I am betting that if I spoke to many others, they might tell me the same thing. I have discussed the topic ad nauseum about their friends and family supporting them and have come up with the same general reply: no help or very little. All they are asking is for a little help and support. And I am addressing this to other authors as well: help out your peers!

Ask yourself these questions:

How long would it take to write a review?

Is it really that much of an inconvenience for me to read the book that *insert name here* took the time to outline, write and publish?

I understand that—in my case especially—my genre doesn’t appeal to everyone and that’s fine. It is what it is. But, I have many friends that write mystery, suspense and other ‘mainstream’ genres that appeal to an even broader audience and they tell me the same thing.

In closing, I am sorry that this might sound preachy, but it needed to be said. I am asking for all of the true friends and supporters of my fellow independent authors to step up and lend your support! Thanks for reading and have a wonderful week!

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase Covenant of the Faceless Knights and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

Photo from Stock.xchng.

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2011 unless otherwise noted. 

Wothlondia Rising Reviews

Just wanted to share a few nice reviews along with a 5 star rating I received on Goodreads and Amazon from those individuals who enjoyed the first short story in the Wothlondia Rising series. Their reviews are as follows~


Review Number One:

Rick F. rated it

The absolutely fascinating and original plot of this series of connected short stories written by the brilliant Gary Vanucci is magnificent and addicting in its scope.

"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?"

I found myself immediately (and happily) plunged into a complex and remarkable world, peopled by characters so well drawn and locations expertly painted by words. Wothlondia Rising 1: Distant Familiarity is so very unique is so many ways - all of them laudable. As we accompany Tiyarnon the High Priest, Rolin Hardbeard and Nimaira Silvershade on their harrowing adventures, the reader feels as if he/she is truly a part of their quest- a rare feat only able to be accomplished by a truly fine writer. Gary Vanucci is a truly fine writer, indeed!

A JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB MUST READ

RICK FRIEDMAN
FOUNDER
THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB 

Review Number Two:  

5.0 out of 5 stars An Ominous Beginning.....

By 

BigSexy 

As a prologue/prequel to the events in the novel "Covenant of the Faceless Knights" the first installment of these short stories doesn't fail to disappoint. Mr. Vanucci gives a a very insightful background to three characters that aren't the "main" characters of his first novel. In this short story he gives the reader an insight of the incredible evil that is the background for his epic stories to come....

Review Number Three: 
(I had to add this one recently, too!)
Stephanie Dagg rated it  

Wothlondia Rising: Distant Familiarity is the first in a series of short stories by this very talented science fiction author. The realm of Wothlondia is a fascinating one, with distinctive landscapes and a rich variety of inhabitants, including dwarves, elves, barbarians, ogres and zombies.
This story introduces us to the three friends Tiyarnon the High Priest, Rolin Hardbeard the dwarf and half-elf Nimaira Silvershade. It’s a touching account of their relationship as they unite to face an old and dangerous enemy who may possibly be too powerful for them to defeat. Can he control their wills and turn them against each other? Or do they know and trust each other well enough to overcome Cyrza’s challenge?
Gary Vanucci creates excitement and tension in this story through the cleverly constructed, fast-moving plot and his inspired use of language which ranges from the brutal to the beautiful.
This is definitely a book to read and an author to watch out for. 

I just wanted to share these with my peers and followers! It is nice to receive validation for your hard work every once in a while. I am sure that other authors are dying for reviews and will touch on this in a blog later this week on that very subject, so stay tuned!

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.

Ashenclaw Studios 2012 Game Plan

With the New Year fast approaching and my new job demanding much of my attention, I wanted to address a post concerning what Ashenclaw Studios has in store for 2012!

Firstly, I have been writing and editing and generally poring over a series of short stories that I intend to release soon, hopefully in the first quarter of the year. I am targeting around April to have at least the first of the six out, with the others to follow shortly after. The short stories will include the happenings of the three High Council members Tiyarnon the High Priest of The Shimmering One, Nimaira Silvershade, the half-elven mage and Rolin Hardbeard, the dwarven warrior, prior to the Prologue to CotFK*. If you read the book, it may explain why they had to go and find help! Then I will add tales (from approximately 12 years or so prior to the novel) concerning our protagonists, which will add to the character building and give a glimpse into their history, describing important events in their past that put them on the paths they currently walk. These will theoretically be ninety-nine cent downloads straight to your kindles, Nooks, iPads and other reading devices.



Secondly, Nick Titano (of Infernal Titans & Ashenclaw Studios) and I, as well as the rest of the gang at the studio (Tom, Liz and the others) are working on a role-playing aid that we intend to publish as a supplement to 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons as well. The work has stalled a bit with the holidays approaching, but we plan to accelerate the work after the first of the year. This is requiring quite a bit of work, as we are intending to give the audience a broad and general lay of the land with all of the important towns and hotspots in Wothlondia clearly marked and a brief description of the towns. We figured a general description of the cities and areas might be just the spark that a Dungeon Master might need to spice up his own campaign or even start a new one in the Realm of Ashenclaw setting. We are also working on a brand new character class based on the alchemistic stylings of Elec Stormwhisper in the first novel. He is being designed as Nick describes it as “an At-Will, Encounter, Daily, Utility class,” as well as a few new monsters that we have play tested and are—if I may say so—awesome! We are also working on a shield-bashing Ranger defender essentials build.

As a side note, I will be having a contest shortly to give the potion-popping class of Elec Stormwhisper a name where you can win a signed copy of CotFK if we choose your suggestion! We have a few ideas, but I am not going to give any indication of what we are thinking and leave it strictly up to you.

There are also several themes being worked on as well for the RPG. I am shooting for a midsummer release of this with possibly more supplements to come. I will keep anyone posted that asks. This will certainly be available as a download for sure and we are looking into a possible print version, though I would like more feedback from you gamers out there what you would like to see. Is a download to your laptop or tablet good enough?

Thirdly, I am hoping beyond hope to release the second novel in the Beginnings series by the end of next year. I am leaning again toward an eBook only version of this, but have not decided for sure. I had started writing this late last year with an outline and got about 1/3 of the way through before business decisions tore me away from this and back to getting the first novel published and put together. It is tentatively entitled -- Secrets of the Ebonite Mines.


As always, I would love to hear from any and everyone concerning the stories and the RPG supplement.

*Covenant of the Faceless Knights, my first full-length novel.

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase Covenant of the Faceless Knights and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

Photos from Stock.xchng & Nick Titano's camera @2011 Gencon! 

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios, LLC 2011 unless otherwise noted.