Welcome, Mel Chelsey and Adversarius

Please enjoy this little intro to Mel Chesley, a fellow fantasy author. Her first fantasy novel, Adversarius is now available. I'm so thrilled to be able to support a new author, especially one as entthusiastic and hardworking as Mel. Please read about her book, the first in The Shadow of the Rose series.

Blurb:

Two kingdoms, two goals.
The king of Relavia is determined to wipe out his warring neighbors in Paridzule, a worthy adversary for over five hundred years. News of an arranged marriage between his son and the daughter of his lifelong enemy has fueled the temper of Relavia's tyrannical king. What he doesn't realize is the true measure of his son's honor and how far he is willing to go to gain peace.

Author Bio:

M. L. Chesley is an Alaska based author, online blogger and MMORPG junkie. She has been writing fantasy for several years. Between writing, work and family she barely has time for much gaming, but some days, raids take precedence over all. If you would like to learn more about her world, created in this book, go to www.mlchesley.webs.com. You can also follow her blog at www.caledonialass.blogspot.com.

 

Links:

Blog: www.caledonialass.blogspot.com

Twitter: @MLChesley

Website: www.mlchesley.webs.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mel.chesley

Purchase Links:

Amazon: Adversarius

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/262445

 

Excerpt 1: Captain Sorcha Lilanthroe pushed her spyglass back in upon itself and leaned on the railing of the quarterdeck. She chewed the inside of her cheek, trying to make a decision.

“Fromas,” she finally beckoned her bosun and brother-in-law to her. She passed him the spyglass and lifted her chin in the direction she had been studying. “What does that look like to you? Two points off the port bow,” she directed.

Fromas lifted the contraption to his eye and surveyed the horizon. The suns shone onto his bald head. After a moment, he lowered the spyglass. He tilted his head slightly as he looked at his captain.

“Looks tae be the remains of a ship,” he confirmed her suspicions. “Hard tae tell, but by the color of the sails, might be a warship. Possibly from Paridzule.” Smoke billowed up over the wreckage and as they sailed closer, flotsam appeared in the water. The wake of her ship, the Blue Drake, pushed it easily aside. Sorcha lifted her chin again, indicating another point off the opposite railing for him to inspect.

“And what do you make of that? Four points starboard.” He lifted the glass to his eye once more and whistled softly.

“That looks tae be a survivor,” he passed the spyglass back to Sorcha.

“Indeed it does.”

“What be your orders, Cap'n?”

“Prepare to bring them aboard.”

“Man overboard!” Fromas bellowed, and the crew below them on the main deck relayed the order and prepared to pull the person from the water. One of the crewmen grabbed the gaff, leaning over the railing with the long pole. He made sure to hook the wreckage the person floated on—not flesh. Some of Sorcha's crew pulled on a rope attached to a pulley, sending a man sitting on a plank with a rope tied to each end like a swing, high into the air. Another pull of the rope and he swung beyond the railing as they lowered him into the water. As the man wrapped his arms around the unconscious form, he gave a shout and the men on deck pulled again, lifting both people out of the water and on to the deck, water spraying everyone in a wide arc.

Sorcha left the quarterdeck, going down the stairs to where her crew gathered around the still figure. She jabbed them with her elbows, shoving them roughly aside.

“Someone go fetch Percy. Move!” She shoved several more of her men out of the way and knelt down, pressing two fingers to the cool skin of the girl's neck. Life pulsed there, weak, but life nonetheless. She grabbed first one hand, then the other, looking for something specific. Sorcha found it on the right hand, slipped it off of the unconscious girl's finger and deftly stuck it in her pocket. “All of ye get back to yer stations!” she hollered. Most of the men frowned down at the girl lying on the deck but knew better than to disobey their captain.

 

Isn't that a cool cover? Do you have any questions for Mel? Can you leave a like for her on Amazon? Please check out her blog.

 

 

 

 

T: Trilogy or More

T:  If you've visited me before, you know I write epic fantasy.  Epic fantasy and many other types of fantasy, usually means a multi-book series.  Science fiction often is delivered in a series of novels set in the same world and involving the same characters.  Mystery, romance, suspense and other genres tend to come in series also.  And why not?

If a reader falls in love with the world and the mythology created, they'll come back again and again to the adventures and intrigues the author composes. But how long will the reader return? At what point does the series drag on too long?  It depends.

The author must keep the storyline from getting repetitive. TV series face the same challenge. Is there a bad guy of the week or of the novel? Many mystery series are like that.  Is the new criminal, the new threat to world peace, interesting with new quirks and higher stakes? If there is a continuing story arc, does each novel move it forward? Are more and more questions asked and are some old mysteries solved and explained? Is the tension rising from novel to novel?

I used to think all fantasy series were best if kept to a trilogy.  Perhaps Tolkien taught me that.  Then I started reading authors like Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind who spin their epic fantasy out over more than a dozen books.  Some of the books in each series were better than others, but I intend to keep reading them as long as they keep going.  So three is no longer a magic number in my opinion.

Have you ever read a book series you thought went on too long? Do you enjoy reading series or do you prefer stand alone novels?

Perfect Series Length

I read and write fantasy.  Most of the early fantasy I read had been written in three book series.  Most epic fantasy followed the standard set by Tolkien.  After all if the master could create a story the scope of The Lord of the Rings, would would anyone need to drag the story out for more than three books.  But some could argue Tolkien's saga was actually four books if you include The Hobbit.  Then along came Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time series and a new idea of how long epic really is and it's not done yet, outliving even its creator.  Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series came along to challenge Jordan's record and he's still going with it.

So what is the perfect length.  I don't mind reading ten or fifteen books set in a series unless I have to wait more than half a decade for the next book in a series and if the author keeps the story tight and moving ever deeper into intrigue with escalating tensions and the fate of the world at stake.  Some can do this and some can't though I won't mention names.  On the other hand I've read three or four book epic fantasy series where I didn't even care if I finished the final book. 

My first fantasy series is four books long.  I planned it for three but the complications took longer to bring to a head than I expected when I started it.  I'm currently a book and a half into my second fantasy series and expect it to also be four books long. 

How long do you like for your book series to be as a reader or a writer?  Have you fallen out of love with a series after you'd invested time reading the early books in it?

The Fantastic Jon Sprunk

Please welcome Jon Sprunk, author of Shadow's Son, to speak on a wide range of subjects today.  If you love fantasy his book is one you shouldn't miss.  Don't start it if you have work the next day because you'll be up all night.  Read on to learn a little about this gifted author and his fantasy series.

I've heard lots of parents talking about the interactive books for children available on some eReaders. As a father do you see this newest technology as a useful tool in teaching your child to love books?

Yes, completely. The next generation (my little guy is two-years-old) is going to be so much more tech-savvy than we are. I think eReaders, as they evolve, will become great tools for learning. Of course, as an Old Guy, I still hope that my son appreciates paper books as well.

What is the best fantasy movie you've seen in 2010 and what book besides your own would you like to see made into a movie?
I haven’t seen many fantasy movies this year, unless you count Inception, which I thought was very cool. I enjoyed the latest Harry Potter installment. The only other major fantasy movie I can remember was the Clash of the Titans remake – and the less I say about that one, the better.
Well, I’d love to see The Keepers of Sulbreth on the big screen. (I’d make you sign my popcorn bag.) And I think a new Conan movie, with Arnold playing an older King Conan, would be interesting (but please, not another Destroyer fiasco).

When you write do you like it quiet? Music? TV? Or can you work regardless of any distractions?
When I’m creating fresh material, I like to listen to music. Typically heavy metal. But that’s about it. Having the TV on, or someone talking nearby, are distractions I cannot abide. Fortunately for me, I have a very understanding family who give me lots of free time in my writing cave. They even toss down snacks once in a while.
Are you making any appearances in 2011 where your fans can meet you in person?
I’m in the process of seeing where I want to go, versus the availability of funds and time. I’d like to attend more local conventions this year, like the Pittsburgh Comic Con, Balticon, and PhilCon. I won’t be going to Dragon*Con this year, although I loved it.
Those interested can keep an eye on my website where I post my upcoming appearances.
Shadow's Son is the start of a series (and I can't wait for the next one), can you tell us the title of the forthcoming second installment, the release date and how many more books we can expect in this particular series?
Well, thank you very much. The sequel is titled Shadow’s Lure, and it will be out sometime in early summer 2011. The third and final book in the series should be out the summer of 2012.
Shadow’s Lure takes the main character, Caim, back to the land of his birth in search of clues about his mother’s disappearance eighteen years earlier. But what he finds in the cold North is a new threat with world-shaking implications.
How about a blurb for Shadow's Son?
Sure. Here if the official blurb:
In the holy city of Othir, treachery and corruption lurk at the end of every street, just the place for a freelance assassin with no loyalties and few scruples.
Caim makes his living on the edge of a blade, but when a routine job goes south, he is thrust into the middle of an insidious plot. Pitted against crooked lawmen, rival killers, and sorcery from the Other Side, his only allies are Josephine, the socialite daughter of his last victim, and Kit, a guardian spirit no one else can see. But in this fight for his life, Caim only trusts his knives and his instincts, but they won't be enough when his quest for justice leads him from Othir's hazardous back alleys to its shining corridors of power. To unmask a conspiracy at the heart of the empire, he must claim his birthright as the Shadow's Son....
And I was just telling people at my last signing, as they wandered past me in the bookstore, that – at heart—this novel is about Caim’s self-discovery. He begins the story believing he knows it all, that he’s happy in his little world where he controls everything. But as the book progresses he starts to understand there is more to life than just appeasing your own appetites, that other people matter, too. In that way, it mirrors the growth from adolescence to maturity.
Can you tell us where to buy your book in print or where to buy it for our terrific new eReaders?
Well, you can find it in major bookstores across the country (or order it from them if they don’t have copies in stock). The publisher’s page (http://www.pyrsf.com/ShadowsSon.html) has purchasing links on the left side. It’s also on Amazon, both in trade paperback and Kindle.
Thank you, Susan, for this chance to talk about my books. Best of luck to you and your readers!

This book is already on the eReader I received for Christmas.  Follow the buy links and add it to yours.  One of the best things about fantasy is the world-building.  You can read a book over and over again and discover something new each time.  Shadow's Son is one of those books you'll want to read many times.

An Editor's Insight

David Pomerico, an assistant editor or Del Ray Spectra, was the publishing representative I hoped to learn the most from. Don’t we all want to know what they’re looking for? He started with some humorous suggestions about what would be the next big thing in fantasy after vampires and werewolves have their day. There were many laughs about the attempts to make zombies romantic and heroic. He suggested robots but with a grin that suggested he wasn’t serious. He believes plots with a post-apocalypse theme are very acceptable now and likely will be for some time.


An interesting insight David shared with us was his belief of 9/11’s influence on the popularity of certain types or heroes. People like a more human hero who might even be morally ambiguous rather than a super hero. He suggests we include the personal psychological outlook on life as the fireman and police who charged into the World Trade Centers when everyone else was running out. Readers want to believe we can all be heroes when the moment is upon us.

Tie-ins to video games, popular sci-fi franchises are always good such as Halo, Star Wars and others of that ilk. Military sci-fi, the space marine plot, are still popular.

David believes the fantasy, sci-fi fans and publishers are at the forefront of using the new technology available to the industry and readers. He sees more multi-media coming with video, graphics and games being tied to novels. He hinted at a rumor the newest version of the Kindle coming out next year will have video capabilities.

The question came up about how books are labeled and shelved. He simplified the answer saying urban fantasy is a novel where the fantasy is the most essential part of the book. He defined paranormal romance as including the important ‘happily ever after,’ and the focus of the book in on the relationships. He also emphasized how in fantasy and sci-fi, readers love series so it’s best not to write a book with no sequels in mind.

David was a friendly, patient and down to earth speaker. He called himself a nerd numerous times and entertained us with his wit and knowledge. He’s one more great example of the quality of people Pennwriters bring to their conference.

What do you think of David’s predictions and definitions? Do you agree with his idea of what readers want in their hero and heroine?

The Spice of Variety

Most writers are also voracious readers. We love the written word and not only when we're the one penning, I mean typing, it. Visit your favorite author's blog regularly and sooner or later you're going to read about her TBR pile. That means To Be Read for you lucky folks who read every book as soon as you get it. I have a small stack compared to some people I know. I glanced at it before starting this post, thinking about which book I might start next. Not that I'm ready to start another one.
Currently I have two different fantasy novels started. The Wells of Ascension is the second book in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series. He's a must read writer if you love fantasy. The other fantasy novel is the fourth and final book in a series by Greg Keyes. The Born Queen is wrapping up his series, The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone. I usually don't read two of the same genre at the same time. More likely if I'm reading two books one is a fantasy, my favorite, and the other is either a romance or a suspense novel. I even through an occasional horror or even a western in there as well as a literary offering. I have some favorite authors in all those genres but am open to trying new ones. My daughter even talks me into sampling her young adult books.
I believe it's important for an author to venture outside their chosen genre in her reading. Reading suspense has taught me to make my own story telling more edgy. Reading romance helps me keep my dialogue interesting and realistic. The few literary titles I select remind me how school reading requirements need revamped but also often introduce me to dark insights into human nature I can incorporate into my characters. The young adult books remind me how each chapter must move the story forward or you'll lose your audience quicker than your teen can text message 'r u maken food 4 nune?'
So what do you think? Is it important for an author to read across the spectrum or does it make a better romance writer to read only romance? Should a fantasy author stick with their own area? There are hundreds of books I would read if I had time. Do you as an author read what you don't write/