Join Me This Saturday, September 7 from 2-4 pm
for a Haunted Hotels of Michigan Book Signing
at Charlins Book Nook In Frankenmuth Michigan
https://www.facebook.com/events/799033622090230/
Writers of the Future Volume 40
Volume 40
L. Ron Hubbard, Nancy Kress, S. M. Stirling, Gregory Benford, Bob Eggleton, Dean Amir Agoora, James Davies, Kal M, Sky McKinnon, Jack Nash, Rosalyn Robilliard, Lance Robinson, John Eric Schleicher, Lisa Silverthorne, Stephannie Tallent, Tom Vandermolen, and Galen Westlake
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
Publisher: Galaxy Press
Date of Publication: 7 May 2024
ISBN: 978-1-61986-774-1
ASIN: 1619867745
Number of pages: 448
Cover Artist: Dan dos Santos
Tagline: The Best New SF & Fantasy of the Year
Book Description:
Experience these powerful new voices—vivid, visceral, and visionary—as they explore uncharted worlds and reveal unlimited possibilities.
This 40th anniversary edition brings you 12 strikingly original stories and illustrations―by the best new creative talent in speculative fiction, all winners of the Writers of the Future Contest (selected by some of your favorite authors in the genre). The collection is rounded out with bonus stories and articles by bestselling authors and internationally renowned artists.
Be carried away by stories—and illustrations—that will make you think, laugh, and see the world in ways you never imagined. From deep space disaster to a world where spirits walk among us, and the full spectrum in between—vivid, visceral, and visionary.
“A hopeful collection delivering, as the best sci-fi always does, a thirst for seeking out and pushing boundaries.
“An impressive 40 years since its inception, the Writers of the Future contest (originally created by L. Ron Hubbard of Battlefield Earth fame), continues to bring to the fore a plethora of exciting new talent in the world of SFF and fantasy writing.” —SciFiNow.co.uk
“See the best of the best culled for you, curated and selected in a single volume every year.” —Robert J. Sawyer
“This is where the next stars are born.” —Hugh Howey
“Excellent speculative fiction. They’re cutting edge.” —Nnedi Okorafor
"An explosion of color and life in amazing variety." —Kevin J. Anderson
You will love this original sci-fi and fantasy collection because, as Locus Magazine says, these are by “Hot new talent.”
Book Trailer:
The Wall Isn’t a Circle – WOTF 40 eBook Sampler: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/jrx34nh92s
Butter Side Down – WOTF 40 Audiobook Sampler: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/isqxcrwi3z
About the Contributors:
24 Award-winning Authors and Illustrators
3 Bonus Short Stories by L. Ron Hubbard • Nancy Kress • S. M. Stirling
Art and Writing Tips by Gregory Benford • Bob Eggleton • L. Ron Hubbard • Dean Wesley Smith
Edited by Jody Lynn Nye
Cover art by Dan dos Santos
Narrated by Jim Mesimen • Taylor Meskimen • Tamra Meskimen • Victoria Summer
Learn More About Writers of the Future
Enter the Writing Contest
https://www.writersofthefuture.com/enter-writer-contest/
Free Writing Workshop
https://www.writersofthefuture.com/writing-workshop/
Writing Podcast
https://www.writersofthefuture.com/podcast/
Writers Forum
https://www.writersofthefuture.com/forum/
WofF Social Media
https://twitter.com/WotFContest
https://www.facebook.com/WotFContest
https://www.instagram.com/wotfcontest/
https://www.pinterest.com/RealWotF/
https://www.youtube.com/user/WritersoftheFuture
https://www.tiktok.com/@wotfcontest
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209155210-l-ron-hubbard-presents.png)
Unexpected Revival by E.L. Roux #SciFiRomance
Revived
Book One
E.L. Roux
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: August 14, 2024
ISBN: 978-1-5092-5657-0
ISBN: 978-1-5092-5548-1
ASIN: B0CW1GBTCT
Number of pages: 406
Word Count: 104,934
Cover Artist: Wild Rose Press
Tagline: She wanted it all, but she’d have to save the galaxy to keep it…
Book Description:
Dying a thousand years ago was the easy part.
Stopping a planetary annihilation? That might just kill her again.
The cat-like alien blocking her exit was the first clue Shannon had that something wasn’t right. Discovering she’d was freshly thawed from cryogenic stasis was her second. When the corporation that revived her wants answers about how she played a part in the destruction of earth over a millennium ago, she's more than willing to respond. The only problem is she doesn't remember how.
He was everything she wanted, but nothing like what she was used to…
Out of balance in this new era, Shannon turns to D’lane, the other out-of-place being in her new sphere of existence. Now slightly less terrifying, the intimidated alien male is shifting from a close friend to something more. A relationship she’d be more willing to explore if he wasn’t dead set on fulfilling his destiny, at the cost of destroying everything they’d built.
She wanted it all, but she’d have to save the galaxy to keep it…
With another planetary annihilation on the horizon, it’ll take everything Shannon and D’lane have to work together and unearth new information on how to stop the impending battle. With enemies hiding everywhere, they’ll have to learn to rely on each other to survive what’s coming for them, because not everyone wants to stop the attack.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/ApZDSrJNBAE
Excerpt:
“In my culture, names have strong meanings.” D’lane pulled out the curved blade strapped to his arm and cut up the meat he’d been eating earlier into small precise pieces. “They’re meant to impart wisdom and advice throughout our lives.”
She straightened and tucked her hands onto her lap. This was an interesting conversational change. “There are, or at least used to be, cultures on Earth that believed the same. I’ve always loved that philosophy. What does yours mean?”
“Mine is a powerful name.” His lips were roguishly tipped up at the corner, exposing sharp eye teeth. He settled into his seat, as if preparing to lecture a student. The surrounding mess hall noise dimmed as she focused on him. “I am named after one of our past kings. A mighty Chriw’rian who fought valiantly against the Hissat or, as you humans call them, the Anunnaki. He’s credited with their first defeat on our planet.”
She locked her fingers together. “Really?”
He placed the curved knife beside her tray. “For your protein.”
Shannon glanced around the room. Surely someone would jump in to stop him from offering her a weapon. When no one did, she picked up the knife and cut up the last bit of food on her plate, a wrinkled sausage link in an off-putting green color. The blade cut smoothly through the dehydrated chunk. “Thank you.”
She fingered the metal handle. Smooth and warm in her hand, she tilted the blade far enough to see her reflection on its surface. She wanted to keep it. She placed the knife beside her tray and glanced up as D’lane consumed the last of his jerky.
He pushed his empty tray to the side. “The previous D’lane crashed his warship into the Anunnaki fighter set to bomb our most vulnerable. His actions disrupted the mothership and allowed the rest of the fleet to destroy them. If not for his heroic actions, my planet wouldn’t
have survived their last attack.”She ate a bite of the sausage and winced. It fought her with every chew. Mouth dry, she discreetly spit it into her napkin. A few brows arched in her direction, including D’lane’s. To give herself something to do, she handed the knife back, handle first. He wouldn’t have let her keep it anyway. “Have you figured out how your name dictates your future?”
“Yes.” His fingers brushed hers as he accepted its return. The silver metal blurred when he holstered the blade. This male moved quickly.
She was afraid to ask about his future. She kind of liked this particular alien and didn’t want to see him dying any time soon. “And?”
He grinned and flashed his sharp canines. “One belief is I will be a great benefit to my people, but unable to participate in the ultimate victory of my path.”
“Does that mean you expect to die?” Shannon asked, undecided on if his smile edged from sexy into frightening.
“It is a possibility.”
She picked up her sausage, put it back down, and frowned. “You said one of the meanings. Can you choose another path?”
“There are many possibilities that exist for an individual. The Namegivers do not choose lightly when gifting a child at birth with their destiny. I could follow another D’lane’s path, or I could forge my own fate and provide a future for another down the line as the previous D’lane did.”
“Which destiny is yours?”
“I follow the path of the king.”
“Ah.” She ran her finger over the smooth surface of the table. Did that mean he expected to die or was there another path within that destiny he would follow? How did someone know which one to follow?
It had taken her months in college to discover she wasn’t interested in chemistry. Six long hellish months. The frustration alone for losing that small bit of time seemed inconsequential when compared to the possibility of traveling an entire lifetime down the wrong path.
He tapped the table. “What does your name mean?”
She huffed, knowing her name meant little when compared to his. She’d looked it up once after an unpleasant conversation with her father. “It means possessor of wisdom.”
Her father had wanted to call her Clair after his sister, but her mother had gone with Shannon after hearing it on a show during labor. The uncomfortable conversation on how he’d hated her name had been a slight peek into her mother’s past, even as her dad lay drunk on the couch. He’d apologized later, but the damage had already been done. She forced a laugh to lighten the mood. “If you take it to mean I went to school, then I’ve lived up to the title.”
“It is accurate.” His nail pressed down on the table’s surface. A bit of plastic curled in its wake. His nails were either extremely durable or the tables were flimsy. Shannon flattened her hand next to her tray and curled her fingers. She scratched at the table and winced as her nail bent back. “How so?”
“You were revived for information that will save billions of lives and stop a war.”
E.L. Roux is a Science Fiction and Fantasy Romance author who writes about finding love in all the wrong places. E.L. uses their knowledge on everything from prosthetics to the sport of fencing, to weave together complex romances you can't put down.
E.L. Roux lives in Washington State with their artistically inclined family, an indoor street cat, and a terror of a Bosten Terrier.
Website: https://elrouxauthor.wordpress.com/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/csUKLD
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Happy Release Day Haunted Hotels of Michigan by Roxanne Rhoads
Haunted America Series
Roxanne Rhoads
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Genre: Haunted History, Travel
Release Date: August 12, 2024
ISBN-13: 9781467157858
Pages: 128
Are you brave enough to visit Michigan's most haunted hotels?
From captivating tales of lingering lumber barons to lovelorn ladies and chilling stories of murder, Michigan's hotels hold secrets that will send shivers down the spine.
Ghostly apparitions and mysterious whispers have terrified guests for years at Petoskey's Terrace Inn and The House of Ludington in Escanaba, while eerie occurrences and disembodied voices wake guests in the night at Kalamazoo's Henderson Castle Inn. Once named America's Most Haunted City, Mackinac Island has enough ghosts to keep visitors sleepless for a lifetime.
Embark on a spine-chilling journey through the Mitten State with Haunted Flint author Roxanne Rhoads as she unveils the spooky history of Michigan's most haunted hotels and inns.
Your haunted travels begin here… if you dare to check in.
A Visit to the Winchester Mystery House with LS Delorme #ParanormalMystery #HIstorical
When my kids were just toddlers, we lived in San Jose, California. About a year after my youngest was born, we visited the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. This is a historic mansion known for its size, architectural weirdness, the mystery surrounding its construction, and its reputation for hauntings.
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The backstory of the house is that it was built by Sarah Winchester, the widow of William Wirt Winchester, who was the treasurer of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Yes, that’s Winchester, as in Winchester rifles. When Sarah’s husband died in 1881, she inherited about half of the company, which was a huge fortune. She moved from Boston to California and, in 1884, started construction on the house. This construction continued 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until she died in 1922. This resulted in a house that was a giant, sprawling maze.
Sarah was a strong believer in spiritualism and thought that the dead regularly communicated with the living. As an offshoot of this belief system, she thought she was haunted by the ghosts of people who had been killed by Winchester rifles, so she built a house that she thought would “confuse” and “trap” spirits. Apparently, she consulted with spiritualists who told her that she had to keep building the house to “appease” these spirits. She built a “séance room” in the house, called the “blue room,” so that she could better communicate with the spirits, who apparently had specific and ongoing building instructions.
Over the years, the house garnered a reputation for hauntings and strange occurrences. There have been numerous sightings of a man in overalls and a cap. He is often seen repairing the fireplace or pushing a wheelbarrow. Some people have claimed to see Sarah herself, wandering around and supervising ongoing construction. There have also been reports of ghostly voices, unexplained footsteps, and faint sounds of hammers and other construction noises.
When we visited, the whole place reminded me of an abandoned funhouse. There were staircases that led to nowhere, doors that opened into walls, and windows that looked into other rooms. They told us that there were around 160 rooms in the house, 40 bedrooms, 2 ballrooms, 47 fireplaces, 10,000 panes of glass, and, just for kicks, 2 basements… because one can never have too many creepy basements. We didn’t see any spirits or anything like that, but we did experience another phenomenon associated with the house. We were in one of the rooms, not the séance room or any of the more “famous” rooms; it was just a random room. Suddenly, it got really cold. It was like someone turned the air conditioner on and we were in the draft. We walked around the room to see if we could find the source of some sort of vent or something, but we didn’t. Afterwards, we read that lots of people experience sudden drops in temperature in the house. Another odd thing was that my son, who was in a stroller, was completely calm and silent while we were walking through the house. He normally hated to be confined to the stroller, but when we were there, he just stared around him with interest. They say that young children see things that adults can’t.
I must remember to go ask him if he remembers anything about this place.
Limerent Series
Book Three
LS Delorme
Genre: Romantic Historical Paranormal Mystery
Publisher: Limerent Publishing
Date of Publication: April 19, 2024
ISBN:979-8-9874880-4-1
ASIN: B0CYCQ6XCF
Number of pages: 230
Word Count: 97000
Cover Artist: Brittany Wilson
Tagline: In 1944 Harrisville, Veronica’s dangerous love ignites a flame that reveals dark secrets, awakens ghosts and threatens to destroy all she loves.
Book Description:
There is something rotten in Harrisville.
It’s 1944 and Veronica works tirelessly just so she can afford to eat. Maybe one day she will save enough to own the home her family is living in, but for now, she doesn’t have time for fanciful thoughts, or much else. She doesn’t have time for the fire whispering to her, the ghosts trying to talk to her and the son of her boss, who can’t stop staring at her. She definitely doesn’t have time to think about Lazlo, the handsome black soldier that she processed at the draft office, but she can’t seem to stop herself. As her ability to ignore Lazlo evaporates, so does her self-imposed ignorance about her hometown. There is, and always has been, something rotten in Harrisville. It shouldn’t have been a surprise. After all, Veronica works in the cigarette factory, where corpses hide in the tobacco with the roaches.
It’s 1944 and Veronica works tirelessly just so she can afford to eat. She doesn’t have time for fanciful thoughts, or much else. She doesn’t have time for the fire whispering to her, the ghosts trying to talk to her and the son of her boss, who can’t stop staring at her. She definitely doesn’t have time for love, even less for dangerous love. You see there is, and always has been, something rotten in Harrisville. It shouldn’t have been a surprise.
After all, Veronica works in the cigarette factory, where corpses hide in the tobacco.
Excerpt:
Veronica froze.
Lazlo began walking the very same path she had walked minutes earlier, although he looked much more graceful than she must have looked. His gate was long and easy. His eyes were down, staring at the track as he walked. Veronica sat as still as she could, terrified that he might see her, equally terrified that he wouldn’t.
As he came to the spot where she was sitting, he didn’t look up. He walked right past her, as if he hadn’t seen her. Veronica felt a stab in her heart. Before she could stop herself, she called out.
“Aren’t you Lazlo Fox?”
He turned quickly.
“That’s me,” he said, and a grin lit up his face.
Now that he was here, Veronica realized that she hadn’t planned what she would say if she saw him. For a second, she considered saying that the draft office needed more information about him, but she realized that was both stupid and an obvious lie.
“I have an extra biscuit, if you’re hungry,” was what she managed to squeak out.”
She had hoped to be able to speak with him for a just a moment. She knew that it would be dangerous for him to even be seen with her, but as he walked toward her, she held the biscuit out for him. She knew that he would have to climb up to her to get it, and despite the danger, this is what she wanted.
Instead of scrambling up the broken concrete, as she had done, he gracefully jumped from one to the next, balancing on the ball of one foot as he landed on each one. In less than a minute he was standing on the rock next to her. She expected him to take the biscuit and leave, but she wanted him to stay… how badly she wanted him to stay.
Lazlo smiled and took the proffered biscuit bag gently from her, but his eyes were on her face, not on the bag. For a moment, he paused, and then he sat down next to her. He wasn’t so close that she might accidentally touch him but his feet dangling over the edge of the rock next to hers felt weirdly intimate. He opened the bag and pulled out the biscuit. Veronica looked down at her biscuit and took a tiny bite, pretending to be engrossed in eating but her heart was racing so hard, she almost choked on the bread.
“Lazlo, that’s an unusual name, is it a family name or something?” she asked.
Lazlo turned and smiled at her. She was suddenly afraid that she had said something wrong or stupid, although she couldn’t for the life of her think what it was.
Lazlo’s eyes suddenly got wide.
“Well, my mama named me that cause she’s a witch,” he said quickly, and then winced and shook his head.
“That sounded awful,” he said quickly. “I’m not talking bad about my mama. She’s actually a witch, so she thinks like attracts like. And if she gives me a rich-sounding name that will draw money to me.”
Lazlo then laughed and shook his head.
“I can’t believe I just told you that,” he said. “I never told anyone that before. Probably because—”
Then he stopped.
Veronica’s heart felt like it had grown to take up the whole of her chest. She was frightened of what Lazlo would see if she looked at him, so she took another bite of her biscuit. When she did look up, he was looking at her with eyes that were hopeful and wary in equal measure.
“It sounds like your mother really cares about you,” was what she finally said. And that was all.
Looking at Lazlo’s guarded yet hopeful eyes, Veronica desperately wanted to tell him that none of this stuff mattered. She wanted to say that they could be friends, or even more. Inside, her crazy heart said that they could just run away together. She longed to say this out loud, but she knew it wasn’t true. Neither of them could outrun their class or caste. Lazlo was a colored man.
She was the poor white daughter of a single mother. If he was an untouchable, she was barely one step above that. Her brain told her that, even if her heart argued otherwise.
Lexy is the Author of the Limerent novel universe. The first two books in this universe were Caio and Bright Midnights. They are two of the three foundation books of the Limerent Series, and as such can be read in any order.
Bright Midnights was picked as an Editor’s Choice by Booklife and received a Golden Wizard award in the UK in the category of YA.
Lexy has also been a travel writer and author of The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland Hong Kong and An Expat Mom’s Unofficial Guide to Disneyland Paris. She is an ex rock musician, ex science grad, recovering attorney and now an expat writer. Her love of writing stems from an eclectic life. As a navy brat, she grew up in various states across the U.S. until her father retired to North Carolina when she was a teenager.
As an adult, she has continued this tumbleweed life, having since lived in 3 countries, 9 US States, and 21 cities around the world. But, through all this change, her love of writing has been the one constant. Writing the Limerent Series allows her to use her unusual past to help create new worlds.
Lexy now lives in Paris with her husband and two very cool sons.
“Writing fiction gives you a place where you can put all the attractions that you probably shouldn’t feel, all the thoughts you are afraid of saying out loud, and all the rage that you can’t vent because you would kill people. While we live, these moments stay with us, but when we die, they die too. When you put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, you put these things out there in the world where they can be read by others. This means that they have a life outside of you and outside of your own head, and that’s something that is really compelling to me. I like the idea that these amazing moments that I’ve had in life don’t disappear when I disappear.” - LS Delorme
“For me, writing is like therapy…just cheaper. As most writers are not really individuals but a collection of individuals trying to find a way to live together in one brain, fiction allows them to make a home for all these people who live rent free inside their heads. It’s also place that you can capture unique moments in life that impact you or that make you feel deeply.” - LS Delorme
Website: https://www.lsdelorme.com/
Twitter: https://x.com/LexyShawDelorme
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ls_delorme/
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Quest for Copia by E.P. Bellows
1. John and Celeste meet the shadow jumpers - eep!
So… what are these so-called shadow jumpers? Are they real? Were John and Celeste really in danger? Maybe they should keep that medallion tucked away… just to be extra cautious.
They waited for the jostling of shrubs from Ferdinand’s chubby middle plowing through to cease. “Can I see it?” John whispered reluctantly, peering at the medallion. She placed it in his hand with an excited smile.
“Extraordinary,” he whispered. “How can something so small have so much power?” It had the same heavy, cool feeling as the passageway key. “What does it say?” John narrowed his eyes to a
squint.
Celeste leaned in and placed her fingers along the markings that lined the edge of the medallion. “Copia defendat de manu mali. Ne Ovliviscamur.” She bit her lip. It means Protect Copia from the claws of evil. Lest we forget …”
As it pressed against his fingers, rhythmic chiming quietly stirred, then intensified the longer it was in his hand. “What–what’s happening?” He stammered. A whistling breeze blew through his curls. The bushes around them rattled.
“Did you hear that?” Celeste fanatically glanced around. The bushes shook once more.
John nodded and hastily shoved the medallion into Celeste’s hand. “Maybe we should put it away.” The forest went silent. “Here– take it.” The medallion fumbled through her fingers and hit the dirt.
The chiming ceased, and a burst of air shifted the trees. They both stood motionless, exchanging worried glances.
“I don’t think we’re alone,” said Celeste.
“We know you’re out there!” John scolded, giving his meanest glare to the gap in the trees. He clenched his fist tightly, digging his fingernails into his palms.
The bushes replied with a sinister cackle.
Snap!
Celeste gasped and covered her mouth to keep from squealing.
Another cackle rattled off through the shrubs, closer this time.
John slowly lowered to his knees and scooped up the medallion. He secured his sack around his shoulders and gave Celeste a nudge.
“Run!”
The bushes burst open, and leaves flew in a frenzy. From the corner of his eye, John caught a glimpse of a dark blur buzzing through sticks and leaves.
“Go, Celeste!” John pushed her off to the side. A piercing pain throbbed through his shoulders. He
reached up and felt sharp claws stabbing his coat. With a sudden jolt, he was knocked to the ground.
“No!” Celeste shrieked.
In his face was a shadowy beast with yellow eyes filled with rage and jagged teeth. Its claws tore his clothes.
“Where is it?” the creature sneered. Cold, clammy fingers brushed John’s neck.
“Get off of me!” John grabbed the creature’s face and heaved it off of his body. The beast wrapped his claws around John's scarf and dragged him through the dirt. John let out a gagging cough as the grip tightened across his throat. His face went from bright red to purple.
Celeste lunged for the creature’s ankle and gave it a good yank, giving John just enough time to squirm out of his scarf and run to the nearest tree. The creature swiped at his heels. Hugging the tree, he
pulled himself up branch by branch to the top….
I can't add any more to avoid spoilers!
2. Windy Ridge and Queen Aestus
Windy Ridge is home to the elemental fairies, concentrated forces of the Elan formed by the elements, and where I would spend most of my time if I lived in Azra’s Pith.
~As they approached, the water in the lagoon jostled and splashed about. A bright blue light amidst the dancing fairies gracefully floated over to the weary travelers. …
Within the blue light was a fairy with a translucent blue glow. Her body was formed by crystal droplets of water splashing off her with every movement. She hovered just above the stone. “You seek the lost city,” her voice chimed.
3. First Kiss
John and Celeste have had a mutual crush since they first met. With all of the chaos going on around them, they find a moment to be alone and share their first kiss together. It could not be sweeter.
Celeste’s expression turned serious. “I, I know you are thinking about the medallion and Copia … and your father,” she said softly.
John let out a sigh and looked away.
“Just, please, don't go alone. You can see how treacherous this has become. Finding Copia would be even worse, especially if you’re on your own. We were supposed to go together. Remember?”
“Thank you for caring so much. I don’t know what I’m going to do yet.” He brushed her hair away from her cheek. “When I figure things out, you will be the first to know.”
The mill next to the riverbank churning water created a hypnotic, rhythmic melody. “I wish I could stay here a while.” He smiled. Butterflies stirred in his stomach.
Gazing into Celeste’s eyes, John felt himself falling. He was lost in his thoughts, his feelings–time froze. Their faces inched toward each other. John’s heart thumped out of his chest as their lips touched. The vibration of the water churning ran through his body.
Her lips were even softer than he imagined. He never wanted the feeling to end. Their noses pressed together, and Celeste let out a sweet giggle.
John broke out in a goofy smile, still in a haze of bliss. He laid back against Fuscus until the trees and sky around him stopped spinning.
3. Trail over the abyss
Ever walked across a trail with no bottom on either side? How about one with a fire-breathing dragon and reverse rain…
As they approached the end of the steps, drops of water bounced off John’s armor. The wind furiously whistled upward, nearly knocking him off his feet.
“Brace yourselves!”
Craggy steps dissolved into a flat, narrow walkway with sharp winds and rain flying upward on either side.
“What is this place? The rain is going up! Everything is backward down here,” Mundi shouted and stumbled about with the wind whipping him around like a ragdoll. A piece of armor flew off and over the edge of the path. He and John paused with their ears out. “Did you hear it land? Because I didn't.”
John swallowed the lump in his throat. Where they stood on the map was a bottomless precipice off both sides of the path with rain shooting up. “Everyone stay on the path! No matter what, don’t look down!”
“I have a bad feeling about this. If we fall, who knows where we’ll end up.” Mundi shook his head.
“Stop worrying, just keep your eyes in front of you.” Roman placed his hands firmly on Mundi’s shoulders.
The wind and rain pelted off John’s armor. “Be careful.” He glanced at Celeste. Her soaked red hair blew everywhere at once.
A collective gasp came from the back of the group. Rain droplets clumped together, forming a towering dragon with razor-sharp horns covering its head. Screams of terror rang out as it roared, spraying hot, steaming water at the elves.
“Run!” commanded Pater.
Chaos ensued as everyone scurried up and down the path. The dragon’s claw swept across the path, sending elves flying toward the steps.
“That’s it.” Roman scowled. “I’ve had enough of these big beasts. I’m going to create a distraction. Get everyone off this path.”
John gave an acknowledging nod just before Roman’s cloak dissolved into black raven feathers, and he flapped toward the dragon.
“This way to the other side! Keep going. Don’t stop!” John shouted over the crowd.
“Celeste, you can lead them. We will make sure the dragon does not chase us,” said Mundi.
“That’s a great idea!” John added.
Celeste nodded reluctantly. “Please, be careful!”
Her eyes connected with John’s, and time froze for that instant.
The chaos was muted. John smiled warmly. “I will see you soon.”
She grinned back with a sparkle in her eye and dashed off, disappearing to the front of the crowd.
John William Drake
Book Two
E.P. Bellows
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
Publisher: Azra’s Pith books
Date of Publication: 11/1/24
ISBN: 979-8865821205
ASIN: B0CLJ2BQDP
Number of pages: 197
Word Count: 38,000
Tagline: Join John William Drake and his friends on their Quest for the Lost City of Copia… but beware, something evil lurks in the shadows.
Book Description:
John William Drake believed there was something special about the medallion Celeste found. It chimed and sparkled in the sunlight. He was right; the medallion was from Copia, a lost city masked in time. Legendary tales were repeated of a golden city inhabited by Empyrean Wizards until it was plagued by dark sorcery when a meager fledgling magician by the name of Imperious the Great wandered in.
Some did not believe the city ever existed; others who knew better wanted it to stay lost. How did it all start? How would it end? The answer simmered for hundreds of years waiting for the right moment to escape.
John and Celeste were more than ready for another adventure. The journey to Copia was also a search for his missing father. They were unaware of just how dangerous their quest was until it was too late. The medallion’s power could bring the lost city to life again, unlocking the dark past dormant within its walls. The young explorers were in the middle of a battle of ancient sorcery that could end with an evil capable of destroying the realm and they held the key.
Excerpt Unearthed:
~The Copian Mediallion is discovered after being buried for years by layers of the realm.
Come on, wings! Don't fail me!" Gusts of wind blew the little bird in all directions. Her vivid red feathers stole the sun’s beams from the sky.
This was not an ordinary bird. This was a young Empyrean wizard named Celeste. Empyrean wizards lived in an extraordinary place where fantastic creatures and magic were a part of every day. All Empyrean Wizards have a bird form appropriately coordinated with their personality. This particular Empyrean was fearless and kind. She also had a knack for finding
"Made it!" Her small but determined wings descended into the trees below. There was a peculiar tree she heard whispers about, and she was on her way to see it for herself. The tree was believed to be a passageway to the other side. Of course, she had no idea what the other side was, which only drove her curiosity. She perched on a boulder next to a single dead tree that boasted the broadest tree trunk in all of Copious Forest. The tree was surrounded by a blanket of thriving greenery. Celeste cautiously glanced around and gave her feathers a ruffle. A young girl emerged through the feathers with wild hair the same shade of vibrant red.
“Incredible!” she gasped and scuttled over to the tree. She poked her fingers out of the sleeve of her cloak and ran them along the rigid bark on the trunk. The bark chimed a soft melody as her fingers went along.
“So it is real.” Her eyes beamed. She stepped back and pulled a scroll out of her cloak. As she unraveled the scroll, the verses of an ancient spell were revealed. “The Tunnel of Light Enchantment ...
Cuniculum lucis incantationis tempus sit, electi ingrediantur. Cum tempus est, electi per cuniculum lucis relinquere possunt.
When it is time, the chosen may enter. When it is time, the chosen may leave through the tunnel of light." She gazed at the dead tree, waiting for even a small flicker of magic. The trunk looked like it had not been seen or touched in years. “Hmm ..." Celeste raised her brow.
A prickly chill traveled down her spine. She squeezed her arms across her chest to soothe her goosebumps. "Hello? Is-is someone there?" Celeste frantically glanced around.
An angry groan rumbled through trees.
“I'm not afraid of you!" she declared. “Come out and show yourself!”
Twigs and bits of forest flew past her curls. She scrambled behind the boulder. Sharp whispers buzzed through the gaps in the trees.
“The moan went from a groan to a vicious roar. A wind funnel shaped like a pair of long, wretched claws appeared.
“Oh, no—it’s the Rive.” Her body tensed.
The dark spell was strong enough to twirl her straight into the air with one dizzying burst. It plowed through trees and shot rocks in all directions. Celeste's cloak whipped around in a frenzy. She crouched behind the boulder and gripped her hands around the base. Then her body lifted off the ground. Inch by inch, her fingers slipped from the boulder. "Oh no!" Her head throbbed from intense pressure as the wind consumed her.
"Where is it? I must find it," the Rive whispered sharply, bringing a sting to Celeste's ears.
"Where is what? What are you talking about?" she shrieked.
"Where is it? I must find it!" the Rive's whisper was now at a rattling shrill.
Celeste closed her eyes and fisted her trembling hands. She felt herself drifting into a dizzying slumber. “I have to channel the élan. Come on, Celeste ... concentrate. I can do this!"
She took a deep breath. "Azra lucem tuam ostende. Azra tua industria illuminet …
Azra lucem tuam ostende. Azra tua industria illuminet."
A warm, vibrant energy burst through her cloak. The dark spell released its grip. It hissed and hurled rocks at Celeste. She stood her ground and
Celeste collapsed to the ground, breathless. “I just did that.” She examined the palm of her hand in astonishment.
She scooped up the shimmering clump and scraped the forest coating off it until all that remained was a medallion with strange markings and feathered wings carved in the center. It chimed and sparkled in her hands. Celeste stuffed it in her cloak and cautiously looked around. An excited giggle slipped out just before she morphed back into a little red bird and flew above the trees.
A little about me…
Let's see... When I was eight, I had a pet turkey. I used to take it with me on my short-lived paper route. Needless to say, I was terrible at delivering the paper. No one wanted a "Dollar Saver" with turkey poop splattered across the best coupons on the front page.
Books... "Treasure Island" is a fantastic pirate tale. I love just about anything by Roald Dahl. Who could ever leave out Tolkien? I would also like to thank C.S. Lewis for sending me on an unrelenting childhood quest for portals to amazing worlds.
I write fantasy stories for children. Yep - proud fantasy geek here. It's pretty darn awesome to escape to another realm with sorcerers and wizards for a chunk of the day. The underlying theme in my stories is empowerment and living purposefully. We all have that spark inside just waiting to shine ;)
When football is on I turn into a cookie-eating pottymouth. I have a theory that avocados are the Jedi of all foods. I also believe the aroma of garlic and butter sizzling in a pan is pure magic.
Last random nugget… few things make me smile more than chocolate, cheese, and a nice splash of vino... AND, if the Chargers would make it to the Super Bowl again - just once
Website https://www.azraspithbooks.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/epbellows
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/e.p.bellows/
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