Treasure of th e Ancient Wizards by Alexander Saunders available on pre-order

Sep. 1st, 2023 04:27 am
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"Treasure of the Ancient Wizards" by Alexander Saunders is available now for pre-orders in ebook format. It goes live via Smashwords on September 3rd and on Amazon on September 4. I am still waiting for the physical proof to arrive for the print edition. An audiobook format is planned for later.

When a young Alex hears a mysterious voice and follows it, his discovery leads him on an epic quest to retrieve a treasure he hopes will help his family. When he and his friends enter into a magical world they together learn about bravery, love, trust, and dependability. The biggest question is, can five teenagers do what many adults have not? Can they get back home if they succeed? If they can are they even going to want to go home after entering a world where unicorns, dragons, witches, wizards, merfolk, fauns, and other such mythical beings are real?

 

Written from the first person point of view as a young Alex retells his story to his mysterious audience, this tale was crafted for the entire family to enjoy. Perfect for a bedtime read to children, adults can also enjoy this on their own for a moment of respite. Our young hero still holds that passion for justice that many of us allow to die down to an ember but also holds the tenacity to keep pushing to make the world a better place.

 

A. Buddell has this to say about it:

A surprising read that was hard to put down, this book had impressive scope and a heart of gold.

When a poor boy suddenly finds himself in possession of a magical treasure map, his entire life changes. He gains the ability to do magic, and together with his four best friends, sets off on a perilous adventure through Magicalworld. Along the way they'll learn lessons about trusting your friends, helping others, and keeping an open mind; all the while avoiding deadly traps, and facing unique magical creatures. With so many obstacles in their way, can the group - and their friendship - make it to the Treasure of the Ancient Wizards?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH1LWR1G/ 

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1444504 

The Barnes & Noble link is still forthcoming.

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YA Book Review: The House Witch

Jul. 8th, 2023 06:51 pm
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The House WitchThe House Witch by Delemhach

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I picked this up because I needed a light and whimsical book. I think this is perfect for those who grew up reading books by Patricia Wrede and Jessica Day George but are now old enough to crack a dirty pun without being hissed at by an adult. I think it's fine for teens, young adults, and older folk... but do be aware if you disapprove of such puns for your teen... Honestly, they hear far worse in the school yard and crack worse during sleepovers. There isn't a lot of it in here, but it's there. I cracked up at the part about waiting for the 8-year-old to "drink properly."

The main character is a male witch (THANK YOU to the author for that, from a witch) trying to find a place in the world for himself. I like him because he's within my dating range bracket (if I were on the market), he's witty, he's easily annoyed by people's nonsense, and he keeps his to a minimum... albeit a bit thick in the romance arena. The female lead has her own agenda, and at first, they do NOT hit it off, but they grow on each other while he tries to hide his true self from an entire castle. Quite the challenge for a cook.

This has themes of acceptance, love for oneself as well as others, fairness, and growing into one's inner power. I LOVE the fact he's in his 30's I'm still maturing and not quite there yet. There's plenty to enjoy for those 14ish and up. Just... watch out for that "son of a mage," which is now my new favorite curse.



View all my reviews
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Interview with Nancy Stohlman about "After the Rapture" flash novel

Mar. 23rd, 2023 11:20 am
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Friday the 24th at 3 PM Pacific Time my interview with Nancy Stohlman, author, performer, and professor premieres on Youtube. I will also publish to my podcast host service to push out to Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, and more. The audio is already posted to my Patreon in a patron-only level to allow my Patreon Patrons a chance to hear it first.
 
In this interview, I chat with Nancy about her latest flash novel, "After the Rapture," writing, life, routines, and about being a professor, and the importance of college.
 
Nancy Stohlman is the author of six books including Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction (2020), winner of the 2021 Reader Views Gold Award and re-released in 2022 as an audiobook. Her fiction includes After the Rapture (March 7, 2023), Madam Velvet’s Cabaret of Oddities (2018), The Vixen Scream and Other Bible Stories (2014), The Monster Opera (2013), and Searching for Suzi: a flash novel (2009). Nancy’s work has been anthologized widely, appeared in the Norton anthology New Micro: Exceptionally Short Fiction and The Best Small Fictions 2019, as well as adapted for stage and screen. She teaches at the University of Colorado Boulder, as well as around the world through online instruction and destination retreats. 
 
CONNECT WITH NANCY ONLINE 
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: NancyStohlman.com
FACEBOOK: /nancy.stohlman
YOUTUBE: /nancystohlman
TWITTER: @nancystohlman
FLASH FICTION RETREATS: flashfictionretreats.com
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Mythical Minstrelsy volume 4 available

Dec. 29th, 2019 03:41 pm
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Mythical Minstrelsy volume 4 is available (and before the end of the year). That means the Patreon anthology is now caught up!

Print (black and white interior this year due to size): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1652003363
 
Amazon Ebook (color): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0837TYV7M
Smashwords (color): https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/997481
Gumroad: https://gum.co/mioGn
 
As I am using Smashwords as an ebook distributor it should be showing up in other ebook venues as well, although I do not have a timeframe for when to expect it in those.
 
Direct publisher orders for bookstores can be sent to thgstardragonpublishing@gmail.com and will be invoiced via paypal.
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Minnie's Choice or Minnie's Decision is available

May. 25th, 2019 12:33 am
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Kitties do so love to roam, but sometimes what they really want is a home. Minnie thought that she wanted to be wild and free until she spent time with a shy little girl. Learn how they both find out what love is in this sweet story published by our friend over at Pen It Publications.
 
Minnie's Choice AKA Minnie's Decision
By Patsy E. Stackhouse
Illustrated by Teresa Amehana Garcia
 
I was paid per illustration, so sales do not net me any royalties, and my Amazon Associates account did not sell enough for them to allow it to continue so purchasing via my Amazon link nets no finder's bounty.
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Minnies-Decision-Patsy-Stackhouse/dp/1950454290
Pen It Publications: https://www.penitpublications.com/product-page/stackhouse-patsy-minnie-s-choice

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Mythical Minstrelsy volume 2 print edition available

May. 17th, 2019 08:51 am
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It has been a very busy several days (several months). In addition to The Ian's Realm Saga part 1 going live on Dianne Gardner's Gumroad store I came to the computer to the notice that the print edition of Mythical Minstrelsy, volume 2 has gone live and available for sale on Amazon, to join the kindle edition. I see that they have not yet been linked, but I expect that to be done sometime soon by the system.

The price is a bit higher than I would like, but it is due to the fact that color print costs a bit more, and there are indeed color images, although the divider images are grey scale.

I am particularly pleased with the cover. It printed darker than expected (always hard to tell how dark something will print) but it suits the mood of the Second Life photography shoot that I did to obtain the images to work with for the cover.

The print edition of volume three is still in production. I am going through the manuscript compiled into the .doc from Scrivener to ensure that it has all of the high dpi images inserted. Ebooks tend to use a lower dpi than what is suitable for print due to file size issues.

Mythical Minstrelsy volume 2 Print Edition Live
 

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Mythical Minstrelsy volume 2 on Kindle

Apr. 21st, 2019 12:56 pm
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The storyteller and bard continues her miscellaneous folklore and mythology based tales.Gather under the tree with the traveling bard while she recounts poetry and short stories centering around various mythical and magical creatures. Month by month her project grew as her supporters lent their ears. Here and there she shares some artwork, some snippets about her books, and even a little in the realms of meditation. This is the second year of her Patreon anthology, and this is arranged in month by month format. This anthology is a handy gathering of the year's work, not including the progress made in the "Selkies' Skins: Temple and Skinquest" manuscript which will be provided her patrons separately.

This title contains color art among the leaves and is best viewed on a color capable device. Black and white does not give the full impact.



Print editions will hopefully be later this month or next.
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Mythical Minstrelsy volume 3

Apr. 20th, 2019 11:55 pm
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 Mythical Minstrelsy Volume Three by Teresa Garcia is now available on Smashwords. This collection of fantasy #Art #Poetry and #ShortStories spans the year of August 2017 to August 2018. http://ow.ly/rlsQ30ousjY Volumes Two and Three are to port to Amazon as well after conversion.

For the curious the cover art incorporates Second Life Photography done in the Nisa parcel (part of the Dreaming Twilight group) in the sim of Ontario by myself (Teresa Garcia) via Amehana Ishtari/Arashi. The figure is "Maria Lightwatch" as represented on my main account. The singing stones have since been relocated to one of the other parcels controlled by the group. Each of the Dreaming Twilight parcels represents another country and/or world in the Dreaming Twilight universe/multiverse/world. Visitors are welcome and encouraged. One can expect to find either Maria or her lute featuring in cover art for this series of anthologies.
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Mythical Minstrelsy volume 2

Apr. 12th, 2019 12:59 am
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 The long awaited second volume in the Mythical Minstrelsy anthologies is now available on Smashwords. I have not yet gotten the Amazon Kindle version set up and uploaded yet, nor the print. Volume three I hope to have ready to push later this year after I get the cover ready. Long term Patreon Patrons will be sent the appropriate years in ecopies for their support.

 

Maria Lightwatch, a three tailed kitsune character of mine is the mascot and "official tale teller" for this series. Each book is a collection of that year's art, stories, meditations, and poetry, not including installations of the Selkies' Skins series or illustrations done for children's books. Each year's anthology will therefore be of varying lengths but will mostly tie in with mythology or folklore in some fashion.

 

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/933783

 

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Read an Ebook Week Sale

Mar. 4th, 2019 08:32 am
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Select books at our #Smashwords outlet are participating in the Read An Ebook week. Use codes EBW50 or EBW25 depending on which title. #ebookweek19 https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Amehana
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Podcast: Moey's Big Back Yard

Mar. 20th, 2018 02:39 pm
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https://www.facebook.com/WJOB.1230/videos/1767849013260723/

 Do you remember the dog book I illustrated for? You can meet the author in this podcast. I am so ecstatic that the interviewer termed the art as "whimsical" as that is exactly what I was aiming for.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1976212340
 edited: The video did not show up the first time.
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"My Family Is Different" is nearly ready

Apr. 18th, 2014 01:34 pm
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 I just recently got the cover art in for Laura Fanaei's children's picture book, "My Family is Different." This is the last item that I was waiting on before I could get the proof run started. I am very excited as this is the first children's picture book through us. In this book we meet a little girl that tells us how her family is different, and a bit about the families of her friends. Even though they are different they all get along, and a beautiful picture is painted of the world religions is painted through the book. Jessica Baumgartner's illustrations fit the tone of the book precisely.
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(no subject)

Nov. 1st, 2013 09:06 am
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 Release day is upon us for volume one of the dragon poetry and short story anthology "The Dragons' Beads: A Treasury." Thank you to the contributors that made this possible. It was very exciting to see how many different views of 'dragon' sprang from the prompt.
 
“The Dragons' Beads" features the work of Elizabeth Buckley, Niels Van Eekelen, Athena Garcia, Ollie Lambert, Douglas J. Moore, Meghan Proctor, Jo Anne Spiese, Kristina Stumpf & Michael Camp, and Rachel Wookey. 
 
Print editions are available at Amazon and Createspace. Ebook is also available. You can get your copy at:
 
 
It is also available in notecard format within Second Life:
The price is set so as to be worked out roughly the same as the other ebook versions.
 
Please show the contributors some love by leaving a review after you've been able to read it. They all worked very hard and I am pleased with what was submitted. Reviews can be left either where you purchased the book, at the Goodreads page, or by dropping a notecard to Amehana Ishtari within Second Life (or in one of the mail slots at the shrine board).
 
 
Orders can also be placed directly to the publisher by contacting:
THG StarDragon Publishing
Attn: Teresa Garcia
PO Box 249
McCloud, CA 960575
 
or:
Teresa Garcia
ladyrainstardragon (at) hotmail.com
Subject: Book Order Query
 
Don't forget about the after release party. That can be accessed through Second Life (either the SL viewer or one of many third party viewers... I use Firestorm) at 6 PM SLT/Pacific Time. It was originally scheduled for 6 to 8, but Grease/John has enough music that if it looks like people want it and it gets cleared with the sim owner to extend another hour.
 
If you come, there are a couple of "dragon eggs" among the songs that I specifically asked to be played. The first one to IM me during the celebration event for each particular "egg" of the two will win 10 Lindens. If someone IMs me with both then they will earn 20 Lindens.
 
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