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Wednesday
Mar072012

Verdan Chronicles: Still Alive

Yes, while the website has been pretty dead, the series still lives.  I think Broken Circle is finally getting pretty close to being published.  Forever doesn't begin to describe how long it feels like it took.  So for those who have been reading the series, I apologize for the lengthy delay.  The good news is that anyone who decides to dive into this world, probably won't notice the difference.

And while blogging (and I guess publishing) hasn't been a priority, writing continues to be.  The characters and story continue to occupy my thoughts and I try to give them whatever time I have to make sure that story gets told.  So what does that mean?  It means that as soon as Broken Circle is published I hope that effort to publish Against All Gods will begin.  Why?  Because that book is also finished.

And if that isn't enough, the sixth book in the series, to be titled Council's End, is well underway.  What I hope to do some time over the next week or two is go into the book section of the website and revise or add updates for the first six books.  If things go as planned, all six should be available by the end of the year.  Books seven and eight should be available in 2013 and the series finale by summer of 2014.  And with respect to plans for a nine book series...well, that hasn't changed.  All will be revealed and the story will end with that book.

 

Monday
Aug222011

Verdan Chronicles: The Story Continues

Wow, has it really been that long since I’ve blogged on the site?  The year certainly has been busy.  First, I want to assure anyone who reads this that the Verdan Chronicles has not died, nor did it even go into hiatus over the past several months.  It’s been more a “slow down” period.

So far, three books are published and available at lulu or amazon.  I’m excited about that.  The promised 4th book, Broken Circle, has actually been done since January.  I know it seems to take forever to get it published, but seems it's a matter of priorities and finding time.

So what’s gone on this year?  Life in general; but here and there I’ve found time to scribble a few pages.  The fifth book, tentatively titled Against All Gods, is a work in progress that I hope to finish on or about year end.  Since I’ve had periods of inactivity it takes some time to get back into Verdan, but I’m pretty happy with the most recent chapters.

So how long will the Verdan Chronicles continue?  Well, when I started this I mapped out an outline for the story I wanted to tell.  After several revisions I settled on nine books.  That’s still where I’m at.  I think there is enough life in the series and the characters to “stick to the plan”.  I hope to continue at a pace of 1 to 2 books per year until it’s complete.  So if you get on board, prepare for a lengthy, but hopefully satisfying journey.

If you’re reading your first blog on the site, you may be asking, “Just what is the Verdan Chronicles?”  It’s a fair enough question and one I’ve tried to answer in earlier blogs and in other sections on the site.  But for the uninitiated, let me make another attempt at.  It’s an epic fantasy series that will take you to a mythical world of Verdan where you will meet just about every type of creature found in these types of stories.  Yes, there are humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, goblins and even dragons.  I’ve left out orcs, because I can’t get Lord of the Rings out of my head when I think of them.

So is this story just another version of Lord of the Rings?  I hope not.  At least that’s not the intent.  Certainly you will find familiar Tolkien elements in the story, but I was just as influenced by TSR’s Dungeons and Dragons source books and even Star Wars.  Having recently watched Game of Thrones, you will even find some of those elements present, although everything to this point was written before I saw the show.  Everything in the story represents my version of how I see things in this particular world.  If anything, you should be able to draw parallels to every day life.

Are there monsters besides dragons in my books?  Of course there are.  You’ll find numerous, some familiar and some hopefully new.  Is this another series about vampires?  Not at all.  They are present in my world, but the story is not specifically about them.  I assure you none of them sparkle in the sunlight, nor do any of them spout lumpy foreheads when they prepare to feed.

Above all, I strive to make my books character driven.  I’m trying to tell their story.  So in that context you will find love, jealousy, greed, betrayal and other human emotions prevalent throughout literary history.  This just happens to be my version.  On top of that I’ve dropped my characters into an epic time in their world’s history.  And so they will face cataclysmic events at a planetary scale, just to keep things interesting.

The characters in my world will also deal with many of the issues facing our own society, war, famine, disease, environmental disaster, terrorism, political upheaval and religious extremism.  How they deal with these issues may involve solutions born in magic, but I think you will see enough similarity to draw parallels to our own lives.

So in a nutshell, the Verdan Chronicles is about life, a narrow perspective perhaps, but told through the eyes of the characters living in a very broad world.  I can’t emphasize that enough.  If nothing else I hope you find the characters of Verdan interesting and become as attached to some of them as I have.  Although maybe not too attached, because I assure you that not all of them will make it to the end.

Sunday
Dec192010

Heroes of Bardoom Now Available at lulu.com

Verdan Chronicles - Volume 3: Heroes of Bardoom

Paperback, 536 pages
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Verdan Chronicles - Volume 3: Heroes of Bardoom
Price: $15.99
Ships in 3–5 business days
An epic sword & sorcery tale that pits heroes of the current age against a wizard seeking to control the world. Elves, dwarves, dragons and other mystical creatures play a significant role in a world that seems familiar, yet unlike any other.

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Friday
May212010

Dark Passages Available Now at Lulu.com

 I'll try to get this page cleaned up, but in the meantime you can add this title to your lulu cart by clicking on the link below.  And don't forget to take advantage of the summer free shipping offer.  You could order both volumes and reach the $19.95 threshold.

Paperback (547 pages)
$15.99

Also available as
 
Eligible for FREE Summer Shipping on orders over $19.95Details

FREE shipping in the US on Orders of $19.95 and over (some restrictions apply)

Wednesday
Mar242010

Add This Item To Your Cart

Volume 1: The Fourth Age is now available for purchase! It's available in both paperback and pdf form - whichever you might prefer. Get your copy over at Lulu.com

During the month of April, make sure to use the coupon code SHOWERS and receive 10% off the purchase price!

Great news. You can also try the code FREEMAIL305 until May 1 and get $3.99 off the shipping cost.  Not sure if the codes can stack, so you may want to try this one first.