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Wednesday
Jul142021

Ascension

To any of my readers out there, I want to provide you with a more detailed update regarding the 12th and final book in The Verdan Chronicles series.

My original plan that started over thirty years ago was to write a story that would encompass 9 books broken into 3 major trilogy arcs. Somewhere around book 7 or 8, I realized there was still a lot more story to tell and thus I decided to extend the series to 12 books. That much has not changed.

Sometime during the 11th book, Balance of War, I realized that I could end the series with that volume, but would likely need another 100-200 pages to write the final act. Sometimes, you see a lot of series where the final volume is longer. But then I also realized that ending the series with Balance of War would not bring closure to a lot of the secondary character arcs, and thus I concluded that a 12th book was still warranted. I've always said that my primary audience for this book was "me" and "me" decided I wanted more character closure.

So, that brings us to Ascension. You've probably realized by now that every book was broken into exactly 40 chapters. That started out coincidental, but became part of my process by the 3rd or 4th book. I am not constructing the final book with any set number of chapters. I expect that it may be a little less than 40, but I really don't know for certain. I have a story I want to tell and the book will end when that story is told. 

Where am I right now? I'm working on chapter 11. I know that doesn't seem like I'll finish this year, but then I traditionally spend more time on the first half of a book. It sets the stage for the second half, which mostly writes itself. I still plan to finish this year, but I can't guarantee it will be published this year. That will depend upon how long the design process lasts with my publisher. I will keep you updated on that.

What can you expect from the final book? It will tell the story of Verdan and bring to closure the destiny that was foretold as it relates to Celecia. The series has been driving toward a predictive future. Perhaps the ending is obvious, but there is still a twist or two some of you might not see coming. We'll see. I also plan to bring closure to a lot of characters that appeared during the series, even some you may not have heard from since the earlier books.

What does the future hold? I have a "spin-off" series in mind. It will be titled "Books of Rayne". It will primarily focus on a set of brand new characters. I intend to write it with no assumption that the readers have ever read The Verdan Chronicles. However, if you have read The Verdan Chronicles, there will be obvious continuity and a few familiar characters. The entire history of The Verdan Chronicles will be considered 'canon' for the universe I've created. However, the new series will be set on an alternate version of Earth. It will start out in a small town in central Wisconsin and we'll go from there. More elaboration when we get closer. 

That's it for now. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them here or on Facebook page. I tend to check Facebook more frequently, but will get back to you. And to everyone who has supported the series over the years. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! 

Thursday
Apr082021

Verdan Chronicles - April 2021 Kindle Giveaway - Closed

Current giveaway has ended and links are no longer valid. Another giveaway coming this fall.

It's another Kindle Giveaway. If a link doesn't work, try again tomorrow. I will update the codes daily. In any event, thanks for taking a look a considering a plunge into the world of Verdan. If you'd like to ask me a question or send me a message, you can comment here or on Facebook. I'll check both daily during the Giveaway. I plan to run this through April 30th. (Last update 4/11/2021 11:15PM CDT)

Thanks.

The Fourth Age: Vol 1
Dark Passages: Vol 2
Heroes of Bardoom: Vol 3
Broken Circle: Vol 4
Against All Gods: Vol 5
Council's End: Vol 6
Out of Time: Vol 7
Blood and Magic: Vol 8
The Fifth Age: Vol 9
Whisper in the Universe: Vol 10
Balance of War: Vol 11

Thursday
Dec102020

Verdan Chronicles Giveaway - Balance of War Release

Happy Holidays! I'm celebrating the recent release of Balance of War: Verdan Chronicles Volume 11 with another giveaway. I'm fighting a couple of nuances, so please pay attention.

iBook - This is new and only applies to Balance of War. I was forced to find a new publisher this year and was fortunate enough to partner with Gatekeeper Press. As part of that partnership, I have an option of offering a limited number of copies in this format for free. The catch? I can't track code status, so you have to request them individually. Please go to my Facebook page and leave me a message there. I will send you a code.

Kindle - I'm offering several volumes for free, but for an inexplicable reason, Dark Passages, Volume 2 has disappeared on Amazon. So I've decided to giveaway Volumes 1 and 7-11. I can track codes here, so just click on a link below. If its already been used, check back as I will update the codes several times a day. Thanks and Enjoy!

Links removed as they are no longer active.

 

 

 

Thursday
Jun112020

Just Who Writes This Stuff?

It's rare that I share any direct information on my personal opinions or feelings. A lot of it is easier for me to infer through the characters I create in my fantasy world. It's kind of the mask I hide behind out of my own insecurities and fears. So, before I delve into a deeper discussion, I want to make one thing perfectly clear.

Black Lives Matter!

I honestly and truly believe that. If anything I state subsequently contradicts that, I assure you it is a misstatement on my part. I may be white, and I may be sheltered by a cocoon of white privilege, but I've always believed racism was still alive in our society. I apologize if I haven't spoken out on that before. I'm coming to understand that silence is being complicit. I'm trying to do better. I want to do better. I doubt if I'll ever be perfect. How do you erase being raised and living in this environment for over 60 years? All I can do is try to take it one day at a time.

I probably have covered racism before as it relates to the Verdan Chronicles, but I'm sure its been quite a while. Let me explain how and why I've reflected it to this point. Color of skin is totally irrelevant to my characters. I may describe some characters as being "fair of skin" or having a "dark complexion", but it is only for the purpose of painting a visual image. In my 'fantasy' world, no one cares about color of skin. I explore racism through the dynamics between humans, elves and dwarves.

How do I feel about it? My personal feeling is that racism is stupid. It's a refuge for the ignorant and a security blanket for those not willing to face their own insecurities and fears. In Verdan, a king passes laws to expel elves and dwarves from his kingdom. As a result, he exposes his kingdom to a threat that results in the death of hundreds and possible annihilation of his country. It ends up costing him his crown. You see, there's an internal struggle between powerful vampires for supremacy of their kind. Elves have a natural resistance to vampires and by getting rid of them the humans are left defenseless. All of this is covered in Broken Circle and Against All Gods. The point is that diversity makes society stronger. By confining ourselves to a narrow definition of what and who are acceptable, we are hurting ourselves, as well as others.

I hope this makes my position clear. I support the ongoing protests. Recent incidents are only examples of what has been ongoing for far too long. It needs to stop.

While I'm sharing, there seems to be another recent debate being highlighted in the media. So, I will also make my position clear on that. Transwomen are women and transmen are men. It another struggle that I hope gets better for all the people involved. I still feel "love is love" and people should stop hating on those who don't always act according to past narrow definitions of what is acceptable. It's a subject I'm really trying to deal with sensitively in my latest two books, Whisper in the Universe and Balance of War. I support the LGBTQ+ community.

So, that's who writes this stuff. By no means am I a perfect example of anything. I've said and done things in my past for which I'm now embarrassed and regretful. My belief is that life is about us acknowledging who we are and then striving to be the person we want to be. Growth and improvement is part of that. The day we stop trying to do either, is the first day we begin to die. In the meantime, everyone take care and with Covid-19 still out there, maintain social distance and wash your damn hands. :-) 

Thursday
Apr232020

Verdan Chronicles Kindle Giveaway #2

Hi! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. If you're looking for the Giveaway, you've come to the right place. Simply click on a link below, which will take you to Amazon where you can redeem the code for a free kindle copy of one the books in the series.

Just a few words about the Verdan Chronicles. It's an epic fantasy set in a world of dragons, elves, dwarves and wizards. You'll be immersed in a world with its own history, prophecies and diverse cultures. Yet, you'll probably be able to relate to some of the challenges facing both heroes and villains. And while the story revolves around a number of characters, play particular attention to the 17 year old daughter of a famous wizard. More than anyone else, her story will shape the future of this world and many others. Enjoy!

NOTE: If the links don't work, all it means is someone has already used it. I will refresh the site with new links periodically, so please check back in a few days.

The Fourth Age: Volume 1


Dark Passages: Volume 2
https://www.amazon.com/kindle/redeem/?t=GSGGXGUS22X9AR3
https://www.amazon.com/kindle/redeem/?t=GSMDB7SBW3NRZST

Heroes of Bardoom: Volume 3
https://www.amazon.com/kindle/redeem/?t=GSAM8HX39C8YXNX
https://www.amazon.com/kindle/redeem/?t=GSM5CCVFNNARRRS

Broken Circle: Volume 4
https://www.amazon.com/kindle/redeem/?t=GSRBM3HTTPMVC4R
https://www.amazon.com/kindle/redeem/?t=GSKXFUV5T4TPGTE

Against All Gods: Volume 5
https://www.amazon.com/kindle/redeem/?t=GSWDVETL8UL36B3
https://www.amazon.com/kindle/redeem/?t=GST38XVJSH7DQZ7