About the Book
The time of the Unity has ended. Now, the realm of man is stranded between Paradise and Purgatory. The Valkyrie and Reaper battle over the fate of all who pass from the land of the living and into the afterlife.
Eight mortal spirits from vastly different worlds tread the same, inevitable path toward their last, crucial decision. Within them all exists the defining conflict every man must face—to look upon the end of their life with glory and honor, or to give credence to their baser longings, calling the Reaper to their own demise.
In this rich, harrowing tale of pride, deceit, honor, vengeance, and redemption, each individual must battle their inner turmoil, facing the sacrifices they have made before their unavoidable end in the land of the living.
But their last day in life is also their first day of death amidst the terrors of the underworld. Lord Master Death wants them all…and the real battle has only just begun.
The book will be $0.99 during the tour
Excerpt
“In the beginning. In the time before. When the Unity sat atop the throne in Paradise and reigned over the world of man below, all was good and fruitful. There was life without end for every spirit drawing breath within the embrace of the Unity. Things were as such for a time longer than memory itself. But such things end. The day of the Shattering came upon us all. Paradise above and the realm of man below were forever changed. The Unity became no more, and from it was born both Life and Death. On that day, it was decreed that all who lived must one day die. And we the Valkyrie, the children of Paradise, became its warriors. Our robes were replaced with armor, and hands once empty now grasp sword and shield. Our charge is to watch over those who dwell below in the realm of man. We are tasked with the guardianship of every spirit that yet holds life. We shall protect them until that life is at an end. Then it must leave the realm of man. For each spirit that meets its end with virtue and courage, we the Valkyrie shall fly to them and bid them welcome into the warmth of Paradise. For each spirit that meets its end with fear and wickedness, they shall call the Reaper, and I shall mourn them as they are cast into the cold realm filled with weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”
—Laurel, ArchValkyrie of the Thorn Crown
About the Author
Jason Pere is a born-and-raised New Englander. He always had a passion for the arts and creative storytelling. At the age of thirteen, Jason took up the craft of acting for film and theater. He pursued that interest for over a decade until refocusing his medium of expression into writing.
At first, Jason took a causal interest in writing, starting with poetry and journaling. Over time, he honed his direction and finally began writing larger works. In November of 2012, Jason self-published his first book, Modern Knighthood: Diary of a Warrior Poet.
Since then, Jason has continued writing on his own, mostly short stories and poetry. Calling the Reaper was his first experience committing to a full-length Fiction title.
In early 2015, Jason became affiliated with Collaborative Writing Challenge (CWC). Since then, he has joined many other writers on numerous collaborative projects. Jason is a regular contributor to CWC and is scheduled to have multiple pieces of his work appear in their publications throughout 2016.
You can find out more about Jason Pere’s involvement and publications in collaborative fiction at: http://www.collaborativewritingchallenge.com
To connect with Jason, check him out at: http://www.facebook.com/jason.pere.7
Jason also writes fanfiction for Team Covenant on their Blog of the Pheonixborn, dedicated to the new game by Plaid Hat Games, ‘Ashes’. Go to http://teamcovenant.com/ashesonline/ to read Jason’s flash fiction work.
Author Links:
Giveaway One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
About the Book
Welcome to Soulless.
We are the generation that laughs at death.
Reincarnation; what was once considered a gift of immortality has become an eternity of nightmares.
Nadia Richards lives in a world plagued by reincarnation, a system of recycling souls where all past memories, personalities and traumatic events are relived daily in disjointed sequences. Trapped within their own warped realities, not even the richest and most powerful are saved from their own minds unraveling. Madness is the new human nature, and civilizations are crumpling beneath themselves trying to outrun it.
Within a society that ignores death, Nadia appears to be the one exception to the reincarnation trap. Born without any reincarnated memories and with printless eyes, the hot tempered 19 year old quickly becomes the ultimate prize to all those wishing to end the vicious cycle, or for some, to ensure they could evade death forever.
Readers discretion: Adult language, violence and some adult scenes. For mature audiences only.
It's only $0.99
Book two, Soul Finder
Excerpt
The world had turned to waste; immortality was never meant for man and it drove humanity to the edge of destruction. There had been plenty of stories about how the human race would end. Unlike the movies from Hollywood, there was no big bang caused by a sun exploding; there was no catastrophic moment where our world was flipped upside down like in a nuclear war or zombie virus outbreak. It was gradual, like a seeping virus that withered everything within its path until it ground us down into brittle, hollowed out cores. It wasn’t out to destroy our bodies; it destroyed everything we once treasured. Hope, love, compassion, joy… even our mortality. It was all gone. And now it mocked us with a peace we could never achieve: death.
I kept my hand behind me, ensuring Annie was safe before slowly creeping out. The steady thump of the Sweepers had almost gone silent as they walked further away down the block, but it was Annie’s sudden scream that spun me around. A dark shadow stepped up behind us just as a snap of red crossed my vision.
No! Before I had time to jerk my head away, the Sweeper lurched forward and snared me by the shoulder. My body seized underneath its grip as it hoisted me up from the ground.
“Run, Annie! Run!”
Annie squealed and pressed herself up against the building. “Nadia?”
“Just run!” I screamed as the robot reached over and took the shotgun from my hand. It crushed the barrel easily before finding the pistol in my back pocket. It smashed that one, too.
In its inhuman static voice, the machine said, “Corrupted identification code detected. Blacklisted threat. You are under arrest.”
“I’m not one of them!” I screamed as I wrestled in its grip. “Let me go. I’m not one of them!”
About the Author
Born in Melbourne Australia, Jacinta Maree considers herself a chocoholic with an obsession with dragons, video gaming and Japan. She writes a variety of genres including YA paranormal, steampunk, horror, new adult, dystopian and fantasy. Winner of 2014 Horror of the year and bestselling author, Jacinta writes to bring enjoyment to others while fulfilling her own need to explore the weird and the impossible.
Author Links:
Giveaway One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
Two worlds collide in this action novelette. Zombies have destroyed civilization. Gasoline fuel is no longer an option, but humanity must find a way to survive. In response to trying to restore our way of life, we engineer franken-monsters. Because of their small brains and massive sizes, these beasts make quick work of farming and clearing land. These large creatures are immune to the zombie virus and perform excellently in loud conditions. They are easy to train. They behave like war horses, prone to help charge in and defend our livelihood.
CURRENTLY FREE
Excerpt
I followed the broken trail of bushes and trees to where the others in my crew had gone. I stopped up near the center of the group, who looked even more nervous than before.
“Did anyone see a flare?” I asked a little more shrill than I wanted. A darting of eyes told me that we had all forgot to keep an eye out for it during the dinosaur rampage. “Let’s keep an eye out for it. Solomon is counting on us.”
Had we missed the flare? Was Solomon being slowly suffocated in a swarm of hungry blue zombies? Why had there been a brontosaurus out here? Something wasn’t feeling right. Something about the way the dinosaur panicked just didn’t feel right. Clearing land gives you a sixth sense for an expired situation, and this felt downright sour. With each passing brainstorm, I grew more and more queasy. I almost missed the small bloom of light, a little off from where I had been looking. I realized I forgot to calibrate for the new location.
“Alright. Time to work gentlemen.” I told the group as I grasped the reigns.
About the Author
James was born in Montana, raised with three brothers, and provided trouble for two parents. In his 20's he fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. He then moved out to Seattle after college and started a life. In 2014, he started to write full time.
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Giveaway James will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
The minotaurs have kept Ayla and Deetra's people in chains for 200 years. With nothing left to live for, and a death sentence in her womb, Ayla trades her soul for a chance to break the curse which holds her people in slavery. Armed only with her faith, she and Deetra start a revolution, and bring about the return of the Goddess of Darkness.
Excerpt
The woman’s lips curved up in a smile but no lines formed in her cheeks. She looked like a living statue, and not one bit like her mother.
“Who are you?” Ayla asked.
The stranger leaned over Ayla, resting her palms on the altar. Her voice took on a hollow yet resonant quality. Her breath suffused the air with a heady fragrance like scented oils.
“I am the dark corner that hides those in need. The eternal ruler of the Abyss.”
“You’re a God?”
“I was once their Queen.”
“Am I dead?”
The Goddess kissed Ayla on the forehead with cold lips. “You are at His doorstep.”
“Where’s my mom?”
“The dead cannot hear your pleas. I have come in her stead, my child.”
Ayla never believed in the Gods. And if they did exist, she wanted nothing to do with any who would leave their people in chains.
“I’m not your child.”
The woman grabbed Ayla under the jaw, fingers digging into her cheeks. Her icy eyes remained impassive but her voice lowered threateningly.
“You are the daughter of Steelhorn, the grandson of Tor, who is my son. I am not just your mother, but the mother of every woman born from a breeding cabin.” The Night Goddess let go of Ayla’s jaw. The closest brazier’s flame shone blue in the Her black tresses. “I have waded through the River of Dreams to answer your call, and this is how you thank me?”
“I'm dreaming?” Ayla asked.
Interview
What should readers expect when they pick up your book?
Readers should expect an emotional experience. It starts off in Ayla’s darkest moment. But don't give up on her and you wont regret it. Ayla really transforms in this book and the reader joins her through the journey. She is faced with difficult decisions every step of the way, and some of them are shocking. But it is her resolve and courage that gets her through this story and I think the reader will enjoy that.
What was the hardest part to write in this book?
The combat scenes. How much detail is enough? How much is too much? In the end though, I think I did pretty well with them.
Which character is your favourite and why?
Deetra is my favorite. Her undying loyalty to Ayla is her greatest attribute. Everyone should have a friend who is so dedicated to them. Her willingness to do whatever it takes to protect Ayla demonstrates her love. I think loyalty and her indomitable nature make her a truly admiriable character.
What are you working on next?
I’m working on the next volume in the series, Exorcism of Light. The outline took me over a month to create and I’ve written parts of chapters already. I think it will change a bit as I go along, but overall, I have a solid direction for the next part of our characters’ journey.
Tell us about the cover and the inspiration for it.
A good cover makes a promise, and I tried to make sure it did that while touching on major themes of the book. A lot of people don’t notice the shadow of the horns over the entire picture, which is meant to foreshadow the dream that Ayla has in Chapter Two and symbolize the looming threat of the minotaurs. The cover features the three most important characters the book, (all women) and was designed by Aleksandra Klepacka. Ayla has a hand over her belly as a nod to her pregnancy, looking scared and sad. The goddess is shown protecting Ayla, and Deetra stands apart from them, looking concerned for her friend.
What’s something unusual or fun that most people don’t know about you?
I am bipolar. Most people would avoid mentioning their mental illness, but it is who I am. My creative process can be fueled by mania or depression, and I used both to write the story. I won’t shy away from the potentially negative label of mental illness, but instead, embrace it. It’s my superpower, especially for writing. Some people might need a gallon of coffee or drugs to stay awake for three days – for me, it just takes a good dose of mania.
What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
Outline your stories. A good outline is like a writing partner. You need something to keep you on track, and your outline can do that. It’s easy to write 20 chapters, each of them sounding like their own short story, but the outline keeps your ideas cohesive and helps you plan where you’re going and stay on that track.
Anything else you might want to add?
Come visit me on my blog, facebook and twitter!!!
artofthearcane.wordpress.com
@darkcommunion
facebook.com/darkcommunion
Thanks...
Trailer
About the Author
My deep and abiding love of fantasy began when I was six when I first saw the 1981 film Dragonslayer on VHS with my father. He loved fantasy movies too, but didn’t have the courage to be a dork about it like I did. That movie was a gateway drug that led me straight to the hard stuff - CS Lewis. I was far too young for such potency but by the time I was ten I had read the whole series. That’s when I found my first Dungeons and Dragons group. When I started playing, my friends and I used pre-made campaign settings and published adventures, but I quickly grew restless with their limitations and trite story lines. I needed my own persistent world: something adaptable to my whim and that no one else owned.
Back in my day, there was no internet, so I took out every book about castles and medieval history from the school library and read them in Math class (I'm still terrible at math as a result). I came up with an entire world and brand new history. I read books on cartography and hand drew maps of my new world. I created a cosmology, a hierarchy of gods, and the tenets of their religions. I read the Dungeon Master's guide a dozen times, and every fantasy novel I could get my hands on.
Then, one day, I sat down and told my friends, "Hey guys, wanna try my story instead?"
Even 15 years after the original D&D campaigns ended, former players tell me that they share our incredible stories with their children. I'm honored to say that most of those players still have their original character sheets 16-20 years later, and a couple have even named their children after them.
Now, I'm 39 years old and a loving father of 2 girls, and I still play those games on occasion. My passion has evolved into putting those ideas and amazing stories on paper for the whole world to enjoy. My first novel took me and co-author DC Fergerson 10 years to write and topped out at 180,000 words. Being too long and too complex, I finally ended the project and took its lessons to heart.
I learned that Dungeons & Dragons did not translate well into a novel. D&D made for great times, but also for some meandering plot lines, pointless encounters, and poor character motivations. No matter how memorable some of the moments were, if I wanted anyone to read my story, I needed to learn a lot more about writing.
I threw myself into being a full time student of novel crafting. I read every book on writing by Dwight Swain I could find. I paid Chuck Sambuchino (Editor for Writer's Digest) to critique and edit my older work. I took James Patterson's Masterclass, went to college, and joined online writing communities. All the while, I read my favorite fantasy novels again, only this time with a mental highlighter. I reworked my stories, outlined them, and decided to start from the beginning.
Many, many years later, I am in the final edit and proofreading stage of Dark Communion, the first installment of the Shadowalker Chronicles. My role as a father of two girls heavily influenced the characters I’d known for over 20 years, shaping them into women that my own daughters could respect. My characters took on a depth and quality that brings them off the page and into the minds of readers, because they have become all too real. I was privileged enough to work on two careers at the same time to accomplish this feat - a fun-loving and involved stay-at-home dad, and a full time writer.
Author Links:
Giveaway CJ Perry will be awarding a $10 and a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.
