Read Any Good Books, Lately?
Readers and Friends,
Read any good books, lately? Because I have! This whole writing journey has introduced me to a lot of great people playing various roles in the writing, publishing, marketing and freelance editing communities. Some of those lovely folks are poets, authors, or other creative types, and I had the good judgment to invest in a few of their terrific works.
I would like to feature a small selection of these books in this issue of the Freewilds Gazette in hopes that, like me, you will choose to pick up a book or two.
First up is a book that has taken me a while to read for various reasons, not least of which is the author’s dense and vivid use of metaphor and allegory. It is not a challenging read as much as it is a series of challenging messages to absorb and appreciate.
The book is called 'Self-Help Trash Pigeons.'
Written by John Z. Pigeon, this fictional memoir is raw, stuffed with genuinely touching emotional moments and the author’s heartfelt, expressive vision. There is humor to be found in the same way as reality can be absurdly funny at times. In the end, I just found the voice of the writer relatable by the end of the book in ways I didn't necessarily anticipate as I began reading.
Up next is a much lighter, and funnier, book written by author Jeffrey Kippel. It is a whimsical, bizarre, sometimes moving and often hilarious tale written in a very stream-of-consciousness style.
It is called (quite aptly) 'The Ridiculous Adventures of Serbinand.'
In this book, as well as in its flash-fiction companion piece, 'Godfried & Michael... In the Beginning, Maybe?', the writer's infectious energy and positivity are made manifest in the smiles that inevitably find their way crossing your face as you read these charming works. It definitely reminds me of the works of Douglas Adams, and in all the best ways.
Finally, I want to bring people's attentions to this book because its sequel only just came out a few weeks ago, and you should read this one first. Morgan Gauthier wrote a terrific novel called 'Wolves of Adalore,' which serves as the first book of the Mark of the Hunter trilogy and an introduction to her original dark fantasy setting.
I have done a comprehensive editorial-style book review for 'Wolves of Adalore,' which you can read by visiting my blog. I highly recommend grabbing a copy of this book for yourself, then moving directly on to its sequel, 'The Red Maiden,' which was released on April 10th.
Of course, I am a bit biased... but I also have to mention that my own Dark Fantasy Detective Mystery series, Saga of the Freewilds, is in full swing as well!
'Stormsend,' Book One of the series, is available today in print and digital formats, and the audiobook edition is coming May 31st. The sequel, 'Vagabond,' is available for preorder in Kindle eBook format, today, releasing in print and digital formats on June 30th, with its own audiobook planned for an August release, and the third novel the month after that.
Regards, Michael Paul Scott - Author MPSAuthor@freewilds.net TheFreewilds on Facebook
This is part of a series of newsletters that I will be providing both as an e-mail to readers who subscribe and as posts to the blog on my website: freewilds.net
Have you had a chance to read STORMSEND - Saga of the Freewilds, Book One, yet? If not, please consider picking up a copy for yourself! It is available now on Amazon.com in Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle eBook formats!
VAGABOND is the continuation of the adventures of disgraced former Detective Constable Lukarde Alfans as he makes his way south to the beleaguered coastal city of Westport in the forbidden region of the world known as the Freewilds. It is available to Preorder NOW in Kindle eBook format, with a scheduled official release date of June 30, 2022!
If you are interested in a free Special Preview Edition of VAGABOND, you are in luck! You can download it now in PDF, ePub, & MOBI formats. This exclusive free offer includes the Prologue, as well as Chapters One and Two.
...and if you like what you've read and decide you'd like to read the rest, and wouldn't mind giving me an honest (and fingers crossed, positive) review between now and the official launch date of June 30th, 2022, you can sign up to be an Advanced Review Copy reader and get the whole book for free, just for your promise to provide me an honest review before the deadline!
The Special Preview Edition of VAGABOND is also available through the following giveaway events:
FACING DOWN MONSTERS: a Collection. Get these books fast! This promotion ends June 15th!
SUSPENSE!: a Collection. Get these books fast! This promotion ends May 14th!
Recommended Reading
Where will the Last Train take you...?
A strange fantasy short.
Stevie has just died, but that’s not the problem. The problem is, where is she? And what is she doing here? And what is the mysterious Last Train, anyway? A strange and fantastical short story to journey with into the night...
A Generic Reincarnation Apocalypse Epic LitRPG Fantasy Adventure With a System
Decades ago, the world was changed by the arrival of the system.
One day, monsters spawned across the world, gateways to dungeons appeared everywhere, and the blue screens heralded the end of days. The apocalypse. The ruin of the world. Amongst the ruins of the world, they survive. The players. Those granted power by the system and led by the regressor, the King of the Crows. He who mastered the system, learned the truth of the apocalypse, and seized the keys of absolute authority. But even a King cannot stop the fall of mankind. No power is absolute. An end is eventual. The final calamity and coming of disaster. To fight against the overwhelming power of an Elder God, the mark of the regressor will be passed on.
Jax Nolan is picked as the successor, the man destined to go back to the beginning. Back to the start of the apocalypse and the advent of the system.
And become the hero of the story.
Twelve worlds. Two opposing forces. One prophesied Hero.
The precarious balance between two opposing forces has begun to shift and threatens the very existence of life throughout the universe.
Only the Djed--the prophesied savior--has a chance of thwarting a catastrophe that could destroy the cosmos. And the next Djed is predicted to be a child of Earth.
Katie awakens on a world far from her own, a world bound in magic, one of twelve that hosts entities of vast power and might. She is suspected to be that savior. However, to be acclaimed Djed, difficult and dangerous tasks, one on each of the magicked worlds, must be completed. Katie and a menagerie of misfit companions--a precocious witch, a half-blood elf, and a humanoid pup--work together to discover her fate. If proven true, a terrible burden will be placed upon her, one that will link her destiny with war, a war led by a thirteen-year-old girl.
The Djed Chronicles follows Katie over her teenage years as she confronts dark forces and discovers that the right choices are not always apparent and wrong choices can have deadly consequences.
2nd Place Winner of the 2021 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards for Young Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi
“Nothing is unconquerable; even our gods can die.”
Brennus is destined from birth to become a warrior, despite his farmer’s life. But when the Hillmen kill his family and annihilate his clan, he now has the opportunity to avenge those who he loved.
Brennus must survive endless hordes of invading Hillmen and magic-wielding sidhe, aided by only a band of shifty mercenaries, and an ancient bronze sword.
Failure means his family and clan go unavenged. Victory will bring glory to Brennus and his ancestors.
Hag of the Hills is a heroic fantasy novel set in 200 B.C. on the Isle of Skye, steeped in Celtic mythology and culture.
A Glitch in the Godcode? What could be stronger than the Gods?
A Godcode Novel
Love... It’s a most curious thing. I’ve watched as Galaxies sprung from dust. I’ve had a front-row seat to the stars, bringing life to the cosmos. I have held the most powerful forces known to us in my hands and yet, I never suspected something so simple—so delicate, could unravel the entire universe.
Michael Paul Scott - Author