Agents, Adepts, and Apprentices

I am excited to announce that Zumaya Thresholds has released my short story collection, Agents, Adepts, & Apprentices. This is an expanded version of the collection previously published by Amber Quill Press, with a few more stories about my interplanetary agents, as well as additional fantasy and science fiction stories (some of which appeared in anthologies by other publishers).

I am especially pleased with the new cover by the wonderful April Martinez. She really captured my wizard Salanoa.

For those new to the collection, there are fantasy stories about wizards, elves, talking horses, and dwarves as well as humans trying to deal with magic. There are also science fiction stories about psi powers, interplanetary agents, aliens attending college on Earth, and aliens attempting to figure out Terran slang. And, as indicated by the title, there are experts, and there are those trying to learn, with mixed results.

Agents, Adepts & Apprentices is currently available through Kindle, Nook, and Kobo, with other formats available soon.

The paper version is planned to appear at FenCon in Dallas. I have a cupcake party (short stories = cupcakes) scheduled to celebrate there. This works out extremely well as Zumaya Publications will be at the convention as well. So I'll be able to hang out with publisher Elizabeth Burton and fellow authors Gloria Oliver and Rie Sheridan Rose.

By that time I should also be calmed down from running around town and showing off the new cover to people (so far the librarians at the local library, the local bookstore owner, people at the post office who hand out my pens, people at my credit union - and one must not forget friends on Facebook). Or do you know authors who don't get excited about new book covers?

The Guardians of Glede

So, who wants to read a fantasy series filled with action, adventure, and humor? Full of swords, magic, dragons, elves, nymphs, trolls, dwarves and an assortment of other mystical and mythical creatures?

The Guardians of Glede is such a series. I had the most amazing review from a reader this past weekend. He mentioned Eddings and then went on to say that my characters had more depth! I was flabbergasted. Me? Mine? Wow!

Often when I need to explain my series I tell people they are a mix of LOTR, Little House on the Prairie and Star Trek, all rolled into one. Why? Well, the LOTR reference is obvious - lots of fantasy, magic, magic talismans, swords, fighting, etc. The Little House on the Prairie (LHP) and Star Trek (ST) references might not be so obvious at the onset, so let me explain.

Both LHP and ST deal with family. Both deal with conquering the unknown - ST in space, LHP in the wild west. Adventure and uncertainty at every turn. Family and love of family (in the case of ST, the family is the crew and their concern and support of each other) provide the steadying foundation to allow the characters to go out and experience new, dangerous and exciting frontiers.

The Glede series deals with six men, their magics and their families and their undying loyalty to each other. They grow, marry, mature, have children, just as LHP. Yet, the adventures and crises never end. Magic has been released into the land and the elves and others must learn how to use it. Of course, there are those who will abuse any power. That has been a constant throughout history, in all parts of the world, in every race. And that is what makes plots - conflicts, good versus evil, threats against humanity.

You can read excerpts from all of the books (10 so far released, 26 written) on my website, where you can also order the books. All of the books are available in elecronic format as well as print (Amazon.com). So, come on over, read and buy. I hope you enjoy your time with The Guardians of Glede as much as I do.

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