Category Archives: Fiction

Curse of the Drakku: Origins

Blood is shed and the curse begins.

A thousand years before the events of The Blood Stone, a dark ritual between man and dragon binds the two races together.

In a bid to save her father, the young dragon Etain reluctantly joins with a novice from the Order of Eschar to create a power she doesn’t understand.

Curse of the Drakku: Origins is a prequel story set within the world of my new fantasy series. Grab your copy of Curse of the Drakku: Origins today exclusively in the Rogue Skies boxed set!

Want to know more? Here’s an excerpt from chapter 1 of the book. I hope you enjoy and decide to give the story a try. Get it now for only .99 and you’ll also get over 20 other scifi and fantasy novels!


Dragon Lord Avess strode across the stony outcrop that jutted from his cavern home. Inside the mountain behind him was the home of the Drakku, the dragonkind of Rowyth. He’d been anticipating this meeting with the griffons of the southern lands for years, and now that it was here, nerves grew thin.

The griffons were a distant cousin to the dragons under his charge, though in truth, the griffons were technically under his leadership as well, even though they hadn’t been in formal communication for years. Not that there was any animosity between the cousins, but long-term peace within the world didn’t need the Drakku meeting often.

“Father, are you well? Can I get you something?”

It was Etain, his one and only child and heir to his title. He loved her more than anything. Which often meant he could be harsh.

“Etain, you were commanded to stay behind with the griffons. Are you with them now?”

“No father. But I—“

“You disobeyed me.”

dragon-1949991_1280He turned on her, standing at least twice as tall with wings that could wrap around them both. While in the meeting, he preferred to remain in human form as did the griffons. It helped so that no one was looming over the other. The griffons hated when the dragons did that.

Etain lowered her head. “But father. It was a break in the meeting. There were no discussions for me to learn from.”

“That’s why I’m the Dragon Lord and you are the little girl unfit to lead!”

“Father!”

Avess rose to his full height and extended his wings. Etain knew what that meant.

“If you were paying attention at all to what I’ve been trying to teach you, you’d know that a break in the formal meeting often leads to idle talk. It is during those moments when you learn the most from your enemy or in this case, our brethren. Do you think they will keep up their formal dialogue amongst themselves? You can learn a lot as they talk of drinks and family. Have you considered that maybe they are here to assert themselves as free of the Drakku? What do you think they’d talk about if they thought no one was listening? You wouldn’t know because you’re here with me instead of remaining where I commanded you.”

“I’m so sorry father. I only meant to assist you.”

“You’d do better if you remained inside with Grymryg. At least he’s there doing what needs to be done.”

Small puffs of smoke escaped her nostrils and Avess knew he’d gone too far. He hadn’t meant to get that angry with her, but she had to see why he did what he did and why he told her to do the things he wanted her to do. He understood sitting quietly while the negotiating partners spoke of dinner or other mundane things might be boring, but he needed eyes and ears to catch what they tried to hide from him while formally discussing the matters at hand.


Get the entire story Curse of the Drakku: Origins as part of Rogue Skies for only .99!

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NEW RELEASE: Rogue Skies

ROGUE SKIES HAS ARRIVED!


One-click today and start reading!
The price goes up on Sunday, September 22nd, so snatch your copy now at only 99c!

https://books2read.com/rogue-skies

Cunning heroines, bold heroes, magic, space, and mayhem—transport yourself to new worlds of limitless adventure and excitement in this page-turning limited edition collection from some of today’s best-selling Science Fiction and fantasy authors.

Fans of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman, Anne McCaffrey, John Scalzi or Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, Tamora Pierce, Lois Lowry, and Maria V. Snyder will find themselves transported to weird realms and epic otherworlds in this reality-optional boxset.
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Rogue Skies features my prequel novel Curse of the Drakku: Origins and is the only place where you can buy this addition to my latest fantasy series. For .99, you can’t go wrong! Get your copy of Rogue Skies today!

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Pre-Order: “Rogue Skies”

The Skies Have Gone Rogue…

Hey everyone, I have an awesome opportunity for you to get an EXCLUSIVE novel of mine from an amazing boxed-set of science fiction and fantasy novels.


RogueSkies2Transport yourself to new worlds where dark magic clashes with witty witches, diabolic demons, feisty fae, and sexy shifters. Or travel through time and space with cosmic spies, space thieves, and telepathic pirates. Add in a dash of Victorian heroes and inhuman soldiers, and you have a one-of-a-kind science fiction and fantasy collection of intoxicating proportions.

Fans of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman, Anne McCaffrey, John Scalzi or Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, Tamora Pierce, Lois Lowry, and Maria V. Snyder will find themselves transported to weird realms and epic otherworlds in this reality-optional boxset.

Rogues and Rebels, Magic and Mayhem, Futures and Fantasy—there’s no limit to the excitement that awaits when you turn the pages of this collection of spellbinding adventures from some of today’s best-selling Science Fiction and Fantasy authors.

 


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This collection will feature a prequel novel to my latest Curse of the Drakku fantasy series available nowhere else but here! Not only will you get this exclusive novel, but you get 24 additional science fiction and fantasy novels all for only .99!

Even if you don’t intend on reading all the books, this will be the only way to get my prequel novel for the discounted price of .99.

Sound like a deal? Please consider pre-ordering Rogue Skies on Amazon, Apple Books, or Nook today!

Still not convinced to give it a try? We’re offering a FREE GIFT of 19 stories if you pre-order Rogue Skies. All you need to do is follow this link to get the info.

25 novels. 19 stories. All for .99? Get yours today!

 

Lily Luchesi: “Stake-Out”

If you’re looking for a new paranormal series, check out Stake-Out: Paranormal Detective Series Book 1 from USA Today Bestselling author Lily Luchesi.


StaekOutIn a city overrun with the undead, an ex-cop is given a chance to get revenge…

Danny Mancini is on a case, following a murder suspect. When he catches him, he finds out that the perp isn’t even human: he’s a 200 year old rogue vampire!
The department doesn’t believe him, and puts him on early retirement, despite his many years of service to the Chicago Police Department, which sends him into a downward spiral.
Two years later, Danny gets an invitation from the beautiful, young and very attractive Detective Angelica Cross to join a secret branch of the FBI to help her track down Vincent, the wayward vamp.
But renegade werewolves, meddling immortal witches and Danny’s strange visions of a life lived a century ago with Angelica make things more difficult than it should be.


Buy Stake-Out: Paranormal Detective Series Book 1 today!

Aaron Hodges: “Daughter of Fate”

The new fantasy novel from New York Times bestselling author Aaron Hodges is now available. Daughter of Fate: The Knights of Alana Book One is a thrilling epic fantasy.


AaronHodgesWhen Knights attack the temple of Skystead, seventeen-year-old Pela is the only one to escape. Her mother and the other villagers are taken, accused of worshiping the False Gods. They will pay the ultimate price – unless Pela can rescue them.

Pela has never left the safety of her town, let alone touched a sword. What chance does she have against the ruthless Knights of Alana? She’s not a hero.

But she knows one.

Her uncle Devon was a mighty warrior once, in times when magic filled the world. Age has withered his strength and he retired long ago, but maybe he will answer the call of family.

Can Pela convince him to stand against the darkness one last time?


Buy Daughter of Fate: The Knights of Alana Book One today!

 

Free Books!

Hey everyone, I wanted to alert you to a couple promos I’m participating in where you can get FREE books!

The first is the Summer Speculative Fiction Promo, which I’m hosting. There are over 140 free science-fiction, fantasy, and horror novels to choose from. There are short stories, sample chapters, and full-length novels. Want something new to read? Check it out! Click the image for more info.

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The other promo I’m participating in is the Summer is Coming Fantasy promo. This is all fantasy, all the time! There are a ton of great books available. Find out more by clicking the image.

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That’s it for today. Please check out the promos and share this post so others can learn of the free goodness available. Thanks!

 

New Release: The Blood Stone

He slays dragons for a living. Now he’s on a mission to wipe them from existence.

 I’m thrilled to announce that my new novel The Blood Stone: Curse of the Drakku Book One is now live! You can experience a new adventure fantasy with this fast-paced tale.


The Blood Stone: Curse of the Drakku Book One

Lailoken longs to slit the throat of the beasts who abducted his wife. And with the winged monsters raining havoc on the northern lands, the vengeful dragonslayer’s bloody skills have never been in higher demand. Finally granted the chance to rescue his long-lost love in exchange for a dangerous, magical gem, he sharpens his sword for the quest of his life.

BloodStoneKindleImageVenturing deep into enemy territory to collect the dragon-killing artifact for his fanatical leader, Lailoken prays that he’ll have one more chance to hold his beautiful bride. But as his single-minded hunt for revenge reveals a darker truth, he fears he may be fighting on the side of evil.

Will Lailoken reunite with his love and slay dragonkind, or has he unwittingly triggered the realm’s destruction?

The Blood Stone is the first book in the fast-paced Curse of the Drakku fantasy series. If you like intriguing magic, powerful dragons, and honorable heroes, then you’ll love Jason J. Nugent’s epic adventure.

Buy The Blood Stone to watch a dragonslayer get his revenge today!


Thank you all for your continued support. I hope you enjoy the new book as much as I did writing it!

New & New-ish Releases On the Way

I’m pretty excited to share that I’ve bundled the Forgotten Chronicles Trilogy into one volume and you can pre-order it for only $2.99.

If you’ve yet to try my young adult sci-fi action/adventure series, there’s no better time to try it out than now. For the cost of one book, you get all three novels in one bundle.

The Forgotten Chronicles: The Complete Trilogy features the books The Selection, Rise of ForgottentrilogyCoverthe Forgotten, and The War For Truth and comes out December 15th. If you like fast-paced action set on a human colonized alien world where the natural dangers are almost as bad as the human ones, check out The Forgotten Chronicles and pre-order the trilogy for only $2.99 (after the 15th it goes to $4.99). Click the image or link above and start a new adventure today!


 

Several excellent authors I know are in a massive boxed set aiming for a USA Today bestseller status. If that’s not enough to consider their books, just think of the value you get when you buy their collection of over 20 paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels for only .99! Though I’m not normally a reader of paranormal romance, I did pre-order my copy. I know several of the authors and I know they write amazing books, so I figured why not give it a shot? At .99, how could I lose? Even if one of the novels was all that I liked, it was still only .99.

image1Please consider adding your support by sharing their set or pre-ordering your copy today. It would mean a lot to me to help them out and who knows, you might find a new favorite author to read!

You can get Rite to Reign at all major ebook retailers by clicking the image above or by going here.

 

Call for Submissions: SciFi Anthology

Hey readers and fellow authors, some talented author friends of mine are creating a new anthology that I wanted to share. The title of the project is not yet finalized, however they are taking submissions from now through November. If you’re interested, check out the details below.


Call for Submissions for an anthology highlighting the capabilities and contributions of disabled people in science fiction. This will be a charity anthology with the proceeds and any royalties donated to the Special Olympics. We welcome involvement from disabled authors or those that would be interested in beta reading the final anthology.

PlanetsGenre: is geared toward science fiction, however, science fantasy, urban fantasy, space opera, other types of fantasy and speculative fiction are also acceptable as long as we’re focused on now or the future instead of ancient history. Other planets and non-human characters are acceptable. Dark fantasy/SF and horror are also acceptable as long as disabled heroes are not turned into victims.

Theme: The main characters must be disabled and succeed through their own efforts and without normalizing (i.e. undoing their disabilities with technology). This book is about celebrating the people who exist today and making them represented in the future.

Age level: should be no racier than PG 13 and YA is not precluded but we will not be targeting a YA or underage audience.

Length: 1500-7500 words

Deadline: All submissions should be received no later than November 30th, 2018 with expectation of a February 2019 publication date.

Send submissions to stephanieebarr@Dragonfaeriecreative.org with the subject “Disabled Heroes.”

Format: Word .doc/.docx file, 1″ margins, 12-14pt Times (or other serif font), double-spaced, contact info and word count on first page, running header w/name, title, page #, etc. The usual stuff. And please include your name and the story title in the filename. I will accept reprints if you (a) have the rights and (b) it fits our criteria.

Please edit your story carefully. We’re all busy indie authors and will not take the time to help you rewrite your work into something that works for us. Please make an effort to send something in finished form that meets the criteria we’ve set.

Title and cover are not yet finalized.

You can find out more on facebook by joining: https://www.facebook.com/groups/disabledheroes/

First Ever BookBub Deal (Results)

I recently ran my first ever BookBub Featured Deal, the gold standard of all book promotions, and I wanted to share the results for all my fellow writers and interested readers. If my experience can help you better organize your business or promotional goals, right on!

In case you didn’t know, I started a pen name for my horror works. Several months ago I set-up a Twitter account, Instagram, and even a Facebook Author page as well as a free Wix website for the name. I went this route out of respect for my family. Needless to say, the pen name doesn’t have much of a social media presence and nothing published under that name until now.

On July 20th, I released the first novel under that name and had a couple sales. Literally a couple. By the time my Featured Deal ran, it only had nine sales.

I tend to submit my novel The Selection to BookBub every thirty days, as is their policy, and have been rejected at least nine times. On July 25th, not even a week after I released my horror novel, I submitted The Selection and while there, I figured I’d give my new book a shot knowing I’d get rejected and would have to wait another thirty days.

Two days later, a full week after the book’s release, I got the email from BookBub accepting my submission and that it would run my .99 deal on August 5th if I wanted it. Umm…YES! I paid the bill, about $350, and geared up for the email blast.

My novel had a ton of things going against it for a successful BookBub promo. It was a new novel by a new author with very little social media presence. It was a stand alone book with no series to back it up. It was exclusive to Amazon. It only had (and as I write this still does) two reviews. I did nothing else to promote the book other than a couple low cost AMS ads and a low budget BookBub ad (which is waaaay different than their Featured Deal). I did add another book on pre-order so potential readers had more to try from me and to know I wasn’t a one trick pony.

The morning of the 5th came and the email blast went live. I was nervous and worried I wouldn’t get any downloads. I knew how many I needed to sell to cover the ad cost and waited anxiously for the numbers. I’d been watching other authors on kBoards share their BookBub success and hoped I’d follow suit.

One the first day, I sold a grand total of 286 copies, well short of my goal and a bit discouraging. It was the single biggest selling day ever for me, but I knew then I wasn’t going to cover the ad cost. That day, as the numbers rolled in, I went through a series of emotions, mostly rethinking my ability to write and if maybe I ought to toss it all and give up. So far, I’ve not made back the cost of producing a book, ads, or anything. At the end of that day, I was bummed but decided to carry on because I feel I can write compelling stories that others enjoy. My time will come.

youtuber-2838945_1280So day two came and went and I sold a total of 42 copies. So far today, day three, I’ve sold 3 copies. I’ve also started to see a rise in Kindle Unlimited page reads which will help. There have been 4 pre-orders of the other book I put up just before the promo.

So what’s my take away? After the initial shock of watching sales come in slowly and talking myself off the ledge, I’m viewing this as an extremely positive experience.

To land a BookBub Featured Deal on the first try with a new book and new pen name was amazing. What better way to introduce that name to readers than the best promo service around? I expect this will set up my name for quite a while and give it the foundation it needs for future success.

Promoting a horror novel on a Sunday might not have been the best day. Don’t get me wrong, when BookBub says we wanna share your book, you jump at the chance. I’ve tried other services and none have the return they have.

I knew going into it that a stand alone book stood less of a chance to recoup ad costs and in my case, that has proven correct. If it were the first in a series, the read through to the other books would’ve helped tremendously.

For those that wanted to know, there ya go.

Oh, on the bright side, my novel did rise to number one in two of its three categories, earning the coveted orange Best Seller stripe and in one category, I was beating out Stephen King!

Onward and upward friends!