The Showcase - Book display of our very own BFBF Indie Authors

[Silvion Night]

Hi Gang,

Over the years I've seen a lot of forum members come and go. What quickly became apparent to me is that one of the driving forces of this Forum is the group of indie authors. Often they keep the discussions alive around here.

Also, whereas at first I was a bit skeptical about the writing prowess of our forum frequenters (had some negative experiences with indie books in the past), I had to ditch my doubts after reading some of their work. My reading experiences have invariably been positive.I know I (and a lot of other forum members with me) are planning on reading more books by our own indie authors in the future.

Therefore I thought it'd be a cool idea to have a dedicated thread where our very own BFBF indie authors can showcase their work. I'm thinking 1 post per indie author where they post a (clickable) thumbnail/image of the book(s) they want to display, along with a short description/blurb per book. And maybe something about the author. Kinda like how Alucard posts her recs or upcoming books:



Rules:
- The thread is moderated by me (and the other mods if they like/wish/dare to get involved).
- The definition of a BFBF indie author is ambiguous. Let's just say if you don't feel like you belong to that category, please don't post. If your post is not deleted you implicitly get my stamp of approval (so I don't want to see any false modesty from members like @Tanniel, @ABatch, @Matticus Primal etc. Please post your stuff).
- Please limit yourself to 1 post, which can be edited if the need arises. See the post as your personal showcase/display cabinet.

Note: As self-promotion is generally frowned upon on this forum (but allowed if posted in the correct area) I realize this can be a bit tricky. However, if we can make this work I think it would be a cool addition to the forum. I think I could even make this a sticky so it appears on the top of the page if it turns out this idea is sound (in that case we can also do something about the thread title, which is not ideal, but the best I could come up with).

 

[Tanniel]

I don't even possess genuine modesty, and certainly not the false variety! I'll be happy to be a guinea pig and see if this thread works and draws any interest. Thanks for thinking this up, @Silvion Night.

Conflict is always lurking beneath the surface in the realms of Adalmearc. Power is scattered amongst many in its multiple forms: the authority of kings and noblemen, the military might of the knight order, the spiritual influence of the priesthoods, and the economic control of the guilds. With the death of a king, all are free to pursue their own agenda, and each is the hero of his or her own story. In the end, only one may remain: one winner, one hero, one story.

The Eagle's Flight can be downloaded for free from its website, which contains further information about the world as well as a highly detailed map, downloadable in high resolution. It is the first book in the series The Chronicles of Adalmearc. Influences upon the author for this series includes a love of history and attention to realistic details in a medieval-inspired fantasy setting, a fascination with languages and using the complex origins of English to build the cultures and myths of Adalmearc, and a Master's degree in Comparative Literature, which spawned a desire to write a new kind of story built on the foundation of epic fantasy: No prophecy, no quest, no pre-ordained hero, only characters each seeking to be the last one standing. History is written by the winner.

​

To stay alive, Jawad must succeed where all others have failed: he must catch the Prince of Cats. More legend than man, the Prince is draped in rumours. He can steal the silver teeth from your mouth in the blink of a smile. He is a ghost to walls and vaults, he laughs at locks, and Jawad must capture him before powerful people lose their patience and send the young rogue to the scaffold.

Ever the opportunist, Jawad begins his hunt while carrying out his own schemes. He pits the factions of the city against each other, lining his own pockets in the process and using the Prince as a scapegoat. This is made easy as nobody knows when or where the Prince will strike, or even why.

As plots collide, Jawad finds himself pressured from all sides. Aristocrats, cutthroats, and the Prince himself is breathing down his neck. Unless Jawad wants a knife in his back or an appointment with the executioner, he must answer three questions: Who is the Prince of Cats, what is his true purpose, and how can he be stopped?

The Prince of Cats is as available as ebook and paperback from Amazon and as ebook from most major retailers.

 

[jo zebedee]

That's very kind of you, Silvion.

I've popped the link to my author's page, if that's okay, as I have a number of titles out and about (including short stories - one of which, in Malevolence, was an Ellen Datlow recommended read) and this has them all in one place.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jo-Zebedee/e/B00VM61TZG

My books: The Inheritance Trilogy, my Abendau books. A dark space opera, very character-led. What happens if you are the chosen one? What would it be like to have that destiny? It's a big, sprawling family dynasty story with multi-generational voices and a classic Space Opera feel.

My standalone: Inish Carraig. Set in post-alien invasion, dystopian, Belfast. John, a teenager on the streets, is fighting to survive. Henry is the cop who gets embroiled in John's life. When John is sent to Inish Carraig, a formidable alien prison, he unearths a truth that threatens what remains of Earth. He has to unveil it. First, he has to get out.

And coming next year, I have Waters and the Wild, a dark fantasy set in the Glens of Antrim. Do you believe in fairies? You might, after reading it.

 

[Matticus Primal]

I too have never been accused of false modestly. Passive aggression, yes. But then I punched him in the face.

A Gunpowder Fantasy re-imagining of the American Civil War, The Woven Ring pits muskets against magic, massive war machines against mind readers, and glass sabers against soldiers in psychic exoskeletons.

In exile since the civil war that tore the nation of Newfield apart, former spy and turncoat Marta Childress wants nothing more than to quietly live out her remaining days in the West. But then her manipulative brother arrives with one final mission: Transport the daughter of a hated inventor deep into the East. Forced to decide between safely delivering the girl and assassinating the inventor, Marta is torn between ensuring the fragile peace and sparking a second civil war.

Aided by an untrustworthy Dobra and his mysterious mute companion, Marta soon discovers that dark forces, human and perhaps the devil herself, seek to end her quest into the East.

 

[Darth Tater]

Another great idea of yours, Silvion! I'm pretty sure we all root for them . This will also clue us in on their pen names. Wow. I had absolutely no clue that @jo zebedee was an author, let alone so many cool books! Other people too.

Hopefully you authors keep us posted on any recent or overall successes you've experienced. Advertised on Amazons page, great sales, positive reviews. Or even roadblocks. I cannot speak for everyone but I personally have always been VERY interested in how you guys were doing.

Today, I was really glad to see @Davis Ashura on Amazon's deals page. (Not the highlighted DAILY deal front page unfortunately, YET, but a few pages in where it will be there for a month). Had I seen THIS thread earlier today I wouldn't have started a new one asking my question.

 

[jo zebedee]

Another great idea of yours, Silvion! I'm pretty sure we all root for them . This will also clue us in on their pen names. Wow. I had absolutely no clue that @jo zebedee was an author, let alone so many cool books! Other people too.

Hopefully you authors keep us posted on any recent or overall successes you've experienced. Advertised on Amazons page, great sales, positive reviews. Or even roadblocks. I cannot speak for everyone but I personally have always been VERY interested in how you guys were doing.

Today, I was really glad to see @Davis Ashura on Amazon's deals page. (Not the highlighted DAILY deal front page unfortunately, YET, but a few pages in where it will be there for a month). Had I seen THIS thread earlier today I wouldn't have started a new one asking my question.

Dang, I need to talk less and promo more (Not!)

 

[Davis Ashura]

Today, I was really glad to see @Davis Ashura on Amazon's deals page. (Not the highlighted DAILY deal front page unfortunately, YET, but a few pages in where it will be there for a month). Had I seen THIS thread earlier today I wouldn't have started a new one asking my question.

Wait! Is this real? I got an email from Amazon promoting my books, but I didn't really it much attention. Guess I should have. I really wish I understood what sparked my success as an author. I think I have some idea for the audiobook market, but the ebookmarket remains an utter mystery to me.

 

[Darth Tater]

Wait! Is this real? I got an email from Amazon promoting my books, but I didn't really it much attention. Guess I should have. I really wish I understood what sparked my success as an author. I think I have some idea for the audiobook market, but the ebookmarket remains an utter mystery to me.

Congratulations! Lucky I came across it then. If you haven't seen it you go to the main Amazon Daily Deal page and click on the science fiction/fantasy. I think it was four or five pages in but if it sells well relative to the others it will keep moving up.

 

[ABatch]

I think many of you know me and my books already, but it was recommended that I (re)post here, so this is my first book:

https://www.amazon.com/Steel-Blood-...lood & fire&qid=1462334033&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

It's a stand-alone, but my hope is you'll want to continue, as the characters have a lot more to accomplish before series' end. I think of the style as Grimdark, though, in my current job I do have to limit my nastiness.

Happy to answer any questions you might have (that aren't spoilers!),

Allan

 

[Nuomer1]

Oh well, in for a penny . . .
I had been thinking about giving up writing altogether, once I realised I needed either A) the sort of luck that leads to an agent , or B) to spend far more time on marketing (and self promotion in whatever forms I could bring myself to use) than I spent on all my hobbies put together (and writing only comes second!)
Plus having a fundamental disagreement with my co-author . . . .

Then I found this thread . . .
Oh well, 'Once more into the breach dear friends, once more, and close the wall up with our paragraphs d(r)ead.'
Or something like that.
I (that is, we) have four books set on Nuome (plus Graham has written some Roman stuff on his own). A suitable starting point would be Shades of Smoke
Pause . . . Sorry, I tried inserting an image but it came up enormous! Never mind, its in my signature below, linked to our website and thence to Amazon or Smashwords. Sorry, it is currently electronic only.
Details? Well, there are some reviews here (not written by friends) but basically it is a sort of mixed genre - crime, and a coming-of-age story in a world with magic - but not the 'wands and spells' magic of Harry Potter, this is a structured form of magic-with-rules. So much so that one of the chief protagonists in one of our other books would get angry at the word 'magic', and insist on calling it science. He's wrong, but that's his problem.
As for style . . . I was aiming for something pretty light - not quite YA, but definitely not Grimdark, though there is a certain amount of violence (and a very small amount of sex).
Go for it if you are interested. Reviews would be appreciated. Contact with an agent would be appreciated even more.

 

[Olli Tooley]

I have two series out but only one is fantasy.
"Children of the Wise Oak" is a historically grounded fantasy set in the 1st Century BCE but with added magic and the occasional dragon, although this is not allowed to change major historical events.
It is available on Amazon Kindle and Paperback, and can also be ordered in any bookshop in the UK
http://myBook.to/CotWO Kindle

http://mybook.to/CotWO-pb Paperback
The sequel is due soon "Women of the Wise Oak" and I am writing "Men of the Wise Oak" now.

My publishing imprint "Blue Poppy Publishing" has also just published a fantasy by another author.
Black Lord of Eagles, by Ben Blake, is a fantasy inspired by the Inca empire and the arrival of the conquistadors. (it doesn't pretend to be historical though, just takes that period as inspiration)
Amazon .com

Amazon .co.uk

 

[ABatch]

I must say, I have been showered (but not, thank God, in the Trumpian sense) with love here at BFB and received a number of reviews from forum regulars. Believe it or not, though, they're a small percentage of members who've actually read my stuff. And so...I'm gonna beg, grovel, etc. for a few more reviews. They only take a minute or two on Amazon or Goodreads, and studies have shown reviews are far more impactful than advertising or social media when it comes to attracting and converting new fans! If you really want to do me -- and/or any BFB author -- a favor, write a quick review. Doesn't have to be wordy. And I'll be forever indebted to you, and isn't THAT awesome???

 

[Anti_Quated]

I've neglected this long enough, so due credit to our benevolent @Silvion Night and the BFB community as a whole for facilitating plugs for our respective works. Mine is as follows.

The reign of the Gods of Anaimon is sundered abruptly, when Propagatoris, ruler of Anaimon’s divine pantheon, casts himself into the twin suns of the world, obliterating him from existence and triggering a cataclysm that tears apart the Gods’ star-lit ethereal home. Their divine forms broken and ruined during the sudden, violent descent, the Gods fall and smash into the great cities of Cpharan and Cphesus, killing thousands, almost destroying with them their most beloved priestess, Burning Flower.

Amidst the desolation and chaos, the Gods utter a final pulse of communication, telling Burning Flower with their dying breath that Anaimon is but one world, and that other cycles of Anaimon exist beyond even the Gods’ reckoning. If Burning Flower can find the three sigils that lead the way through these worlds to ‘Horizon’, she may be able to restore Anaimon and the Gods, and undo the great calamity that has occurred.

Burning Flower is not alone in her search for the sigils, as a bestial enemy breaks free of their borders and begin to march across Anaimon; ravenous nightmares and misshapen hordes come to destroy all that Burning Flower and the Orders have fought for. Amidst such turmoil, the human enemies of the Order find new resolve; the nomadic, scattered tribes of the Iera who have been persecuted for their animistic beliefs and customs; the Aletheians, apostate criminals, smugglers, and exiles who value free will and their ‘ultimate truth’ above all else; and the Syndicals, rebellious heretics who have devolved into a broken people concerned only with survival in the bleak, barren emptiness of the world.

These factions and forces surge and swell even as the Orders slowly fray and tear themselves apart in the wake of the Gods’ death. Pursued relentlessly by friend and foe across their slowly dying world, Burning Flower and those survivors willing to restore Anaimon must journey across the lands in search of the sigils, to find their way to ‘Horizon’, and the enigmatic power that lay beyond.
​

I've a Blog here that has some background info, maps, character art, and other bits and pieces. I also had a hell of a lot of fun with a shoe-string budget book trailer that's on Youtube.
Silvion's generous review is here, balanced by my Goodreads which aren't all generous - the axiom of one's inability to please all ringing ever so true. Like Alan, I'm looking for some more reviews and appraisals and hoping to spread the word, so I've 3 copies in Paperback, and 3 E-books (Kindle) to giveaway to any forum regulars interested in exploring my work - first in and all that when it comes to freebies. Just don't live in an isolated middle-of-nowhere island nation that will cost me hundreds in shipping to you, please?
If you want to financially support my hobby, it's available on Amazon, Book Depository, etc. Much appreciated again for the opportunity

Edit - apologies, should have noted, if you're chasing a free copy for review, please PM me your preference and email/mailing address. Cheers!​

 

[Ryan W. Mueller]

I'm planning on releasing my first book this summer once I get cover art and do a few final edits to make sure I don't have any typos that have somehow eluded me this long. I'll have more information once we get closer to the release date.

 

[ABatch]

Here's a radio interview I did yesterday that may answer many of your questions. Enjoy!

http://www.speakuptalkradio.com/allan-batchelder-speaks-up/

 

[D.N.Frost]

I'm somewhat new here but I'm happy to discard false modesty to join the showcase effort. Here's my first book at DNFrost.com/Awakening:

​

This is Book One of my epic fantasy saga, Tales of the Known World. Reviews have described the book as "gripping, fluidly written" and "unbridled, uncontrived, and groundbreaking." Here is the book's synopsis:

Centuries ago, the prophetic Golden Age ended in war, and history spiraled into darkness. Now, only scholars retain the last portent of the mythic city A'lara, concealed in a distant glade for the advent of the dragon mage.

At the edge of the Known World, the slave Larin escapes her new lord before she meets his dark masters. Deep in the mountains, the legendary elf Kingard awaits his call to battle. When young Darek flees imperial mages tasked to exterminate shape-shifters, he launches them all on a voyage to redeem their unsought destiny.

United by fate and guided by prophesy, their growing band of fugitives journey for A'lara to fight the ancient evil infiltrating the capital. But looming over the gears of fate, their enemies follow the same prophesies. With the unknown close upon them, Kingard and his allies face a mortal quest to restore their infected empire.​

As with many authors, I support my novel through my website and blog. So here are some links to my free bonus content:

DNFrost.com/maps - The 19 fantasy maps I made for Book One
DNFrost.com/prophesy - The 23 prophetic riddles from Awakening
DNFrost.com/language - The 14 constructed languages featured in the novel
DNFrost.com/magic - The magic system of the Known World

DNFrost.com/spark - My personal inspirations for writing what I write
DNFrost.com/books - The books of my saga and my goals for TotKW
DNFrost.com/praise - All the reviews for Awakening: Book One
DNFrost.com/read - Start reading Awakening for free online​

 

[Darth Tater]

I'm somewhat new here but I'm happy to discard false modesty to join the showcase effort. Here's my first book at DNFrost.com/Awakening:

​

This is Book One of my epic fantasy saga, Tales of the Known World. Reviews have described the book as "gripping, fluidly written" and "unbridled, uncontrived, and groundbreaking." Here is the book's synopsis:

Centuries ago, the prophetic Golden Age ended in war, and history spiraled into darkness. Now, only scholars retain the last portent of the mythic city A'lara, concealed in a distant glade for the advent of the dragon mage.

At the edge of the Known World, the slave Larin escapes her new lord before she meets his dark masters. Deep in the mountains, the legendary elf Kingard awaits his call to battle. When young Darek flees imperial mages tasked to exterminate shape-shifters, he launches them all on a voyage to redeem their unsought destiny.

United by fate and guided by prophesy, their growing band of fugitives journey for A'lara to fight the ancient evil infiltrating the capital. But looming over the gears of fate, their enemies follow the same prophesies. With the unknown close upon them, Kingard and his allies face a mortal quest to restore their infected empire.​

As with many authors, I support my novel through my website and blog. So here are some links to my free bonus content:

DNFrost.com/maps - The 19 fantasy maps I made for Book One
DNFrost.com/prophesy - The 23 prophetic riddles from Awakening
DNFrost.com/language - The 14 constructed languages featured in the novel
DNFrost.com/magic - The magic system of the Known World

DNFrost.com/spark - My personal inspirations for writing what I write
DNFrost.com/books - The books of my saga and my goals for TotKW
DNFrost.com/praise - All the reviews for Awakening: Book One
DNFrost.com/read - Start reading Awakening for free online​

I really like the map and something about the "simple" cover grabs my attention and is pleasing to the eye.

 

[D.N.Frost]

I really like the map and something about the "simple" cover grabs my attention and is pleasing to the eye.

Wow, thank you! I rarely get feedback on my cover, and I'm delighted that it "cuts through the noise" of traditional book cover designs. There are plenty more maps to peruse too.

 

[Noor Al-Shanti]

I might as well jump in...

EDIT: New Epic Fantasy Novel


King Sharr of the Kingdom of Shining Waters was not a particularly brave man. When he heard that the Mad Sorcerer was creeping up the mountainside he fled the fortress city, practically handing it over to the Mad Sorcerer, and made his abode in Dalaiabeth: the King’s City. His palace lay behind high walls on one side of the great lake and Dalaiabeth lay almost defenseless on the other. Even behind the high walls of his palace the King worried. Most of all, he was afraid for his young daughter, the Lady Shila.

It was the palace blacksmith that offered the King salvation from his fears. “Why not adopt an orphan boy from the city?” he asked. “He will grow up with the Lady Shila, learn to love her as a sister, and he will protect her when the matters of the Kingdom take you away from her.”
So the King sent three trusted men to bring him a suitable boy from the city orphanage.

But it was more than three men that knocked on little Dargoth’s door the next day. His mother tried to protect him, but she was no match for the unit of trained soldiers that took her little boy, Dargoth from her, claiming that he was wanted to fight in the war.

As Dargoth and his mother struggle to reunite, the Mad Sorcerer’s relentless attacks throw their Kingdom into chaos and despair, and they find themselves up against forces and intrigues far beyond what they could have imagined. Immerse yourself in this epic story now!

I have a several fantasy shorts and novellas out - preparing to publish the novel in the same world soonish. Here are a couple of them:

Loud banging resounded throughout the house. The housekeeper pushed a servant aside and wrenched the door open angrily. A man stood on the threshold, dripping rain and mud and blood.

A stormy night brings Wandering sailors to a sleepy farming town in the High Kingdoms. (Short Story in the Tales from the Circle Series)


and...

When her grandmother is kidnapped from their small farming village Nyarai sets out to find her and bring her back home. In a town on the edge of the Kingdom of Jade she stumbles upon a small orphanage and uncovers a dark secret that brings back memories of the Giant War she escaped as a child and propels her into an impossible quest. A quest that pits her against the terrifying Sorcerers of the High Kingdoms. Join Nyarai on an adventure that takes her from the highest peaks of the High Kingdoms to the darkest secrets below the ground... (Novella in the Tales from the Circle series)


Out of curiosity I've been trying to put images of the book covers in my signature, but they keep coming out huge... can't we edit the image size in bb code? It just won't let me...

 

[ABatch]

Looks good! Thanks for posting.