Blog Tour: The Glass Thief by John Ryers

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Author Interview, Blog Tour, Excerpt, Indie Author, John Ryers, The Glass Thief

Welcome to the first of a string of January blog tours. I’m trying to stick more with signing up for tours where I either know the author through social media, or know the publishing company. In this case, it is the former. Check out the details of this great book, which just released on January 1st and made my list of ten books I’m excited about in 2017.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

 ABOUT YOU:

•  Please tell us your name (or pen name) and a little bit about yourself:

My name is John Ryers and I write predominantly dark fantasy. I have written a few short stories in YA and Sci-Fi genres as well. I live in Ontario, Canada with my wife and twin daughters, and work as a graphic designer to pay the bills.

• Please provide the link to your social media:E-mail: john.ryers@gmail.comTwitter: @johnryers

Instagram: @johnryers

Facebook: www.facebook/com/jryers

Website: www.johnryers.com

• How many books have you written?

The Glass Thief is my first novel.

• Has any of your work been published yet?

I have had a couple short stories published in anthologies. You can find links to those stories on my website at: www.johnryers.com

• If you have been published, did you self-publish or use traditional publishing?

The Glass Thief will be self-published. I see advantages on both sides of the coin regarding traditional or self-publishing, but opted for self-publishing in order to control my rights, cover art, interior design and marketing strategies. As a self-publisher, I can decide the when and where of how I promote my books and that sense of control is very important to me.

• How old were you when you started writing? When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I knew I wanted to be a writer from a very young age. I wrote my first story at aged six (complete with amazing (not really) crayon illustrations). It was about my hamster and his inevitable death, and so I’m entirely surprised my favourite genre to write is dark fantasy.

• What would you say motivates you to keep writing?

I need to tell my stories. I have to get them out of my head and onto a page. There are some I never show to anyone but myself, and some I feel have a message others might gain something from. It’s this creative form of communication that keeps me going and gets me through the days when the words are difficult to get out.

• Who are some of your favorite authors?

My favourite author is John Green. It’s his style of writing that I felt a connection to and his books helped me find my own narrative voice. For a while I was floundering with a lack of style and voice and it was through reading his novel A Fault In Our Stars that everything seemed to click for me, despite him not writing anything remotely close to dark fantasy.

• What is your preferred reading method? Why?

I like both equally, but if I had to choose, I’d pick a real book. There’s something about flipping from page to page and feeling the words in your hands that an e-reader just can’t replicate. But at the same time, I can’t keep a thousand books in my house but I can on my Kindle.

• Do you write in first or third person, past or present tense, and why?

I prefer writing short stories in first-person past and longer works in third-person past. I’ve never really felt a connection to writing in present tense, though I’m not opposed to trying if the story would sound better using it. I also prefer writing a very close third and don’t really care to write in third-person omniscient.

• Do you “always read” or do you take breaks between reading books?

I don’t always read, especially when I’m deep into writing, but I can’t go too long without picking up a book (or e-reader) because I find reading other people’s stories help recharge my creativity. I’d definitely run out of writing steam if I stopped reading altogether.

• How many books would you say you read in a year? How many at any one time?

I’m also a very slow reader, sometimes only getting a single scene in before I crash for the night. I’d say 6-7 books a year is about average these days.

I can only ever read one book at a time. When I get into a story I like, I give it my full attention, and since my reading time is limited, I’d prefer to focus a single story from start to finish and really absorb what the author is trying to say. I also find switching between stories with different narrative voices to be quite distracting.

 

ABOUT YOUR CURRENT BOOK:

 

• What is the title of your current work in progress or the most recent manuscript you’ve completed?

The Glass Thief is my most recent completed manuscript. I came up with the idea in late 2012 and finished final edits in late 2016. There were a lot of lessons learned along the way with this one.

• What is your novel’s genre? Would you say there is a sub-genre? What makes yours different than other books in the same genre?

My genre is Dark Fantasy, and I’ve been told I could classify it under the sub-genre of Heist/Swashbuckling Fantasy. I think my narrative style makes it a little different than the usual dark fantasy tales. It is set in the middle ages but I use anachronistic language that borders on contemporary, and I also implement technology that didn’t exist during that time period such as magical firearms and a steam-powered suit of armour in one particular scene.

• What inspired the current or most recent story you’ve completed?

I think I pulled the inspiration for The Glass Thief from my own past, in that, I was a very different person a decade ago than I am today. A lesser person so to speak. The Glass Thief is a story about betrayal and redemption, and I wanted to write a story that showed no matter what your past entailed, you always have the power to set things right, if you truly want to.

• What is your target audience’s age, gender, etc.?

I’d say my target audience would be adults. There’s some pretty dark moments in The Glass Thief, definitely not suitable for children, but as for how old I’d draw the line? Who knows. There’s so much pain and suffering in the media these days that I don’t think anything in my novel would shock a teen audience.

• Do you want to tell us a little bit about your story?

The Glass Thief is the story of Del Kanadis, a thief who’s made a name for himself stealing elemental glass throughout his realm, but who owes a heavy debt to the King of Fires. The King of Fires is fighting his own war and requires a certain relic to defeat his enemies. He tasks Del to infiltrate the village where they believe the relic hides, and steal it. So the meat of the story is essentially Del gaining the trust of the villages to find the relic, and then royally screw them over by stealing it.

ABOUT HOW YOU WRITE:

•  How often do you write?

I write every weekday from 7am to 8 am. My writing time is very limited having 4-year-old twins to take care of at home, and so I get to work an hour early every day to get my writing in.

• Approximately how many words do you write at each sitting?

It really depends on how I’m feeling. Sometimes I can break 2,000 in that hour. Other times I’m slogging through a paragraph or two before the hour’s up.

• Do you do your own editing or send it to someone else?

I do as much editing on my own as I can before sending it to my beta readers. I want them to have the cleanest version they can, so they can focus on the story instead of the grammatical errors and typos. Once they’ve read it through and I’ve applied all their feedback, I’ll print it out on paper and go over each page one more time. Then my editor gets it and finds the million things I glossed over during my final pass.

• What is your method of writing?

I’ll start with a brief sentence or two outlining each scene I plan to write. Once I have this very rough roadmap, I’ll start writing out the scenes for a first draft. I write in order, so I can maintain the pace and flow in my head as I go. After the first draft, I’ll write a revised draft (which is the longest part) and correct all the plot holes, remove redundant or useless scenes and add more scenes where necessary. After that draft, I’ll write a third in which I add in foreshadowing and tie certain later events back to the beginning for a more organic feel. The fourth draft is after my betas get through it and the fifth and final is the polish that goes to my editor.

• Do you have a muse? If so, please elaborate. If not, what inspires you?

I don’t think I have a muse, unless life itself is a muse. Life inspires me all the time. Every day I see something that sparks a new story, or an addition to one I’m currently writing.

• How long does it take you to write a full manuscript?

Too long. [laughs even though you can’t hear it]. The Glass Thief took me 4 years to write from concept to clicking Publish. The second book in the trilogy will go a lot faster because I know my character and their world better now, and I have a valid starting point to jump off from. I predict less than 2 years for book two.

• Do you give yourself a word limit for each day or a time limit to finish your novel? If so, please elaborate.

I don’t give myself any time limits. As writers, we struggle enough with self-doubt and motivation that I feel it’s borderline cruel to impose limits like that on ourselves. I suppose a self-imposed deadline does help some, but for me, a missed deadline is something I don’t want to deal with mentally.

• How do you come up with your character names and geographic location / business names?

I use simple names, despite writing fantasy. Single or double syllables put together for a pleasing rhythm when it rolls off the tongue. I love writing Fantasy but I also want it as accessible as possible to people who shy away from that genre. I’d love for more people to read Fantasy and so I want to make it easy on them if they decide to try it with my book.

• How long (or how detailed) are the notes you take before you start writing?

Very light. I don’t write a whole lot of notes before diving in. The story is mapped out enough in my head and my 1-sentence scene outlines that it’s enough of a jumping off point for me to get the first draft out.

• Do you have any “must haves” to help you write?

I must have silence. I can’t write with music playing or background noises of any sort. I mean, I can, but I’m far more productive in absolute silence.

• Do you only write during a certain time of day or in a certain location? If so, do you make yourself stop after a certain time?

I’m a graphic designer from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, so I always arrive at work an hour early to write. I have twin 4-year-olds at home that make writing at night a near impossibility. So once my hour at work is up, that’s usually it for the rest of the day.

• Does your real life ever get neglected because of your writing? If so, how do you feel about that?

My real life really only gets neglected during the final month before a book release. I have an amazing wife who supports me in this and understands that it’s only a month out of many years in which my extra time is consumed. Other than that, I always put family first and writing second.

• What is the quirkiest thing you do or have ever done when writing?

I’m a writer, when am I NOT quirky?

ABOUT YOUR WORK:

• If you have written more than one novel, which is your favorite and why?

I have only written one novel to date.

• If you could be one of your own characters for a day, who would it be and why?

I think I’d like to be Arisee Moonwater, despite her being the opposite sex. She lives in a secluded forest all to herself and gets to hang out with wildlife amongst the trees all day. Sounds relaxing to me.

• If one of your books became a movie, who would you choose for the “perfect cast” of main characters?

I’d actually like to see how THEY would cast my characters. I’d be very interested is seeing how my world and the people in it are interpreted through someone else’s eyes. I’d find it fascinating and would leave the casting completely up to them.

• What is the oddest thing you have ever researched for one of your books?

Probably how long certain poisons take to end a life. There’s a lot of herbalism in my stories and some of those herbs aren’t very nice to ingest. I wanted a variety of different types of poisonings to add authenticity to that aspect of the story. I’m sure I’m on several watch lists now.

• What is the most difficult thing you have ever researched for one your books and why?

I don’t think I’ve find anything I’ve ever researched to be difficult or hard to swallow. Knowledge is power, and the the more you have the better the writer you’ll be.

ABOUT JOHN RYERS

John is a graphic designer by day, and graphic designer by night (depending on the client), but most importantly, he’s a writer at heart. His dreams include writing for a living, experiencing virtual reality on a Matrix-esque level, and flying unaided (or possibly via really sweet jetpack).

John writes all genres but prefers Dark Fantasy over most anything else. This is due in part to the fact that he likes it the best, and because it’s awesome.

John prefers blue cheese over cheddar, cats over dogs, and will attempt to answer any question with sarcasm whether appropriate or not.

He completed his first novel The Glass Thief in 2017 and you should buy it. Or don’t. He’s not the boss of you.

BACK BLURB

A debt is owed.

Del Kanadis–indentured thief to the King of Fires–desires freedom above all else. When given the opportunity to repay his debt with a single job, he begrudgingly accepts, believing it to be a fool’s errand. His task: infiltrate a secluded village rumoured to hold a relic capable of defeating the Fire King’s enemies.

Living amongst the townsfolk and gaining the trust of those in charge, Del quickly discovers they know more than they’re letting on, and that perhaps the relic truly does exist. Upon discovering their ultimate secret, he realizes winning his own life back could come at the cost of everyone else losing theirs.

GLASS THIEF EXCERPTS:

CHAPTER 1:

A debt was owed.

Four simple words and a simpler concept still, but it was the repayment of said debt that was particularly difficult for one glass thief, Del Kanadis. If it were just a matter of acquiring enough gold to satisfy the debtor, then Del wouldn’t be freezing his ass off in the middle of a moonlit cornfield right now. But as it was, it wasn’t to be settled by coin alone, but rather favours of a delicate nature. A nature that required weeks of meticulous plotting, planning and preparation.

 CHAPTER XXI:

If you could describe Uri’s home with a few words, it’d be sterile, bare and spartan. Almost militant. It reminded Del of the early days, back when he’d steal glass from the barracks and keeps of human kingdoms before the Glass Wars diminished their numbers and put the faen into power.

Nothing was out of place here. His clothes were organized into two sections: patrol Uri and magistrate Uri. Light armour and leather on the left and garish robes and ceremonial trinkets on the right. No Glass Crown.

A mouse would be hard-pressed to find a crumb of food in the kitchen. The floors were scrubbed, the table clean and polished, and the scent of citrus lingered in the air. No Glass Crown.

Upstairs was, as expected, equally tidy. Saria’s bedroom would seem chaotic compared to the order of Uri’s, and all she had was a bed and a book of poems. The sheets were pressed and fitted tight around a bed that’d hold no more than a single person. If Uri had anything going on with Renny, it sure as hell wasn’t going on here. Perhaps they rolled around on the floured floor of her bakery. An image both amusing and disturbing. No Glass Crown.

Del returned to the kitchen and grabbed a glass along with the bottle of wine beside it. He pulled the cork out with his teeth, spit it onto the floor and filled the glass, putting his feet up on the table. A small consolation for a fruitless search, but a deserved one nonetheless. He had after all saved Uri’s life.

 CHAPTER XVII:

“Don’t run,” Arisee whispered.

It was like she could see the list of options scrolling through Del’s mind. Running away being at the top of the list. Screaming or soiling oneself tied for second place and wishing for a pair of loaded glasslocks came in third.

Arisee shifted her feet and crouched into some sort of exotic combat stance suggesting she’d be making a stand, and since Del’s ankle had so conveniently betrayed him on the way here, it seemed he’d be making a stand too. A weaponless, armourless, hopeless stand most likely ending in a gruesome death.

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Blog Tour: The Naked Tree by Morgan Lee – Excerpt

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Blog Tour, Excerpt, Morgan Lee, Sci-Fi, The Naked Tree

About the Author

After thousands of hours procrastinating, several hundred gallons of coffee and tea, and endless prayers, Morgan has finally produced a physical book that is now in your hands. Ever since she was a little girl she has always been fascinated with the written word and has wanted to be an author. Morgan received her bachelor of arts degree in creative writing from Kansas State University. It was only in 2013 when she received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior that she found her purpose for writing and discovered that her ministry would be to present the glory of God through fiction. Morgan Lee currently lives in Kansas City with her family.

Connect with Morgan Lee!

Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

About the Book

Life is just a Vapor…

if you were blessed enough to have them that is.

Colette has lived the last seventeen years of her life being hidden away and choosing to hide herself. Colette is a part of a class of people who are even lower than the animals they herd. They are Vaporless. Defects in a perfect world. And Colette was the worse one of them. After the vicious leaders, Eviya, Levi and Adamek of the Triunity put out a bounty for the blood of the Vaporless no one is safe. Disaster has struck. The Tree of Knowl is failing and the once beautiful Vapors are now killing their hosts. A solution must be found and that solution is to sacrifice the Vaporless to the Tree in an effort to appease it so that it will reverse the curse it placed.

Now on the run, Colette meets Rowan and Holden leaders of a well known rebellion group who call themselves R.H.I.S.K. With the help of Rowan, Holden, Anastasia, Kofi, and Kimaya, Colette hatches a plan to discover a way to save themselves and the Vaporless from destruction. When the group enters into the Province Ilan they find themselves the knights of an ancient war. A risky mission over the Edge. A mysterious device called the Eloi. And a war that will shake the very foundation that they have known.

And the story all starts with a single naked tree.

Purchase the book here!

Amazon E-store | Goodreads

The Naked Tree Blog Tour Stops

Monday, October 24: Afterthelastpage.com

Tuesday, October 25: TBD

Wednesday, October 26: authordavidwiley.wordpress.com

Thursday, October 27: b00kr3vi3ws.in

Friday, October 28: jbronderbookreviews.com

Saturday, October 29: TBD

Sunday, October 30: thehoplessreader.blogspot.com

Join in Sunday night 9pm-12am CST for the Virtual Release Party for The Naked Tree!

Author Morgan Lee Fan Page! There will be giveaways, contests, trivia, other authors, and more!

Excerpt of The Naked Tree: Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Colette couldn’t remember a time when she didn’t loathe her entire existence, but at this very moment, she felt lower than she ever had before. Please let him be done. They let out a sigh of relief at the same time, Jax having released his disgusting nut into her and Colette in relief that it was finally over. Jax pulled out of her, bracing the top of the headboard for support. His breathing was heavy and Colette could feel his stomach inflating and receding as he panted like an animal. Colette finally opened her eyes just as Jax brushed his lips across hers in an attempt at a kiss, but Colette turned away.

“You are beautiful.” Jax rested his lips on Colette’s sweaty head instead.

“Great,” she said. “Now get off of me.” Colette shifted under Jax’s weight. He didn’t let up at first.  Colette pushed him hard as she could in his chest in an effort to move him. His hand quickly found her throat making Colette jump.

“Don’t put your hands on me,” he said in a low voice as he pulled her into a deep stare. Colette let out a stifled breath. Her eyes were bulged wide as she looked at Jax, the look on his face stern and serious. She knew what it meant.

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, a great amount of edge in her voice. She tried to pull her face from his grasp but he held on tighter. Colette signed heavily and locked onto eye contact with Jax.

“Do you know how many Boors like you would love to be in my bed right now? You should be showing a little more appreciation or I should just throw you out of my domicile and let your ass freeze under the Black Moon.”

Colette sucked in a dry breath.

“I said I was sorry,” she said quickly. Jax groaned, took his hand off of Colette’s face, and rolled over to his side.

“The Community didn’t want you, the Triunity didn’t want you, the world doesn’t want you, Colette. You’re a Vaporless, you’re worthless.” Colette struggled to keep eye contact with Jax as he spoke, his eyes cold and unblinking. “But I want you,” he said finally. “I chose you, remember that sweetness.”

Jax leaned in once more, only this time Colette was too afraid to pull away. His eyes were still caught in hers as he pressed his lips to her own and kissed her in a very strange, and delicate way. Very much unlike the bestial brute that had raped her almost every night since she had met him six quarks ago.

Jax pulled away from her. He let out a heavy groan, tucked Colette firmly and possessively under his arm and fell right to sleep. Colette exhaled. Her position at the Community, the world—Jax wasn’t wrong to say that no one wanted her. Why would they? She was nothing more than a Vaporless after all.  However, just as she seemed to have reached the point of no return, Jax was there and although he had been downright decent to her, she hated him with every ounce of feeling that it was possible to feel. Colette wiggled her hand free from under Jax’s weight and touched in between her legs, cupping it. Her eyes shut tightly around the throbbing pain that failed to quit. Damn. How could anyone ever consent to this barbarism? The feeling of being penetrated and nearly shredded into two halves was unbearable, but it was undeniably necessary as Jax had so plainly pointed out to her. She needed him to survive…no matter what the cost to her own body.

Jax shifted in his sleep bringing his massive arm more tightly around Colette, across her chest, pinning her down to the bed. Colette groaned and curled up her long legs in an effort to wiggle free. She was definitely thin enough to get out, but her height was making the task an absolute nightmare. Though, she had to admit, living with Jax was actually the only highlight of her life. At least under Jax she had a warm bed and food. The next Black Moon was coming soon and the entire Province of Eliam would be bathed in perpetual night, darkness and cold. She’d be an idiot to think that she could survive outside of a Sector.

Colette rolled her head over to look at Jax. His mouth was hanging open as he slept, blowing spurts of hot, moist breaths on her face, make her loose black bangs stick slightly to her skin. The whole room was full of the stench of sweat and fluids. It was a disgusting smell that made her stomach turn. Jax had been satisfied enough, flailing and grunting like a wild boar as he was on top of her, tonight, forcing her to go for hours on end. She studied his face. It’s hard lines and sharp features making him what “normal” women may call handsome, but Colette had never seen anyone more hideous.  Her eye sight moved from his facedown to the arm that was draped over her body. A jolt in her stomach sent a twinge of jealousy flooding over her. By the Tree, they where beautiful. The Vapors. So colorful and plentiful as they danced in misty spirals around Jax’s body. They were the thing that separated people like Colette, the Vaporless, from the normal people of the Land. The Vapors were symbols of their greatness and conformity to society. They were the symbol of everything that the Triunity envisioned when they had created this race of people, and Colette had been born a defect. Vaporless. Born without any clue as to what the Vapors truly are and how, if there were any way at all, she could get them.

She absentmindedly rubbed the spot on her arm where the microchip would have gone if she had had one. In response to feeling nothing there, she touched Jax’s arm where his chip was buried underneath the skin. This tiny chip made life so much easier. Without it, no one could work, buy, sell or even eat. Without the chip there was no existence. She remembered how her parents would always teach her how to survive without one, but Colette was finally tired of just surviving. She needed a new way. Colette wrapped both of her hands softly around Jax’s arm and hoisted it up carefully, so as not to wake him. She slid her body out from under him, landing with a soft thud on the floor below.

Colette had to move fast. She got to her knees and scanned the dark room for her satchel that held her small pile of belongings. The carpet was soft under her hands as she groped the floor. Her hand hit the familiar smooth suede skin and she pulled it quickly toward her. Colette stole a look over her shoulder at the sleeping Jax as she pulled out her pants, undergarments, and tunic. She pulled on her clothes, quickly and hoisted her satchel over her shoulder, crawling to the door.

Supplies. She’d need supplies and lots of them. Food, water, weapons, warmth. Everything. Colette gasped, her head whipping backward to look at Jax again when he mumbled and rolled over in his sleep again. She’d have to work faster if she was really going to get away. Colette tiptoed to closet and grabbed a wool blanket, rolled it into a ball, and stuffed it in her satchel. Also at the bottom of the closet was a small javelin. Colette strapped it to her back. After taking another look around the room, Colette slid the door open and closed it carefully behind her.

Colette’s fingertips caressed the wall as she walked down the long hallway toward the kitchen. A tightening knot was growing her chest and crippled her breathing. She tried to keep one ear trained behind her, listening for any sounds of movement coming from the bedroom. Once in the kitchen, Colette flicked on the light and raced to the cabinets, throwing back the door. A small breath escaped her lips when the cabinet door crashed loudly unto the door of another. She froze. Damn it. It was over. She was caught and Jax would beat her…or worse. The silence was deafening. Colette stood rigid, too afraid to even breathe too deeply, but there was no sound from the room. Maybe he hadn’t heard. Colette let out a slow breath and turned back around, busying herself with filling her satchel with food, careful not to make it too heavy. She’d be carrying it for awhile. Who knows how long she’ll have to journey before she settles down again. There. That should be everything.

Colette shifted the bag and the javelin to a more comfortable position on her back. Suddenly remembering her pain, Colette went to the bathroom and grabbed several of Jax’s capsules, placing them at the top of her haul before closing the bag again.

She clutched her hands around the strap and walked as silently as she could through the house, stopping at a window, she unlatched it and opened the double doors. Colette hoisted her body upward and pulled her long body through the window and landed on the ground below. The chilling air whipped her hair around her face, stifling her breath. She turned around, reaching up, and closed the window behind her. Colette started to back away slowly. This was it. It’s all over now. Flashes of memories from inside the walls of Jax’s domicile played over again in her head. Colette closed her eyes and shook her head. Push them away. Like a true creature of the shadows, Colette turned and ran past the neighboring domiciles and into the darkness, toward the River Eleazar.

~~~

The streets of Eliam were eerily quiet. Her footsteps echoed on the glass streets. Colette kept her head down and pulled her tunic up around her face. She didn’t want the cameras to see her. Finally, she had passed all of the domiciles and was approaching the tree line that separated the Province Eliam from the treacherous Outlands. The sound of rushing water caught her ear at the same time the smell hit her nose. A sense of hope washed over her. Without another look back, Colette took off at a run, weaving through tree after tree as she tried to follow the sound of the water of the River Eleazar. The sound of the rushing current was getting louder the faster she ran. A small smile started to creep up on her face. Colette trotted over to the bank of the river, pulling the satchel over her head and tossing it to the ground beside her. Colette bent down and cupped her hands in front of her and dipped them into the cool rushing water. She brought her hands to her lips and drank, happily.

“You little whore.” Colette’s head snapped up in attention. Her hands clenched and she could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She didn’t want to turn around. There was no mistaking Jax’s cold, icy voice. He followed her. He actually followed her. Why couldn’t he just let her go? But what had she really expected? He was demented and deranged. She was apart of his game and apparently he wasn’t done playing yet. Colette grabbed her satchel off of the ground and slung it over her back before standing up and turning around. Her chest tightened when she saw the familiar, bestial look in Jax’s eyes. She watched as he stared her up and down, eyeing the satchel bursting at the seams with items she had stolen from his domicile.

“I give you food,” he starts slowly, letting his tongue linger over every word.

“Jax—

“I let you sleep in my bed. I gave you value!”

Colette jumps at the sound of his voice. She started to back up. Jax rushed toward her. Before she could react, Jax’s massive hand closed tightly around her thin arm, making her knees almost buckle out from under her. Colette’s body knocked into Jax’s as he twisted her arm toward him, bringing her face just inches from his.

“You worthless sack of flesh,” he whispers. “Is this how you repay your master for his kindness?” By the tree, he really was delusional. Her master? Colette needed to survive, it was as simple as that. She didn’t owe him anything. Besides, he had already collected his payment and the remnants of it were stained into the sheets of his disgusting bed.

“Let me go,” she whispered through clenched teeth. Jax grabbed her face under her chin with his free hand. He pressed his mouth against her ear.

“Are you trying to making me crazy?” Colette trembled at his hot breath entering into her ear through her long black hair. Jax nuzzled at her ear, using his nose to push her hair away. He suddenly grabbed the lobe of her ear in between his teeth, biting and sucking almost to the point of drawing blood. Colette mustered what little strength she had and hit Jax square in the chest.

“Stop it!”

Jax stumbled backward but easily regained his footing, grabbing Colette forcefully by the shoulders.

“You owe me!”

“I don’t owe you anything,” she said. “I’m worthless, right? You and everyone like you have made that painfully clear, so just let me go, you bastard.”

Without warning, Jax sent his massive fist colliding with Colette’s face. Colette’s body flew to the ground, spilling everything from her satchel. Colette’s hands clenched the ground. The force of the hit sent her eyes into a blurry haze. Tossing her head back, Colette’s eyes flashed to the spilled contents of her satchel. She scrambled to her knees and tried to quickly snatch up what had fallen. She couldn’t let Jax take it. Jax laughed behind her and grabbed her by the leg, trying to turn her around. Colette groped for the javelin in front of her on the ground. As Jax turned her around, she swung the javelin wildly behind her. Colette’s arm vibrated with the cracking of Jax’s jaw as the javelin collided with his face. He screamed in pain, yelling an array of profanities at her.

Colette tried to seize her opportunity to grab her belongings off of the ground and run for it, but Jax recovered faster than she thought and grabbed her arm again. Just then, a loud siren filled the air, forcing both Jax and Colette to cover their ears in protest at the sound. Following the sound, Jax’s arm popped up at attention and displaying a hologram on the air in front of them, coming from the chip embedded in Jax’s arm. Both Colette and Jax froze automatically in order to watch and listen to the coming broadcast. Colette felt the dryness in her throat. Nothing good ever came following these broadcasts, especially not for the Vaporless.

On the hologram in front of them stood the three members of the Triunity, Eviya, flanked by her husband Adamek, and her liaison, Levi. Colette couldn’t get over the Triunity’s beauty, all covered in an array of beautiful Vapors. A tangible silence hung thick in the air as Eviya stepped forward to speak.

“Greetings Province of Eliam. As you are all aware, there has been a disastrous threat to our livelihood and our beloved Tree of Knowl. For many Black Moons now, the Tree has been steadily decaying. The Triunity may finally have an answer.” Eviya pauses. “Through careful research at our facilities here in Ilan, we have finally pinpointed the cause for the degradation of our beloved Tree. As you well know, during the last Age, a new breed of human was born, known to many as the Vaporless or Outlanders. Previously we have been able to coexist with these barbaric versions of human beings, but no more.”

She should run. Now. Nothing good could come next. However, Colette couldn’t move her legs. She had to hear the announcement. The hologram continues when Levi marches up next to Eviya and continues speaking.

“A bounty has been placed on the Vaporless. Our research has found that they are to blame for the condition of the Tree of Knowl. Unfortunately, it is only a matter of time before we ourselves begin to lose this gifts the tree gave us and ultimately–our own lives.”

“In order to appease the Tree,” starts Adamek, “every Vaporless and their conspirators will be sacrificed as an offering.”

Eviya then continues speaking.

“A hefty reward will be given for every Vaporless and their conspirators that are captured and brought alive to the capital city in Ilan. Stay alert for future broadcasts regarding the safety of our Tree. Happy hunting, my fellow humans.”

The little air left in Colette’s lungs made her chest tight and made it difficult to breathe normally. The image disappeared leaving her staring at Jax’s gleaming and excited face. Jax lowered his arm slowly.

“Congratulations Colie. I guess you do have some value after all.” Immediately, Colette began pleading with him.

“Please,” she said breathlessly. She held her hands up as a barrier between them as she started to back away slowly. “Just let me go. You don’t have to do this.”

“Of course I do,” he said, laughing slightly. “Not only for the reward, but the simple fact that your life threatens mine. Thanks to you and your kind the Tree of Knowl is dying. Which means I’m dying.” Jax began walking slowly toward her. Colette had no where else to back up to. She looked down at the rushing river behind her and then back at Jax.

“My Sector has almost figured out how to penetrate the barrier around the Tree of Life. Do you even know what that means? We are that close to discovering the secret to immunity and I’m not going to let a disgusting piece of trash like you mess that up.”

Without another word, Jax lunged at her but Colette jumped out of the way. She picked up the javelin off of the ground next to the bank of the river. Colette took a flying leap off of the edge and landed with a loud splash into the rushing water. Immediately her head went under. Colette flailed her arms in an attempt to stay afloat. She gasped for air as her head broke the surface of the water. Water clouded her vision, but she heard another splash behind her as Jax jumped into the river. Don’t look back. Colette continued kicking and fighting the waters that were continuously trying to pull her under and further down the river at the same time.

“You’re going to get us both killed!” Jax yelled at her from behind. For a split second, she decided to turn around and see where he was. Jax had retreated and swam back to the bank they had just come from. The current of the river was too strong for Colette to keep fighting. The weight of her satchel on her back and the javelin in her hand was weighing her down. Colette’s body gave out in exhaustion and the rush of the current sent her down the river at the mercy of Eleazar.

“This isn’t over,” Jax yelled. His voice was getting farther away. “I’ll find you!”

Blog Tour: Firedragon Rising by Mary Fan – Giveaway & Excerpt

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Blog Tour, Excerpt, Fantasy, Firedragon Rising, Flynn Nightsider, Giveaway, Glass House Press, Mary Fan

Today we’re having a blog tour for Firedragon Rising by Mary Fan! Check it out and make sure to grab your copy of it today! Be sure to see the exclusive excerpt from her book at the bottom of this post!

About Firedragon Rising:

Before she fought the Triumvirate with Flynn, Aurelia “the Firedragon” Sun the star Cadet at the Academy of Supernatural Defense. This is the second installment of her story.

 

Sinister plots. An underground rebellion. And a treacherous road filled with monsters and enemies unknown.

It’s been three months since Aurelia survived the International Challenge—an elite monster-fighting competition. And the Triumvirate has been keeping a close eye on her ever since … as if they expect her to cause them more trouble.

They’re right.

Now that she knows about the underground revolution—and the dark secrets of her own past—Aurelia is hell-bent on escaping the government’s watchful gaze and joining the rebels. Finally, she’s found a cause worth fighting for. A way for her kind, the Norms, to take back their freedom.

Then, when she overhears a Triumvirate official’s conversation, she learns that it’s even worse than she realized. The government knows about the rebels, and the rebellion. They’re searching for people who sympathize with the cause. And they’re coming after her next.

Suddenly the time for dreaming about the rebellion is over. Aurelia must make contact with the rebels and plot a quick escape … before the Triumvirate has a chance to capture her. But government forces and miles of monster-filled wilderness stand between her and the rebel headquarters, and dangers she never imagined lurk in the shadows.

Before she can fight for the freedom of her people, she must achieve her own—or die trying.

About Firedragon:

Before she fought the Triumvirate with Flynn, Aurelia “the Firedragon” Sun the star Cadet at the Academy of Supernatural Defense. This is the first installment of her story.

 

Almost a hundred years ago, the Enchanters defeated the Lord of the Underworld in one of the most fearsome wars the world had ever seen. The public thinks that this victory means the people are safe. But they’re wrong. The supernatural beasts the Lord unleashed remain on the earth, multiplying and ravaging what’s left of civilization. As long as these monsters exist, mankind will be in danger. And though the government, ruled by the magic-wielding Enchanters, seeks to protect their people, they are too few in number. They need the Defenders – a special class of non-magical humans – to fight the monsters. The Defenders are an elite force, and mankind’s only hope against the horrors that live beyond their gates.

Fourteen-year-old Aurelia “the Firedragon” Sun has been training since she could walk to become a Defender, and her extraordinary combat skills have earned the attention of the powerful government. In fact, she’s been tapped to represent her nation in an international monster-fighting competition, which pits champions from across the globe against creatures of the Underworld in a violent spectacle. If she wins, she will become a full-fledged member of the Defender force.

But as Aurelia moves deeper into the competition, she realizes that all is not as it appears. There’s something sinister behind the competition, something that could change the way she sees everything … and the Enchanters, it seems, are not the heroes she thought. Aurelia begins to ask questions. But before she can discover the truth, she is pitted against the most dangerous monster in the competition – one that will take her life if it can.

Get Your Copy Today:

Firedragon | Firedragon Rising

 

 

 

 

About Mary Fan:

Mary Fan is a sci-fi/fantasy writer hailing from Jersey City, NJ. She is the author of the Jane Colt sci-fi series, published byRed Adept Publishing. Her young adult dystopian fantasy series, Flynn Nightsider, is currently under contract with Glass House Press. And her young adult fairytale series,Fated Stars, is also under contract with Glass House Press.

 

In addition, Mary is the co-editor (along with fellow sci-fi author Paige Daniels) of Brave New Girls: Tales of Girls and Gadgets, a young adult sci-fi anthology about brainy heroines. All revenues will be donated to a scholarship fund through theSociety of Women Engineers.

 

Mary has been an avid reader for as long as she can remember and especially enjoys the infinite possibilities and out-of-this-world experiences of science fiction and fantasy. In her spare time (when she has any), she enjoys kickboxing, opera singing, and exploring new things—she’ll try almost anything once.

 

Mary graduated Magna cum Laude from Princeton University in 2010 with a Bachelor of the Arts in Music, specializing in composition. Although she is currently focusing on writing, music is still her first love, and so in her spare time she composes songs and soundtracks.

 

Connect with Mary Fan:

Twitter | Facebook

 

 

 

Enter Mary’s Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

**** EXCERPT ****

He knows. Aurelia’s pulse pounded as the realization hit her. Somehow, he knows I want to join the Rising, but he has no proof. He’s trying to flush me out. But he’d just been talking about graduating her early—why had he brought that up if he was after her? Is he trying to scare me into being loyal?

She could never be the brainless monster-killing machine Everett wanted, no matter how he tried to bully her. But she could hear his ultimatum as if her interrogation had already come, and she’d already been discovered: Obey the Triumvirate, or be arrested for treason. She couldn’t stand the thought of spending the rest of her life serving people she hated, terrified that one wrong move would get her locked in a cell, sent to a labor camp for the rest of her life … or executed.

She had to get out, now more than ever. Not only because she couldn’t stand the Triumvirate’s evil ways anymore, but because staying would mean capture … and possibly death. Her whole body burned with fury. She’d done nothing but obey the Triumvirate her whole life, and yet they wanted to kill her—again. They’d already tried once with the competition, just to prove a point, but she’d survived. Now it appeared that they were looking for an excuse to murder her and call it “getting rid of a threat” if she didn’t bow down to their wishes.

They won’t get me. She’d already killed more monsters than most of the Triumvirate’s goons would see in a lifetime. And if they attacked her, that made them monsters. She’d never lost to a monster before, and she didn’t intend to start now.