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"A new set of characters and a great story. Heaven! Highly recommend this book and any others by this author." - Bobb
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Did you miss a past newsletter? Click here to go to the newsletter archives.
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Supervisor Tilly is on the job!
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Our backyard has a tree in one corner, which is not an unusual occurrence, as our city's nickname is 'The Forest City'. Around the base of the tree, the ground has been built up and edged with wooden mini-ties, laid horizontally. Carol, being the avid gardener of our family, was out the other day and noticed the sad state of the edging. Next thing I knew, we were headed off to the local lumber store to get some replacements.
Now the idea was pretty simple, pull up the old wood, then put down the new, but we hadn't counted on a couple of problems. First of all, they were dug down deep. What we thought were two rows, actually ended up being five. Secondly, due to the proximity of the tree, there was the problem of roots getting in the way! As with many projects, this one will be ongoing, but at least Tilly was nearby to supervise.
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The Doctor Blake Mysteries
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This Australian series follows the adventures of Doctor Lucien Blake (Craig McLachlan), a war veteran who returns to the town of Ballarat to take up his late father’s medical practice. The real emphasis of this show, however, concerns his position as a police surgeon and his attempts to solve various murders from episode to episode. He is assisted by his housekeeper, Jean Beazley (Nadine Garner), and a rotating cast of police officers, along with a variety of interesting recurring characters. I won’t give too much detail here, since part of the enjoyment of watching this show is seeing how the characters develop over time.
This show is, in reality, a cozy mystery and even the autopsy scenes are kept from being too graphic, though it does deal with a number of hot political issues. Oh, and by the way, the show is set against the backdrop of the fifties and sixties. It ran for five seasons and was then followed by a TV Movie (entitled The Doctor Blake Mysteries: Family Portrait).
A second movie was made, without the presence of Craig McLachlan, entitled The Blake Mysteries: Ghost Stories, but planned further movies are, as of this writing, cancelled.
In any event, if you like mysteries, give this one a try. It’s available on the streaming platform Britbox, but can also be purchased through Amazon Prime Video.
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Congrats to JDL for winning last week's eBook Giveaway! The new format received an impressive 98% approval rating, so we're keeping it.
Remember, all you need to do answer the question below, then you will automatically be entered into the Giveaway to win your choice of any of my ebooks, even the upcoming Temple Knight!
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| How likely would you be to recommend Paul's books to a friend? |
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| You have now entered the Giveaway! Good Luck! |
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The Village of Brunhausen Map
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In The Beast of Brunhausen, Brother Cyric investigates some mysterious deaths. The action all takes place within the confines of a small village in one of the northern states of the Petty Kingdoms. Since the area plays such an important role, I turned to one of my ‘go to’ applications to create it, a program called Inkarnate.
This program allows you to create maps in a variety of styles. Carol uses it to create the excellent maps of Merceria and Weldwyn for the Heir to the Crown series, and I found it particularly useful for detailing out the Village of Brunhausen. It took a little trial and error to get the look just right, but I have to say the finished product is exactly what I was looking for and helped immensely while I was writing the story.
If you like the look, head over and check out the website at inkarnate.com, I think you’ll be impressed.
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The Beast of Brunhausen, the third story in the Chronicles of Cyric, is nearly complete, at least the first draft at any rate. I am now in a comfortable position, with four manuscripts complete. Carol, however, has her work cut out for her in the editing department.
Temple Knight will be released on Aug 25th, and then, sometime in late September, it's prequel, Tempered Steel, will follow. It is more or less an 'origin' tale that many will choose to read after Temple Knight and helps explore the motivations behind the main character.
The Beast of Brunhausen likely won't be published for a few months, but I have to say I've had a lot of fun writing it. It remains to see what people think of the story. It is, after all, a unique genre, that of medieval fantasy cozy mystery, but it also reveals a lot more about the world these characters inhabit, as well as Cyric's place in it.
Next up, Fury of the Crown. I shall start by going over my existing outline, which is quite extensive. It will, no doubt, require quite a bit of modification, as it was completed well before Defender of the Crown was done. It will, however, be nice to return to Merceria for a while.
If you look carefully, this newsletter has a couple of special treats! Ashes, Book One in The Frozen Flame series is only $.99 for a limited time. There is also a SURPRISE PRE-ORDER for Flames, Book Three in the series mixed in with the author spotlights. I am curious to see who spots it! (As a note, it is only a placeholder cover. We will be revealing the real cover in a couple of weeks.)
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Until next time, enjoy another passage from Temple Knight, Book One in the new Power Ascending series.
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“We know the Empire favours Elementalists.”
“Do we?” said the admiral.
“We do,” confirmed Charlaine. “We were told as much by the rebel commander.” She turned to Danica, “Continue."
“It’s unlikely the enemy would consider using Earth Magic against ships since the very source of their power is the land, but we can assume water and fire will be common.”
“What about Air Mages?” asked Captain Wurther.
“Possibly, but I doubt lightning would be very effective against ships. No, I think water and fire will be the main magic used this day.”
Wurther looked impressed. “You appear to have definite ideas on such things. Care to elaborate? How will these mages be employed?”
“Fire is obvious,” Danica continued, “but they would have to come within range. In addition, they won’t use their spells when they board.”
“Why ever not?”
“Simple,” the young knight replied. “Who wants to board a burning ship? And the fire could even spread to their own vessels.”
“So if what you’re saying is true,” said Captain Wurther, “these Fire Mages will use hit and run tactics, firing off their spells as they pass us by.”
“I think we can safely assume so.”
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The early reviews give Temple Knight 5 Stars!
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"Great beginning to the series"
"Wonderfully written, couldn't put it down."
"This looks to be another exceptional journey, so get on board!"
"Paul is not just a writer he is a master story teller, he draws you in and gets you involved with the characters and the story."
"Ok, Paul nailed it with this book. I love how he develops each character through the experiences, both good and bad, into who they become by the end of the book."
"I love everything written by this author and this new book/series is no exception. I feel like I'm in their world, and hanging by my fingernails with the action and suspense."
"I loved the main character and all of the supporting characters, the good and the bad. The story flows smoothly and it kept my attention riveted to the pages. The battles are well written and I rocked faster. This, according to my sister, means it's very good because (lol) I rock faster whenever the battles heat up."
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Check out these featured books that are free, discounted, or new releases.
These authors are returning the favour by sharing my books with their readers.
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Boston Metaphysical Society: Politics and power. Demons and spirits.
When ex-Pinkerton detective Samuel Hunter married Elizabeth Weldsmore, the heir to one of Boston’s Great Houses, he knew his life would change forever, but he never expected the return of Elizabeth’s psychic abilities.
Not only do they have to keep it a secret, but Elizabeth must learn quickly how to master them. For a psychic in a Great House is a political liability which her father, Jonathan Weldsmore, knows only too well
As the Great Houses jockey for power, the three of them must ... MORE
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Sword of Oak: The water is rising. Time is running out.
In the search of the Sacred Oak where Vahly’s magic will rise in full, she and her cohorts—dragons, elves, and of course, her gryphon familiar—must fly over an expanse of sea that was once the Red Meadow.
They cannot stop. There is no refuge in the spelled saltwater and the sea folk lurk just below its foam-tipped waves. Vahly must hurry.
Once the Sea Queen renews her magic at the Blackwater well in Tidehame, she will strike again and end the land and its creatures for good... MORE
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A King's Bargain: The legend of Tal Harrenfel is sung across the Westreach -- and with each telling, the tales grow taller. But though he's declared a hero by his King, Tal has never claimed to be more than a man...
After three decades of fighting warlocks, killing mythical beasts, and hunting enchanted treasure, Tal has had enough. Running from the deeds of his past, he retreats to his home village under a different name and meets an unlikely companion: Garin, a village boy who dreams of making a name for himself and seeing the world beyond their sleepy town... MORE
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Flames: Old friends. New Allies. Their fates forever entwined.
Guided by the Ancestors, Natalia and Athgar journey to an inhospitable land where danger lurks behind the guise of friendship. With a dire need to find shelter, they have no choice but to settle in and hope for the best.
It doesn't take long for them to realize something is not right. Athgar, having travelled back to his roots, soon discovers they are rotting from within. And Natalia, one of the most powerful mages on the Continent, finds herself unable to cast even the simplest of spells.
All the while, the Orcs of the Red Hand, running from certain death, desperately seek safety. Kargen, torn away from those he has sworn to protect, must gamble the future of his tribe on a desperate bid for their survival.
When old enemies resurface to endanger them all, two ancient races must come together as one or be annihilated, lost forever to the annals of history.
Descend into a land rife with magic, battles, and intrigue as Paul J Bennett's The Frozen Flame series continues in his latest installment, Flames!
Brace yourself for a wild ride when you PRE-ORDER Flames today!
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Featured Book Deals & Giveaways
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While you wait for the release of my next book, here are some great stories for your TBR pile!
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Extra Book Deals & Giveaways
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, welcome to the end of my newsletter. I only email those who have given permission by signing up to receive my newsletter. As always, if you have changed your mind or are no longer interested in receiving these, please click the unsubscribe link below.
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