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On the Homefront: Words to Remember!
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You can tell you're an author when you get excited about buying a new dictionary. When I first started writing, I decided to buck the trend, and instead of writing in American or UK English, I chose Canadian spelling. To accomplish this, I needed a Canadian English dictionary. To that aim, we purchased the Oxford Canadian Dictionary of Current English, a paperback that contains 120,000 words.
Now that I have had some success, I find that I need more words! Enter the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, Second Edition, a hardcover tome covering a whopping 300,000 words. Not only does this have everything I need to write, but it also gives my arms a workout when I use it! Now, if only I had a Canadian Thesaurus, eh (it's somewhere in shipping)!
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Want to learn all about my motivation for writing the Mercerian Tales Stories?
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Fury of the Crown releases December 22, 2020
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| Heir to the Crown: Book Eight |
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Releases: December 22, 2020
Available: All retailers
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| The Frozen Flame: Book Four |
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Releases: May 25, 2021
Available: All retailers
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Magic in the World of Eiddenwerthe: Part 1
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I thought it might be interesting to talk about the various magic spells used within my books. Since this is the first article, it’s only proper I start with my first book, Servant of the Crown.
Though magic is mentioned early on, it is only demonstrated later, about the middle of the book, when Gerald requires healing at the hands of Andronicus, the Royal Life Mage. In this instance, the spell Regeneration is used to heal Gerald’s wound. Not only does it heal the flesh, but it also repairs the damage done years before, in Bodden. Magic also comes up again when Gerald and Anna explore the grotto, this time encountering a strange mist that comes out of nowhere.
Is this the only magic in the book? Not quite. We get our first introduction to Revi Bloom, who demonstrates his mastery by casting Slumber. Oh yes, he also has some trouble trying to use the spell Heal Flesh, but I won’t go into details. Servant of the Crown is relatively light in the use of magic, yet that soon changes as the story progresses, but that can wait for another time.
Quick question for you: Who else does Andronicus regenerate in Servant of the Crown?
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Another great FREE cozy fantasy mystery for you!
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When they finished their photoshoot below, Daisy & Tilly got together and picked this short story from the Chronicles of Cyric for your reading pleasure!
Where there's murder, there's a mystery to be solved!
When Brother Cyric, Temple Knight of Saint Mathew, finds himself travelling to the countryside to bless a Duke's Midwinter Feast, the arrival of a mysterious guest piques his interest.
But he's barely in the front door when he overhears a conversation that reveals his host may not be the man everyone thinks he is.
After a dinner filled with more animosity than good food, Cyric's slumber is interrupted by the news that the duke has mysteriously died.
Now, with a dead noble and a room full of suspects, it falls to Brother Cyric to unravel this medieval fantasy whodunit!
Follow the ever curious and always observant Brother Cyric as he endeavours to separate mere hatred from murderous intent in A Midwinter Murder, the second story in The Chronicles of Cyric series.
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Heroforge: Creating A Minature
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As an avid gamer, I'm always looking for new miniatures. One of the great things about the Internet is that you can find companies who will customize them and then print them for you. Quite some time ago, I found such a site, namely Heroforge.com. There are many other similar companies, but these folks have a lot more options in terms of what you can create.
Their print cost depends entirely on what material you want, ranging from plastic to metal and even bronze. If you're not interested in painting the figures yourself, they are available in full colour, though the cost is a little pricey. You can also purchase the figures as an .stl files, which you can then print on your own 3D printer if you have one.
Here is a screen capture of a figure I designed to represent Dame Beverly Fitzwilliam. (Unfortunately, I couldn't make the horse any larger.)
To design your own characters, check out http://heroforge.com.
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The New Adventures of Daisy & Tilly
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Part 1: Daisy Reads Tilly an Awesome Story
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Have an idea for a Daisy & TIlly adventure? Shoot me an email and I'll see if we can make it happen. The pups are up for most things!
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Warrior Knight, currently sitting at 115,000 words, is now in the home stretch. It will likely be complete this week as the ending is already mapped out in great detail and will bring Ludwig's first tale to a satisfying conclusion. I expect this tale will end up in the 130,000-140,000 word range, on par with Temple Knight and slightly longer than the Heir to the Crown books.
I can tell I really like these characters because I'm already thinking of ways to utilize them in future stories. Some will obviously carry on to Warrior Lord, which is Ludwig's second story, and the fourth book in the Power Ascending series. I can hardly wait to get back to work on that series and Charlaine's next adventure, but first, there is another Mercerian Tales in the works, along with Inferno and War of the Crown. So many stories, so little time!
Until next time, happy reading
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My favourite vacation spot is the Canadian North, in a region called the Muskokas. We have been going there for the past twelve years, although we did decide to postpone this past summer. To be honest, my favourite part of any vacation is spending time with Carol, which I would gladly do anywhere, but she loves the beach, so I am happy just to be with her.
What is your favourite vacation spot?
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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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Blade of Dissension: There’s nothing natural about being immortal, but for Elsbeth, that’s the only reason she’s still alive. Since being burned at the stake during the Witch Trials, men have hunted and killed her for the last four hundred years.
With each death, however, she turns to smoke and is reborn in the Appalachian Mountains. Now, after lonely centuries spent searching for other witches, it’s warlocks who tell Elsbeth she’s the last, and, seeing as how warlocks have been killing her, she’s not inclined to believe them...
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The Cyan Huntress: She will avenge her husband’s death, even if she must kill every knight in Caerleon to learn who betrayed him.
Anwyn thought she would finally enjoy comfort and happiness when she married a traveling psychic--that is, until Uthyr Pendragon unleashed a war on all magic-users and had her new husband burned alive.
She’s determined to wreak her revenge, until a Druid boy’s prophecy convinces her to put aside her personal vendetta and learn to hunt the ones who want her dead...
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Across the Fourwinds: Strange creatures near Will's house. A mysterious sword in Morgan's attic. An unlikely group of friends begins an epic adventure in a magical realm where an Iron Dragon plots to rule the world.
Since his mother’s tragic accident, Will Owens has been a loner. And for good reason: he claims to see dark creatures emerging from the forest near his home. Ostracism is a way of life until he meets Morgan Finley, a fencing champion with everything going for her—except a dark family secret...
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Camelot's Reckoning: “The Sword and its Shadow are the Keys to the Loch… Seek not the Keys lest the world falls to Vipers.
Roland Lockheart is a promising young associate at a prestigious local law firm. Oliver Lockheart is an archeologist who hopes to change history by proving King Arthur’s existence.
As children, the Lockheart twins spent hours pretending to be knights of King Arthur’s Round Table. Wielding kitchen spoon...
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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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