Finally, I’ve turned my distraction into something beautiful. You remember that little mage I keep complaining about? The one who kept me from finishing Watcher’s Reckoning on schedule? The first three books in her series are done, almost. The first book is on pre-order. So technically done. The second is being picked apart by my lovely editor, Hannah. And the third is waiting for me to complete my fourth personal edit before I send it to Hannah. I have to admit I’ve been obsessed with the little mage, Alisandra, or AJ as her closest friends like to call her. Her story has played tug-o-war between my heart and imagination for months. I can’t wait to share it with you. Yes, I know….”Show me cover already and give me a link!” Your wish is my command. Link to Magister’s Bane – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V261CSV
It’s official! Watcher’s Reckoning, Book 2 of The Watcher and the Sentinel series is now live on Amazon and free to read on Kindle Unlimited. Link to your copy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S8YLRQL It will be $0.99 until July 4, 2019, with similar discounts at all Amazon stores (UK, CA, AU, etc).
I’ll be pausing Darian’s story for a while to work on my newest series, totally unrelated to the Council of Light. The Call of Elements Series starts with Magister’s Bane, which I hope to release in August. I’ve had so much fun writing this series and so far the initial feedback is exactly what I wanted. Excitement! Stay tuned for more on the Magister’s Bane.
I struggled writing this book. It closes so much of the story that started with Light’s Rise. While it provides new opportunities for some of our characters, others are left behind in a river of heartache. I have to be honest. I cried a lot during the last half of this story and almost stopped writing several times. But it needed to be told and our heroes needed to find balance.
Watcher’s Reckoning – Book 2 of The Watcher and the Sentinel Series.
After a harrowing battle
to save the world, humanity only wants peace. But demons don’t know the meaning
of peace.
Sara’s transition into the
Council of Light ensured their victory against Zar’Asur, but she still has a
lot to learn about the Council and their eternal enemies. She splits her time
between training for her new role as Sentinel and building a home for the
survivors suddenly flocking to her farm. Even her short exposure to the demonic
armies leaves her worried about their next move.
Sara isn’t the only one
forced to adjust to change. Darian finds himself struggling to let go of his
leadership over the scouts he’s recruited and trained over the centuries. But
his new commitment to the Watcher and Sentinel bond leaves him no choice, and
he must focus on changing his fighting style to compliment Sara’s, not hinder
it. Darian knows the demons will retaliate, and he and Sara will need every
advantage they can get to protect humanity again.
The Council of Light isn’t
prepared for the demons’ response: the emergence of the Overlords’ master.
Darian and Sara are pushed to the extreme as they try to contain the demon
master’s evil. This time, the price of victory is more than they can bear. Will
the Council sacrifice everything to save humanity, or will they refuse to give
up those they love?
Find out in the next
installment of The Watcher and the Sentinel.
This afternoon at 1:00 EST, I’ll be at the Morgantown, West Virginia, Barnes & Noble store for a book signing. I might be a little nervous, or a whole lot nervous, but I’m also grateful to store for letting me take up some space.
If you happen to be in the Morgantown area, stop by. I’d love to chat.
I didn’t plan my new release on World Book Day, but what a beautiful coincidence!
Sentinel’s Rise- Book 1
Get your copy of Sentinel’s Rise today while it’s on sale. If you’ve already bought it, please leave a review. Reviews are so important for both the author and the reader. Everyone really wants to know how much you enjoyed the book.
Thank you for hanging in there and following me through Darian’s story.
Watcher’s Reckoning – Book 2 of The Watcher and the Sentinel will release soon. I’m targeting the last week of May or first week of June. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, here’s a little snippet and the cover!
Watcher’s Reckoning- Book 2
It’s time, my dear.
Silana’s eyes popped open and looked around her small room. The sheer curtain at the end of the bed fluttered in the breeze, revealing the dark sky beyond. The moon’s light filtered into the room casting shadows across her quilt.
“Who’s there?” she whispered.
Zar’Asur has been punished, as I promised.
Silana’s heart raced. Was she ready for this commitment? She didn’t believe the voice in her head when it told her it would remove the demon that haunted her dreams.
“Darian and Sara killed Zar’Asur,” she mumbled. “Why would I believe you had anything to do with his punishment?”
Because he is mine to punish, not the Council’s.
She quivered with the power and anger in his thoughts and pulled her quilt up to her chin. Was this Zar’Asur’s master in her head? Had she a made a bargain with something more evil than the demon Overlord that kept her captive as a child?
You haven’t forgotten our agreement, have you, child?
“The Csökkent will merely summon him back,” she replied, trying and failing to keep her voice from shaking. “When they do, he will seek revenge against me.”
He cannot be summoned back to your realm. His failures and disobedience secured his fate.
Silana gripped the edge of the blanket, her panic quickly rising as she realized her mistake. She should’ve ignored the voice that pierced her mind months ago. He promised her everything and only asked for one thing in return. She swallowed the lump in her throat. His price was too high.
“I cannot betray the Council,” she said, her voice weak with fear. “They have been my family, my support, my mentors. They’ve been everything to me.”
But they abandoned you when you needed them most. Did I not show you the way to your sister? They knew what happened to her and where she was, but they didn’t tell you until they had no other options. And what was their response when you tried to help her?
The voice knew as well as she did. They locked her out of her home. They automatically assumed she betrayed them and took away her only security.
They don’t appreciate your skills, child. You could have helped in the fight against Zar’Asur, but they wouldn’t let you. You are all but a prisoner there. Help me and I will never abandon you.
She thought about his words. Ever since the Overlords summoned her sister, Silana was isolated from every part of the battle. She offered to help Raphael and he politely declined. She begged Mikel to allow her to join one of the teams searching for survivors, but he ignored her pleas. She helped Magdelin and Donielle at the hospital until their kind eyes told her she was only in the way. She was not a healer. She was Raphael’s apprentice and should’ve been helping him. Instead, she wandered Santuario alone, feeling useless and abandoned.
I will draw you to me, child. When you find me, we will begin our journey together.
“I will find you,” she whispered. “But I will not betray the Council’s secrets, regardless of their current treatment. I agreed to help release you if you removed Zar’Asur from my life. You’ve held your end of the bargain, so I will hold mine.”
A low chuckle echoed through her mind, making her shiver. Her fingers ached as she gripped her quilt even tighter and an unnaturally cold wind gusted through her window. Invisible fingers clawed the fabric, pulling it from her grasp. She yelped as icy shards pierced her chest, burrowing towards her heart. She clawed at the skin between her breasts, crying out with pain and fear. Violent tremors racked her body and her vision clouded as unconsciousness threatened to steal her away. The first shard reached her heart and darkness took her.
Somehow, Sentinel’s Rise is ready before the release date, April 23. I’m not sure how it happened; maybe all the stars lined up just right and I held my breath two seconds longer than I should have.
More likely, my editors and cover artists pushed me to keep going. I couldn’t have done it without them. The final version of Sentinel’s Rise is uploaded to Amazon, and hopefully the paperback version will be available by the weekend.
Now, onto more good stuff. As you can see, my girl Alex has already finished the cover for book 2, Watcher’s Reckoning. I love the way she captured the demon. Gives me chills. I hope to have this sequel out at the end of May or first week of June. Hannah gave me a ton of homework, which I’m working diligently to complete….maybe.
Those who know me probably doubt my diligence and are probably right…LOL I’ve been distracted by a tiny mage named AJ. More to come when I finish Watcher’s Reckoning.
Sentinel’s Rise is finally ready for pre-order. This is the story that started my journey with the Council of Light. I’m excited to tell it. I hope to have the paperback available in the next couple weeks and will definitely keep every one updated.
I’m also looking for ARC Readers. If you’re interested, use the “Contact” button to send me a message, or reach out to me on Facebook.
A woman who lost it all. The demon horde who took it. A brooding Watcher who must convince her to fight. Her choice decides humanity’s fate.
Sara, a homemaker and ex-Federal agent, watches in horror as civilization’s strongest and most capable governments fall to a series of rogue attacks. An unknown enemy has destroyed the world’s major cities using bombs laced with a devastating biological agent. The worst part? Her husband and daughter both die, upending Sara’s quiet life in rural Wyoming. Millions have lost their lives, leaving Sara with only two options: Fight the enemy soldiers that will surely come for the survivors or hide and hope they pass her by.
The Council of Light discovers the evil mastermind behind the attack on the world’s largest cities, and it isn’t human. Their timeless battle against the Overlords and their demonic army has finally reached a breaking point. Darian, the Council’s Watcher, must now convince his Sentinel to take her place among the warriors fated to defeat the demons, a destiny she knows nothing about.
Will Sara have the courage to accept her destiny and save humanity, or will the demons finally take over the world?
Embrace the latest harrowing fight that started with the Light in the Darkness Series. While reading the first series isn’t mandatory, it’s certainly recommended so you can meet the character’s and battle the Overlords with them from the beginning.
Okay, I have a small idea, but I’ve discovered in the last couple years that I’m easily distracted. Does that come from getting older? Possibly. I have way more stuff floating around my brain today than I did twenty years ago. Or is it because I’ve released my creative muse and allowed it to run wild? As a child and young adult, I kept it under a tight reign…for all the reasons that peer pressure dictated. Now I think I’m too old to care.
“Oh! Sunshine after three days of rain! I’ll be right back.”
OMG, here I am distracted by my own babbling. I always assumed I was pretty focused, able to stay on task, and get stuff accomplished. It’s worked out really well for me in my day job.
“Someone’s making coffee…mmmm. Be right back.”
So, I’ve finished the first draft of Sentinel’s Rise, the story of Darian’s Sentinel and the end of the world as we know it. Or better known as Seraphina, Part I. I love this story. Darian finally fills the gap in his fate and becomes the Watcher he was meant to be. Okay, maybe not. His Sentinel forces him to reevaluate everything, but together they become more than either believed they could.
My amazing artist has once again captured my characters as only she can. My cover for Sentinel’s Rise:
With a sense of satisfaction, I moved on to book 2. I was soaring through a chapter about Darian’s next fight with Seraphina (I mean a pack of demons), and found my mind wandering into a totally different story that had nothing to do with the Council of Light or demonic overlords. I looked down at what I just typed and said, “Where the hell did that come from?” So, rather than destroy Darian’s adventures with his Sentinel, I set it aside. A month later, I have a new set of characters, with new villains posing as allies and friends who behave more like enemies.
“Damn, I think the dogs are digging for gold. Be right back.”
My newest book is called Magister’s Bane. I had to look up that word Bane. I’ve heard it used in context so many times, but had no idea what it really meant. I chuckled at the appropriateness of my selection. AJ, my main character, quickly becomes a pain the Magister’s ass. And not just the Magister’s, but her supposed new friends, allies, and enemies. I can’t wait to send my cover ideas to Alex and see the masterpiece she gives me back.
So, now for the hard part. Back to Seraphina, Part II or follow AJ’s path down the road to vampire hunter? Decisions…. I’ll try not to do both at the same time.
One of my recent posts mentioned two different concepts for future books – continue following Darian’s life in the early 1830’s or moving forward to the present when he’s finally joined with his Sentinel. I’m unable to choose. Which means I’ll continue working on both.
With that said, my amazingly talented artist has created the cover for Darian’s next book, Sentinel Security. The manuscript itself is about 2/3 done, and I’m hoping for an early spring release date.
Enjoy a small taste of what’s to come!
Evil doesn’t wait for anyone, least of all for mankind to grieve and rebuild.
Darian digs in and devotes all his time to his new security company. Like everyone else he knows, he’s trying to bury the pain and guilt of his failures. At every turn, he sees the faces of the men he led into battle – including the ones he couldn’t protect.
An assassination attempt on his most important client pulls him even deeper into the past, threatening to undo everything he and the Council of Light achieved with their sacrifices. When Darian reveals the mastermind behind the attempted murder, it’s the springboard to uncovering more secrets. Betrayals rise to the surface like oozing sores, uncovering former allies as enemies and unwitting associates as key players in the fight against the demon Overlords.
Darian can’t walk away from everything he knows and has seen, no matter how much he wishes he could.
The Council has no choice but to lend its trust to the untrustworthy, because the alternative is unthinkable. This time, death isn’t promised. An eternity of pain and torture is the reward.
