Over the next few months, my wife and I are releasing music we’ve been recording over the last fifteen years. I write and play; she sings. It’s retro Pop that spans all kinds of genres. Our first EP is out now. I’d love it if you’d give it a spin. – Stage19Music.com 🎵
The Dragon's Brood Cycle Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway 📚✍️
#I’m ecstatic about the Dragon’s Brood Cycle book tour being brought to you by the fabulous work of Silver Dagger Tours. The tour features giveaway prizes, interviews, guest posts, and all kinds of fun stuff! I really hope you’ll consider following along! You can find the kickoff and schedule here and the first stop on the tour here.
Treasures and Trinkets is now available as an audiobook 📚🎧
#I’m so excited to announce that Treasures and Trinkets: A Dragon’s Brood Tale is now available as an audiobook, narrated once again by the fabulous Reay Kaplan! It’s available now from Audible, and will be rolling out to other retailers.
Before she was a prisoner in Marianne’s crystal mines or just another face among the multitudes in the city of Seven Skies, Maddy had a different name and everything she could want—governesses, gowns, and gold to fill her pockets. And though she wasn’t the son her father had wanted, it was inevitable that one day she would inherit his title. But Maddy’s predictable world is turned upside down when an extraordinary servant girl challenges everything she’s ever known; there’s a wider world beyond the comfortable confines of her castle, full of wonder and magic, and Maddy finds that the one thing she doesn’t have is the only thing she really needs.
All of my The Dragon’s Brood Cycle books are now available in wide release, including on Apple, Kobo, Nook, etc. Treasures and Trinkets will be coming to audiobook this summer! 📚
I’m so excited to announce that Treasures and Trinkets: A Dragon’s Brood Tale is coming to audiobook this summer! I can’t wait to hear the marvelous Reay Kaplan bring one of my stories to life once again! 📚
I had fun doing this interview with RebellionLit.com, where we discussed my work and experiences as a blind author of fantasy fiction. Check it out, along with the other author interviews they’ve done! ✍️📚
News: Josh on the Writers' Showcase (19/Feb/2020, 2:00pm EST) 📚
#I’m excited and honored to have been invited onto the Writers' Showcase Podcast, hosted by the fabulous Christie Stratos .
The interview will be streamed live on Wednesday, 19/February/2020, at 2:00pm EST. You can watch live (or a replay afterwards) by clicking here.
I hope you’ll join us as we discuss writing, my experiences as a visually impaired author, and maybe a few other things!
News: Treasures and Trinkets 📚
#Every writer puts their heart and soul into every story; they chip away at the idea, plot, or characters, polishing each in turn until the end result is as good as they can make it, but it rarely ever shines as brightly on the page as it did in their imagination. Every writer longs for those rare occasions when, against all odds, they capture lightning in a bottle–when the story and its characters carries them off so completely that they forget they’re telling a story at all.
I’ve rarely loved anything I’ve written as much as I love this story, and I hope you’ll read it, whether or not you’re familiar with my other work.
Before she was a prisoner in Marianne’s crystal mines or just another face among the multitudes in the city of Seven Skies, Maddy had a different name and everything she could want—governesses, gowns, and gold to fill her pockets. And though she wasn’t the son her father had wanted, it was inevitable that one day she would inherit his title.
But Maddy’s predictable world is turned upside down when an extraordinary servant girl challenges everything she’s ever known; there’s a wider world beyond the comfortable confines of her castle, full of wonder and magic, and Maddy finds that the one thing she doesn’t have is the only thing she really needs.
Treasures and Trinkets is available for pre-order on Amazon, or you can read it right now—for free—if you subscribe to my author newsletter. You can also find it on GoodReads.
Thank you, as always, for reading. 💜
News: Harmony's Song Is Available Now on Audible 📚
#Harmony’s Song: A Dragon’s Brood Tale is now available on Audible worldwide, and just like the other audiobook entries in the Dragon’s Brood Cycle, it’ll shortly be available on iTunes as well.
Harmony’s Song is a prequel short story that centers around Daniel, the street urchin boy whom Emily befriends in Haven Lost. Familiarity with the other books in the series is not necessary to enjoy this story, but it is designed to enhance your enjoyment of the series as a whole.
The audiobook is narrated once again by the marvelous Reay Kaplan and includes a song composed by yours truly. The song is performed by my lovely wife, Molly, and was remastered for the audiobook by the fabulous Cara Quinn.
Life is hard for Daniel and the other kids who struggle to live on the streets of Ravenhold, a seaside city allied with the sorceress Marianne and the kingdom of Seven Skies. There is seldom enough to eat, and the nights are cold, but Daniel finds warmth and friendship when he meets the enigmatic Harmony. Their special bond, coupled with the mystery of Harmony’s past, sends Daniel from his life on the streets to the wider world beyond in this short-story prequel to
Haven Lost and the Dragon’s Brood Cycle.
News: Haven Divided Is Available Now on Audible 📚
#It’s been a while in coming, but Haven Divided: The Dragon’s Brood Cycle, Vol. 2 is finally available on Audible! worldwide!
You can hear the first sample in the Media section of the official website, and more samples will be coming soon, as well as the audiobook edition of Harmony’s Song.
If you enjoy my work, please consider supporting it by picking up this audiobook and leaving a rating or review. I couldn’t do what I do without you, dear readers, and I’m infinitely grateful to all of you. 🧜♀️🐉
News: It Was Five Years Ago on Halloween Night… 🖤🎃📚🕷🧡
#On Halloween night, 2013, I sat down at my MacBook, determined to begin writing the novel that had been kicking around inside my brain for twenty years. I was streaming the Penn State Women’s Hockey game, handing out candy to costumed kids with my then girlfriend (now wife), and pounding away at chapter one.
That all seems like a very long time ago.
I’d promised myself that if I finished chapter one that night, I’d continue writing the rest of the book throughout the month of November as a NaNoWriMo project. As it turned out, I did finish chapter one. The next day I wrote chapter two, and by the end of November I had nearly sixty thousand words, fifteen chapters, and about one-third of what would become Haven Lost written in first draft. At the time, the book was tentatively titled Haven 21. (The first person who has read the book and can figure out the significance of that original title, get in touch via Twitter, Email, or Micro.blog and I’ll send you an autographed paperback. 😉)
Five years, two novels, and one short story later, it’s amazing how many stars aligned that first night, and how many of them would go on influencing the whole Dragon’s Brood Cycle. The Penn State Women’s Hockey team offered a ton of inspiration for Emily’s character; Halloween and related themes have played heavily into the story, particularly in volume 2; and I’m still using the lessons learned from my first NaNoWriMo experience—most importantly that I could, indeed, finish writing an entire novel.
To celebrate this milestone, Haven Lost and Harmony’s Song are both available for free on Kindle for the next few days, and Haven Divided is on sale as a Kindle Countdown Deal. If you haven’t given them a chance yet, now’s a great opportunity, and I hope you enjoy them.
I want to thank all the readers who have been so supportive of my work. It has been amazing, flattering, and wonderful to share these stories and characters with all of you. I couldn’t do what I do without you, and I am eternally grateful.
A safe and happy Halloween to you all, and a magical Samhain! 🖤🎃🕷🧡
News: Haven Divided Has Been Released 📚
#Today’s the day! Haven Divided, the second volume of The Dragon’s Brood Cycle, has been released for Kindle worldwide.
If you’re just getting started with The Dragon’s Brood Cycle, the first volume, Haven Lost, is free on Kindle for a limited time, as is the short companion story Harmony’s Song. You can also check out this guest blog post I wrote for Proof Positive.
It’s been a long time in coming, and I’m incredibly proud of this book. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me through this journey. I really can’t wait to see what everyone thinks of Emily’s continuing adventures.
Thanks for reading!
🙌 Haven Lost and Harmony’s Song are both free for a limited time to celebrate the launch of Haven Divided tomorrow. I hope you’ll give them a try! 📚
News: Haven Divided Is Available for Pre-order 📚
#I am incredibly excited to finally type those words. Haven Divided: The Dragon’s Brood Cycle, Vol. 2 is available to pre-order from the Kindle store. It will be released on 31/July, and the paperback edition will be released shortly thereafter.
Forever is comprised of nows…
Emily Haven and her friends have been given the seemingly impossible task of uniting the worlds—a mission they failed once before, in another lifetime.
But Emily made a promise, and she intends to keep it. A small boy risked his life to save hers, and while Michael sets out to rejoin the Dragon’s Brood, she heads east with Celine and Corbbmacc to rescue Daniel from a band of desert slavers.
Time does not stand still, however, and the dark legends are true. They deal in blue fire; they deal in death; and they travel through the long nights on autumn winds. Samhain has come, and this year, the harvest will be in blood, gold, and souls.
News: Haven Lost is now just $0.99 in Kindle Stores 📚
#In anticipation of the release of Haven Divided, the Kindle edition of Haven Lost is now just $0.99 on Amazon.com! The price has been similarly lowered in Kindle stores around the world, so if you’ve been thinking of picking it up, now would be a great time! Of course, it’s also available on Audible!
News: Haven Divided: The Dragon's Brood Cycle, Vol. 2 📚
#The second volume of The Dragon’s Brood Cycle is written! Haven Divided will be shipped off to my editor by the end of the month. It’s been a long time in coming, but I am so proud of the manuscript, and I can’t wait for readers to rejoin Emily on her adventures. Expect more news on this title, including a projected release date, very soon!
News: Talking Harry Potter on the Alohomora Podcast 📚
#I was honored to be invited onto episode 233 of the Alohomora Podcast. We discussed chapter twenty-one of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, including all its time-travel conundrums, Snape at his worst, and plenty more.
News: Universal Harmonics
#Christie Stratos, my editor for Harmony’s Song, asked me to write a guest post. I’m very happy with the result, and I hope you will enjoy the piece as well. My thanks to Christie for the opportunity to share a piece of my writing process with her readers.
And, incidentally, if you’re looking for a fantastic editor for a writing project, it’d be tough to do better than Proof Positive. I couldn’t be happier with Christie’s work.
News: Harmony's Song: A Dragon's Brood Tale 📚
#Last June, I wrote about the release of Haven Lost, the first volume in my Dragon’s Brood Cycle series of fantasy novels. While I continue writing the second volume, here’s a short story that takes place just before the events in Haven Lost entitled Harmony’s Song.
Life is hard for Daniel and the other kids who struggle to live on the streets of Ravenhold, a seaside city allied with the sorceress Marianne and the kingdom of Seven Skies. There is seldom enough to eat, and the nights are cold, but Daniel finds warmth and friendship when he meets the enigmatic Harmony. Their special bond, coupled with the mystery of Harmony’s past, sends Daniel from his life on the streets to the wider world beyond in this short story prequel to Haven Lost and the Dragon’s Brood Cycle.
You can find it in the Kindle Store, and it can also be viewed here on GoodReads.com.
There’s also a song that is featured in the story which you can listen to in the Media section of the official Dragon’s Brood website, though you might want to make sure you read the story first.
The reception that Haven Lost has enjoyed far exceeded my expectations, and I thank everyone who has come on this journey with me.
News: Snow, Tea, and Dreams
#It’s the final day of the Haven Lost virtual book tour today. The first stop is at Straight From the Library, which includes an interview. The second and final stop of the tour is over at Welcome to My World of Dreams and includes a short essay on how I write. Thanks for following the tour, and I hope you will read and enjoy Haven Lost.
News: Aliens, Wizards, or the Undead
#It’s day three of the Haven Lost virtual book tour today. Inspector Clouzot, Stephen King, Harry Potter, and George Michael all manage to make an appearance. Check it out!
News: Meet Emily Haven
#It’s day two of the Haven Lost virtual book tour today. There will be two stops on the tour, the first of which is at Long and Short Reviews. Check it out for a special glimpse into Emily Haven’s character in a piece that has not previously appeared anywhere.
Today’s second stop is at Deal Sharing Aunt and includes an interview and an excerpt from Haven Lost.
Enjoy!
News: Good Journey
#Day one of the Haven Lost virtual book tour is today, and the first stop is at Indy Authors. There’s an excerpt from the book as well as a short essay that I wrote specifically for this stop. Enjoy!
News: Haven Lost: The Dragon's Brood Cycle, Vol. 1 📚
#Well, Here it is. My first novel has been published, and I am both excited and a little nervous now that it is out in the wild. It’s the first volume of a sword and sorcery style fantasy series that has been knocking around inside my head for over two decades. I hope you’ll read and enjoy it. It’s available for $2.99 from all the major e-book distributors like iBooks, Kindle, Nook, and Kobo. There is also a paperback edition on Amazon.com. You can also view its entry on GoodReads.com.
Legends never die; they just go into hiding …
Sixteen-year-old Emily Haven, heroine of the girls’ hockey team at Lindsey High, has spent her young life keeping two secrets: her rapidly deteriorating home life and the seemingly supernatural power that makes her a star on the ice. When she begins seeing visions of a lost and ragged boy reflected in mirrors and shop windows, a series of events unfolds that tears her from twenty-first century Minneapolis and leaves her stranded in another world with horrors to rival those she has left behind. Lost amidst creatures of fantasy and legend, she is forced to confront the demons of both her past and future to unravel the riddle of the mysterious boy and embark upon a journey to uncover long forgotten histories and the dark, cloaked figure in the shadows behind them all. Caught between opposing forces of a war she does not understand, Emily must find new strength within herself and, above all, the will to remember her friends.
Thanks to everyone who has supported me through this experience. I couldn’t have done it without you.