You’ve Got to Have a Reason

And I’ve got plenty to share. I’m talking about reasons why my next book, Silver Dragon, is going to blow your socks off. Seriously, it will rock. I’m biased, I get that, but this thing has just about everything going for it. For example…

Love interest? Check…and then some. There’s a bit of a love triangle going on that’s been building up over the past two books.

Action? Um, yeah. We’re not just talking manly action either, this is the stuff of ballads going on. Everything from men fighting men to men fighting monsters. And let’s not forget the armies crashing together while giant-hurled boulders bounce off mountainsides and wreak havoc on the soldiers below.

Revenge? For those who’ve read the prior two books you know there’s got to be a vengeance factor. It’s a doozy too, life altering, even.

Fantasy? Of course it’s got fantasy. In the most fantastic of ways. There’s dragons, knights, wizards, sorcery, priests, dwarves, barbarians, giants, and so much more!

Characters? Of course it has characters, but these aren’t the video game stereotypes of barbarian, fighter, sorcerer, and cleric. These are people that may not be real, but you won’t be able to convince yourself of that. They have feelings. They have goals. They have a sense of humor. They have likes and dislikes. They live and they breathe and they can be hurt, both inside and out. You will like these characters. They could be your friend and your neighbor – granted, you’d have to live in the dark ages on another world, but let’s not get hung up on details.

Did I miss anything? How about fun? I had a hell of a great time writing this book. There were days, and I mean a lot of them, where I put in 8,000 to 10,000 or more words on this story because I just couldn’t stop. It’s riveting and it pulls you along on a roller coaster of adventure and excitement. Mix in some romance and angst, maybe a little jealousy and confusion, and it’s quite honestly amazing. Sure, there’s the occasional cheese involved but it’s tasteful and it reminds me of life in so many ways. All in all, writing Silver Dragons was some of the most fun I’ve had as a writer, and that’s guaranteed to translate into even more fun as a reader.

I mentioned words. Lots of them. All told the book is over 105,000 words. That, by definition, makes this an epic story. Epic length and it definitely contains epic fantasy content. I’m super excited to get this out as soon as the cover art and my editor is finished with it, and I promise that fantasy readers out there should be just as excited to get their hands on it. I’ll announce it here and to my newsletter members as soon as it’s available, but keep your eye out for it mid to late February.

But wait, you don’t know what the heck I’m talking about? What is Silver Dragon and what previous books did I mention? Well you don’t have to read the other books first but I strongly recommend it. It’ll just make the story that much better. The Blades of Leander series begins with Child of Fate then continues into Victim of Fate. Silver Dragon is the third book, but it’s not the end. There will be more, another promise I plan on keeping.

To learn more about Jason Halstead, visit his website to read about him, sign up for his newsletter, or check out some free samples of his books at http://www.booksbyjason.com.

 

The Devil’s out of the Icebox

Regular readers may remember a post I made some time ago regarding the devil being in my icebox. Well, just like before, this post does not mean my refrigerator is possessed or misbehaving. It’s a book! The Devil’s Icebox, sequel to Dark Earth, is now available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and loads of other places like Sony, Kobo, Diesel, and others in the very near future. It was a lot of fun to write and it sets the stage for two more books in this series. I don’t have timing on those books, but knowing me I’ll probably have at least the first available before 2012 is over.

The Devil’s Icebox was slated for release on May 1st. Everything came together great on this, from writing the story to having two consummate professionals helping with the editing and cover art. So why not get it out a little bit earlier – I’ve had a lot of feedback wanting an immediate sequel for Dark Earth.

Devil’s Icebox blurb:

Lord Baxter’s portal between Earth and Dark Earth beckons. Eager to seek the promises of the otherworld’s powers, Cassiopeia has been sent by her Lord to ensure his realm rivals the mightiest of nations.

 She shares a history with the protector assigned to her, a history filled with familiarity and contempt. Setting the past aside and sharing the present offers forbidden opportunities, as well as a new world filled with opportunity and unimaginable surprises. Her quest remains the only constant, and the one thing she yearns most to be rid of.

Devil’s Icebox on Amazon

Devil’s Icebox on Amazon UK

Devil’s Icebox on Barnes and Noble

Devil’s Icebox on Smashwords

To learn more about Jason Halstead, visit his website to learn about him, his books, sign up for his newsletter, or check out some free samples of his books at http://www.booksbyjason.com.