The Keeper of Dragons Cover Reveal!

  A mystical calling.

On his 18th birthday, Cole’s learns that he is a dragon fated to save all that was deemed true.

Destiny.

Cole’s life spirals into an uncontrollable battle for life or death. First, he learns that his family isn’t really his own and his birth parents are dragons. With that legacy comes a special calling; devoting an eternity to protecting all true beings from creatures bent on controlling the Earth and bringing an end to dragons.

Danger.

As the newly-minted Prince of Ochana, Cole is also the Keeper of Dragons and his first task is to keep the nefarious farro-fallen fairies-at bay. With no formal training, no control of his mahier-dragon magic, and fear like he’s never experienced before, will Cole be able to reach outside of his human side and embrace his destiny in time to defeat the farros?

Join bestselling author, J.A. Culican on an epic fantasy adventure fans and critics are calling a world of magic, and comparing to Robert Jordan.

---

Reviews

The Keeper of Dragons is the perfect adventure fantasy for anyone with a big imagination. -K.N. Lee,International Bestsellling Author of The Eura Chronicles

An absolutely entertaining story of magic, love, and intrigue encompassing multiple worlds, people, and cultures.-Mike Shelton, Author of the YA Fantasy series The Cremelino Prophecy

About the Author

J.A.Culican is a teacher by day and a writer by night. She lives in New Jersey withher husband of eleven years and their four young children. She spends herevenings at home, with her family, watching Harry Potter and Star Wars. Whennot home you can find her at the soccer or field hockey fields, rooting herchildren on. J.A.Culican’s inspiration to start writing came from her children and their lovefor all things magical. Bedtime stories turned to reality after her oldestdaughter begged her for the book from which her stories of dragons came from.In turn, the series, The Keeper of Dragons was born.

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Common Types of Writer’s Block (and how to combat them)

Today we have a fantastic guest! She shares her tactics for defeating the dreaded writer's block. Meet author, Hannah Stahlhut

Common Types of Writer’s Block (and how to combat them)

We’ve all been there. The blank Microsoft Word document glaring back at you while Facebook notifications beckon from the iPhone on your desk. You want to write so badly-- you’ve fought this battle and won a thousand times over-- but for some reason at this moment you have lost the power of language.

This is writer’s block.

I’ve struggled with it on many occasions during each of my novels. And no two cases of writer’s block were the same for me. That’s why I decided to lay out the different cases of writer’s block (I divided it into 6 types!) and recommend potential solutions. For writers like me who find themselves stumped and gazing vacantly at your screen, try diagnosing your case of writer’s block and applying treatment as necessary:

Not Inspired

The “uninspired” variation of writer’s block is a tough one. It’s quite common for me and my writer friends. It’s also, in my opinion, a poor excuse for not writing. If you call yourself a writer, you cannot stop writing when you don’t feel inspired. Same goes for people of any profession. Even the best teachers, accountants, business people, or architects don’t wake up feeling like the stars are aligned for them to perform with divine inspiration every day. They must work at their jobs, through the rough days and the great ones. And so must we.

Having said that, there are some treatments to help with inspiration in writing. If you haven’t yet started the story, begin by writing character profiles and backstories. Maybe something interesting about them will bring you the motivation you need. A spark of connection with a character can do wonders. My personal favorite solution to uninspired writer’s block, however, is simply to pick a favorite movie of mine and watch it. If I’m feeling uninspired writing a romance, I watch something like Ever After. If I’m stumped writing a battle scene, I watch Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The experience of watching a truly great movie that gives you all the feels you want to create in your own writing can jump start your project.

Bonus tip: while I highly recommend watching movies to spark the writing bug, I strongly warn against watching TV shows for inspiration. I tried this once. It led to me binge-watching the first four seasons of Game of Thrones with nothing to show for myself. Don’t make my mistake. Watch a movie with an ending and make yourself sit in front of the computer when it’s done.

Written into a corner

This is the toughest form of writer’s block in my opinion. Writing yourself into a corner in the plot, whether you’ve accidentally wrapped up the main conflict too soon or, like me, accidentally separated two main characters without realizing the implications for the story, can be a tough bind to escape.

The great news is, you can always write yourself out of a bind like this. The bad news is, it may require some rewriting. Try going back a few chapters. What did you do that led the plot astray? Could you lead it in a different direction that makes sense and leaves the story more open to possibilities? Or maybe you don’t need to rewrite at all, and what you need is to introduce another point of conflict for the story that gives you more material to work with.

Bonus tip: You may not like to hear this, but the key to preventing this type of writer’s block is by writing an outline and by revising the outline when the plot takes unexpected turns (which it’s certainly allowed to do).

Out of ideas

If you’re out of ideas, usually it means you’re actually “uninspired” or in a corner. If you haven’t yet started a story and you have no concrete ideas to nail down, try more prewriting. Work through your characters. Find out what it is they want most and take it away from them. Find out what they fear and make it a reality. It’s cruel, but it’s what writers do. Without that, we have no stories to write. Create characters you love, then create some kind of opposition for them to overcome. If you’ve written yourself into a corner, perhaps you’ve resolved the conflict or opposition too soon. That is the death of a plot, so watch out for it.

Bonus tip: Remember to keep and carry a notebook wherever you go, or a notepad app - whatever the kids are using these days. Then take down all your ideas when you feel inspired, that way you can return to them when you get stumped at the keyboard.

Too many ideas

Having too many ideas is more my problem than being out of ideas. Sometimes I get ideas for too many stories at once, other times I get too many ideas for directions to take my current project. The key here is to harness this moment of extreme inspiration and motivation. Pick a project and try to stick to it. If you get threads of ideas for other projects, jot them down so you can return to them later. For your current story, if you have too many ideas, write some potential outlines to see which idea leads you where you want to go. Also listen to what your characters are telling you. Pick the route that reads true for them.

Bonus tip: Don’t be discouraged if you have too many ideas. Too many good ideas is not a bad thing.

Disagreements with characters

This is a frequent source of writer’s block for me. I tend to fight my characters on some things, which is a bad call almost all of the time. The only recommendation I can give is to make sure whatever happens in the plot, the characters respond based on their personality, desires, and history. If their natural responses are unexpected, work the plot around that. You wrote your outline. You can change it.

If the disagreement is you struggling to relate to a character, your challenge is more difficult. I had some serious trouble connecting with one of my characters, and it destroyed an entire draft of my novel. It took weeks and weeks of rewriting to resolve it. The important thing to remember is if you don’t find some way to relate to your character, neither will readers. It comes through in your writing if you don’t like a character. Try doing some free writing with the character who gives you trouble. Find common ground, some value that you share with them, no matter how different you two may be. Trust me, pressing pause on the story and having a heart-to-heart with your protagonist pays off.

Bonus tip: Take a personality quiz, like the Myers Briggs, on behalf of your characters. Study their strengths and weaknesses. It’s helpful, plus super fun.

Distractions

There’s no easy way to say this, so here’s the deal: You must get rid of your distraction while you are writing. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars. If your distraction is social media like the rest of us, you must turn off desktop notifications for Facebook. And leave your phone in another room. If it helps, maybe you can turn off your internet. Self control is key, okay? Good talk.

Bonus tip: block off writing days or hours on your calendar and stick to them. Don’t reschedule, this is a downhill road to putting off your book indefinitely.

Conclusion

The struggle is real. No one wakes up feeling inspired to write the perfect draft every day. The important thing is that we keep each other accountable and lift each other up. We’re in this together.

Do you have any common traps you fall into for your writing? Share your solutions!

Author Bio

Hannah Stahlhut began writing books in her early teens and hasn't stopped since. Her debut novel came out when she was just 16. Now age 24, Hannah is currently working on the Spirit Seeker Novels, fantasy adventure books for teen and adult readers. In her free time, Hannah likes to binge on Netflix shows (Parks and Recreation, The IT Crowd, Dexter, Battlestar Galactica, and The 100 are a few of her current favorites). She also enjoys pretending to be fit by riding her bicycle to work. She considers herself an honorary member of both House Lannister and Hufflepuff. An odd combination to be sure, but one she will defend to the bitter end. Hannah hopes readers enjoy reading her books half as much as she enjoys writing them.

Wanderling Blurb

For as long as Adala can remember, she’s spent summers abroad as part of her father’s crew. At last she is determined to stay home and pursue a new life with her mother and young brother, Shem. But Adala’s world is suddenly thrown into havoc when Shem collapses at the market one day, crying out that their father has died at sea. Before she can process his surreal claims, Shem is stolen away from their cottage in the night.

Adala’s plight to rescue Shem soon lands her captive to an outcast group of criminals. Traversing the desert hills, she grows ever aware of the surrounding dangers and afraid that Shem’s intuitions may be used in a nefarious plot for vengeance. Adala is forced to ask herself: Are her brother’s otherworldly senses genuine? How do they relate to a dark prophecy of the “savage” desert clans? Can she trust Tobin, a kind-hearted outcast soldier with ties to the desert dwellers?

Join Adala as she seeks to free herself and her brother from the clutches of an outcast leader determined to push Shem toward a frightening destiny.

Connect

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SmashWords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/637167

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The King's Lion Series Flash Sale!

The King's Lion Series 

Flash Sale!

The Forbidden City (The King's Lion Book 

Filled with magic, mystery, romance and spectacular battles, 

this is the first epic adventure of the King's Lion 

Hunted by his own legions, the undefeated General Leandros, the King's Lion, seeks refuge in the mysterious land of Indra. But sanctuary comes at a high price. 

An ancient evil plunges the world into warfare and bloodshed and Leandros must use his military genius if he is to prevail. 

With assassins lurking behind every corner, he must protect the woman he loves and defeat the ruthless usurper who murdered his own brother, the King. 

In a world full of intrigue and enchantment, where Gods and humans play dangerous power games, the King's Lion fights one breathtaking battle after another across an entire continent. The future of the Empire depends on him. 

99 cents on AMAZON

Excerpt

The two men followed her as if waking from a dream. They quickly covered the distance to the nearest bridge. The bridge shone under the afternoon sun as if it had recently been polished. It was an amazing construction covered in spotless white marble showing no signs of decay. It was guarded on both sides by two gigantic statues. Both had bodies that were a mix of human and animal. One was female and had an eagle’s head, and in claw-like paws it held a shield and a war hammer. The other had a masculine head over a feline body. The face resembled those of the desert tribes. In its human hands it held a broadsword and a disk covered entirely in shining gold.

'What are they?' Leandros whispered in awe. 'Did such creatures ever exist?

'We do not know. Identical statues guard both ends of the bridges. We have not found any reference to them in any text. Maybe they symbolise something lost long ago.'

'Why are those bridges here? What is on this island? And why are you stationed here?' Leandros asked, bewildered.

'You will see the answers to your questions soon. Our drink must be ready by now. Let's get back to the house,' the shaman suggested.

Once they were seated around the table again, Naya poured the drink she had prepared into three goblets. 'Will you drink?' she asked Malek.

'Every time I drink, this thing scares me more. But I am ordered to accompany my friend here all the way, so I will drink.'

'It is time to explain the last part of our legacy,' Naya said, addressing the General. 'To do so, you must drink this and trust me. Can you do that?'

Leandros looked from one to the other of his two hosts and silently inclined his head. All this talk of magic and the sight of the statues was making him pretty uneasy.

'We will drink together and then we will walk outside. We will be holding hands, and I must ask you not to let go of me, no matter what you see. Now drink up,' she urged, lifting the goblet to her lips. Leandros could not avoid noticing that the irises of her eyes were narrowed, making her resemble a wild animal facing an unknown threat.

The drink had a scented flavour and left a bitter aftertaste in the mouth. When they had all drained their goblets Naya stood up and extended her hand to Leandros. He took it and followed her to the door.

As they went out Naya stood in front of him, blocking his view. 'Remember, don't let go.' she said, moving aside.

General Leandros, commander of armies and fearless soldier, beheld a chilling sight. On, the previously empty island stood the most magnificent city he had ever laid eyes upon. A city of large buildings, in the middle of which rose four high towers of every imaginable design. All the buildings seemed to be covered by white marble, black granite or pink quartz. It was a thing of incredible beauty and magnificence. At the same time it seemed to radiate a sense of unsuppressed rage.

As if in a dream, Leandros heard the voice of Naya explaining that this was an Imperial city and that it was normal to be filled with dark feelings. It had this effect, she explained, on anyone who beheld it. The Salt Guardians were there, she said, to 'guard the bridges from the dark'. Although they could not tell how the bridges should be guarded, for centuries the Indrans had been stationing their best soldiers next to the bridges, as instructed by their legacy. They called this place 'the Forbidden City'.

Leandros tried to talk, to ask a question, but he was unable to. He felt Naya's fingers on his lips and heard her instructing him not to try to talk. 'You will only exhaust yourself trying so we had better return.' He was almost dragged by Naya and Malek back to the cottage.

Naya offered him water and asked him to sit and rest, while she prepared a meal of dried fruits and nuts. They ate in silence and Leandros felt his strength gradually returning.

'Now we may talk,' Naya announced. 'I am certain you have many questions and no idea where to start?' Next to her, Malek gave a feeble smile, as if he were also shaken by the experience.

'I felt as if the city wanted to drink my soul,' said Leandros. 'How come I could not see it before?'

'I am afraid the explanation will confuse you even more. You see, this city exists in a timeframe only seconds different from our own. To see it, it is necessary to speed up your perception. For that, you need the drink I gave you, which does exactly that. The presence of a shaman is necessary, to “anchor” you in this timeframe. Without me, you could get lost in time. I know all this makes little sense but that is the best way I can describe it. I warned you it's confusing.'

'But how did this happen? Are there people living there?'

'As far as we know there are no people there. There are forces, remnants of the past, but we have not managed to explore them fully. Brave shamans have visited the city many times but it was not possible to stay there for long. You see, it drains visitors' energy quickly. As to how it came to be here like that, we believe this has to do with whatever changed the Eagle Empire. We are still trying to learn more about it.'

'Where did all the material used to build this place come from? It is a true wonder.'

'The marble came from quarries on the mountains. The granite must have come from the Black Islands. They are called Black, as you know, because they are of volcanic origin. As for the quartz, we assume it came from the area where the desert is now. It must have taken years and immense resources to build it.'

'But what is its purpose? Was it where the Emperors dwelled? I always thought the capital city of the Empire was Lucella, the capital of my country.'

'From what we have managed to find out, through ancient scrolls and our visits there, it seems it was not a place where ordinary people lived. It seems like a place to worship the Gods. The buildings are full of decorations and the towers contain altars. We have not yet managed to fully explore them, since they are right in the middle of the city. Generations of shamans have tried unsuccessfully to unlock their secrets.'

THE LION PROPHECY (The King's Lion Series Book 2)

THE KING'S LION IS BACK IN A SWASHBUCKLING ADVENTURE! 

After years of fighting, peace reigns over the Eagle Empire. General Leandros is enjoying a romantic vacation with his wife at sea when a mysterious sea captain, the Mask, abducts them, asking for their help to free his fellow islanders from slavery. 

Leandros and Helena start training the islanders, conducting daring raids on land and sea to free the slaves. Their only allies are a powerful sea-witch and a savage crew of ex-pirates. 

Breathtaking duels and fierce battles turn the tide in favour of the islanders until the enemy monarch sends his Grand Fleet to subdue them. With only two ships and a handful of men, the King's Lion faces a terrifying challenge. The future of an entire nation lies in his hands. 

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Biography

After a long career working in the media and with international organisations, which took him across four continents, Alexander has combined two of his great passions, writing and strategy, to produce the King's Lion Tales. The books, in order of publication, are:

THE FORBIDDEN CITY
THE LION PROPHECY

Alexander is currently writing the third book in the series.
Find out more in his Basketball Diaries blog at www.alexandergrant.eu or follow him on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AlexanderGrant.EU/) and Twitter (@AlexGrant_EU)

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The Heron Prince #NEWRELEASE

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The Demon Door can be opened...but the price is deadly.

Rhuun, the half-human heir to the demon throne of Eriis, has found acceptance among the humans on Mistra. He even found love with the tempting and infuriating human, Lelet va’Everly. With Lelet at his side, his ability to create fire has finally awakened, proving that he is not the cursed cripple all of Eriis believed him to be. There are secrets in his blood, unique and powerful...and worth killing for. When Rhuun is betrayed and tricked into returning to Eriis, Lelet has no choice but to turn to exiles, children, and madmen to save him. She must do the impossible: transform herself into a demon and travel to a forgotten city to make an agonizing bargain for his life. Surrounded by dark Mages, a war-hungry Queen, mercurial Goddesses, and enemies on every side, the demon prince and the human woman will find the Court of Eriis a subtle and dangerous place, and one false move could doom them both. Best-selling author Kim Alexander works her magic once again, creating a novel with worlds that are as rich and complex as her characters. The Heron Prince is the second book of The Demon Door series.

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Biography

Kim Alexander grew up in the wilds of Long Island, NY and slowly drifted south until she reached Key West. After spending ten rum-soaked years as a DJ in the Keys, she moved to Washington DC, where she lives with two cats, an angry fish, and her extremely patient husband. She began writing when she ran out of authors to interview (and they pulled the plug on her channel, Sirius XM Book Radio.) Kim was in her twenties when she finally read a book not prominently featuring spaceships and/or wizards. Turns out Jane Austen was pretty funny! THE SAND PRINCE is Kim's first novel and begins a fantasy series called THE DEMON DOOR. Her husband tells her she needs to write at least ten more books if she intends to retire in Thailand, so thank you for your patronage. Please visit her at kimalexanderonline.com

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On Her High Horse by Lucy Felthouse

Blood Bio-Med by Elvira Bathory

On Call by Bethany Shaw

Sanctuary by Xandra James

Healing Hearts by Muffy Wilson

Save Me by Lucy Leroux

Joy's Edge by D. F. Krieger

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