Interview With Author – Daniel Arenson

Posted on by
Reply
I’ve been running a series of interviews with authors that are releasing new books. I hope you’ll take the time to check out their work. Today, please welcome back author, Daniel Arenson.

————

I interviewed you for both Flaming Dove and Firefly Island. Tell me about this new book.

The Gods of Dream is an epic fantasy novel. Here’s the description, as it appears on my website:

What are dreams? Some think they are figments of our mind. But what if they were wisps of a distant, magical world… a world you could visit?

Twins Cade and Tasha discover Dream, the land dreams come from. It is a realm of misty forests, of verdant mountains, of mysterious gods who send dreams into our sleep. Cade and Tasha seek solace there; they are refugees, scarred and haunted with memories of war. In Dream, they can forget their past, escape the world, and find joy.

Phobetor, the god of Nightmare, was outcast from Dream. Now he seeks to destroy it. He sends his monsters into Dream, and Cade and Tasha find their sanctuary threatened, dying. To save it, the twins must overcome their past, journey into the heart of Nightmare, and face Phobetor himself.

Discover a world of light and darkness, of hope and fear, of dreams and nightmares. Discover The Gods of Dream.

What inspired you to write this particular novel?

After writing my novel Flaming Dove, an epic of Heaven vs. Hell, I wanted another high premise. So I chose Dream vs. Nightmare. My land of Dream is where gods of sleep craft our good dreams. Nightmare is a kingdom where bad dreams are made. I researched Greek mythology and found many gods of sleeping and dreaming. Phobetor, the Greek god of nightmares, became my villain. There is also some Hindu mythology in The Gods of Dream; I tried to create a pantheon that has that sort of complexity and drama.

Which of your characters in this book was the most difficult to write about? Why?

The Gods of Dream features a large mythology of gods and goddesses.

Tam, the god of music, was difficult to write. He only appears in two or three scenes, but he was a challenge. The problem was that Tam was just too good, too pure. I find good, pure characters to be a little boring. I usually prefer characters who are flawed in some way. So Tam doesn’t appear much in the book, but he does have an epic battle scene I enjoyed writing.

I have a keen interest in dark fiction. Tell me how you would classify this book and what’s dark about it?

The Gods of Dream has two distinct halves. In fact, they are so distinct that I contemplated releasing the book as two short novels.

The first half mostly deals with Dream — the tone is enchanted, almost a fairytale. The second half is about Nightmare. This part is much darker. When the characters enter the land of Nightmare, they encounter monsters and horror that turn The Gods of Dream into a dark, surreal fantasy.

I was pleased when Michael Crane, a horror author, wrote that “the descriptions of Nightmare will stay with you all day.” That validated my efforts to create a creepy second half to the book.

Who is your favorite character in The Gods of Dream?

I enjoyed writing about Eliven, the Demon Queen of Nightmare, the wife of my main villain. Eliven is fiery, sexy, pure evil. She eats kittens and snakes, and spends her days drooling, snarling, and killing. She’s over the top. It was fun to write a villain who’s completely insane and vicious.

Tell me about your most recent experiences of being an indie author.

My first novel, Firefly Island, was traditionally published. Now, I like having the full control of an indie — to set my own prices (I keep them low), to release my novels when I choose (I release them quickly), and to have real-time acess to sales reports. The downside is that I do more work. I need to comission my own cover art, find my own editors, do all my own marketing. It’s sometimes overwhelming, but I’m having fun. I love ebooks and being indie is a great option for ebook writers.

This blog is called Random Musings, so give me a random quote from the book – something you’re particularly fond of.

Here is a short excerpt:

Moonmist surveyed the palace hall and could not recognize it. All that had once been here–suits of burnished armor, flowers, portraits upon the walls, benches, statues, joy–it was all gone. The spirals of Nightmare were now drawn across the walls with blood, and black candles lined the floors, burning with black flame. A great idol, shaped as a burning woman with bat wings, stood in the center of the hall.

It had become a temple. A temple to Eliven.

Moonmist tightened her lips. “Wait for me here, Redfur,” she said and drew the Dawnstone. The crystal blade hissed.

Redfur looked at her, eyes sad. “All who lived in this palace are dead, Moonmist,” the wolf said softly. “Eliven would not have let any live. Let us flee this place. We will continue the battle in the forests. This city has fallen.”

Moonmist looked toward the stairwell, whence came red light and heat.

“Eliven is up there, Redfur. Upon the tower of my city, and from her, nightmares flow across the land.” She looked at the wolf, and could not believe the words that left her throat. She could see her reflection in the wolf’s eyes. Her eyes were huge and haunted, her skin pale. “I must face her, Redfur.”

“I would advise against it, Moonmist,” he said softly. “Eliven is of great power, second in Nightmare to only Phobetor. Flee with me. Flee with me into the forests.”

Moonmist looked at her Dreamblade. Its white light was soft, but beautiful to her. From above she heard the distant laughter of the Demon Queen.

“There will be no more forests, Redfur,” she whispered. “All the lands of Dream will fall to Nightmare. I will make my stand here. If I die, then I die upon the tower of my palace, overlooking my city, overlooking Dream. This is how I choose my last stand, my death.”

Redfur took a step toward her, baring his fangs. “Then I go with you.”

She smiled sadly, knelt before him, and hugged him. His fur was soft against her face, and her tears filled it. She kissed the wolf. “Go to the forests, Red Wolf. They are your home, your battlefield. Here is not your place to die.”

She left him there and stepped onto the staircase, where the heat of fire blasted her. She climbed all these old steps, moving toward the tower, between the black candles and through the flames, and memories filled her. Upon this step, she had given her cat Olive a haircut ten years ago. Through this door, she would play dolls with her handmaidens Onana and Lynk. In this wall, she had once etched her name; she could still see it there. All her childhood and memories were here, and she smiled softly. No better place to die.

Soon she was climbing up the tower, the tallest tower in the city.

The world roared and rumbled around her, and she looked above. Red firelight burned like a cruel sun. Moonmist tightened her grip on the Dawnstone. There burned Eliven, Queen of Nightmare.

At the top of the tower, she paused and whispered. “Goodbye, my home, my family. Ayendey, Eloria.”

Then she kicked open the window, shattering the glass into a million shards, and climbed out onto the roof of the tallest steeple in Dream.

What can we expect from you next?

I’m working on my fourth fantasy novel, Thistle and Sword. Look out for it in a couple months.

Where can we find you on the internet?

Here is my website, which offers writing tips, free stories, novel chapters, and more.

Any final comments or thoughts?

Thank you for this interview, David. I hope your blog’s readers enjoy reading “The Gods of Dream”!

Daniel

————

Always glad to have you here, Daniel! Best of luck with all three of your novels and I look forward to hearing more about Thistle and Sword!

Purchasing information:

Happy Holidays!

Posted on by
Reply
Happy Holidays everyone!

This year has been an interesting adventure for me as an author. I’ve been really fortunate to connect with so many wonderful readers and writers. Thank you all for joining me on my journey. I hope to make 2011 just as fun and interesting.

So to those that celebrate at this time of year, Merry Christmas! And to everyone I wish you all the best for the coming year!

Billy Bones – Chapter 6

Posted on by
Reply

With Gertrude’s smoky finger pointing at me, I wasn’t entirely sure what to do. I certainly didn’t remember lurking through hallways and breaking into rooms, especially my own. I have a key – why would I need to break into my own room?

Unless, of course, I was some sort of Dr Jekyl and I was turning into Mr. Hyde and wasn’t remembering it, but I didn’t think that was the case.

There was only one answer, but Liz said it before I even opened my mouth.

“We have an imposter roaming the mansion.”

Gertrude’s finger kept aiming at me until finally Liz blew on her and she disappeared in wisps. The last part of her to disintegrate was her eye and I
swear it was looking at me.

“So what do we do now?” I asked.

Before Liz could answer, Miesha turned on us, her pigtails sailing through the air. “Wait a minute. You were later than the rest of us to come downstairs. How do we know you didn’t do it then, just before you met us?”

Her eyes were giving me a pretty harsh stare.

I don’t recall having a stuttering problem, but under that iron gaze it was hard not to. “I-I-I…I didn’t do it,” I said. “Ask Goliath?”

Goliath just cocked his head to the side before licking himself in places I won’t mention. Then he ambled over to sniff the bookshelves. Miesha gave me a look like I was just plain dumb.

“Right,” said somewhat sheepishly, “you can’t ask the dog.”

Liz was now pacing and Kenji was still watching the tinted ceiling as the sun started to inch across its glass surface. I winced for a second, but stopped when I realized that nothing was going to happen. It was refreshing to see its silhouette. I kind of missed the sun. The Afterlife was fairly
dismal.

Liz reached into her bag and pulled out one of the bags of herbs. She marched over and slapped me with it.

“Ouch!” I said. “What was that for?”

“Just making sure you’re not a demon. That would have burned you if you were a demon.”

I rubbed my face. “Well, that’s a relief. Does that mean I’m off the hook now?”

“Not yet,” Liz said. “I need to check something else.”

“Why doesn’t the sun hurt us here?” Kenji asked, still eyeing the ceiling with suspicion.

Liz continued to pace, smoke rising from her hair. “Huh?” she said, seemingly yanked from whatever thought she was immersed in. “Oh, it was built by the Seraphim, or so it’s said. No one really knows. Not even Gertrude.”

“The Sera-what?” Miesha asked.

“Seraphim. They walk in the daylight, or so I’ve heard. No one’s ever seen one. Never mind that now. Follow me,” she said, and aimed for one of the distant bookshelves.

As the other two followed Liz’s speedy steps I paused. It was the perfect chance to finally get this blasted thing out of my pocket. I struggled at first, but then remembered what the woman in the marketplace had told me. I reached in and felt for the base of the palm and ran my finger along it. The hand inched open and then stopped. It wasn’t fully opened, but enough that I could wriggle it out of my pocket.

The thing was almost all bones with only a few bits of dried tendons. I placed it on the table that held the large cauldron. Clutched inside the curled fingers was a shimmering, wine-colored stone. I tickled the base of the palm again and this time the hand opened completely.

Liz approached the table cradling a heavy leather-bound book in her arms.

“Do you ever do what your tol— what is that?” she said.

The other two ran around her, Miesha shoving her way in. She reached over to snatch up the stone and Liz yelled out, “Don’t touch it!”

Miesha didn’t listen. She reached for it anyway, and as she did Liz pressed a symbol on the table. A white sphere enveloped the cauldron.

Less than a second later Miesha’s fingers clasped the stone and a purple flash sparked from her hands and surrounded the four of us. We were all thrown to the floor.

A sour feeling sickened my stomach and I heaved. Nothing came up, but I felt like it should. All of us kept retching, like we were trying to empty our bodies of some kind of bad food.

Goliath ran over to me, whimpering. I couldn’t pet him. I couldn’t do anything. All I could do was try to rid myself of whatever was making my insides roil. All four of us just kept heaving until Liz managed to mutter something and point.

Between heaves I saw her pointing. “Dog,” she managed to utter before another violent round of retching took her voice. Then she pointed to a distant table. On it sat something that vaguely resembled a bottle, but my vision was now a little blurry.

I swallowed and called out. “Golia—” I started to say but my words were cut off as I hurled again. I pointed to the table.

Goliath bolted and grabbed the bottle. I thought he’d bring it to me, but instead as I continued to hurl he ran over to Liz. She took a swig of whatever was in it.

I just kept on heaving, unable to stop myself.

Finally I felt Liz at my side. “Drink this!” she said.

I heaved again and then grabbed the bottle, gulping its contents down like I was told. It didn’t feel like liquid – it was more like swallowing warm mist.

But the heaving stopped.

I dropped to the floor. “Thank you,” I managed to utter.

I pulled my knees to my chest, my gut feeling like someone had not only kicked me from the inside, but then decided to bash, pummel, and drop-kick me as well. This was the Afterlife, I was supposed to be dead. Why was I feeling pain?

“What happened?” I asked, still lying there on the floor. Goliath curled up next to me.

“Deathstone,” Liz said. She sat down on the floor beside me, knees to her chest. Miesha and Kenji were curled up next to her moaning.

“What is that?” I asked.

“It was meant for Gertrude. I managed to seal her off before the stone could cast the spell on her.” She looked at Miesha. “Maybe next time you’ll do like I say.” She then turned that heated gaze upon me. “You three are proving to be more difficult than I thought. If we’re going to figure this out, you need to do what I say.”

I nodded my head.

“Now where did you get that hand?”

“Remember that guy that crashed into me? He left it in my pocket?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked. I think her voice had just started to rise at this point. “See this mark on the hand?” She was waving the thing around like it was a fan. When she stopped long enough for me to see, I noticed a tattoo in the shape of a sickle on it.

“This hand belongs to one of the Reaper’s men, and he wants nothing more than to see Gertrude dead. Next time something like that happens, you need to tell me!” she said. “And that goes for all of you!”

Miesha and Kenji nodded their heads.

“So what’s with the stone?” I asked.

“It’s a Deathstone, meant to make you one of the Everdead. Luckily it didn’t work on Gertrude, but we’re all in trouble.”

“What do you mean?”

“The spell hit us instead.”

Now Miesha finally looked worried. She sat up. “What’s going to happen to us?”

“Weren’t you listening? We’re going to become one of the Everdead.”

I gulped what felt like sawdust in my throat. “How long do we have?”

“Seven days.”

Terrorlord – The Next Installment of the Jason Dark Series – 99 cents!

Posted on by
Reply
I previously reviewed one of the Jason Dark books, The Blood Witch, by Guido Henkel and today the next installment has been released! It’s called Terrorlord. And today only, it’s 99 cents! Go check it out!!

Conjured from the bowels of the abyss by ancient magic, the Terrorlord has one desire — to open the Seven Gates of Hell and unleash the horrors of the undead upon mankind.

Reliving the nightmares of his youth where an encounter with the Terrorlord left him scarred for life, Jason Dark must once again confront the powerful gatekeeper from Hell before his reach and power spiral out of control. With the help of Siu Lin, the ghost hunter will have to put an end to the Terrorlord’s dark reign before he can devour our world in his evil blackness.

This is the ninth volume in a series of gothic horror adventures where Jason Dark, a fearless and resourceful ghost hunter, follows in the mold of a Sherlock Holmes combined with Randall Garrett’s Lord D’Arcy. Written by Guido Henkel, the designer who brought Germany’s famed “Das Schwarze Auge” series to computer screens, this series is filled with enough mystery, drama and suspenseful action to transport you to the sinister, fogshrouded streets of Victorian England. Your encounter with the extraordinary awaits.

And if you want to find the other books in the series, they’re on Guido Henkel’s Amazon Page.

5 Day Giveaway!

Posted on by
Reply
For the next 5 days I’m giving away one copy per day of the ebooks Scourge and The Second Coming!

These are the “personalized” versions where I substitute in the name of the winner with one of the minor characters!

Just leave a comment below that you want to be entered. Winners will be announced at the end of each day at 9:00pm Eastern.

Good luck!

Scourge: Official Launch Day!!

Posted on by
Reply
Today is the official launch of my new children’s novel, Scourge: A Grim Doyle Adventure.

I’m giving away 5 personalized copies of the ebook (it will have a signed dedication page and I’ll replace one character in the book with your name). All you have to do is post the book info anywhere between November 29th and Dec 1st on Facebook. Once you’ve posted come to the Facebook event and write on the wall that you’ve posted – then your name will be entered in the draw. (event location: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=171123342906340)

Here’s what you’ll need to post to enter:
———–
Scourge: A Grim Doyle Adventure – a new children’s steampunk fantasy

Check out the book trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qbj7qqwBr0

For more information, visit http://davidhburton.com
————


Map of Verne

Here’s some information about the book:

Scourge: A Grim Doyle Adventure – a new children’s steampunk fantasy

Two dads, five siblings, and goggles! Grim Doyle has always known his life was not exactly “normal”, and things get even more curious when he discovers a set of stones that sweep him and his family to the fantasy, steampunk world of Verne – a place they had escaped from years ago. Now that they’ve returned, Grim and his siblings hide from the evil Lord Victor and his minions. And while learning about Jinns, Mystics, and the power of absinth they try to discover who is trying to kill them with the deadly Scourge.

Purchasing information:

Personalized version of Scourge:
If you wish to purchase the personalized version of Scourge, it comes with an autographed dedication page as well as a fun feature where I alter the name of one of the minor characters in the story with the name of the purchaser.

The link to purchase is here.

Introduction to Smashwords

Posted on by
Reply
For indie authors looking to get broader distribution of your ebooks, check out Smashwords. They’re easy to deal with, responsive, and for international authors, this is your best bet to get your ebook in the hands of retailers that you otherwise can’t.