“One warrior halted them. He stood the same height as Merlyn, which wasn’t tall, with a wild red beard and a helmet that looked like it had been beaten out of scrap iron. There was a round bundle slung over his shoulder, and as he saw Merlyn, his beard broke into a mischievous grin. “Merly,”Continue reading “The Dark Rider part 15 (excerpt) & shout-outs”
Tag Archives: Dark fantasy
The Dark Rider part 14 (excerpt)
They paused on a landing with three doors leading from it. Merlyn smiled. “Victory is almost here.” “Who are the people besieging Arthur?” Warren asked. “There were loads of people out there, all putting up tents. Some of them sounded Scottish.” “Many. King Lot of Orkney, Arthur’s half-brother Carados of Cornwall, Clarion from Northumberland, Eskand,Continue reading “The Dark Rider part 14 (excerpt)”
The Dark Rider Part 12 (excerpt) and “Terminal”
George stayed in bed all the next morning. Warren rolled out of his blankets and tugged one of his brother’s legs, which was dangling over the side of the top bunk. “Off,” George mumbled into his pillow. “About what happened last night–” “Eh?” “About the Land Laid Waste–” “There isn’t such a thing as aContinue reading “The Dark Rider Part 12 (excerpt) and “Terminal””
The Dark Rider part 11 (excerpt)
Warren peeked out. Men in armour, some helmeted, others not, sat in lines along two tables large enough to fill the hall. They were eating and drinking and some were obviously drunk. The only one who looked bored was a masked man lounging in a separate chair against one wall. The chair was covered inContinue reading “The Dark Rider part 11 (excerpt)”
Part 10 of the Dark Rider (excerpt)
“The night was warm, though not as warm as it had been in Warren’s bedroom. The way they followed narrowed, more sand and dust and debris encroaching on the track, until suddenly the dunes fell away to reveal a dried-out moat. On the other side of it, a couple of lights shone in a dark,Continue reading “Part 10 of the Dark Rider (excerpt)”
Part 9 of The Dark Rider (excerpt)
A huge, round rock stood in the middle of the lawn, shaped like the grinding stones used in old flour mills, except this was carved. There were letters around its edge. Warren stared, ringing silence filling his ears. He called out for his father, asking what the stone was for, but there was no answer.Continue reading “Part 9 of The Dark Rider (excerpt)”
The Dark Rider part 7 (excerpt) and some good news…
“The storm rumbled on throughout the night until it was directly over the farm, coughing and bellowing and sending vibrations through the furniture. It had pelted with rain hard enough to sound like lead pellets being shot at a tin roof and hail fell in the early hours. All the family were heavy-eyed and irritable,Continue reading “The Dark Rider part 7 (excerpt) and some good news…”
The Dark Rider: Snow, Time, Bones Part 6 (excerpt)
“I know he’s here. He’s bound to have come after us. Where is he?” Warren understood. “He’s the school guidance counsellor now. But what are you going to do? You can’t harm him.” “I can try, look you. He has a blimmin’ body, and bodies have nerve endings!” “YouContinue reading “The Dark Rider: Snow, Time, Bones Part 6 (excerpt)”
The Dark Rider Part 5 (excerpt)
At last, as Warren was busy talking to Lyons at the gate, Ulfeus came. Ulfeus was a heavyset man with jowls and fair hair. His eyelashes were long and faint. He breathed hard when he walked. “I’ve come to offer King Ythr’s hand in marriage to the Lady Egrayne, on his behalf,” he wheezed. HisContinue reading “The Dark Rider Part 5 (excerpt)”
The Dark Rider Part 4 (excerpt)
The kitchens were devoid of people awake. A couple of servant-boys lay huddled in blankets near the long fireplace. Not wanting to disturb them, he crept around a large cauldron and hunched in its shadow, wishing he had asked the Duke for something warmer to wear when he had the chance. Warren dozed, woke andContinue reading “The Dark Rider Part 4 (excerpt)”
The Dark Rider: Part 3 (excerpt)
Silence stretched between the man and the boy, punctuated by the sounds of people shouting and moving in the courtyard below. “Are you afraid?” Gorla asked conversationally. “Of what?” “Of pain. Injury. Death.” “Isn’t everybody?” “True. What of the Dark Rider? Does he instil fear in you?” “How can I be afraid of something whenContinue reading “The Dark Rider: Part 3 (excerpt)”
The Dark Rider Part II (Excerpt)
They sat on a grey rock at the side of the path for her to regain her breath. Warren placed the palms of his hands on the cool stone, and as he did so, the air blew cooler and harsher. Leaves skirled above them, red and brown and dry. The sky shone grey. He loweredContinue reading “The Dark Rider Part II (Excerpt)”
A new story begins: The Dark Rider (on Wattpad)
I have joined the community of writers and readers on Wattpad, serialising a YA fantasy novel that retells some old Arthurian myths and tales through the time-travels of a thirteen-year-old boy and his eccentric twin-lifed grandmother. An excerpt from The Dark Rider: Warren slept until the early stretches of morning. He opened his eyes, suddenlyContinue reading “A new story begins: The Dark Rider (on Wattpad)”
All About the Plentyn-Aderyn
One of the oldest and most mysterious of the tribes of wandering, outlawed mages roaming Thosea’s Northern wastes, especially in the region of Karak (or World’s End), their favourite haunt being the shimmering, nebulous Hiraeth mountains, which tend to flicker between worlds in response to loud noises. The mages take this odd existence inContinue reading “All About the Plentyn-Aderyn”
I am still alive… I think.
I am recovering — slowly — from abdominal surgery, which happened at the end of December. Having a connective tissue disorder, this caused problems with having retention and needing to be catheterised, but as I am resistant to local anaesthetics it took them over an hour to get it in and I was screaming. PrettyContinue reading “I am still alive… I think.”
All About the Muryans
The Muryans are an ancient race of beings who came into existence shortly after the birth of Noran’s world (the Empire of Dal-Rhiatah). They first lived in the planet-wide, sentient forest named Panko – before Homo sapiens began – and they had a symbiotic relationship with the plants and trees, and later on, withContinue reading “All About the Muryans”
What and Where are the Hiraeth Mountains?
Hiraeth is a word in the Old Tongue (and it is a Welsh word on Earth), loosely translated as “homesickness.” This name is fitting as Logan Bartholom spends most of his time wanting and wondering about a home he once had but can no longer remember. This extensive range of mountains in Karak (sometimesContinue reading “What and Where are the Hiraeth Mountains?”
WHO AND WHAT ARE THE HIGH MADRE?
These three prophetesses are the leaders and main teachers of the Kendra, a convent of egoless prophetesses who revere Saint Agrimond, along with the ancient benevolent magic that their world was created with – Foundational magic. Somewhat inspired by the Fates from Greek myth or the three witches from Macbeth, these three women are aContinue reading “WHO AND WHAT ARE THE HIGH MADRE?”
WHO AND WHAT IS ULFRYD SPIRN?
A minor character in “A Dark Heritage: The Nighthunter” who goes on an almost fairytale-style quest and meets an unfortunate end. An apprentice to a travelling merchant, Ulfryd is fourteen years old and having an affair with a girl at an inn when an old song people are singing in the marketplace enters his head,Continue reading “WHO AND WHAT IS ULFRYD SPIRN?”
Who and What is Uncle Edwyn?
Noran Cadwallader‘s Uncle Edwyn is a best friend, benevolent authority figure, and mentor to the boy from birth until age six, when something very unfortunate happens to the old man. He and his wife, Noran’s Aunt Adyah, keep a small farm on the outskirts of Little Beddin, amongst the hills. Aunt Adyah is a practical,Continue reading “Who and What is Uncle Edwyn?”
A Dark Heritage: The Documentary
Many of the characters from “A Dark Heritage: The Nighthunter” have been (ahem…) “interviewed” alongside the author (um, me) in a series of little videos. The first five are on this playlist on YouTube: Here’s one as a taster: Other than the frequent forays into social media (which can be a distraction from writing, IContinue reading “A Dark Heritage: The Documentary”
All About The Kendra
On the continent of Thosea, where magic and the use / teaching of it is still legal, there stands an old, ruined abbey on the banks of the river Eridan. This river is a mysterious remnant of something that poured out of the constellations, and its waters burn like acid, possibly because of its trueContinue reading “All About The Kendra”
All About the Griny-Plinth
These anthropomorphic beings first came to me in a dream. They were eccentric and fascinating, yet dangerous in a concentrated, stubborn, hive-mind sort of way, and they were galloping after me upon tiny, prehistoric horses, trying to catch me. They looked like the Leptictidiums from the non-fiction TV series “Walking with Beasts” – like kangarooContinue reading “All About the Griny-Plinth”
All About the Nephisiati
Throughout the lands of Ossyan, Thosea, and Dal-Rhiatah, stories and myths of the Nephisiati echo down the generations. No one has clapped eyes on them and lived to tell the tale, save for a select few who lost their minds and were institutionalised as a result. In some legends, they look like hideous monsters withContinue reading “All About the Nephisiati”
All About the Selki
Selki are a half-legendary, half-prehistorical terror of the oceans. They are rarely seen, but there are tales of them aplenty among travelling merchants, smugglers, pirates, and other people who make a living on the high seas. There is always someone who returns from sailing with a missing hand or leg who swears it was bittenContinue reading “All About the Selki”
All About The Cetians
The Cetians are an ancient humanoid race that lives in the extreme depths of the White Ocean. Their city is encased inside a gigantic, magical air-bubble, as they mostly breathe oxygenated air. However, they did evolve with gills as well as lungs, although their gills can’t function so well. Their underwater appearance is frightening, theirContinue reading “All About The Cetians”
All About The Forysrhacos
This gigantic and ancient bird is the stuff of myth, prehistory, and legend. Humans from Earth would likely recognise it as The Phoenix, a bird that lays its egg in a nest of flames and is then reborn from the ashes. However, The Forysrhacos (known as “The Foe” in old texts found in the underseaContinue reading “All About The Forysrhacos”
All About The Llewmayn
This type of Ghost has been briefly mentioned towards the end of The Book of Nighthunting, which has just been completed* over here or you can watch the clipshow of it here: [*Edit to add: There may be further entries slotted into it at a later date, but the main structure of it is obviousContinue reading “All About The Llewmayn”
August Update
Still grinding away on social media promoting “A Dark Heritage: The Nighthunter” by reading out excerpts and doing short “character spotlights” using the Face Dance app, as well as spreading it around through word-of-mouth and flyers. What else do you do to promote your work if you have a disabling health condition and you’re aContinue reading “August Update”
Book Update
Since being published as an ebook on Amazon, “A Dark Heritage: The Nighthunter” briefly shot down to 8000 in the listings for Dark fantasy books, but in the space of a couple of days, it’s shot up to 1000. I’m choosing to think of this as a positive sign. On other writing-related topics, I’m currentlyContinue reading “Book Update”
A proposition for you
“A Dark Heritage: The Nighthunter” has been available as an ebook on Amazon for a few weeks now. It would be a dream come true if it sold well enough to maybe get into physical print, but in order for that to happen it needs to be seen. Which is where some reviews left onContinue reading “A proposition for you”
So, it begins…
The first slew of videos and social media posts has begun, promoting “A Dark Heritage: The Nighthunter.” So far there aren’t any reviews on the book’s Amazon page, so if you can leave a review for it that would be enormously great. In fact, for every review that is posted I will film myself readingContinue reading “So, it begins…”
Cover Story
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what went into the cover design of A Dark Heritage: The Nighthunter. One of my hobbies is making digital collages from photographs (either my own or from websites such as pixabay.com and pexels.com, where photos are free to use and not copyrighted). I started doing this when producing illustrations forContinue reading “Cover Story”
IT’S HERE, IT’S HERE, IT’S FINALLY HERE!
A Dark Heritage: The Nighthunter was published by Golden Storyline Books today on Amazon. UK Amazon link here. A little bit of blurbage: “A Dark Heritage is a dark fantasy novel set in a magical world where prehistoric animals coexist with humans and the Dead return as different species of Ghost. Logan Bartholom, Nighthunter toContinue reading “IT’S HERE, IT’S HERE, IT’S FINALLY HERE!”
THE HANGED NUN
This is the inn Logan Bartholom, Nighthunter, stays in at the start of the first book (A Dark Heritage). Before the onset of his Ghost-initiated amnesia, he journeyed into Little Beddin and decided to rent room five in the upper floor of the Hanged Nun, because he sensed something extra-natural Haunting that room. He meetsContinue reading “THE HANGED NUN”
Pages from the Book of Nighthunting: The Wraith
…empty red eyes, a mouth full of blood, and small, serrated teeth. Weaknesses: Witchward children, cats, and sunlight. Update on the Novel Situation: A Dark Heritage, the first Nighthunter book, has been through its editing stages and is now having a book cover designed for it, based on something I knocked up a few monthsContinue reading “Pages from the Book of Nighthunting: The Wraith”
Yet Another Update
The second round of edits for A Dark Heritage have just been completed. It involved downloading Kindle Previewer and opening the manuscript on that, which shows you what the ebook will look like on Kindle readers, tablets, and phones, which was all very interesting. The recent freebie for email subscribers was sent out on JulyContinue reading “Yet Another Update”
Pages From The Book of Nighthunting: The Mnemon
… Just in case you haven’t been updated about the changes to the original story post here. We are now going through the second round of edits / formatting for A Dark Heritage. I am not certain of the release date yet, but it might be towards the end of this year. Over at onceuponacrocodile.weebly.com,Continue reading “Pages From The Book of Nighthunting: The Mnemon”
Another Book Update
Things are progressing well. The publisher sent me a galley proof of what A Dark Heritage will look like (it will be an e-book) and I combed through that to check for typos. Meanwhile, I am still adding “pages” to the Book of Nighthunting story post here, doing digital collages with photos from Pixabay andContinue reading “Another Book Update”
What is The Scryfennu?
(Pronounced Scrih – fenn — ee) (BREAKING NEWS: A Dark Heritage, the first book in the Nighthunter series, is going to be published as an ebook. The publisher is currently editing and formatting the story, and I sent them a mock-up of what the cover could look like a couple of weeks ago.) Back toContinue reading “What is The Scryfennu?”
The Book of Nighthunting
Update: Writing Stuff
The latest issue of OUAC (Once Upon A Crocodile) ezine, which I run and edit, is coming out VERY SOON — May the 30th, to be precise. It will feature old favourites such as Lynn White and rp Verlaine, as well as some new faces: Sara Corris, DJ Tyrer, LN Hunter, Daniel Tarker, and MattContinue reading “Update: Writing Stuff”
Who and What is Finglas Snudd?
One of the last Nighthunters to walk the path between the Living and the Dead. This man was the one who took on Logan Bartholom as his apprentice, buying the vulnerable five-year-old from his destitute mother. He was capable of appearing kindly and generous, but this was just a disguise hiding the real terror ofContinue reading “Who and What is Finglas Snudd?”
Who and What is Professor Conan Burrows?
A sensitive, intelligent, and somewhat eccentric man who never thought he would find love. He spent his childhood and early adulthood alone, obsessed with the old myths and legends of Ossyan and Dal-Rhiatah. He attended University at Lodston to study anthropology and other related subjects. On the hunt for evidence of the elusive First RaceContinue reading “Who and What is Professor Conan Burrows?”
Who and What is Cailte?
We meet this child in the first book of the Nighthunter series, trapped in a tight spot in a hotel kitchen in Cybrith Port. On discovering that their ship to Thosea is delayed, Logan and Noran also find that Cybrith Port has been infiltrated by a sinister New Religion, and a strange being that callsContinue reading “Who and What is Cailte?”
Who and What is Captain Penglas?
The no-nonsense owner and Captain of the ship named The Gastwrnis, which has sailed across the White Ocean from Ossyan to Thosea countless times over the years. He has a “proper” way of speaking from a childhood raised by a rich family, and he does his utmost to cover this up by adopting the dialectContinue reading “Who and What is Captain Penglas?”
Who and What is the Vorx?
A demon or shade from the outer circles of Hell (or the Underworld). It has been summoned out of Hell many times over its existence to do various tasks (none of which it will divulge to you… unless you’ve got food, that is). We meet this Ghost in the beginning of Book One of theContinue reading “Who and What is the Vorx?”
Who and What is Flara?
The patient, courageous, and somewhat naïve daughter of Fletch (the Far-Seer and theosophical poet), Flara is terminally ill and doesn’t fully realise it. We meet her in the second book of the Nighthunter series, when Logan Bartholom (The Nighthunter) visits Fletch after saving the elderly man from a Ghost attack. Flara’s mother was twenty yearsContinue reading “Who and What is Flara?”
Who and What is the Witch of Mount Wanslo?
No human person knows Her true name or is exactly sure where She came from, but this Witch, the oldest and most evil of all Dead things, lurks in a cave on Mount Wanslo, a mountain that is close to the Hiraeth chain of mountains near World’s End. She has been there for centuries, luringContinue reading “Who and What is the Witch of Mount Wanslo?”
Who and What is Mistress Yagga?
The only known (or partially known) benevolent Witch in Ossyan and the Dal-Rhiatan Empire. She is also one of the oldest. If permitted to remain in their place of Haunting, Ghosts evolve into Witches. Over the centuries, if left to exist, a Witch gradually develops a solid body almost exactly like that of a human.Continue reading “Who and What is Mistress Yagga?”
Nightwalks 