Cover reveal! SHARDS IN BELIAL

AuthorAppleton on February 19, 2022

I am so excited to reveal (finally) the cover for the first full-novel release in The Sword of the Dragon origins series! Coming Summer 2022, this epic fantasy lands us in the midst of the ancient war, as the unholy trinity of wizards wreaks havoc upon the lands of Subterran.

When the unholy trinity of ancient wizards mysteriously arrived in Subterran, Olympan and the other swordmasters rose from the lands touched by the prophets to fight them at every opportunity. Now, the war has arrived at Olympan’s doorstep, and the most dreaded member of the wizard trinity is behind it. Meanwhile, Ooletta is struggling to accept the role thrust upon her by her people: the role of high priestess. If she cannot accept her fate, then what destiny will she choose?

Short stories this Christmas!

AuthorAppleton on December 7, 2015

Christmas is my favorite time of year. When I was growing up I populated my wish list with books. One thing I dreamed of was writing books that other people would want to put on their Christmas lists. It was five years ago now (which is hard for me to believe) when I had signed a publishing contract with AMG Publishers and I had no books to sell until they released Swords of the Six. In the time between I bundled together my short stories into a new book titled By Sword By Right. It sold surprisingly well for a collection of short fiction, and ever since then I’ve always referred to it as my bathroom reader.

Originally this book was available in paperback as well as on Kindle, but the distributor I had placed it with charged an annual fee so I discontinued the print version. From time to time I still receive requests for By Sword By Right in paperback, and now Amazon’s platform has enabled me to re-release it in time for Christmas!

There is something magical about short stories. From my perspective they are more difficult to write. Everything for me turns into a long-form writing. Short stories usually sit in my “idea bucket” to be later transformed into novels. But with By Sword By Right I put my journey as a writer under the x-ray machine. I included stories that were some of my best writings, and some that were written prior to the launching of my writing career.

For Christmas this year if you are one of those readers who wants something to take into the bathroom or into a closet for a quick read, By Sword By Right has an assortment of fantasy, science fiction, fairy tales, biblical, and even allegory. This book demonstrates the diversity of my writing interests and will give you an idea of where all of my stories will take you. From dark underground worlds to surface utopias, and even into the interstellar divides.

There is no limit to where the imagination can take us. And we can explore the depths and heights of imagination through short stories in the moments that reading longer fiction prohibits.

Q: Do you enjoy short speculative fiction?

The Phantom’s Blade now available!

AuthorAppleton on November 16, 2015

My new fantasy novel is available in paperback and on Kindle! From across the sea the Maiden Voyage has failed to return to the Hemmed Land, leaving Ilfedo to wonder at the fate of his beloved Warrioresses… This story focuses on Ilfedo as none of the previous novels have. We see him for the grief-ridden man that he is… and we see his choice to rise above that grief and rejoice in the choices he’s made.

The Hemmed Land is in political confusion thanks to Vortain’s dissidence. As mayor of Ilfedo’s chief city Vortain holds great political sway. He openly opposes Ilfedo’s proposal to form a rescue expedition to bring the people of Dresdyn to the Hemmed Land, and regards the young woman Ilfedo brought back from the Hidden Realm with deep suspicion. Even more strong is his opposition to Lord Ilfedo’s declaration that, as the albino long ago prophecied, the entire population must seek a new homeland.

Holding himself to a promise, Ilfedo will not be swayed from seeking the people of Dresdyn. His allies are strong now. Few in the land hold the wisdom of Brother Hersis, and fewer still command the same respect in the military as Lord Ombre, and none have risen so high in the esteem of the people as Oganna.

An expedition launches to seek out the people beneath the desert sands, and only Ilfedo truly recognizes the nature of the enemy they face.

Please share with your friends and fellow fantasy enthusiasts! Christmas is a great time of year to continue this epic story.

Backstage Pass! Does “Neverqueen” need a new cover?

AuthorAppleton on June 30, 2014

Last week I signed books at a homeschool conference in Ohio. It was my first opportunity to sell print copies of Neverqueen, my newest release. One thing I noticed: people did not “fall in love” with that book when they looked at the cover… And that is the first time that has happened for me with ANY of my books.

It turns out that many people just don’t love the cover (my wife and my mother among them). Some people at the conference even thought it looked creepy and evil! Obviously this is not the mood of the story and not the impression I want to leave with prospective buyers. This is an epic fantasy tale with a bit of a mystery, too.

For that reason (and so that it will tie in better with the style of The Sword of the Dragon covers) I am seriously considering commissioning a new piece of art to completely change the look and feel of this work. I love the story and I know readers will, too, but we need a cover people want to set on their book shelves.

I do not want to be one of those authors who cannot take criticism and learn from it, even change things to improve them. This cover is one alteration that I think is needed.

Question: Do you love the Neverqueen cover? Does it draw you in? How does it compare to the other covers in The Sword of the Dragon series?

3 Fantasy Lands You Should NOT Visit

AuthorAppleton on June 16, 2014

Oh, this will be fun! Almost like a poll, let’s see what dark places of fantasy worlds are top of our do-not-visit list.

The Land of Mordor

If I ask the question: What are three fantasy lands that you would not want to visit? What comes to mind?

My top three at the moment would be:

  1. The Land of Mordor
    The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien
    What is more unlikeable than a nest of unwashed orcs, volcanic mountains, and a sky that sees no sun?
  2. Hades’ Underworld
    Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan
    Whether in Riordan’s series or in mythology, I want no part of that place.
  3. The Valley of Death
    The Sword of the Dragon by Your’s Truly(-;
    There is precious little in my first three books about this place, but when I built Letrias a lair I made it a place I would not want to be. And you’ll learn more about it in the forthcoming books in that series.

So now that you know the three at the top of my list, here’s my question for you:

Which Fantasy Lands/Places are You Least Inclined to Visit?

Backstage Pass! Why I Killed Dantress

AuthorAppleton on May 26, 2014

There are 3 elements that are key to a great story. Those elements are love, honor, and sacrifice. If you ask me “Why did Dantress have to die in Swords of the Six?” I will tell you that the scenario met all of those criteria.

This is very hard as a writer. It is always a challenge to create a story and spend time creating a character you love… and then be willing to kill that character off. Dantress had to die, for the good of the story. The consequence of giving birth would be that she must give up her life blood to the child in order for the child to live. What better way to endear Dantress to those around her? She became the epitome of self-sacrifice in the story. She was willing to give up her new life with her husband in order that her daughter could live.

From the perspective of the hero, Ilfedo, his wife was his dearest treasure. But because of the sweet gift of his daughter, his earthly purpose continued.

You have to have love, honor, and sacrifice. Eliminate any of these elements and the story suffer.

Question: What stories stand out in your mind because of one character’s selfless sacrifice? Does it endear the story to you and make it more memorable?

Welcome to the AuthorAppleton blog!

AuthorAppleton on May 26, 2014

As a Christian author of fantasy and science fiction, I have been blogging for a number of years now and one thing has become apparent: As my audience grows it becomes more difficult to maintain consistency across multiple media platforms. It is necessary to have One place on the web where I can focus my energies to encourage, enlighten, and enliven my audience.

Initially the goal of this website is to be a consistent source of new content and engage my readers. Here is the plan:

  1. A Weekly blog post every Monday
  2. New PDF books available through AuthorAppleton.com
  3. In the next couple years I plan to add a Podcast

It is my hope that you come to appreciate my candid approach to family-friendly fantasy and science-fiction. You may not always agree with my perspective but I hope that you will enjoy the discussion my perspective starts.

Welcome to my blog!