Backstage Pass! In Search of Dragons: coming Fall 2015

AuthorAppleton on October 6, 2014

Yep, here is another cover reveal! This time for the cover of In Search of Dragons, the fourth installment in The Sword of the Dragon series.

After the events in Key of Living Fire, Ilfedo is prepared to lead an expedition back into the heart of the Resgerian desert. He must hold to his promise to return for the people of the underground city of Dresdyn, and to lead his people on a pilgrimage out of the Hemmed Land to find their new home. But his ambitions in that regard put him at odds once again with the mayor of Gwensin City, Vortain. Tensions mount as Vortain gathers the opposition, and Ilfedo must struggle with his own uncertainty to follow the prophecy long ago given to him.

Question: Which characters are you most looking forward to seeing again in In Search of Dragons?

Now Available! “Neverqueen” Revamped!

AuthorAppleton on September 29, 2014

Revamping the Neverqueen book turned out even better than I had hoped. The presentation of the spine text combined with the new cover art make it feel larger.

I hope all you fantasy readers are as excited about this as I am! This book is one of my best pieces to date. The story turned out just the way I envisioned it. A little mystery, a little edge-of-your-seat danger, some new creatures… but in the familiar setting of the Eiderveis River, as first introduced in Swords of the Six.

Question: Do you know someone who would like this book? (-:

Backstage Pass! New cover revealed for “Neverqueen”

AuthorAppleton on September 15, 2014

After the negative feedback I received on the original cover for Neverqueen, it was time to start from scratch. Give Neverqueen a look as classy and other-worldly as the covers for The Sword of the Dragon series. Ready for the full reveal?

Thanks to all of you who voted on the 99Designs poll to help me choose the final design. Your feedback was critical in helping me make the final decision. The next step is to get this version into print. For the time-being the other edition will be set as out-of-print until the new files can be uploaded to the distribution channels. In the meantime, I am planning the artwork for Neverqueen 2. It is my hope that this sequel will be ready for release in time for Christmas.

Question: Which of my upcoming releases are you most excited about? The Sword of the Dragon-book 4-In Search of Dragons, or Neverqueen 2: The Suffering Chalice?

 

 

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?