I have exciting news, readers! As of this moment, my anthology - the first in a series - is live on Amazon in paperback* and ebook*. Welcome to The Guardian Cycle, Vol. 1: In Dreams and Other Stories:
A man whose debts must be paid by vengeance. A woman desperate to save her husband. A grieving father finding a young enemy soldier on his veritable doorstep…
These fantasy and soft sci-fi stories wonder whether or not heroes need families. Are we not told that families slow the hero down? Is it not typically implied that they get in the way of the adventure? Are they a burden, or truly the greatest strength from which the hero and those he loves can draw?
Six tales in this collection center on family, faith, and self-sacrificing love as men and women fight for the ones whom they hold most dear. Whether the enemy is inner turmoil, a nightmare, or a demon really does not matter. If the threat seeks to harm a member of the family, it is going to pay dearly.
Five new stories appear in this volume, along with “Death’s Shadow” which first appeared in Cirsova Magazine’s 2020 Summer Issue and was reviewed here at Tangent Online. Besides this tale, in this anthology I give you:
Memories of Mars
The Fish ‘n’ Wheel
Bullroarer
In Dreams…
Guardian, Part 1: Discovery
Dreams is a novella with eight chapters (yes, I know about word limits - I routinely race past them and wonder why the heck I even bothered) about a married couple and just how far they are willing to go to save one another. “Memories of Mars” and “Bullroarer” are short short stories. “Bullroarer” should appeal to mecha fans, so if you liked “Lupus One” when you purchased Cirsova’s 2021 Summer Issue, you should enjoy this mecha tale!
“The Fish ‘n’ Wheel” is a story that had been on my mind for quite some time but which only found its proper form when I looked back at “local color” fiction. My tale in Planetary Anthology Luna has the same style of writing, so if you read that collection, you may have an idea of what it will be like to read this story!
Guardian has been percolating for a while, and it has grown beyond my initial expectations. The adventures will not stop with this series of anthologies, but these collections are where the hero will debut. You will not want to miss where this tale goes!
Finally, I owe a big THANK YOU to Vixen Art, the creator of the cover for In Dreams and Other Stories. You will see more of Vixen’s work in the future with the coming sequels to this anthology. It’s going to take a little time to get the next one put together (editing is so much fun…! Until it isn’t), but it is next on the journey. Pray I can get that one completed soon!
Thank you for following me on this odyssey, readers, and stay tuned! There is indeed more to come!
NOTE: As always, the links marked with an asterisk are Amazon Affiliate links. When you purchase something through them (preferably this new book), I receive a commission from Amazon at no extra charge to you.
1. This is not important now, I'm dancing a jig.
2. This is important now, I'm about to go speeding over to Amazon to pick up a copy.
3. I love that you did this.