by Martha Carr
Hey, that’s you and you’ve finally made it.
It’s still coming over me like a wave that there are a lot of readers, FANS! who are loving the Leira Chronicles and asking…
Where’s the next one?
Back when I first started writing seriously, almost thirty years ago, I was a newly divorced single mother with that baby boy, Louie. My entire family said, this is stupid. Go sell real estate. It became an echo inside of my brain. Your dream is stupid. I was already dealing with the destruction of the rest of my life plans. What now?
Just when I needed it, an older cousin of mine, Virginius Dabney, a Pulitzer prize-winning cousin, stepped in and did this amazing thing. He quietly took down a book of his and wrote something in the cover, and without saying anything else besides, “Great idea!” he handed it over.
I looked inside and it read, “To my cousin, Martha Carr, a great writer. Virginius Dabney.”
I hadn’t written a word yet. But I knew the magic and the power of what he had just done. It was my golden ticket. Everyone in my family sat back, stunned – even calling each other on the phone.
And they all shut the hell up.
He bought me a chance at my dreams. The road was still long – I mean, it’s 30 years later – but every step was worth it. Every adventure. Better to struggle on the road to my dreams. And right next to me for all of that trip has been the offspring, Louie – watching me.
Never…give…up. Never.
Then, in 2010 I was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Totally unexpected. I didn’t see it coming or I wouldn’t have let Louie sit next to me in the surgeon’s office when he casually spit out the news. “You have less than a one percent chance of living longer than a year.”
The doctor flipped through a notebook with picture of what the next year would look like. I purposely looked away. No need to know what horrors awaited me. My entire body did a low-level shake. It was all I could do to maneuver my way out of the tiny room.
I was doing my best to pull it together for Louie when he looked at me and said, “Weren’t you listening? He said there was hope!” That kid, who was only 21 at the time and his entire family pretty much consisted of me, heard hope.
I still remember looking at him thinking, he’ll be okay. It’s alright.
I calmed down and started putting one foot in front of the other. Long story short – surgery, appointments, learning to walk again – and a very strange phone call in the middle of an ordinary day.
The nurse called and said, “Are you sitting down?” I thought the cancer had spread and braced myself. “We can’t find it anywhere. We can’t explain it. You’re in remission.” Later, they even studied my case at Northwestern and would shake their heads at appointments. “We can’t explain why you’re here.”
I asked them to stop saying that one.
These days, Louie refers to me as a one-percenter…. Offspring is very good with the humor. There’s a little more to this story. The same kind of cancer – new diagnoses – keeps coming up. Last surgery - #6 - was last October. I know it worries Louie – he’s asked me to do videos for all the big moments in his life that have yet to happen… just in case. It’s on my to-do list.
But writing - took a week off, got right back to it. There was a thriller series to finish. Of course I was going to get up and write.
It’s that dream that just lives inside of me and has since I first discovered books.
I have something to say, to hopefully inspire or make someone laugh, or the best – feel better about their day. I hope I’m living up to my cousin, Virginius’s gift – that golden ticket.
My cousin only lasted another year or two after that and never got to see that I finally made it – because of all of you. It’s only a couple of weeks old (can you believe it!) but it’s here. At last… it’s here.
BIG THANK YOU for all the wonderful reviews – I read all of them and do my best to acknowledge each and every one of you (even the UK and Canada!) on my Facebook Author page. Lots of you can even attest – you write me – I write you back. It’s like hearing from a friend who I’ve just been waiting for all this time. Thank you so much for all of it!
Worth the wait – definitely worth the wait!
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
August 13th, 2017
First, THANK YOU for not only reading this book, but ALSO reading these author notes at the end!
Seriously, I JUST got through talking about Author Note blocking in the back of Rogue Mage w/ Brandon Barr and his cancer story. Only to get ANOTHER cancer story with Martha and I told her, how the hell am I supposed to even come close to the awesome story she has?
She just laughed.
Not so much at me, as I think she is humored that I was complaining and between you and me, that was my plan.
I’ve done over fifty of these author notes in the last two years. I’ve audio transcribed nine of them for Audible releases and have about twenty-five on my task list.
I never thought when I wrote that first Author Note, that doing them would become something a little iconic. I am well aware that other authors have done them in the past as well, but for some reason, it feels like the byplay and fun we have here in the Kurtherian and Oriceran Universes have been amped up to a new level.
Now, I get called Yoda by all of those who read Ell Leigh Clarke’s Author Notes from The Ascension Myth. I have fan’s poking fun at me on the Oriceran Facebook page about the wallpaper and I can look in the mirror with a scowl on my face and tell that guy…
Mike, you only have yourself to blame.
And, I’m good with that.
It means the fans have gotten involved and they hopefully realize we are all in this together. We feed on YOUR interaction, and I can honestly admit that without the fans supporting me, asking when the next book is coming out, Bethany Anne WOULD NOT be as far along as she is today.
We (myself, my little publishing group) have grown because the fans had helped push us emotionally, supported us by reading the books, reviewing the books on Amazon and of course buying and just been a kick-ass group of people to be around.
In 2018, I’d like to figure out a way to do something special, meetups, whatever. I’m going to be in Frankfurt Germany this October, so if you are in Europe, and care to meet during the Frankfurt Book Fair, let’s get something going, ok?
It’s time for Publishing 2.0 to explode, and I know JUST the people to make it happen.
And it’s going to be you.
In the next 60 days, we will be releasing four new series in the Oriceran (Or-eh-sair-ehn) Universe and we are SO excited you are reading and enjoying as we work hard…
To Bring You The Truth…
Thank you, again, for making our lives possible.
Michael Anderle
Want more?
Join the email list here:
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The email list will be a way to share upcoming news and let you know about giveaways and other fun stuff. The Facebook group is a way for us to connect faster – in other words, a chat, plus a way to share new spy tools, ways to keep your information safe, and other cool information and stories. Plus, from time to time I’ll share other great indie authors’ upcoming worlds of magic and adventure. Signing up for the email list is an easy way to ensure you receive all of the big news and make sure you don’t miss any major releases or updates.
Enjoy the new adventure!
Martha Carr and Michael Anderle 2017
Martha Carr Social
Website: http://oriceran.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChroniclesofLeira/
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Website: http://kurtherianbooks.com/
Email List: http://kurtherianbooks.com/email
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Michael Anderle
Kurtherian Gambit Series Titles Include:
First Arc
Death Becomes Her (01) - Queen Bitch (02) - Love Lost (03) - Bite This (04)
Never Forsaken (05) - Under My Heel (06) - Kneel Or Die (07)
Second Arc
We Will Build (08) - It’s Hell To Choose (09) - Release The Dogs of War (10)
Sued For Peace (11) - We Have Contact (12) - My Ride is a Bitch (13)
Don’t Cross This Line (14)
Third Arc (2017)
Never Submit (15) - Never Surrender (16) - Forever Defend (17)
Might Makes Right (18) - Ahead Full (19) - Capture Death (20)
Life Goes On (21)
**New Series**
The Second Dark Ages
The Dark Messiah (01)
The Darkest Night (02)
The Boris Chronicles
* With Paul C. Middleton *
Evacuation
Retaliation
Revelation
Restitution 2017
Reclaiming Honor
* With JUSTIN SLOAN *
Justice Is Calling (01)
Claimed By Honor (02)
Judgement Has Fallen (03)
Angel of Reckoning (04)
Born Into Flames (05)
Defending The Lost (06)
The Etheric Academy
* With TS PAUL *
ALPHA CLASS (01)
ALPHA CLASS - Engineering (02)
ALPHA CLASS (03) Coming soon
Terry Henry “TH” Walton Chronicles
* With CRAIG MARTELLE *
Nomad Found (01)
Nomad Redeemed (02)
Nomad Unleashed (03)
Nomad Supreme (04)
Nomad’s Fury (05)
Nomad’s Justice (06)
Nomad Avenged (07)
Nomad Mortis (08)
Nomad’s Force (09)
Trials and Tribulations
* With Natalie Grey *
Risk Be Damned (01)
Damned to Hell (02)
Hell’s Worst Nightmare (03) coming soon
The Ascension Myth
* With Ell Leigh Clarke *
Awakened (01)
Activated (02)
Called (03)
Sanctioned (04)
Rebirth (05)
The Age of Magic
The Rise of Magic
* With CM Raymond / LE Barbant *
Restriction (01)
Reawakening (02)
Rebellion (03)
Revolution (04)
Unlawful Passage (05)
The Hidden Magic Chronicles
* With Justin Sloan *
Shades of Light (01)
Shades of Dark (02)
Storms of Magic
*With PT Hylton*
Storm Raiders (01)
Storm Callers (02)
Tales of the Feisty Druid
*With Candy Crum*
The Arcadian Druid (01)
The Undying Illusionist (02)
Path of Heroes
*With Brandon Barr*
Rogue Mage (01)
The Chronicles of Oriceran
The Leira Chronicles
*With Martha Carr*
Quest for Magic (0)
Waking Magic (1)
Release of Magic (2)
SHORT STORIES
Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 01 (7.5)
You Don’t Touch John’s Cousin
Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 02 (9.5)
Bitch’s Night Out
Bellatrix: Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 03 (13.25)
With Natalie Grey
AudioBooks
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL LMBPN BOOKS ON AUDIBLE
Available at Audible.com and iTunes
The Kurtherian Gambit
Death Becomes Her - Available Now
Queen Bitch – Available Now
Love Lost – Available Now
Bite This - Available Now
Never Forsaken - Available Now
Under My Heel - Available Now
Kneel or Die - Available Now
Reclaiming Honor Series
Justice Is Calling
Claimed By Honor
Judgment Has Fallen
Angel of Reckoning
Terry Henry “TH” Walton Chronicles
Nomad Found
Nomad Redeemed
Nomad Unleashed
Nomad Supreme
Nomad’s Fury
The Etheric Academy
Alpha Class
Alpha Class 2
Anthologies
Glimpse
Honor in Death
(Michael’s First Few Days)
Beyond the Stars: At Galaxy's Edge
Tabitha’s Vacation