by C. K. Rieke
This is my fifth book written, and when this is published, the sequel, Revenge Song, will be published shortly after. The third book in the series will be published in the few months afterward. I love to tell stories, and thank you for making it this far with me.
Special thanks to my wife Rachel for the understanding and encouragement. Thanks to my editor Laura Kingsley for always shooting me straight with the truth, and her skills. Thanks to Alice my proofreader for her eye and kind words. And thanks to you the reader, I’m honored every time someone reads one of my stories. Cheers!
Author’s Notes from Revenge Song
Well, if you made it this far with me, thank you and I hope you enjoy Lilaci and Kera’s journey. It hasn’t been an easy one for either of them.
The Arr turned out to be a pretty bitter place, as I tried to show in the first chapter of the first book, where Lilaci’s family is killed. I guess I was always inspired by ‘real’ fantasy stories that had honest evil in some men and women. It’s not all bad guys versus good guys all the time, and people have the potential for great evil.
Gods think their way is right, and with their power comes a responsibility to rule, and on the sands, that’s a pretty harsh rule. Killing the dragons and summoning all of the fresh running water to three vast cities that they could control and all.
This book took me on a journey of sorts as well, with the way I’m beginning to write faster, I have to plot much more than I did before when I first started my writing journey. My ultimate goal being to entertain enough people, and gather enough people who enjoy my stories to help me grow as a writer and do this as my occupation. That may be years away still, but that’s alright. I’m a patient man, although my wife may say otherwise…
Getting this book written in the two months it took to write, and releasing it quickly after Assassin Born was a sort of experiment, to see if the Great Amazon in The Sky would help to promote the books more because Amazon loves when people put out tons of books constantly.
While I’m writing the third book in the series, I’m trying to get the cover done so I can show you all a glimpse of what’s to come..
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this book, and if you did, a review goes a long way. Or reach out to me through my reader’s group or on my new Facebook group. (I’m really trying to make an effort outside of just the writing and publishing.) I’ll let you know how it goes.
Until next time, Cheers!
C.K.
Author’s Notes from Serpentine Risen
Veranor’s back! That was a twist I didn’t expect to come when writing the first book, but some things are just meant to happen when your fingers hit the keypad. Veranor and Lilaci, Veranor and Kera, Veranor and Roren— they were all fun scenes to write. He came from the same place as the girls, only he grew older to fill a role he now knows he was wrong to take.
And finally, the dragons— large, dangerous and fire-breathing. Yes, action scenes and dramatic scenes are my favorite to write. And let me tell you, I’m exciting for the upcoming battles in the next couple of books. I’m planning two more books in the series, and then I’ll begin another series in the same world. Can you guess where?
Roren was a difficult character to kill off, and I personally got emotional writing that scene at the end. Even if Lilaci didn’t feel the same way, I think most of us have been there either being the one who loved with reciprocity or vice versa. It’s a hard path to be on, and dying before resolution can be made . . . eee . . .
Once I finished the manuscript, I was excited to get it to my editor for the vast majority of my past books, as she was eager to read this book, but after I reached out, I got sad news. Laura Kingsley had passed away. I got an automated message from her family that she’d died at the age of 38. I was shocked. She’d been a guiding force for me in my writing career, and she was gone. I was shaken and didn’t know what to do. Rest in peace Laura.
I had to move on and after scouring the internet for editors I found one that seemed promising. Thank you, Tiffany, I’m glad I found you. Your input helped push the story forward. Thanks to Tandy also for the proofread.
From this point on writing, I’m planning on expanding into other genres. So, while fantasy is my passion, I’ll be writing another series that’ll be thrillers. And btw, while writing this book I mainly listened to the Gregory Alan Isakov station on pandora. At the end I listened to ‘Blame it on the Tetons’ by Modest Mouse.
Until next time…
Cheers! C.K.
About the Author
C.K. Rieke’s love of fantasy and storytelling began early, with his deep adoration of The Lord of the Rings and The Dark Elf Trilogy. Over the past decade and a half, he's published fiction novels, co-published and illustrated comic books, and managed to work the old full-time job.
Born in Kansas in 1982, Chris Rieke (Pronounced ‘Ricky’) now lives in Lawrence with his wife Rachel, and their 2-5 dogs, depending on the year, this year it’s 3. When he's not writing and revising upcoming work, he can be found: reading, creating digital art, making websites, running, watching BMX videos, drinking coffee or wine, spending way too much time on his phone, and going to the dog park.
C.K. is currently working on The Dragon Sands series which chronicles the life of Lilaci of the Arr. He also wrote The Path of Zaan trilogy which follows Zaan Talabard on his journey in the land of Essill.
To get a free copy of the novella which follows Gogenanth of the Arr, By Sword and Sea, go to CKRieke.com and sign-up to join the Reader's Group.
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