by CM Raymond
“Amelia, Julianne, Marcus… All of them. I’d feel better if they were here with us.”
He nodded. “I know. But your tight ass is going to lead us to victory. I have no doubt about that.” She slapped him lightly across the chest. “Besides, they’re needed in Arcadia and in the Heights. It’s a time of instability.”
She nodded, but kept quiet for a moment. Parker was smart. Smarter than anyone she knew. Finally, she whispered, “You should be leading.”
He laughed hard enough to bend at the waist. “Like hell, I should. Hey, I’ll be your number two any day. You’ve got this.”
Hannah tilted her head and leaned in toward him, longing to feel the warmth of his lips on hers.
“Run for cover!” a voice shouted, interrupting their moment.
Hannah’s eyes shot open and found Gregory sprinting across the deck, his arms flailing wildly overhead.
“What is it?” she screamed as her hand reached for the hilt of her dagger at her hip.
“He... he... he…” Gregory sprinted. “I warned her, but she wouldn’t freaking listen!”
Behind him, the door leading to the interior of the ship shattered, sending splinters of wood in every direction. Sal leaped out, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, beady black eyes darting in every direction. He rushed wildly across the deck, sending the crew diving in every direction.
A beat after Sal burst through the door, Laurel crept out with an evil little smile on her face.
“Dammit, Laurel!” Hannah yelled across the deck. “You gave my dragon your kaffe.” Her voice sounded angry, but she couldn’t hold back the smile.
Laurel shrugged. “He saved Gregory’s life. I thought he deserved a little something special.”
Sal took to the air, flying erratically, swooping in every direction.
Gregory hit the ground as the scaly beast almost knocked him over the rails. “Next time,” he screamed at Laurel, “don’t reward Sal for saving my life with something that might make him end it!”
The whole crew laughed on the deck as they dodged the hopped-up dragon.
Hannah drew Parker in close. “With this crew, I think we’re going to do just fine.”
Parker didn’t respond, he just leaned in and gave her the kiss of her lifetime.
Arcadians
(Artwork by Eric Quigley)
Mystic
(Artwork by Eric Quigley)
Author Notes - Lee Barbant
Written August 3, 2017
Ok, this may seem weird, but the times I feel most like Hannah are when I finish writing a book. I’ve mentioned before that I’m nothing like our badass heroine. She’s bold at the exact times when I’d be quaking in my boots. She’s strong in places where my weakness shines through. She’s sassy when I would be silent.
And I would NEVER call somebody a douche nugget. At least not to their face.
Maybe Chris.
But finishing up a book (if you’ll pardon the self-aggrandizement) is like an explosion of magic that you didn’t know you had in you. Hannah didn’t know she could pull in everyone’s talents to create that monster on the beach, but it needed to be done--so she got it done.
I almost always hit a point in these books where I just don’t think it will work, when the hordes of enemies seem too great (for us, the enemies take the form of pesky continuity errors). But then Michael and Steve and Candy and Miha all the JIT readers and all the fans pour their energy into the story, helping Chris and I create something big and wondrous.
It’s our own form of magic.
And, like Hannah, when we pull of something like that, I feel like I need to pass out for a week.
Usually I can’t do that.
There’s always another book to write, another adventure to compose, another diaper to change. But this time, I got my “pass out in the sand” moment.
I finished my draft of Unlawful Passage late into the night (technically it was very late into the morning), tossed and turned for a couple hours before giving up on sleep, and packed for a canoe camping trip down the Allegheny River.
I kissed my wife and son goodbye, told the Age of Magic team I was leaving everything in Chris’s hands (a terrifying proposition, I assure you), and went on a long weekend.
I spent my days floating down the river, spent my nights drinking around the fire, and then I got a solid 10 hours a night to sleep in the hammock.
In short, it was an awesome vacation.
Which was fun to experience after wrapping UP, because this book was sort of a vacation for our characters--at least it was meant to be.
Poor Karl.
As we put the nails in Adrien’s coffin, closing the first ROM Arc, and started working on the Lilith Quest, Michael suggested that we first write a smaller, self-contained story (he’s always butting in like that and giving us tremendous advice). It gave us, and Team Triple B, a chance to breathe a little bit between saving the city and saving the world. Of course they were going to get into trouble along the way (they’re kind of an unruly bunch), but even heroes should get the chance to put their feet up once in awhile.
But the real world calls, and all true Arcadians must answer. We’re already cruising through Book 6, which puts our team back on quest AND introduces some drastic changes that will ripple through the Age of Magic as a whole. I think you’ll like them.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this little romp along the way.
For the Boulevard,
Lee
Author Notes - Chris Raymond
Written August 3, 2017
Most of the year I love watching slow, intense movies. You know, the kind most people never hear about and win awards from film festivals in foreign European cities… yeah, those.
What can I say, a man has his tastes. [Edit Michael - However poor they might be ;-) ]
But when it comes to the summertime, I’m a sucker for getting together with a couple of guys, cracking open a beer or four and enjoying a big action blockbuster. Just the other day, Lee talked me into watching John Wick 1 and 2 back to back. Honestly, he kind of dragged me into it, but once I was settled into a recliner, adult beverage in hand, I revelled in the action that pulled me along scene after scene after butt-kicking scene.
Michael has a philosophy of storytelling that he has sold us on: Life's hard, fiction shouldn’t be.
And he’s winning me over.
Outside of my writing life, I’m still currently working in education. It’s a good gig. A really good gig, but like all work, it has its challenges… budget cuts, bureaucracy, long hours, and piles and piles of grading that never seems to go away.
Then comes summertime!
A time for lazy mornings, big action movies, vacation, long nights around the fire, and laughing with my kids until we’re ready to throw up. It’s the pressure valve in education. A time to just cut loose. It’s a time to recharge and not worry about the grind.
We want the Age of Magic to feel like summertime, every time you start a new book!
As we work with all of the authors in the Age of Magic, it has been a freaking blast to help lean them away from building extended tension to being playful, even when things are tough. The series are filled with exciting adventures, but also tons of laughs. If you haven’t yet, you should check out the other series in the AOM.
After the first arc, we needed something like this. A pivot between the Battle for Arcadia and Hannah and her friends quest to save the freaking world! We needed just a fun romp, and I think (hope) that’s exactly what we wrote.
Let me just say, writing Hannah and her friends are nearly as fun as reading them. I’m falling in love with these characters, and, as they grow together as individuals and a team, I can imagine exactly what they are going to become… one dick joke at a time.
Thanks for coming along for the ride!
Cheers,
Chris
PS, Speaking of playfulness, my daughter, Simone, got into a school for the performing arts. She
's the real artist in the family! Nothing brings her more joy than creating.
She specializes in drama and music... but also dabbles in film. Did I mention she's 12?
When she asked what she could do to help give my author career a shove, I made a joke about her creating a video for us. Then Lee and I got to play around, making her stop motion video into something for our fans.
After a few hours of laughing, and way too many takes, we ended up with this!
Enjoy the show.
(My daughter is amazing)
https://youtu.be/eZJ3BMx2xwg
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
August 3rd, 2017
Dammit!
Ok, let me get this out of the way because it is the MOST important part. THANK YOU! Not only for reading our book, but ALSO reading through these author notes, as well.
Now, back to my Dammit!
So, PT Hylton (Storm Chasers, Storm Callers) placed a damned video link before my author notes in our Storm Callers book. Now, freaking CM Raymond (bastard!) sticks not only a Video Link, but a Video Link done by his freaking 12-year-old daughter!
(The credits at the end are also hilarious, check them out.)
What a way to block an Author Note you PITA!
My youngest son, Joey (also an author, as is his older brother D’artagnan - Books for Joey Here, Books for D’artagnan Here) used to do video’s with Lego’s when he was about 11-12 as well.
So, I know how cute they are.
The other day in the Slack group, CM Raymond had kinda mentioned about having to “up his game” because PT was doing these videos (and then Candy Crum did it after PT and hell, Justin might have gotten into the mix as well, I don’t remember.) Anyway, Chris mentioned this upping their game and it wasn’t until it was time for me to write these Author Notes that I realized.
He Author Note blocked me.
Just like PT Hylton…
I hate them both.
While it has been a while since we have seen a story with Hannah (honestly, it hasn’t. It was two months ago (June 2nd) when book 04 was released. We just put out books pretty quickly and … well… shit. I need to get mine released soon! I should stop talking about release dates and stuff.)
Ok, timing on release schedule aside, I was going to mention Chris and Lee’s efforts to support authors in the Age of Magic: Justin Sloan, Candy Crum, PT Hylton, Brandon Barr and now Hayley Lawson (Age of Madness.) So, while two months isn’t very long between books (they have worked on their other books as well) they ALSO supported another five book releases, and another coming out next week.
Pretty freaking amazing!
A fan mentioned that when I spoke to the type of books in a particular age, it really helped him so let me do it here:
The Second Dark Ages (Post Apocalyptic / Dystopian)
Age of Madness (Horror / Zombie (with laughs…cause it has to have them. Think more Ghostbusters.)
Age of Magic (need I say more?)
Age of Expansion (Space Opera, Military Sci-Fi)
We have some ‘non’ Age specific books coming in the future, as well.
Finally, I’m going to reveal what is ‘close’ to the logo for the new Age of Madness, I hope you like it!
Well, if you like horror zombie w/ humor, that is… Because, it’s the Kurtherian Gambit… Even when shit is going down, there’s always a time to laugh.
Also by CM Raymond and LE Barbant:
Steel City Heroes Saga
The Catalyst
https://www.amazon.com/Catalyst-Steel-City-Heroes-Book-ebook/dp/B01EQRDRTI/
The Crucible
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FX5RO5U/
The Casting
https://www.amazon.com/Casting-Steel-City-Heroes-Book-ebook/dp/B01I60N3AO/
Jack Carson Stories
The Devil’s Due
https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Jack-Carson-Story-Book-ebook/dp/B01MRR24I2/
The Devil’s Wager
https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Wager-Jack-Carson-Story-ebook/dp/B01MZJ0JIU/
The Devil You Know (Coming April 2017)
Don’t miss a single release by Barbant and Raymond. Sign up for news and giveaways:
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Website:
www.smokeandsteel.com
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*
Storms Raiders (01)
Storm Callers (02)
Tales of the Feisty Druid
*With Candy Crum*
The Arcadian Druid (01)
The Chronicles of Oriceran
The Leira Chronicles
*With Martha Carr*
Quest for Magic (0)
Waking Magic (1)
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
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The Kurtherian Gambit
Death Becomes Her - Available Now