Welcome To The Age of Magic
Page 92
People were constantly asking for more, so I wrote more and more and posted a lot until I stumbled upon other people doing even more than that. I made a few friends and then…
I learned a few things.
The next couple of years I spent writing The Eternal Series, and the characters inside became my fictional children. The universe was so big that it allowed me to create so many wonderful characters—vampires, werewolves, immortals, succubi, and more—full of rich pasts and trials of their own.
Every one of them powerful in their own way, and every one of them near and dear to me. Later, I’d realize just how fun it was to expand on the universe.
Now, eight years later, here I am. I’m one husband lighter, fifteen books heavier, and the with the absolute best group of writers (now friends, whether we’ve met in person or not—totally sounds creepy) that I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.
Eight months ago, because of an amazing author and friend—Bonnie R. Paulson—I stumbled upon Michael and all the amazing people that I now have the joy of working with.
On top of learning a shit-ton of amazing things, I go through every day with at least a couple of dick jokes, more if I’m editing for Chris and Lee, and isn’t that what makes the world go ‘round?
I certainly think it helps at times.
[Edit - add by Michael - Absolutely!]
My boys are now nine and eleven, and my youngest, Matthew, just finished his first children’s book—which he wrote on my laptop sitting next to me while I sat at my desktop—which is very sweetly named The Legendary Kitten Adventures. No clue when it will finally be published, but we are working on it together, and it’s so much fun.
I had to force that child to read (the book I chose was The War of the Worlds), and once he finished it, he was hooked. While I found it very amusing, given that very same thing happened to me, only with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, I couldn’t have been prouder of him.
Now, being a full-time author, I get to watch him grow every day. I get to watch him grow his imagination and develop his stories.
My oldest son, Brandon, has an imagination that I’m convinced is bigger than that of anyone I know, but he isn’t the book writing type—though, I’m still working on it. Anyone that can create over a hundred unique monsters in a single year with each one having their own unique name and super power needs to tell stories! So, I’m hopeful, but he’s welcome to keep it to drawing if he likes.
He’s a sweet boy with an evil genius mind for stories, and I love it. Maybe one of these days, my boys will grow up and be able to write in the Eternal Universe and create creatures of their own.
How awesome would that be?
For right now, my goal is to continue to inspire them as I have been. It’s every parent’s dream to be an inspiration to their kids, and I’ve achieved that. They think I’m cool—because they’re weird and are still too young to know better, but I hope that never fades.
They are my life and to have the opportunity to not miss out on their lives is a blessing. My goal in publishing has always been one thing: make a life for my family. And now, because of Michael Anderle, his genius brain, this amazing Universe, and all the crazy awesome fans, I stand a chance of doing that. So, again, thank you! Because this is absolutely a dream come true.
There is another person that I owe a big thank you to. Several, actually, but I want to start with Michael York. I’ve had several jobs and several employers/superiors, and I never learned a thing from any of them except how not to treat people.
I started working for Mike about six months after my divorce, and I’d never had anyone push me quite so hard. He never let me give up or take no for an answer, and he pushed me to realize that I was a much different person than I thought I was. I was stronger and more capable than I’d ever thought possible of doing anything in the world that I wanted.
Because of his initial pushing and my ever-growing desire to succeed, I made goals every day at work, and I smashed them. It made me so motivated inside of work that it carried over to my home life, and I began writing more and more all the time. Instead of telling me to focus more on my job (a Sales Rep at an authorized Verizon retailer), he let me write my books in my down time and always asked what he could do to help.
I doubt many people take the time to stop and thank him—because I’m well aware I’m not the only person he’s tried to inspire with his positive attitude and hilarious yet wildly inappropriate sense of humor—so I wanted to make sure that he knew. Friends like that don’t come around often.
I’d also like take time to thank Scott Paul (author T.S. Paul) for being a badass and believing in me and helping me along my journey. Michael Anderle—you are my hero, even if you don’t wanna take credit because you’re an awesome guy. You’re the shit, and I’ll always be grateful to you for letting me write in your world. Chris and Lee—you guys are the best and helped this entire project grow into something amazing. It’s hard to believe this all started with editing a few awesome books (the Age of Magic books) and turned into this.
The time is finally here! Cheers!
As I’m writing this, I’m sitting on the first third of the words finished in the second book, and it has even more action and fun things to look forward to. The next book is full of madness, so as excited as I am to write it, I hope you guys are just as excited to read it.
Thank you again for all the warm comments and reviews. All this is still unreal to me, and I’m just damned happy to be part of it.
Candy
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
July 19th, 2017
It is always something special for me to write this first paragraph of the Author Notes. Which goes like this… THANK YOU! Not only did you read the whole story, but NOW, you are reading the Author Notes as well.
I just got finished reading (and editing) Candy’s author notes. I’d like to say I didn’t edit much, but I did take out a few exclamation points.
Why? Because when Candy gets excited, and emotional, she whips out those “!’s” and she flings them throughout the author notes like she was giving out candy at Halloween.
So, I HAVE to tell you just how much you guys mean to her. I know she tried (through the aforementioned incredibly excessive use of exclamation points) to try to express her appreciation, and I think she accomplished it so well. She is a sweet woman who has been a huge help in the 20BooksTo50k group and then got yanked into the Kurtherian Group (LMBPN Publishing) due to her association with CM (Chris) Raymond and LE (Lee) Barbant.
So, she was editing their stories, and when it came time for Chris and Lee and myself to open up the opportunity to write for you, they asked her if she would enjoy writing a series?
And, it just isn’t easy to do this.
For one, she had to be willing to review, re-read, and decide if moving to a Kurtherian voice was something she would be willing to do? (Some authors say they will, but when it comes time to make it happen, aren’t willing to do it.)
She said yes.
Then, the rubber hit the road and the writing, and re-writing, and ‘oh holy crap, I have to rip ALL of that out of the story?’ happens.
Then the whole episodes of working with our cover artist, and the challenges that come along with it (have to grow up, grasshopper) happens. Here in LMBPN, we are a family, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t ….mmmm…. not demanding really, but very focused on providing stories that marry our collaborators voices with mine and provide the entertainment, and just kick-assery of characters we all grow and love.
It causes a few of our authors to step into a whole new world, and Candy jumped into the pool with both feet and came up bubbling with laughter. She is SUCH a hoot in the group (and really, she does love those jokes from Chris and Lee.) Here is a secret I’ve mentioned a few times lately. I think most female authors are WAY less concerned about things being PC (or correct in any way) than a lot of ladies I see played on TV.
It seems I’m the one who has been em
barrassed when I’ve had to suggest anything sexually clarifying in our conversations.
For example, on the cover for Quest For Magic with Martha Carr (July 31st, 2017 - the new Oriceran Universe) I had to tell her that the cover artist had not done something … correct … with our main characters breasts.
Martha had to suffer through me stammering out that Leira’s left breast seemed to be squished over to the middle of her chest. My face was FLAMING red as I stuttered through that. Then, Martha had to take that information and talk with the artist (another guy) and work with him to fix the issue.
Apparently, I think their original clarification took less time for me to explain to Martha my concerns.
Then, I related that story to Sarah Boyce (another Oriceran group writer) and she agreed. Indie Female Publishers were VERY pragmatic and generally didn’t care about things that I stumble over explaining. Hell, Ell Leigh Clarke is the one who makes sure the covers for her books sizzle.
So, when Candy Crum (which is her real name, not a pen name) is speaking about the joking around with Chris and Lee, I get it. Sense of humor is a wonderful thing, and girls can be just as humored as guys about stuff I’d be embarrassed to say at times.
Yeah, this is coming from me, right? With some of the stuff I put into the Bethany Anne stories I can only imagine some of you are thinking ‘WTF?’ I curse like a sailor in real life, I don’t share too much other stuff IRL (in real life) as I put into my stories.
Damn, these author notes are freaking rambling.
Once upon a time, we had just one female author writing in The Kurtherian Gambit (Natalie Grey). Now, LMBPN Publishing (The Kurtherian Gambit, The Oriceran Universe and minority partner on Allazar Universe) will have the following ladie’s stories out or coming soon and I couldn’t be happier.
1) Natalie Grey (The Kurtherian Gambit - Trials and Tribulation Series - Paranormal / Sci-fi)
2) Ell Leigh Clarke (The Kurtherian Gambit - The Ascension Myth Series - Age of Expansion)
3) Candy Crum (The Kurtherian Gambit - Tales of the Feisty Druid series - Age of Magic)
4) Martha Carr (The Oriceran Universe (Co-Creator) - The Leira Chronicles - Urban Fantasy)
5) Sarah (SM) Boyce - (The Oriceran Universe - The Fairhaven Chronicles - Urban Fantasy)
6) Amy Hopkins (The Kurtherian Gambit - A New Dawn - Age of Magic)
7) Amy DuBoff (The Kurtherian Gambit - Uprise Saga - Age of Expansion)
8) Abby-Lynn Knorr (The Oriceran Universe - The Kacy Chronicles - Urban Fantasy)
9) JL Hendricks (The Kurtherian Gambit - Series to be Named - Age of Expansion)
10) Holly Dodd (The Kurtherian Gambit - Chronicles of the Queen’s Rangers - TKG)
11) Sarah Noffke (The Oriceran Universe - Soul Stone Mage Series - Urban Fantasy)
12) Hayley Lawson (The Kurtherian Gambit - Series to be Named - Age of Madness)
Chrishaun Keller-Hanna Publisher / Author (Tales of Allazar among MANY others)
Books By Candy Crum
TALES OF THE FEISTY DRUID
*with Michael Anderle*
The Arcadian Druid (01) - The Undying Illusionist (02) - The Frozen Wasteland (03) - The Deceiver (04) - The Lost (05) - The Damned (06) Into The Maelstrom (07)
THE THERIAN CHRONICLES
*with Amanda Browning*
The Dark Professor (1) The Therian Prince (2)
Connect with Candy
For a chance to see ALL of Candy’s different Book Series, Check out her website below!
Website: http://www.candycrumbooks.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/thecandyshopgroup/
Dawn of Destiny
Prologue
The future is not what we expected.
After our greatest heroes left Earth to carry their justice to the stars, war broke out between those who remained behind. Eventually, the alien technology that once enhanced a select few began to change, infecting the blood of all humans, bringing about an Age of Madness.
But that mutation allowed the survivors to access powers beyond their imaginations...
As society began to rebuild, those who could tame the powers within started calling it by another name.
Magic.
Years passed, and the true history of our world turned to legend. Strange societies formed, each with their own myths and methods to control the power.
But new abilities has led to new evil...and the need for new heroes.
Welcome to the Age of Magic.
1
Julianne watched the display, her expression unreadable. She didn't react when a small girl, dressed in white, took a shot to the chest. Bright red blossomed on the girl’s white robes and she fell, eyes wide open in fear and shock.
Faceless guards with magical weapons shot down mystics without remorse. Julianne watched. The victims tried to fight, evidenced by hands to heads and furious looks of concentration. Still, they fell.
Only when there was no one left to fight back did the illusion finally fade, dissipating into thin air to reveal the solid stone walls of the Mystic Temple. Thunder boomed in the distance, causing more than one spectator to shudder.
This was the third scenario Julianne had sat through tonight. She had returned to the Heights some months ago after helping to free the nearby city, Arcadia, from Adrien, a physical mage turned dictator. Since then, tensions in the Mystic Temple were high.
As a group, mystics were generally peace loving and quite isolated. This was the first time in memory they had involved themselves in the politics of nearby Arcadia. Or, Julianne thought wryly, she had involved them. As the strongest among them and their leader, she was the one who had masqueraded as a city guard to help bring down Adrien, and the corrupt nobles who followed him.
“This is our fate, if we do nothing.” Jonsen, a mystic of middling power but much ambition, nodded to the small girl that weaved the image he’d projected from his mind. He smirked, confident he’d made a mark on the watchers and convinced them of the danger that lay ahead if they did nothing, if they refused to arm themselves and prepare for war.
He wasn’t a warmonger, far from it. Until recently, Julianne would have picked him to side with the pacifists, to push for the laying down of weapons in favor of submission. Still, the preceding months had been tough on all of them, and some of her mystics had undergone similar changes.
Zoe was a master story-crafter, her skill honed through years of practice. Jonsen had used that skill to project his images. The entire hall had watched, mesmerized, as his thoughts took shape through her magic. Zoe, eyes white as she worked her magic, had shown them a picture of the Mystic Temple as it was set upon by Arcadians using the lethal weapons Adrien created before his demise.
While the scene unfolded, Jonsen narrated it. He began with truth, recreating a scene that was etched into the mind of every mystic who had been present the night they had been attacked.
The emissaries from Arcadia had seemed benign at first glance, but it hadn’t taken long for one of the mystic guards to slip inside one of the Arcadian’s heads. Their leader quickly realized and all hell broke loose. An Arcadian shot a mystic, and Julianne had, with the help of Ezekiel, gone into battle mode.
Jonsen didn’t touch on the fact that the Arcadians had been looking for Ezekiel, and Julianne was glad. Even the timidest among them would never turn away someone in need. That night, Julianne and Zeke had shut down the attack, but Jonsen put forth a different version. What would have happened if Julianne and Zeke hadn’t been here to protect them?
Carnage, according to the illusions crafted from his story; the annihilation of the mystics and absolute rule by a despicable man for the rest of the nation.
“And that, my fellow mystics, is why we need to begin training at once. Our defenses are low, we have taken peace for granted far too long. The next time we are attacked may be our last.” Jonsen slammed one fist into his palm, with a look of righteous determination. “We must not allow that to happen!”
Julianne didn’t react when someone leaned close to whisper in her ear. “I have a handful of coins that say Thomas will beat Melanie to the floor.”
“Danil, this isn’t the time for wagers.” Julianne turned to her companion, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Even during this mess, his tone was light.
Danil smiled, his freckled face turned just a bit too far to the left. When he saw that she’d noticed, he adjusted, using his mind reading ability to compensate for his blindness. “It is exactly the time for wagers. Quick… they’re both about to stand.”
“Melanie,” Julianne said quickly, turning back to watch the room.
Thomas stood and Danil smiled, his grin dropping when Melanie saw she was about to be beaten and shot to her feet. She pushed Thomas aside and hurried into the center of the room.
“I request the right to speak,” she called out. The angry waves of emotion that boiled from her contradicted the call for peace she was about to make. “And I request the same boon from Zoe that was given to Jonsen.”
Zoe sighed and nodded. Julianne briefly touched on the girl’s mind.
I've got the energy to spare, Zoe said in Julianne’s mind. And now I'm a few coins richer. Danil lost to both of us.
Julianne was too far away to see the twinkle in Zoe’s eyes but knew it was there. She stifled a snort into her cup.
“I know, not the time. Especially with an empty purse,” Danil moaned.