“I’m not sure it’s my place to even talk about this,” Rosewald said, raking some of her brown hair over one ear. “Today’s been humbling in more ways than I thought imaginable. I may be a marquise and therefore senior to the counts and many lesser nobles, including those of ecclesiastical rank, but I’m out of my d...
2023-09-23 03:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostBuilding a castle for the first time turned out to be a little more difficult than using gem abilities. Twilight fell by the time much progress was made.
By then, Nathan had allowed the Twins to wander. More for his sanity than anything else. When they’d started nattering about all sorts of random topics in the most an...
2023-09-22 03:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post“So, what do you want us to do?” Maura asked before Nathan could say or do anything else.
The Twins crossed their arms beneath their oversized tits and glowered at him, as if they had expected to be included in his orders.
Then again, given the earlier discussion, maybe Narime had gotten their hopes up that Nat...
2023-09-21 03:00:02 +0000 UTC View PostThe threat of cascades remained one of the oldest and greatest threats to Doumahr. Even before the invention of the wireless, an eruption of wild magic that tore through the leylines and prevented all forms of magical communication could end nations overnight.
Militaries relied on leadership and communications. Even if a...
2023-09-20 03:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post“Oh, her head disappeared,” Tarako said, once Nathan dropped back down to the ivory platform.
“They do that,” Sunstorm said.
His Champions, save Seraph, assembled around him. The echo of rising cheers and whoops from the defenders stretched across the now-empty canyon, leaving them with what might be a pict...
2023-09-19 03:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostWhile demons came in many shapes and forms, they never flew. Nathan had always considered this some sort of hidden compact. As difficult as defending the portals might be, they never tried flying directly over the walls.
Even flying Messengers like the Twins at least stopped to blow up the Defenders. For whatever reason....
2023-09-18 03:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post“I will not be sullied by the crumbs that have fallen from my master’s mouth,” the dominion screeched from above Nathan and his Champions.
Up close, he noticed that she wore something akin to a uniform. A platinum and gold vest struggled to contain her impressive chest, as if somebody had intentionally created it t...
2023-09-17 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostNote: There's been a slight change to Chapter 15 in the final version. Seraph and Fei have switched places, so Fei goes with Fyre and Seraph is in the portal. This is reflected in this chapter.
Layers of walls and towers lay in ruin, with only a single one remaining. Catapults hurled bo...
2023-09-17 03:00:02 +0000 UTC View PostNote: Reposted so the poll allows multiple choice.
So I managed to half-write and then scrap another commentary post (one about the reasons I don't like to talk publicly about author stuff much anymore and also why you should never treat anything authors say about selfpub as gospel). I figure it's time I just do a poll and ask wha...
2023-09-17 02:22:00 +0000 UTC View PostForgot to schedule this.
Nathan wisely chose to enter the portal first, along with almost every single one of his elite Champions.
That thought brought a wry smile to his face. His enemies had elite Messengers, and he had elite Champions. Almost all of them were trigems, too, or comparatively as strong. This was al...
2023-09-15 04:06:51 +0000 UTC View Post“I’m not here to fight, Corporal,” Nathan said, raising his hands disarmingly.
The Inquisition corporal seemed incapable of speech. Nathan wasn’t even sure if the man had heard him over the cacophony sounding around them.
Rosewald’s castle was exactly what one might expect of the area. Compact, heavily fo...
2023-09-14 03:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostClose to a thousand knights milled about in the fields outside Aleich. They wore a mixture of Royal Knight and Imperial Army uniforms, given Nathan’s elite units were split between the two. Officially, the soldiers in his service served the Imperial Army and only those defending Aleich counted as Royal Knights.
Unoffic...
2023-09-13 03:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post“Are you sure?” Reine asked while creeping forward a single step at a time.
Tarako guffawed. “And you gave me guff about questioning you. Even your loyal subordinate is wary.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Reine mumbled.
She balled her robe in her fists, but remained facing forward. Nathan suspecte...
2023-09-12 03:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostOnce Nathan escaped Kadria’s clutches, he found himself back in Alice’s bedroom. Whatever conversation she’d been having over the wireless appeared over and she now sat next to Ciana on the end of the bed.
“I take it you found Fyre?” Ciana asked.
He frowned at her. “She didn’t come through here? I tho...
2023-09-10 03:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post“This feeling is somehow familiar, but so strange,” Tarako said as she tested out her reactivated gem abilities. “Don’t get too caught up about the noises I made earlier, boyo. I’m a thousand times older than you, and you’re far too serious for me.”
Nathan had used the traditional method for claiming a Cham...
2023-09-05 03:00:02 +0000 UTC View PostI said I'd do a results post, so here we are. While this isn't an uplifting post, I'm not going to commit to much.
If you don't like reading negative stuff about book sales etc, I recommend skipping the post. The short version is that I'm not changing anything immediately, in large part because of Patreon. If that satisfie...
2023-09-03 09:51:28 +0000 UTC View PostA cackle escaped Tarako and she collapsed into a leaning posture, laying lengthwise along the straw mat flooring. As if expecting Nathan’s reaction, a collective sigh filled the room from the foxes. Even Narime joined in.
“Oh, so you know me from all the books, do you?” Tarako asked, her voice somehow both elegant a...
2023-09-01 03:02:21 +0000 UTC View PostMob Sorcery is out, although chances are you've read it if you're reading this here. It’s an urban fantasy story with mafia wolfgirls, a post-masquerade alternate universe setting, magical gang warfare, foxes, demons, and lower stakes than usual. Mostly, it’s a lot of fun. Also, no shifters.
Also, Heretic Spellblade 6 is on pre-order o...
2023-08-30 11:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
To celebrate Mob Sorcery coming out tomorrow (and it's about to come out in Australia), enjoy the finished cover for Mob Sorcery 2. Thanks to everyone who provided feedback on the sketch, as I was able to incorporate it into the finished version.
I've included both sketches, so that you can see the changes between the two. Nina got a fair ...
2023-08-29 13:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostNathan’s teleportation network ensured that his Champions could easily move between his various fortresses, but each of them considered specific places to be their “home.” So they tended to sleep there more often and built up a more elaborate bedroom. He forced them to maintain a bedroom in the palace and Gharrick Pass, h...
2023-08-29 03:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostA squad of knights guarded Alice’s bedroom, including a monogem Champion. Nathan paid no heed to the bedroom itself, however. The important part was the dark blue door on one wall. Bright, glowing runes covered it, and it lacked any doorknob or visible method of opening it.
When he approached, it slid open to reveal a w...
2023-08-27 03:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostI haven't had much to say this month while I've been busy with Spellblade 6. Despite a rocky start, it's finally going and moving at a pace I'm happy with. The book is shaping up like Spellblade 4, where I have a bunch of events that I need to get through and the hard part is pacing them. I need to stop myself from nitpicking too hard, as that's...
2023-08-26 13:07:05 +0000 UTC View PostThe grand hall of Aleich’s palace held the same overwrought appearance as always. Three levels of balconies spanned the length of the gargantuan hall, all overlooking the oversized throne constructed of steel, glass, and granite at one end. Nobles sorted by status into each level when the Imperial Diet sat, allowing the wealt...
2023-08-26 03:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostCharlotte
“Where is everyone?” Charlotte asked as she wandered into the small hall that dominated the fortress of the Reaches’ Guard.
Princess Charlotte, the prophet of the Holy Kingdom of Falmir and its current regent, flounced onto the glass throne sitting in one end of the hall. Not a single guard ...
2023-08-24 03:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post“I know,” Janice grunted. “There might be more, though, and I know the city. Given the head start they have, I’ll need to take shortcuts to beat her to the palace. If you root out others here—”
Nathan bit back a laugh, as it would be insulting. “We’re not wasting time on foot. Keep everyone on lockdown whi...
2023-08-22 03:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post“That idiot gets one shot at her nuke and she blows it on the fucking wall?” Maura drawled, flipping her long hair over one shoulder.
“She did target Nathan,” Laura said.
“And look what good that did. No wonder chumps like her never end a world. They’re morons.”
As Nathan’s senses returned and ...
2023-08-20 02:52:44 +0000 UTC View PostBook 1 is up on Amazon now, releasing on the 30th. It contains the first 30 chapters. Amazon had some wonky processing issues with the book's store page, but they seem to be fixed now (at least on my end).
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CG32479C
UK: 2023-08-19 13:00:08 +0000 UTC
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With a great scream, a gash into reality tore into the world. It hovered hundreds of feet high above the mound in the clearing, appearing as a black and white rip in the world. Looking at it always gave Nathan a crippling headache and—
“It doesn’t hurt,” he mumbled, shocked as he stared directly at the horrendous ...
2023-08-17 03:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostA discordant wailing echoed across Forselle Valley, bouncing off the hills and nearby mountains. The towering Aurelian Spires of the dark elves emitted the sound endlessly. Even those dozens of miles away heard it, and most likely thought the noise to be the work of spirits given night had long since fallen.
The dark elve...
2023-08-15 03:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostSo I talked in a recent post about attempting to resume commentary posts, particularly with book releases few and far between. Let me know if this is your style or if you’d rather I focused on something else.
This commentary series (if people like it) will focus on elements of writing or tropes that I can ramble about. Despite the title,...
2023-08-08 03:47:18 +0000 UTC View Post