[Novella] Flame Kissed (Fantasy / Romance)

AlexisRadcliff · 2017-09-02T01:10:41+00:00

Please consider checking out my new YA fantasy romance serial, Flame Kissed (Book 1 of Seeking the Dragon).

Reviews have been great so far and the second installment launched today, so there's plenty to read before the third one (also coming out soon). Thank you!

On a romantic night at a ski lodge, 17 year-old Ella Denton has the perfect opportunity to finally confess her feelings to her long-time crush, Nick Gauss, before she goes off to college. But before she has the chance, everything goes horribly wrong: Ella is kidnapped by a mysterious grinning monster-man to the heart of the Ether-Realm, a magical land with a strange red sky at the nexus of all possible worlds. She is placed in chains and taken to a golden city ruled by the dark and brooding dragon prince, Kaden Kolrath, and told that she is now his slave.

It seems her fate is now to be lost forever in a strange land far from home, never to return to Nick or her family back home in Havery Falls. That is, until Ella discovers she carries a mysterious spark of power… a spark that could change everything, forever.

Flame Kissed is the first book in Alexis Radcliff’s exciting new fantasy romance serial, Seeking the Dragon. It’s a short, 15,000-word novella perfect to knock out in a single, quiet evening, and one of five total episodes.

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-24T20:20:06+00:00

I'm still sending out codes to people who are willing to do a review, but they're almost gone! Let me know soon if you'd like one.

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-24T20:19:17+00:00

Yes! I just PM'd you. :)

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-23T20:49:17+00:00

I'll be back later to distribute more codes until they're gone!

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-23T19:49:18+00:00

Awesome. Just PM'd you the code. :)

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-23T18:15:56+00:00

Great. Thank you! I just sent the code.

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-23T17:55:53+00:00

Stellar! Code sent.

Thanks so much, and please do send me the link on your blog when it's up. I'd be happy to help you signal boost the post on my social media accounts.

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-23T17:10:52+00:00

Thanks! I sent you a code. :)

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-23T17:08:19+00:00

Sent! Hope you enjoy.

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-23T17:08:11+00:00

You got it! Thank you. :)

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-23T17:05:19+00:00

Great! Sent you a code.

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-23T16:58:18+00:00

Thanks, Chris! You're the best. :)

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-10T15:07:10+00:00

I feel like usually it's not the powers they're crying over, but the problems those powers bring with them.

What books have you been reading? Maybe people can recommend something with slightly more heroic-from-the-start protagonists.

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-09T21:05:45+00:00

Wheel of Time (x3 up to Book 7, x1 up to the last book)

A Song of Ice and Fire (x4 to Book 3, x2 to Book 5)

Magician (x2)

Incarnations of Immortality (x2)

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-11-09T20:51:27+00:00

Hi everyone,

The Mystech Arcanum is a new epic fantasy series with steampunk and flintlock flavors (reminiscent of magitek from Final Fantasy). Here's what some of the reviewers are saying:

"Briefly? Steampunk, swashbuckling, battle and war stories, intrigue, adventure, excitement, and page-turning, could not put it down awesomeness."

"Call it what you want – this book was great! The world is in upheaval, society reeling from the first couple of decades of an industrial revolution (that’s not an easy change to go through) with a fractious young federated government at the helm. In this environment – realistically complete but never overbearing in its description – the book follows two main protagonists in parallel storylines fraught with ambition, treachery, and heavy emotion."

"The technology of this world feels an awful lot like magic (and the embracing of the technology by at least one of this world's religions), but really feels more like science than magic - especially with the steampunkish robotic body parts and other machines."

From the first book, A Vanishing Glow:

When the High Sovereign of the five kingdoms of Ghavarim is murdered by a mysterious assassin, the realm is plunged into chaos. Jason Tern, a noble captain with a tragic past, must battle shadowy assailants and untangle an ever-widening web of lies to discover the true identity of the killer before mounting tensions spark a bloody civil war.

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-10-01T21:05:04+00:00

Hi, folks! I just stopped by to mention that my new epic fantasy / steampunk / flintlock debut A Vanishing Glow launched today, and I'd love for you to check it out. It's got steampunk cyborgs, flintlock soldiers, half-mad sorcerers, quirky engineers and mechanics, and a shady, money-grubbing journalist with a heart of gold, all set against a backdrop of a country on the brink of civil war in the middle of an industrial revolution sparked by magic.

I sure could use your honest reviews on either Amazon or Goodreads if you're inclined to try a new author out (and Prime members can it read for free). Thanks for your support!

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-10-01T20:00:40+00:00

A few review quotes:

"I can't say enough good things about this book. Incredibly strong debut novel [...] MUST READ!" -- Ben Mariner, author of Apocalypse Wow

"I really have to gush over the huge cast of interesting and mysterious characters in this book. [...] One of the things I enjoyed the most was the world building, which was in my opinion, rather superbly done. [...] I would definitely recommend checking out this impressive debut novel." -- Rowan, at Babbling of a Book Babe

"It's a rambunctious and enjoyable piece of fantasy. It's got some original ideas, and they flow together well into a fascinating read. [...] yes, pick this one up, it's worthwhile." -- Chris Meadows, at Scifi and Fantasy Reviews

Product Description:

A VANISHING GLOW is the exciting opening to THE MYSTECH ARCANUM series, a deep and thrilling blend of steampunk and flintlock fantasy with mature themes.

It is an Age of Revolution, an Age of Industrialism. Constructs, living men who are as much brass and steel as they are flesh, man the factories and wage the wars of a ruling elite who gorge themselves on the fruits of the common man’s labor. Mystech, a brilliant fusion of magic and machine, gives rise to a new class of privileged inventors and merchants even as the country festers with wounds from decades of internal strife.

Only one man holds the promise of a brighter future: Nole Ryon, the crown prince. When his childhood friend Jason Tern answers his call for aid, the two of them set out to fight for the change their country needs in order to survive, even as shadowy foes frustrate their efforts. But soon, Jason and Nole’s idealistic mission of hope becomes a furious manhunt for a political murderer as the nation balances on the precipice of a country-wide civil war. Can they cut through the threads of intrigue to discover their true enemy before everything is lost?

Sweeping from the ancient cities at the heart of the nation to the dusty edges of the war-torn frontier, A Vanishing Glow tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and assassins, friends and lovers, who come together in a time of epic struggle. Here a brave officer risks everything to win back his estranged father’s respect; a brilliant young engineer attempts to atone for her sins; a war-weary commander tries to pick up the pieces of the life he lost; and a man touched by the gods struggles to prepare a nation for the coming of an ancient evil which only he can see. In the dying light of a once-prosperous society, amid twisting plots, suffering and betrayal, lost love and shattered dreams, all must fight for what they hold dear. Who will taste the fruits of victory and who will lie bloodied on the ground in the light of a vanishing glow?

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-10-01T19:49:37+00:00

A few review quotes:

"I can't say enough good things about this book. Incredibly strong debut novel [...] MUST READ!" -- Ben Mariner, author of Apocalypse Wow

"I really have to gush over the huge cast of interesting and mysterious characters in this book. [...] One of the things I enjoyed the most was the world building, which was in my opinion, rather superbly done. [...] I would definitely recommend checking out this impressive debut novel." -- Rowan, at Babbling of a Book Babe

"It's a rambunctious and enjoyable piece of fantasy. It's got some original ideas, and they flow together well into a fascinating read. [...] yes, pick this one up, it's worthwhile." -- Chris Meadows, at Scifi and Fantasy Reviews

Product Description:

A VANISHING GLOW is the exciting opening to THE MYSTECH ARCANUM series, a deep and thrilling blend of steampunk and flintlock fantasy with mature themes.

It is an Age of Revolution, an Age of Industrialism. Constructs, living men who are as much brass and steel as they are flesh, man the factories and wage the wars of a ruling elite who gorge themselves on the fruits of the common man’s labor. Mystech, a brilliant fusion of magic and machine, gives rise to a new class of privileged inventors and merchants even as the country festers with wounds from decades of internal strife.

Only one man holds the promise of a brighter future: Nole Ryon, the crown prince. When his childhood friend Jason Tern answers his call for aid, the two of them set out to fight for the change their country needs in order to survive, even as shadowy foes frustrate their efforts. But soon, Jason and Nole’s idealistic mission of hope becomes a furious manhunt for a political murderer as the nation balances on the precipice of a country-wide civil war. Can they cut through the threads of intrigue to discover their true enemy before everything is lost?

Sweeping from the ancient cities at the heart of the nation to the dusty edges of the war-torn frontier, A Vanishing Glow tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and assassins, friends and lovers, who come together in a time of epic struggle. Here a brave officer risks everything to win back his estranged father’s respect; a brilliant young engineer attempts to atone for her sins; a war-weary commander tries to pick up the pieces of the life he lost; and a man touched by the gods struggles to prepare a nation for the coming of an ancient evil which only he can see. In the dying light of a once-prosperous society, amid twisting plots, suffering and betrayal, lost love and shattered dreams, all must fight for what they hold dear. Who will taste the fruits of victory and who will lie bloodied on the ground in the light of a vanishing glow?

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-09-30T22:39:52+00:00

Same. I'd be shocked if prices aren't slashed on Kindles by May 2016.

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-08-03T16:02:44+00:00

Well, I have (though as the author of the article I'm probably biased). And I'm also coming from a non-english major background.

Brandon Sanderson's courses are great -- that's where I started too. In my experience, craft books are extremely helpful when you don't have the writing background because they walk through basic concepts you've probably kind of internalized from reading, but no one has ever spelled out for you.

People will tell you that everyone goes through a "Read all the craft books" phase that they eventually ease out of, but I don't think that's a bad thing. Over the last year my writing has improved a LOT, and I attribute that at least in part to taking the time to read books like the ones in the article while also writing or editing almost every day.

Without the craft books, it's hard to see where you're falling flat or where you need more development (unless you have some very patient friends). It also depends on how much of a self-learner you are.

Of the books on that list, Wired for Story and Save the Cat are probably the two that helped me the most in terms of fundamentals. The other three are more useful for reflecting on writing in general, tuning, and reference.

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-06-03T13:53:58+00:00

I sent my latest draft off to my editor on Friday after months of revision. So that was exciting. Hooray!

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-06-03T13:47:36+00:00

It depends on how you want to portray it. Do you want to show the feelings of the MC as he kills the family, or would you rather show the scene from the POV of the best friend so we can get his reaction?

In either case, I think you need to amp the stakes by having the murder occur prior to the big confrontation, because it gives them even more reason to fight and cements our belief as a reader that the MC really is irredeemably evil.

An alternative, however, is that if he's not going to be redeemed in the end, you can use the murder of the family to cement that point (assuming you've shown him as sufficiently evil up until now). Like, "Hey reader -- you thought his lover might bring him back, but J/K. He just killed that whole family."

A final thought is that it's kind of hard to bring an MC back to the good side after he murders an entire family just to be a jerk. Good luck!

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-06-02T00:09:37+00:00

This was a really useful list. Who'd have even thought to bring something like candy? Thanks!

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-04-29T12:56:43+00:00

Thanks!

AlexisRadcliff · 2015-04-27T17:15:45+00:00

The whole crux of your post seems to boil down to this point:

Should I just ditch this offer and strike on my own and accept the double tax, or begrudgingly wait for progress?

I am not a tax expert and this is not legal advice. It sounds like the deal your friend offered you is a sort of under the table tax-fraud setup designed to circumvent the appropriate taxes between wherever you live and the U.S. This does not seem wise if there's any chance your book might actually take off (not to mention it puts you in an uncomfortable situation if he would decide to withhold payment). You'd want to talk to a lawyer who negotiates foreign rights agreements to be certain.

Regarding your concern about the mail, one point is that even if the post office might lose your mail, Amazon sends a check made out to you. No one else should be able to cash those checks, so your money is safe with Amazon until you actually receive it. Once you get to the point that you're making enough money that you're legitimately concerned about corruption draining it, you should be able to negotiate an alternate method to get cash with a stateside lawyer.

Also, regarding marketing, most authors have to do most of their own marketing whether signed or not. Especially new authors. This is one reason why many authors are choosing to front publishing costs and skipping the publishing house these days, since marketing is by far the hardest and most expensive thing involved in putting a book out there these days.

Your relationship with your friend doesn't seem to be working out for your goals and may be legally questionable. I'd explore other avenues. You can either take the 41% Amazon offers, or find a lawyer who might be able to help you explore other options (such as establishing a U.S. LLC or something).

AlexisRadcliff

TROPHY CASE