Would you like to read a story for free? I teamed up with other fantasy authors to share our work with readers out there who are hungry for fantasy but may not have time to commit to a full-length novel. There are quite a few excellent options to choose from. Many of the covers are lovely; I must admit I’m intrigued. Two of my short stories are available for download: “Traveler’s Song” and “Wyldling Hope” (this is the longer one). Here is the link for the free fantasy short story promotion: https://books.bookfunnel.com/free_fantasy_shorts/8fxbhg4kkq

This promotion starts on October 15, 2022 and runs through October 31, 2022. So, you only have two weeks to nab them before they’re no longer available. To get your short stories, all you have to do is sign up* for the author’s newsletter email list, free of charge. My short story, “Wyldling Hope,” takes place roughly fourteen years before the events in Wyldling Snare. Unlike the full-length novel, where the main characters are teenagers, the short story is told from the perspective of a middle-aged woman struggling to protect her children in a war-torn city. The tale provides a bit more history about a particular battle mentioned in the book.

For those who prefer to be surprised about things, I suggest reading “Wyldling Hope” after you’ve read Wyldling Snare. I tried not to spoil anything, though, so perhaps it’s a moot point. Everything seems glaringly obvious to me because I am intimately familiar with how the entire story unfolds, all the characters’ backgrounds, and every machination going on behind the scenes. This is part of what I call the “Author’s Burden;” we have a hard time stepping outside the box and viewing our work with naïve eyes. Personally, I find it impossible, or nearly so.

Curious about whether the short story spoils the book? You’ll have to read both Wyldling Snare and “Wyldling Hope” to find out!

*PostScript: However, you need not worry about authors bombarding you with daily updates. Most authors do not have the time or inclination to crank out continual newsletters. Case in point: I post once or twice each month. You also have the power to unsubscribe from an author’s newsletter at any time. Alternatively, you can delete the emails unread if the subject isn’t interesting, or let them pile up in your inbox (full disclosure: this is what I do) promising you’ll read them later.

Phew! Glad I got that disclaimer out of the way. This promotion runs until the end of October, but in case you miss this one, I will be participating in other short story promotions in November and December.

If I haven’t scared you off entirely, here is the link for the free fantasy short fiction again: https://books.bookfunnel.com/free_fantasy_shorts/8fxbhg4kkq and a long-overdue photo of my cat.