ELVENKING Publishing Announcement/Cover Reveal

Yes, the third book in the Leonard the Great series will finally be published on Friday, November 20th. If you're so inclined you can click on the link below to pre-order the Kindle book. The paperback should be available in a few days.

CLICK HERE to pre-order.

Here's the description:

ELVENKING

In Leonard’s most thrilling adventure yet, the future of everything is at stake.

Leonard reluctantly agrees to travel with Merlin and Taddy the dragon to Svartalfheim, the mysterious world of the Dark Elves. Why? Merlin claims Leonard’s grandfather, Claws Crimson, the hard-hearted and cantankerous king of the Dark Elves, is in mortal danger and needs his grandson’s help. Is this claim true, or is this just another one of the old wizard’s puzzling schemes that end up getting Leonard in more trouble than he ever could have imagined? Leonard suspects it’s a little of both.

As they travel through the perilous worlds of Norse mythology, Leonard’s adventure builds to an epic battle between good and evil—where not only is the future of his grandfather’s kingdom at stake, but the future of everyone and everything that Leonard has ever cared for.

ELVENKING is a YA fantasy novel (65k words) set in a blended world of Arthurian and Norse mythology—perfect for readers of all ages who enjoy a healthy dose of magic and humor in their action-packed adventures.

Thanks!

GIANTKILLER Cover Reboot!

Next up, the all-new cover for Giantkiller: Leonard the Great, Book Two! Grrr!

Description:

Get your head out of the clouds before you lose it!

Several seasons have passed since Leonard went on his last great adventure and battled a sinister force that had taken over Camelot. Since then he’s settled into a comfortable life as Lord of the Green Valley.

But when his beloved Glennys is kidnapped by a cruel giant from the Cloud Kingdom, Leonard must team up again with Merlin, his best friend Hubert, the half-giant Ham, and a young dragon named Taddy to bring her home!

https://amzn.to/3nkjWwu

 
#swordandsorcery #arthurianfantasy #giants #dragons #knights #monsters #ya #fantasy

DRAGONFRIEND Cover Reboot!

Check out the new cover for Dragonfriend: Leonard the Great, Book One! 

Is it awesome? Yes, it is!

I thought my old cover was awesome, too, but felt it was time to freshen things up a bit. For me, this meant not only changing the look, but commissioning a new cover that looked like it belonged in the Arthurian fantasy category. A quick search on Amazon will show you what I'm talking about. The new cover fits in nicely with similar titles and is more in line with reader expectations for the sub-genre.

Thanks to cover designer Keith Robinson for doing such a great job!

Here's the description, btw:

"If you think it's all good deeds and stuffy politeness over at Camelot, you're wrong! Most people don't know this, but things are pretty bad right now. King Arthur's in jail, Merlin's gone missing, and there's a cruel demon in charge. Seriously!

Now it's up to young Leonard, a page to a poor but kind knight, to set things right—even if that means going on a dangerous quest, outsmarting hungry monsters, or risking his life to make friends with a bunch of grumpy dragons."

COMING VERY SOON: A cover redesign for Giantkiller: Leonard the Great, Book Two and the long delayed publication of Elvenking, the third book in the Leonard the Great series!

I love my new cover! What do you think?

You can purchase Dragonfriend (with its shiny new cover) and my other books by going HERE.

Mini Review: "Poppe Culture" by Jaq Greenspon

Skids Poppe is what I'd call an accidental detective. Someone who has the job foisted on him by a panicky friend who thinks Poppe's rough and tumble background, combined with some no nonsense journalistic chops, more than qualify him to investigate a murder. Luckily for the friend, Skids is up for the challenge. 

Author Greenspon has an "easy as a walk on Venice Beach" writing style that keeps the reader engaged with interesting characters and detailed descriptions of local Southern California hangouts and neighborhoods. Recommended!

Poppe Culture is available for purchase HERE. 

GHOST STAR Scores a Kindle Book Deal

 

ON SALE this month for $0.99! Ghost Star scored a Teen & Young Adult Kindle Book Deal from 11/1/2020 through 11/30/2020! https://amzn.to/2SdgwA1 #spaceopera #adventure #spacemarines #military #kindlepress

Mini Review: "Pandora Gets Vain" by Carolyn Hennesy

The second book in a wonderful series, "Pandora Gets Vain" delivers humor, heart, and action by the opened boxful. All of the characters, including Pandy herself, are loads of fun as they jump to Egypt in search of Vanity, one of the seven evils. 

Author Hennesy keeps the story moving at a brisk pace and her fascinating circus sequence is especially enjoyable. 

Highly Recommended!

Goodreads Asks Me 8 Questions

Goodreads has asked me a few questions over the years, so I thought I'd share them. Feel free to visit my Goodreads Author Profile Page HERE. If you have a book-related question for me, put it in the comments!

Ask the Author: Roger Eschbacher

“Got a question? Feel free to ask about my books, being an author, writing for animation, or writing in general.” 

Answered Questions (8)

If you could travel to any fictional book world, where would you go and what would you do there?

Roger Eschbacher: Easy...Middle Earth. Every few years I reread the LOTR books, and each time I finish them, I'm sad that I can't live there. What would I do? I've always been drawn to the Maiar (wizards) and the Dúnedain (Men of the West, descendants of the Númenóreans), so, hopefully, I would be an honorable member of one of those groups.

Who is your favorite fictional couple, and why?

Roger Eschbacher: My favorite fictional couple would have to be Arwen and Aragorn from "The Lord of the Rings." There is much sadness in their shared past and future, yet their love remains undeniable and, ultimately, there is great hope, too.

What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Roger Eschbacher: I get to write down the stories I want to tell and then share them with people.

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Roger Eschbacher: I get 85% of the ideas for all of my books on my daily walk. I'll have a vague notion about what type of book I'd like to write and then mull it over for the next few days (or sometimes longer - the Norse anthology I'm working on took over a year to puzzle out). Then, at some point, a workable idea will pop into my head and I'll hurry home to make sure I get it all down. The other 15% of the ideas come when I'm taking a shower.

How do you get inspired to write?

Roger Eschbacher: I mostly get inspired to write on my daily walks. My thoughts drift during the delightful monotony of stomping around the same route every day and the next thing I know I've got a new story idea or a fix for a plot problem.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Roger Eschbacher: I write TV animation for a living and, to be honest, can't afford a luxury like writer's block. If I don't deliver outlines or scripts in a timely manner, I don't get paid. I apply this discipline to my novel writing, too, although I do have days when I don't feel like writing at all.

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Roger Eschbacher: I’ll approach this question from the “How do I get started?” angle. First, read a lot of books. Every one of my author friends is an avid reader. Decide which kind of books you like to read the most (for me it’s fantasy and sci fi) and concentrate on reading lots of those kinds of books. You’ll not only be doing this for fun, but also to learn different ways to put a book together—the right and wrong ways to tell a story.

Once you are well-versed in the type of book you’d like to write, start writing. By that I mean, stop coming up with excuses not to write (“What if it’s terrible?” “I just don’t have the time right now.”) If your first draft is “terrible,” you can fix it later. You do have the time, you just have to organize your schedule better. Write for an hour instead of vegging out in front of the tube, for example. Set a daily goal of a couple hundred words and do your best to stick to it. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it adds up.

In short, stop making excuses and start writing.

What are you currently working on?

Roger Eschbacher: UPDATED 10/08/20: I've got three books in various stages of completion.

1) I'm almost finished with the first draft of "Ghost Star 2," a YA space opera. 2) I'm working on the full novel version of my Viking fantasy adventure, Undrastormur. 3) I'm waiting on the cover art for "Elvenking," the third and probably final book in the "Dragonfriend" series.

Still freelance writing for animation. Lately it's for "Hello Ninja," which is a pre-school show for Netflix.

Thanks, Goodreads!

Unmasked History of Scooby Doo Podcast: Roger Eschbacher Edition

Hey! Want to hear me try to remember what it was like to write for Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated? Check out me and a bunch of other SDMI luminaries on the Unmasked History of Scooby Doo Podcast at unmaskedsdpodcast.com! Oh, and the correct word is voracious.

 

Book Review: Ordinarily Extraordinary by Patrick P. Long

In this powerful and touching tribute to the love of his life, author Long recounts his wife Melanie's struggle with an aggressive cancer. Heart-breaking, tear-inducing, and ultimately uplifting, Long crafts a tight, well-written narrative filled with truth, brutal self-reflection, and an abundance of love. Recommended.

GHOST STAR Science Fiction & Fantasy Kindle Book Deal for August!

Hey, folks! Amazon just gave GHOST STAR a Science Fiction & Fantasy Kindle Book Deal for the month of August. Yay! That means if you're looking for a fun, action-packed Sci-Fi read (or know someone who is) you can get my book for $0.99! https://amzn.to/3k0ZTCC  

 

#ghoststar #scifi #scifibooks #kindlebooks #kindlebookdeals #kindlepress #pleaseshare #fun!

Busy Busy Busy!

Been super busy the past couple of weeks. I finished the “final” edit of the Elvenking: Leonard the Great, Book 3 manuscript ("final" is in quotes because, as my fellow authors know, you're never really finished). Now formatting/reformatting the interior of all three books in the series with a new design template from Book Design Templates - it's super easy to use and looks great.

New covers for Dragonfriend, Giantkiller AND Elvenking should be here by the end of the month. Exciting (for me, anyway)!

Waiting in the wings: Full novel version of Undrastormur and completion of the first draft of Ghost Star 2 (don't have a name for that one yet)!  Doing my best to stay positive and make this crazy year as productive as possible! #fantasy #scifi #author

 

Elvenking Blurb

Hey, all. Got my blurb for Elvenking to the point where I'm looking for feedback. Let me know what you think. Any suggestions to make it better are welcome. Thanks!

Elvenking: Leonard the Great, Book 3

In Leonard’s most thrilling adventure yet, the future of everything is at stake.

Leonard reluctantly agrees to travel with Merlin and Taddy to the mysterious world of the Dark Elves. Merlin claims Leonard’s grandfather, Claws Crimson, the hard-hearted and cantankerous king of the Dark Elves, is in mortal danger and needs his grandson’s help. Is this claim true, or is this just another one of the old wizard’s puzzling schemes that end up getting Leonard in more trouble than he ever could have imagined? Leonard suspects it’s a little of both.

As they travel through perilous worlds of Norse mythology, the three friends encounter one dangerous creature after another including a monstrous spider, a vicious abomination called the Questing Beast, and the Nidhoggr—a mountain-sized dragon that would like nothing better than to escape its prison and destroy the world.

The adventure builds to an epic battle between good and evil—where not only is the future of his grandfather’s kingdom at stake, but the future of everyone and everything that Leonard has ever cared for.

Now Streaming: HELLO NINJA Season 3!

NINJA ALERT! Season 3 of Hello Ninja is now streaming on #NETFLIX!  
#animation #animationwriter #helloninja #seasonthree #atomiccartoons #fun

HELLO NINJA Season 3 Trailer

HELLO NINJA Season 3 arrives July 10th! Kee-ya! #helloninja #animationwriter #atomiccartoons #netflixjr #fun!

HELLO NINJA: Season 2 !!!

It's here! Check out HELLO NINJA, Season 2, live on Netflix. I wrote a bunch of episodes for this round so let me know what you think! #HelloNinja #animation #animationwriter #atomiccartoons #netflix #fun

Follow this link to see the Season 2 trailer on the Netflix site: https://lnkd.in/eFDf3EV