From the pages of A. F. Stewart

Welcome to the Brain to Books Indie Pride Day Takeover!

Now enter into my dark land of fantasy…

I’m A. F. Stewart, and I write dark, epic fantasy, quite often drenched in blood.

I also have several fantasy books currently in various stages of completion, and I’ll be sharing sneak peeks.

My books are available on Amazon, Smashwords, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo

You can find a listing of buy links and book updates on my website: https://afallonblog.wordpress.com/books/

You can also find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afstewartauthor

And Twitter: https://twitter.com/scribe77

Ruined City is my “great experiment”, a short novella where the story line is comprised of twelve short stories. It was, as you can imagine a challenge to write, but I think it turned out reasonably well.

Here’s the blurb:

In the Northern Pass stands the city of Elowen, the glittering guardian between the Empire of Aloquis and the Kingdoms of Immra. It exists proud and prosperous, never dreaming its dark past was coming to call…

On a bright winter’s day a stranger arrives in Elowen, bearing a secret. From this man a dark blight of ruin descends over the great city and henceforth the day becomes known as Winter’s Bane.
The day the world changed for the people of Elowen.
The day their existence turned into a recurring nightmare.

Read of the aftermath of revenge through the eyes of a shopkeeper, a child, ghosts, a blacksmith, a guardsman, an innkeeper, and even a King.

Twelve Stories, One Evil.

To celebrate today you can download Ruined City for free on Smashwords! (Just use the coupon code listed on the book page).

Go here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/86262

And you can check out the book trailer for Ruined City here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZGby8QIloU

I’m also working on a story collection sequel to Ruined City, called Whispers of Gods and Spirits. I’ve posted one of the stories for that collection over on Inkitt: https://www.inkitt.com/stories/fantasy/17234?ref=a_d72c3f94-66a3-4af8-afa1-e903d6a736bf

I’ve always been interested in fantasy (especially dragons), but originally didn’t try to be a fantasy writer. Very early in my writing career I tried my hand at mysteries, but fantasy elements kept creeping in (pesky things like magic and psychic detectives). So I got the hint.

My first foray into fantasy fiction was Arthurian legend (alas, that book is unpublished as it needs much work), but I have written a quickly couple of short stories about modern day Camelot characters. I’m expanding those stories into a magic realism novel.

Here’s the first part of the prologue from that WIP, Past Legends, the first novel in my Camelot Immortals series. As I said, two short stories in this series have been published, in the books, [book:Legends and Lore: An Anthology of Mythic Proportions|23361501], and [book:Inside Realms|2676475].

Past Legends

Once upon a myth, or legend or tall tale, or whatever you want to call it, there existed a wondrous place called Camelot. Full of knights and wizards, magic and quests, a beauteous land of enchantment, fair maidens and ruled by a just king.
Not quite.
Camelot was more akin to a Dark Ages lunatic asylum. I should know, I lived there.
Let me introduce myself. I’m Nimue, also known as Nims, or Nina. I run a quaint little bed and breakfast in Cumbria, in the Lake District. And I’ve been alive for fifteen hundred years, give or take a few decades.
Once, a long time ago, I lived in the aforementioned Camelot, a mysterious land of magic and legend. Also a place with no running water, no modern medicine, and where basic hygiene could be iffy. Warriors in leather jerkins and dented helms roamed its dusty roads, not knights in armour, and usually held a drink in one hand and the other groped a woman’s—well you get the idea.

© A. F. Stewart 2016 All Rights Reserved

One of my other projects I’m working on is a seafaring fantasy novella, called Ghosts of the Sea Moon. I describe this book as Ghosts, Gods, and Sea Monsters

Here’s a snippet;

“Are we heading back ta port, then Cap’n?” The sailor at the ship’s wheel chimed in. “Might make Abersythe if we head east.”
“We might. But we head west. We may skirt the edge of the storm, but the ship will find better shelter anchored at Crickwell lsland.”
“Aye, sir. Laying in course to Crickwell Island.” The sailor, One-Eyed Anders by name, turned the wheel and the ship’s bones groaned. Other crew adjusted the sails, and The Celestial Jewel leaned into her new bearing, headed west.
Grunts and a smidgeon of swearing accompanied the renewed activity on deck. The smell of ripe sweat mixed into the salt stained air, as the night stayed warm and the men were not ones to bathe as regularly as they should.

© A. F. Stewart 2016 All Rights Reserved

I love fairy tales (especially the darker versions), and have written one or two fairy tale fantasy stories. Then I got the nutty idea to combine fairy tales, fantasy with noir detective fiction. Fairy Tale Fusion is the result.

Here’s a tidbit from Fairy Tale Fusion, and the story, The Case of the Crystal Ball Robberies

I’m Detective Piper of the Fairyland Metro Police, and I’m in the Peppermint Sub-Division looking into the ninth break and enter incident this month…

Officer Simon, the officer in charge of the crime scene, waited to brief me.
“Is it the same as the rest? Is it our signature thief?”
“Yes, sir. Nothing is missing but their crystal ball.”
“And they left the offering?”
“Yes sir, the fish was left in place of the crystal ball. It’s been bagged and tagged for analysis.”
Great. Now we have another red herring on our hands.
“Did we get lucky this time, or is the crime scene lacking in evidence like the previous robberies?”
“No, sir. So far this place is clean as a whistle, same as the others, but the Fairy Forensics team is still working. They might turn up something.”

© A. F. Stewart 2016 All Rights Reserved

And Fairy Tale Fusion is part of my Smashwords Sale, and you can get it for free with the coupon code listed on the book page: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/356889

I also have an epic fantasy series in the works, called Realm of the Fallen, about a prophecy, twin gods, resurrected dead, murdered kings, a conniving priest, and even pirates.

Here’s the opening from my WIP, The Prophecy of Seven, the first book in the Realm of the Fallen series

The parapet torches on the massive city walls illuminated the pervading dusk; rows of blazing beacons that warded against the primeval dread of secrets lurking in the shadows. Their smoke wafted on the cool breeze, acrid swirls that drifted across the diminishing resonance and bustle of the city. Some strands of the vapour coupled with rising soot from chimneys, or mingled with the habitual aroma of stews and meat roasting over supper hearths. Other tendrils floated to greet the seaport, settling into the fog that coiled past a troubled merchant ascending the cliff stairs on his way home. This customary haze permeated the stone and wood, lingering under the dimming sky tinged with cerise, below the first twinkling of the evening stars.
One more night unfolded in the great royal fortress of DragonHelm.

© A. F. Stewart 2016 All Rights Reserved

If you want to check out one of my darker fantasy stories, I have one I love posted over on Wattpad, called Snow: https://www.wattpad.com/story/12419774-snow

It was inspired by a winter car ride, after a big snowstorm. The first lines popped in my head, and I had to do a quick repetitive memorizing all the way home.

I leave you with a quick short from a while back (included in my book Passing Fancies):

Not What It Seems

I’ve seen the light.
I’m so bloody sick of it. Every time I die, there it is, mocking me, like some kind of punishment. After my conscription into the Dreshen Warriors, I was so afraid of dying; it seemed like such a great idea to drink the potion and live forever.
Eternally young, death will never claim you, be reborn everlasting.
I never considered there was an afterlife, a place with no war, no blood, and no repeated death. I never imagined I would glimpse its paradise through a doorway, only to have it forever out of reach…
Immortality sucks.