Blog Archives
Stillness and Reflection
Shifting Sands follows the survivors of Sol Thalen in the aftermath of its fall as they try to rebuild their culture and society when everything has literally been destroyed. How did you approach writing about this destruction and your characters’ response to it?
For me, destruction is never just about the physical loss of a city—it’s about what happens to identity, purpose, and relationships in the aftermath. When Sol Thalen fell, it wasn’t just the loss of a home; it was the unraveling of legacy, belief, and the illusion of safety. I approached the writing with a deep sense of grief—both personal and communal. I asked myself, What do people hold onto when everything collapses? The characters’ responses came from that place of questioning. Just as some characters choose hope—clinging to survival and the chance to rebuild and dream of a future—others give up hope for themselves, often believing that their own death or disappearance might still serve a purpose. There’s this tragic tendency to justify surrender as a kind of sacrifice: If I fall, maybe someone else can rise. That contrast—between hoping for self and hoping for others—is the heart of the emotional conflict I wanted readers to feel. It’s rarely clean or heroic. It’s messy, human, and deeply personal. And it’s in those moments, I think, that the soul of a story reveals itself.
It seems you took your time in developing the characters and the story, creating a great emotional impact while the survivors process what is left of their world and civilization. How did you manage the pacing of the story while keeping readers engaged?
Thank you—that means a lot. Pacing is something I pay obsessive attention to. I wanted the emotional beats to land, but I also didn’t want the story to feel like it was dragging its feet. What I aimed for was a rhythm: moments of stillness and reflection followed by bursts of urgency. It’s like breathing. When the characters pause to mourn or reflect, the reader breathes with them. But when danger returns—and it always does—they’re pulled right back into the action. I layered multiple storylines so that even when one character is reeling, another might be scheming or moving forward. That way, readers never feel stuck. There’s always a heartbeat somewhere.
I also use an outline, and I’m meticulous about following it. That’s where I catch when there’s too much breathing space, when a chapter feels like it’s meandering, or when a sequence clearly needs to be tightened with rising tension or sharper stakes. The outline becomes a map of emotional flow and momentum, helping me keep that delicate balance. I layered multiple storylines so that even when one character is reeling, another might be scheming or moving forward. That way, readers never feel stuck. There’s always a heartbeat somewhere.
Are you a fan of the fantasy and adventure genres? What books do you think most influenced your work?
Absolutely, I’m a lifelong fan. Fantasy gave me the language to talk about things I didn’t always have words for—identity, grief, power, longing. I grew up reading Tolkien and C.S. Lewis like many others, but it was later on that I was deeply moved by authors like Brandon Sanderson, Cassandra Clare, J.K. Rowling, and Ursula K. Le Guin. Each of them, in their own way, showed me that fantasy could be epic and intimate. That worldbuilding could serve emotional truth. Their works taught me that it’s not just about dragons or swords or kingdoms—it’s about the people who bleed and hope in between. I try to carry that into every page I write.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
Thank you—and yes, it absolutely does continue. Shifting Sands is the fourth installment of a five-book saga, and the next book is the finale, where everything comes to a head. The choices made in Shifting Sands ripple outward, and readers will be taken to corners of the world that have only been hinted at until now. The political game gets even deadlier. Old wounds resurface. And the more fantastical elements take center stage in ways that force the characters to question not just their loyalties, but their very sense of identity.
If Shifting Sands was about surviving the collapse, Ancient Paths is about reckoning—learning who you really are when certain truths come to light, and deciding what kind of legacy you want to leave behind. Some legacies, after all, might be too broken to rebuild. And some people may discover they were never meant to serve themselves, but something far greater.
Readers have often told me they don’t know how the stakes could possibly get any higher—and to that, I say: I’m excited for them. Many have also noticed how I tend to plant seeds in earlier books that only bear fruit later on. Well, this fifth and final book is where all those seeds bloom. Every thread comes together. Every secret is revealed. This is the climax of everything.
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THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA IS ALWAYS PAID IN GRAVES. And with the Sunken City subdued and Sol Thalen fallen, this truth has become undeniable. The Cycle of the Capitals has ended, leaving a world fractured by distance and silence. As Chris joins a people in exodus, he finds no victory left untainted—every gain paid for in blood, every cost sharpening like a blade. Joined by the new Chronicler, he journeys in a final attempt to save a scattered remnant from extinction—and soon realizes he must confront the creature within him… and accept that surviving the monsters around them may require becoming one himself.
Elline faces a different reckoning. With the Capitals isolated and every line of communication severed, mistrust coils behind every stone of Djarin Tor—ready to ignite a coup that would ensure their defeat in the widening war. To stop this collapse, she must embrace the birthright she has long avoided—even if it means defying the Magister. Meanwhile, Havet’s designs tighten with a precision that suggests his victory has already begun, and his cruelty shows no end. As an era dies in silence, the fate of the next will be written not by those who hope to endure it, but by those who dare to shape it from the ruins left behind.
A fast-growing favorite among epic-fantasy readers, this saga delivers cinematic battles, devastating stakes, and slow-burning bonds caught in the crossfire of a war that threatens to consume entire eras—set in a world where monsters rise and no victory comes without a price.
A Personal Challenge
The Manglers of Carraig centers around a boy fighting to protect his mother and sister and a jeweler known for her grim designs, both living in a world split by wealth and riddled with monsters. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
Believe it or not, the idea came from Brandon Sanderson’s writing course. I was in a bit of a literary slump, so I decided to check out the free creative writing course Brandon Sanderson posted on YouTube. In one of the classes, he asks students to come up with a setting or plot for a horror story. One of the students suggested “economic,” which stumped Sanderson. However, as an economics teacher, I took it as a personal challenge. Not long after, the idea hit me: what if a nation’s currency was not only a medium of exchange but also something people needed to keep the monsters away at night? I immediately took that concept and layered it over Hemingway’s To Have and Have Not—and voilà, my masterpiece was born.
What intrigues you most about the horror genre?
Definitely the characters. All genres need compelling characters, of course, but there is something about horror that requires very human and flawed people. I think this is why Stephen King is so successful. His plots are powerful, but it’s his characters that keep people invested for hundreds and hundreds of pages. To be honest, I would consider The Manglers of Carraig more dark fantasy than horror, but I knew I needed compelling characters if I was going to get readers invested in the setting.
What was your favorite scene in this story?
The scene with the Finger Baron. The chapters set in the Hen House, in general, are some of my best writing. I remember when I finished those chapters, I felt tremendous pride in how they turned out. Normally, I’m nervous after finishing a chapter because I worry the writing wasn’t as clear as it felt while it poured from my fingertips. But I had so much fun writing those chapters that they required almost no revisions in later drafts. The interaction with the Finger Baron was especially fun, and I actually laughed out loud at the madness I had created—or, more accurately, the madness the characters created for themselves, as sometimes happens when they take over the narrative. Hopefully, readers will find the same horror, humor, and suspense that I felt while writing the scene.
Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
I have quite a few books waiting to be discovered on Amazon, but for now, I’m working on a seafaring fantasy with pirate orcs and sea monsters. It’s in the early stages, but I’m happy with where it’s headed and hope to be finished by the end of 2026.
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Leave Them a Legacy
The Tralls of Nindarry follows two ordinary children who, while visiting their grandparents, discover a hidden realm of magical beings called the Tralls and wind up on an epic quest. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Fantasy is a wonderful genre that exercises our brains and encourages us to think outside the box.
Young people today are often presented with a world facing shattering crises and heroes that save it by blowing up the invaders or performing dangerous and unbelievable stunts.
I wanted to introduce my readers to the beauty of nature and the dangers it faced. I also wanted them to realize they could be the heroes who save it for future generations to enjoy – not by engaging in incredible feats of daring or strength but by making small changes that could have a great impact.
I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?
The tralldoms were modelled on Badu Island, where we once lived and where we were very happy.
The setting of this story is my beloved Mt Ninderry. A beautiful mountain, shaped like a resting lion, and filled with an abundance of Australia’s amazing flora and fauna.
Of course, I needed to change some facets of the setting to accommodate the plot as it developed.
What is your background and experience in writing, and how did it help you write The Tralls of Nindarry?
I was a classroom teacher for many years, and I took classes as well in Drama, Digital Storytelling, and Creative Writing.
I also enjoyed entertaining my classes with stories of the brave tralls fighting to save their ancestral lands, but I was always careful not to impinge on the myths and legends of the traditional residents.
When I retired, I became The Storyteller and entertained children with my themed stories both locally and internationally, and I realised that even in this digital age, children love to be told stories.
When I had my own grandchildren, I wanted to leave them a legacy, so I combined some of my stories into a book and based the main characters, Bella and Gemayn, on them.
What story are you currently in the middle of writing?
My stories are complete. There are five published books in the Trall Series:
The Tralls of Nindarry
The Tralls of Mundi
The Tralls of Maruchus
The Tralls of Colum
The Tralls of Nosa
Each one covers an environmental problem impacting our natural world.
I hope these books will make young people more aware of the beauty and importance of our precious flora and fauna, and encourage them to become real heroes by taking care of their own natural environment.
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Suddenly, the tralls are forced to go to war to save their ancestral lands from the evil Mr. Handley and Gemayn and his grandmother are trapped in the tralldom. During their enforced stay, Gemayn uncovers a long-held secret that links his family to the tralls. Could it shatter the emerging friendship between Gemayn, Bella, and the tralls, or will it destroy the bonds of trust that have always existed between them and their beloved grandparents?
The Tralls of Nindarry, written by emerging author Gayle Torrens, is the first book in The Trall Series; a collection of five portal fantasies set in Australia. It explores the concepts of intergenerational relationships, trust, loyalty, self-confidence, and environmental issues.
In 2024, The Tralls of Nindarry was awarded a Golden Wizard Book Prize for a fantasy book written for eight to twelve-year-old readers.
Friendship and Responsibility
The Tralls of Maruchus follows a spirited young trall who befriends a water sprite and promises not to reveal their existence, yet after a devastating fire, she is forced to break that promise. What was the inspiration for the set up of your story?
There were two important issues I wanted this story to cover.
Firstly, I wanted to show my young readers that even if someone is very different from them, they can become friends. I firmly believe that, as Australia and indeed the whole world become more multicultural, this is an important concept for children to understand.
Secondly, children quickly learn that promises must be kept, and this can sometimes cause them worry and concern, and even lead to dire consequences. I wanted to demonstrate through this story that there are good promises and bad promises. Promises that make you feel happy and excited are good promises and can be kept, but promises that make you feel unhappy, sad, or worried are bad promises and they can be broken, and should be shared with others.
In many contemporary coming-of-age fiction novels, authors often add their own life experiences to the story. Are there any bits of you in this story?
When I was teaching, I would read a chapter of a book to my class each morning, and the stories, although wonderful and exciting, were always about the lifestyle of children living in other countries. By the time I retired, I had three grandchildren, and I wanted to leave them a legacy that would remind them of our family and the close bonds we shared, so I decided to write a portal fantasy, and set it in Queensland so it would showcase an Australian lifestyle.
I included many of the good times we’d shared as a family and the valuable lessons we’d learned along the way. I also included some childhood memories of happy times spent with my own grandparents.
Then, just after the first book was released, my mother and my husband passed away, so I included many of the maxims they loved to pass on. Sadly, a lot of today’s children don’t live near their grandparents, and consequently, they miss out on these nuggets of wisdom.
As more grandchildren arrived, more books were added, and gradually, The Trall Series developed into a stylised biography of our extended family. The tralldoms, for instance, were influenced by the happy carefree existence we had when we lived on Badu Island in the Torres Strait, and the personalities and traits of the various characters are an amalgamation of several family members. There are always a few chuckles when someone is recognized or an event is recalled.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Each book in the series covers issues that I feel strongly about; namely empathy, inclusiveness, fairness, and responsibility.
In The Tralls of Maruchus, I focused on friendship and responsibility. I hope this story encourages young readers to realise that true friendship should be based on shared beliefs, shared interests, a strong commitment to understanding each other, standing by each other in times of need, and embracing differences as well as similarities.
I’m also very committed to preserving the environment and its native flora and fauna. Each book in The Trall Series is based on a different environmental problem that the characters work together to overcome. I truly believe that if we can introduce young people to the beauty of their local environment early enough, they will develop into adults who will take positive steps to care for it.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take the readers?
The series now consists of five books: The Tralls of Nindarry, The Tralls of Mundi, The Tralls of Maruchus, The Tralls of Colum, and The Tralls of Nosa. As previously stated, each story includes an environmental issue (mining, misuse of water, fracking, plastic waste, and local fauna and flora being displaced by introduced species).
They also deal with many of the issues that have an impact on children as they develop their own character and personality.
My hope is that The Trall Series will have a positive effect on young readers and encourage them to make choices that will help them to promote the best facets of themselves. I also hope it will encourage them to become more aware of the environmental problems our world is facing, and that the brave, resourceful young characters that feature throughout the series will motivate them to take an active role in protecting their own environment.
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Eventually, Ellie takes her new friend to her tralldom to meet her kinships and Maya promises the fief that she will never tell anyone about the Tralldom of the Rivers or the water sprites who inhabit it but when their home is destroyed by fire and the lives of the water sprites are put at risk, Maya soon realises that she is unable to help them by herself and that promise becomes a burden too great for her to bear.
Eventually, Maya is forced to break her promise and the story she shares leads to a chain of events that will change the lives of the sprites forever.
Will Ellie, who considers a promise to be a sacred oath be able to forgive Maya or could her betrayal lead to the end of their friendship?
The Tralls of Maruchus is the third book in The Trall Series, a collection of exciting portal fantasies set in Australia. The books may be read as stand-alone books but reading them in sequence opens up the wonderful world of the tralldoms and their inhabitants and uncovers some long-held secrets.
The series has been written for competent readers aged between 9 years and 13 years.
Environmental Destruction
The Last Ayer follows a spirited young numbat who discovers she is the last of a sacred line known as the Ayers, and must find the courage to fulfill her destiny and rid her homeland of evil. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration is all around us at the present time. Human encroachment and global warming are affecting humans and animals around the globe. I wanted to shine a spotlight on the issue while providing a very enthralling adventure story. Inspiring young minds is at the forefront of my work.
I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?
As a child, I was fascinated by animals worldwide. I was especially interested in those found only in Australia. When I began writing, I researched children’s books and noticed a dearth regarding endangered animals and/or the animals of Australia. I was determined to write a story that took place in a fantastical world reminiscent of Australia. The Last Ayer is the third book created in the world called Sunderland.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The dominant theme of environmental destruction drives the story. However, I also wanted to express the need for accepting responsibility, facing up to those responsibilities, and having the courage to do so. The story emphasizes the importance of friendship despite the differences between friends.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
No, this is not the first. My first book, The Sword of Demelza, also takes place in Sunderland and tells of the wonderful and powerful journey of two siblings who face the world of Sunderland alone to save their dying mother. It is a multi-award- winning middle-grade novel.
My second book, The Gift of Sunderland, plays off of the first book. A major theme in this book revolves around a reluctant hero who has hidden himself away after a traumatic experience. He saves a young numbat from drowning, and she helps him to realize that he must face up to who he is, namely the Guardian of the forest. She helps him accept that responsibility and return to Sunderland’s creatures who need him.
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Elsewhere, in the city of Dungarah, an evil perentie named Jago is driven by revenge for the death of his father at the paws of the numbat colony, and has stripped Sunderland of its natural resources. Jago’s need for power over the inhabitants of Sunderland is never ending. His efforts have resulted in the servitude of many woodland creatures.
But now, their slavery has brought them to the precipice of revolt. They only await the return of one called The Guardian of the Forest who they believe will bring nature’s balance back to Sunderland along with their own freedom.
At first, unaware she is the key to saving Sunderland, Keera and Echo travel to Dungarah, a long and dangerous journey. On their way, she discovers her true identity . . . and her destiny. Discover how Keera, the last of her kind, learns to face and overcome the evil perentie overlord, Jago, as the Last Ayer of Sunderland.
A Track of Forgiveness
Snow: Cursed begins in a traditional way, but then takes a turn that defies traditional fantasy storytelling. What was your approach to writing the story?
My approach was definitely to “defy tradition,” and that trope of “good guy versus bad guy” with the good guy always winning. I wanted to express the fact that we—as humans—are all different, and that good and evil are not two absolutes, but that there’s a blurred line in between. I really just wanted to turn the whole idea of a fairytale on its head so I could expose that truth while unraveling that trope in the process. I tried to really show that in the prologue of Snow: Cursed, which is written in Snow’s first person as a sort of “looking back” type thing. In a way, I set out to make something entirely untraditional, to escape the black and white, and I believe I succeeded.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
The human condition is so unique and can take lots of different turns which makes it stellar for fiction books. As humans, we have countless emotions that can be displayed in so many ways, and we get into lots of situations that are awesome to write about. Our reactions to things are very interesting and are fun to play with in fantasy because sometimes they can become warped by fictitious realities. Writing from perspectives other than my own sort of allowed me to place myself in their bodies and feel for what I, as the character, would do in that situation. I’ve done this with Snow more times than I can count. It’s so fascinating to me to put all those components into a character and to stir them up and spew them out sometimes.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
There were a lot of themes that I wanted to explore throughout Snow: Cursed, primarily the fact that good and evil aren’t as black and white as the stories say. I really wanted to show off that morally gray area in my debut novel. Self-discovery, self-acceptance, forgiveness, and friendship are also really important parts of my book. Snow has to go on a journey to find herself, and to accept who she has become because of her knowledge of the curse. She sets herself on a track of forgiveness when Merlin refuses to go with her out into the world behind the wall. Forgiveness is something I think a lot of teens reading YA probably struggle with, so I wanted to delve into that quest. Snow’s friendships were also paramount in my mind when I was writing their interactions with each other, but especially with Merlin. The strong bond between the two characters is expressed during Merlin’s flashback in chapter twenty-four. Themes of loyalty and trust are explored through their relationship, sometimes both getting shattered in different situations. All of these are really important to me.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I’ve finished writing book two of the Snow Saga, and I am currently revising it. It’s a continuation of Snow: Cursed that follows up on the cliffhanger ending, so readers will learn what happens to Snow, along with Marian and Merlin. New characters are introduced into the story, such as Gretel Charming, Jack Horner, and Mulan. The title of the second installment is Snow: Wanted. I’m also playing around with a few different series ideas to expand my writing interests a bit further.
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On the eve of her fifteenth birthday, her father divulges a secret that her parents had kept from her since the very beginning. One that could ruin her life forever. The fact that she was cursed at birth by an evil sorceress who cast a spell that is nearly impossible to break.
Snow will find that the line between good and evil is not all that it is cut out to be. It is blurred, and it has faded from the black and white that it once was. Good is not always pure, and evil is not always wicked. Throughout her adventures, battles, and difficulties she quickly discovers that she might not be on the side that she thought she was on.
Will she succumb to the fate that was forced upon her or live to see another day? Will she find the truth or just encounter lies? Will she remain pure as snow, or will her conscience falter as the trials of her life wear on? Will she live happily ever after or have her future unjustly stolen from her grasp? The future is up to Snow.
Favorite Fantasy Series
Cinnamon Soul follows a private investigator and her elven assistant who take a case to find a missing princess and wind up tangled up with royal secrets, ominous knights, and magic. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The most basic premise of the story was inspired by Dungeons & Dragons campaigns I was in between 2018-2021, with the two main characters Cinna and Hokuren originating there. (Anyone who plays D&D might know which class Cinna was). However, beyond the tight bond between Hokuren and Cinna and the name of the ultimate villain, very little of the campaigns ended up in the book. What works in a D&D campaign doesn’t always work in a novel! The story came together over the course of multiple drafts as I had a beginning and ending in place first, then built the middle up to make the two meet.
I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from and how did it change as you were writing?
I like big melting-pot fantasy cities, so that’s where I started. Velles is this big city where everyone’s just trying to get by and they don’t care so much who you are or where you came from as much as what you’re doing now. One of the biggest inspirations for Velles is Ankh-Morpork of Terry Prachett’s Discworld novels, one of my all-time favorite fantasy series. Velles certainly grew as I was writing, with one or two of the neighborhoods only being brought into existence after a few drafts. It’s the sort of place that’s big and disparate enough that I can keep growing it out (to an extent) in future novels. It’s a lot of fun to create the various neighborhoods in the city. Another thing that changed as I was writing was the feeling of decline that lingers in the background of the novel. Magic is weakening while at the same time, monsters are practically eradicated, negating the need for adventurers. There’s this whole past world that no longer exists, and at the time this novel is set, everyone is still trying to figure out how to proceed going forward.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The most important are the themes of found family and friendship exemplified in the relationship between Cinna and Hokuren. They are very different people and react to it differently, but they are both lonely. Particularly with Cinna, I also wanted to explore the idea of it not mattering where you come from. One of her goals early in the book is to find her birth parents, who abandoned her when she was an infant. I won’t spoil it, but she does learn the truth of her parentage and has to grapple with how much it matters considering the life she now has with Hokuren, and does her heritage matter at all. Finally, one of my favorite themes, which is that the people with power are so frequently among the least deserving of it, and how those without power must navigate that sort of world.
When will book two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
My plan is to make book two available in 2026. It’s in the middle of the first draft, and I don’t have a title yet. What I will say is that while Cinnamon Soul ends up with a heavier focus on Cinna and her past, the second book will flip to more of a focus on Hokuren. She will have to return to Fondence, the town she grew up in, and deal with the ramifications of her decision to leave as an eighteen-year-old to forge her own life in Velles, while leaving her widowed father behind. Expect more heartfelt scenes of introspection as well as plenty more playful banter between Cinna and Hokuren as Cinna goes to a small town for the first time in her life (hint: she’s not initially impressed).
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Her private investigation office’s rent is past due. Her sterling success rate applies mostly to finding lost cats. And she should really pay her overworked elven assistant, Cinna, with more than just slices of blueberry pie. So when the Prince asks Hokuren to find his daughter, she hopes this will be the break she needs.
But there is more to this case than a mere missing princess. Hokuren soon finds herself chasing after the monstrous villain behind an elf kidnapping scheme and tangling with magic said to no longer be possible (never trust the wizards). She’s determined to uncover every secret, no matter how heart-wrenching, until she solves the case—because she always solves the case. Yet as she and Cinna dig deeper into the conspiracy, Hokuren starts to suspect that the hunter has become the hunted. And the biggest secret of them all might be hiding within her unassuming assistant . . .
A lighthearted and fast-paced fantasy adventure full of action, mystery and sly humor, Cinnamon Soul is also the heart-warming exploration of an unbreakable bond of friendship forged between two women as they struggle against the forces of the elite and powerful.
Trials of Growth
In Old Paladins, a retired soldier is approached by a woman who needs his help avenging her family’s murder. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
In the early-mid 90s, I read Elizabeth Moon’s The Deed of Paksenarrion, and it has stayed with me a long time. It is a classic “hero’s journey” and bildungsroman in which we watch the heroine change greatly. The latter aspect, the growth of the character, interested me more. In Old Paladins, Sasha goes through a dramatic shift in character. And she’s not done. Her trials of growth have not ended- she hasn’t yet made a complete turn of the hero’s wheel.
Were you able to relate to your characters while writing them?
While I feel a strong connection to Gerard; because of age- I think- I can also relate to Sasha feelings of a missed life or happiness. I’ve wanted to write and publish for as long as I can remember, but circumstances prohibited that dream for quite some time.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Without giving too much away, the religious aspects, while minimum, were critical. Gerard is a man of faith, and it plays an intricate role in his world view and his personal quest. In addition to that, there are several scenes during Sasha’s training with Gerard that will play a later role in her future development, some of which are tied to the final novel in the planned series. Gerard seems haunted by his past … in the future, perhaps Sasha is haunted as well.
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Home is where the heart is, and for Sasha Martin that was a burned farm and dead parents. The Great War was over before she was born— there were treaties and agreements, they were supposed to be safe. But what the Imperium wanted it took, and with it, all that Sasha had known. Now, a decade later, having survived on charity and boiling hatred, she sees a chance to strike back at her enemies. There’s an old man that lives outside of town … some call him a war hero.
Gerard Appleby has been a man of war, a man of honor, and now a man alone for twenty years. But when a stubborn girl bent on vengeance shows up at his door demanding that he teach her the sword, he realizes that his days of warm beer and quiet guilt are over … and there is a chance to tie up one loose end, one last battle that he should have fought twenty years ago.
LITERARY TITAN 