Published: Monster!
Aug. 14th, 2010 11:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dracoqueen22It's August 14th and do you know what that means.
Yep! Monster has been officially published by Sugar and Spice Press. Excitement all around! At least for me. *laughs*
I'm particularly excited by this release because it's an All Audiences, General work that I can market even to those who don't like slash.
Here's the important info, my friends. And help a struggling writer out if you have the funds. Your support is much appreciated!
Genre: Fantasy/Young Adult
Book Length: 34,317 words
Cost: $4.99
Available Formats: .pdf, .html, .modi, .lit
Click here to purchase! Or from these secondary distributors: Amazon I Fictionwise
Summary:
Yep! Monster has been officially published by Sugar and Spice Press. Excitement all around! At least for me. *laughs*
I'm particularly excited by this release because it's an All Audiences, General work that I can market even to those who don't like slash.
Here's the important info, my friends. And help a struggling writer out if you have the funds. Your support is much appreciated!
Genre: Fantasy/Young Adult
Book Length: 34,317 words
Cost: $4.99
Available Formats: .pdf, .html, .modi, .lit
Click here to purchase! Or from these secondary distributors: Amazon I Fictionwise
Summary:
They say that there is a monster in these woods, and young Hadrian has always secretly believed. His village, separated from the rest of the world, puts great stock in myth and legend. Hadrian hides his fears from both friend and foe alike; his future position as a hunter depends on his courage.
However, his simple life comes to an abrupt end when Hadrian is accused of negligence in the death of a fellow villager. Hadrian knows that there is more to the charges but must hold his tongue, unable to deny his own part in the blame. He submits to his punishment, taking his first steps into the dreaded woods.
Only to discover that the monster is more tangible than imagined. And it takes a very familiar form.
Excerpt: However, his simple life comes to an abrupt end when Hadrian is accused of negligence in the death of a fellow villager. Hadrian knows that there is more to the charges but must hold his tongue, unable to deny his own part in the blame. He submits to his punishment, taking his first steps into the dreaded woods.
Only to discover that the monster is more tangible than imagined. And it takes a very familiar form.
Hadrian watched his breath puff out in front of him, a grayish mist in the chilly air from the mountains that covered his village. His thick cloak did well to combat against the cold, but his lips were cold. As were his ears. He reached up, loosing his hair from its low ponytail and let the long strands settle over his ears. There, one problem solved.
Stamping his booted feet to warm them, his dark eyes searched the depths of the forest again. He saw nothing in the darkness. The torches could only pierce so far into the moss-streaked wood, and he was loathe to admit he didn't much like peering into the unknown. He still held half-imaginings of things lunging at him from the black, claws and teeth aimed for the vulnerable skin of his throat.
Hadrian shivered, his hand falling to the hilt of his sword for comfort. His mum had often accused him of having too strong an imagination. It only served to worsen his fear. Now was no exception. But as his fingers traced over the symbols of his family, etched into the pommel of his sword, he felt marginally calmed.
His eyes lifted to the sky, peering through skeletal branches and the thicker ones coated in needles above, to catch sight of the moon. It was a pale orb hanging low in the sky, marking the end of another cycle. Only a few hours more left in his shift. Then he could return home to his bed and a warm bowl of vegetable stew, accompanied by thick bread crusty around the edges. Hadrian's mouth watered at the mere thought.
Hadrian paced a few steps along the low fence that surrounded his village to keep the blood flowing, his eyes tracking a quick path through the forest. The bare, bony trunks of the trees gleamed white in the darkness, only their upper regions full of leaves thick enough to blot out all light. He half-imagined that beady eyes, glowing fiercely, met his gaze evenly. And Hadrian shivered again.
The worst of creatures in the forest were wolves and the occasional cougar, venturing down from the surrounding mountains and drawn by the scent of human life. Sometimes even a bear would wander out of its lengthy hibernation. Those were the existing dangers in any case. But no one ever spoke aloud of the mythical monster that haunted the woods. The Troblin and its terrible hunger.
The Troblin's existence had long been legend. A tale to scare children into behaving. Something to keep foolish youngsters from venturing into the forest on their own.
Don't be late for supper or the Troblin will get you.
Foolish youngsters are dinner for the Troblin. He'll be crunching on your bones before long!
Or Hadrian's personal favorite, Listen to your parents, or face the wrath of the Troblin!
Hadrian always claimed aloud that he didn't believe in the Troblin, but sometimes, looking into the forest as he did now, he could imagine a lumbering beast amongst the scattered trees. He could see hairy hands reaching out of the dark. He could hear the plop-plop of thick saliva dripping from pointed fangs and a slurping tongue.
Swallowing thickly, Hadrian jerked his eyes away from the forest and skimmed his gaze along the fence line. He was here as sentry after all, to protect those within the village, and warn them in case of attack. The nearest settlement was a week's ride away, across ever-expanding plains under an intense sun. They didn't worry about other humans. It was the wild animals that his people feared.
Well, the wild animals and the mythical Troblin.
Stamping his booted feet to warm them, his dark eyes searched the depths of the forest again. He saw nothing in the darkness. The torches could only pierce so far into the moss-streaked wood, and he was loathe to admit he didn't much like peering into the unknown. He still held half-imaginings of things lunging at him from the black, claws and teeth aimed for the vulnerable skin of his throat.
Hadrian shivered, his hand falling to the hilt of his sword for comfort. His mum had often accused him of having too strong an imagination. It only served to worsen his fear. Now was no exception. But as his fingers traced over the symbols of his family, etched into the pommel of his sword, he felt marginally calmed.
His eyes lifted to the sky, peering through skeletal branches and the thicker ones coated in needles above, to catch sight of the moon. It was a pale orb hanging low in the sky, marking the end of another cycle. Only a few hours more left in his shift. Then he could return home to his bed and a warm bowl of vegetable stew, accompanied by thick bread crusty around the edges. Hadrian's mouth watered at the mere thought.
Hadrian paced a few steps along the low fence that surrounded his village to keep the blood flowing, his eyes tracking a quick path through the forest. The bare, bony trunks of the trees gleamed white in the darkness, only their upper regions full of leaves thick enough to blot out all light. He half-imagined that beady eyes, glowing fiercely, met his gaze evenly. And Hadrian shivered again.
The worst of creatures in the forest were wolves and the occasional cougar, venturing down from the surrounding mountains and drawn by the scent of human life. Sometimes even a bear would wander out of its lengthy hibernation. Those were the existing dangers in any case. But no one ever spoke aloud of the mythical monster that haunted the woods. The Troblin and its terrible hunger.
The Troblin's existence had long been legend. A tale to scare children into behaving. Something to keep foolish youngsters from venturing into the forest on their own.
Don't be late for supper or the Troblin will get you.
Foolish youngsters are dinner for the Troblin. He'll be crunching on your bones before long!
Or Hadrian's personal favorite, Listen to your parents, or face the wrath of the Troblin!
Hadrian always claimed aloud that he didn't believe in the Troblin, but sometimes, looking into the forest as he did now, he could imagine a lumbering beast amongst the scattered trees. He could see hairy hands reaching out of the dark. He could hear the plop-plop of thick saliva dripping from pointed fangs and a slurping tongue.
Swallowing thickly, Hadrian jerked his eyes away from the forest and skimmed his gaze along the fence line. He was here as sentry after all, to protect those within the village, and warn them in case of attack. The nearest settlement was a week's ride away, across ever-expanding plains under an intense sun. They didn't worry about other humans. It was the wild animals that his people feared.
Well, the wild animals and the mythical Troblin.
I do hope you enjoy! And once again, thanks to everyone who has been supporting me over the years. I couldn't have done it without you!
