/ en-US Mon, 18 Mar 2019 16:58:32 -0700 60 / 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg /author_blog_posts/10220885-three-new-books-coming Fri, 08 Apr 2016 07:41:30 -0700 /author_blog_posts/10220885-three-new-books-coming
posted by Brian Rathbone on March, 18 ]]> /author_blog_posts/3067908-feral-book-five-of-the-world-of-godsland-fantasy-series-has-dropped Sat, 29 Sep 2012 14:32:04 -0700 /author_blog_posts/3067908-feral-book-five-of-the-world-of-godsland-fantasy-series-has-dropped Feral, book five of The World of Godsland fantasy series, is now available.



Reeling from the loss of the Regent dragons and her son to the black armies, Catrin Volker can take no more. Armed with power never before seen on Godsland, she goes in search of her son and her enemies. May the gods have mercy on those who stand in her way.





posted by Brian Rathbone on February, 03 ]]> /author_blog_posts/1760233-guest-post-from-ty-johnston Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:57:10 -0800 /author_blog_posts/1760233-guest-post-from-ty-johnston

I’d like to talk about what I hope readers will take away from my writings, and tied in with that, what I hope to accomplish with my writing.


First, as a writer, I have to come to some conclusions as to what interests readers, what draws them in, what makes readers generally approve of a novel or short story. Looking at it from strictly a business angle, a writer can study the markets and various online surveys, the bestseller lists, etc. Practical, yes, but somewhat cold. Another way to try to find out what interests readers is for the writer to look inward, to decide upon what he or she likes as a reader, because writers are readers, too, or at least they should be.


In my case, I vary in my literary interests, but I also tend to be drawn to particular genres more than others. I enjoy epic fantasy literature as well as horror. When a particular mood hits me, I enjoy classics and literary works. Historical fiction can also draw me in, if it is fairly accurate.


But beyond genre, what do I look for in my fiction reading. When I sit and ponder it, I find I enjoy a little action and adventure, as well as some intrigue. In darker tales, I often like the building of tension. In literary works, I prefer less escapism and more exploration. Exploration of what? Of the outside world as well as our inner worlds, of our thoughts and hopes and dreams but also our philosophies.


A mixture of all the elements I enjoy in fiction are what I try to bring to my own writing. I shoot for some action and adventure, with a touch of intrigue. I work to build tension, especially in my darker stories. And I try to give a brief look into our humanity, all elements of our humanity, though I hope not to be too heavy with this.


A reader might look at much of my epic fantasy works and ask, “Uh, where is this ‘look into our humanity� you were talking about?� It’s there, though you might have to go searching for it. I use my characters to explore and discover different ways of thinking, different ways of looking at the world. I don’t mean anything snobby by this, just that it’s something I enjoy in my writing.


To go a little deeper, I tend to follow the views of late author John Gardner concerning heroes. In Gardner’s opinion, heroes were meant to be moral examples to humanity. That viewpoint might seem overly simplistic to some of today’s readers, but as a writer I find it a good starting point. I find interest in taking Gardner’s basic idea of a moral hero and twisting it some here and there. I’m not necessarily trying for an anti-hero, nor am I seeking to make a villain into a heroic figure, but I do find possibilities in walking the razor’s edge between what is heroic and what crosses the line. All of this is one of the reasons my heroes are sometimes brutal while some of my villains can have positive aspects in their character.


My horror writing takes a very different path. Usually when I’m writing horror, I am trying to build a particular mood, this mood allowing me to study the darker elements of humanity in all its forms. Also, often I’m just trying to make myself giggle in the middle of the night while writing alone in a darkened room. When I write horror, I don’t usually go for the gore factor, but I do find humor sometimes in the devilishly vile.


So, serious and silly alike, those are some of the elements I try to bring to my fiction writing. Do I sometimes fail? Yes, I’m sure I do. Often I know when I’ve failed, and I try to make sure readers never see such material, at least until I can repair it. Other times? Well, if I fail, it is up for the reader to decide, and I only blame myself. On the other hand, a writer can not always please every reader, and it would be impossible to try and do so. I try to write what interests me, and I hope it will interest others, because it is the readers who are truly important at the end of the day.




posted by Brian Rathbone on January, 27 ]]> /author_blog_posts/1738252-recent-interview-with-rainy-of-the-dark Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:38:25 -0800 /author_blog_posts/1738252-recent-interview-with-rainy-of-the-dark


posted by Brian Rathbone on March, 14 ]]> /author_blog_posts/1674905-the-world-of-godsland-continues Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:45:00 -0700 /author_blog_posts/1674905-the-world-of-godsland-continues Regent, book one of The Balance of Power trilogy.

In the years since the end of The Herald War, the world has become complacent despite Catrin Volker's warnings. When the darkness of her visions comes to pass, no one is prepared, and the fate of humanity will rest in her hands.



posted by Brian Rathbone on February, 24 ]]> /author_blog_posts/1071547-inherited-danger-cracks-top-ten-epic-fantasies-on-sony Sat, 26 Mar 2011 11:56:01 -0700 /author_blog_posts/1071547-inherited-danger-cracks-top-ten-epic-fantasies-on-sony Inherited Danger the #10 Epic Fantasy on Sony Reader and Dragon Ore #12!



It's been an honor to have Call of the Herald featured as the Book of the Month on the Sony Reader Forum.



posted by Brian Rathbone on January, 05 ]]> /author_blog_posts/1018074-read-an-ebook-week-free-ebooks Sun, 06 Mar 2011 15:05:41 -0800 /author_blog_posts/1018074-read-an-ebook-week-free-ebooks


posted by Brian Rathbone on February, 27 ]]> /author_blog_posts/945506-redtooth-hits-smashwords Sat, 05 Feb 2011 14:33:02 -0800 /author_blog_posts/945506-redtooth-hits-smashwords
A trip to the pawnshop takes Bob Hanks on an unexpected adventure.

posted by Brian Rathbone on March, 20 ]]> /author_blog_posts/828503-authors-team-up-for-holiday-promotion Fri, 10 Dec 2010 09:48:32 -0800 /author_blog_posts/828503-authors-team-up-for-holiday-promotion
Nicholas Taylor has compiled a PDF sampler with the first one-three chapters of books from the participating authors.

You can grab your copy here or just browse the website built just for this promotion:



All of us agree that when authors work together, everyone wins, and we hope to turn readers on to some new writers.

Participating authors include:

Seth Harwood

John Sundman

Starla Huchton

Chris Snelgrove

Collin Earl

Rhonda Carpenter

Emmett Spain

Scott Nicholson

Mike Luoma

Emerian Rich

posted by Brian Rathbone on February, 17 ]]> /author_blog_posts/799111-beyond-the-veil-now-free-on-smashwords Fri, 26 Nov 2010 16:54:00 -0800 /author_blog_posts/799111-beyond-the-veil-now-free-on-smashwords
posted by Brian Rathbone on February, 15 ]]>