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Wow! I stumbled across this list of famous quotes using the word 'beguile'. My quote about Liandra from The Silk & Steel Saga made the list! And I'm with some pretty heady company like Charlotte Bronte, Homer, and Will Shakespeare!!!!!!!!!!!!! Epic fantasy on the list with literature! Wow! How cool is this!!!

Architecture is one of my favorite world building elements. Beginning writers often ignore this powerful element, yet if you look at the towering classics of the fantasy genre you'll find stunning architecture enriching every turn. Consider Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, the pinnacle of fantasy world building. Middle Earth is steeped in stunning architecture which makes the books' conversion to the silver screen a visual feast. From the imposing rock-hewn sculptures of the Argonath, to the elegant spires of Rivendale, to the subterranean vaults of Moria, to the tiered city of Minus Tirith, Tolkien drew his world in stunning strokes of bold architecture. As a master world builder, Tolkien's architecture is not just a feast for the eyes, but each setting reflects the culture of the different races. Architecture is culture writ large. Inspired by Tolkien, I wanted to use architecture as a major world building element in The Silk & Steel Saga. But my love of architecture actually goes deeper than just fantasy. After graduating from college, we backpacked through Europe seeking to explore the castles and cathedrals of the old world. We visited Chartres Cathedral in France where an Oxford professor gave free lectures interpreting the peerless stonework and stained glass windows. The artwork of the great cathedrals was in many ways the “newspaper� of its era. The professor “read� the windows and the elaborate stone carvings, explaining the biblical meanings as well as the more subtle comments on the rulers and politics of the times. I was so taken with these lectures that I was determined to give the same meaning to the architecture of Erdhe. I hope you will see this intent reflected in the many settings of The Silk & Steel Saga. From the crushing architecture of the Flame Temple in Balor, to the sinister triumph of the Mordant's Dark Citadel, to the elegance laced with hidden ways in Queen Liandra's castle, to the enduring strength of Castlegard's invincible battlements, and last but not least, to the shimmering jewel-bright walls of prophecy in the Kiralynn Monastery, knowledge fashioned into stone, you'll find culture sculpted into architecture, beauty and meaning entwined. Welcome to the wonders of the kingdoms of Erdhe, where architecture is a major world building element.

Many of my fans are asking about the maps of Erdhe for The Silk & Steel Saga. The maps are published in the print books, but I could not get them to successfully upload to the e-books. So I've post the maps of both the north and the south on my author webpage. If you are looking for the maps of Erdhe, you can find them here! Enjoy!

Of all the POV characters in The Silk & Steel Saga, there is one that intimidated me more than all the others combined, and that one is the Mordant. How do you write from the perspective of a thousand-year-old being? How do you show, not just tell, that kind of age? How do you portray that kind of evil without just spattering blood all over the pages? In The Silk & Steel Saga, I challenged myself to create a very malevolent, very sophisticated evil, not just a wizard who hurls fireballs. So I put a lot of thought into my uber bad guy. In much of the saga, I treat the Mordant like the shark in Jaws. The Mordant lurks beneath the story's surface, a dread menace with few details. The reader gains clues to his methods, but never really knows where or how he will strike. The Mordant becomes a malevolent story question. Not until the third book, The Skeleton King, does the Mordant rise out of the story's depths to reveal his true Darkness. This reveal is not just told, it is shown. The showing comes on the form of the twisted culture, crushing architecture, and soul-damning magic of the Dark Citadel. I put a lot of thought into building the Mordant's domain, for it is in 'showing' that stories have their true power. In the fourth and fifth books, the Mordant submerges again, only to reemerge in The Prince Deceiver, launching the Great Dark Divide. Writing from the Mordant's perspective was a major challenge, but one of the goals of my saga was to show my readers the motives and mechanisms of true evil.

The Battle Immortal is published!!!! The epic Silk & Steel Saga has come to its thrilling conclusion! Read how Kath, Blaine, Liandra, Master Rizel and all of Erdhe fare in this epic battle of Light versus Dark. For Honor and the Octagon!
Thanks to all of my readers who have followed SASS on this epic journey! I write for you!

Just got back from Worldcon in Spokane! Had a fun time hobnobbing with my fellow fantasy writers and fans while spreading the word about The Silk & Steel Saga. Got to hear George Martin and Brandon Sanderson read chapters from their latest works! Two of my favorite authors! Great turnout for the con! Lots of energy and smiling faces! If you love to read or to write fantasy, consider going to Worldcon sometime, especially if the site is near you! Such a buzz to be around so many fantasy writers and fans!

The Battle Immortal, the 7th and final book of The Silk & Steel Saga, is available for pre-order as an e-book on Amazon! The publication date is Oct 9, 2015! The Battle Immortal will also be available as a print book and as an e-book for Nook! I can't wait for you to read this one!

Trumpets blare! Maroon battle banners wave! The end is near! Introducing the prologue to The Battle Immortal, the 7th and final book of The Silk & Steel Saga! I've posted the prologue to give you a taste of the story to come!

I just uploaded the book cover for The Battle Immortal, the 7th and final book of The Silk & Steel Saga! Check it out on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ!

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I was doing a search on Google and came across this site that claimed to have the "Top Famous Quotes" from Karen Azinger, among other notables. :) Since I'd never heard of the site, I clicked on it with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. To my surprise and delight, the site had great quotes from The Silk & Steel Saga and from my short stories! Check out their choices and let me know what you think! Wow! How cool!!!!