​My new series Shadow Elf Chronicles is available now. Read on to learn more about Rosk! BUY or READ FOR FREE with Kindle Unlimited here: http://getbook.at/OfShadows

Rosk was believed to have been one of the last to train under the druidic Order of The Moon before its collapse. Growing up as an orphan, he lived on the streets of Mandurlaku when it was called Mandurel. Though he was too short to be deemed a threat on the battlefield, he found luck when coming across a caravan of gypsies moving through the city. 

However, he was only with them for a handful of years before seeking out more knowledge related to astrology and basic earth magic. Eventually, joining the Order of the Moon, he learned transfiguration and was able to hide at will. This skill came to use when the Purists annihilated the Order seeking to feed on the more naturally aligned druids.

From there, he met a rogue named Calinda and her brother Vake. They began as simple thieves but upon coming across a Rusis by the name of Jei, they vowed to form their own order in the shadow of the changes sensed across the Shadowlands.

With a penchant for drinking copious amounts of alcohol, he’s not the best at staying sober but he has managed to build up his Order of thieves and nobodies into a somewhat coherent force that keeps watch across the Shadowlands.

Name: Rosk
Gender: Male
Race: Shadow Elf
Age: 302
Clan: Va
Affiliations: Order of the Black Tree
Allies: Order of the Black Tree, Hands of Twilight, Rebel Factions of the Shadowlands
Roles: Master of the Order of the Black Tree
Religion: Shadow
Weapons: Fire Magic, Transformations (including a white duck and a ferret capable of bursting into flames)
Enemies: Blood Priestess of the Red Star, Targus under the command of the Emperor, Ascenders of Mandurlaku

My new series Shadow Elf Chronicles is available now. Read on to learn more about Auikel! BUY or READ FOR FREE with Kindle Unlimited here: http://getbook.at/OfShadows

Aiukel was only twenty-two when she was first inducted into the High Guard of Mandurel, tasked with protecting the religious temples of the city. After a civil war sparked between local Targus thirty two years later, she caught the eye of the elite warriors of the Emperor after witnessing her battle prowess and began training in the Shadow Guard at the young elven age of fifty-five. She quickly rose up through the Shadow Guard of Mandurel, and was a warrior who then went on to become one of the most highly regarded assassins to ever serve.
She earned particular regard hunting the Wizard of Twin Moons. Though she wasn't present when he was killed, she was honored for her actions elsewhere. After taking a concentrated arcane blast to her throat that left her temporarily blind in one eye and struggling to breathe, she single-handedly held the line against over two hundred goblins until the local militia could respond, saving the lives of countless area villagers and being awarded a sacred chakram from a coven of the goddess Ehtheriu.
Many years later during the fall of Mandurel, she secured those of the Shadow Guard to protect the royal clans of the emperor and the sacred sites of the Shadow Gods. Forming the Hands of Twilight, she is committed to stopping the spread of The Blood and returning Mandurel to its former glory.
Shadow Elf Chronicles Character Profile #1:
Name: Aiukel
Gender: Female
Race: Shadow Elf
Age: 252 years
Clan: Unknown, Leader of the Hands of Twilight
Affiliation: Hands of Twilight, Shadow Guard
Allies: The Purists, Order of the Black Tree, Falacar Bloodrunners
Roles: Matriarch of the Hands of Twilight, Leader of The Ten
Religion: Shadow
Weapons:
Chakram of Etheriu, Silver Blades of the Silent, throwing daggers.
Abilities: Shadow Shift: Allows her to move silently within shadows.
Chief Enemies:
Ascenders of the Great Seer
Blood Priestesses of the Red Star

​In partnership with The Fantasy Bazaar of Fantastic Finds, The Dwemhar Realm Official Merchandise store is now available for all of your Dwemhar needs!

What can you get?

• Art Prints
• Coffee Mugs
• Shirts
• (and even more!)

If you want something  and you don't see it, please reach out to me directly at authorjtwilliams@gmail.com and I'll see what I can do. ;)

In the near future, I'm looking to add paintable miniatures of some of your favorite characters so be watching for that!

Check it out at the link below and let me know what you think! 

​(You can also find some rather hard to find fantasy shirts and what not, so take a look at The Fantasy Bazaar of Fantasy Finds store, too!

​The time has finally come! Winemaker of the North, the first book in the Rogues of Magic trilogy, is available now as an audiobook narrated by the none other than Tim Gerard Reynolds!

Return to the magic of Elinathrond, the hidden city and refuge of magic in the Far North. Follow the journey of the assasin Sviska who was sent for one reason alone but quickly learns that nothing he believes is as he knows.

Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, a bestselling audiobook narrator and winner of multiple Audie awards, along with the 2016 Reddit listener-voted "Stabby" Award for his contributions, in particular, to the epic fantasy genre - be prepared to be transported to a world of epic fantasy and magic like you've never experienced before!

...and don't worry, the release of book two is just around the corner! Jump in and head into the adventure of Winemaker of the North!

Never listened to an audiobook? Audible has a free trial! (Try it, I think you'll love it!)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Get it now!

Hello readers! 

I was invited to include one of my bestselling books in a Storybundle curated by the legendardy Sci-Fi and Epic Fantasy author Kevin J. Anderson! Click the button below to see the story bundle right away (it's an awesome deal!) or read on to learn more here!

The 2019 Truly Epic Fantasy Bundle - Curated by Kevin J. Anderson
It isn't the words we remember…
…it's the worlds.
Are you ready for an Epic Fantasy adventure?
From legendary authors like Alan Dean Foster (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Star Trek: The Original Series: The Rings of Taute), and James A. Owen (1 Million Sales), to rising stars like James Hunter (Viridian Gate) and Craig A. Price Jr. and Angelique Anderson, this collection will take your imagination to places it didn't know existed.
Epic Fantasy is a genre that stretches the boundaries of the quest. Whether a triumph of good vs. evil, or a search for meaning or truth, these stories take readers to a new place.
Who will be the next child sacrificed in Thairan? (Fairmist, by Todd Fahenstock)
They are addicted to Magic…
…it makes them unstoppable.
But are they being used? (Shadow Blade, by Chris Barili)
Will his gift cost him everything? (Thought Gazer, by Ramond Bolton)
With dragons, swords, magic and a few surprises you didn't expect, this Story Bundle will keep you reading well into the night. Discover authors like, J.T. Williams (Half-Bloods Rising), Kevin McGlaughlin (The First Dragonrider), Frank Morin (Set in Stone), M. L. Humphrey (Rider's Revenge), who are all included with those mentioned above.
Get it now.
For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay. For $5 (or more, if you're feeling generous), you'll get the basic bundle of five books in any ebook format—WORLDWIDE.

• Thought Gazer by Raymond Bolton
• MythWorld by James A. Owen
• Rider's Revenge Trilogy Book 1: Rider's Revenge by Alessandra Clarke
• The Fey Book 1: The Sacrifice by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• Set in Stone by Frank Morin

If you pay at least the bonus price of just $15, you get all five of the regular books, plus TEN more!

• Shadow Blade by Chris Barili
• The Taste of Different Dimensions by Alan Dean Foster
• The Whisper Prince Book 1: Fairmist by Todd Fahnestock
• The Fey Book 2: The Changeling by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• The First DragonRider by Kevin McLaughlin
• Accidental Thief by C.J. Davis and Jamie Davis
• Viridian Gate Online: Side Quests by James A. Hunter, D.J. Bodden, N.H. Paxton & More
• Half-Bloods Rising by J.T. Williams
• Nova Dragon - Book One of the Goblin Star by Gama Ray Martinez
• The Dragon's Call Book 1: Dragon Sword by Angelique Anderson and Craig A. Price, Jr.

This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com. It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get multiple DRM-free formats (.epub and .mobi) for all books!
It's also super easy to give the gift of reading with StoryBundle, thanks to our gift cards – which allow you to send someone a code that they can redeem for any future StoryBundle bundle – and timed delivery, which allows you to control exactly when your recipient will get the gift of StoryBundle.
Why StoryBundle? Here are just a few benefits StoryBundle provides.

• Get quality reads: We've chosen works from excellent authors to bundle together in one convenient package.
• Pay what you want (minimum $5): You decide how much these fantastic books are worth. If you can only spare a little, that's fine! You'll still get access to a batch of exceptional titles.
• Support authors who support DRM-free books: StoryBundle is a platform for authors to get exposure for their works, both for the titles featured in the bundle and for the rest of their catalog. Supporting authors who let you read their books on any device you want—restriction free—will show everyone there's nothing wrong with ditching DRM.
• Give to worthy causes: Bundle buyers have a chance to donate a portion of their proceeds to The Challenger Center For Space Education!
• Receive extra books: If you beat the bonus price, you'll get the bonus books!

In celebration of the release of the multi-book boxset Ranger of Taria, I've got a giveaway like no other! Click below to enter and for your chance to get your hands on a dragon cup, signed books, a map of the region the books take place AND *sound the horns of Taria* A REAL RECURVE BOW!

Entry is available to those within the continental US only! (due to shipping costs.)

I'll cut right to the chase. These are some of the BEST epic fantasy books I've seen over the last year. ALL of them are discounted to 0.99 and one of them is even FREE! Check them out, see how many you've read, and grab a few new reads before the promotion is over on March 7! (So, don't delay and go raiding the local mine looking for goblins!) ;) 

See them all here: https://epicfantasyfanatics.com/swords-of-spring/?src=jwilliams

Hello! It has been a while since I posted a proper update! While I recently completed and released Epochs, book seven in the Stormborn Saga, I also am nearly done with Shards of Etha, the next major release! The Clockmaster's Shroud, the trilogy-in-progress covers many subjects I haven't written about yet. If you've read many of my other books, you already know that the Dwemhar were a race of ancient beings with advanced technology using crystals and energy devices... well, in Epochs you actually get to see some of this including one of the super weapons created during their war with the Rusis. Snag a preview below. :) 

The next cover in the Stormborn Saga! ...guess what? dragons are coming! :) 

I'm doing my best to improve how often I post here. I know that many do not use Facebook but IF you want to make sure you don't miss my releases and you want an easy reminder, make sure you join my mailing list (there is a link at the top of the page!) 

I'll be posting soon about Shadow Elf Chronicles. Be watching for it!

​-Jeremy

**Updated 8/2019**

The most common question I get is where to start with my books when compared to the other books in my world. So, I created this which I intend to keep up-to-date! While there are many starting points, if you're someone who wants to "start at the beginning" you can do so!

If you have a question, I'm always a message away via Facebook or you can reach me at authorjtwilliams@gmail.com! 

It's been a few months since I updated my blog. I've been extremely busy but this is actually really good news for you! 

I am finally writing full-time! I sent out an email about it to my subscribers a bit ago but I'll copy some of the info here:

As of August 12th, 2018 I finally became a full-time author. In the sincerest thanks I can offer you, I thank you for supporting me in this endeavor!
Every book you've bought, reviewed, and/or told a friend about, the posts on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram that you've liked or commented on, ALL of the little things have added up to me finally being able to quit my full-time job as a Paramedic and do exactly what I feel I was meant to do while still supporting my family. 
Did I love being a paramedic, yes! But it isn't an easy job and there is far less "sleeping" than some people assume when you talk about our long shifts. I had nearly ten years on "The Box" as we in EMS call it. There were countless nights of no sleep on a 24-48 shift, my wife worrying if on one of these sleepless nights we ran off the road on the way to a call, if the next drug addict I ran to the hospital decided to act out and attempt to stab me with a needle (this happened so many times...) or we were struck by a drunk driver. (that actually happened, too. In 2011, just past midnight and thankfully, I escaped with only bruises and a broken nose from being thrown across the back of the truck)
I've delivered babies and managed to pull people from the brink of death all between lunch and my next cup of coffee. That was the job I signed up for and have been blessed to learn and perform at for so long. But there's the other stuff... I've delivered the news way too many times that a loved one had died in every situation from passing peacefully in their sleep to being ejected from their vehicle and thrown into the windshield of another one. It's not just the visuals that are traumatic, and in particular, that doesn't bother me as much as the story of what happened before. The amount of "first anniversary" walks tragically ending, "Just retired" and "He is normally healthy and he was just coughing a day ago" stories that turn tragic, that stick with me even now as I write this. Above all, life is precious, my friends. No one guarantees your next day. This is something I had nearly constant reminders of for years. 
Some readers question why some of my writing, particularly Half-Elf Chronicles, is so dark. I've seen a lot and I'd wager more than the vast majority of authors out there. When I describe arterial blood "squirting" or the bubbles coming from someone gasping for air after their throat was slashed -it's because I've actually seen it. But the dark side of EMS is that all of this has an effect on us as providers and my writing has always served as an outlet in some form. In Half-Elf Chronicles, Kealin is on a journey where he is fighting against death itself, at least in his mind. Yet, through all his endeavors, he struggles to ever stop it. He eventually breaks free from those thoughts and realizes the truth. Looking back, I see the resonance between his struggles and my own. A strange way to look at it but from my point-of-view, his story and mine are similar.
But so much has changed now. I am actually home with my wife and kids more than I'm at work where I was averaging 60-84 hours a week. I am extremely fortunate that you, as my reader, have stuck with me and supported my work.
Yes, I know that aspects of this email were a bit dark and potentially shocking, but this is a true look at behind the scenes of my writing and my work life for most of my 20s. If I can stress anything outside this email it for you to thank ALL of our public servants, but make a point to especially thank your local Paramedics and EMTs. It's amazing what it feels like when someone covers the costs of our coffee in between calls. The small things make a huge difference and could shift our entire view of the day.



The text above says it best but THANK YOU to those that have supported me, even back before Winemaker of the North (my first novel) when I had a small collection of short stories and that was it. 

I've got more announcements coming but I'll share those on another post.

Thank you for helping me reach my goal of becoming a full-time author and I cannot wait to see the adventures to come!

​-Jeremy (J.T. Williams)

About a week ago I started a little story on my Facebook page! I've moved that story here to make for an easier read but at the bottom of this post you'll find the link to the most recent voting option! YES, you can choose how this story goes! Read the full story below and then follow the link to vote!

(Only lightly edited but it should be very readable!)

Part 7 Let's write a story! Previous winner: The eye! (Start reading the story in entirety here or skip down to the bottom. I’ll put a few ***** to denote the newest stuff.
 
Thunder rolled above a shadowy form as they arrived in a village deep in the woods. They headed to the nearby tavern, a good a place for some rest and a fine drink. It was snowing and there were very few people out as the moon reached its pinnacle. As the mysterious form pushed open the door of the tavern, the barkeep looked up at them.
It was a blonde haired woman. She struggled to catch her breath and her right hand clutched a spot at the front of her chest as she pushed the door back closed. She stumbled forward. Her leather armor was tattered at her shoulder and blood ran between her fingers as she gripped a still hidden wound.
He knew this woman. He had told her to never return here after she was caught by the king's men and he managed to help her escape.
"What are you doing back? Why did you come here?" the barkeep asks.
The woman leaned over the bar, nearly collapsing. She reached at her hip for one of her last potions.
"We must hurry," she said, fumbling a near-empty red elixir to her mouth.
The door slammed open behind her and the rogue jerked to face what she believed to be her enemy.
In the darkness of the void stood a dwarf with a large hammer,
"They are comin'! I tried to lead them away but this is the only village and I even had Rakla distract and take down two of them. They have called for more forces. We cannot stay here. We must go."
The barkeep looks at both of them. "Why? You said if I helped you before you'd leave this life. I only just helped you before. They nearly figured it out. They know you came here. They will figure it out. I can't help you again."
"Master Barkeep, I do not know your relationship with my dear friend here," the dwarf says, "But she said there are tunnels. Tunnels where we can hide! I'd rather not die right now."
"I can't do it again, perhaps if you appeal to the king? He will--"
"That king is a bastard," she yelled, "A fool that deserves the blades coming for his neck."
The barkeep stared the rogue up and down blinking, "So it is no long petty crime. You now seek the role of an assassin? If your mother--"
"Mother is dead because her husband is a drinking coward."
"I am your father."
"Sure. You did your part."
The rogue pushed herself up from the bar and walked towards the door.
"We must go, Master Dwarf, this man will be no use to us. It was a mistake to think he would."
The dwarf adjusted his hammer in his hands, "Caves sounded nice. I guess we'll opt to smash a few more skulls instead."
"Wait," the barkeep said, "The caves are overrun. It was nothing but a place to store my ale under the tavern even then but I closed that way some time ago. It would take time to clear it and then, well, there are monsters of a different kind there."
"We won't bother you with it," the rogue said, peering out from the tavern.
In the distance, there was shouting. Their enemy was approaching. The rogue closes the door.
"They are upon us."
"Master Barkeep, I'll have a drink. Ale, please. And sorry for the coming mess. It'd be best you just hide if you don't have a fighting hand in you."
"Don't bother," the rogue said, "He only know about polishing glasses. Prepare yourself, perhaps our friends will reach us here. That is our only chance."
The barkeep nervously took a glass and filled it with ale. He could hear the shouting becoming louder. He set the ale on the counter to which the dwarf laughed and happily grabbed the glass.
"What a fine night for a drink."
The rouge sprinted around the tavern, darkening the candles and braziers, filling the area with a smoky haze and leaving only a small candle above the drinking dwarf as the lone source of light.
The barkeep stared at the doorway as it was kicked in.
The dwarf placed his glass down leaving only suds, "You're not a very good barkeep either, don't you have a bigger glass? One with a handle. I'll take another ale."
Several figures appeared in the doorway.
"No more antics!" one of them shouted. "We'll have your head now, a very easy thing to take off considering my sword already struck your chest."
"Well if that isn't rude," the dwarf said with a slurp of his freshly poured ale, "I don't believe your sword touched me. In fact, I'm enjoying this drink quite a bit and we both know your sword hasn't been in anything in quite some time."
The dwarf laughed at his own joke as the men passed the void of the doorway and begin towards him at a slow creep.
"If it isn't the good ole' Master Rilr? I didn't think I could see a full man back there in the woods but your stench is beyond recognizable."
"Ha, I could say that about your wife you overgrown 'shroom. You know, I know a shadow elf that could take that face of yours and make it into something useful. Perhaps then your Mrs' would take a bath."
"Enough of this!" the man shouted, "We know she is here. Seize him!"
The dwarf hopped off the barstool with his ale in one hand and his hammer in the other, "Now, I have been more than peaceful this entire exchange, but finishing my drink takes priority at this moment. Besides, two of your guys are already out!"
Rilr began to chug his drink as the host turned to see two of their own on their backs.
They ran to their comrades. The original man slammed his sword into one of the nearby tables.
"Their throats are slit. You merciless bitch!" he screamed, "Burn this tavern down! She won't leave her dwarf here to die."
"But sir," one of the other men questioned, "You said to keep the battlemage on the outskirts and they doused all the fires save that lone candle."
"Are you really this incompetent? Go outside, get some damn torches, and burn this place!"
That man and two others turned and ran outside. Rilr finished his ale and set it down. As the man in charge of the group turned back he saw that the dwarf now grasped his hammer with both hands.
"You're fairly dumb, dear sir. I'd use that point sword to stab me while you had the chance and now I've had two ales and find I really don't want you to burn down this here tavern. I'd say you should just leave."
The man laughed, his two other henchmen beside him fanned out as if to get behind the dwarf.
"There are still three of us."
A whishing sound was in the air and the two men at either side of him grasped their necks and fell.
The rogue dropped from the shadows just behind the lone man, the silhouette of her blade danced through the air and he parried upwards, spinning to put himself closer to the door.
"You can't hide from fire. You won't escape this"
His other men returned with torches. Now, it seemed that more of his own men had made it from the woods.
"When the fire gets too hot, feel free to come out. We will wait."
The entryway was set ablaze and in the flames, the two men the rogue had struck last gasped with raspy breaths, as blood was coughed from their mouths.
The dwarf went to both of them and stomped them.
"Now, what?" the dwarf asked.
The barkeep had already begun to move several barrels on the far side of the room.
"This way, we have to try the tunnels."
The rogue lit a torch that Rilr had from the flames and looked a last time at their pursuers, waiting outside like the confident pricks they were. Especially the one man, a skilled swordsman himself. The had trained together in the times well before this night.
You still don't have me. -she said to herself as she stared at him.
As they ran to where her father was, he had cleared away enough of the blockade he had constructed to reveal a cellar door.
"This way, we must go down. The cave system is vast but there are worse things this way. I have had this barred for some time."
As they descended down into the damp cellar and the entrance to a very large cave opening, the barkeep paused.
"This is different," he said, looking to recent upturned dirt that went another way.
"Another cave?" the dwarf asked.
"Yes, the original cave is that large one there. This one goes a different way. The stones deeper in are-- are glowing."'
"We must pick one," The rogue said
“I vote the glowing one,” Rilr said. “We already know the other ones are dangerous. We should take a chance on what we don’t know.”
“I agree,” the barkeep said.
As they moved toward the glowing stone cave, the rogue rushed ahead to where the path opened up quite a bit more than she expected. They were under the village. She recognized the stone that wasn’t glowing was of the same construct as the temple to the god Etha in the village.
“Did the elves ever delve within these lands?”
“Ha!” the dwarf laughed, “Elves delve? That’s as likely as I swearing off ale!”
“No, not that I know of,” her father said. “I do know the foundations of the village were in existence before the men came this way. The ocean is not too far away, perhaps, it was the sea peoples of the far north? I have heard they had glowing stones within their ruins.
“He means the Dwemhar,” Rilr said.
“I’ve heard the term,” the rogue stated, “They’re an extinct race. Defeated by the elves.”
“I’m not sure where you learned your history but it was not from me,” her father said. “This is not even close to correct.”
“No, iI didn’t learn anything from you.. Let us just get through this place. The others will wonder what happened to us.”
As they proceeded forward, they took a path that twisted to the left, leading to a passage with a massive wall that reached much higher than the carved passages of their path which now led them downward.
As the torchlight revealed the painted images on the mural beside them, the rogue saw glyps and markings that seemed to show a people bowing before a set of mountains. Proceeding further, the story revealed itself with more imagery. There was a shroud of clouds over the sun. The people that had been bowing before the mountains were now aflame and a great wave of water swept over the lands.
“I was right,” her father said, “This tells their story. These people were of the lost race, those that were swept away with the coming of the seas to the North. Perhaps, when we get to safety, I call tell you more of this my child.”
The rogue ignored him. Moving forward with the dwarf, they came to a sealed doorway. There were several markings and a lever to the right. The markings were of a mountain, a star, a moon, and an eye. Near the lever, the dwarf knelt down to find many layers of cloth. As he lifted the cloth, a broken skull stared up at them.
“This is a dwarf but he is long dead,” Rilr said.
“This must not be the way that whoever made the hole in the cellar took,” the barkeep said. “This way is sealed and even this corpse did not make it through.
The dwarf rummaged through the remains and found a parchment.
“It is a map. He was exploring this place. The ruins here are Dwemhar and go under the entire expanse of the nearby woods. The elves in this region must have came later.”
The rogue knelt down, seeing a red colored binding sticking out from under some of the bones. It was a book, a journal of some kind. The dwarf snatched it away and flipped to one of the final pages.
“Okay, this door leads to something that our friend here was searching for. Something of value. He said the first two markings were of the heavenly bodies. The star and then the moon. He stated that he had already figured out that the room he was standing in was booby trapped and that he believed the correct order made sense to him and was as any dwarf would assume.”
“What in the gods does that mean?” the rogue questioned. “Let’s just go back. This is pointless. There must be another way.”
But as the rogue turned to go the other way they found their path blocked. Where before was an open passage was now a solid pillar of stone.
She drew one of her knives and scanned the room, “Someone must be watching us.”
“Places of the ancients do not require living eyes to sense those of life within them,” the barkeep said. “We must choose.”
“Screw choosing,” the dwarf said. “This guy here made jokes about assumptions and look at him now! I have a small bit of Dwarven Dust. We can blow our way back out the way we came. I’d rather risk that than whatever choosing wrong here results in.”
“Come on, that will not work,” the barkeep said. “The explosion would kill us all.”
“No, I can do it,” Rilr said.
“That’s too risky, even for you, Rilr,” the rogue said. She pointed at the door, “We must try this way.”
The dwarf put away his canister of dwarven dust and grumbled to himself.
“Okay,” the barkeep said. “A dwarf would consider the mountain last, in my understanding. It being the final one and a place a dwarf would call home.”
The rogue shook her head, “The eye represents the mind’s eye. It is the final one. That dwarf picked what he thought was correct. He was wrong.”
“So sure about the mind’s eye?” Rilr asked. “Dwarves are older than your race. They know very well of who created this place and the significance of what you speak of. The Dwemhar were powerful users of mind magic, capable of driving another lesser form insane, shifting their bodies through the physical realm in a flash, and literally causing the vessels of their enemies to burse bringing instant death. Any dwarf would know this. This dwarf was an explorer, likely well versed in this very lore. You are wrong. The mountain is the final one. This corpse picked the eye.”
“If he knew this, he picked incorrectly still,” the barkeep said with a gulp, “We need to pick. I can feel the air leaving this passage. A continued debate will leave us all to join the dwarf and I’d rather not ask him the answer in the afterlife.”

*****

The rogue reached forward and pressed the stone with the eye.
“We’ll trust the Dwemhar.”
The door quaked before them and gears spun behind the rocks. The entire door glowed blue with a flash of white down the center and a crystal eye at the top of the door flashed white several times. A ray of light from the eye moved from the top of the room to the ground, illuminating each of them as the door began to open.
“We are not Dwemhar,” the barkeep said, “but we solved the puzzle and the door opens. But we are not-”
A screaming sound pierced their ears. The door had opened but the eye above the door was a last trick of the ancient race. The puzzle was only part of the riddle. Those of Dwemhar blood were allowed passage not elves, dwarves, or most definitely, the race of men.
Several crystals emerged from the walls of the caves and begin to spin around them. The passage before them was open, a lone road high above cavernous depths to either side.
“Run!” Rilr shouted, pushing through the opening and sprinting ahead of the others.
The rogue and the barkeep followed as quickly as their feet would carry them. The crystals formed a around a golden disc, zooming around them before moving along the lower regions of the caverns and up along the walls of the monstrous passage they ran through.
Though the road before them was simple stone, the passage they were was like a vault of the lost race. Golden walls glowed with blue lines that went from the ceiling high above to the lower depths beyond sight.
Energy surged in the long-dormant constructs and more crystals emerged, spinning about them. The golden disc from the doorway hovered at the far end of the room. A massive stony form, unlike that of the designs around them, set just below the disc. As the group reached this area, they came across several more bodies. These were much different.
“Rusis,” the barkeep said, “The enemies of the Dwemhar. They had reached this place. Intruders, attempting to sabotage it perhaps.”
“Rusis? Like those that can cast elemental magic?”
“They were not so rare at one time,” the dwarf said, “At one time, they had cities, an entire culture. At least, unlike the Dwemhar, they still exist in the world.”
The golden disc lowered down into the rocks before them.
“These rocks are not from the cave. These rocks came later,” Rilr pointed. “These Rusis placed this stone here. To keep something down.”
The barkeep scanned the room around them.
“A door, a simple door!”
He ran to the door and pulled it open. Looking up a passage that lead back to a simple rocky cave, he noticed the broken ruins of another puzzle door.
“The Rusis came this way. We can get out this way. Come, the air moves beyond here. The outside world must not be too far!”
The rogue went to catch up with her father just as the spinning crystals took positions above the rocky form where the disc had descended. In a flash of blue, the crystals released energy, shattering the rocks and sending a shockwave of energy outward throwing the dwarf some distance away.
“Rilr!” the rogue shouted.
In the rubble of the rocky prison, a construct unlike any the rogue had seen, emerged. It walked on four articulating legs, with horns atop its head that spun in place. Energy surged atop what could be described as its head. There was a moment where a sudden shrill sound echoed across the room and a blast of white fire struck just near Rilr.
The dwarf rolled, brandishing his hammer.
The rogue dropped her torch and sprinted, jumping atop the construct. She thrust her blade into one of the bends in its metal form but it spun, knocking her nearly into her father by the door.
The horns of the beast shifted, as it moved towards the barkeep and rogue. The shrill sound filled the room again.
The barkeep grabbed for his daughter, pulling her close to him. The rogue looked at him and in an instant, an enveloping shimmer ward extended out from him. The blast of fire struck and the ward shattered but somehow- both of them were unharmed.
Rilr growled, “Blasted Dwemhar beast!”
The dwarf shouted a battle cry, running and swinging his hammer in an overhead arc, smashing into one of the horns and causing the construct to stumble away from him. He sprinted forward, smashing one of its legs, causing a bolt of lightning to leap out of the form as it began to smoke. It attempted to stomp the dwarf, but instead began to stumble near the edge were the caverns dropped into the depths below. It was too late for the construct. The dwarf struck it again, sending two of its legs off the edge. A shrill sound filled the air and in its last moment, Rilr was struck white the white blast just as the construct stumbled over the edge.
Rilr flew backward, striking the cavern wall just near the rogue. She ran to him.
“Rilr!” she said, shaking him.
His armor was burned across his chest and his hair was burnt and smoking.
The barkeep knelt down, “He is breathing but just so. He needs a healer. Do you have any more potions?”
“No!”
The barkeep through the dwarf over his shoulder, moving towards the open door and the passage out.
“Come, we must get to the elves in this region.”
“They won’t help a dwarf!”
The barkeep and rogue began up the passage leading away from the caverns that were seemingly darkening as their presence left.
“Well most men won’t be of use right now and we do not know where your friends are or much less, where we are.”
As they ascended up higher and higher, they came to an area covered in rubble and came across rail carts. It was a dwarven mine considering their token adorned rail carts could not be mistaken for any of the simple ones used by other races.
The rogue looked at her father, thinking back to how he had used some type of power.
“What did you back there?”
He glanced down at her and then stepped onto the rails.
“We need to go this way,” he pointed to the right,”I can feel the shift in winds.”
“You ignore me, haven’t you done that enough in your lifetime.”
The barkeep sighed and looked down at her.
“I wasn’t around because I was a danger to you. Don’t you know how people like me end up? How those like us?  In all your travels, you do not know one race that can summon magic without a wand, staff, or enchantments?”
“Rusis. You… we? We’re Rusis?”
“I never told your mother. She didn’t need to know. Most Rusis women are sold into slavery. Even half-bloods like you. If I was away, the chance of you discovering your power by accident was low. It takes some manner of learning to even awaken it. I am unpracticed now, old, weak. The ability to save us before was something just… well, that just happened. We need to get moving and get Rilr to someone who can heal. That is a power I do not have.”
As the barkeep moved down the passage with the dwarf over his shoulder, the rogue was shocked by this revelation. Her thoughts toward her father, though still strongly on her mind, had changed. She had seen the Rusis slaves and what was done to them in the far eastern lands. As they moved at an upward angle, she could see a glow of moonlight shining down.
The rogue was so deep in thought, she barely realized the many bodies of creatures they stepped over.
“Father,” she said.
“Keep moving! I fear a trap is upon us. The air is foul with fresh blood.”
The mine they emerged from had been home to some type of beasts that were difficult to discern in the little light they had. The torch had gone out just in time for them to reach the outside world. The smell of fresh air was a refreshing scent.
The outside world was still and white. The snow upon the ground was fresh but as the barkeep set the dwarf against a nearby tree, the rogue knelt down to look at the bodies. She wondered what had killed the creatures.
“Your friends, who are they?” the barkeep asked.
“Rangers,” she said, “Most in rebellion against the King.”
As she knelt down, she knew the rangers coming through here would have shot the creatures from afar with arrows.

​
HOW WERE THE CREATURES KILLED? Arrows or something else? Vote here:

https://www.facebook.com/fantasyauthorjtwilliams/posts/2319834368243290

Announcing the releases of Lost Tales of the Realms: A Collection. An epic five story set that includes all of the released Lost Tales of the Realms story for one price (and over 50% off buying them individually!)

The rallying call of the dwarven Hammersongs, the keen eye of a ranger seeking to save his family, and the gleam of the torchlight off the fangs of a vampire lord…

All of these and many other creatures, heroes, and villains, await you in this combined edition of the exciting Lost Tales of the Realms stories.

Embrace the characters from Half-Elf Chronicles, Saints of Wura, and Stormborn Saga in new and eye-opening ways… or learn about characters you have never met in some of the lesser known events in the timeline of the novels. 

I strongly advise any fans of epic fantasy to check out both Ragged Heroes AND Beyond the Deepwoods! Aside from the awesome value of so many tales for virtually pocket change, I have TWO new novellas set in my NEW post-apocalyptic epic fantasy world! 

Death Bane, found in Ragged Heroes, follows the character Nurias on his quest to obtain a weapon capable of killing the otherwise immortal necromancers.

Darkness Upon Redstone Lake is a tale within Beyond the Deepwoods. This story is set BEFORE the end of the world. Two young wizards see the coming apocalypse and struggle to survive and escape the evils of a dark spellcaster that seeks to claim their souls as his own!

Hello everyone! I hope 2018 is treating everyone well! This is a post I’ve been wanting to do for a while and hopefully not only will you understand why there are no other audiobooks but maybe, you might want to try to fix that. Read on to see how!

Second only to “When’s the next book?”, the most common question I get via email and social media is questioning additional audio books in my Half-Elf Chronicles series. At least once a week someone messages me asking when will “book(s) X” be on Audible and I really don’t have a great answer.

For those of you that do know, I partnered with Mikael Naramore for Half-Bloods Rising. It was an awesome experience and the finished product was amazing. He was more than willing to narrate the next few books which was awesome there was only one issue. Cost. You pay for quality. I paid in the upper price tiers and while it is absolutely worth it, it hasn’t been something that I’ve been able to justify again. For the cost of one book, I can produce three to four novels WITH custom artwork… and who doesn’t like more books? 😊
Now, the first thought you might have is that perhaps going with a more affordable narrator would be a good idea. That might work but then I feel like I’m selling you all short! While I’m sure there is plenty of talent out there, it is extremely tedious to find the right “voice”. For Half-Bloods Rising I went through 40+ auditions, including at least three very well-known narrators. Ultimately, the best voices were the most expensive. It makes sense.

So, what’s the point of all this? My options. One thing I’m thinking about is potentially crowdfunding to support my audiobook projects. It’s an interesting idea (and something I’m only a little bit familiar with) but in my opinion, it’s on the table but I’m not too sure.
​
The best thing that could happen would be an email from Tantor Media or Podium Publishing. These are two very large audiobook publishing platforms that have been known to approach authors and offer some form of contract for audiobook rights. Personally, I feel like this is the best route for my entire collection to become available in audio format. But their selection process is random at best and I can not “apply” or “submit” my stuff for consideration.

What do you think? Do you want to know what you can do? Take a moment and TELL these two publishers you want to see my stuff in audio format. Trust me, they care what a potential customer wants and in our modern age, social media is the best way to get their attention. The Twitter and Facebook links to the two appropriate publishers are below. If you want to do this, awesome! If not, that’s perfectly fine. It’s kind of a weird request but I figured what the hell… you know?

I am actively working to sort out exactly how I might go about crowdfunding because frankly, I want to hear Half-Elf Chronicles as audiobooks! Listening to Half-Bloods Rising was like revisiting an old friend and let me experience the book in a way that is impossible to do by reading it as the author!

Here’s the link to my Amazon Author page if you decide to visit the link’s below and let them know that YOU WANT HALF-ELF CHRONICLES AUDIOBOOKS! :D

https://www.amazon.com/J.T.-Williams/e/B00MGWXJCQ/

Podium Publishing’s Social Media
https://www.facebook.com/Podium-Publishing-111514486085160/
https://twitter.com/podiumaudio?lang=en
 
Tantor Audio’s Social Media
https://twitter.com/TantorAudio?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
 
https://www.facebook.com/TantorAudio/

So follow the links. Say what you want and maybe drop a link to my stuff. Like I said, if enough people do it who knows what might happen. :)


So also another little update....a new book is coming very soon with the secret title of Wizard Acid... it's a weird but fun adventure with two wizards and a trickster god! Who is ready for some monster killing?

Keep your swords sharp and your magic at hand,

​Jeremy

​

So with the release of my newest book, we come to a point where the series is nearly complete. Though, as most of you know, this is an expanding world and with the completion of this series so much more will be ready to reveal! Kealin's adventure is not done and those that believe they know the ending of "things" because of one of my older books... well, you might not have paid attention. :) 

I also want to point out my secret project. This is something not set in the same world as the rest of my stories and is part of what I would deem a "secret anthology" that I and several other authors have come together to write. The tales are all set in separate worlds but will deal with the same similar themes. These will be dark and brutal stories that are not for those looking for feel-good fantasy and in many cases are not appropriate for younger readers. I know most of you are familiar with my work and know that typically this could be said of my own stuff but I daresay it... this might be darker. So are you curious what it is about?

In 2007, I wrote my very first book. I called it The Reckoning and it was an epic fantasy tale of a very different kind. I was trying to capture the "remoteness" I felt playing a game of my childhood called The Legend of Zelda. In this book, I have very few other characters aside from the first person POV main character for a good part of it. This is epic fantasy in a post-apocalyptic world... It's an interesting twist on what you might think of when you say post-apocalyptic. The word itself conjures up images of zombies and ragtag group of survivors moving from one place to another trying to survive but the stories are not like that. It's much more personal and deals with a ranger becoming severely afflicted with a necromancers curse. But this is not exactly THE tale that will be part of the secret project. I have written a prequel story that will be part of the anthology in 2018. So yes, for now I'm offering breadcrumbs with more info to come in the future!

If you haven't picked up Wrath of the Half-Elves, I urge you to do so. It's not a book you want to miss! (The link is in the image below!)

Another author interview! This time I would like to introduce post-apocalyptic author and zombie killing extraordinaire, Joshua C. Chadd! 

I hope you enjoyed meeting and learning a bit more about another talented author! (Also, Joshua claims he is a "guide" for hunting "animals" but I'm fairly sure the zombie apocalypse has already started and he's actually out killing zombies. ) :)

Be sure to check out his work and follow the links above to learn more!

Kealin waited in the main hall. The survivors that had suddenly arrived spoke of something that brought the greatest drear he had felt in some time. Eh-Rin, the very city he deemed safe, the place where his and Alri’s baby brother was guarded, faced annihilation.
He had helped to get the host inside. They said very little and the original man he had met, the one from Eh-Rin, had actually taken a blade to his side in their escape but he was not the only one injured. Once Hunda had a salve in place on the man’s ribcage, the man was led to the great hall and poured a large glass of wine. The man slurped the beverage as many of the others took seats around him.
They were all eager to hear more of what had happened.
Kealin’s anger grew the more he thought of his infant brother. He would not let him die. He would not have the same fate as Calak and Taslun.
“They were all dead,” the old man said.
Surk and Lizk leaned in as he spoke. Brethor looked up from across the room as he tied a bandage on one of the other men. He then walked over to the table near the fireplace and poured a cup of tea.
“How close did you get to the River Valley?” Surk asked.
“I stood on the beach just before the ruins of the lighthouse. The stench of death was beyond explainable. I saw no green tree, no unburnt bit of grass or flowers. The ground and the mountains were blackened. The city of Vueric was nothing but smoldering ruins, but I, Dabar of Eh-Rin, had to see it for myself. I could not believe when word came to our gates that our armies had fallen and that our good sultan and his flying machine were lost.
“I had helped him when he began his journey to the secret place in the mountains. He had told me to protect the city if they failed. I laughed at him, saying what could stand against the might of Eh-Rin? He nodded to me but nothing else.”
Brethor brought Dabar a cup of tea to go with his wine, and the man, aged with gray hair and a less-than-fluid motion to his actions, took a sip.
“This is good tea.”
“If you would like to rest, that is fine,” Alri said, now joining them. “The others are lying down. I understand you came under attack before you even made it to the mountains.”
“We did. Our group was double what we have now. We took a secret passage out of the city and came up on the other side of a Grand Protectorate camp. They pursued us, and several of our men stood their ground while we fled. 
“I remember that morning well. I had been meditating after being woken from the shaking of the earth and flashes to the east in the middle of the night. I knew the battle was happening and that there was nothing I could do. With dawn came silence, by evening we spotted a lone ship returning to port. There were only a few men of Vueric and an elf—that was it. The Drean’s sails appeared behind them. We got the men and the elf into the city, and our port defenses spun to life. We took at least twenty of the Drean vessels and tore them to pieces, but they began onslaughts of explosive attacks. We raised the city shields to protect our people. It was a few days later but when the first waves of legionnaires made their way down Amhe’s road and began to form, I knew the truth. All of our loved ones were dead.
 “The strangest happening was the arrival of the Sanguine monks. We had not heard a single whisper from them after Amhe departed but then they appeared in the palace and spoke of you.” He pointed to Kealin. “They said to seek the half-elf. They told us that you were our only hope. I did not think any more of it. We gathered our supplies, the best of our men, and the ones who wished to follow us from the battle only a few hours before. Once we took the secret passage and evaded our captors, we went into the mountains. We told those that knew our way out of the city to seal the passageway. If we were caught, we did not want to risk any easy way into Eh-Rin.
“We knew none lived north of the valley. We had to believe that any survivors went south. This place was the first forest we found that seemed of liking to an elf.”
Kealin grinned. “I do not know why the Sanguine sought me. I am just one man.”
“There is power in your bloodline, a younger one, a baby—they have him. The Sanguine. They say he is the most potent of Dwemhar blood they have ever seen.”
Alri looked to Kealin and then back to Dabar. “He is safe, for now?”
“As long as the shield above the city is up.”
“A literal shield of metals or magic?” Lizk asked.
“It is an energy-based device. We have spinning crystals beneath the city powered by the magic of the moon, recharging every night when the lunar light shines down upon the city itself. But we have great fear. The Drean have a sorcerer called Aganim, a practitioner of blood magic. We are afraid he seeks the power of the Itsu gods to pull the light from the moon. Without moonlight, Eh-Rin will fall.”
“This name,” Frinda said, “Aganim, I have heard it but I thought he was dead. The man would have to be a few hundred years old.”
“He is very much alive and resides in one of the massive Drean cities in the far west. The city is called Ridda. It is the place of snakes, a shrine to their snake deity, where ritual sacrifices take place before the great cobras. It is a place devoid of the powers of life. Only death is there.”
Alri sat back in her chair. “We will need an army and the full power of magic behind us if we are to save Eh-Rin. My Mortua Beacon needs adjustments and additional infusions of dark magic, but we will move on to Fadabrin and then determine our next path.”
“I have delivered my message to the half-elf, and I assume from your similarities, you are his sister.”
Alri smiled. “Yes, Dabar.”
“Family is the most fortunate gift. You should do all you can to guard one another.”

Preorder Wrath of the Half-Elves here!

A new release is here and it has been far too long! My newest story is a mix of my love of vampires and a callback to Elderscroll games like Oblivion and Skyrim! 

Who loves a good quest? Especially, when that quest is given by some random stranger in a tavern? The Stranger's Quest (ha! See what I did there?) is available now on Amazon. Give it a read and let me know what you think. If you are a fan of rpg style games and of course Rangers, elves, and dwarves, you'll like this. I can almost promise you!