Fantasy

Who told NASA about me?

Hey!

Last week I told you I became the scientists at NASA’s newest penpal, and I promised to explain that.

I’m Ran, Sarn’s son and sidekick from the Curse Breaker Series and the best friend/giver of wise advice and magic of several characters in the Rogue Gods Trilogy that you will meet next week!

But I digress. So here’s what happened.

Melinda was still at work when the eclipse ended, and I was curious. Could they happen in my world? I had to know, but first, I needed to understand what eclipses are and how they happen. So I googled eclipses.

I have a sun and a moon in my world, and I assume they behave like yours because why wouldn’t they?

I’ve never seen my sun or moon do things your sun and moon don’t do. So it’s safe to assume that something that happens in your world could happen in mine, right? Right?

Although my aunt says you don’t have a Watcher who creeps around the moon and questions angels flying back and forth on heavenly business. So maybe our moon isn’t like yours after all.

But I digress. I came to answer your question, so let’s get back to that!

The result of my Google search? Yes, a total eclipse could happen in my world!

So I wrote NASA a nice email asking if they could figure out when and where so I can watch the chaos unfold—I mean the eclipse happen. (But we both know there will be chaos too.)

I’ll let you know if and when they reply.

In book news, we just found out that the printer we like to use called can add shiny foil to the covers for paperbacks for the Rogue Gods Trilogy! So in addition to color chapter headers and full page black and white illustrations, the cover will have shiny gold text!

The covers for the Rogue Gods Trilogy books had a faked gold effect and now we’re really excited that we can make it a real gold foil so it shines in the light. Won’t that be so pretty?

We just ordered proofs so hopefully in a few weeks, we can show you pictures of what that foiling looks like!

And now, Guerren wanted to stare into your soul again, but the other characters share my concerns. So Argeneal*, a fallen angel looking for redemption, will stare into your soul instead. He wants to know what Guerren sees in there, and I’d like to know too.

Rogue Gods #1: Gateway To Hell

Fallen But Not Forgotten (Chapter 1, scene 4)

“What do I get if I do this? Do you have a one-way ticket to Heaven in your pocket?” Guerren pointed at her white robe.

“Is that what you want?” She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

The question caught him off guard. What do I want? Guerren didn’t know. “Why should I believe anything you say? How do I know you’re not just another fallen angel trying to manipulate me?”

Her eyes softened. Perhaps she understood his hesitation. “You have every reason to doubt me. I’m here to restore balance, not perpetuate chaos, but I can’t prove it. Not now because this is just a dream, and I can twist it to suit my needs, but that won’t prove anything to you. Find me after you deliver the book to the rebels. Wake me up, and I’ll tell you how to defeat the Prince of Lies.”

She raised her hand and whispered an incantation. A shimmering portal materialized before them, revealing the dark alley he left minutes before. “You must go before a patrol finds you.”

Was there a body slouched against the wall? Yes, there was, and it was his battered body. The bitter taste of betrayal lingered in his mouth. Guerren clenched his fists, anger boiling within him because he was looking at himself.

“The Fallen stole my throne and imprisoned me. Together, we can reclaim what we lost.” The fire in her eyes spoke of a shared desire for justice.

Guerren cast caution to the wind. If he couldn’t help a beautiful woman, then what good was he?

“I’ll help your rebellion.” As he said that, the weight of his decision settled on his shoulders like a bag of bricks. “Together, we will restore peace to this realm.”

The woman nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude and determination. “Thank you. Now, go. Find the Book of Names so we can fight the darkness that consumed this world.”

Guerren searched her eyes for any sign of deception. He felt a strange connection to her, a pull that went beyond mere physical attraction. But what did he really have to lose? Nothing because he had nothing now. “All right. If I find out you’re lying, I’ll make you pay for it.”

A faint smile played on her lips as she replied, “I wouldn’t expect anything less from a god of war. Now go. My fate’s in your hands.”

“You might regret that before long.” Guerren would get the book and take it to her people. If nothing else, it would give him a destination and a place to go. Then he’d see about waking her up and finding out if what she said was true. But first, he’d look through the book of names and keep a few for himself, just in case.

“The rebellion awaits you,” she whispered, and his heart raced as she reached under her robe and pulled out a pendant etched with symbols that glinted in the orangey light. “This won’t protect you. Nothing can now, but it’ll help you find the rebels.” She offered it to him, and her gaze never wavered.

As Guerren reached out to take the pendant, the woman stepped forward and her lips brushed against his like a promise.

“Trust no one.” The woman vanished, leaving him standing alone in an empty room.

***

*Argeaneal is a point of view character who shows up partway through book 1, Gateway to Hell, when Guerren breaks into the fortress-like Library of Forbidden Knowledge and searches for the item the Sleeping Angel asked him to steal.

We can’t show you his introduction since it’s a massive spoiler, so next week, we’ll pick up our preview a bunch of chapters later in the book with another point of view character since his introduction doesn’t spoil anything that Guerren’s doing.

Don’t forget to follow the Kickstarter, so you know when it launches. Guerren is on the right. You’ll meet the other two characters in an upcoming newsletter!

He wants an army. She must save all of Time from a mad goddess. Will they team up? Find out in a new trilogy of epic fantasy adventures.

New Podcast Episodes & Videos

Listen to our podcast in your player of choice. Or Watch it on YouTube.

  • Fantasy, Lore, & More: The #BreakIns – our first ever group episode! Listen as Melinda talks to 5 of the sixteen indie Sci-fi and Fantasy authors from the #BreakIns and discover breakout books and debut ones coming your way over the next three months!

New Releases, Sales, & Other Book Stuff

Get ready for the Rogue Gods Trilogy!

Read Shards For His Gift now! The Rogue Gods Trilogy takes place during this book. Get 30% off using code CBS30 if you purchase from my store.

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