It’s hard to convey exactly how I feel right now. I am preparing for the new school year (I’m a teacher), and I am waiting for the beta reader’s feedback. It’s a mixture of anticipation and excitement, and there’s so many good things to share with you I hardly know where to start.

Updated Covers!

When I reached out to my designer, Laura Hollingsworth, she asked me if I would like to update the typography on my trilogy in addition to creating the new cover for my next book, Lavanna’s Journey. At first, I was hesitant (I liked the old typography). But after she gave me some options and I realized I wanted to put the book number and series title on the spine, I agreed. They turned out beautifully, and the paperbacks should be available soon, but for now, it’s e-book only.

See the New Covers

Lavanna’s Journey Cover Reveal

Blurb:

A second generation must rise to save their legendary parents…

Lavanna, the daughter of the famed Vexli Etania, has always been restless. Bored with her life of pranks and competing with her best friend, Garel, she longs to start her own adventure. When shadowy enemies kidnap the Lehrlings, Lavanna and her allies pursue them in a race against time before they’re sacrificed in a dark ceremony. Yet, Lavanna’s impulsiveness follows her everywhere. Her mistakes could sabotage their mission and cost the Lehrlings their lives.

Garel has long lived in his father, Cephas’s shadow. Although he serves Cephas as a political aide, his failure to manifest his Lehrling powers leaves him feeling like he never measures up. Once his father is kidnapped, Garel knows he must join the rescuers, but feels inadequate for the task. With Lavanna by his side, he learns to lean on Melchizedek for confidence.

Lavanna, Garel, and their allies must find the kidnappers and rescue their parents before they enact their dastardly sacrifice. As they voyage across the sea, facing one setback after another, they wonder if Melchizedek is truly helping them or hampering them. Faith in Melchizedek is their only option, but how can they trust Him when everything goes wrong?

Find out in this Christian Fantasy book packed with a seafaring adventure, sweet romance, and a message of having faith in the storm.

Add to your TBR on Goodreads

Tropes:

• Sirens

• Deaf Representation

• Ninja Nuns

• Voyage of the Dawn Treader Vibes

• Kickbutt Female Main Character and Male Main Character

• Sea Voyage

• Forbidden Ceremony

• Sweet Romance

The tentative release date for Lavanna’s Journey is November 1st! You do not have to read the first three books in order to read this one, but if you have, I think it makes the story more enjoyable. I can’t wait until all of you can read it.

Free E-Book (But only if you’ve read Etania’s Destiny)

When I finished writing Etania’s Destiny, I was editing “Sibling’s Sorrow,” a short story collection that is no longer available because I decided to include it in other stories, including this one! This one includes “Keyel’s Apprenticeship” because it pertains to the story.

So what is the story? It follows Zaden after the events of Etania’s Destiny and how he completes a quest that Keyel couldn’t. It contains massive spoilers so please do not read this e-book until you are completely finished with the first three novels. This is also a newsletter exclusive so please don’t share it either.

Download the Novelette

Finally, I am going LIVE on Substack tomorrow to discuss the background of Etania’s Calling and Etania’s Destiny. Tune in at 1 PM PST if you want to hear some fun facts!

Book of the Month

My Review:

A compelling story because of the moral dilemma it presents…

This story asks the question: if you could bring your loved one back to life, would you?

It’s told from the first person, which makes this even more personal. Lynn is the main character, and she is hired by a rich man to make a “simulcran” or semi-sentient hologram of his dead wife.

Considering how people are now engaging in relationships with AI’s, I definitely felt this story was timely because of the premise.

Anyway, Lynn sympathizes with her client’s request because she has also lost someone. Her sorrow makes her a character that you can root for from the beginning.

The author does a great job of structuring this debate naturally throughout the story and keeping me glued to the pages as they encounter obstacles.

The setting is fascinating because it presents a futuristic world where one group of people stayed in a Victorian type of era and another group of people embraced the AI/technology side. It reminded me of Brave New World for that reason, but cleaner and better. It is somewhat dystopian in this way.

Although it was short, I really felt the main conflict: should she build a replica of his dead wife? was answered.

Content Warnings: PG-level danger and suspense. Themes of grief, sorrow, and loss.

Get the Story for FREE

Thank you for reading this email to the very end. Please ask any questions you have about Lavanna’s Journey or express your excitement by replying to this email or commenting below!

Until Next Time,

M.H. Elrich

Read more

First, I want to give a shout-out to those who were able to attend my live Saturday or watched it at a later time. Thank you for coming. I talked a lot about my books and creative process.

Watch the Video

At the end of the video, I announced an epic giveaway of all three of my paperback books. Although you have until the end of August, don’t delay. You can get extra entries right now!

Enter the Giveaway

If you aren’t a video watcher and would prefer to read the text version with all the answers to the questions, I wrote it before the video began (although if you watch the video, you’ll know I go off-script). You can read and scroll through to find your question answered below. Enjoy!

What are my books? And what are they about?

1. I have three full-length novels published, one novella, and one collection of short stories. I was also featured in Where Giants Fall and Finding God in Anime Volume 2 and 3. I also have several short stories that won awards at my local fair. When I was in high school and college, I was published in several anthologies.

2. Currently, I focus my fiction writing on the Daughters of Tamnarae series. Technically Tala starts the generation of women (”thus daughters”), but I recommend reading Etania’s Worth first (which I hope all of you have already as part of our read-along, if not, it’s time to start!). To give you an idea of the family tree, Tala is the mother of Etania, who is the mother of Lavanna (the next novel in my series) and Amalia (an upcoming novel). I plan to end the series with Amalia. However, Etania’s stories are complete because I don’t have any cliffhangers, just tie-in’s.

3. My novella is Toothbreaker, and my short story collection is Beginnings.

What is Toothbreaker and what does it mean?

Toothbreaker is a novella about Sage and Tamar, two minor characters who make appearances in Etania’s stories. Essentially, it’s a “werewolf-redemption” story, and Toothbreaker is my title for werewolves. This novella can be read as a standalone. It is currently available in paperback and ebook, with plans for an audiobook soon.

What is Beginnings?

Beginnings is a short story collection about the tamers of my world, which connects to the next question.

What is the world in which these stories occur?

My stories take place on the fictional planet of Tearah. This makes them high fantasy (which means they have a unique world and races) versus low fantasy (where fantastical elements intrude on the normal world). Tearah has several continents, which include Eyerae, Norae, Tamnarae, and Airae. I have mostly developed Tamnarae with the Daughters of Tamnarae series, and Etania’s stories take place on this continent (thus the “of Tamnarae” part). Lavanna and Amalia’s stories take place on a series of islands that are within Tamnarae’s reach. I have a map of Tamnarae that is in each of my books.

Tamnarae is split into two countries. The first book takes place in Southern Tamnarae, which is a collection of lands and lords under a King. These lands include the hafif (normal humans without Neuma or powers in my universe, Eritam (giant wolf tamers), Leici (healers), Naymatua (earth users), Kinzoku (metal and jewel users), Draconian (dragon tamers), and Ningyo (water users). Northern Tamnarae includes three separate kingdoms who are a triumvirate: the Equus (unicorn tamers), Pyros (fire users), and Lycan (giant cat tamers). Lavanna’s stories will introduce two other races, the Alephari (light Neuma users) and Ixites (griffin tamers). The origin of the tamers (Lycan, Eritam, Draconian, Equus and Ixites) are part of Beginnings.

What are the Lehrlings?

The Lehrlings are twelve humans who are the original disciples of Melchizedek, Deo’s Son. If you’ve read the Bible, you can see the parallels between them and the apostles of Jesus. This was purposeful. Of course, unlike the disciples of the Bible, my Lehrlings (and their spouses) live for three hundred years and can only have a single child (or birth). They have special abilities, which include teleportation, an impenetrable shield, invisibility, telepathy, controlling the weather, telekinesis, limited prophecy, gravity manipulation, stopping time, size manipulation, and super strength. These are powers in addition to their natural abilities. For example, Jakin can teleport and use fire Neuma because he is a Pyros and a Lehrling.

One of those Lehrlings is called a Vexli. The Vexli can turn Skazic (monsters) back to hafif (powerless human beings). Daas, the first Vexli, betrayed Melchizedek. Because of Daas’ betrayal, there is not another Vexli for hundreds of years. The new Vexlis do not have the same constraints or long life as the other Lehrlings.

Speaking of other Lehrlings, there are twelve “original” disciples, as in people who lived with Melchizedek and learned directly from him when he was living on Tearah. Lehrlings train apprentices with the intention of passing on their powers. Not every apprentice becomes a Lehrling. The apprentices who are chosen to be Lehrlings are called “Heirs” and demonstrate Melchizedek’s blessing with their eye color shifting from normal shades (brown, blue, green, yellow) to jeweled tones (amethyst, emerald, turquoise, etc).

What is your writing process?

First, I want to let you know that I have significantly refined my process. As I mentioned before, I’ve been writing for awhile (since I was a child). So obviously, my process as a child, middle schooler, and teenager was to write a draft, scrap it before it was finished, and scribble ideas into my 1001 notebooks. I also co-wrote several books with my best friend, C.M. Fritzen (who now has a published book of her own based on stories we acted out/wrote as a child, but better!). Etania’s Worth took approximately twelve drafts before I actually finished it (this time because of my other best friend and fellow author, C.E. Stone). Then, I had to do several revisions and accidentally published my book before it was ready (Thus why there are lots of covers running around of my book). I learned so much and even refined my style. In my opinion, Etania’s Worth formed my writing process.

Now, it takes about six months to a year for me to finish one complete draft. Usually this includes writing and rewriting, sometimes writing up to eighty or more pages, scrapping it, and starting over or using pieces and throwing it out. This is because I am not an outliner. I’ve tried to be, but it doesn’t work for me. I do use some bits of the three act structure, but I wonder if I’m a chiastic structure person. Generally, when I start a draft, I have an idea of where I want to go and several important events. Writing is my favorite part of the process.

Tala, my paid subscriber story, is different. I prayed for God’s help on that one to outline because I wanted to deliver a good story for my paid subscribers. However, it may venture a bit off the outline (I just can’t help it), but I think it will stay the straight and narrow because I really like my ideas.

After I finish the first draft, I send it to my developmental editor, C.E. Stone. She used to also do the line edit of my books as well, but that has changed because of recent life things. I have gotten way better at doing line and grammar editing because of her tutelage. I also use programs like ProWritingAid and/or Grammarly to help me find pesky errors. Finally, I hand the story over to beta readers for feedback. These readers help me with another developmental edit after I revise the story, and usually I read my book at least five times before it is sent to ARC readers. Even then, I miss some things! It can be frustrating to find errors after I’ve read it so many times my eyes are crossing. Here’s a basic outline:

1. Drafting/Writing

2. Developmental Edit by C.E. Stone and Resulting Rewriting

3. Line/Grammar Edit

4. Beta Reader/Developmental Edit 2

5. Rewriting if needed (it depends on reader feedback)

6. Proofread by reading it out loud-usually results in line edits again.

7. ARCs usually go out here and my lovely launch team usually catches those final awful errors.

What inspired Etania’s Worth?

To answer this question, I have to tell you about the origin of the story. I wrote half-completed drafts about Lavanna (Etania’s daughter), who was a normal teenager on Earth, transported to Tamnarae. She discovered she had parents who abandoned/saved her through a tree. I did this because Narnia was one of my big inspirations. But I remember sitting at the end of the Prince Caspian movie, listening to the ending song. I hated that Peter and Susan couldn’t return to Narnia (even if I understood why). I was done with Portal Fantasy at that moment, choosing to go more the Lord of the Rings/high fantasy route. I started thinking I need to write about Lavanna’s parents, who I named Malkiel (now Keyel) and Etania. In that draft, Etania was blind and Malkiel was her bodyguard, and they were gathering allies against an evil king. You can kind of see the outlines of my current story in this original tale. Anyway, it eventually (many, many, many, many drafts later) became what it is today.

I don’t remember when the idea of Lavanna first came to me. My creative writing teacher always told me that I wrote about princesses, castles, and knights. To some extent, she’s right. I’ve always had a female protagonist, and the nearest I can think is that I wanted read a story from Aowyn, Arwen, and Susan’s point of view, and I wanted more romance. I didn’t want to write the typical “strong female protagonist” because I’m not an extreme feminist. I never want to disparage men and often ask for my husband’s opinion. I just wanted to read books about women whose faith in God grew through learning they’re not enough, and that’s okay (like Allie Beth Stuckey’s book). In some ways, the themes of these books often reflect my own struggles with faith. Etania’s Worth, especially, was about my struggles with identity and purpose.

From the very beginning, I’ve wanted women to read my books and feel like God loves them, cares about them, and has a purpose for them. I also didn’t just want to have a conversion story. I wanted to show what it’s really like to be a Christian long term in my books. Yes, my books are entertaining fantasy stories. But like Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia, they are reflections of my faith.

Next month, I will be discussing the inspiration behind Etania’s Calling and answering any other questions you may have (feel free to send some my way).

If you’ve reached the end of this post, thank you for reading. Your support encourages me to keep going. Soli Deo Gloria.

Until Next Time,

M.H. Elrich

I am very excited about this month’s newsletter because of several important announcements:

1. Lavanna’s Journey, the fourth book in the Daughters of Tamnarae series, is currently in the third stage of editing! This means that I am looking for at least two more beta readers for the draft, which I hope to have done by the beginning of August. Please reply to this email or comment below if you are interested in catching pesky errors and giving me feedback on story elements. This is on a first come, first serve basis. My goal is to have the final draft ready for publication in October. I am currently working with my cover designer as well. Everything is coming together for another awesome publication!

   

2. I am going LIVE tomorrow at 1PM PST to answer your questions about the series. This will include a very special and exciting announcement about a prize that I think you will enjoy….you just have to attend.

3. Speaking of Substack LIVE, I discovered that the Substack group works if you have the app and an account. If you would like to do this, please make a Substack account and join my group for snippets, world building facts, and more. It is similar to a private Facebook or Instagram group.

4. “The Journeyman,” my exclusive short story for those who have read the Daughters of Tamanarae series, is close to completion and will be delivered to those who have read the books and filled out the Reader Appreciation Form.

5. “Beginnings,” which used to be free for Elrich E-Readers, is now on Amazon. Toothbreaker, another novella I once offered for free, is also available on Amazon. These are all side stories/additional short stories for my universe, and relatively cheap. So if you or someone you know wants to try my work, these might be good places for them to start.

6. I posted the sixth part of Tala, a serialized novel about Etania’s mother who was an abused slave. In this novel, I also introduce how Jakin and Tala fell in love, met Melchizedek, and of course, how Lehrlings came to be. I am writing this for paid subscribers (Want to Join? Get 50% off a year’s subscription). I have really enjoyed writing this, and I am working on adding an audio component.

7. The Read-Along continues, with people finishing Etania’s Calling this month and coming back for another live on August 15th.

8. Thank you everyone who bought my Boxset from my Payhip store! It helped immensely. I am thirty books away from 1,000 books sold. Would you help me get there? You can purchase them from my Payhip Store or Amazon.

Book of the Month

My Review:

A compelling story from beginning to end…

I think this book could be summed up in a simple phrase, “I knew it was wrong, but...” Because of this, he often ends up in impossible to survive situations that keep you reading to know what happens. As a result, the plot is fast moving, and even though those who read technically know how it ends because of the beginning, there are many moments where I wasn’t sure what would happen next.

The world itself is interesting. This is definitely a medieval fantasy, with conflict between church and state, but also a foreign country that was reminiscent of Japan/China/Korea. There is magic that’s very easy to understand and how it works is fascinating. I especially like the magical daggers aspect.

The main character is Thom. Even though Thom makes many mistakes (murder, adultery, alcoholism), he is still a sympathetic character who seeks to do good for those he loves. In fact, his entire story is motivated by his love for a woman-whether that is love for his sister or love for Secilya. So, I liked him despite the fact I found myself shaking my head many times for his foolishness. As for Secilya, I definitely got to know her better towards the end of the book, when she showed her true strength. The side characters were also intriguing because they all had unique traits that set them apart, even if they didn’t appear long on page.

Stylistically, Reese narrates from first person, but the reader is not given that much description. Most of the story is sparse in that area, preferring to focus on the action and summarizing periods of time. This makes for a much quicker read.

Overall, this was a fascinating fantasy book that would appeal to adult men. Because of sexual and violent content (see my full review here for content warnings), I would not recommend it for anyone under the age of 18. It is available in all three formats (Ebook, Audiobook, and Paperback)

Get Your Copy

Thank you for reading this email to the very end. To let me know you got here, do you mind telling me where you would love to travel one day?

Until Next Time,

M.H. Elrich

Tala slipped in and out of consciousness. When she woke, all she could remember was the searing pain, the aching muscles, and the betrayal of someone she shouldn’t have trusted. Somewhere in the blur…

Read more

Today’s the last day to take advantage of my e-book and paperback sale.

Sale Details

E-Books

Daughters of Tamnarae Boxset (all 3 E-Books) for Sale $4.99 (normally $9.99)

Direct from Me $3

Etania’s Worth E-Book $1.99

Direct from Me $.99

Signed Paperbacks

($15+tax. +FREE Shipping) Limited while Supplies Last

Etania’s Worth

Etania’s Calling

Etania’s Destiny

Finding God in Anime Volume 3

Audiobooks are always on Audible!

In Case You Missed It:

Read-Along (Etania’s Worth) from June 8-July 10.

Substack Live July 11 1 PM PST.

Read-Along (Etania’s Calling) from July 13-August 12.

Substack Live August 15 1 PM PST.

Read-Along (Etania’s Destiny) from August 17-September 12

Substack Live September 19 1 PM PST

The Substack Chat is something available for all of you who use the app and subscribe to this newsletter. If you are there, please pop on and say hello!

Read the Books? Fill out this Form.

Book of the Month

Aivan: The One Truth, the prequel novella to the Chronicles of the One Truth series, has a new look for the updated edition releasing June 30th

A story exploring identity, purpose, and what it means to have faith in a world content to spread falsehoods, the revised edition of Aivan: The One Truth will engage tweens, teens, and adults alike. Written by Kayla E. Green and publishing with Ambassador International, this is a fast-paced, allegorical fantasy adventure perfect for family read alouds, book clubs, or solo reading!

Blurb:

As granddaughter of the leader of a village in the northern nation, Rune Kallio has been a devout believer of the gods of vihishki her whole life. When a prophet challenges the beliefs of the world by saying only Aivan, the One Truth, is the only true God, she finds herself desperate to separate what is genuine from manmade falsehoods.

In the low valleys of the southern nation, Rolf Larsen has two lives. One lived in public following the gods of vihishki, as required by law, and the other lived in private following the One Truth. When Aivan directs him outside of his small village, Rolf follows. He quickly learns that the world will never make seeking and speaking truth easy.

Preorder Your Copy

Until Next Time,

M.H. Elrich

P.S. If you want to download any of my free short stories, please reply to this email or comment below, and I will email you a link. The free stories will soon be put on Amazon for sale.

I know this is a bit earlier than I usually email you (usually it’s the second Friday of every month), but I wanted to email you earlier because of the sale.

First, thank you for filling out my Reader Survey! It was fascinating to know where the audience is coming from, how much you know about my stories, and what you think I should do. I appreciate every single one of you who offered your opinion.

The winner of the $20 Amazon Gift Card is Sherry M.! You will be receiving an email with your gift card shortly.

The Reader Survey showed me many surprising things, but the most interesting was that many of you have not bought or read my books.

So I decided to do two things: run a sale and provide a reading plan with incentives for finishing the books and a possible live interview (if you want it!).

Sale Details

Today, June 5 to Monday, June 8

Click the Title to Purchase

E-Books

Daughters of Tamnarae Boxset (all 3 E-Books) for Sale $4.99 (normally $9.99)

Direct from me $3

Etania’s Worth E-Book $1.99

Direct from me $.99

Why is direct less? I make more from direct sales and immediately receive payment instead of Amazon taking a large cut.

Signed Paperbacks ($15+tax. + FREE Shipping)

Limited while Supplies Last

Etania’s Worth

Etania’s Calling

Etania’s Destiny

Finding God in Anime Volume 3

Audiobooks are always on Audible!

(Unfortunately, because of Audible’s terms of service, I am unable to put them on sale, but Audible has a 30 day free trial and my audiobooks run between 8-10 hours each, so it’s possible you could listen to all of them within the month)

Read-Along Challenge + Prizes

After you purchase the books, I would love for you to read my books and see if I am the author for you! I have several incentives and a plan listed below. For the lives, I plan on giving you behind-the-scenes information, including how I wrote the book, why I wrote the book, and other fun information you might not know.

After you are done with each book, you can fill out the form, or do it after finishing all three. For those of you who have read my books, you can fill out the form now. You also do not have to read it in the way I have paced it; you can always binge all three books now.

I will also be creating a Subscriber Chat for the Read-Along and to share spoilers (similar to a Facebook Group). You are not obligated to join Substack and the chat, but it may be fun if you choose to!

Etania’s Worth (1 Chapter Monday-Saturday)

• Chapters 1-6 (June 8-13)

• Chapters 7-11 (June 15-20)

• Chapters 12-17 (June 22-27)

• Chapters 18-23 (June 29-July 4)

• Chapters 24-30 (July 6-10)

Reading Award: Character Art of Etania, Keyel, and Jakin (digital or print. Print is limited to first come, first serve basis).

Substack Live July 11 1 PM PST

Etania’s Calling (1 Chapter Monday-Saturday)

• Chapters 1-6 (July 13-18)

• Chapters 7-11 (July 20-25)

• Chapters 12-17 (July 27-August 1)

• Chapters 18-23 (August 3-8)

• Chapters 24-26 (August 10-12)

Reading Award: Character Art of Bayanna, and Zaden (digital or print. Print is limited to first come, first serve basis)

Substack Live August 15 1 PM PST

Etania’s Destiny (1 Chapters Monday-Satuday)

• Prologue-Chapter 5 (August 17-22)

• Chapters 6-12 (August 24-29)

• Chapters 13-19 (August 31-September 5)

• Chapters 20-Epilogue (September 7-12)

Reading Award: The Journeyman, a Short Story about Zaden after the events of Etania’s Destiny

Substack Live September 19 1 PM PST

NOTE: If you have already read the series, you are eligible for these bonuses, including “The Journeyman.” The Journeyman will be sent when it has been edited. You can also join the Lives at anytime.

Reader Appreciation Form

Other Author News

• I have sold almost 1,000 books! This is amazing, and I feel so blessed by God. Thank you for making this possible, and my hope is that this sale will help me surpass the 1,000 milestone. So, even if you’ve read my books, please spread the word.

• My editor has finished the developmental edit and returned my manuscript to me. I will be hard at work over the summer editing this book. I plan on posting updates on Substack about my progress and will let you know here how far I am.

Book of the Month

Aivan: The One Truth, the prequel novella to the Chronicles of the One Truth series, has a new look for the updated edition releasing June 30th 🎉

A story exploring identity, purpose, and what it means to have faith in a world content to spread falsehoods, the revised edition of Aivan: The One Truth will engage tweens, teens, and adults alike. Written by Kayla E. Green and publishing with Ambassador International, this is a fast-paced, allegorical fantasy adventure perfect for family read alouds, book clubs, or solo reading!

Blurb:

As granddaughter of the leader of a village in the northern nation, Rune Kallio has been a devout believer of the gods of vihishki her whole life. When a prophet challenges the beliefs of the world by saying only Aivan, the One Truth, is the only true God, she finds herself desperate to separate what is genuine from manmade falsehoods.

In the low valleys of the southern nation, Rolf Larsen has two lives. One lived in public following the gods of vihishki, as required by law, and the other lived in private following the One Truth. When Aivan directs him outside of his small village, Rolf follows. He quickly learns that the world will never make seeking and speaking truth easy.

Preorder Your Copy

That’s it for now. Next month, I will tell you more about Lavanna and what plans I have for her stories.

What’s a question you’d like to ask me?

I would love to answer it Live next month.

Let me know in the comments or by replying to this email.

Until Next Time,

M.H. Elrich

Image by Shima Abedinzade from Pixabay

The sun was setting, casting orange and purple streaks across the sky. After sleeping in, Jakin had a successful work day and fulfilled several more orders.

Whist…

Read more

I have a major favor to ask of you: will you fill out this reader survey for me? If you do, you’ll be entered to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card. Thanks ahead of time! Now, on to the regularly scheduled programming.

Bayanna is a character that is often a reader favorite.

She’s sassy, funny, and spunky.

She is a kick-butt heroine who isn’t in your face about it.

She’s Mulan meets Merida, with the red hair, green eyes, and charming smile to match.

She’s Etania’s best friend.

Many readers want to know what happens to her after the events of Etania’s books, and I tend to hide my face behind my hands.

Bayanna is my one non-Christian character.

Because of that, I actually considered killing her off in Etania’s Destiny.

However, readers loved her so much, I figured you might bring out pitchforks and try to burn me at the stake if I did that.

So I kept her story and her role as it is, and I gave her a “happy” ending.

Yet, she remains in unbelief.

This is because, as sad as it is, not everyone will come to believe in Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life.

I wanted to have at least one person realistically choose to live their own way instead of God’s way.

The result?

Bayanna is the same, but there are hints that her life isn't sunshine and roses.

Spoilers ahead, scroll past the image and go to the next heading to skip. What follows is a snippet from Lavanna’s Journey.

This is the character art for Bayanna.

Lavanna loved the beautiful blue ocean and the salty spray on her skin. But loving the water and loving the harbor were two different things. After checking in with the council to tell them what was going on, packing for a long trip, and then gathering information about the location of Bayanna and Cam, Lavanna was beyond exhausted. The harbor, with its crowds of sailors and the pungent smell of fish, was not something she enjoyed navigating. Nevertheless, she pushed forward, hoping that Bayanna and Cam could bring them one step closer to finding her mother.

At the end of a pier that jutted out from the shore, just a bit away from the Dragon Inlet, was Bayanna and Cam’s galleon. The gigantic ship, dwarfing the sea and shoreline almost by comparison, made Lavanna’s jaw drop. As soon as they approached and went up the plank, Lavanna observed sailors running up and down the deck. The captains were shouting orders while bickering—something that always made Lavanna wonder how Bayanna and Cam were still together if they argued so much.

When Bayanna saw their group, her eyes widened, and her grin overtook her face. She ran and embraced Lavanna’s father, who winced and guffawed at her brief embrace. Cam continued giving orders.

“ ‘Ello Keyel!” She looked over at Lavanna’s group. “Where’s Etania?’

Her simple question shot like an arrow through Lavanna’s chest.

“I see.” Bayanna scanned their group, eventually landing on Torrance. She pointed a finger at him. “Who are you?”

Torrance shifted from foot to foot. “I-I’m Zaden’s apprentice and his…son.”

Lavanna felt a slight twinge of sympathy for him, which she quickly suppressed.

“I should’ve known that womanizer would produce a child.” Bayanna shook her head. “Cam will lose a bet.”

Bayanna looked delighted that she could shove this fact in her partner’s face, and then faced Lavanna. “I haven’t seen you in quite a while. You’ve grown so much!”

Lavanna blushed at the compliment.

“Bayanna, we don’t have time for catching up,” Keyel reminded. “You know I never visit you unless we have a serious reason.”

Bayanna rolled her eyes. “I forgot how boring you are without Etania. Let’s go to my cabin to meet.”

They agreed, and Bayanna shouted at Cam.

“Come if you want to know what’s going on.”

“What if I don’t want to know?” Cam barked back. “Anytime they’re involved, it’s trouble.”

“Them?” Bayanna yelled back, “They’re still young! They haven’t done anything yet.”

“You know exactly who I mean,” Cam replied. “Take them to the navigation room. I will be there shortly.”

“I was going to!” Bayanna huffed.

She led them behind the wheel to a narrow ladder, which led down into the navigation room.

Book Spotlight

The Thief’s Keeper (An Enemy’s Keeper Prequel): A Heartwarming YA Medieval Fantasy with Budding Romance

Receive a bonus FREE companion graphic novel, The First Dance! 100% human-illustrated.

Two outcasts. One lost boy. A daring quest for freedom in war-torn England.

In the aftermath of a rebellion against William the Conqueror, northern England lies in ruins, its people scattered and starved.

Aelfric, a 14-year-old thrall, flees from his master and stumbles upon a cache of stolen laundry. The thief? Aliwyn, a girl around his age, ostracized for being “cursed.” In her care is a lost toddler she has rescued from the clutches of greedy thrall traders.

Forced to cover each other’s secrets, Aelfric and Aliwyn form an unlikely friendship... and maybe something more. They embark on a perilous journey to reunite the child with his family on Easter Sunday and to seek a cure for Aliwyn’s mysterious condition.

But time is running out. Aelfric’s master is on the hunt, and the shadows of death loom ever closer over Aliwyn. Will they find the courage and faith to press on, or will their quest end in capture and ruin?

Dive into a tale of heart-stopping challenges and unforeseen twists. The Thief’s Keeper is a thrilling magic-free YA historical fantasy that transports you to an alternate medieval world, where Celts and Norman knights live alongside the last Vikings. Begin your adventure today!

Get Your Copy

Until Next Month,

M.H. Elrich

P.S. Have you taken the reader survey yet? Please do so and get a chance to win a giftcard!

Take the Survey!

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I have a confession to make.

I am a Young Adult Christian Fantasy Author.

Why, M.H. Elrich, I knew that already! You may be saying.

What’s hilarious is that I didn’t.

You see, I wrote my books thinking they were meant for adults, specifically women.

Adults do love them and enjoy them (Otherwise you wouldn’t be here!)

However, what I realized is that my themes and characters indicate a more young adult audience.

I should’ve known.

When mothers, grandmothers, and others approached me and told me how much their teenage daughter and granddaughter loved my books.

But I resisted.

I teach high school. My students don’t seem like the type to like my books.

But there have been a few who absolutely love them and were my early cheerleaders.

I thought that my books had too much content (Zaden, anyone?).

Then I realized that the books I teach (at a Christian school) have the same level of content that I do. Older teenagers (16+) want to know how to handle the issues the world will hand them (Who am I? Why am I here? How am I supposed to live?).

This is not to say that what we read is explicit. It isn’t. Neither are my books.

But they do tackle tough topics, like sexual immorality, alcoholism, addiction, racism, prejudice, etc.

I think the best books look at the darkness of the world and teach about how to live in the light, or serve as a warning of what happens if we walk in darkness.

Besides, Clean Fiction Magazine reviewed all three of my books and mentioned how clean/wholesome my content is, with “showing some ankle” being the highest rating I’ve received from the magazine.

If you want to know exactly what kind of content I have in my books, reply to this email, and I will send you a more detailed list with snippets.

When I spoke to my author friends/biggest fans of my work, they told me to face reality.

I am a Young Adult Christian Fantasy author.

What does this mean for you?

If you love my books and writing, or are curious about them, I encourage you to stay with me. I will still be sharing snippets from my work-in-progress, and my paid serial story, Tala. (Sorry about sending that to all subscribers, who can only see a preview; I meant to only send it to paid subscribers)

If you are only here for the book recommendations, I have shifted most of those to my YouTube channel, Christians Behind the Book. I will be sharing some out-of-genre books in my newsletter for a few months, then I will be shifting gears (more information coming soon).

You can also check out some audiobooks in the clean fantastical fiction genre by clicking this banner:

If you were only here because you thought my books were fantasy romance, or you are not interested in my books now that you know they are young adult, then you can unsubscribe at any time. I understand, and I’m sorry for promising the wrong message.

For those of you who’ve stuck around—thank you. Your support means the world.

Author News

• My audiobook is finally here! You can get your copy here.

• Lavanna’s Journey is being edited by C.E. Stone, and she is fifty pages from the end. Her earlier commentary and suggested fixes are sure to make this book even better for you.

• I am going to be selling books in-person in California. If you live in this state, reply to this email, and I can tell you where to find me in-person!

• I am continuing to do live interviews on Instagram (hoping to shift to my YouTube channel eventually). My last was with H.L. Burke, and I have another one with K. Michele Moseley tomorrow on Instagram (@mhelrichbooks). You can listen to all the interviews on my channel, which is updated on Mondays.

Book of the Month

An outcast orphan. A sea dragon pup. A brutal trial.

Blake lives under the pier, scavenging by night, and dreaming of a way out. When a sea dragon arrives to choose a new Rider, Blake has the chance at a new life. If he survives the trial.

Get Your FREE Copy Here

Until Next Time,
M.H. Elrich

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The audiobook is here!

Get the Audiobook

Darkness gathers. Faith is tested. A new bride must learn that the only way to save her people is to surrender her battle to the One who fights for her.

Etania’s wedding to Keyel should have been the beginning of a joyous union celebrated by the people. But the honeymoon is cut short by the drums of war. Damien, possessed by the demon Narak, has amassed a terrifying coalition intent on crushing the Southern Tamnarae.

Desperate to protect those she loves and end the bloodshed, she faces a harrowing temptation: a promise of peace from the enemy himself. When she tries to take matters into her own hands, she learns that walking alone leads only to darkness. To rise as the leader her people need, Etania must learn that true strength is found not in power, but in reliance on Melchizedek.

As dragon fire rains down, Etania, Keyel, and Zaden must unite against a tide of evil that seeks to devour their world. Their only hope lies in forgiveness, trust, and a faith that burns brighter than the darkness.

Until Next Time,

M.H. Elrich

P.S. I started a YouTube channel! See my first author interview on it here.

If you’re new around here, welcome! This is the Elrich E-Readers, a group of Christians who enjoy fantasy books with romance subplots. You have joined this group by entering a giveaway or grabbing my free e-book, Beginnings. You can opt out any time by unsubscribing at the bottom, but I hope you will stick around for news about my book series, Daughters of Tamnarae, and other opportunities to read free, clean, and/or Christian Fantastical Fiction.

Author News:

• My audiobook is under approval! I will send you an email as soon as it is available.

• Lavanna’s Journey is being edited by C.E. Stone. I am hoping to release it in September.

• I am going to be live on Instagram on March 21 at 1 PM with Jenelle Leanne Schmidt, who wrote the Turrim Archive. Save the Date to tune in to that interview. I have another April 4, same time with H.L. Burke. I hope to see you there!

• Also, if you are new and didn’t know, I am now offering paid subscriptions! For less than $2/month, you can read the serialized novel, Tala. Find out more about Etania’s mother and father, how they met, fell in love, got married, and most of all, how they came to faith in Melchizedek.

  Get 75% off forever

Highlighting Keyel Evant

Keyel Evant has always been Etania’s love interest.

His original name was Malkiel, a name I took from the Bible, meaning “God is my king.” However, it seemed like too much of a mouthful, so I abbreviated it to Keyel.

Unlike Zaden, Keyel was always a bit harder to write. Just like his character, he was reserved, taking a while to warm up to my entreaties for more.

But once he did, he showed me his haunted past, where he failed to protect someone he loved. Once I realized that, it explained why he was so overprotective.

Etania’s relationship with him developed naturally. He was there for her, unlike her father, and he also could relate to her difficulties with Jakin.

Handsome, a good listener, a lover of books, and noble, Keyel is definitely a knight in shining armor.

However, he is flawed.

You see, I didn’t want to make Etania’s love interest a picture-perfect man. I wanted to show his good side in Etania’s Worth and his flawed side in Etania’s Calling. Then, his character comes full circle in Etania’s Destiny.

SPOILERS AHEAD, SCROLL PAST THE NEXT IMAGE TO SKIP

In Etania’s Calling, Keyel struggles with trusting Etania after she lied to him for months. Adding to his jealousy and difficulties was the deceptive prince Zaden, who wiggled his way into their relationship, lying to them both.

Once Zaden revealed his true colors and both of them realized they had been deceived, Etania and Keyel were able to repair their relationship.

In Etania’s Destiny, they are wed. Together, they face the darkness threatening Tamnarae. They learn to forgive Zaden for what he has done.

In the end, Keyel builds a rivalry with Zaden that is more akin to two brothers. He helps Zaden train to become the next Lehrling.

Because Zaden lives with Jakin as his apprentice, when Keyel has children, they essentially become like family.

In Lavanna’s Journey, Keyel takes more of a mentor role, and his conversation with Garel reveals that.

A medieval duel that reminds me of my story. Just give them wooden swords, less armor, and a ship, and you’re in the right place.

“Mind if I duel you?” Keyel asked.

Garel gulped. Keyel was an excellent swordsman who was one of the few who could beat him. The times Garel had won were mainly due to Keyel’s age, rather than skill. Yet, the opportunity to duel the General of the Guard was too great to pass up. He nodded, and they took their stances across from each other.

First, they tested each other, hitting their wooden swords against each other at the tip. Then, Garel took initiative, attacking first with a quick lunge that Keyel easily parried. He countered with a swift thrust, but Keyel deflected that, too. Their wooden swords clacked against each other, and Garel felt sweat drip down the side of his cheek. He tried another maneuver, wanting to stay on the offensive, but Keyel suddenly got the upper hand. Instead of Garel being the initiator, Keyel was, and Garel was forced to defend. Clenching his jaw, Garel tried to regain his footing, but was soon exhausted by Keyel’s relentless, precise sword strikes.

Heaving, Garel was disarmed and out of breath. He bowed, as was custom to end a practice duel, and then noticed that Keyel, too, was panting. Garel smiled.

“What are you grinning for?” Keyel asked, his mouth twitching as it attempted to stay in a firm line.

Garel stiffened and stood at attention. “I-I’m honored to give you a good fight, General.”

“I’m not a General now, Garel,” he said. “I’m just Keyel. You can call me that.”

Garel twitched. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to do that. After all, you and my father are heroes.”

“Heroes, huh?” Keyel’s expression darkened, and he ran his hand through his hair. “Tell me, how is it that a ‘hero’ like me failed to resist the sirens?”

“You, sir?” Garel sputtered, utterly shocked that Keyel had succumbed.

“Did you listen to what those creatures said?” Keyel asked.

Garel’s brow wrinkled as he tried to recall their words.

Keyel sighed. “The siren told me that it could help me get my wife back in an instant. I knew it was lying, but still…”

Garel tried to contain his shock. “Wh-why are you telling me this?”

“I wanted to comfort you,” Keyel said. “You seem like someone who idolizes the old generation, but doesn’t realize his own value.”

If Garel was surprised before, he was astonished at this moment. How could Keyel see him so clearly?

Keyel laughed at his expression. “I know, it doesn’t seem like the General would notice or care, right? Well, I notice a lot more these days.”

“I-I see,” Garel said.

“Anyway, my point is, we ‘heroes’ are real people, too,” Keyel said. “We make mistakes. We mess up. We seek Melchizedek’s forgiveness.”

Garel didn’t reply.

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Book of the Month

They murdered his family-

Stole his childhood, and even his innocence.

But when they came for his soul . . .

The year is 2158. Civilization has collapsed, but from the ashes, the Order has emerged, not as a savior, but as the unseen power that has ruled all along. Once a subtle force lurking in the background of human history, the cataclysm has unveiled the Order’s dominion in full—an unchallenged, one-world religion that bends all to its will. Truth is a relic. Dissent is a death sentence.

When Professor Reuel arrives unannounced and in obvious distress, his old friend Butterman offers help.

But his assistance may very well come at the price of his home and his livelihood, possibly even his life- unless a new visitor intervenes.

Find out if Butterman or Reuel can survive the tyranny of the Order, and start the adventure with a sneak peek behind the scenes of the exciting new epic, The Seekers Series.

Fans of Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker, and the sprawling worlds of Dune and Atlas Shrugged will be captivated by the pulse-pounding fusion of high-stakes thriller, epic sci-fi, and profound spiritual warfare.

Get the Prequel Free

Until Next Time,
M.H. Elrich

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If you’re new around here, welcome! This is the Elrich E-Readers, a group of Christians who read high fantasy with romance subplots. You have joined this group by entering a giveaway or grabbing my free e-book, Beginnings. You can opt out any time by unsubscribing at the bottom, but I hope you will stick around for news about my book series, Daughters of Tamnarae, and other opportunities to read free, clean, and/or Christian Fantastical Fiction.

Author News:

• My audiobook is under production! To listen to a sample of it, use this link. If you want to listen to other great audiobooks or check mine out yourself, go here.

• Lavanna’s Journey is being edited by C.E. Stone. I am hoping to release it in September.

• I am going to be live in March with a lovely author friend. This is hopefully the first of many author interviews I plan to do in a segment I’m going to call: Beyond the Written Story, where you can learn more about the books and characters of amazing Christian-made fiction. More information coming soon!

• I’m helping an author friend launch her YA Dark Fantasy into the world. If you like books that address religious trauma in a fantastical setting, you can get her first for .99 and get an Advanced Review Copy here.

• Also, if you are new and didn’t know, I am now offering paid subscriptions! For less than $2/month, you can read the serialized novel, Tala. Find out more about Etania’s mother and father, how they met, fell in love, got married, and most of all, how they came to faith in Melchizedek.

  Get 75% off forever

Highlighting Zaden Rapiro

Zaden Rapiro is one of those characters who is easy to write. Somehow, writing a bad boy with a charming personality came easily from my fingertips.

Zaden is a character who always threatens to take over the book when he shows up.

In the books, he is first a prince who has everything at his fingertips, but wants more.

He seduces wealthy women, convincing them to give him their most precious possessions or stealing them.

Then, he’s given a challenging prospect: seduce the Leici, Etania Selali. Steal her from her beau, Keyel. Use her, then hand her over to the evil queen, who just so happens to be Zaden’s cousin.

Of course, he takes the deal. It’s a challenge. It’s exciting.

He thinks it will be easy.

He is oh so wrong.

Zaden is one of those characters I always intended to break.

It sounds terrible, but I think that if you read Etania’s Calling, the first book he appears in, you’ll understand why.

Many believe that you can sin and get away with it. Think of Ocean’s 11 or Leverage. These kinds of shows can be fun, but they downplay the seriousness of theft, which is a sin.

Zaden is a character meant to show the consequences of a life of debauchery and selfishness.

But he is also meant to show what happens when life is transformed.

SPOILERS AHEAD, SCROLL PAST THE NEXT IMAGE TO SKIP

Once Zaden is properly humbled in Etania’s Calling, he experiences a massive redemption arc in Etania’s Destiny.

This arc has been compared to Zuko’s from Avatar: the Last Airbender. It isn’t immediate, and it isn’t easy. Zaden, like Zuko, has to earn back the trust of those he betrayed.

He also finds out that he has impregnated one of his lovers, Gwen. That’s where one of the main characters from Lavanna’s Journey comes in. Torrance is Zaden and Gwen’s son, but he doesn’t know it at first.

Of course, Zaden has another role to play besides being Torrance’s father. For that one, keep reading!

How I picture Mayumi (somewhat).

“Come on.” Mayumi dragged Zaden out of the cell by his arm, slamming the door behind them and locking it with a resounding thud. Picking up the box, she shoved it into Zaden’s hands.

Waving her tanto, she said, “Carry that and follow me.”

“What’s in the box?” Zaden asked as he trotted behind Mayumi. “It feels ominous.”

Ah, so he can feel it too, Mayumi thought. She had thought she was the only one who felt the evil emanating from the box. Choosing not to answer the Lehrling, Mayumi forced the Lehrling above deck.

On deck, the crew worked tirelessly to repel the sea dragon’s sweeping attacks. Whether it was repelling the dragon with waves or using their light Neuma to blind him, they had so far kept the masts intact. Mayumi found a place that was relatively out of the way for both of them, but still above deck.

“Open the box,” Maymi commanded.

Zaden obeyed, and then cocked his head to the side as he took in the kote. Metal and leather were woven together in long gloves that ended at the elbow. Mayumi figured the Lehrling had never seen such a thing. After removing the cuffs that limited Zaden’s power, Mayumi issued a command, flourishing her tanto.

“Put them on.”

Zaden bit his lower lip and hesitated.

“Put.them.on,” Mayumi threatened, deepening her voice even more and putting her tanto in front of Zaden’s face.

Zaden pulled the kote on, shuddering as the darkness that surrounded them seemed to sink into his skin. Mayumi put the other kote on and tried not to wince as it tightened around her arm. She lifted her arm and watched, with delight, when Zaden’s arm lifted too.

“What did you do to me?” Zaden asked.

“Surely, you have heard of Daas’ gauntlets?” Mayumi said.

Zaden’s eyes widened. “I-it can’t be. They were destroyed!”

“Maybe yours,” she said. “But ours are intact.”

She didn’t mention that it was because her brother had them commissioned by a Cult of Daas member, or that these were instruments of his eventual death. No, she wouldn’t mention that. She suppressed a shudder.

“I want you to teleport us on top of the dragon.”

“Excuse me?” Zaden said. “I don’t think I heard you right. Did you say teleport?”

“Yes. I have heard it is easier if you are in the open air. Perhaps you should consider climbing the main mast.”

He shuffled back a few feet. “You can’t be serious. You want me to teleport on a moving sea dragon?”

“I thought you were intelligent enough to understand basic words,” Mayumi spat. “Apparently, I was mistaken.”

Zaden crossed his arms over his chest. “I understand you perfectly. I think you don’t understand that doing so would put us both at risk.”

Mayumi ground her teeth together. She yelled the name of one of her subordinates, who came and bowed.

“What is it you need, Mayumi-sama?”

“Grab the female Lehrling and bring her here,” Mayumi said. “It seems our Lehrling friend needs extra motivation today.”

“No!” Zaden said. “Please, don’t. I’ll…I’ll do it.”

Mayumi would normally be happy that she had convinced her prey so easily. Instead, she was relieved she wouldn’t have to hurt the woman herself. She knew all too well how it felt to be vulnerable, and she didn’t wish that on anyone. She dismissed her subordinate with a wave of her hand.

“Good,” Mayumi said, making sure her voice didn’t reveal how she truly felt. “Get started then.”

Taking a deep breath, Zaden stared at the water dragon for a few minutes, observing its patterns while her crew defended the ship.

“I’m ready.” Zaden held out his hand.

Mayumi frowned at him.

He rolled his eyes. “Trust me, okay?”

She didn’t trust him, but the kote should keep him from disobeying her. With that in mind, she sheathed her tanto and reached out her hand. He took her hand in his own, and she was surprised to find it calloused from working with swords. Was this man truly the smooth talker that Sensei thought? Before she could complete that line of thinking, she heard Zaden start mumbling under his breath. Is that a prayer? Mayumi wondered. Whatever it was, the darkness seemed to shrink away from the kote, and amethyst colored flames began to swirl around Zaden’s arms. Trying not to be frightened, she kept her eyes open as the tornado of flames swirled around them, whooshing them away.

The blur of flames and passing landscape mixed, causing her to be dizzy and disoriented when they reappeared—directly on the sea dragon’s back! Mayumi cursed as the dragon flailed with its new riders. Hanging on as best she could, she scrambled to reach her tanto. Zaden used his flames to burn the sea dragon’s head, causing it to shake even more. Mayumi’s grip slipped, and her tanto began to fall. Managing to grip the hilt without falling off, the water dragon dove underwater.

The sting of seawater and sudden loss of breath almost shocked Mayumi away from her task. Once the dragon saw that it could not drown them, it emerged from the water. Mayumi gasped, and nausea rose as the dragon began shaking its head violently. Zaden hit its head with his flames once more, and Mayumi tried to steady herself so she could stab it. Just as she managed to swallow her nausea and withdraw her tanto, the dragon dove again. She choked and sputtered as it dove into the water and emerged. Finally, she stabbed downward even while she coughed, her sharp blade penetrating the scaly flesh. The dragon roared, the water spraying from its mouth and moving in waves to its sound. Zaden added to her attack, using his flames to continue. The dragon bucked as it died, and Mayumi and Zaden were flung into the sea.

Immediately, her heavy clothes caused her to sink. She tried to kick and emerge, but she had never been a strong swimmer. She looked around and saw Zaden swimming toward her. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her upward, kicking both of them to the surface. She spat out seawater and tread water with his arm around her waist. The crew threw a rope out to them, and they were taken aboard. On the wooden platform of the ship’s deck, they cheered and congratulated her. Mayumi’s ears rang as she gasped for air, trying to get her dignity and her bearings back. Zaden was already on his feet, and he offered her his hand. She huffed and didn’t take it.

“Why did you save me?” Mayumi questioned. “You could’ve been free!”

Zaden shrugged. “It was the right thing to do.”

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Book of the Month

Sold as a slave and uprooted from home, 18-year-old Hest must decide where his loyalties lie or risk losing his new friends.

At peace in the stable, Hest cares for the visitors to Stad while spinning tales of adventure for the innkeeper’s son. But when a foreign warrior purchases him as a slave, he must decide if he’s willing to live the adventures he’s told.

With his new home under attack from an old enemy, Hest must learn to fight or lose his life in battle. While recuperating from injuries, he overhears a plot of treason. Choosing where his loyalties lie will seal his fate and that of a kingdom.

Hest’s already lost one family. He’ll do anything to keep his new one—even ride out to battle and most-certain death.

Uprooted is the first book in the coming-of-age fantasy series, The Sovereigns. If you like action, rounded character development, and dragons, you’ll love Kandi J Wyatt’s book.

Use Yes2Hope to Get the FREE Book

Until Next Time,
M.H. Elrich

Please note: these are unrevised, exclusive sections for paid subscribers. I ask for your grace in any errors or mistakes. The same applies for the voiceover.

Tala remembered the day she lost her freedom. She was five years old, sleeping soundly when her parents came into her tent and woke her up, putting their fingers on their lips to let her know not to wake her younger brother and sister.

“What is it, Mama?” Tala asked, rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands.

“We have a surprise for you,” her mother began.

Tala wrinkled her nose. The smell of alcohol was on her mother’s breath.

“Really?”

“Yes, it is a good one,” her father agreed.

He rubbed his hands together, looking right and left at the tents belonging to the Knights of the North Legion. They were traveling merchants and had stopped to spend the night with the military, selling their wares before they moved.

“Can I sleep after?”

“Yes,” her mother reassured. “You’ll get to sleep with soldiers watching over you.”

Tala didn’t know what that meant, but she trusted her parents. Tala’s father held her hand and she took it, stumbling to her feet. He guided her through the camp, swaying from side to side. They came to a stop at Lord Caiden’s tent.

“I brought her,” her mother said.

“Good!”

A woman emerged from the tent, and instead of being hit by the smell of alcohol, Tala was surrounded by the pungent aroma of perfume. Looking up, Tala saw that the woman wore several layers of cosmetics—the most noticeable being the woman’s dark red lipstick that made her smile seem like the gaping mouth of a lion.

“Lady Eliza,” Tala’s father said.

Both of her parents bowed, so Tala attempted to do a clumsy curtsy. Eliza laughed.

“She still has much to learn,” Lady Eliza observed.

“Yes, but is she acceptable?” her mother questioned.

Lady Eliza hummed to herself. “She will do.”

“Is our debt settled then?” her father said.

“Yes.” Lady Eliza snapped her fingers, and an old woman appeared. “Get this girl cleaned up. I don’t like my slaves to be filthy.”

Slaves? Tala wondered. What does she mean?

Tala wouldn’t understand for months afterwards. She was taken to Fort Kundur, where the Knights of the North Legion were stationed. The Fort existed alongside the bustling city of Haven. At the time, her parents told her it was temporary, that she would work for a year for Lady Eliza and they would come back for her.

But as the years passed and her parents’ gambling debt continued to pile up with the Knights of the North Legion, Tala was smart enough to figure out that she would never be free again. She saw her parents once every year, and at that time, the most Tala could hope for was that they wouldn’t get further into debt.

That’s why it surprised her when, during her thirteenth year as a slave, Lady Eliza called her and the other slaves to her room within the Fort and made them an offer.

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If you’ve read my complete trilogy, found here, you’ll know that there’s one particular character that people love that didn’t get that much page time for a certain spoilery reason I can’t go into. Her name?

Tala.

Tala is Etania’s mother and Jakin’s wife, but before that, who was she? What did she do? How did she come to meet and marry Jakin in the first place?

These questions I’ve tried to answer numerous times, writing and rewriting the beginnings of her story to no avail. Some of it is because the story is set during a time when Melchizedek was alive, so it’s a sort-of-not-really Jesus/Gospels retelling.

Well, I’ve finally decided, with God’s gentle nudge, to serialize her story right here on Substack, and I want to invite you, my Elrich E-Readers, to be the first ones to read it. This is an unedited version of what will eventually, hopefully, prayerfully, be published as a standalone novel from my other books. The only catch?

This is a paid subscriber exclusive.

I know, I know, I can hear what you might be saying—I don’t need another paid subscription, Elrich! I have enough already.

I get that, I really do.

But honestly, I can’t keep doing this without your help.

It would be lovely if I could just give away all of my writing for free. Believe it or not, I would happily do that if I had loads of money.

I try to give away what I can for free, from my free short stories to my free devotionals to my free monthly newsletters (which contain monthly snippets of my other work-in-progress and usually a freebie by an author I trust).

The truth is that with the rising cost of living and self-publishing my books, I have been forced to seek alternatives means of raising funds (including working multiple jobs and the amazing fundraiser to cover medical bills that you may have participated in). It would be nice to not have to work so much and be able to spend more time writing the stories you love.

So that, combined with the fact I got my first ever paid subscriber suddenly (shout-out to you!), I decided to prayerfully write a serialized story exclusively for this person and whoever else would like to join.

And get this? It’s only a $1.25/month (if I did my math right with the discount).

So, if you’re interested in getting the discounted price (to you who paid the full price; if you are able, please see if you can take advantage of this), subscribe below. You can cancel at any time and even binge the serial when I get enough in. I’ll probably send out reminders quarterly about this offer, but it won’t last forever.

Get 75% off forever

If you’re someone who couldn’t do a paid subscription, I totally understand. I will continue to give you valuable information through the free monthly newsletter and work on publishing the next book in the series.

My books are also available for libraries to purchase, and I currently have four libraries (that I know of) carrying my books. I also offer free copies to anyone who is willing to read and review them. So if you are someone with limited means, there are multiple opportunities for you to read my books for free. I also do a sale on my series at least three times a year, which you can take advantage of.

Thank you for your unending support.

Until Next Time,
M.H. Elrich