Seven Realms Promo in People Magazine Out Today!

This gorgeous advertisement is appearing in today's People Magazine Hunger Games special issue.

Seven Realms Fan Art!

I love fan art! For one thing, I admire those who are graphically gifted because I am not. I paint pictures with words. For another, fan art is a great illustration of the way in which readers participate in story. Every reader creates her own image of the characters in a story--and they are all correct. I believe that is why we are so often disappointed in movies that are made of the books we love! I also don't usually like it when characters are depicted on book covers--it never quite matches my own person vision. 

DeviantArt is a great place to find all kinds of art, including fan art. I've discovered that there is a fan page and gallery for my books on the site, including art for the Seven Realms and the Heir Chronicles.

Here are Raisa and Han by =leabharlann 

Another artist who began with my Heir Chronicles series but has recently done some sketches of Seven Realms characters is artist ThornZenithar (Kai Samms).

            Here’s Han Alister by ebalance… 

Raisa by Sarah Moustafa

And Dancer by Misery’s Best Friend 

To see more fabulous art of all kinds, visit DeviantArt!

The Seven Realms Book Trailer!

Right here, right now!! The awesome Seven Realms trailer featuring original music by James Rotondi. Hope you love it as much as I do! View it here. 

In Case You Missed It--There IS a Fourth Seven Realms Book Coming!

It’s come to my attention that some people still think the Seven Realms series is a trilogy.

The confusion is understandable, because it was originally meant to be a trilogy, and it still says “trilogy” several places on my website (me and the webmaster are putting our heads together over that.)

“Why did it end that way?” some readers have asked, after finishing advance copies of The Gray Wolf Throne. “But we still don’t know what happened to Han and Raisa!” 

If the story seems unfinished, it’s because it is. The fact is, I ran out of room in book 3. I just couldn’t fit everything into three reasonably-sized books. (I think you’ll agree that the books aren’t skimpy as is.) My editor kept saying, “Maybe you need four books,” and I kept saying, “No, no, no, I know I can do it in three.” But I was on page 576 and nothing was resolved.

So there is a fourth book—I wouldn’t lie to you. It’s written and already turned in and in the editing process, and I’ll be announcing the title on tour. I can’t wait for you to read it. I love the ending, and hope you will, too.

Some of you will say, “Yay! Four books!” Some of you will say, “Grrr. Now I have to wait another year to see what happens!”

            Bottom line—too big of a story, too little space. It ain't over yet.

Interview at Emily's Reading Room

For anyone who's interested, I just did an interview over at Emily's Reading Room.

TWO MORE HEIR BOOKS COMING!!!

OK, some of you already know this because I just can’t keep a secret, but the paperwork is finally done, and I can officially announce that I’ve just signed a three-book deal with Hyperion, my publisher, for two more Heir books and a fourth Seven Realms novel.

WOO-HOO!!

Now I know that the next thing somebody’s going to ask is what and when and how and who, and the answer is, I don’t know, exactly. I mean, I have an idea. And a contract. I DID write a proposal. Sort of.

This is the kind of planner I am.  I was working on the third book in the Seven Realms TRILOGY. It was due May 1 and I was, oh, on page 576, and my characters showed no signs of wrapping things up and my publisher showed no interest in publishing an eight-hundred page book.

Hmm, I thought.  This could be a problem.

Fortunately, my publisher was interested in more books from me, and so after some negotiation, we made a deal—for one more Seven Realms novel and the two Heir books.

I do plan to finish the Seven Realms series before I write the Heir books, because the story arc goes over all four books and I’m already catching enough heat from readers about having to wait until September to read The Exiled Queen.

Possible titles for the upcoming Heir books include The Sorcerer Heir and The Enchanter Heir, but that’s not graven in stone (I love that word graven. Kind of like craven, but more durable.)

I am scheduled to write a book a year. So that’s what I’ll be up to for the next few years. And my husband is looking at me, saying, Well, maybe could you make a few notes ? So we don’t have to give the money back if you get hit by a truck or something?

And I’m saying, Honey, you know I’m not that kind of a planner.  

The Exiled Queen Coming September 28, 2010

I've been getting a lot of requests for information about the sequel to The Demon King. Since my website is under construction, I thought I would post a sneak preview here on my blogs.

This is the preliminary cover art. It will be used on the galley of The Exiled Queen, but is not the final version.

 Below is a draft of the flap copy for The Exiled Queen. WARNING: If you've not read The Demon King, there be spoilers below! Proceed at your own risk!!

Haunted by the loss of his mother and sister, hunted by the powerful Bayar family, Han Alister makes a devil’s bargain with the clans. If they sponsor his schooling at Mystwerk  Academy at Oden’s Ford, he will become their magical sell-sword against the power-hungry Wizard Council.

Han and his clan friend Fire Dancer undertake the dangerous journey south through war-torn Arden. Once in Oden’s Ford, it doesn’t take long for the smoldering feud between Han and Micah Bayar to kindle into flame. After several attempts on his life, Han knows he has to find a way to defend himself.

In the magical dream world of Aediion, Han meets the mysterious Crow, a wizard with a long-standing grudge against the Bayars. Crow offers to tutor Han in wizardry in exchange for his help. Han agrees, once again forced into a bargain he hopes he won’t regret.

Meanwhile, Han’s friends Fire Dancer and Cat Tyburn struggle with their own demons. Dancer is determined to become a clan flashcrafter, despite his charmcaster status. Cat carries a load of guilt, as the only survivor of the slaughter of the gangs in Ragmarket and Southbridge.

Resuming her disguise as gently-born Rebecca Morley, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna travels with her friend Amon Byrne and his triple of cadets to Wien House, the military academy at Oden’s Ford. There she hopes she will find both temporary sanctuary from a forced marriage and the education she needs to succeed as the next Gray Wolf queen.

Much of Raisa’s education takes place outside of the classroom. As she mingles with students of all classes from throughout the Seven Realms, she forges the kind of friendships that don’t happen amid the cut-throat politics of the Gray Wolf Court. She also struggles to deal with her attraction to Amon—an attraction he seems determined to discourage. 

When Han Alister asks the girl he knows as Rebecca to tutor him, she agrees. The streetlord turned wizard with the complicated past fascinates her, and he makes it clear the interest is mutual. But Han blames Queen Marianna and the Bayars for the loss of his family. As their relationship deepens, Raisa suspects that if Han knew her true identity, he wouldn’t want anything to do with her.