First peek at chapters and layout

Sneak peek of Book 5 of the Folded Earth series

The book uses colour photographs, but, of course, there is no publisher that I know who could print them in colour affordably. Those graphics will render in greyscale in the final version of the book. This will be most visible and correct in the hardcover and softcover I've found. For some reason, ebooks have heaps of issues with even simple things like properly encoded centered graphics. It is... irritating! But I may be able to get around it with PDF. In that case, the colours of maps and graphics will be preserved for ebook readers as well.

Also, this novel is a little outside the normal length for a Folded Earth book, and there is a lot that happens between these covers. If you are new to these books, I would recommend that you read one through four of the Folded Earth series to get a feel for the spirit, the rumours, and the intrigues that set up some of the events in this novel. Without that rich and storied history, this novel could be less impactful. Without the backstory of the town of Bridges, dragons in this world, Ora Buckmaster, and the hints and visions we've had so far of An Torr's (the King's) long existence, you won't be an insider when it comes to some of the big moments here! We don't want that! Its pretty easy to avoid though, as most of these books are now published wide (outside of Amazon).

That reminder said, here's a little excerpt, chosen at random, from the next book!

A Peek into the Pages

...

So far, Salvo had simply followed proceedings, pointedly not on the same side of the table as his family, the Advisor, or Warden Theos Hern.

There was the rustling of fabric as Lady Webb—Ashirlewyn—arrived at her seat. She stayed on her stately feet in a dress so spectacular and thick she looked every inch a royal, and she set a hand on the Lord’s chair. “Then perhaps, Miss Buckmaster, you can explain why your magnificent King won’t as much as break bread with us?”

Don’t I wish I could.

But relationships between the King and the Ordiri were thorny and these adamah didn’t need to know such a wild snarl even existed. For surely, they had wanted not Ruel, but a Shining One.

An Bealteinn wasn’t good enough for them.

She glanced across at where the King ignored this. His back was tall and wide along the shoulders in the soft grey long-coat, his poised figure began a circuit of pacing along tiles she bet he was counting—walking only on the white ones as also suited his stride.

She watched his intoxicating body pass in and out, in and out of the sunlight.

A distraction to cool his temper. And hers.

What had they said to him?

She pressed down on her own spurt of anger.

Don’t make it worse. Fix this.

From watching him weave patterns on the wood, Ora returned her attention to Lady Ashirl, “What are you trying to decide today?”

Which caused Rashio to unleash his fist and strike the table with a crack. This passed through the Elites who lined the windows and walls all around him and caused the Fateful King—off to one side and not far from Ora—to tense.

Then Lord Rashio raised his voice to snap, “Will you not answer my wife’s question? None of you?”

Kaylas Zruss shot an accusatory glare at An Torr.

But Jhan Kessian got up and made his way over to Ora, “They’re upset.”

“I can see that,” she replied.

It would not pay to be cross before the King.

...