Tonight Drinkshares:Last Call is airing the Crowdfunding 102 episode! In this one we’ll get into the real nitty gritty of crowdfunding on Inkshares.

If you watch it live, be sure to join the live chat :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1aWrj4HUUU

Thanks again Joey! I’m loving your insight into everyone’s main characters. This contest is full of so many great books and authors. I feel like Inkshares is a community of awesome people who just want to see more great books out there. 

Thanks again Joey! What you said about Thom, being a character who doesn’t want the responsibility that comes with being a hero, captured his essence. I couldn’t have said it better!

(Long post, Wall-o’-text incoming)
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[It’s important to note that this takes a bit of time to write and all numbers and placements are based on where everyone is when I write this. It may be different now but it should be close.]

You can view last weeks here: The Story So Far Part 6
There was another Inkshares blog post featuring the Top 10 Authors. I may reference that so if you haven’t read it, here is the link: Inkshares Blog Sept. 13th 2016

What about those 11th-25th? Don’t sweat it, @Jane-Holly Meissner  has you covered: Last Week’s Top 11-25

Welcome back to The Story So Far, my name is @Joey Angotti and I’ll be your guide for this evening. The Protagonist. The main focus of this tale you’re trying to tell. Is he dark and mysterious like Oz? Charming like Thoster Chatwyn? Every author has a vision before they begin to write. Often times it’s the world and the setting we make first - but who does the story follow like a third person action game? We’re going to talk about that! Week Seven. Let’s do this!

10.  A Beast Requires by @Jay Lockwood (91 Readers / Last Week’s Rank: 10th)

A Beast Requires by Jay Lockwood lands in the 10th spot for the 2nd week in a row(Though technically tied for 9th). Mr. Lockwood has slipped in and out of the Top 10 this week, but with 6 more unique readers from last week, he’s still holding onto his place here in the Top 10. Normally, I would tell you to go check out A Beast Requires’ page, with Mr. Lockwood’s cleverly(and often hilarious) crafted comments section  - but I really hope majority of you have checked that out already! This week we’re going to do things a bit different.

Let’s talk about Albicon. Albi-what-now? If you haven’t read the first chapter of A Beast Requires, I strongly suggest you do. Albicon is our focus, newly arrived to a little place called Aurum. Albicon is immediately thrust into a place of odd smells and unforeseen circumstances. There are many words to describe him, but I’d break it down like this without spoiling too much: He’s a light-hearted aspiring pig watcher(Yep!) with a sense of humor that often leaves him(and the reader!) being the only one(s) laughing at his own jokes. Albicon arrives to town riding with a man named Mr. Schaw and literally hugging a pig(Why are you not reading this yet? Seriously!), he’s the type of character with so much charisma it’s hard to not like him from the get-go.

If that’s not enough to entice you yet, Mr. Lockwood’s absolutely fantastic storytelling will hook you from the start, with magically crafted paragraphs that basically force you to imagine the pungent smells of Aurum to the snappy dialogue of Albicon himself and the crazy cast of characters around him. There is literally something for everybody. And if there’s not… You should at least go to read about the Troll with a algae-like mo-hawk. Like, no excuses really. Go read about the Troll with the mo-hawk.   

9. Flames in the Dark by @Tara Roquemore (91 Readers / Last Week’s Rank: 9th)

Exciting news coming out of the Flames in the Dark camp this week. Tara Roquemore has uploaded a video! You all should go check it out as soon as possible, as she offers a lot of insight into her world and story. After you’re done peeping the video, be sure to check out her comments section(Not just saying this because she mentioned yours truly in a comment a few days ago, I swear - Thank you, Tara!). We can look forward to Chapter 2 once she reaches 100 Readers!

To which you might be saying: “What about Chapter 1, Joe? J-Bone? J-Money? The J-ster?” To which I will say, “Please don’t call me any of those things.”

Truth is, I’ve spent so many weeks physically exploding into unicorns and glitter(I’m a straight male, but it’s the only way I can explain this. Nothing against any other people out there.) over the Prologue that shant be named yet I always name it anyway that I have neglected speaking about the beautifully crafted and intriguing first Chapter of Flames in the Dark. The prologue introduced us to the Wilde family and Chapter 1 gives us even more.

Brand Wilde is the easy-going son of Hayden and Ivy. Borderline reckless with his fire sparking abilities, he’s only kept in check by his hot-tempered sister, Edana. Edana can literally shape Brand’s fire into crystals and often has to do so when he’s just throwing sparks out everywhere. He does so intentionally sometimes just to bug her, but you can tell there is a bond here that is immeasurable. Brand needs Edana and Edana needs Brand. They balance each other perfectly. But, their mother, Ivy, has a vision of a prophecy that requires Brand to travel to Minian by himself. I don’t want to spoil anything else from this chapter, as you really should read it, but I’m very interested in seeing where this story goes. Brand must face a world without Edana and their separation could prove catastrophic given their abilities. If you haven’t read any of Flames in the Dark yet, you’re missing out on one of the best written stories in the Top 10!   

8. Chronicles of An Domhan by @Conri (106 Readers / Last Week’s Rank: 7th)

Mr. Conri finally gave us an update a few days ago about Chronicles of An Domhan and where he stands with his campaign. Some exciting/time consuming/busy things in life have caused quite a slow down but it would appear that he’s back in action and will be providing a lot more content in the days to come. Have no fear Mr. Conri, I got you, bro!

Let’s talk Marshal Beatrix Delacroix. Have you ever been told about independent women who “don’t need no man?” These are the type of women who are fearless, often stern in their approach and to be quite honest - 99% of the time, they’re complete badasses. The type of female characters you long to read about or watch on TV and the type that there just aren’t enough of out there in media or everyday life. Luckily, we have Marshal Beatrix Delacroix. She’ll walk right into your fancy establishment and ignore the fact that a man in a high position gave specific orders not to let her see him and barge right in and fight for what she believes in. She doesn’t care if you’re a judge if you’re not delivering the proper justice she’s going to tell you about it. That’s the extent of what I can tell you. To explain any more of the first chapter of Chronicles of An Domhan would be to deny you the absolutely EPIC scene that follows. You should just go read it for yourself!  

7. The Last Faoii by @Tahani Nelson  (117 Readers / Last Week’s Rank: N/A)

Tahani Nelson and her book, The Last Faoii, have resurfaced in the Top 10 and I’m shocked it’s taken this long. Ms. Nelson has returned with a vengeance as she has not only made her way back into the Top 10, but already jumped to 7th place! I’ve spoken about Ms. Nelson’s video on The Story So Far before, if you haven’t seen it yet - you need to! She’s running one of the most entertaining campaigns over on her page and she’s rallying her troops effectively and the results are obvious. Now that The Last Faoii is back in the Top 10, you should go check out the page again. Normally I’d break it down for you, but I’m trying to keep up a theme here!

Which brings me to Kaiya. Kai is a Faoii, which is basically the warriors of Ms. Nelson’s world. She’s somewhat mischievous and a bit too laid back for her peers, but that’s a big part of her charm. Her adorable and hilarious banter and interactions with her shield-sister, Mollie, should be enough incentive to go read The Last Faoii(It’s amazing) but if it’s not, you should go for the atmosphere. Kai is a part of something big, something huge and you feel that immediately in the first chapter. Ms. Nelson’s unique phrasing and terms are easy to pick up and once you’ve entered her fantasy world, you learn to appreciate her enthusiasm in her comments section a lot more. Go follow Kaiya and her adventure, the action will hold your interest and the loveable characters will keep you invested for the whole journey! Faoii-Joey, out!   

6. The Delicate Art of Soulripping by @Sara  (119 Readers / Last Week’s Rank: 6th)
The Delicate Art of Soulripping by Sara Polk is still in 6th place, but continues to gain readers. I’ve talked about Osbeorht(aka Oz) many times here on The Story So Far and if you don’t mind, I don’t really want to stop! He’s easily one of the most fascinating characters in this entire contest and if you took the time to read some of The Delicate Art of Soulripping, I’m sure that you would agree. The best thing Ms. Polk has going in this contest is the fact that she’s one of the only people writing in first person. Fantasy in first person is often difficult, but Ms. Polk makes it look easy. She invites us into Oz’s world and tells such an interesting story from his perspective about something that is absolutely one of the most intense things you can imagine. Oz has existed since the year 1321, which means he’s seen a lot through his years of living and then ripping. The idea, the settings and the descriptions often combine for a taste of something so horrifying that this entry could have easily been in the Horror contest going on right now.

The Write Out Loud syndicate recently backed this project and there is a reason. You need to go read this story and find out that reason for yourself! Don’t worry, you’ll totally get it after the first few paragraphs!  

5. The Living God by @Kaytalin Platt (128 Readers / Last Week’s Rank: 5th)
Kaytalin Platt could be THE most helpful Inksharian on Inkshares. Her constant support for her fellow authors is enough for you to go check out her author page at least, but you’re only doing yourself a disservice if you don’t also feast your eyes upon The Living God. (Segue? Nailed it!)

The Living God follows the story of Saran D’Mor, a woman born of nobility but raised as a fighter after her mother dies(people speculate she committed suicide to escape her husband - yikes!). Since she’s raised as a fighter and a leader, she missed out on all the nobility-learning and is a bit different than most other noble ladies. She gets herself into quite a bit of trouble and seems to be a handful for most of the other knights and lords running around in The Living God. These types of characters are the most enjoyable to read about in my opinion. There is a deepness that makes them relate-able, strong qualities that make them inspirational and enough fantasy elements thrown in to make them just really cool. If you want to read about Saran and her adventure - you need to check out The Living God. The story starts off really action-packed, so it’s easy to get lost in the world Ms. Platt has created for us. If you haven’t yet, it’s time to dive in!    

4. The Fairy Stepmother, Inc. by @Maggie Hoyt  (172 Readers / Last Week’s Rank: 4th)

The Fairy Stepmother, Inc. by Maggie Hoyt is now 172 Readers strong! If you’re not sure if you should check out The Fairy Stepmother, Inc. - Let me help you out: Go check it out! See? See what I did there? … Anyway, the story follows Evelyn, who is giving us some first-person insight on what it’s like to live in a world where everything should be about fairy-tales and happy endings but we quickly learn it’s not all pleasantries and rainbows. Evelyn isn’t fighting off dragons or sailing out on some epic journey with pirates - she’s battling one of the scariest things to ever exist: Reality. Twice married, twice widowed and two teenage girls who are more interested in the Fairy Tale bit than the reality bit are the types of trials and tribulations that Evelyn has to face on a daily basis.

The dialogue and Ms. Hoyt’s writing really set the tone for a story that has a medieval/fantasy setting but manages to pull on strings that hit close to home. It’s the perfect blend of fantasy and reality that makes this the type of story you want to invest in. If dressing up in costume and posting a video about the book didn’t catch your interest, you need to read some of Evelyn’s story - I guarantee you will be hooked after the first few lines of the prologue!   

3. Storm Song by @Allison Griner  (198 Readers / Last Week’s Rank: 2nd)

Allison Griner’s Storm Song has fallen to 3rd place this week, but it’s also 2 readers away from 200! That’s a huge milestone on the horizon(that may have already been hit by the time I post this!). Ms. Griner has been busy promoting Storm Song, most recently in her old stomping grounds of Ball State University where she studied Creative Writing and what will be known as the birthplace of Elysia when Storm Song makes it big. She’s also going to be holding a D&D event that will be set in the world of Storm Song(so cool!) and she’s giving away some dice sets! For more details on that, head on over to her comments section on the Storm Song page!

Storm Song follows the adventure of Thoster Chatwyn, whom I have officially dubbed the epitome of charisma. Thoster is a real man’s man, but lacks majority of the skills necessary to hold a steady job, at least in his own opinion, so he spends his time going from tavern to tavern singing and telling stories to earn some coin. His witty banter, that may often annoy his sister, makes him one of the most entertaining characters I’ve ever read about. Ms. Griner delivers on the dialogue in Chapter 1 and beyond to the point where you really feel a connection with all of the characters, not just Thoster. The best part being that when she really focuses on our charismatic focus, her unique storytelling helps expose his already love-able qualities. Ms. Griner has taken a D&D NPC and turned him into a larger-than-life protagonist of an exciting pirate tale. I can not wait to get my hands on the book when it comes out to read Thoster’s full story.

If you want to see why I’m so obsessed with Thoster and his story, you need only go to the Storm Song page and check out the content Ms. Griner has already posted for us. You won’t be disappointed!      

2. The Slave Prince by @Jeyna Grace  (204 Readers / Last Week’s Rank: 2nd)
The Slave Prince by Jeyna Grace has become the second book in the Top 10 to break 200 readers! Congratulations to Ms. Grace on her campaign thus far and for returning to 2nd place! She’s also teamed up with Salt x Paper for a giveaway for those who preorder The Slave Prince - you can read about that in her comments section!

If you haven’t had a chance to check out The Slave Prince yet, you’re missing out on some wonderfully put together setting descriptions from Ms. Grace. I’d believe it if you told me that “Detail” was her middle name, as the prologue and provided chapters are full of amazing scenery that make you feel like you’re right next to Thom as he gets involved in all of his crazy antics. Writers often make the mistake of being overly descriptive but she manages to put enough to make you feel like you’re there without overdoing it. Before I get even more carried away with these awesome uses of imagery, let me backtrack just a moment to Thom himself. Thom is the type of character that doesn’t want the responsibility that comes with being a hero - but you can tell he’s destined for great things. He’s run into some trouble keeping tabs on his brother, but the focus for the people of Alpenwhist(had to work this name in, I love it!) should be on our mischievous protagonist!

You can follow Thom and his adventure over on The Slave Prince page where Ms. Grace has posted the Prologue and 3 Chapters to give us a small taste of Thom’s journey in Alpenwhist!   

1. Sparked by @Lena (Helena and Malena)  (342 Readers / Last Week’s Rank: 1st)
To say that Helena Echlin and Malena Watrous are running away with this contest might be the understatement of the year. 138 Readers ahead of second place and almost 500 preorders makes them the odds on favorite for 1st place. Their readers and fan base have come out in full force to support them and as I mentioned in last week’s The Story So Far, it’s for good reason. These two are extremely helpful in the community and deserve the success they’re currently getting. That being said, I’m going to just push these two lovely ladies aside for a moment - Let’s just talk Sparked.

One day Laurel wakes up and her sister, Ivy, is missing. This seems to be the norm, but this time it feels different for Laurel. This time it feels a bit more permanent than Ivy’s normal disappearances throughout the night. She has a feeling that something awful has happened but the adults don’t seem to take her seriously. What proceeds is a fantasy mystery of epic proportions. Laurel is a clever girl, analyzing the situation and making her own conclusions. She’s also a teenager in high school, so she’s got a lot of regular teenage girl problems too. Throw the missing sister mystery, teenage girl problems and some bullies at school into a magical bag and mix it up a bit and well - “I can’t even.” Yeah, that was totally a clever poke at hipsters and millennials - what it should read is “I can’t even begin to explain to you how awesome the flow of this story is!” If you want your eyeballs to experience writing ecstasy, it’s time to figure out what the hype is about and why this book already has almost 500 preorders.

The pacing of this story is perfect and makes you really feel the panic that Laurel must be going through when she finds out her sister is missing or the sheer disappointment when none of the adults believe her. The writing grips you in a way that you feel like you’re the one going from place to place trying to uncover the mystery(Weird experience as a 29 year old man). It’s time to immerse yourself in this world that Ms. Echlin and Ms. Watrous have created! Go check out Sparked!  



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Late release this week, sorry folks! I started writing this at midnight and wrapped it up at 3:00AMish. Sorry for the delay, I wanted to go a bit deeper this week on detail. I’d also like to give some special recognition to Allison Griner for the idea to talk more about the main characters of each story. I think it worked out pretty well and hopefully I did all of your characters justice. I tried not to be too spoilery with the stories too.

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I’m not sure people who aren’t tagged are even reading this or slightly interested. Also, people not using the forums enough could not be seeing this as well. Any and all extra exposure of this forum post would be appreciated!(It’s a lot of work to not be seen by more people on the site!) - A mention on your books page or more comments could keep this afloat and make sure more people see this post - therefore more exposure and good things for your entry! Plus it might get more people involved on the forums which is good for Inkshares as a whole, imo.

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Shameless Plug: I only need 5 more Amazon reviews to hit my goal of 30! I’d really appreciate it if some of you could help me reach that goal! If you have a book on Inkshares that you’re funding and you write a positive review for my first book, A Soldier’s Crest, I will preorder your book. It’s the easiest preorder you’ll ever earn. Writing a review costs you nothing but 5-10 minutes of your time and I will love you forever! Thanks to everyone here who has already helped out - I really appreciate it!

A Soldier’s Crest

Lastly I want to thank Inkshares for making this site and giving aspiring authors like us a chance to share our stories. I also want to thank all the Inksharians, especially those in the Top 10, for giving me some interesting stories to read and write about.

Cheers!

-J.A.  

(I post it first then add the links after, so if you click on it right away you may not see the links. Just know that they’re gonna be added in an edit right after! Thanks for your patience and sorry for the inconvenience!)

EDIT: Links added!

Hi Joey, 

Another outstanding update, @Joey Angotti !

@Joey Angotti has been going a great job with the weekly updates on the Top Ten for the Geek & Sundry FantasticInk contest, but I thought we could do with a bit of a spotlight on the current runners up, the ones just beyond the top ten. And so, may I present to you, the Top Eleven Through Twenty-Five!

All of these are great books, and you may have missed them! I encourage you to click through, read up, and follow these fantasy books. They’re unique and interesting takes on the fantasy genre, and some just need a little push and they’ll be on the leaderboard too.


11. The Last Faoii by @Tahani Nelson 
84 readers / 100 orders

After her monastery is attacked and her sisters slaughtered, Kaiya-faoii is left alone to fight a war at the heart of a broken empire-- or watch everything left of her nation and heritage fall to darkness.

You’ve all seen Tahani Nelson’s updates, leading her followers fearlessly into the battle for a top three placing in the Geek & Sundry contest. The Last Faoii was picked as the July 2016 selection for the Teen Read Syndicate.


12. Kingdom of Dreams by Kevin O’Coffey
67 readers / 119 orders

A troubled twelve-year-old boy must ally with his daydream to prevent his recurring nightmare from conquering the Kingdom of Dreams.

Jimmy Reve just wants the bullies in his life to go away—for good. So imagine his surprise, when one by one, they mysteriously go missing from his school. That’s a cool development… but Jimmy senses his messed up home life might be the least of his problems. His suspicions are confirmed when he meets Burks, Jimmy’s snarky recurring daydream who suffers from ADD, and one of the two narrators of the story. Burks has a mission for Jimmy: find his way into the Kingdom of Dreams and fix the damage he’s caused. If he doesn’t, he’ll be the next to disappear along with everyone else that dreams. Permanently.

An illustrated fantasy novel, recommended for ages eight and up. Click through and check out O’Coffey’s illustrations, you won’t be disappointed!


13. Witherfist by @J. Graham-Jones
55 readers / 57 orders

The true name of a demon is inked into her flesh. To return to her daughter and home, the warrior Irusai must break the binding the ink has created. In doing so, she will ally with a princess in exile and together bring justice to the Last Empire.

What’s in a name?

In the the Last Empire, a name is the most powerful weapon you can possess. If you can write the true-name of a person, you can bind it to your will. In the great vault of the First City, the Book of Names lists the true-names of every loyal Imperial subject, binding each of them to their place in society and in servitude to the Empress Lian. There are some names, however, that even the Empress will not write...

Hated and feared - spoken of in hushed whispers throughout the Empire and beyond - the notorious warrior known as Witherfist was once a territorial lord, overseeing the lands and subjects of the Last Emperor. On the wrong side of a political power-play by the Empress Lian, she and her fellow lords made a terrible bargain: inking the names of ancient demons into their skin in a contract that will grant them supernatural powers. Though she is unmatched in combat, her blackened and withered sword-hand is rumoured to drain the soul of whoever she touches. Now, she is banished by the Empress Lian from the lands she once swore to protect and now must find a way to return not only to her home and her family but also her humanity...

When a coup deposed Arren Kalendra’s father from the throne of the Last Empire, the young princess was branded a fugitive and stranded outside of the land’s she was once destined to rule. To restore just and rightful rulership to her homelands, Arren must seek out new allies and gather force capable of challenging not only the might of the Imperial Army but also the political cunning of her mother, the Empress Lian. She will delve deep into forbidden magics and threaten to plunge the world into all-out war, as she dares to speak the true-names of a dead tyrant and his centuries-frozen army...


14. Her Latent Charm: Book 1 in the Bridge Series by @Dana Brentson
51 readers / 61 orders

The world thinks magic is a myth, and Brigid is a young woman discovering she has an innate, if wild, talent for it.  Her strength begins to reawaken the magic of the world around her, preparing her for the battles to come.

Brentson says about her book: I have been playing with this particular story for about six years, with two other books in this series I am crafting in production, both of which were madly concocted in the furious race to finish NanoWriMo.

While this is the story of one woman and her personal struggle with magic and enemies from her past, the series will ultimately take her on a much larger journey that could shape her world.

First and foremost, I write for the love of it. But I hope to find some small modicum of success with this novel, so that I can explore the rest of Brigid’s story as it unfolds.


15. Earthshard by @Eli Vaughn Plaskett
51 readers / 54 orders

In a world recovering from war, men strive to bind the forces of nature in shards of crystal. As a new power threatens to unbalance the tenuous peace, three strangers realize they have no idea how they got into this mess. I blame Steven.

In Vai, magic flows through all things. For millennia, it was beyond the reach of man, but as time crawled by, the Craftsmen emerged. Braving furious storms and terrible flames, these men and women harnessed the magical forces of nature into crystals called aethers. With aethers, magic gave birth to machines both wondrous and terrible, and Vai changed forever.

Earthshard is the story of three people who never wanted to meet. Aaron is an apprentice Craftsman learning to harness the magical forces that flow through the world of Vai and desperately trying not to die in the process. Laurel is a mechanist intent on seeing the world aboard an airship, but trouble keeps her tied to the ground. Ricand is a veteran doing his best to simply drift through life, but he cannot ignore the drums of war.

Unfortunately for them, a woman working in secret has created something new, an impossible aether that will shatter the balance of power in Vai, and a dangerous fanatic will do anything to take it.


16. Dragonford - The Long Highway by @Brendan Thompson 
46 readers / 60 orders

A company of veterans must cross a continent to found a settlement in a hostile wilderness. Facing cultists, monsters, and assassins, the greatest peril they face will be their own secrets and legacies of betrayal.

Thompson says about his book: Hello, readers! Dragonford is a series of novels I have been working on for a few years. This project is the planned first installment. In tone, it is quite dark, with a heavy emphasis on characterization, intrigue, and betrayal. While there is still plenty of swashbuckling and adventure, the core concept is a diverse group who have to cooperate and learn about each other in order to survive their mission. In genre terms, this is a gunpowder fantasy that reads a lot like a Western.

I am a veteran of the US Air Force who is currently living in South Korea, where I teach English as a Second Language. I have a life long passion for books and storytelling. I have always enjoyed fiction that takes me to other worlds, where we can explore what it might mean to be a person living under very different circumstances.

17. Glassbreaker by @Julia Perroni
46 readers / 57 orders

A girl finds herself dragged unwillingly into a journey meant to save the world from a dark curse, and must leave behind her home, her best friend, and a life that was at its beginning. Whether she lives or dies is out of the hands of fate.

Glassbreaker is a young adult high fantasy novel starring my daring female protagonist, Miri Marshall. The book follows her as she’s dragged off on a quest to save the world and into a lot of danger, very much against her own will. Along the way she faces off against kings and monsters, plus has to deal with hostility even from within her own travelling party. She’s not the kind of person you’d imagine as the hero of this kind of story - she’s not much of a hero at all, even by her own admission - but she’s tough and she’s dedicated, and she has a life and a best friend just waiting for her to return from her harrowing journey.

Perroni says of her book: The world of Glassbreaker is an undeniably fantastical one, populated by winged people, elves, and merfolk, alongside humans of several differing cultures; there is magic woven into the fabric of Trinna, and though Miri’s no mage, magical forces definitely play a part in her journey. Including the sinister Darkness, a curse which has been causing ever-increasing death, to the point where it has become clear that it cannot be ignored and will not be easily defeated. What can be done to stop it, however, is a mystery that has yet to be discovered; finding that solution and enacting it is Miri’s task, and no one, especially her, is quite sure she’ll be able to do it. At the very least, it’ll take a journey to the four corners of the Trinnan map, far from the bounds of Miri’s isolated home village and beyond anything she’s ever experienced.


18. Exile, Magus by @Thomas J. Arnold
42 readers / 47 orders

A young dwarven magus must enter a world he grew up only hearing of. As he strives to find his place and faces numerous dangers (and at least one too many gnomes) his naivete in life and love may bring more danger than any enemy ever could.

Pentaz Muix, a young man native to a reclusive nation of dwarves, feels he has no choice but to flee his homeland in order to escape punishment after revealing his study of magic in order to save his people.

As he takes his first clumsy steps out from the isolation of his island home into the wide and varied world of the mainland, he searches for a family to replace the one he has lost. Along the way he meets a wandering warrior named Buscidia and falls in love with her, but his own fear of losing her may well spell their undoing.

While he explores the mainland and its many perils, he is unaware that his homeland has not let go of him as easily as he believes. Unbeknownst to him, he is pursued by the last surviving member of his family, his brother Palkaz. Their reunion follows closely on the heels of Pentaz’ biggest mistake and tragedy, and they find themselves facing off against one another amidst a danger neither of them had imagined. Can they put aside their differences long enough to survive?

Exile, Magus was backed in August 2016 by the Epic Fantasy Syndicate.


19. The Soul Decision by @Michael J. Palumbo
41 readers / 57 orders

A collection of disillusioned criminals, rebellious outsiders, and fallen heroes can unite the lands. But before they convince kings to trust one another, they must learn to trust each other, face their own demons, and be the heroes the world needs.

The story involves a core group of main characters, each with their own issues to overcome. Each has removed themselves from society in some way, and yet as they come closer to saving society, they become more invested in it. Given the nature of the criminal world and its opposition to civil society, there are a variety of personal conflicts that arise. The heroes are forced to make hard decisions about what’s important to them, and sometimes they surprise themselves. They both save the world and rejoin it, saving themselves in the process.

20. Raven and Bone by @Allison C Waechter
40 readers / 45 orders

Ava Aurildis is a witch with anxiety, a lot of anger and a past so dark it’s kept her running for centuries. To save her family she’ll have to confront her demons before time, or something worse, catches up with her.

Ava Aurildis has been running and hiding for a very long time, but at least she has her friends. Lex and Viv have been at her side for decades-- they’re more than friends, they’re her heart’s family.

When Viv is brutally murdered, and Lex is rendered incapable of helping, Ava must unravel the mystery that’s haunted them on her own. If she wants any chance of putting her family back together she’ll have to confront her past before time, or something worse, catches up with her.


21. Man’s Damnnation - Lore of the Aos Si by @Christopher Lee
37 readers / 39 orders

It is 3002BCE. Mankind is subject to Fae law. Four young souls will rise as the ancient forces of the world continue their age-old feud. As MidSummer’s Eve approaches, the first and greatest world war will erupt once more between Man and the Fae.

Our ancestors once lived in harmony with the creator. It was a Golden Age, where man lived in the fabled Garden of Eden where none suffered and all needs were fulfilled. The Primordial Goddess was their mother and her first child was Adam.

Adam, the first man, and father of mankind was charged with the protection of her sacred creation. The power bestowed upon him proved too great for Adam thus was born the folly of man. The Goddess rested for the act of creation had drained her of her power. Adam was filled with hubris and named himself God among men.

His pride corrupted the creation of the Goddess and perverted mankind. War between Adam and the Goddess raged in the heavens. The Fae, the siblings of mankind, waged war on their rebellious brothers and sisters. The Goddess claimed victory over Adam and mankind was banished from Eden and stripped of their ability to wield the gift of magic.

It is the year 3002 B.C.E. in the Silver Age. The Fae King Dagda rules over the four houses of the Seeley Court of Tír na nÓg. Mankind is scattered across the realms of Tír na nÓg and Tír nam Beo. Tensions between the Fae and Man are reaching a breaking point. As the Silver Age draws to a close the world will be thrown into chaos by the return of the Usurper Adam. Four young souls will rise as the ancient forces of the world continue their age-old feud. As MidSummer’s Eve approaches, the first and greatest world war will erupt once more between Man and the Fae.


22. The City Will Fall by @Kim Whale
34 readers / 37 orders

Anna was just a Blank, one of the powerless few in a City of powerful people. She dreamed of being something more. She dreamed of saving the world. Now she is the most hated terrorist of all time. The question is, what happened to Anna?

Anna is trying to start a better life. Tired of her menial job and bleak future, she dreams of one day finding a magical talent, born from her soul. She dreams of being just like everyone else, more than just a talentless Blank; however, this is all but impossible for those like her. Blanks are the invisible minority that talented society both pities and fears, and there is no hope for them.

Cassandra, a talented Architect born to wealth and privelege, is disturbed by the surge of hatred and intolerance toward Blanks. With the police turning a blind eye as Blanks begin to disappear, she turns to a legend for hope. In Anna, she sees a soul capable of doing great things, given the proper guidance.

Everything will change. A prophecy has been written. The City Will Fall, and Anna will be it’s destroyer. It will take two dedicated reporters and a jaded cop to find out why.


23. Seven Days a Servant by @Trick Dempsey
34 readers /36 orders

In the palaces of Brilliance, the fear of death is a distant memory. When a young heir discovers the rotten truths behind her ideal nation, she must choose between justice and order.

Dempsey says: Seven Days a Servant is in a universe called "Iron Immortals". This setting is shared across three projects right now: this novel, a video game in development at The Crooked Thimble, and the Iron Immortals podcast.

Iron Immortals is the result of a six-year collaboration with my wife, Briana Dempsey, which began by asking simple, foundational questions about a fantasy world that we would soon call "Promise." The first question revolved around the role of death in this magical universe, and soon spun into huge revelations about the cultures and economies that could be defined by their relationship with this foundational question.

"What is death?"


24. Erin and the Deadly Tattooist by @Amanda Claassen
33 readers / 34 orders

Erin’s kicked into a wild adventure to save her parents from The Tattooist, he’ll stop at nothing to find The Great Guitar. She’ll solve mysteries and travel across the world in a flying ship to South Africa and uncover magical places and creatures!

Claassen says about her book: I’m very nervous and excited to submit my idea to you. I’m from South Africa and now live in the UK. I can’t remember a time where I haven’t preferred to lose myself in silly made up places and create adventure within my imagination.

My idea started as a way to write a story about the beautiful places I grew up in, but I wanted to tell it by creating new mythology around some old South African folk tales. My heroine Erin is 8 years old, she’s pushed into a wild magical adventure with her best teddy Flumpy to save her parents from the deadly Tattooist. They take a flying ship to South Africa, where they travel to the magical city of Sakharvia that’s hidden within a cave, they go to the depths of a diamond mine and even try to find an invisible castle on top of Table Mountain.

This is written for a younger audience, but if you fancy a Harry Potter style adventure mixed with some new ideas on South African folk stories, then I think you’ll be in for a treat.


25. Fae Child by @Jane-Holly Meissner
32 readers / 38 orders

A child slips through a portal into the land of the Fae and traverses the Otherworld with the help of a young elf, while her parents are left to deal with the changeling that was left in her place.

Abbie must negotiate the land of the Fae, the Otherworld, when she is unexpectedly transported there. Desperate to find her way back home, she and her dog quickly find allies to help her - but how much can she really trust these strangers? Back at home her changeling double is ingratiating itself to Abbie’s mother, while her father views the ’girl’ with suspicion. What secret is he hiding? He can, and will, do anything to get the real Abbie back - even make a deal with the mysterious Cat.

Fae Child was backed in Sept 2016 by the Rite of Passage Syndicate.


I hope you stuck through the list to the end, and enjoyed reading a little about each book. I wish you all the best of luck in your campaigns!

edit: all done editing in the links!