(This should be a single email ONLY if you do not follow my other book, The Battle for Oz.)  

Get A FREE Book Now!!!

Well... not this book. I’m sure you already have a copy. But... I’m talking about my newest title on Inkshares, Whispers of the Wind! And what I meant to say was, you can now READ the entire book, all 65,841 words, for free as part of its participation in the 2020 All-Genre Manuscript Contest!

So... what is the book about? 

Seventeen-year-old Robb is the king of Zeruko. He, and his twin sister Myra, ascended the throne after their father’s passing. According to many, King Daemon-arch-nemesis and ruler of Tentazoa-murdered the late king. But despite the claims, Robb believes his father is still alive.

With a desire to bring his father home, Robb leaves Zeruko with his trusted friend Spion. The pair travel to the realms of the universe through the magic of raindrops. From the hazardous trip behind enemy lines to the festive East Asian-esque Meihua; from the kingdom hovering above the clouds to the heterogeneous society of a tunneled realm, every step in his journey uncovers a gem of his past, present, and future. And in one foresight, Robb learns the daunting fate of Zeruko.

 (Book cover below)  

You can read more about the book on the book page, alongside all chapters ready to be devoured in your spare time.  The book is also open for pre-orders, should you wish to fund it. That being said, if you love realm travel, magic, and youthful adventures, do give Whispers of the Wind a try! I would really appreciate it.

READ ’WHISPERS OF THE WIND’ NOW!

Aloha All,

I have  good news to share with you!  Inkshares has begun to ship the paperbacks of Lost in the Fog!

I haven’t received my author copies in the mail yet, but I’ve heard from some friends who have gotten their pre-orders.  That makes me incredibly happy!  Both you and I will be getting our paperbacks of Lost in Fog very soon!  

The post offices around the globe are doing yeoman’s work, so we’ll just need to be patient while they do their jobs.  Given all the delays I’ve read about due to a variety of reasons, please give them some time to deliver the packages.  If you haven’t received your copies within the next 2 weeks, please let me know.

There’s no way I can properly thank you all for your support!  I’m also incredibly grateful for your patience in this Rip Van Winkle-esque process that is publishing a book.  This wouldn’t have been possible without you.   I sincerely hope you enjoy Lost in the Fog. 

I’ll end this update with the first professional review I’ve ever received.  It’s from Kirkus, who have been trusted evaluators of books since 1933.  I’m so grateful they loved it:

“Ostrowski, a former resident of both Boston and San Francisco, thoroughly knows the territory the intriguing characters roam. The places range from a hidden foodie gem in Boston’s North End to where the steep slope of Powell Street meets Sutter in the San Francisco fog . . . humor weaves throughout the smoothly written story.   For example, Camden says his wine has an intense black cherry taste “with a hint of clowns on a bright summer day.”

But the mood can change quickly.  The tension rises in this enjoyable tale as unhappy clients attack, often fatally.  Thriller enthusiasts will want to add this well-sculpted heist drama to their collections." – Kirkus Reviews

 -Michael 

.

Hello All,

For the last time, the manuscript is out of my hands and into the machine. I’ve seen the Elephant.

I’d hoped my mom could have been part of this; that was the plan. I admit, the loss of her midstream took the wind out of my sails.

January 2021, they say, and you’ll have my life in your hands.

If any of you are interested in being part of the marketing - blurbs and reviews - I can provide a PDF of the manuscript proof for your review. Just send me an email:

amalek7th@gmail.com

Thank you for your long suffering,

Sharek Amalek Gadd

Greetings, Faoii.

I don’t usually use this platform for updates since I pulled away from Inkshares last year, but something about tonight convinced me to reach out, anyway. I just wanted to tell you that things are good, my warriors. For the first time since my initial publication of The Last Faoii in October 2017, I am finally, truly happy with being an author. I have two self-published novels out now and have re-discovered the joy of the craft that I somehow lost during my initial run at publication. I made more royalties this month than I did all of last year. But, more than that, I’ve finally started figuring things out enough that I hope I can start sharing what I’ve learned with other aspiring authors who feel like they’re just treading water. Because I remember what that was like. And I never could have gotten through it without you. I found the greatest community of people here on Inkshares, and while I no longer want to be part of this specific platform, I do still think that community is filled with amazing people who I’d like to stay connected with.

If you haven’t already, I truly hope you’ll friend me on Facebook. Or, if you’d like a more specific look at what I (and other authors, many of whom I met on Inkshares) have learned about the journey from writing to publication, consider joining this Facebook Group. I remember what it was like to feel like I was drowning in a sea of other authors and books. No one should have to feel like they’re just keeping their head above water when we’re all in this together.

Shields up. Always.
Faoii-Tahani
(TahaniNelson.com)

Hello supporters, backers, and pre-orderers of Fae Child!

Aloha All,

I hope this Lost in the Fog update finds you all safe and well.  While our world has been upended by a dangerous and awful virus, I’m choosing to focus on whatever positive news I can get.  Thankfully, there is plenty if you seek it out. 

First off, the healthcare workers all over the world are such amazing heroes, and I cannot say enough thanks to all of those amazing humans. I think of that great quote from Mr. Rogers, who was told by his Mom when he saw scary things as a kid to “look for the helpers”.  There are so many incredible helpers right now saving lives and we need to salute them every day.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I also love that there are millions of people around the globe protesting and taking a stand against racism.  I wish the despicable things that propelled this movement never happened, and I pray for the family and friends of all of the victims.  But so wonderful that the world is changing because of this moment.   

After pondering all of this important stuff, I’m tempted to end this post here. 

But as this is an update for all the terrific people who pre-ordered my novel, I’ll quickly share some good news.   I just heard back from the amazing people at Inkshares (my publisher), and while they are not yet reopened because of the pandemic, they hope to do so soon.  

And I was informed Lost in the Fog will be released in August.

I’m so happy that the book you all graciously ordered long ago will finally be in your hands and e-reader devices very soon.  I hope you’ll find it fun, mysterious, entertaining, suspenseful, and well-written.  When I get a specific August release date, I’ll share it with you as soon as I know.   But for now, lets celebrate this positive news!