Uprooted Has Been Published!

In case you hadn’t noticed my giddy Facebook postings, I wanted to let everybody know that I’ve finally published my very first novel!

It’s called Uprooted: Brothers of Orinthia, Book 1. It’s available on Amazon in both Kindle format, as well as in print-on-demand paperback format for those who prefer to be able to hold a book in their hands (that’s me, though I’m getting used to Kindle).

So far, I have confirmed readers in the US, the UK, Germany, India and Australia! This may be old hat for experienced authors, but for a first-time novelist it’s quite a thrill to watch.

No, so far sales are not going “gangbusters” – I’m not planning my retirement yet. It’s hard to break into the market without a strong surge of initial sales, plus some positive reviews. I’ll get into how you can help me with that in a minute! :)

Uprooted (http://www.amazon.com/Uprooted-Brothers-Orinthia-Edwin-Hanks-ebook/dp/B00IJKFIG4) - is book one of what’s planned as an epic series. Here’s what the “dust jacket” (the Amazon description, anyway) says:

Two brothers stumble upon the macabre scene of an old murder. Who was this man? Why was he killed? They find answers to the mystery soon enough, and it rips them away from their comfortable rural home. They must run for their lives, pursued by malicious forces, thrown into a world of competing magical and conventional powers, uprooted from everything they’ve known and held familiar.

This is author Edwin Hanks’ first full novel, and the first of two series – the Brothers Subseries, fantasy thrillers about two young boys coming of age, and the Orinthia Series which draws them and dozens of others into a larger storyline of magic, romance, faith, politics and intrigue.

It’s a series about regular people in irregular circumstances. Ordinary heroes who aren't of noble blood. Highborn heroes who are real people underneath. Opponents vying against one another for victory, each believing their cause is just.

This epic series is faithful to the traditions of high fantasy while upending many of the clichés of the genre.

I still mean to publish a blog post about some of my “pet peeves” in fantasy writing, which I’m trying to avoid. Clichés, overdone motifs, etc. Let’s just say Uprooted is my answer to a lot of those clichés – like the “golden boys” who don’t know they’re the prophesied saviors of mankind, or the impending end of the world, or even the hand-wringing evil guy in the “black hat.”

For those who are curious, here’s more about the book, and the series that shall follow:

• It’s part of a genre called “epic fantasy” or sometimes “high fantasy” – ambitious stuff like The Lord of the Rings, or The Wheel of Time.
• It’s a “coming of age” story primarily about two brothers, but that doesn’t mean it’s merely a “young adult” novel – it’s meant for general adult fantasy readers.
• Most of my characters have roles to play in events that are much larger than they are – these are regular people caught in irregular situations.

There are no “golden boys” here. These boys are a lot more like me and you at their age. Maybe a little (a lot?) more mature, but that was normal in older ages. Given a challenge, they will still rise to it, using the talents at their disposal. But they’re still just regular guys. And some regular girls to go along with them!

I’m already writing the sequel, and a number of the other stories that will go along with the broader series. My intent is to fully flesh out the world with a variety of stories from different (often opposed) points of view. Many of these will be linked with each other and will end up funneling into the climactic final “subseries.”

And if you don't live in the USA, your country-specific Amazon store should have the book too (the Kindle, at least). Just take the URL given above and replace the ".com" with your "dot-whatever" (.co.uk, etc.) and you'll find it. Or you could just type "Uprooted Hanks" into the search.

Just a reminder, dear readers and fans, of two things:

1) if you wouldn’t mind spending a couple (or a few, if you want the paperback) dollars to help me out, every sale helps build me toward those coveted “Best Seller” lists on Amazon. Just being there increases visibility and helps sales – your purchase of either the Kindle version or the paperback edition will really help me out.

2) Another thing that would really help me is positive reviews! If you can take a few moments to say a few words, or even to just give me a star rating, that’s going to go miles and miles toward helping me find new readers. Honest reviews are great! Honest positive reviews are ten-times better!

Once more – thank you for all you’ve done to support and encourage me!

Author Edwin Hanks

p.s. One more thing: Here’s a sneak peek at the regional map I’m using for the world of Orinthia. I’m planning a full blog on this soon, but this may serve as a teaser.

Sample: First Scene of "Uprooted" (my upcoming fantasy novella)

Sorry I haven't been posting much, here.  One of my last posts was at the end of July, which was partially entitled "Close to Publishing..." (somewhat amusing in retrospect).

I've been adding brief updates on a more frequent basis on my Edwin Hanks, Author Facebook page, which is now up to 199 likes/subscribers (want to be #200?).

The long and short of those various updates is that, after more or less completing the story, I've been adding layer upon layer of depth, receiving comments from a number of deeply-valued beta-readers, and making changes according to what they or I feel isn't working quite right.  It's a refining process I intend to discuss shortly in a blog post about croissants.

Previously, I've shared with you samples of my historical fiction writing.  I've meant to supply some writing from other genres, but I haven't found a good sample.  Now, it's time.

What I have for you today is a sample from the upcoming novella, "Uprooted."  It hasn't changed much, at all, in the last two months, and I surprised myself yesterday by making some minor improvements, but I don't anticipate I'll change it again except in response to comments which you can leave here.

As a special bonus, you'll get to see one of the illustrations from the book!  Thanks to Nicole Charpentier for doing some of the interior illustrations.

Chapter 1

The odor of damp earth and warm forest penetrated Caran’s nostrils.  He lay on his side, rocks and twigs uncomfortably prickling through his tunic. 

A youth in his mid-teens, dressed in simple woolen earthtones, his tousled brown hair eclipsed his searching green eyes ever so slightly.  He peered out from a concealing copse of trees and brush, hoping to catch sight of his prey. 

Caran glimpsed nothing of interest.  Just the gray-whiteness of a thousand aspen trees.  The clustered red of the tappery bushes.  No movement but the flutter of small green leaves.  No sound but the call of a hawk circling high overhead, its piercing cry sharp like its talons. 

A wise hunter is patient.  Still.  Silent.  Eyes scanning. 

The mountains of the Burgundy Range loomed large against the distant horizon – a startling contrast of brilliant green vegetation and bright red rock, with a hint of snow dusting the very tops.

Nearer, to front and left of the woods where Caran concealed himself, ran a crescent of bluffs overlooking an oxbow of the Jerat River, whose smoothly flowing waters bit softly into their base.

A wisp of breeze ruffled Caran’s hair.  A trio of birds flashed past, winging through the branches in chase.

He continued to watch.  His mind drifted to thoughts of Kiya, the tall, beautiful, brunette a year his senior who occupied his thoughts often.  He imagined he might now be hunting for food for her table.  Their table – the one he hoped they would share someday. 

Occasionally he convinced himself Kiya shared his interest.  Sometimes it seemed...  Some times, that was, when she wasn’t acting as if he was utterly beneath her notice.  He tamped down a surge of irritation.  Why would she…

There!  A small child in drab brown clothing stirred from a thicket.  The boy’s gaze darted furtively.  Excitedly.  He began to move.  Wrestling with entangling branches, he blundered through his first steps, making enough rustling, crackling noises to rouse a bear from slumber. 

Caran shook his head with a wry smirk.  Slowly, he shifted, leaves crackling quietly under his form.  He raised his bow to match his gaze.  Pulling the bowstring back, he took careful aim.  “Pfft….  Thut!” he shouted, sound effects pitched to carry.

The boy stopped abruptly.  His eyes goggled, and he stared in stunned silence at Caran’s location for a full two heartbeats.  Then he dropped to the ground.

“You missed me!” he yelled back.

 

Grumbling, Caran called back, “I had a perfect shot!  There’s no chance I missed you.  You’re a corpse!”

“I was running!”  After a second’s thought, the argumentative youngster added, “And I ducked!”

That simply evoked a mocking laugh.  “Yeah… After your head got split open!”

Unexpectedly, the youth stood up again.  His body and throwing arm arched back and flung forward to propel some object.  It landed a full twenty paces from Caran’s location.  But the range wasn’t bad, he noted.

“Kawhumpf!” the boy shouted.  “A naptha bottle!  You’re dead!” 

As Caran considered whether to dignify that with a response, he heard a shout of alarm from across the clearing.  Real alarm.  Or so it seemed from the tone.

“Tev?!” he called back.  “You okay?”  A beat or two of silence… 

Caran leapt to his feet and dashed intently toward where he had last seen his little brother.  As he ran, he reached back and pulled a real arrow from his quiver, notching it for ready use.

He hadn’t crossed half the clearing before the younger child squeaked, “Caran!  Come quick.  You won’t believe this!”