Thursday, April 26, 2012

Shards of S'Darin free this weekend!

 

This Saturday and Sunday, Part two of In the Shadow of the Black Sun, Shards of S'Darin will also be free. I am generating interest in this epic fantasy series by offering book 2 for free in the hopes that those who download it will also purchase Part one, A Dream of Storms for $2.99. Also available is Embremere, the first book in a new fantasy series aimed at a more Young Adult audience. Read the sample and give that one a try as well. 

Links to my books

With all of this talk of artwork for book covers, I thought I would remind everyone that I write as well. LOL. I'm posting links to each of my books in the hopes that you check them out, read the samples and hopefully purchase one or more. All of the stories have great reviews and I've gotten a lot of good feedback from readers.

In the Shadow of the Black Sun Saga
(All ages Dark Fantasy series)


Tales of Embremere
(All ages/YA Fantasy series)

  • Book 1: Embremere
  • Book 2: Ghosts of Embremere (In Progress)

Undergrowth
(A Horror Novella)

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Hidden Mountain cover art

Hello everyone,
Here's the latest cover that I've painted for author Sammy Sutton. It's an example of how I can adapt my style to fit different genres, from the fantasy and medieval to landscapes. Whatever your story, I am sure that I can create a cover that will be both eye-catching and convey the atmosphere and environment that you wish.

Thank you for stopping by, friends. Feel free to message or email me anytime with comments or questions.

William Kenney

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Embremere character art

 Lyrica from the new fantasy novel, Embremere
And Grivvin also from Embremere

Embremere sample


Here are the first few pages of Embremere. Enjoy!






CHAPTER ONE




The circular stone was pulled away as Grivvin struggled against the guards. A hole, roughly twice the width of his shoulders was revealed, the sound of the churning water crashing below easily heard. The ferocious storm had not relented for six days, battering the city of Embremere and costing the fishermen many days work. The rain beat so hard against the cathedral windows on this night, that he fully expected them to shatter from the force.
"Can you stop the storm now, Wychan? You'd better give us a display of your abilities or you'll be feeding the bottom dwellers," growled the guard known as Thax. Like most of the royal soldiers, he kept his head shaved, giving him a most sinister appearance.
"It doesn't work like that, I told you!" Grivvin explained as he tried to back away from the gaping hole to no avail.
"You are a Wychan, fool! Of course it works like that. Your father was a Wychan and his father before him. Since your dear sisters are away, you are the last of the bloodline. Now, stop this bloody storm!"
"My father's power didn't reach its full strength until he was nearly forty years old. I'm only seventeen and there's no one left to teach me! How can you expect me to bend the weather to my will at my age?"
Footfalls echoed throughout the room as another figure joined them. Grivvin could not see the man, despite twisting in the guards grip.
"You have the books. Can you stop this storm or not, Wychan?" said the commanding voice. Grivvin recognized it, the voice of Kelt, Prince of Embremere, he of jet-black hair and soul.
"Your grace....I-"
"Can you stop it?"
"No, your grace, but I-"
"I have heard enough! Throw him in!" Prince Kelt ordered and walked off into another chamber. "I've had enough of his disobedience. Wychan, eh? The word seems to mean incompetence."
"Wait, wait! You can't do this!"
The Prince chuckled, his voice barely audible. "I can do anything I want, boy."
With a shove, Grivvin dropped through the hole. He had enough sense to inhale deeply just before the turbulent waves took him in. The force of the water was unbelievable and struggle as he might, it tossed him about like a ragdoll. And it was cold, his muscles tightening in response as the current pulled him along violently and at an alarming speed. His body spun several revolutions, causing him to lose all sense of direction. With the darkness of night, he could not be sure which way was up.
Suddenly, something wrapped around his waist, entangling him, preventing him from swimming for the surface. His lungs were near to bursting as he fought against the thing, hands pulling at its thick, cold length. He knew that soon his body would surrender, the air in his lungs no longer enough to sustain his life, and on reflex, he would gasp for air. Upon inhaling the water, he would drown. It was inevitable. Something slithered beneath his arm and tugged hard, trying to pull him away to some deep and hidden lair. The pressure in his head was now unbearable and he felt his consciousness slipping away as he rose in the water. Something had pulled him free of the thing, but it mattered not. His air was gone. He had nearly reached his lungs capacity and would die here, floating in the Lake Embremere. He felt his head break the surface, moonlight filling his eyes as he opened them in shock. He gasped painfully for air, spitting out lake water, the constriction of his chest excruciating.
“Stop flailing about! You’ll drown us both!” someone called out next to him, she that had pulled him from the creature’s grasp. She had slipped her arm over his chest and was pulling him along on his back. He did his best to stop struggling and allow the panic to fade. He would not die this day.



Now, I know you're interested in what happens next, aren't you? Download the Kindle version of this new fantasy novel from Amazon by clicking HERE.

Embremere

Here's the news that everyone has been waiting for. My new fantasy novel is finished! Click here to visit the Amazon page! Here's a brief synopsis:

The majestic city of Embremere had been built on an immense platform high above the surface of the lake, with the poor and
criminal element creating their own society below it in a world they called The Under. Into this world, Grivvin Lo'Rynin is exiled. He is the last of the Wychan, Embremere's high order of wizards who have, over the generations, lost their power. And now he is an outcast.

As fate would have it, a young girl named Lyrica pulls him from the churning waves that night, saving his life and dragging him along on a dangerous adventure facing whirlpools, dragons and the grey-skinned fish-men called the Cuda, who cruelly rule The Under.

Can Grivvin survive in this strange land long enough to unlock the secrets of Wychan magic and seek revenge on the nobles that branded him useless?

What dark secrets lie at the bottom of Lake Embremere?

And here's another example of my cover art for you authors out there. A great cover can really push your books over the top. Well, that's all for now. It's midnight here and I'm zombified.

William

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Finished!

The new book is officially finished! I've sent copies off to a few people, to get their feedback before I publish. I also have to finish the cover art. This one is very challenging, which seems strange I'm the one who decides on the concept. Oh well, I guess I like to challenge myself. I hope to have the art done before the weekend is over. We shall see.

Digital Sketch-William Kenney
Anyway, this story features younger characters and feels a bit more like a Young Adult story. My other fantasy stories would also be suitable for young adults as well. This new book and the In the Shadow of the Black Sun books have no profanity or sexual situations in them. The horror book that I am working on has enough to go around.

If enough people like the new book, I would like to write a sequel. It's already outlined in my head and ready to be written.

I've also been getting a lot of questions about doing cover art, so I think that's going to keep me pretty busy. If you have a question or comment, just drop a note here or email me at WilliamKenney_author@yahoo.com

Have a great one, everybody.

William

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

More art samples





Lately, I've been getting a lot of questions about cover art. I thought I would post some more samples of some of the fantasy art that I have done in the past. Right now, I am charging $500.00 for a full-color painted cover. If the author wants the text, title, back cover blurb, etc added for a printed book, they will have to add another $50.00 to the price.
Email me at WilliamKenney_author@yahoo.com to start the process.

So, here's how the process works:
1) Contact me and tell me the cover concept that you would like
2) I do a sketch of the cover and email it to you for approval
3) Once approved, payment is made through Paypal for the full amount
4) In roughly 2 to 3 weeks, your cover is complete. I usually send in-progress images to you along the way as well.

$500.00 - Full color, painted cover
$200.00 - Black and white interior illustration

And here's some legal stuff, just so you know:

This is an agreement stating the rights of each party (artist and purchaser of art for publication in print or ebook format).


You have the right to use the art that you purchase from me (in this particular agreement) in print or digital form for your RPG supplement or in your novels, if you so choose. You may also use said art for promotional purposes such as flyers, internet promotion, on your blogs, anything to help you advertise your publication.
The things you do not have the right to do:
Mass produce any other items displaying my artwork for profit. (If you wanted to make a shirt or two with one of my images on it for promotion, I'm cool with that. Just don't sell them for profit.) So, no selling of posters, lunchboxes, toilet paper, action figures, mugs, bookmarks with my artwork on it unless we come up with a new agreement for said items.


I, the artist, still retain the rights to the art itself. So, I can make posters of it (as long as I do not use your characters names, etc. You own the rights to those and I can't use them.) I can continue to use the art in other ways as long as I do not infringe on your rights to the characters, story, RPG, etc. I will not show any of the artwork until you publish the work containing it, without your permission. That way there is still an element of surprise when people see your publication. Once you've posted the cover or published, then I can display the art wherever I choose.


Once I receive payment, I will send you an email stating which images are paid for and I will continue to do that as long as we do business.


You must give me credit anywhere that you use the image in some reasonable way. In the credits of the book is fine. It doesn't have to be on every page that has my image unless you want it that way. As long as it is easy for people to find out who did which piece of art, I'm cool with it. 


Let me know if you have questions about this or if I forgot something.

Anyway, on with the show. Here are some images that I have done in the past. I'll post more later.








Tuesday, April 10, 2012

You should be reading this book

I've created the fantasy world called Kirkaldin. This realm is divided, from north to south, by an invisible boundary known by the inhabitants as The Edge. Beyond The Edge, to the east, is the land ruled by Mournenhile, the embodiment of ultimate evil and bane of all that is good. He has returned. Throughout the land there are signs, omens that can point only to that very fact. The mutilated body of a young woman is found under Klaemen's Arch, tiny footprints leading away from her corpse, traveling east. The Pith, Mournenhile's horrible creatures, like a cross between bat and wolf, attack Elfwhere where autumn has now fallen. Never before have the trees lost their leaves, never before has an army dared to attack the Elves. Now, the forest burns.
In the city of Harquinn, one of the west's most important strongholds, the mages of Councilcrane send for Hagan Marindel, one of the land's most legendary heroes. It was his blade that turned the tides during The Battle of the Black Sun and sent Mournenhile's forces retreating back into the east twelve years ago. The Stone Troll, Gorin, had been given the task of returning Hagan to the Council, for now that the darkness once again crept across the land, Hagan's sword would be needed again.
Horrible things had happened during The Battle of the Black Sun. Hagan had cut himself off from the world, retreated into the hills and tried to forget the unthinkable things that he had done to protect the peoples of the west. Would he return with Gorin to Harquinn? Would he once again lend his blade to the side of good?

You'll have to read A Dream of Storms to find out. Find out why this book has a 4.7 out of 5 star average rating on Amazon.